"...to err is human. To blame it on someone else is politics."

Politics or simply more of being human? Hubert H. Humphrey said it so I suspect he means politics. I think...human nature.

Here is a saga.

I ordered a present for my friend Grace from (the) Amazon.

No, it wasn't a rubber tree or a poison dart (I wish, in the circumstances...) but a book about horse anatomy. And Alfie and Poppy were curious.

To cut a long and very annoying saga short:

1.  The book failed to arrive within the allotted time...The vendor said she couldn't be held responsible for the deficiencies of the Royal Mail 
2. Grace left for university so now I'll have to post it on to her instead of giving it to her...The vendor suggested I give it to her at Christmas instead to avoid incurring extra cost
3. Finally, I received a card saying the package had been sent with insufficient postage. I had to drive into Uckfield to the sorting office and also pay £2. 23p in order to collect it. There was no postage on it at all...The vendor says it was the fault of the people on reception at her place of work who must have sent it without putting a stamp on it.
4. The book was advertised as being 'new' - the edges of every page were stained with rust marks and it had clearly been read...The vendor said it was 'in perfect condition when she sent it,' and asked for photographs of the stains because she didn't believe me, which I sent her.

Apparently, the vendor 'doesn't like my attitude or accusations'...

As for me...

 And the moral of this story is...buy books from  bookshops.

Postscript: I have been given a full refund (which doesn't actually cover all my out of pocket expenses, but hey...)

The vendor states: "I was bought up to look after my books and only decided to sell them at a friends suggestion" 


Ah, so the book WASN'T new then.