h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, down in the potting shed, we have had two matches thus far.

One two-nil defeat, and a one-all draw. Pompey are now 10/11 for relegation, which is not good news for the customers down there.

This year, we are 'revolutionising' our customer service. Quite what this means, apart from more paperwork and leg-work for the ground manager, I'm not sure. I am a great beleiver in doing what is necessary to get the job done first, and worrying about detail later. When you have several hundred people trying to place bets in the space of 15 minutes, you do not have time to tell them about the workings of the irish lottery.

In the shops, we are about to get a new television service which will provide two new virtual race tracks, plus action from france, the USA, south africa, and bazillions of other places, effectively doubling the number of races. A number of our customers are of the opinion that there is too much racing already (quantity instead of quality), and they feel pressured into backing anything and everything.

Especially virtual racing. Aaarghh. While I agree that it has been comercially successful, there seem to be a number of people who beleive that virtual 'form' is valuable information, and who cannot distinguish between real and virtual racing. One particular customer, who tries my patience, and those in many other shops, on a regular basis, will probably be in absolute ecstacy when he discovers that there are going to be another two virtual racetracks to add to the existing five. If his bet count increases by so much as one, I will have to bar him to save my sanity. He has already been barred from atleast one shop due to his excessive number of annoying, inconsequential, and above all, tedious virtual bets.

Anyway, rant over. Off to work tomorrow.