Farm Census

[wilagro]

Don't even try to send your census via the internet for a few days. It will allow you to key in the data BUT then announces that the system is in error and your data goes bye bye.

Typical government assbackward crap. If the damned system wasn't working WHY did it allow input in the first place?

Talk about your 'gun registry' debacle when computer systems didn't work...this is damned near as bad. I guess our time is not valuable and we can keep on trying.

[coppertop]

Something like filling out questionaires on the provincial website only to get an error message after you have spent the better part of an hour of your time !!! I wonder if it would work if I had a High Speed internet connection vs dial up. I like to blame all my internet woes on dial up, mainly because our county has provided all the infrastructure to allow residents on the east side of the county to get hooked up to high speed but we are still in the dark ages in my area !!!

I sat down the other morning and filled out my census form and mailed it, likely took less time and a lot less frustration.

Anything the government does to make things easier is guaranteed to cost time, and increase the stress level !!!

[wilagro]

Dial-up is a problem but is not the reason for government systems failure.

I am considering cutting satellite TV service to a minimum, cancelling TELUS internet service and subscribing to wireless high-speed internet service.

With these reductions I should be able to afford the change. The only additional expense is $300 one time charge for equipment.

Lately, Telus has not kept up with equipment upgrades and dial-up is like a crap-shoot with an overworked and obsolete system.

[grassfarmer]

I have had a simlar experience with Stats Canada the last couple of times. I had opted to receive it by email as I can't always think of all the information at the time they call. When the online version arrives my computer warns me not to access it as the security permits are expired. I have called them about this only to be told "oh we know the security permits are lapsed but just fill it in anyway it will be OK" - er, no - I'm not comprimising my computer's security because you can't do your job properly. When you see the millions of dollars Gov spent on the computer part of the gun registry I think they can afford to keep their systems running properly. I suspect that funding isn't the problem - rather useless staff.

[coppertop]

My biggest beef is when I need technical assistance from Telus and can count on spending at least half an hour on hold waiting for a real honest to goodness human being to speak with.

[wilagro]

The last time that I wanted to speak to a human...they transferred me to a recording which said to go the website and leave a message. I had already tried THAT and got NO results.

Damned idiots...too bad we sold OUR company to Telus.

[coppertop]

It always amuses me ( NOT ) when I get a recording telling me to go to the website, when the reason I am calling @@##$$ Telus in the first place is because I cannot access internet !!!

When the power was deregulated we used to get a recording but now we get a real live human being when ever we call in a power outage. In fact one morning in the winter at 5:30 AM the power went off and when I called in the fellow who answered asked me if I had been able to get my morning coffee before the power went off, because he has found that people aren't nearly as grumpy when calling in an outage in the morning if they have at least been able to have a coffee !!!

[ivbinconned]

Census??? Never fill them out. Never have ...never will.

A fine?! OK...I'll pay for my privacy!

[wilagro]

ivbinconned: How come? Are you an ALIEN and afraid that THEY might find your spaceship and send you back home?

Don't forget that for every citizen who gets COUNTED and lives in Saskatchewan, the feds give your province a per capita allocation of dollars to keep you alive.

[ivbinconned]

Thats all I tell em...me, the good women god gave me...thats two of us...show me the money!

All other information is sold to those who use and abuse those of us that love this honorable ocupation!

[cowman]

Haven't got around to doing it yet but will. I like to believe they send it out for a reason other than thinking of ways to screw you! Maybe I am naive or something?
Bottom line is this: How does a government hope to provide service if they have no clue how many people are out there and what the situation is? I think we do have certain duties to the state? Again, maybe I am naive?