Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Canada On-Line Census Sweat

So, the census things comes in the mail, and they tell you it's on-line, and here is a ridiculously huge sign-in number.  Then, once you sign in, they give you grievous warnings that you've only got 20 minutes to fill it in, or they time you out.  Now, they don't tell what the consequences of that are, so I take it to mean:

Fill out this undefined length survey in 20 minutes, or we come and Ladenize you!

Sheesh!  So you crack your knuckles and start the survey.  The length increases exponentially with the number of people in your house!  There is no clock on the screen ticking away, so you never know where you are.  Then, you complete it with a big sigh, and they give you a confirmation number that you better write down, so you can wave it in their faces when they come smashing in your door.

But wait!  That was only to fool you!  There's another big survey right after that, called the 'Household Survey'.  Is that still part of the 20 minutes?  Oh, God!  And that one is huge!  Anyway, it didn't 'time out' and condemn me to death, but who knows if there's a bureaucratic error?  :)

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