A consensus of opinion

Census 2011

March 2011

The Census aint what it used to be.

Back in the time of Christ the whole family had to pack its bags and return to the village where the head of the household was born, a journey which could take weeks. Not so any more.

Today I received the latest Census papers which include a 32 page paper booklet for completion. I sat down with a heavy heart resigned to an evening of form filling, only to realise that things have moved on since I last completed one.

The internet has happened! The Census has an optional internet delivery channel. All you have to do is type in your households unique number and away you go. 

Whilst this is a Government system you shouldn't hold that against it - it works really well. Whereas the paper version is long and cumbersome, having to cover all the possible bases, the internet version is "intelligent" and automatically deletes all irrelevant questions leaving you to fill in only what matters.

I rattled through the process in less time than it has taken to write this post - about 10 mins. Amazing.

The one thing that did make me stop and think was the question "is there another address where you reside for more than 30 days per year" (I paraphrase slightly). The true answer is yes - aboard Wand'ring Bark but of course, that is a very peripatetic reside. If it was a holiday cottage I would have had to give its address but I couldn't very well say "anywhere on the 4,000 miles on navigable waterways" so I said no - which I think was the right answer.

I guess the location issue presents a problem to you continuous cruisers out there? 

Well, if the internet had been around 2000 years ago Joseph and Mary wouldn't have gone to Bethlehem, Jesus wouldn't have been born in a stable, Herod wouldn't have killed all those babies and the Shepherds and Wise Men would have remained in obscurity. 

Its a thought.....