HMR&C - Pardon????

I rang the United Kingdom HMR&C today. Apparently I can't use their on-line Self-Assessment website to submit my tax return because I have moved offshore. Apparently because I am non-resident I must complete a paper tax return. So I asked the nice lady to send me one. She apologised, but she could not request the system to issue a paper tax return because the system is only available from 8am to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

You what???? The HMR&C helpline is available from 8am to 8pm seven days a week - real people answering the telephone, but the muppets who run IT cannot support them on weekend evenings? When do they think I'm going to do my personal tax return? During"working hours" on client's time?

 

Unbelievable.  And they say that the poor reputation of public sector IT is unjustified.

Ning!

I've discovered Ning. Probably a bit late really, it's clearly been around since 2005, but hey!, the Internet is a big place, it takes time to explore. Ning allows you to create your own social network. I'm interested in social networking as a business tool. To play I created a social network called Ronaldsway Regulars - for those of us who regularly pass through the nice little airport on the Isle of Man. It's going to be a pretty exclusive network, last I looked there was only me, and I haven't even tried talking to myself! Still, neat tool.