Got my census form this week...

[KD in CA]

they use the Census for all sorts of neat things

 

for example, the nationality question was really helpful in 1942 when they used that info to round up thousands of Japanese and inter them in concentration camps

 

 

Funny how in 2010 they are afraid to even categorize Arabs/Middle Easterners.

[aussiew]

I wish someone could give me a serious, logical, intelligent reason why the US should NOT do a census. I'm willingly filling out my form, completely and correctly, and sending it in.

 

Just don't get why it's a problem....

[ExiledInIllinois]

I wish someone could give me a serious, logical, intelligent reason why the US should NOT do a census. I'm willingly filling out my form, completely and correctly, and sending it in.

 

Just don't get why it's a problem....

 

 

 

 

In the end I will to. It is kinda like jury duty... I may joke and say I don't like it... But... I will never try to sabotage getting out. They pick you (especially if it is a Grand Jury) and the only thing you should say is: "Your honor, I will gladly serve."

 

You know what the problem is? Civics isn't taught anymore.

[Chilly]

 

In the end I will to. It is kinda like jury duty... I may joke and say I don't like it... But... I will never try to sabotage getting out. They pick you (especially if it is a Grand Jury) and the only thing you should say is: "Your honor, I will gladly serve."

 

You know what the problem is? Civics isn't taught anymore.

 

There's nothing more civic in American culture than skepticism of the government.

[Bufcomments]

the choices for African-Americans on the census where as follows...

African-American, Black or Negro.

 

To see the word Negro in the year 2010 on anything the government hands out is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen. WTF !!!! What did they just reprint the friggin form from the 60's??

 

I almost did not mail mine back just for that reason, but the reminder card made me do it.

[KD in CA]

the choices for African-Americans on the census where as follows...

African-American, Black or Negro.

 

To see the word Negro in the year 2010 on anything the government hands out is one of the dumbest things I have ever seen. WTF !!!! What did they just reprint the friggin form from the 60's??

 

I almost did not mail mine back just for that reason, but the reminder card made me do it.

 

If my sarcasm detector is turned off, I apologize, but if not, are you suggesting that the word Negro is now off limits as some kind of slur?

 

The folks at the United Negro College Fund are gonna be pissed if they have to spend a lot of money changing the letterhead and marketing slicks.

[KD in CA]

You know what the problem is? Civics isn't taught anymore.

 

I think the bigger problem is that civics isn't practiced anymore. Just look at the endless parade of scumbags who run this country. Kinda hard to blame people for getting put off.

[stuckincincy]

The folks at the United Negro College Fund are gonna be pissed if they have to spend a lot of money changing the letterhead and marketing slicks.

 

Here ya go, folks!

 

 

http://www.rsdb.org/

[KD in CA]

Here ya go, folks!

 

 

http://www.rsdb.org/

 

Classic. If some of the lunatics had their way, you'd be in jail for uttering anything on that list.

 

I didn't get this one though: New York Met: Hispanics.

 

 

When I go to the Opera, it's all rich, old, white people.

[stuckincincy]

When I go to the Opera, it's all rich, old, white people.

 

 

I admire their dogged moxie for slogging through.

[ExiledInIllinois]

There's nothing more civic in American culture than skepticism of the government.

 

 

And I correct myself... It is like KD said about civics not being practiced. One time my wife got selected to go downtown for the Federal Grand Jury (she actually didn't get selected but became a deep alternate)... She said you could write a book about the brutality that is our culture. The whining and crying was unimaginable. Investment bankers getting sent off because they "have a bad attitude." While others with genuine hardships get picked because they suck it up and have a good attitude. Again, if you happen to be selected... Why not raise your hand and say: "Yes your honor, I would glady serve."

 

It is all about "me." And like KD sad it is hard not to get put off... But you gotta rise above in the ended. Everybody can't be jaded. What do we got then?

[ExiledInIllinois]

Here ya go, folks!

 

 

http://www.rsdb.org/

 

 

I wonder how the coach of the Chicago Bulls (Vinny Del Negro) feels about this.

 

[stuckincincy]

I wonder how the coach of the Chicago Bulls (Vinny Del Negro) feels about this.

 

 

Ooh...let's make war on S. America for these hurtful things...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Negro

[ExiledInIllinois]

Ooh...let's make war on S. America for these hurtful things...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Negro

 

[stuckincincy]

 

The Osage, Miami, Itasca Rivers...they are next! Lake Erie is going to get it, too.

[ExiledInIllinois]

The Osage, Miami, Itasca Rivers...they are next! Lake Erie is going to get it, too.

 

Don't even think about skiing at Squaw Valley!

[Fan in Chicago]

You're right, maybe if people stopped evading the census takers and simply mailed back the census in a timely fashion, they wouldn't have to send out all these reminders and waste all that money.

And you think that four mailings will change their behavior ?

[IDBillzFan]

The folks at the United Negro College Fund are gonna be pissed ...

Yeah, I heard NAACP is upset because it didn't say Black, African Am, Negro or Colored Person.

[Andrew in CA]

And you think that four mailings will change their behavior ?

Who's behavior? The government who is mailing the reminders or the citizens who are tasked with filling out the census?

[Chilly]

 

And I correct myself... It is like KD said about civics not being practiced. One time my wife got selected to go downtown for the Federal Grand Jury (she actually didn't get selected but became a deep alternate)... She said you could write a book about the brutality that is our culture. The whining and crying was unimaginable. Investment bankers getting sent off because they "have a bad attitude." While others with genuine hardships get picked because they suck it up and have a good attitude. Again, if you happen to be selected... Why not raise your hand and say: "Yes your honor, I would glady serve."

 

It is all about "me." And like KD sad it is hard not to get put off... But you gotta rise above in the ended. Everybody can't be jaded. What do we got then?

 

I have no idea why you're talking about jury duty here, but I can tell you that questioning what the government is going to do with the additional information is a GOOD thing.

[Fan in Chicago]

Who's behavior? The government who is mailing the reminders or the citizens who are tasked with filling out the census?

 

I thought by the wording of your post that you were implying people do not respond to census takers and hence the govt. has to send out multiple reminders. If thats what you meant, I don't think multiple reminders will make this segment of the population will respond in proportion to the number of reminders.

[Andrew in CA]

I thought by the wording of your post that you were implying people do not respond to census takers and hence the govt. has to send out multiple reminders. If thats what you meant, I don't think multiple reminders will make this segment of the population will respond in proportion to the number of reminders.

I agree with you that it probably has little effect, but I bet if people stopped kitty-footing around and just sent the census back promptly, the government wouldn't need to waste money sending multiple reminders.

[BB27]

I think the reminders are automatic even if you send the forms back. Without my knowledge, my wife (that hussey) sent the forms back the day after they came in the mail. We got the reminder a few days later, and another one yesterday.

 

I can't believe my wife violated my constitutional rights by sending it in with all the information I was so opposed to sending. DAMN DAMN DAMN

 

Oh well.......

[RkFast]

LOL:

Submitted:

Slur: !@#$ing moron

Represents: Anyone who takes this list seriously

Reasons/Origins: PC !@#$s like you

E-mail Address: !@#$you@youre a liberalpc!@#$tard.org

Your submission has been received and will be reviewed

in due time (as in: whenever i feel like it). Thanks.

[BB27]

LOL:

Submitted:

Slur: !@#$ing moron

Represents: Anyone who takes this list seriously

Reasons/Origins: PC !@#$s like you

E-mail Address: !@#$you@youre a liberalpc!@#$tard.org

Your submission has been received and will be reviewed

in due time (as in: whenever i feel like it). Thanks.

[JoeFerguson]

I wish someone could give me a serious, logical, intelligent reason why the US should NOT do a census. I'm willingly filling out my form, completely and correctly, and sending it in.

 

Just don't get why it's a problem....

 

I agree with you. I don't understand all the paranoid tin foil hat wearing people in this thread.

 

If you have nothing to hide, what's the big deal?

 

If I have your first and last name I can search you on zabasearch.com and find out all sorts of info on anyone for free. If I pay $60 more I can get even more information. If you receive mail and apply for credit, you can't hide from Big Brother. Quite frankly, unless you're living off the grid, you can't hide.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I have no idea why you're talking about jury duty here, but I can tell you that questioning what the government is going to do with the additional information is a GOOD thing.

 

Additional information like a phone number which they can easily get anyway. You are way too paranoid. Did you even read what Lori wrote and the wealth of information they collected over a 100 years. People today really take the wacky anti-governement thing to the extreme. And we wonder why people hate to do the simplest things like fill out a census without inane questioning or do jury duty (that is what I was getting at) without getting all whiny and paranoid.

 

Seems the more things get simpler, the more people complain. People question just for the sake of questioning.

 

The Census and jury duty are the cornerstones of our society.

[KD in CA]

I agree with you. I don't understand all the paranoid tin foil hat wearing people in this thread.

 

After reading this thread, I'm thinking I must have missed a couple pages of questions. The form I filled out asked for my name and address, which is only on about 80,000 mailing lists in this country. And I checked the 'white' box....highly confidential info there.

[ExiledInIllinois]

After reading this thread, I'm thinking I must have missed a couple pages of questions. The form I filled out asked for my name and address, which is only on about 80,000 mailing lists in this country. And I checked the 'white' box....highly confidential info there.

 

I think the questioning got started witht the phone number thingy. I guess we live in a very cynical time. Everybody distrusts.

 

Anyway... I still haven't received our. I don't know what they have in store for my village. There are signs in town proclaiminig April 1st is "Census Day." Maybe they will just go around and count seeing I am in a hillbilly town that has the socio-economic disposition towards being silly with these types of things.

[Chilly]

Additional information like a phone number which they can easily get anyway. You are way too paranoid.

 

I'm so paranoid, we filled out our census form completely and sent it back in! Try again.

 

Did you even read what Lori wrote and the wealth of information they collected over a 100 years.

 

Yeah I did, thanks for playing.

 

People today really take the wacky anti-governement thing to the extreme. And we wonder why people hate to do the simplest things like fill out a census without inane questioning or do jury duty (that is what I was getting at) without getting all whiny and paranoid.

 

Which are two completely different things for two completely different reasons. People are questioning what the government is going to do with the information in the census, which is legitimate questioning. Does this mean you shouldn't fill it out? No, but I'm not surprised you can't see the difference.

 

For more info about why people are skeptical, click here: http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/03/25/132...ivate?art_pos=1

 

And, like I said, there is no civic duty higher than government skepticism.

 

Now, let's compare that to jury duty. People don't like doing that because it's an inconvenience. In that instance, your point about civic duty is valid.

 

Seems the more things get simpler, the more people complain. People question just for the sake of questioning.

 

Really? Or is the complaining just more apparent to you because you now communicate with people using the internet that you wouldn't have known/hung out with in real life?

 

BTW, this country was built upon skepticism and questioning.

 

The Census and jury duty are the cornerstones of our society.

 

Which is an extremely simple way of viewing them both.

[Lori]

As a researcher, I'm disappointed that they're not trying to draw a more complete picture of the population...

 

... but spartacus wasn't kidding when he mentioned that the government used census data to round up the Japanese-Americans during WWII, a decision that wasn't exactly one of our country's finer moments.

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

I think the questioning got started witht the phone number thingy. I guess we live in a very cynical time. Everybody distrusts.

Yeah, we're ok with giving the government our phone number(s) to have them keep telemarketers from calling us during dinner, but if god forbid those same people should ask for your phone number as part of counting your actual existence within the country we'll all just lose our minds...

 

HONEY DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE!!! IT'S THE <insert designated evil group of politicians here>!!!!

 

I can picture it now. Board rooms full of NSA, FBI, CIA and all sorts of acronyms we aren't even allowed to suggest exist all wiping their brows "Thank Christ all those dumbasses gave us their phone numbers, now we know where to find them. Hey Peggy? You can go ahead and power down the satellites now, we're back on the phones! Oh, and get me Bob on the phone, I need a friggin update on this telegraph and Pony Express situation..."

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

As a researcher, I'm disappointed that they're not trying to draw a more complete picture of the population...

 

... but spartacus wasn't kidding when he mentioned that the government used census data to round up the Japanese-Americans during WWII, a decision that wasn't exactly one of our country's finer moments.

No, that's true but it's also a crappy reason not to do your civic duty and fill out a GD form.

 

Lori, this is not directed at you.

 

You know what? Don't fill it out. As a matter of fact, have nobody in all of WNY fill it out. We'll go ahead and use your share of federal dollars and Reps in Congress to get what we need down here in PA. You all can then manufacture the two things that WNY still exports in abundance...bitching and moaning.

[Sen. John Blutarsky]

I agree with you. I don't understand all the paranoid tin foil hat wearing people in this thread.

 

If you have nothing to hide, what's the big deal?

 

If I have your first and last name I can search you on zabasearch.com and find out all sorts of info on anyone for free. If I pay $60 more I can get even more information. If you receive mail and apply for credit, you can't hide from Big Brother. Quite frankly, unless you're living off the grid, you can't hide.

Yeah, zaba's bad. It's hard to get yourself out of the database too. They have a tiny little link that then tells you how to submit something in writing via snail mail to get yourself out. I had to do it 4 times before they actually complied. It's a pain in the butt.

[KD in CA]

I think the questioning got started witht the phone number thingy. I guess we live in a very cynical time. Everybody distrusts.

Wasn't the phone # question optional? Besides, how is a phone # confidential? The phone company knows it and has sold it to a million different marketing outfits. Unless of course you've signed up for the Do Not Call list, which means.....you already gave it to the Gov't!

 

Anyway... I still haven't received our. I don't know what they have in store for my village. There are signs in town proclaiminig April 1st is "Census Day." Maybe they will just go around and count seeing I am in a hillbilly town that has the socio-economic disposition towards being silly with these types of things.

Too bad you aren't an illegal or live in a ghetto. Than the gov't would be in hysterics over potentially under-counting your community.

 

 

I think our federal gov't is as corrupt and damaging as any organization on earth, but the Census is probably the most innocuous thing they do.

[Albany,n.y.]

I can't wait to see the posts when some of you get the form I got today. It's the 2nd form they send to a selected few of us (I don't know what percent get this one, but they send you a letter a few days before telling you it's coming).

They ask a lot more than the standard one. I had to fish out gas, electric, water, insurance, & property tax bills. Then the income questions for the last year (not 1/1-12/31, I figured 4/1-3/31 because I filled it out today): bank accounts for interest and paychecks for income. Then I had to estimate how much my house is worth, good thing I work as a real estate appraiser-how's the average Joe supposed to accurately know how much his house is worth? More: What time do you leave for work, how long does it take to get there; what's the address you work at, County & City office is located in. There was more, this is just the main stuff. It took me 45 minutes to dig up all the info to answer the questions, I had to go on line & look at cancelled checks, utility bills, dig up my water/sewer bill etc.

Now I didn't mind doing this, I also got this form last time when I was still in an apartment, but I can see some of you are going to go wild when you get this long form.

[thebug]

I can't wait to see the posts when some of you get the form I got today. It's the 2nd form they send to a selected few of us (I don't know what percent get this one, but they send you a letter a few days before telling you it's coming).

They ask a lot more than the standard one. I had to fish out gas, electric, water, insurance, & property tax bills. Then the income questions for the last year (not 1/1-12/31, I figured 4/1-3/31 because I filled it out today): bank accounts for interest and paychecks for income. Then I had to estimate how much my house is worth, good thing I work as a real estate appraiser-how's the average Joe supposed to accurately know how much his house is worth? More: What time do you leave for work, how long does it take to get there; what's the address you work at, County & City office is located in. There was more, this is just the main stuff. It took me 45 minutes to dig up all the info to answer the questions, I had to go on line & look at cancelled checks, utility bills, dig up my water/sewer bill etc.

Now I didn't mind doing this, I also got this form last time when I was still in an apartment, but I can see some of you are going to go wild when you get this long form.

 

 

Sounds like a scam to me.

[Just Jack]

Sounds like a scam to me.

Agreed. Every report I've seen has not mentioned a follow up long form. Did they also ask for passwords and pin numbers?

[Albany,n.y.]

Sounds like a scam to me.

It's not, it's called the American Community Survey. Here's what it says about it on the Census website:

Surveys

 American Community Survey – Part of the decennial census, this ongoing survey is sent to a sample of the population each month to update what the population looks like and how it lives. The survey also helps communities determine where to locate services and allocate resources.

Here's the link, find it under surveys:

 

http://2010.census.gov/news/doc/uscb_glance.doc

 

Here's more about it in an adobe file:

http://2010.census.gov/partners/pdf/C2POMemoNo9.pdf

[Albany,n.y.]

Agreed. Every report I've seen has not mentioned a follow up long form. Did they also ask for passwords and pin numbers?

Obviously, not.

 

I can't believe some of you never heard of this part.