Census 2010

[Blueface]

Maybe it is me and what I do for a living that makes me uneasy when someone asks for my name and date of birth.
Why is the census asking for that?
Since when is this a process to attach a name to a statistic?
I can see asking my age.
I can see asking information about individuals in my household as they have a valid address to whom they mailed it to. However, it was mailed to "RESIDENT" and I feel it should stay that way.
They are not going to get that from me.

Here is the kicker, can we have your phone number in case we don't understand the answers. These freaking questions are as basic as 1+1.

Am I being too paranoid? I never participated in any prior census so wouldn't know what others have been like before. Curious to hear from those that have.

[Emjaysmash]

I almost applied to be a census taker this year. They were full up.

The census has always seemed to me like a harmless survey. Believe it or not, there are people who are too dumb to understand people's answers, or residents give answers that have nothing to do with the question being asked.

I think you'll be okay.

[hotreds]

My wife went ahead and filled it out. She didn't want these guys coming and knocking on our door. I had suggested she put "other" for "race" and write in "American" but again, she just wanted to get it over with and not have to deal with people calling her or knocking on her door.

So, if you don't fill it out, you'll be pestered until they get their answers.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Emjaysmash

I almost applied to be a census taker this year. They were full up.

The census has always seemed to me like a harmless survey. Believe it or not, there are people who are too dumb to understand people's answers, or residents give answers that have nothing to do with the question being asked.

I think you'll be okay.

Originally Posted by hotreds

My wife went ahead and filled it out. She didn't want these guys coming and knocking on our door. I had suggested she put "other" for "race" and write in "American" but again, she just wanted to get it over with and not have to deal with people calling her or knocking on her door.

So, if you don't fill it out, you'll be pestered until they get their answers.

Why would they need my phone number? I am giving them 555-555-1212.
Why would they need my date of birth? Wouldn't my age suffice for the statistics collected by the census?
My name could have been secured from tax records. They had to have found my address somehow.
I just find it all wicked.

[Emjaysmash]

Originally Posted by Blueface

Why would they need my phone number? I am giving them 555-555-1212.

I would assume to clarify answers to questions.

Originally Posted by Blueface

Why would they need my date of birth? Wouldn't my age suffice for the statistics collected by the census?

Because the Govt. would rather you do all their work, rather than having to use their powers of subtraction. Things like this could be used for studies and such, or for people looking for ancestry documentation.

Originally Posted by Blueface

My name could have been secured from tax records. They had to have found my address somehow.
I just find it all wicked.

[hotreds]

While I agree that some of the ? are none of their beeswax, if you don't answer them, they'll pester you until you do, either by calling or visiting. Why do you think they hired all those workers- to go after those that don't fill out their forms or don't answer all the questions- by knocking on doors. Frankly, the questions really didn't bother me all that much- not like ten years ago when you got sent a book and they asked you about the number of bathrooms in your house and other stuff that REALLY had nothing to do with a census.

So, to avoid further contact, I'd suggest to swallow hard and just fill it out and send it in.

PS: I know that there are plenty of folks that are talking about what you "legally" have to answer etc, etc, but, bottom line, to avoid further contact with these people you might just as well answer the questions and be done with it.

[Emjaysmash]

Originally Posted by hotreds

While I agree that some of the ? are none of their beeswax, if you don't answer them, they'll pester you until you do, either by calling or visiting.

LOL. They sound like Thompsons Cigars.

FWIW, I'm glad I am not employed by them. I really wouldn't like pestering them.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by hotreds

While I agree that some of the ? are none of their beeswax, if you don't answer them, they'll pester you until you do, either by calling or visiting.

Hugh,
Dave posted this on my profile.
This is funny stuff!!!
I think this is what I will do if they show up at my doorstep because I didn't answer all the questions.
It is Christopher Walken on an SNL skit about the Census.
http://www.flixxy.com/christopher-wa...night-live.htm

[JaKaacH]

Originally Posted by hotreds

While I agree that some of the ? are none of their beeswax, if you don't answer them, they'll pester you until you do, either by calling or visiting. Why do you think they hired all those workers- to go after those that don't fill out their forms or don't answer all the questions- by knocking on doors. Frankly, the questions really didn't bother me all that much- not like ten years ago when you got sent a book and they asked you about the number of bathrooms in your house and other stuff that REALLY had nothing to do with a census.

So, to avoid further contact, I'd suggest to swallow hard and just fill it out and send it in.

PS: I know that there are plenty of folks that are talking about what you "legally" have to answer etc, etc, but, bottom line, to avoid further contact with these people you might just as well answer the questions and be done with it.

I can hang up or not answer the door...OR...Ohh I don't live here I'm the house sitter. They are vacationing in Monte Carlo for the summer...

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by hotreds

My wife went ahead and filled it out. She didn't want these guys coming and knocking on our door. I had suggested she put "other" for "race" and write in "American" but again, she just wanted to get it over with and not have to deal with people calling her or knocking on her door.

So, if you don't fill it out, you'll be pestered until they get their answers.

I checked "other" for race, and wrote "human."

I could get into the theology of it, but I won't. Instead, I'll get simple.

As long as this country continues to make the divisive distinctions, "racisim" (sic) will continue in this country. If we want to talk about ethnic origins, great - that'd make me a Bohemian-German, it'd make my wife German, and my kids are even less Bohemian than I am. You know what, there is no option for that on the census. Why not? I'm supposed to choose white? I'm not white! Compare my skin color to white, and it doesn't match - in the summer, it matches even less.

Personally, I am an American - a native born American - for the last 3 generations. Can I write native American? Let's face it, anybody here today had ancestors that migrated to this content at some point in the past, some longer ago that others. So, there are no true "native Americans."

I have a couple African American friends whose ancestors came over to this country long before mine did, when do they become fully Americans.

I get together with my friends Jim, Steve, and Dave. We sit down to watch the Packer game with our cigars and drinks of choice. We're all Americans, but we have a multitude of different traits. We have different eye colors, shape of noses, different hair color (curly or not), ear lobes may dangle or be attached, long or short nose, dark skinned, light skinned, etc...

As long as the differences are continually pointed out, there will be "racism" (sic).

You appreciate me for who I am, and I'll appreciate you for who you are. But the race baiting in the census form is for the birds. This is the second census I filled out that way. I encourage you to follow suit.

Mark "other" and write in "human."

Peace of the Lord be with you.

The only information they should need is "how many people live at this residence" which is all I filled out. I'm sure if they get ahold of my wife, they'll get all the information they want (and then some), but all I can do is try.

[forgop]

IIRC, I don't think you have to answer ALL of the questions on the survey, or at least there has been some debate about what information is legally required or not. I'm going to research and will only be answering the info required by law.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by Blueface

Am I being too paranoid?

No. All they need to know is how many live in your home and maybe what age they are. Any other questions should be ignored, imo.

[G G]

Well next they'll want to know how many firearms you have in your household.

[elderboy02]

Originally Posted by ggainey

Well next they'll want to know how many firearms you have in your household.

I will never give that information to them. None of their business.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by elderboy02

I will never give that information to them. None of their business.

Hey,
If they add that question and you don't answer, $100 fine.
If enough folks don't answer it, increase the fine to $500 next time and more revenue.

[tsolomon]

The data that is being collected by the Cenus Bureau is to help determine your representation in Congress and they can't do that unless you have been counted. The data is protected under Title 13 and can only be used for statistical purposes. Title 13 is very specific about confidentiality of all your information that is collected and there are penalities for disclosure.

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/privacy/index.php

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/wh...titutional.php

[Skywalker]

I filled mine out!!!

Now I'm just waiting for my Thompsons Cigar Catalog!!!

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by ggainey

Well next they'll want to know how many firearms you have in your household.

Totally different topic, but I often wonder if "they" know you carry a concealed weapon permit by running your license plate number at a traffic stop.

I offer the info myself as a precaution and rarely get in a traffic stop anyway.

I heard on the radio a discussion about how EVERY email or phone conversation you are involved with CAN be checked by the government.

Obviously the don't listen to every conversation or read every email, but apparantly there are certain words that trip an alarm. Probably stuff like "jihad" and stuff like that.

As for the census, I don't mind filling it out because it might help the school funding in my area.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by floydpink

As for the census, I don't mind filling it out because it might help the school funding in my area.

Pete,
My question is how does you name and date of birth and phone number for contact help school funding?

My point is while that information may be harmless at the end of the day, what can possibly be added to it 10 years from now and be subject to a fine if you don't answer it?

I guess my hang up is why not send me a census, to my address, that asks for limited information about each person living in my home?

Questions asked:
1) Last name, First name of every resident. Don't think they need that other than for the owner of the home, residing there, as it would appear in the tax records.
2) How is the person related to you? Doesn't bother me to answer this one.
3) What is the person's sex? Doesn't bother me either.
4) What is the person's age and date of birth? Second part bothers me. Why do they need that at all?
5) Is this person Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish? Then if Hispanic, are you Mexican, Puerto Rican or Cuban? As a Cuban, this PISSES me off. Why don't they ask for other nationalities? Why Hispanics only? Why doesn't it ask about other Hispanics in this country like the masses of Venezuelans, Colombians, Nicaraguans and on and on and on?
6) What is the person's race? Can live with that one.
7) Does this person live or stay somewhere else? Well aholes, if you just asked about this person living in your household, why the hell ask if they live somewhere else? I guess we need to spend our money on identifying ALL college kids studying away from home. Important to spend money on figuring that one out.

This thing is stupid!