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]

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.

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.

[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]

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.

[Emjaysmash]

Why would they need my phone number? I am giving them 555-555-1212.
I would assume to clarify answers to questions.
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.
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]

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.

[cort]

:tf

[G G]

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

[hotreds]

LOL. They sound like Thompsons Cigars.

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

I think Thompson was one of the classroom teachers.:D

[Commander Quan]

My answers for 2-10 represent the truth, but are not my own personal information.

[Blueface]

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-walken-census-saturday-night-live.htm

[G G]

My answers for 2-10 represent the truth, but are not my own personal information.
:rnice

[Rabidsquirrel]

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/questions.php

According to Title 13, Chapter 7, Subtitle 2, anyone who willfully gives an answer that is false could be fined up to $500.

For those of you worried about your information, you better stop using the internet immediately. You leave more information about you on the internet than the government gets by filling out a survey.

[Blueface]

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/questions.php



For those of you worried about your information, you better stop using the internet immediately. You leave more information about you on the internet than the government gets by filling out a survey.

I was going to ask, what about leaving it blank and here is the answer. $100 fine.

Sec. 221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers

(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100.

(b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.

I am close to being back in Cuba.

[G G]

I am close to being back in Cuba.
Scary aint it?

[Rabidsquirrel]

Seriously? You're willing to leave the country over having to answer how many people are in your house?

[Col. Kurtz]

I just bit the bullet and filled it out. That information is readily available to whomever wants it anyway.

Have you seen the information available via google maps and whitepages.com?

:tf

No biggie if you ask me. I would be concerned if I thought anyone in our government was smart enough to correctly assemble and use the information.

Now, come on cvstoms. Release my packages. :tu

[JaKaacH]

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...:ss

[forgop]

I just bought a new house-what's the penalty for filling it out twice? :D

[Neuromancer]

Don't get over-excited about the census...just fill it out...the information in it is kept by the government and is used to apportion government funds to your local districts...furthermore the census is not made public for 72 years...I've been doing some research on my ancesters and have access to the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census's...I won't be albe to access the 1940 census for another two years...and all you see when you access the older ones is the name and address of the resident's, their age's and very little else...the early ones asked if the children were in school and if they could read and write...they used that for federal funding for the schools...the 1930 census shows my grandmother and grandfather, and my mother at age 8, and my aunt at age 4...it's really no biggie...

[T.G]

Not to point out the obvious here, but if you have a passport the government already knows the answers to most or all of the things you don't want to fill out on the census form, so you might as well just fill them in and not attention to yourself.

[Blueface]

Seriously? You're willing to leave the country over having to answer how many people are in your house?

:r

No.
I suppose after reading what I wrote, it could in fact be taken that way too.

What I meant is we use to have to walk around with documents and offer them up to the government at any request, at any time.

[Blueface]

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...:ss

I told my wife the same thing.
She wants me to just fill it out and not have them hound us.
Me on the other hand, I like a challenge.

[kelmac07]

LOL. They sound like Thompsons Cigars. FWIW, I'm glad I am not employed by them. I really wouldn't like pestering them.

MJ...spit my drink out on that. Ironic that it is so true. :r :r Those yahoos at Thompson continue to call me cell every week...and this is after repeated calls to them in which "in not to kind words" told them to LOSE my number.

[elderboy02]

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]

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.

[Skywalker]

Not to point out the obvious here, but if you have a passport the government already knows the answers to most or all of the things you don't want to fill out on the census form, so you might as well just fill them in and not attention to yourself.

:tpd:

It's our government! What's not to trust???:r

[jkim05]

I don't get what the problem is. Why wouldn't you just fill it out? Is this information really that sensitive?

[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/why/constitutional.php

[Skywalker]

I filled mine out!!!

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

[RevSmoke]

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.

[PitmanGeek]

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.

[floydpink]

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]

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!

[elderboy02]

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...

In Ohio the officer knows. My buddy is a cop and I asked him to run my info. On the screen when they run the plate it says "Concealed Weapons Permit" or something like that.

In Ohio, you have to notify the officer no matter what. Some guy hit me on the highway a couple years ago and when the officer approached me, the first thing I said is "Officer, I have to inform you that I have a concealed carry permit and I am armed. Do you have any instructions for me" He said I was fine b/c he doesn't have to worry about CCW holders. It is the criminals he has to worry about that don't tell him.

[makalu]

I am sure that the Americans of Japanese descent in US concentration camps during WWII also thought their answers to the 1930 and 40 census would also not be an issue after all they were Americans right. How the Census Bureau was involved in the illegal detention of these innocent Americans is widely documented and a matter of fact not theory. I for one am going to practice an American tradition of civil disobedience and choose to not to participate. I care nothing if they knock on my door, the first time they will be politely asked to leave, and after that if they come back I will not be as polite.

[G G]

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.
They don't in Florida, but some states they do know. Florida doesn't have it tied to your DL yet. And you don't have to offer the info if you are stopped, but you can't lie if they ask.

[Thrak]

I always find it interesting when people pick and choose which part of the Constitution they want to follow...

I'm sure most of us here support the 2nd, 4th, 5th, etc amendments. The census is in the Constitution. Give them the basic info they need and be done with it... there isnt anything nefarious in this census compared with previous ones.

[Blueface]

I always find it interesting when people pick and choose which part of the Constitution they want to follow...

I'm sure most of us here support the 2nd, 4th, 5th, etc amendments. The census is in the Constitution. Give them the basic info they need and be done with it... there isnt anything nefarious in this census compared with previous ones.

I hear you and follow you.
That doesn't mean you can't question the law.
Census may be law.
Law may require you to comply or face penalties.
Doesn't mean all of it is appropriate.
Doesn't mean it can't be questioned.

What benefit is there to focus solely on Hispanics in the US? Other groups don't matter?
What benefit is there to question only on Mexicans, Puerto Ricans (which are Americans I might add) and Cubans?
Those are not valid questions for me to pose as an American?

[raisin]

Was it television that made stupidity so popular in America?

[Thrak]

I hear you and follow you.
That doesn't mean you can't question the law.
Census may be law.
Law may require you to comply or face penalties.
Doesn't mean all of it is appropriate.
Doesn't mean it can't be questioned.

What benefit is there to focus solely on Hispanics in the US? Other groups don't matter?
What benefit is there to question only on Mexicans, Puerto Ricans (which are Americans I might add) and Cubans?
Those are not valid questions for me to pose as an American?

Those are valid questions and BY LAW you dont have to answer them. Like I said, just the most basic info is required.

[skibumdc]

Don't get over-excited about the census...just fill it out...the information in it is kept by the government...
If we can't trust Credit card companies to keep our Info safe, and they have a $$$ reason to keep it safe, why should you trust the gov't to keep it completely safe?
I contract to the gov't and let me tell you, be afraid.

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

Are you surprised? Probably the same ACORN employees are now going to be employed by the Census. More taxpayer dollars at work.

[T.G]

http://www.moviesoddity.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/brazil-movie-1.jpg

[elderboy02]

:tf

[mithrilG60]

Not to point out the obvious here, but if you have a passport the government already knows the answers to most or all of the things you don't want to fill out on the census form, so you might as well just fill them in and not attention to yourself.

Or a drivers license, or a hunting license, or a Social Security Number, or any number of other pieces of ID issued by your local, state or federal branches for varying purposes.

As someone else mentioned, they just want to to do the work of collating the specific information they want for this survey. Honestly you should probably want to do it for them too. They can easily get this information with or without your knowledge, at least in the form of a census you know what they're asking. Besides your tax dollars are paying for this exercise and you can bet that it's cheaper to pay the census takers to mail out the forms and do the resulting data entry than is it to pay bureaucrats to pull this information from multiple sources across several departments and/or levels of government.

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

If collated by geographical district they can make predictions about future school use based on population trends. For example if district A has 50% of households where the age is under 40 and district B has 65% of households over 50 you know that district A is likely to need more school services simply because it has a higher percentage of it's population in their child bearing and rearing years. If you take that further and trend that data over several census periods then you can get an idea of migration trends in and out of districts making those kind of predictions more accurate than just looking at single snapshot in time.

[cricky101]

I filled mine out and mailed it yesterday, and lo and behold, the sun still rose this morning. :rolleyes:


And between tax returns, passport applications and driver's license info, they already know everything about me.

[skibumdc]

Besides your tax dollars are paying for this exercise and you can bet that it's cheaper to pay the census takers to mail out the forms and do the resulting data entry than is it to pay bureaucrats to pull this information from multiple sources across several departments and/or levels of government.

True.



If collated by geographical district they can make predictions about future school use based on population trends. For example if district A has 50% of households where the age is under 40 and district B has 65% of households over 50 you know that district A is likely to need more school services simply because it has a higher percentage of it's population in their child bearing and rearing years.
While mostly true, neighborhoods and zip codes can change drastically in the 10 years between censuseseses. sp? :)
Example: The Northern Virginia landscape has changed so dramatically over the past decade, the census data taken in 2000 has been worthless for school planning since 2002.

We still need the census, but the data is truly only useful in a suburban environment like the DC Metro area for 2 years. Demographics, income levels, age groups can change in as little as a year based on an article in the Post.

[mithrilG60]

While mostly true, neighborhoods and zip codes can change drastically in the 10 years between censuseseses. sp? :)
Example: The Northern Virginia landscape has changed so dramatically over the past decade, the census data taken in 2000 has been worthless for school planning since 2002.

We still need the census, but the data is truly only useful in a suburban environment like the DC Metro area for 2 years. Demographics, income levels, age groups can change in as little as a year based on an article in the Post.

That's quite true, but those are the limitations imposed by the census mechanism the US has chosen to implement, so it is what you have to work with. Partially to overcome the data validity due to age issue Canada does a census every 5 years instead of every 10. Our census also asks for much more detail in some areas (level of education, income levels, marital status, employment, etc) and the general statistical information is released publicly almost immediately. I don't know how long the waiting period is to get individual specific data though as I've never really gotten into genealogy or family research.

[Blueface]

I filled mine out and mailed it yesterday, and lo and behold, the sun still rose this morning. :rolleyes:


And between tax returns, passport applications and driver's license info, they already know everything about me.

May be true but look at it from my perspective being Cuban and being one of three Hispanic groups signaled out.
I can't help but scratch my head and wonder why my government is so interested in knowing how many of you there are yet is not interested in knowing about any of the many other Hispanics there are in the world residing in the US such as folks from Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Republica Dominicana, Spain, and the others I have left out.

Nope, not interested in any of those. Just Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans. Doesn't make me lose sleep but certainly makes me question what the intent is. I would have been OK if they asked if you are Hispanic and then asked what country, rather than focus on just three.

UPDATE:
Ooops, forgot to read the next box asking if any other Hispanic origin.
I can sleep now.
There goes my conspiracy theory.
What the heck do I do with my time now?:r:r:r

[replicant_argent]

Because, oddly enough, the government wants to blot out racism, yet still requires that we classify ourselves.
Nothing wrong at all with the first part.
The second part is pure hypocrisy.
One constituent, one vote. Nothing else matters.

[Blueface]

Because, oddly enough, the government wants to blot out racism, yet still requires that we classify ourselves.

Hey!!!
Pete,
It is important to keep tabs on those darn Hispanics.
Freaking terrorists I tell you.:r
We need to know when they will become the majority and what is left is the new minority.:r

[replicant_argent]

Hey!!!
Pete,
It is important to keep tabs on those darn Hispanics.
Freaking terrorists I tell you.:r
We need to know when they will become the majority and what is left is the new minority.:r

Hola, mi amo. ;)

[Blueface]

Hola, mi amo. ;)

You better get your Spanish much more refined than that.
When we take over, we are going to make Spanish the official language.:r
After all, it already is if you leave the country and go to South Florida.:r

[replicant_argent]

You better get your Spanish much more refined than that.
When we take over, we are going to make Spanish the official language.:r
After all, it already is if you leave the country and go to South Florida.:r

damn, now I have to use one of the only other 4 phrases I know.




Dos cerveza, por favor, amigo?

[Blueface]

Was it television that made stupidity so popular in America?

Depends on what channel you watched I guess.
If HSN, you bought a whole lot of crap you don't need.
If Sesame Street, you learned how to count.
I can count in four languages. I guess I must have watched a ton of it, in various languages.

[kydsid]

Carlos you aren't the only one bugged by the Census. It is an old American tradition going back to every single census.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20000859-38.html

[Neuromancer]

Carlos...fill out the freakin' form already...http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-3/1155412/deadhorse.gif

[T.G]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_kZE7MSlLw

[JaKaacH]

I filled mine out and mailed it yesterday, and lo and behold, the sun still rose this morning. :rolleyes:


And between tax returns, passport applications and driver's license info, they already know everything about me.

Another reason why the census is a big waste of money..With todays technology can't they figure out where everyones at without pissing away tax money every 10 years?

[BC-Axeman]

Garbage in, garbage out.
I will give the minimum I think I can get away with. Let them try to come knock on my door.

[Blueface]

:r:r:r

I just got my mail.
A reminder card that I should have gotten it already.

Too funny!!!

[Rabidsquirrel]

What I meant is we use to have to walk around with documents and offer them up to the government at any request, at any time.

Hah, now that you point that out, that's the only way I can read it.

[RBOrrell]

Do they sell tin-foil hats for those that don't fill out cenus forms?

[captain53]

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.

:tpd::banger

[Blueface]

:r

I just learned they will follow up with you SIX TIMES!!!
They will hunt you down until they find you.

:r

I filled it out and am sitting on it.
Since I will be traveling quite a bit in the near future, can't wait to see how, when and what city they will ultimately find me.

[Rabidsquirrel]

All it is is a snapshot in time. It's great for people (like me) who are trying to trace their family back in time.

[Neuromancer]

All it is is a snapshot in time. It's great for people (like me) who are trying to trace their family back in time.

You're not going to be able to use this census for tracing anyone...they're only released to the public after 72 years...right now I've used the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census to look up grandparents and great-aunts and great-uncles...in 2012 the 1940 census will be relased to the public...and I'll have to wait until 2022 for the 1950 census in which I should first appear...

[Rabidsquirrel]

You're not going to be able to use this census for tracing anyone...

I know, but maybe someone down the road wants to know about me.

[BC-Axeman]

I don't have a valid mailing address. This has caused me some minor problems in the past. I do have valid ways of receiving mail. So far, no census.

[Razorhog]

I still haven't received the form. If I do get it soon, should I count my two sons who will be born in the next few weeks?

[T.G]

I still haven't received the form. If I do get it soon, should I count my two sons who will be born in the next few weeks?

Count them as 95% each.

[smokin5]

Blueface (& others), you're either too paranoid or not paranoid enough.
Presuming you file income tax returns (you DO file them, don't you?), you've already given them a ton & 1/2 of your personal info & then some. Address? Check. Occupation? Check. Every bank account on which you earn interest? Check. Every investment on which you get dividends? Check. Where you work? With whom you have your mortgage? Check & Check. Your social security number, which can then be used to pull up every credit card, auto loan & other debt you've had, not to mention your birthday? Oh yeah, that too.
Shall I continue, or has my point been made?
The federal government already knows more about you than you might know about yourself. The census info requested is benign compared to all the other info you've already volunteered to the government. Get over it or move to a cave in the forest. :tf

[BC-Axeman]

Blueface (& others), you're either too paranoid or not paranoid enough.
Presuming you file income tax returns (you DO file them, don't you?), you've already given them a ton & 1/2 of your personal info & then some. Address? Check. Occupation? Check. Every bank account on which you earn interest? Check. Every investment on which you get dividends? Check. Where you work? With whom you have your mortgage? Check & Check. Your social security number, which can then be used to pull up every credit card, auto loan & other debt you've had, not to mention your birthday? Oh yeah, that too.
Shall I continue, or has my point been made?
The federal government already knows more about you than you might know about yourself. The census info requested is benign compared to all the other info you've already volunteered to the government. Get over it or move to a cave in the forest. :tf
They know what I let them know. I know what they know. There are ways of obfuscating the data. 'Nuff said.

[BlackDog]

I've been part of a longer-term census survey since the beginning of the year. They call me and ask the same questions each month (for 9 months) about the employment and/or schooling of each family member. Each call takes about a half hour, which I find to be a nuisance. Same script 5 times, once for each member of the family over the age of 15. How many days did you work in "X" month, how many days were you off on vacation/sickness, how many days off due to layoff/slack work, how much did you earn, does your employer provide health insurance, do you want another job, have you been looking for another job, etc., etc. It's certainly a lot more info than the Constitution stipulates.