Text 6970, 99 rader
Skriven 2008-07-10 23:42:00 av Bob Klahn (1:124/311)
     Kommentar till en text av Richard Webb
Ärende: census, was the black exp
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 ...

BK>>  You know a census is not just to count the number of people  living
BK>> here, but to get an idea of what the demographics are.

 RW> YEp, but they ask too many questions that imho are none of
 RW> their business. YEs, some merit in your points below but ...

BK>>  And there are reasons to know that. From the medical standpoint,
 ...
 RW> Probably true.  I've even had them ask me for a phone
 RW> number.  sOrry, it's umpublished for a reason.

 I don't believe that is required.

BK>>  If they count 6 hispanic families in a town, and each has 4
BK>> members, yet there are 1000 copies of a Spanish language
BK>>  newspaper delivered there, someone may suspect there are Spanish
BK>> speaking people there who have reason to want to avoid being
BK>> counted.

 RW> Maybe so, but all one has to do is observe the community.
 RW> IF they're selling 1k spanish language papers but even
 RW> without the count of people then the people who buy those
 RW> one thousand Spanish language papers must be employed.

 I know. That was just an example of a good reason to ask.

 RW> check out the employers.  ASk anybody whose native language
 RW> doesn't seem to be English for his/her green card, or proof

 Fake green cards aren't that hard to get. One INS official told
 of a number of Mexican illegals who all claimed to be from a
 village in Puerto Rico. Only problem they had was, the INS
 officer was from that village.

BK>>  Knowing the educational level of the residents gives an idea how
BK>> well the school systems are working.

 RW> Again, I have no problem with that.  I'll fill in that one
 RW> usually.  AFter all, these schools are tax supported
 RW> entities.

BK>>  Next time, look at the form and ask yourself, is there anyway  this
BK>> information would contribute to better governing of this  country?
BK>> Or would contribute to the private sector functioning  better? They
BK>> do use the info also.

 RW> And that my friend is the rub.  What the private sector may
 RW> use this data for I might not want them using it for. I
 RW> don't want to be bothered by marketers and salesmen.

 They don't get your name, but they may build a railroad terminal
 or a bus station if they find the numbers are growing enough to
 justify it. Or *NOT* put up a big box store if the demographics
 are wrong.

 ...

 RW> to go along with my electronic piano. THe PEavey company
 RW> wanted to know a bunch of stuff on the warranty
 RW> registration that I felt was none of their business. I had
 RW> no problem telling them that I'm a professional musician
 RW> and I bought their product because it was reliable, but
 RW> much of the personal information they asked for I refused
 RW> to provide them.

 Oh, I refuse that stuff all the time. I don't like cooperating
 with matketeers very much either.

 ...

 RW> data collection which could go anywhere. My radio license
 RW> means I show up somewhere else in a government database.
 RW> sO, even if you piece a lot of this together, you get a
 RW> post office box address.

 RW> I take precautions with my personal information to
 RW> safeguard it from the data miners and the marketing shills.
 RW>  I"ve just gone around and around with bellsouth about
 RW>  providing information to marketers they shouldn't.  wHen I

 OK, I hate junk mail also.
 ...

 RW> I pay cash, I don't use plastic.  YEs I use my atm card,
 RW> and I know that therefore my movements could be somewhat
 RW> tracked. THis is one reason I don't have a cellular phone.
 RW> we're debating whether we want one for the business, or
 RW> just stick with landline and voicemail.

 The landline is as tracable as the cell phone. Maybe more so.

BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

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