Text 6971, 82 rader
Skriven 2008-07-11 14:26:28 av Richard Webb (1:116/901.0)
   Kommentar till text 6970 av Bob Klahn (1:124/311)
Ärende: census, was the black exp
=================================
HI BOb,

Bob Klahn wrote in a message to Richard Webb:

BK>  ...

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

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

THink I recall hearing of that case.

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.

BUt what does it really tell them?  NOT whether I actually learned anything in
school <g>.  IT also doesn't tell them about the local schools, because I don't
live where I grew up.

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

Yah but that they can get from numbers alone.  I've been quite involved over
the years, especially back in the '80's when very active with a blind activist
group in advocacy work for improved mass and public transit systems.  Plain
numbers will or should tell them what they need to know.

 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

BK>  OK, I hate junk mail also.
BK>  ...

 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.

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

YEp but my landline stays where it is.  YES they can find out some data, but
they don't know where I went last night, I don't get a call on my cell because
I"m passing a starbucks, for an example. when I travel I use those prepaid
debit cards for long distance.  IF I"ve got to use the modem I use the motel or
hotel's ld, pay the bill in cash.

THese days I"m even more strict regarding the safeguarding of my data, or how
easily it is to track my movements and activities. AFter all, my government has
told me that safeguarding my privacy and my constitutional rights is quite low
on their priority list.


Regards,
           Richard
--- timEd 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Radio REscue net operations BBS       (1:116/901)