Is there ever an American Census?.
A check on the population of the country?.
There had better not be any references to people crossing the border or the likes.
I just want to know about those already there.
But does the US do a Census?.
We have one here every four years and ours is due on Tuesday night here.
I wonder if other countries do this as well for future planning?.

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 03-06-2006).]

Yes the USA takes a census, you can find all kinds of info from the census here.

http://www.census.gov/

Austria takes a census too. I can still remember the last one... people were running all around the city, knocking on every door and asking people to fill out forms.

The last time they took a census here they asked so many personal questions on the form that many peoole refused to turn them in, even under penalty of law. Others just checked the "number in family" and sent the rest in unfinished.
From my understanding, it was pretty much an extrememly expensive waste of time.


[This message has been edited by WFO (edited 03-06-2006).]

Bob(iwire),
Thanks for getting this thread off to a good start.
I wasn't sure if there was such a thing.
It's not publisiced(sp?) outside of the US.


[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 03-06-2006).]

Trumpy, why do you need the Census info.......are you sending out a brochure ?

seriously, the last one we had was very intrusive, and personal.... I merely filled out the pertinent info and waited for them to pick it up....I think they gave up asking for a completed form on the third trip..
I have no idea if I was counted because I returned an incomplete Gov't form....

Mike,
The USA takes a census every 10 years. Most of the forms are not that intrusive. A certain percentage of forms asked many more questions that were thought by many to be too intrusive. Since our House of Representatives 435 member makeup is based on population, unlike our Senate, it has a substantial impact on our government.
Joe

There's a national census in the U.K. every 10 years. The last was in 2001, and the wording and options on the "national origin" question caused a fuss, because it included almost everything imaginable except English! They had options for Scottish or Welsh, but anyone from England had only the catch-all option of British. That riled a lot of people into either refusing to answer or crossing out all the options and writing in "English," even though they were threatened with all sorts of legal consequences.

We also have an annual form which goes to all households for the electoral register, which again is supposed to be returned under penalty of law. I haven't filled out one of those for years!

Canadian Census day is May 16/06.

Here is a link to the questions they are going to ask: http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/info/questions/index.cfm

They are also going to have an online option instead of having to fill in a paper form.

France has un recensement every year, but on a "20% of the population basis", so we get to fill one in every 5 years. I say "we", but Denise and I never got to touch the forms, ooh la la Non! A lady-clerk employed by the Maire comes round to your abode and fills it in for you. The dreaded French dossier! Actually, she's our next door neighbor and a very nice lady. We Brit permanent residents now number 38 of a total of 274, nigh on 14% of the total residents, and our little community is thriving, pop. up 9% since 1999. No secret census here, all the relevant population facts go in our commune magazine. Actually, the grapevine dishes out all the gossip too, you can't hide anything in a small village.

Alan

Spelling errors

[This message has been edited by Alan Belson (edited 03-06-2006).]

Actually the US census is more important than just the number of representitives you get. That also goes into the formula for the electoral college and affects the weight of your vote for president. They are not counted one for one.

Well that explains why I haven't gotten a census form in better than twenty plus years... I think the only time I can remember it, was when I was still in grade school.

From what I understand they only do selected areas, depending on how many volenteers they get.

I actually received the packet from the US Census Bureau last spring, about 15 pages of questions...mostly general.....asking about daily activities and such. It did have a warning against disgarding it, and the "possible" penalty for such action.
It took me three attempts to finally finish the dern thing. Mailed it back in the postage paid envelope and since received two more packets in the mail......do I fill them out and send em back? I haven't. And have heard nothing more. So I guess my work is done!
Tiff
PS...Hello everyone

The British Census has been operating for over 200 years, starting in 1801 in certain towns. The first national census was in 1841, and its been held every 10 years since, [ except 1941 when we were a bit preoccupied ]. Info is secret for 100 years to give anonymity.
Please fill it in folks- it is truly fascinating to look at, for instance, the 1891 cencus and find my gran and grandpa living in Belvue Road with my Auntie Lil as a tot, then skip to 1901 and find Ma just arrived, or find my great-grandparents were born in the 1840s. Or Pa's family- seeing them moving house between censii with the Great Western Railway- Grandpa was a Platelayer. If you don't fill it in, your great-great-grandchildren won't find you in the 22nd Century!

Alan

I wonder if, in the 22nd century, these posts will still be archived on-line, so that our great-great-grandchildren can take a look at what we're talking about today?

Hi Tiff -- Long time no hear!


Or until the gummint decides to change the rules again. And I don;t believe it's secret from other government departments for one moment. Cynical? Me?


Uh-oh..... Better start erasing posts now then! Only kidding!

The only people who really have any privacy live in a cave somewhere witth no money or contact with the rest of the world, They still get photographed when they go outside the cave.
Certainly nothing done electronically is really private.
I gurantee everything we type here is available to the NSA (or your national security service). The only question is whether they have time or reason to look at it.

If someone looks at my debit card activity, matched against the UPCs of what I buy on the store computer and monitors this IP they would know everything about me.

The UK 'gummint' did something with the census information all right - Nowt as intelligent as sinister of course, [they're too dull for that]- they just got their grubby little snouts in and taxed it!
When the 1891 census information became available under the 100 year rule- it all appeared on the Net, free.
By the time 2001 rolled up, Prudence realised he could screw a few pooonds out of it with the growing interest in family geneology. You can view one page free, then it's £5 a shot.


Alan


[This message has been edited by electure (edited 03-09-2006).]

There was a stupid e-mail circulating here that basically said that New Zealand was the only place in the world that you couldn't be a New Zealander.
It referred to the options on the Census form that gave:

• European
• New Zealand Maori
• Pacific Islander
• Asian
• Other

But who ever sent that e-mail never bothered to read the question, which was:
Now before you all brand me as an idiot, define a New Zealander.
While you're at it, define an American.

Evidently they don't let Americans (north or south) live in NZ. It is not one of the options.

They left out the sheep as well.