BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 06:38 AM

Michael, I don't drive.. ;0)

And...Ghandi sat down a lot in all sorts of places....achieved quite a bit from it, as I recall...

Luvya back, though... x :0) x

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 06:41 AM

Yay, Lizzie ~~ but even he, not at Hyde Park Corner in the rush-hour...

xMx

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Will Fly
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 06:42 AM

I have always had that quoted at me as a Spanish proverb.

Mmmm... let's see... I think I first encountered that in print in Brendan Behan's "Hold Your Hour and Have Another" collection of journalism. Perhaps BB filched it from another culture!

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 06:43 AM

,,, & even better then, offer yourself as a passenger to somebody else who chooses that righthand drive and see how you like it...

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 07:56 AM

Oh, I have...he's American. And just occasionally his concentration lapses...

It's interesting.. :0)

Maybe we'd all drive in a far safer fashion if we weren't sure what side the driver on the part of the road was going to be coming at us from...

Now *there's* a thought! No more 'foot down on the accelerator!' living, just gentle cruising, like on the Dodgems...always aware, no time for mobile phones..and think of the money it'll save on fuel!!!


;0)

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 08:12 AM

Hello Michael,

This is from his perspective how he sees it, he is angry and scared about his deteriorating health and what seems to be lack of care from the doctor for both him and my mother, naturally he is venting his anger at the Census, the whole thing.

Sorry to sound s sour puss today.

P

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 08:18 AM

I do see, Patsy. I wasn't meaning to be unsympathetic; but I couldn't quite see the objections as all that significant within the terms of this thread.

Certainly wish all the best to all of you.

~Michael~

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Old Vermin
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 08:40 AM

Just a thought, not on the content of the information but on the population itself. The governmental reckoning is that at the last census - was it 2001 - one million people were omitted - did not fill in forms or left out by others. The source for this estimate seems to be local government - councils and counties - and other bits of central government.. They say that they are providing services for about a million more people than were counted.

What if some of these services and benefits are being provided for 'Potemkin' citizens - people who exist only for the purpose of public spending of one sort or another?

By the way, there are apparently many more National Insurance numbers in the UK in issue than people to support them. Some good old human error, no doubt, but one does start to wonder what is going on and just who is gaining.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Brian May
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 01:35 PM

I thought that whilst it was easy enough to fill in (on line in my case), it was the most intrusive census I've ever seen.

Amazing how draconian governments get when you consider NOT dancing to their tune. God help them if you mess with their stats.

It's rich when you remember the interview between Jeremy Paxman and Tony Bliar - when he couldn't name to within the nearest 10,000 how many illegal immigrants in this country. No doubt, they were all busily filling in their Census forms, yeah right.

Arthur had it right, it's a load of bollocks.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 02:02 PM

Who was "Ghandi"?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 02:05 PM

I took her to mean Gandhi, McG. Don't be a smartarse now, there's a dear.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 02:24 PM

I think Ghandi was the man who was more concerned about World Peace than whether folks spelt his name correctly.....but...maybe that was Gandhi..I'm not too sure.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Brian May
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 04:27 PM

It's OK Lizzie, he knew who he was . . .

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,lively
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 04:48 PM

Aspects of this thread remind me of classic Daily Wail "Oh, but you've got nothing to fear, just so long as you've got nothing to hide!" arguments against privacy, or "Oh, but what are you worried about, after all your Chiropodist and your Grocer already know everything there is to know about you!

Well, as I'm free to choose whether or notI wish to receive a service (requiring relevant information) from my chiropodist but I don't have a choice as to whether I share my sexual orientation with the government, of course the "similarity" doesn't cut it.

Unfortunately the argument that "it's my hobby to snoop on my ancestors", doesn't wash wish me. I don't consider myself obliged to indulge my potential future progeny's prurient interests in my private life. For one thing, I'll never get to know about theirs even if I wanted to, which oddly (or not) enough, I don't.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 04:57 PM

But they need to know if you are a poove so you can be equalitied!!!

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 04:59 PM

Now *there's* a thought! No more 'foot down on the accelerator!' living, just gentle cruising, like on the Dodgems...always aware, no time for mobile phones..and think of the money it'll save on fuel!!!

What you need dearie is a nice hot cup of tea, then it'll be all over in a jiffy and you'll be right as rain!!

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,likely
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 05:06 PM

Ooer, what appealing fantasies you have of me Bonzo! If only you were in charge, I'd have such a super life!
Chablis anyone?

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 07:31 AM

Well I would have spelt it Ghandi too. It's like Gadaffi either lots of dees, letters stuck in the wrong place or an awful lot of effs!

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 07:53 AM

I have a pathological hatred of any form that requires me to reply by putting one letter into each tiny little square box. In fact, I can't actually do it. My writing bleeds outside those silly boxes all over the place. Only a total bloody control freak could come up with a form like that. I hope they have as much trouble reading it as I had, literally having had to cramp my style, writing it.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 08:00 AM

Not really a smartarse - but I think we owe it to Gandhi to get his name right. So when "Ghandi" crops up I tend to point it out. I

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: JHW
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 05:54 PM

"It'd be a lot more interesting if they asked questions such as "what's your favourite food?" or "do you have any pets?" or etc.

Absolutely, An awful lot of work and expense to gather relatively little information.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 03:39 PM

In WW2 Name rank and serial number seemed to be good enough for POWs when interrogated by the Gestapo!
Sexual orientation??? Hunbug.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 06:56 PM

I was disappointed that there was nowhere for imaginary friends. Harvey, however, was really upset. He stormed off and I haven't seen him since.

As to NI Numbers, my daughter has one, and went to Paris to live and work the day before the census.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 07:21 AM

Let's hope whoever is in charge of all this information can be trusted to keep it all confidential, no fear of losing it or leaving it on a bus. Seeing that the information is supposed to benefit the area for the good it's a pity that there hadn't been a box to fill in about things that we are happy with in the area and things that we are not rather than making it look more or less like a Council form.

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: melodeonboy
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 07:26 AM

I didn't have any problem with it in general, although I was a little concerned that they wanted to know the name of the person who stayed with me on the night of the 27th March; and her address!

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Smedley
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 01:12 PM

As someone who *is* in a same-sex civil partnership, being able to record this on the census form did feel like a significant step on the road towards recognition and equality.

However, if I take off my sexuality hat (it's a purple suede fedora) and put on my paranoid lefty one (far less chic), that equality can be seen as an equal right to be snooped on!

Swings and roundabouts.....

Subject: RE: BS: UK Census form - what's the problem?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 01:22 PM

It was really easy to fill in online. An ideal application for online use, and for once very well implemented. It took hardly any time at all.

Perhaps some of you people don't have Internet access?