The Census

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Mid A 15
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Re: The Census

Post by Mid A 15 »

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:Is it a Capital Offence, to get it wrong ?

I imagine that more money would be spent, in prosecuting "The Mistaken" -- than would be worthwhile ! :roll:

Given the warped priorities of the authorities these days quite possibly!

If you want to ensure a prison sentence default on your council tax as a political protest. Mug an old lady and you could quite possibly get a caution, for a first offence, or community sentence.

Which is more dangerous to society I ask myself?
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Katharine
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Re: The Census

Post by Katharine »

We had discussion in our family as to how Patrick should answer one question. We all did it on line, so when he said he was born in Pakistan, he was asked when did he last arrive here to live. Should it have been when he started boarding school in Britain, although his parents were still living abroad? Should it have been when we finally left Borneo and came back to Britain while he was still an undergraduate. I don't know which he chose.

He had the most difficulty answering question 17, he can speak, read and understand Welsh better than his parents but was it well enough to say yes? There was no option for learning the language of heaven.
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sejintenej
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Re: The Census

Post by sejintenej »

Katharine wrote:We had discussion in our family as to how Patrick should answer one question. .
I also had a problem with a few questions and rang the help line who were most willing to assist - but couldn't!

The address of your office? Well, I ended up with two offices in different countries (together with secretaries and support staff) but how do I put the two full addresses in the space provided?

What did you actually do (as opposed to job title)? At last count I had 13 specified separate and very different functions, each of which from time to time took up 110% of my working hours so I couldn't say I spent more time at one than another (I didn't have to work full time on every one, thank goodness!) There's not enough room and why haven't you given enough space?

It was finally agreed that I would use (in)discretion and they would not charge me with giving "false" replies!!!!!! (Oh, I DO like causing chaos and trouble)

After all that we were on good terms so
"Did you spend more than 30 days in the past year outside the UK"? to which, for me, the answer is "yes". If so "What country"?(note the singular!) to which my verbal answer was "Wherever I hang my hat" (OK I know it has been done to death but I can travel and at least she laughed!).
It turns out that you are absolutely and completely prohibited (? under pain of imprisonment and decapitation in the Tower) from answering "Yes" if the 30 days are on holiday; you must have a single address abroad where you spent 30 days. We were laughing so much that I didn't ask if you could put down three countries where you spent 30 days (each) per annum. Why on earth can't the Civil Service morons actually write what they mean????????????

Oh dear - there might be some OB in the Uncivil Service :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
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Re: The Census

Post by Chris Blewett »

[ We were laughing so much that I didn't ask if you could put down three countries where you spent 30 days (each) per annum. Why on earth can't the Civil Service morons actually write what they mean????????????

Oh dear - there might be some OB in the Uncivil Service :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:[/quote]

I have a sneaky suspicion that they dont actually want to KNOW........unless you fit their nice neat little boxes and are someone who has one job, lives in one house and is prepared to answer questions without really thinking about the consequences.

Or am I being cynical?????
:?
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Chris Blewett
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Re: The Census

Post by Chris Blewett »

Mid A 15 wrote:
NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:Is it a Capital Offence, to get it wrong ?

I imagine that more money would be spent, in prosecuting "The Mistaken" -- than would be worthwhile ! :roll:

Given the warped priorities of the authorities these days quite possibly!

If you want to ensure a prison sentence default on your council tax as a political protest. Mug an old lady and you could quite possibly get a caution, for a first offence, or community sentence.

Which is more dangerous to society I ask myself?

or throw a PCSO against a wall causing him pain and to be unable to work for 3 months and get a ...............................................................


£50 fine.
:( :( :(
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sejintenej
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Re: The Census

Post by sejintenej »

Chris Blewett wrote:
sejintenej wrote: We were laughing so much that I didn't ask if you could put down three countries where you spent 30 days (each) per annum. Why on earth can't the Civil Service morons actually write what they mean????????????

Oh dear - there might be some OB in the Uncivil Service :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
I have a sneaky suspicion that they dont actually want to KNOW........unless you fit their nice neat little boxes and are someone who has one job, lives in one house and is prepared to answer questions without really thinking about the consequences.
Or am I being cynical????? (Cynical - any connection with cyanide - DJB insertion)
:?
Chris; you seem to forget that the Census is being carried out by Lockheed Martin, famed for the "Target Acquisition Designation Sight, Pilot Night Vision System" of the Apache helicopter, the Hellfire Missile, Javelin Missile, Joint Common Missile, Longbow Missile and a lot of other nasties all aimed at your house. Merkins don't like to be crossed but I'm safe - they don't have my coordinates and even if they did they would only knock down a few scrub oaks!.
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Re: The Census

Post by Chris Blewett »

they don't have my coordinates [/quote]

David - I hadn't forgotten, I was trying to forget. I think I may be in trouble though - an apache overflies my house once or twice a week!
They do look a little awesome!
:o
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Re: The Census

Post by englishangel »

Mid A 15 wrote:
lonelymom wrote:Well since both of my girls are at CH, I knew it would just be myself and my husband here last night really, but I didn't think it was good to tempt fate and make assumptions. I'm surprised it was possible to submit the forms online before last night though - it means it might be be completely accurate now.
I'm with you.

As I posted above one of my daughters announced she was coming home for the weekend quite belatedly. One of her sisters also considered making an appearance but as it happened she was unwell earlier in the week so didn't come in the end. Had I been keen and filled and sent the form in early it could easily have been materially wrong!
It is really irrelevant where she was. If your house is her home she is on your form and then it asks if she has another address in term-time, where she should fill in the full set of questions. If yourhouse is not her home but she spends more than 30 days there then she puts that on HER form, simples

30 years ago I was working nights on the Labour Ward so wasn't actually anywhere on census night. At the hospital we had to fill in who was in overnight as a patient, and the patients would be on their home forms, but staff didn't have to go on it as far as I remember, unless they lived in of course.
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lonelymom
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Re: The Census

Post by lonelymom »

englishangel wrote:
Mid A 15 wrote:
lonelymom wrote:Well since both of my girls are at CH, I knew it would just be myself and my husband here last night really, but I didn't think it was good to tempt fate and make assumptions. I'm surprised it was possible to submit the forms online before last night though - it means it might be be completely accurate now.
I'm with you.

As I posted above one of my daughters announced she was coming home for the weekend quite belatedly. One of her sisters also considered making an appearance but as it happened she was unwell earlier in the week so didn't come in the end. Had I been keen and filled and sent the form in early it could easily have been materially wrong!
It is really irrelevant where she was. If your house is her home she is on your form and then it asks if she has another address in term-time, where she should fill in the full set of questions. If yourhouse is not her home but she spends more than 30 days there then she puts that on HER form, simples
That wasn't what I meant, I did all of that, and they did their forms at school. What I meant was, I didn't want to tempt fate by assuming that both myself and my husband would still be here last night - we're both young-ish and relatively healthy, but you never know what's around the corner, do you?
lonelymom :rolleyes:
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englishangel
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Re: The Census

Post by englishangel »

We often have random people sleeping on sofas but at 10pm there were only the four of us in the house so I thought I was quite safe sending my form in. Then son decided he was going to spend the night at his mate's. It actually made no difference to my form, but I don't know whether mate's Mum put him down as a visitor. Not that it will affect anything if she did or she didn't.
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Chris Blewett
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Re: The Census

Post by Chris Blewett »

That wasn't what I meant, I did all of that, and they did their forms at school. What I meant was, I didn't want to tempt fate by assuming that both myself and my husband would still be here last night - we're both young-ish and relatively healthy, but you never know what's around the corner, do you?[/quote]


I know what you mean - Mrs B and I have a house rule that if we've forgotten anything from the shops (its usually non-important and trivial) that it can wait until we are next passing. We have both (professionally) dealt with incidents where someone has just 'popped out' and not come home (usually as a result of a car accident) or, as happened recently to me, a work friend retired to Cyprus and died after 2 months - he was fit, healthy and 60!

Nice topic for a Tuesday!!!
:?


Solidly and unashamedly :offtopic:
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sejintenej
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Re: The Census

Post by sejintenej »

Chris Blewett wrote: We have both (professionally) dealt with incidents where someone has just 'popped out' and not come home (usually as a result of a car accident) or, as happened recently to me, a work friend retired to Cyprus and died after 2 months - he was fit, healthy and 60!
A close friend set up a company in the west country in the late 1960's which grew and grew. He took almost no holiday but he and his wife planned all sorts of things for when he retired. Days after retiring he was diagnosed with pancreatitis - a painful and ultimately fatal condition. He was allowed out of hospital early on the condition that his wife would always be there to nurse him but the next morning - her birthday - she simply collapsed, dead before she hit the floor. Two years later he buried his son - same inherited heart complaint.

Whatever Bristol Uni say about OBs, anything can happen.
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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: The Census

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

Having been born in the "Square Mile" --- I can use Capital Letters When I Like !!!

:lol: :lol:
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marty
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Re: The Census

Post by marty »

Hello everyone. Long time no post.

I think I must have been living in a bubble for the past few months because I was totally unaware a) that a census was being carried out; and b) that it was mandatory to complete it. Mrs Elmore says there have been adverts on telly and plastered on billboards but I haven't seen a single one. Anyway, this huge white and lilac envelope arrived in the post a week or so ago. I decided it was ridiculous and threw it in the bin as I do with 90% of the unwanted junk that comes through our letterbox. So then a friend tells me I have to fill it out. I tried to do this online, only I need some special reference number which is....on the ruddy envelope I've chucked away. There's no way of putting in your name/post code/inside leg measurement online to get a new code - no! You have to request a WHOLE NEW FORM! What a total waste of time and paper! So the long & short of it is I haven't filled out it yet because I'm still waiting for a new one.

Anyway why do we need to do all this? They already have:

my name
nationality
date of birth
address
marital status
National Insurance number (and therefore they know exactly how much I earn & for whom I work)
the make, model, number plate and insurance details of my car
my travel details (all my travel in London is tracked through Oyster. If you go abroad they know EXACTLY where you've been & how long for).

Quite frankly I think that's enough information to be going on with Image
My therapist says I have a preoccupation with vengeance. We’ll see about that.
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englishangel
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Re: The Census

Post by englishangel »

Yes, that's you.

Yes you must have been in a bubble

Not everyone

a) lives in London and uses an Oyster (or another place with similar travel arrangements)
b) has a car with a number plate
c) has a job
(b and c aren't you the lucky one!)

As my daughter said about the clocks going forward (annually) and why is everyone so surprised, there has been a census every ten years since 1801 (except 1941).

Having said that, there is talk that the census is a rather expensive way of gathering the information and they may use alternative methods next time round, if there is a next time.

Unfortunately the people who would most benefit are the dispossessed who don't have mortgages/jobs/Oyster cards/cars etc.
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
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