Showing posts with label Puerto Rico. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Puerto Rico. Show all posts

Mar 5, 2010

Census 2010

The census forms are coming in a few weeks. There will be ten questions and none have anything to do with income. No one will come to your door if you fill it out and mail it in on time with no errors.

The ACS is done annually, and is separate from the Census, but run by the Census Bureau. They changed the fine this year to $5,000 from $100 if you don't fill it out. This is the part where they ask you about income, etc. Each year approximately 3 million housing unit addresses in the United States and Puerto Rico are selected.

The American Community Survey (ACS) began full implementation of housing unit address in 2005. Since 2005, the ACS interviews samples of housing units in all counties in the United States (including the District of Columbia) and in all of the municipalities in Puerto Rico.

It is interesting to note that the census from 1870 asked for value of the house and value of the 'estate' of the main person in the house. It also asked about country of origin and native language. I have census copies from from my genealogy research. The census reports are available online after 75 years.

Jan 22, 2010

Economic Recovery

Here is an interesting site that shows where the recovery money is being spent. It shows many of the projects funded by the ARRA. Interesting that, as of today, it is last updated last year. Still, it is a fun read if you want to scare yourself with details or where your tax dollars are being spent, like waterless latrines in Arkansas and a picnic shelter at Turkey Point Park in Kansas.

A good deal were for construction projects as they were supposed to be, but pork always finds its way in. A few more goodies, $5 million and another $1.75 million, the Jennie-o Turkey Store, MN, (the only description for both is "small turkey deli breasts". $3 million to Accenture to help construct a data warehouse for the Farm Service Agency. $707,000 to increase demand for the National Health Service. $90 million to Leland Stanford University to develop 3 x-ray instruments. $27.9 million for "The purpose of this procurement is to obtain the services of a broadband industry consultant to implement the statutory requirements of the American Recovery Act and Reinvestment Act of 2009."

Especially interesting are the amounts to outlying areas, such as the $2 Billion to Puerto Rico, $93 million to the Virgin Islands, $78,000 to the American Samoa Coalition against domestic and sexual violence (that is a real jobs booster). Guam received money for Catholic Social Services, Salvation Army, Guam coalition against social assault, Soroptimist Club of Guam, an organization of business women, and more. Seems some folks like pork more than I do.