OT. My household was randomly selected.

/Everyone/ is abnormal in some respects. That is why they make lots of randomly selections.

I got "selected" once... had a ball being snarky >:-} ...Jim Thompson

All the above sounds to me like you have very little to complain about... and so, here you are complaining about very little.

That is the thing that I don't get. There are a few vocal posters here who talk like the world is coming to an end because of tiny little things that don't actually impact much if anything in their personal lives. Why do they spend so much time worrying about things that have little impact in their lives?

Is this the male equivalent of old women gossiping at the back yard fence?

Gee, imagine that. I bet you really showed that person-who-was-just-being-paid-to-do-their-job.

Geeeez! Another competitor for SED group horse's ass >:-}

Assuming you're ignorant... a fairly good bet... the questionnaire is a government nosey poke into my personal life... NONE of the government's business. ...Jim Thompson

Apparently, you are required by law to answer the questions or face a $100 fine: I didn't realize that when I refused to be involved about 15 years ago.

This might help to see how "average" you are:

I would have a problem here. I use a smartphone, but not as a phone. For a phone, I use an old CDMA LG VX8300 with little intelligence beyond an address book. My smartphone has the cellular section turned off and is acting as a PDA (personal digital assistant). The census form probably doesn't have a checkbox for such a configuration.

There have been experiments run over the years on whether including a suitable bribe with a survey produces a larger percentage of respondents. I was involved in running one of those experiments in college. While more people do respond to a minimally paid survey (dollar bill enclosed or coupons), the increase is negligible. So, most surveys don't bother offering any added inducements.

Umm... Fire up Avast and select "Settings" on the lower left. Uncheck the box "Enable Avast email signature" and the above advertisement will go away.

gossiping over the ethernet cable.

Not trying to take the crown from you or anything like that....

In that case I hope you don't play the stock market.

I have been subjected to a visit from a census taker, in 2000, and I unders tand why it's done. However, following your posts you're clearly one of th ose who thinks the government is out to get them, so of course you'd fight answering even innocent questions.

I don't think the government is specifically "out to get" me. But I'm positive that they are incompetent wasters of taxpayers' money. ...Jim Thompson

So essentially you're the polar opposite of blokes like bitrex, then.

Absolutely correct!

and so, here you are complaining about very little.

The purpose of the Survey is to figure out how and where to divvy up the hardworking taxpayers money.

You're a bit slow if you are just figuring that out.

Hey, I just wanted to complain. Life is so good I just need these little things, :-)

I was involved in running one of those experiments in

Five or six years ago I did an Arbitron (?) survey of my radio listening habits. Every envelope and notice had several dollar bills in it. I happily filled out the form, mostly as a perk to keep my programs alive. I listen to a lot of radio and radio over the internet. The next year I was lucky enough:-/ to get the survey again, no money at all! I still filled out the survey. I gave IMUS in the morning a listen 5 days that week. If I had it to do again, I wouldn't list his program. I haven't timed it, but I doubt he is on air 10 minutes an hour. Then, when he is on the air he is either complaining about his health or yelling at one of his employees for some infraction. The program is full of commercials and stories you don't know are a commercial until the very end. I'm tired of 'My Pillow' and NJ Diet (NUVO). He only works four days a week and every holiday is a 4 day week end. Plus his vacations. Replace him with Connell McShane Now! My life is tough, just so tough s/ I loved Rodney Dangerfield, then I saw a biography of his life, it made me sad. He really did have a tough life.

Done.

Mikek

This email was made possible by Vanguard and MrMoneyMustache.

:-)

I rarely pick on people, Phil is one and Keysor Soze on rec.boats is the other. Keysor starts about 35% of the posts on rec.boats and they are mostly about how terrible conservatives are. If I get the chance I might rib Thompson, but only because I love him! Mikek

I think it is actually fairly common.

I have an iPhone 6s in the car and an old LG smartphone that I carry on my person. Neither have "service" -- but, both capable of acting as 911 phones. Instead, I use them as cameras (as they are much smaller/lighter than my real cameras) and "WiFi terminals" given the number of open hotspots around town (e.g., library, waiting room at dentist/doctor, etc.).

And, of course, as a timepiece (cuz I don't wear a watch).

But, unlike you, nothing "personal" kept on them (i.e., NOT PDA's) so I don't worry about them "picking anything up" (I'm sure there's some sort of AV product for phones but don't want to be bothered by it)

;-) ...Jim Thompson

I had a spectacularly good day, yesterday!

A lady friend who'd been suffering from some self-esteem problems and that I've been trying to coerce to "get out there" and start rebuilding a life for herself was scheduled to have a date with a second guy (in ~10 years) last week -- and ended up spending three days (not nights) with him. Working wonders for her mood, etc.

A woman (of apparently little means) suffering from Parkinson's had casually mentioned the need for a powerchair/scooter (each being BEYOND her means) and I was able to locate what I think will be a suitable candidate for her -- for the price of new batteries (~$100 vs. $1800 for the device itself). I'll have to finish testing and programming it and then hack together a charger for her...

Sometimes, you can be in a place to actually make someone's life better!

Priceless!

Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're *not* out to get you...

I must say I like your new shawl!