Just Fill Out the Damn Form
You may recall back in the spring of 2008, we had a guest post from our resident Census Geek about demographics on Thayer Avenue and the surrounding area. Very interesting information, and considering all the changes that have taken place in the ‘hood since the last head count, I’m already looking forward to the information garnered from 2010.
Here’s the thing: You have to fill out the form and send it in. I know it takes a few minutes. I know you’re busy. Consider this a public service announcement. Filling out the form and sending it in has a direct impact on your local, state, and national representation, money allocated to your area, and services provided. There is NO downside. You will not get slapped by the IRS. You will not get deported. You will not have the U.S. Marshalls show up at your door (unless you’ve done something else to deserve any of that).
Also, there will be people from the Census Bureau canvassing the neighborhood over the next few months. Please treat them with respect. We’re lucky that the census comes at a time when people need jobs, and this is putting a small dent in a big crash, putting food on lots of tables for people who would experience otherwise. If a census taker tries to test you, I recommend you *not* cut out his or her liver and eat it with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. It would be bad form. And it’s been done before.
About that Letter…
A lot of other people have gotten that anti-big-box-store-Germantown-Citizens-for-Smart-Growth letter I highlighted this past weekend. It even reared its ugly head at this week’s ESSCA meeting. The origin is still a mystery, but I heard an interesting theory. Just imagine that one of the most revered grocery stores in the Northeastern United States (and in Northern Virginia and NOT Montgomery County) was to get all the necessary approvals to break ground on a flagship grocery store. And let’s just say the grocery store happened to be, oh, I don’t know Wegmans.
Now… say you’re a big grocery store chain like Giant or Safeway who is about to get trounced by the great and powerful Wegmans in your market. What do you do? I think maybe you send out letters addressed to “[Insert Name] or Current Resident” – just like you do with the grocery store flyers. Make sense? Giant or Safeway? Want to come forward and claim responsibility for a bogus, failed campaign against Wegmans? It was already too late for that anyway, which makes me wonder if that theory is true. The store will be built, from what I understand, regardless. We’ll see what comes of it.
About the ESSCA Meeting
Better than anticipated. Though when Bob Colvin started talking about gangs in the area, he reminded me of former Senator Ted Sevens (R-AK) talking about the internet. Lots of talk about the Days Inn and Travelodge on Georgia Avenue and the attempt to subdue crime there, but it was rudely interrupted by some bonehead talking about sentencing disparities (valid) and pharmaceutical commercials (not valid and unrelated) and the Juarez Drug Cartel (idiotic and unrelated) and drug commercial disclaimers (a waste of *everyone’s* time and unrelated). I’m reminded of last month’s meeting where someone said, “Hearing you speak for the sake of talking is wasting my time.” Amen. Just a couple of meetings left until elections…
D’OH! A deer!
Beautiful day at Sligo Creek Golf Course yesterday. A big family of deer was foraging on the left side of #9. Your Silver Spring Photo of the Day:
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A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.
Can a grocery store actually be “revered”? I need to go check out one of these Wegmens and see what I am missing.
I work with several people from Northern Virginia, and they love it. They have everything – or so I’m told. Like if Harris Teeter and Whole Foods had a huge, bloated offspring. Of course, ours wouldn’t have beer or wine, and I’m still bitter about that.
Boo to the deer destroying Sligo Cree Park!
LOL on the ESSCA mtg – am glad I have a long-standing conflict as Pres of Silver Spring Garden Club which has met on 3rd Monday eves since 1940, if I had to sit through another off-topic ranter, I’d scream.
Maura Lynch of the State’s Attorney’s office has done a tremendous job reducing the crime at the Days Inn and Travelodge motels in South Silver Spring. The problem isn’t solved, but progress has definitely been made.
I was impressed with Maura Lynch. She also praised the people in the community for helping testify against someone in the neighborhood for drugs and put him behind bars, albeit for just 18 months. She’s doing a lot of good work with strained resources – which are getting smaller with the imminent budget cuts.
@Kathy – I would love me some venison. Any plans to thin the herd in Sligo Creek? I *always* see them on the course, and I can make a mean venison chili.
Dur, didn’t see that Hannibal Lecter had already been referenced. I get an “F” in reading. Stupid iPhone.
I wondered about that. I was pleased to find a video clip of just that line, too.
I been hearing how great Wegmans is from VA Residents and I want one too! Its sad that these stores are afraid of competition. Do you think there is a big chance that Wegmans will be blocked from coming to MoCo?
Thayer – the only way you can have venison down county is if one stumbles in your yard and dies of “natural causes” OR if you hit it with your vehicle in an “accident,” you can stop and dress it (or pay someone to do so) and have the meat yourself or donate to a food bank.
BTW there are ZERO county funds being used for deer management in the down-county. We all need to put pressure on the County Council to use your hard-earned taxes you pay for deer management policies. I have too many friends with Lyme Disease from just living near county parks and the accompanying big deer herds. This is a safetly and health epidemic.
You can track census participation.
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/
You can enter a zip code and see the return rate. You can place your cursor over each little zone and see rate of response for each little division.
So according to the link from Kristy, the tract that includes Thayer Avenue has a 23% census participation rate to date, compared to 34% nationally and 30% for Maryland, so far. The participation rate for Census 2000 for the tract that includes Thayer Avenue was 65%. Come on Thayer Avenue residents, we can do better!