Congratulations to Ted on his 20 years last December. He updated that he just received a nice pin and a letter not actually signed by anyone.

We also got a nice pin, a letter (signed by someone), and a certificate this week.

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Some of the tea-party members of the family held a dinner debate over completing the 2010 Census. Discussion included Clark Howard’s opinion…

Ten years ago, Clark got a long-form Census packet with intrusive questions. He filled in the first portion about the headcount and left everything else blank before sending it back in…and, no, he was not arrested!

And Japanese internment camps…

Japanese Americans have long suspected that the Census Bureau played a prominent role in the roundup and relocation of 120,000 residents of Japanese ancestry to detention camps in the interior.

I filled out the form, answering all questions. I figure marketers who are trying to get our money know a lot more about us. The government, who needs to know how to allocate congressional representation and federal funds needs to know how many of us are living where (at a minimum.) Race, gender, and age also help given how much these statistics influence policies like universal health care.

I felt a bit bad that I could not count Nicole because she worked outside the country. Those who work outside the country are not to be counted. Odd, since they can vote and pay taxes.

I took the week off and the kids were home, so we were all gathered around the kitchen table in the morning.

Nicole pointed to the headlines and asked, “Why do they call President Clinton ‘Brady Bill’?”

I looked at the headline that read “Brady Bill Passed By Senate.”

I told her that it was because President Clinton was the #1 Brady Bunch fan in America. Nicole was impressed.

Then, of course, I explained the less exciting truth about legislative process.