One of my favourite [dw] posts ever. Nonie posted this one on Saturday, May 27, 2000:

WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME

to the one and only---

DW SMORGASBORD

featuring:

hors doeuvres---members' and kids' pics, shop talk, clothes, cosmetics, cereal bowls, (and new items in season),

salads--- word play, jokes, sex, banter, link exchanges, poetry

meat dishes---religion, politics, abortion, gun ownership, (vegetarians can easily bypass these dishes and still be well-nourished and satisfied)

veggies---art, movies, music, books, sex, hobbies, verbal sparring, questions and answers, limericks

breads---philosophy, life-situations, relationships, pet peeves, dilemmas

drinks---geek talk, sex, drinks (!?!), hopes and wishes, random thoughts

desserts---sunsets, more kid pics and stories, travel, more sex, dreams, fruits, fooling around, indulgences, fetishes, creativity,

^^^

Customers comments always welcome. Suggestions for additional items are encouraged. Do feel free to drop by every day, or at least every time you're in the neighborhood!

We are very pleased with ourselves, and hope you will be pleased with us too.

Our prices will fit your budget. All we ask is that you bring your own tastes and whatever dining utensils you feel are necessary.

Just in case you're wondering--our staff is made up of volunteers.

=============

NO TIPPING, PLEASE!!

_______________________________________________

This was my first post to [dw], dated Friday, March 17, 2000, 10:35 pm:

I'm new on this list, only been hanging around for a week or so, and you all seem so cozy and familiar with each other that I kind of feel like I'm butting into a private conversation, but I wanted to make a comment or two about the census.

Spring Dew explained pretty well the reasons for the "invasive" questions on the long form (which I have not seen). She mentioned also that this information is kept in the strictest confidence, but I think that bears
repeating. This from the information that came with the census form: "Your privacy is protected by law (Title 13 of the United States Code), which also
requires that you answer these questions. That law ensures that your information is only used for statistical purposes and that no unauthorized
person can see your form or find out what you tell us--no other government agency, no court of law, NO ONE." (emphasis theirs)

The information collected by the census will eventually be released to the public--about 70 or 75 years down the road. I believe the most recently
released census information is from the 1920 census--to the great joy of genealogists everywhere.

Your privacy is protected. Please don't falsify the information you give; you will frustrate future generations of genealogists terribly! As well as
making it more difficult for the government to figure out what services are needed where. I am not big on government intrusion in my life, and I have strong privacy concerns, but this is not as big a threat to your privacy as it may seem on the surface.

As for people who cannot read, or who don't read English, that is what your friendly neighbourhood census worker is for. If you don't send in your
form, you will have someone come a knock-knock-knocking at your door to ask
you the questions face-to-face. No-one will be penalized because they couldn't read or understand the form.

Hope this helps clarify the census question a little.

*CERIDWEN*

on the "recently modified" sidebar from the default five to ten.