2011 Census: How to bugger it up for Lockheed Martin

The arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin US makes Trident nuclear missiles, cluster bombs and fighter jets and is involved in data processing for the CIA and FBI. It has provided private contract interrogators for the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. Lockheed Martin has the UK Government contract to collect the process the data for the 2011 census in March. 
(Observer, 20 February 2011). 


A boycott would only make the enterprise more cost-effective for L.M. and will land you with a fine or even a brief prison sentence. 


But Peace News have come up with a better idea...
Make the processing of forms more expensive for L.M. thus reducing their profit margin. 


DO NOT FILL IN YOUR CENSUS SURVEY ON LINE


1. Block out some of every bar code on every page. 
Do this discretely and it will delay the process and mean the identification info will be manually entered. 
2. smudge and smear. 
In other words, fill the form in when you're having a cup of tea and a nice piece of marmalade on toast. 
3. fill in some text up side down. Not only will this confuse the machine it will also slow down whoever subsequently manually inputs the date. 
4. Be creative
If you've got a few empty boxes you might want to doodle a little. 
5. Crease and crumple
Don't give those scanners an easy time of it. 
6. Be an individual
Write to "Free post 2011 Census, Processing Centre, UK" and ask for individual questionnaires for each person in your household and repeat 1 - 5 for each of these. 


Thank you Peace News! 

Joining the twitter revolution

Well, no, I do not believe the hype, but it is a medium that proves its - erm - pinch of salt during the non-violent revolutions in the South, and who knows - spring is coming along in the Northern hemisphere - in the North as well.
A Pinch of Salt on Twitter.
Felix Ortt immediately knew how to find it...

Global day of listening coming up

Kathy Kelly, member of a delegation of non-violent activists reporting from Afghanistan:

On March 19th, in Kabul, Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers will hold a candlelight commemoration, remembering the children recently killed in Afghanistan. Following this ceremony they will plant saplings as a symbol of their dedication to a nonviolent future. Their compassion extends beyond Afghanistan to young people in other lands, some of whom they will connect with through a "Global Day of Listening," a 24-hour Skype communication which they’ll host on the first day of spring, Afghanistan’s "Nau Roz" (New Year’s Day) holiday. Colorado College students, on their spring break, plan to participate.

The weblog of the delegation here, the article on a more stable and quotable site.
Another weblog associated to the delegation, and one for another journey.