47.1 percent Hispanic or Latino

They're taking over!!!

Winter is coming soon..instead of putting that extra blanket on the bed--just snuggle up closer and let nature take its course---

" Viva Loco Thing "....

3.7 percent Asian......I am more scared of the Asians leaving town. Oh, that Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese food!  Will have to move to San Francisco or LA.

Please double check the education numbers.

 Oh, that Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese food!

Good point. I gotta have that pho. 

Hello tbcjgranados,

Thanks for your note. You are right: the post did not clearly specify that when "high school diploma or equivalent" was listed, and 115,320 people in Kern achieved that, it was saying they JUST got that far.

There are many more people who have a high school diploma PLUS some college, or an associate degree, bachelor's degree or graduate or professional degree.

The numbers are now more clear in the original post, with a note that they've been updated.

Thanks for writing!

Hi Observer,

Can you tell us more about what you're referring to regarding the EDD unemployment estimates? If there's something wrong, we want to correct it. If there's something that could be explained better, we'll try to do that.

 During the same period the percentage of high school graduates grew by only 1.7%

The public option single payer school system throught the entire country is a failure. That could explain why high school graduates grew by only 1.7%.  The dropout rate for public option single payer high schools in Kern County is 22%.  That might explain the discrepancy.

Hi Observer,

Good points. It will be interesting to see, once the next Census is done and the data released, how much the numbers change or don't change.

Hey RonMexico, the county schools are not to blame for Johnny not studying. It's the parents fault. They can only 'lead a horse to water', but in this case it's the parent's DUTY to make them drink from the well of knowledge. Your " public option single payer " statement is right out of the Insurance companies manual as given to the ultra right to spoon feed to those who will swallow it. You are really bashing the health initiative that insurance companies definitely don't want for us, and would do the poor in Bakersfield and elsewhere a ton of good. You should put your 'anti-poor' sentiments on another blog. This blog is about Johnny not learning.

I often use the information found at the ZIPskinny web site.   Input a zip code and all sorts of information is provided.  Here is 93312    http://www.zipskinny.com/in...    and here is 93305    http://www.zipskinny.com/in...

From the Blog:

Race or ethnicity: 69.5 percent white;
47.1 percent Hispanic or Latino;
5.5 percent black;
3.7 percent Asian; 17.9 percent
other; and 3.5 percent two or more races.

TK continues.

I know it’s late. But I have added these numbers up and down and sideways. And I keep coming up with 147.2 percent. My first clue that something seemed wrong, was when I glanced at nearly 70% white and nearly 50% Hispanic.

I think I have found where those non high school graduates have been getting their jobs. :>)

If you just add the white, black, Asian, other and more than one race categories, you get 100.1%, which is within rounding error. As Observer said, if you look at the ACS survey, you'll see that the question about Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is a seperate question than the question about race: www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/SQuest09.pdf

The thing that surprised me was the population, it feels like we have more than 800,458 people in Bakersfield. In my opinion it just seems like every year Bakersfield is getting more crowded and crowded with people.

  Hispanic/Latino is ethnicity (cultural identity) and can be of any race or mixture of races. 

I always identify myself as a hispanic on any government form I feel out.  I like burritos and mexican food, so I like to call myself a Hispanic...

Oh, sure. And I always answer "French" because I eat french fries. 

Observer and the rest.

I would be interested in seeing how Caucasian is defined for this study. . I have found it common to see the term Caucasian defined as, ( white, non Hispanic).

So even a full blooded Eskimo, Polish person or African American, born in Mexico City. Would be considered Hispanic. Because he was from a area conquered by the Spanish.

People born in Spain therefore are not Hispanic. They are considered Caucasian. Because in reality. Spain was never conquered by the Spanish. They are the Spanish.

People born in Brazil are not Hispanic. Because Brazil was conquered by the Portuguese.

So now we have a even bigger problem with Latino. Latino suggests a person who comes from an area that speaks a Latin based language.. That would include Italians and Spaniards among a host of other countries.

Also, If all of the races excluding Hispanic/Latino add up to over 100%. One must realize, there are those that understand the true meaning of the word Hispanic, and realized  that even though they were of light colored skin,  they  were Hispanics/Latino and  answered that they were such. And not Caucasian.  Same for the African American etc.  

So we would still have a total figure that was not within the margin of error. Figures that are meaningless because they are not well defined.

A greater attention to detail is a must in this situation.

You have a point, tkozy. You could argue about who's really Hispanic, but the question is moot since the Census basically takes people's word for it.

They don't look at birth certificates. Respondents are what they say they are. 

I'm Caucasian, on the pinkish side.

Though, I must confess, I do back flipps for decent chile verde.

--virgil

LOL Virg:

Here's an unlikely place for a mean chile verde, but be warned, it's hot: Lorene's Ranch House in downtown Bakersfield.

Believe me, it will become one of your favorite chile verde places. 

I have taken to marking "other" myself. The Human Genome Project convinced me.

Thanks, Elinem !

--virgil

Yup. A nephew is part Hispanic and part non-Hispanic white, and his wife is a Filipina. He jokingly says his kids are mutts.

My response: We're all mutts. And that's a good thing.

Add up those race group percentages. It's 147 percent! Is Acorn the one who did the counting? Either that or there are a lot more than 3.5% mixed race being counted more than once. Doesn't anyone learn math anymore? 

Anyone who deals with census data professionally knows the ethnicity data is garbage. The reps from the census bureau stand in front of rooms full of people at conferences and say as much.

If you want the actual data for Kern County from the 2008 ACS its here =>   http://tinyurl.com/mtghgr

Generalizing a topic leads to misinformation.

Take for example the term median income.

Half earn less that a certain amount and half earn more than a certain amount.

Let’s assume a medium income of 50 grand. That statement can be correct in a case where no one in the lower half earns more than 5 grand. And all of them in the top half earn more than 3 million.
A median income of 50 grand could exist in a situation where the average of the lower half was five dollars. And the upper half was 5 billion dollars..

Not a very reliable figure.

And similar arguments can be made of averages.

The greater the population studied. The more accurate the figures would be.

But too large of a population and the figures would not be applicable to a specific topic or area..

Add up those race group percentages. It's 147 percent! 

That's at least in part because Hispanic is not a race, but an ethnicity. Therefore, you can be a black Hispanic (check out many Dominican baseballs players) or a white Hispanic. 

In other words, there's overlap.

Oh, sure. And I always answer "French" because I eat french fries.

I wonder how you would say LA RAZA in French?

And anyway, be sure to tell 'em I sent you, Virg. 

I guess you didn't read the PDF link I gave tkozy. That's the ACS form they are sending out this year. It doesn't even have Caucassian anymore. Just "white" on Question 6 and the hispanic ancestry is Question 5. On Question 13, one can fill in the blank with a more specific ancestry. I was sorely tempted to write "European mutt" for that question on the ACS I received this summer.

I will do that, Elinem .

--virgil

Schwaine,

I have read the ACS.

That does not explain the figures in the first part of the blog.

The linked survey does bring up an interesting subject though.

The 'in-betweenness of the Mexican national..

The other white race.

Here is a good read for you:

.http://www.historycooperati...

About race:

Conceptions of race, as well as specific ways of grouping races, vary by culture and over time, and are often controversial for scientific as well as social and political reasons.

From:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

TK continues:

Everyone here talks as if race and ethnicity are two different animals. But that is not the case.

ethnicity [(eth-nis-uh-tee)]

Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language

Observer, 

No, and quiet frankly your post appears to be very argumentative not mine.  My point is that the current ACS survey doesn't correspond to the survey posted by Money Matters. And to compare data between even ACS surveys from different years. Will not give a clear picture. 

You as well as Schwaine are welcome to read my link above.

And I also am saying that observers from other nations can not compare their results with the ACS survey because of the following.

About race:

Conceptions of race, as well as specific ways of grouping races, vary by culture and over time, and are often controversial for scientific as well as social and political reasons.

From:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

TK continues.

So in summary, until there is standardization. The data is meaningless to the lay observer. And to those who are acquainted with different standards from different Nations.

Now put that in the perspective of one world. One economy..

 If the KCG would like to respond to my post. They are more than welcome. 

Observer,

Why would it be that you can state an opinion. But my comments are argument.

Oh, And by the way. I do care about how the world sees us. And I do suggest that the ACS was wrong at least once.

If you bother to read my link. You can read that there has been many decades of argument concerning, 'The other white race'.

And it is obvious from the changing survey. The ACS can't make up their minds. Perhaps you should ask one of your contacts to visit my link above.

tkozy, I see that you are once again winning friends and influencing people, LOL. Do enjoy arguing just for the sake of arguing? At least you're expanding your topics; health care is done worn out.

Vanity,

I don't call it arguing. I do express my opinion. And I do enjoy debate.

It is also not unusual to experience those who turn to ad homonym, when they have lost the debate.

It's kind of like the blog version of taking your ball and going home.

Those who do not have the maturity to debate. Should just take to observing. :>)

Observer.

If it is a fact when you said the methodology is useless in regards to business and social matters.

Then it is a fact when I say the same thing. Cheeeez

Observer,

Please go back and look at your critique of this survey. I will print just one of your comments.

'The danger is making business and social assumptions based upon this methodology.'

TK continues.

You have called the report useless with regards to business and social assumptions. Then latter in the blog you turn to criticize me for making the same comment.

You interject yourself into a discussion between my self and Schwaine. And then call me argumentative.

I suggest to you, some soul searching on your part, is in order.

tkozy said: "Generalizing a topic leads to misinformation.

Take for example the term median income.

Half earn less that a certain amount and half earn more than a certain amount.

Let’s assume a medium income of 50 grand. That statement can be correct in a case where no one in the lower half earns more than 5 grand. And all of them in the top half earn more than 3 million.
A median income of 50 grand could exist in a situation where the average of the lower half was five dollars. And the upper half was 5 billion dollars..

Not a very reliable figure.

And similar arguments can be made of averages.

The greater the population studied. The more accurate the figures would be.

But too large of a population and the figures would not be applicable to a specific topic or area..

Some might argue that it is all bologna invented by the statistician.

Observer,

I am stating an opinion. I am not asking you a question. You are free to state your opinion. 

Now as far as YOUR statement above.

'The danger is making business and social assumptions based upon this methodology.'

Let's invent a fictitious survey. One that is taken let us say. Every ten years. Let us also say it takes 2 years to collect and compile the data.  Let us also say the questions are change each ten years.

What assumptions can be made?

Well immediately upon publication. The entire historical viability of the data has been lost. Because the questions were changed.  (My point above)

The data at the present date of publication has lost 20% of it's present day value. And is growing more useless everyday. (Your point above).

Conclusion:

If the data is overwhelmingly determined to be useless. There is no need to argue the reason why.  

DS,

At the end of my comment. I describe the effects of the size of the target. Certain sections of Beverly Hills would be troublesome.

Congressional districts a whole different problem. States and so on and so forth.

Then you would have to justify the region of data with your needs.

I agree with your post.

But put it into context of this post.

The questions on the survey were changed between the surveys.

What happens when your data for one year is based on the median, and the mean the next.

Well, you have lost all historical value.

And by the time you have compiled the current data. It has lost 20% of it’s present day value.

The data from the Census doesn't switch back and forth from median to mean.

Your comments about size of the target: I couldn't decide on what you meant by that, and still feel I'm missing your point.

If your last point is about the changing value of the dollar, you can get value equalized reports as well. But the main thing to remember is that the dollar is worth the same for everybody the year the data is collected - so the disparities in income between wealthy and poor, though relative, are consistent from year to year.

The 2008 ACS had the same basic wording for questions 5 and 6 as the 2009 survey. Question 13 in the 2009 survey is the same as Question 12 in the 2008 survey: www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/SQuest08.pdf

So that fully explains the results posted in the blog. 47.1% answered in the affirmative to Question 5. The percentages given for white, black, Asian, other and mixed race are the responses to Question 6. And if you really wanted to know more details about ethnicity, then you could look up the data for Question 12, which was not included by MoneyTalks

 Schwaine,

From your first post. I was under the impression that there had been a change in the questions. You have now made it clear that they are all but the same.

But that still does not go to the question of worldwide acceptance. Nor in fact within America, the acceptance of the idea of, ’the other white race’.

I would think my Hispanic friends would be offended by me referring to them as, ‘the other white race‘.

The data does not indicate which portion of the Hispanics identify with White, black, Asian or other races. So I am wondering why it is that the ACS is reluctant to identify Hispanic as a race.

Even if the individual stated Mexican under #12/13. There would be no indication of which race he chose.

In the early history of America. There is no doubt why there was a reluctance to do so. It was a desire to create hardships for the Mexican National both in the court house and in citizenship.

What is also interesting is that they lump together Latino, Hispanic and Spanish. Where it seems there is world wide acceptance of the Spanish being classified as white. And there certainly is a question as to whether Hispanic/Latino is in fact a race.

I wonder what numbers classify themselves as Hispanic under, ‘Some other race’. When So many options are offered for other races. Such as Black, African American or Negro.

Or the multitude of classifications for Asians. A heritage that gives rank to the nation of origin as much as physical characteristics.

If there is a Korean or Japanese race. Why isn’t there a Mexican race?

Why isn’t there a Hispanic equivalent to Asian?

Has the immigration issue forced a special consideration for those of the Mexican Race. Or the Costa Rican race. That has not attached itself to the Vietnamese race?

Why are the Filipino, who are truly Hispanic. Given the privilege of a race. And the Columbians are not?

So we make the journey back to:

About race:

Conceptions of race, as well as specific ways of grouping races, vary by culture and over time, and are often controversial for scientific as well as social and political reasons.

TK in conclusion says:.

The inclusion of Hispanic under race or ethnicity, in this case. Created un needed confusion.

That the exclusion of Hispanic or Mexican or Columbian from their own Race. Is unwarranted. When taking in consideration the races of Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese et al.

Observer,

No, You know Tkozy not me.

If you were to google my many monikers you would be faced with 10's, if not  already 100’s of thousands of hits.

My friends and I were blogging before there was even the name.

In fact we openly wondered if we were actually bloggers.

I emailed TBC about bulletin boards, and invited them to participate in some of mine, before the TBC board existed.

On this board I have over 10 thousand profile views. Over 50 thousand blog views. Thousands of comments and hundreds 0f individual blogs. And this is only one of the boards I participate in.

So I will not argue,

that you have not read,

of tkozy.

DS

I have a hard time describing a neighborhood or state as a universe. So I used the term target.

I am specifically addressing the value of Median and Average. They are generalizations. And can be uninformative.

Let me explain again, this way. If you have the data to express either median or Average. You have the data to be more specific.

I am not just addressing the census data. I am speaking of housing sales, the weight of the cattle in a cattle car. ETC

I follow the median and average values of home sales. I notice that the values have risen as of late. I also notice that the value of foreclosed homes have gone from the low 100 thousands to now regularly approaching 300 grand and more.

These figures affect the value of my home. But none of them on their own is informative enough to make logical decisions.

I want greater detail.

If I were to sell my home. I want to be able to determine the prices of those in foreclose and which homes are which.

I don’t want my house low balled because the agent gives me medians and averages. I don’t care about average price per square foot.

I want to know what homes such as mine have sold for in the near present. And I want 5 grand more. :>)

That’s all.