Final Word from Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Czech politicians are grasping for ways to fill the pension gap, caused by low fecundity and an aging population. The world population has risen 168% since 1950. China's is up 135%; the U.S.'s has risen 105%. Europe's population has inched up only 34%, and the Czech Republic's has grown by ... 18%. Compare these figures to the world's Muslim population, which has risen since 1950 by a whopping 335%, to 1.6bn. Ever since a rabbi brought monogamy to Europe 1,000 years ago, the deck has been stacked against Christians and Jews. Drastic times call for drastic measures. As MFD suggested recently, maybe it's time to ditch monogamy and return to the more-natural order of polygamy and the survival of the richest and the fittest. ČSSD could push in Parliament not only for higher maternity payments, but also for a special tax break for "husband heroes" who support multiple wives and sire at least 10 children. David Rath, who has some expertise in this area, could lead the charge to polygamize our way out of this pension trap.[Czech Republic Islam MF Dnes Christianity Judaism]
Glossary of difficult words
to grasp for - to try to seize onto (ideas, etc.);
fecundity - fertility; the birthrate of a population;
population rates - most of these figures come from Wikipedia;
to inch up - to move upward or grow slowly;
whopping - very large;
the deck is stacked against someone - a situation is so unfavorable that a positive outcome is highly unlikely;
to ditch - to get rid of, dispose of;
to sire - to father; to procreate;
to polygamize - to practice polygamy.