Final Word from Thursday, September 9, 2010
Anyone willing to pay 20% for a consumer loan must be really desperate or really stupid. At some point, a person with at least half a brain will realize that the interest on that new TV or PSP just isn't worth it and will decide to do the uncool thing and wait until he or she can afford it. Avoiding outrageous mobile-phone charges is trickier, because it's hard to do without the devices in today's world, but even here it's possible to mitigate the usurious rates by being more judicious in how we use the phones. The fact is that Czech consumers are more to blame than they're willing to admit for the high prices that are bleeding them dry. A fool and his money are soon parted, and bankers, mobile-phone operators and utility companies are experts at taking advantage of peabrains. Czechs can clamor for more price intervention by government, but no one has found an effective way to regulate human foolishness.[Czech Republic television PlayStation Portable]
Glossary of difficult words
20% - meaning an interest rate of 20%;
with half a brain - of at least average intelligence;
PSP - PlayStation Portable, a portable game console made by Sony;
tricky - requiring care and skill because of being difficult or awkward;
uncool - not fashionable or impressive;
to mitigate - to make less severe, serious or painful;
usurious - unreasonably high (usually of a rate of interest);
judicious - having, showing or done with good judgment or sense;
a fool and his money are soon parted - foolish people spend money without thinking;
peabrain - a stupid person (having a brain the size of a pea);
to clamor for - to make a vehement protest or demand.