Russians Get Holiday To Baby-make

A Russian governor of a central province urged employers to give people the day off so workers could stay home and help boost Russia's low birth-rate. Why did he pick September 12th for procreation day? Well, that's easy. Because it is 9 months before Russia's national holiday, June 12. Need more incentive to skip work and stay home with your spouse? The governor is offering a prize to be awarded to a woman who gives birth on June 12, 2008.

Why all the fus? Russia wants to bolster against it's shrinking population (quiet the opposite view of the VHEMT). The population rate has been decreasing by about 700,000 people a year. Births are no longer keeping up with the death rate, which has been elevated because of AIDS, alcoholism, smoking, drug abuse, heart disease, tuberculosis, pollution, and suicide.

This is the 3rd year that the Ulyanovsk region has set aside a day for this cause. Last year a family won a Jeep for having a baby on June 12th.