Conception Day

Kate Sheppard notes that yesterday was the "Day of Conception" in Russia:

Today falls exactly nine months before Russia Day, and as one of Putin's policies to encourage more breeding in his country, he's offered SUVs, refrigerators, and monetary rewards to anyone who gives birth on June 12. So the mayor of Ulyanovsk, a region in central Russia, has given workers there the afternoon off to make with the baby making. Everyone who gives birth is a winner in the "Give Birth to a Patriot on Russia's Independence Day" contest, but the grand prize winner -- judged on qualities like "respectability" and "commendable parenting" -- gets to take home a UAZ-Patriot, a Russian-made SUV.

I wonder what the natalists of the blogosphere have to say about that. The only Russian cars I've been in were GAZ-Volgas and they were pretty impressively unimpressive (Communism doesn't work, kids). Maybe the UAZ-Patriot would surprise me, though.

Comments

This was actually just a regional event, not directly related to Putin at all but the work of a regional governer. Increasing the birth rate is an important policy program for Russia but this particular stunt is a regional event. As for the car- it's okay. The workmanship isn't great but not too much worse than Korean cars of 10-15 years ago and the design isn't anything original but it's cheaper than an import and not that bad. (Even the newer Volga's are not that bad.)

Posted by Matt (not the famous one) | September 13, 2007 9:38 AM

I think if you had to drive one in a harsh winter, your opinion of the Volga might improve.

Posted by Freddie | September 13, 2007 9:46 AM

You probably haven't heard this one

The joke in East Germany, concerning their apparently little-loved state-produced, and only model available on the market, automobile, the Trabant, went like this. "There was a lottery last year in which the first prize was a Trabant. The second prize was...

...

...

...

...

... two Trabants."

That said, I have no idea whether the Gaz-Volga is a similar booby prize, or actually something covet-worthy. But the idea of rewarding fertility is reminiscent of Soviet-era practices. In those days you could earn a medal for being a "Hero Mother of the Soviet Union" if you had enough children.

Posted by Glen Tomkins | September 13, 2007 10:15 AM

The Lada is the Russian car of choice in Latin America. Looks like a cheaper Volvo.

Posted by neil | September 13, 2007 10:31 AM

Russian cars have actually gotten a lot better since the good ol' Soviet days. That said, they're hardly a status symbol -- anyone who wants to drive to impress in Russia buys German or Japanese.

Posted by matt (less famous even than that other one) | September 13, 2007 11:09 AM

"anyone who wants to drive to impress in Russia buys German or Japanese."

Uralvagonzavod makes some impressive vehicles.

Posted by Njorl | September 13, 2007 11:13 AM

Left unsaid in this is the fact that Russia is in demographic collapse with a shrinking population

Posted by Campesino | September 13, 2007 12:43 PM

How many babies are actually born exactly nine calendar months after conception? And next year's a Leap Year, too...

Posted by Ethel-to-Tilly | September 13, 2007 12:53 PM

"anyone who wants to drive to impress in Russia buys German or Japanese."

Natural segue to this story that Kaus linked to
http://www.englishrussia.com/?p=329

Russian mechanics mash up a 70's Volga and a new BMW M6.

Posted by beowulf | September 13, 2007 1:18 PM

I was born on June 12 (1959). Can someone put me in touch with Mr. Putin.

Posted by cw | September 13, 2007 10:46 PM