Population Explosion and Natural Disasters

While this post of mine was largely about the arrogance and narrow-mindedness liberals display regarding high gas prices and SUVs (they think people bought SUVs for political reasons), a curious side issue concerned families and the number of children each family had. The undercurrent of the conversation was that if people were just smart and didn't have so many damn kids, then a Honda Fit would be plenty big enough.

I have no problem with people who don't want to have kids. If you don't want them, then you better make sure you aren't going to have them. But while some people don't want children, others of us see them as far better investments than the stock market.

That's why I found this story about the unintended consequences--er, results of China's one-child policy to be so interesting. (Via Brothers Judd):

Fears were mounting today that almost an entire generation may have been wiped out in the China earthquake as the death toll leapt to at least 20,000.

China's one-child policy, an attempt to curb the nation's soaring population, means the quake will have robbed many families of their only hope of a future.

With thousands caught in school buildings as the quake struck in the middle of Monday afternoon, children are among its most conspicuous victims.

Every child is precious.