Last week's question: Japan's birthrate is plummeting, and the country faces a future with too many retirees and not enough young workers, so Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is trying to encourage young people to marry and have more babies. What would be an effective way to do that?
RESULTS:
THE WINNER: Raise the retirement eligibility to four grandchildren
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Oliver Wyatt, Norwood, Mass.
SECOND PLACE: Have the Chinese declare that it’s a bad idea
Jeff Black, New York City
THIRD PLACE: Smooth jazz and candles
Arianna Tamaddon, Menlo Park, Calif.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Add Viagra to the soy sauce
Pat Hickson, Bradley Beach, N.J.
Free upgrade on all smartphones for each child born in wedlock
Dick LaVine, New York City
Free sake at singles bars
Joanne Sullivan, Maspeth, N.Y.
Make Catholicism the state religion
Ken Kellam III, Dallas
Invent a video game that can conceive and give birth
Andrew Tuite, Chicago
Clothing optional Fridays
Rob Malone, Annapolis, Md.
Convince women that aspirin is as effective as the pill
Kenneth R. Updegrove, Cedaredge, Colo.
Legalize marijuana
Mike Glicksman, Wyckoff, N.J.
Ban condoms and birth control pills
John Halvorsen, Brentwood, Tenn.
Promote abstinence-only education, because we all know that works so well
Kelly McConville, Walla Walla, Wash.
Give Nadya Suleman, aka Octomom, permanent residency
Wayne Stickle, Long Beach, Calif.
Import two NBA franchises to Tokyo
Steve Arvin, Los Angeles
Enact an individual mandate
Judy Echols, Incline Village, Nev.
Coed naps after lunch
David DeTour, Kingston, N.H.
Breed a lot of storks to increase deliveries
John Haug, Roeland Park, Kan.
Have a blackout
Linda Newton, Bridgewater, N.J.
Make marriage and childbirth achievements and trophies on their Xbox and Playstation consoles
Ricky Cobban, Glendale, Ariz.
