Thursday, January 15, 2009

We can only hope...

Killer Economy? The deepening recession may lead to growth in suicide rates.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/179422?from=rss

Recent weeks have seen a spate of suicides by some of the most financially powerful people in the world. German billionaire industrialist Adolf Merckle lay down in front of a train after huge investment losses threatened his family's business empire. Chicago real-estate mogul Steven Good shot and killed himself in the driver's seat of his Jaguar after the property-auction business turned sour. René -Thierry Magon de La Villehuchet lost $1.4 billion to Bernie Madoff, went to work, took sleeping pills and slit his wrist.
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"Middle-class people are less likely to commit suicide over money troubles because gains and losses are never that disproportionate; their family relationships tend to be closer, deeper and broader; and their religious beliefs are stronger and play a greater role in buffering their sense of hopelessness."

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Good news is hard to find so this will have to do. Now I'd like to see a billionaire suicide stimulus package.

That'll do nicely, comrade.