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Suicides in Greece increase 40%
boingboing ^ | 10:33 am Friday, Apr 6 | David Pescovitz

Posted on 04/06/2012 12:19:03 PM PDT by mamelukesabre

Until now, Polyzonis's self-immolation was the most vivid image of a singular public act of protest in a country that's been shaken by anti-austerity violence.

But Greece was jolted even more Wednesday after a 77-year-old man took his own life in the busy Syntagma Square, central Athens, the scene of several violent clashes between anti-austerity protesters and the police in recent months.

Just a few hundred yards away from the Greek Parliament, retired pharmacist Dimitris Christoulas shot himself with a handgun amid the morning rush hour, in what was apparently a protest over the financial crisis gripping the nation…

Christoulas's death can be added to an increasing number of suicides in Greece, as more people feel hopeless amid the worst economic crisis in the country's recent history: according to the health ministry data, the suicide rate jumped about 40% in the first five months of 2011 compared with a year earlier.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: austerity; economy; europeanunion; france; germany; greece; greekcrisis; greekdebt; suicide; unitedkingdom
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Go to the link. At the bottom of the article click on "Austerity drives up suicide rate in debt-ridden Greece" It is a link to the original CNN story.

I am having a hard time understanding people who commit suicide over financial issues. But, the eye opener for me is that the situation is in fact dire enough to push people to this kind of extreme actions. If they can be motivated to commit violence against their own person, others will be motivated to commit violence against fellow citizens.

1 posted on 04/06/2012 12:19:09 PM PDT by mamelukesabre
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To: mamelukesabre

ever tried to find US suicide data from 2008 until present? I have. The data seems to stop at 2007 for some reason.


2 posted on 04/06/2012 12:29:01 PM PDT by RC one (may the strongest man win.)
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To: mamelukesabre

I guess either work or die and they choose the latter.


3 posted on 04/06/2012 12:29:25 PM PDT by boomop1 (term limits is the only way to save this country.)
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To: mamelukesabre

More blood on the hands of George Soros


4 posted on 04/06/2012 12:29:41 PM PDT by MtnMan101 (THE PROBLEM WITH SOCIALISUM IS THAT YOU EVENTUALLY RUN OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY)
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To: boomop1

I don’t get it. Looks to me like they are saying life isn’t worth living unless you have a starbucks frappaccino in one hand, an iphone in the other hand and a designer name on a your ugly sunglasses which sit on top of your obnoxious hairdo.

I could find enjoyment in living if I had to eat bugs and dandilions and sleep in a bed made of newspaper and plastic garbage bags.


5 posted on 04/06/2012 12:44:16 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line)
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To: RC one

Virtually all government statistics are years behind. It is probably nothing more than a fluke. It could be a couple of more years before 2008 data is available. I left the employ of the federal government without ever seeing the results of my work in the statistics for my department, for five years after I left.


6 posted on 04/06/2012 12:49:53 PM PDT by righttackle44 (I may not be much, but I raised a United States Marine.)
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To: mamelukesabre

“I could find enjoyment in living if I had to eat bugs and dandilions and sleep in a bed made of newspaper and plastic garbage bags.”

And that’s something that’ll be in store for a lot of us if we - God forbid! - get to enjoy another idyllic four years of that wonderful HOPE and CHANGE...


7 posted on 04/06/2012 12:51:47 PM PDT by MarineDad (Wherever mosques and JDAM's meet, civilization benefits)
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To: mamelukesabre

Because I have no plans or wishes to “retire” I just tell everyone I’ll be a bag lady someday. I’ll retire when I get to heaven, and even then I plan on working for eternity at what I really love (even though I am not sure what job that will be). This life is boot camp compared to the next.


8 posted on 04/06/2012 12:54:01 PM PDT by huldah1776
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To: huldah1776

I plan on being reborn as a horn player for Earth Wind and Fire!


9 posted on 04/06/2012 1:17:32 PM PDT by RitchieAprile
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To: huldah1776

I don’t even think it qualifies as boot camp. It’s the meeting with the recruiting sarge to sign up for boot camp. Maybe it’s nothing more than the “open house” day you go to the day before you start kindergarten. What is 75 years on earth if you live for INFINITY afterwards? Its a blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things.

All we are doing is lining up in gym class and sounding off for roll call. You got 75 years (give or take) to yell out “HERE!” when the Lord calls out your name.

That really is what it comes down to. Don’t be one of those schmucks that doesn’t hear his name and just stands there looking around.


10 posted on 04/06/2012 1:18:44 PM PDT by mamelukesabre (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line)
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To: mamelukesabre

This is exactly what happens when man rely’s on government for cradle to grave care. Instead of relying on God, themselves, their families, friends, and neighbors.


11 posted on 04/06/2012 1:34:15 PM PDT by MsLady (Be the kind of woman that when you get up in the morning, the devil says, "Oh crap, she's UP !!")
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To: mamelukesabre

I am sure the government there is wishing a lot of other older Greeks do this, as it will cut down on government expenses across the board.

It’s a hard time there, for some harder than others, but I find it hard to believe it’s the end of the world that requires suicide. Perspective is a little out of whack.

Things are not even at zombie level 2 there. Barely hit a genuine level 1 other than a couple incidents. (scale is 1-10, 1 lowest).


12 posted on 04/06/2012 2:16:09 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: mamelukesabre

There’s a new movie coming out - “My Big Fat Greek Debt”.

Critics rave “it’s to die for”. Literally, apparently.


13 posted on 04/06/2012 2:18:00 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
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To: mamelukesabre

I don’t get it; the guy who offed himself was a retired pharmacist. I’ve never heard of poor pharmacists, so he obviously wasn’t careful with his money, and secondly, you’d think his pillrollin’ buddies would’ve gave him all the prozac he needed to stay happy and not be distraught, or be a pill pusher and make a livin’ that way. Not a smart guy I guess.


14 posted on 04/06/2012 2:23:47 PM PDT by john drake (Roman military maxim; "oderint dum metuant," i.e., "let them hate, as long as they fear.")
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To: mamelukesabre
I am having a hard time understanding people who commit suicide over financial issues.

I'm having a hard time believing the statistic. 83% of all statistics are just made up, you know.

15 posted on 04/06/2012 2:38:15 PM PDT by BfloGuy (The final outcome of the credit expansion is general impoverishment.)
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To: RC one

Are you kidding?

After 2008, everybody started dancing the “Hope and Change” foxtrot.


16 posted on 04/06/2012 3:06:38 PM PDT by 353FMG
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To: mamelukesabre

-—I don’t get it. Looks to me like they are saying life isn’t worth living unless you have a starbucks frappaccino in one hand, an iphone in the other hand and a designer name on a your ugly sunglasses which sit on top of your obnoxious hairdo-—

That’s what post-Christianity looks like.


17 posted on 04/06/2012 3:11:05 PM PDT by St_Thomas_Aquinas (Viva Christo Rey!)
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To: BfloGuy

Yet 67.3% of opinions on FR are correct.


18 posted on 04/06/2012 3:23:15 PM PDT by eyedigress ((zOld storm chaser from the west)/?)
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To: mamelukesabre

When you put your trust in the state you are placing your soul at risk.


19 posted on 04/06/2012 5:29:53 PM PDT by vpintheak (Occupy your Brain!)
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To: righttackle44

health statistics are typically very current though. I’m sure I could look up how many people died from heart attacks in 2008-2012. I’m sure I could also look up up how many people died from influenza, HIV, lung cancer, etc- but not suicide. Fluke my ass. no offense.


20 posted on 04/06/2012 10:21:53 PM PDT by RC one (may the strongest man win.)
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