Actually, the holiday suicide idea is a media-perpetuated falsehood: <http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/suicide.asp>
And I posted about this yesterday, but somehow the post didn't make it to the list: Stewart was wrong about suicide increasing with population density. It's exactly the opposite. Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and DC are among the most densely populated states and have some of the lowest suicide rates, while Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana have some of the higher rates and are among the least densely populated. If you want to see it visually by county, look at the two maps here of the suicide rate and population density: <http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/statistics/suicide_map.html> <http://www.mapofusa.net/us-population-density-map.htm> You'll see a very good correspondence between low population density and high suicide rates or between high population density and low suicide rates. And it's not just the US, it seems to be a worldwide phenomenon: <http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10398&page=36> In China, the contrast between the rural and urban suicide rates is particularly extreme. > From: Jeff Miles <jmile...@charter.net> > Subject: Re: illegal search warrant? > > This is purely anecdotal, but aren't holidays the highest rate = > for suicide, regardless of population size. Of course trying to = > reinstall Windows probably should be lumped in there some place.=20 > > > Jeff Miles > jmile...@charter.net > > Join my Mafia > http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/status_invite.php?from=3D550968726 > > On Apr 29, 2010, at 3:36 PM, Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: > >> I believe that statistics show that the suicide rate increases the = > higher density the population. >> =20 >> Also during highly stressed conditions. >> =20 >> Stewart >> =20 >> =20 > ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
