KILLING PARENTS

THE WEEK (2010)

3/5/40-41

John West discusses how he assisted his father's suicide. His dad was a psychiatrist and mother a clinical psychologist. Both were very ill

and had planned to take their lives when death appeared to be near.

His father's body was filled with cancer. It looked as if he had about a month of life to live. He was in a great deal of pain and he could

stop the pain. He had his son prepare the medications, then he took a

glass of water, swallowed the pills, tried to stay awake as long as possible and then passed on.

John felt empty. His dad was dead. He could not tell his mother what he did because she had so many illness including Alzheimer's that he was afraid she would blurt out what had happened.

Finally months after his father's funeral, he told his mother. She was pleased for what he did, but soon thereafter asked him for the same

procedure when she would die. Then she drifted away.

For John, there was an extreme ambivalence and mixed emotions. What it appeared to be was an act that he did in which it did not bring

closure. It was just something that he did and he felt flat. Surely there is

more to live and death then what happened for John.

TIME(2010) 3/8

GIBBS/ 60

Up to a third of the women in the military serving in Iraq or Afghanistan have been assaulted and/or raped. They usually don't report it because

it may jeopardize their career and lower morale. Further, the victimization is very common. However the Pentagon is beginning to

recognize it. So the women will come forward, they can get medical help without having to make a legal complaint about the

victimizer.

The rape and assault is much higher in the military than in the civilian

population. The reasons generally given is the military deals with war

and attracts high testosterone, hyper masculine soldiers.

THE ECONOMIST (2010)

3/5 /102

In 2009, the average Wall street executive was taking home roughly

$125,000 above base salary. Top executives in the worst part of the

depression or great recession, when nearly 43 billion evaporated top executives made 14.7 billion dollars. The highest amount was in 2006.