"The Suicide Capital of America"

Goldman, Adam. "The Suicide Capital Of America." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 11 Feb.

2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. .

In "The Suicide Capital of America", CBS news writer Adam Goldman investigates what the reasons are for Vegas to become the spot to kill yourself. After talking to multiple family members of victims, he comes to the conclusion that maybe Las Vegas is an attraction because one can literally disappear and not be found. The ideal vacation spot attracts those who can anonymously walk around, gamble, drink, have a great time; no questions asked. The mystery remains as to why a place so unassociated with death, is stricken with a suicidal plague. While this report doesn't focus on the nuclear waste aspects of D'Agata's novel, what they do share is the mysterious aspect of why people choose Vegas. D'Agata chooses to use Levi Presly and his story to illustrate to us perhaps how easy it is to become your own mystery in Vegas. As he climbs the Stratosphere, he is unaffected by every shopper, vendor, and tourist that he passes. No one asks questions, and finally when someone does notice Levi jumps. Perhaps D'Agata and Goldman had something in common with pointing out the strikingly obvious title that comes with Vegas. Goldman chooses to use a eerily observant suicide note in his report "Here there are no answers". Exactly the point D'Agata was trying to make in his book. Overall I think this will relate possibly the best to my research question. There is no clear-cut answer but there is evidence that something draws people in, and maybe this answer is the care free "Sin City" Vegas attitude. There is no clear-cut answer as to what possessive entity Vegas holds, but I think I can use some of Goldman's research of these victims to help further my own question. It seems there may be a possibility that the answer is in fact in the suicide stories themselves.