Released… to what?A new long-term <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2814598" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">study </a>following almost 100,000 people suffering from depression has shown that their risk of suicide is over 300 times higher than the average in the first few days after being discharged from a psychiatric hospital.The study was conducted in Finland and examined almost 200,000 individual hospitalizations between the years 1996 and 2017. During the first three days after being discharged, the suicide rate for those who were admitted due to depression was found to be 6,063 per 100,000 person-years, or 330 times greater than the Finnish background rate. Between days four and seven after discharge, the rate dipped a bit but remained extremely high compared to the rate for the greater population: 3,884 per 100,000 person-years. Over the course of the next two years the rate continued to decrease steadily.The study’s authors noted a number of risk factors, including recent suicide attempts featuring either hanging or use of a firearm; being male; being over the age of 40, and having a household disposable income in the highest tertile.&nbsp;Suicides continue to mountThe suicide rate in the U.S. has been increasing steadily over the past few decades—between 2000 and 2017, the age-adjusted suicide rate <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db330-h.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rose </a>from 10.4 to 14.0 per 100,000. Commenting on the findings of the Finnish study, Dr. Jacob Ballon of Stanford University <a href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/depression/108741" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said </a>that if it had been conducted in the United States, the results would likely have been the same.One might suspect that a sudden stoppage of psychiatric medications might be a key factor in the increased suicide rates, but, when asked what might be done to address the issue, Dr. Ballon did not focus on the importance of ensuring that patients continue, after discharge, to take whatever psychiatric drugs they were prescribed while in hospital. Instead, he stressed that creating a concrete post-hospitalization treatment plan and following-up on patients are what matter most:<blockquote>There has to be a real effort to make sure that there is a solid plan on discharge for the person to be checked in with, within that first week after hospitalization [emphases added].</blockquote>&nbsp;More psychiatry &gt;&gt; more deathDr. Ballon did not specify either who should make the plan or who should do the checking-in. However, if what he envisages is having depressed people in more constant contact with psychiatry professionals, the evidence is that this actually correlates with a higher risk of suicide, though the correlation may be due to the more grave nature of the mental illness suffered by those committing suicide and the greater likelihood that it leads to medical intervention.In fact, one large <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00127-014-0860-x" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">study </a>dating back to 2014, studying people who committed suicide between 1996 and 2009, showed that:<ul><li>People taking psychiatric medication and with no other care were 5.8 times more likely to commit suicide;</li><li>People who had contact with a mental health professional in outpatient care were 8.2 times more likely to commit suicide;</li><li>People who had visited or been admitted to the ER of a psychiatric hospital were 27.9 times more likely to commit suicide and;</li><li>People who had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital were 44.3 times more likely to commit suicide.</li></ul>&nbsp;Deadly diagnosisOne of the key differences between those who have had contact with the mental health profession and those who have not is diagnosis. Being diagnosed, according to the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association, is part-and-parcel of being “in treatment,” not just for insurance billing. Diagnosis is often seen as the admission of the “professional” that this is a problem that will always exist, and indeed, the majority of mental health professionals believe that mental health cannot be cured, but only managed.<a href="https://www.madinamerica.com/2017/09/in-memoriam-matt-stevenson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Matt Stevenson</a> was 32 years old when he committed suicide. He was a <a href="https://bpdtransformation.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">prolific writer</a> on what is known as borderline personality disorder, having been “diagnosed” with BPD at the age of 20. After years of researching what is actually known about BPD and attempting to heal, he wrote in his suicide note that despite his intensive efforts to break free of psychiatric labels, he never entirely succeeded.<blockquote>Recently, I continued to be extremely terrified of certain psychiatric studies, ideas, and diagnostic labels, and could not contain the fear around them … I was robbed of my life by these identifications.</blockquote>Matt had close and loving family and an online community of like-minded people. Yet he felt unable to shake off the deterministic pronouncements of the “professionals.” Although he felt bereft of hope for himself, he continued to advocate for change that could benefit others:<blockquote>The message should be that serious mental distress … is primarily caused by adverse psychosocial events … and that people can mostly or fully become free from these states with support and sufficient hope, that key thing I couldn’t feel at the end.</blockquote>&nbsp;What helps?What if you’re someone watching a loved one go through a severe crisis and you don’t know how to provide support or hope? Most suicide prevention hotlines will tell the caller to immediately contact emergency services. One mental healthcare professional suggests that this is not always the optimal response.In an <a href="https://www.madinamerica.com/2020/09/suicidal-thoughts-part-two/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">article</a> titled “What Really Helps,” Paula J. Caplan, PhD describes one reason why referring someone to emergency services before you even hear them out can be damaging: it gives the person the message that whatever it is they’re dealing with is so huge and overwhelming that only the ER can possibly do anything for them. Urgent care may indeed be the best treatment option, but Caplan believes some thought must go into the process before recommending a ride in an ambulance.She then stresses the importance of avoiding “psychiatric diagnostic terms” which can make a person “despondent” about their chances of recovering.Similarly, she writes, even the word “therapy” should be avoided when possible. She does advocate for suggesting a person do something creative, like riding a horse, taking up painting, or going to the gym. Just don’t call it “therapy,” according to Caplan, because that’s something that only “sick” people do.<blockquote>And keep in mind that another part of destructive labeling includes not just psychiatric labels but also “art therapy,” “music therapy,” etc.&nbsp;</blockquote>Caplan also suggests that those suffering from depression reduce or stop taking psychiatric drugs whenever possible. (Reduction should always be with the &nbsp;guidance of a doctor who is generally supportive of tapering off psychiatric drugs and who can provide a plan to gradually reduce the dosage, as stopping psychiatric medications cold-turkey may be life-threatening.)She cites a study of 329 suicide attempt survivors who, when asked what they wanted, replied:<blockquote>Reducing stigma of suicidality, expressing empathy, active listening, range of treatment options including non-medication treatments, addressing root problems, bolstering coping skills, trauma-informed care.</blockquote>

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Does 'diagnosis' fuel despair?

Study: Suicide risk over 300x higher in first week after leaving psychiatric hospital

A British vigilante group known as the “Blade Runners” is receiving widespread support from British taxpayers as it continues to destroy climate surveillance cameras across London.<h2>The ULEZ mandate</h2>By order of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the city is peppered with ultra-low emission zones (ULEZs), areas accessible only to low-emission vehicles. Cars that do not meet the city’s environmental standards are charged £12.50 ($16) for entering the ULEZ. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras positioned around the zones read license plates and check them against the vehicles’ make and model in real time. If a vehicle does not meet the environmental threshold, a fine is levied against the car owner.&nbsp;The ULEZ climate mandate has drawn heavy&nbsp;<a href="https://frontline.news/post/london-hundreds-protest-against-climate-mandates">protests</a> from residents, including&nbsp;<a href="https://frontline.news/post/british-veteran-launches-hunger-strike-as-unrest-grows-over-climate-mandates">hunger strikes</a> and refusals to pay fines. Taxpayers have also taken to disabling the ANPR surveillance cameras which Transport for London (TfL), the city’s transportation department, said will be used both for climate and law enforcement.<h2>Taxpayers cheer the ‘Blade Runners’</h2>Since the climate restrictions were expanded last year, the Blade Runners have taken to disabling and destroying hundreds of cameras. Between April and September 2023, Metropolitan Police recorded 200 reports of cameras being stolen and 595 reports of cameras being vandalized.TfL began placing black boxes around ULEZ camera wirings to protect them from being cut, but taxpayers found other ways to disable the cameras — like removing them completely.<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"> MUST SEE: Blade Runners topple THREE ULEZ cameras in a coordinated strike… The people are fighting back! <a href="https://t.co/Yvr2Xr7Lun">pic.twitter.com/Yvr2Xr7Lun</a>— David Morgan #StayFree (@david_r_morgan) <a href="https://twitter.com/david_r_morgan/status/1802726912050995623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In response, the city&nbsp;<a href="https://frontline.news/post/london-taxpayers-attack-surveillance-vans-in-continued-revolt">deployed</a> mobile surveillance vans mounted with ANPR cameras across London in the hopes of evading attacks, but Blade Runners soon began targeting those as well. Some surveillance vans have been spotted covered in graffiti with their tires slashed, while others have been completely covered in tarp.Last month, 21 cameras were destroyed in the hours after Sadiq Khan was re-elected mayor of London, the&nbsp;Daily Mail&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13538797/Moment-Blade-Runner-uses-power-tool-cut-ULEZ-camera-traffic-light-latest-attack-Sadiq-Khans-hated-scheme.html">reported</a>. Last weekend, Blade Runners used power tools to topple a ULEZ camera and traffic lights to the delight of some fellow taxpayers. In a video that was posted to social media, passing cars can be heard honking in support.The video received over 37,000 likes. Comments on the post were largely supportive, with users writing that, “When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty,” and “Fair play to them, it's a complete scam that does nothing.”Blade Runner Matt Hardy told the&nbsp;Daily Mail&nbsp;that the Blade Runners are “people pissed off about the tyranny reigning over us and getting out and doing things about it – real votes, real boys here.”<h2>‘These cameras are not about the climate. They are about control’</h2>British actor and influencer Laurence Fox said this week he was just given back his electronic devices by police after being arrested earlier this year for cheering on the Blade Runners:<blockquote>These cameras are not about the climate. They are about control. They are the primary infrastructure for all sorts of things that ideologues like the midget dictator [Sadiq Khan] would like to impose upon us.I can now finally say the word ‘Bladerunners’ again. One of the ridiculous restrictions on free speech imposed by the police.It’s a dreadful shame to see so many of these cameras dying suddenly. I’m not at all thrilled about it. Just because I am smiling like a Cheshire Cat, it doesn’t mean that I am over the moon that these scameras continue to topple in high winds.&nbsp;Vive la résistance!</blockquote><div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">POLICE UPDATE Following 6 coppers bursting into my house earlier this year to arrest me for saying how pleased I was that the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ULEZ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ULEZ</a> scam was meeting such robust resistance, this morning the <a href="https://twitter.com/metpoliceuk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@metpoliceuk</a> were ordered by the magistrate to hand back all my devices, including my…— Laurence Fox (@LozzaFox) <a href="https://twitter.com/LozzaFox/status/1803030521095622912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> &nbsp;

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Pushback_Resistance

Climate Change

‘Pissed off about the tyranny reigning over us’

British taxpayers cheer vigilante group destroying climate cams

Fisker is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the electric vehicle (EV) company announced Tuesday.<h2>‘Like other companies in the electric vehicle industry’</h2>“Fisker has made incredible progress since our founding, bringing the Ocean SUV to market twice as fast as expected in the auto industry and making good on our promises to deliver the most sustainable vehicle in the world,” a spokesperson <a href="https://assets.ctfassets.net/cghen8gr8e1n/6W19OiEBJDVIFVEmo4feHA/df902c5cb2b067251a300efb0b35f611/Fisker-Filing-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a>.The California-based company added it is not the only EV maker that has been struggling to stay in business.“We are proud of our achievements, and we have put thousands of Fisker Ocean SUVs in customers’ hands in both North American [sic] and Europe. But like other companies in the electric vehicle industry, we have faced various market and macroeconomic headwinds that have impacted our ability to operate efficiently. After evaluating all options for our business, we determined that proceeding with a sale of our assets under Chapter 11 is the most viable path forward for the company.”Fisker’s collapse is the latest indication that the EV industry is folding due to sinking demand. Other EV industry players are also cutting their losses as they jump ship.<h2>Hertz</h2>In March, Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr&nbsp;<a href="https://www.motorfinanceonline.com/news/hertz-ceo-resigns-amid-ev-investment-setback/#:~:text=Scherr's%20departure%20coincides%20with%20Hertz's,electric%20vehicle%20(EV)%20rentals">resigned</a> after his bet on EVs cost the car rental giant its biggest quarterly loss since 2020. Hertz had been praised by the Biden administration for its ambition to convert 25% of its fleet to EVs by the end of this year. In January, however, the company announced it would instead be selling its 20,000 EVs — including Teslas — at heavily discounted prices and replacing them with gas-powered cars.<h2>Mercedes-Benz</h2>Mercedes-Benz also recently had to give up its ambition to only sell electric cars by 2030. Instead, EVs are expected to make up only 50% of the German carmaker’s sales over the next decade.<h2>Apple</h2>In February, Apple abandoned its multi-billion dollar effort to create an electric car. Despite being a decade in the works and employing 2,000 people, Project Titan was axed due to falling consumer demand.<h2>Aston Martin</h2>A lack of consumer demand is also partly to blame for Aston Martin&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13138123/Aston-Martin-puts-brakes-new-electric-supercar-2026-bosses-say-drivers-want-engines-throaty-roar.html">placing</a> its battery-operated “supercar” on hold until 2026.“Demand, certainly at an Aston Martin price point, is not what we thought it was going to be two years ago,” said Aston Martin Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll.&nbsp;<h2>Ford</h2>In December, Ford slashed production of its flagship EV at its assembly plant in Dearborn, Michigan by half. The automaker cut the monthly production quote for the all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck from 3,200 units to 1,600 units per month.<h2>Biden administration continues to force EV production</h2>Nevertheless, the Biden administration in March issued new climate mandates aimed at forcing more EV production. The new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contain tight emissions standards that will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-electric-vehicles-emissions-limits-climate-biden-e6d581324af51294048df24269b5d20a">require</a> 56% of new vehicle sales to be fully electric by 2032, with an additional 13% required to be hybrids.

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US News

Biden administration continues to force EV production

Electric car company files bankruptcy as EV market folds

For the last two years, British authorities have been testing AI-powered emotion recognition cameras on travelers in train stations, according to recently disclosed documents.<h2>What can the cameras see?</h2>In each of eight train stations around the UK, five to seven cameras or sensors scan the passing crowds. Using AI software from Amazon, the cameras use object recognition algorithms to spot criminal activity, trespassing, weapons, wet floors, overcrowding, and overstuffed trash cans.&nbsp;They can also alert authorities when passengers engage in “unusual behavior,” such as shouting, running, smoking, or skateboarding.&nbsp;A combination of existing cameras and newly installed smart cameras are being used for the surveillance project. All are equipped with Amazon’s Rekognition surveillance system.<h2>Emotional recognition</h2>Through a combination of facial and behavioral analyses, the Rekognition software allows officials to also <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-ai-cameras-emotions-uk-train-passengers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">analyze visitors’ emotions</a>. Internal documents note that the cameras can detect whether a passenger is “happy, sad [or] angry.” They can also recognize passenger satisfaction, which “could be utilized to maximum advertising and retail revenue.”<h2>Anti-social behavior</h2>Authorities can also detect passengers who exhibit “anti-social behaviour,” which&nbsp;<a href="https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/asb/asb/antisocial-behaviour/what-is-antisocial-behaviour/">according</a> to London’s Metropolitan Police Service means “behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person.”<h2>Social distancing, face masks, and demographics</h2>Other&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24757655-usecases_dpas_review_managed_stations?responsive=1&amp;title=1">use cases</a> for the surveillance cameras include detecting whether passengers are keeping to social distancing rules and wearing face masks. The cameras can also scan for demographics by identifying people’s age profiles and “socio-economic classification,” which the documents note can create “revenue opportunities for better targeted advertising and product placement.”<h2>‘Quite a concerning step’</h2>The documents were obtained by Big Brother Watch, a civil rights and government watchdog group, in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Network Rail, a body within the Department of Transportation which manages most of the country’s train network, has been overseeing the surveillance project.&nbsp;“The rollout and normalization of AI surveillance in these public spaces, without much consultation and conversation, is quite a concerning step,” Jake Hurfurt, head of research and investigations at Big Brother Watch,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-ai-cameras-emotions-uk-train-passengers/">told</a> Wired.As of now, the surveillance systems do not use facial recognition technology, which analyzes faces and matches them against facial images stored in certain databases.

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surveillance

World News

Cameras can also detect 'anti-social behavior,' social distancing

UK tests emotion recognition cameras in train stations

The European Union (EU) is considering subjecting foreign travelers to lie detector tests administered by AI technology.&nbsp;<h2>How would it work?</h2>Authorities at airports and ferry ports would use cameras equipped with machine-learning software to detect whether a person is being untruthful. As travelers fill out their entry applications, their eye, facial, and behavioral movements would be analyzed. If the camera indicates the traveler is lying, the software will send an alert to an immigration officer who will investigate.The technology has already been successfully tested in trials conducted by EU countries in the last few years. iBorderCtrl and TRESPASS, two such trials, explored how to create an automated border control system. Several features were tested, including the lie detector tests described above. They also piloted a feature in which AI software scans the social media accounts of travelers before granting them entry.Critics of the lie-detection scheme include Patrick Breyer, a German MEP. Breyer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13534215/Outrage-British-tourists-going-away-EU-countries-face-lie-detector-test-carried-artificial-intelligence-granted-entry.html">told</a> The Mail on Sunday that the technology is “pseudoscience” that threatens to profile the wrong people.&nbsp;“It will discriminate against anyone who is disabled or who has an anxious personality. It will not work,” said Breyer.<h2>Part of the Entry-Exit System</h2>If the EU decides to implement AI-powered lie detection, it will likely be introduced as part of the new Entry-Exit System (EES) due to take effect on October 6th. EES will replace the passport-stamping process by having foreign travelers apply for entry through self-service kiosks. These kiosks will collect the travelers’ biometric data, including their fingerprints and facial images.These data will eventually be stored in the Common Identity Repository (CIR), a massive database being built by the EU. The CIR will be capable of storing biometric files on 300 million individuals.&nbsp;<h2>EES for outsiders, digital ID for insiders</h2>While the EU prepares to roll out the EES for foreigners, including British citizens, it is also rolling out a digital ID program for EU citizens .Regulations that took effect last month&nbsp;<a href="https://frontline.news/post/europe-launches-digital-id-scheme/">require</a> EU&nbsp;Member States in the European Union to provide a digital ID wallet to their citizens by 2026 which must conform to the European Union Digital Identity (EUDI) wallet specifications. These specifications include the ability to store a taxpayer’s identity papers, such as driver’s licenses, health insurance cards, diplomas and other official documents.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>How will the wallet be used?</h2>The digital wallet will allow access to both public and private services. Uses include making payments, opening a bank account, getting prescriptions, signing contracts, traveling, accessing government services, receiving social security benefits, logging into social media accounts, and more.&nbsp;“It can also be used to facilitate the freedom of movement by storing documents such as the European Health Insurance Card,” explains the European Commission (EC) on its&nbsp;<a href="https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/eudi-wallet-implementation">website</a>.Under the current rules, the EUDI wallet will be optional for taxpayers.&nbsp;<h2>Critics raise concerns about the wallet</h2>The EUDI wallet’s main selling point is that users will be able to share only the details necessary to authenticate themselves for a given service. All other personal information will remain hidden. The EC expects this feature to satisfy widespread privacy concerns.But concerns about the wallet remain. The main worry is that while users only share those details that are necessary, the government can decide at any point which information is “necessary” to share. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, the European Commission made proof of vaccination necessary to access services and establishments. Prior to that, each taxpayer’s health information was considered confidential.

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Technology could be introduced with new biometric entry system

Europe may subject travelers to lie detector tests

Study: Suicide risk over 300x higher in first week after leaving psychiatric hospital

Does 'diagnosis' fuel despair?

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British taxpayers cheer vigilante group destroying climate cams

Electric car company files bankruptcy as EV market folds

UK tests emotion recognition cameras in train stations

Europe may subject travelers to lie detector tests