Adventures in Human Rights

Child Psych, William Ayres - Meet Bubba?

2009-07-16T12:59:00.001-07:00

Redwood City - the Trial of William Ayres, Child Psychiatrist accused of sexual molestation of young boys ended and the jury is now in Day Three of their deliberations. Check out this website for more comprehensive coverage of this case: http://williamayreswatch.blogspot.com/

I took some time to watch the trial over a 3 or 4 day period including Ayres' own testimony. He didn't do much to help his own cause with his arrogance and pompous attitude. I remember one moment where he told the Prosecutor how you can't believe everything a child tells you, and the Prosecutor retorted how one can't believe what anyone tells you. Ayres' response to that? Something of the sort of how she can believe what she wants as if he is insulted that someone would doubt such an Authority as himself.

In the beginning of his testimony, he told the jury how because of his prostate cancer treatment, etc., he couldn't remember things very well. I swore I heard a collective, "bullshit" from everyone in the courtroom. Anyways, he soon proved to all that he had selective memory coincidentally enough.

If Ayres wasn't so sleazy, I would have been almost embarrassed for him when he frequently self-centeredly regaled the court with his stories. Only a couple of his misguided supporters drank that kool-aid.

The Defense Attorney, Weinberg, in closing arguments attempted to con the jury into thinking that Ayres was some hotshot, ahead of the times doctor which looked to have fallen on deaf ears. Then he tried to fool the jury into thinking that out of 600 patients, there were only a few complaints and then started to trash each of the witnesses that testified. Word is that there are a lot more victims out there who did not want to come forward.

The Prosecutor, McKowan did a workmanlike job and made many good points but there was one visitor in the courtroom, a female attorney, who was not impressed with the line of questioning but gave no specifics. So, who knows. McKowan did win the jury over if only because Weinberg lost them with his own gruff attitude and demeanor which could be interpreted as being condescending. But I can't completely fault him having to go from defending Phil Spector to William Ayres; I'd be a bit over the edge too.

Again, I commend Victoria Balfour and other supporters who have stuck it out through this whole process. I can't even imagine what they went through.

Will Ayres be bunking with Bubba next week?

Marin & Sacramento Family Courts Under Investigation

2009-07-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

The Marin Independent Journal reported that California lawmakers have gotten an audit of the Marin and Sacramento Family Courts underway. Over the years there have been numerous reports of abuses in the system by Therapists, mediators and investigators accusing them of being an incestuous and incompetent cabal that was more interested in generating fees instead of actually being honest and helpful.

Here is a link to the article: http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_12736575?IADID=Search-www.marinij.com-www.marinij.com

Medication Madness: How Psychiatric Drugs Cause Violence, Suicide, and Crime

2009-07-03T13:19:00.001-07:00

Dr. Peter Breggin
Posted: July 1, 2009 11:34 AM

Over the years as a psychiatrist I've evaluated innumerable cases of individuals who have been driven over the edge by psychiatric drugs. Many of these men, women and children were evaluated for legal cases but others were not. When I was e-evaluating about a hundred of these real-life stories for my latest book, /Medication Madness: The Role of Psychiatric Drugs in Cases of Violence, Suicide and Crime/, I began to see a pattern that I call medication spellbinding. Technically, the new scientific concept is called intoxication anosognosia: not knowing that you are intoxicated.

Medication spellbinding has four basic effects. First, people taking psychiatric drugs rarely realize how much the drugs are impairing them mentally or emotionally. They often do not recognize that they've become irrational, depressed, angry, or even euphoric since beginning the medication.

Second, if they do realize that they are having painful emotional feelings, medication spellbinding causes them to blame their feelings on something other than the drug. They may get angry at their husbands, wives or children, and become abusive. Or they might blame themselves and become suicidal. Often they confuse the harmful drug effect with their emotional problems and attribute their emotional distress to "mental illness."

Third, medication spellbinding makes some people feel that they are doing better than ever when in reality they are doing much worse than ever. In one case, a man who was high on a combination of an antidepressant and a tranquilizer happily went on a daylight robbery spree in his hometown wearing no disguise. Another otherwise ethical citizen happily embezzled money while documenting the details in easily accessible company computer files. Both men thought they were on top of the world.

Fourth, some people become so medication spellbound that they lose control of themselves and perpetrate horrendously destructive actions. My book opens with the story an otherwise kind and gentle man who became agitated on an antidepressant and drove his car into a policeman to knock him down to get his gun to try to kill himself. In another case, a ten-year-old boy with no history of depression hung himself after taking a prescription stimulant for ADHD. He documented the dreadful unfolding events while speaking in a robotic monotone into his computer.

Particularly striking to me, of those who have survived, none of the people I have evaluated has ever perpetrated again after stopping the offending medication. There has been zero recidivism in the cases I have evaluated and who have stopped taking the medication.

Similar effects can occur from alcohol and street drugs. When a person's drunk, he might think he's the life of the party when he's the death of it. And of course, alcohol and street drug intoxication are associated with a great deal of crime and violence. But there is a difference between the effects of taking alcohol or other drugs on your own and taking drugs prescribed by a physician. Most people believe that their doctor would never give them anything that could make them violent, suicidal, or just plain crazy. Often the doctor reassures the unwitting patient that he needs to take more of the drug that's driving him over the edge.

The law in most states recognizes the difference between taking an intoxicating substance on your own and being prescribed one by a physician. If you do something irresponsible under the influence of alcohol or an illegal drug, the law is likely to hold you responsible. It is called a voluntary intoxication. You should have known better than to get intoxicated and you should have foreseen the consequences. But if you've been prescribed a drug, especially without being given any warnings about the risks, that's called an involuntary intoxication.

You're not aware of the risks and dangers; you're simply following your doctor's prescription by taking something that's supposed to help you. The law looks more sympathetically on involuntary intoxications. Many states allow for a defense of not guilty because of an involuntary intoxication.

It's important to understand that all psychoactive substances impair higher brain function and with that they impair judgment. People who are a little tipsy on alcohol or a little high on marijuana may experience it as enjoyable. Similarly, people who take psychiatric drugs may experience relief from emotional anesthesia or an artificial high on an antidepressant, tranquilizer, or stimulant. Or they may get some relief from the lobotomizing effect of an antipsychotic drug or the blunting impact of a mood stabilizer. In every case, the seeming improvement is a manifestation of brain dysfunction, and judgment is always impaired.

I am not critical of the occasional and responsible use of legal recreational drugs like alcohol. But I do not believe that a drug can help people solve their personal problems. Psychiatric drugs -- like all psychoactive substances -- work by impairing brain function, and when we're under stress and have problems to solve we need a fully functioning brain and mind. We need to be able to take complete responsibility for ourselves and to think through our problems with rational clarity. All psychiatric drugs impair those higher mental functions.

Instead of mind-altering drugs, we need courage, determination, self-discipline, and sound principles to face and overcome our personal problems. Counseling and therapy can help many people, but the contest is not between psychiatric drugs and psychotherapy -- it is between drugs and all of the many ways in which people learn to overcome emotional suffering and to triumph in life, including love, family life, devotion to the community, principled living, and spirituality.

/Peter R. Breggin, MD, is a psychiatrist. His latest book, now in paperback, is /Medication Madness: The Role of Psychiatric Drugs in Cases of Violence, Suicide and Crime /(St. Martin's Pres, 2008). His website is www.breggin.com <http://www.breggin.com> and his email is psychiatricdrugfact s.com./

Drugging Our Children to Death

2009-07-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

By Gwen Olsen
Jun 29, 2009 - 8:01:08 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - In Massachusetts, a four-year-old girl named Rebecca became the center of a murder investigation after being found dead from an overdose of a dangerous combination of drugs. Both her parents and psychiatrist are facing criminal prosecution and will stand trial later this year.

In Florida, a seven-year-old boy named Gabriel made headlines because he hanged himself with a shower hose in his foster home. It was later discovered that the boy was on an unauthorized cocktail of psychiatric drugs while in the state's protective custody. He had been taken from his mother who was herself deemed a danger to the child because of drug addiction.

In Texas, a fourteen-year-old boy named Matthew died suddenly after only 29 days of being on a powerful stimulant for ADHD. His devastated parents are suing the drug manufacturer and were recently interviewed on ABC's "Good Morning America".

A major news outlet reported that the results of a controversial long-term trial on the atypical antipsychotic, Seroquel, known as Study 15, had been buried by drug makers. The fact that the average patient taking Seroquel gained eleven pounds in one year was successfully hidden for many years. Details of Study 15 finally emerged as lawsuits began playing out in courtrooms around the country. These suits alleged that Seroquel caused excessive weight gain, hyperglycemia and diabetes in thousands of patients. Many of the 9,200 plus lawsuits filed were on behalf of children.

A national newspaper profiled a prominent Harvard psychiatrist, Joseph Biederman, whose claim to fame was the popularization of bipolar disorder in adolescents and children. Biederman's research contributed to a forty-fold increase in the diagnoses of pediatric bipolar disorder from 1994 to 2003. However, his recent publicity centered on his failure to report nearly $1.6 million in pharmaceutical manufacturers' consulting fees he collected from the years 2000 to 2007. His "oversight" was uncovered by Senator Grassley's investigative committee.

The National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration released a study featured in the American Journal of Psychiatry that found children and teens that died suddenly were 7.4 times more likely than not to have been taking stimulant medications.

These are all taken from recent headlines. These are national current events.

The onslaught of direct-to-consumer advertising to parents and educators about the benefits of stimulant drugs designed for focusing attention and curbing misbehavior has resulted in a large number of deaths and injuries to our nation's children. And to what benefit? Even the most recent follow-up results of the prestigious MTA Study concluded that any minor benefits exhibited by stimulant drug use in the initial treatment stages of ADHD symptoms in children were not sustained in the long term.

The black boxed warnings added to stimulant treatments for ADHD, antidepressants, atypical anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers and anti-seizure drugs all indicate a causal link between these drugs and suicide. Some package inserts even contain warnings related to violence and homicide. Most labels warn of the possibility of experiencing anxiety, sleeplessness, aggression, loss of appetite, agitation, depression, hallucinations and psychosis.

Nearly all psychiatric drugs have withdrawal and addiction potential, as well as links to other serious illnesses including endocrine issues like excessive weight gain and diabetes. Yet, these drugs are marketed and prescribed nonchalantly to our children ---even our toddlers---to control behavior. Is it because the drugs' benefits truly exceed their risks what is known as the risk-to-benefit ratio evaluation of treatment? Or, is it really because our children have been identified as the most lucrative expansion market available to the pharmaceutical industry?

Children are known to be compliant patients and that makes them a highly desirable market for drugs, especially when it pertains to large-profit-margin psychiatric drugs, which can be wrought with issues of non-compliance because of their horrendous side effect profiles, but require no medical tests to diagnose the disorders for which these drugs are prescribed.

Children are forced by school personnel to take their drugs, they are forced by their parents to take their drugs, and they are forced by their doctors to take their drugs. So, children are the ideal patient-type because they represent refilled prescription compliance and "longevity." In other words, they will be lifelong patients and repeat customers for Pharma!

Branded drugs representing $17 billion in sales lost their exclusivity in 2007. Even though sales grew 3.8% and totaled $286.5 billion, "the U.S. pharmaceutical market experienced its lowest growth rate since 1961," said IMS's Murray Aitken, Sr. Vice President of Healthcare Insight. Manufacturers are scrambling to make up these lost revenues just as the average American further tightens his belt in anticipation of a downward spiraling economy.

As insured patient populations capable of paying for exorbitantly priced pharmaceuticals diminish, the importance of government mandated vaccinations, government funded health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, and mandatory mental health screenings that result in prescription psychotropic drug sales, will all increase in value to Pharma. Sales managers must search for ways to expand market share. As a consequence, Pharma's lobbyists will intensify their efforts in Capitols across America to promote government endorsed programs funded by tax payers that have a guaranteed reimbursement plan¬¬--No matter what price the manufacturers choose to charge!

According to a study published in the May/June 2009 edition of the Journal of Health Affairs, from 1996 to 2006, prescriptions for psychiatric drugs increased by 73 percent among adults and 50 percent among children in the United States. In fact, more money was spent on the treatment of mental disorders for children aged 0 to 17 than was spent on any other medical condition in 2006. That year, as reported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality on April 22, 2009, total expenses for mental health treatment totaled $8.9 billion.

Additional campaigns to screen our children for mental illness, newborns included, are being launched and in various legislative stages. In the April issue of Pediatrics, the government's U.S. Preventive Services Task Force urged physicians to routinely screen all American teens for depression using unscientific questionnaires that produce a high rate of false mental illness diagnoses. Diagnosis equals treatment recommendation. Treatment equals drugs and exposes our children to the dangers of mind-altering chemicals that have been proven to have only nominal efficacy.

The initiative to drug our children for profit has exceeded all common sense boundaries and is threatening the welfare of every American child. It is up to each and every one of us to stop this madness! We have allowed ourselves to be "sold down the river" by savvy marketing executives who care more about their corporate bottom line than they do about our children or our families. The scope of the collective greed
and malice has now reached epidemic proportions and, sadly enough, can be measured in body countsmany of them being our children's.

The numbers don't lie. The verdict is in. We are drugging our children to DEATH!

Gwen Olsen spent more than a decade as a sales rep in the pharmaceutical industry, working for health care giants such as Johnson Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Abbott Laboratories. A well-known media resource, she has been in numerous print, radio, and television media reports, and testified before Congress and the FDA. A 2007 Human Rights Award winner, she currently devotes her time to writing, national speaking engagements, and mental health activism and is the author of the new book, Confessions of an Rx Drug Pusher.

Website: www.GwenOlsen.com

Creekside Convalescent & Mental Health Rehab Center

2009-07-01T16:22:00.000-07:00

A Mother's Horrifying Visit to Her Daughter

A mother was visiting her daughter at the Creekside Convalescent & Mental Health Rehab Center in Santa Rosa and was shocked at the conditions and treatment of patients. She started taking notes of what she was observing and herein are just some of her observations over a several week period. Names of patients have been changed in respect to privacy.

- "Melissa is having a hard time agreeing to take so many hard meds. Every time she gains over a hundred pounds She hates the side effects."

- "Melissa told me that a cleaning lady runs a vacuum under her feet to trip her and chases her with it. The cleaning lady goes into Melissa's room. I ask Melissa if they are cleaning and she said, no, but we have to leave immediately if they come in. A lot of stealing is going on."

- "I found out Melissa was telling the truth about being chased with a vacuum as they ran one over my feet too! It was not plugged in and there are no rugs... the lady laughed with a friend like they all know what's going on."

- "Melissa's friend, Bill, is so drugged he can hardly stand. When I asked if Melissa can come to church on Mother's Day, they said they won't let her. I would like to know why but was never told."

- "Melissa seems so mixed up and confused. It's always a constant battle to protect her belongings. Still they steal them."

- "She told me that she's afraid to sleep at night. She pulled up her blouse and showed me a large bruise on her stomach. It was protruding. I felt it and it felt lumpy. She said it wasn't there when she went to sleep. She told me she had woken up feeling violated and felt and saw the bruising."

- "She told me that when she'd go to the desk for something important they would scare her off. The big guy would look mean and say things for her not to want to bother them."

- "Melissa was very nervous. They took her vitals and her blood pressure was very high. She told several staff members that she feels light headed like she could fall. Her complaint was ignored. She has psoriasis all over the back of her head from bad nerves. I reported it and they were irritated. I've been bringing money off and on but she says doesn't get it all. They don't give receipts for her spending money."

- "Maria says she is still afraid to go to sleep at night. She says they made fun of me in front of her. She told me two people got buried under a pile of folding tables and chairs."

- "It seems every time she tells me something, bad things happen to her, more than usual. She told me after I visited her last night the staff would walk past her and make ugly faces at her. When I first started visiting her, I asked if they get vitamins and was told that's not going to happen. The staff were snickering at inappropriate tings, entertaining themselves and keeping the patients at bay, being unapproachable."

- "I havent seen Bill lately, the unconcious man, but a friend of mine told me that there is a man dying in there."

- "I'm just ill inside myself from realizing the horrors going on in this place. I'm sick in bed today. God please watch over her. I feel they'll retaliate."

- "Melissa isn't doing very well at all. She could hardly talk with me and the whole time her leg was jumping up and down off the floor."

- "I saw the cleaning lady again. She bumped into me on purpose. I witnessed her going in and out rooms alone. It's pretty strange, missing things can't be found on the grounds there. It is very suspicious."

- "Melissa told me that she and others would fall over for no reason. She does think it is the medication."

- "She told me she is still afraid to sleep at night and feels ill inside. She thinks someone violated her after she went to bed. She's mentioned this before. She also showed me a large bruise with lumps on it. She said it was not there or sore when she went to bed."

- "Melissa told me or more abuse while sleeping, showing me some funny looking marks on her stomach. She also has severe sinus congestion in her head and nose. Her eyes look horrible, yellow and dry."

And it goes on and on and on.

Note that during this time period, Creekside was inspected by the Dept of Health Services which resulted in fines totalling $19,000 for violations found. It doesn't appear that the violations were directly connected to Melissa but other patients. One employee was terminated.

I have no good reason to think that Creekside has sincerely cleaned up its act but continue to use dangerous psychotropic drugs and violate human rights on a daily basis with degrading treatment. As a matter of act, this year alone there have 10 reports of abuse with 9 of them substantiated with one fine levied of $16,000. Here's the link: http://hfcis.cdph.ca.gov/LongTermCare/Facility.aspx?fac=010000003

In addition to that, after all, it IS a FOR PROFIT organization primarily concerned with making money. It's owner is Nadhan, Inc. and the President (50% owner) is Antony P. Thekkek.

Alleged Child Molester, Psychiatrist William Ayres Trial

2009-06-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

Child Psychiatrist, William Ayres' trial recently begun and this is being thoroughly documented by another so I won't steal his material but simply provide you with the link to that site: http://williamayreswatch.blogspot.com/

But, I forewarn you, if you read all about this guy, Ayres, you'll want to take a really hot shower and scrub down with industrial strength soap. Talk about heeby-jeebies.

Ayres has been accused of molesting young boys dating back several decades. Due to the dedicated work of a Victims Advocate, Victoria Balfour, who persisted until law enforcement finally looked into the accusations, Ayres is being brought to Justice.

Interestingly enough, but also at the same time extremely creepy, Ayres has an ardent supporter who several years ago wrote a letter to the editor in support of Ayres. And who is that? She is, of course, another Child Psychiatrist, Etta C. Bryant, who 'practices' in San Mateo. Well Etta, from reading your letter it seems like you are saying that it is standard practice for psychiatrists to molest their young patients, so why is anyone complaining? Anyway, I'm not making it up, here is a link to the letter she wrote: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060503/ai_n16345579/

Victims Advocate, Victoria Balfour and the author of the William Ayres Watch blog are to be commended for their work!

Antidepressants & REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

2009-06-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

This is a letter to the Editor from Ann Blake-Tracy regarding the supposed suicide of Patrick Rocca in Ireland.

"Patrick Rocca DID NOT Commit Suicide

"Patrick Rocca did not get a chance to become the first to fall victim to the recent financial turmoil because an antidepressant ended his life before the financial turmoil could.

"After specializing in antidepressant adverse reactions for two decades I respectfully challenge the verdict of the Dublin County Coroner in the death of Mr. Rocca. As an expert witness to antidepressant adverse reactions I would have ruled that Mr. Rocca died as a result of an antidepressant-induced REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) in which 80% of the patients hurt themselves or someone else.

"The involvement of an antidepressant in these disorders is extremely high - of those being diagnosed with RBD in the US 86% are taking an antidepressant. This is the same adverse reaction comedian Phil Hartman's wife suffered which cost both her life and his a decade ago. You are not conscious in RBD and therefore, do not have sufficient conscious thought to make the decision to take your life.

"Instead, what the patient does is act out in a sleepwalk state the nightmare they are having. Another example of this would be found in the first story related in the movie "The Drugging of Our Children" (www.drugawareness.org) where a young man in in the US in the state of Washington took a gun to school, held his classmates at gunpoint for 45 minutes, and to this day six years later can recall none of it. The last he recalls is going to back to bed that morning because he did not feel well.

"Had Patrick Rocca somehow survived his wounds I believe he would relate the same. He may have taken his life, but I do not believe he was aware of what he was doing at that time. It is not right that his family be left with the stigma of suicide when it is not real. Since antidepressant manufacturers have never warned of this adverse reaction 'negligent homicide' on their part would be a more accurate conclusion in this case."

Ann Blake-Tracy, PhD, Executive Director, International Coalition for Drug Awareness www.drugawareness.org & www.ssristories.com

San Rafael Psych on Probation for Kleptomania

2009-06-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Medical Board of California placed Psychiatrist, Steven L. Balt, of San Rafael on probation.

In late, 2004, Balt was arrested for DUI where he pled guilty to a misdemeanor, fined $1500, sentenced to a work program and placed on 3-years court probation. In early 2005, Balt was arrested for petty theft which he pled guilty to, was fined and placed on a one year court probation. This didn't stop his proclivity for his thieving ways as later that year he was busted again for stealing $12.00 worth of sandwiches and sodas. That cost him a $1000 fine, however that case was dismissed as a civil compromise.

Balt then enrolled in a couple of programs and other treatments to address his boozing and thieving ways.

But wouldn't you know it, while supposedly participating in these programs, in late 2006 he was busted for Grand Theft for stealing four books from the Stanford bookstore, worth more than $400.00.

Throughout this period he had started a psychiatric residency training at Stanford University Hospital but for some reason resigned from the residency training program in November 2006, wherein he soon entered another treatment facility.

Well, he pled "no contest" to the shoplifting and sentenced to a residential treatment program, 75 hours community service and a 3-year probation.

Another Psychiatrist diagnosed him with Bulimia Nervosa (binge eating and self-induced vomiting is the usual), Kleptomania, and Alcohol Dependence and that his conditions will most likely continue but diminish over time if he stays on his treatment program (i.e., mind-altering drugs no doubt)

As of June 2008, Balt was no longer being monitored by the Medical Board.

What is Balt up to these days?

According to one website, he is working at the Schuman-Liles Clinic in Oakland. Schuman-Liles is a psych facility that deals with mental illnesses, most likely eating disorders, alcoholism and kleptomania, is my guess.

Balt also works at the Mayflower Center in San Rafael, a drug rehab facility.

As Balt lists how he worked at Stanford in his "Job Experiences", I guess it only fair that his other experiences are made known as well.

Schuman-Liles Clinic, Mayflower Center and patients: Watch your lunch bags, sodas and books! And make sure he is isn't drinking and driving.

The United Nations & Senator Barbara Boxer Want To Raise Your Children

2009-05-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

About 20 years ago, the Clinton Administration attempted to ratify the UN Treaty on Children's Rights. This met with sufficient opposition that Clinton submitted it to Congress to get it ratified or not.

This Treaty is now coming back to the table.

Reading the treaty sounds all good yet in practice, this Treaty would become international law and usurp the powers of the Constitution and of course any parental rights.The Treaty is all based on the premise that governments are to operate for the “best interests of the child”.

So what’s wrong with that?

Well, as an example, all it would take is a Social Worker, Law Enforcement Officer or Judicial Officer to deem that raising your child in the religion of your choice, etc, etc.) is not in the best interest of the child. Don’t think I am being silly, either!

Whereas parents have always had the determination of the best interests of the child, this would be taken over by the United Nations as international law.

Currently, the United Nations has an 18-member expert panel called the Committee on the Rights of the Child. These “experts” are to establish policies, rules and other arbitrary decisions on how children should be raised, educated and disciplined. These people are reported to be “persons of high moral character”.

Oh yeah?

So, googling away, I found that aside from assorted Lawyers, Sociologists, and Teachers, it includes a Researcher for Germany’s Max Planck Institute on Human Development and Education, a Child Psychologist and a Child Psychiatrist. There goes “expert” and “high moral character”.

Per recent news accounts, Senator Barbara Boxer ( D- Calif.) is urging the US to ratify the Treaty. Already 193 countries have ratified it with the USA and Somalia the only two holdouts. (Apparently Somalia doesn’t have a government right now.)

One report indicates that President Obama would be reviewing the Treaty yet another reports that Obama is not likely to approve such a Treaty if it gets to him. But that’s just conjecture.

To combat this, as of May 19^th there are currently 92 members of the House of Representatives supporting a Parental Rights Amendment to our Constitution which would provide shelter to the parent–child relationship and ensure the parents have the right to direct the upbringing and education of their children.

The Parental Rights Amendment is as follows:

SECTION 1
The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right.

SECTION 2
Neither the United States nor any State shall infringe upon this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.

SECTION 3
No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.

Alleged Racist Psych Named

2009-05-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

In March I posted an entry regarding a local Psych involved in alleged racist comments, et al, as covered in this link: http://www.siliconvalleyhumanrights.com/2009/03/santa-clara-psychs-still-use-invasive.html.

So, I received a comment to that posting from humanrightswatch, that I think deserves a bit more pub:

"The alleged was never charged or convicted of any of the allegations as the powers to be not only found the charges to be unfounded (meaning they did not happen) they also disciplined the case workers who pressed, with negligence, for punishment against the alleged although he was and is innocent of these accusations. The county's referal, although no reasons to make such referal, was an act of impropriety. Feeling as though he had nothing to hide and to further disclose his innocence, the African American man underwent some frustrating and humiliating encounters with the psychologist and his assistant.

"The racist psychologist is Stewart B. Nixon. He also made a racist comment regarding President Obama and service men of color alluding to them being placed in fields and treated like animals. His sexist assistant is Pat Potter McAndrews, who ignored the facts presented to her and lied in her report. There practices and machines used are dated. They also make a habit of inappropriate, inaccurate and excessive billing."

Stewart Nixon apparently is also renowned for using the smell of spoiled raw meat to 'cure' sex offenders along with other sex toys he undoubtedly calls tools of the trade.

Killer Psych Drugs Involved in Another Death

2009-05-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

San Jose - Last weekend 27-year old, Daniel Pham was shot dead by SJPD due to him brandishing a knife that he had presumably used to slash his brother. Per news accounts, Daniel has been on the mind-altering psychiatric drug, lithium, for five years. There were indications that he was on illegal drugs as well.

Lithium supposedly addresses a person's hostility and aggressiveness. I wager that the long term effects of the drug was his hostility and aggressiveness were increasingly bottled up by the drugs until he "snapped". Or worst yet, he stopped cold turkey which I have read is even worse.

Now, I don't know if he really needed to be tased twice and shot nine times (not including any bullets that missed him) to subdue him, but I am sure someone is going to look into that. Don't take me wrong - the police officers involved did need to protect themselves if Pham indeed was threatening with a knife.

My only point being is that yet another violent act that involves psychiatric drugs.

Who was is his Psychiatrist? He/She surely did not do well in curing or helping Daniel that's for sure.

This was a complete no-win for everyone involved.

Santa Clara CPS Changing of the Guard

2009-03-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

Director of Dept Family & Children Services, Norma Sparks has retired. She is being replaced temporarily by Lori Medina while a search is done for the permanent replacement. Jaime Lopez remains the Deputy Director. No word yet on whether Lori has aspirations to be the permanent Director or not.

Is there more to this story?

update 11 June: Norma Sparks is now a Deputy Director at DFCS in the Los Angeles County.

San Jose Racist Psych Uses Invasive Techniques to Get His Jollies

2009-03-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

The machine pictured here is called a Penile Plethysmograph (pronounced pluh-THIZ-muh-graf). It used to test a man's sexual arousal by placing it on the man's you-know-what and showing him sexually stimulating images.

Developed by Sexologist, Kurt Freund at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto in the late 1950s, it was almost dropped out of usage when child advocates complained that the images being used were essentially child pornography. However, even though there is still 'controversy' as to its validity, Psychs are still saying it is a valid technology, throwing out figures such as 50 to 60 percent accuracy!!! (We'll just leave out the false positives.) [But apparantly, Freund himself acknowledged limitations of his development.]

The reason I bring this up is one case I have is an african-american man who was accused of being a sex offender. However, the powers that be found the charges unfounded and dropped all accusations. Nonetheless, the county still insisted that he get therapy along those lines. When he told the Psychiatrist that the charges were dropped so why the testing, the response he got was a racist comment alluding to OJ Simpson and Michael Vick!

The Psychiatrist gave him an option of either the penile plethysmograph (PPG) or some other subjective test. The man refused the PPG as too invasive. So what does the psychiatrist do? He reports that the PPG was refused implying guilt or an effort to escape being caught on the part of the 'patient'.

Even though the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that the PPG was intrusive physically and psychologically and reportedly compared it to a George Orwell novel, it is still used in all facets of testing and determining sexual deviancy by law enforcement and judicial system. http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/35/4/536

Is SJPD Racist?

2009-03-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

I've been reading in the San Jose Mercury News about the allegations of racial profiling by the SJPD, of late due to the number of arrests of Latinos, the increase of public drunkeness arrest and a new study being done by an independent group to look into this. In essence, the general accusation appears to be that the SJPD is racist.

I ran across a SJPD Supervisor and asked him about it.

The first point he made was that the amount of paperwork involved in making arrests is such a daunting task that in effect it would not only take him off the streets but his officers as well. So, it would be a self defeating task to say the least.

The second point he made was that the SJPD is very racially diverse.

The Third point he made was that without getting into socio-economic matters, that this problem is being made political and is also limited to one area of San Jose; downtown.

And from his own view, he does not know of any fellow officers who are racist.

He made it a point to emphasize how he loves living in the Silicon Valley and wouldn't move anywhere else.

And yes he is white.

The Erosion of Civil Rights

2009-03-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

You have heard about the mass murder in Alabama a couple of weeks ago. A man killed his whole family, from an 18-month niece to his grandmother, innocent bystanders and three family dogs. While there are no reports of what psychotropic drugs this man may have been on as yet it and that data probably is being suppressed, the point of this posting is that shortly after the murders, 22 Military Police and an Officer appeared at the scene.

Per news accounts, this was not ordered by the Governor of Alabama but possibly requested by the Sherriff of the town due to manpower shortages. The military apparently assisted in traffic control and securing the crime scene(s). All in itself innocent and helpful, especially in a small town setting.

So, what is the problem?

There is a term I never studied in High School civics (since I never went to school) called, “Posse Comitatus”, which means: (Latin): Power of the county. The whole force of the county: that is, all the male members of a county over fifteen, who may be summoned by a sheriff to assist in preventing a riot, the rescue of prisoners, or other unlawful disorders. Clergymen, peers, and the infirm are exempt.

The Posse Comitatus Act was passed in 1878 with the purpose of substantially limiting the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement. It prohibits members of the military from exercising State powers that maintain “law and order”. Simply put, the federal military is banned from acting in a law enforcement capacity except where expressly authorized by the Constitution or Congress.

So, that one probable innocent act by the military violated the Constitution and to that degree opens the door to more and more ‘help’ from the military and of course continued erosion of the Constitution.

By the way, in doing some more studying, it turns out that last October, Congress had the US Army establish what is called the 1st Brigade Combat Team (BCT) that will serve as an on-call federal response force for natural, man-made emergencies, disasters and, of course, terrorist attacks. The BCT also would be used to help with civil unrest and crowd control. It should be in full combat ready numbers by 2011, with an estimated 20,000 uniformed personnel. Apparently, what is new about this is not the capability but the assignment of a permanent military force that can be deployed in to any of the United States.

Santa Clara Children And Elderly Are Cash Cow for Psych Drug Companies

2009-03-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

Forest Labs, maker of Lexapro and Celexa is being investigated by DOJ for, amongst other things planting favorable stories in the media about their drugs, Lexadeath and Celexadie. Also, according to the suit filed, Forest Labs engaged in off-label marketing of their drugs for use in children without disclosing the dangerous effects on them, paying kickbacks to doctors and being involved in false claims submitted to federal health claims. See the whole complaint at: http://jimedwardsnrx.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/lexapro-complaint.pdf

AstraZeneca's former US Medical Director for Seroquel was involved in sex for drugs affairs back in late 2007. (He now works for Respirdal) According to stories, this included sex in hotel rooms paid for by AZ, handing out Vicodin and other kinky incidents including one where one of his fellow workers wanted to be "punished" for looking at a study that had negative results for Seroquel. AZ is being sued for allegedly not warning patients that Seroquelled could result in significant weight gain and diabetes. See the story here for more sordid details: http://industry.bnet.com/pharma/10001344/astrazenecas-seroquel-research-director-confessed-to-sex-for-studies-affairs/

Of course, Risperdal has its own legal headaches in Texas. Killemall is a anti-psychotic drug produced by Johnson & Johnson's antipsychotic division. The suit, filed last year, allegeds all sorts of unethical and immoral behavoir in getting these killer drugs marketed to children. See the suit here: http://extrablog.dallasnews.com/121208%20Plaintiffs%20Second%20Amended%20Petition.PDF

Eli Lilly, as you know pled guilty to charges that they illegally marketed Zyprexa for unapproved uses to children and elders. They are supposed to cough up $1.42 billion. Read the story here: http://www.alternet.org/workplace/129709/eli_lilly_and_the_case_for_a_corporate_death_penalty/

What is Santa Clara County going to do to protect our children and elderly from this carpet-bombing greed by Big Pharma?

DA Office Out of Dependency Court Finally

2009-02-13T15:02:00.000-08:00

As covered in the Mercury News, the District Attorney's office is no longer in the business of Child Dependency. One parent was happy to hear the news and only wished that it happened sooner.

I went over this subject months ago about how it has been a very uneven playing field resulting in families being destroyed. There was agreement on that from Social Services and they were working on different solutions at that time.

On a related note, over the last several years, I have been able to easily approach the different government agencies here in Santa Clara; from the Sheriff's Office, SJPD, County Council, Internal Affairs, and the Court system, etc. There has been one department that has not been responsive: The District Attorney's Office. I suppose they were busy.

That Office seems to have a fortress mentality for some reason. Probably years of trying to hide some skeletons in the closet which of late has been being opened up to the public by the Mercury News. In all fairness, It does appear that the DA, Dolores Carr is trying to change that mentality - will probably take a couple of more years to weed out all the past years of abuses and strange practices they were involved with. And I imagine a couple of Attorneys will have to get the boot just to show she is serious about it. (And if none get the boot, I would conclude she is not serious about it.)

For one thing, the Law & Order stance needs to change dramatically as that is no Justice; unless of course you have a ton of money and connections in which case you can buy Justice.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11668472?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

Death of 4-Year-Old Highlights US National Child Drugging Epidemic Negligent Psychiatric Practices Called Into Question

2009-02-06T16:42:00.000-08:00

From the website, Psychiatric Abuse:

"At only 2 years old, Rebecca Riley's psychiatrist diagnosed her as bipolar and ADHD and prescribed the toddler a powerful cocktail of psychiatric drugs. Two years later, Rebecca died from the effects of these drugs—two antipsychotics and a blood pressure drug for "hyperactivity." Her tragic death, and the ensuing court case, is stirring national outrage over the increasingly common psychiatric practice of prescribing antipsychotics and other toxic drugs to young children.

"Although the use of antipsychotics by children nationwide increased by 74% between 2000-2005, parents should be aware that antipsychotics (marketed under such names as Risperdal, Seroquel and Depakote) are extremely dangerous for all ages. This class of drugs has been linked to early-onset diabetes and blood sugar abnormalities. Eli Lilly, maker of the antipsychotic Zyprexa, has agreed to pay approximately $1.2 billion to settle more than 25,000 individual claims against them for diabetic side effects. Based on the known dangers of these drugs, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), a mental health watchdog group, charges that psychiatrists are negligent to prescribe these toxic drugs to children.

"Dr. Robert Whitaker, author of Mad In America, stated in a FOX National News segment on Rebecca’s death, “You’re really robbing that child’s right to be when they’re on these [drugs]…There’s no medical rationale for using these powerful drugs, it doesn’t exist here.”

http://www.psychiatric-abuse.org.uk/drugging_epidemic.htm

Psychs Negate Black Box Warnings

2009-02-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry released their Policy Statement at the beginning of the year negating the Black Box warnings on psychotropic "medications" in order to clear their way to giving children any drug they want.

"The informed uses of psychotropic medications have improved the lives of children and adolescents who suffer from psychiatric illness. However, many of these medications are used “off label” or carry cautions and “Black Box” warnings mandated by the Food and Drug Administration. Achieving the appropriate balance between clinical effective use and the known risks and side effects associated with these treatments requires individualized medical decision making. To provide the optimal treatment, the child and adolescent psychiatrist must have access to a full range of psychotropic medications. Restrictions and limitations placed upon a physician’s choice among medications expose children and adolescents to unnecessary medical risks and the potential for non-compliance. These complications ultimately impact the quality of the child’s life and result in an overall increase in health care costs." - AACAP

They go on to say that they don't want insurance companies standing in the way of their destroying the lives of children with their toxic poisons.

For the full text of their B.S.: http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/policy_statements/pharmaceutical_benefit_management_and_the_use_of_psychotropic_medication_for_children_and_adolescents

Keep your children OUT of the hands of Psychiatry.

Dependency Court - Changing of the Guard

2008-11-02T18:45:00.001-08:00

A long time Commissioner (sort of a deputized Judge) is now moving on over to Municipal Court as covered in the SJ Mercury News today. From the parents and others that I have spoken to over the last year, this has been a very necessary change. I was told by one person who had to deal pretty much directly with her, that the Commissioner needed to go, to put it nicely. I was surprised that it just wasn't just parents complaining about her but other well placed people in social services and their court partners. Go to the link and read for yourself:

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_10877743

Is Stanford Holding the Line on Pharma Influence?

2008-09-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

In a recent article from the San Francisco Chronicle it was announced that the Stanford Task Force will not be allowing Big Pharma to dictate the Continuing Medical Education (CME) curriculums at Stanford University. Big Pharma has been a huge source of funding for CME programs. Per reports, between 1998 and 2006, industry funding for CME activities nationwide rose from $302 million to $1.2 billion.

Stanford first took up the issue in 2007, with a 16-member task force, comprised of a diverse group of faculty and staff. Last year, about 38 percent of the school’s budget for CME, or $1.87 million, came from industry sources. All funds received will now be channeled through the school’s CME Office.

(Who is in charge of the school’s CME Office? Dr. Robert Jackler, a doctor who specializes in disorders affecting the ear, nose, throat, head and neck, better known to us snobs as, “Otolaryngology”. (Remember that, its worth a million Scrabble points)

Who was the Chairman of the Stanford Task Force? It was chaired by Dr. Harry B. Greenberg, who also chairs the Conflict of Interest Committee at Stanford.

Per SJ Mercury article, there have been allegations that he has his own conflict of interest because he worked for Aviron (located in Mountain View), bought out by MedImmune, which manufacturers flu vaccines while Greenberg is comparing two flu vaccines funded by a federal grant. One of the vaccines is manufactured by MedImmune.. Greenberg is a paid member of MedImmune's scientific advisory board and holds stock options issued while he was employed by Aviron. He is quoted as stating that it would cost him more to buy into the stock than it is presently worth.

Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America

2008-09-01T23:07:00.000-07:00

In this posting, we look at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, who, per the SF Chronicle, have improved their practices through their own voluntary code of conduct. It’s latest claim to vastly upgrading ethical standards is they have banned the practice of gifting health professionals cups, pens, knick knacks and lunch dates. However, this won’t go into effect until the beginning of next year, apparently to give the drug companies time to empty out their stock of hats and whips.

What is the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America? (PhRMA) It is the national trade association for most of America's pharmaceutical research companies and many of the nation's biotechnology companies. At last count, they represented 34 biotech companies and their subsidiaries, totaling 67 entities. It has at least twenty registered lobbyists on staff and has contracted with dozens of lobby and public relations firms.

And who is the CEO of PhRMA? Former Congressman, Billy Tauzin. As a Member of the House of Representatives (R-LA), he was the Chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. This committee was heavily involved in drafting the medicare drug benefit. Reportedly, he is being paid 2.5 million dollars annually.

And the President of the Board of Directors? Richard T. Clark, Chief Executive Officer and President of Merck. As a matter of fact the whole Board of Directors is a virtual Who’s Who of Big Pharma companies.

(Oh, and TV Host, Montel Williams is their National Spokesperson.)

I'll Be The Judge of That

2008-08-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

I was sent an email about how Judges are monitoring each other. Well, you be the Judge of this:

"Indeed, the judges’ official statistics for 1997-2006 show that they engaged in the systematic dismissal of judicial misconduct complaints without any investigation: In those 10 years, 7,462 complaints were filed, but the judges appointed only 7 special investigative committees and disciplined only 9 of their peers. They dismissed out of hand 99.88% of all complaints! Thereby they self-exonerated for doing what is forbidden and disregarding what is commanded.

"Thus, in the 219 years since the creation of the Federal Judiciary in 1789, of all the thousands of federal judges only 7 have been impeached and removed from the bench. On average that is 1 every 31 years, a period much longer than the average years of service of judges. This has fostered the mentality among them that they can do and not do anything because they do not have to fear any adverse consequences from either abusing their judicial power, having a disability, or engaging in illegal activity.

"Since they will cover for each other, they have assured themselves of impunity for their conduct. This explains why federal judges have felt free to institutionalize coordinated wrongdoing, for they have as a matter of fact placed themselves where no individual or class of people is entitled to be in our democratic society: Above the law.

"See links to the Act, the Rules, and the official statistics on impeachments and judicial misconduct complaints as well as graphs illustrating the latter at: http://Judicial-Discipline-Reform.org."

Dr. Richard Cordero, Esq.
Judicial-Discipline-Reform.org
Dr.Richard.Cordero.Esq@Judicial-Discipline-Reform.org

Whistle blower exposes Humboldt Mental Health again!

2008-08-28T23:04:00.000-07:00

Here is an excerpt from a blog called, The Plazoid, which posted former Patients' Rights Advocate, John Webb's plea to to city officials. I encourage you to follow the link and read the whole damning testimony.

"We were also explicitly instructed not to advocate, without prior approval, for out-of-county mental health patients at Eureka Crestwood.

"In Eureka at Crestwood Behavioral Health on Buhne St. there are 47 persons who are being held against their will, behind locked doors, who have various degrees of mental illness and who, consequently, have very limited access to the outside world. Most patients in Crestwood are placed there by courts and agencies of
other counties. They frequently have very legitimate concerns (including issues of health and safety) that they need to communicate to their Public Guardians, Public Defenders, medical professionals and others who are responsible for serving and representing them. Those agencies are often hundreds of miles away from their clients and only infrequently make in-person visits to Crestwood. The patient’s ability to engage in phone communication with Public Guardians and others is challenged not only by their illness but also, due to the overly controlling and illegal action of Director Stein, who has chosen to erect an additional barrier for the mentally ill."

http://theplazoid.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/whistle-blower-exposes-humboldt-mental-health-again/

Stanford University Clamping Down on Big Pharma $$$?

2008-08-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

27 August 2008, San Francisco Chronicle article:

“The Stanford University School of Medicine, in a continuing re-examination of its relationship with industry, said it will no longer allow drug and medical device makers to control the content of continuing education programs they fund at the school.”

and

“While pharmaceutical companies say they don't dictate the content of the programs they fund, said Dr. Brian Hurley, president of the student association, in reality they do control the outcome. ‘Pharmaceutical firms will only fund speakers who give favorable messages on the products they're trying to sell,’ he said.”

And just who is this Dr. Brian Hurley, President of the Student Association at Stanford University?

Dr. Brian Hurley is 29 years old. He helped co-coordinate USC's Medical Gay and Lesbian Organization (MedGLO), and serves as the National Coordinator of the American Medical Student Association People in Medicine. Brian Hurley is a MD/MBA graduate of the Keck and Marshall Schools of USC. He majored in Biochemistry and Neuroscience with a Political Science minor at UCLA before entering medical school.

Apparently he is pursuing a career in addiction medicine at Stanford although he is still undecided between doing psychiatry or combined medicine/psychiatry residency.

Stay tuned for more.