As of March 31, 2025 persons wishing to change their address with the Social Security Administration will have to do so through the secure “my Social Security” website or visit a SS office, in person. It will no longer be possible to make changes by calling Social Security. This is to combat fraudulent address and…
Last year, under President Joe Biden an Social Security Commissioner, Martin O’Malley, the Agency only recovered 10% of overpayments each month. This policy recognized that Social Security is the sole support of the overwhelming number of disability recipients and an important source for retirees. The recovery rate for SSI recipients remains 10% Commissioner O’Malley resigned…
Summer 2021 Newsletter STILL STANDING…AND PRACTICING I published the first issue of Social Security & You in Spring of 1993. Some years I’ve published more issues than others. The most recent issue was dated Spring 2019: over 2 years ago. The world was a much different place then. Especially for me. Read the full newsletter…
Spring 2019 Newsletter An Opioid Story I’ve changed his name. Let’s call him Gerald. He was a laborer. And by that I don’t mean that he just did physical work. He was a card-carrying member the Labor’s Union local. And that meant a lot to him. I represented him for Social Security disability and Michigan…
IS WATSON REALLY HAL?
When I was younger I used to watch Jeopardy! religiously. As an undergrad at the University of Michigan I even applied to take the test to be a contestant. I was scheduled to take the test in New York over spring break my senior year. I remember gas was awfully expensive and I didn’t have a place to stay. Maybe I got cold feet. I went to Ft. Lauderdale instead.
Though I haven’t watched with any regularity in recent years, it is fun to tune in for the college shows and the battles of the past champions. So it was with some interest I followed the shows involving Watson, the IBM computer that slaughtered the field of returning champions.
In addition to being amazed I felt a little uneasy. I was impressed by the Stanley Kubrick film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, in the late 60’s. I remember seeing it in a theatre with my friend, Ned, before either of us was old enough drive. The eerie thought of Hal 9000, the dispassionate computer, came to mind immediately, watching Watson.
And though I still have no idea what the last 20 minutes of Kubrick’s film was about, I am happy to report that Watson is being prepared to serve mankind. Watson’s manufacturer, IBM, has modified the computer for a recent demonstration project to suggest diagnoses for medical students, based upon data it is fed.
Better than “I’m sorry, Dave, but I can’t do that.”
A recent Archives of General Psychiatry report on bi-polar disorder was summarized by aol. 4 signs aol described as “surprising” were outlined. I’ve seen these classic symptoms of bi-polar disorder for years in my practice.
They are:
1) reckless spending
2) super charged sex drive
3) alcohol or drug abuse
4) skimping on shut-eye
The bottom line is those with bi-polar disorder are prone to poor, impulsive decisions, cycling between high (manic) periods and low (depressive) periods, and tend to self-medicate.