Sorry but picking out let* as a problem just shows that you don't know some of the most basic Lisp forms. You say that you don't want to learn a specific Lisp, but starred let is in both Common Lisp and Scheme. So what Lisp have you actually taken the time to learn? The impression you give is precisely ().
All the ad hominem attacks on Bobby Fisher in this thread are by the by. One can accept that he was paranoid, conspiratorial and antisemitic -- which I do -- whilst also accepting that he was subjected to the police violence he describes in this account. Many people with mental health issues are subjected to violence, by police or otherwise; to refuse to believe them merely on account of their mental health is itself a function of the violence which puts them in harms way in the first place.
Could you explain what you mean by no one understanding thermodynamics? As in Maxwell, Einstein, Wiener, and so on - none of them understood thermodynamics? I think at stake here is what you mean by understanding.
And what is a 'pragmatic scientist'? Someone who doesn't take interest in the reasons things are as they are, but only operatively that they are as they are?
Sorry for that late reply. My Thermodynamics Prof, Max McGlashan (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-professor... this to me personally. It has been many decades since I used thermodynamics in any no-trivial way, so I am no expert: but in chemistry (not physics) you just learn the rules to get results. That is the pragmatism: I was never researching thermodynamics, but using the theories to advance Chemistry.
I'd suggest having a look at the self screening tool on adhduk, which gives you an indication of whether you have adhd symptoms. If so, it might make sense to pursue a formal evaluation and diagnosis.
This sounds like a pretty good strategy for me too. I'm completely ignorant about consulting agencies though - I assume there good ones, bad ones, etc? Can anyone recommend ones in the UK?
Look around on LinkedIn and ask your tech friends/(ex)colleagues. A friend of mine works at EPAM and is extremely happy there. That's the only recommendation I can make, based on their feedback, I'm even considering joining them.
Sure - I'm used to problems on my contract but usually when something went wrong I knew I could count on my agency to step in. Conflict resolution, 3rd person perspective needs analysis, project re-assessment and stuff like that (even to the point of body swap if needed). But as we grew unfortunately it become more of a "don't worry, we have insurance and lawyers". Project was heavily understaffed and neither me or client could get in contact with representatives to get additional help.
I literally just off the phone to my GP trying to get a referral for an adult ADHD diagnosis.
She basically said, there's a massive backlog and underfunding of the service, and instead of her referring me to the adult ADHD and autism psychology services directly I should approach a more generic NHS Adult Mental Health service and try to get them to refer me for a diagnosis, or write a letter asking her to. Just seems like a bit of a ringmarole.
She also said that the NHS wouldn't recognise a private diagnosis as they have a financial incentive to lean towards positive diagnoses, and so the NHS wouldn't foot the bill for eg any ADHD meds that would ensue from it.
Is this the experience other people have had, especially in the UK?
UK here. Your GP is right about the massive backlog in mental health referrals (2+ years in my area) but wrong about prescription charges & the NHS recognising a diagnosis from a private psychiatrist.
Because of that huge backlog I went for a private diagnosis & prescription and then had that prescription transferred to my local GP under what's known as a 'Shared Care Agreement', so my scrip cost ~£110 per year (buy a Prescription Prepayment Certificate or 'season pass').
I know people who've managed to circumvent the waiting list (and private fees) using 'Right to choose' but I understand that can vary depending on your local health authority. Certainly worth exploring though.
May I ask how you decided where to go for a private diagnosis ?
As another waiting-list referral, I would consider going the same route but have no idea where best to look (and whether they may have shared care agreements or not).
It's really helpful to see all of these replies from the UK.
> She also said that the NHS wouldn't recognise a private diagnosis as they have a financial incentive to lean towards positive diagnoses, and so the NHS wouldn't foot the bill for eg any ADHD meds that would ensue from it.
I'm in the UK and this is not my experience so far.
You do need to be careful about private diagnosis and the handoff to NHS for treatment - it's true that it's not guaranteed that a private diagnosis will be accepted by the NHS to pick up treatment, but in my experience it's not the case that they will totally refuse to recognise a private diagnosis as you've been told. That may just be the position of the individual you spoke to, rather than a reflection of what you'd find across the board in the UK.
If you go the private route, it will likely help if the private practitioner is also a registered/practicing NHS doctor. If you're considering this, it may be worth speaking to the practitioner about the process for handover of care to the NHS - which they should be able to clarify for you before you spend any money with them!
I was referred by my GP over a year ago for an adult ADHD diagnosis. I used the NHS Right To Choose so that I could use a private clinic, however even with them the wait has been a year and they're saying the earliest I'm going to be seen is October. My GP has contacted me to say there's a new service they're starting soon and that I've been referred there too, but they couldn't tell me how long the wait would be - basically they said to go with whichever one is available first.
If you can get a referral from your doctor, I would have a look at Right To Choose and go with someone private like Psychiatry UK as you shouldn't have to pay, the NHS will take the cost of that. (Also a note that paying them money doesn't get you seen any quicker, I've tried asking)
In my experience, the NHS will only diagnose severe cases of ADHD in children. Everything else is a struggle, like most mental health services on the NHS unfortunately. I think the best option is to get a private diagnosis - I am considering this myself actually.
