Neither more nor less

Bob, I stopped by Ray's last night in the middle of the snowstorm, and spent some time talking about his many problems, including his inability to get social security. Put simply, he needs to prove to them that he is 62 (he's 77), but he has no proof. I think the easiest way to get proof is to track down his birth certificate in Turkey. Can you post an entry asking if anyone reading your blog is fluent in Turkish? If so, perhaps that person (hopefully internet savvy) can get the necessary info from Ray (date of birth, place of birth, parent's names, etc.) and then go to Turkish government websites, or call Turkey, to track down how to get a copy of the birth certificate. Ray has some people trying to help him with this, but no one speaks Turkish, and they are pursuing other documents in this country which might have his date of birth. But I think the best bet is to go to the original source and try to get the Turkish birth certificate. Thanks.
 

Tom , right now there is a lawyer team working on Ray's SS problems . they are currently waiting for a set of prints that were taken when ray applied for a "green crd" years ago . Ray is a legal resident .the government including SS knows who he is in all his names . The INS has even recently asked Ray to become a US citizen .

those fingerprints prints will likely be found and then compared to his prints taken recently . If ray is telling the truth and the prints match then the SS administration will be satisfied that Ray is both Asghar Gharaman and ray alvarez .

Also we have recently found 2 people who knew Ray first as Asghar Gharaman more than 30 years ago and then later as Ray alvarez . they can testify at SS that Ray is Asghar too.

the problem is not that Ray can't prove anything but that the bureaucrats didn't want to sign off on 2 identities .The SS administration has acknowleged in communications with Ray that Ray is 77 years old . His case is unusual and thus bureaucrats were afraid to sign off on approval . Ray was offered a hearing more than a year ago which would have established his identity but he did not attend that hearing .

Over a year ago we had a lawyer at the Cardozo law school elder law clinic ready to help Ray as necessary . Ray without telling us engaged 2 lawyers who did absolutely nothing for him ; one kept falling asleep on the phone , 80+ years of age, and the other wanted to be paid .If ray had worked with the cardozo law clinic he would likely have his SS benefits .

Ray is his own worst enemy and he doesn't fully appreciate the consequences of many of his acts . that is largely why he is in trouble today .

Trying to get a birth certificate from turkey is an impossible task . It most likely does not exist .It is not even necessary .

So many people came here from eastern europe after world war II with out identifying papers . when it came time to collect SS benefits these individuals brought witnesses to a hearing at SS to prove who they were . this was common practice . Ray has more on hand as an ID than these folks ever had .Now because Ray does not really understand the problems at hand and as well has not taken advantage of a hearing in his interest and also all the legal help that was offered free , Ray has no alternative but to wait . He will eventually get his SS benefits . He just has to keep his store going until then .
 

A-fucking-mazing.....
can you help me with my government benefit issues? am I'm not even an immigrant.
 

Thanks for the info, Bob. I had no idea that so many people are/were trying to help him with the SS issue. From my conversation with him, he made it seem like all he needed was his Turkish birth certificate, so that's why I posted. I guess he's not the best at explaining things. I am glad he is getting help with this aspect of his problems
 

I first met Ray years ago and have always known him as "Awat Agu Siam" which, I thought, was his real, given name. I don't know who this Asghar guy is, though.
 

I love that the community is rallying around Ray but I wish he would take a more active role in helping himself. It is frustrating for the people who have made a sincere effort to help him resolve these social security issues.
 

Bob, you are a really good guy to do all of this for an older person. I hope when I am Ray's age someone like you goes to the mattress's for me like you have done for Ray. I'm jealous already.

A couple of years ago I got mixed up with a neighbor who at the time was 92years old. Me & a friend did a lot for her, because we loved her. we got her meals on wheels, God's love we deliver, got a doctor in, did shopping, cleaning, had parties at her place, had Lifeline installed. It was a lot of work but she was in our neighborhood. I thought it best that she go in somewhere that they could take complete care of her. let her money be used to make her life more comfortable.

she had lived in our hood since the late 1940's and was a painter, full of stories and spunk. She wasn't able to walk up and down the four flights anymore to her place. despite her living like she was on welfare, it turns out she was quite wealthy. Her husband had left her very comfortable, our friend's rent was dirt cheap, she had few expense. She had an unethical power of attorney who was not related to her, this SOB would not do a dam thing for her. In the end, he snatched her away and she died soon after. moral of the story? He got the bank, the mink coats, the stocks, bonds, IRA's whatever was to be had.

there may be much more that your elderly friend is keeping from you, not out of maliciousness but for his privacy & own reasons.

My friend totally trusted the scumbag power of attorney, nothing anyone could say would change her mind. was she getting dotty? yep. repeating stuff, not bathing. She really needed a lot more help and was very vulnerable, fragile physically and emotionally.

would I do it again? yes but differently, I think. I wish my friend were here with me now. I have a lot of her paintings. which I got out of the garbage. all of her possessions were trashed by this guy.

Ray has his reasons and in the end you have to respect them is what I'm saying.
there is a special area of social work called elder care. I guess you've gotten in touch with those kind of people to help Ray.

thanks for caring.
 

I grow up in East Village Ukranian areas. I meet Ray when he first have his store, and I wish him the best. I stop by to help. His food is good. I dont know why he name food After Obama who is horrible president, almost as bad as the George Bush. In my country, no one names food after president or prime minister. It also snow alot more in summer.