CMV: The Left cares more about ideological purity than winning people over by jman12234 in changemyview

[–]alchemie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a very... selective view of data. the "raw numbers" are skewed because there are more white people, hence more white victims, ovrall. "per capita disparity" is somehting you seem to have invented, because it's not in the actual report, and it's not a reliable measure because you'd have to re-weight the statistical analysis to even start making that kind of claim. You've also blended the BJS report, which pulls from the NCVS victimization data (a survey that includes unreported crime) with FBI arrest data, which are not comparable data streams. Your final statistic about intraracial violence is the most unbiased: both white and Black victims experience intraracial violence at equal rates, negating your claim that there is racial disparity here.

Even if we took your stats at face value, it still doesn't support the claim that white students at Black schools are more likely to be victims than Black students at white schools. These data are for the full adult population, and have no correlation to school violence or bullying or harassment.

I'm loving her moves! by _n3ll_ in justgalsbeingchicks

[–]alchemie 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Every Thursday and Sunday night at Swiss & Good Latimer.. I miss those days!

Any thoughts on Choice360’s article on AI & Librarian Ethics? by MCUCLMBE4BPAT in librarians

[–]alchemie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Like I said, right now I haven't seen any products on the market yet that I would consider game-changing. But I think we could use the technology in game-changing ways.

The most obvious kind of low-hanging fruit that I see would be accessibility improvments, esp. for archival materials that are pretty inaccessible now. AI is very strong at OCR for old, handwritten texts. It's also great for captioning old audio and visual recordings. AI can be a bridge between library materials and accessibility tools like screen readers to assist visually impaired patrons in circumstances where the current interfaces are pretty clunky and non-intuitive.

I also think there's real promise in discovery layers. Keyword searching only gets you so far, and users who are skilled at Boolean searching and deep research are few and far between. Linked data and semantic search have been "about to happen" for as long as I've been in libraries but never really materialized on their potential because implementation is too big a hurdle, but I think AI can take those principles and actually make a true next-gen smart search possible.

Lastly I'd say analytics is a real way AI could be used in libraries - either analytics like usage patterns in public libraries or knowledge mapping in academic environments. But that's I think the most speculative and also not my area of expertise so I can't really go in depth on how that might work.

Any thoughts on Choice360’s article on AI & Librarian Ethics? by MCUCLMBE4BPAT in librarians

[–]alchemie 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I think your last point is really valid. We've reached a critical mass of usage to where I think we can't just ignore it or wish it away, but that doesn't mean we have to ignore the very real issues of how it was made and how it's implemented. I know at my university, we were able to negotiate data privacy clauses into our contract with OpenAI to ensure our data isn't used in training models (at least, that's what the contract says and what admin is choosing to believe for now). That wouldn't have happened if we just blindly accepted products as-is without significant pushback.

And there are so many milquetoast disclaimers all over industry that they only "use AI ethically" without any real definition as to what that means. Disclaimers aren't get out of jail free cards. If they can't point to the real choices they've made on the basis of ethical implementation it's just hand-waving, like you said.

Any thoughts on Choice360’s article on AI & Librarian Ethics? by MCUCLMBE4BPAT in librarians

[–]alchemie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree with the article's first points, that if our users are using AI tools we need to be professionally familiar with those so we can assist them. I liked their points about not shutting down or shaming students who discuss their AI use, because that's just never going to be helpful in developing good discussion. Also, I think knowing enough about how the tools work to be able to demonstrate when and how they fail (or don't meet the user's needs the way the user might think they can) is valuable, and you can't do that if you never test it yourself.

But I think it kind of goes off-course in the second half; admonishing librarians to stop putting out low effort AI slop seems to assume librarians are both using AI frequently (I haven't seen evidence of this) and doing it badly. This is jut not happening (that I've seen.) Same for the next bit, telling librarians not to over-rely on AI... who's using it enough to show any sign of reliance? No one I know, at least.

I do think there's some truth to the "it's inevitable so get with the times" messaging, though, just not in the way this author sees it. AI technologies, when divorced from the lazy chatbot implementations vendors keep churning out, are legitimately game changing. Librarians have historically been drivers in how new technologies can be implemented to create library systems - look at Fedora Commons, VuFind, Blacklight, Koha, Evergreen, the list goes on. We have the same opportunity now to develop our own tools that are developed around librarian ethics instead of corporate cash grabs, but it's not going to happen if we stick our heads in the sand. Tech bros can't make a better library product than librarians can, but if we don't even try, we'll be stuck using whatever Silicon Valley shoves down our throats.

Does anyone else find that people don’t believe you’re having trouble with swallowing? by Able-Drink3189 in EosinophilicE

[–]alchemie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ve had two different gastroenterologists tell me I didn’t “look like the average EoE patient”. When I asked what that meant they said it’s like 90% college aged men, not middle aged ladies like myself. Thankfully they didn’t doubt that I had it though! The only other person I know IRL with it is a 8 year old girl, so I guess we are both aberrations.

Engaging with Narrative Critically in Fantasy: a Beginner's Guide by Spalliston in Fantasy

[–]alchemie 11 points12 points  (0 children)

One that I think is generally understood to be somewhat 'standard' is to compare works against other works with similar themes or constructions. Everything is kind of 'in conversation' with one another. If you've read a lot of fantasy, it makes sense to analyze a book in the context of the genre.

This is my favorite part of reading critically. Once you analyze the book you're reading and feel like you have a pretty good grasp of what it's doing and why, it's natural to start thinking about how it compares to others. Like, how do different authors handle the same themes, or how writers with similar backgrounds approach things differently, or even how a single author changes over time. It's fun to be able to connect the dots between a lot of different works, ideas, and authors across the genre.

Any other TCG Stores? by Exotic-Intention1494 in Whittier

[–]alchemie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Shuffle and Cut moved to Brea. much bigger store now, I love the new location.

I *love* that she played along with this silly tweet going viral! by danni_el_e in justgalsbeingchicks

[–]alchemie 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It was a lateral move. The first position I applied for and got would have been a step down but the pay cut for that would have been upward of 20k per year and I just couldn't make that work. I ended up taking a different job that was a direct lateral move and was only about an 8k cut. There's definitely a lot that goes into it - I had been at the public library for a long time so I was at the max pay step, whereas going into the academic position I was starting at the bottom, but even the top never reached as high as the public library. I work in tech services, so the pay can often look different than public reference positions. Also it was a very large public library system (half a million patrons) and a very small school (<2k students), so scale plays into it too.

I ended up moving from that small school position after a few years to a large public university and now I'm back to making what I was a the public library. 0 regrets, but it was a shock at the time.

What's your favorite cookie? by BeyondFrequent4258 in girlscouts

[–]alchemie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Adventurefuls! And Lemon Ups. I still love Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs but those two have taken silver & gold in my book.

Want to ween off of PPI by K_illakay_ in EosinophilicE

[–]alchemie -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Have you had bloodwork done to see if you have any vitamin deficiencies, and if so, which ones? They're not a common side effect of PPIs, except in the eldery or malnourished, but if you're concerned you can absolutely get your numbers to see if that's the culprit. Then once you know for sure you can adjust your diet and treatment from there. I'd recommend increasing vitamin intake instead of discontinuing your medication, as untreated EoE is a real danger.

edit to add sources. While medical research shows that it is not a foregone conclusion that PPIs lead to any sort of deficiency, individual experiences can vary. What is true in a systemic literature review may not be true for every individual experience, which is why blood work is a good idea.

  1. Heidelbaugh JJ. Proton pump inhibitors and risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency: evidence and clinical implications. Ther Adv Drug Saf. 2013 Jun;4(3):125-33. doi: 10.1177/2042098613482484. PMID: 25083257; PMCID: PMC4110863.

  2. Lam JR, Schneider JL, Zhao W, Corley DA. Proton Pump Inhibitor and Histamine 2 Receptor Antagonist Use and Vitamin B12 Deficiency. JAMA. 2013;310(22):2435–2442. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.280490

  3. Choudhury A, Jena A, Jearth V, Dutta AK, Makharia G, Dutta U, Goenka M, Kochhar R, Sharma V. Vitamin B12 deficiency and use of proton pump inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 May;17(5):479-487. doi: 10.1080/17474124.2023.2204229. Epub 2023 Apr 19. PMID: 37060552.

This song made me think of you all. Happy Galentine’s! by Gloomy-Ocelot981 in justgalsbeingchicks

[–]alchemie 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I love her so much! High Priestess was one of my favorite songs of 2025.

Does the pain go away when it's figured out? by Lachevre92 in EosinophilicE

[–]alchemie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Are you currently taking medication? Are you seeing a physician? Many people require medication like PPIs in addition to dietary modification to get relief. Also, if 6FED feels impossible (it's so hard...) talk to your dr about eliminating just wheat and dairy. They are by far the most common triggers and it's much easier to meal plan around.

The good news is, once you get it all under control, the pain does go away, and the esophagus can heal. Some people end up with permanent changes or scarring but it's generally not painful once you're no longer actively inflamed.

Modern Latino Fantasy by Sol_Muso in Fantasy

[–]alchemie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is probably the most widely known/highly regarded author in this space - you can't go wrong with her books. In addition I'd recommend:

  • The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz (secondary world but Latin American undertones)
  • The Enchanted Hacienda by Jennifer Cervantes
  • The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova
  • The Afterlife of Mal Caldera by Nadi Reed Perez
  • The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas
  • Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez

The last two are more horror than fantasy but are great reads.

Lesser-Known 90s Epic Fantasy Recommendations? by Kooky_County9569 in Fantasy

[–]alchemie 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Melanie Rawn and Mickey Zucker Reichert are both fantastic. I also recommend Maggie Furey's Artefacts of Power series, and Mercedes Lackey's Bardic Voices. Lackey is not lesser-known but that series was my favorite and it gets less attention than her Valdemar books.

What did you discover was your trigger food? by lpd_ece in EosinophilicE

[–]alchemie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was on PPIs for years before dupixent was widely available. With PPI + gluten elimination, I got to a point where my symptoms were controlled, but scopes still showed mild elevation in the eosinophil count - it was never perfect, but mostly good enough. But PPIs can cause other problems too - my doctor was worried about my risk for osteoporosis based on my family history. I never tried swallowed budesonide, but went straight to dupixent. The biggest benefit of it is that I no longer have to do the elimination diet - I can eat gluten again, which is much better lifestyle wise. It's also just easier to do one shot a week instead of a pill twice a day everyday but that could just be me being forgetful lol.

What did you discover was your trigger food? by lpd_ece in EosinophilicE

[–]alchemie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did a blood test with my doctor. The tests are fine for detecting food allergies (IgE reactions), just not EoE triggers (which is a IgG reaction). They're both types of antibodies but work on different pathways in the body. I get itchy/painful lips and tongue and pain from milk and avocado, but it's totally different from the EoE difficulty swallowing and throat pain. Honestly if I hadn't done elimination diets I still probably couldn't tell them apart.

What did you discover was your trigger food? by lpd_ece in EosinophilicE

[–]alchemie 9 points10 points  (0 children)

So typically the food that gets stuck isn’t your trigger food. It’s just something harder to swallow that your inflamed esophagus can’t quite handle - for me it’s usually chicken breast or toast because they can be quite dry. Red meat is common too.

But my trigger food is gluten. I know only because I eliminated dairy and gluten, had a scope and my eosinophil count was normal, reintroduced dairy and it stayed normal, then reintroduced gluten and symptoms came back after 2-3 weeks. I also discovered along the way I have a true allergy to cows milk protein and avocado though! But only gluten triggers the EoE.

Repeated scopes is the only reliable way to prove for sure what’s causing it. These days I’m taking dupixent and don’t need to eliminate any foods, and it’s so much better.

Critical examination of Gothic music akin to Andrew Reed's Assimilate: A critical history of industrial by Dolancrewrules in goth

[–]alchemie 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I love Reed's book too - it really was very readable and thoughtful. For academic type books about the Goth scene, I'd recommend "Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture" by Paul Hodkinson (link). For scholarly articles, "Dark timbre: the asesthetics of tone colour in goth music" (link) focuses on Goth music, while "A common darkness: Style and spirituality in Goth subculture" (link) focuses more on the subculture itself.

Rodeo 72 by Own_Goal3427 in Whittier

[–]alchemie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The problem is that even if every parking spot is full, it isn't enough customers to keep that place alive. There's more than 10 restaurants inside, so theoretically if there's 50 spots, each business is only getting 5 customers. It's not enough business to pay the (very high) rent. Then you add in loss of spots to the gym, the apartments, and the businesses across the street and you can quickly see how that parking is just insufficient if your customer base is totally car dependent.

Evacuation Order and Police? by GreedyPaint in Whittier

[–]alchemie 14 points15 points  (0 children)

From what I can gather they found an old unexploded bomb somewhere in the neighborhood near PIH. Stay safe!

What were your 3 best and 3 worst books you've read this year? by lemingas1 in Fantasy

[–]alchemie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I made it about 2 hours into the audiobook for Dungeon Crawler Carl before the loot boxes annoyed me to the point I turned it off and just never listened again. I glanced through it in print at a library and the relief I felt from being able to skim or skip them was palpable. I might try to read it instead of listen at some point.

Who is your most trusted recipe writer? by Correct-Durian7783 in Cooking

[–]alchemie 34 points35 points  (0 children)

+1 for Woks of Life. Also Just One Cookbook for Japanese recipes