thereticent's recent activity

  1. Comment on Palestinian Relief Bundle — 373 games for $8 (save 99%) in ~games

  2. Comment on Have you had a life-altering change in who you are? in ~talk

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    That just reminded me of an instance that changed me quite a bit. I was a sophomore in college, coming from a right-wing fundamentalist/evangelical Christian upbringing, and I had always had...

    That just reminded me of an instance that changed me quite a bit. I was a sophomore in college, coming from a right-wing fundamentalist/evangelical Christian upbringing, and I had always had issues with the exclusionary and apocalyptic parts of it. I was talking with a good friend who was gay, agnostic-leaning-atheist, liberal-not-leftist, and whom I really loved (still do!).

    He was asking me about Christianity and Jesus and the afterlife and so on, and he asked me the perfect question: "So, do you think I'm going to hell if I die right now?"

    I went with my gut, my honest belief, and it was "no! I think there are other ways to heaven, and I don't think heaven and hell are necessarily concrete nor afterlife related." I remember thinking that my then-girlfriend was a bit appalled, and maybe even disappointed at my answer. It was that moment of direct human connection that let me stop caring about justifying my spiritual practice and beliefs to other people. But instead of a move to the more entrenched antisocial side, it was a move to a pro-human and loving side. It's still where I'm comfortable. He also respected my answer and it strengthened our bond.

    Interestingly, though my girlfriend's reaction I first made me feel I had dropped the ball on "witnessing" to this guy, she later told me she agreed but had to wrestle with things. Now we're married 16 years, with two kids, and much farther to the left than before, raising our kids with total religious freedom, and only sharing what we believe when asked. And we don't always agree on that stuff, and that's okay.

    7 votes

  3. Comment on Consumer reports on high levels of sodium and heavy metals in Lunchables in ~food

    thereticent
    Link
    I'm all for safer and healthier food but... They say outright that they chose California's very low safety levels, then they say that the metals were under those levels. They give a percentage...

    I'm all for safer and healthier food but...

    They say outright that they chose California's very low safety levels, then they say that the metals were under those levels. They give a percentage that sounds big, but if that is the percentage of the room between 0 and extra-safe, then there's no problem.

    It sounds either sensationalist or just plain uncritical thinking about what those numbers mean.

    9 votes

  4. Comment on An honest assessment of American rural white resentment is long overdue in ~misc

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    100%. As much as I think the Jacobs critique posted recently did point out an important difference between resentment and anger and how to approach them, that article would go nowhere with the...

    100%. As much as I think the Jacobs critique posted recently did point out an important difference between resentment and anger and how to approach them, that article would go nowhere with the people he's begging "everyone" to try to understand. Even using the term "a politics" is an immediate conversation ender for most people.

    3 votes

  5. Comment on Best "dad" jokes and puns! in ~talk

    thereticent
    Link
    What do you call a mansplaining amphibian? A well-actuallotl
    What do you call a mansplaining amphibian?

    A well-actuallotl

    4 votes

  6. Comment on Linux Distro Recommendations in ~comp

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    Another fan of Zorin OS here. It's made to be an easy change from Windows, and we use it for all you've asked about. I even resurrected an old ThinkPad, and it runs great on 12+ year old hardware.

    Another fan of Zorin OS here. It's made to be an easy change from Windows, and we use it for all you've asked about. I even resurrected an old ThinkPad, and it runs great on 12+ year old hardware.

    2 votes

  7. Comment on Concussion treatment: the insidious myth about resting protocols that even doctors still believe in ~health

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    I just went through 5 years of saved reddit posts and bookmarked YouTube videos and couldn't find the one I wanted. I'll give it another look tomorrow. If I can't find that one, I believe I have a...

    I just went through 5 years of saved reddit posts and bookmarked YouTube videos and couldn't find the one I wanted. I'll give it another look tomorrow. If I can't find that one, I believe I have a good but very long critical paper on CTE related issues, though it is probably jargony.

    2 votes

  8. Comment on Concussion treatment: the insidious myth about resting protocols that even doctors still believe in ~health

    thereticent
    Link
    Neuropsychologist perspective, first trained in TBI rehab, though that's no longer my area of study: I'm so glad that this is coming to mainstream consciousness, but I'm immensely frustrated that...
    • Exemplary

    Neuropsychologist perspective, first trained in TBI rehab, though that's no longer my area of study:

    I'm so glad that this is coming to mainstream consciousness, but I'm immensely frustrated that it has taken so long. Head injury specialists have recommended relative rest for, well, 17+ years as the article reports, but there has been so much BS perpetuated by poorly educated physicians and allied health professionals.

    For example: long-lasting cognitive symptoms of mild TBI (concussion is mild traumatic brain injury) do exist but are rare. They are usually tied up in a complex health history, long-lasting affective and physical symptoms, and multiple concussions close together (like within a couple of weeks).

    That does not mean they don't happen, though many docs will interpret it that way.

    It also doesn't mean that long-lasting physical and affecting symptoms are rare. They are much more common than persistent cognitive symptoms.

    And all of that together does not mean that concussions should be treated as life-altering in general. They just can be.

    The idea of full rest was nonsense and always has been. The number of patients I've seen who have been told or allowed to believe that high cognitive load (e.g. school work or work-work) might hurt their brain after a concussion is alarming. It won't. The reason you recommend a reduction in workload is to reduce the number of people failing while in early recovery.

    The reason you want total rest from contact sports or equestrian sports is that getting another concussion within a couple of weeks of a prior concussion really may result in much longer-lasting symptoms.

    The idea that a few concussions spaced out results in behavioral and cognitive decline over time due to CTE (which is a pathology in the brain, seen on microscopes, not a clinical syndrome) has never been adequately established. People who have hundreds and thousands of concussions do indeed have more CTE, and people with more than a few concussions have more CTE than those without concussions. But behavioral and cognitive change over a lifetime in athletes with and without CTE seem to be similar. Some people just have terrible declines and bizarre or dangerous behavior, and on autopsy, a good number of them have CTE. Tons with CTE on autopsy never have those behavioral changes.

    That said, I believe in CTE, as would any responsible scientist/practitioner, but the conclusions drawn from its existence are far too overblown relative to the science. CTE is one of many pathologic changes that can compound with others to increase risk of dementia (the clinical syndrome). Most people with a dementia, even one with a diagnosis supported on autopsy, have multiple pathologic changes. That is, most people with Alzheimer's related changes have more protein and cerebrovascular problems than just the Alzheimer protein problems, and the more you have in combination, the worse your symptoms and faster your decline.

    That's why a history of brain injury is a risk factor for dementia. That includes all severities of brain injury, including moderate and severe. A mild concussion or a few over your athletics days, spaced out sufficiently, will not cause you to decline over time unless you are the rare exception.

    What we do know is that poor education during recovery leads to poorer outcomes. People have longer lasting post-concussion symptoms if they are not educated that the brain will heal over time. It almost always does, and people need to be given that expectation.

    They also have to be told that physical and affective symptoms may persist and need to be treated individually (headaches, dizziness, depression, anxiety, etc). They also need to know that those symptoms can cause difficulty thinking, but that doesn't mean the brain is falling apart.

    We also know that putting people with typical concussions and long-lasting symptoms in rehab groups with people who have moderate or severe TBI (where long lasting symptoms are the rule, not the exception) makes them recover more poorly.

    Isolation and total rest have always interfered with recovery. But if the doctors don't know that, then how will the patients know? There are neurologists that refer to me who truly believe that a concussion, years ago, with no loss of consciousness, may have set off a cascade resulting in Alzheimer's onset in the patient's mid-50s. That's not a thing. The problem is always something else.

    Sorry for the rant (?). It's meant to be an info dump in support of the article and the patient who made this a personal crusade. I'm happy to answer questions.

    If you're curious, there is an in-depth video on CTE and its promotion in the media and medical community that I can dig up.

    22 votes

  9. Comment on Megathread - Updates on the Donald Trump trial regarding classified documents in ~misc

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    Thanks for the links. I think the emptywheel has it right that Smith is now establishing a record in prep for another challenge up the chain. This whole thing would be funny if it weren't real.

    Thanks for the links. I think the emptywheel has it right that Smith is now establishing a record in prep for another challenge up the chain. This whole thing would be funny if it weren't real.

    2 votes

  10. Comment on What books helped you deal with the anxiety of life's uncertainties? in ~books

    thereticent
    Link
    These are written by therapists, but fit the mold: Staring at the Sun by Irvin Yalom Things Could Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong by Kelly Wilson

    These are written by therapists, but fit the mold:

    Staring at the Sun by Irvin Yalom

    Things Could Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong by Kelly Wilson

    2 votes

  11. Comment on Positive (personal) news discussion? in ~talk

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    Ah, gotcha. Yep, it's a clinical psychology PhD with a neuropsychology postdoc. I'm from a very research heavy PhD program, but the clinical training and load were still a big part of it. I really...

    Ah, gotcha. Yep, it's a clinical psychology PhD with a neuropsychology postdoc. I'm from a very research heavy PhD program, but the clinical training and load were still a big part of it. I really loved doing therapy and now love the clinical assessment work, so it is the best of both worlds.

    2 votes

  12. Comment on Positive (personal) news discussion? in ~talk

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    Actually just Asst Prof in Neurology (non-tenure, lots of clinical work) to Assoc Prof in Neurology (tenure-track, research-heavy but still with clinic and training duties). It's an actually job...

    Actually just Asst Prof in Neurology (non-tenure, lots of clinical work) to Assoc Prof in Neurology (tenure-track, research-heavy but still with clinic and training duties). It's an actually job change as opposed to a promotion within my current track, if that makes sense.

    Thank you!! It's almost exhausting typing a comment about the road here, haha

    2 votes

  13. Comment on Positive (personal) news discussion? in ~talk

    thereticent
    Link
    I'm about to sign a new contract at work and was promoted from non-tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Clinical Title Series to tenure-track Associate Professor in the Regular Title Series....

    I'm about to sign a new contract at work and was promoted from non-tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Clinical Title Series to tenure-track Associate Professor in the Regular Title Series. The new position is also an endowed Neurology Research Professor position, which is basically one of the crown jewels of academia.

    The decade+ of grad & post-grad training is paying off! The job can get overwhelming at times, but overall I love what I do. It's hard to complain even about the most ridiculous workplace issues at this point.

    6 votes

  14. Comment on Deciding whether to continue with chemotherapy and immunotherapy in ~health

    thereticent
    Link
    A very tough spot. Do you have an idea of how quickly death would follow if you stopped treatments and received only palliative care? I ask because my grandfather died of colon cancer, refusing...

    A very tough spot.

    Do you have an idea of how quickly death would follow if you stopped treatments and received only palliative care? I ask because my grandfather died of colon cancer, refusing all treatment except pain medication. It didn't go fast, and it was very difficult for him symptom-wise. From the outside, it's a question of whether the untreated phase is truly more comfortable than treated. That and just how ready you are to go--and I mean both practically and interpersonally.

    Is there a palliative care person or hospice counselor you could talk to about what they have learned having worked with many people in your situation? That might help get you the right information.

    We will miss you. I admire the dignity you are keeping in this situation, though I'm sure it feels like indignity being heaped on you at times.

    21 votes

  15. Comment on Root cause of Alzheimer's may be fat buildup in brain cells, research suggests in ~health.mental

  16. Comment on Root cause of Alzheimer's may be fat buildup in brain cells, research suggests in ~health.mental

    thereticent
    Link
    Neuropsychologist and Alzheimer's researcher here. The linked article is way overstating the study findings. The summary conclusion according to the study investigators is: "Our findings suggest a...
    • Exemplary

    Neuropsychologist and Alzheimer's researcher here. The linked article is way overstating the study findings. The summary conclusion according to the study investigators is: "Our findings suggest a link between genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease with microglial lipid droplet accumulation and neurotoxic microglia-derived factors, potentially providing therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer’s disease."

    Nothing about the study suggests that fat deposition is the "root cause." Unfortunately, AD is not that simple. There are many pathological processes that occur, some affecting cognition directly, and some indirectly. We would love to find the root cause that sets the whole terrible deal into motion, but we are far from finding it. The headline would have been more accurate as "Re-examination of the role of long-known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's suggests a mechanism for fat buildup, one of many pathologies that make up the disease."

    It is definitely still work worth doing, but it's not the major paradigm shift we all want to see.

    32 votes

  17. Comment on Mundane Musings Monday in ~talk

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    Plato and Derrida were onto this, and it sounds like you're hitting that wall personally. The technology to even write things down turned a lot of our problem-solving and memory tasks secondary to...

    Plato and Derrida were onto this, and it sounds like you're hitting that wall personally. The technology to even write things down turned a lot of our problem-solving and memory tasks secondary to search/recognition tasks. We have a lot more useful information at hand and saved time, but the problem-solving and memory sharpening are casualties to some extent.

    It doesn't help that Google is now taking away the ease to which we are accustomed, but I get the frustration about feeling some kind of mental "laziness."

    I don't have any answers, but rest assured that you are in good company across the millennia. :)

    4 votes

  18. Comment on American politics is undergoing a racial realignment – Democrats are rapidly losing non-white voters as the forces that ensured their support weaken in ~misc

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    As someone blue in a deep red state, I agree. There are a lot of habitual Republicans around, mostly in the deepest red rural areas, who would swing if the focus were just decency, calm dialogue,...

    As someone blue in a deep red state, I agree. There are a lot of habitual Republicans around, mostly in the deepest red rural areas, who would swing if the focus were just decency, calm dialogue, bipartisan problem solving, and less identity politics and wedge issues.

    The GOP is getting these new voters because of beliefs and practical issues, I think because the identity framing of "But you're X, of course you would support Y" is infantilizing and squicky, especially from the DNC in the past few decades. Gun-toting liberals are a strong base in some states, and only one among many that could be better drawn to a party/coalition with improved messaging and platform choices.

    But I'd rather fix the election format and build a multi-party system to encourage coalition-building as a pragmatic necessity than fix the current problems with the Democratic Party.

    19 votes

  19. Comment on The more I use Linux, the more I hate every distro in ~tech

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    It really was so fun. I remember using the shell to bind an extra "Fn" key at the top right of my clicky Tandy keyboard to a lightweight VOIP program called Roger Wilco so that my friend and I...

    It really was so fun. I remember using the shell to bind an extra "Fn" key at the top right of my clicky Tandy keyboard to a lightweight VOIP program called Roger Wilco so that my friend and I could basically walkie talkie any time we were in our rooms. :)

    2 votes

  20. Comment on The more I use Linux, the more I hate every distro in ~tech

    thereticent
    Link Parent
    Thanks! WSL has saved the day a few times when I had no Linux box running, but because all my Windows machines lately have been managed by my employer, it can be fresh hell every time I need to...

    Thanks! WSL has saved the day a few times when I had no Linux box running, but because all my Windows machines lately have been managed by my employer, it can be fresh hell every time I need to activate/install WSL. If my kid starts to want to branch out into games that we just can't get to run well with Steam/Proton on Linux, we may need a Windows PC at home, and WSL is a great idea for making it useful for both of us.

    3 votes