The AI scams infiltrating the knitting and crochet world - and why it matters for everyone

This is a fascinating and understandable look at how AI impacts some unexpected realms.  

I'm sure there are at least some Ascension WI associates who are also knitters, esp. now that 

sweater weather is back.

Read the rest of the article on ZDNet.

Here's the maker video the author above cites which is also very illuminating:

For those who don't readily understand (or care about) how AI will impact all of us -- 

and not just at work, this video illustrates the point with a knitting / crochet example.  

Some of what AI does might look good and convincing, but a subject matter expert 

can spot the fakes.   And she shows you how you can, too. 

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.  Think about how that might translate 

to more technical / medical situations -- and what AI could get wrong.

Art in Medicine: Modern Pilgrimage & Health

 

'Lourdes"

Mario Giacomelli, 1957 CE  

Source: The Getty Museum Collection

The September 2024 Art In Medicine topic is about medical pilgrimages.

Lucinda Bennett, the Medical Librarian at Ascension St Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, MD,  publishes a regular series on Art in Medicine and The Health Humanities.    

It's only 1-2 pages with gorgeous images, so it won't take you long to read

... and just might enrich your life.

When you hear the word pilgrimage, what comes to mind? If you are literary minded, perhaps the Canterbury Tales wherein a group of humorous pilgrims make their way to England’s most famous holy site. Or, if you are a student of history, perhaps the road to Santiago. However, such travels are not wholly a thing of the past, and many modern pilgrims make the journey for the health of their body, not just their soul.  However, let us review the origin of the modern pilgrim, with its roots in the European Medieval period.  

“Although religion in the Middle Ages was much more nuanced than modern popular culture might imply, Christianity was a pivotal part of medieval society in Europe, and people’s everyday lives were saturated with it, from the way time was measured to the meals they ate. For medieval people, faith was more than just an abstract idea, it was tangible in the works they made (such as the great cathedrals) to glorify God, and the relics they could see with their own eyes. An integral part of this tangible form of faith was the pilgrimage: a spiritual journey to visit a holy site. Penitents would also undertake pilgrimages in order to gain forgiveness for their sins, or to shorten time in purgatory for themselves or for others. When he was dying, Henry the Young King (son of Henry II) asked William Marshal to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in his place in remembrance of his sins in life (Marshal did so). Sometimes, people went on pilgrimages to pray for fertility or safe delivery, too. Basically, as a pilgrimage was a journey of faith, anything a person felt they needed God’s help for could be motivation for the journey.” (Medievalists.Net) 

Centuries later, the practice of pilgrimage was by no means extinct, although its practitioners became less common as Christianity shifted and changed with various reformations and schisms. Unlike the travelers of the past, by the 20th century photography was well developed as a means of documenting pleasure and penitent trips alike. In the biography supplied by the Getty Museum, Mario Giacomelli (1925-2000) is known as one of the most notable Italian photographers of his generation. Although he grew up poor, he began his trade in typography and printing, was a self-taught painter and poet, and served in WWII. His engagement with photography was directly related to healthcare as a resident at the hospice center where his mother was admitted bestowed him with some funds, which he used to open his own studio. This relationship with health concerns can be seen in his series of photographs simply titled “Lourdes.”  

“...the series Lourdes depicts people living with illness, injury, or disability who are in search of miraculous healing.  Giacomelli received a commission to photograph at this Catholic pilgrimage site in southern France in 1957.

Tremendously pained by what he saw, he shot just a few rolls of film, returned the fee that had been advanced, and did not show anyone the images for some time. He traveled to Lourdes again in 1966, with his wife and second child. This time he, too, was in search of a cure, for their son, who had lost the ability to speak following an accident.” (The Getty Museum Collection) Modern pilgrimage provides an unusual opportunity to document those who participated in the journey, as well as the practices performed during and at the end of the road. As such, the message of those images would be up for new interpretation in comparison to images made during the Middle Ages. What was the meaning of the journey, how was the pilgrim feeling as they progressed? How does faith impact our reading of these images? “Spirituality can be defined as a relation to the transcendent, while religion is a system of beliefs often institutionalized which are related to a certain degree of commitment (Dent, 2020). This distinction means that modern pilgrims are seeking a more subjective, less institutionalized spirituality than traditional pilgrims used to seek (Mikaelson, 2012)...Lopez et al.  (2017) found the attractive features of the Camino for the modern pilgrim to be 

1. the natural landscape
2. the slow mobility that facilitates introspection
3. the authentic experience of experiencing different sensations
4. multicultural and religious dressed as a pilgrim, setting off on his pilgrimage encounters and
5. monumentalizing, meaning sacred objects and values British Library Egerton that are visual cues on the way.” (Walking for well-being)

“Medieval pilgrimage” detail of miniature showing the Lover, dressed as a pilgrim, setting off on his pilgrimage.  British Library Egerton   Source: Medievalists.Net 

Social media is a recent phenomenon which allows the sharing of vacations, life experiences and all manner of events. The ease of access of photos taken along the pilgrimage, shared in the form of written articles, perfectly combines the revival of the pilgrimage, health concerns, and the spread of modern imagery. “This is their second time on the trail...When I ask why, their answers are beatifically banal. It’s “nice” and “Spain is beautiful.” Coming from East Germany, they grew up without religion, and haven’t obtained any since...They explain that, the previous year, they’d made the pilgrimage on behalf of a friend with multiple sclerosis. They’d carried a rock for him, and on the exact day when they placed the rock before a cross on the trail, their friend had received news of a novel therapy, which they say has since enabled him to walk again. “It’s a miracle!” I practically shout, finding myself strangely eager to believe. “Yes, it was,” they reply, factually.” (What it means to go on a modern pilgrimage)

References:
The Getty Museum Collection
Walking for well-being: Exploring the phenomenology of modern pilgrimage
What It Means to Go on a Modern Pilgrimage
Medieval Pilgrimages: It’s All About the Journey

Reprinted with the generous permission of Ms. Bennett.

Q: I don't see the "Big 3" box on the AW library home page with DynaMed, Lexicomp, and NRC Plus. Where did they go, and how do I get them back?

Answer: Usually authentication for Library resources happens unobtrusively behind the scenes, which means if you are working at an Ascension WI worksite, you will automatically be able to use the library resources with no fuss or bother, or extra logins.  That said, there are times and certain physical work sites that seem to fall through the cracks.  Fortunately, we have a workaround!

If you do NOT see the "Big 3" box on the library home page with DynaMed, Lexicomp, and Nursing Reference Center Plus, you might not be recognized as an Ascension WI person, or coming from an Ascension WI work site.  

In this case, you can use OpenAthens for remote access.  This works best if you have an Ascension email.

On the AW Library homepage, you should see a log in on the right side [See above, highlighted in yellow].

Then on the LEFT side, click on Connect [highlighted in yellow.]

Then use your Ascension network email and your usual network password to sign in safely and securely.  This is similar to signing into to PolicyStat or other online resources with Active Directory.

This should let the system recognize you, and know that you have rightful access to Lexicomp and DynaMed and NRC Plus.   

Once you are logged in, you should see your name in the upper right corner, and the "Big 3" box should once again be visible on the left side.

If you have continuing problems with access to AW  library resources, contact your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians for help:

Questions, comments, or search requests,

contact Your Ascension Wisconsin Librarians:

 Michele Matucheski   &   Kellee Selden

 Use the Request Form if you need research or articles.