S. L. Crane
@sl-crane.bsky.social
Translator by day, crime writer by night. Has a messy browser history but a squeaky-clean apartment. Needs more cookies.
Just FYI: Translators aren't being eroded by MT (or LLMs) as you said but by shitty monopoly companies like RWS, TransPerfect etc. ruining the whole market with low quality outputs b/c they have no functional competition anymore. It's actually a perfect example for the rot economy/enshittification.
November 12, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Just FYI: Translators aren't being eroded by MT (or LLMs) as you said but by shitty monopoly companies like RWS, TransPerfect etc. ruining the whole market with low quality outputs b/c they have no functional competition anymore. It's actually a perfect example for the rot economy/enshittification.
When you pay for ChatGPT without a real need (i.e., the type of "research" you do could be done with the free consumer version), when you claim there are "ethical" ways to use ChatGPT, and when you attack/block everybody who disagrees with your approach, you’re part of the problem. (2/2)
October 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM
When you pay for ChatGPT without a real need (i.e., the type of "research" you do could be done with the free consumer version), when you claim there are "ethical" ways to use ChatGPT, and when you attack/block everybody who disagrees with your approach, you’re part of the problem. (2/2)
It's cute how you accuse others of not arguing in good faith while it's you who is making things up (there was no "conversation" between your dog and ChatGPT), playing victim, claiming to be subjected to wank etc. – while your "course" is there for everyone to check & see how it perpetuates harm. 🤦♀️
October 20, 2025 at 7:29 AM
It's cute how you accuse others of not arguing in good faith while it's you who is making things up (there was no "conversation" between your dog and ChatGPT), playing victim, claiming to be subjected to wank etc. – while your "course" is there for everyone to check & see how it perpetuates harm. 🤦♀️
(4/4) Plus, you wouldn’t have needed a paid ChatGPT account to create the type of content found on the page linked above. And this is the point. He’s not acting like a true ally or a researcher doing important work – but like just another acolyte spreading the gospel of Altman & Co.
October 19, 2025 at 9:09 PM
(4/4) Plus, you wouldn’t have needed a paid ChatGPT account to create the type of content found on the page linked above. And this is the point. He’s not acting like a true ally or a researcher doing important work – but like just another acolyte spreading the gospel of Altman & Co.
(3/4) He explicitly claims using LLMs like ChatGPT for something like a grammar/spellcheck is ethical. And that is – to use his own terminology – bullshit. You cannot use a system that’s built on the mentioned lies and deceptions in an ethical way. That’s a fruit of the poisonous tree situation.
October 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM
(3/4) He explicitly claims using LLMs like ChatGPT for something like a grammar/spellcheck is ethical. And that is – to use his own terminology – bullshit. You cannot use a system that’s built on the mentioned lies and deceptions in an ethical way. That’s a fruit of the poisonous tree situation.
(2/4) repeatedly violate the rights of millions of people, constantly lie about capabilities/resource req's of these systems, and keep the lie alive with the help of willing acolytes and paying customers. Take for example “lesson 10” of Bergstrom’s site (thebullshitmachines.com/lesson-10-th...):
Lesson 10: The Human Art of Writing
In this chapter we explore how writing differs from arithmetic with respect to automation, and what is lost when we hand off the work of writing to a machine.
thebullshitmachines.com
October 19, 2025 at 9:07 PM
(2/4) repeatedly violate the rights of millions of people, constantly lie about capabilities/resource req's of these systems, and keep the lie alive with the help of willing acolytes and paying customers. Take for example “lesson 10” of Bergstrom’s site (thebullshitmachines.com/lesson-10-th...):
(1/4) I'm afraid you entirely missed the point. This is not about professionals (or others) using a low-quality system that doesn't make them more productive no matter what the hype brigade says. This is about people using and promoting systems that only exist because their creators knowingly and
October 19, 2025 at 9:05 PM
(1/4) I'm afraid you entirely missed the point. This is not about professionals (or others) using a low-quality system that doesn't make them more productive no matter what the hype brigade says. This is about people using and promoting systems that only exist because their creators knowingly and
Except that "detailed academic study of social harm" doesn't normally have marketing lingo like "how to thrive in a world where [LLMs] are everywhere" or "You will learn when these systems can save you a lot of time and effort" etc. (see his link).
The point made by @jametc.bsky.social stands.
The point made by @jametc.bsky.social stands.
October 19, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Except that "detailed academic study of social harm" doesn't normally have marketing lingo like "how to thrive in a world where [LLMs] are everywhere" or "You will learn when these systems can save you a lot of time and effort" etc. (see his link).
The point made by @jametc.bsky.social stands.
The point made by @jametc.bsky.social stands.
And thank YOU for actually turning down this shit! I'm on the other side (translator), and there's so much malpractice going on with machine translation, especially in larger agencies, that the only way this might stop some day is if customers refuse to buy the slop and demand better quality.
April 9, 2025 at 8:28 PM
And thank YOU for actually turning down this shit! I'm on the other side (translator), and there's so much malpractice going on with machine translation, especially in larger agencies, that the only way this might stop some day is if customers refuse to buy the slop and demand better quality.
And it gets even more offensive when you consider that all these shitty LLMs only exist because of numerous black people (among others) being exploited and doing literal slave labor behind the scenes. 🤮
March 14, 2025 at 3:42 PM
And it gets even more offensive when you consider that all these shitty LLMs only exist because of numerous black people (among others) being exploited and doing literal slave labor behind the scenes. 🤮
The Stay Tuned podcast: cafe.com/stay-tuned/t... (I think there are a few other quotes from her in there that you will not like. 😬)
A MAGA House Divided (with Kara Swisher, Heather Cox Richardson & Astead Herndon) - CAFE
Preet is joined by Kara Swisher, Heather Cox Richardson, and Astead Herndon to discuss the first week of Donald Trump's second presidency.
cafe.com
March 10, 2025 at 5:56 PM
The Stay Tuned podcast: cafe.com/stay-tuned/t... (I think there are a few other quotes from her in there that you will not like. 😬)
Even in 2025, just a few weeks ago, she was still on a podcast saying, "Elon’s main goal is to technologically improve the government to make it more efficient and mostly get to Mars." Denial at its best.
March 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Even in 2025, just a few weeks ago, she was still on a podcast saying, "Elon’s main goal is to technologically improve the government to make it more efficient and mostly get to Mars." Denial at its best.
Your mileage may vary depending on your location, but fwiw, I "cancelled" Amazon many years ago and never felt I was missing anything. Books: easiest to replace; Prime: you can live without; food: never should've been bought from Amazon to begin with; the rest: buy/order elsewhere. Good luck!
March 10, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Your mileage may vary depending on your location, but fwiw, I "cancelled" Amazon many years ago and never felt I was missing anything. Books: easiest to replace; Prime: you can live without; food: never should've been bought from Amazon to begin with; the rest: buy/order elsewhere. Good luck!
Cops standing around guarding a place no sane people would frequent is a good way to prevent those cops from killing people elsewhere. 😏
March 9, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Cops standing around guarding a place no sane people would frequent is a good way to prevent those cops from killing people elsewhere. 😏
I had a super cheap subscription (not sure whether they forgot to raise my price, lol) for many years. Kept it because it was a steal. But just cancelled, and their goodbye message is hilariously ironic and sad...
February 26, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I had a super cheap subscription (not sure whether they forgot to raise my price, lol) for many years. Kept it because it was a steal. But just cancelled, and their goodbye message is hilariously ironic and sad...
It's because of all the time-traveling, duh! 😜
February 25, 2025 at 4:27 PM
It's because of all the time-traveling, duh! 😜
It could be your region. I don't see it either, and it looks like we're both not in the US?
February 25, 2025 at 4:19 PM
It could be your region. I don't see it either, and it looks like we're both not in the US?
Obviously, it's wrrrrtttttt, like the sound of gunfire. Come on, don't question the machine's intelligence?!
February 25, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Obviously, it's wrrrrtttttt, like the sound of gunfire. Come on, don't question the machine's intelligence?!
"'Now that we are in receipt of several videos that show the majority of the event that we didn’t have at the time, (the battery citation) will be under review by our prosecutor’s office,' he said." [Source: CDAPress article]
Videos are evidence (look at the phone screen of the woman on the left)!
Videos are evidence (look at the phone screen of the woman on the left)!
February 24, 2025 at 1:48 PM
"'Now that we are in receipt of several videos that show the majority of the event that we didn’t have at the time, (the battery citation) will be under review by our prosecutor’s office,' he said." [Source: CDAPress article]
Videos are evidence (look at the phone screen of the woman on the left)!
Videos are evidence (look at the phone screen of the woman on the left)!
Videoing is important to have proof and identify the perps. (First thing black people will tell you is when you see cowards in uniform attack someone, document it because those bodycams sure as hell won't). But yeah, the lack of everybody else helping despite being stronger in numbers is disgusting.
February 24, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Videoing is important to have proof and identify the perps. (First thing black people will tell you is when you see cowards in uniform attack someone, document it because those bodycams sure as hell won't). But yeah, the lack of everybody else helping despite being stronger in numbers is disgusting.
Are we sure this wasn't a cat who just activated a "human" filter? 😜
(Thanks for reminding me of this hilarious moment! This will never not be funny!)
(Thanks for reminding me of this hilarious moment! This will never not be funny!)
February 9, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Are we sure this wasn't a cat who just activated a "human" filter? 😜
(Thanks for reminding me of this hilarious moment! This will never not be funny!)
(Thanks for reminding me of this hilarious moment! This will never not be funny!)
With the exception of "tax the rich" policies, EVERY policy favors wealthy people because money allows you to adjust to whatever you need to adjust to in a much easier way.
So this is a disingenuous argument (some might call it trolling).
So this is a disingenuous argument (some might call it trolling).
February 8, 2025 at 4:57 PM
With the exception of "tax the rich" policies, EVERY policy favors wealthy people because money allows you to adjust to whatever you need to adjust to in a much easier way.
So this is a disingenuous argument (some might call it trolling).
So this is a disingenuous argument (some might call it trolling).
Well, I'd be sad not to have you in my feed anymore since I followed you for years on the other site in the screenwriting community, but if this is your approach and you'd like to kick out people who try to warn of unintended side-effects harming marginalized folks, then I'll have to accept that.
February 5, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Well, I'd be sad not to have you in my feed anymore since I followed you for years on the other site in the screenwriting community, but if this is your approach and you'd like to kick out people who try to warn of unintended side-effects harming marginalized folks, then I'll have to accept that.
While this is a useful guide, I'd be careful with the subtle implication that accounts without such a website link aren't run by real/genuine people. A website can be set up by nefarious actors, too. Also, marginalized users might not want to invite bad actors to attack their personal website.
February 5, 2025 at 1:20 PM
While this is a useful guide, I'd be careful with the subtle implication that accounts without such a website link aren't run by real/genuine people. A website can be set up by nefarious actors, too. Also, marginalized users might not want to invite bad actors to attack their personal website.