Fiona Zerbst
@fionazerbst.bsky.social
Resisting the global rise of Fascism. Not a Luddite, but NO to LLMs in the creative fields! I mainly work in corporate social investment but I make some spare change from poetry, libretto and art. 🇿🇦
Pinned
"The court rejected OpenAI’s position that it qualifies as a privileged research organization and ruled that legal authorization for text and data mining does not justify the storage and output of copyright-protected song lyrics."
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/gema-wins-la...
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/gema-wins-la...
GEMA wins landmark ruling against OpenAI over ChatGPT’s use of song lyrics - Music Business Worldwide
Court in Germany finds that ChatGPT violates copyright laws through its unauthorized use of song lyrics…
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:44 AM
"The court rejected OpenAI’s position that it qualifies as a privileged research organization and ruled that legal authorization for text and data mining does not justify the storage and output of copyright-protected song lyrics."
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/gema-wins-la...
www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/gema-wins-la...
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
Forbes estimates OpenAI is blowing $15m a day on Sora. Sure, why not? I bet OpenAI’s inference costs are absolutely horrifying
www.forbes.com/sites/phoebe...
www.forbes.com/sites/phoebe...
Here’s How Much Cash OpenAI Is Burning On AI Video App Sora. What It Means
Some back-of-napkin math suggests OpenAI is spending more than a quarter of what it’s making to power the AI slop factory.
www.forbes.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Forbes estimates OpenAI is blowing $15m a day on Sora. Sure, why not? I bet OpenAI’s inference costs are absolutely horrifying
www.forbes.com/sites/phoebe...
www.forbes.com/sites/phoebe...
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
Joke’s on everyone who said liberal arts degrees don’t prepare you for the real world - my studies in rise of the Third Reich now doubles as a survival guide.
November 11, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Joke’s on everyone who said liberal arts degrees don’t prepare you for the real world - my studies in rise of the Third Reich now doubles as a survival guide.
Yes, yes, we are. "Gerlich recently conducted a study...and found that those who used AI more frequently scored lower on critical thinking." And then there's this: "A global OECD study found...that the more students use tech in schools, the worse their results."
November 11, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Yes, yes, we are. "Gerlich recently conducted a study...and found that those who used AI more frequently scored lower on critical thinking." And then there's this: "A global OECD study found...that the more students use tech in schools, the worse their results."
It's our 20th wedding anniversary today! Wild.
November 11, 2025 at 3:16 AM
It's our 20th wedding anniversary today! Wild.
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
'As pressure mounts globally on the humanities, Africa’s leading writers and scholars used this week’s Nobel Symposium in Literature, held in South Africa, to argue that the arts are still vital to the world’s intellectual and moral life.'
‘It’s what makes us human’: Top writers defend humanities
As pressure mounts globally on the humanities, Africa’s leading writers and scholars used this week’s Nobel Symposium in Literature to argue that ...
www.universityworldnews.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:51 AM
'As pressure mounts globally on the humanities, Africa’s leading writers and scholars used this week’s Nobel Symposium in Literature, held in South Africa, to argue that the arts are still vital to the world’s intellectual and moral life.'
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
The greatest innovation billionaires have come up with is they found a way to have billions of dollars and still be miserable and angry all the time
September 23, 2025 at 11:29 PM
The greatest innovation billionaires have come up with is they found a way to have billions of dollars and still be miserable and angry all the time
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
Jeremy W. Peters identifies the tell-tale sign of “leftist dogma” in @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social: pronouncing Haiti’s name correctly
October 29, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Jeremy W. Peters identifies the tell-tale sign of “leftist dogma” in @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social: pronouncing Haiti’s name correctly
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
University as credentialism for jobs we used to get trained for through apprenticeships/time on the job is destroying higher education via ⬆️ fees and ⬇️ study. A uni without arts, language, music, writing, history, philosophy is really just certificate school… or fake training course.
Nottingham has one of the most vibrant and forward-looking departments of modern languages around. Music too. To cut them like this, leaving no chance for future rebuilding, is educational vandalism.
tinyurl.com/yr65mjkx
tinyurl.com/yr65mjkx
Music and modern languages courses suspended at University of Nottingham
In a statement the institution also says it is
tinyurl.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:03 AM
University as credentialism for jobs we used to get trained for through apprenticeships/time on the job is destroying higher education via ⬆️ fees and ⬇️ study. A uni without arts, language, music, writing, history, philosophy is really just certificate school… or fake training course.
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
Really terrible news from the University of Nottingham. The idea you can have a comprehensive university without language and music is absurd. Higher education serves society and you can't have a society with imagination and purpose if the people in charge decide creativity is worth nothing.
Well this is awful news: tinyurl.com/yr65mjkx
'All modern language and music courses are being suspended for new students at the University of Nottingham.'
Nottingham friends: please be assured that we will join you in protesting against this decision in the strongest possible terms. Solidarity.
'All modern language and music courses are being suspended for new students at the University of Nottingham.'
Nottingham friends: please be assured that we will join you in protesting against this decision in the strongest possible terms. Solidarity.
Music and modern languages courses suspended at University of Nottingham
In a statement the institution also says it is
www.bbc.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Really terrible news from the University of Nottingham. The idea you can have a comprehensive university without language and music is absurd. Higher education serves society and you can't have a society with imagination and purpose if the people in charge decide creativity is worth nothing.
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
My former employer, the University of Nottingham, has axed its undergrad music and languages programs—but don't worry, there are still five separate degrees you can get in AI.
This is what happens when you corporatize education. What a joke.
This is what happens when you corporatize education. What a joke.
November 6, 2025 at 10:22 PM
My former employer, the University of Nottingham, has axed its undergrad music and languages programs—but don't worry, there are still five separate degrees you can get in AI.
This is what happens when you corporatize education. What a joke.
This is what happens when you corporatize education. What a joke.
Breakfast and a ride on the Cape Wheel with a friend.
November 8, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Breakfast and a ride on the Cape Wheel with a friend.
The Waterfront looked festive today.
November 8, 2025 at 7:45 PM
The Waterfront looked festive today.
It's a Grieg kind of November! I love the passion and tenderness in this. youtu.be/PbYsytZ92eY?...
Grieg: Cello Sonata | Mischa Maisky & Martha Argerich (complete)
YouTube video by DW Classical Music
youtu.be
November 8, 2025 at 5:06 AM
It's a Grieg kind of November! I love the passion and tenderness in this. youtu.be/PbYsytZ92eY?...
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
Let this sink in. The President of the United States is now appealing a court order forcing him to feed starving children.
November 7, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Let this sink in. The President of the United States is now appealing a court order forcing him to feed starving children.
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion, according to our analysis, which found the sepsis rate for women hospitalized as they miscarried in the 2nd trimester shot up by more than 50%.
(Published February)
(Published February)
Texas Banned Abortion. Then Sepsis Rates Soared.
ProPublica’s first-of-its-kind analysis is the most detailed look yet into a rise in life-threatening complications for women experiencing pregnancy loss under Texas’ abortion ban.
www.propublica.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion, according to our analysis, which found the sepsis rate for women hospitalized as they miscarried in the 2nd trimester shot up by more than 50%.
(Published February)
(Published February)
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
They can't even turn a profit stealing every thought on Earth? They need corporate welfare, too?
BREAKING: OpenAI is requesting US government support to help guarantee financing for the massive investments in AI chips and data centers it needs for expansion, per Bloomberg.
November 6, 2025 at 2:06 AM
They can't even turn a profit stealing every thought on Earth? They need corporate welfare, too?
After THREE WEEKS my Covid symptoms are resolving. Up until yesterday, I still had a slightly sore throat and earache. Today I actually feel almost 'normal'. 😅
November 5, 2025 at 6:00 AM
After THREE WEEKS my Covid symptoms are resolving. Up until yesterday, I still had a slightly sore throat and earache. Today I actually feel almost 'normal'. 😅
Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani were both shaped by South African influences. But Mamdani is more Nelson Mandela while Musk is more Groot Krokodil.
November 5, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani were both shaped by South African influences. But Mamdani is more Nelson Mandela while Musk is more Groot Krokodil.
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
As Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces telegraphed their intentions to commit mass murder in Darfur's El Fasher, the world did nothing. Please listen to the voices on this special episode of @notesfromtheworld.bsky.social as they detail what transpired. michaeldeibert.substack.com/p/the-fall-o...
The Fall of El Fasher
As Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Telegraphed Their Intentions to Commit Mass Murder, the World Did Nothing
michaeldeibert.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:22 PM
As Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces telegraphed their intentions to commit mass murder in Darfur's El Fasher, the world did nothing. Please listen to the voices on this special episode of @notesfromtheworld.bsky.social as they detail what transpired. michaeldeibert.substack.com/p/the-fall-o...
Started learning languages three years ago after my mum passed and just kept it up.
November 4, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Started learning languages three years ago after my mum passed and just kept it up.
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
They have money for 50k hiring bonuses for masked secret police, lavish ballrooms, private jets & deeply stupid parties for themselves, but when it comes to the people it's "let them starve." www.nbcnews.com/politics/whi...
Trump administration tells judge it will partially fund SNAP benefits using contingency funds
A federal judge ruled Friday that the Agriculture Department must disburse funding for SNAP, also known as food stamps.
www.nbcnews.com
November 3, 2025 at 6:48 PM
They have money for 50k hiring bonuses for masked secret police, lavish ballrooms, private jets & deeply stupid parties for themselves, but when it comes to the people it's "let them starve." www.nbcnews.com/politics/whi...
Reposted by Fiona Zerbst
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...
‘Opposing the inevitability of AI at universities is possible and necessary’ | Radboud University
Since the widespread release of ChatGPT in December of 2022, AI has taken over much of the world by storm – including academia. Most of this happened with very little pushback, despite a myriad of iss...
www.ru.nl
November 1, 2025 at 10:26 PM
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...