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Catherine Shaffer

@cathshaffer.bsky.social
651 followers 306 following 2.8K posts

Freelance Science Journalist | SFF Writer MSU/UM grad | Ann Arbor 🏠 | Clarion '97 | AnLab 🏅 | Obligate herbivore | Cat lover | Allergic to cats | Achoo! www.CatherineShaffer.com

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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 11h
This narrative feature opening, a super normal style for news writing. It looks like they've also produced it as a podcast or radio spot (I can't tell). For those, you would typically set the scene with audio from the field in the background. I wrote and produced many like this for public radio.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I'm guessing primarily it's an umami and maple flavor profile, not unlike the miso baked goods trend
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Use of AI in the newsroom destroys trust with readers AND sources that can’t easily be repaired.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
A year or two ago, Gannett was advertising heavily on LinkedIn for AI reporter roles, described as a reporter that would use AI to assemble large numbers of stories with fast turnover. I didn’t apply. Worth reading the whole thread here.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I’m so confused. Are they even Catholic? What business purpose does this serve?
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Oh great now they’re going to expect you to file early every time!
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Oof! I’m glad you found a place.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
In American usage, it is not a warning of some kind of danger (unless specified, aka "take care on the steps), but a wish that you travel smoothly/safely, similar to "fare well." Both are imperative verb forms. We also often say, "safe travels," or "drive safe."
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I accidentally closed my main browser window with the tabs I've been keeping open and restarting on for months. I feel oddly relieved.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
What is the barrier to being considered for a rental?
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
In addition to the points raised in this excellent thread, I'll note that competitors pay from $999 up to nearly $20,000 to join the "contest." This is just marketing for the company.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
But isn't that what "farewell" means?
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I used to occasionally offer my sources the option to do an interview by email, if it was too difficult to align schedules for a call or if it was easier for them, though a live call was always on offer. I've stopped recently because I started getting AI-generated interviews back.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I have so many awesome projects I think about constantly, and it feels like I get about 5 minutes a day to work on them vs dumb stuff like keeping my body alive and pretending money is real.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I recently noticed my dog’s canned food is 12 ounces. Same size can as 15, but with empty space inside.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
My son got out of the Navy, moved back to Michigan, and got engaged. Welcome back online!
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
They will understand
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Including renovations? Just in case I start collecting guitars, I want to have accurate guidance.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
A “reasoning” model has additional algorithms built in that can revise the LLM’s chain of predicted words to better match patterns in its training data before producing a final output. Reasoning and hallucinating are anthropomorphic terms. It does neither.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
She’s tough but fair
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Yes, exactly! When it produces an output in response to a prompt, that output is a *simulation* of the product in question. It is made to LOOK LIKE an answer to your question. It may be factually correct or not, but both are made up.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
There is no way to "improve" LLMs out of hallucination. It's baked in.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Let's look for the silver lining, here. I'm actually looking forward to the big tech execs making absolute fools of themselves complying with this "order."
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Good idea!
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I found it! Deeply buried in the powder. The lines are not even intervals, but neither do they look like these numbers.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I think my only hope here is to buy another package and hope it has a scoop inside? Does Tide Clear and Gentle usually come with a scoop? Anyone?
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Well this is helpful. I reached out to Tide via their customer service text chat and reached an AI identified as Nancy M because my package came without a scoop. I needed to know what kitchen measurements correspond to the marks on the included scoop, which has five evenly spaced marks. Here it is:
Bar 1: 2.1 ounces, 1/4 cup
Bar 2: 2.7 ounces, 1/3 cup
Bar 3: .0 ounces, also 1/3 cup
Bar 4, 4.0 ounces, 1/2 cup
Bar 5, 5.9 ounces, 3/4 cup
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
C-suite executives increasingly talk like AI chatbots. Just heard an anecdote in which a VP described someone as "overclubbed for the position." Normal humans are not sure what that means.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I’m looking forward to seeing this
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Every successful long term relationship has an argument that comes up repeatedly and can never be resolved. You just recognize and accept. (But that one thing should never be a lack of love or respect.)
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
We all are wired for equatorial sun, but being able to get outdoors more in winter would be nice
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Good bye day boot. Hello night splint. #feets #ouch
A tabby cat inspects a cushioned gray night splint for plantar fasciitis
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
She was just doing her job
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
428 words on "Fly, Falco, Fly," a short story about time travel and irreconcilable differences. 428 total. #dailywords
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
267 words on Orclords of Medhjos, a fantasy novel about what comes after the Dark Lord is defeated. 51, 456 words total. #dailywords
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I discovered r/laundry and my new hobby now is whiter whites
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Now that I think of it, I do sometimes get requests for copies of my articles, too. I'm happy to help with that.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Claude users, Twitter mobs, Grok, oh my, all bullying a tiny website for no reason
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I’m the one requesting. There’s usually an email contact in the paper somewhere. I just send an email asking nicely for a copy.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Everyone speaks English 🤷‍♀️
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
For science journalists: this always works for me, though it might take a day or two
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Furries are flying the planes!
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I went through something like this but West Virginia during peak COVID Delta in 2021
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
And a quick 270 antiwords for 51,009 total today. (Antiwords are good. I'm running long right now.)
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
2063 words on Orclords of Medhjos, a fantasy novel about what comes after the dark lord is defeated. 51,279 words total. #dailywords
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Help a science fiction author settle in Scotland.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This has already been litigated up to the supreme court
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Just finished up another great writing session on my totally silent weekly group writers video chat. Basically, you log on and just write. No prompts, no chat breaks. Just silent writing and occasional text chats. Lmk if you're looking for something like that.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Hint: I never used one of these in school, but my Dad had one and taught me how to use it.
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Catherine Shaffer @cathshaffer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Age check. Identify this nerdstrap.
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