Jason Sterlace
@sterlace.bsky.social
I teach physics. I live in Virginia, USA. I like when people support their assertions with evidence.
he/him
he/him
Pinned
Jason Sterlace
@sterlace.bsky.social
· May 7
Accidentally becoming an anti-AI hipster over here.
You air drop me into a 3rd world country with a million dollars in my pocket and within a few years I will have $5.
December 13, 2025 at 5:50 PM
You air drop me into a 3rd world country with a million dollars in my pocket and within a few years I will have $5.
8-year-old me would be devastated to know that I have my own place and there are zero bead curtains in the many doorways.
December 11, 2025 at 6:09 PM
8-year-old me would be devastated to know that I have my own place and there are zero bead curtains in the many doorways.
Reposted by Jason Sterlace
"Yes, it isn't useful for most things, and it was built by stealing from people. On the other hand, we're pretty sure it will make you worse at your job AND it is driving up your power bill."
at this point AI is the equivalent of your friend eating something disgusting and asking 800 times if you wanna try it
December 10, 2025 at 8:28 PM
"Yes, it isn't useful for most things, and it was built by stealing from people. On the other hand, we're pretty sure it will make you worse at your job AND it is driving up your power bill."
There is some percentage of physics students for whom I simply cannot seem to break them of saying that up is north, down is south.
A vector that points 30° above the horizontal? That's in the northeast quadrant, they tell me. These are smart students, but this topic is a blindspot for some.
A vector that points 30° above the horizontal? That's in the northeast quadrant, they tell me. These are smart students, but this topic is a blindspot for some.
December 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
There is some percentage of physics students for whom I simply cannot seem to break them of saying that up is north, down is south.
A vector that points 30° above the horizontal? That's in the northeast quadrant, they tell me. These are smart students, but this topic is a blindspot for some.
A vector that points 30° above the horizontal? That's in the northeast quadrant, they tell me. These are smart students, but this topic is a blindspot for some.
I know nothing about college sports but today I am enjoying all of the reactions from people who stated with certainty that JMU would not get into the college football playoffs.
December 7, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I know nothing about college sports but today I am enjoying all of the reactions from people who stated with certainty that JMU would not get into the college football playoffs.
Here is my real concern with AI: Your students are giving all of your material to the AI for free.
Everything you wrote or created and did not keep to yourself? The students have already fed it directly to the AI sites. For free.
#academicsky #k12 #Copyright
Everything you wrote or created and did not keep to yourself? The students have already fed it directly to the AI sites. For free.
#academicsky #k12 #Copyright
December 6, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Here is my real concern with AI: Your students are giving all of your material to the AI for free.
Everything you wrote or created and did not keep to yourself? The students have already fed it directly to the AI sites. For free.
#academicsky #k12 #Copyright
Everything you wrote or created and did not keep to yourself? The students have already fed it directly to the AI sites. For free.
#academicsky #k12 #Copyright
I'm not sure how to explain how gauche it strikes me that CNN keeps using the phrase "double-tap" in reference to this story. It reeks of a desire to be seen as cool by the cops or the combat veterans.
Perhaps it's just me.
Perhaps it's just me.
CNN Exclusive: Boat at center of double-tap controversy wasn’t heading toward US. They were heading to link up with another larger vessel bound for Suriname.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/05/p...
www.cnn.com/2025/12/05/p...
Exclusive: Boat at center of double-tap strike controversy was meeting vessel headed to Suriname, admiral told lawmakers | CNN Politics
The alleged drug traffickers killed by the US military in a strike on September 2 were heading to link up with another, larger vessel that was bound for Suriname — a small South American country east ...
www.cnn.com
December 6, 2025 at 2:15 AM
I'm not sure how to explain how gauche it strikes me that CNN keeps using the phrase "double-tap" in reference to this story. It reeks of a desire to be seen as cool by the cops or the combat veterans.
Perhaps it's just me.
Perhaps it's just me.
Guess what? I got a FIFA!
And the only prescription... is more cowbell!
And the only prescription... is more cowbell!
December 6, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Guess what? I got a FIFA!
And the only prescription... is more cowbell!
And the only prescription... is more cowbell!
Next week is finals week and I am going to put a message on the front page:
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE THROWING OF SNOWBALLS WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EJECTION FROM THE EXAM.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE THROWING OF SNOWBALLS WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EJECTION FROM THE EXAM.
December 6, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Next week is finals week and I am going to put a message on the front page:
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE THROWING OF SNOWBALLS WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EJECTION FROM THE EXAM.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE THROWING OF SNOWBALLS WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EJECTION FROM THE EXAM.
Wake up, check email, see that the university is not closed or delayed due to weather. Get ready, shovel a bit, start driving. Radio says the interstate is blocked. GPS says take the back roads through the farms. (GPS doesn't see the weather.)
This should have been a delay or closure.
This should have been a delay or closure.
December 5, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Wake up, check email, see that the university is not closed or delayed due to weather. Get ready, shovel a bit, start driving. Radio says the interstate is blocked. GPS says take the back roads through the farms. (GPS doesn't see the weather.)
This should have been a delay or closure.
This should have been a delay or closure.
Do you know someone who falls asleep during meetings? I am available for hire to stand behind them and wake them up. Rates unreasonable, but times flexible.
December 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Do you know someone who falls asleep during meetings? I am available for hire to stand behind them and wake them up. Rates unreasonable, but times flexible.
Average Elon tweet be like: "Wow" or sometimes "🎯"
December 2, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Average Elon tweet be like: "Wow" or sometimes "🎯"
Here's the thing: professors, departments, colleges and universities are not good at teaching this.
In this environment, it's practically a setup, especially for TAs, grad students, and other new instructors.
In this environment, it's practically a setup, especially for TAs, grad students, and other new instructors.
this sort of thing is exhausting, but i do think you can protect yourself a bit in these situations just by being hyperconscious
December 1, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Here's the thing: professors, departments, colleges and universities are not good at teaching this.
In this environment, it's practically a setup, especially for TAs, grad students, and other new instructors.
In this environment, it's practically a setup, especially for TAs, grad students, and other new instructors.
Does the text of the poem include ~10 kilograms of plutonium physically dropped in your lap or something?
Because getting the material is generally considered the hardest part.
Because getting the material is generally considered the hardest part.
this is quite the detail
November 30, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Does the text of the poem include ~10 kilograms of plutonium physically dropped in your lap or something?
Because getting the material is generally considered the hardest part.
Because getting the material is generally considered the hardest part.
What is it that the influencers think "POV" means?
November 28, 2025 at 8:03 PM
What is it that the influencers think "POV" means?
For those of you who do not listen to political AM radio talk shows, I want to let you know that this has been the discourse there for 30+ years. Specifically, that culture is genetic, immutable, immalleable. That non-white immigrants will kill us all.
It is blatant white supremacist propaganda.
It is blatant white supremacist propaganda.
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
For those of you who do not listen to political AM radio talk shows, I want to let you know that this has been the discourse there for 30+ years. Specifically, that culture is genetic, immutable, immalleable. That non-white immigrants will kill us all.
It is blatant white supremacist propaganda.
It is blatant white supremacist propaganda.
Reposted by Jason Sterlace
Can we get a vibe check from Rockingham County, VA, as the VP of the USA says people who like the taste of turkey are “full of shit”?
November 27, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Can we get a vibe check from Rockingham County, VA, as the VP of the USA says people who like the taste of turkey are “full of shit”?
Can we get a vibe check from Rockingham County, VA, as the VP of the USA says people who like the taste of turkey are “full of shit”?
November 27, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Can we get a vibe check from Rockingham County, VA, as the VP of the USA says people who like the taste of turkey are “full of shit”?
At the time of the American Revolution, Boston had a population of about 16,000 people.
Fenway Park has a capacity of more than 37,000.
Fenway Park has a capacity of more than 37,000.
November 24, 2025 at 2:48 PM
At the time of the American Revolution, Boston had a population of about 16,000 people.
Fenway Park has a capacity of more than 37,000.
Fenway Park has a capacity of more than 37,000.
Billionaires are Dragons.
November 20, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Billionaires are Dragons.
November 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I agree with this and I’m still feeling good about becoming an anti-AI hipster over here.
At the end of the day, Generative A.I. is nothing more than a plagiarism machine. It will never birth the next Dr. Seuss, Jim Henson, David Lynch or any other artist known for their unique and creative imagination and storytelling.
November 15, 2025 at 12:16 AM
I agree with this and I’m still feeling good about becoming an anti-AI hipster over here.
Update: A colleague down the hall notes that if we went with "meter newtons" it would abbreviate exactly like "millinewtons", and I am devastated to recognize that he is right.
Okay, #iteachphysics crowd, torque is defined as the cross product of the (lever arm) displacement vector and the force vector.
Shouldn't that give us units of meter-newtons?
So why do we use newton-meters?
Shouldn't that give us units of meter-newtons?
So why do we use newton-meters?
November 12, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Update: A colleague down the hall notes that if we went with "meter newtons" it would abbreviate exactly like "millinewtons", and I am devastated to recognize that he is right.
Okay, #iteachphysics crowd, torque is defined as the cross product of the (lever arm) displacement vector and the force vector.
Shouldn't that give us units of meter-newtons?
So why do we use newton-meters?
Shouldn't that give us units of meter-newtons?
So why do we use newton-meters?
November 12, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Okay, #iteachphysics crowd, torque is defined as the cross product of the (lever arm) displacement vector and the force vector.
Shouldn't that give us units of meter-newtons?
So why do we use newton-meters?
Shouldn't that give us units of meter-newtons?
So why do we use newton-meters?
Reposted by Jason Sterlace
Too many treat loss of public education as unfortunate collateral damage. But there is no greater democratic institution than the one responsible for renewing faith in and principles of democracy for each generation.
We lose public education, we lose the long game, the short game, the whole goddamn game, people.
"Should the school privatization agenda succeed, our education systems would be beyond all recognition—exponentially more stratified, segregated, and sectarianized than they are now, further balkanizing an already bitterly divided nation."
edlawprof.substack.com/p/what-rhyme...
edlawprof.substack.com/p/what-rhyme...
November 12, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Too many treat loss of public education as unfortunate collateral damage. But there is no greater democratic institution than the one responsible for renewing faith in and principles of democracy for each generation.