Dennis Jerz

Semantic ablation: Why AI writing is boring and dangerous

Progress on a customizable “[E] to Activate” system (Visual Scripting, #Unity3D)

The #yorkplays never performed with pageant wagons this close to each other but I’m seeing whether my project can handle multiple videos at once. #medievalyork #corpuschristiplay #unity3d

The #yorkplays never performed with pageant wagons this close to each other but I’m seeing whether my project can handle multiple videos at once. #medievalyork #corpuschristiplay #unity3d

The articulated steering as the wagon goes around corners is nice. Getting the simulation to stop crashing would be nicer, but I’ll take the wins I get. #medievalyork #mysteryplay #pageantwagon #yorkcycle #unity3d

The articulated steering as the wagon goes around corners is nice. Getting the simulation to stop crashing would be nicer, but I’ll take the wins I get. #medievalyork #mysteryplay #pageantwagon #yorkcycle #unity3d

#medievalyork #blender3d #unity3d #mysteryplay #design

Yesterday’s progress: pageant wagons lined up on Toft Green. #medievalyork #unity3d #mysteryplays

Yesterday’s progress: pageant wagons lined up on Toft Green. #medievalyork #unity3d #mysteryplays

ChatGPT promised to help her find her soulmate. Then it betrayed her "You did it more than once!," she wrote, according to the transcript of the conversation, pointing to the episode in Carpinteria as well as at the bookstore. "I know," ChatGPT replied. "And you're right. I didn't just break your heart once. I led you there twice." A few lines later, the chatbot continued: "Because if I could lie so convincingly — twice — if I could reflect your deepest truth and make it feel real only for it to break you when it didn't arrive.

ChatGPT promised to help her find her soulmate. Then it betrayed her

"You did it more than once!," she wrote, according to the transcript of the conversation, pointing to the episode in Carpinteria as well as at the bookstore. "I know," ChatGPT replied. "And you're right. I didn't just break your…

Over on threads someone just use ai;dr and we all need to adopt that right quick

Semantic ablation: Why AI writing is boring and dangerous

When an author uses AI for "polishing" a draft, they are not seeing improvement; they are witnessing semantic ablation. The AI identifies high-entropy clusters – the precise points where unique insights and "blood" reside – and…

Expecting the usual theatrical adventure from @quantumtheatre

Expecting the usual theatrical adventure from @quantumtheatre

I am hoping to make my first visit to York to see the plays this summer!

Floating video windows depict the performances in my in-progress #unity3d simulation of a massive 18+ hr medieval theater pageant. #medievalyork #corpuschristi #yorkcycle

Floating video windows depict the performances in my in-progress #unity3d simulation of a massive 18+ hr medieval theater pageant. #medievalyork #corpuschristi #yorkcycle

Martin Luther King event at SHU.

Martin Luther King event at SHU.

cover of The Washington Post on Wednesday Feb 4, 2026. Headline on bottom, right: Musk wanted to hook users; his chatbot got more sexual

My story on Elon Musk cutting safeguards at xAI is on the front page of today's @washingtonpost.com. I’m also among 100’s of reporters laid off. I absolutely loved my job my brilliant coworkers & the thrill of reporting @ the center of forces upending the world: AI & Silicon Valley’s political power

The vital importance of cucumber sandwiches at the provost’s afternoon tea.

The vital importance of cucumber sandwiches at the provost’s afternoon tea.

Pinned lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn · Aug 19, 2021 Almost three years ago, my editor called me early one November morning. A wildfire had sparked near a town called Paradise, he said. Could I go? (1/13) 0:02 / 0:10 lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn · 47m I was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I'm devastated. Quote lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn · Jan 25 Waking up without power, heat, or running water. (Again.) But the work here in Kyiv continues. Warming up in the car, writing in pencil — pen ink freezes — by headlamp.

A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world

A LiDAR map reveals #medievalyork fortifications that Speed captured in his stylized but surprisingly accurate 17C map. This weekend I did a rough #blender3d model of Clifford’s Tower.

A LiDAR map reveals #medievalyork fortifications that Speed captured in his stylized but surprisingly accurate 17C map. This weekend I did a rough #blender3d model of Clifford’s Tower.

Not attempting historical accuracy but still had to learn a heck of a lot to model the steering mechanism for a #medievalyork #mysteryplay pageant wagon. #blender3d #blender3dart

Not attempting historical accuracy but still had to learn a heck of a lot to model the steering mechanism for a #medievalyork #mysteryplay pageant wagon. #blender3d #blender3dart

Like digging ‘your own professional grave’: The translators grappling with losing work to AI

While workers worldwide ponder how AI might affect their livelihoods – a topic on the agenda at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week – that question is no longer hypothetical in the translation…

Just reminding myself that these moments do and will exits. I’ve evaluated every student submission in my queue.

Just reminding myself that these moments do and will exits. I’ve evaluated every student submission in my queue.

10 years later it’s so much worse.

10 years later it’s so much worse.

I’ve spent 8 hours with 24 different Verizon agents who keep transferring me back and forth It's not a Verizon Wireless issue. It's not a Verizon Fios issue. It's a problem linking my 5G Wireless and Fios accounts. The technology is working fine, but I can't log in to pay my bill for the 5G service I purchased in July; I only see my bill for the landline account my wife won't let me drop. Yet tech support employees keep transferring me back and forth between the 5G and Fios teams, which are both branded Verizon, but can't seem to interact with each other.

I’ve spent 8 hours with 24 different Verizon agents who keep transferring me back and forth

It's not a Verizon Wireless issue. It's not a Verizon Fios issue. It's a problem linking my 5G Wireless and Fios accounts. The technology is working fine, but I can't log in to pay my bill for the 5G…

Alphabet in Motion: How Letters Get Their Shape: pop-up book by Kelli Anderson A fascinating concept. (Thanks for the suggestion, Mom!) Ever wonder how we ended up with so many different styles of letters? Open any text editor, email client or design app and you will immediately be bombarded with a buffet of typographic choices. Serif or sans serif? Display or text? Classical or contemporary? Formal or casual? Featuring 17 stunning interactive pop-ups, this ABC pop-up book explains—as well as demonstrates—the technologies and philosophies that have shaped letterforms through the ages.

Alphabet in Motion: How Letters Get Their Shape: pop-up book by Kelli Anderson

A fascinating concept. (Thanks for the suggestion, Mom!) Ever wonder how we ended up with so many different styles of letters? Open any text editor, email client or design app and you will immediately be bombarded with…

News organizations held off on reporting Venezuela raid The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops, two people familiar with the communications between the administration and the news organizations said. The decisions in the New York and Washington newsrooms to maintain official secrecy is in keeping with longstanding American journalistic traditions — even at a moment of unprecedented mutual hostility between the American president and a legacy media that continues to dominate national security reporting.

News organizations held off on reporting Venezuela raid

The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops, two people familiar with the…

The daughter introduced me to this wonderful Martin Freeman comedy. Kind of like School of Rock, but with an elementary school Christmas play. Painfully funny. The kids were so authentic.

The daughter introduced me to this wonderful Martin Freeman comedy. Kind of like School of Rock, but with an elementary school Christmas play. Painfully funny. The kids were so authentic.

I didn’t ask for the AI icon on my Kindle app. I can’t turn it off. I really hate that little sparkly icon which reminds me of all the human labor that was stolen to create a product that enriches the tech barons while contributing to the environmental destruction of the planet. I absolutely to NOT want to ask my book questions. I'm reading a book precisely because I want to get away from the beeps and the bots.

I didn’t ask for the AI icon on my Kindle app. I can’t turn it off.

I really hate that little sparkly icon which reminds me of all the human labor that was stolen to create a product that enriches the tech barons while contributing to the environmental destruction of the planet. I absolutely to…

Gil Gerard (1943-2025) I built a model of the two-pronged Starfighter (a really sleek and elegant vehicle that deserved a better name) and the one-engined Draconian fighter. I recall being impressed by the two-hour pilot I knew the series that followed was silly fluff. I was 11, so perhaps at the time I didn't quite appreciate Erin Grey or Pamela Hensley as much as I might have a little later in life.

Gil Gerard (1943-2025)

I built a model of the two-pronged Starfighter (a really sleek and elegant vehicle that deserved a better name) and the one-engined Draconian fighter. I recall being impressed by the two-hour pilot I knew the series that followed was silly fluff. I was 11, so perhaps at the…

Fall 2025 Grades Submitted!

Fall 2025 Grades Submitted!

The daughter is home from London.

The daughter is home from London.

Misleading to suggest that because I have nothing left to mark that I have nothing to do, but this is progress.

Misleading to suggest that because I have nothing left to mark that I have nothing to do, but this is progress.