It’s time for the first issue of Chris’s Question Corner! We have 4 questions to answer and a special thank you to anyone who sends a question. If you would like to send a question feel free to open the form in your class google classroom or email me directly at cc2941@aacsapps.com. 

Q: Can barbecue sauce go on pizza? 

A: Simple answer: yes. Long answer: many irregular pizzas use BBQ sauce instead of standard pizza sauce such as BBQ chicken pizza. 

Q: If a giraffe wears a tie would it be on the top or bottom of his neck?

A: I would say that a giraffe would wear a tie at the bottom of its neck. When a person wears a tie it is worn at the bottom of our neck so I don’t see why giraffes wouldn’t.

Q: What would you do with a million bucks?

A: I would pay for college ahead of time then pay someone reliable to invest the rest of the money so I hopefully have something to fall back on. 

Q: Which time travel theory do you believe is true and why?

A: I don’t particularly think people can time travel because I don’t believe time is a linear thing. I am of the belief that time is perspective. To me, time started when I was born and time seems to speed up when I go to sleep. I think the only kind of time travel people could do would be traveling so fast that we get to the speed of light and see light from earlier. I guess if you moved fast enough to another galaxy you could see earth from long ago, similarly to the way we see ancient versions of stars in the sky as the light reaches us.

Thank you for all the interesting questions and feel free to ask anything, from my opinion to actual fact, I’ll be happy to answer whatever I can!

Story by Joey Taggart

Throughout the past couple years a new technology has gained more and more attention. This technology is known as artificial intelligence, which refers to the ability of computers to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This brings two questions to the table: can AI be applied to journalism and can it produce an article that feels handwritten? I asked AI to write me an article about a specific topic, and asked students whether or not they could tell that it was written by AI. 

Chocolate vs strawberry milk: pick your pour 

Written by AI

The debate between chocolate milk and strawberry milk often boils down to personal preference. Chocolate milk is lauded for its rich, indulgent flavor, while strawberry milk offers a fruity and refreshing twist. Ultimately, the choice depends on individual taste buds and cravings. Some argue that chocolate milk is a classic favorite, appealing to those with a sweet tooth, while others appreciate the unique sweetness and pink hue of strawberry milk. Whether you lean towards the comforting familiarity of chocolate or the playful allure of strawberry, both options provide a delightful treat for different occasions. 

Student Opinions

After showing this article to multiple students it became apparent that the article was very obviously written by AI. “It doesn’t sound like the writing of a high schooler,” freshman Will Levey explained. “Sometimes you can just tell.”  Some of the terms that were used sounded out of place for a high school newspaper, for example “lauded” and “allure” are both used in a grammatically correct manner; however, they sound out of place in a story revolving around such a simple debate. “Yeah that's definitely AI, some of the words sound too specific” comments sophomore Sam Bensley after reading the article.

The process of getting this article wasn’t as simple as it's made out to be. Any attempts were too obviously written by AI and the more specific the instructions were, the more unrealistic the article sounded. For example, I asked AI to “write an article for a school newspaper on the debate between strawberry and chocolate milk, make it sound like a high schooler wrote it.” This resulted in an article whose opening line was “yo, fellow high schoolers!” As if this didn't already give it away, the article was also riddled with popular slang terms such as “og” and “haters” which would never make it past Mrs. Snyder. This goes to show that although AI may be just as intelligent as humans, it does not possess the other characteristics that humans put into their writing; therefore, it cannot produce an article that feels handwritten. As for its applications to Journalism, I'm sure that it can be used in other ways, however, when it comes to the writing itself it is unable to make it feel genuine.

Story by Liam Carstens

2023 was a big year for movies, and AACS students had some very interesting opinions on some of them.

One of the biggest movies of the year, The Barbie Movie, follows Barbie and Ken, who discover the joys and the problems with society after traveling to the real world from Barbie Land. The movie offers a unique perspective on modern culture and feminism.

Junior Patrick Powers said, “I like Ken, he's a very based sigma. All of the haters are trying to mog him. I thought Barbie was kinda goofy. Michael Cera was very good in the movie, very funny in an awkward way.”

Junior Gabe Fioretto said, “I would like a Mojo Dojo CasaHouse. I thought Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling did an exemplary job playing the roles of Barbie and Ken. I thought Will Ferrill was entertaining. I would rate it a 6.8976/10.”

Another popular movie of 2023, Godzilla Minus One, is a brand new take on the classic story of Godzilla. The movie takes place in post World War II Japan, and all of the characters speak Japanese, so you will have to read the English subtitles to understand them.

The main character is a former kamikaze pilot, and the story follows him as he struggles to survive in the aftermath of Godzilla’s destruction.

The main reason I liked this movie was that it was able to tell a small scale story within a large scale setting. Godzilla destroys cities, but the movie still manages to focus on the characters’ stories.

Story by Abby Hurd 

Atlas is a 2 year old newfoundland tibetan mastiff mix owned by Junior Ambria Papworth. “He enjoys lying in the pool and playing with the water from the hose when the weather gets warm.” Atlas is described as big and friendly, with an entertaining personality and he enjoys playing outside in the summertime. “Atlas takes the lid of our trash can off with his nose and wears it around his head just to fling it all over the place” stated Papworth with a smile. She talks to me about all the silly and cute things he does daily that bring her and her family joy. 

The process of getting Atlas:

Ambria and her mother wanted a new puppy, but Ambria’s father was very adamant about not getting another dog, considering they already had two. After being told “no” many times Mrs. Papworth went out and reserved Atlas to later buy in December of 2021. There was no backing out after that, Ambria Papworth exclaimed. After bringing the fluffy and playful Atlas home to meet the family, Mr. Papworth became content with the situation, as he knew Atlas was going to join their family. 

The process of taking care of Altas: 

Atlas is a long haired dog meaning the Papworth family brushes him daily and takes him to the groomer every other week. Unfortunately due to his breed he is very likely to get sick, so he is required to get lots of medication and a vet visit once a month to ensure he can stay his healthy and playful self. 

Atlas is a 2 year old newfoundland tibetan mastiff who is very playful and has a lot of energy. He is owned by the Papworth family, who love him and take very good care of him, considering his many needs due to his breed.