A. I believe the main issue here is the definition of the word “chuck”. In this context, chuck can either refer to eating or throwing. If “chuck” is referring to the action of eating, my answer is as follows. According to my research, groundhogs (AKA woodchucks) do not actually eat wood. They simply chew on trees or large branches to curb the growth of their teeth so that they do not get too long. However, if I were to be put into the hypothetical scenario in which groundhogs did consume wood as you are suggesting, my research would lead me to believe that a typical male groundhog could eat about 25-35 cubic inches of wood per day. This equates to roughly 0.75-1.5 lbs. If the word “chuck” is referring to the action of throwing, my answer is as follows. Groundhogs live in burrows and not in dams despite common misconception. An average male groundhog can move about 700 lbs. of dirt per day when burrowing. If, however, instead of dirt he were throwing wood, the numbers would climb shockingly high. Given that the average tree limb ranges in weight from 5-25 lbs., a groundhog could hurl approximately 125 or so branches before throwing in the towel. Although the common consensus is that a woodchuck would chuck all the wood he could if a woodchuck could chuck wood, I believe my conclusions are far more sound and accurate estimates.
Q. What is your opinion on AI and its use in school? There have been many concerns such as cheating and using it to do work for you. However, there are benefits as it helps you study and improve on your work. Do you think that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks or that AI can not be trusted in the hands of students? -Anonymous junior
A. I think that there is no problem with using AI in an educational environment, as long as it is used ethically and with the correct intentions. You are correct in saying that AI has many benefits when used in school. It can organize your thoughts, give you formatting suggestions, create practice tests, and a myriad of other things. If used like any other resource, such as a study guide or article, AI is a phenomenal tool and should be regarded as such. However, if used improperly, AI can have disastrous consequences such as students plagiarizing, cheating, and other deplorable acts. If you step back and look at the bigger picture, however, you will realize that the problem is not the software itself, but the person using it. That is to say, academic dishonesty is nothing new. Some students have been plagiarizing and cheating long before the inception of AI and they will continue to do so in future. That being said, the wise thing to do with AI is to accept that it is here to stay and that completely banning it is a fool’s errand. Schools should be teaching the importance of academic integrity as opposed to writing off the use of AI as a principal evil. In summation, AI programs, much like computers and cell phones, are wonderful tools in an educational environment, as long as they are used responsibly and in the right circumstances.
Q. I LOVE Abe Lincoln. Recently, one of my friends has been showing some interest in my Fave Prez. I’m feeling a little territorial (one might even say, like an Alpha), and I get aggressive every time they bring him up. What should I do to ban this topic from our friendship? -Anonymous senior
A. Abraham Lincoln is also among one of my favorite chief executives. Personally, if someone were to share in my admiration for the 16th President, I would be happy that we had something in common. Firstly, I would greatly encourage you to attempt to view the situation through this lens as I am sure your friend doesn’t mean to annoy you by sharing their concurrent opinion. If that doesn’t work, I would recommend being open and honest with your friend about how this makes you feel and why you would like to avoid the subject in future conversations. To make the situation as non-confrontational as possible, try to avoid using “you statements” and shift your focus to “I statements”. For example, I wouldn’t say, “When you talk about Abraham Lincoln, it annoys me”. I would say something to the effect of this. “ Hey (friend), I hold Abraham Lincoln very near and dear to my heart. When I hear others talk about him, it gets me in a bad mood. Would it be possible that we avoid this topic in the future? I say this only because I value our friendship and that I don’t want us to have an argument.” By saying this, I think that the situation will be very well mediated, if not completely solved.