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Is it AI? Or, Sarah?

November 7, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 3 Comments

Feature Post under The Bird on Fire’s Technology theme

By 8th-Grade Blogger Sarah Alnabelsi

Have you scrolled online and been met with a post that makes you wonder if it’s real or fake? Artificial Intelligence app platforms like Chat GPT and Sora AI have made AI creations seem very human made, which is something that has been causing much skepticism in social media. Now, more than ever, social media has become a major source of information. However, since Artificial Intelligence’s growth, it has become very difficult to determine if the information you are getting is true or not. To challenge AI’s realistic style of writing, I wrote a poem, and then I asked Chat GPT to write a poem on the same topic to show the differences and to see how difficult it is to tell which is real or fake. Here is what happened.

My poem:

A Bright Night

Whistles of the winds,
In the darkness of the night, 
The moon lies silent.
The stars radiate blue,
In its bright white hues,
Like snow or doves, or even 
Clouds or shrouds.
Closer up, dark spots lie bare.
Some big, some small,
Scattered them all.
Stars pulse, moving closer,
Hundreds and thousands, 
Intricately placed, 
Like a holy book
perfectly made.
The orb moves astray, 
as the light turns away.
Then, the night loses its light,
No longer is it bright.

Sarah Alnabelsi

Next,  I told Chat GPT, “Write a poem about the moon,” and this is what it did:

The Moon’s Observation 🌙

The moon drifts across the silent sky,
Its light touches trees as it passes by.
It watches quietly every night,
Each scene unfolding in gentle light.

It sees humans walking, sitting, asleep,
Observing moments, memories to keep.
Night after night, it follows the same way,
A steady presence until the day.

The world moves on, yet it remains,
A quiet witness to joys and pains.
It glows above, neither loud nor bright,
Always present, always in sight.

Having read this without knowing which is real or AI, I think you could still figure out which is which by simply analyzing them. Surfer Blog brings up several points that you should look at to help determine if something is artificially made (Surferseo.com). I will go over some main points that are evident in the AI-generated poem to make it easier for you to find patterns of AI-made literature.

First of all, let’s look at the format and tone of the poem–

Each line is almost the same length, and each stanza has exactly four lines. The tone is also very bare and doesn’t have much expression to it; whereas, my poem at least includes some comparison and imagery in it: “Intricately placed, like a holy book, perfectly made.” AI’s poem lacks an analogy, and instead brings up things that are obviously known and not original.

Another clue in the AI-generated poem is its absence of personal experience. In the beginning, it flows normally, then randomly it says, “Each scene unfolding in gentle light.” Having read the parts of the poem before it, I feel like it’s very out of the blue. Also, I’ve never really heard a human say, “Each scene unfolding…” or anything along these lines. I think AI was trying to have humor or relate to humans, but failed. 

AI has changed the way of many things, especially making information untrustworthy. Whether you are reading a poem, or reading an informative post, I hope these tips can help you not fall for deceitful information online.

Original graphic penned by the real Sarah.

Source Referenced:

https://surferseo.com/blog/detect-ai-content

Filed Under: Aesthetic, Alternate Realities, Technology Tagged With: Is it AI? Or, Sarah Alnabelsi, Sarah?

A World Without Technology 

November 4, 2025 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By 8th-Grade Blogger Soleil Antle

Our world is defined by all the things that make it unique, our ability to sustain life, water, oxygen, etc., but lately we’ve been caught in a web of technology–one that is so addictive that we lose sight of who we truly are. We see influencers as role models and change ourselves to gain popularity. What’s the point in changing ourselves to be like other people? In the past, we were true to ourselves. When I think of social media and AI, I wonder what our world would be like without that technology.

Not all technology is inadequate, as the different forms give us things like electrical power, the satisfaction of researching a topic online, discoveries to help us communicate with astronauts up in space, medical findings and much more. But there is one thing everyone seems to be addicted to, and that is the iPhone. Children of this generation are growing up using their screens all day long, spending their time learning “brain rot” or binge watching shows. Parents don’t realize the effect that constant screentime has on their children as they are also busy scrolling on Instagram or TikTok themselves. But, if we were to take the scrolling and the binge watching away, even for a short period of time, we would become more involved in what is happening around us. 

The University of Chicago Press says, “The mere presence of one’s . . . smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity.” Photo Credit: Soleil Antle

Back in time when we didn’t have such things as tablets or iPhones, people spent their time hanging out with their friends and family. Relationships were stronger and children didn’t try to change who they were based off images they saw online. This type of socializing emphasized the phrase “live in the moment.”

Social media is a loop that triggers the brain’s reward system through likes, comments, etc. It helps with FOMO (fear of missing out) and makes people forget about the real world problems they are facing. But, when I think of all the problems we are facing in the world today, I wonder if some problems come from children being inappropriately influenced. Influencers who spread their content on social media have a lot more power than it seems, and their word has a big impact on many people. This applies to the foods they eat, what they wear, how they act. Aspiring adults take in what these people are saying, and use it for themselves. Not embracing their true selves makes them “sheep.” (Sheeple : people who are docile, compliant, or easily influenced.–Merriam-Webster).

If we took away the power of mindless influencers, we would use our best judgement. We would talk to family and friends more, and be kinder to everyone. Think about your life, your addiction to technology. How can you work in a little time to spend with family, friends or hobbies without a phone in your hand? 

Sometimes you just have to put your phone down and live in the moment.

Filed Under: Advice, Alternate Realities, Controversy, Technology Tagged With: A World Without Technology, Soleil Antle

What’s Love?

March 16, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By AI and Luke Sonderman

I asked bloggers to define that slippery concept “love.” Luke turned to AI. The result was “Blah.” Then, Luke went Luke-ish. His poem is not a love missive most want to receive, but it’s original.

Blog Advisor Zachik

Love according to AI: 

Love is a fire that burns within,

A force that knows no end or sin,

It binds two souls with gentle touch,

And fills their hearts with love so much.

Love is a melody sweetly sung,

A symphony that never becomes unsung,

It brings together hearts and minds,

And leaves all else far behind.

Love is a flower that blooms and grows,

A fragrance that always flows,

It lifts us up and makes us whole,

And warms the coldest, loneliest soul.

Love is a treasure that we hold,

A story that will always be told,

It’s the magic that lights up our days,

And forever in our hearts, it stays.


Love according to Luke:

Love is being right. 

There is nothing better than being right.

Whether being right makes someone else cry,

And especially when it makes someone else say “I am wrong,”

Love is being right.

Some people say “It’s not about being right, it’s about being nice.”

Those people are what I like to call LOSERS.

Do you want to be a loser?

No.

Be a winner.

Be Right.

If anyone knows what love feels like, it’s me. 

Because I am ALWAYS RIGHT.

Ask anyone, they’ll tell you. 

So the next time you feel down or lonely. Maybe unloved.

Scoot your way into an argument and WIN.

You can trust me. I am ALWAYS right.

Filed Under: Love, Poetry, Technology Tagged With: AI, Luke Sonderman, What's Love

Rain + coffee shops = happiness

February 9, 2023 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

While most bloggers explored the literal coffee-drinking experience during our Coffee Theme Week, Alyna delved into a new corner of the coffee shop. She shares here a virtual cafe. For those of you missing your morning coffee-shop vibes, Alyna tells you have to access coffee-shop sounds any time of the day.

By Upper-School Blogger Alyna Rei

I hate studying or doing homework when it’s really quiet. If there is some noise in the room, then that is what keeps me from going into distracted deep thinking. Most days I listen to music on a playlist. But there are some days where I don’t even want to listen to music–even if there are no lyrics. Because of this, I decided to search around to see if there are other options. 

I came across a website called www.imissmycafe.com.  I found this website during lockdown when I had to study at home instead of going out. This website plays different sounds as if you were in an actual coffee shop. For example,  there are sounds such as people talking, coffee machines, coffee cups, baristas, rain, etc. The best part about this is that you can control the volume on each sound. The reason why I like this website is because you don’t pay for anything, you can control what you hear, and it is easy to access. 

My favorite combinations would be the sounds of preparing drinks, coffee cups, machinery, and rain, so I push those sounds a little louder. This website also comes with a playlist of songs that you can play while listening to sounds at a coffee shop. These songs are on the calmer side and have the aesthetic of a coffee shop. These aren’t my favorite songs, so I just open up Spotify and play my own songs. The way you can enter this soothing virtual coffee-shop website is by going on a browser and typing in www.imissmycafe.com. It will take you straight to the website.

So, please come in, and sit down to a cup of coffee in this virtual cafe, tailored just for you. 🙂

Filed Under: Food, Technology Tagged With: Alyna Rei, Rain + coffee shops = happiness

The screen

December 6, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

A Poem, by Middle-Schooler Penny Andreas

As the screen turns on

And the pixels turn to color

I stare at it blankly

My mind turning into rubber

4 hours pass

I stay in the same spot

Not blinking once

My eyes about to pop

When it finally turns off

My eyes blink fast

Suddenly bored

Wondering what to do next

Filed Under: Poetry, Technology Tagged With: Penny Andreas, The screen

Chapters: Teens and Their Phones

November 3, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Junior Alyna Rei

When considering the chapters in her life, Alyna considers the impact of that electronic device attached to so many of our hands.

Every parent that has a kid going through an electronic middle-school faze knows this story. This chapter of a teenager’s life is defined by them evolving into their more teenage faze with electronics. In this chapter, we learn, phones control our lives.

Chapter 1: the start of the faze

This phase begins when we get our first phone. I got my first phone in 5th grade. I carpooled with different people,  so that I could keep in contact with my family, they gave me a phone. In the beginning, we teenagers only used our “phones” for purposes like playing games when we were bored or calling our parents when we really needed to. We used our phones, but they didn’t completely take over–yet.

Chapter 2: when it starts to take over

This is when teenagers enter middle school. There’s social media, and teens have friends they want to keep in touch with electronically. We start to really want to be on our phones all the time. We look at the screen non-stop. Our parents have the authority to take away our phones when they need to. At the start, we would tolerate our parents taking away our phones, but we were awful happy with parents giving them back.

Chapter 3: now there’s no way out

This can be during middle school, but I would say this happened to me in high school. At this point, we’re obsessed with our electronic devices and can’t live without them. All our basic doings and necessities can be done with an electronic device. So, if our parents take away our phones, then it’s the end of the world. If our phone is dead, then we NEED a charger to get the battery up asap.

Sadly, these are a few of the many chapters in teenagers’ lives that tend to stay with them as they grow up. We always say the world is changing, but I can already tell this isn’t the best way to go.

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Alyna Rei, Chapters: Teens and Their Phones

America Needs High-Speed Rail

October 19, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

An Indy Think Piece

A digital rendering of California’s proposed high-speed rail system. Source: hsr.ca.gov.

When we think of high-speed rail in America, we tend to think of Japan’s well-known bullet trains. Despite this, high-speed rail is actually increasingly common throughout the world, with multiple lines being found in Europe, Eastern and Central Asia, the Middle-East, and several other regions. Though high-speed rail does exist in America, it is much more sparse than it should be considering our country’s high GDP and infrastructure. 

The environmental impact of public transit, including trains, is a major reason why I think creating a better rail system should be one of our top priorities when it comes to improving our country’s infrastructure. The scientific consensus is that carbon dioxide emissions harm the environment, and research shows that while cars emit 371 grams of carbon dioxide per mile, trains emit only 177. This is less than half the carbon dioxide! 

Trains also take up significantly less space in cities throughout America and reduce traffic and street congestion. The traffic seen in many large cities not only has an environmental impact that affects our biosphere, it also affects peoples’ health. Children in places with higher amounts of traffic face higher rates of asthma, lung issues, and cardiovascular diseases due to the pollution caused by traffic. Additionally, more cars on the road means more car-related deaths. Pedestrian deaths are an often overlooked result of car congestion, but in 2020 over 6,000 pedestrians were killed by cars.

The reason that high-speed rail in particular is so needed is that many people will not use trains because of the inherent inconvenience of the current slow trains we primarily see in America. There are some high-speed lines in America, with Chicago being the main hub, but many states have no high-speed rail running through them whatsoever. For the states that do, they almost exclusively are seen in big cities. Though people in cities have limited access to high-speed rail, people in rural areas are completely and entirely neglected. I cannot blame people for choosing to fly as opposed to riding trains when our current system is so terrible. A nonstop flight from Los Angeles to New York is around five hours, but it takes three days to do the same by train, and you still need to change trains in Chicago and Texas.

Many people who oppose high-speed rail in our country argue that the cost is far too much, but I think it is more than worth it. The current estimate for California’s high-speed rail plan is 105 billion dollars, but I prefer that over our planet collapsing due to the effects of climate change while children experience asthma attacks due to horrific traffic clogging their cities. The initial investment is high, but it will pay for itself when it protects the people of our country’s safety, and the fees people pay for public transit also help cover these costs.

I hope you can see why I think that America is in such desperate need of high-speed rail and better public transit in general.

By Junior Indiana Behr

Filed Under: Op-Ed, Technology, Travel Tagged With: America Needs High-Speed Rail, Indy Behr

What should a 9,000-pound electric vehicle sound like?

September 7, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Each Wednesday I challenge the Blog Staff to a creative prompt.
I borrowed this week’s prompt from The New Yorker Magazine’s Instagram:

       “A zero-emissions vehicle has obvious benefits for the environment,
       but a quiet car is a mixed blessing for the public good.” For 
       distracted pedestrians, engine sounds signal a car is coming.
       What if they can’t hear it? So, electric-vehicle companies are
       trying to come up with a sound for their noiseless cars.

Our bloggers answered the question: What should a 9,000-pound electric vehicle sound like? 

Here are a few of their responses:

Indy Behr:

Since pedestrians are already used to the roaring sound of a gas engine being a sign that a car is coming, I think that if electric cars had a speaker that simply played the sound of a gas car, no one would have to adjust their expectations. If we had a beep or something like that to signify an electric car approaching many people would take time to become acquainted with this, and during that transition period I imagine more people would be struck by cars. Therefore, the sound of a gas engine would be a perfect solution.

Levi Kassinove:

Option One: Silence. 1 minute of complete silence, interrupted halfway by the faint sound of a child laughing. This is followed by 3 minutes of silence, interrupted for 2 times at random intervals by leaves rustling and a stick breaking. 10 minutes of silence will now go by, followed abruptly by screams of utter horror as the car has now become sentient and is actively trying to make the driver crash. People miss the sound of their gas engines? Well, now they’ll be begging for quiet. 

Option Two: Play “Goin’ Down the Road Feeling Bad” by Grateful Dead on repeat.

And the class favorite . . . .

Penny Andreas:

Vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom Vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom Vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom Vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom Vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom

Do you have a suggestion? Should our electric cars beep? roar? play music? hum? purr? Play along. Leave your contribution in the Comments.

Filed Under: Technology, Wednesday Writing Prompt

EV vs Combustion Power

September 6, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

When I asked our bloggers to illuminate a cause, I didn’t really expect muscle cars to be of focus. But, I was forgetting Mustang fanatic Luke Sonderman was in the house.

Blog Advisor Zachik

By Luke Sonderman

Electric cars are taking the world by storm with some of the highest performing vehicles on the market for extremely low prices. Are these cars worth getting, or should you ride in style in a classic combustion?

Tesla Model S Plaid

The Tesla Model S Plaid is a piece of straight-up raw performance. With a 0-60 (mph) of just under 2 seconds, a top speed of 200mph, and over 1000 horsepower, the Model S Plaid is the definition of speed (tesla.com). Starting at only $140,000, you will not find a car with these specs in this price range or even at all! Yes, I know $140,000 is a lot of dough, but hear me out. The 2023 Ferrari 296 is one of the highest performing super cars on the market. With a 0-60 (mph) in 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 205mph, this thing is a monster (motortrend.com). With similar specs to the Model S, the 2023 Ferrari 296 starting price is $317,000. I think that anyone could agree that the Tesla Model S Plaid is without a doubt the highest performing car of 2022 and is also the best deal. 

Now let’s get into why the Tesla Model S Plaid is not worth your 140 grand. First of all, it is absolutely no fun. The most thrilling parts of owning a high performance sports car is the sound, the look, the interior, and then of course the actual performance. Yes, the Model S passes the performance test, but it’s like driving a really fast golf cart. The interior looks like an Ikea design, and the exterior looks like an Apple Magic Mouse. When it comes to sound, well, there really isn’t any. 

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT

One of my least favorite electric vehicles that is rising on the charts is the 2022 Mustang Mach-E GT. This hunk of junk has 480 horsepower, a 0-60 (mph) of 3.5 seconds, and a top speed of 124mph. The specs aren’t nearly what the Model S Plaid’s are, but this car starts at $65,000 so don’t expect a supercar. Still, a 3.5 0-60 is very quick, and it is still a high performance vehicle.

caranddriver.com

The real reason I hate this car so much is because they named it a Mustang. The name Mustang has been reserved for Ford’s muscle cars since the 60s. Mustangs are my favorite cars, and I was so disappointed when they made this ugly EV SUV a Mustang when it is not. It looks very, very weird on the exterior, but the interior is alright. Is it worth $65,000? Absolutely not! Get a REAL Mustang GT. A loud piece of muscle. 

Chevrolet Corvette C8

As a Ford fanatic, I hate to give Chevy any credit for anything… but the 2022 C8 Corvette is a pretty sick car. This 8-cylinder monster comes equipped with 490 horsepower, a 0-60 (mph) of 2.9 seconds, and a top speed of 194mph (stingraychevrolet.com). Corvettes are known for their lightweight body and power-packed engines that make them so fast. Starting at only $61,000, this car is definitely the best bang for your buck when it comes to sports cars (roadandtrack.com).

Now, this car not only has the performance of a supercar, but it has a fighter jet style interior. If I bought a sports car, I would want it to look like a fighter jet. Now the exterior is cool, don’t get me wrong, but I favor the older model exteriors such as the 2017. When it comes to what I’m looking for in a sports car, it has the noise, it has the performance, it has the interior, and it has the coolness factor. When it really comes down to it, I would probably spend my 60g’s on a Mustang, but if you are looking for a speedy, quick car, then I would totally go with the 2022 Corvette C8. 

(thecarconnection.com)

(thecarconnection.com)

Mustang Shelby GT-500

Now the car I have been waiting for… the Mustang Shelby GT-500. This is definitely my favorite car, and I believe it is the coolest car on the market. This supercharged 5.2 liter 8-cylinder muscle car comes packed with 760 horsepower, 180mph top speed, and a 0-60 (mph) of 3.5 seconds (guideautoweb.com). I know what you’re going to say…. I know it has way more horsepower than the Corvette, and it is still a bit slower. But, this car is a powerhouse. The wow factor of this engine will blow your mind. It is loud, powerful, and very pretty. As a muscle car, Mustangs have a generally heavier body than most every sports car, which is why they tend to be slower than cars like Corvettes and Teslas. But the power you feel under the hood of a 2022 Mustang Shelby GT-500 is nothing like a little Tesla or 400-horsepower Corvette. 

Of any of the cars on this list, this one would be the one I would get. The GT-500 has everything I look for in a sports car. It has impeccable performance, a crazy engine, a very loud exhaust, and it has a beautiful interior and exterior. Although I may be biased as a Mustang owner, I believe that this is the best car money can buy. Starting at $70,000, the GT-500 is the epitome of style, power, and fun. 

(motortrend.com)

In the end when it comes to gas vs. electric, I would go with gas. I’m a junkie for speed, noise, style, and power, and electric vehicles do not have all of those characteristics. If all you care about is a minimalistic aesthetic and a quick little golf cart, then I would get a Tesla.  But if you want some real power and muscle, go with a Mustang. 

Filed Under: Advice, Aesthetic, Technology Tagged With: EV vs Combustion Power, Luke Sonderman

Monster Prom 2!… Well, Almost

May 10, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Dayton Kennard

Hello readers! If you can remember, a while back I did a post on Monster Prom, a dating sim that’s also a competitive multiplayer game entirely about romancing monsters who are probably too old to be in high school but are anyways. The game developer, Beautiful Glitch, made a wonderful and unique take on the classic dating sim and continued to bring more intriguing and outlandish adventures to their fans through seasonal updates, as well as new downloadable content. But just this week, they’ve done something many fans have been eagerly awaiting…

Beautiful Glitch has officially released their KickStarter for Monster Prom 2: Holiday Season!*

Where is KickStarter? Who is KickStarter? Why is KickStarter? Kickstarter.com is a website that allows content creators to raise money for a project through “pledges” of money from interested people in exchange for rewards for their loyalty! Beautiful Glitch used KickStarter to fund their first game (Monster Prom), and are now using it for funding their second game (Monster Prom 2)!

While they only released the KickStarter for Monster Prom 2 this week, they surpassed their funding goal in nearly one hour; they went on to raise over $100,000 in about 12 hours, and now have raised over 400% of their original goal in just about 24 hours! This is likely due to the tempting rewards they have made for their backers, including (but not limited to) dakimakuras, custom characters, polaroids, and even a trip to Barcelona, Spain!

While it’s not even been a week since its launch, the Monster Prom KickStarter is already surpassing expectations rapidly, and seems to continue growing daily!

Editor: Luke Langlois

*https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/corintio/monster-prom-2-holiday-season

Filed Under: Entertainment, Op-Ed, Technology, Video Games Tagged With: Dayton Kennard, Monster Prom 2!... Well

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About

We are the Palm Valley Firebirds of Rancho Mirage, California. Join us in our endeavors. Venture through the school year with us, perusing the artwork of our students, community, and staff. Our goal is to share the poems, stories, drawings and photographs, essays and parodies that come out of our school. Welcome aboard!