Articles by jsheffler

News & Features November 15, 2017

Open AI: Advancing Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI is Elon Musk’s new program to safely advance artificial intelligence in a practical, modern, and safe way. Elon Musk himself has described AI as a “fundamental existential threat to humanity.” Elon Musk and the OpenAI team are being very cautious with the development of AI for this reason. OpenAI implements a new way of looking at AI development. Previously in the earlier tests of AI, people thought that training bots to solve single tasks would open up opportunities for “human-level intelligence algorithms.” OpenAI along with a few other modern AI development companies are employing deep learning. Deep learning means that instead of hand coding programs that the AI can use for a single, specific task, programmers create generalized “architectures” that can be manipulated for numerous tasks. This way the artificial intelligence can work with itself to learn new more efficient ways to solve a problem. Deep learning allows the…

Opinions April 27, 2017

Top 4 Pizzerias in Philadelphia

There are many great pizza shops in the city, but what are the best? Today I’ll be listing my top 3 favorite pizza shops in Philadelphia, and one of Ms. Kenealy’s favorites, too. 1. Stella’s Pizzeria is a great pizza shop if you’re going for quick and delicious food. The pizza here comes in many different styles. You can order alcohol, soda, and other drinks along with your pizza. Stella’s uses a wood fire oven to cook their wonderful pies. The main seating area is an open room with tall ceilings and lots of windows. It can seat a lot of people with the many chairs and tables, and I have heard that there is outdoor seating in the spring/summer. Service is always great and food always comes out fast. 2. Nomad Roman Pizza is easily the best thin-crust pizza I have ever had. Their pizza is so perfectly covered…

Opinions March 15, 2017

App Unwrap: Twitch

For anyone who hasn’t heard of Twitch, it is a live streaming service for video games and talk shows. It lets content creators reach out on a live platform playing games and talking to viewers rather than making videos and uploading them to something like YouTube. Anyone trying to start a channel can also go to Twitch and gain popularity by streaming popular games. When streamers get popular enough to attract a lot of viewers, they can set up ways for their fans to donate. Some people even use Twitch as their job, often streaming all day long and attracting a lot of donations throughout the day. Anyone who wants to follow a channel closely can pledge $5 (separate from donations) to subscribe to the channel and receive notifications whenever that person starts to stream. Twitch is a really great program because you can interact with your favorite gamers live as…

Art, Opinions March 15, 2017

App Unwrap: Amaziograph

Amaziograph is a drawing app available on the App Store for $0.99. It lets you control the basics of your digital pen like selecting color, thickness, opacity, and clarity. What separates Amaziograph from other drawing apps is the focus on symmetry. It lets you select multiple templates for drawing. Each template allows you to repeat a design over multiple sections of the drawing. This results in a cool effect where a simple design is repeated in a cool way. The app is paid, but in my opinion it is well worth 99¢. I love the app for fidgeting and mindless doodling. You can edit the section sizes for each preset in the settings. There isn’t much else to say about the app; it is very simple and user-friendly. It doesn’t have many advanced options so experienced artists may want to look at another app. Amaziograph is not a normal drawing…

March 1, 2017

AMD Ryzen

By: Riley Roche, Elijah Lee, and Jackson Sheffler You may have heard of the company Intel. Intel produces computer parts and are one of the largest manufacturing for CPU processors in the world. Recently a company named AMD have released a new processor called AMD Ryzen 7 series which include the 1700 ($329), the 1700X ($399) and the 1800X ($499). AMD, in the past, has only been used for budget computers but now AMD could overtake intel in the medium to high priced processors. Today we will be discussing AMD’s approach and how they are starting to distance themselves from there regularly “budget” CPU’s. The Ryzen lineup contains three new processors, the 1700, 1700X and 1800X. All three processors outperform the latest Intel lineup. They all pack 8 cores/16 threads, and are all overclockable. Let’s start with the 1700. The 1700 costs $329, in line with the high-end mainstream processors…

News & Features February 22, 2017

Looking Ahead: Upcoming Movie Casts & Crews

So, wow! The past week has revealed a lot of “news” about what is happening in Hollywood, and of course we’re here to fill you in. Here are four things that were announced in Hollywood recently! The Coen Brothers are officially writing the Scarface reboot’s script First of all, the Coen brothers are signed on to write the script for the reboot of the 1983 classic thriller film Scarface. I’m case you aren’t familiar with the work of these brilliant screenwriters and directors, they have directed and written amazing movies such as Fargo, No Country for Old Men, Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski, and quite a few more. They have shown massive range, making one of the best comedies of all time, The Big Lebowski, to a chilling drama that set the tone for modern mobster films, No Country for Old Men. Fans of the original Scarface…

DIY February 13, 2017

Valentine’s Day Dinner

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow! In my family, we have a tradition where the guys cook a dinner and the girls buy presents on Valentine’s Day to celebrate. Then, the next year we switch tasks and celebrate again. I would like to share a few recipes for Valentine’s Day. Sorry for any vegans/vegetarians out there, as this list will contain meat and other animal products. Appetizer This is a Blue Cheese and Steak Crostini with Balsamic Vinegar. It only takes about thirty minutes to complete. I cooked this for a Valentine’s Day dinner in the past and I can confirm it is quick, easy, and tasty. Entree The Filet Mignon with a Rich Balsamic Glaze continues the trend with additional balsamic components, but that doesn’t make this any less delicious. The filet mignon dish also contains string beans/asparagus and roasted potatoes to balance out the intense flavor from the meat. Considering this recipes…

Opinions January 25, 2017

The Importance of Music

Music is the art form I find the most pure. It doesn’t evolve, it changes. From artist to artist, genre to genre, song to song, they are all completely different way of expressing yourself. I think of music as changing rather than evolving, because composers generally don’t build upon their last piece to make it better, they change it and try a different approach. Just like any other art form, music has many different styles. Some of which include: Classic, Folk, Opera, Spoken Word, EDM, Traditional, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Alternative, Punk, Techno, Country, and and Ambient. I wholeheartedly believe that anyone capable of hearing music can find the perfect style for them. Music can mean different things for anyone who hears it and interprets it for their own use. Music can be used so many ways. It really does help with everything, and can instantly provide a different environment anywhere….

Opinions January 25, 2017

New Year Newspaper Checkup

We hope the featured image of penguins taking a survey caught your attention. We’re looking for your feedback on the newspaper. Submit this form and let your voice be heard! Loading…

Opinions January 11, 2017

Top 9 Best Cafeteria Items for The Price

Though not all, many FCS students buy lunch and snacks from the cafeteria. I am here to present to you the Top 9 best cafeteria items for their price In the future, I’m planning to create lists of cheap meals, best snacks, and more. 1. Ice cream novelties: $1.35 (1 point) 2. Full container of fruit (6 oz.): $2.00 (2 points) 3. Small pasta: $2.00 (2 points) 4. Enhanced water (16 oz.): $1.55 (1 point) 5. Any milk (8 oz.): $1.25 (1 point) 6. Whole fruit: $1.25 (1 point) 7. Chips: $1.30 (1 point) 8. Three cookies: $2.15 (2 points) 9. Cereal with milk: $2.50 (2 points)