Is Using AI to Write a College Essay the Same as Working With an Editor?

 

Photo: FacultyFocus.com

Professors across universities are grappling with a pressing question:

If students use Artificial Intelligence to write essays, reports, and long-form assignments, are they still the true authors of their work?

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Students are expected to produce original writing. Universities emphasize intellectual ownership — the idea that your ideas, analysis, and words should reflect your own thinking. Yet outside academia, writing is rarely a solitary act.

Consider journalism. A reporter writes a story. An editor revises it before publication.

Consider book publishing. An author submits a manuscript. Editors suggest revisions — sometimes major ones — before the book reaches readers.

So what’s the difference?

Is a student using AI really so different from a reporter working with an editor?

Let’s unpack it.

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The Reporter and the Editor

In journalism, collaboration is built into the system.

A reporter will typically :

• Conduct interviews
• Verify facts
• Organize the narrative
• Write the draft

Whereas an editor will typically:

• Refine clarity
• Adjust the tone
• Cut the piece for length
• Ensure the legal and ethical standards are followed
• Align the piece with the publication’s mission

How much of the reporter’s work remains in the final article?

Typically, most of it.

The facts, structure, and intellectual framing originate from the reporter. Editors may rewrite sentences or restructure sections, but they do not generate the reporting itself. The reporter is still credited as the author because the intellectual labor belongs to them.

The editor improves expression. They do not replace authorship.

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The Book Author and the Publishing Editor

The publishing world operates similarly.

An author:

• Creates the ideas
• Develops characters or arguments
• Structures the narrative
• Writes the manuscript

Editors may:

• Suggest structural revisions
• Request rewrites
• Improve pacing
• Strengthen clarity

Sometimes these revisions are substantial. Entire chapters might be reworked. But crucially, the author does the rewriting. The core ideas remain the author’s. The voice remains the author’s. Intellectual ownership remains with the author.

Again, editing enhances authorship — it does not substitute for it.

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Now Enter Artificial Intelligence

The situation changes when we introduce AI into academic writing.

There are two very different ways students might use AI.

Scenario 1: AI as a Ghostwriter

A student enters a prompt.
 AI generates the argument, structure, examples, and transitions.
 The student lightly edits the output and submits it.

In this case, who performed the intellectual work?

If the ideas, organization, and much of the wording come from AI, then AI has functioned less like an editor and more like a ghostwriter.

This is fundamentally different from the reporter–editor relationship.

An editor revises your work.
 AI can generate the work itself.

That distinction matters.

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Scenario 2: AI as an Editor or Tutor

Now imagine a different case.

The student writes a complete draft independently. They will typically use AI to do the following:

• Check grammar
• Suggest clearer phrasing
• Improve transitions
• Offer structural feedback

The student decides which suggestions to accept.

In this case, AI functions much more like an editor. The student remains the intellectual author. The core ideas, reasoning, and structure originate from the student.

This use resembles journalism and publishing much more closely.

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The Real Difference: Intellectual Labor

The heart of the issue is not whether AI is involved.

The real question is:

Who performed the intellectual labor?

In journalism and publishing, the reporter (and author) generates the ideas. Whereas in education, students are supposed to generate ideas.

Universities assign essays not simply to produce polished writing, but to assess:

• Critical thinking
• Argument development
• Analysis
• Organization
• Writing ability
• Mastery of material

If AI performs those tasks, the assignment no longer measures the student’s learning. And that’s where the tension lies.

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Purpose Matters

There is another key difference: purpose.

Journalism and publishing are collaborative industries by design. Editing is expected. It is institutionalized. Academic assignments, however, are assessments. They exist to evaluate an individual’s ability. The goal of a university essay is not to produce the best possible paper at any cost. The goal is to demonstrate the student’s thinking.

If AI replaces that thinking, the educational purpose changes entirely.

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A Philosophical Shift

For centuries, tools have helped humans express their ideas more effectively.

A) Dictionaries.
B) Spellcheck.
C) Grammar guides.
D) Editors.

These tools refined human thought. AI represents something new. It does not merely refine expression — it can generate structure, arguments, and analysis. The line between assistance and substitution becomes blurred. And the ethical question becomes simpler — and harder — at the same time:

Is AI helping the student think better?
 Or is it doing the thinking for them?

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So, Is It the Same?

If AI is used like an editor — to refine a student’s original work — the analogy to journalism and publishing holds. If AI is used as a ghostwriter — to generate the intellectual substance — the analogy breaks down. Editors polish authors. They do not replace them. That is the difference.

And that distinction is where universities are now drawing their lines.

The Chemistry Behind Deodorants and Antiperspirants: What’s Really Happening Under Your Arms?

Most of us swipe on deodorant or antiperspirant every morning without thinking twice about it. But what’s actually happening on your skin after that quick roll-on or spray?

The answer lies in chemistry — and the science is more fascinating than you might expect.

Although often used interchangeably, deodorants and antiperspirants work in completely different ways. One targets odor. The other targets sweat. Let’s break down the chemical mechanisms behind both.

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First: Sweat Doesn’t Actually Smell

Here’s a surprising fact: fresh sweat is mostly odorless.

Sweat is primarily water, along with small amounts of salts, proteins, and lipids. The smell associated with body odor comes from bacteria living on your skin, not from sweat itself.

In areas like the armpits, apocrine glands release sweat that contains proteins and fatty compounds. Skin bacteria — particularly species like Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus — metabolize these compounds and convert them into:

• Short-chain fatty acids

• Sulfur-containing molecules

• Volatile organic compounds

These byproducts are what produce body odor.

So how do deodorants and antiperspirants intervene?

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How Deodorants Work: Targeting Odor at the Source

Deodorants are designed to combat odor — not sweat. They rely on several chemical strategies.

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1. Antibacterial Agents

Since bacteria are responsible for odor, many deodorants include ingredients that suppress or kill them.

Common antibacterial compounds include:

• Alcohol (ethanol or isopropanol)

• Ethylhexylglycerin

• Benzalkonium chloride

• Essential oils (like tea tree oil)

• Triclosan (used less today due to regulatory concerns)

These chemicals work by:

• Disrupting bacterial cell membranes

• Denaturing bacterial proteins

• Interfering with enzyme systems

Fewer bacteria = less metabolic breakdown of sweat = less odor.

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2. pH Alteration

Skin bacteria thrive in near-neutral environments. Many deodorants are formulated to be mildly acidic (around pH 4–5).

This lower pH:

• Disrupts bacterial enzyme activity

• Inhibits microbial growth

• Shifts the skin’s microbiome balance

By making the environment less hospitable to odor-producing bacteria, deodorants reduce smell without affecting sweat production.

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3. Masking Fragrances

Let’s be honest — fragrance plays a big role.

Perfumes and essential oils don’t eliminate odor chemically. Instead, they:

• Overpower odor molecules

• Blend with them to create a more pleasant scent

• Provide the perception of freshness

This is why some deodorants work better initially than others — the effect can be largely sensory.

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4. Enzyme Inhibition (Advanced Formulations)

Some newer formulations aim to block the enzymes bacteria use to break down sweat components.

By inhibiting lipases and proteases, these deodorants reduce the formation of odor-causing compounds like:

• Isovaleric acid

• 3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid

This approach tackles odor production at a biochemical level.

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How Antiperspirants Work: Reducing Sweat Itself

Antiperspirants take a different route. Instead of focusing on bacteria, they reduce the moisture that bacteria need to thrive.

The active ingredients? Aluminum-based salts.

Common examples include:

• Aluminum chlorohydrate

• Aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly

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1. The Gel Plug Mechanism

When applied to the skin, aluminum salts dissolve in sweat. They then react with electrolytes and proteins in the sweat duct.

This reaction forms a gel-like aluminum hydroxide complex that:

1. Precipitates inside the sweat duct

2. Forms a temporary plug

3. Blocks sweat from reaching the skin surface

Less sweat reaching the surface means:

• Less moisture for bacteria

• Less bacterial metabolism

• Less odor formation

Importantly, this blockage is temporary. The plug is naturally shed as skin cells renew.

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2. Pore Contraction (Astringent Effect)

Aluminum salts also have mild astringent properties. They can cause slight constriction of the sweat gland ducts, further reducing sweat flow.

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The Key Differences

Feature	Deodorant	Antiperspirant
Reduces sweat	No	Yes
Targets bacteria	Yes	Indirectly
Uses aluminum salts	No	Yes
Alters skin pH	Often	Not primarily
Mechanism type	Antimicrobial & sensory	Physical blockage

Many modern products combine both functions — meaning your “deodorant” may actually be doing double duty.

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Why Stress Sweat Smells Worse

You may have noticed that stress sweat smells stronger. That’s because stress activates apocrine glands more intensely, producing sweat richer in proteins and lipids — prime material for bacterial metabolism.

More substrate for bacteria = stronger odor.

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The Aluminum Safety Debate

Concerns have periodically surfaced about aluminum in antiperspirants. Current scientific evidence indicates that the amount of aluminum absorbed through the skin is extremely low and well below established safety thresholds. Major health organizations have not found conclusive evidence linking antiperspirant use to serious disease.

That said, consumer preference has driven growth in aluminum-free products — which function strictly as deodorants.

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The Takeaway

• Sweat itself doesn’t smell.

• Bacteria convert sweat components into odor-causing molecules.

• Deodorants fight bacteria and mask smell.

• Antiperspirants physically reduce sweat using aluminum salts.

What seems like a simple hygiene product is actually a small daily chemistry experiment happening on your skin.

Next time you apply your morning swipe, you’ll know: it’s not just freshness — it’s biochemistry at work.

Raising a Child to Be Better Than Me

 

Photo: Jessup University

My goal as a father is simple to say, but hard to define: I want my child to grow up to be better than me.

I think about that goal every day.

What does better even mean? Smarter? Kinder? More successful? More confident? Less broken by the world than I sometimes feel?

Like most parents, I ask myself constant questions:

   - What do I want to teach my child? 

   - What skills actually matter?

   - Can I help him avoid the mistakes I made?

Maybe. But maybe not in the way I once thought.

The Myth of the Mistake-Free Life

For a long time, I believed good parenting meant protecting my child from the errors I made—wrong choices, wasted time, poor judgment, avoidable pain. But the older I get, the clearer something becomes:

Mistakes are unavoidable.

If my child doesn’t make the same mistakes I did, he will make different ones. And one day, he’ll look at his own child and think, “I hope you don’t repeat my mistakes.”

That isn’t failure. That’s life.

The real question isn’t whether our children will fail. It’s whether they’ll know what to do after they fail.

What Children Really Learn From Us

Children don’t learn most from what we say. They learn from how we live.

They watch how we handle frustration.

They notice how we treat people who disagree with us.

They hear how we talk about ourselves when things go wrong.

They are always watching, even when we think they aren’t.

One of the most powerful lessons we can teach is not perfection, but recovery:

• How to admit we were wrong
• How to apologize without excuses
• How to learn instead of becoming bitter
• How to try again without shame

If my child grows up believing that mistakes don’t define him—but how he responds to them does—then he’s already ahead of where I started.

Parenting in the Age of Noise

Raising a child today feels harder than ever.

Social media pulls at their attention, reshapes their values, and constantly tells them who they should be, what they should want, and how they should measure their worth. It often works directly against the patience, humility, and depth we want our children to develop.

We can’t out-lecture the internet.

But we can give our children something stronger than noise: identity.

A home where they are safe to ask questions.

A place where disagreement doesn’t equal rejection.

An environment where curiosity is encouraged and critical thinking is valued.

When children feel secure in who they are, the outside world loses some of its power to define them.

The Skills That Actually Matter

When I strip life down to its essentials, success doesn’t come from knowing everything. It comes from handling what you don’t know.

• The skills I want my child to learn aren’t flashy, but they are foundational:
• Emotional awareness instead of emotional avoidance
• Resilience instead of entitlement
• Delayed gratification instead of instant reward
• Problem-solving instead of blame
• Empathy without losing oneself
• Boundaries without cruelty

These skills don’t come from lectures. They come from lived experience—and from watching the adults in their lives model them imperfectly.

Letting My Child See Me Grow

One of the hardest lessons I’m still learning as a parent is this:

My child doesn’t need a flawless father.

He needs a growing one.

• When I admit I handled something poorly…
• When I change my mind after learning more…
• When I say, “I’m still figuring this out”…

I’m not showing weakness. I’m showing him that growth doesn’t end with adulthood.

That lesson alone might be worth more than anything else I teach him.

A Simple Guiding Question

Whenever I feel lost as a parent, I return to one question:

What do I wish someone had helped me understand earlier in life?

Then I try to teach that—gently, honestly, and without pretending I have it all figured out.

Raising a child to be “better than me” doesn’t mean raising someone flawless. It means raising someone who can think, adapt, care, and recover.

And maybe, years from now, he’ll ask himself the same questions I do—hoping to give his child just a little more wisdom than he had at the start.

If that happens, I’ll know I did something right.

Character in Crisis: How We React When Someone Faints in Front of Us

How we react on a human level to someone in need of medical attention reveals a great deal about our character. Moments like these strip away politics, power, and status — and reveal something much simpler: empathy.

Imagine someone fainting in front of you. Do you rush forward to help? Or do you freeze, letting others take the lead? Our instinctive reaction in those seconds often speaks louder than any speech ever could.

But what if the person standing there isn’t just anyone — what if it’s the President of the United States?

Here are two examples:

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Should the President Step In?

It might seem obvious that the right thing to do is to help. After all, we’re taught from childhood to offer assistance when someone is in distress. Yet for the President, things aren’t always so simple. Surrounded by security agents and cameras, every move is measured. Protocols exist. There are trained medical professionals nearby whose job is to respond to emergencies.

Still, leadership isn’t only about policy — it’s also about presence. How a leader reacts in a crisis, even a small one, tells us something about who they are beneath the politics.

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A Tale of Two Presidents

Recently, during a press conference, President Donald Trump paused as a man fainted nearby. Trump acknowledged the situation, noted that help was being given, and waited as medical personnel stepped in. He didn’t move toward the person or visibly intervene.

In contrast, during a 2013 rally, President Barack Obama noticed a pregnant woman about to faint behind him. Without hesitation, he turned, caught her arm, and called for medical attention — even pausing his speech to check on her. The moment went viral, not because of its political implications, but because it seemed so profoundly human.

Two different presidents. Two different instincts. Two different optics.

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The Human Moment in Leadership

In fairness, the President is not a first responder — and sometimes stepping in could actually create more chaos or risk. But there’s a symbolic power in acknowledgment. Even a simple act — such as kneeling beside someone, calling for help, or showing concern — can convey compassion and humanity.

When a leader chooses to act (or not act), the public sees it as a reflection of empathy. Empathy, perhaps more than any policy, is what connects a leader to the people they serve.

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Why It Matters

We live in an age where every gesture is recorded, dissected, and debated. Yet, genuine humanity still breaks through. Whether you’re a President or a passerby, helping someone who’s in need — or even showing visible concern — reminds us that leadership begins with compassion.

At the end of the day, character isn’t measured by what you say from a podium.
It’s revealed in what you do when someone faints in front of you.

The Hidden Cost of Tariffs: How Shrinkflation Is Quietly Draining Your Wallet

 

Photo: EquitableGrowth.org

President Trump has made one thing clear: he loves tariffs. This stance has become a central part of our current economic reality. While tariffs are often presented as tools to “level the playing field” and protect American industries, they come with real costs—many of which aren’t felt immediately, but rather sneak up on consumers over time.

Republicans, and some business leaders, are quick to defend tariffs with two main arguments:

“We’re balancing out trade.”

“Wall Street has priced in the tariffs—look at the markets, they’re at all-time highs.”

And for now, that may be enough to keep most Americans from asking too many questions. The stock market’s performance acts like a reassuring lullaby, while the real effects of tariffs quietly unfold in the background.

Enter: Shrinkflation

Have you noticed fewer chips in your Doritos bag lately? You’re not imagining it. While the price tag may look the same, the product inside has shrunk.

This isn’t a coincidence—it’s a calculated move by corporations reacting to rising production and import costs, including those driven by tariffs. Rather than increase prices outright (which consumers would instantly notice and resent), companies are taking a more subtle route: giving you less for the same price.

1) This tactic, known as shrinkflation, is everywhere:

2) Fewer M&Ms in each package.

3) Smaller cereal boxes, same price.

4) 12-pack soda cases reduced to 10, still labeled “value size.”

This approach avoids the psychological sticker shock of higher prices, but it still chips away at your purchasing power.

The Slow Boil

Unlike a sharp price hike that forces consumers to make immediate changes, shrinkflation operates like a slow boil. You might not notice the difference from one month to the next, but over time, you're spending more and getting less.

The economic rationale is clear: tariffs raise costs for manufacturers and importers. Those costs get passed down. But instead of hitting all at once, the pain is doled out incrementally.

And while Wall Street celebrates record highs, ordinary consumers are paying more for less—and often don’t even realize it.

Why It Matters

Tariffs may be politically popular in the short term. They’re easy to sell as a tool for protecting American jobs and punishing foreign “cheaters.” But their ripple effects—like rising costs and shrinkflation—are less visible, and far more insidious.

Corporations will continue to adapt in ways that protect their profit margins. And as long as consumers are distracted by stable prices and booming stock indices, this erosion of value may continue unchecked.

But eventually, the weight of these incremental changes adds up. And when it does, we may all begin to feel the true cost of policies designed to win headlines instead of helping households.

Next Time You're at the Store…

Check the net weight. Count the cookies. Compare the ounces. What looks like a good deal today might be yesterday’s product in a smaller box.

Because the cost of goods is going up. It’s just being hidden—one chip, one candy, one cereal box at a time.

Ralph Nader: The Actions of Speaker Mike Johnson

 

Photo: Washingtonian

The charge to minimize government overreach continues to be made by the Republican Party.  Which is no surprise, given their campaign speeches over the last few years.  I am still appalled by the actions of the Republican Party.  Even though I keep track of current events, recent events have still raised my eyebrows at times.  More times than I would like.  

Congress has become corporate soldiers.  Soldiers who follow the orders of the Generals from big corporations.  Orders are handed down through various avenues: campaign donations, lobbying on Capitol Hill, and grassroots campaigns in local districts.  Money flows to influence laws to favor big corporations.

The iconic Ralph Nader has a recent post on Congress.  Specifically, the actions of Speaker Mike Johnson.  Here is the post in full below:

By Ralph Nader

July 25, 2025

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson—probably the worst Speaker in American history—shut down the House early this week before its five-week vacation. He wants to avoid holding votes on releasing the Epstein files that reportedly include, among other notables, Donald J. Trump.

This is the latest valet service provided by a spineless Johnson, a Trump toady, whose groveling has no known boundaries. Imagine Johnson, a lawyer, took an oath to uphold the Constitution yet has no interest in safeguarding the independence of the Congressional branch of our government.

Like Trump, he falsely characterizes what is in the Trump corporate giveaway tax/budget bill that shattered the country’s social safety net for American families.  No one has ever even dared to promote such a draconian tax bill. Our country’s safety net has had the support of both Parties until the wrecking crew of Trump, Johnson and Senate leader Thune showed up.

Johnson declined to protect his own Party members who were raising serious questions about Trump’s big, destructive bill. He allowed the Trumpsters to physically threaten these dissenters to get them back in line.

Most seriously, he has further crumpled the Founders’ system of checks and balances by turning the House of Representatives into an automatic rubber stamp for Trump.  Johnson even refuses to allow his Committee Chairs to hold hearings on legislation Trump wants to ram through Congress.  Johnson and his cronies do no oversight of the Executive Branch despite Trump’s vast violations and vicious cruelties, such as firing tens of thousands of key federal civil servants and further debilitating the resources of the IRS to collect taxes from the evasive super-rich and big companies. And the list goes on.

As the New York Times elaborated further with this description: “Mr. Johnson’s decision to shut down the House early was the latest example of how the speaker has in many ways ceded the chamber’s independence in order to please or avoid angering Mr. Trump. He has deferred to the president on matters large and small, including when it comes to Congress’s spending power. He quietly maneuvered this year to yield the House’s ability to weigh in on Mr. Trump’s tariffs, in order to spare Republicans from having to cast politically tricky votes on whether to end them.”

The larger decline of Congress providing countervailing checks and balances reflecting the interests of the people, whose sovereign power under the Constitution has been delegated to it as a public trust, and has been eroded for decades. (See, “Congressional Surrender and Presidential Overreach” by Bruce Fein).

No matter who is in control, the GOP or the Democrats, the crass obeisance to the Executive Branch remains the surrendering norm.

The consensus by the two Parties extends to the minimal days that Congress is actually in session. The members take numerous vacations (they call them “recesses”). They see the weeks they work as starting on Tuesday and ending on Thursday. In between even those days, they are busy in fundraising offices dialing for campaign dollars.

With such limited workdays for a full-time, well-paying job, members of Congress have less time for hearings to investigate wrongdoing, waste and neglect of actions in the Executive Branch or the dubious ethical practices in the federal judiciary and federal prosecutors’ offices.

Increasingly, it is nearly impossible for informed citizens to secure Congressional hearings and be invited as witnesses, as was the case in the Sixties and Seventies. Congress is, however, “open for business” if you represent big corporations. Congress has built a cocoon around itself with a sign reading: Business Lobbyists Only.  People are bitterly complaining about their inability to get through to their Senators or Representatives if they are not big campaign contributors or from big business. (See, The Incommunicados by Ralph Nader and Bruce Fein).

The solution is obvious. The people back home must organize Congress Watch Groups— call it a crucial civic hobby (See: The Day the Rats Vetoed Congress)—and establish a tradition of formally summoning their wayward lawmakers to the people’s Town Meetings with the people’s agendas on the table (See, Breaking Through Power: It’s Easier Than We Think, City Lights Books).

There are many overdue changes and reforms backed by large majorities of liberal and conservative voters to make Watchdog Groups a formidable force. One percent of the voters can change Congress, especially because the necessities of the People are widely and strongly supported by millions of voters.

Ralph Nader's latest book is Civic Self-Respect

Wow!  Americans need to decide how much they are willing to let this corporate power continue to take hold over our society.  Will we continue as a society to let big corporations make laws that put Americans in harm's way?  Continue to put profit over safety?  

These are just two questions that need to be thought hard about.  We the people do have power.  Educate yourself.  Take local action.  Call your local senator or representative.  Express your opinion.  Whatever that opinion may be.  Help shape society.

How To Regulate Emotions?

 

Photo: Photo by Callum Skelton on Unsplash

What does a structured plan to regulate emotions look like?

Regulating emotions is a key part of emotional intelligence and mental well-being. It involves understanding, managing, and appropriately expressing one's emotions. After reading a few books on regulating emotions, I summarized the results below.

Here’s a structured guide to help you improve emotional regulation:

1. Understand Your Emotions

First, identify the emotion. Are you feeling angry, sad, anxious, frustrated, or overwhelmed? Labeling emotions helps make sense of them.

Next, identify any triggers. Reflect on what caused the emotion. Was it a comment, a memory, a stressor?

Finally, look for body signals. Emotions often manifest physically, such as a tight chest or clenched jaw.

2. Regulations Strategies

— Mindfulness

To begin with, start with mindfulness. Change the way you think about a situation. Instead of “I failed,” try “I’m learning and growing.”

Which includes changing your perspective. Imagine how someone else might view the situation to reduce emotional intensity.

— Breathing

Next, try these breathing adjustments. Breathing exercises: Try breathing 4–7–8 (inhale 4 seconds, hold 7, exhale 8). Release tension. Try to relax and release each muscle group. Get up and go for a short walk.

— Express Yourself

Start by journaling. Write down what you feel and why. Another outlet is to talk to someone or a group. Share feelings with a friend, mentor, or therapist.

3. Build Emotional Resilience

First, returning to mindfulness — practice being present without judgment: meditation, yoga, and mindfulness walks.

Second, get a healthy amount of sleep. Sleep deprivation compromises health, which leads to emotional volatility.

One of the most challenging skills to build is to protect yourself. That entails building healthy boundaries. What boundaries? Boundaries that protect your mental health. Learn to say ‘no’ more frequently.

4. Practice and Reflect

How do you measure progress while building emotional regulation skills?

To start with, have daily check-ins with yourself. Do so at regular intervals.

Ask yourself, “How am I feeling right now?”.

Track your progress. Start with an emotion journal. A mood tracker might help you identify mood trends.

Conclusion…

The above steps are a rough guide to build your structured guide to help regulate emotions. Each of us is different. Therefore, additional steps might be needed. Such steps would include: (1) Talking to a therapist or other mental health professional, (2) Joining a support group (look online), and (3) Leverage technology to your benefit — use apps like Headspace, Calm, and Moodfit.

I wish you the best in your journey towards regulating your emotions! This process is based on progress, not perfection. Don’t be afraid to experiment and optimize the above steps to fit your needs and situation.