Art Appreciation and Protection (Week 7, Period 2, 8/17)

[magdaofslovenia.livejournal.com]

A *handwavey* e-mail had gone out after last week's class, to inform them that the last one was meeting at the York Gallery in town. Standing outside, Sophie gestured behind her.

"You've all been a wonderful class; I hope you learned something about art history and appreciation that you didn't know previously. As well as the protection measures. I won't be teaching next semester, instead I've moved into the business sector." She cocked her head, and said, "This is my new gallery. Today, you're going to be a great help to me by testing my security measures as they are now. Hidden inside it are various small tokens, like this one." Sophie held up a small gold poker chip on a chain. "I'll be your fence for the day." She grinned. "Go in there, and retrieve as many as possible without setting off my alarm system or causing major property destruction, and you can exchange them for fabulous prizes. Just like a real heist."

She shoo'd them. "I'll be on the corner sipping coffee over there, awaiting the sounds of alarms. Good luck!"

[OCD on the way!]

How to be Awesome | Week 7 | Period 6 | Mon. 8/17

[suit-of-awesome.livejournal.com]

( I'll be honest - I was a little worried when I saw the length, but don't worry - it'll grow on you. )

[Course Information | Roster ]

Sexual Anthropology, Monday, Period 3, 8/17

[doesnt-vomit.livejournal.com]

Brennan was oddly cheerful today. The aftermath of her three minute dates still had her in a really, really good mood.

"Hi," she announced from her perch on the desk. "It's our last class, and, since the last two weeks have been movie weeks, it seems unfair to give any kind of final, so we're going to do Q&A. Ask whatever questions you want on sexual topic or behaviors and I'll do my best to answer them. If it's a sensitive question, write it down and drop it in the hat I'm passing around."

Someone was trusting the students to be adults and not giggle at each other's questions. Someone may not have been thinking too hard.

"You've been a great class. Dean, thank you for covering last week. Enjoy what's left of your summers."

Mythbusting, Tuesday, 8/18

[tyler_gone]

By classic handwavy email arrangement, class today met in one of the labs at Stark Industries. And if they were there in part so Tyler could keep an eye on Tony, he would never, ever admit it.

"Welcome to Tony Stark's lab," Tyler greeted the class. "The management has told me to make it known that if you break or steal anything, you should assume Tony Stark owns your soul. He will claim it painfully and very, very slowly."

His smile showed teeth and wasn't very nice.

"We're here to build a perpetual motion machine in a real-world lab. Perpetual motion machines are devices that produce more energy than they consume. Now, physics say a perpetual motion machine won't work -- it violates a couple laws of thermodynamics. That doesn't stop idiots from trying to make and sell them as 'free energy' machines. Your job is to try to invent the first working perpetual motion machine. In an hour. If it were possible anywhere, it would be possible in this lab."

He quickly showed the students around the lab, enumerating tools, circuits, computers with only basic functions accessible, and the projector. "This will let you test your design," he said, showing a quick demonstration with a drawing of a drinking duck thing.

... never let it be said he lacked a sense of whimsy.

"To give you a head start, I'm passing out blueprints for a few kinds of machine. We have the ring oscillator, the Minto wheel, and the water fuel cell. As far as I know, none of these work, but you should try building them anyhow."

He gestured to the lab. "Go to it. I'm here and Tony's around to claim your soul if you mess anything up. And Ino, Anemone, thank you for covering last week."

Flight and Flying [Tuesday, August 18, 4th period]

[sith_happened]

"For your final class, you will be in an X-Wing starfighter," Anakin said with a smile. "Today we're going to practice flying in combat."

He waved at a droid-shaped hole on the back of the sim. "This is where your R2 unit would sit," Anakin, smiling. "Or whatever the droid number is these days. It's your copilot of sorts who can get to mechanical problems while you're flying. For example, fixing shields that have been damaged by laser fire. Since we don't have a real R2 droid here--right now, the sim will take care of that for you. It'll also scream at you if it thinks you're going too fast."

On cue, the sim let out an electronic wail. Anakin had learned to ignore that sound early.

He pointed into the inside of the cockpit. "There are a lot more controls in the X-Wing than the shuttle or the podracer, obviously It's more like the fighter plane, but you need to regulate atmosphere, gauge fuel and weapons' levels, as well as communications, landing gear and assorted other bells and whistles."

He smiled at them. "But don't worry too much--you're not going to be tested on this." He sat in the cockpit and showed them how to make the ship speed up, slow down, turn and spin. "Obviously, this moves much faster than anything else we've flown," he said, "and the sim has been programmed with the grav you'd have in your cockpit, so if you spin yourself too fast, you will make yourself sick. And then you will be cleaning out the sim." A glance at Danny. "Please, let's not repeat that experience."

Anakin clasped his hands together. "Okay. You'll each get a chance to try the sim out to learn how it works. You'll be in a program set way out in space so there's nothing for you to hit if you can't figure out how to steer right away. Once you feel more comfortable, there'll be a choice of two courses to run through--one that's strictly testing you on mobility, the other than also allows you to use the laser cannons."

He gave the class a cocky smile. "Before you came in, I set a new record on the sim for time and accuracy. See if you can come close. Wiggin, please come talk to me. I have a few astronavigational exercises for you."