The Living City: Change and the Urban Environment, Friday, Period 3

[stillamthenight.livejournal.com]

"It's Friday, there still seems to be something in the air, and you're just about to go on spring break," Bruce announced at the start of class. "If half of you would actually be focused on a lecture today, I would be stunned. So today you'll have another movie day, with the expectation that in two weeks from today, you'll be back here, ready to concentrate."

"The movie today has some strong similarities to our previous movie despite being made seventy-five years later," Bruce noted. "There are robots of a sort, the city itself is large and imposing, and corporations control life. But just like we're not directly controlled by boxy silver robots, 1982's Shank Jogger missed out on a lot of projections, mainly because its target city was too specific."

"The city here is Los Angeles in the year 2019, close enough to call it roughly the present day. Lifelike humanoid robots aren't common, of course. The movie projects LA as a densely populated urban center that expanded upward rather than the sprawling metro area that keeps growing outward. It also sees a society that's less segregated by race than class, whereas most US cities tend toward both. But the element that Shank Jogger gets right, which Megalopolis got right, is the view of the city as a machine. Every person, every building, every animal feeding into the machine and keeping it moving. We'll see this more clearly as this class continues, even if it's not as literal or as pessimistic as these movies would have you believe."

"Now watch the movie. And if anyone tries anything you shouldn't be doing in class, that's a detention," Bruce noted. "It's been a full week, it'll wear off soon if it hasn't yet."

Powers, Identity, and The World; Embracing the Real You - Friday, Period One

[furnaceface]

Today, Rinoa was exhausted. She imagined her co-teacher was, as well, and most of the students. It had been a rather long week. But at least everyone, today, could focus on something other then their individual libidos.

“Welcome back,” she said, nodding at the students. “Congratulations on surviving the week, hopefully with your dignity intact.”

( What Your Body Wants )

[Open!]

Business Sense 101 [Friday]

[teashopconman.livejournal.com]

"Well, at least it's warmer today, right?" Hatter proclaimed as the students came into the Danger Shop. "While you might be suffering from other...things, we can all be nice and warm, can't we?"

Hopefully.

"Anyway, I'm not going to make this too hard a class for today," he told them. "We talked a little about staffing the other week and hiring those that are qualified but won't break the bank by being too qualified. Now, we're going to talk about firing people."

Dun dun dun.

"Yes, it's a fact of life, sometimes you have to let an employee go. Whether it be because of a poor performance, a bad fit for the job, or a myriad of other things, you, as a boss, will have to terminate employment. It can be difficult because you are dealing with another human being but you have to think of your business first and foremost. If you keep this employee, your business will suffer. Even if it's just minor at first, it will suffer in the long run so cutting the cord now is what is needed."

Hatter pushed a few buttons and got the simulation started.

"Today, you are all playing the role of the boss and you're going to fire someone. Be strong, don't cry and be confident in your business. Ready? Go."