Pony Express: Friendship is Cultural Exchange! Wednesday, period 1

[locointhecoco]

"Hidey-ho, everypony!" Pinkie greeted as the students met up for class. "We're in for another treat this week! Which is easy because everywhere in Equestria is a treat! Today we're going to see another one of Equestria's great cities: Fillydelphia!"

Pinkie led the way into the perfectly timed portal and out onto a busy street in front of a red brick building with a big, old fashioned bell tower at the top.

"Little known fact! -- well, I mean, it's little known to humans, basically everypony in Equestria knows about it at least a little from pageants we all have to do in school -- Fillydelphia was actually once upon a time the capital of all of Equestria! That's why there's lots and lots of nifty historical sites around like this one: Independence Hall. A long long time ago a whole bunch of ponies got together and decided they didn't like being ruled over by princesses and wanted to form a new kind of government. So they wrote up a big letter to send to Canterlot." Pinkie looked up at the bell tower with an expression of fond awe. "They had some great ideas and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna read them over and they all got together and agreed that ponies could be even more equal than they already were and that started the princesses learning all about friendship and harmony and really shaped what Equestria looks like today!" Pinkie sprung up on her hooves and flung confetti in the air, then dropped back to all-fours. "I mean, other than the 'no princesses' thing. Who would want to live in a world like that? I mean, they raise and lower the sun and moon." She shook her head and trotted off.

Enjoy exploring Fillydelphia, kids. It's way more than just busted bells and weirdly non-anti-monarchial federal history.

Surviving (and Thriving) on Fandom Island, Week 9 (Wed., Period 3)

[atreideslioness]

"So you've all experienced at least one bout of Fandom Strangeness," Ghanima began once the bell had sounded. "While the reaction of the vast majority of the student body during an invasion is typically to find something and punch it until it stops, what do you do if you're not one for physical confrontation?"

"Or if you just aren't up for it for some reason or another," added Tahiri. "A lot of times, during invasions, classes tend to get cancelled because, well, not only is it pretty hard to concentrate when there are things attacking outside, but we know how a lot of you work. Force knows, when I was a student I'd be one of the first ones to drop everything and run out to fight something." She emphasized the admission with a smile and a guilty-as-charge shrug.

"Whereas while I am perfectly capable of eliminating physical threats -- and often enjoy it -- I often find I am of more use with whatever group is researching," Ghanima said. "I have a rather long memory, and I speak and read a number of languages; living, dead, and yet-to-be. This makes me a valuable resource when something must be translated."

"Since it always helps to know why we're hitting the people we're hitting, and what we have to do to stop doing it. And if that's not your thing either, but you still want to help . . . we used to have a support group that met regularly to prepare for these things. First aid, teamwork, things like that." Tahiri paused to brush her hair out of her eyes (and made a mental note to get a haircut sometime soon). "Even just having drinks and maybe something to eat for people can make a huge difference."

"The Clinic is usually a safe place to gather, and the nurses enjoy putting people to work, I hear," Ghanima continued. "We keep those same nurses hopping, so it's not just students and faculty that often need to be reminded to eat."

"Caritas also has a non-violence spell cast upon it, so if you're caught out in town when something starts happening, you can always retreat there to plan what you want to do next."

"Which may just be staying out of the way until it's all over," Tahiri said. "And if that's what you're most comfortable doing, by all means do so. Just . . . maybe make sure someone knows, so people don't worry that something's happened to you."

"Notes are always good, even if you're just running to get groceries," Ghanima agreed, "--and keep your phones fully charged in case of emergency. For instance, our blackout last weekend. That sort of thing can happen even outside Fandom's boundaries, and a phone battery can provide light, information, and communication. And if you get in over your head, there's no shame in calling for help."

"So, what do you think you'd be most likely to do? If . . . let's say there are a lot of strange creatures wandering all over the island, and there's a good chance you'll get attacked if you go outside?" asked Tahiri. "Feel free to share if you want to, or just think about it. It never hurts to be prepared for this stuff."

Ethics, Wednesday, November 4, 2015, (2nd period)

[sith_happened]

"Hope everyone enjoyed the free candy and didn't freeze too much without heat this weekend," Anakin said, finishing up a fun-sized Snickers he'd pilfered from his son Christopher's Halloween stash. "Today we're going to do one of our traditional hypotheticals, pulled from a story on this planet called the Lady or the Tiger."

"It is a tale of trial by combat," Obi-Wan said, "-- and no, that planet was not my fault, we are not having that argument in class again, Anakin, I can see you wanting to start -- ahem. In the tale, a young princess becomes rather enarmored of a commoner. Her father discovers this, and is rather displeased about the whole matter."

"If by 'displeased' you mean 'murderously pissed off', then yes," Anakin said. "And it was absolutely your fault but that's not under discussion. He captured the young commoner, put him through a sham of a trial and then placed him in an arena with two doors. Behind one was a beautiful woman--not the princess--that he would have to marry immediately. Behind the other was a tiger, who would devour him with severe prejudice. The princess, who wasn't exactly in the relationship with the commoner for entirely altruistic reasons, knew which door led to what. The commoner looked up to her, she nodded to a door...and that's where the story ends. What you get to decide is what fate she led him to...and what you would have done in her place."

"Was she struck by jealousy, or perhaps did she decide that the relationship had run its course and it was best to clean up, so to speak?" Obi-Wan asked. "Or did her feelings for the commoner trump such selfish desires?"

Anakin smiled at Obi-Wan. "What would you do, Master?"

"I would choose the woman, of course," Obi-Wan said, without even a moment's hesitation. QUELLE SURPRISE.

Anakin smirked. "Of course you would. Okay, class, your turn."