Edutopia Teacher Vulcan Viper
Last Updated on Sunday, 02 September 2012 19:37 Written by Se7en Wirsing
Practicing Vulcan philosophy and meditation has well prepared Vulcan Viper for the teaching of these subjects. He is also a tutor for people learning about computers in real life. At Edutopia, he teaches three classes, Second Life Basics, Vulcan Philosophy and Meditation. Vulcan Philosophy class is on Fridays at noon SLT, Second Life Basics is on Thursdays at 11 am SLT and Meditation is on Sundays at 2 pm SLT. All the classes take place in a new location at Edutopia (SLurl).
Second Life Basics is a straightforward class, a training for new residents. "Atmosphere"...not quite sure if I purposely set what you would consider "an atmosphere," Mr. Viper stated upon being asked, "what kind of atmosphere do you set for the class?" "I simply provide the information and then answer questions afterwards," he explained. Perhaps it was the wrong answer to ask a person who teaches Vulcan Philosophy, if you are expecting a flowery answer.
Vulcan Philosophy Class
"The Vulcan philosophy proclaims the control of emotions by suppressing them, so that one can use logic in thought and action," Mr. Viper stated, regarding the subject of this class. He does follow this philosophy in his life, "to a degree. Suppressing emotions to the degree the Vulcans do, has the drawback of emotions eventually erupting out of control. That is why I do use this philosophy, but respect that us humans are people with emotions." In spite of his attachment to logical reasoning, you'll find Mr. Viper to be patient, accommodating and humorous.
Meditation Class
"Usually students come in already telling me about their reasons for being here," he explained. "I basically build on that." Mr. Viper developed this class after hearing about Transcendental Meditation.
With a small class size and informal "atmosphere," the classes are more personalized. Expect that there will be discussion time, in which your questions will be answered. You'll be welcomed at any of these classes, so drop by and try them.
Why does a week have 7 days?
Last Updated on Sunday, 02 September 2012 19:55 Written by Se7en Wirsing
Meet our Teachers: Erik Goff
On Saturday mornings at 9:00 SLT, Erik Goff teaches a class on Ancient Geometry. It's not what you think; it's answers to questions like the one above or why a flower can't have 10 petals.
When asked how he decided to start teaching the class, he stated, "I just love to talk about this subject. Lots of people are interested." As well, he reveals teaching "gives me also more insight...People ask things or add things that I didn't know...so I learn also along with them."
Students have reacted positively and his topics appeal to builders in particular. The most popular topic has been the golden section. "I show them how Leonardo da Vinci made his famous paintings. It shows them how to copy part of the beauty of nature in their own builds," Erik explained.
Not everyone in the class is a builder. Others are interested in geometry or history. Some students are in the Edutopia group, but often people find the class through the Second Life events listing. You may join the class by teleporting to Edutopia (slurl)on Saturday at 9:00 am SLT.
"You won't look at the world with the same eyes afterwards," Erik said cryptically.
Exploring Second Life Relationships
Last Updated on Sunday, 02 September 2012 20:07 Written by Ashy Viper
"I'm married in RL, and I have a boyfriend in SL, so am I considered to be cheating on my husband?"
I was once asked this question by a resident in Second Life who prefers to remain anonymous.
A Visit to Mandy's Manors
Last Updated on Sunday, 02 September 2012 20:07 Written by Se7en Wirsing
Mandy Matfield, owner and designer of Mandy's Manors, found Second Life® in a magazine article while she waited at the dentist's office. A former player of the PC game "The Sims," she found a similarity. "Now," she quips, a "sim" means something different.
Geekspeak isn't solely for geeks
Last Updated on Saturday, 14 July 2012 14:33 Written by Se7en Wirsing
Erik Goff leads the lively discussion on Saturdays at noon SLT on Edutopia (SLurl) at Geekspeak. The group has been small and not geeky so far, but happily engaging in discussions of various contemporary and sometimes controversial topics. Last Saturday, for example, the main topic was "the end of oil."
You don't need to have any previous knowledge of the topics and you won't feel uncomfortable expressing your opinion. It's a relaxed and accepting group. Join the group at Edutopia to receive notices. Perhaps you would even like to suggest a topic for next week. The topic for June19 is singularity or the point in time where technology goes so fast we cant keep up anymore.
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