Greetings Starfighters,
Comic-Con is upon us, that time of year when thousands of geeks descend upon San Diego and enjoy some quality time together. Sadly, I have never been. However, one of my very good friends is actually presenting some of his research on using comics in education for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Be sure to check it out if you’re there.
You should try going if you’ve never been to a “Con” of any variety. I usually attend the Cincinnati version in the fall and love seeing the cosplay and just hanging around some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
Trying to decide if they’re worth attending?
Although Comic-Con is rooted in comics, the convention is using its growing popularity and global recognition to support and further social progress. In 2017, Comic-Con conventions in various cities and countries featured mental health panels. These panels are still going strong as attendees are looking for ways that pop culture can help them deal with current issues (like Covid-19-related stresses). Regarding diversity, for the first time in history, a woman won the Best Writer Eisner Award – the top award for comic book writing – at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con, around the same time it was announced that the first transgender superhero in television history would be joining the characters of “Supergirl.” And, the first-ever Indigenous Comic-Con, which began in 2016 and has slowly taken off in America and in Australia, celebrates Indigenous creators and artists and their contributions to pop culture. Its success has since spawned a mini-Indigenous-Comic-Con with pop-up events in various cities. Comic-Con unlocks people’s imaginations and addresses serious cultural and societal issues.
Quote of the Day
“Our children should study what’s important to learn, not what’s easy for you to test.” (Ted Dintersmith, What School Could Be)
Musical Interlude
Sultans of Swing is one of my all-time favorite songs. It’s just… perfect. And here’s a great cover from this past April by Umphrey’s McGee
Long Read of the Day
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) was first introduced in 2023; over a year later, with the August recess looming, the Senate is poised to vote on the bill. With 70 cosponsors, the bill appears likely to pass.
Proponents of the bill believe that the law is necessary to safeguard children from harm that could result from the platforms’ relentless quest for user attention. Critics argue that KOSA not only erodes internet freedoms but could also prevent minors — particularly LGBTQ minors — from accessing potentially lifesaving information.
Video of the Day
“The Earth reminded us of a Christmas tree ornament hanging in the blackness of space. As we got farther and farther away, it diminished in size. Finally, it shrank to the size of a marble, the most beautiful marble you can imagine.” – James Irwin, Apollo 15
Several years ago, a small group took those words to heart and built a scale model of our universe in the desert. To know how small the scale was to create the model and for it still to take up as much space as it did is a reminder to all of us how big our universe is and how small we are.
I showed this film to my math students when we discussed scale drawings, and it never ceased to give them lots to think about beyond scale drawings.
Final Thoughts
I just started Jim Harrison’s “Legends of the Fall”—yes, that one—this week. I’ll let you know if I like it better than I like the film.
“I followed all the rules – man’s and God’s. And you… followed none of them and they all loved you more”
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