#technology in alternative schools

[tapasschool]

AI in Education: How Tapas Uses Technology Without Losing the Human Touch

Discover how Tapas is redefining learning by blending AI in progressive education without compromising the human connection. This blog explores how technology in alternative schools like Tapas supports teachers, enhances student engagement, and encourages AI and student creativity. By integrating personalized tools, the school creates personalized learning experiences tailored to individual needs while maintaining empathy-driven teaching. Learn how Tapas uses AI not to replace educators, but to empower them—ensuring innovation with intention. Whether you're an educator or parent, this article offers insights into the future of balanced, tech-enabled learning environments in progressive and alternative educational settings.

[swampythesweetsketch]

Giving MHA another go since it's on neflix.

Didn't get too absorbed but it just gave me Hope's Peak is a secret/public superhero school AU....

[ms-demeanor]

You may have posted about this before, but im very curious about you saying "email was a mistake" because it's such a cemented part of online communication. Is it the technology?

Email became infrastructural in a way that it was never intended to be and wasn't designed for.

There is too much momentum toward email being the primary means of business communication that unless there is a massive technology shift we're unlikely to see wide adoption of an alternative and email takes up so much space in the IT space that it's hard to say what the alternative would be.

Much of what used to be email now happens in company chat apps, which I think is an improvement in many ways, but you chat with your coworkers in a way that you're unlikely to chat with a client or send a quote to a prospect.

A huge amount of effort goes into making email better, and making email systems talk to each other, and making email secure because it is so ubiquitous that you can't realistically ask people not to use it.

But it's fucking terrible and we're asking too much of a set of protocols that was supposed to send small, not-very-private, communications between academics.

Why can't you send big files via email? Because that's not what email is for.

Why is it a pain in the ass to send encrypted emails? Because that's not what email is for.

Why aren't your emails portable, and easy to move from one service to another? Because that's not what email is for.

Why are emails so easy to spoof? Because they were never meant to be used the way we use them so there was no reason to safeguard against that fifty years ago

It's like how social security cards were never meant to be used as one of your major super serious government IDs where all of your activity through all of your life is tracked, because if they knew they needed a system for that they probably would have built a better one in the first place.

Nobody who sat down and developed email looked more than half a century into the future and went "so people are going to be using this system to create identities to access banking and medical records and grocery shopping and school records so we'd better make sure that it's robust enough to handle all of that" because instead they were thinking "Neat! I can send a digital message to someone on a different computer network than the one that I am literally in the same building as."

We think of email as, like, a piece of certified mail that is hand delivered in tamperproof packaging to only the intended recipient who signs for it with their thumbprint and a retina scan when it is, instead, basically a postcard.

It would be absurd to try to do the things people do with email with postcards, and it's *nearly* as absurd to try to do them via email.

[sunderwight]

Contemplating an AU where Shen Yuan isn't actually as unhinged as he might seem, because Systems and Transmigration are not just common fictional tropes in his world but actually like. Established things that happen.

Everyone knows that there are fictional worlds that end up existing as different realities. Chicken-or-the-egg style debates are rampant and academia and religious circles, as no one can quite agree on whether there are cosmic forces that are creating worlds based on fiction or if there are some psychic currents that influence sensitive creative types to perceive other worlds or what, but it's known to happen.

Systems are also not-infrequently encountered phenomenon. Like demons or other supernatural concepts. Sometimes in life you just encounter a scenario where a semi-technological themed spiritual parasite will latch itself onto you as part of a process to ensure the regulation of some world or part of a world or something. Again, lots of debate and attempts to figure out what is really going on are ongoing in Shen Yuan's world.

Transmigration has also been documented. Souls are confirmed to exist and it's known that dying makes you extra susceptible to the influence of various Systems and the possibility of moving between worlds. Lots of people have, over the course of history, done this and then come back to their original world and reported on it. Experiments of varying degrees of ethical dubiousness have been conducted before eventually being banned in the name of not killing people to try and figure out interdimensional travel.

One of the reasons why Shen Yuan gets so pissy at Airplane's hack writing is because he's gone to university and studied transmigration and interdimensional physics, and he's firmly in the camp that thinks that some kind of scarcely-documented cosmic force is creating worlds based on fiction. Sure, the odds of any given fictional world becoming an alternate reality are very small, and extremely dependent on a number of factors that can be difficult to deliberately invoke, but by Shen Yuan's calculations there's kind of a perfect storm of what factors he theorizes are relevant and that makes Airplane's hack writing the height of irresponsibility. Stop putting that poor protagonist through this shit! He doesn't deserve it! You're playing with fire!

Anyway, Shen Yuan's school of thought is not the widest nor the most respected, so in addition to his art critiques he's laughed off as a quack.

For his own part, Airplane has also studied interdimensional physics and he's confident that his writing is way too unstable to ever be Substantiated. But just in case he throws in a few token protections against that kind of thing.

Peerless Cucumber: those "protections" are just superstitions! they don't actually work! there are more than seventeen documented cases of Substantiation that contradict all of them, and even more that contradict each individually! making the curtains blue does nothing!

Airplane Shooting Towards the Sky: chill out bro, you wouldn't want to give yourself a coronary and wake up as Luo Binghe. how would he fuck you then?

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

What if MC was sent to an alternate dimension somehow and that dimension contained all 7 overblots who woke up there after they were defeated in main story. How would they react to the magicless prefect who managed to defeat them suddenly showing up out of nowhere?

Overblot Universe | Yandere Twisted Wonderland

Imagine a trip through the mirror portal gone wrong

Ending up in this other place where it looks like an ink covered version of Night Raven

Reminding you of your dear friends’ overblots 

You hesitate to call out for help of any kind

Instead your greeted immediately by an army of ink blotted students marching towards you quickly

A single soldier steps to the front bearing a gaudy but familiar collar 

“The Queen of Hearts demands you return to his side at once!” 

Before you can say anything, another voice rings out

“Our Sultan demands the magicless one.”

This one has a smaller group but they are much more heavily armed

It leads to a brawl which you are uncomfortably at the center of

Escaping from the warring factions, you make your way to the school’s mirror room

Barely able to step on the premises you’re stopped by a small patch of sand sucking you into the ground

The only one you can think that’d use this is–

“Thought I smelled a troublesome herbivore.”

It’s Leona in all his overblotted glory

Snickering with a fanged smile he grabs you by the arm

Easily yanking you out of the sand and holding you against his chest

Still standing above the quicksand you hold on tight

You’re surprised when he almost lovingly rubs his cheeks against your own trailing down your neck with his nose

Then without warning he takes a deep bite into the crook of your neck

Holding you still as you try to shove him away

When he pulls back with blood on his smile, you can only look at him with betrayal

“What? You think I’d be gentle after you chased me away? Not this time sweet heart.”

He tosses you over his shoulder as he walks further away from the building you want to go 

Taking you to an inky territory that looks as though Savvannaclaw turned into some rocky mound in the dessert

With too much ease he tosses you into a scratchy pile of sand 

He plops down practically on top of you

“Ow! This is really uncomfy how do you sleep on this?!”

“Don’t whine. Now that you’re here it’ll be a lot softer.”

Too fast and so familiar to your Leona he falls asleep

Anytime you move a centimeter the sand whips angrily around keeping you in his vicinity

But it seems the only time it didn’t react was when a drone with a bucket of water dunked on the sand rising to swat at it

The damp sand could only bubble slowly as the drone came closer to you shooting some small metal thing on your reaching hand

“NO!--” 

The ugly snarl from the overblotted Leona dissipates as a flash of blue and black transports you someplace else

“There they are brother! You’re player 2! I told you they’d be here for the special day!”

You want to voice your confusion as you blink your blurry sight into something sharp

But something's over your mouth

And your hands and your legs

Looking around you are in what looks like a cave lined with wires and technology baring an uncanny resemblance to a friend of yours

“You were right all along brother! Let’s prepare for the final act!” 

It’s an overblotted Idia taking a heavy looking crown from the claws of some nearby machinery

Stopping to admire you, his cold clawed hands run along your face as if checking if your real

Before placing the crown on your head

The minute the device is settled how he likes it tightens on your head

Bringing a numbing pain to the sides of your skull as you desperately try to wiggle free

Nothing you do stops the inky creation that looks like Ortho manipulate your binds to stand you upright

Bringing you to an alter, it’s there you notice the swirling abyss just pass the electronic officiant

“Now say your vows, my fruit.”

“Of course my precious future husband, master of the underworld and overworld. For years–”

It’s your voice but not 

With a tinge of automation your voice chimes happily from the restraint over your mouth

At your not–real—vows Idia seems to giggle causing the abyss to widen and the suction intensify

Eventually ‘your vows’ end and Idia claims he’s going to skip his

Letting his robotic officiant carry through like a typical ceremony

Until it gets to that part

“I’d be wrong not to speak my peace when both parties so clearly have withstanding debts with me.”

Part 2

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - July 22-28

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!

1. Four new cheetah cubs born in Saudi Arabia after 40 years of extinction

“[T]he discovery of mummified cheetahs in caves […] which ranged in age from 4,000 to as recent as 120 years, proved that the animals […] once called [Saudi Arabia] home. The realisation kick-started the country’s Cheetah Conservation Program to bring back the cats to their historic Arabian range. […] Dr Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the NCW, said: […] “This motivates us to continue our efforts to restore and reintroduce cheetahs, guided by an integrated strategy designed in accordance with best international practices.””

2. In sub-Saharan Africa, ‘forgotten’ foods could boost climate resilience, nutrition

“[A study published in PNAS] examined “forgotten” crops that may help make sub-Saharan food systems more resilient, and more nutritious, as climate change makes it harder to grow [current staple crops.] [… The study identified 138 indigenous] food crops that were “relatively underresearched, underutilized, or underpromoted in an African context,” but which have the nutrient content and growing stability to support healthy diets and local economies in the region. […] In Eswatini, van Zonneveld and the World Vegetable Center are working with schools to introduce hardy, underutilized vegetables to their gardens, which have typically only grown beans and maize.”

3. Here's how $4 billion in government money is being spent to reduce climate pollution

“[New Orleans was awarded] nearly $50 million to help pay for installing solar on low to middle income homes [… and] plans to green up underserved areas with trees and build out its lackluster bike lane system to provide an alternative to cars. […] In Utah, $75 million will fund several measures from expanding electric vehicles to reducing methane emissions from oil and gas production. [… A] coalition of states led by North Carolina will look to store carbon in lands used for agriculture as well as natural places like wetlands, with more than $400 million. [… This funding is] “providing investments in communities, new jobs, cost savings for everyday Americans, improved air quality, … better health outcomes.””

4. From doom scrolling to hope scrolling: this week’s big Democratic vibe shift

“[Democrats] have been on an emotional rollercoaster for the past few weeks: from grim determination as Biden fought to hang on to his push for a second term, to outright exuberance after he stepped aside and Harris launched her campaign. […] In less than a week, the Harris campaign raised record-breaking sums and signed up more than 100,000 new volunteers[….] This honeymoon phase will end, said Democratic strategist Guy Cecil, warning the election will be a close race, despite this newfound exuberance in his party. [… But v]oters are saying they are excited to vote for Harris and not just against Trump. That’s new.”

5. Biodegradable luminescent polymers show promise for reducing electronic waste

“[A team of scientists discovered that a certain] chemical enables the recycling of [luminescent polymers] while maintaining high light-emitting functions. […] At the end of life, this new polymer can be degraded under either mild acidic conditions (near the pH of stomach acid) or relatively low heat treatment (> 410 F). The resulting materials can be isolated and remade into new materials for future applications. […] The researchers predict this new polymer can be applied to existing technologies, such as displays and medical imaging, and enable new applications […] such as cell phones and computer screens with continued testing.”

6. World’s Biggest Dam Removal Project to Open 420 Miles of Salmon Habitat this Fall

“Reconnecting the river will help salmon and steelhead populations survive a warming climate and [natural disasters….] In the long term, dam removal will significantly improve water quality in the Klamath. ���Algae problems in the reservoirs behind the dams were so bad that the water was dangerous for contact […] and not drinkable,” says Fluvial Geomorphologist Brian Cluer. [… The project] will begin to reverse decades of habitat degradation, allow threatened salmon species to be resilient in the face of climate change, and restore tribal connections to their traditional food source.”

7. Biden-Harris Administration Awards $45.1 Million to Expand Mental Health and Substance Use Services Across the Lifespan

““Be it fostering wellness in young people, caring for the unhoused, facilitating treatment and more, this funding directly supports the needs of our neighbors,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. [The funding also supports] recovery and reentry services to adults in the criminal justice system who have a substance use disorder[… and clinics which] serve anyone who asks for help for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay.”

8. The World’s Rarest Crow Will Soon Fly Free on Maui

“[… In] the latest attempt to establish a wild crow population, biologists will investigate if this species can thrive on Maui, an island where it may have never lived before. Translocations outside of a species’ known historical range are rare in conservation work, but for a bird on the brink of extinction, it’s a necessary experiment: Scientists believe the crows will be safer from predators in a new locale—a main reason that past reintroduction attempts failed. […] As the release date approaches, the crows have already undergone extensive preparation for life in the wild. […] “We try to give them the respect that you would give if you were caring for someone’s elder.””

9. An optimist’s guide to the EV battery mining challenge

““Battery minerals have a tremendous benefit over oil, and that’s that you can reuse them.” [… T]he report’s authors found there’s evidence to suggest that [improvements in technology] and recycling have already helped limit demand for battery minerals in spite of this rapid growth — and that further improvements can reduce it even more. [… They] envision a scenario in which new mining for battery materials can basically stop by 2050, as battery recycling meets demand. In this fully realized circular battery economy, the world must extract a total of 125 million tons of battery minerals — a sum that, while hefty, is actually 17 times smaller than the oil currently harvested every year to fuel road transport.”

10. Peekaboo! A baby tree kangaroo debuts at the Bronx Zoo

“The tiny Matschie’s tree kangaroo […] was the third of its kind born at the Bronx Zoo since 2008. [… A] Bronx Zoo spokesperson said that the kangaroo's birth was significant for the network of zoos that aims to preserve genetic diversity among endangered animals. "It's a small population and because of that births are not very common," said Jessica Moody, curator of primates and small mammals at the Bronx Zoo[, …] adding that baby tree kangaroos are “possibly one of the cutest animals to have ever lived. They look like stuffed animals, it's amazing.””

July 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Who Broke the Internet? Part III

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in PDX on Jun 20 at BARNES AND NOBLE with BUNNIE HUANG. After that, it's LONDON (Jul 1) and MANCHESTER (Jul 2).

Episode 3 of "Understood: Who Broke the Internet?" (my new CBC podcast about enshittification) just dropped. It's called "In God We Antitrust," and it's great:

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/1353-the-naked-emperor/episode/16147052-in-god-we-antitrust

The thesis of this four-part series is pretty straightforward: the enshittification of the internet was the result of an enshittogenic policy environment. Platforms always had the technical means to scam us and abuse us. Tech founders and investors always included a cohort of scumbags who would trade our happiness and wellbeing for their profits. What changed was the consequences of giving in to those impulses. When Google took off, its founders' mantra was "competition is just a click away." If someone built a better search engine, users could delete their google.com bookmarks, just like they did to their altavista.com bookmarks when Google showed up.

Policymakers – not technologists or VCs – changed the environment so that this wasn't true anymore:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/05/08/who-broke-the-internet/#bruce-lehman

In last week's episode, we told the story of Bruce Lehman, the Clinton administration's Copyright Czar, who swindled the US government into passing a law that made it illegal to mod, hack, reverse-engineer or otherwise improve on an existing technology:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/05/13/ctrl-ctrl-ctrl/#free-dmitry

This neutralized a powerful anti-enshittificatory force: interoperability. All digital tech is born interoperable, because of the intrinsic characteristics of computers, their flexibility. This means that tech is inherently enshittification-resistant. When a company enshittifies its products or services, its beleaguered users and suppliers don't have to wait for a regulator to punish it. They don't have to wait for a competitor to challenge it.

Interoperable tools – ad-blockers, privacy blockers, alternative clients, mods, plugins, firmware patches and other hacks – offer immediate, profound relief from enshittification. Every ten foot pile of shit that a tech company drops into your life can be met with an eleven foot ladder of disenshittifying, interoperable technology.

That's why Lehman's successful attack on tinkering was so devastating. Before Lehman, tech had achieved a kind of pro-user equilibrium: every time a company made its products worse, they had to confront a thousand guerrilla technologists who unilaterally unfucked things: third party printer ink, file-format compatibility, protocol compatibility, all the way up to Unix, a massive operating system that was painstakingly re-created, piece by piece, in free software.

Lehman offered would-be enshittifiers a way to shift this equilibrium to full enshittification: just stick a digital lock on your product. It didn't even matter if the lock worked – under Lehman's anticircumvention law, tampering with a lock, even talking about weaknesses in a lock, became a literal felony, punishable by a five-year prison sentence and a $500K fine. Lehman's law was an offer no tech boss would refuse, and enshittification ate the world.

But Lehman's not the only policymaker who was warned about the consequences of his terrible plans, who ignored the warnings, and who disclaims any responsibility for the shitty world that followed. Long before Lehman's assault on tech policy, another group of lawyers and economists laid waste to competition policy.

In the 1960s and 1970s, a group of Chicago School economists conceived of an absurd new way to interpret competition law, which they called "the consumer welfare standard." Under this standard, the job of competition policy was to encourage monopolies to form, on the grounds that monopolies were "efficient" and would lower prices for "consumers."

The chief proponent of this standard was Robert Bork, a virulent racist whose most significant claim to fame was that he was the only government lawyer willing to help Richard Nixon illegally fire officials who wouldn't turn a blind eye to his crimes. Bork's long record of unethical behavior and scorching bigotry came back to bite him in the ass when Ronald Reagan tried to seat him on the Supreme Court, during a confirmation hearing that Bork screwed up so badly that even today, we use "borked" as a synonym for anything that is utterly fucked.

But Bork's real legacy was as a pro-monopoly propagandist, whose work helped shift how judges, government enforcers, and economists viewed antitrust law. Bork approached the text of America's antitrust laws, like the Sherman Act and the Clayton Act, with the same techniques as a Qanon follower addressing a Q "drop," applying gnostic techniques to find in these laws mystical coded language that – he asserted – meant that Congress had intended for America's anti-monopoly laws to actually support monopolies.

In episode three, we explore Bork's legacy, and how it led to what Tom Eastman calls the internet of "five giant websites, each filled with screenshots of the other four." We got great interviews and old tape for this one, including Michael Wiesel, a Canadian soap-maker who created a bestselling line of nontoxic lip-balm kits for kids, only to have Amazon shaft him by underselling him with his own product.

But the most interesting interview was with Lina Khan, the generational talent who became the youngest-ever FTC chair under Joe Biden, and launched an all-out assault on American monopolies and their vile depredations:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/14/making-good-trouble/#the-peoples-champion

Khan's extraordinary rise to power starts with a law review paper she wrote in her third year at Yale, "Amazon's Antitrust Paradox," which became the first viral law review article in history:

https://www.yalelawjournal.org/note/amazons-antitrust-paradox

"Amazon's Antitrust Paradox" was a stinging rebuke to Bork and his theories, using Amazon's documented behavior to show that after Amazon used its monopoly power to lower prices and drive rivals out of the market, it subsequently raised prices. And, contrary to Bork's theories, those new, high prices didn't conjure up new rivals who would enter the market with lower prices again, eager to steal Amazon's customers away. Instead, Amazon's demonstrated willingness to cross-subsidize divisions gigantic losses to destroy any competitor with below-cost pricing created a "kill zone" of businesses adjacent to the giant's core enterprise that no one dared enter:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/how-biden-can-clean-up-obamas-big

The clarity of Khan's writing, combined with her careful research and devastating conclusions dragged a vast crowd of people who'd never paid much attention to antitrust – including me! – into the fray. No wonder that four years later, she was appointed to serve as the head of the FTC, making her the most powerful consumer rights regulator in the world.

We live in an age of monopolies, with cartels dominating every part of our lives, acting as "autocrats of trade" and "kings over the necessaries of life," the corporate dictators that Senator John Sherman warned about when he was stumping for the 1890 Sherman Act, America's first antitrust law:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/20/we-should-not-endure-a-king/

Bork and his co-religionists created this age. They're the reason we live in world where we have to get our "necessaries of life" from a cartel, a duopoly or a monopoly. It's not because the great forces of history transformed the economy – it's because of these dickheads:

https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/learn/monopoly-by-the-numbers

This episode of "Understood: Who Borked the Internet?" draws a straight line from those economists and their ideas to the world we live in today. It sets up the final episode, next week's "Kick 'Em in the Dongle," which charts a course for us to escape from the hellscape created by Bork, Lehman, and their toadies and trolls.

You can get "Understood: Who Broke the Internet?" in any podcast app, even the seriously enshittified ones (which, let's be real here, is most of them). Here's a direct link to the RSS:

https://www.cbc.ca/podcasting/includes/nakedemperor.xml

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/05/19/khan-thought/#they-were-warned

[impish-baby]

which of your familial yandere’s do you think would best handle a moody teenager? I’m definitely a fan of the fics where the reader is cute and obedient but I never see much for the older agere’s 😭

This ask is so cute- apologies if I made teen regressor! reader too stereotypical, I just found it funny

Valerian: wants to be a cool parent so bad but they're old-

They do not care for most modern technology but they're sitting there with their reading glasses trying to google all the current lingo and what's hot with the kids these days, will definitely come up to you asking why your generation is into certain things (boomer but times 10,000, they've been alive centuries)

It's a good thing for you if you're into certain alternative fashions because Valerian's wardrobe is stocked full of choices for more goth or lolita looks! They never mind sharing, they're more than happy to have you giving their pieces another life (maybe will be a little miffed if you decide to use something for a DIY without asking first, but they get over it fairly quickly and immediately turn to fawning over your work)

Tentatively let's you go out to concerts and different things, with a chaperone of course! They will not hear any moaning over you being old enough to go by yourself, you're still their baby and need someone to make sure you're safe! (Don't think you'll make any friends though, for some reason everyone avoids you like the plague..)

Rowen: does not stop talking about when he was in a band in high school, you could like a totally different genre of music and he still chats about it because he's (admittedly poorly) trying to connect with you

He's dealt with two other kids before, so attitude problems are no stranger to him! He never takes anything personally, but will threaten to take your door if you keep slamming it (never actually does, he just finds it to be the most annoying part) I think he'd get you lots of journals and self help books just because he knows how difficult and large emotions can be at that age

Unfortunately, you're still not allowed to go anywhere unless you're willing to make it a family trip! None of his kids are allowed in town without him, and sneaking out isn't really an option when he (not to mention your siblings) can out pace you easily. You'll get locked up in the den for the effort though :p

Sylvia: She... does not do well with teen regressors (._.) She tries her best of course, but is very used to babies/toddlers

Her first thought when you're in a mood is that you're throwing a tantrum and she'll start to treat it as such, which does the opposite of helping because it just feels like she's making fun of you-

She messages her coven apologizing for her own teen years..

Eventually, figures out that things go smoother if she takes on more of a big sister role instead of a motherly one. Is very much into gossiping and watching TV together (still doesn't let you watch anything too 'inappropriate', she frowns anytime there's even a mild curse)

Thoren and Rune: *sniffles* they grow up so fast.. they're both sad about their fledgling deciding they're oh so mature and broody

Rune has a habit of mimicking you, annoyingly enough. The deep sighs, eye rolls, he finds it funny how much it bothers you (and despite your efforts, he can tell you also find it humorous sometimes, no feeling escapes the bond)

They mandate cuddling, not that they didn't before, it's just worse now that you act like you're too good for some snuggles from your sires! It doesn't matter how much you fuss about it, you're being dragged into the nest one way or another

My personal ranking for this group best to worst is: Rowen, Thoren and Rune, Valerian, and lastly Sylvia

[antisextrade]

How to Talk to Your Kids About Porn and Restrict Their Access to It

In an age where access to explicit content is just a click away, addressing the topic of pornography becomes increasingly crucial. However, I've noticed that many parents struggle with how to broach the subject effectively while also implementing measures to safeguard their children's online experiences. Here is a practical guide I've put together on how to start the conversation about porn with your kids and restrict their access to it:

Start Early:

A Common Sense Media survey found that the average age at which most children are exposed to pornography is 12 years old; 15% first saw pornography when they were 10 years old or younger. So, start the conversation early and keep it age appropriate. You can always expand upon it as they grow older.

Educate and Create an Open Environment:

Empower your kids by educating them in an honest and ongoing conversation about the harms of porn. Encourage your children to ask questions and express their thoughts and concerns without fear of judgment. Let them know that they can come to you with any worries or uncertainties they may have about what they see online.

To help facilitate these conversations, consider using this conversational blueprint on how to talk about porn with them or utilize resources such as Culture Reframed's free courses. These courses provide parents with valuable knowledge, skills, and confidence to discuss the role of pornography in today's culture with young people. They emphasize the importance of explaining to children why and how pornography can be harmful, while reinforcing the message that they should never feel pressured to engage in any intimate activity that makes them feel uncomfortable, ashamed, or frightened.

Alternatively consider reading "How to Talk to Your Kids about Pornography" by Dina Alexander, Amanda Scott and Jenny Web or the free guide "How to Talk to Kids About Pornography" by Defend Young Minds.

Additionally, show your child the porn critical documentary miniseries "Brain, Heart, World," consisting of three episodes aimed to be an educational resource for those in middle school and older.

Use Technology Safeguards:

Utilize parental control software, hardware, internet filters and built-in mobile and tablet settings to restrict access to inappropriate websites (and social media if you want to go further). Familiarize yourself with the privacy settings of the devices and platforms your child uses, and regularly monitor their online activity.

Restrict access to mobile and tablet: Both mobile phones and tablets have built-in settings to restrict access to adult websites, including pornographic websites. One can either set up such restrictions from the parent’s mobile (family group) or on the child’s mobile and tablet directly. To do this:

Apple mobile phones and tablets:

On the child’s device: Go to settings. Select Screen Time. Select this is my device, or your child’s device. Choose Content and Privacy. Select Content Restrictions. Select Online Content and Restrict Adult Websites.

From your device: First, you need to create your own Apple ID for kids (your child must be signed in to the mobile or tablet with this account). Enter Screen Time. Select your child. Choose Content and Privacy. Enter a code. Select Content Restrictions. Select Online Content and Restrict Adult Websites.

Android mobile phones and tablets:

On your child’s device: Go to the browser with this link here and turn on “secure search.” Read more about this here. Remember that children can turn this on and off unless you use the option below.

From your device: First, create a Google Account for each of the children younger than 13 (your child must be signed in to their mobile or tablet with this account). Install the “family link” app. Open the app. Find your child’s name in the app. Select Manage Settings. Select Google Chrome. Select Try to Block Websites That Aren’t Child-Friendly. Also, select Safe Search inside Google Search in the Family Link app.

Install software: These programs (apps) can give parents a lot of control. Many of them require paid subscriptions, although some have free trials.

Explore options based on your family's budget and needs**.** Here are some examples: Bark, Relay, Raise, Gabb, Canopy, Pinwheel, Net Nanny, MobiCrip, Qustodio, OurPact.

Review the settings**.** Try out free trials from reputable companies to get a sense of what they offer. Options can range from blocking certain websites (not just porn) to getting alerts if your child uses specific search terms. Look for programs that work with your devices and feel manageable to you.

Go the hardware route: Hardware can let you monitor every device on the Wi-Fi network in your home. Like parental control software, many include paid subscriptions. They don't cover children's devices when they connect to other networks, like at a friend's house or out in public.

Determine your existing setup. Your internet router may already have built-in filtering services you might not have explored yet. Open the network icon on your main computer to see whether it has anything that looks like parental controls. Get more instructions on how to do this.

Check out the available products. Look for products that work with your network router. Circle Home Plus and Gryphon are popular with families. If you're buying a new router, search for one with advanced features and parental controls.

Select which devices you want to monitor. The big advantage of router filters is that you can choose specific devices. You may not want to monitor your own devices, unless there's a chance your child will use them.

Ask your internet service provider (ISP): Depending on your service, these settings can apply to TV channels as well as the internet. These programs may cost money. Check the website or call your ISP. See if your internet company offers parental controls, content filters, or other screen-time features. These can effectively limit exposure to pornography.

Monitor and Supervise:

Stay involved in your child's online activities by monitoring their browsing history and social media interactions. Encourage open communication about what they encounter online and address any concerning content together.

Know How Kids Can Bypass Restrictions and How to Restrict Them:

The technical bypass commonly used by children is Virtual Private Network (VPN). These solutions allow a child to create their own connection to the outside world, which in turn allows them to bypass any controls that might exist on the network. The most effective approach is to restrict your children's ability to install and uninstall applications on their mobile or notebook devices. This can be accomplished with the above discussed parental control apps and the mobile phones and tablets built-in settings.

However, keep in mind that small children or those who are not very internet-savvy often don't even know how to use a VPN.

Lead by Example:

Be a positive role model by demonstrating healthy internet habits and respectful online behavior. Show your children how to navigate the digital world responsibly and respectfully interact with others online.

Advice Other Parents:

Consider sharing your experiences and strategies with other parents. By opening up about your own journey in discussing pornography with your children and implementing restrictions, you can provide valuable insights and support to fellow parents facing similar challenges. This will also ensure that your children won't be able to access porn on their friends' devices.

By initiating open, honest conversations and implementing practical measures to restrict access to porn, you can empower your children to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

[historicity-was-already-taken]

The weirdest thing about get older is watching “a few years ago” recede into the past.

Like I’m 36. In my brain I’m alternatively 23 and 54, but I’m 36. I’ve seen entire technological infrastructures rise and fall. The 60s and the 70s used to feel so close, but now they feel like another planet slowly receding into the mists of time. Which like, my mom was born in 1961.

I graduated from high school in 2007. That used to feel like not very long ago, but it’s actually half my lifetime ago. Things that happened in my formative years are now included in history curricula.

This post is very “yes, dear, linear time moves forward.” But in a personal level, it feels so weird. Perhaps this is simply a Millennial Born At The End of the American Century in the Year of Our Lady Taylor Swift And Everything Is a Malthusian Crisis type deal.

So anyway, here’s a shitty Excel graph documenting my level of Taylor Swift fandom over the years.

now back to refreshing my email every three seconds.

[tapasschool]

How Tapas Balances AI in Education With the Human Touch

Artificial intelligence is redefining how we think about learning, sparking debates about its place in schools. Tapas has embraced AI thoughtfully, using it to elevate education without sacrificing relationships and empathy. By blending AI in progressive education with a strong commitment to student-centered learning, Tapas ensures that technology remains a supportive tool rather than a substitute for meaningful human connection.

The Power of AI in Progressive Education

Progressive education prioritizes critical thinking, hands-on experiences, and social-emotional growth. At Tapas, AI helps advance these goals by automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks like performance tracking and data analysis. This gives teachers more time to engage with students, build relationships, and focus on higher-order thinking skills.

For example, Tapas uses AI-driven systems to tailor lessons based on student performance. This allows each child to progress at their own pace, receiving targeted support where needed. With AI in progressive education, Tapas achieves truly personalized learning while preserving an environment of curiosity and collaboration.

Encouraging Creativity Through Technology

Some fear that AI might restrict imagination, but Tapas views it as an opportunity to amplify student creativity. When technology handles routine practice tasks, students can invest their energy in creative challenges, design projects, and deeper explorations.

Tapas makes sure that AI and student creativity go hand in hand. Teachers encourage learners to ask big questions, experiment, and think outside the box. Because technology streamlines background processes, educators can mentor and coach students in ways that inspire confidence and innovation.

Technology in Alternative Schools: A Thoughtful Approach

Alternative schools such as Tapas prioritize experiential and holistic education. Here, technology is woven carefully into the learning framework. Rather than driving every moment of the school day, AI supports teachers by providing insights about student progress, learning gaps, and strengths.

Teachers at Tapas use these insights to craft engaging lessons and authentic projects that resonate with students. Technology in alternative schools should always serve as an aid, not a replacement — and Tapas models this balance beautifully.

Personalized Learning Made Meaningful

Personalized learning is much more than using data to customize lessons. It means respecting each child’s unique interests, pace, and social-emotional needs. At Tapas, AI tools help map student progress while teachers interpret the data to build deeper, more meaningful learning connections.

For example, an AI system might flag a student’s difficulty with a particular skill. Instead of merely pushing more worksheets, a Tapas teacher could weave that skill into a hands-on project or collaborative discussion, making it relevant and engaging. In this way, AI supports, but never replaces, the human wisdom that great educators bring to the classroom.

Final Thoughts

Tapas shows that technology and human connection can coexist beautifully in education. AI in progressive education, when thoughtfully applied, enhances personalized learning while respecting empathy, relationships, and creativity. By combining technology in alternative schools with a human-first mindset, Tapas empowers students to learn with confidence, imagination, and a sense of belonging.

If you’d like to discover more about how Tapas brings innovation and heart together, explore their educational philosophy and see what makes their approach so unique.

[cripplecharacters]

How do you think multi-use public restrooms could be reconfigured to better accommodate wheelchair/crutch/cane users in a roughly modern setting? (By multi-use, I mean the ones with a line of stalls rather than a whole room with one toilet).

I always thought it ironic that the large stall tends to be at the end of the line and believed it may be better to have that reversed (large stall first). Is that a sensical thought? What other suggestions would you have besides a lower sink and, of course, room to move the wheelchair/crutch/cane?

Although this setting is roughly modern in terms of technology ability and knowledge, feel free to provide your most creative answers. I'd even appreciate a difference between slight changes in real universe that would make an impact vs alternate modern universe where accessibility was thought of by default. All stalls are large? Better layout than a single file line of stalls? Etc.

Thank you for your time!

Hello!

I have... a LOT of thoughts about this. For reference, I use a cane full time and have used a wheelchair in the past when it was needed, though I no longer have access to it (I was borrowing my boyfriend's old one but have since moved cities).

So a few things:

Grab bars in every stall. These are the metal bars along the side of the stall that you usually see in accessible stalls. They're used to help people with stability/balance issues sit and stand from the toilet. There are a lot of people who only use the accessible stall because they need the support of the grab bars. If these were in every stall, it would open up the larger accessible stall for people who need it for the other supports (More space, the emergency call cord, etc.). These are relatively cheap and easy to install too.

Hand sanitizer dispensers in the accessible stall or, ideally, in every stall. These are another thing that's relatively cheap and easy to install and would benefit everyone. I usually carry hand sanitizer on me anyways because I dislike the idea of using my cane before washing my hands. This would also help people who have the same problem with their wheelchair (Not wanting to touch the wheels before washing their hands), people with sensitivities to hand soaps, and even just people who want to use them.

More accessible stalls. This one is a bit less realistic to hope for as it would be more expensive and difficult to change but it would also be one of the most beneficial, especially in places where there are lots of disabled people coming and going at once. I'm thinking places like hospitals, school accessibility offices, etc. but also places with large amounts of people in general like stadiums and event venues.

Also just more stalls in general. Especially in the men's washroom. I keep meaning to write a post about this for my own blog but it's an issue I think about a lot. It's 2024 and there's STILL a lot of men's washrooms where I live that either only have one stall (Usually an accessible stall) or don't have stalls at all. I'm sure it's some sort of 'ADA/AODA/whatever it is where you are' violation but it's also a problem for trans people, people that are shy, kids, people that just prefer to sit, the elderly, etc. It's kind of ridiculous that this is still a thing in 2024.

More actual fully accessible washrooms. These are not at all feasible for a multiuse washroom (The kind you're referring to) but should be in addition to one. With this, I'm referring to a large washroom with adult-sized changing tables, emergency call cords, lots of space, large garbage cans, sharps containers, etc. This is something that I rarely see even in hospitals but it's so important for people that have caretakers and need that extra support. As for the sharps container, it can be very beneficial for people that need to inject medication and it's something I wish that more places had. (My general alternative is to cap the needle and return it to my "pouch" in a separate pocket from the unused ones)

Having everything in reach of the toilet. By this, I mean things like toilet paper, garbage bins, sinks (If they're in the stall), hand sanitizer dispensers, etc. This is usually already the case with toilet paper and such but it's incredibly annoying and difficult to navigate when this isn't the case.

Also just having garbage bins in all stalls (Or, at least, in all washrooms). A lot of women's washrooms already have this in some capacity but most men's washrooms don't even have a garbage bin in the main section of it (Outside the stalls). This is another thing that would be incredibly easy and cheap to do and would help so many people including disabled people that need to discard medical supplies (Catheters and incontinence supplies are the big ones that come to mind since it's not sanitary or easy to discard of them elsewhere whereas you can easily pocket an empty medication bottle or bandage remnants to throw away later), people who need to throw away sanitary products, even just people who use toilet paper to blow their nose or something. There's literally so many uses and I don't see any downside to this at all.

More hooks in stalls to hang things like jackets and bags. This is something I see a lot in the regular stalls but strangely not as often in the accessible stalls. Which... seems especially odd to me as a lot of us rely on things like small, over-the-shoulder bags and fanny packs as we don't always have access to both hands to carry things. These would also be beneficial to hang things like canes (I'm mostly thinking of white canes, which usually have a fabric loop on the end) while using the toilet. This is another super cheap and easy thing that can be done and would benefit everyone.

More accessible doors to washrooms. For whatever reason a lot of the multi-use washrooms where I live don't have accessible doors and it's incredibly frustrating and inconvenient to be fighting for my life to open a door when I already need to pee. Just... not fun.

The placement of the accessible stalls is an issue too, just usually not in the way most people would assume. At least for my boyfriend and I, it's more of a problem when the washrooms are crowded. I'm thinking of our recent experience at a concert where we had to navigate through the crowd to reach the very far end where the stall was. Not a huge thing or something that happens all that often, but it is annoying.

The other thing that comes to mind is lower sinks and also having the paper towels, hand dryers, or what not closer to the sinks. It's incredibly annoying and uncomfortable to have to use a cane, wheelchair, or crutches when you have soggy hands just to get to the dryer. This isn't something that's too hard to implement in most cases but it could be expensive depending on what drying method is used (Such as hand dryers versus paper towel dispensers). This is another reason that I usually use my hand sanitizer instead.

Aside from the facilities themselves (And this is less for mobility disabilities and more general accessibility), things like having braille on the signs as well as clear symbols if the washroom is separated by male vs female. None of those minimalistic aesthetic ones. Not everyone can differentiate by those.

There are countless others but I think I've spoken enough about this for one post 😅. Hopefully some of this is helpful.

Cheers!

~ Mod Icarus

[sbrown82]

In a heartwarming story of community and education, a Mississippi teacher, Ms. Hooper, transformed an abandoned storefront in Yazoo City into a school called Abundance Academy, attracting students and offering an alternative to traditional schooling. Ms. Hooper, a former special education and social studies teacher, saw a need in her community and decided to create a microschool in an empty storefront. Abundance started with just six students, including her own children, and has since grown to accommodate about 50 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade, with a waiting list. Some students have come to Abundance to escape bullying, potential school shootings, anti-Black racism or feeling invisible in larger, traditional schools. The community-driven school is a space where students can "breathe," and Ms. Hooper aims to instill empathy, curiosity, and resilience. While the school operates in a converted storefront, Ms. Hooper dreams of a larger, permanent space and more resources to support the growing number of students. The Mississippi Delta, where Yazoo City is located, faces challenges with teacher shortages and scarce resources in public schools, while wealthier families often opt for private education. Ms. Hooper's approach is an example of innovative teaching and a response to the needs of families seeking alternatives to traditional schooling. Ms. Hooper hopes to achieve financial stability to finally pay herself and support the school's operations. Tuition is $300 a month and the school gets no public funds. But parents across the country are embracing alternatives to traditional classrooms, including microschools, empowered by technology and motivated by the pandemic.

Abundance Educational Institute (AEI) is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. It provides a wide range of community services that extends beyond the norm and is dedicated to its community and the continual progression of students. They accept all donations.

104 South Main St (Mailing Address: Post Office Box 1224 Yazoo City, MS 39194)

Please visit www.abundanceeducational.com. You can also make a donation through the following methods:

Donation: Click Here

CASH APP: $AbundanceEdu

GoFundme: Click Here

[txttletale]

you’ve mentioned a few times wanting to destroy the family. how exactly would that work? not trying to be bad faith, I just literally can’t think of a way to abolish the idea of parents without like. Government raising all kids instead of parents? but that’s dumb, and you typically have pretty well thought out positions. What does it mean to abolish the family to you?

completely eliminating the family as a coercive force would not mean replacing it with another coercive force but rather with a plethora of alternatives to allow children to direct their own lives. this means communal caregiving from a wide range of trusted adults from a young age and the unconditional ability of children to self-emancipate and have food and shelter provided to them at no cost with no questions asked.

of course this definitionally requires the abolishment of capitalism. so yknow in terms of more immediate short-term political goals: make self-emancipation much easier, fight back at the deeply insiduous concept of "parent's rights" wherever it rears its head, erode all legal priviliges of control that parents have over their children, give children more autonomy when it comes to their lives and schooling, fight against parental and educational surveillance technologies, historicize and problematize 'the family' in discourse & scholarship, theorize and work towards the development of structures of support for the young and elderly that are outside the limits of 'the family', &c.

[theofficialuriel]

Ok so I was imagining au’s, as you do and I had this brilliant idea:

It started with the idea of Dick, Jason, and Damian ending up in an alternate universe.

This is an universe where Jason never dies. However, many things still happen because of fate or whatever. Bruce still adopts Cass and Talia drops Damian off.

Because Tim isn’t there, Cass and Steph are the ones who slowly bond and start dating (…eventually… with the help of therapy and jason todd).

Steph still becomes Robin becauseCass started ignoring her when she realized she had feelings for Steph. She sided with Bruce when he told Steph to step down from vigilantism. Then, Steph bothered Jason until he allowed her the Robin costume. Similar to canon, Steph wants to prove herself to Bruce (and Jason). Bruce is an asshole.

And so.

War Games.

Louis Grieve.

In this universe, Tim Drake still knows the Bats’ identities. But in this universe, Tim Drake was not Robin and therefore does not have the training. So, Darla and Tim both get shot at at the school entrance here. Only Darla gets a fatal one though.

The Bats are too late. Dozens of kids die (like in canon). Maybe more. Tim can’t do anything about it as he and Bernard watch Darla slowly bleed out in the school infirmary.

In this universe, Tim Drake was never Robin, so Robin never met Johnny Warren. So Johnny never fused with the artifact that would later bring Darla back to life. Darla is dead forever.

Tim grows resentful of the Bats. Who wouldn’t be? All that technology and training yet they could not keep dozens of students and perhaps hundreds of civilians safe. He grows even more resentful when he finds out the root cause for all of this.

And then Jack Drake is murdered. And Tim shuts down.

He’s grieving one of his closest friends, his father, dozens of classmates, his mother, and his step-mother (who isn’t dead, but is lost to him). He feels resentment towards the Bats and their system. He feels resentment towards himself and his uselessness.

So he packs his bags, makes a fake uncle, and heads to Europe to get trained. Cue Robin training arc without the Robin. Without Bruce to keep him in line, he ends up falling into more morally grey areas.

Tim comes back to Gotham as a Red Hood-esque figure. He wants to control crime, especially organized crime, to ensure War Games would never happen again.

He also wants revenge for his father’s death.

Ok so the idea started with Dick, Jason, and Damian ending up in this universe.

Here, Dick and Bruce’s relationship got better slowly; Jason is an English major and the head of many Wayne programs; Damian at a slightly better place because Tim isn’t there to threaten his place in the family (not that the others don’t make him feel threatened too); The whole family is getting therapy.

It’s so weird. They’re weirded out. And where the hell is Tim?

On their second day, there is a brutal murder. It’s Captain Boomerang’s. He was found in top of a building bleeding out from repeated stabbing. The stabbing was done by a dull boomerang.

The rest of the story is Canon!Dick trying to hide the truth from everyone (he’s the only one Bruce told about Tim’s capacities for darkness (his murder method is different here, but that’s probably because there was no one to really hammer that murder-guilt into him)).

Canon!Dick just wants to figure out what the hell went wrong and where the fuck Tim is. Cass probably knows he knows something and he knows she knows that, but she doesn’t say anything, so Dick’s probably in the clear for now?

Idk what else.

Would you believe me if I told you this started as a Dark!Timbern au? LMK if you guys want the Timbern side of things because this is getting too long.

[ecrivainalene]

Leviathan Panel at Otakon 2024

I was OVERJOYED to be at the Leviathan panel during Otakon 2024! I'll do my best to recap it below, but if you want a more coherent play by play, this Twitter user did an excellent job.

I've got a handful of photos, recap of Sharp Gender Discussion, plus misc. things I remember.

Not everyone was up for the entire time, but I snapped this photo near the end when everyone was on stage! From left to right: Waki Kiyotaka (Studio Orange), Yoshihiro Watanabe (Studio Orange), Scott Westerfeld, Christophe Ferreira (Quibic Pictures), Justin Leach (Quibic Pictures), Katrina Minett (Quibic Pictures), and Diana Garnet (ending theme vocalist).

New concept art! Looks like Dr. Barlow, Klopp, Alek, and Sharp, right before the Germans attack the Leviathan.

More under the cut!

Alternative shot of that art bc I couldn't get my lighting right:

Clanker and Darwinist technology designs. Watanave explained that Studio Orange's early days were spent doing contract work on Gundam anime, so I can't wait to see how that translates to the Clanker machines.

Some more concept art:

By the way, the entire series is being adapted at once - so we'll get the complete story at once! That in mind, the second image here makes me think of that maneuver near the beginning of Goliath to pick up the cargo.

Sharp!!! Look at them!!!

I don't have much to say about these but I'm fairly sure I hadn't seen them before. I am wondering if they downsized Alek's crew for the sake of the story, or perhaps we just haven't seem Bauer and Hoffman yet.

We got some new character art! The panel was very cryptic about who the character designer is. Apparently they're pretty well known, but they can't share it yet!

Volger I am so sorry your photo was unfocused. Forgive me.

The panel jokingly described him as "Alek's dad," which feels accurate. And maybe I misunderstood, but it sounds like he plays an even more important role in the anime than he does in the books. I've always considered Volger to be a pretty important character, so I wonder what else he'll do in this new series.

Klopp looks exactly like how I pictured him in my mind!! They said if Volger is Alek's dad, then Klopp is like his mom. Which is very fair but also made me laugh a lot.

Dr. Barlow!! She looks amazing. There was a lot of talk about the dynamic between her and Volger and how they're often playing mental chess games with each other. I'm really glad they're leaning into that dynamic.

And one more concept art:

This looks like the visit to Istanbul, which I'm desperately hoping means we'll see my favorite chaotic bisexual, Lilit.

That's all of the photos I have! They also showed us a preview of the show plus a live performance of the ending song with Diana Garnet. No video recording was allowed and I don't break rules, but believe me when I tell you it was stunning. The world feels so full of life and adventure and I can't wait to see the final show.

Tbh I was too busy holding back tears of joy but one thing I remember distinctly is there's a shot of Sharp getting ready for the day, and we see a sheet of paper with a bunch of names written and crossed out before finally (I think) "Dylan" is circled.

Which actually brings me to the Q&A part. TLDR, between the use of "Sharp" for Deryn's name, Scott referring to Sharp as "she/he/they" during the panel, and the scene I mentioned earlier, I feel really hopeful about how they're approaching Deryn's gender and identity in this adaptation.

I asked a question about this at the Q&A and voice recorded it, so I'll try to transcribe it here as best I can because the audio is not great lol. I stumbled through my question so I trimmed it down here but I'll transcribe the response as clearly as I can!

Me: I just finished re-reading [the series] for the first time since I was probably in high school, and one of the things that interests me about this adaptation is the approach to Sharp's character... I guess I'm just interested, like, was there a lot of thought put behind, or what kind of thought was put behind how to approach their character in the anime, I guess as a chance to re-approach the story however many years after it was originally written.

Scott Westerfeld: Yeah, there's a lot to that. The "girl dressing as a boy" as a trope was something completely different in 2007 when I started writing this than it is now. And so we really approached Deryn's identity as what was at stake rather than just... rather than just her being in disguise, it's about their recreating themselves and becoming a different person and transitioning and, and so... but it's always been interesting to me that the words that I wrote back in 2009, 10, 11, y'know, as an old guy who grew up in Texas in the 70s - who was David Bowie fan! - but otherwise didn't have a lot of access into issues of gender, I'm amazed at how many people have been [able to?] adopt Deryn/Dylan as one of their own. I just got an email a week ago from a trans boy whose chosen name is Dylan. So it is amazing to me how whatever imperfections or whatever problematics there are in the text, people still find their way into what they need from a character. And as a writer, I can say that I always respected that character, I always respected their choices, I always respected who they were. I never tried to stick them into a dress and have everyone go "Ooh now you're pretty 'because 'cause you're in dress!" We didn't do that, and I think that what may be important for people and I think that's why it's still what's gonna work here, but it's been fun to be able to update it and everybody on the team's been really great about understanding that.

TLDR I don't want to get anyone's hopes up too high, but I'm really appreciative of the care that's being taken with Sharp's story and identity in this adaptation. It seems like Scott and the others on the team are taking that into account, and I'm excited to see how it plays out.

Other random things I remember:

THERE WAS AN ALEK COSPLAYER. I took a photo with them but I won't post it without their consent. Just trust that they looked fantastic.

Scott said one of the first things he was told was that Alek can't actually kill Nikola Tesla because he's too well loved by people in Japan, which I think is the funniest possible reason for a change to be made in an adaptation.

Diana Garnet (they/any) mentioned how much they love Sharp (don't we all) and also how they used to work at a Barnes and Noble and remembers selling lots of Westerfeld books!

Scott said his approach in writing Leviathan was taking everything he'd always wanted to write about and basically throwing it together, because he was just coming off of the success of Uglies and figured he could get away with it.

If I remember anything else I'll add on to this post! Overall, it was a wonderful panel and I'm incredibly excited for this project.