Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2026 #3: It’s the Brit Track June 29, 2026
I’m playing catch-up with the Dragon Con Report after being out of the loop since January.
One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast. Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.
The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.
In the third episode for 2026, the hosts go British.
If you’re a die-hard Anglophile or a fair-weather fan from PBS, the BritTrack is for you. Mike, Jennifer, and Channing are joined by Caro and Rob to discuss the tea-fueled panels and cutting wit they keep hidden in the Hilton’s basement just minutes from Trader Vic’s.
The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind The Power of Admitting You’re Wrong June 25, 2026
On February 11, 2026, a sheriff’s deputy in Palm Beach County, Florida cited a driver for using her mobile phone while driving. The state’s distracted driving laws allow phone use for navigation and voice calls, but prohibit active texting or typing while driving and ban use completely in school zones and construction zones.
Katie Thomas is an adaptive athlete who documents her life via social media. She was born without a right hand, which is the hand she was accused of using to violate the distracted driving law. When Thomas confronted the deputy with this fact, he still issued the citation. When the error went viral and the nation saw the absurdity on their phones, computers, and televisions, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office formally dropped the charge and dismissed the ticket.
Here’s the thing: The entire affair could have ended right there on North Dixie Highway had the sheriff’s deputy admitted his mistake and walked away. Instead, because of what I can only imagine was pride and fear of personal embarrassment, the citation blossomed into national news.
We’re living in an age of immense distrust in law enforcement. It’s a complex social issue influenced by high-profile misconduct cases, racial and social inequities, and authoritarianism. Events like the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Freddie Gray, policies like “stop-and-frisk” and racial profiling, and recent collaborations with overly militarized immigration enforcement agencies compound over time. The fallout is perceived illegitimacy of police agencies, discouragement of community cooperation, and demands for transparency and reductions in force.
Personally, my family grew up with a great deal of respect for police, but our confidence has been shaken by altercations with corrupt cops while doing nothing more than obeying the law, the very thing policing proponents say will stop people from getting hurt during police encounters. Long story short: Just doing what you’re told is not the absolute right answer.
Events that foment distrust, like the Palm Beach citation, can be defused by admitting errors. It was an obvious error to accuse a woman of operating a phone with a hand she does not possess. Consider that level of power: A simple admission of humanity, exchanging a moment of control for a moment of humility, can touch millions.
One of my favorite book quotes comes from 1991’s Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn:
“Do you know the difference between an error and a mistake, Ensign? Anyone can make an error. But that error doesn’t become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.”
When I was in the United States Navy’s nuclear power program, we addressed errors and oversights through a formal critique program. The methodology uncovered root causes for failures and developed corrective actions, often in an attempt to prevent errors from evolving into mistakes. The process wasn’t easy, especially on the egos of intelligent nuclear operators who thrive on a culture of perfection, but it was highly effective at maintaining the standards and growing the culture.
I know from personal experience how tiny errors can grow into mistakes that threaten peoples’ lives. Those are sea stories for a different day.
But the error made by one sheriff’s deputy can be a lesson learned for all of us. There is immense power in admitting when you’re wrong. We all need to have the integrity and fortitude to take that step.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind Ahsoka Tano Collectible Grails June 15, 2026
Every toy collector has their grails. Something highly sought-after. Something rare. Something pricey.
When it comes to Star Wars figures, I mostly focus on Hasbro, from the various 3-3/4″ lines to the 6″ Black Series offerings. I started as a completist in 1995, but eventually slimmed my collection to characters I truly care about. (Based on that selling experience, trust me when I tell you that these vast majority of these toys have little to no return on investment.)
One of those characters is Ahsoka Tano. She was introduced in 2008 with the Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie as Anakin Skywalker’s padawan apprentice, and has since become a major player in the galaxy far, far away. I liked her from day one, from her start as a foil to Anakin’s cockiness to her symbolism as a child soldier turned mental health icon and Jedi rogue in the vein of Qui-Gon Jinn.
I identify in many ways with Ahsoka Tano, and I follow Ashley Eckstein, the voice actor who brought her to life, because of how she embraces the character, the fans (especially women and girls, who are often bullied and under-represented in fandom), and discussions of mental health without question. She’s an awesome role model, just like Snips.
While I don’t have many collecting grails, some of mine are Ahsoka-focused. Specifically, the Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles line for the character, which easily run ten times (or more) the cost of my typical collecting fare.
Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles have produced six figures that catch my eye in the sixth scale line. The Sideshow item is Ahsoka’s look from The Clone Wars, specifically the costume introduced in Season Three. This is probably the hardest of the set to find, but the soft goods costume and attention to detail look amazing.
The other five come from Hot Toys and reflect Ahsoka’s journey in the Disney era of the Star Wars franchise. One figure represents her journey during the Siege of Mandalore in Season Seven of The Clone Wars. The next two reflect her appearances in The Mandalorian and the early part of Ahsoka, one with her standard gray outfit and one as a set with young Grogu when she helped unlock his memories. The final two represent her evolution to knighthood, from a revamped version of her padawan look (complete with Ariana Greenblatt’s image) and her most recent form as Ahsoka “the white” from the latter portion of Ahsoka: Season One.
All of these figures outclass my typical Hasbro fare with price tags to match. The only significant variation I think they’re missing is Ahsoka’s look during Star Wars: Rebels. The quality alone makes them grails in my book, and they are a true representation of “you get what you pay for.” Mind you, I’ll be happy if I never see them come home. I’m not going to break the bank to buy them. But if they come home one day, I’ll happily find a place on the shelf to display these works of art.
For me, collecting isn’t a quest to be better than someone else or show off how much I can spend. It’s about having fun and keeping icons of characters and moments that inspire my creativity and drive.
That’s why one of the Hot Toys offerings will never sit on my shelf.
Earlier this year, Hot Toys announced a version of Ahsoka from The Clone Wars movie in 2008. It included her in the infamous tube top costume with Rotta “Stinky” the Hutt. The character in her early TCW outfit hasn’t really been offered since the toy lines that accompanied the early seasons, so this could have been a chance to test those waters.
Unfortunately, the Hot Toys team stumbled. They tried for a “real life” version of Ahsoka by using Ariana Greenblatt’s likeness in that outfit, a move that oversexualized that character in my opinion. It looked creepy, especially since Greenblatt has never appeared in that outfit, and reminded me of the disgusting nature of fandom. (No, I will not be posting the promotional image here.)
Back when Ahsoka was introduced, the common advice was to not search the internet for images of her while at work. As soon as she entered pop culture, fanboys began producing pornography featuring the character, cast in all sorts of costumes and scenarios, including certain situations with Anakin and the troops they led.
Rule 34 on the internet isn’t a new thing, especially when it comes to Star Wars. But, at the start of the Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano is canonically a 14-year-old girl. Her costume, let alone her existence in the franchise, does not excuse the behavior. This goes far beyond horny fanboy fantasies and skirts the boundaries of child porn masquerading as “harmless” fanfic.
I’m not saying the artists at Hot Toys had this in mind, but given that history, placing Greenblatt’s likeness on a character she never embodied is far too close to legitimizing the behavior. The figure has since been cancelled and unceremoniously wiped from the Hot Toys catalog. A few have been shipped, making this a super rare (and incredibly expensive on the secondary market) figure in the series.
It’s one that I have no interest in pursuing. That vision of the character is not Ahsoka Tano to me.
But those other figures? I’m going to keep an eye out for them. If the Force is with me, they may even grace my shelves at some point. Because Ahsoka Tano means a lot to me, and these grails are elegant pieces of art that honor her legacy in the Star Wars mythos.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2026 #2: Dragon Connections June 15, 2026
I’m playing catch-up with the Dragon Con Report after being out of the loop since January.
One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast. Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.
The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.
In the second episode for 2026, the hosts explore love. Love at con. Love that brings congoers together.
From chance encounters in crowded hotel lobbies to friendships that blossomed into lifelong partnerships, these are stories of fans who met at con and are still together years later. Mike, Jennifer, and Channing are joined by Josh Duart, Tyra Burton, Lauren & Nikki Evallen-Muller, and Kristi & Justin Grub to talk about meeting their someone in the dance of cosplay and late-night panel adventure.
The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2026 #1: The First Dragon Con June 8, 2026
I’m playing catch-up with the Dragon Con Report after being out of the loop since January.
One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast. Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.
The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.
In the premiere for 2026, the hosts are honoring Dragon Con’s 40th year with a look at the very first Dragon Con convention. Dragon Con officially launched on October 2, 1987, at the Pierremont Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia (which is apparently known now as the Crowne Plaza Atlanta – Midtown, located near Spring Street and North Avenue, about a mile from the current convention footprint). Chipping in $300 each, Pat Henry, David Cody, John Bunnell, Robert Dennis, and others were able to attract some big names like Michael Moorcock, Robert Asprin, Richard Garriott, and Gary Gygax, as well as 1,200 attendees. It was small, but it was a success.
Mike, Jennifer, and Channing are joined by Darin Bush and Marilyn Teague to discuss their memories of that 1987 event and its legacy.
The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind Star Trek at 60: Physical Appearances in the 24th Century January 15, 2026
In May 2007, Patrick Stewart shared an anecdote about a bald man being cast as a Star Trek captain.
The interview clip can be found on the BBC’s YouTube channel.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind The 2025 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar January 12, 2026
My family has been doing the LEGO advent calendars since 2015 and I chronicle the daily builds on Instagram. Each of the annual box sets has been spotlighted on this site. This year, we continued our tradition of building the Star Wars calendars. The joy of this calendar is seeing how LEGO interprets ships and locales from the nearly 60 years of adventures in the galaxy far, far away.
The box contained 24 windows with a single LEGO build in each. This year, the designers changed their approach by making the entire box themed around droids. It was an intriguing idea but came with some significant drawbacks.
Days 1 through 8
The calendar started strong with a minifig from The Rise of Skywalker in Babu Frik. The next two days also made sense with a workbench (that included a clear pedestal for Frik to sit on) and C-3PO (from the moment in Rise when he was reprogrammed to speak Sith). I think the calendar stumbled a bit here with a pit droid that should have been later in the lineup and a chair that has little value in a droid-centered box. The maintenance droid (modeled after the typical GNK gonk droid), R7-A7, and the buzz droid were great thematic choices.
Days 9 through 16
I can’t fault the calendar for including a tool rack as it calls back to the traditional weapons rack filler build of years past. The festive Jawa and BD-72 were great minifig additions, and the B2EMO and treadwell builds were wonderful as well. This block stumbled with the spare parts container, which again is challenging for kids and play factor.
I’m on the fence about the Jawa service vehicle and the crane. These two days referenced an obscure part of two previous LEGO sets: 75059 (Sandcrawler) and 75198 (Tatooine Battle Pack). While they are on theme, this combination is pretty much an exclusive callback for collectors. It maintains some playability, however, by making the vehicle first and then the crane for lifting an astromech by its dome. (I also had no idea what it was until I opened up Jay’s Brick Blog.)
Day 17 through 24
The builds were a lot better in the last third, including the traditional battle droid, another super battle droid minifig, and nice builds for three other droids. The parts bin and the barrel were necessities to fill out the Babu Frik workshop, but I can only imagine the disappointment for kids when they crack open a barrel and shovel on the penultimate day. Traditionally, these calendars save a multipart build for the last two or three days to build up the anticipation. This year… barrel.
I did enjoy the final build for the BB-8 snowman, but the tree was lackluster.
Final Thoughts
This calendar was a step back from the usual and missed some potential in a universe chock full of droids. I wish the development team had considered a droideka (destroyer droid) build or something similar from The Clone Wars. One of the most famous droids is the interrogation droid from A New Hope. Deeper in the lore is the TX-20 tactical droid from the 2011 Mace Windu Starfighter set. Even a simple repaint of a battle droid as one of R2-D2’s droid squad from the Clone Wars Citadel trilogy would be a nice change of pace.
Looking ahead to 2026, we have The Mandalorian and Grogu coming to theaters in May. While that may be too soon to include new minfigs, some miniature builds from the movie would be a nice addition. It’s also the tenth anniversary of Rogue One, so maybe they could include something to honor the film and its characters? Personally, I’m all for Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus.
2026 is also the tenth anniversary of “Twilight of the Apprentice” from Star Wars: Rebels, and I’m always down for more Ahsoka Tano merchandising. I’ve been wanting a minifig with her in a holiday sweater for a while.
Dialing even further back, Shadows of the Empire was the hit release of 1996. Some mini builds of the Outrider or other elements could be fun. One decade earlier, the Droids comic series started in 1986. The Droids and Ewoks cartoon shows were also running at the time, and the Star Tours promotional campaign was in full swing. A StarSpeeder craft build or an R-3X build could be fun nods to the era.
Finally, 2026 is the tenth anniversary of Carrie Fisher’s passing. A tribute might be fitting. Maybe Boussh to tie in Shadows of the Empire?
As I said last year, if you’re looking for a fun interactive gift leading up to the holiday season, I wholeheartedly recommend the LEGO Star Wars advent calendar. Even at its weakest, we have a blast each year and people love following along with us on Facebook and Instagram.
They tend to hit store shelves around Labor Day or shortly thereafter. LEGO’s suggested retail price is $45 USD. Some of the big box store knock that down a little, but I have found the best deal at Costco near the end of September or into October.
If you want to follow along next year, I look forward to it.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2025 #11: Dragon Cults November 5, 2025
One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast. Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.
The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.
In the eleventh episode for 2025, the hosts are starting a new series in preparation for Dragon Con’s 40th anniversary. That’s right, it’s history time with some discussions on the various con cults. From carpet celebrations to shrines for cardboard cutouts, this con has some wacky ways to build communities. Start your journey with this introductory episode.
The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2025 #10: 2025 Dragon Con Debrief October 27, 2025
One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast. Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.
The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.
In the tenth episode for 2025, the hosts look back on Dragon Con 2025 and discuss the highs and lows from the event. Con may be over, but there’s always time to think about next year, the things you’d love to do again, and the things that need some improvement.
The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.
Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.
Debrief: Dragon Con 2025 Atlanta, GA – August 28 through September 1, 2025
Dragon Con 2025 has come to an end. Despite being a busier year, it seemed a lot lower key and easier to manage than in previous years.
Attendance was reported at 75,000, up 3,000 from last year. That attendance number was capped by badge sales, and traffic management felt much better this year. Those 75,000 fans did a lot of good charity work this year. NAMI Georgia will be receiving at least $320,000, and new convention record. The blood drive was very successful as well, earning about 10,600 blood components from more than 3,950 donors.
I left the con physically exhausted and both creatively and emotionally energized. Sadly, I wasn’t able to capitalize on the energy after contracting COVID immediately following the con. Luckily it was a minor case and none of my friends or family picked it up from me, but it was still two weeks spent confined to my house with a lot of resting and sleeping. Work picked up significantly as well since con, hence this after-action report being so late. Such is life.
Creative Criticality 