What a wonderful world

Yes, despite *everything* a lot of good things have happened during the past few decades, usually the result of a lot of work by many dedicated people. This thread helps to provide a bit of perspective and gives me hope! 🙏❤️🕊️

Michael Druker 🇨🇦@mdruker.app

Social media loves talking about how everything is getting worse. But what’s something that you’ve seen get _better_ in your lifetime?

bookriot.comLibraries Can Apply for Books Unbanned Program FundingBooks Unbanned is offering libraries nationwide the chance to be part of their Teen Library Advocacy Network, including $2500 in funding.

PSA: A teen anywhere in the U.S. can get a FREE digital library card to the full online collections of 6 major public libraries: Brooklyn (NYC), which, via their Books Unbanned program, has partnered with Boston, Long Beach, L.A.(!), San Diego, and Seattle. Amazing! ❤️📖📚 bookriot.com/brooklyn-pub...

Relatedly, any California resident can get a library card for the San Francisco public library and access to full general collection. Just need to be able to return items! A lot of Bay Area library systems have similar policies. (Just not familiar if statewide or regional (i.e., limited to Bay Area)

The Books Unbanned program also offers libraries nationwide, especially encouraging small and rural libraries, to be part of their Teen Library Advocacy Network, with the possibility for $2500 in one-time funding. It also offers toolkits and other support around advocacy and the freedoms to read.

statnews.comHelen Branswell, whose reporting on infectious diseases and public health drew acclaim, dies at 69Helen Branswell, STAT's infectious disease reporter who earned the respect of experts and public health officials with her accessible, prescient dispatches, has died at age 69.

Helen Branswell was indeed “a godlike figure to people who are infectious-disease epidemiologists.” I discovered and appreciated her coverage of COVID, especially during early months of uncertainty. The linked article helped me to discover the person. She will be missed by so many

Rose Broderick@rosebroderick.bsky.social

It's a really sad day here at STAT. www.statnews.com/2026/10/13/h...

9 Sept

Happy Anniversary to all who observe! (Went to to watch all 337 minutes of the Star Trek Genesis Triology. Theater played them straight through without breaks! Yet time flew by. Bonus fun: I’d never seen Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. But Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is still the best one!) 💫 ✨

21 July

One of the many unsung heroes of the National Park Service!! ❤️ (Additional source details in comments)

Jennifer ♾️ aura points KP@jeniuskp.bsky.social

14 July

I ❤️ math!

Bill Reese@reesecommabill.gardenstate.social.ap.brid.gy

By the transitive property of equality, Cabo Verde is better at football than France.

youtu.beTrump The PeacemakerYouTube video by Jonathan Pie

14 July

It’s funny, because it’s true. 😂😂 😫😭 youtu.be/ndkFtUKLNZY

24 June

One needs to understand the past to better understand the present to make decisions towards a better future. An a 2025 alumna of the Resistance Summer Series (RSS), I highly recommend Karen Attiah’s salon series! Tomorrow’s 6/24 Salon: When Plato gets Cancelled (for nominal fee)

Resistance Studies Series@resistanceschool.bsky.social

Are the days of teaching Plato gone? 🤔 Tomorrow at 12pm ET, we're excited to host ex-Texas A&M prof Martin Peterson for our Resistance Salon Series - a conversation on philosophy in the age of censorship. Register - www.resistancestudiesseries.com/salon

24 June

The entire 2026 RSS is now accepting registration too!

nmaahc.si.eduThe Historical Legacy of JuneteenthJuneteenth is an often overlooked event in our nation’s history. On June 19, 1865, Union troops freed enslaved African Americans in Galveston Bay and across Texas some two and a half years after Presi...

19 June

Happy Juneteenth!! A true freedom day! “Juneteenth is recognized as the nation’s second independence day, celebrated primarily within the African American community but largely unknown to many Americans.” nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stor...

1 June

Wow, NASA imagery to make pride flag! 🤩

Jasmine 🌌🔭@astrojaz.bsky.social

this is a pride flag made from real nasa imagery happy pride month 🏳️‍🌈✨

29 May

🎊 Rule of Law still has a heartbeat! 🎉 “John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts … may not be officially named for anyone else except by an Act of Congress“ —U.S. District Judge Cooper

Norm Eisen@normeisen.bsky.social

BREAKING: we just won our Kennedy Center case! Both the renaming & the closure of the Kennedy Center are enjoined Kudos to our wonderful client @repbeatty.bsky.social & my colleagues @democracydefendersaction.org & Washington Litigation Group This is a 1-2 punch against Trump's corruption

29 May

From the full ruling: “In the words of President Kennedy, artists do the “quiet work of centuries” behind the “storm of daily conflict and crisis.” They entertain, educate, and move us. They sustain us through oncoming tides of joy and despair. …

storage.courtlistener.comstorage.courtlistener.com

29 May

…And so the institutions that nurture and empower artists are nothing short of integral to our social fabric. The Kennedy Center is one of the foremost of those institutions.” U.S. District Judge Cooper storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

22 May

I never knew Colbert testified at a congressional hearing! (So funny-yet-still-true as Colbert Report character too!)

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prospect.orgHawaii Just Found a Way to Keep Corporations Out of Politics - The American ProspectA new law makes clear that corporations derive their powers from states, and they don’t necessarily include the right to spend on elections.

18 May

Finally! Real pushback against impact of Citizens United: Corporations in Hawaii will no longer be able to fund elections as of July 2027. “A corporation is an artificial being, invisible, intangible, and existing only in contemplation of law” —Chief Justice, 1819 Next: Montana to vote in 2026

Dean Baker@deanbaker13.bsky.social

It's always good to see that some people can recognize that the market does not just exist: governments structure it by doing things like creating corporations prospect.org/2026/05/18/h... Too bad more people in policy debates don't recognize this fact.

youtube.comHistory Matters...And So Do Cocktails!YouTube video by Dr. Joanne Freeman

1 May

🎉🍾🥂🎊

Joanne Freeman@jbf1755.bsky.social

Okay, folks. Apparently, tomorrow marks 6 YEARS since I began my live podcast "History Matters." So. Saturday at 7:30 PM ET, let's have cocktails! We can celebrate community & strength & the power of history & resistance & chutzpah. We need a lot of WE right now. www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKdR...

9 Apr

わあ、すごくかわいい！ (So cute!) Growing up my father often said “Poor BART” as it always seemed to struggle with funding, land use, etc. Glad to see it getting some love 💕 BTW would love to see 3 improvements (but huge cost obstacle): -finish loop 🌁 -quieter trains! 🙉 -free! (=indirect economic benefits 📈)

BART@bart.gov

And more BARTy pillow cuz it’s so cute 💙

29 Mar

Bay Area Protest Tour for #NoKings : Saratoga CA! (not to be confused with its namesake in NY). And it was Saratoga’s first local protest too!

28 Mar

I ♥️ N Y 🎼🎶 “The greatest city in the world!” 🎶

50501: The People’s Movement ❌👑@50501movement.bsky.social

Holy New York.

youtu.be'Sinners' Musical Performance | 98th Oscars (2026)YouTube video by Oscars

16 Mar

🔥 And the winning moment at the Oscars goes to… youtu.be/j3ae7BvTuC4

16 Mar

Ballerina at the end had such presence I had to look her up—she was Misty Copeland!! 🤩

youtu.beThe Importance Of Being Earnest (Full Show) | Take Your Seats | National Theatre at HomeYouTube video by National Theatre

12 Mar

Public Service Announcement for mental break: The streaming “premiere” of National Theatre’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest with live chat is on NOW! Might be ending soon, but available to replay for about a week. And it’s free. I ❤️ Oscar Wilde! youtu.be/obX-HGs-PS8

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8 Mar

✨💫 Stand up for Science! 🌟

biometlab@biometlab.bsky.social

In support of stand up for science here is an image of galaxy M51. Beautiful night. Clear and no moon

21 Feb

❄️ Survived Sierra Snowmageddon! ❄️ No internet for most of time which forced unplugging. Also read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (original 1818 version)—it seemed fitting with the Artic setting! (Sure, no trees in Artic, but still!)

youtu.beThe Happiest Government Building In The WorldYouTube video by NYC Mayor's Office

14 Feb

💕♥️💗💘Happy Valentines Day!!! 💘💗❤️💕 youtu.be/dUp01MXUkpo

academic.oup.comScientists no Longer Find Twitter Professionally Useful, and have Switched to BlueskySynopsis. Social media has become widely used by the scientific community for a variety of professional uses, including networking and public outreach. For

14 Feb

👩🏼‍🔬🔬🧪📊Science!!

Katharine Hayhoe@katharinehayhoe.com

Bluesky is the new science Twitter, new study by @whysharksmatter.bsky.social and Julia Wester concludes! "Results show that for every reported professional benefit that scientists once gained from Twitter, scientists can now gain that benefit more effectively on Bluesky than on Twitter."

12 Feb

🎉 Victory for First Amendment rights! “Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees. …our retired veterans deserve more respect from their Government” 💯

Chris Geidner@chrisgeidner.bsky.social

BREAKING: Judge blocks Hegseth effort to punish Sen. Kelly. "This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees." Background: www.lawdork.com/p/breaking-k...

9 Feb

¡Alegría de Puerto Rico!

WCVB NewsCenter 5, Boston@wcvb5.bsky.social

#BadBunny's performers continued to dance and party outside the stadium after the #SuperBowl #HalftimeShow

youtu.beMonster’s Paradise von Olga Neuwirth und Elfriede JelinekYouTube video by Staatsoper Hamburg

Oh mein Gott!!! I love opera—I subscribe, usher, and see it whenever lucky enough to travel, but I have NEVER heard of anything like the Trump-mocking opera “Monster’s Paradise” that just opened in Hamburg, Germany! youtu.be/XI-7H1X5mnM

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It’s based on a turn of the 19th-Century French play, Ubu Roi (roi = king in French), and created in the style of Grand Guignol theater, known for its “grisly horror.“

theviolinchannel.comNew Parody Opera of Trump's White House Premieres in HamburgWorld's Leading Classical Music Platform

Extra fun fact: the author, Elfriede Jelinek, is a Nobel Prize winner!! 🤭 Danke schön Deutschland! 👏 More here: theviolinchannel.com/new-parody-o...

youtu.beMonster’s Paradise von Olga Neuwirth und Elfriede JelinekYouTube video by Staatsoper Hamburg

It features a golf-cart riding, diaper-wearing president/king as Trump; two vampires, Mickey (Musk) and Tuckey (Zuckerberg); and Gorgonzilla, a monster created through a nuclear accident (yes, looks the same!)

🎼🎶 “Immigrants (We get the job done!)” 🎶 My family, local friends, neighbors and colleagues are from: Afghanistan Africa (in general) Argentina Canada China Costa Rica Croatia Czech Republic Egypt Ethiopia France Germany Ghana Greece Hong Kong (pre-China) Hungary India Iran Ireland …(cont’d)

Justin Wolfers@justinwolfers.bsky.social

I don't often wear political t-shirts, but I'm proudly sporting this one today. I'm an immigrant. I teach American (and international!) college students, research the U.S. economy, consult with policymakers, write books, raise my kids, pay taxes, and try to make this a better place.

View full thread

“Local” = San Francisco Bay Area ❤️ Plus non-local friends in about 10 other countries

6 Feb

Forgot Chile! (a former manager) Even I didn’t realize until started to list them how many countries represented by close people I know in the Bay Area. And most countries within themselves are so diverse!

6 Feb

Hey, alumni of Resistance Studies Series! Our former teacher, Karen Attiah, has set up her inaugural virtual salon! There is a modest registration fee, but anyone is welcome to join! (not just alumni) #Wemove

Karen Attiah@karenattiah.bsky.social

Friends! Tuesday, Feb. 10th, at 6:00 pm EST, @resistanceschool.bsky.social will host our very first virtual public salon! We will discuss the killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and why the system erases white martyrs in the fight for civil rights. Register here: buy.stripe.com/28EfZi7VN6RA...

6 Feb

😍 Mamdani, keeping it real!

Acyn@acyn.bsky.social

Child at the podium: “A woo woo woo.” Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.

Justin Wolfers@justinwolfers.bsky.social

View full thread

“Local” = San Francisco Bay Area ❤️ Plus non-local friends in about 10 other countries

(including Australia! 😉)

Justin Wolfers@justinwolfers.bsky.social

… Japan Kazakhstan Lebanon Lithuania Malaysia Mexico Moldova Morocco Netherlands Norway Pakistan Peru Philippines Portugal Republic of Korea Russia South Africa Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey Vietnam U.K., England U.K., Northern Ireland U.K., Scotland Uruguay Non-continental U.S.: Hawaii, Puerto Rico

apnews.comTrump administration drops legal appeal over anti-DEI funding threat to schools and collegesThe Trump administration is dropping its appeal of a federal court ruling that blocked a campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion threatening federal funding to the nation’s schools and colle...

22 Jan

🎉 Federal government dropped appeal; original ruling allowed to stand!: “…the anti-DEI effort violated the First Amendment and federal procedural rules,” as federal judge had originally determined in August, in case linking anti-DEI efforts to federal funding of schools and colleges

Corey Garza@profcgarza.bsky.social

Lost in everything else going on this week is a little good news. The federal govt has dropped its appeal seeking to have schools drop DEI programs in order to retain federal funding. apnews.com/article/dei-...

12 Jan

Bay Area Protest Tour continues: Santa Clara!!

instagram.comcitizen_ck on Instagram: "“Winter Wonderland”—The Del Rubio Triplets (Elena, Milly, and Eadie), Christmas at Pee-wee’s Playhouse, 1988. Music by Felix Bernar…"“Winter Wonderland”—The Del Rubio Triplets (Elena, Milly, and Eadie), Christmas at Pee-wee’s Playhouse, 1988. Music by Felix Bernard and lyrics by Richard Bernhard Smith.#delrubiotriplets #peeweesplayhouse #peeweesplayhousechristmasspecial #christmasatpeeweesplayhouse via @peeweeherman

1 Jan

An oldie but goodie to wrap up this holiday season! www.instagram.com/reel/DSlcuIL...

1 Jan

Screenshot from video since no thumbnail available. (They are so cute!)