Kevin Joel Berland
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starfish1.bsky.social
Kevin Joel Berland
@starfish1.bsky.social
Professor emeritus of English and Comp Lit (Penn State), Indexer, reader, writer, ADHD, drawsalot, guitar, mandolin. Disability history, history of versions of Socrates, physiognomy, poetry, Dr. Johnson, Book indexing. ALSOwords, words, words 🇨🇦✡☮📚
Reposted by Kevin Joel Berland
Reminder: It's never too late to start wearing a mask again
December 3, 2025 at 9:22 PM
This why she's named Shayna Punim!
November 19, 2025 at 10:22 PM
November 4, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Uncle Isidore shares the warmth of his chair with Shayna Punim. Summer's just about finished.
September 21, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Isidor is probably dreaming of a future without eyedrops.
September 15, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Reposted by Kevin Joel Berland
Gotta say seeing governors competing to one up each other to see who can make vaccines most accessible is a refreshing change.
September 4, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Here's my new study partner, SarahTheCat.
September 3, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Reposted by Kevin Joel Berland
Criminalization is the fuel of fascism.
NEW figures show that 61,226 people are currently in ICE detention — the highest number ever in US history.

According to ICE data, 70% of these people have no criminal conviction.
August 30, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Summer: Limelight hydrangea in front of Starfish House.
July 30, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Reposted by Kevin Joel Berland
Mandy Patinkin’s plea:
July 13, 2025 at 8:33 PM
It me.
wired.com WIRED @wired.com · Jul 5
Hoarseness, a dry cough, and a sore throat are common symptoms of the new Covid variant called “Stratus,” in addition to the more common Covid symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and fatigue.
Feeling Hoarse? You Might Have the New ‘Stratus’ Covid Variant
The World Health Organization has added the variant, known formally as XFG, to its monitoring list. A dry, irritated throat is among its main symptoms.
wrd.cm
July 5, 2025 at 10:19 PM
#CovidNotOver And today Covid started messing with me again. Two years or so since the first bout. So far annoying but not terrible. I think I will sleep.
July 5, 2025 at 3:20 AM
PLEASE DONATE!

Since "America First" has proven to mean Everybody Last, funds to help support the rest of the world's medical crises have fallen drastically.

give.doctorswithoutborders.org/campaign/678...
Donate to MSF
Support our cause by donating to Doctors Without Borders.
give.doctorswithoutborders.org
June 24, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Hot enough for you (as they say)?
June 23, 2025 at 11:41 AM
June 15, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Reposted by Kevin Joel Berland
Calls grow for Kristi Noem to resign in the wake of Padilla incident
Calls grow for Kristi Noem to resign in the wake of Padilla incident
California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell leads calls for Homeland Security Secretary to step down after senator forcibly removed from her press conference on Thursday
www.independent.co.uk
June 13, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by Kevin Joel Berland
In honour of National Indigenous History Month, we’ve compiled a list of recently published books that highlight the history, art, and literature of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.

buff.ly/JBu5gTn
June 11, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by Kevin Joel Berland
If you criticize Israel by invoking “chosen people,” you’re not criticizing Israel; you’re criticizing Judaism.

And you probably don’t know what it means. It’s a mistranslation of a covenantal obligation, not a claim of superiority.
June 9, 2025 at 3:13 PM
@mommunism.bsky.social Molly Shah devised an alternate Molly Shah to take her place while she luxuriates at a private beach in the Caribbean.
May 26, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Timeliness cleanse: Three cats resting on a blanket on couch on a seasonally uncharacteristically cool spring morning. On the left, a multicolored catbus, in the center, an orange cinnamon bun, and on the right, a grey & white tuxedo elderly gentleman cat.
May 21, 2025 at 4:33 PM
A trip to the nursery.
May 19, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Caturday: This is Speckle, my sister's cat.
May 17, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Trump fired the Librarian of Congress without cause!

Read @everylibrary.bsky.social's statement here.
www.everylibrary.org/trump_fires_...
STATEMENT: President Trump Fires the Librarian of Congress and Now Congress Must Push Back
www.everylibrary.org
May 9, 2025 at 4:03 PM