Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
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xandervb.bsky.social
Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
@xandervb.bsky.social
200 followers 600 following 31 posts
Screenwriter (Save The Cat! winner), philosopher (the armchair kind), former neuroscientist #UCLA. Also, writer of podcasts for #PAVEStudios, co-President of #JHRTS, and climate lobbyist with #CCL. Tolerated husband and acceptable pet owner. Life is good!
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xandervb.bsky.social
Anyone watching #MurdaughonHulu? If this scintillating true-crime story is your cup of tea, check out the episode of #Clues I wrote! Hear how a brutal crime brought a southern dynasty crashing down.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKjG...
The Murdaugh Murders: Murder, Corruption, and Control | Clues Pod
YouTube video by Clues Pod with Morgan Absher & Kaelyn Moore
www.youtube.com
October 17, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
lawrencemoore.bsky.social
And here's the text version of 'Birdsong', from my forthcoming collection This Joyful Interlude 🪶

#poem #poems #poetry #writing #books

4/4
Birdsong (full poem) In moment of weakness, left prone to its lies, you merge with the darkness, assuming disguise, feel nothing unbroken, magnificence feigned, belligerent truth in the cruelties of rain, the dove's intimations, the nightingale's scorn when just beyond vision, your last muse is born. They come soaked in shyness through reticence, fear, bereft of direction, prechosen to steer, contentious...confusing... supposing...perhaps... (it's hard in the desert to turn on the taps). Two minds twist and tango with flitter and fray; soft background of birdsong cheeps 'Courage now, stay, fresh cogs and new levers spite cleaver, spurn claw, cruel storm oft-encountered shall bluster no more. Volcanoes and tremors of confidence killed, when shared with the right one denuded, bestilled. A risk must be taken, this safety zone fled; we can't sing forever alone in your head.' Birdsong (full poem) In moment of weakness, left prone to its lies, you merge with the darkness, assuming disguise, feel nothing unbroken, magnificence feigned, belligerent truth in the cruelties of rain, the dove's intimations, the nightingale's scorn when just beyond vision, your last muse is born. They come soaked in shyness through reticence, fear, bereft of direction, prechosen to steer, contentious...confusing... supposing...perhaps... (it's hard in the desert to turn on the taps). Two minds twist and tango with flitter and fray; soft background of birdsong cheeps 'Courage now, stay, fresh cogs and new levers spite cleaver, spurn claw, cruel storm oft-encountered shall bluster no more. Volcanoes and tremors of confidence killed, when shared with the right one denuded, bestilled. A risk must be taken, this safety zone fled; we can't sing forever alone in your head.' Birdsong (full poem) In moment of weakness, left prone to its lies, you merge with the darkness, assuming disguise, feel nothing unbroken, magnificence feigned, belligerent truth in the cruelties of rain, the dove's intimations, the nightingale's scorn when just beyond vision, your last muse is born. They come soaked in shyness through reticence, fear, bereft of direction, prechosen to steer, contentious...confusing... supposing...perhaps... (it's hard in the desert to turn on the taps). Two minds twist and tango with flitter and fray; soft background of birdsong cheeps 'Courage now, stay, fresh cogs and new levers spite cleaver, spurn claw, cruel storm oft-encountered shall bluster no more. Volcanoes and tremors of confidence killed, when shared with the right one denuded, bestilled. A risk must be taken, this safety zone fled; we can't sing forever alone in your head.'
October 8, 2025 at 10:42 AM
xandervb.bsky.social
It's #BannedBooksWeek! And this year there are more banned books than ever. Check out the report by @penamerica.bsky.social then go to your library (or online) to order a copy of Carrie. Because guess what? Stephen King is the most banned author in America.

pen.org/report/the-n...
The Normalization of Book Banning
This report offers a window into the complex and extensive climate of censorship between July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
pen.org
October 8, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
sagan.bsky.social
"The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself."
"The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself."
August 6, 2025 at 12:54 PM
xandervb.bsky.social
I want to see things that encourage me to think slowly, rather lead my emotions like a leash.

More and more I crave what’s truly human. Poetry and philosophy and the mystery of the divine. Not this reductive, materialistic, tech-obsessed framework that people treat like the second coming.
August 6, 2025 at 6:24 AM
xandervb.bsky.social
Calling all #Hollywood creatives! Want to level up your networking and give back to the community? Join the JHRTS Board!

Applications close July 9. DM me, or email jhrts@hrts.org with any questions!

Apply Here: lnkd.in/gMSqFuaR

Join JHRTS Here: lnkd.in/g7zZa7Ma
July 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
indivisible.org
“Pretty much wherever you are, you’re probably less than 30 minutes away from your closest No Kings event.” - @leahgreenberg.bsky.social with @democracynow.org

We hope to see you at your local #NoKings Day mobilization on Saturday: www.nokings.org?SQF_SOURCE=i...
June 11, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
tarynoneill.bsky.social
"Imagine if a plant in a farmer's field could warn a grower that it needs water? Or if a farmer could signal to plants that dry weather lies ahead, thereby prompting the plants to conserve water?"

🌱... some #goodnews in science and innovation.

phys.org/news/2025-04...
Century-old mystery of plant communication solved: Plants signal stress through negative pressure mechanisms
Imagine if a plant in a farmer's field could warn a grower that it needs water? Or if a farmer could signal to plants that dry weather lies ahead, thereby prompting the plants to conserve water?
phys.org
April 28, 2025 at 6:43 PM
xandervb.bsky.social
Some wisdom on fighting #fascism from Albert Camus. The greatest, and most dangerous temptation of any rebellion is to emulate its enemy.
April 10, 2025 at 8:38 PM
xandervb.bsky.social
The high price of eggs is not about bird flu. It’s (sigh) just another example of corporate greed. Read the data for yourself. Thanks to
@foodandwater.bsky.social for the info.

www.foodandwaterwatch.org/wp-content/u...
www.foodandwaterwatch.org
March 10, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
simplyskye.bsky.social
Upcoming Boycotts & Protests

3/4 – #FiftyFiftyOne Protests
3/4 – #ProtectOurKids Protests
3/7 – @standupforscience.bsky.social — The March for Science

3/7-3/14 – Amazon Boycott
3/21-3/28 – Nestlé Boycott
4/7-4/14 – Walmart Boycott
4/18 – Economic Blackout #2
4/21-4/28 – General Mills Boycott
A billboard in Yosemite National Park reads, “When park rangers are hanging upside down flags in Yosemite, you know you messed up.” The sign features three small, inverted flags and is surrounded by a crowd of people, protesting against trump/elon’s actions administration.
March 4, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
hankgreen.bsky.social
We are experiencing an assault on science unparalleled by anything I’ve seen in my life. It’s not one issue or another anymore, the entire institution is under attack by the most powerful individuals in the country.

This Friday, where will you be?

standupforscience2025.org
March 2, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
jillybobww.bsky.social
Los Angeles friends who lost homes in the fires & are now furnishing new places: Spear auction house has multiple auctions right now from a prop house that's liquidating. That means furnishings galore: sofas, chairs, tables, shelving, lamps, etc. Could be useful. spear.prod2.maxanet.auction/Public
R.L. Spear Co., Inc.
spear.prod2.maxanet.auction
February 25, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
tarynoneill.bsky.social
A reminder to my fellow #filmmakers that there is a new film fest in OR dedicated to celebrating the #solarpunk genre! We need more stories in this genre on our screens.
(Submitting our ASU collab 'The Assignment'.)
🌏🎬
#betterfutures #climatestories
#filmsky filmfreeway.com/SolarPunkFil...
SUBMIT ⬇️
February 25, 2025 at 7:47 PM
xandervb.bsky.social
Creativity as an antidote to anxiety.
nicenews.com/health-and-w...
Martha Beck on How to Free Yourself From Anxiety
Harvard sociologist Martha Beck provides insight into why we experience anxiety, and how we can free ourselves from stress long-term.
nicenews.com
February 21, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Reposted by Xander Vitolic-Bernstein
50501movement.bsky.social
We the people are pissed! Nationwide protests TODAY, MONDAY, Feb. 17th, #NoKingsDay.

Find a protest at > events.pol-rev.com 🇺🇸

Where will we see you?

#50501movement #FiftyFiftyOne #BuildTheResistance #PoliticalRevolution #NoVoiceUnheard #NoKings #VoicesOfFlorida #VoicesUnheard @polrev.bsky.social
February 17, 2025 at 1:13 PM
xandervb.bsky.social
Share your best resistance symbols!

Also, there’s a march in every state capitol tomorrow… wear blue!
February 4, 2025 at 11:16 PM
xandervb.bsky.social
Friends! JHRTS has created a spreadsheet to track resources for those affected by the fire, as well as those who want to help. Add to this sheet and share freely!
Since this sheet has edit-access, please be careful not to delete any information.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Wildfire Response Resources
docs.google.com
January 12, 2025 at 3:17 AM
xandervb.bsky.social
In light of all the bad #climate news that keeps coming out (looking at you, permitting reform) here is a big win we can celebrate.
mjsdc.bsky.social Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · Dec 18
Whoa—the Montana Supreme Court holds that its state constitution protects the right to "a stable climate system," and strikes down a law that barred consideration of greenhouse gas emissions when permitting new fossil fuel projects. juddocumentservice.mt.gov/getDocByCTra...
December 19, 2024 at 5:34 PM
xandervb.bsky.social
One day that ugly manuscript will turn into a beautiful cockroach… 🤔 #writers #thestruggleisreal
December 13, 2024 at 3:43 AM
xandervb.bsky.social
Want to know the REAL story behind the collapse of crypto's golden boy? Listen to #moneycrimes #FTX #crypto #SamBankmanFried #finance #podcast

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g...
GREED: The FTX Collapse
Podcast Episode · Money Crimes with Nicole Lapin · 11/14/2024 · 32m
podcasts.apple.com
December 13, 2024 at 12:42 AM