Born OTD 100 years ago, veteran S. African/British actor Stratford Johns, whose most famous character was Detective Barlow in long-running Z-cars. Played regicide judge Bradshaw to Alec Guiness's Charles I in 1970 film 'Cromwell'. d 2002.

On @cfrcradio.bsky.social Dark Glasses at 2pm today we lead with a salute to B.B. King who would have turned 100 last week; new music from Trio of Bloom, Kate Wyatt, and Caity Gyorgy. Plus vintage Cassandra Wilson, Leonard Cohen and the Handsome Family. Tune in!

My vote for the coolest if most ambiguous name for a scholarly association. Who is the keynote this year? Livy? Polybius? It's quite difficult to follow Ephorus with his fragments of text delivery. And please, not Ammianus Marcellinus again. He does go on...

Buyer's remorse in action.

Except now we actually DO have to worry about several governments headed by psycho killers with no compassion, and whether there is any truth in the book I read.

Born OTD 100 years ago, veteran character actor Morgan Woodward (d 2019). Had a steady gig on late 50s western "Wyatt Earp" and was 16 different characters on "Gunsmoke". Cinematically, he was the villainous rancher Ab Cross in The Wild Country (1970) vs homesteaders Steve Forrest and Vera Miles.

RIP Robert Redford at 89. I recall seeing Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as a 10 year old in 1969. So many other good films, and some early memorable TV roles such as a friendly angel of death in The Twilight Zone episode "Nothing in the Dark" 1962.

Born OTD 100 years ago, "King of the Blues", B.B. King. The guitarist and composer died in 2015 at the age of 89. Ranked no 6 by Rolling Stone Magazine among 100 greatest guitarists of all time.

It's an all Joni Mitchell day on @cfrcradio.bsky.social Dark Glasses today at 2, marking the release of her box set "Joni's Jazz". We'll interlace some of Joni's jazzier tracks from 70s onward with covers by other jazz performers including Ian Shaw, Colin Steele, Keith Jarrett and Caecilie Norby.

Happy 94th birthday to actress Barbara Bain (ex-wife of Martin Landau and mother of Juliet Landau). 1/2 below: Barbara Bain as Cinnamon Carter in Mission: Impossible.

Born OTD 100 years ago, actor Dickie Moore (d 2015). Born just before the advent of sound films, as a child he acted in some of the last silents. He spent time in the "Our Gang" shorts which evolved into "Little Rascals". 1/2

‘Time to catch some rays on my front. Where’s dad with my mid morning treat ?’

Born OTD 100 years ago, Peter Sellers (d 1980) whose comic genius hid a troubled private life. His most immortal roles: the bumbling Inspector Clouseau across 5 Pink Panther films ("does your doeg baht? Zat eez not my dog".), and 3 roles in Dr Strangelove including the titular mad scientist. 1/2

Coming up on today's @cfrcradio.bsky.social Dark Glasses: emerging Icelandic star Laufey, plus a tribute to recently departed artists Cleo Laine, Chuck Mangione, Joseph Daley, Eddie Palmieri, Sheila Jordan, and Tom Lehrer. Tune in at 2!

After an epic walk earlier today Layla collapses into the position we call ‘houndball’.

Truly one of the greats, both in sport and public service.

I was trying to figure out where all this hair in the hinge of my MacBook came from. I didn’t have to look far.

Deciphering the instruction manual in a new tool with help from Layla (whose fee is some serious floppy ear rubbing-gladly administered).

Coming up on today's 1st new show after hiatus: the Labour Day special, featuring a range of labour, union, and worker related music (very little of it jazz) from Woody Guthrie, Joe Glazer, Pete Seeger & Hazel Dickens up to Judy Collins, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Bennett, Roy Clark,& Johnny Paycheck.

After two months of very short walks owing to the heat, our girl Layla (at the end of the yellow leash) finally got her usual route in this morning, with her giant pal Murphy and his mum. Didn't even want to sit down for a rest the full 8km. We haven't seen this river since June.

Left: Layla had a tiring day with two walks and shlepping through Home Depot and Lee Valley (where she got a cookie). Chilling on the couch. A dog's life.... Right: me trying on my new respirator; with our holiday light tree right behind me in the garage I look like some sort of 50s sci fi alien.

"Pat, why do you carry that ridiculous 600mm lens on long hikes?" Buddy, I can see mountains reflected in the eyes of a trailside pika.

Born OTD 100 years ago, song and dance man Donald O'Connor (d 2003). A family history of heart problems didn't stop an actor who happily blended roles in major films like Singin' in the Rain (with Gene Kelly) with B-entries such as his many pairings with Francis the Talking Mule.

Born OTD 100 years ago, actress and singer Honor Blackman (d 2020), best known for two iconic roles, John Steed's partner Cathy Gale in early seasons of The Avengers, and the formidable Pussy Galore in what is still regarded as the paradigmatic James Bond film, Goldfinger.

540th anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth Field in which Stanley Baker defeated Laurence Olivier, took the crown, and founded the Tudor dynasty, bringing the Middle Ages to an abrupt end and considerately providing me with a convenient fulcrum between my two lecture courses on English history.🙄

Yesterday, for our first cinema trip in over a year, we booked a (dog)sitter and went to see the new Superman (not bad at all but I don't get all the fuss)--coincidentally on the same day that the world lost Terence Stamp, the original General Zod, aged 87. RIP.

1/3 Born OTD 100 years ago, Armenian-American actor Krekor Ohanion, better known as Mike Connors, who moved from film bit parts (in The Ten Commandments among others) to a star of late 60s/early 70s tv with his hit PI show "Mannix".

Born OTD 100 years ago: the wonderful Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson (d 2007). Influenced especially by Art Tatum, his distinctive style carried him through many decades of solo and ensemble work, esp. with successive iterations of his Trio.

Sad news from the historical community as Wulf Kansteiner, one of the leaders in memory studies, and on other subjects such as AI and history, dies far too early at 60. www.memorystudiesassociation.org/wulf-kanstei...

RIP Sheila Jordan, 1928-2025, August 11. A remarkable jazz talent, with a strong streak of perfectionism, her debut 1963 album Portrait of Sheila is among my top 20 most listened to jazz CDs.

Born OTD 100 yrs ago, actress Arlene Dahl (d 2021). Film roles from late 40s to late 50s include '59's Journey to the Center of the Earth; transitioned to TV from the 60s and 70s up to 1999; Dahl also had sidelines in astrology, advice writing and beauty products; mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas.

RIP Aug 8, Cpt James Lovell, commander of Apollo 13 and member of Apollo 8 and also Gemini missions. With his death the crew of 8 (the last fully intact crew till 2023) are now all gone. Only 6 Apollo astronauts who actually flew missions remain: /2

It’s International Cat Day (also Friday when spouse @jagwoolf.bsky.social volunteers at the local SPCA) and I am appropriately attired. With apologies to our hound for whom all felines are Satan’s spawn.

Who knew that "late Saddam" finishings were so readily available at Home Depot

GPT-5 regularly asks you why you are not citing its work. GPT-5 always believes your estimator is biased. GPT-5 has more of a comment than a question. Sometimes GPT-5 tells you stories about grad school and expresses regret about getting a PhD. GPT-5's mom wonders when it will start making money.

Today’s New Yorker cartoon by Adam Thompson.

#skystorians 🗃️#archives

Layla’s HOUND20 data storage includes twin 5.25 inch floppy ears as a standard feature.

The newest title in @universitypress.cambridge.org Elements in Historical Theory and Practice series is out, and fully Open Access. Jonas Ahlskog, Testimony and Historical Knowledge. Available at DOI: 10.1017/9781009447041 . www.cambridge.org/core/element...

Farewell Tom Lehrer 1928-2025 wonderful musician and satirist (and mathematics professor). I grew up with songs such as The Elements, MLF Lullaby, Werner von Braun. Immortal.

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The Lyin’ King cornered by former supporters.

The MAGA revolt against its idol continues in a case of what Walter Mignolo in a different context might have called Episteinic Disobedience. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07...

Layla, in a moment of breed confusion, thinking my computer is a houndtop and not a labtop.

Some soon to be published titles in the @universitypress.cambridge.org series Elements in Historical Theory and Practice: Testimony and Historical Knowledge (August); Race, Genetics and History; .../2

Indiana might want you: tenure track post at Notre Dame in trans-national history post 1800. Special consideration will be given to applicants working on transnational history topics related to the economy, environment, or technology. apply.interfolio.com/170554

On today's @cfrcradio.bsky.social Dark Glasses: a tribute to the king of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, born just over 100 years ago; new music from South Americans Anita Donndorff and Orlando Molina; trombonist William Carn's new album Unburdening; and Maori group The Circling Sun. Tune in at 2!

Jesus and the Devil, caught at a Coldplay gig

On @cfrcradio.bsky.social Dark Glasses today at 2, more "new to the show" artists with brand new releases, including the debut album of Toronto vocalist Raquel Marina; Fred Hersch's trio; David Binney and Tommy Crane; and the Colin Steele Quartet.

On today's Dark Glasses on @cfrcradio.bsky.social, 4 artists making their first ever appearance on the show, 3 with brand new material: Mei Semones, David Bixler, Behn Gillece, and Maria Mørck.