perhaps the secretary of DHS believes that this missing item would provide blanket immunity from accountability for her and her underlings' actions over the past year. Or maybe the blanket at one time belonged to the pet dog she shot and was kept as a trophy.

As Ali could have told you, being on the right side of history can be costly. But in years to come, it will provide more comfort and self-assurance than any medal purchased by suppressing the conscience.

Born OTD 100 years ago, Canadian actor Leslie ("Don't call me Shirley") Nielsen. Before he turned to comedy, Nielsen did serious roles including a turn opposite Walter Pidgeon in one of the 1950s great Sci Fi films, Forbidden Planet. But "Airplane" made him an immortal. D. 2010.

Friends, can I ask you to spread the word that we have a THREE-YEAR postdoc in American history at Cambridge up for grabs - ANY field, but applications are due March 1 so don't delay - apply, apply, apply! networks.h-net.org/jobs/69790/u...

With great sadness I share the news that Norman Jones, distinguished historian of Tudor England, has died: a giant both in physical and intellectual stature and a wonderful human being. Working with him on a couple of projects was both a pleasure and an honour. RIP. www.kudoboard.com/boards/EhhDP...

On @cfrcradio.bsky.social Dark Glasses today at 2, we run through (most of) last week's Grammy winners in the jazz categories. Featured: Justin Gray; Samara Joy, Christian McBride (x 2!), and Sullivan Fortner.

If ever there were any doubt before, then Trump's deranged and racist Obama video and his attempt to extort Chuck Schumer's support for renaming Penn Stn and Dulles Airport after him should seal the deal: this man is seriously ill and belongs in a white jacket and rubber room, not a White House.

Our Backyard dog snow-run that originally started as a single path ( a way for our hound Layla to attend to business) but was expanded by our awesome dog sitter into this full zoomies loop.

www.thewhig.com/opinion/terr... Terror state Russia weaponizes winter | The Kingston Whig Standard

"My name is Layla and I approve of this skeet".

I don't know because my cousin went to a different movie the day this opened and they said that literally no one was at the Melania premier, and the staff were hiding the special decorations because it was embarrassing. See, we can ALL do anecdotes, KAYLEIGH.

"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May I guess you'd say What can make me feel this way? My girl, my girl, my girl Talkin' 'bout my girl, my girl..."

Feeling Prickly? 🦔 Which Renaissance Hedgehog are you today? 🦔 (It's #NationalHedgehogDay somewhere... ie the UK.) Also #GroundhogDay

Today on @cfrcradio.bsky.social Dark Glasses we salute Groundhog Day with music from the 1993 film, the 2016 musical, and other related tracks from Canada's Audrey Ochoa, UB 40, Melanie, Big Sugar, Frankie Yankovic (yes, a polka on Dark Glasses!) and more. Tune in at 2 EST.

“So you are a historian? What is your field of expertise?” “The long January of 2026.” “All of it, really?” #skystorians

Welcoming the latest k-9 addition to the extended Woolf family; my son Sam and his wife Christie have just taken in this big boy, Memphis (left) who is now adoptive cousin to his sister's dog Rudi (ctr) and I guess both are nephews of our girl Layla (right).

A student was sick and missed my lecture on Tudor local administration (scintillating!) He asked to meet by zoom to see what he missed. I worried I might have to summarize the whole lecture, but he read the text readings and the slides in advance and came in with very precise questions. Impressive.

the ICE man goeth. www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...

Our hound mix, Layla, has been diagnosed with anaplasmosis causing anemia; the Rx for it is a 4 week course of a drug called doxycycline, which in my defective hearing came through as "doggsycycling". Which somehow makes more sense.

A propos of nothing other than the weather outside is frightful and the world situation far from delightful, I present 2 random pictures of our dog thoroughly enjoying her afternoon. You’re welcome.

Found near the same site as the remains of "Shropshire Blue Woman".

Drawing from his @universitypress.cambridge.org Element (2022) Progress and the Scale of History, @tysonretz.bsky.social discusses notions of progress here on this podcast: www.notionsofprogress.com/five-faces-o...

Prof. Maria Grever's recent Cambridge Element "Contested Public Monuments" doi.org/10.1017/9781... was the subject of a highly engaged Amsterdam seminar this past Friday, sponsored by NL-Lab. Check it out on the @universitypress.cambridge.org Elements site. www.cambridge.org/core/publica...

As if shooting your dog and bragging about it weren’t enough of an indicator of psychopathy. But in Trump’s world it is table stakes.

One of the best things I’ve read in a while:

It can and is.

Coming Feb. 20 in @universitypress.cambridge.org Elements in Historical Theory and Practice series, Thomas Moynihan's "The History of Contingency and Future-Oriented Thought". Video abstract here: vimeo.com/1148027422?f...

New book by Valeria López Fadul, showing how the Spanish learned from, and managed, the enormous amount of new languages they found in the Americas emspanishhistorynotes.wordpress.com/2025/03/26/n...

One of those clubs, to misquote Groucho Marx, that you don't want to join if its founder wants you as a member.

"We did nothing wrong here" (cover version of the golden oldie sung by the popular German trio I.G. Farben, Krupp, and Fritz Thyssen back in the day).

No you don’t if it’s the US. You drive it straight through the orange topped ICE berg and let it sink like a stone.

John Rous, the second-ever Bodley’s Librarian, was a Fellow of @orieloxford.bsky.social, which is celebrating the 700th anniversary of its foundation this year! [1/5]

My paper on historical (anti-)realism is now available in EarlyView on @histandtheojrnl.bsky.social's website. It's my attempt at mapping the conceptual space in what I see as a deeply confused landscape, rife for unproductive polemics. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

This arrived on my doorstep today-nice surprise! I don’t actually remember ever being told a Greek translation of my book was in progress. I will of course read through it carefully to ensure my prose has been rendered faithfully, and check for typos 😅🙄.

Before Arnold, Before Ferrigno and Stallone, there was---Steve Reeves, born OTD 100 years ago (d 2000). A short movie sword and sandal career in 50s and 60s belies his influence on later bodybuilders-turned-actors--his most famous role as Hercules was the product of postwar Italian film making.

Happy 100th birthday Patricia Neal. Klaatu barada nikto; actually if you see him or Gort around we could do with a return visit about now.

A very different sort of Donald T.

Just sent to me by a former colleague. NATO and Denmark please take note.

Born otd 100 years ago, actress Patricia Neal. Multiple awards on stage and screen included an Oscar for best actress in "Hud". A series of strokes nearly derailed her career in the late 60s but she returned to acting after recovery.

Born OTD 100 years ago, character actor Fritz Weaver, veteran of dozens of movie and many more tv roles including Marathon Man (1976). My favourite Weaver turn: the lunatic colonel Cascio in 1964's anti-nuke film Failsafe. d. 2016.

Dark Glasses is back on @cfrcradio.bsky.social at 2EST. Today's first new show of 2026 focuses on music & musicians from the Dominican Republic: featured artists include Mecanica, Guillo Carias, Guy Frometa, Michel Camilo, Dominican Bossa Nova, and the Dominican Jazz Project. Time for some merenge!

Exhausted after a snowy walk.

Note the absence of even the patina of an argument that tariffs are good for the US economy (which they aren't); it's sheer pique at not instantly getting his way. Trump is like a 3 year old throwing a tantrum. 3 year olds shouldn't be indulged--nor have nuclear codes and armies at their disposal.

But…but….but we gave you a second state visit! #NeverEverEVERSuckUpToABully

This is brilliant. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/o...

Born OTD 100 years ago, Austro-Swiss actress Maria Schell (d 2005). Somewhat less well known than her younger sibling Maximilian, Maria had a strong European career film career especially in the 50s, and a presence in N. American films (including westerns) thereafter.

Apparently, it is now acceptable to attain a new status in life, simply by proclamation. I hereby declare I am a 6' 2", 27 yr-old EGOT winner who is currently dating Taylor Swift. Thank you for your attention to our delusions.

Otter-correct in action.

The comic pair of Flounders and Swans presents their newest hit duet (now with a Latin beat), "Have some Maduro, m'dear".

Yes, hello? I don’t think 2026 is working properly. I’d like to cancel my free 5 day trial please.