If you're just jumping on the Blue Jays bandwagon, don't worry - making sense of our complicated world is what we do here at the Museum! We've put together a one-page guide of everything you need to know to avoid sounding like a fairweather fan over the next month. #LetsGoBlueJays

Doing research in mid-1980s Toronto Suns, when the paper had several columnists who at best could live with apartheid in South Africa and at worst all but supported it, tends to make my stomach clench. (Working on an unrelated story, but passing these stories by just makes me shake my head)

NEW! For Toronto Today @torontotoday.ca I look at the rise of Nelvana, including its role in introducing an iconic Star Wars universe character. #TOHistory www.torontotoday.ca/local/histor...

New horror story idea: a secretary of defense who has decided to outlaw beards for "unprofessional reasons" is visited by vengeful ghosts of heavily-bearded Civil War commanders.

JSTOR is available through the Toronto Public Library and some academic institutions, but if you don't have access to this, this could be a good way to access a great research source.

This morning's mental combination of bad dreams, contemplating worst case scenarios, and absorbing too much misery from the outside world (and plaguing my feed) makes me realizing I have been catastrophizing way too much lately. So, I'm going to work on bringing more positives back into my life.

NEW! For Toronto Today @torontotoday.ca I look at the rise of Nelvana, including its role in introducing an iconic Star Wars universe character. #TOHistory www.torontotoday.ca/local/histor...

1) THREAD: Congratulations to the 2025 AL East Champion Toronto Blue Jays! And now, for your reading pleasure, a thread of stories I've written about the Jays over the years... #bluejays #torontohistory

Amid the craziness of the world, sometimes it’s nice to cultivate some peppers from the plants we’ve kinda neglected this year. (Tested a jalapeño for dinner tonight and it was delicious)

For whatever reasons, this has been stuck in our heads the last couple of days - both Louisa and I remember seeing these ads when we were kids (she on Buffalo TV, me on Detroit stations). Warning: this theme will be an earworm. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ystn...

In case you missed it... #onpoli

1) Now that a busy summer is over, I am booking projects for fall, winter, and beyond. If you're looking for a public historian, a historical consultant, a general writer, or research assistance for current, ongoing, or upcoming projects, I can help.

A night out at the Rex

1) Now that a busy summer is over, I am booking projects for fall, winter, and beyond. If you're looking for a public historian, a historical consultant, a general writer, or research assistance for current, ongoing, or upcoming projects, I can help.

The rise and fall and rise and fall of photo radar in Ontario — by @jbcurio.bsky.social

NEW! For TVO @tvotoday.bsky.social, with speed cameras in the news, I look at Ontario's experiment with photo radar during the 1990s. Let's say some arguments will sound familiar... #onpoli #history #TOHistory www.tvo.org/article/the-...

NEW! For TVO @tvotoday.bsky.social, with speed cameras in the news, I look at Ontario's experiment with photo radar during the 1990s. Let's say some arguments will sound familiar... #onpoli #history #TOHistory www.tvo.org/article/the-...

Side research find: I don't know why, but for some reason I find this headline from the April 28, 1966 Oshawa Times funny.

A project I've contributed writing and research assistance to recently is The Peterson Years, which looks at David Peterson's govt in Ontario from 1985-1990. Here's a story I wrote on the battle over Sunday shopping. #history #onpoli thepetersonyears.ca/the-battle-o...

A project I've contributed writing and research assistance to recently is The Peterson Years, which looks at David Peterson's govt in Ontario from 1985-1990. Here's a story I wrote on the battle over Sunday shopping. #history #onpoli thepetersonyears.ca/the-battle-o...

Latest newsletter, which rounds up my recent work... open.substack.com/pub/jamiebra...

I wonder how much play this song will receive over the next two days... www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCd...

The newest Toronto driving manoeuvre I hate: you're waiting patiently to turn left in a left-turn lane, especially if there's heavy vehicular/pedestrian traffic. Then, just as there's finally a clearing to turn, an aggressive driver suddenly comes up on my right, then left turns in front of me.

Latest newsletter, which rounds up my recent work... open.substack.com/pub/jamiebra...

1) Ending the week with two new articles for the Canadian Encyclopedia! @historicacanada.bsky.social First up, an entry on entrepreneur/Dragon's Den panelist Jim Treliving. thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/j...

Just a friendly reminder that in the mid-80s, Knorr (the powdered soup and gravy company) had a weird scarecrow mascot made of vegetables.

1) Ending the week with two new articles for the Canadian Encyclopedia! @historicacanada.bsky.social First up, an entry on entrepreneur/Dragon's Den panelist Jim Treliving. thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/j...

The March 9, 1954 edition of See It Now, anchored by Edward R. Murrow, regarding Joseph McCarthy. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMgo...

Working on a story where, if one local automotive columnist was to be believed, a provincial government policy that didn't really bother me at all at the time was pretty much on a civil rights destroying level as what is happening south of the border these days. I imagine it sold some newspapers?

1) Earliest mention I could find of Robert Redford (RIP) in Toronto newspapers is this review from the November 18, 1960 Globe and Mail of Sidney Lumet's television production of The Iceman Cometh.

Been trying to think of something to say about Redford but this pretty much covers it. We won't see his kind of megastar again, the system doesn't allow for it.

Comics are under attack in Canada. We cannot stay silent. Read and share TCAF’s statement on censorship in Alberta’s public schools, then join us in taking action! www.torontocomics.com/post/comics-...

Some provincial party leaders only get one election cycle to prove themselves, as Bonnie Crombie did. Last year, I wrote for the Canadian Encyclopedia @historicacanada.bsky.social about William Ralph Meredith, 19th century Tory leader who lost 5 times. thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/s...

The research assistants are much happier with their new computer, relieved it no longer takes 5 minutes or more for some programs to get rolling. Our overall working experience is so much less frustrating!

If you’re in the Beaches this afternoon, swing by Arts on Queen (Queen and Balsam) where my partner-in-crime Louisa is having a sidewalk sale of her jewellery creations and more! She’ll be there until 5 pm today!

If you're deep down in the Beaches today, swing by Arts on Queen, where my partner-in-crime is having a sidewalk sale of some of her jewellery creations and more!

Side research find: that time Christie Blatchford's New Year's wishlist included wishing there were no such things as cyclists or bike lanes. Financial Post, December 31, 1993.

Come on down!

Jesus, this fucking year.

For reasons beyond our control, we are shifting over to a new YouTube channel in order to ensure our continued existence. Why are we doing this? This video explains it all! Please check it out, and help us out by liking, sharing and subscribing to our new home.

And now, a moment of silence for my desktop computer, which has provided faithful service since the dawn of COVID. A few more days until its replacement arrives…

1) Strange things found while researching this weekend: when the Care Bears Movie came out in 1985, both the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star assigned writers usually associated with art or architecture to write the reviews!

1) Winding down a research day, which feels like a good excuse for an old fashioned thread o' stuff, collected from files I've stumbled upon one way or another. This thread is brought to you by the 1981 British anthology horror movie The Monster Club. Just be nice to shadmocks, ok?

Mmmm. Filmstrip... archive.org/details/unco...

This is what sometimes stops me dead in my tracks while writing, something I am reallly working to try and get over. (I should also mention I really, really appreciate editors)

Today’s sandwich board wisdom on Danforth

Check out the latest issue of @spacing.bsky.social, which includes a piece I wrote about department stores in Toronto (inspired by the demise of The Bay) #TOHistory Order a copy from @spacingstore.bsky.social or check out your favourite newsstand!

One thing I used to do at the other place was "thread o'stuff," where I'd post odd recent findings over the course of research projects, writing, or lazy internet browsing. Who'd be interested in seeing those return?

My main memory of the tunnel bus when I was a kid was the special runs for Detroit Tigers games. One night, passengers were treated to a full reenactment of the Lite Beer “less filling, tastes great!” ad campaign.