Coincidentally, #HATM, my sons & I just watched The Goonies last night. My older boy’s reaction within the first 20 or so minutes: “You’re telling me this movie has the same rating as the Paw Patrol movie?” 😆 (Sidenote: Goonies was released in June 1984 & the PG-13 rating was implemented that July)

Went to my childhood roller rink today in the parental capacity. Haven’t been there in 25 years. It looks and even smells exactly the same. Unfortunately there was no Spice Girls, Goo Goo Dolls, or Backstreet Boys playing.

On this day in 1859, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry began. A few years ago, I wrote this story about Brown, his final days, & the influence of his time spent living in Pennsylvania. If you missed it, I hope you’ll check it out. #history #skystorians www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...

First horror movie of the #Halloween season: Fright Night (1985). I haven’t watched this since I was 13 or 14 when I rented a beat up old VHS copy of it, but I remember loving it and its darkly comedic vibe. #HalloweenSky

Starting with today's post, on some of the many AmericanStudies reasons why we can't forget the histories & stories of boxing--& a couple reasons why I wish we could. blackwhiteandread.com/september-29...

Here it is, my 243rd #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...

Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians www.eriereader.com/article/cana...

Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians www.eriereader.com/article/cana...

Got my copy of the second volume of The Triangle. I’m in good company. And everybody else involved — editors, photographers, the absolutely indispensable archivists and researchers — sure did make this magazine look SLICK. #history #skystorians #EriePA

Without my editor, I get a little carried away. But here’s my perspective on the whole echo chambers discussion. I have a lot of thoughts. A.I. slop! Algorithms! Dead Internet Theory! The World Wide Web! RSS feeds! Journalistic codes of ethics! Read on: www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...

New magazine dropped with my story “Ink & Imagination Built Erie” covering many of Erie’s notable past architects. Unfortunately though, the magazine is sent to Erie County Historical Society members and only available to buy at the museum, so no link of it to share (yet?). #history #skystorians

Got to see Morgan Freeman talk about Mississippi, blues music, and his Ground Zero Blues Club. Then watched Keith Johnson (great-nephew of Muddy Waters) and others with the Symphonic Blues Experience perform “I Lied to You” from Sinners. So, that was a pretty solid Tuesday. #filmsky #musicsky

These 1990s READ posters for the American Library Association were amazing. #litsky #readsky #writersky

I don’t know who can relate, but I think my kids think Spirit Halloween’s opening day is a national holiday and that it’s our patriotic duty to go.

This John Brown children’s book I snagged has some major Touchdown for Tommy vibes. But I’m here for it. #history #skystorians #ushistory

Eighty years ago, World War II ended. My latest, in which I reflect on it all, is up: “‘If [Hitler] were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon,’ quipped George Orwell.” #history #skystorians #WWII www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...

Dreams really do come true.

Eighty years ago, World War II ended. My latest, in which I reflect on it all, is up: “‘If [Hitler] were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon,’ quipped George Orwell.” #history #skystorians #WWII www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...

I recently reread George Orwell’s “Why I Write,” a favorite of mine as a teenager. It inspired me to do something that I haven’t done much of in the last decade: write something personal. If you enjoy it, let me know. #writing #writersky #writingcommunity www.jonathanburdick.com/words/why-i-...

I’m going to actively encourage students this year to use multiple search engines beyond Google. I might even tie-in some sort of comparison between what they find on the first pages of each search. So, Bluesky, what’s your favorite non-Google search engine (and why)? #skystorians #edusky #research

If I ever strike it rich, I think these shirts would immediately become my new classroom teacher personality. Maybe introduce one new one each week until they’re the only thing I was wearing.

I wrote this in January. It’s deeply depressing to read it again today. #history #skystorians #PBS #publicTV

Busted out some of my old ‘90s #Superman comics for the kid since he’s still riding high on the movie.

Happy Harrison Ford’s Birthday Day to all who celebrate. 🎉

I keep almost all of my books at work so they’re available to students, but here’s my one little bookshelf of very random selections that I keep at home. Let’s see everybody else’s! #booksky #writersky #skystorians

My latest story is about the ballplayer from #EriePA who inspired the Pittsburgh Pirates team name: "I think he's the greatest second baseman living," manager Ned Hanlon said. “He seems to have the instinct of knowing just where a ball is going to go…” www.eriereader.com/article/pira...

Celebrity presidential endorsements from April 2008. As seen in Penn State Behrend’s student newspaper. #politics #history #skystorians #politisky

The problem with both this polling & this reporting is they assume "patriotism" means one particular thing, of which national "pride" is a key component. That's never been the only version of American patriotism, though. For more, check out my book! www.bloomsbury.com/us/of-thee-i...

A few panels from the original Marvel #IndianaJones comic adaptation of Raiders of the Lost Ark. 1981.

I think it’s accurate to say that nobody promotes historical scholarship more passionately and selflessly than Ben. Thanks for sharing as always! #history #skystorians #publichistory

My latest is about a man who was teenager during the Civil War and lived long enough to see (most of) World War II. “Things aren't a whole lot different now than they ever were," he reflected. #history #skystorians #skystorian www.eriereader.com/article/henr...

This s’mores pastry was on another level.

Thank you for the affirmation, Scholastic. 🙏🏼

Happy bday to Strong Vincent, who was born on this day in 1837. During the defense of Little Round Top, Vincent stood upon a large boulder and shouted to his soldiers, "Don't give an inch!" He was struck by a bullet during the battle & died from his wounds on July 7, 1863 at age 26. #history

Finally got to see Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade on the big screen. This is easily the most watched movie of my childhood, even moreso than Raiders, so it was extra special that I got to see it with my oldest.

The boys & I finally watched Flow. They were skeptical that it’d be better than The Wild Robot & Inside Out 2 (which it beat at the Oscars), but they were glued to the screen the entire time. It’s a movie that asks a lot from its audience (there’s no dialogue after all), but what a mesmerizing film.

I re-read Cannery Row every few years, just because its dialogue is absolutely masterful. Doc has always been one of my favorite Steinbeck characters. #booksky #readingsky

I genuinely want to know what goes through someone’s mind when they make a conscious decision to park like this.

John Brown’s grief. #skystorians #history

An editorial on the “disease” that is cheating. October 13, 1983. Penn State Behrend’s student newspaper. #Education #EduSky #Teaching

In the late-1960s, Artis Simmons of #EriePA was ranked in the top five karate fighters in the entire United States, just below karate legends Joe Lewis, Ron Marchini, and yes… Chuck Norris. #karate #history #skystorians

This is the post that caused me to connect these dots/traumatized me/launched my own near-40 crisis, no sports cars required* *I would really like to buy myself a nice electric car but that's because my 2009 Pontiac Vibe with a bashed in front corner is beginning to feel embarrassing to be seen in

Days after the March on Washington, a Black couple named Horace and Sara Baker moved into an otherwise all-white neighborhood in Folcroft, #Pennsylvania. They had one child and were expecting their second. They were met with a hostile and angry mob. #history #skystorians

Forty years ago today. May 31, 1985. The outbreak had 44 total tornadoes, including numerous F4s and Pennsylvania’s only recorded F5. Map created by @accuweather.com. If you missed my story, here it is: www.eriereader.com/article/the-... #history #skystorians #weather #tornadoes

Andy Van Slyke. Jay Bell. Jose Lind. Orlando Merced. Don Slaught. Doug Drabek. And, of course, Barry Bonds. Man, I loved this Pirates team. These were my dudes. We’d go down to a game every summer, which was a BIG deal. It’s a shame the Pirates ownership has also killed my love of MLB #baseball.

I rarely rewatch movies nowadays, but when I saw Pig was added to Netflix, I had to watch it again. I love how they marketed it as “John Wick but with a Pig” and then complete subverted those expectations. One of the best movies of 2021 and even better on a second viewing. #filmsky #NicolasCage

Happy pup.

Two types of children: My older son, who was always aggressively against ever mixing his Marvel & DC toys during a play session. My younger son who freely creates a multiverse where his Marvel & DC toys coexist… & he throws in some Mario, Sonic, & Disney toys into his battles, because why not?

Here’s my latest story. Forty years ago the largest and deadliest tornado outbreak in Pennsylvania history occurred. Albion in Erie County took a direct impact by an F4 and was one of the hardest hit communities. #history #skystorians #tornadoes www.eriereader.com/article/the-...

This inflation is getting out of control, I tell you!