It was a shock when I read that as the unofficial head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a group that has no Congressional authority, Musk began to shutter USAID operations at the beginning of February. Musk bragged on his social media platform that he was putting USAID “into the wood chipper.” At that time, the USAID website went dark, and as I am writing this, it is still down.
by Meredith J Batt and Jess Wilton The queer history of Atlantic Canada is embedded in the region’s landscape and its people. As we guide you across the region exploring some queer nooks and crannies along the way, we will introduce you to the way queer pasts, presents, and futures collide and overlap. It’s spring and we begin in Northern… Read more »
https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_02_19_04_53_22_ee55139b-5ee2-4d6f-9a5f-ce41b5a0adca.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham Sean Graham is joined by Amanda Bittner, author of Platform or Personality: The Role of Party Leaders in Elections. They talk about how polling data is used, partisan voting patterns, and the role of leaders in swaying voters. They also discuss policies v. personalities, the significance of branding leaders, and the… Read more »
Commercial DNA tests have had many different impacts, from confirming existing research, breaking down brick walls, and uncovering long-hidden family secrets. DNA has become an essential component of genealogical research.
https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_02_12_05_21_15_6c08bc31-1640-4470-9646-2cbc1d846f34.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham This week, I’m joined by Dan Black, author of Oceans of Fate: Peace and Peril Aboard the Steamship Empress of Asia. We talk about the ship’s earliest voyage following its 1913 commissioning, its service during the First World War and the Chinese Labour Corps, and its refitting after the war. We… Read more »
by Jess Wilton Cradled by the Atlantic Ocean, the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island (PEI), and Newfoundland and Labrador occupy a unique place in queer and Canadian history. “Queering Atlantic Canada: Stories, Histories, and Archives of Atlantic Canada” is an ActiveHistory.ca series guest edited by Jess Wilton. Over the next year, this series will offer an introduction to the work… Read more »
By educating the public about heritage designation, incorporating heritage into urban planning, and connecting with our wider communities, we can cultivate a brighter future for Ontario’s heritage industry.
https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2025_02_05_04_41_54_40392e80-703e-481f-82ad-f465d0cb0ebd.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham This week I’m joined by Eugenia Kisin, author of Aesthetics of Repair: Indigenous Art and the Form of Reconciliation. We discuss what qualifies as ‘art’, how the intent shapes understanding of cultural materials, and how works are commoditized. We also chat about artistic agency, the impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,… Read more »
Alan MacEachern Last year, an email informed me of a death. Two, actually. Top Hat would no longer publish Origins: Canadian History to Confederation or Destinies: Canadian History since Confederation as either print or e-books. These twin textbooks, once as much staples of Canadian history survey courses as, well, the staples thesis, were being discontinued due to low demand. Origins… Read more »
Heritage gives texture to our shared sense of place, belonging, and local identity.
