Musa Okwonga
@okwonga.bsky.social
Author, essayist, public speaker. Co-founder and co-host of the Stadio football podcast. musaokwonga.com
Pinned
Musa Okwonga
@okwonga.bsky.social
· Aug 26
In 2008 I met a climate scientist from Mali who was advocating for this so long that he looked exhausted. Absolutely amazing man. He was working so hard on this. And then I see numbers like this and my heart just soars. Youba Sokona, you (and your peers) really did it.
www.ipcc.ch/people/youba...
www.ipcc.ch/people/youba...
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
In shock news, it turns out that Brexit punched the UK economy in the face, much in the way that official forecasts in 2016 said it would punch the UK economy in the face, that were dismissed as nonsense by lying rightwing shills at the time.
Headline from a serious and long working paper on the economic impact of Brexit. Possible that this has been feeding into OBR and HMT discussions?
November 10, 2025 at 9:40 AM
In shock news, it turns out that Brexit punched the UK economy in the face, much in the way that official forecasts in 2016 said it would punch the UK economy in the face, that were dismissed as nonsense by lying rightwing shills at the time.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
#otd in 1989, Günter Schabowski of the East German Socialist Unity Party (SED) held a press conference where he appeared to say that citizens could now travel more freely outside of the GDR. By the end of the day, the Berlin Wall had been opened and the stage set for the end of SED rule.
November 9, 2025 at 10:37 PM
#otd in 1989, Günter Schabowski of the East German Socialist Unity Party (SED) held a press conference where he appeared to say that citizens could now travel more freely outside of the GDR. By the end of the day, the Berlin Wall had been opened and the stage set for the end of SED rule.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
(They’re not cowards, they’re wealthy people protecting their own interests, and years ago they made the very smart calculation that it was better to be perceived as cowards who care than as ruthless career politicians who only truly care about cash and power.)
November 10, 2025 at 3:36 AM
(They’re not cowards, they’re wealthy people protecting their own interests, and years ago they made the very smart calculation that it was better to be perceived as cowards who care than as ruthless career politicians who only truly care about cash and power.)
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
Once every 20 years or so, the director-general of the BBC is forced to resign for being insufficiently rightwing. Alastair Milne in 1987. Greg Dyke in 2004. Tim Davie in 2025. The great irony is that the BBC was in all cases profoundly biased towards established power. But just not biased enough …
November 10, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Once every 20 years or so, the director-general of the BBC is forced to resign for being insufficiently rightwing. Alastair Milne in 1987. Greg Dyke in 2004. Tim Davie in 2025. The great irony is that the BBC was in all cases profoundly biased towards established power. But just not biased enough …
(They’re not cowards, they’re wealthy people protecting their own interests, and years ago they made the very smart calculation that it was better to be perceived as cowards who care than as ruthless career politicians who only truly care about cash and power.)
November 10, 2025 at 3:36 AM
(They’re not cowards, they’re wealthy people protecting their own interests, and years ago they made the very smart calculation that it was better to be perceived as cowards who care than as ruthless career politicians who only truly care about cash and power.)
This essay from 2005 explains so much about the current social and political moment. So much.
“What now, white man?”
Global competition is about to push Western culture into the abyss. An eleventh-hour obituary by Matthias Politycki:
www.signandsight.com/features/353...
“What now, white man?”
Global competition is about to push Western culture into the abyss. An eleventh-hour obituary by Matthias Politycki:
www.signandsight.com/features/353...
November 10, 2025 at 3:25 AM
This essay from 2005 explains so much about the current social and political moment. So much.
“What now, white man?”
Global competition is about to push Western culture into the abyss. An eleventh-hour obituary by Matthias Politycki:
www.signandsight.com/features/353...
“What now, white man?”
Global competition is about to push Western culture into the abyss. An eleventh-hour obituary by Matthias Politycki:
www.signandsight.com/features/353...
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
More from Passan: “The 23-page indictment against Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz lays out the alleged scheme for the pitchers to intentionally throw balls so bettors could wager on pitches to be balls or strikes. It started, prosecutors say, as early as May 2023 with Clase and later included Ortiz.”
Breaking news per Jeff Passan: “Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have been indicted by prosecutors in Brooklyn on a host of charges related to a scheme to rig bets on pitches thrown in MLB games. Ortiz was arrested in Boston earlier today. Clase is not currently in custody”
November 9, 2025 at 6:34 PM
More from Passan: “The 23-page indictment against Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz lays out the alleged scheme for the pitchers to intentionally throw balls so bettors could wager on pitches to be balls or strikes. It started, prosecutors say, as early as May 2023 with Clase and later included Ortiz.”
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
Scalia was a pretty unflappable guy in public life, but he'd get upset when people would bring up Bush v. Gore, believe he'd say that they need to "get over it". Getting over it is just another way of saying "let me get away with it" and I don't want them to get away with it.
November 9, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Scalia was a pretty unflappable guy in public life, but he'd get upset when people would bring up Bush v. Gore, believe he'd say that they need to "get over it". Getting over it is just another way of saying "let me get away with it" and I don't want them to get away with it.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
It's really maddening to have to tolerate Elon's continued role in society. He killed hundreds of thousands of people - this year alone! - by illegally destroying USAID. That should have been the last thing he did before a life in prison. I don't really get why people talk about him in other terms.
November 9, 2025 at 5:26 PM
It's really maddening to have to tolerate Elon's continued role in society. He killed hundreds of thousands of people - this year alone! - by illegally destroying USAID. That should have been the last thing he did before a life in prison. I don't really get why people talk about him in other terms.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
OpenAI in Danger After Authors Suing It Gain Access to Its Internal Slack Messages
Authors and publishers, who are suing OpenAI, secured access to internal Slack messages and emails discussing the deletion of pirated books.
futurism.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 AM
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
"According to the publication, the communications could demonstrate willful infringement, potentially leading to enhanced damages of up to $150,000 per work, a massive increase from just $750."
The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.
The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
OpenAI in Danger After Authors Suing It Gain Access to Its Internal Slack Messages
Authors and publishers, who are suing OpenAI, secured access to internal Slack messages and emails discussing the deletion of pirated books.
futurism.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:02 AM
"According to the publication, the communications could demonstrate willful infringement, potentially leading to enhanced damages of up to $150,000 per work, a massive increase from just $750."
The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.
The fact that it was ever at $750 is a slap in the face.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
When you’ve successfully persuaded people that being anti-racist is a Bad Thing called “woke”, you can go about your day being openly racist, doing racist things, spreading racist ideas, quite happily.
Two panels commemorating the contribution of Black American soldiers towards the liberation of the Netherlands in World War Two have been quietly removed from a cemetery in Limburg. It follows a complaint by right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission.
November 9, 2025 at 8:13 AM
When you’ve successfully persuaded people that being anti-racist is a Bad Thing called “woke”, you can go about your day being openly racist, doing racist things, spreading racist ideas, quite happily.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
“woke” is when you acknowledge that black people have contributed to the united states
Two panels commemorating the contribution of Black American soldiers towards the liberation of the Netherlands in World War Two have been quietly removed from a cemetery in Limburg. It follows a complaint by right-wing think tank The Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission.
November 8, 2025 at 9:01 PM
“woke” is when you acknowledge that black people have contributed to the united states
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
Excellent essay here on the slow strangling of mass literary culture in the West - most clearly in the US, but it's obviously happening here too
November 9, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Excellent essay here on the slow strangling of mass literary culture in the West - most clearly in the US, but it's obviously happening here too
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
all this could have been avoided if we followed our own laws.
November 8, 2025 at 7:03 PM
all this could have been avoided if we followed our own laws.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
If Russia is going to experience a lasting process of change that enables peaceful and friendly relations with its neighbours, then societal debate will have to honestly look at why 10s of millions of people willingly, even gladly, followed Putin's orders.
Just blaming the Führer won't cut it.
Just blaming the Führer won't cut it.
November 8, 2025 at 11:31 AM
If Russia is going to experience a lasting process of change that enables peaceful and friendly relations with its neighbours, then societal debate will have to honestly look at why 10s of millions of people willingly, even gladly, followed Putin's orders.
Just blaming the Führer won't cut it.
Just blaming the Führer won't cut it.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
“Our media and political elites, frankly, need to get over themselves. There is no intrinsic British sensibleness that will get us through this [resurgence of fascism], that renders us invulnerable to what is destroying other free countries.”
the tory proposal to deport 4-7% of the uk population is a fascist one - & we have to call it that
my latest with @thebulwark.com
www.thebulwark.com/p/tories-con...
my latest with @thebulwark.com
www.thebulwark.com/p/tories-con...
The Tories’ Dangerous Drift
In the U.K., a shocking proposal from a Conservative MP elicited pushback from her party only belatedly. It signals darker things to come.
www.thebulwark.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:30 PM
“Our media and political elites, frankly, need to get over themselves. There is no intrinsic British sensibleness that will get us through this [resurgence of fascism], that renders us invulnerable to what is destroying other free countries.”
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
spoke with Lubna via video call this morning. She and her family are real people. They’re not spam, and it would be wonderful if Bluesky would stop deleting her account and forcing her to start over.
Please help if you’re able. We’re powerful when we care for one another!
Please help if you’re able. We’re powerful when we care for one another!
Does anyone still feel my children’s suffering?💔
Since our displacement, we lost all our clothes and everything we owned. Now we face the cold with nothing, in a house with no doors or windows.
I urgently need $300 to buy warm clothes and blankets to protect them 💔🙏
gofund.me/edd687b8
Since our displacement, we lost all our clothes and everything we owned. Now we face the cold with nothing, in a house with no doors or windows.
I urgently need $300 to buy warm clothes and blankets to protect them 💔🙏
gofund.me/edd687b8
November 5, 2025 at 4:54 PM
spoke with Lubna via video call this morning. She and her family are real people. They’re not spam, and it would be wonderful if Bluesky would stop deleting her account and forcing her to start over.
Please help if you’re able. We’re powerful when we care for one another!
Please help if you’re able. We’re powerful when we care for one another!
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
November 7, 2025 at 8:18 PM
November 7, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
yes, Mamdani *is* radical on immigration by the standards of most major European politicians - name the major European politicians who advocate for immigrants, especially non-white ones, as human beings and not just mere economic units. It’s a short list and we all know it is.
Yes and yet several European countries are embracing a far-right worldview that would burn these policies to the ground, so let’s be not be smug or complacent here - particularly as Mamdani‘s pro-immigration stance is radical by European standards.
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’ -- Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
November 7, 2025 at 7:02 PM
yes, Mamdani *is* radical on immigration by the standards of most major European politicians - name the major European politicians who advocate for immigrants, especially non-white ones, as human beings and not just mere economic units. It’s a short list and we all know it is.
yes, Mamdani *is* radical on immigration by the standards of most major European politicians - name the major European politicians who advocate for immigrants, especially non-white ones, as human beings and not just mere economic units. It’s a short list and we all know it is.
Yes and yet several European countries are embracing a far-right worldview that would burn these policies to the ground, so let’s be not be smug or complacent here - particularly as Mamdani‘s pro-immigration stance is radical by European standards.
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’ -- Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
November 7, 2025 at 7:02 PM
yes, Mamdani *is* radical on immigration by the standards of most major European politicians - name the major European politicians who advocate for immigrants, especially non-white ones, as human beings and not just mere economic units. It’s a short list and we all know it is.
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
Maybe Global Voices helped you learn something new.
Maybe it helped you feel seen.
Maybe it sparked your activism.
If it moved you, support it now.
globalvoices.org/donate/
#KeepGVStrong
Maybe it helped you feel seen.
Maybe it sparked your activism.
If it moved you, support it now.
globalvoices.org/donate/
#KeepGVStrong
November 7, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Maybe Global Voices helped you learn something new.
Maybe it helped you feel seen.
Maybe it sparked your activism.
If it moved you, support it now.
globalvoices.org/donate/
#KeepGVStrong
Maybe it helped you feel seen.
Maybe it sparked your activism.
If it moved you, support it now.
globalvoices.org/donate/
#KeepGVStrong
Reposted by Musa Okwonga
Yes and yet several European countries are embracing a far-right worldview that would burn these policies to the ground, so let’s be not be smug or complacent here - particularly as Mamdani‘s pro-immigration stance is radical by European standards.
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’ -- Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’
Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Yes and yet several European countries are embracing a far-right worldview that would burn these policies to the ground, so let’s be not be smug or complacent here - particularly as Mamdani‘s pro-immigration stance is radical by European standards.