Gavin Chait;
@gavin.whyqd.com
I am a data scientist, researcher, engineer, sometime-traveler, and African SFF author.
I am fascinated by the frontiers of human progress: innovation vs ignorance; wealth vs poverty, migration vs stasis.
I also drink a great deal of coffee.
I am fascinated by the frontiers of human progress: innovation vs ignorance; wealth vs poverty, migration vs stasis.
I also drink a great deal of coffee.
Pinned
Gavin Chait;
@gavin.whyqd.com
· Nov 11
What gifts hath Fate for all her chivalry?
Even such as hearts heroic oftenest win;
Honour, a friend, anguish, untimely death.
Not sure I entirely agree with Homer. Anguish, yes, but we will endure. Not because we believe in an inevitably better future, but because we believe in living a better us.
Even such as hearts heroic oftenest win;
Honour, a friend, anguish, untimely death.
Not sure I entirely agree with Homer. Anguish, yes, but we will endure. Not because we believe in an inevitably better future, but because we believe in living a better us.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
LeMonde said, not on our watch
December 28, 2025 at 4:25 PM
LeMonde said, not on our watch
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
RIP Claudia Cardinale. Much like Robert Redford, she was a rare case of a beautiful performer with a filmography full of bangers who did NOT become right-wing later in life. Here she is punching fascist Brigitte Bardot in the face in Les Pétroleuses (1971).
September 24, 2025 at 2:51 PM
RIP Claudia Cardinale. Much like Robert Redford, she was a rare case of a beautiful performer with a filmography full of bangers who did NOT become right-wing later in life. Here she is punching fascist Brigitte Bardot in the face in Les Pétroleuses (1971).
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
While I do think that Jews will have to do a lot of reckoning with the way institutional Judaism reoriented itself and so many Jews toward Zionism, I think right now all of our energy has to be focused on supporting Palestinians right to live, to peoplehood, to dignity, to peace with justice.
December 27, 2025 at 3:35 PM
While I do think that Jews will have to do a lot of reckoning with the way institutional Judaism reoriented itself and so many Jews toward Zionism, I think right now all of our energy has to be focused on supporting Palestinians right to live, to peoplehood, to dignity, to peace with justice.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
"Did you see what Mark Cuban posted? Oh did you see the clapb—"
You shake yourself awake in the cold North Atlantic water. You are not online. It is July of 1858. You are a baleen whale, and you have changed your mind. The future most not come to pass. The telegraph cable must break.
You shake yourself awake in the cold North Atlantic water. You are not online. It is July of 1858. You are a baleen whale, and you have changed your mind. The future most not come to pass. The telegraph cable must break.
December 27, 2025 at 2:06 AM
"Did you see what Mark Cuban posted? Oh did you see the clapb—"
You shake yourself awake in the cold North Atlantic water. You are not online. It is July of 1858. You are a baleen whale, and you have changed your mind. The future most not come to pass. The telegraph cable must break.
You shake yourself awake in the cold North Atlantic water. You are not online. It is July of 1858. You are a baleen whale, and you have changed your mind. The future most not come to pass. The telegraph cable must break.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
the graduation of a cohort of gaza’s new medical professionals in front of the ruins of al shifa hospital. No words, really.
December 26, 2025 at 11:45 AM
the graduation of a cohort of gaza’s new medical professionals in front of the ruins of al shifa hospital. No words, really.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
good, fuck colonisation and fuck colonist nations who've done basically nothing to undo the damage and horror the rest of us still live with; and anyone who carries water, runs cover or seeks to normalise colonialism is as evil as Nazi.
December 25, 2025 at 7:58 PM
good, fuck colonisation and fuck colonist nations who've done basically nothing to undo the damage and horror the rest of us still live with; and anyone who carries water, runs cover or seeks to normalise colonialism is as evil as Nazi.
Yeah, no, not good enough @jimmykimmel.com ... *If* there are public trials, if there is a Truth Commission, if there is a genuine discontinuity & committed action to make good what was broken, instead of "phew, thank god that's over" like last time,
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Dear Britain: things are bad, but America will recover from Donald Trump. Just give us three years | Jimmy Kimmel
When the president targeted me and my TV show, millions said no. So don’t give up on us – and always remember, we’re not all like him, says US talkshow host Jimmy Kimmel
www.theguardian.com
December 25, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Yeah, no, not good enough @jimmykimmel.com ... *If* there are public trials, if there is a Truth Commission, if there is a genuine discontinuity & committed action to make good what was broken, instead of "phew, thank god that's over" like last time,
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I'd love for every ex-colony to do this. Open immigration acted as a pressure release, but if the beneficiaries of colonialism close their doors & champion anti-immigrant bigotry, then demand compensation for the crime against humanity of colonialism.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Algeria passes law declaring French colonisation a crime
France’s rule over Algeria from 1830 to 1962 is marked by mass killings and large-scale deportation
www.theguardian.com
December 24, 2025 at 9:04 PM
I'd love for every ex-colony to do this. Open immigration acted as a pressure release, but if the beneficiaries of colonialism close their doors & champion anti-immigrant bigotry, then demand compensation for the crime against humanity of colonialism.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
"Like Amazon Prime, but with human beings."
December 24, 2025 at 5:50 PM
"Like Amazon Prime, but with human beings."
True Barrydale story. About 25 years ago, my 1st major economic development consulting project was for the Western Cape Government to support tourism in the region. It was an amazing project during which there was some political "direction" to consider places "cause the minister grew up there". 🧵
In the foothills of the Langeberg along the Klein Karoo’s Route 62 lies Barrydale, an oasis in the desert: think jacaranda-lined streets, bougainvillea-draped walls, lavender fields and succulents,
Barrydale has earned this award for so many reasons
www.dailymaverick.co.za
December 22, 2025 at 1:55 PM
True Barrydale story. About 25 years ago, my 1st major economic development consulting project was for the Western Cape Government to support tourism in the region. It was an amazing project during which there was some political "direction" to consider places "cause the minister grew up there". 🧵
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
The planned hepatitis B birth-dose trial in Guinea-Bissau raises serious ethical concerns. Withholding a proven, life-saving vaccine from newborns to answer speculative questions is an absence of equipoise with real downstream harms for trust in vaccines.
bktitanji.substack.com/p/how-unethi...
bktitanji.substack.com/p/how-unethi...
How Unethical Research Seeds Medical Mistrust
The absence of equipoise can turn research into harm
bktitanji.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:18 PM
The planned hepatitis B birth-dose trial in Guinea-Bissau raises serious ethical concerns. Withholding a proven, life-saving vaccine from newborns to answer speculative questions is an absence of equipoise with real downstream harms for trust in vaccines.
bktitanji.substack.com/p/how-unethi...
bktitanji.substack.com/p/how-unethi...
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
More about RFK Jr.'s colonialist medicine.
The study team describes period before universal vaccination-at-birth in 2027 as a "unique window of opportunity".
In a sense they're right. It's a unique window of opportunity for a wealthy country to experiment on citizens of the global south.
The study team describes period before universal vaccination-at-birth in 2027 as a "unique window of opportunity".
In a sense they're right. It's a unique window of opportunity for a wealthy country to experiment on citizens of the global south.
Many people have been giving excellent updates about the $1.6 million that RFK Jr. has given to Danish researchers to “study” the HepB birth dose in Guinea-Bissau, and I’m glad this story is spreading.
The first thing that was confirmed is that the researchers are Benn and Aady, as many predicted.
The first thing that was confirmed is that the researchers are Benn and Aady, as many predicted.
Hepatitis B vaccine at birth – Bandim Health Project
Thanks to funding from the Pershing Square Foundation, the Bluebell Foundation and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers at the Bandim Health Project are now able to in...
www.bandim.org
December 18, 2025 at 9:30 PM
More about RFK Jr.'s colonialist medicine.
The study team describes period before universal vaccination-at-birth in 2027 as a "unique window of opportunity".
In a sense they're right. It's a unique window of opportunity for a wealthy country to experiment on citizens of the global south.
The study team describes period before universal vaccination-at-birth in 2027 as a "unique window of opportunity".
In a sense they're right. It's a unique window of opportunity for a wealthy country to experiment on citizens of the global south.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
The International Monetary Fund asked me to review the literature on migration economics to draw lessons for low-income countries.
In a new @iza.org paper, I argue that policy for the 21st century must discard four outdated ideas.
www.iza.org/publications...
🧵 thread—>
In a new @iza.org paper, I argue that policy for the 21st century must discard four outdated ideas.
www.iza.org/publications...
🧵 thread—>
December 18, 2025 at 5:33 PM
The International Monetary Fund asked me to review the literature on migration economics to draw lessons for low-income countries.
In a new @iza.org paper, I argue that policy for the 21st century must discard four outdated ideas.
www.iza.org/publications...
🧵 thread—>
In a new @iza.org paper, I argue that policy for the 21st century must discard four outdated ideas.
www.iza.org/publications...
🧵 thread—>
As #authors, we often talk work but not how we try earn a living from it. Join me & fellow African SFF authors Cheryl Ntumy & Dilman Dila, with Interledger's Jeremiah Lee, to talk writing, getting paid, & accessible payments. podcast.interledger.org/@Interledger...
#writersky #amwriting #booksky
#writersky #amwriting #booksky
Unlocking Possibilities: The role of Open Payments in African speculative fiction
The diversity and innovation of the early internet have settled into a weird monopolistic set of apps that cater to the average American or European. Which is great if you’re an average American or European, but not especially helpful for anyone slightly more diverse. And, if you’re African, you lose out in ways that range from things that feel like casual ignorance all the way to outright hostility. In this episode of the Interledger Salon, three African speculative fiction creators, Gavin Chait, Dilman Dila, and Cheryl Ntumy, discuss their experiences and frustrations of publishing while being African, joined by Jeremiah Lee from the Interledger Foundation, as we assess the state of open payments and our hopes for widespread adoption of the standard. Host: Gavin Chait: Marseille-based South African economic migrant, data scientist, researcher, engineer, sometime-traveler, and African speculative-fiction author. His novels tell stories of migration, climate change, and the founding mythologies of communities in transition. Gavin Chait and Why Thawk Mastodon: @[email protected] Guest: Cheryl Ntumy: Ghana-based SFF author and founding member of Petlo Literary Arts, a non-profit that develops and promotes creative writing from Botswana. She is also a founding member of the Sauútiverse Collective, an African speculative fiction collaborative world building project. Cheryl Ntumy Dilman Dila: Ugandan writer, film maker and a social activist. His books include Where Rivers Go To Die, which was shortlisted for the PKD Awards (2024), his films include, “What Happened in Room 13”, has been watched more than 8 million times online. He is currently working on his third feature film, about decentralized governance. Dilman DilaMastodon: @[email protected] Jeremiah Lee: a tech lead with the Interledger Foundation, supporting its grantees in building an open, global payment network. He previously worked on data infrastructure at Stripe, hardware integrations at Spotify, and web APIs at Fitbit. Jeremiah Lee Mastodon: @[email protected]
podcast.interledger.org
December 18, 2025 at 2:13 PM
As #authors, we often talk work but not how we try earn a living from it. Join me & fellow African SFF authors Cheryl Ntumy & Dilman Dila, with Interledger's Jeremiah Lee, to talk writing, getting paid, & accessible payments. podcast.interledger.org/@Interledger...
#writersky #amwriting #booksky
#writersky #amwriting #booksky
Name every researcher on that Danish team, and make sure they never work in any clinical trial ever again. There is no ethical basis for accepting this job and anyone who does is a murderer.
December 17, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Name every researcher on that Danish team, and make sure they never work in any clinical trial ever again. There is no ethical basis for accepting this job and anyone who does is a murderer.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
I have trust issues.
December 15, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I have trust issues.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
Aristotle on Democracy
existentialcomics.com/comic/633
existentialcomics.com/comic/633
Aristotle on Democracy
A philosophy webcomic about the inevitable anguish of living a brief life in an absurd world. Also Jokes
existentialcomics.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Aristotle on Democracy
existentialcomics.com/comic/633
existentialcomics.com/comic/633
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
One of my all-time favorite clips of Rob Reiner, from his Friars Club Roast in 2000, as he reads aloud Roger Ebert's infamous scathing review of his movie North. The man had an amazing sense of humor about himself. RIP.
December 15, 2025 at 3:53 AM
One of my all-time favorite clips of Rob Reiner, from his Friars Club Roast in 2000, as he reads aloud Roger Ebert's infamous scathing review of his movie North. The man had an amazing sense of humor about himself. RIP.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
Billionaires are a cancer to society, designed to absorb all its resources. Fuck every last one of those parasites.
December 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Billionaires are a cancer to society, designed to absorb all its resources. Fuck every last one of those parasites.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
If billionaires loved art, they have the means and opportunities to support artists. The fact that they are trying to cut the artists out of the loop to just make you pay THEM to use their shitty tools shows they couldn't give less of a shit about art.
December 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
If billionaires loved art, they have the means and opportunities to support artists. The fact that they are trying to cut the artists out of the loop to just make you pay THEM to use their shitty tools shows they couldn't give less of a shit about art.
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
This entire weekend
December 15, 2025 at 3:58 AM
This entire weekend
Reposted by Gavin Chait;
and an antisemite will say "well how come I hear about Jews so much in influential fields eh, eh?"
my friend, let me tell you about how *extremely motivating* it is to know that in living memory everyone like you was killed unless you could persuade another country that you were worth letting in
my friend, let me tell you about how *extremely motivating* it is to know that in living memory everyone like you was killed unless you could persuade another country that you were worth letting in
yeah. when asked, the most common view around the world is that about 1-2% of people in the world are Jewish ie 70-140 million people.
it's 0.19%
there are 12 million of us. world Jewish population has never returned to the pre-Holocaust number of 18m
ajourneyintotheholocaust.com/wp-content/u...
it's 0.19%
there are 12 million of us. world Jewish population has never returned to the pre-Holocaust number of 18m
ajourneyintotheholocaust.com/wp-content/u...
December 14, 2025 at 8:32 PM
and an antisemite will say "well how come I hear about Jews so much in influential fields eh, eh?"
my friend, let me tell you about how *extremely motivating* it is to know that in living memory everyone like you was killed unless you could persuade another country that you were worth letting in
my friend, let me tell you about how *extremely motivating* it is to know that in living memory everyone like you was killed unless you could persuade another country that you were worth letting in
This is why I have no respect for The Guardian. Can you imagine the utter carnage if this headline was about Jewish rather than trans rights? If a vulnerable minority is targeted for oppression & government won't protect them, it is not a "debate". It is a human rights legal issue for the courts.
December 12, 2025 at 10:13 AM
This is why I have no respect for The Guardian. Can you imagine the utter carnage if this headline was about Jewish rather than trans rights? If a vulnerable minority is targeted for oppression & government won't protect them, it is not a "debate". It is a human rights legal issue for the courts.
Next he'll be telling South Africans that they should be grateful Whites ended Apartheid. He really is an utter Nazi.
This is simply gobsmacking in the impenetrability and immensity of its dumbness. ~AA
December 8, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Next he'll be telling South Africans that they should be grateful Whites ended Apartheid. He really is an utter Nazi.