Michael Leo Owens

@milophd

A pluviophile, melomaniac, gardener, karaoke fiend, & academic. Atlantan by labor; New Yorker by birth. Coauthor of Deadly Force: Police Shootings in Urban America (Princeton University Press, 2025).

1.791 Folgt1.516 Follower2.573 Posts

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Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir milophd.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· 21d

Perfect @paulnoth.bsky.social. Perfect.

Cartoon depicting a US military officer pointing at a map of Iran. Officers states “As our forces advanced this position, we thought, ‘wait, what did we come in here for, again?”

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· 23d

A mercurial tyrant like Trump is the worst type of tyrant when it comes to international relations, domestic politics, and politcal economy generally. His mood-based policymaking, influenced by whatever whenever by whomever, is just awful for planning for governance, trade, investment, etc..

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) screenshot with a quote from "Good Ol' Chuck," that reads "Am I right? I said, am I right?"

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jul 10

Hi, there! Here’s a lil Scarlet Rosemallow (Texas Star) from the grounds of our Lil Rudyshire. It made me smile. Good day to all good people. Don’t let the Devil steal your joy! #beautyiseverywhere

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jul 2

Red-capped white man in a red shirt carries one water bottle. It contains 5 gallons of water.

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 30

Also, even as our Tokyo hotel had warnings in our room, I was unprepared for and shocked by the notable earthquake and blaring “Earthquake! Earthquake!” alarms we experienced the very first night of our tour. Totally freaky. But most on our tour carried on with our dinner like nothing happened.

Information sheet from the Japanese Meteorological Agency regarding earthquake early warnings.

Earthquake early warnings: Dos and don’T’s

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 30

Our multi-place tour of 🇯🇵 (Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Nara, Kyoto) was incredible. Honestly, 🇯🇵 truly amazed me on so many dimensions, especially hospitality and regard. Here’s a simple example, which I’ve never seen in all my travels until then. I look forward to touring more of 🇯🇵.

Picture shows a wall of a blue cubicle at KIX (Kansai International Airport) in Osaka. A sign on it reads “Calm down, Cool down space.”

Sign on a panel of the box reads “Information for calm down, cool down space … quiet space for people with sensory issues. Please do not use here for any other purpose.”

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 19

HAPPY JUNETEENTH from Tokyo!!! Stopped this gentleman the other day when we visited/did the “Shibuya Scramble.” He was proud to let me take his photo and give him a 👊🏾. #travelingman #juneteenth

Japanese man stands, wearing a white shirt and black pants. His shirt reads “JAPANESE SOLIDARITY WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER.”✊🏾

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 11

Today is… #OutdoorOfficeDay. I’m serious. Look it up! As for my fan, it keeps mosquitoes away from me. Look it up!

Laptop screen in the foreground with an electric fan right behind it. A garden and deck with chairs and a planter are in the background.

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 6

And today is… Ah yeah!!! #nationalbubblyday 🥂 nationaldaycalendar.com/celebrations...

Brown-skinned Black man in a black bucket hat, sunglasses, and red t-shirt and gold, purple, and green beads sips some sparkling rose from a stemless flutes.

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 5

Son and me having a good time at the end of his first week of three interning at a day camp. Great day to end the workweek! #nationaldonutday #nationaldoughnutday

Brown-skinned Black boy in a black sweatshirt and a brown-skinned Black man in a blue Windies Cricket t-shirt eat chocolate-coated donuts, while seated at a table. Main text reads “SON JOINED ME IN CELEBRATING. OH YEAH!” A bag on the table reads “Life is better with donuts.”

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 5

Ah yeah!!!! Off to get some for my afternoon fika.

National Donut Day ad: “Lige is better with DONUTS! -❤️-“

The fictional boxer Adonis Creed played by Michael B. Jones holds his gloved right fist high and shouts as fireworks explode above him. Could he be shouting “donuts”?! Imma say he is.

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 2

Son joined the battle! He did a great job attaching sheets of sheet metal. Drill, baby, drill, for real! Be gone, wabbits!!!!

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 2

Nonviolent war on 🐇🐇🐇 going down on the grounds of Lil Rudyshire. Y? They’re eating everything thang AND multiplying!!!! Never had so many on our grounds. But we WILL defeat them. Tactic #1: Sheet metal to block their favorite hiding place—under our lower deck. Grand opening, grand closing, rabbits!

Opening under a deck where the rabbits come and go…

Starting to close off an Opening under a deck where the rabbits come and go… sheet metal hopefully is down deep enough to prevent burrowing under it.

Sheet metal all shiny and screwed to a portion of a lower deck, making it harder for rabbits (and other varmints) to live the glamorous life in our gardens.

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Jun 1

If Gordon Gekko could see it now! Even he would be astonished by how far we’ve fallen and so fast, and how much more he could make under this maladministration. @criterion.bsky.social

Michael Douglas acting as Gordon Gecko in Wall Street states “America has become a second-rate power.”

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 29

Title page of book NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS AN AMERICAN SLAVE WRITTEN BY HIMSELF”

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 27

"Political conservatives didn’t used to have worse health [including mortality] than political liberals. But now they do. Here’s why..."

A figure showing trend lines from a GALLUP question: "Republicans are less likely now than they were in the past to say they are confident in the accuracy of important medical advice their doctor gives them. Currently, 60% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are confident, down from 73% in 2010 and 70% in 2002. Meanwhile, more Democrats and Democratic leaners are confident now (71%) than were in the past, especially compared with the 62% measured in 2002."

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 19

6 months ago, I went on my 1st silent retreat—didn’t speak aloud, listen to others speak, or use any electronics for ~ 39 hours. The past weekend I was on my 2nd. It was even easier for me to be quiet, alone, unhurried. Friends, we all need more silence, solitude, and absolute leisure in our lives.

Sign outside a cage reads “Silence Please…Retreat In Progress.”

Picture of a single room with a single bed, a window, and a print of a painting on a cinder-blocked wall of a forest scene

A painting of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, with his right index finger to his lips, signaling silence.🤫

Photograph of woodlands along the Chattahoochie River in Sandy Springs, GA

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 13

“…bubbles and small holes had appeared in one of the layers meant to waterproof the iconic pool. And uneven application of the tinted waterproofing left the pool mottled in varying shades of blue…” as National Guard members stood around, useless, defending nothing. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/12/u...

National Guard members wear camouflage for no good reason on US soil while they watch the despicable desecration of a beloved national symbol of democratic values and memories in the District of Columbia…

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 9

👊🏾 @laloalcaraz.bsky.social

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 8

Damn. I was planning to grade tonight but I can’t because ALL of my students’ submissions are in Canvas. Now grading will bleed into the weekend.

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 6

No way in hell Ron Taylor merited his win. None. He is NOT that funny. He certainly can’t carry a Netflix special without the help of some other joke creators in his corner. Kevin Hart generally based on that show is a pretty lousy judge of funny AF. It was a true travesty.

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 5

Help me settle an argument: which is the “correct” way to insert a card into an envelope?

Card inserted into envelope with back of card showing

Card inserted into envelope with front of card showing

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 5

Edsall’s ‘When You Think of It, We Shouldn’t Even Have an Election’ is a worth a full read. My takeaway? Next 4-8 (12?) years will be so unprecedented for the USA because there’s an apparent plan for it to be so vastly and so deeply unpresidential. Someone uncook us! www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/o...

“When I first queried Kenneth Mayer, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he replied by email with a largely technical examination of presidential powers. A few days later he added to his comments, writing:

‘What I did not accurately convey is how Trump has obliterated the boundaries and guardrails that we had long thought would serve as meaningful constraints on presidential extremism.

He is acting as if his will is law, the government and everything in it belongs to him, and everyone owes their allegiance to him, to the Constitution, the law or the public good.’

What we are seeing now, Mayer concluded, ‘is not normal, is utterly corrosive to principles of constitutional and democratic governance and is extremely dangerous.’”

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· May 1

Oof, @deadder.bsky.social.

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Apr 30

I thank whomever nominated me, the selection committee, and the whole of @uaanews.bsky.social for this award. It’s a marvelous honor. And Imma keep on contributing to the field. Excelsior!!!

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Apr 28

Boom! I’m in a middle seat just behind Comfort but they at least let me board Zone 1, allowing me to stow my bag overhead before anyone else in my row boarded. On to Chicago!!!!!

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Apr 28

Breakfast. Lunch. Will I really eat dinner here too!? LOL Of course, I recognize and deeply appreciate how my status allows me to wait out my delay without any major issues. Still, where the hell is my checked luggage!? 🧘🏾‍♂️

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Apr 28

On my way to @uaanews.bsky.social 2026 conference. Hooray! But my flight that was to depart at 11:15am today? Cancelled. I’ve been at the airport since 8:30am. Now booked for 9:34pm flight tonight. Damn. Gotta hope I can get on an earlier flight via standby. In the meantime glad for SkyClub access!

Brown-skinned Black man sitting comfortably in sweatpants, wearing a very fresh pair of Adidas Samba XLGs

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Apr 24

Went out with my wife on a “school night,” leaving Son, grading, and a bunch work for committees behind at home. 🗣️🎙️🔊🔊🔊 “Where you goin' for tomorrow? Where you goin' with the mask I found? And I feel, and I feel when the dogs begin to smell her Will she smell alone?”

Michael Leo Owens@milophd· Apr 16

Um… not us. We owe and a lot. While I’ve no problem paying taxes as my contribution to supporting a federal government, it’s disgusting that we’re supporting such a gross maladministration of the federal government and supporting tax cuts some others who really don’t need or merit such cuts.