Paul Graf
@paulginva.bsky.social
Retired lawyer. Moderate. Dog lover, cat tolerator. Grandfather. Vietnam vet. History, international relations, national security, high-profile litigation, economics, and a little politics.
Pinned
Paul Graf
@paulginva.bsky.social
· Jul 31
𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘈 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. –𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘋. 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘵
"Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) on Friday unveiled what she called the 'highest standards in America' for data centers, including what she said is the country’s first crackdown on on-site power plants using natural gas."
Spanberger slaps new guardrails on data centers
Her actions Friday follow a contentious fight with state legislative leaders over data center tax incentives.
www.politico.com
September 18, 2026 at 7:34 PM
"Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) on Friday unveiled what she called the 'highest standards in America' for data centers, including what she said is the country’s first crackdown on on-site power plants using natural gas."
"The issue isn’t whether Light, Riddell or another manufacturer produces the safest helmet. The issue is whether schools and youth sports organizations should sponsor a game whose primary health risks can’t be prevented by equipment technology alone."
Opinion | No Helmet Technology Can Make Football Safe
Helmets can reduce some risk, but the sport by nature endangers players’ heads.
www.wsj.com
September 18, 2026 at 7:04 PM
"The issue isn’t whether Light, Riddell or another manufacturer produces the safest helmet. The issue is whether schools and youth sports organizations should sponsor a game whose primary health risks can’t be prevented by equipment technology alone."
To my knowledge, there haven't been very many school districts that have done "exit interview" surveys asking parents why they're pulling their kids out of public schools. The results are pretty damning.
Article: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
Slide deck: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
Article: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
Slide deck: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
September 18, 2026 at 6:18 PM
To my knowledge, there haven't been very many school districts that have done "exit interview" surveys asking parents why they're pulling their kids out of public schools. The results are pretty damning.
Article: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
Slide deck: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
Article: www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025...
Slide deck: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
He could be right. One thing is for sure: the US govt wants a good deal of control of this technology. How it exercises that control isn't clear yet. There are also big litigation risks. Anthropic is going public soon. I'll be interested in seeing how they address pending litigation and risk.
September 18, 2026 at 4:11 PM
He could be right. One thing is for sure: the US govt wants a good deal of control of this technology. How it exercises that control isn't clear yet. There are also big litigation risks. Anthropic is going public soon. I'll be interested in seeing how they address pending litigation and risk.
Nobody laughs here. 🤦♂️
September 18, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Nobody laughs here. 🤦♂️
The Upper Midwest, Northern Maine, and ... North Carolina?!
Our gas is $3.77 today down here in NC.
Our gas is $3.77 today down here in NC.
September 18, 2026 at 3:34 PM
The Upper Midwest, Northern Maine, and ... North Carolina?!
Our gas is $3.77 today down here in NC.
Our gas is $3.77 today down here in NC.
These political appointees are like a one-note band and the tune is starting to bore even the faithful. 🧵⤵️
Kash Patel's goal going into his ridiculous hearing was to launch ridiculous attacks on Democrats, deflecting attention from his own failures.
He failed because of the bestiality talk. But I also think whataboutism is starting to fail MAGA as a tactic.
www.salon.com/2026/09/18/k...
He failed because of the bestiality talk. But I also think whataboutism is starting to fail MAGA as a tactic.
www.salon.com/2026/09/18/k...
Kash Patel's attack dog act does more than please Trump
The FBI director’s testimony is part of a larger MAGA strategy to sow cynicism
www.salon.com
September 18, 2026 at 2:40 PM
These political appointees are like a one-note band and the tune is starting to bore even the faithful. 🧵⤵️
Need a job? Willing to work hard and switch shifts often? Willing to work Saturdays and Sundays?
This job may be for you.
This job may be for you.
In-N-Out Burger managers now earn $200,000 a year
Managing an In-N-Out Burger restaurant not only gets you free Double-Doubles, but it’s also very lucrative. The popular Southern California-based fast food chain told Inc. that store managers…
ktla.com
September 18, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Need a job? Willing to work hard and switch shifts often? Willing to work Saturdays and Sundays?
This job may be for you.
This job may be for you.
"[This] failure was secured in Washington, the inevitable outcome of Trump’s 19-month campaign against the city’s own institutions and workforce. Trump gutted the National Security Council (NSC), purged the Defense Department’s military leadership, and politicized intelligence,
How Could Iran Happen? An Autopsy.
The president’s war on the “deep state” led directly to his debacle in the Middle East.
foreignpolicy.com
September 18, 2026 at 12:15 PM
"[This] failure was secured in Washington, the inevitable outcome of Trump’s 19-month campaign against the city’s own institutions and workforce. Trump gutted the National Security Council (NSC), purged the Defense Department’s military leadership, and politicized intelligence,
I imagine everyone knows of Bethany Mandel. She used to write for the extreme right-wing The Federalist. She's now writing for the less right-wing DC Examiner & instead of posting screeds, she mostly posts mom stuff. Here, she strikes just the right tone in response to Sean Davis. 👇
September 18, 2026 at 11:52 AM
I imagine everyone knows of Bethany Mandel. She used to write for the extreme right-wing The Federalist. She's now writing for the less right-wing DC Examiner & instead of posting screeds, she mostly posts mom stuff. Here, she strikes just the right tone in response to Sean Davis. 👇
A reminder that the reason why the middle class is shrinking is because many Americans are getting too rich to remain middle class:
September 18, 2026 at 11:23 AM
A reminder that the reason why the middle class is shrinking is because many Americans are getting too rich to remain middle class:
Facilitating corporate tax avoidance by US companies has certainly worked for Ireland.
But it means Ireland's GDP tells you more about the scale of US companies' profit offshoring than their actual Irish activities.
The US Treasury is giving up a decent chunk of revenue as a result.
But it means Ireland's GDP tells you more about the scale of US companies' profit offshoring than their actual Irish activities.
The US Treasury is giving up a decent chunk of revenue as a result.
September 18, 2026 at 11:09 AM
Facilitating corporate tax avoidance by US companies has certainly worked for Ireland.
But it means Ireland's GDP tells you more about the scale of US companies' profit offshoring than their actual Irish activities.
The US Treasury is giving up a decent chunk of revenue as a result.
But it means Ireland's GDP tells you more about the scale of US companies' profit offshoring than their actual Irish activities.
The US Treasury is giving up a decent chunk of revenue as a result.
US gas prices hit $4.43/gallon yesterday (national average).
That's the highest level EVER for this point in September.
Another reminder that the inflation problem is far from over.
That's the highest level EVER for this point in September.
Another reminder that the inflation problem is far from over.
September 18, 2026 at 11:01 AM
US gas prices hit $4.43/gallon yesterday (national average).
That's the highest level EVER for this point in September.
Another reminder that the inflation problem is far from over.
That's the highest level EVER for this point in September.
Another reminder that the inflation problem is far from over.
The supposedly evil and restrictive Medicaid work requirements — which require working-age, able-bodied adults (excluding pregnant women, parents with young children and caretakers of disabled people) to work or volunteer part-time – can be satisfied by gambling.
September 18, 2026 at 10:51 AM
The supposedly evil and restrictive Medicaid work requirements — which require working-age, able-bodied adults (excluding pregnant women, parents with young children and caretakers of disabled people) to work or volunteer part-time – can be satisfied by gambling.
I'd like to meet and few of the 29% who apparently think they do have a plan. I'd like to find out what brand of glue they sniff.
Fox News Poll: 71% think Trump administration lacks plan to end Iran war
A Fox News poll finds 70% of voters say Trump lacks a clear strategy for the Iran war, while 60% now call the military action the wrong decision.
www.foxnews.com
September 18, 2026 at 10:49 AM
I'd like to meet and few of the 29% who apparently think they do have a plan. I'd like to find out what brand of glue they sniff.
Betty isn't wrong,
Don Jr. really encapsulates the entire Trump brand: He's a nepo baby, stupid, loud, coarse, troubled, unfaithful, selfish, erroneously thinks he's clever, into insider trading, takes money from Russians, and is married to the daughter of someone closely connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
September 18, 2026 at 12:29 AM
Betty isn't wrong,
They believe that we may have committed a war crime by blowing up the girls' school. They also think that the Iranian government may have committed crimes against humanity by murdering its own citizens.
UN-backed experts cite possible US war crimes in Iran strikes
U.N.-commissioned human rights experts say they have found “reasonable grounds” to believe the United States committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran
www.washingtonpost.com
September 17, 2026 at 11:11 PM
They believe that we may have committed a war crime by blowing up the girls' school. They also think that the Iranian government may have committed crimes against humanity by murdering its own citizens.
The Trump administration continues to downplay the U.S. war with Iran, as new images obtained appear to show the damage and destruction to U.S. military assets. (ABC News)
September 17, 2026 at 10:33 PM
The Trump administration continues to downplay the U.S. war with Iran, as new images obtained appear to show the damage and destruction to U.S. military assets. (ABC News)
Reposted by Paul Graf
Nobody is building houses, so....
September 17, 2026 at 10:14 PM
Nobody is building houses, so....
Carl always writes interesting stories. This one is no different.
I wrote about what came before CRISPR 4 billion years ago: a war among viruses. Gift link: nyti.ms/3TBq4q0
The Next Gene-Editing Technology May Also Be the Oldest (Gift Article)
Scientists have discovered a powerful gene-targeting system in viruses. Billions of years old, VIPR seems to predate CRISPR and may be even more powerful.
nyti.ms
September 17, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Carl always writes interesting stories. This one is no different.
Underwriting standards have tightened up substantially since the Great Recession. Credit scores necessary to obtain a mortgage have risen from 695 in 2006 to 742 today — 29 points above the the average credit score in the US. That's not the complete story on the housing crunch. See below. ⤵️
Did we make it too hard to get a mortgage after 2008? A new report says yes.
Some say the pendulum has swung too far since the 2008 housing crisis. Others warn that looser standards for who qualifies for a mortgage once led to disaster.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 17, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Underwriting standards have tightened up substantially since the Great Recession. Credit scores necessary to obtain a mortgage have risen from 695 in 2006 to 742 today — 29 points above the the average credit score in the US. That's not the complete story on the housing crunch. See below. ⤵️
1/x Let's do a quick thought experiment. Suppose you want to protect your house from burglary. Inside your house, you have an alarm system. You also have various sensor attached to it. The problem is that it only works after it's (a) been turned on and (b) the burglars are already inside.
Tech leaders say a kill switch won't be enough to stop rogue superintelligent AI
The idea of a kill switch has gained traction on Capitol Hill, as researchers warn that advanced AI agents could evade human control and cause harm.
www.businessinsider.com
September 17, 2026 at 6:37 PM
1/x Let's do a quick thought experiment. Suppose you want to protect your house from burglary. Inside your house, you have an alarm system. You also have various sensor attached to it. The problem is that it only works after it's (a) been turned on and (b) the burglars are already inside.
