Graham Starr
@gstarr.bsky.social
same graham but over here now. Reporter/editor. Mostly tech, health care, media, business. Adweek, Documented NY, TIME, Bloomberg, Business Insider, NYT, NYMag, &c. Here to share things I read.
🔗 https://graham.substack.com/
🔗 https://graham.substack.com/
Pinned
Graham Starr
@gstarr.bsky.social
· Nov 13
all my posts are about posting
Reposted by Graham Starr
Alex Pretti's parents just issued a statement to local news KARE 11:
"Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world..." 1/4
"Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world..." 1/4
“He wanted to help people. He was a super nice, super helpful guy," said @dimitridrekonja.bsky.social, who worked with ICU nurse Alex Pretti.
Pretti's dad recalls that his son "was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis."
@melodyschreiber.com reports:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Pretti's dad recalls that his son "was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis."
@melodyschreiber.com reports:
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Man killed in Minneapolis by federal agents identified as VA nurse Alex Pretti: ‘He wanted to help people’
Alex Pretti, 37, worked in the ICU at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System and had assisted on scientific research
www.theguardian.com
January 25, 2026 at 12:53 AM
Alex Pretti's parents just issued a statement to local news KARE 11:
"Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world..." 1/4
"Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world..." 1/4
Reposted by Graham Starr
The NYT clearly states in its reporting that the federal government's version of events is contradicted by videos of the shooting today. Here is @melodyschreiber.com piece on the victim, a VA nurse who worked in the ICU www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Man shot in Minneapolis by federal agents identified as VA nurse: ‘He wanted to help people’
Alex Pretti, 37, worked in the ICU at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System and had assisted on scientific research
www.theguardian.com
January 24, 2026 at 9:20 PM
The NYT clearly states in its reporting that the federal government's version of events is contradicted by videos of the shooting today. Here is @melodyschreiber.com piece on the victim, a VA nurse who worked in the ICU www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Graham Starr
He was an ICU nurse who helped veterans and Stephen Miller is calling him a domestic terrorist
Alex from our time working together, while he was in nursing school. Later, he moved to ICU, working as a nurse to support critically ill Veterans. He had such a great attitude. We’d chat between patients about trying to get in a mountain bike ride together. Will never happen now
January 24, 2026 at 7:44 PM
He was an ICU nurse who helped veterans and Stephen Miller is calling him a domestic terrorist
A man acquitted by a jury of a plot threatening Bovino was captured by ICE anyway after his acquittal, with DHS saying, in part: “this verdict does not change the facts: Espinoza targeted federal law enforcement with violence via Snapchat.” chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
Man acquitted of Bovino murder plot taken into ICE custody
Juan Espinoza Martinez now faces deportation despite the courtroom victory Thursday by his attorneys.
chicago.suntimes.com
January 24, 2026 at 8:18 PM
A man acquitted by a jury of a plot threatening Bovino was captured by ICE anyway after his acquittal, with DHS saying, in part: “this verdict does not change the facts: Espinoza targeted federal law enforcement with violence via Snapchat.” chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
Multiple ICE agents pushed a man onto his knees and shot at him from behind at close range, firing 10 shots in five seconds and killing him. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
January 24, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Multiple ICE agents pushed a man onto his knees and shot at him from behind at close range, firing 10 shots in five seconds and killing him. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u...
Reposted by Graham Starr
ICE detained a 5-year-old Minnesota boy coming home from school + took him and his dad to Texas, school officials say. The family has an active asylum case + entered the US at a port of entry.
"They’re taking children. They're not violent criminals. They're little kids," the superintendent told me.
"They’re taking children. They're not violent criminals. They're little kids," the superintendent told me.
ICE detains five-year-old Minnesota boy as he came home, say school officials
Superintendent says Liam Ramos and his father were taken into custody while in their driveway and sent to Texas
www.theguardian.com
January 22, 2026 at 3:21 AM
ICE detained a 5-year-old Minnesota boy coming home from school + took him and his dad to Texas, school officials say. The family has an active asylum case + entered the US at a port of entry.
"They’re taking children. They're not violent criminals. They're little kids," the superintendent told me.
"They’re taking children. They're not violent criminals. They're little kids," the superintendent told me.
Reposted by Graham Starr
NEWS: The Social Security Administration has referred two DOGE employees for Hatch Act violations after discovering contacts with a political group seeking SSA data to overturn election results. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
January 20, 2026 at 6:53 PM
NEWS: The Social Security Administration has referred two DOGE employees for Hatch Act violations after discovering contacts with a political group seeking SSA data to overturn election results. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
Reposted by Graham Starr
NEW and first on @techcrunch.com -- OSHA says SpaceX didn't properly inspect a crane before it collapsed last June while cleaning up Starship wreckage at the company's Starbase site in Texas.
The agency's probe into the accident turned up seven "serious" violations:
techcrunch.com/2026/01/20/s...
The agency's probe into the accident turned up seven "serious" violations:
techcrunch.com/2026/01/20/s...
SpaceX didn't properly inspect crane before collapse at Starbase, OSHA says | TechCrunch
The federal safety agency has hit SpaceX with a $115,850 fine after finding seven "serious" violations during its investigation.
techcrunch.com
January 20, 2026 at 4:06 PM
NEW and first on @techcrunch.com -- OSHA says SpaceX didn't properly inspect a crane before it collapsed last June while cleaning up Starship wreckage at the company's Starbase site in Texas.
The agency's probe into the accident turned up seven "serious" violations:
techcrunch.com/2026/01/20/s...
The agency's probe into the accident turned up seven "serious" violations:
techcrunch.com/2026/01/20/s...
give Sean three hundred million dollars, cowards!!!!!
i am also seeking to raise hundreds of millions. please contact me.
Sources: ElevenLabs seeks to raise hundreds of millions at a valuation of $11B, four months after a secondary share sale that valued it at $6.6B (Financial Times)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
January 16, 2026 at 10:00 PM
give Sean three hundred million dollars, cowards!!!!!
Bay Ridge residents won $4.2 million in a housing fraud case after years of uncertainty. “We thought our life savings and our hope were all gone.” documentedny.com/2026/01/14/b...
'We Thought Our Life Savings Were Gone': Immigrant Families Win Justice in Brooklyn Housing Fraud Case - Documented
Immigrant families who were sold homes that never legally existed finally see justice in a $4.2 million court ruling.
documentedny.com
January 15, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Bay Ridge residents won $4.2 million in a housing fraud case after years of uncertainty. “We thought our life savings and our hope were all gone.” documentedny.com/2026/01/14/b...
Reposted by Graham Starr
This was caused by flawed implementations of Google's Fast Pair one-tap Bluetooth protocol. But it doesn't just affect Android users. Anyone (yes, iPhone users) with audio accessories from Sony, Jabra, JBL, Marshall, Xiaomi, Nothing, OnePlus, Soundcore, Logitech, and Google itself may be vulnerable.
Hundreds of millions of earbuds, headphones and speakers need a security update (yes, you need to update your earbuds) to prevent a wireless hacking technique that can hijack audio, eavesdrop via mics, and in some cases remotely track the accessory’s location. www.wired.com/story/google...
Hundreds of Millions of Audio Devices Need a Patch to Prevent Wireless Hacking and Tracking
Flaws in how 17 models of headphones and speakers use Google’s one-tap Fast Pair Bluetooth protocol have left devices open to eavesdroppers and stalkers.
www.wired.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:16 PM
This was caused by flawed implementations of Google's Fast Pair one-tap Bluetooth protocol. But it doesn't just affect Android users. Anyone (yes, iPhone users) with audio accessories from Sony, Jabra, JBL, Marshall, Xiaomi, Nothing, OnePlus, Soundcore, Logitech, and Google itself may be vulnerable.
NEW from @kendrabarnett.bsky.social —
X is restricting the image generation capabilities of Grok after its deepfake scandal. A spokesperson told ADWEEK that X premium subscribers will still be able to produce and edit explicit images and deepfakes
www.adweek.com/media/x-grok...
X is restricting the image generation capabilities of Grok after its deepfake scandal. A spokesperson told ADWEEK that X premium subscribers will still be able to produce and edit explicit images and deepfakes
www.adweek.com/media/x-grok...
EXCLUSIVE: X Restricts Grok’s Ability to Generate Explicit Images Following Deepfake Scandal
The Elon Musk-owned AI chatbot had been blocked in parts of the world in response to the platform producing nonconsensual, sexually suggestive and “nudified” images of real people, including minors.
www.adweek.com
January 14, 2026 at 7:30 PM
NEW from @kendrabarnett.bsky.social —
X is restricting the image generation capabilities of Grok after its deepfake scandal. A spokesperson told ADWEEK that X premium subscribers will still be able to produce and edit explicit images and deepfakes
www.adweek.com/media/x-grok...
X is restricting the image generation capabilities of Grok after its deepfake scandal. A spokesperson told ADWEEK that X premium subscribers will still be able to produce and edit explicit images and deepfakes
www.adweek.com/media/x-grok...
Reposted by Graham Starr
NEW: Five trans youth athletes speak out about what school sports means to them + the toll of exclusion.
"Sports is my escape" -Lina, 14-yr-old tennis + track athlete. "We’re just kids. We’re just trying to have fun…We’re not trying to be monsters. We’re just trying to find connection + community."
"Sports is my escape" -Lina, 14-yr-old tennis + track athlete. "We’re just kids. We’re just trying to have fun…We’re not trying to be monsters. We’re just trying to find connection + community."
The trans youth athletes in the US fighting for their rights: ‘Playing is an act of resistance’
As the US supreme court weighs bans on trans athletes, five students speak about the joy of sports and toll of exclusion
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:58 PM
NEW: Five trans youth athletes speak out about what school sports means to them + the toll of exclusion.
"Sports is my escape" -Lina, 14-yr-old tennis + track athlete. "We’re just kids. We’re just trying to have fun…We’re not trying to be monsters. We’re just trying to find connection + community."
"Sports is my escape" -Lina, 14-yr-old tennis + track athlete. "We’re just kids. We’re just trying to have fun…We’re not trying to be monsters. We’re just trying to find connection + community."
Wow. The U.S. Attorney's office in D.C. — led by former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro — has opened an investigation into Fed chair Jerome Powell, the latest escalation from Trump's White House in his fight against Powell. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/u...
Federal Prosecutors Are Said to Have Opened Inquiry Into Fed Chair Powell
www.nytimes.com
January 12, 2026 at 12:37 AM
Wow. The U.S. Attorney's office in D.C. — led by former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro — has opened an investigation into Fed chair Jerome Powell, the latest escalation from Trump's White House in his fight against Powell. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/u...
Reposted by Graham Starr
ICE rushing the crowd in front of the federal building.
January 8, 2026 at 8:07 PM
ICE rushing the crowd in front of the federal building.
Reposted by Graham Starr
“In addition to the fatal shooting, videos shared on social media appeared to show an altercation between federal immigration agents and Roosevelt HS students Wednesday afternoon. In one video, an agent sprayed chemical irritants on the crowd of students.” www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...
Live: Thousands gather to memorialize woman killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis
The mother of the deceased driver identified the woman as Renee Nicole Good, 37. Video of the shooting shows agents near the vehicle as Good reversed and then pulled forward. One agent appeared to fir...
www.startribune.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:07 AM
“In addition to the fatal shooting, videos shared on social media appeared to show an altercation between federal immigration agents and Roosevelt HS students Wednesday afternoon. In one video, an agent sprayed chemical irritants on the crowd of students.” www.startribune.com/ice-raids-mi...
Reposted by Graham Starr
Absolutely horrific details about an ICE shooting in Minneapolis.
A witness says a woman was trying to drive away from an ICE operation and the ICE agent "reached across the hood of the car and shot her in the face like three, four times."
Bovino was there.
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
A witness says a woman was trying to drive away from an ICE operation and the ICE agent "reached across the hood of the car and shot her in the face like three, four times."
Bovino was there.
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
January 7, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Absolutely horrific details about an ICE shooting in Minneapolis.
A witness says a woman was trying to drive away from an ICE operation and the ICE agent "reached across the hood of the car and shot her in the face like three, four times."
Bovino was there.
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
A witness says a woman was trying to drive away from an ICE operation and the ICE agent "reached across the hood of the car and shot her in the face like three, four times."
Bovino was there.
www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Reposted by Graham Starr
In the final hours of 2025, some high-profile tech investors criticized a proposed tax on the ultrawealthy in California, while some big-name billionaires took steps to create distance between themselves and the Golden State -- more from me and @benglickman.bsky.social: www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Threat of California Billionaire Tax Draws Criticism From Ultrawealthy
Hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman is among the billionaires who have taken issue with the proposal’s idea of taxing the wealthy’s assets.
www.wsj.com
January 2, 2026 at 5:12 PM
In the final hours of 2025, some high-profile tech investors criticized a proposed tax on the ultrawealthy in California, while some big-name billionaires took steps to create distance between themselves and the Golden State -- more from me and @benglickman.bsky.social: www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Food52 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections. America's Test Kitchen announced as the proposed stalking horse bidder for its assets. www.prnewswire.com/news-release...
America's Test Kitchen Under Contract for Food52, Inc. Assets
/PRNewswire/ -- America's Test Kitchen (ATK), the leading, multi-platform, culinary media brand, today entered into an agreement for the acquisition of certain...
www.prnewswire.com
December 30, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Food52 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections. America's Test Kitchen announced as the proposed stalking horse bidder for its assets. www.prnewswire.com/news-release...
NYC is taking over Maimonides www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/n...
New York City Takes Over Brooklyn Health System With Shaky Finances
www.nytimes.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:35 AM
NYC is taking over Maimonides www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/n...
Very interesting for Weiss, the top editor of a 24/7 newsroom, to refer to this as "a slow news week."
Bari Weiss just sent this Christmas Eve email to the CBS News staff about "building trust," which includes her tripling down on spiking the CECOT piece "to make sure it's comprehensive and fair."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
December 24, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Very interesting for Weiss, the top editor of a 24/7 newsroom, to refer to this as "a slow news week."
Reposted by Graham Starr
Bari Weiss just sent this Christmas Eve email to the CBS News staff about "building trust," which includes her tripling down on spiking the CECOT piece "to make sure it's comprehensive and fair."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
December 24, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Bari Weiss just sent this Christmas Eve email to the CBS News staff about "building trust," which includes her tripling down on spiking the CECOT piece "to make sure it's comprehensive and fair."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
Reposted by Graham Starr
Between 2018 and 2023, private equity firm The Chernin Group (TCG) invested hundreds of millions into a "content-to-commerce" strategy, backing media companies like The Pro's Closet, Hodinkee, and Food52 that combined editorial content with e-commerce.
EXCLUSIVE: How The Chernin Group's Content-to-Commerce Bet Came Crashing Down
At Food52, Hodinkee, and The Pro's Closet, the private equity firm's strategy showed its faults. Then came the closures.
bit.ly
December 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Between 2018 and 2023, private equity firm The Chernin Group (TCG) invested hundreds of millions into a "content-to-commerce" strategy, backing media companies like The Pro's Closet, Hodinkee, and Food52 that combined editorial content with e-commerce.
Reposted by Graham Starr
Friends, it is time once again to open the book of life and inscribe yet another journalist into it!!!!
Hell Gate is hiring! This time, we're looking for an ace editor to help shape the coverage of our growing newsroom.
Pay is good, benefits are even better. Apply!
hellgatenyc.com/jobs/
Hell Gate is hiring! This time, we're looking for an ace editor to help shape the coverage of our growing newsroom.
Pay is good, benefits are even better. Apply!
hellgatenyc.com/jobs/
Job Listings
Hell Gate is hiring! More details below.
Hell Gate Is Hiring an Editor
Hell Gate, a worker-owned, subscriber-funded New York City news outlet, is looking to bring on an additional editor to join ou...
hellgatenyc.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Friends, it is time once again to open the book of life and inscribe yet another journalist into it!!!!
Hell Gate is hiring! This time, we're looking for an ace editor to help shape the coverage of our growing newsroom.
Pay is good, benefits are even better. Apply!
hellgatenyc.com/jobs/
Hell Gate is hiring! This time, we're looking for an ace editor to help shape the coverage of our growing newsroom.
Pay is good, benefits are even better. Apply!
hellgatenyc.com/jobs/