Graham Starr
@gstarr.bsky.social
same graham but over here now. Reporter/editor. Mostly tech, health care, media. Adweek, 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
Valve is making a console. The Steam Machine, a sleek box with the guts of a mid-range PC that runs SteamOS, will arrive in early 2026. Prices TBD, but unlike the failed Steam Machine initiative from a decade ago, this is Valve's own device. Big news www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Valve Announces Steam Machine, a New Video-Game Console
The US gaming company behind the popular, handheld Steam Deck is making a living-room device for PC games
www.bloomberg.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Valve is making a console. The Steam Machine, a sleek box with the guts of a mid-range PC that runs SteamOS, will arrive in early 2026. Prices TBD, but unlike the failed Steam Machine initiative from a decade ago, this is Valve's own device. Big news www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Graham Starr
In a "hush-hush" MAHA summit, top health officials will mingle with industry leaders and activists
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/m...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/m...
At ‘hush-hush’ MAHA summit, RFK Jr. and deputies to mix with biotech leaders
A who's who of MAHA federal officials will be speaking at an event, stacked with industry executives and activists, organized largely in secrecy.
www.statnews.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:47 PM
In a "hush-hush" MAHA summit, top health officials will mingle with industry leaders and activists
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/m...
www.statnews.com/2025/11/11/m...
Reposted by Graham Starr
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
Reposted by Graham Starr
Y'all this is crazy!
www.thecity.nyc/2025/11/04/r...
www.thecity.nyc/2025/11/04/r...
Voter Turnout Highest In Three Decades as Mamdani Phenomenon Galvanizes Electorate
More than 1.7 million voters cast ballots by 6 p.m. on Election Day, with three hours left at the polls.
www.thecity.nyc
November 4, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Y'all this is crazy!
www.thecity.nyc/2025/11/04/r...
www.thecity.nyc/2025/11/04/r...
Reposted by Graham Starr
We're looking for a business reporter for a few months starting in December!
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/bu...
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/bu...
November 4, 2025 at 9:30 PM
We're looking for a business reporter for a few months starting in December!
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/bu...
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/bu...
Reposted by Graham Starr
I bear full responsibility for the intra-South Carolina beef that continues to escalate because of Nancy Mace.
Original story here: www.wired.com/story/nancy-...
Original story here: www.wired.com/story/nancy-...
November 4, 2025 at 10:42 PM
I bear full responsibility for the intra-South Carolina beef that continues to escalate because of Nancy Mace.
Original story here: www.wired.com/story/nancy-...
Original story here: www.wired.com/story/nancy-...
The actual numbers:
NYC turnout, 2020 US primary: 25.7%
NYC turnout, 2021 city primary: 26.5%
NYC turnout, 2024 US primary: 10.1%
NYC turnout, 2025 city primary: 29.9%
Turnout doesn't necessarily go up during national election years, and dissatisfaction with national ticket can *depress* turnout.
NYC turnout, 2020 US primary: 25.7%
NYC turnout, 2021 city primary: 26.5%
NYC turnout, 2024 US primary: 10.1%
NYC turnout, 2025 city primary: 29.9%
Turnout doesn't necessarily go up during national election years, and dissatisfaction with national ticket can *depress* turnout.
There’s a ballot initiative in NYC to switch NYC mayoral elections to presidential years. Lots of arguments for and against but one very obvious result would be that turnout would go up and more people would vote in the mayoral, particularly infrequent voters. Notable Mamdani voted against it.
November 4, 2025 at 6:14 PM
The actual numbers:
NYC turnout, 2020 US primary: 25.7%
NYC turnout, 2021 city primary: 26.5%
NYC turnout, 2024 US primary: 10.1%
NYC turnout, 2025 city primary: 29.9%
Turnout doesn't necessarily go up during national election years, and dissatisfaction with national ticket can *depress* turnout.
NYC turnout, 2020 US primary: 25.7%
NYC turnout, 2021 city primary: 26.5%
NYC turnout, 2024 US primary: 10.1%
NYC turnout, 2025 city primary: 29.9%
Turnout doesn't necessarily go up during national election years, and dissatisfaction with national ticket can *depress* turnout.
NEW: Gannett is rebranding as USA Today Co. www.adweek.com/media/gannet...
Gannett Rebrands as USA Today Co.
The move follows Dotdash Meredith’s shift to People Inc. three months ago, underscoring a broader media trend
www.adweek.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:19 PM
NEW: Gannett is rebranding as USA Today Co. www.adweek.com/media/gannet...
Incredible stuff. Snowflake’s chief revenue officer gave a street interview to an influencer in which he, unauthorized, revealed guidance on revenue www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/10/...
Snowflake says exec shared unauthorized guidance in Instagram street interview
The video was posted by Instagram account "theschoolofhardknockz" and features Snowflake Chief Revenue Officer Mike Gannon.
www.cnbc.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Incredible stuff. Snowflake’s chief revenue officer gave a street interview to an influencer in which he, unauthorized, revealed guidance on revenue www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/10/...
Reposted by Graham Starr
BREAKING: Yesterday Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games fired dozens of people, all of whom were involved in union efforts. A British union calls it "blatant and ruthless" union-busting. Take-Two Interactive says it was due to misconduct.
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
‘Grand Theft Auto’ Studio Accused of Union Busting After Firings
Union says 30 and 40 people were terminated. Rockstar Games’ parent company cites ‘gross misconduct’
www.bloomberg.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:44 PM
BREAKING: Yesterday Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games fired dozens of people, all of whom were involved in union efforts. A British union calls it "blatant and ruthless" union-busting. Take-Two Interactive says it was due to misconduct.
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Graham Starr
I dug through the paperwork for all 18 LLCs that Jordon Hudson has registered with Massachusetts since she started dating Bill Belichick.
They tell the story a young woman with big plans for her and her boyfriend.
Gift link!
They tell the story a young woman with big plans for her and her boyfriend.
Gift link!
The Rise Of Jordon Hudson, Small Business Owner | Defector
Before he was stumbling over interview questions on national TV, before he was the guy who made North Carolina football worse, before you could bet on when he might be fired, Bill Belichick was one of...
defector.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I dug through the paperwork for all 18 LLCs that Jordon Hudson has registered with Massachusetts since she started dating Bill Belichick.
They tell the story a young woman with big plans for her and her boyfriend.
Gift link!
They tell the story a young woman with big plans for her and her boyfriend.
Gift link!
Reposted by Graham Starr
fascinating that this is being chalked up to AI — to me it looks like a negative economic indicator. companies tightening belts and laying off expensive middle managers? that predates AI by a lot www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Tens of Thousands of White-Collar Jobs Are Disappearing as AI Starts to Bite
Companies ranging from Amazon to Target are sending workers into an unwelcoming market.
www.wsj.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:48 PM
fascinating that this is being chalked up to AI — to me it looks like a negative economic indicator. companies tightening belts and laying off expensive middle managers? that predates AI by a lot www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Why would Italian tech company Bending Spoons buy AOL?
Maybe the same reason it bought other legacy zombie companies like Evernote, Mosaic, Issuu, Meetup, Vimeo, and WeTransfer — all with troves of emails, videos, photos, and other content to train AI models. www.wsj.com/business/med...
Maybe the same reason it bought other legacy zombie companies like Evernote, Mosaic, Issuu, Meetup, Vimeo, and WeTransfer — all with troves of emails, videos, photos, and other content to train AI models. www.wsj.com/business/med...
Internet Pioneer AOL to Be Acquired by Italian Tech Company Bending Spoons
Bending Spoons secured $2.8 billion in debt financing to help fund the deal and for other investments.
www.wsj.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Why would Italian tech company Bending Spoons buy AOL?
Maybe the same reason it bought other legacy zombie companies like Evernote, Mosaic, Issuu, Meetup, Vimeo, and WeTransfer — all with troves of emails, videos, photos, and other content to train AI models. www.wsj.com/business/med...
Maybe the same reason it bought other legacy zombie companies like Evernote, Mosaic, Issuu, Meetup, Vimeo, and WeTransfer — all with troves of emails, videos, photos, and other content to train AI models. www.wsj.com/business/med...
Reposted by Graham Starr
What an odious thing to say. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...
October 29, 2025 at 2:04 PM
What an odious thing to say. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...
jesus this story www.wsj.com/us-news/homi...
Six Words Every Killer Should Know: ‘I Feared for My Life, Officer’
The number of legally sanctioned homicides has grown substantially in states with expanded self-defense rights under stand-your-ground laws.
www.wsj.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:35 PM
jesus this story www.wsj.com/us-news/homi...
Meta rushed Vibes rollout to try to get ahead of OpenAI's Sora launch, cutting multibillion deals with Midjourney over Meta's own models, per FT. www.ft.com/content/89a0...
October 27, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Meta rushed Vibes rollout to try to get ahead of OpenAI's Sora launch, cutting multibillion deals with Midjourney over Meta's own models, per FT. www.ft.com/content/89a0...
Cool project from Wired www.wired.com/ai-issue/
AI of a Thousand Faces
What happens now that AI is everywhere and in everything? WIRED can’t tell the future, but we can try to make sense of it. Behold: 17 readings from the furthest reaches of the AI age.
www.wired.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Cool project from Wired www.wired.com/ai-issue/
Great 2013 article about Ackman’s billion-dollar bet against Herbalife, which he exited 5 years later at a significant loss. www.vanityfair.com/news/2013/04...
Bill Ackman, Dan Loeb, Carl Icahn, and Herbalife: The Big Short War
Tracing the friendship-turned-feud between billionaire hedge-funders Dan Loeb and Bill Ackman, William D. Cohan looks at ego and money behind the warring Herbalife bets.
www.vanityfair.com
October 26, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Great 2013 article about Ackman’s billion-dollar bet against Herbalife, which he exited 5 years later at a significant loss. www.vanityfair.com/news/2013/04...
Reposted by Graham Starr
Marc Andreessen, who sits on Meta's board, is funding a click farm www.404media.co/a16z-backed-...
a16z-Backed Startup Sells Thousands of ‘Synthetic Influencers’ to Manipulate Social Media as a Service
Andreessen Horowitz is funding a company that clearly violates the inauthentic behavior policies of every major social media platform.
www.404media.co
October 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Marc Andreessen, who sits on Meta's board, is funding a click farm www.404media.co/a16z-backed-...
Reposted by Graham Starr
SCOOP: For the last two years, Microsoft has pushed Xbox to hit profit margins of 30%, an ambitious target that's far higher than the industry average.
This chase for profit has led Xbox to raise prices, cut thousands of jobs, and rethink everything.
Story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
This chase for profit has led Xbox to raise prices, cut thousands of jobs, and rethink everything.
Story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Microsoft Pushes Xbox Division to Hit Higher Profit Margins
Management’s goal of 30% profit margins for gaming has led to job losses, canceled projects
www.bloomberg.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:02 AM
SCOOP: For the last two years, Microsoft has pushed Xbox to hit profit margins of 30%, an ambitious target that's far higher than the industry average.
This chase for profit has led Xbox to raise prices, cut thousands of jobs, and rethink everything.
Story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
This chase for profit has led Xbox to raise prices, cut thousands of jobs, and rethink everything.
Story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Graham Starr
NEW: Just confirmed that among the Meta layoffs today are product risk reviewers, which @shannonbond.bsky.social and I reported back in May, was a division Meta brass targeted for major automation overhauls
Scoop: Internal documents show Meta is replacing human reviewers with automation for assessing potential real-world risks in 90% of its products with @shannonbond.bsky.social www.npr.org/2025/05/31/n...
Meta plans to replace humans with AI to assess privacy and societal risks
Current and former Meta employees fear the new automation push comes at the cost of allowing AI to make tricky determinations about how Meta's apps could lead to real world harm.
www.npr.org
October 22, 2025 at 6:03 PM
NEW: Just confirmed that among the Meta layoffs today are product risk reviewers, which @shannonbond.bsky.social and I reported back in May, was a division Meta brass targeted for major automation overhauls
Reddit sues Perplexity and three other data scrapers, accusing them of illegally using its data to train AI systems.
www.adweek.com/media/reddit...
www.adweek.com/media/reddit...
Reddit Sues Perplexity and Others Over Data Scraping to Train AI System
Reddit says it warned Perplexity to stop using its data—but citations to the site soared 40-fold afterward.
www.adweek.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reddit sues Perplexity and three other data scrapers, accusing them of illegally using its data to train AI systems.
www.adweek.com/media/reddit...
www.adweek.com/media/reddit...
Meta cutting 600 AI jobs after hiring spree. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/22/t...
Meta Plans to Cut 600 Jobs at A.I. Superintelligence Labs
www.nytimes.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Meta cutting 600 AI jobs after hiring spree. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/22/t...
Reposted by Graham Starr
Exclusive: A group of dozens of officials from across the federal government, including US intelligence officers, has been helping to steer President Trump's drive for retribution against his perceived enemies reut.rs/3IXEVG9
reut.rs
October 21, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Exclusive: A group of dozens of officials from across the federal government, including US intelligence officers, has been helping to steer President Trump's drive for retribution against his perceived enemies reut.rs/3IXEVG9
Worth revisiting Jon Bois’ history of the Mariners www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIgK...
The History of the Seattle Mariners: Supercut Edition
YouTube video by Secret Base
www.youtube.com
October 21, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Worth revisiting Jon Bois’ history of the Mariners www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIgK...