Paul Graf
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paulginva.bsky.social
Paul Graf
@paulginva.bsky.social
4.2K followers 1.8K following 12K posts
Retired lawyer. Moderate. Dog lover, cat tolerator. Grandfather. Vietnam vet. History, international relations, national security, high-profile litigation, economics, and a little politics.
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paulginva.bsky.social
I wouldn't wish cervical cancer on any woman. I have a friend who survived CC at age 19 many years ago. What she went through was awful.
Dr. Catharine Young @DrCatharineY Australia just recorded zero cervical cancer cases in women under 25 - for the first time since records began in 1982. This is what happens when a country commits to HPV vaccination and screening. We protect our girls and save lives. 9:49 AM Nov 26, 2025 390.7K Views ...
November 27, 2025 at 1:40 AM
paulginva.bsky.social
Concur fully.
(T.C.A.G.) Commander Brad Crawford @evoltactical - 12h Real talk. I have trained Ukrainian troops for three years straight, and saying we "owe them nothing" is not just wrong, it is dangerous. People forget very quickly. Ukraine stood with us in Iraq and Afghanistan. They sent troops, bled beside our soldiers, and never asked for anything in return. They did it because they believed in the West, in democracy, and in the idea that free nations stand together. And now, for four years, Ukraine has been fighting the enemy that has openly wished death on the United States many times. The same enemy that still keeps nuclear weapons pointed at every major American city and every piece of critical infrastructure we depend on. How anyone can say that their fight has nothing to do with us is beyond me. This kind of talk is exactly what Americans were saying before World War Two. We called it "not our war." We insisted Europe's problems were not our problems. Yet we still sent equipment. We still had volunteer pilots fighting for the United Kingdom. And it took Pearl Harbor to finally wake us up and show us that isolation and indifference were mistakes that cost countless lives. When will we learn that in the world we live in today, everything is connected. There is no isolation. Not when dictators are reshaping borders by force. Not when war criminals hold nuclear stockpiles. Not when democracies fall one by one if no one helps. Appeasement does not stop tyrants. Appeasement encourages them. I have trained thousands of Ukrainian soldiers. I have watched them fight for their land, their families, and frankly for the rest of us. To pretend that their struggle does not affect the United States is to ignore every lesson history has ever taught us. The red line where this "becomes our problem" was crossed a long time ago. Thinking otherwise only helps the people we should be standing against. This kind of thinking is not realism. It is the beginning of another disaster we…
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
paulginva.bsky.social
Both West Virginia National Guard members shot today in DC have reportedly passed away from their injuries. The shooter was apparently wounded by police and is in custody.

RIP 🫡🇺🇲
Governor Patrick Mo... @wvgovernor Follow It is with great sorrow that we can confirm both members of the West Virginia National Guard who were shot earlier today in Washington, DC have passed away from their injuries. These brave West Virginians lost their lives in the service of their country. We are in ongoing contact with federal officials as the investigation continues. Our entire state grieves with their families, their loved ones, and the Guard community. West Virginia will never forget their service or their sacrifice, and we will demand full accountability for this horrific act.
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
The US military is gambling everything on AI.

But

“To China's war planners, AI is just another thing to deceive” -
Defense One's new China Intelligence report on how the PLA is prepping for battles against AI.

We need to get the mix right.
A mask of darkness had fallen over the Gobi Desert training grounds at Zhurihe when the Blue Force unleashed a withering strike intended to wipe Red Force artillery off the map. Plumes rose from "destroyed" batteries as the seemingly successful fire plan took out its targets in waves. But it had all been a trap. When Blue began to shift positions to avoid counter-battery fire, exercise control called a halt-and revealed that, far from defeating the enemy, more than half of Blue's fire units had already been destroyed. After the exercise, the Red commander explained the ruse: he had salted the range with decoy guns and what he called "professional stand-ins," the signatures of units and troops, which not only tricked Blue's sensors and Al-assisted targeting into shooting at phantoms, but also revealed their own firing points. It was just one example of how China's military is building for a battlefield where humans and Al seek not just to fight, but fool each other.
November 26, 2025 at 1:42 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
Good thread here by @mikemadrid.bsky.social over at The Other Place. Latinos have always struck me as the most optimistic demographic around. This year is better than last year and next year will be even better. This turnaround seems important.

Thread: x.com/madrid_mike/...
Mike Madrid @madrid_mike In two decades of conducting this major poll of Latinos, Pew notes that it has never seen Latinos say their situation is worse than the year before. Pew poll shows Latino support for Trump is slipping
November 26, 2025 at 1:26 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
Oh. Well, anyway....
7:57 م 93 Related notes Edmond Bertrand 22h The Phone That Never Existed NBC News just confirmed what so many already suspected: Back in June, Donald Trump's two oldest sons held an event at Trump Tower to promote a brand-new, "Made-in-the-USA" Trump Mobile phone - plus a Trump wireless service to go with it. But months later? There is still no phone. No production. No shipments. No refunds. No explanation. NBC News flat-out said there are zero signs this product was ever real. And yet people handed over $499 like it was gospel.
November 26, 2025 at 1:09 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
The amount of economic development potential wasted on surface parking is absolutely insane.(Boston's Seaport, Adam Osteen)
The image displays a before-and-after comparison of the Boston Seaport District in Massachusetts, a formerly industrial area that has undergone extensive redevelopment. The top image shows the area approximately 20 years ago, characterized by a large amount of surface parking and industrial character. The bottom image shows the modern Seaport, which has been transformed into a bustling neighborhood with high-rise hotels, condominiums, offices, restaurants, and a marina. The area, officially known as the South Boston Waterfront, is also sometimes called the "Innovation District". This rapid development occurred after the completion of the "Big Dig" project in Boston.
November 26, 2025 at 2:13 AM
paulginva.bsky.social
Partial readout released by Bloomberg of the leaked phone call last month between Witkoff and Putin’s top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, in which Witkoff attempts to coach the Kremlin on how to more easily coerce President Trump, while also appearing to try and disrupt the meeting that week
SW: Yuri, Yuri, here's what I would do. My recommendation. YU: Yes, please. SW: I would make the call and just reiterate that you congratulate the president on this achievement, that you supported it, you supported it, that you respect that he is a man of peace and you're just, you're really glad to have seen it happen. So I would say that. I think from that it's going to be a really good call. Because - let me tell you what I told the President. I told the president that you - that the Russian Federation has always wanted a peace deal. That's my belief. I told the president I believe that. And I believe the question is - the issue is is that we have two nations that are having a hard time coming to a compromise and when we do, we're going to have a peace deal. I'm even thinking that maybe we set out like a 20-point peace proposal, just like we did in Gaza. We put a 20-point Trump plan together that was 20 points for peace and I'm thinking maybe we do the same thing with you. My point is this... YU: Ok, ok my friend. I think that very point our leaders could discuss. Hey Steve, I agree with you that he will congratulate, he will say that Mr. Trump is a real peace man and so and so. That he wil say. SW: Maybe he says to President Trump: you know, Steve and Yuri discussed a very similar 20-point plan to peace and that could be something that we think might move the needle a little bit, we're open to those sorts of things - to explore what it's going to take to get a peace deal done. Now, me to you, I know what it's going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere. But I'm saying instead of talking like that, let's talk more hopefully because I think we're going to get to a deal here. And I think Yuri, the president will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal. YU: I see... SW: ...so if we can create that opportunity that after this I talked to Yuri and we had a conversation I think that could lead to big stuff. YU: Ok, that sounds good. Sounds good. SW: And here's one more thing: Zelenskiy is coming to the White House on Friday. YU: I know that. [chuckles] SW: And here's one more thing: Zelenskiy is coming to the White House on Friday. YU: I know that. [chuckles] SW: I will go to that meeting because they want me there, but I think if possible we have the call with your boss before that Friday meeting. YU: Before, before - yeah? SW: Correct. YU: Ok, ok. I got your advice. So I discuss that with my boss and then I come back to you, ok? SW: Ok Yuri, I'll speak to you soon. YU: Great, great. Thank you so much. Thanks you. SW: Bye, bye. YU: Bye.
November 26, 2025 at 2:01 AM
paulginva.bsky.social
LEFT: Mark Kelly, shirt covered with medals.
RIGHT: Pete Hegseth, shirt covered with booze.
Kelly and Hegseth
November 25, 2025 at 11:59 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
Whisky Pete got community noted again.
Pete Hegseth @PeteHegseth. 52m So "Captain" Kelly, not only did your sedition video intentionally undercut good order & discipline...but you can't even display your uniform correctly. Your medals are out of order & rows reversed. When/if you are recalled to active duty, it'll start with a uniform inspection. x.com/senmarkkelly/s... Notes suggesting context to be shown with the post Needs more ratings 6m View details Not shown on X Medals are reversed because it is a mirror image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front-facing_camera https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_image
November 25, 2025 at 11:57 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
I'll never look at a photo of Scott Bessent the same way.
Howdy Doody Scott Bessent
November 25, 2025 at 11:52 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
Steve Witkoff isn't just some rich MAGA real estate developer. Like so many people around Trump, he has deep ties to Russia going back decades.

Read this thread: threadreaderapp.com/thread/19933...
Îne Back Iversen @IneBackIversen Follow ... 1: Let's talk about Steve Witkoff, because I think the narrative of him being a "useful idiot" is a dangerous trap to walk in. It's darker than that. Witkoff has spent three decades swimming in russian money, russian mob circles, and russian real-estate pipeline. A thread
November 25, 2025 at 11:46 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
Why isn't this scandal more of a story?
Ana Swanson Times reporter covering the Trump tariffs "I have been reporting on economics, trade and international relations for over a decade, from both China and the U.S. I aim to underpin my work with data and numbers, as well as give voice to the personal stories of people I encounter in my reporting." Here's our latest reporting on economic policy and tariffs. In July, the Defense Department agreed to take a $400 million stake in MP Materials, a mining company that has struggled to turn profits amid tough price pressures from China. A month later, the Commerce Department became the largest shareholder of Intel, the beleaguered U.S. chip giant. A public filing from the Office of Government Ethics shows that, shortly after that agreement was made, President Trump personally purchased between $1 million and $5 million of Intel's corporate debt.
November 25, 2025 at 11:37 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
The reason these neighborhoods are considered “historic” is because we literally made it illegal to build more of them.
The image displays a classic tree-lined residential street featuring historic brownstone row houses, characteristic of several neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York. The architecture is typical of areas such as Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy), Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, and Brooklyn Heights. These neighborhoods are known for their well-preserved 19th-century brownstones and vibrant community scenes. The scene captures the quintessential "Brooklyn aesthetic" often depicted in media, highlighting the historic and sought-after nature of these areas. The specific location is likely Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights, near the entrance to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
November 25, 2025 at 11:33 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
High prices of food, rents and healthcare force lower-income Americans to cut back on necessities just as the Trump administration curbs government supports.
Wage growth for the lowest quartile of earners has slowed down, contributing to an "affordability crisis" for many Americans facing high prices for essential goods and services. Despite the recent slowdown, these workers experienced historically fast wage growth between 2019 and early 2024.
November 25, 2025 at 11:25 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
😂
X's new "About This Account" feature didn't just cause a stir - it ripped the mask off a whole ecosystem of loud, flag-waving avatars who've been thumping their digital chests about "saving America" while typing from places where the closest thing to a Cracker Barrel is a goat tied to a metal pole outside a convenience store. One minute these accounts were demanding the FBI be abolished; the next minute their location tags were blinking "Bangladesh" like a neon sign over a roadside bar. It was the cleanest, most unintentional self-own in the history of the platform. And watching these self-proclaimed patriots try to explain why their "real American movement" is being orchestrated from a wi-fi hotspot in Southeast Asia was like watching a drunk man try to argue with a revolving door. Every spin made it worse.
November 25, 2025 at 7:53 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
The image outlines the "Genesis Mission," an American initiative described as an "AI 'Manhattan Project' for Science" aimed at ensuring U.S. technological dominance through a national effort for AI-powered discovery. The plan involves a 270-day launch sequence to create a unified platform by integrating federal datasets, supercomputers, and AI models. Goal: Solve challenging problems of the century and ensure U.S. tech dominance through a national AI effort. Core Infrastructure: The American Science & Security Platform integrates federal datasets, supercomputers, and AI models for unified research access. Priority Domains: Initial focus includes biotechnology, nuclear energy, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. Launch Sequence: A 270-day plan involving identifying national challenges, mapping computing resources, selecting initial datasets & models, and launching initial platform capability.
November 25, 2025 at 5:39 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
I haven't seen much about this on the media, but it's a really big deal. The purpose is to train scientific foundation models and create AI agents to test new hypotheses, automate research workflows, and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.

Thread: x.com/AskPerplexit...
The White House has launched the "Genesis Mission," an executive order signed by President Trump on November 24, 2025, which is described as an "AI Manhattan Project" aimed at accelerating scientific innovation and discovery through the use of artificial intelligence. The initiative is intended to lead to a new age of AI-accelerated innovation. The mission aims to achieve U.S. dominance in the AI industry. The Department of Energy will build a national AI platform using U.S. supercomputers and federal science data. The platform will train scientific foundation models and run AI agents and robotic labs to automate experiments in various fields, including biotech, nuclear energy, and semiconductors. The initiative is a coordinated national effort to solve challenging problems of this century using AI.
November 25, 2025 at 5:33 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
The image is a classic comic strip panel from the Peanuts series, illustrating a recurring gag involving Charlie Brown and Lucy van Pelt where Lucy pulls the football away as Charlie tries to kick it..
November 25, 2025 at 2:20 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
😂
The image displays a social media exchange between Senator Rick Scott and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the platform X (formerly Twitter). The exchange references the interaction between Representative-elect Mamdani and former President Trump. Rick Scott's Post: Senator Rick Scott posted a tweet showing a picture of Zohran Mamdani, referring to him as a "literal communist" who was "on his way to the White House to be schooled by President Trump". Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Reply: Representative Ocasio-Cortez replied to the tweet with the text, "Guess this didn't work out the way you thought it would.. 🙂". Context: The exchange occurred after a meeting between Zohran Mamdani and Donald Trump, where Trump reportedly praised Mamdani, contrary to Scott's initial prediction of a confrontation or a "schooling".
November 25, 2025 at 12:01 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
Beyond parody! 🤣
Acyn @Acyn ... CNN: We're learning President Trump is planning to unveil a new health care proposal.... We're getting breaking news while I'm talking to you, I have learned that The White House has postponed its expected unveiling of this new health care proposal
November 25, 2025 at 12:40 AM
paulginva.bsky.social
Gross!

RFK Jr. is 100% the kind of guy who would clip his toenails on an airliner.
RFK Jr walking down an airplane aisle without shoes or socks.
November 25, 2025 at 12:34 AM
paulginva.bsky.social
And then there's this....
The image shows a social media post from Donald Trump featuring a plaque displayed at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The plaque is titled "Loyalty to the Constitution" and explains the American code of military obedience. It states that the U.S. military broke with the custom of swearing loyalty to a leader, requiring officers to swear loyalty to the Constitution instead. A key message from the plaque is: "Our American Code of Military Obedience requires that, should orders and the law ever conflict, our officers must obey the law". The text emphasizes that the purpose of the academy is to produce leaders with the integrity to be governed by their oath to the Constitution.
November 24, 2025 at 8:26 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
Tracey Gallagher has a thorough legal explainer here.
Tracey Gallagher @asmartbrunette1 Follow Seriously, this is nothing but political theater. 10 U.S.C. § 688 (recall of retirees) is not a blank check§ 688 authorizes recall only in specific circumstances (national emergency declared by the President or Congress, wartime, or to meet "operational requirements"). The Secretary of the Navy must personally approve each recall, and the retiree must be needed for a specific billet or skill. It cannot be used as a punitive tool to drag a retiree back solely for court-martial on old or dubious charges. See DoD Instruction 1352.1 (Management of Regular and Reserve Retired Military Members) and United States ex rel. Pasela v. Fenno, 167 F.2d 593 (2d Cir. 1948) courts have historically rejected punitive recall attempts. Jurisdiction over retirees is limited and shrinking: Retirees are subject to UCMJ only for offenses committed while on active duty or certain very narrow post-retirement acts (e.g., wearing the uniform falsely, accepting foreign employment without approval under Article 2(a)(4)-(6)). Purely political speech or activity after retirement is not UCMJ jurisdiction. The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (CAAF) in United States v. Dinger, 77 M.J. 452 (CAAF 2018) and the Army Court of Criminal Appeals in United States v. Phillips (2021) have both emphasized that retiree jurisdiction is narrow and does not extend to ordinary civilian political activity. 18 U.S.C. § 2387 ("sedition" against the military) is almost certainly unconstitutional as applied here. This Cold-War-era statute (part of the 1940 Smith Act progeny) has never been successfully used against a retiree for political criticism of policy or leadership. It criminalizes advising servicemembers to disobey "lawful orders" with intent to cause insubordination. Post-Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969) and Watts v. United States (1969), it is read extremely narrowly - there must be incitement to imminent lawless action that is likely to produce it. General political criticism (even harsh criticism of the chain of command or policy) does not meet that standard. No modern federal prosecution under § 2387 against a retiree for protected speech has ever been upheld. First Amendment protection is at its zenith for retired senior officers commenting on matters of public concern: Retired flag/general officers and astronauts have an especially strong claim to speak on military policy and leadership. See United States v. Howe, 37 M.J. 617 (N-MCMR 1993) (dismissing Article 134 charges against a Marine major and that was for protesting the Vietnam War while off duty an active-duty servicemember). Post-retirement speech is civilian speech. The Supreme Court in Parker v. Levy (1974) explicitly distinguished active-duty restrictions from civilian ones. The "lawful order" presumption does not apply to hypothetical future orders. The statement's reminder that "orders are presumed lawful" and personal philosophy does not excuse disobedience is irrelevant unless a specific, actual lawful order was disobeyed. Threatening prosecution for possible future hypothetical disobedience is textbook prior restraint. No Secretary of the Navy in the modern era has ever recalled a retired 0-6 or higher to active duty solely for court-martial on political-speech grounds. Attempts to do so (e.g., the 2006 threatened recall of retired generals who criticized Rumsfeld) went nowhere because the legal footing is extraordinarily weak and the political blowback would be catastrophic. Military retirees are subject to the UCMJ only in the narrowest circumstances, none of which include post-retirement political speech protected by the First Amendment. 10 U.S.C. § 688 cannot be weaponized for punitive recall, and 18 U.S.C. § 2387 does not criminalize criticism of policy or leadership. Any attempt to recall and court-martial a retiree for protected speech would be immediately enjoined by a federal court. This is not a serious legal threat; it is intimidation theater. @CaptMarkKelly
November 24, 2025 at 8:25 PM
paulginva.bsky.social
This is going to blow back in the Administration' face like an exploding cigar.
Department of War @DeptofWar Follow OFFICIAL STATEMENT: The Department of War has received serious allegations of misconduct against Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.). In accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 688, and other applicable regulations, a thorough review of these allegations has been initiated to determine further actions, which may include recall to active duty for court-martial proceedings or administrative measures. This matter will be handled in compliance with military law, ensuring due process and impartiality. Further official comments will be limited, to preserve the integrity of the proceedings. The Department of War reminds all individuals that military retirees remain subject to the UCMJ for applicable offenses, and federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibit actions intended to interfere with the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces. Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels. All servicemembers are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful. A servicemember's personal philosophy does not justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order. 11:50 AM Nov 24, 2025 4.1M Views
November 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM