Google [graf hed lede]. I use them, as I think many other people do, because they're very easy to type, and you knew what it meant without being told.
"Tk" also another great journalism shortcut; it's like "XXX" in code --- easy to search for and fix later.
I'm in Chicago.
Interesting, I'd never heard of anything like this. Thanks!
It's long-time journalistic slang for paragraph.
I pretty much only see it in editorial communication in my day job -- rarely do I see it something like a comment on a site like YC. Sort of feel like it's distracting, but whatever, not a big deal, I guess some people like the sound of it.