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Meet the Silicon Valley Donors Backing California’s Redistricting Push

Meet the Silicon Valley Donors Backing California’s Redistricting Push

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In the latest sign that Silicon Valley titans are increasingly throwing their weight behind political issues, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings has contributed $2 million to support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Proposition 50 campaign.

The move is the latest underscoring how Silicon Valley’s deep-pocketed executives are increasingly wielding influence in California politics and beyond.

The November ballot measure would scrap California’s independent redistricting commission, returning map-drawing authority to the state legislature, where Democrats hold firm majorities.

Backers argue the change would counterbalance GOP-led gerrymanders in states like Texas and Florida, potentially netting Democrats half a dozen U.S. House seats in 2026.

Hastings’ donation highlights the growing role of tech fortunes in political fights. The Netflix co-founder has long been a high-profile donor, previously giving $3 million to Newsom’s 2021 recall defense. He has also funded statewide education reform initiatives and donated heavily to national Democratic causes.

Other Silicon Valley figures are joining him

Ron Conway, one of the Valley’s most prolific angel investors, has pledged support, and Y Combinator’s Paul Graham gave $500,000. Their involvement echoes a broader trend: Tech executives are increasingly channeling personal wealth into shaping policy outcomes, often through ballot measures where their dollars can have an outsized impact.

California has been a testing ground for such efforts.

In 2020, Uber, Lyft and DoorDash collectively spent more than $200 million to pass Proposition 22, rolling back state labor rules that threatened their business models. More recently, venture capital and crypto executives have funded campaigns to resist new taxes and regulations.

Tech money is increasingly flowing into politics

The pattern isn’t limited to California. At the national level, technology money has become a major force in politics.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced former crypto billionaire, spent more than $40 million on congressional races in 2022 before his collapse. Some estimates put his total political contributions at more than $70 million across 18 months, reflecting his ambition to exert influence at the federal level

Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet remain among the top corporate spenders on lobbying in Washington. These interventions have helped shape debates ranging from antitrust reform to AI regulation.

According to Axios, in the first quarter of 2025, Meta spent $8 million lobbying, followed by Amazon at $4.3 million, with Microsoft at $2.4 million. OpenSecrets reports Amazon’s total federal lobbying for 2025 (first half) at $9.35 million, and Alphabet (Google’s parent) at around $7.81 million

For critics, Proposition 50 represents another instance of wealthy tech donors tilting the political playing field.

Opponents, including GOP donor Charles Munger Jr., who has already committed $10 million to defeat it, say dismantling the independent redistricting system voters approved in 2008 is a naked power grab. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has also jumped into the fray, casting the measure as an effort by Democrats and their Silicon Valley allies to “rig the map.”

Are Silicon Valley tycoons the kingmakers yet?

What makes the fight especially significant is its national impact.

California, with 52 House seats, remains the biggest single prize in congressional redistricting. Even a small shift in district lines could determine control of the House in 2026. For Democrats, aligning with wealthy tech donors offers a way to keep pace with Republican fundraising networks that have long used redistricting to their advantage.

Whether Hastings and his peers can sway voters remains uncertain. Early polls show Californians split on Proposition 50, reflecting skepticism about giving lawmakers more control. But the torrent of Silicon Valley money ensures that by November, voters will be hearing arguments on both sides at near-constant volume.

If successful, the campaign would further cement Silicon Valley not only as an economic powerhouse but also as a decisive political player, with ambitions that stretch far beyond California’s borders.

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We are in the middle of a collectibles craze in which people are increasingly looking for things that help them feel connected with their passions and a community, but we’re really gotta do better than this. According to a report from CBS News, people paid $25 a pop for literal trash that came from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden.

To be fair, it’s not loose garbage that people paid for. Instead, it’s a 1 by 1 by 0.75-inch cube filled with bits of refuse pulled from outside of the venue on July 3, the day of the pop star’s somehow very secretive and very public wedding. The trash was collected and ultimately curated by artist Justin Gignac, who said he picked up most of it from around the Garden’s perimeter.

According to CBS News, he had some interesting finds: a Ring Pop, presumably not fully eaten, a single AirPod, and an ovulation test kit, among other things. He took his findings, divided it up, and preserved it in the cubes before selling them for $25 a pop—though he did also make some larger cubes, 3.5 by 3.5 by 4.5 inches, that went for $100. He made 50 of the small cubes, and they reportedly sold out on the first day he made them available, because we as a society are sick and broken in ways that are difficult to describe.

When your side hustle is trash

While Gigac was certainly capitalizing on the matrimony, it was also kind of just any other day for the artist, who has been collecting, packaging, and selling trash from around New York City for 25 years now as part of an art project/side hustle. Per an interview with Fast Company, Gigac has sold more than 1,700 garbage cubes to patrons around the world who just want a part of the Big Apple.

There’s no authentication process for ensuring the trash in the cubes came from Swift’s wedding, but Gigac seems like a man of his word. Plus, Swifties apparently dined on pastries that they believed but could not confirm came from the wedding, so it’s not like they’re being a particularly discerning bunch about this whole thing. They just want to feel like they’ve gotten a piece of the action, real or imagined.

People can do whatever they want with their time and money, obviously, and Gigac is certainly not at fault here at all for finding an opportunity to make a little money off a thing he’s been doing for decades anyway—and frankly, there’s something cool about the whole concept of his garbage reclamation project in a “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” kind of way. But paying money for literal scraps from a wedding of an ultra-wealthy celebrity just feels so incredibly on the nose.

But hey, let them eat cake.

#Pay #Taylor #Swifts #Garbage #Isntgarbage,Taylor Swift,trash">How Much Would You Pay for Taylor Swift’s Garbage and Why Isn’t it alt=

report from CBS News, people paid $25 a pop for literal trash that came from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden.

To be fair, it’s not loose garbage that people paid for. Instead, it’s a 1 by 1 by 0.75-inch cube filled with bits of refuse pulled from outside of the venue on July 3, the day of the pop star’s somehow very secretive and very public wedding. The trash was collected and ultimately curated by artist Justin Gignac, who said he picked up most of it from around the Garden’s perimeter.

According to CBS News, he had some interesting finds: a Ring Pop, presumably not fully eaten, a single AirPod, and an ovulation test kit, among other things. He took his findings, divided it up, and preserved it in the cubes before selling them for $25 a pop—though he did also make some larger cubes, 3.5 by 3.5 by 4.5 inches, that went for $100. He made 50 of the small cubes, and they reportedly sold out on the first day he made them available, because we as a society are sick and broken in ways that are difficult to describe.

When your side hustle is trash

While Gigac was certainly capitalizing on the matrimony, it was also kind of just any other day for the artist, who has been collecting, packaging, and selling trash from around New York City for 25 years now as part of an art project/side hustle. Per an interview with Fast Company, Gigac has sold more than 1,700 garbage cubes to patrons around the world who just want a part of the Big Apple.

There’s no authentication process for ensuring the trash in the cubes came from Swift’s wedding, but Gigac seems like a man of his word. Plus, Swifties apparently dined on pastries that they believed but could not confirm came from the wedding, so it’s not like they’re being a particularly discerning bunch about this whole thing. They just want to feel like they’ve gotten a piece of the action, real or imagined.

People can do whatever they want with their time and money, obviously, and Gigac is certainly not at fault here at all for finding an opportunity to make a little money off a thing he’s been doing for decades anyway—and frankly, there’s something cool about the whole concept of his garbage reclamation project in a “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” kind of way. But paying money for literal scraps from a wedding of an ultra-wealthy celebrity just feels so incredibly on the nose.

But hey, let them eat cake.

#Pay #Taylor #Swifts #Garbage #Isntgarbage,Taylor Swift,trash">How Much Would You Pay for Taylor Swift’s Garbage and Why Isn’t it $0?How Much Would You Pay for Taylor Swift’s Garbage and Why Isn’t it $0? We are in the middle of a collectibles craze in which people are increasingly looking for things that help them feel connected with their passions and a community, but we’re really gotta do better than this. According to a report from CBS News, people paid $25 a pop for literal trash that came from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden. To be fair, it’s not loose garbage that people paid for. Instead, it’s a 1 by 1 by 0.75-inch cube filled with bits of refuse pulled from outside of the venue on July 3, the day of the pop star’s somehow very secretive and very public wedding. The trash was collected and ultimately curated by artist Justin Gignac, who said he picked up most of it from around the Garden’s perimeter. According to CBS News, he had some interesting finds: a Ring Pop, presumably not fully eaten, a single AirPod, and an ovulation test kit, among other things. He took his findings, divided it up, and preserved it in the cubes before selling them for $25 a pop—though he did also make some larger cubes, 3.5 by 3.5 by 4.5 inches, that went for $100. He made 50 of the small cubes, and they reportedly sold out on the first day he made them available, because we as a society are sick and broken in ways that are difficult to describe. When your side hustle is trash While Gigac was certainly capitalizing on the matrimony, it was also kind of just any other day for the artist, who has been collecting, packaging, and selling trash from around New York City for 25 years now as part of an art project/side hustle. Per an interview with Fast Company, Gigac has sold more than 1,700 garbage cubes to patrons around the world who just want a part of the Big Apple. There’s no authentication process for ensuring the trash in the cubes came from Swift’s wedding, but Gigac seems like a man of his word. Plus, Swifties apparently dined on pastries that they believed but could not confirm came from the wedding, so it’s not like they’re being a particularly discerning bunch about this whole thing. They just want to feel like they’ve gotten a piece of the action, real or imagined. People can do whatever they want with their time and money, obviously, and Gigac is certainly not at fault here at all for finding an opportunity to make a little money off a thing he’s been doing for decades anyway—and frankly, there’s something cool about the whole concept of his garbage reclamation project in a “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” kind of way. But paying money for literal scraps from a wedding of an ultra-wealthy celebrity just feels so incredibly on the nose. But hey, let them eat cake. #Pay #Taylor #Swifts #Garbage #Isntgarbage,Taylor Swift,trash

We are in the middle of a collectibles craze in which people are increasingly looking for things that help them feel connected with their passions and a community, but we’re really gotta do better than this. According to a report from CBS News, people paid $25 a pop for literal trash that came from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden.

To be fair, it’s not loose garbage that people paid for. Instead, it’s a 1 by 1 by 0.75-inch cube filled with bits of refuse pulled from outside of the venue on July 3, the day of the pop star’s somehow very secretive and very public wedding. The trash was collected and ultimately curated by artist Justin Gignac, who said he picked up most of it from around the Garden’s perimeter.

According to CBS News, he had some interesting finds: a Ring Pop, presumably not fully eaten, a single AirPod, and an ovulation test kit, among other things. He took his findings, divided it up, and preserved it in the cubes before selling them for $25 a pop—though he did also make some larger cubes, 3.5 by 3.5 by 4.5 inches, that went for $100. He made 50 of the small cubes, and they reportedly sold out on the first day he made them available, because we as a society are sick and broken in ways that are difficult to describe.

When your side hustle is trash

While Gigac was certainly capitalizing on the matrimony, it was also kind of just any other day for the artist, who has been collecting, packaging, and selling trash from around New York City for 25 years now as part of an art project/side hustle. Per an interview with Fast Company, Gigac has sold more than 1,700 garbage cubes to patrons around the world who just want a part of the Big Apple.

There’s no authentication process for ensuring the trash in the cubes came from Swift’s wedding, but Gigac seems like a man of his word. Plus, Swifties apparently dined on pastries that they believed but could not confirm came from the wedding, so it’s not like they’re being a particularly discerning bunch about this whole thing. They just want to feel like they’ve gotten a piece of the action, real or imagined.

People can do whatever they want with their time and money, obviously, and Gigac is certainly not at fault here at all for finding an opportunity to make a little money off a thing he’s been doing for decades anyway—and frankly, there’s something cool about the whole concept of his garbage reclamation project in a “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” kind of way. But paying money for literal scraps from a wedding of an ultra-wealthy celebrity just feels so incredibly on the nose.

But hey, let them eat cake.

#Pay #Taylor #Swifts #Garbage #Isntgarbage,Taylor Swift,trash

Tesla is building a wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle, a Tesla representative told lawmakers in Washington, DC, on Monday.

“We are in development for a purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle,” Tesla senior policy advisor India Herdman told members of the DC City Council on Monday, during a hearing focused on a controversial bill that could allow robotaxi services to operate in the District. “We know that paratransit can be very difficult, and people who are confined to wheelchairs permanently should still be able to move around freely, so that is an active product being built by Tesla in Texas,” she said.

Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment. Herdman provided no further details about when a wheelchair-accessible product might be available. The electric automaker often takes several years to manufacture its announced products.

Tesla operates a small fleet of autonomous vehicles in the Texas cities of Austin, Dallas, and Houston and, as of this month, in Miami, Florida. (It also operates a service that uses human drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area.) The limited fleet uses Tesla Model Y, a compact SUV that is not wheelchair accessible.

The company has started to manufacture and test a purpose-built Cybercab, meant exclusively for autonomous driving and without steering wheels or pedals. These Cybercabs are not wheelchair accessible, though Tesla highlighted in an X post this month its accessibility features, including braille lettering on controls and wheelchair-height seating to allow for easier transfers.

Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have hinted previously at a wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle. The company introduced an accessibility tab in its Robotaxi app last fall, though it directs users to other wheelchair-accessible ride providers in the area, rather than to Tesla’s own service. “We are working on accessible rides,” the app says. In response to an X user’s post last fall about Tesla working on accessible rides, Musk responded, “Absolutely.”

No US robotaxi company currently offers fleetwide driverless, wheelchair-accessible rides, including market leader Waymo. At the DC hearing on Monday, Waymo regional head of state and local policy Matt Walsh said, “To date, it’s my understanding that we haven’t been able to identify a platform that is fully wheelchair-accessible while also meeting the unique specifications to retrofit that vehicle with our technology.” He continued: “Now, I don’t want that to sound like a cop-out. We are trying to find that vehicle.”

Waymo has touted the accessibility features of its newest vehicle, the Zeekr-built Ojai, including its flat floor, low step-in height, and grab bars. But it is not wheelchair accessible. Michigan-based Ann Arbor autonomous-vehicle developer May Mobility offers rides in wheelchair-accessible vehicles in some of its markets, with a human operator on board to help deploy necessary ramps.

The Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in transportation services and requires reasonable modifications to provide equal access. Some but not all US cities require ride-hailing companies to provide wheelchair-accessible services. Many of those companies provide those rides through partnerships with specialized fleets made up of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

In September 2025, the US Department of Justice sued Uber for “refusing to reasonably modify its policies, practices, or procedures where necessary to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities.” The case is being litigated.

General Motors’ Cruise introduced a prototype wheelchair-accessible driverless taxi in 2023 and said it intended to roll out the vehicle in its self-driving car service in 2024. But following a collision with a pedestrian, Cruise all but halted national service in 2023. The next year, General Motors stopped funding its self-driving unit entirely.

#Tesla #Building #WheelchairAccessible #Robotaxitesla,disability,accessibility,cars,self-driving cars,autonomous vehicles,elon musk,electric vehicles">Tesla Says It’s Building a Wheelchair-Accessible RobotaxiTesla is building a wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle, a Tesla representative told lawmakers in Washington, DC, on Monday.“We are in development for a purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle,” Tesla senior policy advisor India Herdman told members of the DC City Council on Monday, during a hearing focused on a controversial bill that could allow robotaxi services to operate in the District. “We know that paratransit can be very difficult, and people who are confined to wheelchairs permanently should still be able to move around freely, so that is an active product being built by Tesla in Texas,” she said.Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment. Herdman provided no further details about when a wheelchair-accessible product might be available. The electric automaker often takes several years to manufacture its announced products.Tesla operates a small fleet of autonomous vehicles in the Texas cities of Austin, Dallas, and Houston and, as of this month, in Miami, Florida. (It also operates a service that uses human drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area.) The limited fleet uses Tesla Model Y, a compact SUV that is not wheelchair accessible.The company has started to manufacture and test a purpose-built Cybercab, meant exclusively for autonomous driving and without steering wheels or pedals. These Cybercabs are not wheelchair accessible, though Tesla highlighted in an X post this month its accessibility features, including braille lettering on controls and wheelchair-height seating to allow for easier transfers.Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have hinted previously at a wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle. The company introduced an accessibility tab in its Robotaxi app last fall, though it directs users to other wheelchair-accessible ride providers in the area, rather than to Tesla’s own service. “We are working on accessible rides,” the app says. In response to an X user’s post last fall about Tesla working on accessible rides, Musk responded, “Absolutely.”No US robotaxi company currently offers fleetwide driverless, wheelchair-accessible rides, including market leader Waymo. At the DC hearing on Monday, Waymo regional head of state and local policy Matt Walsh said, “To date, it’s my understanding that we haven’t been able to identify a platform that is fully wheelchair-accessible while also meeting the unique specifications to retrofit that vehicle with our technology.” He continued: “Now, I don’t want that to sound like a cop-out. We are trying to find that vehicle.”Waymo has touted the accessibility features of its newest vehicle, the Zeekr-built Ojai, including its flat floor, low step-in height, and grab bars. But it is not wheelchair accessible. Michigan-based Ann Arbor autonomous-vehicle developer May Mobility offers rides in wheelchair-accessible vehicles in some of its markets, with a human operator on board to help deploy necessary ramps.The Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in transportation services and requires reasonable modifications to provide equal access. Some but not all US cities require ride-hailing companies to provide wheelchair-accessible services. Many of those companies provide those rides through partnerships with specialized fleets made up of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.In September 2025, the US Department of Justice sued Uber for “refusing to reasonably modify its policies, practices, or procedures where necessary to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities.” The case is being litigated.General Motors’ Cruise introduced a prototype wheelchair-accessible driverless taxi in 2023 and said it intended to roll out the vehicle in its self-driving car service in 2024. But following a collision with a pedestrian, Cruise all but halted national service in 2023. The next year, General Motors stopped funding its self-driving unit entirely.#Tesla #Building #WheelchairAccessible #Robotaxitesla,disability,accessibility,cars,self-driving cars,autonomous vehicles,elon musk,electric vehicles

autonomous vehicle, a Tesla representative told lawmakers in Washington, DC, on Monday.

“We are in development for a purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle,” Tesla senior policy advisor India Herdman told members of the DC City Council on Monday, during a hearing focused on a controversial bill that could allow robotaxi services to operate in the District. “We know that paratransit can be very difficult, and people who are confined to wheelchairs permanently should still be able to move around freely, so that is an active product being built by Tesla in Texas,” she said.

Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment. Herdman provided no further details about when a wheelchair-accessible product might be available. The electric automaker often takes several years to manufacture its announced products.

Tesla operates a small fleet of autonomous vehicles in the Texas cities of Austin, Dallas, and Houston and, as of this month, in Miami, Florida. (It also operates a service that uses human drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area.) The limited fleet uses Tesla Model Y, a compact SUV that is not wheelchair accessible.

The company has started to manufacture and test a purpose-built Cybercab, meant exclusively for autonomous driving and without steering wheels or pedals. These Cybercabs are not wheelchair accessible, though Tesla highlighted in an X post this month its accessibility features, including braille lettering on controls and wheelchair-height seating to allow for easier transfers.

Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have hinted previously at a wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle. The company introduced an accessibility tab in its Robotaxi app last fall, though it directs users to other wheelchair-accessible ride providers in the area, rather than to Tesla’s own service. “We are working on accessible rides,” the app says. In response to an X user’s post last fall about Tesla working on accessible rides, Musk responded, “Absolutely.”

No US robotaxi company currently offers fleetwide driverless, wheelchair-accessible rides, including market leader Waymo. At the DC hearing on Monday, Waymo regional head of state and local policy Matt Walsh said, “To date, it’s my understanding that we haven’t been able to identify a platform that is fully wheelchair-accessible while also meeting the unique specifications to retrofit that vehicle with our technology.” He continued: “Now, I don’t want that to sound like a cop-out. We are trying to find that vehicle.”

Waymo has touted the accessibility features of its newest vehicle, the Zeekr-built Ojai, including its flat floor, low step-in height, and grab bars. But it is not wheelchair accessible. Michigan-based Ann Arbor autonomous-vehicle developer May Mobility offers rides in wheelchair-accessible vehicles in some of its markets, with a human operator on board to help deploy necessary ramps.

The Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in transportation services and requires reasonable modifications to provide equal access. Some but not all US cities require ride-hailing companies to provide wheelchair-accessible services. Many of those companies provide those rides through partnerships with specialized fleets made up of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

In September 2025, the US Department of Justice sued Uber for “refusing to reasonably modify its policies, practices, or procedures where necessary to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities.” The case is being litigated.

General Motors’ Cruise introduced a prototype wheelchair-accessible driverless taxi in 2023 and said it intended to roll out the vehicle in its self-driving car service in 2024. But following a collision with a pedestrian, Cruise all but halted national service in 2023. The next year, General Motors stopped funding its self-driving unit entirely.

#Tesla #Building #WheelchairAccessible #Robotaxitesla,disability,accessibility,cars,self-driving cars,autonomous vehicles,elon musk,electric vehicles">Tesla Says It’s Building a Wheelchair-Accessible Robotaxi

Tesla is building a wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle, a Tesla representative told lawmakers in Washington, DC, on Monday.

“We are in development for a purpose-built, wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle,” Tesla senior policy advisor India Herdman told members of the DC City Council on Monday, during a hearing focused on a controversial bill that could allow robotaxi services to operate in the District. “We know that paratransit can be very difficult, and people who are confined to wheelchairs permanently should still be able to move around freely, so that is an active product being built by Tesla in Texas,” she said.

Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment. Herdman provided no further details about when a wheelchair-accessible product might be available. The electric automaker often takes several years to manufacture its announced products.

Tesla operates a small fleet of autonomous vehicles in the Texas cities of Austin, Dallas, and Houston and, as of this month, in Miami, Florida. (It also operates a service that uses human drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area.) The limited fleet uses Tesla Model Y, a compact SUV that is not wheelchair accessible.

The company has started to manufacture and test a purpose-built Cybercab, meant exclusively for autonomous driving and without steering wheels or pedals. These Cybercabs are not wheelchair accessible, though Tesla highlighted in an X post this month its accessibility features, including braille lettering on controls and wheelchair-height seating to allow for easier transfers.

Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have hinted previously at a wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle. The company introduced an accessibility tab in its Robotaxi app last fall, though it directs users to other wheelchair-accessible ride providers in the area, rather than to Tesla’s own service. “We are working on accessible rides,” the app says. In response to an X user’s post last fall about Tesla working on accessible rides, Musk responded, “Absolutely.”

No US robotaxi company currently offers fleetwide driverless, wheelchair-accessible rides, including market leader Waymo. At the DC hearing on Monday, Waymo regional head of state and local policy Matt Walsh said, “To date, it’s my understanding that we haven’t been able to identify a platform that is fully wheelchair-accessible while also meeting the unique specifications to retrofit that vehicle with our technology.” He continued: “Now, I don’t want that to sound like a cop-out. We are trying to find that vehicle.”

Waymo has touted the accessibility features of its newest vehicle, the Zeekr-built Ojai, including its flat floor, low step-in height, and grab bars. But it is not wheelchair accessible. Michigan-based Ann Arbor autonomous-vehicle developer May Mobility offers rides in wheelchair-accessible vehicles in some of its markets, with a human operator on board to help deploy necessary ramps.

The Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in transportation services and requires reasonable modifications to provide equal access. Some but not all US cities require ride-hailing companies to provide wheelchair-accessible services. Many of those companies provide those rides through partnerships with specialized fleets made up of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

In September 2025, the US Department of Justice sued Uber for “refusing to reasonably modify its policies, practices, or procedures where necessary to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities.” The case is being litigated.

General Motors’ Cruise introduced a prototype wheelchair-accessible driverless taxi in 2023 and said it intended to roll out the vehicle in its self-driving car service in 2024. But following a collision with a pedestrian, Cruise all but halted national service in 2023. The next year, General Motors stopped funding its self-driving unit entirely.

#Tesla #Building #WheelchairAccessible #Robotaxitesla,disability,accessibility,cars,self-driving cars,autonomous vehicles,elon musk,electric vehicles

If you survived the great Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup shortage of 2025, grab your emotional support water bottles, because we’re about to do it all over again.

Starbucks just announced that it’s bringing back the notoriously viral, instantly sold-out bear glass, but this time, it’s getting a bright summer makeover. Enter: the Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup.

Inspired by the Pink Drink, this limited-edition cup is pretty much destined to break the internet (though all the Gilmore Girlies were probs to blame for the beanie version selling out so quickly). The new glass features the bear wearing a little pink hat and comes with a strawberry straw topper. I fear the Stanley Stans will be to blame for this sell-out.

Starbucks has dropped a new Pink Drink Bearista Cup — how to get yours today If you survived the great Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup shortage of 2025, grab your emotional support water bottles, because we’re about to do it all over again.Starbucks just announced that it’s bringing back the notoriously viral, instantly sold-out bear glass, but this time, it’s getting a bright summer makeover. Enter: the Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup.Inspired by the Pink Drink, this limited-edition cup is pretty much destined to break the internet (though all the Gilmore Girlies were probs to blame for the beanie version selling out so quickly). The new glass features the bear wearing a little pink hat and comes with a strawberry straw topper. I fear the Stanley Stans will be to blame for this sell-out. Mashable Trend Report Starbucks is bringing back its viral bear glass with a bright, pink summer makeover starting July 13. Credit: Starbucks The new Pink Drink-inspired Bearista cup features an adorable pink hat and a matching strawberry straw topper. Credit: Starbucks If you don’t want to pay ridiculous reseller markups on eBay this time around, here’s a quick rundown on how and when to get one: Brick-and-mortar: You should be able to purchase one in-store at select Starbucks coffeehouses on July 13. (Starbucks is enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer.) The cups will be available in the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.Starbucks Shop: Starbucks Reserve members will get early access via the Starbucks Shop on July 9. Note: This is not the same thing as being a standard “Rewards member.” Reserve members are the highest tier of the Rewards program. (I’m a Gold status member myself.) Reserve status members earn 2,500 stars in a single year.May the odds be ever in your favor next month. Since I haven’t hit that coveted Reserve status yet, I’ll most likely be hitting up my local Starbucks until I can find one in stock. #Starbucks #dropped #Pink #Drink #Bearista #Cup #today

Starbucks is bringing back its viral bear glass with a bright, pink summer makeover starting July 13. Credit: Starbucks

A promotional lifestyle photo showcasing the limited-edition Starbucks Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup filled with a light pink beverage.

The new Pink Drink-inspired Bearista cup features an adorable pink hat and a matching strawberry straw topper. Credit: Starbucks

If you don’t want to pay ridiculous reseller markups on eBay this time around, here’s a quick rundown on how and when to get one:

  • Brick-and-mortar: You should be able to purchase one in-store at select Starbucks coffeehouses on July 13. (Starbucks is enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer.) The cups will be available in the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

  • Starbucks Shop: Starbucks Reserve members will get early access via the Starbucks Shop on July 9. Note: This is not the same thing as being a standard “Rewards member.” Reserve members are the highest tier of the Rewards program. (I’m a Gold status member myself.) Reserve status members earn 2,500 stars in a single year.

May the odds be ever in your favor next month. Since I haven’t hit that coveted Reserve status yet, I’ll most likely be hitting up my local Starbucks until I can find one in stock.

#Starbucks #dropped #Pink #Drink #Bearista #Cup #today">Starbucks has dropped a new Pink Drink Bearista Cup — how to get yours today If you survived the great Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup shortage of 2025, grab your emotional support water bottles, because we’re about to do it all over again.Starbucks just announced that it’s bringing back the notoriously viral, instantly sold-out bear glass, but this time, it’s getting a bright summer makeover. Enter: the Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup.Inspired by the Pink Drink, this limited-edition cup is pretty much destined to break the internet (though all the Gilmore Girlies were probs to blame for the beanie version selling out so quickly). The new glass features the bear wearing a little pink hat and comes with a strawberry straw topper. I fear the Stanley Stans will be to blame for this sell-out. Mashable Trend Report Starbucks is bringing back its viral bear glass with a bright, pink summer makeover starting July 13. Credit: Starbucks The new Pink Drink-inspired Bearista cup features an adorable pink hat and a matching strawberry straw topper. Credit: Starbucks If you don’t want to pay ridiculous reseller markups on eBay this time around, here’s a quick rundown on how and when to get one: Brick-and-mortar: You should be able to purchase one in-store at select Starbucks coffeehouses on July 13. (Starbucks is enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer.) The cups will be available in the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.Starbucks Shop: Starbucks Reserve members will get early access via the Starbucks Shop on July 9. Note: This is not the same thing as being a standard “Rewards member.” Reserve members are the highest tier of the Rewards program. (I’m a Gold status member myself.) Reserve status members earn 2,500 stars in a single year.May the odds be ever in your favor next month. Since I haven’t hit that coveted Reserve status yet, I’ll most likely be hitting up my local Starbucks until I can find one in stock. #Starbucks #dropped #Pink #Drink #Bearista #Cup #today

Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup shortage of 2025, grab your emotional support water bottles, because we’re about to do it all over again.

Starbucks just announced that it’s bringing back the notoriously viral, instantly sold-out bear glass, but this time, it’s getting a bright summer makeover. Enter: the Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup.

Inspired by the Pink Drink, this limited-edition cup is pretty much destined to break the internet (though all the Gilmore Girlies were probs to blame for the beanie version selling out so quickly). The new glass features the bear wearing a little pink hat and comes with a strawberry straw topper. I fear the Stanley Stans will be to blame for this sell-out.

Starbucks has dropped a new Pink Drink Bearista Cup — how to get yours today If you survived the great Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup shortage of 2025, grab your emotional support water bottles, because we’re about to do it all over again.Starbucks just announced that it’s bringing back the notoriously viral, instantly sold-out bear glass, but this time, it’s getting a bright summer makeover. Enter: the Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup.Inspired by the Pink Drink, this limited-edition cup is pretty much destined to break the internet (though all the Gilmore Girlies were probs to blame for the beanie version selling out so quickly). The new glass features the bear wearing a little pink hat and comes with a strawberry straw topper. I fear the Stanley Stans will be to blame for this sell-out. Mashable Trend Report Starbucks is bringing back its viral bear glass with a bright, pink summer makeover starting July 13. Credit: Starbucks The new Pink Drink-inspired Bearista cup features an adorable pink hat and a matching strawberry straw topper. Credit: Starbucks If you don’t want to pay ridiculous reseller markups on eBay this time around, here’s a quick rundown on how and when to get one: Brick-and-mortar: You should be able to purchase one in-store at select Starbucks coffeehouses on July 13. (Starbucks is enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer.) The cups will be available in the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.Starbucks Shop: Starbucks Reserve members will get early access via the Starbucks Shop on July 9. Note: This is not the same thing as being a standard “Rewards member.” Reserve members are the highest tier of the Rewards program. (I’m a Gold status member myself.) Reserve status members earn 2,500 stars in a single year.May the odds be ever in your favor next month. Since I haven’t hit that coveted Reserve status yet, I’ll most likely be hitting up my local Starbucks until I can find one in stock. #Starbucks #dropped #Pink #Drink #Bearista #Cup #today

Starbucks is bringing back its viral bear glass with a bright, pink summer makeover starting July 13. Credit: Starbucks

A promotional lifestyle photo showcasing the limited-edition Starbucks Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup filled with a light pink beverage.

The new Pink Drink-inspired Bearista cup features an adorable pink hat and a matching strawberry straw topper. Credit: Starbucks

If you don’t want to pay ridiculous reseller markups on eBay this time around, here’s a quick rundown on how and when to get one:

  • Brick-and-mortar: You should be able to purchase one in-store at select Starbucks coffeehouses on July 13. (Starbucks is enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer.) The cups will be available in the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

  • Starbucks Shop: Starbucks Reserve members will get early access via the Starbucks Shop on July 9. Note: This is not the same thing as being a standard “Rewards member.” Reserve members are the highest tier of the Rewards program. (I’m a Gold status member myself.) Reserve status members earn 2,500 stars in a single year.

May the odds be ever in your favor next month. Since I haven’t hit that coveted Reserve status yet, I’ll most likely be hitting up my local Starbucks until I can find one in stock.

#Starbucks #dropped #Pink #Drink #Bearista #Cup #today">Starbucks has dropped a new Pink Drink Bearista Cup — how to get yours today

If you survived the great Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup shortage of 2025, grab your emotional support water bottles, because we’re about to do it all over again.

Starbucks just announced that it’s bringing back the notoriously viral, instantly sold-out bear glass, but this time, it’s getting a bright summer makeover. Enter: the Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup.

Inspired by the Pink Drink, this limited-edition cup is pretty much destined to break the internet (though all the Gilmore Girlies were probs to blame for the beanie version selling out so quickly). The new glass features the bear wearing a little pink hat and comes with a strawberry straw topper. I fear the Stanley Stans will be to blame for this sell-out.

Starbucks has dropped a new Pink Drink Bearista Cup — how to get yours today If you survived the great Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup shortage of 2025, grab your emotional support water bottles, because we’re about to do it all over again.Starbucks just announced that it’s bringing back the notoriously viral, instantly sold-out bear glass, but this time, it’s getting a bright summer makeover. Enter: the Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup.Inspired by the Pink Drink, this limited-edition cup is pretty much destined to break the internet (though all the Gilmore Girlies were probs to blame for the beanie version selling out so quickly). The new glass features the bear wearing a little pink hat and comes with a strawberry straw topper. I fear the Stanley Stans will be to blame for this sell-out. Mashable Trend Report Starbucks is bringing back its viral bear glass with a bright, pink summer makeover starting July 13. Credit: Starbucks The new Pink Drink-inspired Bearista cup features an adorable pink hat and a matching strawberry straw topper. Credit: Starbucks If you don’t want to pay ridiculous reseller markups on eBay this time around, here’s a quick rundown on how and when to get one: Brick-and-mortar: You should be able to purchase one in-store at select Starbucks coffeehouses on July 13. (Starbucks is enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer.) The cups will be available in the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.Starbucks Shop: Starbucks Reserve members will get early access via the Starbucks Shop on July 9. Note: This is not the same thing as being a standard “Rewards member.” Reserve members are the highest tier of the Rewards program. (I’m a Gold status member myself.) Reserve status members earn 2,500 stars in a single year.May the odds be ever in your favor next month. Since I haven’t hit that coveted Reserve status yet, I’ll most likely be hitting up my local Starbucks until I can find one in stock. #Starbucks #dropped #Pink #Drink #Bearista #Cup #today

Starbucks is bringing back its viral bear glass with a bright, pink summer makeover starting July 13. Credit: Starbucks

A promotional lifestyle photo showcasing the limited-edition Starbucks Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup filled with a light pink beverage.

The new Pink Drink-inspired Bearista cup features an adorable pink hat and a matching strawberry straw topper. Credit: Starbucks

If you don’t want to pay ridiculous reseller markups on eBay this time around, here’s a quick rundown on how and when to get one:

  • Brick-and-mortar: You should be able to purchase one in-store at select Starbucks coffeehouses on July 13. (Starbucks is enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer.) The cups will be available in the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

  • Starbucks Shop: Starbucks Reserve members will get early access via the Starbucks Shop on July 9. Note: This is not the same thing as being a standard “Rewards member.” Reserve members are the highest tier of the Rewards program. (I’m a Gold status member myself.) Reserve status members earn 2,500 stars in a single year.

May the odds be ever in your favor next month. Since I haven’t hit that coveted Reserve status yet, I’ll most likely be hitting up my local Starbucks until I can find one in stock.

#Starbucks #dropped #Pink #Drink #Bearista #Cup #today

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