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Zac Estrada

@zacestrada.com
3.5K followers 1.4K following 3.3K posts

L.A. freelance writer/editor. Contributor, Gizmodo. Prev. The Verge, Jalopnik, others. Climate/energy, transportation, tech, TV. @zacestrada elsewhere. Signal: zacestrada.01 linktr.ee/zacestrada 🏳️‍🌈

PostsRepliesMedia
Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
See: Mercedes-Benz and Sprinter or Mercedes-Benz Vans or whatever
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
sure, but adding anything new is a huge deal at a government level. New police cars weren't a huge issue just because cops loved their Crown Vics
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
Some municipalities are still of the "Buy American" persuasion and most others have always bought domestic brands and have existing service contracts they renew since if they do something new it starts a whole bidding process
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
that would've been fine except it probably would've had to been able to be built here and the fleet market is tough to crack. Doubt they'd get an order on the level of USPS or even CalTrans, which uses a few ID. 4s
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
Yeah I credit is as much as I credit myself for spelling "topographical" right on the first try
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
Still sold nearly twice as well as the Golf R did in the US last year so tariffs are clearly a big issue
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
Although I credit them a good bit for explaining the reason L.A. was/is smoggy is topographical, not just historically car-centric, which isn't mentioned nearly enough even by people from here
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
The theme here is like, "The system has succeeded in improving air quality significantly since the 1980s..." but... and that's something people not from CA gloss over a lot. And I've had a daily fail a smog test And what about states with real vehicle inspections? www.thedrive.com/news/smog-te...
thedrive.com
Smog Testing in California Is Broken. Leno's Law Won't Fix It
The new law is being hailed as a landmark victory that will keep classic cars on the road longer. But it doesn't actually fix the systemic issues with the state's emissions testing rules.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
You know this is really a tariff/uncertain economy thing and not an oversupply thing because as late as yesterday they were calling it MY2027 insideevs.com/news/809464/...
insideevs.com
Volkswagen Delays The ID. Buzz's Return To The U.S. Again
Volkswagen delayed the electric van's return by another model year. Now it comes back as a 2028 model next year.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
Who could have predicted
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Mark Gongloff @markgongloff.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Larry Ellison right now: "Things have changed, circumstances, Jerry... force majeure, acts of God." (gift link) www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
A photo of Carl from the movie Fargo pleading with a cop. He's the one who declared force majeure on the kidnapping.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
"In March 1998, at the time the strongest El Niño year on record, a debate over a sea wall off Isla Vista’s coast was in full swing. News articles at the time report decks collapsing after heavy storm conditions" Still no sea wall www.independent.com/2026/09/22/u...
independent.com
UC Santa Barbara Students Return to Isla Vista, Where El Niño Threatens Cliff Collapse
What risk do Del Playa Drive residents face this year, and what are people doing about it?
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
Define "Deadline." What is dead? And line? www.latimes.com/california/s...
latimes.com
Troubled LAX People Mover delayed again — and it might not be the last time
The contractor of the LAX Automated People Mover, LINXS, believes the train could open in early January.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
Completely understand that not all of Isla Vista is on Del Playa, but a lot of students live at least two to a room in these homes, and plenty of been red-tagged in my lifetime. Where are they going to go? Neither Goleta or Santa Barbara want them
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 24/09/2026
"In March 1998, at the time the strongest El Niño year on record, a debate over a sea wall off Isla Vista’s coast was in full swing. News articles at the time report decks collapsing after heavy storm conditions" Still no sea wall www.independent.com/2026/09/22/u...
independent.com
UC Santa Barbara Students Return to Isla Vista, Where El Niño Threatens Cliff Collapse
What risk do Del Playa Drive residents face this year, and what are people doing about it?
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Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
NEWS @status.news: The anonymous source behind one of the stories the White House cited to justify banning POLITICO was none other than Vice President JD Vance. The full story: www.status.news/p/white-hous...
status.news
The Source Behind The Ban
The anonymous source behind one of the stories the White House cited to justify banning POLITICO was none other than Vice President JD Vance, Status has learned.
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Thor Benson @thorbenson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The AP Stylebook:
IBM manual from 1979:
A COMPUTER CAN NEVER BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE
THEREFORE A COMPUTER MUST NEVER MAKE A MANAGEMENT DECISION
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Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
There are two dieticians on local TV news right now talking about how you can buy potatoes and some cheap cuts of meat to really stretch your dollar and I feel like this is more devastating than any anti-Trump ad currently running.
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Also, lest there be people who follow me who saw the very weird Advocate attack on the Blade doing pool duty Monday, that was a bad story. The Blade is a part of the print pool — not the TV pool — and the print pool coverage has continued this week. Here's the Blade's response to The Advocate:
washingtonblade.com
Washington Blade responds to concerns over White House pool duties
Inaccurate media reports create confusion but we stand with our colleagues
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Alex Pawlowski @apawlows.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Our long awaited panel, Albert Gore of ZETA, one of my faves, Tiya Gordon of it's electric, and Emily Pontecorvo of heatmap is on deck. With the 700 awarded in NYC, it'll bring the city to 788 curbside chargers, only 21,222 more to go to catch London! (thanks 120V street lamps and not using byoc)
Albert Gore (yes, Al's son) stage right, Tiya Gordon (center) and Emily Pontecorvo, stage left, staff writer of Heatmap
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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
News: A California DA tried Stanford students with felonies over pro-Palestine protests. Bolts reported the DA was fundraising off of this. A defense attorney dug more & filed a motion to recuse him off the cases. A judge removed him in May + gave cases to the AG. AG just dropped felony charges.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 23/09/2026
They're really trying to get people genuinely interested in this
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Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Welp. According to Semafor, David Ellison has discussed bringing Elon Musk on as an investor in Paramount's merger with Warner Bros., which could mean Musk could have a stake in CBS News and CNN. www.semafor.com/article/09/2...
semafor.com
Exclusive: Paramount weighs tapping Musk for equity investment
A cash injection from SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk could reduce investor Larry Ellison’s financial burden and bolster the deal’s investor base.
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Patrick De Haan @gasbuddyguy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
diesel prices are now over $3/gal HIGHER than a year ago in: California +$3.28/gal Michigan +$3.22/gal Ohio +$3.13/gal Indiana +$3.13/gal Wisconsin +$3.12/gal Illinois +3.09/gal KY, WV, MO and SD are getting closer.
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Dave Lee @davelee.me · 23/09/2026
"I need this vehicle to be out of here NOW, or it will be crushed." Hilarious @joemillerjr.ft.com account www.ft.com/content/9cc4...
ft.com
What to do when your Waymo holds up a Secret Service motorcade
Stranded in six-lane traffic, surrounded by agents, my autonomous vehicle refused to budge
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 23/09/2026
"The mayor had 63% unfavorable ratings...with 28% favorable and 9% having no opinion. By comparison, 40% had a favorable view of Raman, according to the poll, while 39% said they had an unfavorable view of her and 21% had no opinion" 33% undecided right now. Wow www.latimes.com/california/s...
latimes.com
Raman takes big lead over Bass in latest poll for L.A. mayor's race
Councilmember Nithya Raman is favored by 39% of likely voters in the latest UC Berkeley/L.A. Times poll, with Mayor Karen Bass at 28%. But 33% are undecided.
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Whit EM @whittyrem.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Someone make it stop
Yellowstone themed frozen dinners. Not the park the show
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Ryan Schwartz @ryanschwartz.tv · 22/09/2026
Sounds like Matt Damon can rest easy.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 22/09/2026
Most were driving big trucks and SUVs, too, also fiscally responsible
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 22/09/2026
"Gas station owner John Price hosted Hilton. Price said Hilton the Hilton campaign was paying for the discounted gas—up to $12 gallons, for the first 150 customers." Well, he never said how much gas or how many people would get it for $3/gallon www.newspress.com/2026/09/22/s...
newspress.com
'Save with Steve': Governor candidate Steve Hilton visits Fuel Depot, offers $3 a gallon gas - Santa Barbara News-Press
One motorist who filled up said, 'It's the only time we are going to get money out of a millionaire.' First 150 customers got the discounted gas
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 22/09/2026
"State Senate President Monique Limón of Santa Barbara said the state had made a 'meaningful investment' in communities hosting the games — pointing to the $20 million for transportation and another $10 million for policing" $30 million vs. $379 million, sure www.latimes.com/california/s...
latimes.com
L.A. struggling to get Olympics transit money from Sacramento
L.A. Metro asked the Legislature for $379 million for Olympics-related capital projects, and got just $20 million.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 22/09/2026
"Yet according to the Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, the U.S. ranks just 64th, behind Botswana but ahead of Panama. Norway is No. 1." dankennedy.net/2026/09/22/b...
dankennedy.net
Bringing CBS News and CNN under one Trump-friendly roof is a disaster for freedom of the press
My students and I were talking this morning about press freedoms in the U.S. and in other Western democracies. How, I asked, could countries like Britain, Canada, Germany and France ensure such fre…
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Schnorkles O'Bork @schnorkles.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Iowa is absolutely going "Oh wait we voted for Obama."
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 22/09/2026
The end pretty much sums everything up about not just housing policies in L.A and California, but the mentality about building here. Pretty much convinced that the state isn't a multifamily one and something more than better transit will have to change that www.latimes.com/california/s...
He has another project with plans for 56 units. He could get the permits in six months, but the numbers just don’t work. In the last few years, the property’s appraised value has gone from $6 million to $3 million.

It currently serves as a parking lot.
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OB Cycler @obcycler.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Just days after a Tesla drove down the Pacific Beach boardwalk, on the other side of PB a woman drives at me on the Rose Creek Bikeway. @joelacavad1.bsky.social our bike and walking trails need to be protected by steel bollards.
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Scott Nover @scottnover.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
NEW: The Washington Post said it will not publish photographs of presidential events until midnight, joining a collective effort with photographers in other newsrooms covering the White House in a show of support of the banned outlets. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
washingtonpost.com
Major TV networks halt video coverage of Trump over CNN ban
CNN, along with MS NOW and Politico, filed a lawsuit over the ban, which the president defended as “an assault on the FAKE NEWS.”
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
Yes fucking yes
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
In most municipalities it's established they belong in the street with a car or truck. Enforcement, well,
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
It's very region-specific but if an e-assisted, multi-wheeled vehicle exceeds running speed of a human, it's a motorcycle, which should require a license and to be on the street with other gas-powered multi-wheeled vehicles. It's so simple www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
When is an ebike not an ebike? When it has a powerful illegal engine. Get this menace off our roads | Peter Walker
As a cyclist I want the authorities to act with clarity. Lime bikes and renters can be annoying, but the true threat is those who dangerously flout the law, says the Guardian’s senior political corres...
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
Proof Tom Cruise has no sense of time (like I'm one to judge)
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
Also, plug the damn thing in. Seriously.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
Barring any massive price hike, this looks like a win for Volvo and its PHEV lineup, already a long-standing hit. Yeah, it could charge more quickly but that doesn't seem to affect loyalty and as others cheapen interiors, these old Volvos are still nice inside www.volvocars.com/us/media/pre...
Volvo XC60 PHEVVolvo XC60 interiorVolvo XC90 rearVolvo XC60 Bowers & Wilkins speaker
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
Seriously. Yellow. Saab.
Saab still from Remarkably Bright Creatures
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
I would've died to even work at Vroman's
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
None of this dims the night's genuine milestones." All the respect to the premise of this and, lord knows, media is not kind to people of color, but the hed dims the night's milestones variety.com/2026/tv/news...
variety.com
Emmys So White Part 2: No Actors of Color Win Major Acting Prizes on TV’s Biggest Night
The 2026 Emmys saw no actors of color win in the 12 lead and supporting acting categories, reviving concerns over diversity in Hollywood.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
Back to other national matters: the level we're validating our elected officials' validity to validate decisions national and internationally is ridiculous now that we know members of the three branches of government tend to live past 72 now www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/u...
nytimes.com
Mitch McConnell Returns to Senate After Three Month Absence
Senator Mitch McConnell, the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican and former leader, had been absent for more than 13 weeks after a health incident, fueling questions about his ability to continue serving.
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
No joke they were about 14 minutes short
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
The equivalent of TV news doing a live shot from that one gas station that’s notoriously expensive Go somewhere else. Anywhere else
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
just anything with him and matthew goode
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Zac Estrada @zacestrada.com · 15/09/2026
20th anniversary and Calista's there
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