Sean O’Kane
@seanokane.bsky.social
Senior Transportation Reporter at TechCrunch. Formerly Bloomberg News and The Verge. Obsessed with public records and LLCs. Bad surfer. Reluctant karaoke participant.
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Signal: okane.01
[email protected]
Send tips 🕵️♂️
Signal: okane.01
[email protected]
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Sean O’Kane
@seanokane.bsky.social
· Nov 9
‘Whatever you want Ben’: Inside Ben Horowitz’s cozy relationship with the Las Vegas Police Department | TechCrunch
When Skydio, a young maker of drones in San Mateo, California, sent a customer proposal in 2023 to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, its chief
techcrunch.com
Hellloooo bsky I have a brand spanking new story hot off the presses I hope you’ll enjoy.
We received a cache of emails that detail how VC Ben Horowitz has been secretly funding the purchase of advanced tech for Las Vegas’ police department.
MUCH more inside ⤵️
techcrunch.com/2024/11/08/w...
We received a cache of emails that detail how VC Ben Horowitz has been secretly funding the purchase of advanced tech for Las Vegas’ police department.
MUCH more inside ⤵️
techcrunch.com/2024/11/08/w...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
Today is the publication day for WITHOUT CONSENT, a book I am so proud to share with the world, and that the New York Times Book Review says "is years — decades — overdue."
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
November 11, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Today is the publication day for WITHOUT CONSENT, a book I am so proud to share with the world, and that the New York Times Book Review says "is years — decades — overdue."
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Read more, and order in your preferred format from your favorite retailer here: www.sarahweinman.com/book/without...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
When you take out execs & board members' shares voted - investor support for Elon Musk's $1 trillion 2025 pay plan was lower than for his $56 billion 2018 CEO pay plan. . . www.cnbc.com/2025/11/10/t...
Tesla investor support for Elon Musk's massive pay plan was lower in 2025 than in 2018
Tesla CEO Elon Musk received less support from shareholders for his trillion-dollar pay plan than he did when his prior package was put up for a vote.
www.cnbc.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:45 AM
When you take out execs & board members' shares voted - investor support for Elon Musk's $1 trillion 2025 pay plan was lower than for his $56 billion 2018 CEO pay plan. . . www.cnbc.com/2025/11/10/t...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
Filling out a banking form that asks for my occupation, and in what I am choosing to consider as a sign of the times, "journalist" is not a selectable option, but "cryptocurrency" is
November 10, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Filling out a banking form that asks for my occupation, and in what I am choosing to consider as a sign of the times, "journalist" is not a selectable option, but "cryptocurrency" is
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
This sucks! I know my RadWagon is far from the top of the line, but it allowed my family to replace car trips in suburban Detroit, and we love it so much.
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Rad Power Bikes faces shutdown in January without new funding | TechCrunch
The company is "still fighting to find ways to continue" according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
techcrunch.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:41 PM
This sucks! I know my RadWagon is far from the top of the line, but it allowed my family to replace car trips in suburban Detroit, and we love it so much.
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
This sucks. They had a good (enough) product that expanded the reach of ebikes to a whole lot of people.
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Rad Power Bikes faces shutdown in January without new funding | TechCrunch
The company is "still fighting to find ways to continue" according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
techcrunch.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:34 PM
This sucks. They had a good (enough) product that expanded the reach of ebikes to a whole lot of people.
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
I’ve loved my Rad ever since moving out here to Seattle and it’d be an absolute shame if they can’t make it.
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Rad Power Bikes faces shutdown in January without new funding | TechCrunch
The company is "still fighting to find ways to continue" according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
techcrunch.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:39 PM
I’ve loved my Rad ever since moving out here to Seattle and it’d be an absolute shame if they can’t make it.
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
micromobility is one of the most potentially transformative and exciting sectors in mobility tech, but it also faces some of the toughest paths to economic viability
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Rad Power Bikes faces shutdown in January without new funding | TechCrunch
The company is "still fighting to find ways to continue" according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
techcrunch.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:30 PM
micromobility is one of the most potentially transformative and exciting sectors in mobility tech, but it also faces some of the toughest paths to economic viability
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
I was discussing with a friend last week how it seemed like they were not selling at sustainable prices relative to competitors. Oops?
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Rad Power Bikes faces shutdown in January without new funding | TechCrunch
The company is "still fighting to find ways to continue" according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
techcrunch.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:27 PM
I was discussing with a friend last week how it seemed like they were not selling at sustainable prices relative to competitors. Oops?
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
[redacted]
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Rad Power Bikes faces shutdown in January without new funding | TechCrunch
The company is "still fighting to find ways to continue" according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
techcrunch.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
[redacted]
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Rad Power Bikes faces shutdown in January without new funding | TechCrunch
The company is "still fighting to find ways to continue" according to an email viewed by TechCrunch.
techcrunch.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:22 PM
NEW: Rad Power Bikes has told employees it will go out of business in January without new funding.
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
The company said in a staff email that it had a "very promising" option to stay alive, but whatever that was, it fell apart.
Story with @kirstenkorosec.bsky.social
techcrunch.com/2025/11/10/r...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
The US's key cybersecurity coordinator is facing a crisis of trust amid staffing cuts, censorship allegations, and shutdown furloughs. What could go wrong? www.theverge.com/policy/81688...
America’s cybersecurity defenses are cracking
The shutdown is just the latest threat to CISA’s workforce.
www.theverge.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:32 PM
The US's key cybersecurity coordinator is facing a crisis of trust amid staffing cuts, censorship allegations, and shutdown furloughs. What could go wrong? www.theverge.com/policy/81688...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
Here's our interview with the creators of Save Our Signs, a project to archive signs and placards from national parks as the Trump administration attempts to rewrite history by having many removed.
YouTube here, subscribe for an interview like this every week: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCE...
YouTube here, subscribe for an interview like this every week: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCE...
Volunteers Archived 10,000 Signs from National Parks (with Jenny McBurney and Lynda Kellam)
YouTube video by 404 Media
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Here's our interview with the creators of Save Our Signs, a project to archive signs and placards from national parks as the Trump administration attempts to rewrite history by having many removed.
YouTube here, subscribe for an interview like this every week: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCE...
YouTube here, subscribe for an interview like this every week: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrCE...
Rudolph Giuliani? The Yankees fan?
November 10, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Rudolph Giuliani? The Yankees fan?
at this rate he is going to run out of crooks to pardon
again, the legal system, far from providing accountability, is marshaled to rewrite and reverse consequences for January 6
Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani and others who backed efforts to overturn 2020 election, official says
A Justice Department official says President Donald Trump has pardoned his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, his former chief of staff Mark Meadows and others accused of backing the Republican’s e...
apnews.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
at this rate he is going to run out of crooks to pardon
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
We should post "aspirational visions of masculinity." I'll start
November 10, 2025 at 12:32 PM
We should post "aspirational visions of masculinity." I'll start
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
Here's a story about the family whose 1-year-old girl was pepper-sprayed yesterday by federal agents. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/09/c...
Pepper-sprayed Berwyn family rattled after getting caught up in federal blitz
Southwest Side politicians condemned Saturday’s pepper spraying and the federal sweep of Little Village as “state-sponsored terrorism” at a news conference Sunday.
www.chicagotribune.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Here's a story about the family whose 1-year-old girl was pepper-sprayed yesterday by federal agents. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/09/c...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
It's an important launch for Jeff Bezos' space company, which is trying to prove its rockets can be re-used while delivering its first commercial payloads.
Blue Origin scrubs second launch of New Glenn due to weather, cruise ship traffic | TechCrunch
It's an important launch for Jeff Bezos' space company, which is trying to prove its rockets can be re-used while delivering its first commercial payloads.
techcrunch.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:32 PM
It's an important launch for Jeff Bezos' space company, which is trying to prove its rockets can be re-used while delivering its first commercial payloads.
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
Looks like this is real. About 40% of the flight at 8k feet, then bumped up to 10k, and then finally went up higher, but only to 20k feet. Much slower than normal flight and likely burned a lot more fuel. But the view out the window was probably impressive.
www.flightaware.com/live/flight/...
www.flightaware.com/live/flight/...
November 9, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Looks like this is real. About 40% of the flight at 8k feet, then bumped up to 10k, and then finally went up higher, but only to 20k feet. Much slower than normal flight and likely burned a lot more fuel. But the view out the window was probably impressive.
www.flightaware.com/live/flight/...
www.flightaware.com/live/flight/...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
The indictment is insane, these guys were literally texting with bettors mid game!!! www.justice.gov/usao-edny/me...
![Specifically, on or about May 28, 2025, the Cleveland Guardians played an MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The game began at approximately 1:10 p.m.
Before the game, at approximately 1:00 p.m., Bettor-1 sent a text message to the defendant EMMANUEL CLASE DE LA CRUZ confirming whether CLASE was, "[a]ll set." CLASE responded, "[yjes." At approximately 3:36 p.m., in the middle of the game, Bettor-1 and Bettor-2 each placed wagers totaling approximately $4,000 (including a parlay bet) that a pitch thrown by CLASE would be a Ball/HBP. CLASE threw a pitch that appeared to be a ball, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike and leading Bettor-1 and Bettor-2 to lose their wagers.
28. Approximately 20 minutes after Bettor-I lost the wager on May 28, 2025,
Bettor-1 sent a text message to the defendant EMMANUEL CLASE DE LA CRUZ-a gif image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper. Even though the Cleveland Guardians won the game, approximately 10 minutes later, CLASE responded to Bettor-1 with a gif image of a sad puppy dog face.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fctau3eedws5cdrvnv4k6n2q/bafkreih2vgl2nl37o5f5wfldumrq32j4c3izcvfsjzzsueo752r7vdu2hu@jpeg)
November 9, 2025 at 7:59 PM
The indictment is insane, these guys were literally texting with bettors mid game!!! www.justice.gov/usao-edny/me...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
This post appeared under this Techmeme headline:
NEW: Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe will serve as chairman for Mind Robotics, per a new filing that just hit
techcrunch.com/2025/11/04/r...
techcrunch.com/2025/11/04/r...
Rivian creates another spinoff company called Mind Robotics | TechCrunch
It's the second time this year Rivian has spun out a new company, after it created micromobility startup Also in March.
techcrunch.com
November 9, 2025 at 6:07 AM
This post appeared under this Techmeme headline:
This is true (and the WSJ breakdown is great) but I can’t stress enough how low a bar some of the milestones are compared to what Musk touted over the years.
He used to say Tesla would make 20M cars *per year by 2030*. Now he only needs to sell 20M by 2035 — and Tesla has already sold 8M!
He used to say Tesla would make 20M cars *per year by 2030*. Now he only needs to sell 20M by 2035 — and Tesla has already sold 8M!
easy to miss in the punditry about Musk's pay package:
he only becomes a trillionaire if he meets *a bunch* of milestones
payouts begin at $2 trillion market cap + other conditions
here's a handy graphic
www.wsj.com/business/aut...
he only becomes a trillionaire if he meets *a bunch* of milestones
payouts begin at $2 trillion market cap + other conditions
here's a handy graphic
www.wsj.com/business/aut...
![graphic: Tesla proposed a $1 trillion pay package with 12 tranches [now passed by shareholders] and for Musk to get the first tranche, Tesla must achieve:
* $2 trillion in market capitalization PLUS any one of
* $50 billion Ebitda (a measure of earnings)
* 20 million cars delivered
* 1 million robots sold
* 1 million robotaxis in operation
* 10 million Full Self Driving subscriptions](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:fwks525g7gw5wc7ul2wg4wj5/bafkreie4ria67kwkysdoelkwmh2ol4kphfem6umc4oakwtfhvt25jxskcm@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 1:05 AM
This is true (and the WSJ breakdown is great) but I can’t stress enough how low a bar some of the milestones are compared to what Musk touted over the years.
He used to say Tesla would make 20M cars *per year by 2030*. Now he only needs to sell 20M by 2035 — and Tesla has already sold 8M!
He used to say Tesla would make 20M cars *per year by 2030*. Now he only needs to sell 20M by 2035 — and Tesla has already sold 8M!
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
The Flex Loan, a new type of payday loan pioneered by Advance Financial in Tennessee, allows residents to borrow up to $4,000 at a 279.5% interest rate.
It has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders.
(Published May with @tennesseelookout.com)
It has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders.
(Published May with @tennesseelookout.com)
This Lender Said Its Loans Would Help Tennesseans. It Has Sued More Than 110,000 of Them.
The Flex Loan, a type of payday loan pioneered by Advance Financial, has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders. Tennessee lawmakers declined to rein in the lending bu...
www.propublica.org
November 8, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The Flex Loan, a new type of payday loan pioneered by Advance Financial in Tennessee, allows residents to borrow up to $4,000 at a 279.5% interest rate.
It has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders.
(Published May with @tennesseelookout.com)
It has burdened low-income borrowers while generating huge profits for lenders.
(Published May with @tennesseelookout.com)
NEW: Rivian gives founder and CEO RJ Scaringe a new compensation package that could be worth as much as $5 billion
The compensation committee has canceled a similar-sized award from 2021 because of the "unlikeliness" of reaching the performance goals.
techcrunch.com/2025/11/07/r...
The compensation committee has canceled a similar-sized award from 2021 because of the "unlikeliness" of reaching the performance goals.
techcrunch.com/2025/11/07/r...
Rivian gives RJ Scaringe a new pay package worth up to $5B | TechCrunch
The company canceled a similar-sized award from 2021, when EV optimism was sky-high, due to the "unlikeliness" that the associated goals could be met.
techcrunch.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:04 PM
NEW: Rivian gives founder and CEO RJ Scaringe a new compensation package that could be worth as much as $5 billion
The compensation committee has canceled a similar-sized award from 2021 because of the "unlikeliness" of reaching the performance goals.
techcrunch.com/2025/11/07/r...
The compensation committee has canceled a similar-sized award from 2021 because of the "unlikeliness" of reaching the performance goals.
techcrunch.com/2025/11/07/r...
Reposted by Sean O’Kane
There's a meaningful history of unions and other civil society groups as trusted intermediaries of news & political education, which I think it's mission-critical to rebuild...
That large numbers of people believe it isn’t possible to know what is actually happening in the world = a crisis for democracy
About half of the teens surveyed believe that journalists frequently “make up details, such as quotes” and “pay for sources.” More than a third of teens believe journalists could improve by simply “Telling the truth,” “Fact checking,” and “Not lying.” buff.ly/7vgO0ci
November 7, 2025 at 6:25 PM
There's a meaningful history of unions and other civil society groups as trusted intermediaries of news & political education, which I think it's mission-critical to rebuild...