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stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale · 7 months

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Was Javier Garcia "not bisexual enough" in ANF?

I feel like everyone reading the title of this essay is going to say, "Well, yeah? Obviously? Javi didn't show any interest in men outside of that one optional moment of flirting with Jesus and then he was confirmed bisexual by one of the writers after the season ended. If they wanted to make him bi, they should've done more with it because that's not enough."

That's a commonly expressed opinion no matter where you look, and it's not like it's unfounded, either.

On a surface level, I agree. While I understand the excitement of learning a character is canonically bi, in the case of Javier Garcia it still feels like celebrating crumbs tossed to us by Telltale after they had their cake and ate it, too. They snuck in some bisexual representation at the last minute for queer audiences without it being explicit so the homophobes wouldn't throw a tantrum.

Stuff like that happens. Sometimes the representation is subtle or implied in the subtext. Or, the queerness is condensed into something digestible and sanitized for straight audiences. Or, it's stated after the fact with little to no actual evidence to support it in canon.

Hell, even if it is obvious, like with Clementine being bisexual in TFS, you still have biphobes who will die on the hill of denial. Even now, in the year 2024, we have people insisting "Clem being bi came out of nowhere! They should've showed it in earlier seasons if they wanted it to make sense. I'm not homophobic but here's my essay PROVING that violentine is bad and forced and that Clem isn't bi!" Or, on the other extreme, "Clementine is a lesbian to me, bisexuality isn't real :)"

But I've already talked about Clementine and what her bisexuality means to me. I want to talk about Javier now.

He's an interesting case, both in the way his queerness was handled and portrayed in the game, and how audiences received it... as in, a lot of people said, "That's great and all, but is it really representation when it's not actually present? It's not enough."

That. That right there: "It's not enough." That's what I want to break down and examine.

Is Javier Garcia not valid as a queer character because he didn't reach this concept of "enough" in the eyes of the player? But what would have been "enough" then? Do people really understand what they're asking for when they discuss what they think Telltale should've done? Does it actually matter if Javier is queer when it comes to the plot and his journey as the protagonist, and if it doesn't matter, is that okay?

Should we just accept these crumbs sprinkled in our hands?

I want to make it clear that I'm but one bisexual examining a bisexual character and doing an analysis. I've climbed out of my bog to write this because I want to discuss Javier and the writing as it pertains to his queerness, or lack thereof. I'm also aware that I'm not providing any irrefutable, concrete evidence here one way or the other; I'm speculating about Javier through a queer lens. I encourage any other bi, pan, or other queer person to add to these discussion points, whether in agreement or not.

Prior to TFS, the queer representation in TWDG wasn't great...

Though the games do get progressively gayer as the seasons go on. And some even get to live! Progress!

S1 had... uh, none? Wait, is that right? ...Yeah, no, I'm tuning my gay radio and it isn't picking up any signals, Captain. Nothing gay in these waters.

S2 had Walter and Matthew, who both died shortly after being introduced. There's some homoerotic undertones between Luke and Nick but nothing was ever confirmed. Also, they both died, so... not great.

The Michonne mini-series had Jonas and Zachary, but Zachary will always die no matter what. Jonas can die, too, but it's determinant. Paige was confirmed to be queer by the writers, though. Uh, progress? Kind of? Not really, it's never talked about and you only pick up on her feelings for Sam if you squint and pay close attention. But hey, at least she got to live!

Then, in ANF we have Javier, our playable protagonist, and Paul "Jesus" Monroe, a gay character who also showed up in the comics and TV show. Would'ja look at that, they both got to live! I should also mention nothing was ever confirmed about Ava but... c'mon, y'know? Captain, there's a faint signal on my radio; when you know, you know. Except she died, to, so... still not great.

Then came TFS, who really said, "Screw you, here's all the gay!"

They gave us bisexual Clementine with both of her romance routes. Violet, Minerva, James, mentions of his past boyfriend, Charlie... Aasim was planned to be bisexual and I don't see why we can't reclaim that for him, and one day I'll crawl out of my bog to write my analysis on the queer-coding/subtext of Louis' character because if I read "lmao Louis is such a Straight" one more time, I'm going to let the gators take a bite out of me just so that I can feel something other than irritation for once.

Sigh. It's so hard being a "Louis ain't straight" truther out here, so few understand.

My plights aside, there's no avoiding the queerness of TFS. Even if your Clementine doesn't romance anyone, or romances Louis, you can't avoid the fact that Violet and Minerva were girlfriends at one point. It's determinant if James will tell you about Charlie, but that doesn't change the fact that James is gay.

But it runs deeper than that. This is a story about these troubled youth who were abandoned by their families and teachers, the ones who were supposed to love and help them, because "something was wrong with them, they did something bad... they need fixing."

These young people have to fight against an oppressive group of adults looking to steal their autonomy, change them, mold them into what's expected to survive. Their identities don't matter to the raiders. All the raiders care about is erasing such identities so that they fall in line and obey, and if they don't comply, they die... or worse.

Yes, it's a story about Clementine and AJ finally finding a home, but no matter how you play, it's also a narrative steeped in queer themes and subtext. You can tell that the people who made it not only cared about these things and wanted them weaved throughout the story, but that some of them were queer themselves.

But where does that leave us with Javier?

With everything TFS did, it's easy to look back at ANF with a critical eye and pinpoint its flaws in every aspect. While I don't believe it's the worst game Telltale ever made [I mean, Minecraft Story Mode exists], in my opinion, it's the messiest game in the main series. It's not bad, but I'd much rather play S1 or TFS.

For all the criticism it received, most players did like Javier as the playable protagonist. Well, they did once they got over the fact that Clementine wouldn't be taking on that role again, and was instead relegated to only being playable in flashbacks.

Javi's personality can vary depending on player choices, but for the most part, he's a charismatic man who loves his family. He used to be a professional baseball player before he was booted from the league for gambling. He can be cocky and sarcastic, and it usually lands him in trouble. He tends to cope and deflect using humor. He has a past of being irresponsible and selfish; he wasn't even there when his father died, despite knowing he was dying of cancer. His relationship with David is complicated, only made messier if he and Kate end up together. He's trying his best... for the most part. Javi even ends up being a father figure to Gabe and Mariana after they all thought David was dead, and he's very open about his grief following Mariana's death.

But given everything we learn about him while playing ANF, how do we know Javi isn't straight? After all, his main love interest is Kate, a woman. He also has opportunities to flirt with Eleanor, another woman. He doesn't show any signs of being attracted to any of the men who are around... until Paul "Jesus" Monroe.

At the end of ep5, Javi and Jesus have a conversation where one of the dialogue options is, "I like you, Jesus." Granted, that doesn't have to mean "like-like;" you can say you like someone without any romantic intentions. Plus, Jesus IS a cool character. Players who picked that option likely weren't thinking of it in a romantic sense.

It's the way that Jesus responds to this option, though: a flirtatious smile, lidded eyes, the deep dip of his voice.

Javier: I gotta admit, man. You're a fucking badass! Jesus: You're a real charmer... You know that? Through and through.

It's not difficult to see Jesus is being flirtatious, and Javi sees it, too. How does he react?

Forgive me, but I'm about to over-analyze this six-second gif. I love his reaction so much. That subtle jump of his shoulders as if a jolt just ran through his gut at the way Jesus lowers his voice. Surprised, and then the movement of the brows, the slide of the eyes, and the little upturn of the mouth says to me "Oh… oh." Caught off guard, perhaps a little bashful.

Option 1: Javier: Oh, you know what they say. Takes one to know one. Jesus: That they do. Option 2: Javier: Are you really sure you don't want to stay? There's room. Jesus: Oh, uh... I'm sure there is, but... we got other people depending on us, Javi. Just the way it is. Option 3: Javier: Meant to tell you... That, uh, armor you got is great. Jesus: Oh... Oh, uh... Hmm... Well, uh... Thanks, um... It gets the job done.

Javi knows what Jesus is getting at regardless of your choice. He understands this is flirtatious, but is startled since he likely didn't consider that Jesus likes men, too. We the audience have a better chance at knowing if, especially those familiar with the character from the comics and the TV show. Javi wouldn't because why would he? It's not like Jesus is obvious and flaunting with the fact that he's gay.

What's funny about that is, given our topic of discussion, we could also argue that Jesus wasn't gay enough, couldn't we? If we're going to pick on Javier for not being more open about his sexuality, then it's only fair that we pick on other characters, no? Did Jesus need to be gayer? Would that improve ANF?

In fact, now that I think about, was James gay enough in TFS? Was one moment where he talks about his boyfriend, a scene that's determinant so not every player got it, enough? What about Minerva? We know she and Violet were girlfriends before Marlon traded her away, that's information that's unavoidable, but did she actually reach this apparent high standard of "enough" in the eyes of the audience?

Are we entitled to unequivocal evidence of queerness, and the heaping amount we deem necessary, otherwise it's not good enough and shouldn't be bothered with at all? Are more casual displays of queerness bad?

I can already hear people jumping to defend James and Minerva, and likely Jesus, against this because "it's totally different!"

Sure. Javier's situation is different from James, Jesus, and Minerva's respective situations. James actually uses the word boyfriend and he keeps a picture of him and Charlie in his pocket. Jesus appears in The Walking Dead universe outside of the game with more evidence of queerness. Minerva's past relationship with Violet is made clear even when you don't pursue Violet's route, not to mention the underlying metaphor of conversion with her being changed/brainwashed/traumatized by the raiders to be just like them.

Javier is different because that scene with Jesus is the only in-game evidence of his queerness, right? Then he had to be confirmed as bisexual by one of the writers once ANF ended.

Surely, they could've brought up the fact that Javier's bi earlier, right? Made mentions of a past boyfriend, or had a flashback about Javi coming out to his family? Why only let him flirt with Kate and Eleanor? Why wasn't there an option to flirt with Tripp, or some other male character? What about a darker turn where David didn't accept Javi for it? David's portrayed as an antagonist, anyway, why not toss a little homophobia into the mix? Why not reveal it if Javi rejects Kate? What if Kate was so hurt by the rejection that she asked him, "It's true, David was right. It's because you like men, isn't it?"

It feels like they decided at the last minute to just toss it in, like someone walked into Telltale one day and said, "Y'all, I just thought of the funniest thing- Javi should be bi so that we can make jokes about him swinging both ways!" And then everyone clapped.

Here's the deal: Something about this sits differently with me, and that's probably thanks to one of ANF's writers, Adam Esquenazi Douglas.

He's the one that confirmed Javier as bisexual.

Adam had his hand in writing for 4/5 episodes, and he said he wrote the scene where Javi can flirt back with Jesus, but it's that last line of his: "After all, they always say write what you know."

I don't know how many of you who are reading this are writers, or creators in general, but I assume many of you are. It doesn't matter if you write fanfiction, create fanart, write essay posts or headcanons or whatever. I have a firm belief that creative people pour so much of themselves into their work that, if given enough material and studied enough, you can get a glimpse of their soul. Even if done unintentionally, we project ourselves into these works; the characters, themes, conclusions, everything.

Am I suggesting that Adam was secretly a bisexual mastermind who threaded queerness throughout the entirety of ANF and we were all too blind to see it? No, and if he did, then he needs to step forward and tell me so that I can study ANF frame by frame to compile the secret evidence into a new essay.

...Actually, on second thought, maybe don't do that to me, Adam.

My point is, yes, it's true that it's likely Javi being bi was added in at the last minute... but can we really dismiss Javier as "not bisexual enough" when Adam had influence over Javi's character throughout the whole season? And I ask again: is the casual queerness of Javier bad?

Time to speculate and answer some of those questions about Javier

Let's talk about Kate for a minute. She is Javier's main love interest, whether you choose to accept her feelings or not, so she can give us a good point of reference for what Javi looks for in a partner.

Kate and Javi share a similar sense of humor that bounces well between the two. Kate wants to travel, Javi's well traveled from his time as a profession baseball player. They both exist in this space of "we're kind of the family screw up." Granted, Javi's more in it than Kate is, but you can see parts of her that come through where she's a little rebellious, a little not good enough [ironically]. They both feel trapped in their situations; Kate in her marriage, Javi in a slow downward spiral of not knowing what to do with himself now that he's booted from his career. They have complicated relationships with David, and together, they've raised Gabe and Mariana through the years after they believed David was dead.

They're a lot alike in many ways, so this is hardly an opposites attract type of romance.

What's interesting is if you then look at Jesus, he has some similar qualities to Kate; a sense of humor even when things are looking bleak, they to help and protect people, are willing to throw themselves in danger to save Richmond. Then if you add Eleanor, the other person Javi has some flirtatious dialogue with, you can apply those qualities to her, as well... though the big difference with her is Eleanor sells the group out because she wants to stay.

With the little information we have, we can speculate on Javi's preferences. He prefers someone more similar to him. I know, I know, everyone loves a good opposites attract tale, they're so different but similar at their cores, they fill in each other's gaps, yada yada... except not everyone is like that, obviously.

My working theory is that a partner who would act as the opposite of Javi would be someone who acts like David... and does Javi really want to date someone like his brother? Though that then opens up a whole can of worms since if Javi and Kate are so similar, and David married Kate... this isn't an essay about David, but that's certainly a thing to chew on.

With that, I suppose we can answer the question, "But if Javi's bi, why didn't he flirt with any men prior to Jesus?"

What men?

No, seriously, where are all these men Javi's supposed to flirt with? Are they hiding? I know you hid them in the game, Adam, where are they?

Wait, do you mean Tripp?

I don't want to step on the toes of any Javi/Tripp shippers out there, but let's actually think about this. When we meet Tripp, Javi's just been separated from his family. He was knocked out and tied up by these assholes who caught him siphoning their gas, then this teenager cut down a tree which resulted in him getting into a car accident. Said teenager then tried to rob him before agreeing to escort him back to his family but first, they gotta go to Prescott. I wouldn't say Javier's in the flirtatious mood by the time he meets Tripp.

But he can flirt with Eleanor, right?

So, why not Tripp?

Because Tripp is a man and he has feelings for Eleanor. That's made quite clear from ep1. He told Javi that he and Eleanor had a thing once. Sure, Javi could still harmlessly flirt with him, but have we stopped to consider that Javi isn't as confident with openly flirting with men like he is women? After all, who initiated the actual flirting between him and Jesus in ep5? That would be Jesus, and it happens after the danger is over and Javi doesn't have to worry about dying for a little bit.

Listen, I understand that Tripp is big. He's built like the lumberjack of our dreams. He has a nice beard. He's not afraid to talk about his feelings even when he fumbles all over them. He's strong and caring and brave. He could easily toss me over his shoulder like I'm a sack of flour and then throw me across the room... what's not to love? Surely, if Javi actually liked men, he would've made a move on Tripp at some point.

Except, would he? Is Tripp even Javi's type? Because I'm pressing X to doubt.

Also, why does he need to?

This is where I question why some people think Javi has to flirt with a bunch of men to "prove" he's bisexual? I'm sorry, do you believe there's a quota all bisexuals have to meet to maintain their membership card? You have to flirt with this many genders a month otherwise they'll revoke your premium status?

Sometimes I wonder if people unintentionally lean into the "promiscuous bisexual" stereotype, or if they do genuinely believe that bisexuals have to express interest in multiple people of different genders in order to prove themselves queer enough.

Did we ever stop to think that Javi's just not like that? An open flirt, I mean. Yeah he's charismatic and funny and all that, but Kate, Eleanor, and Jesus all initiate the romantic dialogue with him first; Kate tells him she needs to get laid hint hint, Eleanor calls him pretty, and Jesus calls him a real charmer.

Tripp never gives him any indication that he's interested or that he even likes men, so why would Javi make a move?

As for any other man? Again, what men? Max? Dr. Lingard? Clint? Conrad? And forget adding a new character to ANF; it could barely handle the characters it already had and you want to add a new one just for Javier? Let's face it, Tripp was the best option and that's just it, he wasn't an option.

"But my Javi WOULD flirt with Tripp and the game didn't give me the option!"

And there it is.

Javier isn't your OC

ANF isn't a massive RPG where starting a new game brings you to a character creation menu, and you get to decide every factor about the character you want to play.

ANF is an episodic, point-and-click Telltale game, and Javier isn't your OC. Like with Lee and Clementine, there are some things you just don't get a say in, and I think that gets to the player sometimes.

When I sit down to play a Dragon Age game, I go into it knowing that my character is mine, I get to decide who they are and who they're interested in. DA as an RPG has the capacity to give me a bunch of romantic options both in and out of my party that shape who my character is.

When I sit down to play TWDG, I go into it knowing that while I have my own Lee, Clementine, and Javi, I didn't create them but I am influencing who they become. I know it's a Telltale game, and that means limitations.

These games have always had the "illusion of choice" criticism chucked at them from the beginning. Usually that pertains to the choices you make that affect the overall story, but ultimately don't matter in the end.

For example, it doesn't matter if you save Carley or Doug because no matter what, they both die. My counter-argument for this has always been that the choice does matter in the way that it shapes your playable character, and how if affects the characters around you. A Lee who saved Doug over Carley had reasons for making that choice, and in turn, has a different experience going forward than a player who chose to save Carley.

Does it matter who shoots Duck in the woods after he's bitten? Or if he's left to turn? No matter what, he's going to die, so is that the illusion of choice? I don't believe so, because it does matter. It affects player experience.

That being said, I believe players who become invested in this series, especially those who engage in fandom, develop a warped sense of what should've been, forgetting the nature of a Telltale game. I know this because that's the foundation my blog was built on.

Javier Garcia isn't a blank slate. You didn't create him. He had a life before the start of the game, he has a personality that you didn't choose for him, and there are things you have no control over. If anything, we act as an influence over the TWDG playable protagonists. Most every option given is something that could reasonably play into their character. I say "most" because we all remember that [GLASS HIM] moment where Javi tells David that Kate's going to leave him and we were all like "THAT'S NOT WHAT I THOUGHT THAT OPTION WAS!" and it felt out of character.

Anyway, you don't dictate who these characters are but you get sway over the direction they take.

Javi can be a real prick to everyone, but that plays into the selfish and entitled part established with his character from the beginning. You can play him as genuine, trying to step up and do better for the sake of his family, another thing brought up from the very beginning.

"But why couldn't I make Javi flirt with Trip!?"

Because it's not an option. I don't know what else to tell you. I don't know what you want me to tell you.

ANF is a Telltale game that centers about Javier Garcia. It's a story about a man who, prior to the outbreak, screwed up and was wasting his life away. His relationship to his family sat upon a rocky foundation, crumbled by his own hands. He wasn't even there when his father died. We follow this man through a story of a family trying to survive, we watch him reunite with his brother and risk losing everything that kept him grounded and going. He experiences grief and anger and sorrow and happiness. In the end, he comes out of it all a different man, for better or worse.

That man just also happened to be bisexual.

And that's the thing: This isn't a story about Javier's sexuality. He isn't going around making moves on these elusive men that mastermind Adam Esquenazi Douglas maybe hid in the game somewhere because the game isn't about Javi liking men.

It's a game about his complicated relationships with Kate and David made messy by Kate being in love with him, and whether or not Javi loves her, too.

It's about Javi helping Clementine back on her path after she's been alone and bitter for so long. It's about them fighting to take down a group of people doing really shitty things to other communities. It's about losing Mariana and avenging her by killing the man who shot her. It's about Gabe feeling conflicted about his father, a man he always wanted to be just like, after realizing that David isn't this idealized figure Gabe thought he was.

It's about the promise Javi made to his father.

The fact that Javi happens to be bi doesn't matter in the grand scheme of the plot. It's just something that's apart of who he is, but because it's a small detail we feel was added in at the last minute, we decide it's not enough.

But what if it is enough? Do we even truly know what this concept of "enough" is?

Throughout writing this piece, I've found myself in a loop.

I'm happy Javier is bisexual. -> But should I be? -> We shouldn't settle for crumbs, we deserve more explicit representation. -> But is there really anything wrong with casual representation where the story doesn't focus on sexuality? It doesn't take away from other stories that do. -> I'm happy Javier is bisexual. -> But should I be?

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Queer stories are important and our voices need to be heard. We need stories that don't shy away from experiences that are hard to stomach. We need queer stories told by queer people. We need stories that are unapologetic, that aren't afraid to face their audience with pride. Stories that don't say "yeah but we have to bend a little to the bigots to maximize our profits." We need these stories that inspire us, hurt us, make us cry and piss us off. We need queer stories with happy endings that give us hope, that push us to seek a better future so that new generations of queer people don't feel alone in their struggles. We need queer stories that make us feel heard, seen.

Do stories with casual representation of queer characters fit in there somewhere, too? I think they do, because TFS is a casual representation story.

Clementine is bi and it isn't a big deal; she never has a moment where she's openly questioning, she doesn't have this big coming-out scene, there's no tears shed or anything. She isn't stomping around with her bi pride flag and announcing who she is with a heartwarming speech.

She just is.

Same thing with Violet. She never comes out to Clementine as a lesbian, no one ever calls her that, she just is.

Clementine's romance with Violet is treated just as it is with Louis, sincere and normal. No one questions her or Violet because to the Ericson crew, it is normal. They knew Violet and Minerva were together before but no one has any quips about it, positive or negative.

If you romance Violet but then save Louis, he makes mention that Clementine and Violet are close so why save him? But Louis, for as much as people side eye him for making jokes and never taking anything seriously, doesn't say anything more. He could've made a joke, "Ah, you like girls, I guess I never stood a chance then, haha." He doesn't, because it's not something out of the ordinary for him and it's not something he feels the need to pry over.

If you go fishing with Violet and Brody, you find the carved heart with Violet and Minerva's initials and AJ asks what it means. Clementine can tell him they were girlfriends, and AJ doesn't go, "Oh, that's weird," or "Huh, I didn't know girls could like each other." He just goes, "Oh. Love." and moves on because he grew up differently, it isn't a big deal to.

Even the antagonists aren't out here spewing homophobia, at least that I recall.

The Ericson crew are a generation that understands and accepts. Where Clementine could end up with either Louis or Violet and no one will raise a brow, or even feel compelled to signal their alliance like, "Ah, yes, I am accepting of you and your choice, good for you, I am an ally, I'm making this about me."

The Final Season of TWDG is great, and it proves that the writers at Telltale at the time wanted to explore these topics earnestly. It wasn't pandering or trying to score "woke points" with the LGBTQ+ community like some bigots will insist. If it were, it would've been way more obvious about it, I think.

Casual queer stories or serious stories that tackle the hardships of being gay?

Like the bisexual I am, I like both and everything in between.

Clementine didn't need to prove her bisexuality as "enough" in TFS, but since the circumstances were different, did Javier?

I'm going to take the potentially controversial road and say no. I understand why we wish they did more, and I understand why people have frustrations over creators dropping that information without actually having to commit in their work... but I also have some appreciation for the casual reveal of Javi being bi, regardless of why it was dropped.

Javier is valid. He didn't need to "prove" anything.

In a way, I believe we do have some control over the portrayal of Javier, and that's by engaging in fandom. If you were disappointed that Javi's queerness wasn't explored in game, then find a fic that does explore that side of him, or write your own. Engage with other people and their work about it. Comment on fanart, fics, and thought pieces. Write brain dumps. Find other Javi/Tripp shippers and prove me wrong, prove that Tripp is indeed Javi's type and have fun while doing it.

Telltale gave us the crumbs, so let that inspire us to bake a cake.

I don't think this concept of "not enough" is the most productive way we could go about discussing topics like this. Not everyone has the same level or standard, and every work is a unique case. But I think it is fun and productive to share ideas of what we would've done differently so that it may inspire us.

ANF, for all of its flaws, could be a tool used to teach us where our priorities are in storytelling, and influence what we want to create ourselves.

In conclusion: Javier Garcia is enough to me.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to crawl back to my bog and begin research into the meaning and metaphors behind walkers and their existence.

But before that, I want to give a big thank you to @pi-creates for making the Javi gif used in this essay, as well as for listening to all my bullshit during the writing process.

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freewayinsurance · 1 year

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What Happened to the VW Bus? Is It Coming Back?

Actually, nothing happened to the VW bus. It just became less popular, temporarily, in the United States. And yes, it is coming back in a big way!

After the 1970s, the U.S. shut down VW bus manufacturing since the popular van was no longer was able to meet new safety and emissions standards. Production continued in Brazil, however, until 2014, when Brazil enacted new standards that the current model of the bus couldn’t meet. When that happened, the German production factory shut down its production after 63 years – the longest running time of any vehicle ever.

Now, many people are excited to learn the Volkswagen Bus is coming back next year, in 2024 – as the ID. Buzz (yes, that is its name!). It’s electric, eclectic and brings back a hint of the hippie movement psychedelic nostalgia with its neon colors: tangerine, lime, grape and more. Volkswagen is hoping to once again earn the respect and admiration of a new generation of car buyers.

One reason the VW bus became obsolete was its failing safety measures. No matter what you choose to drive, being safely prepared for the road by purchasing affordable car insurance will ensure your favorite vehicle never goes out of style.

The Peculiar History of the VW Bus

Although many people in the U.S. think of the iconic Volkswagen bus as the original hippie van from the 1960s, it has a different association in Europe, where it was born in Germany in the 1940s. Colloquially called the VW Bus in America and the VW Camper in the UK, the Volkswagen bus was modeled after the German Plattenwagen, a vehicle originally made to carry car parts. Dutch businessman, race car driver, winemaker and Olympian Ben Pon, always looking for something new and already selling the hugely popular VW Beetle in the United States, saw the Plattenwagen during a tour of the Volkswagen plant in West Germany one day and the lightbulb went off.

The Beetle paved the way for what was known then as the VW Transporter, later called the Volkswagen Microbus and then, in later years, the Bus. In the 1950s when the Transporter hit the market, buyers could choose from 8 different models, all designed to answer a specific need. Today, there are more than 15 variations of the Transporter (or T models) on the market.

For example, the Kombi VW bus featured removable rear seats so consumers could use the van to carry cargo (and people). A variety of side windows options also made an appearance during these days, with a low-end version offering 11-15 windows spaced around the van and high-end versions offering 23-window VW buses. Early models carried a hard to clean split front windshield, earning it one of many nicknames, “the Splitty.” Volkswagen did away with this unpopular feature, creating a solid front windshield.

In Europe, families and friends used the popular bus for camping trips, as did Americans, who also plastered peace signs all over it and drove it to see Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. Europeans turned it into an ambulance, and everyone used its large interior for deliveries and carting stuff around.

In the 1960s, things began to turn around in the U.S. market when people became more concerned with vehicle safety and emissions – and something known as the chicken tax.

Chicken Tax

The Chicken War started when American farmers adopted poultry factory farming practices in the 1950s. Soon, chicken was being exported to Europe in mind-boggling numbers – which didn’t sit well with German farmers. Feathers flew and, as a result, high tariffs were implemented on imported chicken in Europe.

In America, the United Auto Workers were threatening a strike over the importing of the popular Volkswagen Type 2 pickup truck.

In response to both of the above, President Johnson imposed a 25% tax on imported light trucks. Called the Chicken Tax, it’s still in effect today. The effect on the Volkswagen is, in order to avoid the Chicken Tax, the vehicle cannot be sold as a truck or any kind of commercial vehicle.

Today’s Volkswagen Bus

Today, three different iterations of the VW bus are on the production line at a plant in Hanover, Germany. The model year T6 continues to be built with a van platform but is ceasing production with the new ID. Buzz. This is its last year. The T7 is a medium-sized Transporter with a large cargo area marketed as a plug-in hybrid. And the newest member of this family of unconventional members is the Buzz, due in the U.S. in 2024.

In Europe, the electric Buzz rolled into the market in 2022 and found new categories to master, including as a police car, a school bus, a postal truck and much more. But in America, the Buzz will never climb to the exalted ranks of a service vehicle. The chicken tax took care of that. It will always be a passenger van on these shores.

The Buzz About the Buzz

Let’s talk specifics about this new van that’s supposed to bring us all back to the days of concerts, tie-dye and peace signs. Of course, it is electric. But what other changes will we see?

Appearance: Some people think the new Buzz looks similar to the old Scooby-Doo van. Others think it looks like what might happen if a modern minivan had a baby with a sleek sports car. It certainly no longer has the goofy smile of the old VW Bus. Some people say it looks like an angry cousin.

Mechanics: It’s no longer necessary to carry around the “How to Fix Your Volkswagen for the Complete Idiot” and 3 wrenches. The downside is that a paper clip and a rubber band won’t fix the rear engine until you can get it to a shop. And, gasp, it comes in automatic transmission, too. Staying on top of maintenance will get you further.

Noise and Driving: If you’ve ever driven or ridden in an older VW Microbus, you already know how noisy it was, with bone-jarring shakes and rattles. It may – or may not – make it up that steep hill in the mountains of Colorado. Perhaps try reverse to make it up? Today’s version will have up to 201 horsepower (the original had an HP of two digits). It’s supposed to be much easier to maneuver. You’ve got to wonder if they took out all the fun!

Smart Car: You probably won’t consider the new Buzz as you did its distant little brother or sister. In the 60s, the bus was considered a valuable and friendly member of the family. The Buzz is more like the rather stern computer Hal in “2001: A Space Odyssey” (except for the part where Hal goes crazy and murders the crew). That won’t happen with Buzz, but it may stop you from switching lanes without signaling or flashing colors at you if there’s an obstruction in the road.

Overall, VW is banking on the new trend for electrical vehicles to help it become the world player it once was with the Beetle and the original VW bus in decades past. And although it may cost quite a bit more than the original ($1,800 vs $40,000), there are still fans clamoring to get a piece of yesterday for today.

Protect Your Vehicle Investment with Freeway Insurance

Whether you choose to drive a new electric VW Buzz or you are thrilled to get your hands on the iconic 60s version, having the right auto insurance can help you protect your ride and yourself. At Freeway Insurance, we can find affordable insurance that meets your budget and your needs. To get started, get a quick online quote, give us a call at (800) 777-5620 or stop by one of our convenient locations.

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epacer · 1 month

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Local News

New opportunities for students at Crawford High School

Crawford High School threw a grand kick off ceremony Monday morning for it's first day back to school.

Cheerleaders lined up to welcome their classmates back, the Junior ROTC led a morning ceremony with the pledge of allegiance, and school leaders gave speeches to set a positive tone for the new year.

Principal Dr. Reashon Villery and senior student leaders discussed new opportunities for students to make the most of the year ahead.

Jannelle Garcia, a senior and president of the student government, as well as captain of the cheer team, said she and her team were planning many new events for the school's social calendar over the summer.

"We haven't had a couple of Spring Fling dances in a couple of years, so we really want to push that because we also wanted to one last year," Garcia said.

Garcia said she's aiming to end her last year at Crawford High School on a high note, and she hopes her class doesn't let "senioritis" take over.

Dr. Villery also shared some exciting, new programs at Crawford High.

"One of the first programs we would like students to participate in is our PE Swim program. As a result of a tragedy a couple years ago, one of our students drowned, and we wanted to turn that tragedy into triumph," Villery said.

Villery said the PE Swim program will teach water safety and lifeguard skills, so students can go on and try to attain Junior Lifeguard jobs in the future.

Additionally, Villery announced the introduction of an EMT program. "We found that a lot of our male students expressed an interest in becoming a paramedic after high school," she said.

There will also be more opportunities for students who want to pursue a career as an attorney one day. Villery said the school is continuing its law program where the students can learn about the legal system in a classroom-courtroom setting.

"Our goal is to merge what the students are learning in law with our restorative justice practices, and how to help students resolve conflicts," Villery said.

Superintendent Lamont Jackson addressed cell phone use with students Monday morning.

In light of the Los Angeles Unified School District's recent ban on cellphones, Jackson said there are no plans for San Diego Unified to follow in their footsteps, as long as the students adhere to the policies of their teachers and their schools.

He also encouraged students to be mindful of their mental wellness and to use their phones in moderation.

Across the district, San Diego Unified said it is also extending its PrimeTime after-school program, which is now being offered at every elementary school. The program partners with community groups to offer activities for TK through 8th-grade students

The district is also growing its middle school sports program, and its Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) program which provides play-based learning for four-year-olds.

"We are continuing to grow our TK program. San Diego Unified has really led the state in making TK available for all four-year-olds, irrespective of your birthday. This year we're expecting close to 5,000 TK students," said Shana Hazen, president of the San Diego Unified School Board.

Hazen said there are still opening left for the UTK and encouraged parents interested in enrolling their four-year-olds to contact their local school for more information. *Reposted article from 10 News by Dani Miskell on August 12, 2024

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starsandsteelandbrokenglass · 6 months

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March 2024 Reading Wrap Up

I can't believe March is already over. The semester is flying by as usual. I've got a conference paper to prep, abstracts to submit, and a dissertation to write. Got my summer plans mostly figured out, but now I have to start thinking about the fall. March was another pretty decent reading month though! 12 books and about 3,800 pages across the board.

Leisure Reading:

The Book of Lost Saints by Daniel José Older- 4.5/5 stars; really great storytelling and memorable characters about a period of history I knew pretty much nothing about

Where Drowned Girls Go (Wayward Children #7) by Seanan McGuire- 4/5 stars; didn't hit me quite as heavily as the last one, but a solid addition to the series, and quite different in some ways

The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst- 3.5/5 stars; some bits of this were a bit slow and I didn't love all the characters, but I did appreciate the take on what it means to be a hero *after* being a hero (and after the age of 45)

Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian- 5/5 stars; this was amazing--funny, poignant, suspenseful, and super relatable from a humanities PhD standpoint

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune- 3.25/5; good messages, though sometimes a bit on the nose for me, and cool to see a retelling of Pinocchio, even if it's not a personal favorite

Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung by Nina MacLaughlin- 4.25/5 stars; I can be picky about my myth retellings, but I quite liked this, especially the wide variety of voices we got to hear

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia- 4.25/5 stars; this was a lot of fun, and while I was a little disappointed with the ending, I think it's my favorite of her stuff I've read since Mexican Gothic

The Annotated African American Folktales edited by Maria Tatar and Henry Louis Gates Jr.- no rating because I generally don't do that for short story collections, but this was great and super informative!

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates- 4/5 stars; a little slow, but I definitely get why this was so hyped up when it came out

Academic Reading:

Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film by Carol J. Clover

White Terror: The Horror Film from Obama to Trump by Russell Meeuf

Lies and Fiction in the Ancient World edited by Christopher Gill and T.P. Wiseman

My favorite book this month was definitely Gold Diggers--I actually think it's probably my favorite read of the year so far! Excited to see what April brings!

Currently Reading: Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina and It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror edited by Joe Vallese

#reading #mine #reading wrap up #monthly wrap up #march 2024

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shirlleycoyle · 3 years

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An Incredibly Toxic Lake Will Become One of the US’s First Lithium Mines

One of the United States' first major forays into lithium mining seems like it's going to be in the Salton Sea—one of the most polluted places in the country—after General Motors struck a deal with a mining company called Controlled Thermal Resources.

This is a big, and potentially very complicated, deal for anyone who cares about the planet. Many experts believe that in order to have any hope of staving off climate change, we have to electrify cars and essentially everything else as soon as possible (ideally, yesterday).

Lithium-ion batteries are key to this process, and global demand is expected to increase between 5 and 18 times over the next several years. Put simply, we will need a lot of lithium, and the overwhelming majority of lithium in today's batteries comes from Australia, Chile, China, and Argentina. But the American southwest has huge stores of lithium as well.

General Motors is hoping that a CTR mine in the Salton Sea can supply “a significant portion” of the lithium needed for its electric cars. It’s a step toward GM’s first-in-the-nation commitment to phasing gasoline-powered cars out of its production line by 2035—CTR is slated to start delivering lithium to the company by 2024, at which point the company will be well-poised to achieve this goal.

This is, potentially, a very good thing. But it's also complicated: Mining, broadly speaking, is environmentally destructive. Lithium mining is usually—but not always—less destructive than, say, strip mining. And the Salton Sea, an accidental reservoir near California vacation mainstays like Joshua Tree and Palm Springs, is one of the most polluted places on the planet due to decades of agricultural runoff. Environmentalists there worry that if the lake continues to dry up, toxic dust on its floor could go airborne and pollute the air between Phoenix and Los Angeles. The lake is understood to hold one of the nation’s largest lithium brine stores, capable of supplying up to 40 percent of global demand for the mineral, according to the California Energy Commission (CEC).

Legislators in California are aiming to position the region as a leader in the race for the mineral, which is widely viewed as essential to the transition away from fossil fuels. California has its own set electric vehicle targets to achieve: All new car sales must be zero-emissions by 2035. Being home to a store of minerals for batteries could make this easier, and this so-called soon-to-be “lithium valley” is leading the way.

“Right here in Southern California, we have the enormous opportunity to be a competitive player in the world lithium market,” said California Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, who represents Imperial County, where the Salton Sea is located, in a May committee hearing on the resource.

CTR claims its production process is self-contained and environmentally sound. It plans to use renewable energy to extract the mineral, which can be found in rocks, clays and underground reservoirs of brine. The Salton Sea is already home to a complex of 10 geothermal power stations, which pump steam from underground into generators and create a saline brine byproduct that is rich in lithium and send it back into the earth. CTR’s proposal would instead send that brine into open pits, where it would evaporate, eliminating water and leaving minerals for processing behind.

The proposal takes advantage of existing energy production processes without requiring much additional land. Proponents say this method would cut down on the industry’s environmental footprint.

But to community members around the proposed mines, ramping up lithium extraction feels complicated. The Salton Sea was created accidentally in 1905 after a portion of the Colorado River spilled out of its irrigation system—at 200 feet below sea level, it’s what’s called a “terminal” or “endorheic” lake, one lacking an outlet, that water from the Colorado River and runoff from nearby agricultural irrigation drains into, but not out of. The only way water in the lake can depart it is through evaporation, a process that leaves behind a fair amount of salt. Multiplied by the salinity of runoff it receives, the Salton Sea has become very salty—50 percent moreso than the Pacific ocean.

Image: David McNew/Getty Images

The Salton Sea was once a resort area, with a series of small towns and vacation spots on its coasts. It is now so toxic that few creatures can live in its waters, though it is still an ecologically important area for migratory birds. Some of the towns, such as Bombay Beach, have essentially become ghost towns over the past few decades.

Chemicals like arsenic, selenium, and pesticides are rampant in the lake’s waters, and their particles have been released into the atmosphere as it dries, which is happening at an increasing rate as drought grips the west coast. Communities around the sea have long felt the burden of pollutant exposure; asthma-related emergency room visits are more than double the state average and nearly a third of children experience respiratory symptoms like wheezing, allergies, and dry cough, medical surveys have found.

So, ramping up mining in one of the state’s most polluted counties—where 85 percent of residents are Hispanic or Latino and 22 percent live under the poverty line—feels risky to environmental justice organizers like Miguel Hernandez, communications coordinator at Comité Cívico del Valle. Hernandez hopes to see producers and local legislators make an effort to inform residents about the possible, yet-mostly-unknown health effects of lithium mining, which is water-intensive and produces a fair amount of mineral waste. The concerns pollution researchers like Katie Burnworth, who monitors the Salton Sea for the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District.

“It’s a dangerous, dirty process, with a lot of unknown material,” Burnworth told the California Desert Sun in February.

So far, Hernandez says, this educational effort has yet to happen.

“We actually go out there and knock on doors,” Hernandez said. “For those families that I've been able to talk to, it's either little to no information has been shared to them, or they just have what's out there by the media.”

Beyond California, lithium mining across the country has garnered widespread controversy in recent months. A proposed mine in Nevada, called Thacker Pass, was the site of protest in the Spring from local Indigenous communities and environmentalists who feared mining could deplete the already-dry region’s water stores, generate waste and emit thousands of tons of carbon dioxide.

All of that said, absent a massive degrowth movement that significantly reduces the amount of energy society uses, many experts believe we need lithium to decarbonize. Proponents of lithium mining say it is less environmentally destructive than mining for oil and coal, but it's also not good for the environment, and, broadly speaking, lithium mining uses a lot of water. The American southwest is already facing intense water shortages and drought, though the lithium in the Salton Sea is already in brine form.

Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, a technology repair company that seeks to extend the life of electronics, believes mining of any kind is inherently harmful, and “one of the worst things that we do as a species.”

“There is incredible environmental destruction that comes from it,” Wiens said.

But few extraction projects have Wiens—who says he devotes much of his time at iFixit to thinking about the depletion of nonrenewable resources—as optimistic as this one. The idea of using existing energy production to create something that would otherwise be shot back into the ground feels “pretty darn promising,” he says, noting that putting that effort toward a resource that would fuel the transition away from oil and gas is worthwhile.

“This to me seems like a perfectly common sense win-win situation,” Wiens says. “We don't have to dredge the desert … it's already in this liquid that we're circulating [for geothermal energy] anyway.”

Indeed, this argument is at the center of what’s splintered environmentalists about the hunt for lithium, among other minerals required to create solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. Some believe mining is a necessary evil and a requisite in the transition to renewables; others fear this is a bandaid for the broader issue of overconsumption, and say maintaining an extraction-based economy will not do enough to curb climate change. (Wiens, for his part, takes solace in seeing a broadening cohort of startups recycling lithium in batteries, which only became lucrative at scale recently, as the number of electric vehicles on the roads has shot up).

In a press release, CTR said that “The integration of direct lithium extraction with renewable geothermal energy offers the highest sustainability credentials available today. CTR’s closed-loop, direct lithium extraction process utilizes renewable power and steam – significantly reducing the time to produce battery-grade lithium products and eliminating the need for overseas processing. CTR’s operations will have a minimal physical footprint and a near-zero carbon footprint. The brine, after lithium extraction, is returned to the geothermal reservoir deep within the earth.” CTR provided the press release in response to a Motherboard request for comment.

Bringing job opportunities to a region with unemployment rates that have historically hovered around 20 percent could also flush cash into projects that need it badly, like pollution mitigation, education, infrastructure and healthcare, Wiens notes. Rodriguez echoes that belief, but isn't ready to get too excited. A recent solar buildout in Imperial County saw massive land use with little economic gains for the region because of tax exemptions and a slew of jobs handed to outsiders, he says.

Rodriguez would like to see local jobs and training programs come out of the CTR contract—an ask that’s still up in the air as the producer undergoes permitting processes. Ryan Kelly, representative of the district that’s home to the Salton Sea on the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, says this is a concern, one that he’s yet to broach with GM.

But as vice chair of the Lithium Valley Commission (a governing board Gov. Gavin Newsom created last September devoted to guiding the buildout of mining opportunities in the region), Kelly is currently fighting to pass an ordinance that would place a levy on the mineral, securing income from the mines for local projects like schooling and infrastructure.

Made up of representatives from industry, government, environmental groups, and community advocacy organizations like Hernandez’s, the commission’s goal is to facilitate conversation around economic and environmental concerns, and to draft a set of recommendations for the sector as it emerges in southern California.

“What community-based organizations want to know is how are these large companies going to play a part in our community?” Kelly said. “What are they going to give back for what they take?”

Indeed, Hernandez says having a seat at the table is heartening for Comité Cívico del Valle. “I think this is the first, or one of the first opportunities that the community is able to be represented in these situations,” he notes.

But the commission’s framework is non-binding, meaning, once they pass an environmental impact review, companies like CTR do not have to follow the recommendations. Kelly is hopeful that this won’t be an issue (“Maybe I'm being a little too optimistic, but so far we haven't had any arguments,” he said, of the commission, with a laugh.)

Hernandez is hopeful, too—but he believes the next stages of approval in GM’s contract will be telling.

“I'm not against the industry, or any industry, but I'm a huge advocate for doing things right,” Rodriguez says. “Let's assume it's gonna be part of our communities. Then, let's make lithium a good neighbor.”

Motherboard reached out to representatives at General Motors but we did not hear back.

An Incredibly Toxic Lake Will Become One of the US’s First Lithium Mines syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

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rickhorrow · 7 years

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15 to watch + tech week of 8717

with Jamie Swimmer and Ronnie Socash

Amidst increasing chatter to move the event earlier in the calendar year, the 2017 PGA Championship prepares to tee off in North Carolina. The 99th PGA Championship takes place this week at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, with defending champion Jimmy Walker hoping for a repeat despite stiff completion from a resurgent Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. Among the sponsors preparing to activate at golf’s final Major of the season in a big way are Omega, which will hold an interactive photo display with ambassadors Sergio Garcia and McIlroy, as well as an opportunity for luxury shopping in The Championship Shops and the Omega Box Challenge for prizes. Omega is the official timekeeper of the PGA of America. However, the tournament continues to fight a reputation of irrelevance in a pro golf environment that increasingly focuses late-season attention on the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs and signature global fall events like the Ryder Cup and this year’s President’s Cup. Last week, CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said it would be a good thing to move the PGA Championship to May. More voices are chiming in – will we see a switch in 2018?

As MLB’s second half of the season intensifies, and students across the U.S. begrudgingly deal with the reality of a new school year on the horizon, EverFi’s “MLB Summer Slugger” program builds. MLB has partnered with EVERFI to launch “Summer Slugger,” a baseball-themed online course to help students in 4th and 5th grades retain math and literacy skills over the summer break. Summer Slugger is a first-of-its-kind digital platform to address summer learning loss that is offered nationwide. The program launched mid-summer, and according to Brian Cooley, President, EVERFI Sports and Entertainment Group, the online education leader “has 15-16 [MLB] teams involved now and we want to build great awareness and momentum as we get deeper into the season.” EVERFI featured MLB Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre at their Summer Slugger launch event, and chimed in MLB Commissioner rob Manfred, “We are pleased to announce this digital education platform with our new partners at EVERFI. Summer Slugger will help address a critical academic issue among young people around the country while also providing a fun, interactive baseball experience for children on their favorite tech devices. The summer months are synonymous with our game and this is a great opportunity to have a positive impact on students through this program.”

For the second consecutive year, high school football participation at the 11-player level decreased by more than 3,000 students in California, according to the California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF’s) annual sports participation survey. In 2015, there were 100,205 participants, 3,520 fewer than the previous year. In 2016, there were 97,079, a drop of 3,126. Eight player football participation increased by 196. “I don’t think it’s a concern but reflects concerns by parents and reflects a national trend in youth sports, said Roger Blake, CIF Executive Director. “Kids are still playing sports. They’re just playing other things.” Overall, sports participation at the high school level increased for the fifth consecutive year to an all-time high of 785,357 in California, up by 0.78%. Lacrosse saw the largest percentage increase among individual sports, including a more than 12% increase among girls. Football remains the most popular sport for boys, and soccer for girls. As goes California goes the nation – and while youth football continues to thrive, the migration of kids into other sports is a strong sign that parents and participants are taking concussion and CTE data seriously.

Manchester United is set to announce mobile dating app Tinder as their first ever sleeve sponsor, according to multiple reports.The Daily Mail is reporting that Tinder is willing to pay the 20-time English champions US$15.9 million to have its logo on the left sleeve of one of the most recognizable shirts in world soccer. Tinder would appear alongside the club’s main shirt sponsor Chevrolet, which signed a seven-year deal in 2014 worth a reported US$66 million a year. The 2017/18 season is the first campaign that sleeve sponsorship has been made available to Premier League teams, and nine clubs have already taken advantage of the new commercial opportunity. In May, the Silicon Valley-based organization nbsp;launched a partnership with Italian side Napoli, which gave fans of the Serie A outfit special interaction with striker Arkadiusz Milik, who was set up with a dating profile on the app. Manchester United kicks off the new season at home against West Ham United on August 13. A deal with United would clearly mesh with Tinder’s wider strategy to develop a more mainstream, global brand.

Coming on the heels of a successful MLS All-Star Game in Chicago, MLS and adidas have reportedly signed a six-year contract extension through 2024. According to SportsBusiness Journal, the two sides have agreed to keep the partnership alive, as adidas will continue to outfit all MLS clubs. On top of outfitting all teams, adidas will provide the league match ball. Financial terms to the deal have not yet been disclosed by either side, “but industry sources said that the extension is valued at $700 million.” The partnership between MLS and adidas began at the league’s inception in 1996, “when three clubs had deals with the brand.” This partnership is unique when compared to the other soccer leagues of the world, since each team typically picks its own jersey and apparel outfitter instead of being assigned one by the league. The adidas extension also confirms the ever-growing impact of MLS on the world soccer stage, as adidas has similar relationships with top-tier leagues around the globe.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have played an International Series game in London every year since 2013, and now the team has signed its first United Kingdom-only sponsorship because of that. According to SportsBusiness Journal, the NFL franchise is reaping the rewards of competing overseas as it announced a partnership with London-based investment management firm LGT Vestra U.S. The firm targets “Americans living in Europe, plans a variety of year-round joint B2B activities, including at the Jaguars’ annual game at Wembley Stadium.” The Jaguars are not given any signage during NFL International Series games, so the firm will not get any, though it will receive in-game recognition. This sponsor piggy-backs on the Jags’ two U.S.-based sponsors for the abroad series game, Visit Florida and insurance firm U.S. Assure. Jags Senior Vice President, International Development Hussain Naqi wrote, “…The fact LGT Vestra U.S. is committed to growing the game and further raising the profile of the Jaguars brand in the U.K. is great news for our team.” As futbol expands to the U.S., via increasing numbers of “friendly” matches and international player transfers, so too is the NFL digging deeper into U.K. soil.

Another day, another dollar. At least that’s what it seems to be like in the NBA, as the Denver Nuggets become the most recent team to sign a jersey patch sponsor for this upcoming season. According to SportsBusiness Journal, the Nuggets have signed a deal with Colorado-based money transfer firm Western Union. With the deal, Colorado’s NBA franchise becomes the 11th of 30 teams across the league to sign a jersey patch sponsor. In signing the deal, it makes “Western Union a co-presenting sponsor of the team’s 50th anniversary next season.” Much like the other deals struck across the league, this partnership will last three years – the time period the NBA has spelled out as its trail period for jersey patch sponsors on the breast of jerseys. Western Union will also receive signage in the Pepsi Center, “a media buy on Altitude Sports television and radio broadcasts and branding on digital and social media platforms.” Like it or not, jersey patches are here to stay in the NBA and elsewhere. It’s only a matter of time before they are ubiquitous in all American sports leagues.

Despite the passing of longtime Pittsburgh Steelers Owner Dan Rooney earlier this year, the franchise will not see an ownership overhaul or restructuring. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, two high-ranking NFL officials confirmed this news, stating that the Steelers’ “family ownership” is expected to continue on for “many, many, many years to come.” The franchise was started by the Rooney family and has stayed within the family’s control ever since. Since Dan Rooney’s passing, the only ownership change has been the addition of Dan Rooney, Jr. to the “public list of Steelers ownership group on Page 8 of the team’s 2017 media guide.” Of the 19 men listed as part of the Steelers ownership group, five of them are Rooneys. There have been multiple “restructurings” of the team’s ownership over the years, but one thing remains constant through them: The Rooneys are the face of the franchise. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones received own star on Saturday when he was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, but while the Jones family continues to impress and astound, there’s no question: the Rooneys are the NFL’s First Family.

The University of Texas historically boasts one of the strongest collegiate football programs in the country, but lackluster performances over the past few years have driven ticket sales down. According to MyStatesman.com, ticket sales for this coming season are down thus far, despite circling buzz and excitement around new Head Coach Tom Herman. As it currently stands, the university is nearly 3,000 season ticket sales short of where it was a year ago in 2016, sitting at 52,979 currently. One of the biggest contributing reasons to this trend is speculated to be a “lackluster home schedule,” as the “most high-profile home opponents are Maryland (September 2) alongside Big 12 rivals Oklahoma State (October 21) and Texas Tech (November 24).” Coming off an a dismal 5-7 season, with a 3-6 Big 12 record, the Longhorns are looking to turn things around this coming season, regardless of how many people pack the stands. Another factor contributing to empty seats in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and elsewhere across the U.S. – declining student interest in attending live games, a disturbing trend the NCAA needs to rectify ASAP.

Building on its current push into the sports world, online giant Amazon has won the exclusive streaming rights to the ATP World Tour in the United Kingdom. According to the London Guardian, United States-based Amazon outbid Sky Sports to win the streaming rights. In winning this package, Amazon Prime Video will essentially become “the home for all top-flight men’s tennis other than the four grand slam tournaments – including the end of year ATP World Tour finals at the O2 Arena in London.” Sky’s contract is set to expire in 2018, so Amazon took advantage of this huge opportunity with a “bid thought to be worth as much as £10m a year.” If that number is correct, it would be worth approximately £2 million more annually than Sky’s current deal for the streaming rights. This comes as Amazon’s first “major live TV sports rights deal outside the United States” and should signal that there is only more to come.

A hot topic over the past few years has been the question of whether universities should make alcoholic beverages available to all fans at college football games; Boston College might be the next Power 5 school to start doing so. According to the Boston Globe, new BC Athletic Director Martin Jarmond is seriously considering adding wine and beer options to all concessions stands at Alumni Stadium this coming season. As it currently stands, only fans in the stadium’s 60 boxes or suites have access to alcoholic beverages – a trend that is common across a number of bigtime college football programs. About one-third of “colleges nationwide are selling alcohol during games,” according to university spokesman Jack Dunn. “We are looking to file an amendment to our entertainment license that would enable us to expand distribution of beer and wine at locations throughout Alumni Stadium this coming season,” said Dunn. The issue is fairly black and white – should schools embrace a multi-million dollar revenue stream, or take a stand against college alcohol abuse? There’s clearly a way to do it right, as long as stringent measures are taken to not sell to minors.

In a big step for gender equality, this coming year’s videogame NBA Live 18 will feature both NBA and WNBA teams. According to ESPN.com, game creator Electronic Arts has never included WNBA teams or women players in any of its games before, so this is a big step. One of the promising and exciting ideas is that this might only be the tip of the iceberg, too. “This is only a taste of what we have in store, and look forward to working with the league on more great integrations in the franchise in the future,” said Executive Producer Sean O’Brien. The WNBA has seen a significant amount of growth and a rise in popularity over the past few years, so EA is trying to capitalize on that trend going forward. NBA Live has long been considered the premier basketball video game since its debut in 1994, so look for other games to follow its lead

Minnesota Timberwolves Owner Glen Taylor is not interested in selling his team, at least now right now. According to SportsBusiness Journal, Taylor, who owns about 70% of the NBA franchise, noted that he will not be selling any of his stake in the club, despite two of the team’s minority owners revealing that they are interested in selling their shares. The team recently underwent a massive rebranding campaign and is looking forward to having star forward Jimmy Butler on the court with the team this coming season. “We’re running through terrific times not only for the owners and the players, because of the interest, but just the value that has been put on the franchises that have been sold,” said Taylor. The impending sale of the Houston Rockets is thought to play a role in increasing the franchise value of the Timberwolves, since Taylor thinks the Rockets “will go for a lot of money.” They say a rising tide lifts all boats, and in the case of pro sports franchise sale prices, a lot of zeros behind a number for one team usually means a lot of zeros for others as well.

UFC President Dana White could not be happier about the timing of the upcoming Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Conor McGregor showdown, as the organization is shopping for a new media rights deal. According to the Hollywood Reporter, WME-IMG is currently “in the midst of negotiating new TV rights deals for UFC and banking on a hefty premium over the $115 million that Fox Sports” pays annually. WME-IMG co-CEO Ari Emanuel will be the point man in charge of negotiating the rights deal. One potential bump in the road that could impact a huge deal is that PPV typically has the best UFC bouts, taking away business from a new TV partner. Asked about this, White said: “I built this business from the ground up. We continue to innovate. I don’t ever want to be in a position where guys who didn’t believe in this sport 15 years ago are telling me what to put on PPV. But if you go into a negotiation, I’d say everything is on the table.” All you have to do is look at Amazon, Twitter, Netflix, and other digital and social powerhouses to know that the sports media rights landscape has shifted to the degree there’s no going back. The PPV position is not a deal breaker.

David Beckham’s MLS bid is finally pushing forward toward winning approval. According to the Miami Herald, Beckham won permission “for formal talks on launching a Miami franchise that will have a billionaire financier as the majority owner.” The former English soccer star brought new investor Todd Boehly to Chicago for the MLS All-Star game to meet with league officials. Beckham was granted a significant expansion fee discount nearly 10 years ago, back in 2007; he has an option to purchase an MLS expansion franchise for $25 million, “while the league now requires $150 million for new teams.” League Commissioner Don Garber was a bit skeptical about the vote passing with the owners. “I had some concerns they wouldn’t get past today,” said Garber. “We’re not announcing MLS Miami today, but I am confident we’ll be able to do that, perhaps by the end of the summer.” You can bank on an announcement at summer’s end or early fall, as MLS will couple that with its announcement of new expansion teams. Good times rule in soccer, across the board.

Top Sports Tech

Zepp sensors are increasingly affordable and user-friendly tools that are changing the way softball, baseball, golf, and tennis players hone their craft. During the intensely specific swing training these athletes endure, Zepp has created a way for players to analyze their swing through wearable technology. By using a small sensor that is attached to the handle of bats, racquets, and clubs, Zepp is able to give real-time feedback that is viewable through a mobile application on any phone or tablet. Zepp also creates a database that is accessible on a desktop as well, giving players and coaches the ability to analyze their swings in almost any setting. Prices of the sensor depends on the sport, with the tennis sensor priced around $60 and the baseball/softball sensors prices around $100.

Esports continue to grow across the pond. According to the BBC, the Gfinity Elite Series will now be broadcast on BBC Three online. At the competition, contestants will compete for almost $300,000 in prize money. Esports, one of the largest growing industries in the world, is starting to see a rise in its overall global interest and reach. This new advancement in the UK shows that esports won’t be slowing down anytime soon, as they spread from Asia to the United States and beyond. BBC.com details the event: “The BBC will include broadcasts of exclusive editorial content from the Gfinity tournament in west London. The games to be played include fighting title Street Fighter V, first person shooter Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and robot football game Rocket League. Currently, online streaming channels Twitch and YouTube command the biggest audiences for e-sports, although events are also now being shown on conventional TV stations such as Ginx in the UK.”

The NCAA creates a more balanced swimming environment. According to the Washington Post, Faye Frez-Albrecht, a swimmer at Gallaudet University, is leading an initiative to push the NCAA into creating a more level playing field for deaf athletes. After being disqualified from the 2016 North Eastern Conference swimming and diving championships for missing the signal to begin the race, Frez-Albrecht took her thoughts to Facebook, where she posted a video outlining her frustration. As a result, NCAA meets began implementing a system called RLS (Reaction Light System) in order to give deaf swimmers visual cues on when to start the race. “During the last championship, I noticed that the deaf swimmers are now catching up to the other swimmers,” Frez-Albrecht told the Washington Post. She previously relied on a tap from an assistant coach to compensate for her vision, which allows her to see only what’s directly in front of her. “Now everyone’s getting off the block at the same time….It makes me feel equal.” The results have been positive, and shows that the playing environment may have been evened out for swimmers with this specific disability.

While smartphones are ubiquitous, smart bikes may not be far behind. New technology is allowing cyclists to experience, track, and enjoy their time on a bike like never before. An excerpt from sporttechie.com describes: “Wink Bar is a product aiming to tap into this burgeoning market as the founders claim that they ‘are the first to integrate the technology of a smartphone into a handlebar.’” It works by using an app that can be paired by Bluetooth to a bespoke “smart” handlebar that can fit any bicycle. The product offers a variety of functions to cyclists.” Consumers are now able to track their workouts right from their bike without any other wearable technology. Wink Bar will also come prepped with GPS technology that will aid in curbing bike theft. If a bicycle has been removed from its pinned parking spot, the owner will be. This convenient technology could lead to a happy new cyclist generation.

FIFA sees technology growth through Video Assistant Referees (VARs). FIFA organizes the largest soccer event in the world every four years. Along with running the FIFA World Cup, the organization acts as a governing body for major soccer leagues and players of over 200 global soccer associations. Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter was famously anti-technology, even going so far as to say in 2015, “In my opinion, as long as I am in charge, I will make sure no technical help will be introduced." That mindset left FIFA miles behind other large sport leagues around the world, and leaves considerable room for growth for FIFA moving forward. Since Blatter’s exit, FIFA has confirmed that they will be using VARs during the 2018 World Cup. The VARs will allow referees to use instant and slow-motion replay in order to review and change calls on the field. VARs will help determine calls on goals, penalties, and direct red cards.

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