With military editors mostly gone from major newspapers, there’s an absence of news on everyday developments focusing on men and women in uniform, observed Grumpy Editor.
An example: The U.S. Army is testing new combat boots that are lighter and more comfortable.
Stars and Stripes writer John Vandiver revealed the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command Soldier Center in Natick, Mass., has developed prototypes that soldiers will wear at three basic training and active duty sites during the next four months.
The general-purpose prototypes being tested are the first significant change to basic Army combat boots in 30 years.
Vandiver quoted an overseer of the new footwear saying, “Soldiers live in their boots and many will tell you that there is no piece of equipment more important to their lethality and readiness. A bad pair of boots will ruin a soldier’s day and possibly result in injuries, so we really believe that each of these prototype boots have the potential to improve the lives of soldiers.”
The prototypes --- up to 1.5 pounds lighter per pair than those issued today --- utilize more flexible types of leather and lighter outsoles and will be field tested on 800 recruits at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. and Fort Jackson, S.C.
Another 900 pairs will go to soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, said Vandiver, adding the Army’s soldier center team will custom-fit each pair and collect solider surveys on boot performance in the spring.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…
BANKS CONTINUE TO SNUB HIGHER RATES FOR DEPOSITORS. While growing higher interest rates have boosted income for banks, allowing them to make more money on their loans, not widely reported is that customers are starting to demand higher interest rates on deposits.
GANNETT TARGET OF TAKEOVER. MNG Enterprises Inc. — better known as Digital First Media — made a takeover bid for Gannett Co., publisher of USA Today, Detroit Free Press, Cincinnati Enquirer, Des Moines Register, Arizona Republic and many others as the nation's largest newspaper publisher measured by total daily circulation.
VINYL SEES RESURGENCE. Music industry consumption figures show that CDs, as expected, are declining in popularity but vinyl is experiencing a resurgence, particularly for classic albums, noted Fortune, which added cassettes also are experiencing sales growth.
FREE ONLINE MAGAZINE FOR WRITERS. The winter 2019 issue of Writers Tricks of the Trade, a free magazine is now online. Produced by Las Vegas-based Morgan St. James, author of 16 books, the 37-page issue provides information and news of interest to freelance writers. View it at https://joom.ag/aNTa
SEARS STILL HANGING IN. Sears Holding Corp. received another reprieve, a bankruptcy auction win for the company’s chairman Eddie Lampert. However, experts pointed out problems that got the retailer into trouble in the first place continue with little hope for change.
SURVEY FINDS TRUMP APPROVAL RISES WITH LATINOS. President Donald Trump’s approval rating among Latinos jumped almost 20 points from December to January in a NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll.
FIRST FEMALE EDITOR OF CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS. Veteran Chicago journalist Ann Dwyer, 54, will become the first female editor of Crain’s Chicago Business in its 41-year history. She joined Crain’s from the Chicago Tribune in 1995 as a copy editor, reported Chris Roush, of Talking Biz News.
RUNAWAY DOG SHAKES UP LAX. A runaway German Shepherd, named Cashmere, created a headache on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday afternoon when she escaped while being loaded onto a plane for an international flight. Nine officers responded and after a half hour Cashmere was secured and loaded back onto the aircraft.
POSSIBLE MATE FOUND FOR LONELY FROG. A Sehuencas frog, named Romeo, thought to be the last of its kind, and alone in a tank at an aquarium in Bolivia for a decade while scientists tried to find him a mate, finally may have a friend. Scientists from a museum in Cochabamba City have found five more, first to be seen in the wild for 10 years.
Comments