- On the surface, one might think that blind folks wouldn’t get
as much out of visiting a nature reserve as those blessed with the ability to
see. One would be wrong, at least when it comes to the island paradise that is
Puerto Rico and a nature reserve in the southeastern coastal town of Maunabo. Natural
Resources Secretary Carmen Guerrero announced this week that the country will
soon open hiking trails for blind people, utilizing QR codes where people can
listen to information about the scene in front of them. For those who don’t roll
with an iPhone or Android device, there will also be five different recorders
installed by the government along the trail, giving important facts about the
plants and wildlife located at various points around the reserve. The trails in
the Punta Tuna Nature Reserve are also blind-friendly, as they were constructed
in a way to prevent blind people from entering areas that are off limits to
park visitors. As if all of that weren't enough to convince those who have
partially or fully impaired vision to make a visit to good ol’ Punta Tuna, the
government went all out and purchased special wheelchairs for people with
physical impediments who want to explore the nature reserve. These are all
solid gestures and if a country that is relatively poor can do such good things
for those with sight impediments, then more developed countries out to be able
to do the same, and maybe even more, in order to ensure that everyone has a
chance to know what that one weird bird 500 feet away from them in the top of a
tall tree likes to have for breakfast……….
- You get the feeling that Hope Solo and her old man are the
news-generating gift that keeps on giving. That old man would of course be Jerramy Stevens,
the husband of the embattled U.S. national team goalkeeper, and this pair has
been giving the world a train wreck to gawk at for as long as they’ve been
together. There was the domestic violence incident before they got married, the
incident a few months back when Solo was accused of assaulting her nephew and
another relative at a family gathering, and now there’s this. Stevens and Solo
were pulled over by police in Manhattan Beach, California, about 1:30 a.m.
Monday for driving without headlights and once the officer made the stop,
Stevens was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence…..while
driving a U.S. national team vehicle. Stevens, a former tight end for the
Seattle Seahawks, was pulled over with his old lady as the only passenger in
the van, but she was not arrested or detained. Even so, U.S. soccer suspended
her for 30 days, meaning she will not travel to a pair of exhibition matches
next month in Europe. Ironically, Solo was in Southern California for training
camp with the team, which is preparing to play in the World Cup starting in
June. Following her suspension, she had a hilarious statement indicating that
she doesn’t understand what the word suspension actually means. "I think
it's best for me to take a break, decompress from the stress of the last
several months, and come back mentally and physically ready to positively
contribute to the team," Solo said in a statement. Hey Hope….it doesn’t matter
what you think. When your team suspends you, that’s not you voluntarily
stepping away for a bit…it’s them telling you to stay the hell away. "During
our current national team camp, Hope made a poor decision that has resulted in
a negative impact on U.S. Soccer and her teammates," coach Jill Ellis said
in a statement. Right, coach. That’s kinda her thing……….
- Hard work is for the ladies too, eh U.S. Army? It’s taken
long enough, but the Army is finally giving women a chance to be among the
elite by sending
hand-picked female soldiers through its physically demanding Ranger school.
Some of these women may earn the Ranger tab as part of an overall military
assessment of the fitness of women for the combat arms. Back in September, the
Army announced plans for the pilot program and began seeking volunteers. A
total of 60 female soldiers will
take part alongside male soldiers in the program that begins April 20 – Ranger
Course 06-15, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Benjamin Garrett said. "Those who
meet the standards and graduate from the course will receive a certificate and
be awarded the Ranger tab," he said. Approximately half the volunteers –
20 noncommissioned officers and 11 officers – will serve as observers and
advisors as the rest of their group goes through the Ranger course. Those who successfully
complete the course still will not be awarded associated Ranger skill
identifiers because the law does not currently allow it, but it’s a step in the
right direction. "The decision to change that or not ... will be made by
the Secretary of Defense no later than Jan. 1, 2016 when he
determines if women will be permitted to become infantry soldiers and serve in
other closed military occupational specialties," the Army said in
September. There has been a push to open up all specialty jobs in the military
to women and this is part of that effort. "We're just going to let the
statistics speak for themselves as we go through this," Army Chief of
Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said earlier this month. "The main thing I'm
focused on is the standards remain the same. The course in front of these
female pioneers includes 49 push-ups within 2 minutes, 59 sit-ups, a 5 mile run
within 40 minutes and six chin-ups, along with being able to remove their gear
in water and then swim 15 meters in their uniform and boots. Since only about
45 percent of those attending Ranger school graduate, this will be no easy
glass ceiling to shatter………
- Arguably the most overdue comeback in rock and roll
history is about to become official. Pioneering garage rock band The Sonics have literally been dormant for almost 50 years, but they’re
on the comeback trail and will soon release their first album of new
material since 1967. “This Is the Sonics” will drop March 31 and follows the
band's reformation in 2007. Although there garage rock revolution has hinged on
two-person acts like The White Stripes and Black Keys of late, The Sonics formed
in 1959 and helped lay the foundations for modern rock and roll with their
classic, distortion-heavy classics like “The Witch” and “Psycho.” In advance of
the new album, the band will release a single titled “Bad Betty” in the next
few weeks, marking the first time anyone has heard a new track from them since “Introducing
the Sonics” way back in 1967. Back in those days, bands released an album more
often than once every three years and The Sonics churned out “Here Are The
Sonics” in 1965 and chased it with “Boom” in 1966 and their third album one
year later. That third album appeared to be the finale, as the band broke up
soon after its release. Yet here we are, 48 years later, and three original
members of the group have reunited to rock out once more. There’s Jerry Roslie on
vocals and keys, Larry Parypa on vocals and guitar and multi-instrumentalist Rob
Lind.
Here’s hoping the old dudes didn’t forget how to rock as they aged through the
hippie era, the times of fanny packs and the grunge era………
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