Random things in the news

A group of women in the military are seeking to overturn the military's ban on women in infantry combat--noting correctly that this ban prevents many female officers from attaining higher rank.  Fine, but if we're going to do this, let's go to a single set of physical fitness standards for both sexes.  If a gal can carry a 200 lb colleague and do at least ten pull-ups, she can go to combat.

Oh, and another thing; let's make sure we start quantifying the problems that result when you send young, fit people of both sexes out on deployments together.  Let's make the informed decision we've been delaying for 30 or so years, OK?

In other news involving women, a study has come out alleging that female porn stars are not "damaged goods",  based apparently on self-reported self-esteem and other factors.  Now apart from the fact that self-reporting is a basic methodological problem--many will even lie when the questionaire is anonymous--there is the issue of using "self-esteem" as if it is an unalloyed good.  The fact of the matter is that some reports have found that high self-esteem correlates well to low achievement and high crime rates--exactly what those who oppose porn would tell you.