Well, tonight’s oval office speech should be interesting for a number of reasons…
1. Will there be a US flag visible? Right now the comments I’m hearing are 50-50…
2. Is the 6 month moratorium on drilling going to stick? If it does, will the US effectively concede drilling rights to the Gulf? The offshore rigs are very expensive and a limited number are available world wide; at least a couple have already been re-routed to Brazil, rather than sit idle waiting for ‘maybe’ approval in the Gulf. China and other countries are already drilling deep wells in the Gulf, and surely will continue/expand that drilling, regardless of what we do. If the rigs go elsewhere, it may literally be 10 years before new ones will be available/off contract to return. Also, by stopping all drilling, the administration has put thousands out of work in the Gulf states, but have you seen any coverage of that???
3. Cap and Trade- I’m betting you’re going to hear yet another push for this crap and tax plan tonight… One can only wonder what are they thinking! If you cut our domestic drilling, and force more coal plants (since it will be a cold day in Hell before a nuclear plant gets environmental approval), and then tax the hell out of the carbon footprint; our domestic power costs will go through the roof. Also, NO other country is voluntarily signing on to the crap and tax scheme… This, along with the unsustainable spending WILL drive us to a third world economy…
4. Alternative energy- Bet there will be a BIG push for this, but there IS a small problem… There are currently NO real alternatives, much less ethanol (the cost of the petroleum required to produce it exceeds the amount of ethanol produced); Nuclear (see above), Wind everybody is doing the NIMBY thing, and the econazis are suing most of the successful windfarms for killing birds (see San Bernadino, CA). Another ‘little’ issue is who is going to pay for the development of alternate energy? I heard a radio bit this morning saying the administration should “require” the oil companies to pay for development. Does this mean nationalization of the oil companies? They already spend billions a year in R&D, but the commentator said they should have to ‘match’ funds on oil/gas research with funds on alternatives…
5. What will be the latest excuse on the Gulf? The reality is the ONLY sure way to stop the leak is to drill a pilot well into the original well and cap it that way. That takes time (Aug/Sept if no hurricanes), and BP is already doing that. Should BP pay for the damage? Hell yes! But I find it interesting that they have been stopped from using dispersant (too toxic? Are they more toxic than the OIL???), have not been allowed to bring in the Dutch sweeper ships; and LA, MS, FL have had problems getting approvals for sand barriers off the coast, apparently because there were “issues” with the environmental approvals for putting SAND ON A BEACH!!! WTF???
Personally I think tonight’s speech will be like that train wreck you see coming, you don’t really want to watch, but the horrified fascination with it keeps you glued to the scene…
REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER, vote these congresscritters out and lets start over, it sure as hell can’t get any worse!!!
Got this from William over at The Coroner’s Forensic Files.
1. Pick three US Civil War generals to fight by your side in the Zombie Apocalypse.
2. Same, but WWII generals.
3. Same, but US Presidents.
4. Same, but actors (living or dead)
5. Same, but writers.
6. Same, but rock musicians.
7. Same, but fictional characters.
My picks???
For Civil War generals: Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and John Mosby (The Grey Ghost)
WWII generals: Omar Bradley, Chester Nimitz, and Halsey (yeah, yeah, they’re Admirals, but they were GOOD!)
US Presidents: Ronald Reagan, Dwight David Eisenhower , Theodore Roosevelt.
Actors: David Niven, James Stewart, Lee Marvin.
Writers: Rudyard Kipling, Col Jeff Cooper, Elmer Keith.
Rock Musicians: Ted Nugent, ?, ? (I’m afraid most of them would go to the other side willingly…)
Fictional characters: Jack Ryan, Bob Lee Swagger, Harry Dresden.
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Before any more ‘outrage’ at the Arizona law, read what it’s like from the other side of the fence… Received the following from Tom O’Malley, who was a Director with SouthwesternBell in Mexico City: “I spent five years working in Mexico. I worked under a tourist Visa for three months and could legally renew it for three more months. After that you were working illegally. I was technically illegal for three weeks waiting on the FM3 approval. “During that six months our Mexican and U.S. attorneys were working to secure a permanent work visa called a ‘FM3’. It was in addition to my U.S. passport that I had to show each time I entered and left the country. Barbara’s was the same, except hers did not permit her to work. “To apply for the FM3, I needed to submit the following notarized originals (not copies): 1. Birth certificate for Barbara and me. 2. Marriage certificate. 3. High school transcripts and proof of graduation. 4. College transcripts for every college I attended and proof of graduation. 5. Two letters of recommendation from supervisors I had worked for at least one year. 6. A letter from the St. Louis Chief of Police indicating that I had no arrest record in the U.S. and no outstanding warrants and, was “a citizen in good standing”. 7. “Finally, I had to write a letter about myself that clearly stated why there was no Mexican citizen with my skills and why my skills were important to Mexico. We called it our ‘I am the greatest person on Earth’ letter. It was fun to write.” “All of the above were in English that had to be translated into Spanish and be certified as legal translations, and our signatures notarized. It produced a folder about 1.5 inches thick with English on the left side & Spanish on the right.” “Once they were completed Barbara and I spent about five hours, accompanied by a Mexican attorney, touring Mexican government office locations and being photographed and fingerprinted at least three times at each location, and we remember at least four locations where we were instructed on Mexican tax, labor, housing, and criminal law and that we “We could not buy a home and were required to rent at very high rates and under contract and compliance with Mexican law.” “We were required to get a Mexican driver’s license. This was an amazing process. The company arranged for the licensing agency to come to our headquarters location with their photography and fingerprint equipment and the laminating machine. We showed our U.S. license, were photographed and fingerprinted again and issued the license instantly after paying out a six dollar fee. We did not take a written or driving test and never received “We then had to pay and file Mexican income tax annually using the number of our FM3 as our ID number. The company’s Mexican accountants did this for us and we just signed what they prepared. It was about twenty legal size pages annually.” “The FM3 was good for three years and renewable for two more after paying more fees.” “Leaving the country meant turning in the FM3 and certifying we were leaving no debts behind and no outstanding legal affairs (warrants, tickets or liens) before our household goods were released to customs.” “It was a real adventure and if any of our Senators or Congressmen went through it once they would have a different attitude toward Mexico.” “The Mexican government uses its vast military and police forces to keep its citizens intimidated and compliant. They never protest at their capitol or government offices, but do protest daily in front of the United States Embassy. The U.S. Embassy looks like a strongly reinforced fortress and during most protests the Mexican military surrounds the block with their men standing shoulder to shoulder in full riot gear to protect the Embassy. These protests are never shown on U.S. or Mexican TV. There is a large public park across the street where they do their protesting. Anything can cause a protest such as proposed law changes in California or Texas.” Think he’s blowing smoke??? Go HERE and check it out… Please feel free to share this with everyone who thinks we are being hard on the illegals… I can’t help but think a mirror law just ‘might’ be appropriate… Just sayin… |
Ya just gotta love Photoshop… Now if somebody in Arizona had some balls (and translated this into Spanish)…
The Veterinarian-
One Sunday, in counting the money in the weekly offering, the Pastor of a small church found a pink envelope containing $1,000. It happened again the next week!
The following Sunday, he watched as the offering was collected and saw an elderly woman put the distinctive pink envelope on the plate. This went on for weeks until the pastor, overcome by curiosity, approached her.
“Ma’am, I couldn’t help but notice that you put $1,000 a week in the collection plate,” he stated. ”Why yes,” she replied, “every week my son sends me money and I give some of it to the church.” The pastor replied, “That’s wonderful. But $1000 is a lot, are you sure you can afford this? How much does he send you?” The elderly woman answered, “$10,000 a week.” The pastor was amazed. “Your son is very successful; what does he do for a living?”
“He is a veterinarian,” she answered. “That’s an honorable profession, but I had no idea they made that much money,” the pastor said. “Where does he practice?” The woman answered proudly, “In Nevada .. He has two cat houses, one in Las Vegas , and one in Reno’.
And a little food for thought…
Let’s put the seniors in jail, and the criminals in a nursing home…
This way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks, they’d receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment , wheel chairs etc. and they’d receive money instead of paying it out.
They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly ,if they fell, or needed assistance. Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them. A guard would check on them every 20 minutes, and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose. They would have access to a library, weight room,spiritual counselling, pool, and education.
Simple clothing , shoes, slippers, P.J.’s and legal aid would be free, on request. Private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard ,with gardens. Each senior could have a P.C. a T.V. radio, and daily phone calls. There would be a board of directors, to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct, that would be strictly adhered to.
The “criminals” would get cold food, be left all alone, and unsupervised. lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week; live in a tiny room , and pay $5000.00 per month and have no hope of ever getting out.
Justice for all…
This is a good story… It’s even better in that these Veterans HAVE come back and are productive again…
And below is a link to the Virtual Vietnam Wall…
It is a virtual wall of all those lost during the Vietnam war with the names, bio’s and other information on our lost heroes. Those who remember that time frame, or perhaps lost friends or family can look them up on this site. Pass the link on to others if you like.
http://www.virtualwall.org/iStates.htm
You’ve gotta appreciate this for a couple of reasons, one- McClintock is from Kalifornia; two- He lays it out and doesn’t pull any punches!!!
It’s also interesting that there was NO response to his speech on the floor…
Got this from a friend in Phoenix, AZ today; along with the following comment…
Most especially for all Liberal Mexifornians (that’s most of ’em), boycott us and our DUI rate will drop along with the shoplifting, murder, kidnappings, etc.
Interestingly, there has apparently been a drop in crime since the law was passed… unintended consequences, or a true effect; much like when Florida and Texas authorized concealed carry and violent crimes against persons dropped by 33% ???
You tell me…
As we celebrate our 142nd Memorial Day, please take a moment and remember those who gave all for our great country…
ETERNAL
REST GRANT THEM O LORD,
AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON
THEM.
A good friend of mine for many years, who is also a retired Naval Flight Officer (and second generation Hispanic) living in California sent me these- I’ve known him for almost 20 years and I’ve NEVER seen him so upset at the powers that be, and frustrated with the lack of attention being paid to these people and the illegal immigrant problem. I’ve met his family, and heard his Dad talk about it taking him 7 years to get here legally, then 5 more to get his citizenship, and to this day he has that picture hanging in a place of honor in his living room…
Statements are noted whether they are not verified by Urban Legends at : http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/hispanicleaders.asp
Hispanic leaders speak out- In their own words!!!
Augustin Cebada, Brown Berets; “Go back to Boston! Go back to Plymouth Rock, Pilgrims! Get out! We are the future. You are old and tired. Go on. We have beaten you. Leave like beaten rats. You old white people. It is your duty to die . . Through love of having children, we are going to take over.
Richard Alatorre, Los Angeles City Council. “They’re afraid we’re going to take over the governmental institutions and other institutions. They’re right. We will take them over . . . We are here to stay.”
Excelsior, the national newspaper of Mexico, “The American Southwest seems to be slowly returning to the jurisdiction of Mexico without firing a single shot.”
NOT Verified by Urban Legends: http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/hispanicleaders.asp
Professor Jose Angel Gutierrez, University of Texas; “We have an aging white America. They are not making babies. They are dying. The explosion is in our population . . . I love it. They are shitting in their pants with fear. I love it.”
Art Torres, Chairman of the California Democratic Party, “Remember 187–proposition to deny taxpayer funds for services to non-citizens–was the last gasp of white America in California.”
Gloria Molina, Los Angeles County Supervisor, “We are politicizing every single one of these new citizens that are becoming citizens of this country . . . I gotta tell you that a lot of people are saying, “I’m going to go out there and vote because I want to pay them back.”
Mario Obledo, California Coalition of Hispanic Organizations and California State Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under Governor Jerry Brown, also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton, “California is going to be a Hispanic state. Anyone who doesn’t like it should leave.”
Jose Pescador Osuna, Mexican Consul General, “We are practicing ‘La Reconquista’ in California.”
Professor Fernando Guerra, Loyola Marymount University; “We need to avoid a white backlash by using codes understood by Latinos . . . “
Not verified by Urban Legends: http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/hispanicleaders.asp
Are these just the words of a few extremists? Nope, these are mainstream Hispanics and leaders on both sides of the border… Of all the quotes, only two are not verified, but ‘fit’ the tone and substance of the other quotes…
His final statement on the email is one I agree with wholeheartedly…
When will AMERICAN CITIZENS STOP giving away THEIR RIGHTS???
We’ve gone so far the other way… Bent over backwards not to offend anyone; but it seems no one cares about the AMERICAN CITIZEN that’s being mocked, villified, and offended! It’s time to take the offensive, seal the border, ENFORCE the laws, and stop coddling illegals…
This one is kinda long- Three things in this post- DADT, ROK/NK situation, and Women/medical issues on subs…
First, WHY is the administration rushing to repeal DADT? The Pentagon has not finished the review and comment period, nor have the finished their report to the administration (it’s due after Christmas); but today we hear there are bills in both the House and the Senate the administration wants votes on by next week… What happened to ‘orderly’ processes? Where are these bills, so we can read them??? Anybody??? (crickets…)
ROK/NK- I “think” this one is about to get out of hand…
As of today, there are FOUR Sang-O NK subs at sea and unlocated, and ROK has upped their DEFCON to near war footing…
From STRATFOR- North Korean Minister of the People’s Armed Forces, Vice Marshal Kim Yong Chun, issued a statement May 22 via official media condemning South Korea’s refusal to allow a team of North Korean inspectors to visit South Korea to assess the evidence Seoul prepared during the investigation of the March 26 sinking of the navy corvette ChonAn. Kim, also a vice chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC), the center of political power in North Korea, demanded Seoul allow the NDC team to visit, citing Chapter 2, Article 10 of the 1992 Basic Agreement between Seoul and Pyongyang, which states, “South and North Korea shall resolve peacefully, through dialogue and negotiation, any differences of views and disputes arising between them.” North Korea has strongly denied any involvement in the sinking, becoming even more vociferous as the May 20 announcement of the multinational team’s investigation neared. During a May 3-7 visit to Beijing by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, North Korean officials told the Chinese that Pyongyang was not responsible for the incident, though later Chinese reports suggested that Kim Jong Il himself had remained silent on the issue. While it may seem minor, this point allows North Korea some leeway in dealing with the issue and with its ally, China, as whatever path North Korea takes, Kim’s silence means that he did not directly lie to the Chinese president. On May 14, North Korean media announced that NDC member and First Vice Minister of the People’s Armed Forces Kim Il Chol was relieved of all his posts a day earlier due to his “advanced age of 80.” Four days later, North Korean state media announced that the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) would hold another session on June 7.
Note: These two things are particularly interesting in light of the silence of KIJ… Chol could be the scapegoat that is getting ready to be ‘sacrificed’ for the common good… I still think this one has the possibility of going to a shooting war if things get any further out of hand. KIJ is NOT the most stable individual anyway, and the ROKs have upgraded their DEFCON (not to full war footing, but closer than normal). And lastly, women on subs and the potential health risks… I wrote about this before, but again, why the rush?
Here is an article from the Center for Military Readiness, May 13, 2010
Undersea Medicine Expert Warns of Health, Operational Problems
The push to assign women to submarines began in September, 2009, when Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead started promoting the idea as if women’s career opportunities were the only consideration. The Center for Military Readiness issued an immediate news release, drawing attention to irresolvable problems with the program-none of which had nothing to do with the abilities of female officers or sailors. In addition to habitability concerns in confined submarine spaces, health risks unique to women could threaten lives as well as operational efficiency. Navy officials diverted attention from that inconvenient information, disregarding overwhelming opposition within the submarine community. Secretary Mabus and Admiral Roughead demonstrated their lack of personal experience with submarines by equating them with larger surface vessels that operate in fresh air, not under the sea. In this sealed environment, as confining and dangerous as outer space, man-made air must be produced to preserve the life, health, and efficiency of the submarine crew. Unlike the atmospheric air on surface ships, man-made air has many problems in its production and will never be equivalent to the natural product. On February 19 the Secretary of Defense sent formal notice to Congress, claiming in a three-paragraph letter that even though assignment of women to submarines was considered “cost prohibitive” in 1994, the Department of the Navy has “recently concluded a further review of this matter and has determined it is ready to implement policy changes to support a phased approach to the assignment of women to submarines.” On the contrary, as the Washington Times reported on April 5, there has been no careful study and there is no objective plan to deal with medical concerns that are unique to women in the submarine environment. Women in Submarines Face Health Issues On April 29 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead moved ahead with their announced plans to assign female sailors to submarines. Congress accepted the move passively-failing to fulfill oversight responsibilities by asking questions about issues of critical importance to the submarine community. Much to the alarm of submariners, their families, and supporters, Navy officials still have not addressed the health-related and operational concerns associated with this policy, many of which were discussed in the Navy’s own prior reports and responses to inquiries from the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) in 2000-2001. On March 11, 2010, Rear Admiral Hugh Scott (MC) USN (Ret.) sent a detailed letter to the Secretaries of Defense and the Navy, Pentagon officials responsible for the submarine force, and the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. In his letter, Dr. Scott, an expert in the field of undersea medicine, discussed in detail a long list of irresolvable health risks associated with gender integration on submarines. For example: The primary mission of the SSBN force is the strategic defense of the U.S., it is not realistic to think that the integration of men and women at the height of their reproductive lives can be structured in a way that is conducive to good order and discipline while serving together in the forced intimacy of a submarine. Pregnancy is incompatible with submarine duty due to the uniqueness of the submarine environment and the operational mission(s) of the submarine (SSBN/SSN) Once a woman becomes pregnant she is lost to the command for 20 months. Vacancies on submarines would have disproportionate impact on other crewmembers. When young men and women live together in close quarters, sexual and romantic relationships inevitably ensue. Personnel complications would be worse on submarines. The surface Navy has a major problem with the occurrence of unintended pregnancies among women serving on Navy surface ships. According to Navy Times, (25 August, 2009) operational deferments for pregnancy increased from 1,770 to 3,125. These increases, described as 50% jump from June 2006 to August 2008, occurred despite the ongoing efforts of the Navy’s Sexual Health and Responsibility Program (SHARP) towards the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and the prevention of unintended pregnancies. Abnormal pregnancy complications, such as ruptured ectopic pregnancy and hemorrhagic spontaneous abortion, require emergency surgery and blood replacement which are not available aboard a submarine. Due to the operational nature of the submarine mission, timely emergency mid-ocean evacuations would be unlikely. Surgery under such conditions could result in loss of reproductive capability. In the case of unintended pregnancies occurring just prior to or during a submarine deployment, prolonged exposure to chemical contaminants in the constantly recirculated air would pose a significant risk to the normal development and vitality of the unborn child. Increased levels of carbon dioxide, 10x normal; carbon monoxide from fires, cooking, oxidation of paint, etc, hydrocarbons are safe for adults but not for a developing embryo-fetus. Atmosphere control equipment cannot remove all of the contaminants. There have been no specific studies regarding the effectiveness of men and women serving together on a submarine. Ignoring sex differences doesn’t render them inconsequential, as the assignment of women to surface ships has and continues to demonstrate. There are those who believe that the sexes do not differ substantially in combat-relevant ways, other than in physical strength in some situations, and that any differences that do exist are a result of socialization that can be eliminated through education, training, and an attitude adjustment on the part of males. These theories have not been subjected to any Navy-sponsored rigorous evolutionary psychology research to determine the validity of those assumptions. Dr. Scott addressed his letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, and to Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, author of legislation mandating prior notice to Congress before any action to assign women to submarines. Not a single member of Congress responded to Scott’s letter. Questions from CMR In the meantime, the Center for Military Readiness submitted the following questions to senior Pentagon and congressional leaders:
1. Given the extremely low retention rates of female nuclear trained female surface officers, how can the Navy justify habitability intrusions and compromises to accommodate female sailors on all types of submarines? (Normal career paths include smaller subs as well as larger ones.)
2. Given what is known about current non-deployment rates due to pregnancy among enlisted women as well as officers, what is the Navy’s estimate of comparable non-deployment rates of female officers and enlisted women on submarines? (Extensive programs to discourage Navy pregnancies have failed. According to Navy Times, rates have increased.)
3. How many mid-ocean evacuations are expected to occur on an annual basis and how will these evacuations be accomplished in remote areas; i.e., under the Polar icecap?
4. If a submarine CO is faced with the operational necessity to continue an undersea mission, despite high risks of birth defects for a newly-discovered embryonic “passenger,” what does the Navy expect the skipper to do?
5. How many women are likely to permanently lose reproductive capability due to botched undersea surgeries or worse-how many are expected to die due to hemorrhage in conditions offering no options for immediate evacuation?
6. What is being done to inform women of health risks to themselves and to future offspring in the embryonic stage of development?
CMR President Elaine Donnelly posted two messages asking the same six questions on the widely-read COMSubGroup TEN blog, which is operated by Rear Adm. Barry L. Bruner, head of the “Women in Submarines Task Force.” Donnelly noted that birth defects are difficult, the loss of reproductive capability devastating, and ectopic pregnancy life-threatening for women. Bruner conspicuously avoided answering her questions. Instead, Adm. Bruner claimed on his blog that there are “no discernable medical issues that should preclude the assignment of women to submarines.” He did not cite medical studies to support his statement, but he was probably referring to studies comparing adult men and women that specifically omitted discussion of the unique risks to adult women who are pregnant-a condition that is not rare among women of child-bearing age. It’s not as if the Navy is unaware of these issues. Details about women’s unique health risks were chronicled in this November 26, 2001, report of the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory: The Medical Implications of Women on Submarines The report documented additional risks of spontaneous abortion and higher rates of migraine headaches, orthopedic injuries, and loss of bone strength over time (osteoporosis). It also commented on risks to a female sailor’s developing embryo if a pregnancy begins or is discovered while underway: “The submarine atmosphere, containing a chronically elevated level of CO2 and other contaminants, and submarine environmental factors such as noise and vibration levels, present currently unknown risks to the fetus. Reassurance, therefore, cannot be given to the reproductive age crewmember should she be pregnant while deployed.” (NSMRL, p. 26) Putting the horse after the cart, Adm. Bruner wrote that the Bureau of Medicine & Surgery has proposed three additional studies “to further quantify and validate the low probability of any effects of a submarine’s environment on women’s health or fetal development.” His disingenuous comment about “low probability” risks, followed by a pledge to conduct three more studies after the fact, suggests that previous medical studies were not reassuring. One has to wonder, to what degree the Navy is willing to risk the development of an unborn child in order to promote “diversity.” Irresolvable problems are being ignored at incalculable risk. Navy women should be officially informed that a career in submarines could put their future family and/or reproductive capability in danger. The submarine community as a whole also deserves an explanation of why it is necessary to implement this program without any cost/benefit analysis in terms of operational necessity, not “diversity” or other social goals. Absent this information, evaluated objectively, Congress had a duty to intervene. Instead, both Navy leaders and members of Congress let the submarine community down.
More information on this topic is available in the report of the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), titled Submarine Assignment Policy Assessment, which discussed difficult habitability issues that have not changed. SAIC noted that submarine accommodations have been compared to living inside a clock. Unencumbered space is about one-third to one-half that afforded to crewmembers n small surface ships. Total living area for more than 130 people on an attack sub is equivalent to a medium-size house. A diagram in the SAIC report illustrated how cramped a submarine’s living space is by superimposing the outline of a typical attack sub over the fuselage of a 747 aircraft. In this confined space sailors are expected to spend 77 days or more, often “hot-bunking” in shared berthing compartments offering little or no privacy.
HERE is a link to various reports on Women on Submarines… One other interesting question, how were the women selected? For the men, that is an arduous almost 2 year process, but the results of THAT process were completed with orders announced last October, and now suddenly 9 women have been selected; what was the process? Who ran it? How many competed? To what level of rigor? Personally, I believe the women should be in open and fair competition against the men for those billets, otherwise there WILL be heartburn/hate/discontent over their selection…