This is it, the end of the north Atlantic coast as we know it. By tomorrow, everyone will be smothered to death under hundreds of millions of metric tons of snow. Or so they’d have us believe with the typically uber-hyped approach of what the Weather Channel is calling “Nemo.” I would scoff, but they were kinda right about Sandy, so I’ll reserve judgement for now, except to say that it looks like it’ll be more or less a non-event for yours truly. They’re predicting something in the neighborhood of 8″ for us, which is barely worth plowing the driveway for. Not until tomorrow, anyway.

They sound pretty worried in New England, though, where they’re predicting 18-36 inches in Boston. I guess that’s a big deal for them, as they’ve more or less shut the place down ahead of time. Don’t get me wrong – two or three feet of snow is a pain in the ass (especially since this is supposed to come through really fast), but it doesn’t really strike the fear of God into us around here. That may change, though, as we’ve kind of missed out on all the big storms for the past couple of years (unlike our friends east of Lake Ontario, who continue to get all kinds of dumped on).

Maybe Climate Change is destined to make Central New York the new Palm Springs. In 20 years, we’re liable to be a big bunch of wimps that freaks out over an inch of snow. That would kinda be OK with me, I have to admit. I’m getting a little old to deal with the cold all the time, and since the rich folks and the Krazy Kristians don’t seem to care about the planet becoming uninhabitable (or at least miserable to live in) in the 22nd century, why should I? Not like I’ll be around.

It looks like Michigan Republicans have decided that forcing women to have a transvaginal ultrasound in order to get an abortion is maybe not such a good idea, as both the MI House Speaker and Governor have quashed the idea.

“While I want to be sure women have access to the best technology available, I have absolutely no interest in forcing a woman to have a transvaginal ultrasound,” House Speaker Jase Bolger said in a statement. “This House of Representatives will not pass a bill mandating transvaginal ultrasounds.”

Gov. Rick Snyder’s office denounced the bill after the Speaker nixed it.

“Gov. Snyder is not at all supportive of this legislation and has zero interest in seeing it come to his desk,” his spokeswoman Sara Wurfel told TPM.

This is a good thing, for sure, but kind of disturbing that Republicans are showing a modicum of common sense. Imagine how dangerous these people could be if they stop being so fucking stupid. Of course, they’ll no doubt try to find some other way to intimidate women and health care providers. You notice that the Speaker claims to “want to be sure women have access to the best technology available?” Makes him sound like a concerned dad, no?

No. The idea (besides making women choose between an unwanted pregnancy and being techno-raped) is to mandate so much sophisticated and expensive equipment that providers just won’t be able to afford to provide services for women.

I’ve heard it suggested that men requesting ED drugs be required to submit to a trans-anal prostate ultrasound exam, to which I say, “hey, hey, hey – leave my ass alone!” Not that I have a need for said pills (and I hope not to have a need in the future), but I’d like to keep my options open, just in case.

So let’s all make a deal – we all agree to keep our hands (and fingers, probes, medical devices, etc.) out of each others’ orifices unless properly invited. And if two people want to examine each others’ orifices in the privacy of their own home, then it’s nobody else’s business.

Seems simple enough to me.

Uh-oh. It’s starting to snow out there. :omg: