JFC, Baltimore County, get it together!

My work was canceled today due to ice. I will probably work Friday to make up for it, but it is a MESS out there. And the sad thing is, most of it's not new accumulation. Most of the sidewalks in the commercial area of Reisterstown Road are as-yet un-shoveled from last week's storm. So the foot plus of snow iced over. Of course. In Pikesville, the mid-Atlantic's center for old bubbies who are determined to get out of the house, come hell or high water.

I HAD to get some delinquent packages to the post office, so I braved it. I almost fell about ten times. Not to mention, the only way I had to disembark the bus was to stand really still and hope not to get hit, as there was no sidewalk to step onto at the bus stop, only a 2 foot high wall of ice. Fantaaaaaaastic.

In all my griping, I should add that my apartment's grounds crew did an EXCELLENT job of salting and clearing, so our roads and walkways are perfectly safe. I should send them a fruit basket or something.

Oy, I am taking a hot bath before I start on commissions.

Really important shit, y'all.

I don't know if you've seen the #DearJohn twitter campaign, but John Boehner is trying to re-define rape to only include acts he considers "forcible" (wut?) in order to keep minors who have been molested and women who've been roofied from being able to get gov't assistance in getting an abortion. This is important, as statistically, the poorer you are, the more likely you are to be raped, and also the more likely you are to need monetary assistance in ridding yourself of the unwanted pregnancy that may result. Not to mention, this whole thing further erodes womens' rights AND perpetuates the "real rape is the kind that happens in an alley with an armed stranger" fallacy.

Here's the thing: rape is defined by the lack of legal consent. Therefore, any sexual acts that occur without consent are by DEFAULT forcible. Only John Boehner doesn't see it that way.

I don't have a ton of time on my hands, so I will turn this over to the always-reliable Sady:

#DearJohn: For When Boehner Decides Your Rape Just Wasn’t Enough

#DearJohn: They Can See Us. Now They’ll Hear Us, Too.

#DearJohn: Resources for the Digital Activist

Also: Mother Jones: The House GOP's Plan to Redefine Rape

Here's a handy dandy list of which scumbags are co-sponsoring this bill: The Shame List.

PLEASE contact your reps and speak against this. PLEASE. And if you're still feeling peppy after that, MoveOn also has a petition.