You know that "sequester" thing everybody's been talking about? The latest -- but surely not the last -- manufactured crisis being generated in Washington D.C.? Here's a look at how its massive cuts will affect Pennsylvania. (Tea Party alert: This came from the White House, so obviously it can't be trusted. Like, notice how it warns of an end to vaccination programs, but doesn't mention the secret tracking devices that are implanted in our kids during the MMR shot? Exactly.)

You might have heard this already, but political prognasticator Larry Sabato says Gov. Tom Corbett's re-election prospects are on "orange alert".

Another 55,000 Pennsylvanians dropped off the state's medical assistance rolls in the latter half of 2012. No one is sure why, exactly -- though it's the third sizable drop since Corbett's been in office. Coincidence? And in other Corbett-is-a-dum-dum news, a left-leaning think tank suggests that by opting out of an expanded Medicaid program, Corbett may be squandering a chance to add more than 40,000 jobs to the state.

The Tribune-Review warns that a new state law to protect student athletes from concussions may not do enough. While the law focuses on ensuring kids pass medical muster before returning to the field, it offers little help to prepare them for returning to the classroom. Which suggests something about our priorities, maybe?

This is the kind of week it was for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl: An innocuous story on the Steel City Codefest takes a turn by noting the mayor's absence from a couple planned appearances. Starting to look like this could be a l-o-o-o-o-ong campaign season.