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This is Your Representative on Guns

What do your elected representatives think about guns-and how are they likely to vote on upcoming gun-control legislation?

In the coming weeks, legislation that would govern things like background checks, the availability of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and gun-show regulations will be debated in the media, in living rooms and, perhaps most importantly, on the floors of the House and Senate. How our elected representatives vote will ultimately make the difference.

This is something we have the right and the ability to influence. To help clarify a complex state of play, The Daily Beast has created a tool that classifies every member of Congress according to their stance on gun control, based on our best assessment of publicly available information: statements, voting records, ratings from both the National Rifle Association and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and dollar contributions from the gun lobby.

Link: http://thedailybeast.thisisyourreponguns.com/

Incredible North Atlantic Storm Spans Atlantic Ocean, Coast to Coast
By Jason Samenow
The Washington Post

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a storm this big before.

The storm shown here stretches west to east from Newfoundland to Portugal. Its southern tail (cold front) extends into the Caribbean and the north side of its comma head touches southern Greenland.

Not only is it big, but it’s also super intense – comparable to many category 3 hurricanes. The storm’s central pressure, as analyzed by the Ocean Prediction Center, is 953 mb. Estimated peak wave heights are around 25-30 feet.

The rest: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/03/28/incredible-storm-spans-atlantic-ocean-coast-to-coast/?tid=pm_pop

Learn to swim.

(Photo: Dion van Huyssteen / Flickr)

All Politics Is Local
By William Rivers Pitt
Truthout | Op-Ed

Thursday 28 March 2013

Walking is the thing for very pregnant ladies, because very pregnant ladies don't want to be pregnant anymore, and word has it walking is good for bringing about the endgame. The last bit of being pregnant, comprised entirely of endless, writhing, inconsolable discomfort, is the little secret no one tells you about until you pass 36 weeks, and then it's all, "Oh, yeah, you're there, it's the worst, sorry I didn't warn you."

Not that a warning would have done any good. Hearing about it is one thing; experiencing it is entirely another, and there ain't no bridge to span that chasm. My wife is so thoroughly and completely pregnant that, if the schedule holds true, I will be the father of a daughter the next time you see my by-line on this page. She is nothing-for-it pregnant. She is just-be-over pregnant. We are at DEFCON 4 and waiting for word from the front.

So we walk. And we walk. And we walk. Slowly, surely, steadily, from hoot to holler and back to hoot, we walk.

On Wednesday, we walked all over downtown Boston, from Dalton St. to Boylston St. to Newbury St., through the Prudential Mall and the Copley Mall and back to Dalton St., and even stopped by the old bar to see Phil and Suzi and Ashley...and then we walked some more.

The rest: http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/15371-all-politics-is-local

http://www.happyplace.com/22634/the-wedding-that-would-finally-put-an-end-to-the-gay-marriage-debate-once-and-for-all

...it's a good day.

Biogen Idec wins FDA approval for MS pill that analysts project will become blockbuster drug
By Robert Weisman, Globe Staff

Federal regulators Wednesday approved Biogen Idec Inc.’s first pill to treat multiple sclerosis, a decision that cements the Weston biotechnology company’s dominance in the market for MS treatments and could allow thousands of patients to stop taking drugs by needle or through intravenous infusions.

Link: http://www.boston.com/businessupdates/2013/03/27/biogen-idec-wins-fda-approval-for-pill-that-analysts-project-will-become-blockbuster-drug/lMqkJgarodQ8SSg5LVOy1M/story.html

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FDA approves new multiple sclerosis treatment: Tecfidera

Results from two clinical trials showed that those taking Tecfidera had fewer MS relapses compared to people taking an inactive pill (placebo). One of the trials showed that those taking Tecfidera experienced a worsening of disability less often than patients taking a placebo.

Link: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm345528.htm

So Steve Lynch is running against Ed Markey to fill Kerry's open Senate seat, and the two will debate each other tonight...and the Bruins are playing the Montreal Canadiens tonight for first place.

These three facts are important because I was just downtown, and saw a plane fly overhead, right over the core of the city, towing a banner that accused Lynch of being a Canadiens fan.

The only thing worse would be a picture of Lynch sitting in Derek Jeter's lap.

Gettin' dirty in this dirty old town.

The facial expression is what makes this art.