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Good News Friday
Author: BobR    Date: 03/11/2011 13:24:31

It's been a rough week. The non-stop assaults on American institutions by the Republicans have been relentless, from unions to woman's rights to NPR to... well, anything that involves the government helping or protecting American citizens. Throw in Libya, and now the massive earthquake in Japan, and I felt it was time for a quick news roundup of a few stories that will make us a feel a little better.

We all remember the day that Rep Gabby Giffords (D-AZ) was shot in the head at a constituent event in a shopping plaza in Tucson. We were shocked she survived. Then, we were amazed she looked like she might not just live, but recover. Yesterday, it was announced that she plans on attending her husband's shuttle launch next month:
Her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, will be the commander of Endeavour when it launches in April, and his identical twin brother Scott is the current leader of the International Space Station crew. Mark Kelly has been training for the mission and said earlier he hoped his wife would be able to see him off.

But despite seemingly steady improvements — the latest include singing with her husband and chanting Hebrew healing prayers — doctors have been cautious.

Last month, Dr. Gerard Francisco, the head of the team of doctors overseeing Giffords' rehabilitation, said a medical decision on whether she could attend the launch would be based on a variety of factors, including how independent her movement is, how much help will be available from friends and family and whether she could handle the commotion of traveling.

Here's hoping the doctors give her a clearance. It would be the perfect epilogue to this tragic story.

In other medical news, the U.S. has approved the first new Lupus drug in 56 years. According to the article:
There is no known cure, but some drugs including the newly approved one appear to reduce the symptoms and flareups experienced by people diagnosed with lupus.

Benlysta, developed by the US firm Human Genome Sciences and Britain's GlaxoSmithKline, is an intravenous treatment and the first to come on the US market since Plaquenil in 1955. Aspirin was approved to treat lupus in 1948.

"Benlysta, when used with existing therapies, may be an important new treatment approach for health care professionals and patients looking to help manage symptoms associated with this disease," said Curtis Rosebraugh, head of the FDA drug evaluation office.

I have a couple friends with the disease. Hopefully, this is helpful, and hopefully it will be affordable. New treatments are always encouraging, but there has to be a way for drug companies to be rewarded for their research AND still allow those that need the drug to have access to it.

Finally, this last story hits near and dear to my heart (and stomach): Proposed legislation will reduce the excise tax on beer for small breweries. It's name? The BEER Act. How can you not love that?
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) on Wednesday introduced the BEER Act — the Brewers Employment and Excise Relief Act — which reduces excise taxes on beer.

Kerry estimates the legislation would create jobs at many of the 1,600 small breweries across the country, which employ a total of 100,000 people. That includes several microbreweries in Massachusetts, such as Sam Adams, named for one of the Founding Fathers and a former governor of Massachusetts.

The bill cuts the tax on the first 60,000 barrels of beer produced from $7 per barrel to $3.50.

“This bill will help ensure that these small businesses keep people on the payroll and create jobs even during tight economic times,” Kerry said in a statement announcing the legislation.

FINALLY - a bill to help small business (although targeting a specific industry) that is - at least partially - sponsored by a Republican. Kudos where it's due. May we have more of this, and less of the other crap that we've been dealing with.

 

76 comments (Latest Comment: 03/12/2011 00:00:55 by Scoopster)
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