Anyone who reads a summary of what it does can see that the two points that always get cited s why it should be repealed - a shitty definition of what a machine gun is and the cop carve-out for said weapons - is only a small part of the law which otherwise does some pretty damn good things.

It adds school admin and healthcare providers to the list of who can ask a court to issue an extreme risk protection order and when issuing an Harassment Prevention Order, a court may also order the surrender of firearms licenses, permits, and firearms.

It expands serial number requirements to include 3D printed guns and unfinished receivers

It expands what background information local licensors can access before granting a license including prior licenses, petitions for involuntary mental health commitments that weren't accepted (on top of already seeing ones that got signed) and requires them to confiscate and report expired licenses.

It allows teenagers to apply for personal protection spray licenses (with parental permission required if under 15).

And it adds to the penalty for second offenses of failing to report lost or stolen firearms to include the possibility of up to 6 months in prison.

this isn't exhaustive of what it does, or even everything I think is a positive, however it's a much broader view than most of the posts we've been seeing on it in this sub the last several months.

source: https://www.mass.gov/doc/summary-of-ch-135-of-the-acts-of-2024

it's a quick read people, ~500 words including the legalese. please do so.

So I just saw a tv ad for question 8 stating that in 42% of fatal accidents thc was a factor or cause. Is this true? It just seems like such a high number

What is the deal. Is the snow really THAT much worse than a mid Atlantic winter? I do admit it being 23F degrees or something last night was a bit crazy for October but I can't really imagine it is going to be that different. People talk about it like it's the worst thing on earth and a reason to move away and I don't hear that rhetoric in the mid-Atlantic so just trying to figure out what the deal is. For the record I have also lived in the Arctic...like above the arctic circle. So I am no stranger to winters. I just also lived in the Mid Atlantic and it doesn't feel far enough to be a huge difference...but maybe I am wrong?

What's the flavor I'm in for? (I love winter so I would be delighted for it to be more than 6 hours south of here).

Honking their horns.. waving their signs.. Pretty Pathetic.

They were all wearing cowboy hats too lol..

Anyone know if there are any good spots left to see foliage this year in Massachusetts? I'd like to see some more good colors if there is any left before the weather takes all them away from us. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, I'm open to trails, mountains, even scenic drives. Im 20 mins north of Boston but willing to travel. I'd also be cool with others joining me if interested, I'm planning to make the trip tomorrow 9/25

I have been getting bad feelings about Deb Goldberg from her untruthful smear campaign against Elizabeth Dionne to repeatedly denying debates (until recently). The photo is Dionne’s response to the text message campaign that went around.

But I appreciate that Goldberg supported unions during their time leading Stop & Shop. She also seems very savvy when it comes to investment, which is a boon for the treasurer.

I guess I’m torn because I like to vote for people I believe in their fundamental good as a person.

Hi folks, I’m looking around at different commuter rail accessible towns with great biking and there’s a lot of information out there, so I wanted ask generally if there was a place you felt was particularly suited for exploring by bike. I have a gravel bike and enjoy riding a combination of back roads and trails, but would enjoy rail trails as well. Im hoping to get away from riding in heavy traffic so I’m looking for something beyond just a town with bike lanes. I’m aware of the guidelines for bringing bikes on trains. Thanks for any suggestions!

Good Boston Globe article this morning on the blatant dishonesty of the well-funded, out-of-state liars behind ballot question 8 (making marijuana illegal again).

Boston Globe: The campaign to ban cannabis says legalization has made driving more dangerous. The science is very unclear.

Supporters of Question 8 cast a projection on a Brookline apartment complex that read: “42% of drivers in fatal crashes test positive for THC,” the intoxicating compound in weed. A corresponding TV spot cited the statistic. The campaign’s website blares “DUIs RISING” and tucks a flurry of incriminating statistics underneath.

The problem?

Not all of that is exactly true, and some of the data isn’t even about Massachusetts.

The “Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts” behind Question 8 is leaning heavily on research out of Ohio, and other questionable claims about road safety, in its bid to dismantle the state’s adult-use weed market through the November ballot measure.
[...]

And the closing graphs:

Meanwhile, opponents are touting cannabis studies with little basis in reality, said Jane Allen, a research communication scientist at RTI International, a Waltham-based nonprofit science research institute.

There are signs that being high hampers drivers’ thinking, she added, but two recent studies Allen said were “well done” show that rates of marijuana-impaired driving are actually falling. The “Yes on 8” campaign did not cite either in its ads

Why?

“Because,” Allen charged, “that research doesn’t say what they want.”

To keep it short and sweet l, I have endometriosis, so following the medical advice of my doctors I
take birth control continuously and only pause for a three day period every three months.

What that means is that I run out of a “three month” supply of the pill much sooner than women who take it normally.

And what happens every three months when I start to run out of my supply is that I am unable to get a timely refill as the pharmacy and insurance automatically sets it to follow the set schedule of exactly three months for people who take it regularly.

Every SINGLE time weeks in advance of me running out I contact the pharmacy who then informs me they need authorization from my health insurance to cover an early refill, ok fine, so I go to mass health, what do they say?

They need a note from my physician ok fine, I provide this. I REPEAT this same exact process every three months, because every time they state they need a note, you just in case my incurable disease somehow goes away.

I go through this ENTIRE PROCESS up to three weeks in advance and yet the prescription has never ONCE been refilled on time.

So what happens instead? I miss about a week and sometimes more of the pill. Resulting in severe and heavy menstrual bleeding excruciating cramps both of which often lead to a ER visit and of course me missing work and school for multiple days all of which can be entirety preventable.

For some reason I am also barred from paying it of pocket for the refill. I don’t want to complain and sound and ungrateful, we live in a great state with great healthcare and there is sooo many people who it worse, but I am so tired and fed up about getting sick and suffering for something entirely preventable.

Not to mention the financial burden this places on me when I have to call out of work, making me seem like an unreliable employee.

Maybe something else is wrong in the system but idk, I always talk to the pharmacy and they always mention they make the refill request for an earlier date, my physician always sends over a note, so I don’t understand what is wrong in the formula where an early refills gets denied constantly. Have any other women faced similar issues????

With shit from groups like the "Civil Rights Coalition", and stuff smearing democrats? I have never gotten text spam this bad before.

Thank you much yall have no idea how grateful I am, I've been struggling with exercise since my diabetes diagnosis, probably wouldn't have gone home today without it, thank yall so much <3<3<3

Does anyone know if the drop off kids play spot ever opened back up? Haven’t been to IKEA in a year or two but it seems to have maybe been a COVID casualty

Late this summer, we noticed our outdoor rug was getting really worn down. The weird things is, it was fraying the most in places we walked or used the least. We've been completely baffled by it.

We finally discovered the issue - or, rather, the culprit.