Category: Columns
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American Disabilities Act Day
July 13 was American Disabilities Act Day across the USA, and I learned new stuff about myself and my oldest child. I’m an epileptic and my oldest child has Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), which is a high functioning form of Autism. PDD isn’t such a mysterious disease anymore. In fact, Asperger’s disease is more mysterious…
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Solving for Space and Time: Ending homelessness by fixing the DTA and MBTA
Photo: Shinya Suzuki What does improving the food system and reducing vehicle traffic and air pollution (especially in urban areas) have to do with ending homelessness worldwide? Everything. Well then, how can Massachusetts lead the rest of the world in doing this? Massachusetts could first humanize the management system used by the Department of Transitional…
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Social Justice
My name is George Caponigro. I am a human being living on this planet, a citizen of the United States and the world who spent some time without a home. For well over 20 years, I have worked on the frontlines of social justice at the local, state and national level, and I’ve been exposed…
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When Will We Wake Up?
Until now, I haven’t had much to say about the recent tragedies in Minnesota, Louisiana, Dallas or Orlando. Or should I say murders? After all, that’s what they were. Let’s not beat around the bush here: tragedy is someone being killed in a car accident or a natural disaster. These incidents were cold-blooded murder. Someone…
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“Tales of Repairman Jack” by F. Paul Wilson: A Review
“Tales of Repairman Jack,” published by Tor Books, New York, NY 10010, and Isher Books, distributed by the Gauntlet Press, among others. Repairman Jack is one of the most exciting characters ever to come out of the mind of F. Paul Wilson, who in his spare time is a practicing physician in Wall, New Jersey.…
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Why I Sell Spare Change News!
My name is Michael Thistle and I’ve been a Spare Change News vendor since 2007. I’m currently not homeless, but I use to be on and off for many years. I’m an alcoholic who’s been in recovery for 11 years now. Alcoholism took me to many places in my life that I honestly never thought…
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A Tale of Two Bridges: Marty Walsh Sets Priorities with the FY2017 Boston City Budget
On Wednesday June 22, Spare Change News co-founder James Shearer and I participated in a meeting between Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Boston Homeless Solidarity Committee. Our “ask” was unsuccessful, even as I appreciated Walsh’s gracious manner. I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Marty Walsh, who appeared to be carrying the weight of…
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“The Wolf Road” by Beth Lewis: A Book Review
Goldsboro Books, 23–25 Cecil St., London, WC2N 4E2, United Kingdom, S & N Limited Edition/and Crown Publishing Group, A Division of Penguin Random House “Think on why I ain’t killing you.”—Kreagar Elka doesn’t remember her parents. After a war that destroyed civilization, she lives in the wilderness with a man named Trapper. Trapper teaches her…
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State makes it easier to fight opioid epidemic
For many years, AIDS Action Committee has been on the forefront of advocating for sound policies to protect those struggling with addiction. A decade ago we worked for passage of syringe decriminalization, pharmacy access to syringes without a prescription, and the Good Samaritan Law to empower those dealing with overdoses to seek help from law…
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See What I See
The morning after the night I spent on the streets, I found myself walking into Downtown Crossing in Boston. It was about 5 a.m. I grabbed a cup of coffee at the 7-Eleven and started walking toward the train station. I was walking by Millennium Tower and I suddenly wished I had a camera. I…