Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Opinion: Feeding Social Change through Good Food Purchasing
Each day, every one of us has to make decisions about food for our daily survival and personal health. But the food choices available to us as individuals are shaped by policies we set as a society and economy — policies that currently make healthy foods unaffordable for too many and that exacerbate inequality. Many…
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R.I. bill aims to make cars pull over before giving to panhandlers
A Rhode Island state legislator who says she is worried about safety on the roads is again trying to limit how panhandlers can receive money from strangers. Deputy House Speaker Charlene Lima filed a bill that would fine drivers and passengers who pass anything out of their car window while in an active travel lane.…
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Hundreds take to Boston’s street for annual Homeless Census
“Most people walk by them, most people walk over them, and if they could, they’d walk through them,” said Mayor Martin Walsh as he stood in front of over 300 volunteers crammed into City Hall. On the night of January 30, the temperatures dropped into the single digits as volunteers from all over Boston banned…
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This is your brain on homelessness
Before Christmas, a survey found that 74 percent of people were worried about the levels of homelessness in Britain. The survey, commissioned by the charity Crisis, measured attitudes towards the 236,000 people experiencing homelessness across Great Britain today, and its findings seemed positive – 61 percent of people felt “angry, upset or frustrated” about homelessness…
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Winter Walk to benefit the homeless braves the cold
Despite the winter chill, over 1,000 people gathered in Copley Square to walk two miles through the streets of the Boston to raise awareness and funds to help end homelessness. “Fantastic turnout,” said Susan Dooley, member of the board of the Winter Walk. “I think we had almost double of pre-registers than last year.” The…
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Volunteers take to Boston’s street for annual Homeless Census
“Most people walk by them, most people walk over them, and if they could, they’d walk through them,” said Mayor Martin Walsh as he stood in front of over 300 volunteers crammed into City Hall. On the night of January 30, the temperatures dropped into the single digits as volunteers from all over Boston banned…
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Panera Cares is closing in Boston
The last remaining cafe in Panera’s experiment to help feed people dealing with food insecurity is set to close. Panera Cares in a non-profit organization that operates on a pay-what-you-can model. Panera Cares cafes provide suggested donation amounts for all menu items to help customers understand the cost of “paying it forward” and helping people…
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Elizabeth Warren kicks off campaign in Lawrence
Elizabeth Warren made her presidential campaign official in Lawrence, at a Saturday morning kick-off event that alluded to the mill city’s history of labor strikes and long lineage of immigrant communities. The Massachusetts senator’s speech was full of talking points on issues ranging from corruption in Washington, D.C. to the racial wealth gap. But it…
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How renting could affect your health
Due to its central role in our lives, it is not surprising that researchers have found a number of important relationships between the homes we live in and our health. An in-depth paper by two academics showed a more direct link – that the private rental market, in comparison to affordable and social housing, can…
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As MBTA fares increase, so do state house salaries
As news broke this week about the MBTA proposing another fare hike, I found myself thinking about the salary increase over at the State House. Yes, folks, in a move that has went largely ignored by local media and a few others, the State Legislators have once again voted to give themselves pay raises. Gov.…
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