Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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On the Brink
Tammy Anne Callahan-Callanan Spare Change News My family has lived like gypsies in Salem for many years, in that we move from place to place as employment demands. For the countless families that are low-income, being nomadic relates to not only employment, but also to financial demands: the demands of rent, affordable housing, utilities, clothing,…
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How social media empowers the homeless
Gary aka John Doe Spare Change News Coming to a realization, such as the fact that you’re going to be homeless in a couple of weeks, one tends to start to scratch and claw in misguided desperation, for anything that will soften the blow. For me, there was a therapeutic connection to writing, so I…
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New housing policy won’t fit all sizes
Chalkey Horenstein Spare Change News The last few issues of Spare Change have familiarized the readers with a program called HomeBASE, which is intended for fighting homelessness. Much like the programs Flex Funds and Diversion that came before it, their “housing first” strategy pays a portion of the tenant’s rent for a certain period of…
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Editorial: Betting on trouble
As a federal judge lectured yet another Massachusetts legislative leader for official corruption and sentenced him to multiple years in jail, the remaining powers that be on Beacon Hill were busy pitching a scheme that was devised behind closed doors to bring Las Vegas-style casinos to the Bay State. Somehow, it’s impossible to think about…
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A talk with homeless filmmaker Eric "Protein" Moseley
This week, Chalkey Horenstein of Spare Change News spoke with Eric “Protein” Moseley in a follow-up from an interview in the previous year. Moseley was born in Detroit, but has also lived in Los Angeles, San Diego, Columbia, Kingstree, Miami, Tallahassee, New Orleans, Houston, New York, Seattle and Myrtle Beach. Once renowned as the first…
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SOMEONE'S GOTTA LOSE: Does the Mass. Lottery Target Poor People?
Tom Benner Spare Change News A public interest group believes state lotteries use marketing strategies to target low-income communities, where residents tend to spend a larger percentage of their incomes on lottery tickets than do the wealthier segments of society. But a public records request for the Massachusetts Lottery’s internal advertising documents so far has…
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A Book Review: The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
Marc D. Goldfinger Spare Change News When are the passing years more than one can bear? Jake Marlowe from The Last Werewolf can answer that question. Jake is a werewolf closing in on his 201st birthday. He’s outlived almost everyone he’s loved and, being a werewolf who shifts into a savage thinking beast every full…
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Facts from Fiction: The Evolution of Women in American Literature
By Jacques Fleury “When you look down into silence, you see no friend; When you lift your gaze to space, you hear no echo. It is like striking a single chord it rings out but there’s no music.” “Literature: A Rahapsody” Lu Ji I started writing poetry in high school and was encouraged to continue…
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Ten Years Later: What Have We Learned?
Nakia Hill Spare Change News In the 10 years since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Americans have witnessed some change in the nation. Beyonce, who once claimed to be an independent woman, is now carrying husband Jay-Z’s child. The East Coast experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. America elected its first African- American president. The…
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Moving up and looking back
Gary aka John Doe Spare Change News When thrust into a situation that takes you out of your element, you become vulnerable. When you’re with strangers that are in the same, or a similar, situation, there’s a comfort brought back within you. It’s not a matter of “misery loves company,” however; it’s a common ground…
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