Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
-
Poppy: A novel about the opioid crisis
Poppy hopped off the bus at Burrard and Davie and walked the half-block back to St. Paul’s, where a gathering of some 30 black-clad youth stood outside the main entrance. He dodged a few on the sidewalk on the wide walkway from sidewalk to door and noticed a “Speedball Dreams” badge sewn on the sleeve…
-
Local groups call to end Southeast Asian Deportation
Photo by author. About 50 protestors gathered outside the Bristol County Jail and House of Corrections in North Dartmouth, Mass. on the evening of January 23, to raise awareness on the deportation of Southeast Asians and to demand that the Sheriff’s office end its partnership with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “It’s important for us…
-
How can the homeless apply for Mass ID?
After my Mass ID expired, I researched online and found out that I needed a birth certificate to renew my ID. This took me to my hometown of New York City, where I visited the Department of Health’s Vital Records Office. It was there that I received help to complete an online application. I received…
-
I’ll Be At The Movies
The NFL is a national tragedy. It is cockfighting with humans. We in New England have the almost inarguably best quarterback in history and, also almost inarguably, one of the best coaches in history playing together. They’ve proven it to be true over and over again in increasingly remarkable and dramatic victories. I have enjoyed…
-
Activists lobby state house for sexual health issues, education
On January 17, at 10 a.m., people of all ages and gender, donned in formal attire, gathered at the Great Hall of Massachusetts State House to lobby their district representatives for greater access to reproductive rights and sexual education for youth. Calling January 17 ‘Sexual Health Lobby Day,’ 70 organizations – including NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts,…
-
Mass. Gov’s Proposed Education Budget Draws Mixed Reactions
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday unveiled his proposed budget with a focus on education spending along with a companion bill. But school activists are pushing for significantly more funding. The 2020 fiscal budget includes more than $200 million in new state aid to education, with more than $1 billion over seven years going toward…
-
Boston Immigrant Community Speaks Out On Government Shutdown, Trump’s Border Wall Proposal
On January 25, the United States federal government reopened after a 35-day-long shutdown without any concrete deal regarding a budget for the fiscal year of 2019. The reopening is temporary, however; if Congress does not reach a deal by February 15 — presumably, one that includes $5.7 billion in allocated funds for a new border…
-
Boston receives millions to support chronically homeless in the city
Boston has been selected as one of the communities to receive federal funding from HUD for the creation of housing and to support homeless assistance programs. Mayor Martin Walsh announced the funding in a press release on Wednesday which states that nearly $26.3 million will be used to benefit Boston’s Way Home, a program dedicated…
-
Mexico’s Forests, Both Victim of and Solution to Climate Change
“I dream of a healthy, sustainable, well-managed forest,” said Rogelio Ruiz, a silviculturist from southern Mexico, who insists that “we have to clean it up, take advantage of the wood, and reforest.” These activities are essential for the ecosystem, especially to adapt to the impacts of climate change, said the president of the La Trinidad…
-
Cambridge votes to add gender neutral option to birth certificates
The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously last Monday to draft a home-rule petition allowing residents to amend birth certificates to a third gender category, “X,” rather than male or female, as well as streamlining the change process. The proposed bill is intended to accommodate residents who identify as neither exclusively male nor female and to…
Got any book recommendations?