Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

  • Editorial

    In the last issue I formerly introduced myself as editor of Spare Change. Now that readers have an idea of who I am, I would like to take the opportunity outline some of my goals for the paper. First and foremost it is my goal to keep Spare Change in line with its mission to…

  • A Tale of Inner City: The Virus (Part One)

    [Taken from the Diaries of the Damned—written before the Tales of Communion——Insect-O-War.] The day was grey on the interstate to Inner City and Dean sat in the passenger seat fitting a new collar onto the dropper. He stripped the edge of a dollar bill, ran the thin strip of paper through his mouth to wet…

  • A Ray of Hope

    It’s funny when you get hope and inspiration, especially when it comes from the unlikeliest of places. A couple of months ago I was contacted by a man named Shimshon Stu Siegel. Shimshon is the Director of a program out of Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass called Impact Boston, for which High School students from…

  • Trained and Ready: Pine Street Inn Celebrates Job Training Graduation

    [img_assist|nid=309|title=Pine Street’s Training Program’s Proud Graduates|desc=|link=none|align=center|width=640|height=427] They signed up with the goal of becoming self sufficient, and graduate with the skills necessary to find a job and get back on their feet. The Pine Street Inn celebrated it’s annual job training graduation ceremony on June 24th, granting certificates in honor of students who completed either…

  • Local Housing Programs: History of the Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund

    In 1999 after rent control was change to reflect the need of low to moderate income people; a group of Cambridge business leaders created a program to provide subsidies and affordable rental housing within the city of 100,000 people. The Cambridge Community of Realtors, Cambridge Trust Company, East Cambridge Savings Bank, and Cambridge Savings Bank…

  • Trained and Ready: Pine Street Inn Celebrates Job Training Graduation

    They signed up with the goal of becoming self sufficient, and graduate with the skills necessary to find a job and get back on their feet. The Pine Street Inn celebrated it’s annual job training graduation ceremony on June 24th, granting certificates in honor of students who completed either the food services or building maintenance…

  • Local Housing Programs: History of the Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund

    In 1999 after rent control was change to reflect the need of low to moderate income people; a group of Cambridge business leaders created a program to provide subsidies and affordable rental housing within the city of 100,000 people. The Cambridge Community of Realtors, Cambridge Trust Company, East Cambridge Savings Bank, and Cambridge Savings Bank…

  • Lillian MacDonald: A Success Story

    From her second floor studio apartment, Lillian MacDonald looks listlessly out the window. “This is my home,” she says of her humble abode, decorated from wall to wall with pictures, the smell of cinnamon and sweet scents from candles permeating the air. Most of the pictures are black and whites of family members and saints.…

  • Cuts Extract Mass Health Dental Benefits From Budget

    As part of Governor Deval Patrick’s broad, expansive plan to cut more than $800 million from next years state budget, Mass Health dental benefits for adults is no longer being provided. The cuts to the Mass Dental program will eliminate fillings, treatment for gum disease, and dentures. This last measure is particularly troublesome for low-income…

  • Trading Places

    Have you ever taken the time to wonder what the homeless really have to experience on a daily basis? I know that you pass them daily as you go to and fro, on you way here and there. You may even stop to give them a couple dollars or offer them a cup of coffee…

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