2009 Homeless Gift Guide

[Also published on Doc Gurley’s blog on SF Gate’s City Brights and Chronicle Health Section]

This time of year, no matter what your worldview, religion or culture, it’s hard, as you hurry past the homeless huddled on the street, to not feel like Scrooge. Whether you’re taking your family to the Nutcracker, or pounding the […]

Charging Rent To The Homeless

Here’s a new twist on just how far we as a society go to wring the very last penny out of some of our most destitute:

CNN covered the issue of New York”s decision to charge rent to the homeless staying in shelters – but only if they’re working. It’s a perfect storm of bur-idiocy […]

Now That’s a Mother…

Check out the Doc Gurley article at SFGate – the online version of the San Francisco Chronicle – where she discusses the amazing Mother Wright. Mary Ann Wright was a woman who was “right” is so many ways – a true everyday hero of our times. In the article, you’ll find not only a celebration […]

News From The Fourth World: Mail Dump

One of the hardest things about being homeless (and trying to work your way out of homelessness) is that you struggle with things

Image by ClintJCL via Flickr

that many of us take for granted every day – like a safe, reliable way to get your mail. Not many homeless people can pay for P.O. […]

Gurley Guts

If you’d like a fun listening experience (and who doesn’t?) head on over to Nei Jing Now! It’s a fabulous wellness site

Image via Wikipedia

with in-depth audio shows every two months.

[Motto: Demystifying Medicine; Cultivating Resilience; Empowering Host Resistance.]

The latest Nei Jing Now! episode deals with all things gutsy – and stars our […]

Mentally Ill Does NOT Mean Violent…

Image by zenera via Flickr

Finally, a whopping, thorough, well-designed study of over 34,000 people looks at whether or not our assumptions about mental illness and violence have any basis in fact. Here’s the result, as well-reported in Medscape –

“Future violence, such as fighting, sexual assault, or arson, was statistically more likely among individuals […]