Poverty Law Prof Blog

Cool graphic on the components of inflation

The New York Times has a somewhat dated multimedia graphic showing the components of the Consumer Price Index that is pretty interesting and good for in-class explanations. 

-E.R. erosser@wcl.american.edu

Slides on Financial Bailout

Perhaps of use in your class:

For my own poverty class I put together a Powerpoint of slides connected to the Bailout, drawing heavily from The Big Picture Blog postings and with links to some multimedia (Stewart/Colbert, etc).  Note, the links may not work but I tried to give enough info that you can find them on either youtube.com or Comedy Central's webpages.  Download financial_turmoil_and_bailout.pptx . 

-E.R. erosser@wcl.american.edu

Pope's Lent Message focuses on Almsgiving and aiding those in need

Arguably this could be good for a poverty course (particularly at a Catholic school) and I thought it interesting (though I am not Catholic) ... The Pope's 2008 Message for Lent focuses on "the practice of almsgiving, which represents a specific way to assist those in need."  Pope Benedict writes:

"In the Gospel, Jesus explicitly admonishes the one who possesses and uses earthly riches only for self. In the face of the multitudes, who, lacking everything, suffer hunger, the words of Saint John acquire the tone of a ringing rebuke: “How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?” (1 Jn 3,17). In those countries whose population is majority Christian, the call to share is even more urgent, since their responsibility toward the many who suffer poverty and abandonment is even greater. To come to their aid is a duty of justice even prior to being an act of charity."

-E.R. erosser@wcl.american.edu

Interesting photos perhaps good for classes

An email forward with interesting photos on weekly food expenditures across countries is making its way around and has made it to a number of blogs.  Here is a link to the photos.  I haven't been able to find the source however on these photos, so some caution is in order.

-E.R. erosser@wcl.american.edu