What is the likely result of reporting an illegal rooming house in Toronto? e.g. How often do they end up getting cleaned up, repaired, and properly licensed vs. shut down (whether by the inspectors or by an owner who doesn't want to bother fixing it up)?
posted by anonymous on Oct 26, 2009 - 5 answers

What's the scoop on the interest rates charged by Kiva's microfinance institutions? [more inside]
posted by Salvor Hardin on Jun 21, 2009 - 10 answers

Can anyone identify these cartoons? One about two poor kids who dream of a world made of food, then wake up to a feast in their kitchen. Another about a young couple at a future world/technology expo where they see instant houses, get groomed by robots, and ballroom dance? [more inside]
posted by thebellafonte on Apr 28, 2009 - 6 answers

I'd like to read some good books, preferably autobiographical, about managing a household in hard times. [more inside]
posted by Catch on Feb 15, 2009 - 29 answers

How can a homeless person who has been injured (stabbed, for instance) expect to be treated at a U.S. city hospital with no money or health insurance? Surely they wouldn't let him bleed to death? And if they do turn him away, what are his options?
posted by Sully on Feb 1, 2009 - 21 answers

What are some interesting ways people have used to make money, without having a job, per se? (Legally, I mean.) [more inside]
posted by AAAA on Jan 6, 2009 - 17 answers

We just found out that my husband's not getting his paycheque this week. I'm currently unemployed and have been actively looking for work, to no avail. What to do? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Dec 11, 2008 - 30 answers

Movies about Britain's Lower Class children and the society they live in? [more inside]
posted by watercarrier on Nov 17, 2008 - 21 answers

Please help me find a present for my sister's 30th birthday. She's asked for book(s) on certain topics that she's interested in, but I have no idea about these particular genre's. [more inside]
posted by Solomon on Sep 15, 2008 - 10 answers

What are the most important social justice issues in the world today (such as AIDS, poverty, clean water, human trafficking, slavery, etc.) and what is one organization that is working in that field to make a difference? [more inside]
posted by roaring beast on Sep 10, 2008 - 15 answers

HUGE economic pressures combined with ruthless credit card companies: about to be bankrupt AGAIN what should I DO? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 4, 2008 - 14 answers

I need to better understand the proposed tax systems. Mainly the fair tax or sales tax versus an income tax. I am writing a paper for school on the viewpoints of TTARA (The Texas Taxpayers and Research Ass.) and CTJ (citizens for tax justice) but cannot gain a clear idea of what each side is proposing. Obviously the republicans want the fair tax, and since TTARA is business minded, I assume they too seek the fair tax, or at least support it. But what is the Dem idea of fair taxation? Do they want an income tax? What is all this talk on CTJ about income tax cuts? I don’t have the patience to sift through all the material so I'm hoping someone can give me a basic idea of the differing positions on the matter. Mainly answer the question of who wants what and why, and who benefits most from each plan.... Also what about the working poor, do they benefit most from an income tax? Etc. Etc.
posted by madmamasmith on May 4, 2008 - 17 answers

Seeking hard stats on how much of the wealthy population is genuinely rich (owns outright solid assets, stocks, cash, gold, real estate) as opposed to living rich (owns much of above but with borrowed money). I'm curious as to how many people living on, say, Fifth Avenue or in Atherton or Greenwich can actually afford it and how many are simply spinning plates on borrowed time, borrowed money, and a (for now) high income. (Time will tell, of course, and perhaps sooner rather than later, but I'm curious now.) Many thanks.
posted by IndigoJones on Apr 25, 2008 - 18 answers

Is the organic movement (and its related environmentally-friendly pals) putting pressure on low-income consumers? [more inside]
posted by soma lkzx on Apr 25, 2008 - 18 answers

I need ideas for a visual representation of a human rights issue. [more inside]
posted by Etta Hollis on Jan 24, 2008 - 11 answers

It’s that time - the beginning of the last semester before I graduate from collee. It’s time to find a job or graduate school program and plot out the rest of my life. A renewed interest in charity and decreased interest in psychology, my chosen field of study, have led me to question my planned life course. Open my mind to what I might be able to do with my life. [more inside]
posted by charmston on Jan 7, 2008 - 9 answers

How many people in America miss one or more meals per day because they can't afford to put food on the table? Any authoritative (citation) answer / statistic appreciated. [more inside]
posted by lasitter on Dec 26, 2007 - 3 answers

My mother-in-law is under the impression that my wife and I are far wealthier than we actually are, and it's threatening to drive a wedge between us and the rest of her family. Help! [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Dec 17, 2007 - 66 answers

I'm looking for Web sites that use interactive maps to display social phenomena, such as Oakland CrimeSpotting. They don't need to be that sophisticated. I'm especially interested in maps related to poverty and education.
posted by desjardins on Nov 12, 2007 - 10 answers

Why does an image of a naked man wearing a barrel with suspenders symbolize being poor? What is that image's origin?
posted by Falconetti on Oct 17, 2007 - 15 answers

If you were to sponsor a child in the 3rd world, what could you send to brighten their day? [more inside]
posted by bystander on Jul 7, 2007 - 10 answers

Looking for statistics: How would I go about calculating how much impact Islamic charity or zakat can make on global poverty - if collected and distributed on a global scale? [more inside]
posted by raheel on Jul 3, 2007 - 2 answers

How does one groom oneself for development/aid work in developing countries? What are your experiences (or resources for experiences) landing positions with NGOs, and the difference between bottom-up and top-down approaches for contact? [more inside]
posted by iamck on Jun 28, 2007 - 4 answers

I have been working for a non-profit in New York City for the past year. It is a great program, using education as an anti-poverty tool. There have been money and organizational problems since I began working here, but now it seems as though everything is falling apart. I need advice. [more inside]
posted by amileighs on Jun 19, 2007 - 9 answers

Please help me find an art photograph of a portly white American man sitting on a park bench surrounded by starving Africans. [more inside]
posted by 4ster on Jun 2, 2007 - 4 answers

I'm looking for articles (popular or scholarly) about government/non-profit programs designed to reduce poverty by purchasing cars for poor people. [more inside]
posted by desjardins on Apr 19, 2007 - 7 answers

Where can I find examples and causes of urban blight? [more inside]
posted by Bookhouse on Mar 3, 2007 - 17 answers

I'm looking for good books about other people's misery. [more inside]
posted by kmennie on Jan 23, 2007 - 37 answers

Have any tips for living (in the US) without health insurance? [more inside]
posted by YoungAmerican on Jan 7, 2007 - 25 answers

Why is wealth skewed towards "colder" countries? [more inside]
posted by jacobean on Oct 26, 2006 - 38 answers

GlobalPovertyFilter: Is poverty in the third world and emerging countries like India and China due more to exploitation by multinational corporations, or due to disconnection from globalization? [more inside]
posted by ibmcginty on Jun 26, 2006 - 16 answers

How do I interpret CPI (consumer price index) in the following table? [more inside]
posted by frankie_stubbs on Jun 8, 2006 - 7 answers

More American urban sociology: I live in a city with a diverse mix of ethnicities and cultures. How come the only people I ever see begging for spare change are either white or black? Why do I never see asians or hispanics begging? Is this a real cultural phenomenon, or am I just making false conclusions based on a too-small sample size? [more inside]
posted by kenoshakid on Apr 21, 2006 - 13 answers

Are there any decent cross-cultural studies on the psychological effects of poverty out there? [more inside]
posted by saysthis on Feb 1, 2006 - 4 answers

I'm trying to think of a famous quote. It says something like the best measure of government is how it treats its poor. I think it's famous, or maybe it's just a thought I've had so many times that it feels famous! No luck so far searching Google or the quote sites.
posted by abbyladybug on Sep 5, 2005 - 16 answers

I ride the Paris metro every day to get around the city, and I've only recently noticed a strange phenomenon. At two different metro stops I've seen homeless people repeating the word "seven" in English over and over again at random intervals. I can't think of any French words it could be that I might be mishearing, especially since the 'n' is very pronounced and the vowels sound English enough. Can anyone explain what's going on here?
posted by themadjuggler on Apr 15, 2005 - 38 answers

After reading hundreds of blogs (Why, oh why?), I’ve come to the conclusion that a big number of the people who write about their own financial situation, explicitly or indirectly tell of how broke they are; Like Jim Anchower, many describe low wages and bad jobs, job losses and unemployment, crashing bills, life in apartments with roommates who don’t care and having a hard time paying rents & bills, etc. I understand that the real median household income in 2003 was $43,318 (US), and I know that times are hard for most people. Still, is the average blogger poorer than the average person?
posted by growabrain on Jan 12, 2005 - 18 answers