Tweet chat: Has crisis robbed the poor?

London (CNN) — Since the financial crisis hit in 2007 the gap between rich and the poor has grown, unemployment has soared to record levels and Europe’s young risk becoming a lost generation.
Ahead of the OECD Forum in Paris next week, CNN is hosting a tweet chat Monday May 27 between 12pm and 12:30pm BST to debate how the crisis has split the world and hear your views on who is at fault and how it can be fixed.
Using the hashtag #inequalityCNN, tell us how the crisis has impacted your life, and what generation X and Y — those hardest hit by unemployment — can do to change the global story.
Join the conversation with CNN’s special guests European Youth Forum president Peter Matjasic and secretary general Giuseppe Porcaro, entrepreneur Karl Petter Rygh and Intern Aware in UK’s Ben Lyons. They are attending the OECD Forum as youth representatives.
CNN will pull the best comments into a story to run ahead of the OECD Forum, on May 28 and 29, which will be discussing how the world can pull itself out of the financial mire and revealing its global economic outlook.
The forum follows the release of OECD figures this month showing income inequality increased as much in the first three years of the crisis as it had in the previous 12 years — if mitigating factors such as taxes and welfare were not taken into account.
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Demonstrators shout slogans at Neptuno Square during a march made by thousands of people on Saturday, February 23 in Madrid.
Public workers, small political parties and nonprofit organizations protest against government austerity on February 23 in Madrid.
Spanish riot police stand in front of a fire at the end of a demonstration against government austerity measures in Madrid.
Demonstrators protest on February 23, in Madrid.
Spanish police in riot gear chase protesters.
Protesters face Spanish riot police at the end of the demonstration in Madrid.
Firemen extinguish a bin on fire during a riot after a march by thousands of people.
Spain’s financial crisis has resulted in an eviction epidemic in Madrid. Ecuadorian immigrant Rocio (second left) lost her jobs when the recession hit, and has only narrowly avoided being kicked out of her apartment.
People protest against the Spanish laws on house evictions outside the Spanish parliament on February 12 in Madrid, Spain.
People attend a demonstration called by the organization Platform for Mortgage Victims on February 16 in Madrid.
Court officials protest on February 20 in Madrid, during a strike called by judges, prosecutors and justice workers against the government’s spending cuts.
Judges, prosecutors and justice workers called the strike against the government’s spending cuts.
Platform for Mortgage Victims protests to push for a new law to end a wave of evictions of homeowners ruined by the economic crisis.
Demonstrators camp at a protest in Puerta del Sol Square after a demonstration against alleged corruption scandals implicating the PP (Popular Party) on February 3 in Madrid, Spain.
Protestors gather during a demonstration against alleged corruption scandals implicating the PP (Popular Party) on February 3 in Madrid, Spain.
Policemen arrest a Spanish Airline Iberia worker during a protest against job cuts at Barajas Airport on February 18 in Madrid, Spain.
Riot police pull at a worker protesting from Spanish Airline Iberia during a rally against job cuts at Barajas Airport.
A Spanish Airline Iberia staff member blows a whistle during a protest against job cuts at Barajas Airport.
Riot Police walk forward making a cordon during a protest of Spanish Airline Iberia staff.
Staff from Spanish Airline Iberia hold flags and gather in protest against job cuts.
Protesters hold placards as they take part in a demonstration against plans to cut medical spending and privatize hospital services in Madrid on February 17.
Protesters take part in a demonstration against plans to cut medical spending and privatize hospital services in Madrid of February 17.
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Madrid at the center of protests
The figures show that in countries where the financial crisis hit hard, such as Greece, Spain and Italy, poor households “either lost more income from the recession or benefited less from recovery.”
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Eurozone crisis sparked protests throughout the continent. Pictured here, demonstrators fight with riot policemen during a protest against austerity on November 14, 2012 in Rome.
Students hold placards with titles of classic books during a protest on a day of mobilization against austerity measures by workers in southern Europe on November 14, 2012 in Rome.
A demonstrator sits next to a barricade of burning tires on November 13, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain.
Protesters sit down in front of a line of police.
Riot police officers face protesters during a demonstration outside the Portuguese Parliament in Lisbon on November 14, 2012 during a general strike.
Riot policemen arrest a protester in Valencia on November 14, 2012 during a general strike.
Riot policemen stand in line during a protest against austerity measures by workers in Europe on November 14, 2012 in Rome.
Greece has seen some of the most violent protests in years.
Communist-affiliated protesters gather in central Athens prior their protest march marking the 24-hour general strike on October 18, 2012.
Protesters attend a demonstration organized by Spain’s “indignant” protesters, a popular movement against a political system that they say deprives ordinary Spaniards of a voice in the crisis, near the parliament building in Madrid during a general strike.
Supporters of the Greek Communist Party waves party flags and chant slogans, during a rally calling for Greece’s exit from the Eurozone, on May 14, 2012.

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Europe’s unemployment crisis
Greece and Spain are also the countries in which youth unemployment has reached the eurozone’s highest levels, sitting at 62.5% and 55.9% respectively. Italy youth unemployment sits at 38.4%, according to Eurostat.
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Luxury sales defy economic gloom
Meanwhile the number of billionaires increased by 210 to 1,426, according to the 2013 Forbes Billionaires List, with the aggregate net wealth increasing to $5.4 trillion from $4.6 trillion.
Is this fair? Tell us what you think, Monday May 27 at 12pm to 12:30pm BST.
Key Twitter handles for the chat are:
And from CNN, join Irene Chapple and Lauren Moorhouse:
Follow the CNNi Twitter list, here.
Article source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/edition_business/~3/FrKZ9I6jknE/index.html



Jes Baker, who blogs under the name “The Militant Baker,” changed Abercrombie and Fitch’s logo to “Attractive Fat” to challenge CEO Mike Jeffries’ comments about marketing to “cool, good-looking people.” The company doesn’t carry above a size 10 or large for women.
“I was inspired by the opportunity to show that I am secure in my skin and to flaunt this by using the controversial platform that you created,” Baker wrote. Here, she poses with model John C. Shay.
Baker said Jeffries’ comments “created an incredible opportunity for social change” about body image in the fashion industry.
Baker said she was nervous about the shoot, but only because she had never modeled with another person or in a sexual manner.
“The only thing you’ve done through your comments (about thin being beautiful and only offering XL and XXL in your stores for men) is reinforce the unoriginal concept that fat women are social failures, valueless, and undesirable,” Baker wrote to Jeffries.
“Never in our culture do we see sexy photo shoots that pair short, fat, unconventional models with not short, not fat, professional models,” Baker wrote.
Baker said the shoot isn’t about larger sizes at Abercrombie, “it’s about teaching the world that everybody is equal in value.”




































Introducing Gypsy Rose II, a 12-meter pirate ship created by U.S. boat builder, Captain Tim Woodson.

The Gypsy Rose II is one of six pirate ships built by Woodson (pictured with girlfriend “Wench Maria”), and sailed along the Mississippi River as part of sightseeing cruises.
Woodson uses old house boats as the base for his pirate ships, covering them in planks of wood and staining it in varnish to “make it look like something from 1689.”
Among Woodson’s six converted pirate ships is another 12-meter boat now lined with 18 bunk beds for school trips. “We can thank Pirates of the Caribbean and Captain Jack Sparrow for the renewed interest in pirates today,” he said. 









