Labor Dept. launches website for homeless

David Sirota passes on this, er, interesting item:

The Department of Labor (DOL) today launched a Web site to help America's homeless find jobs through mainstream as well as targeted training, education and placement services and to provide a vital link to government- wide resources.

"This Web page furthers the Administration's commitment to helping the homeless, including homeless veterans," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, who serves as vice chairman of the Interagency Council on Homelessness. "The Department of Labor is committed to pooling our resources and working together with Congress, our federal, state and local partners to achieve the President's goal of ending chronic homelessness in 10 years."

And no, it's not from the Onion.

Here's the site.

•  Next: Alternative Energy Sources for the Homeless

  ..

  by larrycoates on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:47:56 PM PDT

•  okay

  well, they can go to the library, I guess.

  but it is a little bit ridiculous.

  by praktike on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:48:51 PM PDT

  •  Unemployment offices

    The main place for the jobless to go for internet access would probably be unemployment offices.  I know in Oregon they host a number of locations where you can have access to the Internet, MS Office products and nice printers.

    by kamosa on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:52:09 PM PDT

    •  Same in Delaware

       lots of nice 'puters and periphials, but if they already come to the labor department....?

      by JoeyC on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:16:53 PM PDT

  •  library card

    You need a library card to use the computers at my library.

    You need a home address to get a library card.

    Where is Joseph Heller when you need him?

    by Wes Wing on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:03:26 PM PDT

    •  Tucson Library Cards

      In Tucson, you not only have to have a home address, you have to provide proof, usually a utility bill with your name and home address on it.

      by zephyr on Wed Jul 21, 2004 at 06:47:23 AM PDT

  •  In Dallas

    the Public Library uses off duty police to run homeless people out of the library. A recently passed ordinance forbids them to beg at intersections. They were evicted from the place under the highway bridge where they gathered to be available for day labor. This is W's home state.

    by johnmorris on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:55:59 PM PDT

  •  Or Net cafes

    From what I've seen (which is admittedly few), Internet cafes are pretty cheap these days - maybe the homeless are expected to beg for money to get access to its job listings?

    I think getting internet access is less of a problem than letting the homeless know about this program.

    by Virogtheconq on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:14:27 PM PDT

  •  They do go to the library..

    At least in DC they do.  Stop by the branch off 21st Street or the MLK library downtown.. I imagine they do in other cities as well.  Why not?  I have to say, I don't find the idea of a website so strange.  Have you seen this guy's blog?  

    by daria g on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 08:36:07 PM PDT

  •  Unemployment offices

    
    Indiana's unemployment offices, staffed by Work One, have internet connections to help the unemployed get jobs, as well as skills training in office software.  Unfortunately it doesn't have terribly many jobs on hand.  

    I've seen homeless at the public libraries in Hammond, IN and Chicago, IL;  that Dallas throws them out is extremely harsh.  

    As for Elaine Chao, her site's a good first step.  We can't count on the Administration to take the second.
    

    by Yamaneko on Wed Jul 21, 2004 at 12:48:02 AM PDT

•  Yeah, Homeless with Laptops and WiFi

  Definitely a major step forwards in assisting this most likely disenfranchised group.

  I can see it now, as the sad, homeless person lying under his newspaper in the park, covered with cardboard, powers up his Dell Laptop, logs on, and check the Opportunities forum.

  Yet - this is an administration that has turned Environmental Protection into Polluter Protection. What did you expect? Sense?

  by SteinL on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:49:04 PM PDT

  •  Not Joseph Heller

    I think Orwell is the man for the job.

    by Melanie on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:29:36 PM PDT

•  To be discontinued

  RIGHT after the election, wingnut 101 in action.
  PEACE!
  ABB&B!!!
  KERRY/EDWARDS 2004

  by PC on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:49:14 PM PDT

•  Yeah! That should fix everything

  After all, the only thing standing in the way of people getting off the street is lack of a nice website, having a job, and having a place to live.  One down! Yes!

  By golly we are a third of the way there!

  by kamosa on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:49:32 PM PDT

•  Libraries

  Well, the homeless are not totally without access to the web site, but it would require them to go to their local neighborhood libraries (I am a librarian), which Bush has shown no real interest in supporting, Laura to the contrary.

  by Long Haul on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:49:57 PM PDT

  •  How does a homeless person ...

    without an address get a library card?

    by avagias on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:36:18 PM PDT

    •  You don't always need one.

      At the library where I am working at this very moment, five people are using public computers with no proof whatsoever of name, address, or species.

      by Viserys on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:56:35 PM PDT

    •  Library cards, and voting address

      The shelter here provides maildrops, as well as voicemail services. Conveniently located a block from the main Library.

       I spend a couple days each election year outside this shelter explaining voting procedures. The discrepency between beds and votes is explained by folks living in their cars, etc, who stop at the shelter for showers and mail. Perfectly legal.  

      from Worldnet Daily
      Congress to establish voter-fraud task force
      Nationwide investigation will 'put people in jail,' says top GOP leader

      "In Madison, Wisconsin, we had homeless shelters with 20 beds where 200 people voted," said a top member of the leadership, who asked to remain unnamed for this report. "In Wisconsin, you can just show up at the polls on election day and vote without being registered by saying that you have just moved into the precinct.

         

      by ben masel on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:26:13 PM PDT

  •  I know I'm late to this party

     and I'm glad that there are sensible, civilized places where homeless people can use the library but there are a lot of places, like Dallas, where it is pretty much illegal for them to live and they sure as hell can't use the library.

    by johnmorris on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:59:01 PM PDT

    •  The homeless are thrown out

      on a regular basis from our public library, and this is in a community that considers itself "progressive"

      by frey60 on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:35:24 PM PDT

•  In all fairness...

  There is internet access in most public libraries.  As a means of helping the homeless it is less ludicrous then television commercials, mass mailings, etc. would be.

  If the site and the free access to it in libraries was well publicized, it might actually do some good.  

  While 99% of what this administration does is idiotic or misguided, this may be a rare exception.  

  by JoshAronovitch on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:50:55 PM PDT

  •  My experience

    Most of the homeless people I've worked with could barely read, whether from severe learning disabilities or from neglect.  I've met 2 who were well-read, but they were both from middle class families and had become homeless by choice (one was acting as a missionary, the other had become disillusioned with society).  I've seen a lot of homeless people in the library, but none on a computer and few reading.

    by tryptamine on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:54:57 PM PDT

  •  I'd agree with you

    if he attacked this problem with 1/1000th of the zeal he used to attack Iraq...

    by Josh Prophet on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:55:32 PM PDT

    •  Of course

      with the money Bush blew on Iraq he could have given every homeless person in this country million dollar pensions. But hey, a website, that's something I guess...

      by Josh Prophet on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:57:39 PM PDT

  •  i agree

    not speaking to the politics of this, and whether or not it was created primarily to provide a cute little fact for bush to tout on the campaign trail and in debates...

    my immediate reaction was that i see a lot of homeless men on the internet at my local downtown library.  i would say probably 70% of the people that use the internet at that location are, in fact, homeless.

    so i don't think it's that absurd, in all fairness.  

    by wastelandusa on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:57:43 PM PDT

  •  I agree, too

    Here in Nashville, we used to have a homeless guy who kept a blog. He's since moved back to San Diego.

    I'd like to hear his take on this.

    by hamletta on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:12:01 PM PDT

    •  Actually

      That was the site that introduced me to blogging. I just checked, he's still doing it. He is by no means your typical homeless guy though.

      by Josh Prophet on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:22:36 PM PDT

    •  There was another homeless blogger

      that was featured on NPR several months ago.  I think she was a college student in Mass. Or something like that.

      Michael

      by perpetualstudent on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:50:57 PM PDT

  •  access may be mixed

    as a library person myself, I'm sure different libraries will have different policies. But what good does it do to get on the web to look for a job if there are no jobs to get?

    by nicolemm on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:13:39 PM PDT

•  wow

  wireless shopping carts coming soon.

  by ctkeith on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:51:48 PM PDT

•  And in a related story . . .

  Vice-President Dick Cheney excoriated the Kerry Campaign for suggesting that the homeless will not actually be able to access in the website, declaring that Kerry has, once again, "engaged in the politics of class warfare."  Details after this word from Patriots' Corrogated Box Company of America.

  by GOTV on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:52:38 PM PDT

•  That's all well and good

  But it doesn't really address the problem until this President recognizes the plight of the computerless? There are over 30,000 homeless in NYC alone without WIFI service. Unconscionable...

  by Josh Prophet on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 03:52:42 PM PDT

•  <banging head against desk>

  Whump! Whump! Whump!

  by Septic Tank on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:00:01 PM PDT

•  heh

  HILARIOUS! everyone, im sure the labor department wasnt thinking "oh, maybe thge homeless will go to the libraries". Im sure it was more along the lines of "lets make our president jerk to seem more COMPASSIONATE."
  Americans, will believe anything.
  

  by weathercoins on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:01:49 PM PDT

•  Labor Dept. Invents Screen Door For Submarine

  Film at 11.

  by soultaco on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:05:28 PM PDT

  •  naval gossip

    I heard the wonderful idea of screen doors has been temporarily shelved, as Bush now has spent the entire naval budget on a marble ship.

    Meanwhile, funds to NASA have been diverted to build an escalator to the moon.

    by pixie on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:48:22 PM PDT

•  What's the problem?

  It costs virtually NOTHING to run a low traffic website. Sure, this isn't something that's going to help a lot of people, and I'm not sure why homeless people can't use regular job sites, but if you can have extra cycles for developers to use, and for a sys amdin staff, and you already have bandwidth, and a webserver, the cost approaches zero. The only reason not to do something like this is that they could be using that time to do something else more prodcuctive.

  by niku on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:07:47 PM PDT

  •  The problem is just that-

    It costs little, and allows the administration to pretend they've really done something. It's Potemkin. Window-dressing, and nothing more.

    by Lainie on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 09:46:55 PM PDT

•  homeless veterans

  I've read the federal government estimates that 30 % of those who are homeless are veterans of the U.S. military. I think abut 12 % of the general population are veterans. Sorry I don't have a link. A helpful anecdote to the hostility one finds towards homeless people among "hard-working Americans".

  by bigbay on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:08:54 PM PDT

•  the site itself

  I can accept the logic that some homeless people probably do have some web access, whether at libraries (though my experience of public libraries is that even if you're white and middle class they treat you like a criminal if you want to touch their precious computers) or at social service organizations.

  Even given that, though, I see two big problems with this whole thing.  One is that there's the question of who's going to know to look at it.  I mean, doesn't do you much good if it's there but you don't know it's there.  I feel like I've seen studies showing that one common barrier to assistance for homeless people is awareness of what programs exist.

  But also, I'm extremely literate and I spend a lot of time online and I cannot make the first bit of sense out of that site.  I wouldn't know where to begin trying to make use of it!  Surely they could have put together a slightly more user-friendly site?

  by MissLaura on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:11:59 PM PDT

  •  I see what you mean

    It's actually for "Homeless and Homeless Providers," but the emphasis looks to be on the latter.

    by hamletta on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:14:55 PM PDT

    •  too bad most homeless providers,

      which is an odd turn of phrase, don't exist anymore, because they've had all their funding cut out from under them

      But whatever, Maybe the youth minister can help them use the cool new employment website after they sit through a four hour church service.

      by mannyramirez on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:27:17 PM PDT

•  Is Terry Gilliam...

  ...going to be making the "documentary" about the Bush years? What will it be titled?
  "Er, 2004: Your Friend, Big Brother - Peace is Me, Freedom is you, Slavery is everyone!"

  by Alumbrados on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:16:59 PM PDT

•  so can they get email now?

  www.bringingontherapture.com

  by route66 on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:18:41 PM PDT

•  asf

  the one thing i find offensive about this, aside from the obvious political convenience of this, is that it's the same old 'you just gotta pull yourself up by the bootstraps and get a job' line so many people who are homeless get.

  as if mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction, and abusive family situations are just footnotes to the overall plight of the homeless population in this country.

  if they really wanted to impress me with their compassion for the homeless, they would put a hell of a lot more money into mental health treatment centers (at the very least make a committment not to close any more centers, sending those people out on the street to fend for themselves when they have no ability to do that at all), and they would also shelve or reshape those demoralizing and completely disingenuous 'soup kitchens' which are really just thinly veiled attempts to throw religion down the throats of a very vulnerable population.  i mean, it's such an offensive and cheap concept.  but i mean, expecting bush to take steps against the religious establishment is ludicrious on it's face, so why even consider the possibility?

  i guess i'm saying that i wanna see a lot more than a stupid website with elaine chao's mug pasted on it to be convinced that bush and rove give more than a flying fuck about the plight of the homeless.

  by wastelandusa on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:26:58 PM PDT

•  Well....

  Perhaps this created a job for someone (first cousin Neil?.  After all, someone had to create this website.  If that is the case, then he can tout his economic jobless recovery even more.  After all that was one job created and how many more millions left to go?

  by baffled on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:28:08 PM PDT

  •  Neil

    His job was created by "No Child Left Behind,"

    no, really. His company  provides State Education beaurocracies with compliance software.

    by ben masel on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 10:06:14 PM PDT

•  homelessness has risen by 40-50%

  nationwide during George Bush's presidency, by some estimates. I'd say he's well on his fucking way to ending homelessness in 10 years.

  by mannyramirez on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:30:21 PM PDT

  •  here's some more statistics

    http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:pIiXb73Sj_gJ:www.scoop.co.nz/mason/storie
    s/HL0308/S00011.htm+homelessness+risen+bush&hl=en

    between 2001 and 2003, homelessness increased in NYC by 42%, in Boston by 37%, LA by 47%, DC by 39%, Chicago 47%, Atlanta 40%, Miami 49%, Phoenix 56%, with almost every other major city reporting at least 25-30% rise.

    Requests for shelter by families increased in 25 surveyed cities by 20%, with families accounting for 41% of all homeless. 82% of srveyed cities reported an increase in the amount of time people remained homeless.

    An average of 23% of all homeless are mentally ill, 38% have substance abuse issues, 10% are veterans, and 22% are employed.

    40% are eligible for disability benefits but only 11% actually receive them. Most are eligible for food stamps but only 37% receive them. Most homeless families are eligable for welfare, but only 52% receive it.

    Meanwhile, the average wait for public housing was 19 months; for section 8 vouchers 21-23 months; and 45% of cities have stopped taking applications in at least one public housing program because of extensive waiting lists.

    So obviously, what we really need is a new employment website.

    I'm looking forward to the day, when Christ comes, and 1.5 million homeless children go and take a shit in Elaine Chao's fucking swimming pool.

    by mannyramirez on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:49:35 PM PDT

•  Speech on the homeless problem

  Today in Florida Pres Bush gave what was supposed to be a major speech on his ten year plan to end the homeless problem.  Instead he gave a 20 minute indictment of Iran as a member of the axis of evil and as a co-conspirator in the 911 plot.  Aides afterwards when questioned on the switch in topics of the speach were at a loss for words.  

  "Pres. Bush didn't change his planned speech" said Bush a spokesman.

  by kamosa on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:39:01 PM PDT

•  This is how MBAs solve problems

  This is a very responsive MBA solution to the problems of the homeless.  It's a discrete action point for Microsoft Project, it can be checked off as a PowerPoint bullet upon project completion.  And when the solution doesn't work, just blame the user for not properly utilizing the tool provided -- it doesn't matter that that it's a non-functioning tool or is inappropriate to the problem.  As long as they can claim they provided something which would theoretically work under certain circumstances, they will always blame implementation.

  I've worked in places where MBAs run things, and this is just how they solve problems -- at least until they ship the plant overseas.

  There's a meme here somewhere -- people hate MBAs more than lawyers or journalists.

  by Semanticist 2004 on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:51:49 PM PDT

  •  Yep. But first they have meetings....

    And then they decide who should be "tasked" to investigate before "going forward" on the implementation plan. Once the appropriate "synergies" have been "defined and documented", the project "transitions" into the "production phase." The Homeless are then directed to contact their nearest district representative to obtain prospectus information on their job reclamation effort.

    by rightiswrong on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:10:52 PM PDT

  •  Hey!!!!

    I am an MBA and a Lawyer!

    I must be universally despised.

    Oh yeah, I am an engineer too, so I have some common sense.

    :)

    by mndemguy on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 06:11:06 PM PDT

•  Next:

  "How To Hire A Butler" seminars

  by CoolHandLuc on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 04:59:36 PM PDT

•  Reminiscent of...

  ...posters once put up in NY subways saying
  "Illiterate? Write to This Address for Help!"

  Of course I've also heard this is an urban legend, but somebody else owns the rights to "fair & balanced" so I can't use it.

  by Xan on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:11:22 PM PDT

  •  I once saw a sign on a brick wall...

    that read "Blind Parking."

    by rightiswrong on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:16:13 PM PDT

    •  My favorite...

      My favorite has always been the BIOS error:

      "No keyboard connected.  Press F1 to continue booting."

      by sub version on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 08:37:50 PM PDT

•  Um, It should work, really!

  If only we'd passed Gingrich's tax credits so the poor could but laptop computers, it would! 'Cuz with laptops homeless people don't need electrical sockets or whatever to log in!
  </sarcasm>

  This is almost as loopy as saying "We'll get to Mars in 10 years." Only the issue is more serious. I'd focus on mental health funding as from what I've read about homelessness, a big part of it is feeling like you're ... outside ... the whole social network. I think Packers kick returner Travis Williams, who became homeless, made a comment to that effect. I feel like that sometimes and can only think what it's like to be that way all the time.

  And after that, I think homeless shelters would need some serious funding too for the technical part of giving these people access to the internet. Doubt they'll get it.

  Of course there's also the solution of trying to keep the jobless rate low so people don't risk homelessness in the first place but preemptive strikes are only for rogue nations, not poverty etc.

  by Andrew S on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:34:55 PM PDT

•  I'm finding most replies here offensive.

  While this program will not be helpful for many homeless folks, the younger segment is computer literate, and ready to go on this service.

  If your local library does not provide access to the homeless, instead of ridicule, use your POLITICAL skills to kick ass at the Library Board.

  At any given time there's 15 homeless folks logged on at our downtown Library, and they vote.

  www.nationalhomeless.org/statepolicies.html

  by ben masel on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:38:48 PM PDT

  •  I agree

    that the response here has been pretty disappointing.  As several posters have noted, homeless (at least in big cities) do in fact have computer access.  As to the criticism that this is more of the GOP bootstrap claptrap, that may be so, but it's also going to be effective for ome number of people, so I think it's a worthwhile endeavor.

    by Cliffy on Wed Jul 21, 2004 at 06:02:17 AM PDT

•  I would rather give a guy on the street a buck

  than to give him false hope.

  by rightiswrong on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:52:08 PM PDT

•  And next ...

  ... Dept. of Health & Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announces his department's upcoming website for the sight-impaired.

  by Donald Koelper on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 05:59:08 PM PDT

  •  I guess this is supposed to be funny..

    Actually all government websites are REQUIRED to be accessible by the "sight-impaired." It's done using a "screen reader" such as JAWS which voices all text and text tags.
    

    by Alice in Florida on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 06:38:04 PM PDT

  •  Visually impaired Web users

    A lot of visually impaired people use the Web, thanks to text-reading software, if sites are properly designed. The World Wide Web Consortium has several projects offering guidelines on how to create a Web site that can be used by people who are partially or totally blind. (See the Web Accessibility Initiative)

    by firenze on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 06:50:35 PM PDT

•  it's not that ridiculous

  Just because people are homeless doesn't mean they're stupid. I'll bet the homeless people know a hell of a lot more about how to find free or cheap internet access than most of us do. Free email addresses are easy to come by, and there are plenty of homeless folks who use them to apply for jobs. It's a lot easier than giving out a phone number.

  Here in Burlington VT we also have free internet access from a public cybercenter in our glbt community center, paid for by a grant from the David Bohnett Foundation.
  

  by cresmer on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 06:41:53 PM PDT

  •  right, but...

    Aren't a majority of people homeless due to drug problems or mental health problems?  I know that here in the bay area that seems to be the case as far as I can see.

    Furthermore, these people have all kinds of resources they can take advantage of by simply walking in the door - shelters, job services, health care, food, etc.  There are plenty that don't do this, why does it make sense to anyone that these same people would go to the internet and search for jobs on an obscure government site?

    This is just a waste of money by the Bush administration and a pathetic attempt to say they are doing something about the homeless problem.  If they wanted real solutions they'd look to some of the programs implemented in the San Francisco bay area.

    by terminal3 on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 07:23:06 PM PDT

    •  yes but

      it still doesn't hurt to have a website. At least in this area, there are a lot of homeless working people.

      And just because somebody has a drug problem or mental illness doesn't mean they don't use the internet.

      I agree that direct services should come first, but internet outreach is hardly ridiculous.

      by cresmer on Wed Jul 21, 2004 at 03:49:15 AM PDT

  •  Try this please

    Take the oldest rattiest clothes you have. Wear them for 2 days without changing. Put them outside and leave them there for a day. Dont shave, dont trim your fingernails, dont trim your hair. Get up in the morning and put them back on. Walk to the nearest mcdonalds and ask for an application. Under "address" make something random up". Under phone number put "none". Where it asks for your means of transportation put "walk/bus".Write in the margin that you'll come back tomorrow at noon and check to see if they want to hire you.

    The homeless arent homeless because theyre insane or lazy or stupid. Theyre mostly homeless because life is Rough. If you dont have a family to help you, connections or a large amount of money in the bank all it will take is a few months without an income and you two could be in their shoes.

    The homeless dont tend to hang out in libraries etc because the police will come remove them. In fact in a lot of towns they'll escort them to the county line and leave them there.

    I remember when democrats knew about and cared about the poor.

    by cdreid on Wed Jul 21, 2004 at 09:36:59 AM PDT

•  I understand they're also launching

  a fab new job training initiative for displaced blind folks. It will retrain them all to be long haul truck drivers. I think it's a wonderful idea.

  by spot on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 07:59:53 PM PDT

•  This is tin foil hat stuff

  A dear friend just completed her Ph D dissertation on job seeking and the web.

  The "take home message":

  This is whacked. Poor people DO NOT know how to access the web, DO NOT use libraries and other access points and DO NOT find jobs over the Net. Minorities use the web less than whites at all income levels but the disparity gets greater as income drops.

  It's too bad that these threads vanish so quickly or I might be able to get her to post some stats.

  by Earl from Ohio on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 08:08:05 PM PDT

  •  Even if they do use the web

    that doesn't mean they can get a job from it. How many of us used the web to look for work? How many of us actually got anywhere doing it? (If you work in IT you don't count. That's a ringer.)

    Classic Catch-22. Poor people don't have the work experience that will get them in the door, they don't have the references and recommendations that will seal the deal. And they really don't understand the world of work above the retail level.

    Can they get the experience without a decent job? Can they get the references and recommendations? And how do they get the life experience that gives them that step up?

    Ain't happening on the web, I'll tell you that!

    The web can be a place to look for opportunities, but not much more. And the real job-hunting is much more.

    by Lainie on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 10:02:21 PM PDT

  •  Preselected sample

    I suspect she's loloking at the homeless who contact social service agencies, not those whose lifestyle is more underground, who skew white, young, and computersavvy.

    by ben masel on Tue Jul 20, 2004 at 10:12:08 PM PDT

  •  using free email

    Maybe I live in a bubble, but here in Burlington Vermont I see plenty of homeless people in the library on the computers. People here DO use the internet, maybe not to find jobs, but if they're applying for jobs they might use a free email account.

    by cresmer on Wed Jul 21, 2004 at 03:52:57 AM PDT

•  1 Job

  I wonder if development of the webpage was outsourced to India?

  by Dissento on Wed Jul 21, 2004 at 06:50:04 AM PDT