This is a photo from one of my past volunteer jobs---I help out at a homeless center. I love the poignancy of this photo. This homeless man is still proud of his country even as he lives off the scraps of the table of what America has to offer.

What I have noticed about job fairs in L.A. is that there are far fewer companies looking for help than in previous years. I’ve attended several jobs fairs; one at the Convention Center a few months ago. Usually the hall there is full of booths representing employers. Not anymore. There were half as many companies there this time.

I drove all the way to San Jose, CA for an education job fair. There must have been thousands of teachers there all vying for the same few jobs; waiting in long lines in hopes of making a memorable impression on the recruiters.