but whenever the subject of India comes up, it is always with a polite sneer. The usual bellyaching of poor quality work is led by overpriced and now redundant boobies who used to "pull" $150 an hour for their services, driving their Hummers from over 60KM daily. Of course you would need $150 and perhaps a it more too.

It may be well worth remembering that many Indian weavers and artistes lost their livelihood when British started pumping in cheap quality clothes in India during their rule.

Secondly, it irritates me and many Indians to no end to see snide remarks passed as to the contrast of poverty and pockets of wealth. It is worth remembering that it is the British who sucked us dry during 200 years of rule. The Kohinoor diamond is a prime example. Along with any new building or facility is immediately brought a picture of depressing poverty. Suggestions are given as to how to distribute the new found wealth etc. It is to perhaps psychologically disconcert the Indians and give yourselves a mental pull-up and satisfy that you ar still the top dogs. On a recent visit to Minneapolis, I saw a poor grubby dirty man holding a placard saying "will have sex for food" or some such gibberish right outside a nice part of the city, downtown as the american are wont to call it.

So, thank you for the poverty photos but I also have a stock of these, in America and of Americans.