More about appalling aftermath of flooding in India

Image via Wikipedia

This photo is reminiscent of scenes in the aftermath of Katrina.

I know that India is working diligently to close a nuclear technology deal with the Bush government, but does that mean they have to copy Bush’s methods during the Katrina disaster in dealing with the victims of flooding disaster in Bihar Province.

Here’s a link to a report from the Guardian about the situation in India. The headline is dreadful and indicates that Indian society and government continues to be mired in the worst aspects of prejudice between ethnic/religious groups.

This does not look like a 21st century world economic power!

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India vs. China – how each deal with human misery caused by large scale disasters

When I consider the obvious misery of ordinary Indians in Northern India suffering privation, no water or food for several days, and minimal physical efforts from their government to move them for the disaster zone as well as the miserable situation once they reach “dry land”, I can’t help comparing their fate to what happened in earthquake devastated Sichuan a few months ago.

Both countries have their share of ultra wealthy resulting from their economic expansions. But India is obviously still mired in government inefficiency and inability to help its most momentarily deprived citizens. Neither its government nor its middle class seem to be ready to rescue their fellow citizens in a timely and meaningful way.

China was able, even during the few months running up to the Olympics to keep its eye on both situations and move resources ASAP to help its citizens deal with physical, economic and social calamities.

India is still a desperately backward country, which is ready to spend scarce resources on conflict with Pakistan, but manifestly unable to help its own people in time with anything but the skimpiest resources and bare bones rescue infrastructure. The political leaders of India have time to negotiate nuclear deals with the USA, but seemingly little time to deal with natural disaster in its own country. Contrast that with the leadership behavior of Hu JinTao and Wen JiBao during the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake.

This link provides a profile of eye-popping infrastructure in China today and outlines other projects underway and contemplated. This is another useful point of comparison between the two countries, India with inadequate and decaying assets vs. China going from improvement to greater improvement.

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Believe it or not, here is more about very expensive real estate

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

What a paradox! At the same time that ordinary folk wonder how far the value of their home can fall, the very rich are building and buying the most expensive. Why don’t they spend some of that money on charitable causes?

I guess that it ain’t natural to consider giving it away until you have had your chance to flaunt it!

Here’s the link to an article and links to videos about the most expensive real estate in the world, which includes La Leopolda. Now it seems that Mr. Abramovich denies that he is the buyer of La Leopolda. So maybe they prefer not to “flaunt it” too much, too soon, or too widely.

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How India colonized Great Britain?

A “clash” of national images?

Here is the Time article