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Showing posts from January, 2005

41% of world's poor live in India

Definition of Poor : 'Poor' here is defined as living below the global poverty line of US$1 per day. This is the way ranking goes !!! 1. India 41.01 % 2. China 22.12 % 3. Nigeria 8.03 % 4. Pakistan 3.86 % 5. Bangladesh 3.49 % 6. Brazil 1.82 % 7. Ethiopia 1.82 % 8. Indonesia 1.49 % 9. Mexico 1.43 % 10. Russia 0.99 % 11. Nepal 0.78 % 12. Ghana 0.78 % 13. Colombia 0.76 % 14. Kenya 0.72 % 15. Mali 0.71 % 16. Madagascar 0.68 % 17. Burkina Faso 0.62 % 18. Mozambique 0.61 % 19. Tanzania 0.61 % 20. Niger 0.59 % 21. Zambia 0.58 % 22. Venezuela 0.51 % 23. South Africa 0.45 % 24. Cameroon 0.45 % 25. Zimbabwe 0.41 %

Taxi : Mumbai, Kolkatta and Cairo

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When I get down to Chatrapati Shivaji terminal airport in Mumbai and pay for my pre paid taxi, I am aware what lies ahead. First, taxi driver look at my slip and seeing Bandra as a final destination gives me either a vicious or an indifferent look. His disappointment is understandable. After being in a queue for more than 24 hours and hoping to get a foreigner or at least someone who would stay in far away place like Colaba. Mumbai airport black and yellow fiat taxi is even in worst dilapidated condition that that normally runs on Mumbai roads. Car boot is never good enough to hold an airborne suitcase but driver is ingenuous to have nylon ropes to hold it. Wind shield wipers are often not working but in the event of sudden raindrops, driver is adept in navigating potholed street with one hand on steering wheel and another one mopping the windscreen with his black brown cloth. Kolkata ambassador taxi is special in their own way. Here with driver, there is a co driver like a cleaner in

animal instincts

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Giraffe Mother after 14 months of prganancy has just given a birth to baby in standing position, with 2 meter vertical drop. A normal delivery for Giraffe!!. Mama is happy seeing her baby look cute and healthy but as the time trickles, she is becoming anxious. An hour has passed. By now baby should have been on her feet and walking. Her efforts of making baby stand up is not yielding any result. Baby is struggling to get up and slips in the process. Mama is worried. She glances around and realise what she feared has turned true. A lone Hyena a few paces away is watching the events with evil intent. Now Mama becomes desparate, goading and cheering her baby but poor baby is helpless. Baby continues to slip while trying to stand up. Mama is getting restless unable to decide what she should do. Sly Hyena is howling, inviting his fellow beings. Mama Giraffe decides, the only way is to start straddling away from baby, inciting her baby to follow her. Nothing happens; meanwhile Hyena start ma