dogs, cows...and men

....sleeping everywhere along the streets.


the mind boggles.

what is luxury?

all day long i edit and post stories, blogs, photos and videos of poverty around the world. but that doesn't really prepare one for the real thing.

it's my first time to india, and new delhi is steaming, dusty and dirty. and a jumble of people, and vehicles of all shapes and sizes. driving every which way. sort of how i like to drive. reminds me of boston really. the driving bit, at least.

i slept a couple hours in the afternoon, to try to combat jet lag. the rooms at the hotel caesar's palace are clean and perfectly fine for someone traveling with a charity (though i wouldn't quite go so far as some to say they are "elegantly appointed"). they do have key items though: working A/C and wireless internet.

i asked the receptionist where to get a decent meal, and she suggested mcdonald's. i think she just figgured that's what i would want. hmm. i tried to explain i wanted an indian meal. she sent me to the M Block market, where, after grabbing a bbq corn cob, and checking out the whole place, the only restaurant i could find beside McD's and Pizza Hut was "Yo! China". oh well.

with over 35,000 locations in over 100 countries, the big yellow M reigns supreme in the world of fast food. revenue was down in Q1'09 by 10% to $5B. yup, only $5B. for just the first quarter. but a growing global middle class, particularly in emerging markets like China, India and Latin America, is seen as a huge opportunity for Mickey D's.

and sure many businesses and organizations are looking to the new middle classes...

yet the reality of poverty still run deep and real... in india:

• 86% of the population lives under $2 per day; 44% lives under $1 per day
• 25% of the population does not have enough money to eat adequately

should be an interesting 2 weeks here...