Dear Jerry, There are many sides to this popularity consensus, which is a consensus to begin with. But should Indians even care, and who are those that do concern themselves with such pronouncements in the media. To be popular means you have something -- in the case of humans; one is vivacious, elegant, a great pair of legs, and so on and so forth. They all allude and promise things. With countries, as we are embraced within late late capitalism -- being popular may have to do with economic aspects of an economy that enthralls the largest self-souped up super power. I happen to live in it so see the humor as well as the depth of the thought process, which is quite deep really, disarming and illusory. Pure maya really! There are good sides to India, but the USA is comfortable with an India which is assiduously following its lead on many issues, unlike other countries less than a fifth of our size. We do not berate the US (and certainly not publicly) on anything. We are opening economy in ways that gives meaning to the existences of the stewards of capital, to the constantly presumed engorging middle-class, to mirroring their concepts and constructing images of Protestant asceticism where making money using a shared model while playing pretense at trickle-down, to not really making ourselves clear in no uncertain terms about the relevance of the oil pipeline from Iran, and more than occasionally doing the shastang to appease which we do not even proverbially do anymore to our elders. See the track records of parties who have been in power to see this clearly. We also have the numbers to keep the surviving financial model continue thriving. Hey, Indians are even beginning to get enamoured with 18 carat gold. What can you not like about that. That's free money -- practically. Fibreglass cows will be next. If an F-16 "strayed" over India, it would certainly not be sent back in crates as the Chinese did. But despite such acts of belligerence and a fascinating insult to itself,they still love the Chinese. Why -- undoubtedly for what China is willing to do to satiate the bellies of capitalism, their own and that of the USA.
Other than my two bits, it would always be good to get a personal take from an economist, a stockbroker, one playing the market, or perhaps even a Goa assimilated bhanya. But these are vain hopes as usual. venantius _______________________________________________________ > From: "Jerry Fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] India, sixth 'Wonder' of Americans > Dear Netters > So what has brought about this sudden rise in the interest of India amongst > the Americans? Is there any truth in this news? > > Cheers > > Jerry > > India, sixth 'Wonder' of Americans > WASHINGTON (Agencies): India is the sixth most popular country in the US, > with 69 per cent of the Americans having a positive image about it, while > Pakistan finds itself among the 10 most unpopular nations, according to a new > poll. Of 22 countries rated in Gallup's 2008 World Affairs survey, Canada, > Great Britain, Germany and Japan win favour with at least 80 per cent of > Americans. The top four is followed by Israel at 71 per cent. India ties with > France at the sixth spot for the positive image. [GT]