i think it might be easier if you post your suggestions for an assignment right here, along with a link to your work…of course, i will also be reading the comments and your suggestions on the previous post…i think i have seen all of the links sent so far, but i will double check…in two or three days i will finish making all assignments for this month, but will be out there ahead thinking about future projects all the time…i look forward to your ideas and your new work….please remember: keep it simple, doable…
DAVID MC GOWAN… i agree!
“—I’ve seen him shoot that stuff before, just not with such enthusiasm.”
DAVID ALAN HARVEY
and his blog, gave us ( me ) an OUTLET…
HE LET POOR, TORTURED , MEDIOCRE PHOTOGS LIKE ME…
A VOICE…
I DON’T KNOW WHAT MAKES A GREAT PHOTOG…
ASK DAVID…
BUT I KNOW WHAT MAKES A GOOD ACTOR…
Remember the black n’ white ROBERT DE NIRO boxing movie ???
the “RAGING BULL”???
HE GAINED 50 and more pounds, for that role…
He GOT INTO IT… HE GOT PASSIONATE….
HE “NEGLECTED” HIMSELF, HIS HEALTH AND blah blah…
I agree, not much enthusiasm …before…
Nobody cared before… like David or Bob… or you…
Now i found MOTIVATION ONCE AGAIN…
I DONT THINK THAT THIS BLOG MADE ME A BETTER PHOTOG…
BUT DEFINITELY A MORE PASSIONATE ONE…
AGAIN PEOPLE EXCUSE MY MEDIOCRE PHOTOGRAPHIC SKILLS,
BUT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FEED ON MY PASSION…
BACK TO VENICE TONITE….
I WANT to see if i have the balls to stay awake all night…
or get invited to “SCOTTIE’S THE KING OF ALL HOMELESS, home down in Venice…
MIKE… leap…maybe, i hope so…
Direction ??? i was lacking and still do…
guidence..???. that’s why im here…
and ,David does his best for us…
no competitions…
I SEE US ALL HERE AS HAND CRAFTED VIOLINS AND MUSIC INSTRUMENTS….
DAVID SIMPLY TRIES TO HELP US LEARN HOW TO “TUNE”…
or “finetune” ourselves….
Think of a guitar out of tune… horrible…
that was me when i submitted photos here last year…
no connection, no story, no target, no feelings, no PASSION…
no captions, no explanations..
HOW RUDE, HOW NAIVE, WHAT AN ARROGANT ASSHOLE I WAS…
“I WAS SAYING: HERE IS MY PHOTOS…MASTERPIECES…
YOU GOTTA LOVE THEM… NO QUESTIONS ASK… IM THE BEATLES…”
Hiding behind an expensive Leica hoping that along is enough to
get me “HOME”…
“BULLSHIT”… A LIKE IS NOT A CAR… IT WILL NEVER GET YOU HOME… IF YOU DON’T START STEERING FOR YOURSELF PANOS,
motherfucker…..
that’s what i told myself last year….
and then i got the “LIVING PROOF”, i started paying attention,
to BOBB, HERVE, MICHAEL K, YOU , DAVID… YOU , YOU AND YOU…
and i came back to my senses…
I also got a great lesson from SEAN…. when he chose to speak mostly with his WORK than WORDS…
so i decided to REGAIN MY LOST PASSION BACK…
Its an endless fight though… because as DAVID SAID,
“THE WALL OF BOREDOM”… IS WAY STRONGER THAN I THOUGHT…
peace
oh.. and one last thing:
( THIS GOES TO MY GIRLFRIEND AND MY GIRLFRIEND ONLY :
…. if you think, that i’m selfish, because i shoot, i disappear ,
i spent many nights in this blog, i obsess with photos…
if you still think that i neglect you…
if you think that all i care about is being famous but i act as an idealistic good human being…!
if you think, i’m full of shit…
if you do NOT want me to go back to “Venice” tonite…!!?
… my answer is:
I STILL LOVE YOU… and you are right… I am “all” of the above…
but, only because I have to…
IT’S JUST ME… being me …)
peace
some recent kentucky derby photos..
http://rosenfieldphotography.com/data/web/KYDerby01/index.html
nothing groundbreaking, but my latest..
i’m in amsterdam w/kelly now.. we got in this morning.. serious lack of sleep and a full day walking around town and a few beers… holga fun.. should i venture out again tonight? or sleep and be full ready for tomorrrow?
assignment? i’ll be in dublin next week.. and mexico at the end of may.. lay it on me brother.. or am i confused? i’ll be shooting regardless..
peace to all,
lance
here’s my suggestion david:
Panos has been photographing Venice at night.
Venice, California.
I’d like to photograph Venice at night part 2. Venice, Italy.
What do you think?
and you, Panos?
well, it’s just an idea….
maybe you should see some of my pictures first.
It will take some time before I have a website, but I’ll start working on it soon (first thing to do: buy a scanner).
cheers
street photography, i find it very challenging yet quite interesting.
another idea that i have is to work on the manual labourers in the streets of my city.
GUIDO,…
SUCH A GREAT IDEA…
I’ve been in Venice Italy only once…
it was the CARNIVAL of 1994… february i think…
I was working for a greek newspaper…”THE EVENING NEWS”…
They bought my photos… ( six slides…)…
50.000 drachma, before the EURO dollar…more or less $125 american $(today)…
They needed “Leisure and Travel” kinda photos…
… I had only ONE FUJI VELVIA ( or who cares ) slide film…
ONLY ONE ROLL… i shot 9 FRAMES for them , the rest for me…
I didn’t know where or what to look… over there…
distracted… i did the job… but , nothing really to remember…
not focused, lazy maybe….
Yes, I’m dreaming to go down to Venice Italy and see what’s up…
but FIRST I NEED TO FIND,
MY 4 “INSIDERS”…
do you know ??????? anyone interested ???? to help me,
being the INSIDER , my eyes and guidance, …
I will sleep on the couch… 4 nights.. 4 “insiders”… 4 couches…
People, it’s not that hard…
I just go out “one” night with you, then i sleep on your floor or couch…then move on to the next “insider”…
This way i could probably be able to afford the airfare… and a bagel…
Anyways,…
peace
Subhrajit,
Your “In the name of God” images are the essence (for me ) of Mother India. I would love to see more from you on DEVOTION.
PANOS/DAVID,
“HOW RUDE, HOW NAIVE, WHAT AN ARROGANT ASSHOLE I WAS…”
Better for you to say these things about yourself than anyone else :))
I believe Guido is suggesting that YOU photograph Venice, CA and HE photograph Venice, ITALY…..
It would be very cool to see the two side by side…especially if you could coordinate your subject matter.
A couple of years ago I saw an AMAZING project done by an Indian (from India) woman where she took images of Indian (from India) women that exactly copied images of (American) Indian women taken by Edward Curtis..
Indian mother and child
(one from India, one American Indian by Curtis, etc…
Panos and Guido could do something along those lines…
Drunk at night, Venice (one from each Venice)
Men fighting, Venice (one from each Venice)
ETC….
… and now i will be an “INSIDER” MYSELF, IF ANYONE WANTS TO HAVE A BEER OR A “FIGHT”…
peace
ps: GUIDO, i will be your “INSIDER” over here…
knowwhatImean ??????
how about a review from the DAH photo community.
I would love to get some outside input
http://www.douglastitus.com
PANOS, DAVID et al…
I’m inspired. Inspired to share a little inspiration. No images…(yet)…no advice or critiques, just…inspiration.
For the last couple weeks I’ve been periodically (wednesdays or thursdays) trotting off to the river to photograph a select group of kayakers. Veterans. Wounded veterans. SERIOUSLY wounded in many cases! Iraq and Afghanistan. One fellow in particular was blown up by an IED. Fell in and out of comas, many operations, long recovery in Germany, longer rehab at Walter Reed. Actually has a photo his buddy took at the moment of detonation! “See that black, shadowy figure in the air? That’s you, dude!” He’s quite proud of it. Hell, he survived it, why the hell wouldn’t he be!?
Amputees, PTSDs, disfigured legs after many surgeries, many more scheduled, shrapnel still embedded in bodies. BUT!… get in the pool! Learn how to “roll.” When the kayak overturns you roll it back upright. Get that down and soon get down to the canal. Try it there. After that, down to the river. Small rapids at first…you will be upended! This is where learning to roll comes in handy! It’s OK, though…can’t pull it back upright, just bail! Swim! They all hate to have to swim, though. One guy was asked how he learned to roll so well. “I don’t know,” he said, “I really got tired of swimming, so I just figured it out!” Best commment of the night.
They inspire. Mostly men but a few women…Jen, you rock!
Tough bastards all. The shit they’ve been through. Not just the trauma, the pain, the struggle to rehab…but the bureaucracy as well. After all the crap they’ve been through…there’s always the bureaucracy! Lovely, huh? But despite near death and all the shit after not dying. They are there. Every week. Living! Like no others.
So this post isn’t about the photos, certainly not about me! But inspiration. Wounded Warriors…thanks for the inspiration and thanks all here for listening to this little, thoroughly inadequate tribute to a bunch of anonymous human beings, full of vigor, strength and courage. Rock on!
Oh…and I swear, last night I was driving home from the canal, turn on the radio and this was just starting! Apropos, yes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZsppOw2Mxk
Completely neglected to mention the volunteers! The kayakers who teach, train these vets. I mean we’re talking the cream of the crop here! Top notch competitive, Olympic level paddlers who volunteer every week their time and energy to keep this program running. I’ve seen them work (if you can call it that!) and…well, impressive! OK…that’s all!
Peace.
To all photographers in the United States:
This is WAY off topic but important.
From the NPPA web site:
In April 2007 a pair of orphan works bills appeared before Congress. Both are on a “fast track” for approval during this session and a mark-up of the House bill that NPPA objects to took place May 7. The bills would exempt from full protection under U.S. Copyright law millions of pictures – new and old, published and unpublished, even many previously registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.
The Illustrators Partnership of America has an online letter generator that can be used to send your Congressional leaders a note of objection about the two current orphan works bills. IPA has customized an individual letter for NPPA members and photojournaists to use, and it is online here.
http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/alert/?alertid=11348596
David, I would have just emailed this to you to post at your discretion, but I do not have an email address for you.
I felt this was important.
Pete
Hi David, I would like to work on an essay,
my idea is to develope a project on a sicilian females recovery house founded by a priest that was killed by the mafia because of his social war against “cosa nostra”.Many of the womens are affected by Hiv and most of them have childrens.Now i’m waiting for the authorization to get inside this place. What do u think about it?
grazie a presto
cristina
CRISTINA,
thats dope!
peace
The Assignment Process…from my side
David had a look at some new work of mine, and I told him briefly where it had come from.
As an assignment, I have 2 ideas that I feel connected to. The first is a bit more do-able in a shorter time frame, so I described that first. It has to do with making images of males who remind me of my now deceased father. I want to show males of all ages that reflect something of my father, as a way in part in dealing with his passing, but also as getting to know a man I knew very little.
Technically, I feel there are a few ways of dealing with the visuals..one that speaks to the sense of seeing someone on the street, even though they are gone, and another in placing that person in an environmment that communicates something about the person.
The second project has been with me for some time, but I have been afraid to approach it because of the precedents. The work of Avedon in the West and that of Penn around the world in an open air studio move me deeply – and it feels wrong to me that nothing similar has been done (to my satisfaction!) in NYC. I want to use medium and large formats and a neutral background and work from the streets of NYC. There are physical challenges..money, permits, assistants..and it will take more time than the other for sure. Avedon had unlimited resources and 6 years, assistants and such to his heart’s content, and I worry that any attempt in the same vein will be so fiercely judged and compared, especially when working without the same resources.
About the Father project, David at first thought that it could be to abstract for the viewer to digest. After all, the thing that I see as part of my father is allusive and hard to pinpoint, even for myself. How would the viewer tie the work together? David suggested writing with this piece and also using audio to do some story telling, and to connect to the sense of loss and found that we all experience in one way or another. Though unsure at first, in the end he seemed to feel that my emotional process in the project would be enough to carry it through.
Regarding the backdrop project, David asked who it is about? Avedon shot his version of the West..This would be New York as I see it..and I believe that is enough to make it worthwhile. To get those diffinitive/iconic images will take time, and money, and we discussed that some assignments just take longer, but I believe he agreed that it could be good and something I could do some justice to.
So here we are, with David having offered thoughts and reflections, but not being determinate or conclusive..The assignment process turns out to something like therapy, holding a mirror up and shining some light to bring clarity and guidance. And now I need to feel the pull of his wisdom on my own inner knowing about where to proceed.
In my ever ‘me’ way, I rushed in with thinking I could do both concurrently..and David knew enough to tell me, “No, do 1 thing really well”.. I left feeling a bit unsure – a product of having come in with expectations that David would be providing the answers. But now I am beginning to see the magic of the grain of sand in the oyster approach..and it only hurt a little, and I have faith that the assignment process does indeed yield it’s own pearls.
Douglas Titus, You asked for opinions. I liked many of your shots, and the music to go with it as well. My favs are the kid in bed within a compo built on chiarroscuro, as well as the street shot with the guy laughing heartily. For me, many have the potential of good shots, especiallly witin an essay but what is it, compo? timing? light strongly competing for our attention (in some)?
As it is, they may resonate for you but less for others, lacking visual strength or compositional “spine”.
I hate to paraphrase David, but as he says, you are almost there, but not quite. You probably need to narrow your scope of subject, and approach to them too. A perfect candiadte for one of his workshops.
mainly: IMO ;-)
ALL…
ok guys, stay with me…i have to catch a 6am flight in the morning to Memphis..headin down south for a blues fest… i just got back to New York this afternoon with so much catching up to do…so, i cannot give out the assignments tonight…there are too many proposals on the table i have not read..i must unpack and repack etc etc…, so i am a “short hitter” tonight…patience please (as usual) and you know i will be back soonest…
cheers, david
Cathy
Thanks for visting my profile, I will remember to upload a few more on what you say. Last March, I had been to Vrindavan and spent some time with the Vrindavan Widows (have you heard of them?). I am a Bengali by birth and since most of the widows of Vrindavan are Bengalis, my time was spent in the most fruitful and educative manner. I don’t know if you have been to Vridavan or not, but it is a MUST to meet these widows to understand what DEVOTION is actually is!
hey¡¡ Does anyone still waiting for the review of the submisssion to the emerging photographers fund or i’m the only one???.
David, i wrote you an email about it but it seems that you didn’t received. Please let me know somenthing. thanks
Erica,
Thank you for your description of your ideas and of the learning process with David.
I am learning by looking in the mirror and asking questions of myself after being inspired by David and others here.
I’m seeing that it all is really about knowing yourself as best as you can.
Panos,
As Cathy wrote, i meant i photograph venice italy, but if you want to do it yourself that’s fine for me.
As being your “insider” that’s ok too, I live two hours from Venice, a couch is garanteed.
Please explain me your “insiders” project better, I was thinking about something like that to make these projects more part of the community. Still very personal assignments but when possible with some links with other bloggers. I was thinking about exchanging projects, ideas, hospitality, giving assistance and so on.
For example, I had another idea, a portrait project: photograph of italians living in Paris, from the plumber to the architect to the new wife of the new french president (by the way, can anybody introduce me to her? :))))
Erica, Thanks for your comments on my work.
I do agree that the way I use light competes with the other visual message at times. Light has been dominating my work as the subject lately. I am trying to reinvent myself and open myself up to others for critique. I agree that I need to focus my work into individual essays and develop them more. My hope is make a few connections up here and get critiques from this community. I need strong critiques that make me think and force me to change some of my bad habits. So I welcome ideas from you and the community. Enjoy your weekend . dt
but it is a MUST to meet these widows to understand what DEVOTION is actually is!
Oh Wait, Thanks Herve for your comments.
CATHY, GUIDO…
Yes, great idea…
it took me only 24 hours to figure it out..
only…
I’m not afraid of dementia anymore…
it looks that it goes away by itself…
yes…
VENICE BEACH and the
ORIGINAL VENICE ITALY..
shot at the same time… Same theme..
Venice at night.. When the night creatures crawl out of their
cages..
2 photographers…
EXPOSING VENICE…
cool…
GUIDO…
with the word “INSIDERS” I mean help and guidance
from the locals… But one step forward than just help…
shoot your photos through their lifestyles , through their
eyes…
if your “INSIDER” is a fighter , follow him and get involved..
you don’t have to identify with his fights, support or fight
on his side …
but most important “respect” your insiders by not trying to
change them…
think of the book..
“LIVING PROOF”…
“UPTOWN” was one of DAH’s “insiders”…
feel me?
Douglas,
I’ll comment, so it will be like you saw the future..
What works best for me in your images is the surprising..when things are a little confusing or might be darker in meaning than expected..especially like the 2 images of (your?) boy laying down, on the ground, face down, and sleeping, and the first 4 of Identity. I suggest going deeper into this semi dark work..not just to go there, but to see what, if anything, is tugging at you in that realm, because I am seeing something, at that something is working for me..
Erica, Thank you. I will continue to investigate what tugs on the strings here. Enjoy your weekend.
Subhrajit,
Although I’ve been visiting India for 13 years I have still not made it to Vrindivan which is so well known as a place of devotion (Krishna.) Wonderful that you were able to spend time there.
Yes, I am familiar with the widows. Do you know the great book of Fazal Sheikh, Moksha? I am including a link below.
ALL,
Here is the online edition of Moksha…do not miss it.
http://www.fazalsheikh.org/10_moksha/01_online_edition_01.htm
DAVID (posted this same topic under the new string California but alos here as I was not sure if this was the best place to share the proposals…..)
I have a lot of catching up to do after being away for a whole week on business in Europe…Presumably, you are all set in terms of assignments that you want to give out for the first month but I thought that, just in case, I would share some proposals with you which may be for now, or even better in a month or two. Couple of these are natural extension of the work that I have started on the Over-the-Rhine ghetto in Cincinnati. The last one, possibly the more challenging one that may require a bit more time is an idea that came up from exchanging with Erica (Thanks Erica!) about covering the Somali Refugees that come to OHIO, mostly thanks to the commitment and help of many local Catholic organizations. I did a bit of digging on this and this certainly seems like a great topic!.. Net, here we go…three ideas…anything you see worth chasing?
PROPOSAL 1: BUS STOP IN THE GHETTO
I have started as you know a project on the Over-The-Rhine ghetto in Cincinnati (see link to my website). From its earliest development, Over-the-Rhine has served as a port-of-entry for immigrants to Cincinnati. In the nineteenth century the community was home to people of all economic classes and included the poorest of immigrants, working class families, shop owners, and businessmen of means. For a majority of these new residents, the unifying element was the German language and culture. After World War II, Over-the-Rhine became a place where migrants looked for affordable housing and where employers looked for cheap labor. Over-the-Rhine historically has been a place where people new to the area try to make better lives for themselves. African-Americans today compromise the majority of Over-the-Rhine’s population. The rapid rise of the African-American population has added a racial and ethnic character to the area. The majority of Over-the-Rhine’s current residents are poor and undereducated. Over-the-Rhine faces the same social problems that affect inner-city neighborhoods nationwide. Alcoholism, drug dependency, inadequate housing and homelessness are major concerns in the neighbourhood. Clearly, penetrating the ghetto when you are a white foreign French man is not an easy task…I today do not have any entry into the community so I have been wondering how to best “enter” into this world for a potential assignment, be able to get close to the community and have a chance to capture the inhabitants’ lives and struggles. One day, as I was just coming into the ghetto from a BUS, I loved the actual BUS stop with a street painting like I would imgaine you find in Haiti. I decided to stay there for a while, shoot different shots etc. Interestingly, after a couple of hours, I realize that everyboby was passing by that one BUS stop situated close to the Farm market, from young children playing to homeless, some isolatred white families shopping into the market to drug dealers on street near by etc….It occured to me that I could possibly cover life in the ghetto by staying at that one single spot….Clearly, not easy to create a very diverse essay staying in just one location but I thought this could be worth trying. I have not really pushed this yet but I have started to assemble a few pctures I did take in that spot on my site (title BUS STOP). Now, is this an idea worth pushing and turning into an assignment?????
PROPOSAL 2: BOXING TRADITION IN OVER THE RHINE
On August 29, 1885, Cincinnati was the scene for the first modern heavyweight championship boxing match using gloves. The Boston Strong Boy, John L. Sullivan, met Dominick McCaffrey at the city’s Chester Park that day and came away with the referee’s decision. By this time, Cincinnati had been a noted boxing site since the Civil War years, and over the next several decades, it developed a remarkable number of fine boxers in both the professional and amateur ranks. Out of the many gymnasiums in Over-the-Rhine and the West End came world champions such as Freddie Miller, Ezzard Charles, Bud Smith, and Aaron Pryor. For the proposed assignment, I thought that this “boxing” topic could be a natural extension of my ghetto story. After all, Over the Rhine is known for its violence, was subject of the worse riots in America in 2001 (after the LA riots). Many young blacks are trying to channel their energy and anger into boxing. The idea would be to follow them into the local gymnasiums and possibly then into the ghetto…
PROPOSAL 3: SOMALI REFUGEES COLOMBUS
In 1991 the central government of Somali collapsed. Civil war raged and Somali’s citizens spiraled into a nightmare of loss – destruction of homes, separation of families, famine and death. Statistics on the number of people murdered range as high as one million or more and even today this number continues to rise. Most people left all their belongings and many even left family as they fled violence and instability to live in refugee camps. The struggle of survival began and refugees entered the process of immigration. Somali refugees began arriving in the United States, and since 1995, Columbus, Ohio has been a popular destination. It is estimated that 40,000 to 45,000 Somali refugees call Columbus home and more are expected in the future. My proposal for the assignment would be to document and follow the men, women, young adults and school children that walk through our doors every day having to learn about our language, adapt to our culture and lifestyle in America. Project will include street photography pictures, following the Somali into the poor neighbourhood of Colombus, could include pictures of recent Somali refugees arriving in America and having to adjust into their new homes. Project might also include some audio if I get a chnace to have some of these Somali refugees share their stories, from the nightmare of the Civial war to their arrival in the US. Finally, I would also look at community organizations, many catholic, that extend helping hands to those immigrants who strive for financial independence through business ownership, living the American dream. As many of these refugee families, lacking basic English language skills and unfamiliar with the everyday challenges of the educational system in their new community, look to the staff and volunteers of the these community organizations to help their children with school enrollment, after-school tutoring and mentoring services. Unfortunately, high unemployment rates among teenagers and young adults are having a major impact on young Somalis. Many turn to street corner drug dealers and other opportunists who prey on the uninformed and impoverished. In a way, this project could therefore also represent also a natural extension of my work on the black Over-the-Rhine ghetto of Cincinnati (see link on my website).
That’s it David and all… 3 ideas….Some (maybe David) will say that I need to focus on just one…Yes, but I thought I may as well share the 3 thoughts that I have been playing with and get feedback. With exception of BUS stop story that I could easily start, I have not even started the other two and I do not know how easy it will be to do these. In a way, while I would love to get some perspective from you David on what to focus on from the above list, I would actually prefer to start these in a month or two as I will have more time to take away from my day job by late June or July. Anyway, enough of a long post…waiting to hear your perspective.
Cheers,
Eric
Hi All…
Slow as usual in trying to keep up with all that is going on here, I have just finished my workshop with Chris Anderson. It was a good week, but in all honesty, I am not sure what to do with my photography next. I feel I am at a crossroads….closer to where I want to go yet confused.
I have beem toying with the idea of photography one apartment building. Showing up unannounced and just start knocking on doors to see what happens. I keep looking for the right location but in some ways I am thinking it might be best to just get out and do and not even think about it.
So I am open to ideas and suggestions and link my workshop work here…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/torontogalphotos/sets/72157604998840175/
Have a good one…
Siena, Siena, Siena, one n only, thank you ;)
like always ;) everything fantastic! we are all superstars.
Hi Alan,
I am a modest (unemployed) photographer from Mexico City, I just want to know your opinion about my work. You are one of my teachers, haha, really like your divided soul book.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ernestomendez
if you need anything here in Mexico City, It will be a pleasure. are you coming soon?
be very well.
Ernesto.
Hi David,
If you remember me, Prashanth from the India Rajasthan workshop. I would be interested in shooting some topic here, but before that please have a look at my work post the workshop.There is a marked change thanks to you. http://picasaweb.google.com/prashvish/RecentWork
Regards,
Prashanth Vishwanathan
CHARLIE MAHONEY…
i could not open your link…
You mentioned in your previous post on this topic the concept of “figurative self portraits”. I think i like this idea.
Cathy…i sincerely thank you for the link…
Herve…i never wanted to “amaze” (as you suggested) anybody here by what i said to Cathy…the statement of mine what you very kindly guessed to have been made for ‘amazing’ my friends here, it was said in a specific context to Cathy, and not for any other purpose…
and if you really think that “cases of old women abandonned by their families” is a localised phenomena in India alone, i will beg to differ. in fact, in india, like in most asian countries, care for the elderly by their family members is the rule, though there are exceptions to that. i have been to old-age homes in europe, and i didn’t find anything to be proud of either. so, let’s not make generalised statements about any specific country because we all live in ‘glass houses’ in some respect or the other!
cheers,
Subhrajit