A new definition for "Middle Class"

An article I read was asking about what the term "Middle Class" means. I always thought I was middle class. I've never had to worry about basic necessities at home or elsewhere. So I must not be poor. I always thought the rich owned vast amounts of property or successful big businesses. I'm not rich either. By elimination, I'm middle class. Not too far away from Wikipedia's definition perhaps.

Based on purely income levels, the above article argues that I might belong to the Rich category. Although the given statistics could be wrong / under-representative, it still shows a strong possibility that my perception of middle class could be unsound.

A New Definition: Then there is Vinod Mehta's article (Eyes, Ears and Minds Closed, Outlookindia.com), a well-respected journalist in certain circles, who bashes middle class folks for taking an anti-reservation stand (although he claims he does not necessarily support Arjun Singh or the new reservation bill). According to him, if you have ever felt that you were surpassed by someone less deserving during your educational aspirations, or if you felt the government's schemes in helping the poor or discriminated only enriched the rich and powerful and victimized you, then you must be middle class. Is this true? That would definitely make me middle class.

Then we have the middle class defender who argues that the middle class practically did not even exist during the days of "garibi being hatofied". Beyond IMF's regulations about the money spent, the government failed to show any interest or real results in empowering the poor. The relatively little effect it had created the middle class. And who is paying for the tax-funded government schemes now? Neither the super-rich or the rural rich. So another definition is: If you are paying taxes in India, then you are middle class. (Yet another definition according to him: If you voted against a political party in power because the onion prices have risen, then you are middle class).

Which is true?

Water Crisis Around The World

When the whole world is focusing on the rising gas prices and the West is competing with Asian markets for energy, the water problem continues to grow, and gets little attention.

Salon.com has an interview with Diane Raines Ward, author of Water Wars. Ward talks about how the situation in countries that have water is worsening with depleting resources of clean water and those that don't have enough are having the worst droughts ever. The problem has already hit various parts of US, and conflicts over water have entered the realms of bizarre, when Clouds have become a matter of contention.

On the other hand, instead of providing sustainable infrastructure of public water supply to meet the growing need of water in developing countries, privatization of water is steadily growing and becoming a huge for-profit interest. Bottled water sales in the US continue to increase despite having an alternative cheaper source of clean drinking supply through public water supplies. The Mexico World Water Forum 2006 raised concerns about how water companies and other organizations having an interest met together to enhance water supply around the world, but were really looking for more opportunities to expand water markets in developing countries. (Source: Political Affairs Magazine) Water privatization can be detrimental to any developing country's economy whose citizens don't have an alternate means to water, and any incentives to provide such by its government might be thwarted by the interests of bottled water companies.

What's in store for water in future? Water wars of course ...