I can’t stand the political conventions and I don’t understand why the media all goes along with presenting days long commercials for the candidates.  I’ve had enough if it – so it seemed like a good time to head off for India.  I’m doing a speaking tour of India through the US State Department speakers program.  I’ve never been to India before – they have lots of great cartoonists and a vibrant free press (with some interesting government restrictions).

Yesterday I spoke to a crowded room of about 300 students at the Sir JJ Academy of Applied arts in Mumbai.  Those are the students (right), they are a spirited bunch, sitting on the cold floor, Indian style, in the dizzying humidty to listen to me talk for a whopping two hours.  I wish I had thought to take a picture, just outside the door, of the mountain of  about 600 shoes.  They told me that, as the speaker, I need not take off my shoes – that’s good.  I can’t imagine how they can find their shoes after class.  I would have been there for an hour, sorting through shoes.  I need to remember to put name tags on everything.

Here I am (below) at Rudyard Kipling’s house, next door to the JJ Academy.   I’m told this is the “best art college in India” and the student’s work that I saw was quite impressive.  Thy asked good questions and seemed to have a good time.  I had a meeting with a bunch of newspaper editors for dinner.  This is a crazy huge, diverse country full of cartoon fans.  Such drama.