"You remember hurricane Katrina?"
"Yes 23.5 billion dollars were allocated by the federal government for recovery efforts to the state of Mississippi."
"That is a lot."
"Look at it this way the Sun Herald newspaper writes: The money was enough to build average sized houses for the 65,000 families who lost their homes and there would have been enough to buy each family a brand new Honda Accord."
"The US is a rich country and..."
"And one billion was lost in the system within a very short time after the storm."
"Lost in the system?"
"Think corruption, my friend."
"Of course - that reminds me of Pakistan. Didn't we get millions of dollars for the earthquake recovery efforts and...?"
"And there is not much to show on the ground as far as the people are concerned even today - two years after the earthquake."
"Money is a disease I tell you, once it comes into your pocket people forget all the promises of doing good."
"That's true. I wonder what Musharraf did with the money he got for the book?"
"That's right he did mention that he will distribute it amongst the poor."
"Well, I still haven't seen the colour of his money."
"He has been announcing grants to so many poor areas and development and..."
"Hey, that's the colour of my money."
"Whatever do you mean?"
"It's our tax money, my friend."
"Oh, so there is a distinction between the two sources of funding?"
"Definitely..."
"Hmmm..."
"Welcome to the world of the old democracy."