Raja Rao Essay Example

Raja Rao Essay Raja Rao From Wikipedia, the free reference book Jump to: route, search There are numerous individuals with the name Raja Rao. For example, there may be an other raja rao with different popular achievements. Kindly don't consider this just as THIS Raja Rao isn't well known however ther may be different renowned individuals with the name. If it's not too much trouble keep on perusing this article. Raja Rao (Kannada: ) (November 8, 1908 †July 8, 2006) was an Indian author of English language books and short stories, whose works are profoundly established in Hinduism. Raja Raos semi-self-portraying novel, The Serpent and the Rope (1960), is an account of a quest for profound truth in Europe and India. It built up him as one of the best Indian beauticians. Contents[hide] * 1 Early life and profession * 2 Nationalist Novelist * 3 Later years * 4 Notes * 5 Bibliography * 6 Web References * 7 External links| [edit] Early life and vocation Raja Rao was conceived on November 8, 1908 in Hassan, in the territory of Mysore (presently Karnataka) in South India, into a notable Brahmin (Hoysala Karnataka) family. He was the oldest of nine kin two siblings and seven sisters. His local language was Kannada, yet his post-graduate training was in France, and every one of his distributions in book structure have been in English. His dad showed Kannada at Nizams College in what was then Hyderabad State. The passing of his mom, when he was four, left an enduring impact on the writer the nonappearance of a mother and orphanhood are repeating subjects in his work . Another impact from early life was his granddad, with whom he remained in Hassan and Harihalli. Rao was taught at Muslim schools, the Madarsa-e-Aliya in Hyderabad and the Aligarh Muslim University, where he became companions with Ahmed Ali. We will compose a custom paper test on Raja Rao explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom exposition test on Raja Rao explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom exposition test on Raja Rao explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer He started learning French at the University. After registration in 1927, Rao came back to Hyderabad and read for his degree at Nizams College. After graduation from Madras University, having studied English and History, he won the Asiatic Scholarship of the Government of Hyderabad in 1929, for concentrate abroad. Rao moved to the University of Montpellier in France. He considered French language and writing, and later at the Sorbonne in Paris, he investigated the Indian impact on Irish writing. He wedded Camille Mouly, who showed French at Montpellier, in 1931. The marriage went on until 1939. Later he portrayed the breakdown of their marriage in The Serpent and the Rope. Rao distributed his first stories in French and English. During 1931-32 he contributed four articles written in Kannada for Jaya Karnataka, a compelling diary. [edit] Nationalist Novelist Returning to India in 1939, he altered with Iqbal Singh, Changing India, a collection of current Indian idea from Ram Mohan Roy to Jawaharlal Nehru. He took an interest in the Quit India Movement of 1942. In 1943-1944 he coedited with Ahmed Ali a diary from Bombay called Tomorrow. He was the main player in the development of a social association, Sri Vidya Samiti, gave to restoring the estimations of old Indian human progress; this association flopped soon after initiation. In Bombay, he was likewise connected with Chetana, a social society for the engendering of Indian idea and qualities. Raos inclusion in the patriot development is reflected in his initial two books. The tale Kanthapura (1938) was a record of the effect of Gandhis instructing on peaceful opposition against the British. The story is seen from the point of view of a little Mysore town in South India. Rao acquires the style and structure from Indian vernacular stories and society epic. Rao came back to the topic of Gandhism in the short story assortment The Cow of the Barricades (1947). In 1998 he distributed Gandhis memoir Great Indian Way: A Life of Mahatma Gandhi. In 1988 he got the esteemed International Neustadt Prize for Literature. The Serpent and the Rope was composed after a long quietness during which Rao came back to India. The work sensationalized the connections among Indian and Western culture. The snake in the title alludes to figment and the rope to the real world. 1] Cat and Shakespeare (1965) was a magical satire that responded to philosophical inquiries presented in the prior books. [edit] Later years Rao moved to the United States and educated at the University of Texas at Austin from 1966 to 1983, when he resigned as Emeritus Professor. Courses he showed included Marxism to Gandhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Indian way of thinking: The Upanishads, Indian way of thin king: The Metaphysical Basis of the Male and Female Principle. In 1965, he wedded Katherine Jones, an American stage entertainer. They have one child, Christopher Rama. In 1986, after his separation rom Katherine, Rao wedded his third spouse, Susan, whom he met when she was an understudy at the University of Texas during the 1970s. Rao passed on July 8, 2006 at Austin, Texas, at 97 years old. [2] [3] [4] USE OF INDIAN SENSIBILITY IN RAJA RAOS NOVEL: Indian Method of Story-telling: The technique for depicting of the novel is naturally Indian. The Indian grandma can be viewed as the soonest and generally commonplace of narrators. Achkka is the narrator of the novel, who is much the same as a grandma. She recounts to the story to each new comer to Kanthapura. As per Raja Rao, â€Å"Achakka’s exceedingly long sentences, utilization of spaces, and articulations like ‘this’ and ‘that’, ‘here and there’ are important. She gives us complete character-sketch of Sankar, Bhatt and Rangamma. They are a lot of useful, just as indispensable for the account. Along these lines, one scene prompts another, thus the story will in general be on and on long. This additionally makes the portrayal long winded. There are such a significant number of scenes in the novel. Along these lines, the portrayal is described by verbosity and loquaciousness, which are the highlights of the Indian old stories. Raja Rao needed to pressure this respected custom. Therefore he didn’t feel it important to isolate the novel into parts. In his Foreword to Kanthapura Raja Rao explains that the novel is to be decided regarding the regular Indian convention and not concerning Western techniques for narrating and hypotheses and of the novel composition. Utilization of Religion: Indian way of thinking is fundamentally strict and even governmental issues is additionally spiritualized in India. India’s such a large number of noticeable social reformers and political pioneers were incredible strict figures. In India, shared and political objectives have been accomplished with the assistance of otherworldly exercises. Something very similar occurs in the novel, on account of Gandhi and his opportunity battle. As per a Narsimhaiah, â€Å"there are in any event three strands of involvement with the novel: the political, the strict and the social. † To the uneducated townspeople, Kenchamma is a sort and supportive goddess. Their mentality is amazingly strict. As the story advances the three strings of experience become one: the strict, social and policy driven issues become indeed the very same. Subject of Shakti Worship: Shakti-adore is an essentially Indian topic and it is available all through the novel. In this Gandhian opportunity battle, the women of the Kanthapura assume a key job. The creator has painted them as vigorous types of Shakti. It very well may be said that Indian ladies are strong as rock, and they can without much of a stretch bear the agony. Shakti(energy) ascends in them, and every one of them is propelled at a specific time. One observable thing in the novel is that in the last period of peaceful battle, it is a woman named Ratna, who takes over from Moorthy and leads the development. Utilization of Indian likenesses, adages and Idioms: Raja Rao is ace in utilizing Indian metaphors, sayings and figures of speech in his composition. He utilizes Indian proverbs and likenesses to make an attention to laborers. In the majority of his works, he hadn’t utilized â€Å"Babu English†. He utilizes English words as indicated by his requests. The language of the novel is overflowed with the Indian expressions, Indian metaphors and rural shading. You can discover such huge numbers of sentences in the novel that are actually made an interpretation of from Kannada into English. Once in a while, there is separating of the English sentence structure to communicate passionate aggravations and emotions. Numerous words are taken from nearby Indian dialects. The creator has utilized them ‘as they are’. He didn’t feel it important to make an interpretation of them into English. In the novel, you can get words likeAhimsa, Dhoti, Harikatha, Mandap and so forth. Raja Rao has more than once utilized town precepts, and old stories as indicated by his prerequisite. For instance, (1) Every squirrel has his day, (2) our hearts beat like the wings of bats, (3) but he was as genuine as an elephant, (4) the most youthful is consistently the blessed bull, (5) does a hog remain before a lion or a jackal before an elephant? In like manner, you can discover such a significant number of precepts and colloquialisms from the language of ignorant individuals in the novel. For instance: (1) The cops are not your uncle’s children, (2) the principal little girl drains the dairy animals when the mother is sick, (3) saw you like a rat on your mother’s lap, (4) there is neither man nor mosquito in Kanthapura (5) you can't fix a dog’s tail, (6) land, desire and wifely devotion go gravely together. Now and then Raja Rao doesn’t falter to utilize an inconsiderate and hostile language of the residents. He utilizes this sort of language when it is essential. However, his utilization of this sort of language is increasingly controlled and reasonable. [edit] Notes 1. Nobel laureate Czeslaw Milosz distributed his lone sonnet in the English language for Raja Rao. 2. He was granted Indias third most noteworthy non military personnel grant, Padma Bhushan

Response to "Is the American Dream Over" Essay

Reaction to Is the American Dream Over - Essay Example The essential inquiry is â€Å"is the American Dream Over?† Whereas this inquiry has been posed again and again by various researchers, there appears to come up short on a clear response to this inquiry. This is on the grounds that various creators and researchers appear to have an alternate meaning of the theme â€Å"The American Dream.† However, Cal proceeds to clarify characterize what American Dream is. He contends that American Dream basically implies satisfying one’s life destinations. Notwithstanding, he proceeds to guarantee that the institutional systems of the American government have been ruined to such an extent that it is unthinkable for the regular American individual to accomplish the American Dream. The inquiry â€Å"Is American Dream Over† is seemingly an easy to refute question at issue. This is on the grounds that the inquiry achieves the space for banter on the two sides of the issue. For instance, in his work Cal really focuses to the chance of old and new meanings of American dream and afterward takes on the cutting edge definition. He anyway proceeds to clarify why he accepts that the American dream kicked the quite a while prior in view of the difficulties confronting the advanced American resident. This opens up space for banter in light of the fact that, a critical number of Americans are really carrying on with an existence they had always wanted. In fact, it tends to be discussed that American dream has been accomplished somewhat. Be that as it may, the inquiry at issue additionally covers as a questionable issue since it opens wide the space for reprimanding the administration for the disappointment of Americans to accomplish the American dream The issue of American dream is an inquiry at issue since it gives a decent and reasonable premise where the two defenders and rivals can trade scholarly clench hands. For sure, the subject of whether American dream is alive or dead has gotten equivalent proportion of discussion from the two sides. In his side, Cal gives reason, for example, absence of â€Å"employment, overspending, overburdening, and overregulating government† as a portion of the reasons why American

Product Design Lab

Product Design Lab If youll remember, last week was the Latke vs. Hamentaschen debate. That wasnt the only eventful thing that happened that day, there was all sorts of goings-on beforehand on the 3rd floor of building 35. Whats on the 3rd floor of building 35 you ask? Well there used to just be a normal little classroom, but that has changed as of late. You see, theres this class at MIT that designs toys, have you heard of it? Its hard to build toys without a shop, so the powers at be went out and bought a multitude of new tools, woodworking equipment, and supplies to convert an ordinary classroom into a better-than-average shop. Before the debate Maddie and I headed over to help set up the brand new shop and check out all of the new tools. We spent about 45 minutes cutting leather, opening sets of drills, zip-tying power cords, sorting different types of wood, and helping with odd-jobs around the shop. I, being the eternal tourist that being a blogger obligates me to be, of course took pictures. There is a drill press, belt sander, and band saw at each table We also have a little alcove that is home to a laser cutter and a 3D printer (I cant wait to use these!) When we first showed up I was assigned to unwrapping and opening various templates and drill bits. I finished opening up the templates and some normal bits, but then I got to the next set of bits to open. I dont know how many of you work with wood or are familiar with different varieties of drill bits, but if you are then this next picture should mean something to you. Thats right, those are sets of Forstner bits. Sets. As in multiple. For those who may not be familiar with these types of drill bits, let me put this in perspective for you. My family back home has ONE Forstner bit and it cost $50.00. These things are EXPENSIVE! Not for MIT I guess, because I unwrapped 6 cases of bits, each with 12 bits. Thats 72 Forstner bits. *drool* Oh, by the way, Maddie was really excited about the Forstner bits. One final element of the Toy Building Heaven that is this little shop is the shop vac. You may think that shop vacs are lame, but let me tell you, this is one IMPRESSIVE shop vac. Just look at that thing, its a beast! And its so quiet and powerful, Im not quite sure I could live without one now that Ive tried it. Alright, so thats the shop, but now you have a whole class full of kids that may or may not have ever used these tools before. Therefore, we needed training, and what better way to train than to build a toy? Our assignment in lab the next day was to build a pull toy. You know, a small wooden toy with wheels and a string attached so you can pull it along the ground. We had 15 minutes to design a toy and the rest of the lab (2 and a half hours) to build our toy. If you know me at all then you can probably at least guess the theme of the toy I decided to make. After waffling for a while I decided on a video game classic. I grabbed all my wood, attacked the band saw, sanded and sanded and sanded, drilled a bunch of holes, dry fit axels, stained my pieces and oiled my wheels, and grabbed some googly eyes. 2 and a half hours, lots of sawdust, 3 near-death experiences, and some dead brain cells later I was left with a shiny new pull toy! TA-DA! Clyde PacMan Im now the proud owner of a one-of-a-kind PacMan pull toy. Now before you argue about inaccuracies, the ghost doesnt have to be blue in order for the PacMan to chase it (it just helps). The blue stain wasnt dark enough to look good, so orange it was.

Firestone Case Danger on the Highway...

Firestone Case Danger on the Highway: Bridgestone/Firestone ¡Ã‚ ¦s Tire Recall Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., based in Nashville, Tennessee, has been in the business of making tires since 1900, when Harvey Firestone founded the Firestone Tire Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio. Firestone was acquired by Bridgestone USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Bridgestone Corporation, in 1990 for $2.6 billion. Today, the company markets 8,000 different types and sizes of tires, and a host of other products. The company has also enjoyed a long and prosperous relationship with Ford Motor Company which began in 1906 when Henry Ford purchased 2,000 sets of tires from Harvey Firestone. Despite emerging as a leader in the tire industry, Bridgestone/Firestone†¦show more content†¦After continued investigations, the NHTSA encouraged Bridgestone/Firestone to expand the recall to include other sizes and models of tires, but the company refused. On September 1, the NHTSA issued a consumer advisory warning of potential problems with other sizes of Firestone tires. During Senate hearings about the growing number of complaints and accidents, evidence surfaced that Bridgestone/Firestone had known about potential tread separation problems dating back to 1994. The company also admitted increasing production to dilute the failure rate. Executives stated that they had not investigated further because failure rates as determined by warranty claims had not demonstrated significant patterns. Bridgestone/Firestone officials accepted full responsibility and admitted the company had made  ¡Ã‚ §bad tires. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Masatoshi Ono stepped down as CEO, and John Lampe, former executive vice president, took over Bridgestone USA. Although many have been quick to point a blaming finger at Bridgestone/Firestone, evidence to suggest that Ford was not entirely blameless also emerged. The designs of the Ford Explorer, along with Ford ¡Ã‚ ¦s recommendations for tire pressure for the Explorer, have been scrutinized to determine whether they contributed to the rate of

How Divorce Has Shaped The Culture And Affected The Future...

Chamberlain School of Nursing Divorce How divorce has shaped the culture and affected the future of our children. Divorce has become more acceptable and common in our culture. A divorce not only involves the parents, children are included too. The family structure varies across America and couples divorce for different reasons such as abuse in the home, infidelity, addiction issues, religion, and the list can continue. When a couple decides to use divorce to solve any marital conflicts there are questions, emotional issues, financially concerns and etc. that will arise during the process. I will explore and collect information pertaining to the concerns and questions of divorce and children of divorce. History of Divorce Our society has become nonchalant about the dynamics of divorce. Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, co-director of the Rutgers University National Marriage Project, â€Å"Divorce is now part of everyday American life† (Sheehan-Johnson Paine, 2013). In Brian Orchard’s 2011 article, A Culture of Divorce first marriages have 45 percent chance of breaking up and second marriages are given 60 percent chance of being unsuccessful (Orchard, 2011). Barbara Dafoe Whitehead and Brian Orchard both agree marriage and divorce have changed due to the relationships within the family structure. Whitehead states, â€Å"Americans began to change their ideas about the individual’s obligations to family and society† (Sheehan-Johnson Paine, 2013). Women became more independent during theShow MoreRelatedAn Oral Interview With Vanna Moore Essay1707 Words   |  7 Pagesand how it shaped her views of her state of Texas. Through her interview, Vanna touched on her feelings about Texas, t he military, American culture, and life after military. At times, she seemed comfortable and at ease sharing her thoughts, and other moments seemed more difficult to get through. This interview helped me to understand that military service can really shape a person’s world view, both abroad and at home. Additionally, after this oral interview experience I feel like I know how to effectivelyRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography Of Family Life1412 Words   |  6 PagesFamilies, Labour and Love: Family diversity in a changing world. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin. †¢ Sociologists use the term ‘families’ in plural rather than ‘family’ to represent the variations in family life. †¢ Societal changes contributed to divorce rates, focusing more on personal happiness, higher martial satisfaction and women ability to survive economically outside marriage. †¢ Extended family households were more prevalent before industrialism and were more widespread among indigenous peopleRead MoreBlack And Blues - Langston Hughes1623 Words   |  7 PagesRenaissance was a time in history when the African American culture had one of its most influential movements by using creativity and the arts (Hutchinson 1). This movement took place between 1918 and 1937 and was shaped by both African American men and women through writing, theatre, visual arts, and music. The purpose of this movement was to change the white stereotypes that were associated with African American people and their culture (Hutchinson 1). African Americans used the Harlem RenaissanceRead MoreFamily7546 Words   |  31 Pagesfamily in Britain in the late twentieth century has been described as the cereal packet family. The ‘happy family’ image gives the impression that most people live in a typical family and these images reinforce the dominant ideology of the tr aditional nuclear family. Functionalists Roles of the Family – Parsons The Functionalist Talcott Parsons sees two main functions that the family performs these are: †¢ The primary socialisation of children Parson argues that every individual mustRead More Family Values and Structures in the Middle East Essay2848 Words   |  12 PagesFamily Values and Structures in the Middle East At the end of our program, classes are ending, and events are winding down, but emotions remain powerful. We will all face reentry, and deal with it in different ways, and Im sure that all of us are thinking about what this means personally. I do not know what the first thing is that may come to your mind when you think of home. Maybe you are scared that your little sibling took over while you were gone, and you will have to resolve this in a civilRead MoreFamily As A Social Institution Doc Essay5585 Words   |  23 Pages08 3.6 Stage Six 08 4. Role Of Family 08-09 4.1 Toward children 09 4.2 Toward Parent 09-10 5. Theoretical analysis of the family 10 5.1 Function of the family structural functional analysis 10-11 5.2 INEQUALITY AND THE FAMILY 11 5.2.1 SOCIAL CONFLICT ANALYSIS 12 5.3 Micro level analysis 12 5.3.1 Interactionist view 12 6. Family Life in Different Time 12 6.1 IN THE PAST 12-13 6.2 In The Present 13-14 7. Existence of family life in future 14-15 8. Interaction between family members 15 9. TRANSITIONSRead MoreEssay about The Results of Children in Fatherless Homes16087 Words   |  65 PagesDivorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing are now epidemic in American society. Both forms of disrupted families are harmful to children and to society. The children of single parents are more likely to do poorly in school, commit crimes, and become single parents themselves. In addition, the increase in single-parent families contributes to such social problems as poverty, crime, and a decline in the quality of public education. Divorce and out-of-wedlock childbirth are transforming the lives ofRead MoreSociology Essay20437 Words   |  82 Pagesdifferences in education: The underachievement of boys, Sociology Review, Vol. 8, Issue 1, Sept. 1998; and ‘Figure 2 Marriages, divorces and remarriages, 1950–2005, In Focus, Sociology Review, Vol. 17, No. 2, Nov. 2007; Times Educational Supplement for an extract from C Dean, ‘Social class linked to results’, Times Educational Supplement, 18.04.97. Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders but if any have been inadvertently overlooked the publishers will be pleased to make theRead MoreRelationship Portrayal Of Television : Displaying Maintenance Behaviors2559 Words   |  11 Pagesconsidered the ultimate achievement and dream of society, in ways that it represents the essence of what makes humanity. Popular culture such as television shows, movies, music, and art cannot express this need in human nature enough. Representations of romantic relationships across mediums such as television is almost inevitable to come across because it is deeply embedded within our humanistic nature to need and want an intimate relationship. According to Hetsroni’s (2012) journal article about television’sRead MoreImpact of Socio-Economic and Cultural Changes on the Personality Development of Adolescents8858 Words   |  36 Pagespersonality developments of adolescents. SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL SPECTRUM OF THE SOCIETY Concept of Values and Value System 7. Values. Value is a concept that describes the beliefs of an individual or culture. Values are considered subjective and vary across people and cultures. Types of values include ethical/moral values, doctrinal/ideological (political, religious) values, social values, aesthetic values etc. 8. Moral Values. Moral values are held to be right or wrong or desirable

Analysis on Teenage Pregnancy in the UK Free Essays

string(44) " and portraying it as a fashioned activity\." Introduction Teenage pregnancy is a major concern in the UK, and for the last 20 years it has the highest rates in the European Union; other countries with similar rates are New Zealand and Australia (Maticka, 2001 p. 15). The UK is found to have the highest live birth rates among people with the age of 15-19 in Western Europe. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis on Teenage Pregnancy in the UK or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is estimated that even the most prosperous zones in the UK surpasses Netherlands and France in national rates of teenage pregnancy. Between the 1970s and 1980s, there was a record decline with the rates in many European countries. However, these rates did not go down in UK in the period 1979 and 1999 (SEU, 1999), while conception among under 16-olds rose by 1% between 2002 and 2003 (Office of National Statistics, 2005). The common factors found to influence high levels of teenage pregnancy includes but not limited to: Social economic status especially income distribution across societies, gender equality levels within the societies, the availability of sex education and prevention strategies at schools, access to sexual heath services that meets the needs of teenage persons, normalized expectation of continued education beyond the age of 16, Exposure to unhealthy media materials amongst others. In the year 2000 alone, 38,690 under the age of 18 years got pregnant in England. 44.8% of these underwent legal abortion as the conceptions were not planned for. Surprisingly, 7,617 of the total conceptions involved girls under the age of 16 years out of which 54.5% ended in legal abortion (Office for National Statistics, 2000). Many factors influence teenagers’ choices to become sexually active and to use contraception considering their ability to obtain them and make use of contraception their choice. These factorsoperate are exercised at individual’s level (e.g. attitudesand beliefs, knowledge, substance abuse and future expectations), the intra-familiallevel (e.g., social economic factors, family structure, parent–child communication), the extra-familial level (e.g., health services, peer influences,sexual health education at school) and thecommunity level (e.g., values and norms relating to teenage pregnancy).Most of these factors can be changed with time and within respective social institutions individualknow-how concerning sexual health, while others are difficult to change or cannot be changed at all. In most cases, physician groups are left the role to lobby for policy initiatives aimedat changing sexual risky trends among teenagers which includes;enhanced sexual education at schools. However, the important rolefor physicians is to offer suitable sexual health informationand services in their practices when they are providing clinicalservices to youths (Botting, 1998 p. 21). It is necessary that physicians be familiar with the realityof teenage sexual activity. Conducted studies have indicated that, by completion of high school, the majority of teenagers will have had sexualintercourse (Maticka, 2001 p. 3) and approximately 10% have had intercourse beforeage 15. It is therefore much important to include as part of the general enquiry into their well-being, their sexual activity too,use of contraception and condoms, their history of sexually transmittedinfections and pregnancy. There is need to acquire information abouttheir other sexual health concerns. Adolescents are not necess arily the ones to initiate discussions about sexual healthissues, since to them the process of seeking sexual health advice is a complicatedone, and therefore physicians must be proactive in making suchan enquiry. When contraception, including emergency contraception, is indicatedfor teenagers, it should be provided. Like other women, adolescentsalso have a right to abortion services, although the availabilityof such services is not uniform across the country, and teenagedgirls of low socioeconomic status or from visible minoritieshave particularly limited access. Teenagers have the rightto confidential health care, including receiving sexual healthservices, provided their emotional and cognitive maturity allowfor this. Their parents do not have an automatic right to know.The right to confidentiality is not always understood by teenagersand should be appropriately communicated during patient encounters.Finally, when teenagers choose to continue their pregnancy toterm, exemplary care should be provided before, during and afterdelivery, to help minimize the risk of negative outcomes thatmay occur. Lack of consensus on ways of counterchecking pregnancy problem and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in respect to teenagers is one of the factors contributing the high rates of teenage pregnancies in the UK. There are no proper installed structures advocating favorable comprehensive sex and its related education. Low expectations in education which is greatly attributed by the perception that there are few or no employment opportunities lead to teenagers absconding education, engaging in unplanned sex due to exposure in their neighborhoods and subsequent pregnancy (BBC NEWS, Friday, 27 May 2005). Ignorance about the use of contraceptives despite their availability often leads to unplanned conception. Although most of the teenage girls are well conversant with the importance of condom use, a large number would go on and engage in sexual activity hoping the worst does not happen. The youth have been found to be inefficient users of contraceptives even when they are offered for free (BBC NEWS, Friday, 27 May 2005). One Jan Barlow was quoted by BBC attributing three factors that help alleviate teenage pregnancy and STI rate as being: better access to young people friendly services, comprehensive sex and relationship education, and offering more open attitudes to sex aimed at influencing young people in making sound decisions (BBC NEWS, Friday, 27 May 2005). The England government for instance had advocated for sex education training but the school authorities are only focused at teaching other subjects. According to him, Sex and relationship that lacks in school curriculum ought to be made a compulsory unit in personal social health education studies. A study conducted for the NHS at the University of York concludes that education prior to sexual activity makes individuals delay in having sex and makes them more likely to use contraception when they do. However, sex education offered in schools is criticized as being too biological and in-adequate to arm the youths with the relevant sex information (Barlow, 2005 May 27). Teenage girls and boys are misguided approach from TV programs relating sex with celebrities and portraying it as a fashioned activity. You read "Analysis on Teenage Pregnancy in the UK" in category "Essay examples" It is noted that teenagers particularly those not participating in co curricular activities are likely to spend most of their time watching romantic programs. The media sets them adrift in the sexualized society without giving them the tools to look after themselves. The outcome is indirect influence when the affected youth fail to differentiate action scenes from real life (BBC NEWS, Friday, 27 May 2005). Teenage pregnancy comes handy with various complications. The adverse effects include miscarriage, premature births, babies are born underweight for gestational age whereas others are born small (Horgan, 2007). Teenage mothers are also found to have higher risks of contracting STIs, being victims of alcohol and substance abuse, smoking and poor nutrition in addition to suffering higher rates of postnatal depression (Horgan, 2007). Gynecological immaturity in teenage mothers is one of the reasons attributed to the adverse effects following births. Adolescent girls continue to grow when pregnant. The babies they carry faces food and nutrients competition required for their growth with the growing bodies of their mothers. There is also increased risk of obstructed labor during birth because of their undeveloped small pelvises (Horgan, 2007). These effects are adverse and their effects are prone to have a long term effects therefore preventive measures are by the far advisable measures. Family planning and sexual health clinics should be easy to access amongst these women and facilitated with a wide range of the relevant services, including diet advice, cessation on smoking behavior and embarking back to studies after birth. As a matter of fact, they should be encouraged to attend antenatal classes and care which should offer them medical care as well as social support. It is believed that postnatal management for teenage mothers is placed better in offering essential counseling and education on crucial aspects of motherhood such as breastfeeding and nutrition for babies. As many teenage mothers tend to be single and often feel isolated in bringing up their babies, they require special attention from the health and social services (Horgan, 2007). An Obstetrician and Gynecologist; Louse Kenny working at Cork University Maternity Hospital attributes that the figures indicates that death rate for babies from very young mothers is 60% more higher than those from the older women. Further, teenage mothers are more likely to be faced with postnatal depression as compared with their counterparts-the older women. Some 44% of mothers under the age of 20 breastfeed compared to 64% amongst 20-24 and up to 80% in older mothers. There is a need therefore to conduct further studies to ascertain whether the poor outcome from teenage mother births is entirely a link with biological challenges resulting from their bodies not being fully developed; or it is a combination of other factors such as social demographic factors (Horgan, 2007). Teenage mother are at risk of indulging with malpractices that poses unconducive environment to their newborns like smoking due to the associated stress and their vulnerability to peer pressures. At their age, they are not entirely dependent in making sound decisions, a reason why close attention should be directed to them to safeguard their heath and that of the newborns. Awareness towards the dangers associated with smoking for instance is paramount to them, risks of contracting sexually transmitted infections and the need to use contraception in future sexual activities (Horgan, 2007). There is challenge presented by teenage mothers toward heath workers. Most stay for a long time before presenting themselves to health facilities for diagnosis, only to avail themselves at the late stages in the pregnancy. They thus fail to receive timely attention to any possible presenting risk and guidance on how to take care to ensure healthy newborns and safe delivery. Both the teenage mother and the child are prone to undergo negative short term, medium and long term health and mental health outcomes that are as a result of unprepared ness in the encounter and dilapidated exposed conditions thereafter (Botting et al., 1998). The mother’s education and future employment may be brought to prejudice. There is more likelihood of teenage mothers running into trouble in school before getting pregnant and possible failure to complete studies after delivery. As a result, they may not be having academic qualifications at the age of 33, a situation that renders them find difficulty in looking for a job or subject to low payments and poor benefits as opposed to their peers (SEU, 1999). An estimated 80% of teenage mothers do not own their own housing arrangements. They are either housed by their parents, relatives or others sponsors who are added an extra burden towards meeting additional expenses. This is more likely to result into domestic conflict in addition to failure to provide the desired space environment for both the mother and the child which may the related cost may not be within reach (SEU, 1999). Young fathers also face similar difficulties although their extent isles severe compared to that of young mothers. They are however faced with similar economic and employment outcomes in their post parenthood (Kiernan, 1995). Children of teenage mothers are more likely to have the experience of being lonely in the family. They are further faced by generalized risks of poverty, poor housing, and poor nutrition and consequently face inadequate upbringing standards. Evidence shows that daughters of teenage mothers are likely to become teenage parents themselves (Botting et al., 1998). It is thus noted that having children at a young age can damage a young woman’s health and well-being. Her education and career prospects are severely affected too. While young people can become competent parents, a variety of studies reveal that children born of teenagers are more likely to experience a wide range of negative outcomes later in life. They are also three times more likely to become teenage parents themselves (Hughes, 2010). As a matter of fact, at the age of 30, teenage mothers are 22% more likely to be living in poverty than mothers giving birth at the age of 24 years and above. They are less likely to be employed or be living with a partner (Hughes, 2010). Teenage mothers are less likely to have academic qualifications at the age of thirty as compared to mothers who get children after having attained the age of 24 years. Due to their vulnerable condition, they are more likely to partner with men who are poorly qualified and less likely to secure employment (Hughes, 2010). Statistics have shown that teenage mothers have three times the rate of post natal depression compared to older mothers and at higher risk of poor mental health for at least three years after birth. In addition, the infant mortality rate for babies born to teenage mothers is 60% higher than for babies born to old mothers. Compared to older mothers, they are likely to smoke throughout their pregnancy while 50% are found not to breastfeed both which poses negative health consequences to the child (Hughes, 2010). Children born of teenage mothers have approximate 63% increased risk of being born into poverty compared to babies born to mothers at their twenties. They have higher mortality rates and are more likely to have accidents and behavioral problems (Hughes, 2010). Owing to the increased the increased teenage pregnancy as a social problem in the UK, policy makers, politicians and health educators have been borrowing measures applied in Netherlands to alleviate the situations. These measures are selected on the merit of their suitability. Statistics In 2000, the birth rate to young women with the age of 15-19 was 37.7 in every 1000 in England and Wales Compared to 5, 5 in every 1000 in Netherlands. On the other hand, the conception rates were four times higher at 62.2% per 1000 compared with 14.1 % in every 1000 in the Netherlands. (Figure insert) Sex Education Sex education in schools is greatly attributed to the reduced teenage pregnancy occurrences in many countries where it if effectively applied. This hypothesis have been assumed and highly promoted in the media by birth control and abortion lobbies and without the support of the research evidence. In the UK; Sex education has been politicized in many educational centers and political leaders too. The UK parents are not free to set up their own publicly fund schools independent of the state according to their own beliefs and values where there is a high degree of autonomy in terms of curriculum development and policy making. UK lacks diversity in didactics, pedagogical strategies and content and influences of the churches and the involvement of parents are not much stronger. As a result, sex education has nut impacted a lot towards reducing teenage pregnancy (LDM, 2003). It is found that: Sex education is not open as it is often suggested though it is often taught within a firm moral framework. The most liberal and open classes were found in the more social and economically derived areas where teenagers were already more sexually active and teachers felt there was little they could do to compensate for family structures that were inadequate to guide streetwise young people in the increasing sexual culture. Of the teachers interviewed, none was comfortable with the idea of opening up open classes for sex education curriculum which would entail sexually explicit materials. The schools where the sexual activity was less a problem were not on the welcome of sex education but were positive on building on the moral frame work provided by parents within stable family structures Further evidence has exposed sex education as not being that permissive as it is often perceived. A considerable figure of sexual health experts are critical of traditional views of sexual morality widely held among teachers and parents. The experts are concerned that an emphasis on setting the expression of sexual morality firmly within the context of committed enduring relationships is too restrictive when teenagers may want to experiment which sexual activity (LDM, 2003). There lacks evidence to support the ascertain that the teenage pregnancy rate has been reduced by easy availability of contraception to the young people in what is described as an almost imperfect contraceptive population where condom use rose among the sexually active from 17% in 1981 to 85% in1994 (Ketting, 1994). There is no corresponding relationship found in the reduction rates of either teenage pregnancies or abortions whereas there are early signs of an overall rise in the rate of sexually transmitted infection (STIs) occurrences: in particular, Chlamydia which affects the young people disproportionately (Van der Laar, 2002). More findings show that during the 1990s, the abortion rate rose despite a wide increase in contraceptive use (CBS, 2000). It therefore cannot be attributed that the decline trend of teenage pregnancy is a result if sex education, open culture and contraception use rather a combination of factors not related to the above. Since teenage pregnancy is a result of teenage sex, then it goes hand in hand that a society that has more of one of the two is going to experience more of the other. It is thus necessary to consider factors that are known to influence the age at which young people starts sexual relationships (LDM, 2003). Sexual attitudes among young people Casual attitude to physical relationship is ever growing. However, the UK teenagers appear not to be guided by moral principles to a large extent than their counterparts in for example the Middle East that abstain from sexual intercourse until a much later age. A comparative study of sexual attitude among teenagers found that a majority of both males and females in Netherlands for instance gave love a commitment as their primary reason for first intercourse. Physical opportunity and attraction and peer pressure are not leading factors to sex in Netherlands. In UK however, while love and commitment have high ranking in girls, boys are found to be more influenced by peer pressure, opportunity and physical attraction (LDM, 2003). From the perspective of young people in such circumstances, early parenthood can appear a rational choice, providing a means for making their transition to adulthood or having somebody to love in their lives. Welfare benefits A welfare benefit is another factor that makes teenage pregnancy level to be high in the UK. The teenage parents receive income financial support from the government when they are less than 18 years and do not have to depend on their parents. The babies born are put under the care of a legal guardian who happens to be the parent of the teenage mother in most circumstances. The legal guardian becomes the receivership of the governments support allowing their mothers to continue with schooling. In addition to this, the teenage parents enjoy housing benefits, educational opportunities, employment training and free medical care. With the provision of all these, a disincentive to engage in irresponsible sexual behavior lacks (LDM, 2003). Social-economic deprivation Teenage pregnancy is strongly associated with the most deprived and socially excluded young people. Difficulties in young peoples’ lives such as poor family relationships, low esteem and unhappiness at school also put them at higher risk. It is in record that acute levels of social economic deprivations are associated with high frequency of teenage sex activities and associated risks behavior. The concentration of areas with magnificent levels of poverty and social inequality in some areas of the UK has lead to the emergent of a desperate culture in which there is only little to lose in early parenting. The loss is further reduced from compensations of social welfare benefits that alleviate the costs of living and upkeep. An income support and housing allowance for instance makes the cost of having a baby not too much (LDM, 2003). Lack of Stigma In recent years, teenage pregnancy relatively lacks stigmatization in the UK. Stigmatization is known to discourage undesirable habits where the involved persons are subjected to humiliation in the past. Social services makes it hard for one to access most services, people disregard one making him/her always indebted. Lack of stigma associated with pregnancy in the UK is a major contributory factor to higher teenage pregnancy rates (LDM, 2003). There are also some communities in which early parenthood is seen as normal and not a concern. Lone parenthood In the year 2000, single parents in Great Britain accounted for 21% of all families that had children. Children in Britain are more likely to be raised by a lone parent as compared with other European countries. A study of over 2000 young people in England aged 13-15 years found that in families headed by married couple, only 13% of the children were sexually active. The number doubled for young people living within single families. The figure was 24% for the children of cohabiting couples, 26% where the children had separated, 23% where the children divided their time between two parents living apart, 24% where the parents were divorced and 35% where the children did not live with either of the parents (Hill, 2000). Evidence is therefore placed in increase of teenage sexual activity in lone parenting or no parenting at all. Great Britain having single parent’s levels of 21% (in relation to year 2000) inclines that the sexually active youths are very many. Out of wedlock births In western Europe, children are more likely to be born to an unmarried mother. Children born in this context are prone to be raised in poorer environments where sexual activeness is high. Daughters from single mother are also likely to bear children out of wedlock during their teenage years. Divorce In the year 2000, 12.7 in every 1000 married men obtained a divorce in England and Wales. Children in Britain are more likely to have experienced the divorce of their parents. This is important considering that people not living with both biological parents are more sexually active in their early ages than those from intact families. Other factors like race, religion, age and social class are closely based from a family setup (Demo, 1998). Working mothers The UK had 18.3% of mothers with children under the age of five employed full time in the year 2000. The figure was higher for mothers with children aged between five and eight years with 31.9%. Europe, 75% of the population believes that women should contribute to the family income (Schulze, 1999). In the year 1999, UK had approximate 35% of the mothers of pre school children using some form of daycare and approximate 27% of mothers of children aged between 5 -12 using some form of out-of-school care (SCP, 2000). This finding suggests that many children in Britain are left under the care of a third party having no one at home. Once out of school, they have low levels of parental supervision and are more likely to indulge in reckless behaviors, premature sex included. Conclusion Teenage pregnancy poses a societal problem in the UK with the statistics of cases recorded alarming. Teenage pregnancy is caused by a wide range of factors surrounding young people. However, parenting and social economic issues are the major categories that contribute towards the high levels of teenage pregnancy. Due to the adverse effects experienced by the young mothers some of which are long term, it is vital that collective measures that best suit the phenomenon are adopted. By doing this, many teenagers will be saved the misery of upbringing children while being disadvantaged by numerous factors discussed. How to cite Analysis on Teenage Pregnancy in the UK, Essay examples

The Big Q free essay sample

Its a cold September night; just another day of sitting home alone, slowly losing my sanity at the immense boredom that was coursing through my veins, trying to write the next great college essay. Yep, could not ask for a more average night in the life of me. It was at this point that I finally had my why not moment† of lets just do something a little out of the ordinary. Sure Im seventeen and I have a car, but its 10:30 and of course there’s the oppressive law against driving after eleven in the state of New Jersey, so that was out of the question; so out of an impulse decision I bundled up and decided to go for a walk. About a mile and a few hundred brisk, deep breathes later I found myself here, lying on a dock that extends out into the biggest lake in the state. We will write a custom essay sample on The Big Q or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I was lucky though. On my journey, I did not encounter one car, person, or any other being. I have had complete silence the entire time; peace and quiet, a wonderful thing. I have been lying here for a while now, just me and my thoughts with only the soft sound of the water swaying into the dock. As I lie here, staring at the nighttime clouds with presence of scattered stars peeking in between, I have begun to truly find the answer to the question I have been looking for. My epiphany you could say. What I have realized is that I am not the next Shakespeare. I do not have the brutal hand-to-hand combat skills of Chuck Norris. I also definitely cannot hold my own in a one on one basketball game with M.J., or write a symphony that will change the ages. I also will probably not win the Nathans Hotdog Eating Contest or wrestle a shark with my bare hands off the coast of South Africa, but what my rambling and sudden realization has brought me too is this; it might not be hard to figure ou t what I am not, but the real tough question is figuring out, who am I? Now, as I ponder my last hour, what I have grasped from this experience is quite simple. Every day is just another opportunity to learn more about yourself. Yes, I have been attempting to describe who I am, but if theres one thing that I just learned it is that who you are cannot be figured out in a short seventeen years and it definitely cannot be figured out in one night. Now, I think its about time to pick myself up, pry my frozen fingers from this pen and paper and hike back to the pleasant little slice of heaven that I call home.. or not.

5 Types of Errors When Representing Numbers

5 Types of Errors When Representing Numbers 5 Types of Errors When Representing Numbers 5 Types of Errors When Representing Numbers By Mark Nichol Publications generally use one of two systems of referring to numbers: Spell out numbers to ten and use numerals for all larger numbers (with some exceptions such as informal usage of large round numbers such as â€Å"a thousand† or â€Å"a million†), or spell out to one hundred and use numerals otherwise (with the same exceptions). Beyond that, several subtle rules and conventions exist, often pertaining to use of punctuation and other symbols such as hyphens. This post presents five sentences that include types of errors pertaining to such use; each example is accompanied by a discussion and a revision. 1. The twelve jurors deliberated for 21/2 days before reaching their unanimous verdict. In a mixed fraction, the fractional element must be separated from the whole number with a letter space (unless the second element is formatted as a case fraction, with small numerals set vertically above and below a horizontal line): â€Å"The twelve jurors deliberated for 2 1/2 days before reaching their unanimous verdict.† 2. To that end, we suggested in 2014 12 ways our product contributes value. Two separate numerals placed consecutively, even when separated by punctuation, can confuse the reader’s eye, so recast the sentence so that the numerals are not adjacent: â€Å"To that end, in 2014, we suggested 12 ways our product contributes value.† (As mentioned above, many publications style numerals one hundred and below as words, which would obviate the problem shown here, but the publication this sentence is excerpted from uses Associated Press style, which spells out numerals only up to ten.) 3. An overwhelming majority of 18-to-29-year-olds get news from social media like Facebook. Number ranges involving more than just a pair of numbers are often treated using suspensive hyphenation, with the second element of a phrasal adjective, which would normally be repeated in two similar phrases, elided because it the omitted element is obvious from the context. Here, no symbol serves to bridge the number range; that function is performed by to, and the hyphens link elements of a phrasal adjective: â€Å"An overwhelming majority of 18- to 29-year-olds get news from social media like Facebook. (In a sentence referring, for example, to people ages 18–29, the symbol used is often an en dash, not a hyphen, though many newspapers and some other publications use the latter symbol.) 4. More than four-out-of-five members of that demographic use social media sources to read and watch news reports. The expression â€Å"four out of five† does not require hyphens; the phrase accompanies but does not modify members, so is not a phrasal adjective: â€Å"More than four out of five members of that demographic use social media sources to read and watch news reports.† (The same is true if numerals are used in place of words.) 5. 80-percent believe the region is a great place for career growth, 88-percent say it’s a prime place for innovation, and 70-percent say the Bay Areas economy is better than the national one. By convention, a number that begins a sentence is spelled out regardless of the prevailing style about spelling out numbers or using numerals, and numbers representing percentages are not hyphenated to the word percent: â€Å"Eighty percent believe the region is a great place for career growth, 88 percent say it’s a prime place for innovation, and 70 percent say the Bay Areas economy is better than the national one.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a US Business Letter40 Synonyms for â€Å"Different†A Yes-and-No Answer About Hyphenating Phrases

Wiley Post and Will Rogers Killed in Plane Crash

Wiley Post and Will Rogers Killed in Plane Crash On August 15, 1935, famous aviator Wiley Post and popular humorist Will Rogers were flying together in a Lockheed hybrid airplane when they crashed just 15 miles outside of Point Barrow, Alaska. The engine had stalled just after take-off, causing the plane to nose-dive and crash into a lagoon. Both Post and Rogers died instantly. The death of these two great men, who had brought hope and lightheartedness during the dark days of the Great Depression, was a shocking loss to the nation. Who Was Wiley Post? Wiley Post and Will Rogers were two men from Oklahoma (well, Post had been born in Texas but then moved to Oklahoma as a young boy), who broke free from their ordinary backgrounds and became beloved figures of their time. Wiley Post was a moody, determined man who had started life out on a farm but dreamed of flying. After a brief stint in the army and then in jail, Post spent his free time as a parachutist for a flying circus. Surprisingly, it wasn’t the flying circus that cost him his left eye; instead, it was an accident at his day job- working at an oil field. The financial settlement from this accident allowed Post to buy his first aircraft. Despite missing an eye, Wiley Post became an exceptional pilot. In 1931, Post and his navigator, Harold Gatty, flew Posts trusty Winnie Mae around the world in just under nine days- breaking the previous record by nearly two weeks. This feat made Wiley Post famous around the world. In 1933, Post flew around the world again. This time not only did he do it solo, he also broke his own record. Following these amazing journeys, Wiley Post decided to take to the skies- high in the sky. Post flew at high altitudes, pioneering the world’s first pressure suit to do so (Posts’ suit eventually became the basis for spacesuits). Who Was Will Rogers? Will Rogers was generally a more grounded, genial fellow. Rogers received his down-to-earth beginnings on his family ranch. It was here that Rogers learned the skills he needed to become a trick roper. Leaving the farm to work on vaudeville and then later in movies, Rogers became a popular cowboy figure. Rogers, however, became most famous for his writing. As a syndicated columnist for The New York Times, Rogers used folk wisdom and earthy banter to comment on the world around him.  Many of Will Rogers’ witticism are remembered and oft-quoted to this day. The Decision to Fly to Alaska Besides both being famous, Wiley Post and Will Rogers seemed like very different people. And yet, the two men had long been friends. Back in the day before Post was famous, he would give individuals rides here or there in his airplane. It was during one of these rides that Post met Rogers. It was this friendship that led to their fateful flight together. Wiley Post was planning an investigative tour of Alaska and Russia to see about creating a mail/passenger route from the United States to Russia. He was originally going to take his wife, Mae, and aviatrix Faye Gillis Wells; however, at the last minute, Wells dropped out. As a replacement, Post asked Rogers to join (and help fund) the trip. Rogers agreed and was very excited about the trip. So excited, in fact, that Posts’ wife decided not to join the two men on the excursion, opting to go back home to Oklahoma rather than endure the harsh camping and hunting trips the two men had planned. The Plane Was too Heavy Wiley Post had used his old, but trusty Winnie Mae for both his round-the-world trips. However, Winnie Mae was now outdated and so Post needed a new aircraft for his Alaska-Russia venture. Struggling for funds, Post decided to piece together a plane that would suit his needs. Starting with a fuselage from a Lockheed Orion, Post added extra-long wings from a Lockheed Explorer. He then changed out the regular engine and replaced it with a 550-horsepower Wasp engine that was 145 pounds heavier than the original. Adding an instrument panel from the Winnie Mae and a heavy Hamilton propeller, the plane was getting heavy. Then Post changed out the 160-gallon original fuel tanks and replaced them with the larger- and heavier- 260-gallon tanks. Although the plane was already getting too heavy, Post was not done with his changes. Since Alaska was still a frontier territory, there were not a lot of long stretches on which to land a regular airplane. Thus, Post wanted to add pontoons onto the plane so that they could land on rivers, lakes, and marshes. Through his Alaskan aviator friend Joe Crosson, Post had requested to borrow a pair of Edo 5300 pontoons, to be delivered to Seattle. However, when Post and Rogers arrived in Seattle, the requested pontoons had not yet arrived. Since Rogers was anxious to start the trip and Post anxious to avoid the Department of Commerce inspector, Post took a pair of pontoons off a Fokker tri-motor plane and, despite them being extra long, had them attached to the plane. The plane, which officially had no name, was quite a mismatch of parts. Red with a streak of silver, the fuselage was dwarfed by the huge pontoons. The plane was clearly too nose-heavy. This fact would lead directly to the crash. The Crash Wiley Post and Will Rogers, accompanied by supplies that included two cases of chili (one of Rogers’ favorite foods), set off for Alaska from Seattle at 9:20 am on August 6, 1935. They made a number of stops, visited friends, watched caribou, and enjoyed the scenery. Rogers also regularly typed up newspaper articles on the typewriter he brought along. After partially refueling at Fairbanks and then fully refueling at Lake Harding on August 15, Post and Rogers were headed to the very small town of Point Barrow, 510 miles away. Rogers was intrigued. He wanted to meet an elderly man named Charlie Brower. Brower had lived for 50 years at this remote location and was often called the â€Å"King of the Arctic.† It would make a perfect interview for his column. Rogers was never to meet Brower, however. During this flight, fog set in and, despite flying low to the ground, Post got lost. After circling the area, they spotted some Eskimos and decided to stop and ask for directions. After landing safely in Walakpa Bay, Post and Rogers got out of the airplane and asked Clair Okpeaha, a local sealer, for directions. Discovering that they were only 15 miles away from their destination, the two men ate the dinner offered them and chatted amiably with the locals, then got back into the plane. By this time, the engine had cooled. Everything seemed to start okay. Post taxied the plane and then lifted off. But when the plane reached about 50 feet into the air, the engine stalled. Normally, this would not necessarily be a fatal problem since planes could glide for a while and then perhaps restart. However, since this plane was so incredibly nose-heavy, the nose of the plane pointed straight down. There was no time for a restart or any other maneuver. The plane crashed back into the lagoon nose first, making a big splash, and then tilting onto its back. A small fire had started but lasted only seconds. Post was trapped under the wreckage, pinned to the engine. Rogers had been thrown clear, into the water. Both had died immediately upon impact. Okpeaha witnessed the accident and then ran to Point Barrow for help. The Aftermath Men from Point Barrow got on a motorized whale boat and headed to the crash scene. They were able to retrieve both bodies, noticing that Post’s watch was broken, stopped at 8:18 pm, while Rogers’ watch still worked. The plane, with a split fuselage and a broken right wing, had been completely destroyed. When the news of the deaths of 36-year-old Wiley Post and 55-year-old Will Rogers reached the public, there was a general outcry. Flags were lowered to half-staff, an honor usually reserved for presidents and dignitaries.  The Smithsonian Institution bought Wiley Posts Winnie Mae, which remains on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Near the crash site now sits two concrete monuments to remember the tragic accident that took the lives of two great men.

Justification and Excuses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Justification and Excuses - Essay Example In his defense, Sandusky’s lawyers have put forth the unlikely and implausible excuse that he is suffering from a histrionic personality disorder, a condition since removed from the DSM-IV-TR itself. It has been described as "a pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking" that is "often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive conduct. His lawyers tried to use this condition as an excuse for their client’s behavior and to justify his actions. This justification is part of a defense based on circumstances and excuses, a broad set of defenses in which defendants claim a lack of responsibility for their criminal acts. (Lippman, 2010). Jerry Sandusky has been accused of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, criminal intent to commit improper assault, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children. However Dr. Glen Gabbard, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and an expert on personality disorders states that histrionic personality disorder could in no way be seen as a reason or explanation for the abuse of children. "That diagnosis, if he has it, would be completely irrelevant to anything having to do with criminal responsibility for acts of pedophilia†. Mr. Sandusky had no excuse or justification for his action, for the crime he committed he knew very well what he was doing to those boys, over a period of 15 years and he knew the consequences of his actions; and he used his respectable position in society to sexually abuse those kids. He deserves to be sentenced for life and is only plea bargaining because at his age settling for 12-15 years may give him some chance of living some of his life out of jail rather than dying in it. I personally think that this kind of defense does not stand a chance and should be thrown out of court. Pleas for insanity or other mental conditions are not appealing to jurors because it is

Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Description - Essay Example We decided to go to the stadium almost an hour before as we wanted to enjoy the tranquility of the stadium, which drowns and is alien to the field once the game begins. Plus we wanted to see the waiting rooms, rest rooms and cafeteria because they all had created such hype. The rumors were true; everything was up to the mark and immaculate. We were afraid that we won't be able to get a decent spot for parking but we were elated to see the organized setup for parking at the Centurylink Plaza. After parking the car at the nearby Plaza, we stepped on to the magnificent threshold of the stadium and the scene before us was spellbinding. For a second or two, our minds and hearts swayed from the sheer beauty of it. The musky and dewy scent of the grass, the very audible chirping of the birds, and the crystal clear visibility of everything mystified us. It was as if everything else had shrunk behind, amplifying this glorious moment. A painter would have killed to capture those beautiful colo rs. Our hands itched to grab the sense of familiarity and to keep it with us forever. Besides the creativity of this stadium, the practicality is also to be applauded. The chairs, or benches, had enough space in between that people could easily pass through. Another pleasant surprise was that the restrooms were spotless and there were around fifteen washrooms which meant you did not have to wait much. Then the crowd began to pour in. Everyone was as excited and as awed as we were. The eagerness, the enthrallment and nervousness were visible on every ones face. The typically scrumptious aroma of hot dogs, popcorns, tacos and beers, which are a complete necessity when it comes to a thrilling game, completed the picture. Everyone was prepared for the battle and the exhilaration was practically radiating from them. And then the superstars of the sounders team came barreling from one side of the stadium. The adrenaline rush of seeing these heroes was expected. The huddle was what I had o nly seen in movies. Optimism and promise to win the game could be felt by the millions of high spirited spectators. All of a sudden, the whole ground thundered with cheers and the game began. Whenever the sounders excelled, the audience went bonkers, and their excitement spilled out of the stands where they were confined. But when the opposing team bagged any points, the other half of the stadium cheered. And yes, the smoke of cigarettes was also quite pungent when the other team scored higher. When the match was coming to an end, the tension was palpable. The coaches, the players and the spectators were chewing their nails, saying their prayers and had their fingers crossed. Osvaldo Alonso and Alex Caskey played really well. My brother and cousins are his huge fans and they couldn’t stop singing his praises. The final penalty round was really difficult to take. It was as if everything was in slow motion like a movie. The cheers, the sighs went absolutely still. There was jus t the sound of a final swift kick and that’s it. A full stop. After an eternity, the shrill sound of the whistle, a signal from the referee caused every sounders fan's heart sore. They were basking in the glory of victory. The most befuddling stadium was filled with people hugging each other and patting backs. If there were tears in everyone’s eyes, then that was no surprise. It is mandatory to have intense feelings after such an intense game. This place is full of vigor and energy, and

Regional and extra regional players

Regional and extra regional players CHAPTER IV THE REGIONAL AND THE EXTRA REGIONAL PLAYERS AND THEIR ROLES â€Å"Besides a common religion, Islam, foreign invaders- from Alexander the great to British in the 19th century and the Soviets in the 20th century have united the Afghans†. -Insight Magazine, 09 April 1990. Brief History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Afghanistan was the only country in the world to launch a strong protest in United Nations against the induction of Pakistan in 1947 and also to lodge a border dispute with Pakistan when it claimed that Durand Line is no more a binding contract as now there is no British Raj present in the region[1]. It also incited a major incursion in Bajur Agency, NWFP in 1961 with hope to have it annexed with itself and led then Prime Minister Dauod Khan to resign from his post, it plunged Afghanistan into a long spiral fall from which it has yet to recover[2]. Top of Form Bottom of Form   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Afghanistan soon proved to be a tough neighbour and sided with India on every matter which could hurt Pakistani interests using an India-Soviet favouring group. In December 1979 Russia invaded the Afghanistan with the pre-text of supporting the pro-Soviet Government. The USA weary of spreading Communism, Saudi Arabia indebted to the American cause coupled with sense of Muslim power and Pakistan worried of increasingly unstable and hostile Afghanistan combined together to exploit the Islamists waged a â€Å"Jihad† against â€Å"Soviet Invaders†. The Pashtun grievances and warlordism gave way to Taliban (literally meaning students) who rose from Kandhar and took 95% of Afghanistan under control by year 2000. Taliban were the friends of Pakistan and safeguarded the Western frontier of Pakistan against not only Indians but even Soviets[3]. Environmental Realities USA have tried to render peace in Afghanistan, but it has become more complicated due to inability of U.S. and NATO forces to understand the environmental realities peculiar to this region and being alien to the culture and traditions of the people. To have peace requires patience and right priorities. Before peace is attempted we need to understand some hard facts[4] :- (a) The continuing influx of Afghan youth trained in Pakistans madrassas now comprises the bulk of Taliban and Al Queda cadres. They are hooked to glorified violence in the name of jihad, and imbued with robotic discipline. They are an army beyond redemption and reasoning. (b) The silent Pashtun majority is terrorized into submission by Taliban and Al Queda. (c) The internecine warfare between the warlords for the past decade has created an unbridgeable divide between the Pashtuns, the Tajiks, the Uzbeks, the Hazaras and the Persian speaking Shiites of Herat. The past mutual ethnic cleansing and betrayals have created visceral hatred among different tribes. (d) The Pashtun dominated Taliban still cling to the idea of Pashtuns ruling over all Afghanistan which the minorities no longer countenance. This has led to a growing friction between ethnic groups, specifically the Pashtuns and their northern Tajik and Uzbek contemporaries. Foreign Relations Before the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan pursued a policy of neutrality and nonalignment in its foreign relations. After the December 1979 invasion, Afghanistans foreign policy mirrored that of the Soviet Union. The fall of the Taliban in October 2001 opened a new chapter in Afghanistans foreign relations. Afghanistan is now an active member of the international community, and has diplomatic relations with countries from around the world. Iran Iran shares a long border with Afghanistan (900kilometres) and has provided shelter to roughly 1.5million Afghans. Afghanistans relations with Iran have fluctuated over the years, with periodic disputes over the water rights of the Helmand River as the main issue of contention[5]. Initially, due to its war with Iraq, Iran was not actively involved in Afghanistan but later the Shia groups who were bitter due to meagre support from Pakistan became close to Iran. Following the Soviet invasion, Iran supported the cause of the Afghan resistance. Iran shares a cultural, linguistic affinity with northern Afghanistans non-Pashtun elements, which suffered the most under Taliban rule. Tehran resents the atrocities regularly visited upon the Shiah Hazara minority by Sunni fanatics in Afghanistan. Its relations with Afghanistan have improved since the fall of the Taliban and has been active in Afghan reconstruction efforts, particularly in the western portion of the country[6]. Presently, Iran h as adopted a more aloof posture and appears to be avoiding overt commitments or opposition to any single Afghan faction. Iranian policy makers have long sought to prevent an alliance between Pakistan and a Sunni-dominated Afghanistan, which would destabilise its entire eastern border. Besides Irans competition with Pakistan for access to the CARs, Irans Afghanistan policy is largely motivated by sectarian ties to Afghanistans Shia minority. A territorial collapse of Pakistan, or domestic instability that threatened to draw in Afghanistan has always tended to be contrary to Irans interests. It has always been perceived that the nationalistic developments of Pashtunistan could spill over to neighbouring Iran, destabilizing its Baluch population, thereby activating the anti-Iran elements in the form of the establishment of a Greater Balochistan. Thus, Iran is against both formation of a Pashtunistan within the Afghan confederation as it would give greater dominance to Sunni Pashtuns and further deteriorate the conditions of Shias, and also of an independent Pashtunistan which would result in similar demands of independent areas within Iran by other sub nationalistic communities. Prolongation of Afghan instability restricts Pakistans capability to export its light industrial goods in Central Asia and the Caucasus, where government subsidised cheap Iranian consumer exports have proliferated. A peaceful Afghanistan would also offer an unwelcome alternative for carrying Caspian basin oil and gas across Afghanistan to South Asia. Iran may also be concerned that an Afghan settlement could provide a larger opening for American and Turkish economic and political influence in the region[7]. CAR The main concern of the three CARs (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan) bordering Afghanistan was the spill over of militants into their territories. Uzbekistan and Turkey had contacts with General Dostum who had argued that a confederation of autonomous states is the only solution for the chaos in Afghanistan. He warned that the Uzbeks will never again live under Pashtun domination and demanded a separate state, which would be a secular entity and act as a buffer for Central Asia against the spread of Islamic fundamentalism from the Pashtun-dominated area in the south[8]. Afghanistans relations with Tajikistan have been complicated by political upheaval and civil war in Tajikistan, which spurred some 100,000 Tajiks to seek refuge in Afghanistan in late 1992 and early 1993. Also disenchanted by the Talibans harsh treatment of Afghanistans Tajik minority, Tajikistan facilitated assistance to the Northern Alliance. The Karzai government has sought to establish closer ties with its no rthern neighbours in order to capitalize on the potential economic benefits of increased trade. CHINA During the 1970s, the Soviet influence in Kabul, and later their invasion of Afghanistan, has been perceived by Beijing as the purposeful encircling of China by the Soviet Union. Thus, support to Pakistans western border security has been a major feature of Beijings policy. China also has keen interests in Central Asias energy resources and, thus, supports a moderate government at Kabul, because it is believed to be least likely to foment any sort of extremism and disturbance in neighbouring countries. Chinas strategic concerns in the area are mirrored by the security of its lines of communication, which tends to counter Afghanistans rhetoric on Pashtunistan. The ethnic-religious civil wars in Afghanistan have caused rise of Islamic fundamentalism. Just as America has a vision of a modestly stable Afghanistan that will no longer be a haven for extremists, China has a vision of Afghanistan as a secure conduit for roads and energy pipelines that will bring natural resources from the Indian Ocean and elsewhere. So if America defeats Al Qaeda and the irreconcilab le elements of the Taliban, Chinas geopolitical position will be enhanced[9]. This is not a paradox, since China and America have convergence of interests with difference being that whole direction of Americas military and diplomatic effort is toward an exit strategy, whereas the Chinese hope to stay and profit. Saudi Arabia In late seventies, Saudis were facing severe criticism for their close alliance with USA from Arab governments. Saudis used the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan as a springboard to portray their commitment to Muslim causes and brush up their Islamic credentials. In early eighties in close cooperation with America, Saudi Arabia provided a large amount of financial aid for military and humanitarian purposes for Afghanistan. Pakistan had close working relations with all Sunni groups, and never tried to bring Shia groups into the coalition to avoid friction with Saudis. After the cut off of U.S. funds, Saudis became the largest provider of funds for Afghan adventure. The direct role of Saudi Arabia also dramatically increased. Later, especially post 9/11, the warm relations between Taliban and Saudis hit the bottom when Taliban refused to cooperate on Osama bin Ladin issue. Saudis had funded the most conservative individuals and organizations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ironically, most o f them turned against the Saudi royal family and had openly criticized the royal family for its close relationship with USA. Russia Russia though major player until 1991 had markedly reduced influence since its disintegration into many independent states. It has given limited military help to the Taliban opposition and deployed troops in Tajikistan near the border of Afghanistan. It is suspicious of increasing US influence in the area traditionally seen by them as their area of influence but not in a position to challenge the USA. Since the fall of the Taliban, the Karzai government has improved relations with Russia, but Afghanistans outstanding foreign debt to Russia still continues to be a source of contention. While the campaign against international terrorism is a key area in which U.S. and Russian interests converge, Moscow is also wary of growing U.S. influence in especially the oil-rich Caspian Sea basin. Russia is providing military hardware to Afghanistan and is aware of the fact that fragile nature of central authority in Afghanistan, torn by chronic infighting among rival ethnic factions, requires U.S. presence as its disengagement would likely spur renewed competition for influence. Russia has became more interested in confining Pashtun dominated Islam to the south and creating a Tadjik and Uzbek entity as a buffer area for the Central Asian states, which also suits Russias near abroad policy. Pakistan Pakistan shares a border of some 2,400 kilometres with Afghanistan and has 10 million Pashtun citizens of its own. The main aim of Pakistans Afghan policy was to have a friendly government in Afghanistan to secure its Western border. Pakistans policy since its inception has been focused on maintaining a situation that could help it avoid controversy over the Durand Line. It has been trying to force a fusion of communities along own side and inciting separation of those on the other side of the line. Islamabad sought to offset Afghan territorial claims by supporting Afghan Islamic parties. Unfortunately, the policies, which it adopted, had exactly the opposite effects. None of the Afghan governments were willing to subordinate its actions to Pakistans wishes. Many Afghans say Pakistan has exacerbated the ethnic component of their conflict by supporting Pashtun Islamic rule. There was a domestic political incentive as well, linked to Islamabads fears about irredentism. â€Å"Pakistan saw in the Taliban, and other fundamentalists, the opportunity to undermine support for Pashtun nationalism†[10]. Pakistan was the first country to recognise Taliban rule in Afghanistan and initiated efforts to persuade the Taliban to accept a broad-based government in Kabul in which all major ethnic tribes would share power. September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the USA changed everything and presented Pakistan with a stark choice: either make common cause with Washington in its war against bin Ladens al-Qaeda network based in Taliban-controlled neighbouring Afghanistan, or persist with its pro-Taliban Afghan policy and as a consequence suffer international condemnation of guilt by association. On September 13, 2001 then President General Pervez Musharraf announced that Pakistan would lend its unstinted cooperation to the international coalition against terror[11]. General Pervez Musharraf address to the nation on 19 September is attached as appendix B. More recently, Pakistan has been alarmed by Indias growing political, military, and economic ties to Afghanistan, and sees its establishment of consulates in the Pashtun-majority cities of Jalalabad and Kandahar as provocative. Many Afghans feel Islamabads insistence on Pashtun representation in the post-Taliban political order as the â€Å"crying of crocodile tears†, reflective of an inability to give up strategic designs on Afghanistan[12]. Infact it is widely believed â€Å"When push comes to shove, Pakistan is unlikely to hold back, and will use its long border and deep ethnic links with Pashtuns to alter the balance in its favour†, says a senior Pashtun leader in the present Hamid Karzis government[13]. Even though there are more Pashtuns in Pakistan than in Afghanistan and Pakistani Pakhtuns are better educated and more affluent, Pakistan has always been nervous about its Pashtun population. Does that mean Pakistan and Afghanistan will forever remain condemned to instability and seek security by dependence on outside forces? This may not be true, but to bring stability in the region by uniting the furious Pashtuns divided by the Durand line may be a viable option. A weak non-Pashtun dominated state in Afghanistan has never posed any threat to Pakistan because it has neither had any ideological bearings or religious extra-national ambitions nor any ethnic or sub-nationalist stirrings. On the other hand, whenever there has been a strong Pashtun dominated state in Afghanistan, its government has supported Pashtun separatism (refusal to accept the Durand Line) and pose a threat to the territorial integrity and political solidarity of Pakistan[14]. Pakistan has no effective control over a large swath of territory along its border with Afghanistan primarily dominated by Pashtuns[15]. Dangerous extremist groups that are intent on attacking the U.S. such as al-Qaeda, enjoy safe haven in these border areas. United States â€Å"had we looked deeper, we might have found that the root causes behind the enduring and resilient nature of the Taliban have very little to do with religion, and much to do with an ancient ethnic struggle we [the United States] should consider the prospect of creating a Pashtunistan which reflects the tribal boundaries. This would be a new state, carved from parts of both Afghanistan and Pakistan This new area would be composed largely of ethnic Pashtuns, similar to what we have created in Kurdistan or Bosnia, and it would there ­fore very likely have the consent of the population on the ground†[16] -Major Michael D. Holmes Following the Soviet invasion, the United States supported diplomatic efforts to achieve a Soviet withdrawal and contributed to the refugee program in Pakistan to assist Afghans. After the Soviet withdrawal, CIA let Pak ISI deal with the ugly mess of Afghanistan. The USA initially gave a free hand to Pak to build up the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The US wanted the Taliban to develop as a counterweight to the Iranian regime and to check USSRs influence in the region. A favourable govt in Kabul would help USA in numerous ways. With the emergence of CARs as independent countries in 1991 and the prospects of availability of huge oil and gas reserves again brought that area to international focus. Meanwhile, the Taliban on capturing Kabul, imposed a strict Islamic code and practiced fundamentalist policies. This led to the USA gradually distancing itself from the Taliban. Post September 11, 2001 events of cosmic proportions have resulted in world focusing on Afghanistan with a renewed interest to deal with Osama Bin Laden, who was responsible for the acts of terror originating from Afghanistan. The Osama Bin Laden Factor. Osama Bin Laden was once one of the star recruiters of the US intelligence agency the CIA. He enrolled thousands of jihad volunteers from the Middle East for a jihad against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. Ironically after winning their jihad against the USSR, these fundamentalists turned their attention onto the other superpower. Post 9/11 led to U.S. GWOT as the Taliban refused to hand over Osama Bin Laden to the USA. Pashtun Factor. U.S. policymakers recognised early on that Pashtun support was needed to create a broader-based moment to replace the Taliban and provide a degree of stability in the region[17]. This approach appears to have long term goal of stabilising effect as U.S. has demonstrated that America supports the Pashtun desire for a stronger position in relation to the Punjabi-dominated government in Islamabad in the Af-Pak border area of Durand Line. U.S. understands that Pashtuns in FATA treasure their long-standing autonomy and do not like to be ruled by Islamabad. What they want is integration into the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and FATA to form a single unified â€Å"Pashtun† province that enjoys the autonomy envisaged in the inoperative 1973 Pakistan constitution[18]. Al-Qaeda and its â€Å"foreign fighters,† who are mostly Arab, depend on local support from the Taliban for their sanctuary. Unlike Al-Qaeda, with its global terrorist agenda, most of the Tali ban factions focus on local objectives in Afghanistan and FATA; they do not pose a direct threat to the USA. On March 1, 2007, Pakistani ambassador to Washington the Maj. Gen (retired) Mahmud Ali Durrani, said at a seminar at the Pakistan Embassy, â€Å"I hope the Taliban and Pashtun nationalism dont merge. If that happens, weve had it, and were on the verge of that.[19]† India Afghanistan remained the focus of Indian regional policy because of its geo-strategic proximity to Pakistan and the Indian foreign policy was centered on maintaining very cordial relations with it. India in 1950 signed â€Å"Friendship Treaty† to promote bilateral co-operation with Afghanistan to enhance Indian influence. In 1967, the United Pashtunistan Front (UPF) was formed in New Delhi. The then Indian Foreign Minister Swaran Singh told the Indian Parliament that â€Å"we are fully aware of the fundamental freedoms and natural aspirations of the brave Pashtuns which have been consistently denied to them, and their struggle has got our greatest sympathy and we will certainly support the efforts that Khan Abdul Ghafar Khan might undertake in that direction.†[20] After the Soviet invasion in 1979 India doubled up its efforts to further strengthen its relations with Afghanistan. Over the years Indian political elite maintained close contacts with Pasthun leaders on both sides of Durand line. The two countries have always shared a healthy relationship but with the Soviet withdrawal and its disintegration in 1991 and Mujahedeens control of Kabul in April 1992 the relations reached its nadir. During Taliban rule more than 30,000 Afghan refugees moved to India. India is helping Afghanistan rebuild itself and with an ever-increasing belligerence in all fields, including military, intelligence, humanitarian, and economic[21]. India is the largest aid provider to Afghanistan and in the coming few years India likely to project as a regional power is appropriately following a pro-active approach and take the right initiatives on Afghanistan. By fostering greater economic ties with the pro-Indian Northern Alliance dominant Kabul government, New Delhi has dramatically increased its involvement in Afghanistan, and is seeking to marginalize Pakistan[22]. India would prefer a separate Pashtunistan rather than a neo-Taliban ruling over Afghanistan, as this would frustrate Pakistani strategy. India has good relations with Tajikistan and would continue to have good relations with the Tajik section of Afghanistan as well as with a newly formed Pashtunistan. The geo-strategic importance of Afghanistan has a great bearing on India and its approach is primarily Pak focused. Indias economic interests in Afghanistan are secondary to its strategic interests. Apart from the desire to restore Pakistans two-front problem, some of the factors that govern Indian approach to Afghanistan are :- (a) A pro Pak government in Afghanistan is likely to support Pakistan in case of any future Indo-Pak Conflict and would provide them necessary Strategic depth. (b) Pak has been using Taliban militia to wage a proxy war in Kashmir. (c) Afghanistan is the hub of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism[23]. (d) A peaceful and stable Afghanistan will be in the economic interests of India as it will raise the prospects of Indo-Afghanistan trade and also provide greater access to the Central Asian markets and important centers for gas and oil. (e) A fundamentalist Afghanistan is likely to encourage the spread of Islamic fundamentalism in the region which would affect India. Afghanistan constitutes a new battleground for Indo-Pakistani hostility. Credible U.S. media leaks indicate that Pakistani linkages to the car bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul on July 7, 2008.India, thus needs to convince Pakistan that Islamabad instead of exporting hatred and destruction, should seek positive parity with India and others in terms of improving the quality of life of its citizens in an inclusive manner. International Perspective There is no formal international position on the Durand Line, simply a de facto one that recognizes it as a real border. No other state has accepted Afghanistans position that it is not such a border. The question arises so why should there be any international pressure on Pakistan and Afghanistan to negotiate about Durand line? The reason is that since September 11, 2001, FATA and the area alongside the Durand line has been viewed as a site of global insecurity that can be controlled only when Pakistan takes responsibility for its territory and extends the structures of the state into the region through expanding opportunities for economic development and education in the FATA region[24]. This is quite difficult because the security situation is currently poor, which makes launching large development projects difficult. Afghanistans refusal to give de jure recognition to the border therefore stands in the way of a comprehensive development program that would have much more impact th an would parallel developments in each country[25]. Having driven the Taliban and Al Qaeda from Afghanistan, the United States and its allies are particularly keen to end FATAs (and to a lesser extent Baluchistans) along the Durand Line to serve as center of Islamic radicalism that promotes international terrorism and seeks to destabilize Afghanistan. The presence of U.S., International Security Assistance Force(ISAF)[26], and Afghan troops gives the border issue some practical urgency as the insurgents they fight retreat back into Pakistan in the belief that they will not be pursued or attacked across an international boundary[27]. From the perspective of the international community the discussions limited to recognition of the Durand Line as a de jure international boundary would not bring stability in the region even if they succeeded as no government in Afghanistan would be willing to pay the political price for accepting the border unless such an agreement were part of a broader package designed to make the country more secure. P akistan also has much to gain as its economy will get a boost[28]. While Afghanistan is concerned about Pakistans support of the Taliban, in times past it has been Pakistan that has been concerned about Afghanistans tacit support of Pashtun separatists[29]. Afghan Nationalism. On a functional level, Afghanistan cannot be subjectively examined under the Western conception of either a state or a nation. The country simply does not operate in any sense of either definition at this time. Both a limited security apparatus and stalled international support have done little to cultivate ancient divisions based on ethnic and religious elements[30].This relatively low level of Afghan nationalism is a result of internal conflict of last two decades with atrocities committed by all sides on ethnic rivals and forced displacements and makes the task of rekindling the flame of nationalism more difficult. Political reconstruction is the essential pre-requisite for the economic reconstruction of the country. Afghanistan is at a major crossroad of its history today. The chain of events, which has led to the present situation, was beyond the control of Afghans. But now, it is Afghans who will have to do soul searching and make some difficult choices. Afghanistans neighbours need to understand and digest the fact that the entire region will be the net winner in case Afghanistan and Pakistan are good friends. The old theories of using Afghanistan as a pawn to open a second front against any third country need to be buried. Any state which has any motivation to incite sectarian or ethnic divisions in any of its neighbours is following a zero gain policy as far as the long term interest of the entire region is concerned. This is the age of globalisation and not of any â€Å"Forward Policies†. Afghan history has proved that great issues of the day cannot be settled by fighting but by consultation and consensus[31]. Many regional and extra regional powers are trying to retain their respective spheres of influence in Afghanistan but no regional power can afford to antagonise Washington by working openly at cross purposes with its military campaign, it has to be supportive to U.S. goals and objectives in the region to meet its asp irations. The international community, including the U.S. government, has long avoided taking a clear position on the border issue, but its ambivalence is beginning to change[32]. Ghaus, Abdul Samad,The fall of Afghanistan,Pergamon-Brasseys Intenational Defense Publishers,London1988,p109. Qureshi, S.M.M. Pakhtunistan: The Frontier Dispute Between Afghanistan and Pakistan . Pacific Affairs, Vol. 39, No. 1/2 Spring Summer, 1966, pp. 99-114. . â€Å"The future of Afghanistan and Pakistan†. WTF: What the fork? . Puri, Rajinder â€Å"Defusing Af-Pak† June 7, 2009 Ghaus,Op.cit.pp148-149. Afghanistan- Conservapedia. . Tomsen, Peter. â€Å"Geopolitics of an Afghan Settlement.† Perceptions, Journal of International Affairs Dec 2000 Feb 2001, Volume 5, Number 4. . Hussain, Hamid, â€Å"Afghanistan not so great games† Robert D. Kaplan. â€Å"Beijings Afghan Gamble†. The Center for a New American Security Khattak, Afrasiab. Interview with ICG, Chairman, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Peshawar, May 2002. Hussain, Dr. Rifaat â€Å"Pakistans Relations with Afghanistan: Continuity and Change.† The International Crisis Group, â€Å"Afghanistan:The Problem of Pashtun Alienation†.5 August 2003. . ibid. Bhatt, Garurang. â€Å"Coming Chaos in Afghanistan†.23 Aug 2006. Bokhari, Kamran and Burton Fred, â€Å" The Counterinsurgency in Pakistan† Aug 13,2009. . Holmes, Major Michael D. â€Å"Secessionist Jihad: The Talibans Struggle for Pashtunistan,† the Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, On the Horizon: MI Missions of the Near Future, July-September 2008 Zalmay, Khalilzad and Daniel, Byman, â€Å"Afghanistan: the Consolidation of a Rogue State†, The Washington Quarterly, Vol. 23, No. 1 (Winter 2000), p. 74. Selig S. Harrison, â€Å"Pakistan: The State of the Union† Ibid. Owen, Bennett Jones Nationalism in Pakistan: Eye of the Storm, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002,p. 139. Bhadrakumar, M.K. â€Å"India and the Central Asian Dawn†. The Hindu. 31 Dec 2009. Zaman, Aly, â€Å"Indias Increased Involvement in Afghanistan and Central Asia: Implications for Pakistan,† Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) Journal, Vol. 3, N0.2 (Summer 2003), Bhadrakumar, M.K. â€Å"Indian Interests in Regional Security†. The Hindu. 28 Aug 2009. Subramanian Nirupama, â€Å"Gilgit-Baltistan Autonomy wins few Friends†. The Hindu. 30 Nov 2009. Barfield, Thomas, The Durand Line: History, Consequences, and Future. Conference Organized by the American Institute of Afghanistan Studies and the Hollings Center in Istanbul, Turkey November 2007. â€Å"Across the Durrand Line†. Editorial. The Dawn 24 July 2008. . Bhadrakumar, M.K. Loc.cit. Maitra, Ramtanu, â€Å"Central Asia: Dangerous Line in the Sand†.13 March 2003. . The Durand Line: History, Consequences and Future Istanbul, Turkey July 11-13, 2007 Feiser, Jonathan, â€Å"Central Asia The ghost of GreaterAfghanistan† Jul 23, 2003 Amin, Agha. â€Å"Durand Line-Afghanistan-Pakistan-Border Disputes† Journal of Afghanistan Studies Kabul, November 2004. Neumann, Ronald, â€Å"Borderline Insanity: Thinking Big about Afghanistan† The American Interest, November December 2007 issue.