CRIME TRENDS IN WESTERN EUROPE FROM 1990 TO 2000

The article traces the level of crime using a wide base, one that encompasses nine offenses and 16 Western European countries. Despite the recognition that police stats are lacking efficacy in relation to cross national differences in crime, the researcher goes on to use them. That said, he does underscore the fact that if the legal definition and reporting of crimes do not vary, police statistics can be a potent research method. Something central to the study is the inexorable search for anomalies, countries that do not fit in the general pattern of crime statistics. Such a divergence points to the existence of extraneous variables.
The primary sources are the first and second editions of the European Source book of Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics. The first European Source book project started in 1996.This journal is the culmination of the work of a committee that prepared a compendium of crime and criminal justice data for member European countries. Detailed statistical information was collected from 36 countries between 1990 and 1996. This included a multitude of areas like convictions, sentences, survey data and the manpower and budgets of police forces.
To circumvent the issue of changes in recording practices in one country over time, Western Europe has been taken as a single entity as this allows for more precision and reliability in the research findings. Also, countries with a population of less than a million have not been included as their low base can distort the research findings. In line with the multifarious attempts to augment the validity of the study, the researcher uses the median as opposed to the mean. The rationale for this decision lies in the susceptibility of the mean to extreme values and outliers.
Property offences show an eccentric trend, one that defies all logic as made conspicuous by the contrasting movements depicted graphically. They increased in the period 1990-1993 only to fall to a level where the median rates were lower than in 1990. In stark contrast, rape and assault crimes show a linear increase which points to an alarming trend. The median rates for rape was 36 percent higher than the 1990 rate with assault rates standing at a staggering 85 percent. Despite some vacillation, the median rate for robbery was 22 higher than in 1990. A somewhat comforting fact is that the rates for intentional homicide have remained largely constant during the given time frame. This merits attention as this is the only type of violent offence that has not shown an upward trend. It is worthwhile to unmask the reasons behind this irregularity. This could be the culmination of the stable rates of firearms possessed in Western European households coupled with a medical system that aspires nothing but the best. The phenomenal growth in mobile phone theft of 190 percent from 1995-2000 can be linked to the mounting trend in the stealing of small electronic devices. Another glaring epitome of mushrooming crime rates is the increased availability and use of drugs. The 2.6 times increase in the 10 year period attests to this statement.
It could be the case that all the talk of increasing crime is a hyperbole that feeds on human fear. The data could be flawed owing to the increased sensitivity to crime, a factor that means that any minor transgression is leapt upon with glee by the police. This follows that the statistics are to some extent fallacious as they do not allow for increased crime being reporting and changes in the definition of some crimes like rape. While making room for this possibility, it is clearly stated that the rise mirrored real increases in the level of violence seen in Western Europe.
The burgeoning crime rates should be considered against the backdrop of the changing political, social and economic landscape of Western Europe. The fall of the Berlin wall paved the way for a metamorphosis, one that resulted in interaction between people from distinct economic backgrounds. The resulting increase in crime seems only natural as Eastern Europe opened itself to a world economy very different from its own. This explains the large number of criminals in Western European prisons, people who engaged in crime as a direct consequence of their lower social and economic status. The opening of European markets provided for the emergence of a large black market for stolen goods. This is used to corroborate the opportunity based theories and refute the ones that base their argument on the subculture of particular deviants. While endorsing the notion that no one theory can explain the complex realm of crime, an attempt has been made to elucidate the trends in Western Europe in light of the economic and historic perspective. Thus, most of the explanations stem from the transformation that came about as a consequence of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Evidence for Elite Convergence in Cross National Homicide Victimization Trends, 1956 to 2000

The paper introduces us to the two main perspectives in cross national comparative criminology and in doing so, lays the foundation for the unmasking of a central question in this realm. It is worthwhile to explore the contrasting views espoused by modernization and conflict, the two dominant schools of thought in cross national criminology. While the modernization perspective endorses convergence of crime rates for all nations, the conflict perspective goes a bit further by providing us with a demarcation between developing and developed countries. The researcher finds it eccentric, perhaps even shocking that this debate has not been given the scrutiny that it merits. He also presents us with a third plausible explanation: the elite convergence model, one that predicts the inevitable convergence of crime rates in developed countries.
The civilizing process in Western Europe culminated in lower crime rates, a historical fact that corroborates the notion of convergence argued by the modernization school of thought. That said, exceptions abound and such an aberration is pointed out by Fukuyama. The Europe in the 1960s was plagued with turbulence but it is worth bearing in mind that such an increase in crime rates still comes under the umbrella of convergence.
The conflict perspective holds the inequality fostered by globalization as culpable for the emergence of developing countries as crime hubs. Given the exploitative global economic order, developing nations sink deeper into the abyss of poverty which explains the burgeoning levels of crime. Although this thesis suffers from an acute shortage of statistical material, it does provide a potent explanation that vividly captures the ground reality.
The three major sources of cross national data are the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO).Interpol has the distinction of being the world’s largest international police organization. Interpol manages a range of databases with information on names and photographs of known criminals, wanted persons and DNA profiles. Likewise, the World Health Organization collects statistical data which can be used in relation to cross national homicides.

The study uses econometric time series methods to work on 23 developed and 11 developing countries over a period of 44 years (1956 to 2000). Homicide data has been selected owing to its greater presumed validity. Data availability determined the countries included and the length of the series, a constraining factor that meant that some countries could not be studied with full detail. Countries with missing data like Iceland and Bulgaria (before 1960) were excluded from the analysis. The 34 countries in the study are dominated heavily by North America and Western Europe and they comprise less than 18 percent of the world’s population. The World Development Report is used to identify high and low income countries.

If the convergence rates for a developed country and Bulgaria are to be compared, the following formula is used:

Log (industrialized nation homicide rate) t- (Bulgarian homicide rate) t

The application of this formula generates a separate series of logged and differenced scores for each. Convergence is checked by subtracting the smaller from the larger of the two rates. The resulting scores are divided into three categories: stationary, trend stationery and difference stationery. Given that the stationery time thesis has a mean that remains constant over time, it goes on to represent the null hypotheses which depicts neither convergence not divergence. The slope becomes paramount as a negative slope symbolizes that the homicide rates are converging while a positive one illustrates diverging homicide rates. For the difference stationary series, the intercept helps us discern the trend in homicide rates.

The research findings go on to show that the mean homicide rates for low income countries are a staggering three and a half times greater than the mean of high income nations. Regional differences are also visible in the shape of the lower rates for Western Europe as opposed to Latin America. The evidence refutes both the conflict and modernization perspectives in their claim that the homicide rates for high and low income nations will diverge or converge respectively. The elite convergence model gets credence from the fact that 17 of the 23 high income countries have homicide rates that closely match the high income homicide mean. (Exceptions are Japan and Australia).

The researcher does identify some blemishes in his study, the most notable of which is the under representation of developing countries in the study sample. This is followed by his recognition of the constraining influence of dearth of time and the paucity of useful data. Although a strong case can be made for the elite convergence model, it would not hurt to have more research conducted. The paper ends with a rather ironic tone, one that elucidates how the ‘Industrial Man’ only lives in a selected group of developed nations.

Money VS Merit

To say that Pakistan is devoid of talent is to massively underestimate the denizens of this country. The recent example of a student, Ali Moeen getting 22 As serves to exemplify the quality of talent present in this nation. There are countless students who wish to further their careers by pursuing foreign education but financial considerations hamper their progress towards a bright future.

The real strength of any nation lies in its education system. Even if the importance of education is promulgated many times over, it would still not do justice to utility in the modern society. Illiteracy breeds crime and poverty and is the epicenter of multifarious problems that threaten the very integrity of the nation.

The major problem with our educational system is dearth of primary schools in the country. Without a proper base, the children are rendered incapable of progressing in their pursuit of self enlightenment. Another area of worry is the bigotry towards higher education in our country. Although HEC does provide some scholarships, they are limited to master students. In line with our population, these scholarships are paltry and when juxtaposed with the Indians, it reveals why this nation is lagging behind in all walks of life.

The quality of public institutions is deplorable to say the least. The children devoid of a quality education are left without any tool to counter the challenges that are awaiting them in the practical world. In stark contrast, graduates of private colleges and universities have a conspicuous edge over their counterparts. This is an irony considering the multitude of talented individuals who cannot prosper due to financial considerations.

One of the most blatant demonstrations of the pathetic plight of educational institutes is the existence of ghost schools that are adding to the burden of an already crippled economy. It is so convenient for the teachers to come to school once a month, a formality to collect the monthly wages. What these sanctimonious teachers don’t understand is the amount of damage that their actions cause to our nation. Of the few children who get the luxury of going to school, most belong to affluent families, a fact that adds to the frustrations of the working class. One can only understand poverty if you have received its grinding treatment.

One plausible reason for this discrimination is the mechanisms of the free market system itself. The capitalist obsessive compulsion with profits tends to remove all those qualities that mark us as humans. Individuals start to behave like businessmen even in their personal life and this hurts the social norms that epitomize altruism and magnanimity as the cornerstone of the society.

It is important to have a general overlook of the opportunities that arise for our students in foreign lands. The high tuition fee in foreign universities is accompanied by living expenses that are also adding to the student’s financial burden. With most families in Pakistan not being able to afford the education, the children are left to rely on scholarships that are becoming increasingly competitive. Some students do manage to receive admission offers from top universities in Europe and the United States but their financial plight does not allow them to pursue this path .Something that makes the whole system seem unjust is the advantage rich children have over less privileged ones. If a child asks for financial aid, he limits his chances of admission to a great extent. It would surely become ironic when these children are not able to reach their full potential which limits their future contribution toward their countries.
Institutions in the United Kingdom are notorious for marking the distinction between wealthy and impoverished. The tuition fees are so high that sometimes, the only reaction that a person can come up with is laughter. The United States does mitigate the burden by giving financial aid to international students. This, however, is not to imply, that the admission process is free of bias. Coupled with the visa issues and the indelible mark of a terrorist state, even the United States has not remained the pristine option it once was. Universities in Pakistan are not of an international standard which means that diligent students are trapped in the middle of nowhere.
It is no secret that competition is a stark reality in our century with the rising world population ensuring that matters get worse as time marches on. All this means that jobs and resources, and even scholarships will become daunting to get, as if they were easy at present. That being said, the window of opportunity will always remain open remain for a multitude of people unless bias and discrimination creep into the admission process. It really is a shame that money should get in the way of aspiring individuals, especially when money becomes an irrelevant factor after you graduate and get a job. Just when it matters most, money is lacking and this is where it hurts the most. This, however, does not apply to the affluent children who are able to take tuitions, buy expensive books, and finally, to render the final blow, send their children on the basis of their financial stability when in stark reality; they do not have an iota of intelligence or motivation. The cycle of poverty is a flagrant feature of a capitalist society in which greed and self interest reign supreme.
My argument maybe be castigated by ardent supporters of a certain breed of nationalism, but this does not sway me from my proclivity towards a foreign education. The truth cannot be erased; neither can it be bended to suit your needs, which in turn means that a cogent course of action is to stop denying its existence. Despite the brain drain that is a pervasive feature of foreign education, the benefits outweigh the conspicuous flaws. The amount of benefit that this educated lot can provide is staggering.
The way forward for the establishment is clear. We need to take responsibility for our actions as opposed to stockpiling the blame on other people. The whole point of education is enlightenment which can only be achieved if students develop the capacity to think out of the box. We should strive to be part of the solution as opposed to being the problem itself. The onus thus falls on the government authorities who have to salvage a nation that is destined to greatness. Therefore, a pragmatic solution to this issue should be proposed by the government which allows for the payment of expenses for worthy students who would return to their country after their education. Education is the passport to the future and spending on this vital sector will pay future dividends through the presence of a skilled workforce that is capable of handling the workings of the economy. The government should seek the assistance of foreign governments in this regard and by direct bonds can allow for a certain number of students to go to a specific country for higher education. This is more effective than the loans that we normally receive from foreign governments which are on a high rate of interest and just help to entangle us further in the debt trap. The problems that the country finds itself in can be alleviated in the long run through this line of action. The government think tank should re-model its policy towards education to cater for future growth.

China: Opportunity or threat

China’s epic rise as a military and an economic powerhouse over the last few decades is more like a fairy tale. This unprecedented metamorphosis has led to China’s pre-mature coronation as the next big thing. Analysts, excited by the Chinese inexorable advance in the last decade, have based their arguments on conjecture. Careful scrutiny reveals that the newly crowned superpower is lagging behind in a multitude of areas ranging from living standards to infrastructure development. The American economy is more than twice its counterpart, a fact that serves to epitomize why reports that the world is no longer uni-polar are premature .That being said, the prediction could well have a dose of veracity if China continues to grow at its current rate. Give China 30-40 more years of peace and growth and you have a superpower in the making, ready to usurp the title of the world’s economic powerhouse from the Americans.
Such a metamorphosis could have wide reaching implications for Pakistan’s economy. That such a big economy is present in the vicinity poses a threat as well as an opportunity. The threat comes in the form of increased competition, a word that is likened to the very definition of a Chinese citizen. China’s policy of dumping, which decimates competition from the domestic market, has been largely effective despite widespread protests by countries that cannot match China’s low wages. The staggering Chinese budget surplus stands to testify why China poses a significant economic threat to any nation. This argument is epitomized by the American trade deficit, which is a culmination of the low cost of production in China. On the brighter side, this opens up avenues of investment in a cash starved country like Pakistan. This lack of funds sheds light on the difficulty of breaking the debt cycle amongst developing countries, an abyss which leads to the middle of nowhere. China may well provide the answer to this quagmire. The growing relations between the United States and India will ultimately prompt Pakistan to push for even closer ties with its longtime strategic security partner, China. India, in its own right, has transmuted itself into an economic juggernaut which underlines why it is imperative for Pakistan to foster a climate of harmony and understanding with China.
Presently, Pakistan and China are cooperating closely in the development of Gwadar Port, which would bolster economic activity in Pakistan and provide an important access route for the landlocked countries of Central Asia. China’s burgeoning presence can be gauged from the increase in development of infrastructure and setting up of basic industries in Pakistan. Names like, ZTE, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, China National Machinery Imp/Exp Corporation, Metallurgical Construction Corporation of China are the notable firms that have set production processes in Pakistan. In the last few years, investment of more than 1.3 billion USD was made by China in Pakistan.
. China has opened up its Western region adjoining Pakistan for trade and investment. The rationale behind this move is to reduce the economic disparity between its developed coastal regions and other underdeveloped areas. Once developed, this region would be a hub for economic activity between China, Central Asia and South Asia.
Considering that, in the past, America has left Pakistan high and dry on a multitude of occasions; a sagacious course of action would be to not put all the eggs in one basket. It is an irony that the interests of a capitalist superpower supplant the well being of a region that may very hold the key to the recovery of the tarnished world economy. Coupled with the high cost the economy has to pay for the Afghan war in the form of reduced foreign investment, it’s always wiser to have a friend that may not equal America, but at least be good enough to fit neatly in the picture of a competitor.
For decades China’s constant increase in exports to Pakistan resulted in a persistent and growing trade imbalance. The main items of Pakistan’s imports from China are machinery and parts, iron and steel manufactures, sugar, chemical materials. The main items of Pakistan’s exports to China are cotton fabrics, cotton yarn, petroleum and its products. A comprehensive free trade agreement was signed in 2008, giving each country unprecedented market access to the other. Bilateral trade had reached around dollar 7 billion in 2008. The trade gap is in China’s favor owing to our narrow trade base. Almost around 80% of its exports consist of cotton yarn and fabric. This is a pervasive feature of our trade which serves to exemplify why the country has been mired in trade deficits.
In terms of economic policy, Pakistan has many lessons to learn from China. When the economic meltdown had enveloped the world economy in gloom, China was the only ray of hope. In light of these stark differences between China and the developed world, the ease with which China has been able to progress in the realm of economic development never ceases to amaze the world community.
China has proved that a large supply of labor is not always an economic burden. Even the large amount of unskilled labor attracts multinational companies who set up plants in developing countries owing to the reduced cost of production and increased profit margins. This, in turn, means that Pakistan can capitalize on its vast human resources. Education holds the key to a productive labor force, one that is capable of changing the fate of nations. It is an irony that developed countries lack an abundant labor supply and have to rely on foreign workers to bridge the gap in the labor market. In the past, this factor has been condoned at our own peril. But this time, the price of not being able to act will be exorbitant and maybe more than the tarnished economy can bear.
A big hurdle in the way of increased trade relations with China is the present security condition of Pakistan. In these turbulent times, one cannot blame the Chinese investors for condoning our country. Trade has a strong correlation with business confidence and every time a bomb explodes, this feeling of insecurity takes hold. It is noteworthy that Chinese workers have been targeted by these radical elements. Another problem is that Pakistan’s most imports from China are value added; while more than 85 percent exports to China are raw materials, such as cotton yarn and fabric, chrome and copper ores. This serves to elucidate why the country has been mired in trade deficit for such a length of time.
It goes without saying that China is a crucial trading partner of Pakistan. Rapid economic development in China has caused increased demand for raw materials, components and development of cross-country production networks/processes. China is keen to improve the living standard of its rural denizens which culminates in increasing purchasing power in the form of increased demand for basic needs as well as luxury items. This presents an opportunity for the Pakistani exporters to reduce the trade deficit with our neighbor. The low priced imports however do help the local consumers and this even stands in the way of rising inflation. That being said, the low cost of Chinese goods virtually kills domestic competition as consumers act according to the law of demand. For many Pakistani manufacturers, competing with China is an exercise in futility. This is especially true in the manufacturing sector where China is the king. This means that Pakistan need to respond with alacrity if it is to harbor any hopes of survival in a world with the likes of China and India engendering a situation in which cost cutting becomes the blueprint for success in the trade market.

NU-Q essay

There is no power in the world that can stop an aspiring man from dreaming. You can lock a man in a room, deprive him of any social interaction, but you cannot stop him concocting a mirage in which he is the king. I am no different as my belief in human fate is interlinked with the incontrovertible notion that hard work culminates in success. The essence is to bridge the gap between where I stand at present and where I would like to envision myself. It is an irony that this may even take a lifetime to accomplish.
This may sound like the opinion of a braggart but I have no qualms in admitting that my academic record before my AS level was one devoid of any blemishes. In fact, by my 11 grade securing good grades held no real meaning for me. The acid test came in the form of my AS level result. Financial considerations meant that I could not enroll in my preferred high school. Instead, I had to go somewhere I had been offered a scholarship for my first year of study. What happened next was something that would leave an indelible mark on my academic record. The result did not commensurate with my expectations as anguish and grief enveloped me like a snake. Although I earned a 50 percent scholarship, our financial plight culminated in my leaving school. It is worth mentioning that this decision was entirely mine as becoming a burden on my parents was something that my conscience would never allow me to do.
As the maxim goes’ We become stronger by learning how to lose gracefully’. If there was ever a period in my life when I was desperate to prove myself to my family, friends and most importantly to myself, it was then. The metamorphosis occurred as I redefined myself as an individual. With newly found inspiration, I appeared for 6 subjects in the October session and this time around, I proved my worth. That I was able to rise from the ashes is a testament to the unique quality of the human spirit. In retrospect, I feel that my real strength lay in making best use of the available resources, a quality that has allowed me to prosper in the most daunting of situations.
In my AS level, the selection of subjects like sociology, psychology and history has given me a broader view of the world. Among other things, these subjects inspire individuals to think about their lives. Their utility is most evident during social interaction as it gives the individual an unmatched insight into human behavior. It is worth mentioning that in my country, children tend to stick with conventional subjects and if memory serves, I stood out as an anomaly owing to my subject choices. The fact that I was giving sat 2 in US and World history was enough to raise eyebrows in a society in which conformity is the order of the day. My eccentric choice did not come without its share of difficulties as the dearth of books and the virtual non-existence of academic help ensured that I had a rough ride.
To envision myself 10 years from now is an exercise that is rooted in conjecture and presumption. That said, I would like to become a writer if life ever presents me the opportunity. A writer has the power of the pen, a power that allows him to raise his voice against the injustice that plagues a rapacious society governed by self interest and greed. An otherwise powerless individual can use the power of the pen to ensure that the rights of the impoverished are not condoned during the decision making process. Among other things, becoming a writer has always been like a dream as it symbolizes the height of achievement.

My friends subject me to scrutiny when I reveal my penchant to enroll in journalism. Considering the social norms that govern our particular society, I cannot hold them culpable for their ignorance of a realm that is imperative to the working of any society. The realm of sociology underscores the disparity between different cultures and the relegation of journalism, fit for only the misfits, in developing nations is the epitome of ignorance.
I tend to write at home in my free time and some of my work has been printed in a research journal. This serves to embolden my belief that I have a bright future in this area. My father has always touted my abilities as a writer and for now remains my one and only passionate follower.
Add to this my burgeoning liking for this subject and NU-Q proved to be the infallible option. Although conventional choices are more rewarding in term of career prospects, I could not risk giving up my passion for a few extra dollars. Considering my proclivity for writing, the decision to apply to NU-Q was one rooted in optimism and conviction.

Northwestern University test

The invention of the computer has culminated in a metamorphosis. Scrutiny reveals that this machine has eclipsed all other inventions in terms of utility and scope of use. In fact, the advent of computers is in itself a hallmark of the modern age, an epoch in which technology reigns supreme.

It is no secret that computers have made our lives easier. The extent to which our lives have been simplified can be gauged from the fact that a single click of the button renders itself worthy of multifarious tasks. If you have any doubts on the veracity of this statement, just ask your parents on how life was before these computers transmuted the world forever. Small wonder then that these machines are such a pervasive feature of the modern century.

As time marches on, human reliance on computers is likely to increase. They will be used for all industries in which the use of technology gives the firm an edge in the area of production costs. Considering China’s cheap exports, an astute eye can discern with alacrity that mechanization will become the cornerstone of any economy.

Despite the multifarious uses of this modern device, it would not be a sagacious course of action to condone the agreements that have been underlined against it. Among other things, complacency, indolence and debauchery render themselves worthy themselves of being labeled as the possible effects of mass mechanization. To say that computers are innocuous to the physical and mental well being of the younger generations is like stretching the truth to the breaking point. The torrent of extraneous information available on the internet can have corrupting influences on young minds, beings that can be easily manipulated by egregious people for whom self interest is the moral order of the day.

The burgeoning dominance of machines has engendered a situation in which the computers can emerge as a potent threat to the very survival of the human race. While reports that computers will take over the world are premature, they may have a dose of veracity. This lends credence to the notion that a cogent course of action is to check the ascendancy of these inventions, an act that will ensure that mankind is not overshadowed by his own creation

Pakistan

If nothing else, the devastating floods in Pakistan serve to warrant the notion that the country is a failed state. The very fact that our president did not merit considering coming back from his personal adventures at a time of unprecedented difficulty serves to exemplify why Zardari embodies the kind of leader that you hope your enemy is blessed with. Something more shocking than his blatant sense of indifference is his promulgation of his importance in line with the outburst at his absence from his country. It is ironic that the president had to make such a statement and this is even a new low for a man who has transgressed the fine line that marks a bad leader from a contemptible one. To be frank, I find it increasingly difficult to castigate the president owing to the fact that for the first time in living history, he has elevated himself to the point where one can only smile at the mention of his multifarious ventures. This partly explains the lackluster response from the world community to the worst natural disaster in living memory. Another factor could be donor fatigue or could possibly be the fear that the money could be used to refurbish the Taliban, a force that has found difficult to squash despite the billions spent on doing so. All in all, what we have before us is a very sad picture of a country that is being pushed into a very black hole by the establishment that is corrupt to the bone. The post flood era has strengthened the voices of those who adjoin that the country will cease to exist as a single entity. As a response to these claims, the Pakistani ambassador to the United States has espoused that the country is resilient and will muddle through this quagmire as well. The mindset of no less a man than the ambassador himself speaks to the sense of defeatism that has enveloped the hearts and minds of countless countrymen. The day when people stop fighting for their principles is the day when degeneration spreads in the system like some deadly disease, removing us of the distinction that makes us what we are. The long term prognosis is far from clear but what I do know is that a metamorphosis is just around the corner. We find ourselves at an inflection point, beyond which lies either doom or boom.


Pakistan is a country that has needlessly suffered in the last decade after being labeled with the indelible mark of a terrorist sate. I feel qualified to speak on a matter as contentious as this owing to the fact that I have lived in Islamabad for 14 years and have personally witnessed the city descending into religious extremism. I have visited countless times the mosque that was unfortunately to become the place blood flowed like a river. In the Lal masjid event, I have undergone the ordeal of having to survive in a curfew for about a fortnight, which compounds my hatred for extremism. Such a hated for extremism is to be found in most educated Pakistanis who cannot see their country being torn by a handful of terrorist elements. In line with the class discussion today, I feel it imperative to underscore a few points. Recent reports have divulged that the Taliban have now shifted their operations to the all important province of Punjab, a frightening possibility given the population and economic worth of Pakistan’s most fertile area. This also undermines the efficacy of the drone attacks as I find it inconceivable that the United States can use drones in highly dense populations even if a suspect is found to be present. All this means is that as time drags by, the war against terror will become all the more complex. Force has never been the solution to any conflict and history bears witness to this statement. A nation living under the stigma of being the’ bad guys’ amid the constant sense of humiliation deserves better

Humanities class

The Spider’s thread is a compelling story that bases itself on human deeds and the afterlife. The story is carefully construed in order to serve as a paragon for all those transcend the laws set by Mother Nature. It depicts a robber, a man who has committed egregious acts in his time on earth, who is thrown into hell as punishment for his wicked ways. The fact that one good deed supersedes all the ills committed by the robber speaks to the all forgiving quality of Nature and the multifarious chances available to humans for atonement. That said, the very fact that the robber was able to squander his only chance due to his rapacious nature warrants the notion that some people have an innate proclivity to contravene the law. This story presents us with a few a morals, the first of which castigates self interest by laying bare its ghastly implications. Secondly, this fable delineates the fine line between the world of good and evil leaving us with a very lucid idea of the overriding value of righteousness in the mortal world.

Just lather is a story that presents to us in the most lucid way all the hesitation that results from us exercising our morality. The story depicts a barber who finds himself in a most inviting yet daunting position, one that provides him the opportunity to transmute his lowly entity into a hero all the while running the risk of being labeled with the indelible mark of a coward. The great internal struggle that happens inside the barber provides the backdrop for this story. How can he reconcile the urge to kill with his overriding belief in the nobility of a profession that he so vociferously endorses? This last question rings out like an accusation and is one that ultimately leads him to the conclusion that he cannot contravene the unwritten laws of a profession that he has helped to elevate to the status of an art. That said, Captain Torres is himself a very vivid character despite his propensity to commit acts of unspeakable horror, acts that relegate him to the status of a despicable man worthy of hatred. Misinformation is a theme that resonates throughout the story making way for some very exciting turn of events. The very fact that Torres knew the identity of the barber all along the way provides the story with a dramatic and jaw dropping ending. The beauty of the compelling narrative lies in the blatant acknowledgment by Torres in the very end of the difficulty of killing a man. This simple statement changes the very complexity of the story leaving us admiring the ingenuity of the author.

International relations

International relations renders itself divided into three main paradigms that seek to elucidate the complex nature of relations among states. The more pessimistic tone is espoused by the paradigm called realism. In line with the human propensity to engage in behavior that aligns with self-interest, the model goes on to provide a rationale for states working in their own national interest. Conflict and competition are overriding features of a world based on a model in which the struggle for power is a pervasive feature of international relations. States, more like humans, have the innate desire to become hegemonic entities, a factor that transgresses the sacrosanct principle of balance of power that this realm so vociferously endorses. By underlining that conflict is the natural condition of international relations, realism has provided an epitome of the gloom that is embedded in it.

Liberalism, in stark contrast to realism, goes about finding reasons for cooperation among nation states. It outlines how the burgeoning importance of international trade can be taken to refute the notion that war and conflict are the norm, rather than the exception in the real world. To salvage their economies, nations eschew war as an instrument of foreign policy. It is worth nothing the traces of self interest that are conspicuous even in this stratagem. This model advocates the spread of democracy as a tool to engender peace and foster harmony, given the irrefutable fact that democracies never fight with one another. It also highlights the increasingly important role of international institutions like the World Bank in a globalized world where nations can be can be encouraged to work for the common good. If nothing else, liberalism seeks ways that can support the founding of common areas of interest, culminating in an ideal world bereft of war and conflict.