CROWN BRIEF SYNOPSIS police foundations program english Essay

CROWN BRIEF SYNOPSIS police foundations program english - Essay Example It is imperative to notice that a broken beer bottle was found near the foot of the third injured male. As an investigative measure, the statements of four witnesses were taken. The four witnesses did show some variance in terms of their eye-witness accounts. The first witness said that the first male victim had been assaulted by the latter two, when he tried to assault them by using weapon, which was a small knife. The second witness sided the first one, almost echoing the same version. He also added that the first victim had provoked the other two victims who were drinking beer. The third witness said that he had seen t he first victim using his knife and cutting the knuckles of the latter two, while one of the other victims had broken the beer bottle on his head. The last witness, however, changed the story and said that he had not seen the first victim carrying any weapon or provoking the other victims. By assessing the common witness statements given, one can conclude that the first victim had indeed provoked the other two, who had, in a bid to safeguard their lives, assaulted the first victim.

Unit 2 - Business Resources, Unit 20 - Managing Physical Resources in Coursework

Unit 2 - Business Resources, Unit 20 - Managing Physical Resources in a Business Environment, Unit 16 - Human Resources management in Business - Coursework Example skills, attitude and formalities to work in the conerned company, physical and technological resources of the company and their associated management to improve upon the existing performance, the importance of emplyability, skills and staff retention, sources of external and internal finance and budgetary control, financial state and a discussion on the same and finally calculation and discussion of some important financial ratios along with their limitations. Virgin Atlantic (UK) requires an initial documentation of either a valid EU Passport, or a UK Birth certificate along with a valid NHS Insurance proof or a valid passport with the necessary permits to work in the UK. (Virgin Atlantic, 2012)These documents must be submitted to Virgin Atlantic (UK) even before the selection process has begun. (Virgin Atlantic, 2012)It has to be sent it along with the application for the relevant job opening a candidate is applying to. (Virgin Atlantic, 2012). The application involves attaching an updated CV along with a covering letter and the necessary document which validates a candidates eligibility to work in the UK (discussed above). Under no circumstances the person should have any criminal record or any pending criminal case (Virgin Atlantic, 2012) Virgin Atlantic employs approximately 9000 people all over the world in various countries, with roughly 4000 cabin crew and 700 Pilots. (Virgin Atlantic Airlines, 2014). The main requirements for working at Virgin Atlantic include: â€Å"intelligence, responsibility, initiative and support† (Virginia Airlines Ltd, n.d.)for a candidates fellow workers, this is irrespective of which field of work the candidate would apply to, whether it be Finance, Marketing, Human Resource or Operations. (Virgin Atlantic Airlines, 2014).These requirements enable Virgin Atlantic to identify key personnel and assign them strong roles in order to build on the â€Å"Virgin† brand. (Virgin Atlantic Airlines, 2014) Virgin requires all its

Accessibility of Centres to the Road Networks: Lagos Island

Accessibility of Centres to the Road Networks: Lagos Island THE ACCESSIBILITY OF CENTRES TO THE ROAD NETWORKS: THE CASE OF LAGOS ISLAND, NIGERIA Mr. A. O. Atubi Prof. P.C Onokala Abstract Proper co-ordination of transport and public facilities provision is vital to any balanced regional development strategy. The central aim of this study therefore was to study the relationship between access to the transport networks and the provision of central facilities in Lagos Island. The results of the analysis of connectivity indices reveal the development of an increasing complex network, although the road network for 1997 remained the same as that of 1986. Using simple regression analysis, it was found that no strong relationship between road, accessibility and occurrence of facilities could be established. Rather population of centres was found to be more significant factor in the distribution of public facilities. Thus, recommendations capable of enhancing equitable transport development include; constructing new roads that will increase accessibility, save time and reduce cost to other centres and relocating some facilities too. Introduction In an urban area, there is a complex mix of land uses and all the major broad groupings of person movements (i.e.) journey to work, official trips, education trips by school children/students, shopping trips, journey made to get home, an miscellaneous journeys) in urban areas are made between them. Thus, while trip are made for a variety of purposes, they are made to and from various land use Onokala. (1995). Oyelegbin (1996), observed that traffic jams keep Lagos motorist on the roads for hours and that many motorists are blaming frequent traffic Jams of numerous deep pot-holes, blocked drainages and poor road network system. While the number of vehicles were increasing the road network infrastructure are not bet increased proportionately and even the existing ones degenerate in quality at increasing rate. The Lagos Island Local Government Area is the single most important local government in Lagos State due to the fact that most government establishments: private parastatals and public buildings are located here. It is essential to appreciate that the purpose of transport is to provide accessibility, or the ability to make a journey for a specific purpose. Transport is not timed for its own sake, but is merely a means to an end. The construction of transport infrastructure influences transport costs by is of a reduction of distances and/or a higher average speed. This will lead to changes in the choice of transport mode, route choice, time of departure (in the case ingested networks) and the generation or attraction of new movements per zone (Bruinsma, et al 1994). For example, within several European countries both the private sectors, as represented by mobile shops, and the public sector for example mobile library, have for many years provided services on-wheels for rural communities. Existing services could in future he coordinated to ensure that each community in turn became the focus of several of these services, so that the hinterland population need make only one journey into the centre to take advantage range of facilities (Brian and Rodney. 1995). Thus, in the U.S.A. accessibility studies in the late 1970’s and 1980’s centres on access to public facilities especially as observed by Lineberry (1977). Mladcnka 78), Mclafferty and Gosh (1982). In Nigeria several studies on accessibility tend to be related to urban centres or urban based activities. However, Onokerhoraye (1976) and Okafor (1982) sought to identify the major factors that influence distribution of post primary schools in Ilorin and lbadan respectively. They attributed the larger catchment areas to urban schools to travel distance to school and to population of urban centres. [Bardi (1982) also investigated the relationship between growth of road network and accessibility of urban centres in Bendel State, while Abumere (1982) tried to establish the nodal structure of Bendel State towns m the foregoing discussions of past studies in Nigeria we observed that the emphasis tends to be either on urban centres (Onokerhorave. 1976), postal services (Oherein, 1 985), banking (Soyode et al. 1975), bus transport services (Ali, 1997) and access to facilities in relation to road network (Atubi, 1998). There is however a need to take a total vie of transport in terms of the various activities for which the users demand mobility (Jansen, 1978). Methodology This research focused primarily on the study of road transport network system in Lagos Island Local Government Area especially as it relates to accessibility of centres Thus, structural characteristics and accessibility of major centres to the road network was considered at three points in time i.e. (1976, 1986 and 1997 periods). In developing the research design, areas that are accessible to the road network and with population of 1,000 and above at each period were taken as activity centres. Population of 1.000 was chosen as cut-off point to enable a substantial number of centres, especially those at the end of routes to appear as nodes especially as the network grows. The choice of nodes was therefore based on population size. Data Analysis and Discussions of Results In order to classify the major centres, data on six areas of central facility provision were collected namely: Medical, educational, market, postal services, banking and administrative headquarters. Data on these chosen facilities were collected both from published sources and through field survey. A list of registered health facilities in the study area by 1997 compiled by the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Alausa. Ikeja: list of primary schools in Lagos Island Local Government Area from the Lagos Island Local Education District Department, and monthly returns of postal facilities from post and Telecommunications (NIPOST) Marina, Lagos were used as the base data to collect the number of these facilities. More comparative data on the number and location of the services are collected from the General Post Office (G.P.O.) Marina. Lagos. The data on the distribution of banks in Lagos Island Local Government Area were collected from Central Bank of Nigeria, Lagos, while data on the distribution of markets were collected from the Department of marketing Lagos Island Local Government Secretariat. City Hall, Lagos. The accessibility of centres to the road network in Lagos Island Government Area was analyzed using the graph theory approach. It is used to handle properties to transportation networks in order to bring out their characteristics and structures. Other major techniques of analysis used include the homogenization of data etc. By 1976, we had 22 out of the 30 major centres directly connected by all season roads. Each direct connection forms a link. As an illustration by 1976, one could only move from race course to Cable Street (Net) before moving to C.M.S. (Old Marina). In this case we have 2 links along Race Course C.M.S. (Old Marina) road. In sum, 23 links or edges were identified by 1976 which connected 22 nodes. By 1986, the network became more complex as more nodes are connected through different routes. However, the same principles are applied. It has been observed that by 1986 the 30 nodes had become connected by 39 links. That means 7 extra centres had entered into the network systems. These are Leventis. C.M.S. New Marina), Force Road. Awolowo Road, Ilubirin, Ebute-Elefun and Anokantamo. By 1997, the network remained the same as that of 1986 but the major difference was the construction of Third Main Land Bridge that links Lagos inland Local Government Area to Lagos Island Local Government Area. This was that since 1986, no major work has been done on the road network in Lagos and Local Government Area, hence the road network remained the same. Although, the indices of connectivity indicate increasing complexity of network between 1976 and 1997, the indices of nodal accessibility, which explain the accessibility of one node to all others in the network, indicate the changing fortunes some centres. It is interesting to note that in terms of overall road distance, the most accessible centres in 1976 were Tinubu, Martins and Balogun, while the least accessible were Race Course. Epetedo and C.M.S. (Old Marina). By 1986, we observed that Odularni had become the most accessible centre, while Tinubu and Nnamdi Azikiwe had become the second and Third most accessible centres in the network. Again, it was noted that Epetedo (Okepopo Marina), Ebute-Elefun, Anokantamo and ldumagbo remained the least accessible centres. Other new centres connected to the network at this state include C.M.S. Maria road), Force Road, Awolowo Road, Ebute-Eletun, Anokantamo and Idumagho. Their entry into the network has the effect of increasing the accessibility for all the nodes. However, by 1997 it was observed that odulami remained the most accessible centre which corresponds with the nodal accessibility by 1986, while Tinubu and Nnamdi Azikiwe remained the second and third most accessible centres in the network which also corresponds with the nodal accessibility by 1986. Again, it was observed that Eptedo (Okepopo Marina), Ebute_Eleflm, Anokautamo and ldumagbo remain the least accessible centres. Also he Tinubu-Nnam di Azikiwe-Odulami-Bamgbose axis seems to have been enjoying high level of accessibility throughout the period. The more nodes are connected the greater the accessibility value for individual nodes. However, the entire network accessibility expands with increasing number of nodes brought into the network. Another observation is that there are some nodes (Awolowo Road, Ilubirin. Force Road, and C.M.S. (New marina Road) that were not connected in earlier times but they acquired quite high accessibility as soon as they were connected. It is observed further that there are some nodes, which declined in accessibility as more links were added. Thus Tinubu, Odulami. Olowogbowo, Balogun and Broad Street among others, declined in accessibility. The construction of Leventis C.M.S. (New Marina Road) meant that a shorter route to cable street (net) from Force Road than through Tinuhu had been created. Other routes constructed prior to 1997, which reduced the position of Tinuhu, include martins Street-ldumota, C.M.S. (Old marina-Odulami and Okepopo. In this analysis. the researchers used the simple regression. A possible relationship between accessibility and human activities has been suggested by Lachene (1965) and Chapman (1979) among others, while Keeble et al (1982) actually established a relationship between accessibility and economic activities among the countries of the E.E.C. within the country. Atuhi (1998) has in Lagos State suggested some relationship between accessibility and public facility index, while Ali (1997) suggested some relationship between accessibility and bus transport services in Enugu. For public facilities however, whose essential quality of their location is that they be as accessible to their users as possible one should expect to find a strong relationship between the two. Policy Implications The strategy of constructing new links to improve accessibility may involve heavier financial investment. Thus, a proper cost-benefit analysis is needed to determine the desirability of such investment. Still another strategy would he to provide those services which centres lack based on extensive surveys of what are available and what are needed. This centre based approach might prove more useful if the people are guided to choose out of their preference. Conclusion It is pertinent to note that the social benefit of constructing a road that increases accessibility saves time and reduces cost goes beyond the financial evaluation. This is because it touches on human value. References Abumere. SI, (1982) The nodal structure of Bendel State Nigeria Geographical Journal, vol. 25. Pp. 173-I 87. Ali, A.N. (1907) The Accessibility of major centres to the Transport Services in Enugu State, Nigeria. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, University of Nigeria. Nsukka. Atubi, A. 0. (1998) The Accessibility of Centres to the Road Network in Lagos Island Local Government Area Lagos State, Nigeria. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, University of Nigeria. Nsukka. Bardi, E.C. (1982) Development of road network and Accessibility of Urban centres within bendel State Nigeria 1967-1981: A Graph theory approach, Unpublished B.Sc. original Essay, Department of Geography, University of Nigeria. Nsukka. Brain, T. and Rodney. T. (1995) Rural Transport problems, policies and plans. Transport Systems, Policy and Planning: A Geographical Approach. Longman House, Burnt Mill. Hariow England, Pp. 231-260. Bruinsma. F.R. and Rietveld. P. (1994) Borders as harriers in the European road Network. A case study of the accessibility of Urban agglomerations in Nijkamp P. (Ed) New Borders and Old Barriers in Spatial Development, Pp. 139-52. Aveburv, Aldershot. Chapman. K. (1 979 People, Patien, and process an introduction to human Geography. Edward Arnold. London. Daly, MT. (1975) Measuring accessibility in a rural context. In white, P.R. (ed). Rural Transport Seminar, Transport Studies Group, Polytechnic of Central London, London Hoyle. B.S. and Knowles, R.D. (1992) Rural Areas: The Accessibility problem in modern Transport Geography. Longman House, Burnt in ill, Harlow England, Pp. 125-137. Ingram, D.R. (1971) The concept of accessibility: a Search for operational firm. Regional Studies, Vol. 5, Pp. 101-107 Jansen, H.O. (1978) The interaction between public transportation and other social activities: A System approach Transportation Research, Vol. 12 (2), Pp. 83- 89 Keeble, D. Owen. P.C. and Thomas. C. (1982) Regional Accessibility and Economic potential in the European Community Regional Studies, Vol. 10 (c). Pp. 4 9-432. Lachene. R. (1965) Networks and the locations of economic activities. Regional Science Association papers. Vol. XIV (24), Pp. 183-196. Lineberry, R. (1977) Equality and Urban Policy, Saga. Beverley Hills Mclafferty. S. and Gosh. A. (1982) Issues in measuring differential access to public Services. Urban Studies. Vol. 19, Pp. 383-389 Mitchell, C.C.B. and Town, SW. (1976) Accessibility of various social groups to different activities Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorness Berkshire. Mladenka, K. (1978) Organization rules, service equality and distributional decision in urban polities Social Science Quarterly, Vol. 89 (1). Pp. 192-201 Morril, B.L (1970) Spatial organization of Society. Duxbury Press, Belmont, California. Oherein, D.N. (1985) Accessibility to public facilities, a case study of postal service units in Owan Local Government Area, (Bendel State): Unpublished B.Sc. Thesis, Department of Geography, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Okafor, A.N. (1982) Service area of public facility in Ibadan Onokerhoraye, A.G. (1976) A conceptual framework for the location of public facilities in the urban areas of developing countries: The Nigerian Case. Socio-economic Planning Sciences, Vol. 10, Pp. 237-276. Onokala, P.C. (1995) The effect of landuse on road traffic accidents in Benin City, Nigeria. Journal of Transport Studies; Vol. 1, No. Pp. 34-44. Oyelegbin, R. (1996) Jams keep Lagos motorists on the road for hours. The Guardian, February 15, P. 9. Rich, R. (1979) Neglected issues in the study of urban services distribution: A research agenda Urban studies. Vol. 16, Pp. 121-136. Soyade, A. and Oyejide, T.A. (1975) Branch network and economic performance: A case study of Nigeria’s commercial banks. Nigerian Journal of Economic and Social studies, Vol. 17, No. 2, Pp. 119-131.

MTV :: essays research papers

Somewhat perversely, it might be expedient to begin by pointing out that this paper is not about the music video per se. There will be no close textual analysis of individual clips. Eminent pop philosopher Elvis Costello once said that "writing about music is like dancing about architecture. It's a really stupid thing to want to do" (quoted in Goodwin, 1993: 1). Conscious that 'accidents can happen", this paper is concerned with the institutional as opposed to the purely textual; with the processes of production and reception (although it should be noted that it is perhaps inevitable that such a consideration will touch upon the channel - if not the videos themselves - as "text" in its most socially-engaged sense). The focus here, then, is on those organisations which broadcast music videos, on Music Television (MTV) in particular, and on the possible impact of what has become a truly global phenomenon. There is a common perception that American products dominate the world's markets. Coke and Pepsi slug it out across continents. It would appear that there is no place on earth where one cannot purchase a Big Mac. In his book Superculture, Christopher Bigsby offers this assessment of America's global dominance: American corporations shape the physical and mental environment, influence the eating habits, define the leisure pursuits, produce TV programmes and movies: devise, in other words, the fact and fantasy of the late twentieth century (Bigsby, 1975: 4). The perceived threat of globalisation has prompted fears and resentments not dissimilar in temper and tone to those by-now familiar reactions to the threat of Americanisation. Globalisation is sometimes seen as a force that will erode or, worse still, dissolve cultural difference and variety. Yet, the presence and pervasiveness of American-made goods does not necessarily signal the death of the local, regional or national. As Frederic Jameson notes, late modern or postmodern capitalism has led to a more disorganised set of relationships between trading nations. Thus, it is one of the characteristics of the dreaded "P"-concept - postmodernism or, perhaps more accurately, postmodernity - that it leads to uncertainty and paradox, as opposed to certainty and confidence. As a kind of postmodern capitalism, globalisation reflects this. For with it, the act of cultural transfer becomes more problematic, the flow of goods and ideas so much more difficult to "police". Economically, globalisation refers to a shift in capitalist practice. Today's multi- nationals talk of "global marketing strategies" and securing a "global market share" - corporate- speak which alludes to a kind of capitalism sans frontieres. MTV :: essays research papers Somewhat perversely, it might be expedient to begin by pointing out that this paper is not about the music video per se. There will be no close textual analysis of individual clips. Eminent pop philosopher Elvis Costello once said that "writing about music is like dancing about architecture. It's a really stupid thing to want to do" (quoted in Goodwin, 1993: 1). Conscious that 'accidents can happen", this paper is concerned with the institutional as opposed to the purely textual; with the processes of production and reception (although it should be noted that it is perhaps inevitable that such a consideration will touch upon the channel - if not the videos themselves - as "text" in its most socially-engaged sense). The focus here, then, is on those organisations which broadcast music videos, on Music Television (MTV) in particular, and on the possible impact of what has become a truly global phenomenon. There is a common perception that American products dominate the world's markets. Coke and Pepsi slug it out across continents. It would appear that there is no place on earth where one cannot purchase a Big Mac. In his book Superculture, Christopher Bigsby offers this assessment of America's global dominance: American corporations shape the physical and mental environment, influence the eating habits, define the leisure pursuits, produce TV programmes and movies: devise, in other words, the fact and fantasy of the late twentieth century (Bigsby, 1975: 4). The perceived threat of globalisation has prompted fears and resentments not dissimilar in temper and tone to those by-now familiar reactions to the threat of Americanisation. Globalisation is sometimes seen as a force that will erode or, worse still, dissolve cultural difference and variety. Yet, the presence and pervasiveness of American-made goods does not necessarily signal the death of the local, regional or national. As Frederic Jameson notes, late modern or postmodern capitalism has led to a more disorganised set of relationships between trading nations. Thus, it is one of the characteristics of the dreaded "P"-concept - postmodernism or, perhaps more accurately, postmodernity - that it leads to uncertainty and paradox, as opposed to certainty and confidence. As a kind of postmodern capitalism, globalisation reflects this. For with it, the act of cultural transfer becomes more problematic, the flow of goods and ideas so much more difficult to "police". Economically, globalisation refers to a shift in capitalist practice. Today's multi- nationals talk of "global marketing strategies" and securing a "global market share" - corporate- speak which alludes to a kind of capitalism sans frontieres.

Outlook of Domestic and International Tourism in the Philippines

1. Outlook of Domestic and International Tourism in the Philippines: †¢According to the Philippine National Tourism Development Plan 2011-2016, DOT wanted the Philippines to be a must-experience destination in Asia. With that strategic vision, they established a general goal which is to develop an environmentally and socially responsible tourism that delivers more widely distributed income and employment opportunities as indicated by 6. 6 M international arrivals and 34. M domestic travellers generating PhP1,759 billion in total expenditure, contributing 6. 78% to GDP and employing 6. 5 million people by 2016. With that being said they created objectives to achieve the goal which is to improve market access and connectivity by rapidly expanding capacity of secondary international airports, expanding connectivity between Philippines and its key growth markets and implementing a strategic access infrastructure program between secondary international airports and strategic destinat ions.Developing and marketing competitive tourist destinations and products by implementing a sustainable tourism destination infrastructure program, developing diversified tourism products that engage local communities, implementing a PPP-based mandatory tourism enterprise accreditation system and facilitate tourism investment and lower cost of business safeguarding natural & cultural heritage and vulnerable groups PPP-based marketing strategy and action plan.Lastly, improving tourism institutional, governance and human resource capacities by institutionalizing roles and responsibilities of DOT and LGUs, developing a competent well motivated and productive tourism workforce and improving governance in the area of safety, security, and in dealing with tourists. (http://asiapacific. unwto. org/sites/all/files/pdf/philippines_5. pdf) †¢As of January 2013, DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez, have missed the target of 5 million tourist arrivals by less than 300,000 (4. 6 Million), and is eyeing the 5 million by the end of 2013.He will do it by intensifying the marketing campaign overseas, increasing the number of hotels and room accommodations, and most importantly, improving the so-called one of the worst airports in the world which is NAIA. (http://www. abs-cbnnews. com/business/01/17/13/dot-misses-2012-tourist-arrival-target) 2. Interest of Air Asia and Tiger Airways in the Philippine Operation: †¢AirAsia has affiliates in Indonesia and Thailand, both of which could have an IPO later this year, as well as long-haul associate AirAsia X. It has also announced plans to start up an affiliate in the Philippines.Clark will be the 13th regional hub of the AirAsia group, in addition to its bases in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Increasingly, however, AirAsia is finding that it has to share its turf with Singapore Airlines' associate Tiger, which has announced plans of its own for the Philippine and Thai market. Accoording to AirAsia’s chief executive Mari anne Hontiveros, â€Å"Our choice of Clark underlines the airline's commitment to developing transportation and tourism hubs outside Manila. This is part of our plan to contribute to the development of the country as a whole. Last February 2011, Tiger said it would buy a 32. 5% stake in Philippine low-cost carrier Seair, following a marketing partnership between the two airlines late 2010. Tiger's chief executive Tony Davis says that by taking a stake in Seair, his airline would be able to take a bigger share in â€Å"a major market opportunity for low cost airlines†. The move would also allow Seair to compete more effectively against local market leader Cebu Pacific, which had a successful IPO last year and is rapidly expanding both its fleet and network. (http://www. flightglobal. om/news/articles/low-cost-carriers-growth-expectations-355702/) †¢The year 2012 put the global spotlight on the Philippine aviation industry, largely due to the phenomenal performance of the low-cost carriers flying domestic and international routes. The share of budget carriers in the the Philippines in the first 9 months of 2012 has soared to an average of 60%, reflecting one of the highest in the world, according to business consultancy firm Innodata. Almost 80% of the domestic market's 15. 5 million passengers and about 30% of international's 12. 5 million flew budget airlines in January-to-September.Since budget flights were introduced to Filipinos in 2005, the number of passengers hopping from one of the archipelago's 7,100 islands to the next, or to Asian destinations less than 4 hours away, have been growing by leaps and bounds. The year 2012 saw the highest jumps. The promise of low fares and new destinations were key reasons for this exponential growth. Budget carriers, in turn, battled it out in this increasingly competitive playing field by acquiring fuel-efficient aircraft and testing new markets. Some beefed up their war chest by getting new owners or par tners with deeper pockets or wider reach. http://www. rappler. com/business/18371-low-cost-carriers-drive-aviation-growth) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tiger Airways, however, said the long-term potential of the Indonesian and Philippines air travel market is promising. † (http://www. interaksyon. com/business/53511/tiger-airways-says-seair-unlikely-to-turn-in-a-profit-in-2013) †¢The resulting operational and cost efficiencies will ensure more low fare seats are available and contribute to the growth of SEAIR and the Clark gateway, benefiting customers in the Philippines and across the Asia Pacific region.Avelino Zapanta, SEAIR's President and CEO, said, â€Å"With this new collaboration with Tiger Airways, we will also be able to serve more international visitors to the Philippines by offering more destinations with great value, low fares. In addition, the introduction of these new jet services will create a welcome boost to the Philippines tourism industry and create more high calibr e local jobs. † Chin Sak Hin, Chief Financial Officer of Tiger Airways Holdings Limited, said, â€Å"We are very excited to be working with SEAIR as the first â€Å"Partner Airline† of tigerairways. com.Besides the cost advantages resulting from basing aircraft and crew in Clark, SEAIR's extensive experience and brand recognition will ensure that more customers in the Philippines and internationally can access the same low fares offered by Tiger Airways when using the leading regional travel portal â€Å"tigerairways. com†. Together with Tiger Airways' strong marketing and distribution platform in Singapore and across major markets in the region, it will be a powerful combination that offers unbeatable value and fares to even more travellers. (http://www. tigerairways. com/news/OA_20110224_Tiger_Airways_Plans_To_Purchase_Major_Stake_in_SEAir. df) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Our choice of Clark underlines the airline’s commitment to developing transportation and tourism hubs outside Manila. This is part of our plan to contribute to the development of the country as a whole. AirAsia, Inc. is excited to start contributing to the economy of Clark and the rest of the country by boosting tourism and offering job opportunities to Filipinos,† said Marianne B. Hontiveros, chief executive of AirAsia, Inc. † †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"We plan to make Clark the hub for flights to popular destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Korea and Japan.Travel will become much easier and more affordable for tourists and overseas Filipino workers,† Hontiveros added. Hontiveros, Antonio O. Cojuangco Jr. and Michael L. Romero own 60% of AirAsia, Inc. in equal partnership. The remaining 40% is owned by AirAsia Berhad. 3. Relevance of the Philippine population in the regional LCC’s interest of operation According to the Pacific Asia Travel Association, as of 2011, there are 114 million online visitors who check out the internet for Airlines which are aged 15 and above and who have internet access in schools, works, homes, etc.In the Philippines, 11% of the total population has access to the internet and check out these sites for low-cost airfares. This study shows that the higher the population is the more online hits and the more famous the air carrier gets when it comes to low-cost fares. AirAsia has topped the list of most-visited websites with 3,380,000 visits and second is, Tiger Airways which increased 226% from 554,000 to 1,805,000. Low-cost airlines in Asia Pacific have already seen substantial growth, even just in the past year.With many of these carriers adopting highly web-centric models, it is significant that they attract more than their fair share of the young Internet users in the region. For these young travellers, low-cost airlines may be the first time that they have to book and buy their own travel, providing for many the portal into continued use of the web as an e-commerce channel. Signifi cant upside in the market remains as Internet penetration increases in the region, and people who could not afford to travel before can now take cheaper flights.The younger generation as well as the continued improvements in site usability and security will also begin to influence older Internet users to adopt the web as a channel for researching and booking travel. â€Å"PATA sees low-cost carriers as an increasingly important part of the travel ecosystem in Asia Pacific and this study has proven that,† remarks John Koldowski, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head, Office of Strategy Management, PATA. â€Å"As consumers across demographic segments continue to turn to the web for their travel needs, it Outlook of Domestic and International Tourism in the Philippines 1. Outlook of Domestic and International Tourism in the Philippines: †¢According to the Philippine National Tourism Development Plan 2011-2016, DOT wanted the Philippines to be a must-experience destination in Asia. With that strategic vision, they established a general goal which is to develop an environmentally and socially responsible tourism that delivers more widely distributed income and employment opportunities as indicated by 6. 6 M international arrivals and 34. M domestic travellers generating PhP1,759 billion in total expenditure, contributing 6. 78% to GDP and employing 6. 5 million people by 2016. With that being said they created objectives to achieve the goal which is to improve market access and connectivity by rapidly expanding capacity of secondary international airports, expanding connectivity between Philippines and its key growth markets and implementing a strategic access infrastructure program between secondary international airports and strategic destinat ions.Developing and marketing competitive tourist destinations and products by implementing a sustainable tourism destination infrastructure program, developing diversified tourism products that engage local communities, implementing a PPP-based mandatory tourism enterprise accreditation system and facilitate tourism investment and lower cost of business safeguarding natural & cultural heritage and vulnerable groups PPP-based marketing strategy and action plan.Lastly, improving tourism institutional, governance and human resource capacities by institutionalizing roles and responsibilities of DOT and LGUs, developing a competent well motivated and productive tourism workforce and improving governance in the area of safety, security, and in dealing with tourists. (http://asiapacific. unwto. org/sites/all/files/pdf/philippines_5. pdf) †¢As of January 2013, DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez, have missed the target of 5 million tourist arrivals by less than 300,000 (4. 6 Million), and is eyeing the 5 million by the end of 2013.He will do it by intensifying the marketing campaign overseas, increasing the number of hotels and room accommodations, and most importantly, improving the so-called one of the worst airports in the world which is NAIA. (http://www. abs-cbnnews. com/business/01/17/13/dot-misses-2012-tourist-arrival-target) 2. Interest of Air Asia and Tiger Airways in the Philippine Operation: †¢AirAsia has affiliates in Indonesia and Thailand, both of which could have an IPO later this year, as well as long-haul associate AirAsia X. It has also announced plans to start up an affiliate in the Philippines.Clark will be the 13th regional hub of the AirAsia group, in addition to its bases in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Increasingly, however, AirAsia is finding that it has to share its turf with Singapore Airlines' associate Tiger, which has announced plans of its own for the Philippine and Thai market. Accoording to AirAsia’s chief executive Mari anne Hontiveros, â€Å"Our choice of Clark underlines the airline's commitment to developing transportation and tourism hubs outside Manila. This is part of our plan to contribute to the development of the country as a whole. Last February 2011, Tiger said it would buy a 32. 5% stake in Philippine low-cost carrier Seair, following a marketing partnership between the two airlines late 2010. Tiger's chief executive Tony Davis says that by taking a stake in Seair, his airline would be able to take a bigger share in â€Å"a major market opportunity for low cost airlines†. The move would also allow Seair to compete more effectively against local market leader Cebu Pacific, which had a successful IPO last year and is rapidly expanding both its fleet and network. (http://www. flightglobal. om/news/articles/low-cost-carriers-growth-expectations-355702/) †¢The year 2012 put the global spotlight on the Philippine aviation industry, largely due to the phenomenal performance of the low-cost carriers flying domestic and international routes. The share of budget carriers in the the Philippines in the first 9 months of 2012 has soared to an average of 60%, reflecting one of the highest in the world, according to business consultancy firm Innodata. Almost 80% of the domestic market's 15. 5 million passengers and about 30% of international's 12. 5 million flew budget airlines in January-to-September.Since budget flights were introduced to Filipinos in 2005, the number of passengers hopping from one of the archipelago's 7,100 islands to the next, or to Asian destinations less than 4 hours away, have been growing by leaps and bounds. The year 2012 saw the highest jumps. The promise of low fares and new destinations were key reasons for this exponential growth. Budget carriers, in turn, battled it out in this increasingly competitive playing field by acquiring fuel-efficient aircraft and testing new markets. Some beefed up their war chest by getting new owners or par tners with deeper pockets or wider reach. http://www. rappler. com/business/18371-low-cost-carriers-drive-aviation-growth) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tiger Airways, however, said the long-term potential of the Indonesian and Philippines air travel market is promising. † (http://www. interaksyon. com/business/53511/tiger-airways-says-seair-unlikely-to-turn-in-a-profit-in-2013) †¢The resulting operational and cost efficiencies will ensure more low fare seats are available and contribute to the growth of SEAIR and the Clark gateway, benefiting customers in the Philippines and across the Asia Pacific region.Avelino Zapanta, SEAIR's President and CEO, said, â€Å"With this new collaboration with Tiger Airways, we will also be able to serve more international visitors to the Philippines by offering more destinations with great value, low fares. In addition, the introduction of these new jet services will create a welcome boost to the Philippines tourism industry and create more high calibr e local jobs. † Chin Sak Hin, Chief Financial Officer of Tiger Airways Holdings Limited, said, â€Å"We are very excited to be working with SEAIR as the first â€Å"Partner Airline† of tigerairways. com.Besides the cost advantages resulting from basing aircraft and crew in Clark, SEAIR's extensive experience and brand recognition will ensure that more customers in the Philippines and internationally can access the same low fares offered by Tiger Airways when using the leading regional travel portal â€Å"tigerairways. com†. Together with Tiger Airways' strong marketing and distribution platform in Singapore and across major markets in the region, it will be a powerful combination that offers unbeatable value and fares to even more travellers. (http://www. tigerairways. com/news/OA_20110224_Tiger_Airways_Plans_To_Purchase_Major_Stake_in_SEAir. df) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Our choice of Clark underlines the airline’s commitment to developing transportation and tourism hubs outside Manila. This is part of our plan to contribute to the development of the country as a whole. AirAsia, Inc. is excited to start contributing to the economy of Clark and the rest of the country by boosting tourism and offering job opportunities to Filipinos,† said Marianne B. Hontiveros, chief executive of AirAsia, Inc. † †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"We plan to make Clark the hub for flights to popular destinations including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Korea and Japan.Travel will become much easier and more affordable for tourists and overseas Filipino workers,† Hontiveros added. Hontiveros, Antonio O. Cojuangco Jr. and Michael L. Romero own 60% of AirAsia, Inc. in equal partnership. The remaining 40% is owned by AirAsia Berhad. 3. Relevance of the Philippine population in the regional LCC’s interest of operation According to the Pacific Asia Travel Association, as of 2011, there are 114 million online visitors who check out the internet for Airlines which are aged 15 and above and who have internet access in schools, works, homes, etc.In the Philippines, 11% of the total population has access to the internet and check out these sites for low-cost airfares. This study shows that the higher the population is the more online hits and the more famous the air carrier gets when it comes to low-cost fares. AirAsia has topped the list of most-visited websites with 3,380,000 visits and second is, Tiger Airways which increased 226% from 554,000 to 1,805,000. Low-cost airlines in Asia Pacific have already seen substantial growth, even just in the past year.With many of these carriers adopting highly web-centric models, it is significant that they attract more than their fair share of the young Internet users in the region. For these young travellers, low-cost airlines may be the first time that they have to book and buy their own travel, providing for many the portal into continued use of the web as an e-commerce channel. Signifi cant upside in the market remains as Internet penetration increases in the region, and people who could not afford to travel before can now take cheaper flights.The younger generation as well as the continued improvements in site usability and security will also begin to influence older Internet users to adopt the web as a channel for researching and booking travel. â€Å"PATA sees low-cost carriers as an increasingly important part of the travel ecosystem in Asia Pacific and this study has proven that,† remarks John Koldowski, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head, Office of Strategy Management, PATA. â€Å"As consumers across demographic segments continue to turn to the web for their travel needs, it

What Is Civil Religion and How Does It Affect Christians

Abstract: What is civil religion and how does it affect Christians? That is the question that this paper will examine. This paper identifies what civil religion is and how it has evolved over the years. In the Literature Review, this paper examines and summarizes the different sources’ opinions and definitions of civil religion. It also discusses how politicians do not actually use the term â€Å"civil religion,† but imply it in their speeches. This paper discusses the themes of civil religion and how various authors predict that this may become a universalized religion. Then it ill discuss all four authors’ different conclusions on civil religion and how they think that civil religion will affect America and religion. The paper concludes by looking into the future and explaining how civil religion does and might affect Christians. Introduction: Robert Bellah defines civil religion as â€Å"the public religious dimension that plays a crucial role in the developm ent of American institutions that is expressed in a set of beliefs, symbols, and rituals†(228). The term â€Å"civil religion† was first coined in the 8th chapter of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s book The Social Contract (1762).For Rousseau, civil religion was simply a form of social cement, providing the state with sacred authority to help unify itself. Rousseau’s simple outline of the principles of civil religion is: (1) Deity, (2) life to come, (3) the reward of virtue and the punishment of vice, and (4) the exclusion of religious intolerance (252). Rousseau believed that this group of religious beliefs is universal and that the government has a right to sustain it. He also said that individuals’ religious opinions are outside the bounds of the government (252-253). History has made many different references to forms of civil religion, ut the main study done by Robert Bellah and Martin Marty took place in the 1960s and 1970s. They studied civil religio n as a cultural phenomenon in an attempt to identify the principles of civil religion. In the United States, civil religion is commonly referred to as â€Å"Judeo-Christian tradition,† intended to include several monotheisms that are practiced in the United States (Wikipedia). While looking into civil religion, we will see different scholarly arguments and the affect it may have on Christianity.Summaries: In researching civil religion, I found many books and essays that give definitions and iews on civil religion. Robert Bellah is the main voice of this movement and has written many articles on this topic. In the article â€Å"Civil Religion in America† by Robert Bellah, civil religion is defined as â€Å"the public religious dimension that plays a crucial role in the development of American institutions that is expressed in a set of beliefs, symbols, and rituals†(228). Bellah claims that civil religion has its own seriousness and integrity and that it requires the same care in understanding as any other religion does (225). In his article, Bellah tells us where the idea of ivil religion comes from. He claims that the Declaration of Independence has four references to God, and that the founding fathers’ words and acts are what shaped the form and tone of civil religion today (231-232). He continues with the description of civil religion today. Bellah argues that civil religion at its best is a genuine apprehension of universal and transcendent religious reality as seen through the experience of the American people (238).He predicts that American civil religion may become a part of a new civil religion of the world. The difference eing that instead of it being drawn from Biblical traditions, it would be drawn from religious, non-biblical traditions (245). Later Bellah wrote â€Å"American Civil Religion in the 1970s† in response to the criticism he had received from his previous article â€Å"Civil Religion in America. † He begins with claiming the rights to the term â€Å"civil religion†. He claims that although there are many references to â€Å"civil religion† in previous years, he is the one who coined the term (255). There is some disagreement on this claim. Some agree with Bellah, but others argue that Jean-Jacques Rousseau coined the erm in his book The Social Contract. Although Rousseau might have coined the term, Bellah’s and his definitions of civil religion have some differences. While Rouseau saw it as a form of social cement that provided the state with sacred authority to help unify itself, Bellah views it as a public religious element that is vital to the maturation of American institutions. Rousseaus’s definition is simpler, because the year in which he defined civil religion, allowed a simpler definition. Bellah says that the distinction between civil religion and public theology is a major ontribution to the discussion of civil religion (258). Bellah f urther claims that a variety of public theologies is a guarantee to the honesty of civil religion (259). He suggests that American civil religion is a current reality and one that we will probably grapple with in the future (264). Bellah does not think that American civil religion is dying, but it is rather pointing to the fact that some linkage between religion, morality, and politics seems to exist (270). He closes by stating that â€Å"the crisis in the civil religion is deepening even more rapidly than I had expected† (272).In â€Å"Civil Religion and America’s Inclusive Faith,† Barry Hankins seeks to give us a better understanding of what civil religion is, its evolution into what it is today, and its role in politics. Hankins claims that most American presidents â€Å"have integrated religion into their political speeches† and that scholars have labeled this integration â€Å"civil religion. † He defines civil religion as the blending of reli gion and patriotism to the point that it is impossible to separate them from another. Hankins says that this occurs when either politicians discuss eligion or when pastors discuss political or national affairs. He continues with how in a country like the United States, civil religion can potentially fail if it excludes too many people; therefore, it needs to be an inclusive faith. Hankins claims that in the evolution of American civil religion, it has employed five themes consistently: the first theme is the â€Å"chosen nation theme†, second is â€Å"civic millennialism†, third is the theme that there must be â€Å"a form of religious consensus or common thread that binds people together religiously†, fourth theme is a â€Å"fusion of iblical beliefs with a deistic notion of God that is very general†, and fifth is the theme of â€Å"historical authentication. †Hankins continues with the discussion on how different presidents have employed civil re ligion and its themes throughout the years. He ends with the claim that the form of civil religion that best fits the description in his essay is a priestly or pastoral civil religion (Hankins). Hankins and Bellah discuss the different presidents who have mentioned civil religion in passing. Though the presidents may not have used the term â€Å"civil religion,† these writers ssert that it was implied. They use quotes from these presidents for the benefit of their own argument. Those presidents are John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, George W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan. Bellah and Hankins claim that because of their attempt to integrate politics and religion, and their vague references to God, these men unconsciously advocated civil religion (Hankins). The interesting thing about Hankins is that he does not limit civil religion to politicians, but rather includes pastors in his discussion as well.Hankins tells us that th e definition of the integration of civil religion is when either politicians mention religion or when pastors mention political or national affairs (Hankins). The Pew Forum panel discussed the topic of â€Å"God Bless America: Reflections on Civil Religion after September 11. † There are seven participants in this discussion panel, who are: Peter Berkowitz, Derek Davis, Amber Khan, Richard John Neuhaus, Clarence Newsome, Manjit Singh, and Melissa Rogers. As the moderator of the panel, Melissa Rogers begins by giving us a brief overview of the term â€Å"civil religion. She says that most people identify the term â€Å"civil religion† with the work of Robert Bellah, who says that civil religion in America is an understanding of the American experience in light of ultimate or universal reality. The panel continues with the different participants’ views and thoughts on civil religion. Civil religion is described as a confused subject, with the confusion starting a t the very term itself and that, for the most part, it is all about meaning. The panel continues on to claim that civil religion becomes extremely broad and very generic in its expression.At the end of the discussion, the panel claimed that with civil religion â€Å"we are making a distinction between discovery of certain political values and systems as distinct from the moral justification (Pew Forum Panel). One may agree with this statement, while others may not. Those who don’t agree may argue that while there needs to be a separation between â€Å"church and state†, there also needs to be a connection. If we did not have a form of connection between the political and religious realm, we would not have the religious freedom that we enjoy today; because if the politicians did not elieve in God, they would not care if we had or did not have religious freedoms. In â€Å"Bellah’s Civil Religion,† Robert Stauffer begins by giving us a summary of Robert Bel lah’s essay â€Å"Civil religion in America†. Then Stauffer proceeds to discuss some of the problems that he sees in Bellah’s work. Stauffer does not cover Bellah’s historical rendition, but rather assumes that American historians will deal with it and leaves the task to them (392). He claims that Bellah’s work is styled in a Durkheimian perspective. Stauffer is also concerned with Bellah’s verdict of our current American condition.He says that Bellah moves too fast from the judgment of corporate hegemony, worry over the cult of success, and the disregard for those who are reduced to penury, to the presumption that America is portrayed by a widespread despair and sense of direction. Stauffer concludes by claiming that Bellah’s evolving opinions about civil religion serve as an inspiration to scholars of religion and society (393). Stauffer also states that while he is grateful to Bellah for his contribution in this area, he is worried that Bellah’s growing stature might prevent us from questioning and criticizing his assumptions, claims, and hopes 394). Literature Review: As civil religion has evolved over the years, there are different trends and themes in its patterns. We read Hankins’ claim that civil religion has employed five themes consistently through the years, and that he is worried that civil religion could potentially fail. He claims that this will happen if American civil religion excludes too many people. Hankins says that civil religion needs to be an all inclusive faith. In Bellah’s first article on this topic, he predicts American civil religion may become a part of a new civil religion of the world. Then a couple of ears later, Bellah wrote another article entitled â€Å"American Civil Religion in the 1970s. † In this article, he suggests that American civil religion is a current reality and one that we will continue to deal with in the future.Then Bellah decides that there is some linkage between religion, morality, and politics that exist and are needed. At this point, Stauffer steps into the scene. He finds irony in the fact that much of the criticism of civil religion, implicitly of Bellah’s work, has centered on the success of maintaining commitment to the social order, the success of utilitarian ulture in the United States, and the divisiveness that comes from the imposing new, holistic systems of belief. Stauffer argues that in a society with revolutionary origins, this problem of civil meaning will be both primary and repetitive. The Pew Forum panel concludes their discussion by stating that civil religion is a confused subject – the confusion starting at the very term itself – and by claiming that it becomes extremely broad and generic in its expression.Hankins claims that civil religion can come in the form of priestly or pastoral religion, because oliticians have used it to soothe and comfort American people in ti mes of distress. Bellah concludes both of his articles by mentioning what he calls the â€Å"third crisis†. The â€Å"third crisis† is the attainment of some kind of viable coherent world order that would ensue from the universalizing of civil religion. Looking towards the future of civil religion, we ask, â€Å"what does civil religion mean for Christians and how does it affect us? † Civil religion acknowledges that there is a God, but does not make any mention to Heaven. With civil religion, we realize that there is a God and that any different beliefs, symbols, and rituals go with each religion. But that is as far as it goes.There is no faith or spiritual things. Faith requires a belief in God and in Heaven. It requires us to put our trust fully in Christ and go beyond the term â€Å"religion† to a relationship with Him. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, â€Å"But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. † Faith is believing. Civil religion is not believing, but rather is admitting that there is a â€Å"higher power† ver us. While we need a form of civil religion to allow us to mingle with people of different religious beliefs, as Christians we need to be wary of civil religion. We need to be vigilant in our endeavors to not allow civil religion to become the â€Å"main stream† of religious beliefs.If it become the â€Å"main stream†, it will become the unified religion of the world and faith in Christ will be lost. Civil religion is unsustainable because it is trying to be pluralistic. This pluralism seeks to unify all religions (muslim, hindu, catholic, protestant, baptist, mormon, etc) into one, ut this is not possible without the different religions giving up their differences. In giving up these differences in the various religions, we would give up our faith in God, our belief in Heav en, and in everything that distinguishes us from other religions. This would be a negative affect on Christians, because we are to be the â€Å"light of the world† and the â€Å"salt of the earth† as God calls us to be. If we give these up for civil religion, we will no longer be what God has told us to be. Yes, we need to have some religious understandings amongst all religions, but we need to be cautious as Christians to not lose our faith in Christ.Future Directions: In the future, I believe that civil religion is going to begin posing major problems for Christians. As of now, not many Evangelicals have said anything on the topic of civil religion beyond identifying it, but soon they are going to need to. Beliefs and faith are beginning to be pushed out of the picture and the more universal civil religion is stepping in. We can see it happening throughout the country as more laws are being instituted that reduce our religious freedoms. Though the term â€Å"civil r eligion† is not usually used by lawmakers and the government, it is implied and is a danger to Christians.I believe that within a few years, civil religion is going to become the norm and we are going to lose our religious freedoms as a push to a universalized religion is made. I also believe that we are going see more articles on this topic, and that Evangelicals are going to become involved in trying to stop this â€Å"third crisis† in America. Works Cited Bellah, Robert. â€Å"Civil Religion in America. † D? dalus, Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 96. 1 (1967): 1-21. Print. Berkowitz, Peter, et al. â€Å"God Bless America: Reflections on Civil Religion after September 11. † The Pew Forum .Washington, DC. 6 Feb. 2002. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. . â€Å"Civil Religion. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2003. . Hankins, Barry. â€Å"Civil Religion and America’s I nclusive Faith. † Liberty Magazine Jan. 2004: n. pag. Liberty Magazine. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. . Rousseau, Jean Jacques. The Social Contract: And, the First and Second Discourses. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002. Print. Stauffer, Robert E. â€Å"Bellah’s Civil Religion. † Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 14. 4 (1975): 390-395. JSTOR. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.

US Trade Deficit essays

US Trade Deficit essays The U.S. trade deficit is the result of a net inflow of capital to the United States from the rest of the world. They have become a net importer of capital because Americans do not save enough to finance all the available investment opportunities in their economy. This inflow of capital from abroad allows the US to pay for imports over and above what they export. The US has been holding a trade surplus since the World War II, a war that harmed much of the most significant international competition for the US industry. Therefore before 1970, the US industry had much to gain from free trade. Nevertheless after 1970, the trade surplus turned into trade deficits, which increased considerably throughout the 80s and the 90s. During the 80s the percentage of GDP accounted by gross saving fell considerably, widening the gap between supply of saving and the demand for domestic investment. Throughout the early 1990s the trade deficit shrank as the economy growth slowed down but increased after the current expansion began in 1992 as the demand for private investment grew. In 1999, the U.S. trade deficit reached a record level. It has been increasing as a share of the economy's total output. The current account rose from 1.4 percent of GDP in 1990 to 3.7 percent in 1999. During 2003 the US registered a trade deficit record of $489.4 billion. The annual trade deficit, reported by the Commerce Department, was 17.1% larger than the previous record shortfall of $418 billion posted in 2002. However US exports made gains in 2002 totalling $1 trillion and a 4.6 %increase from 2002. Declining share of saving. This decline led to a shortage of funds for domestic investment, which caused real interest rates to rise higher, making the US an attractive target for investment. These large net capital inflows have been keeping the dollar strong, ...