Abraham s The Lord Of Without Hesitation - 1142 Words

Abraham Followed the Lord without Hesitation Throughout the Bible we are introduced to many different characters who are important, that helps us understand the message within each scripture. In Genesis we are introduced to the character Abram; he is the son that God chose to be the father of His people. I believe that God gave Abram this blessing because his faith in the Lord was obvious. Abram’s life can be seen through the lens of those who have the desire to walk with God through faith. A covenant is a promise, an unconditional covenant means that there is no stipulation behind it. When God promised Abram a great name, multiple offspring’s, and to give him land, he will do this no matter what. The result of God’s covenant with†¦show more content†¦To define faith, it means to have complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Abraham’s faithfulness to the task God had assigned to him was shown through him being willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac. In Genesis 22 God tested Abraham and he said, â€Å"Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.† Abraham woke up early â€Å"saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac.† It was on the third day that Abraham was to take the life of Isaac. When he was getting ready to do as the Lord had asked, God spoke and said not to lay a finger on the boy. From this we learn that God was only testing Abraham to see if he really had faith, Abraham passed. Also, his faith was tested by Abraham being required to leave his family behind in order to follow God’s plan. Therefore, we

How Browning Presents the Idea of Love in The Laboratory...

How Browning Presents the Idea of Love in The Laboratory and My Last Duchess Robert Browning was born into a wealthy family in 1812 in the suburbs of London. His education was a fusion of private instruction and formal schooling. Brownings Father was the owner of a large library of thousands of books, this helped Browning gain an immense literary knowledge. Browning was intelligent and he cultivated a taste for books and he learned numerous languages. Browning had a cultured and intellectual outlook on life. Browning wrote two of his most famous poems, The Laboratory and My Last Duchess at the start of the Victorian era, a time when Britain was going through vast change. The contrast between†¦show more content†¦Brownings dramatic contrast in periods of time, possibly could indicate how difficult the actual changes were in Victorian Britain and how even the well educated, such as Browning found the new developments around them tough and were uncertain of the future. Did Browning use two different periods of time to show that he felt that the changes were most unpleasant? I will be analysing, comparing and finding the contrasting factors between The Laboratory and My Last Duchess and how Browning presents his ideas of love. My Last Duchess is a great example of dramatic dialogue, a poetic form used to narrate and dramatize Victorian concerns. The poem is based on incidents of the life of Italian duke, Alfonse II. We learn about the duke in the poem by what he says and how he says it. Through him we gain knowledge of his wife, The Last Duchess. We interpret how their relationship stood, what the dukes expectations of his wife were and how his wife responded. We discover a great deal about the dukes character and his wife because the use of dramatic monologue allows the voice of the narrator to be separated from that of the poet. We automatically receive the feeling that this man is calculating, filled with pride and has a strong feeling of owner ship even over the memory of his dead wife. In the first stanza of, My Last Duchess, you automatically get the feeling that theShow MoreRelatedExplore the ways in which Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth and Browning presents the speakers in Porphyria’s Lover, My Last Duchess and the Laboratory1596 Words   |  7 PagesExplore the ways in which Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth and Browning presents the speakers in Porphyria’s Lover, My Last Duchess and the Laboratory Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth in such a way that she is shown as a strong and powerful woman. Her ability to manipulate Macbeth to murder Duncan in order to get more power is a key example of this aspect of her character. Browning also presents his speakers in a similar way to Shakespeare through their need to control. The main way that bothRead MoreLove, Murder, and Jealousy in Shakespeares Macbeth and Brownings My Last Duchess and The Laboratory2051 Words   |  8 PagesHow do Shakespeare and Browning present ideas about love, murder and jealousy in Macbeth, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory? This essay will look at ways William Shakespeare (1564-1616, English actor and playwright) and Robert Browning (1812-1889, English poet and playwright) consider love, murder and jealousy in the play Macbeth and the poems, My Last Duchess and The Laboratory. When comparing these themes it is of interest to consider their historical context and setting. Macbeth was firstRead MoreMy Last Duchess By Robert Browning1529 Words   |  7 PagesNot Go Gentle Into That Good Night, Havisham, The Laboratory, My Last Duchess and On My First Sonne have all crafted very emotion based poems, all 6 present strong feelings. Some through manic speech and rhythm, others through a deeper meaning. I would say the majority of these poems (Havisham, Duchess, Laboratory and Photographer) all feature protagonists with mental disorders, after or during certain situations. My Last Duchess by Robert Browning is about a pretentious man looking back on the fate

Lee Harvey Oswald Was Not the Lone Assassin Free Essays

On November 22nd, 1963, President John F. Kennedy (JFK) was shot and killed in a motorcade running through Dealy Plaza, in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after, a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the murder of President Kennedy. We will write a custom essay sample on Lee Harvey Oswald Was Not the Lone Assassin or any similar topic only for you Order Now Over the years there has been much controversy over if Lee Harvey Oswald was in fact, the only man involved in the assassination of JFK. The assassination is still a topic of debate to this day and has spawned many conspiracy theories. At the time, there was little persuasive evidence to prove that Oswald was involved in any sort of conspiracy to assassinate the president, but as time went on people began to grow suspicious of certain things. In 1966, Mark Lane was one of the first to introduce the idea that Oswald did not act alone with the publication of his book Rush to Judgment. Now today, 75% of people believe Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone[1], 70% of respondents believed that the assassination involved more than one person[2]. Also 66% of Americans believe that there was a conspiracy, while 74% believed that there was a cover up[3]. It is inevitable that there is much confusion as to who was involved in the assassination of President Kennedy, but I firmly believe that there is indisputable evidence that shows that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in the assassination. To start off, after the assassination took place and Oswald was captured, authorities changed the identity of the murder weapon many times. For instance, Deputy Sheriff Eugene Boone and Deputy Constable Seymour Weitzman both initially identified the murder weapon as a 6. 5 mm Carcano rifle, but the following day Weitzman signed affidavit describing the weapon as a 7. 5mm Mauser bolt action rifle, equipped with a 4/18 scope. Later on, investigators identified the rifle as a 6. 5mm Carcano, proving that Weitzman lied about the murder weapon. In his book, Mark Lane exploits this as the strongest reason why there was a cover up. He says â€Å"The strongest element in the case against Lee Harvey Oswald was the Warren Commission’s conclusion that his rifle had been found on the 6th floor of the Book Depository building. Yet Oswald never owned a 7. 65 Mauser. When the FBI later reported that Oswald had purchased only a 6. 5 Italian Mannlicher-Carcano, the weapon t police headquarters in Dallas miraculously changed its size, its make and its nationality. The Warren Commission concluded that a 6. 5 Mannlicher-Carcano, not a 7. 65 German Mauser, had been discovered by the Dallas deputies. † Also many witnesses to the assassination were aggressively confronted and were told to keep quiet about what they saw. Acquilla Clemmons, who claimed she saw two men, not only Oswald, at the scene of Officer J. D. Tippet’s[4] murder, says a man armed with a gun confronted her at her house and told her not to speak of what she saw. Leading off of this, in the next three years following the assassination, 18 witnesses were mysteriously killed along with many people dealing with the investigation process. This is significant because it shows that it was not just a coincidence that out of the small number of people that were testifying as witnesses already, many were being killed off. Somebody wanted these witnesses quiet. These deaths seemed to follow a pattern. Whenever various government agencies started a new investigation to look further into the assassination, key people within the agency would be killed, and the investigations halted. Key people were murdered when the New Orleans District Attorney, Senate Intelligence Committee, and House Select Committee on Assassinations started to conduct efficient investigations. Another claim by the Warren commission is that a single bullet killed the president and wounded the governor. There are many flaws with this theory, most prominent being that if there was in fact only one bullet shot, it must have traveled through 15 layers of clothing, 7 layers of skin, approximately 15 inches of tissue, struck a necktie knot, removed 4 inches of rib, and shattered a radius bone. Apart from this being very unlikely, the Zapruder film[5] shows President Kennedy being wounded in between frames 225 and 226, while Governor Connelly appears to have been wounded in frame 240. Pro conspiracy theorists believe that this is indisputable evidence that there were two shooters, because it is impossible to fire two shots from a Carcano rifle in less than 2. 3 seconds (43 frames in the film), meanwhile for anti conspiracy theorists it proves the single bullet theory correct. The evidence tips in favor of the pro conspiracy theorists because this shot is irtually impossible to successfully make. With the angle the bullet entered and the fact that there was so much to go through and the bullet came out in near perfect condition, with some bend in the back of the bullet, it is more likely that there were in fact two shots fired. Judging by the fact that it is impossible to fire two shots from a Carcano rifle in less than 2. 3 seconds, and the president and the governor were h it within 15 frames of each other on the Zapruder film, it only makes sense that there were two separate gunmen. Another reason why Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone assassin is that he himself was assassinated two days after capture. While Oswald was being transported to the county jail, he was shot point blank on live television by a man named Jack Ruby. Ruby claimed to authorities to have murdered him to avenge the death of President Kennedy. He wanted to avenge Kennedy for patriotism and out of pity for the widow. Ruby owned a nightclub in Dallas at the time, and was also a known gangster and women and drug trafficker. Although Ruby claims to have murdered Oswald as revenge for killing President Kennedy, most people believe it was part of a cover up for a much larger conspiracy. After Ruby’s arrest, he was sentenced to death, only to have his trials postponed and die of lung cancer shortly after postponing the trial. While Oswald was in interrogation, he changed his story many times when asked routine questions such as â€Å"where were you at the time of the shooting†, or â€Å"explain to us what you did the day of the assassination†. He also denied any involvement in the incident even though there was evidence against him. Oswald was bound to face further, more intense interrogation in the future, and this is the reason most people believe that assassination of Oswald was to prevent him from talking about what actually happened in the Kennedy assassination. There were also many strange reports of President Kennedy’s brain being switched from when it was seen in evidence, to when the autopsy was performed. There were pictures of Kennedy’s brain for evidence showing immense damage to the rear, consistent with an exit wound and therefore evidence of a shot from the front. Meanwhile, the autopsy brain did not nearly show the same amount of damage in the back of the brain, and an exit wound in the front. Douglas Horne, the Record Review Board’s chief analyst for military records said that he was â€Å"90-95%† certain that these brains were not the same. The idea of a brain switch is highly likely according to many investigators on the subject. This is evidence of a cover up because the way the bullet entered the brain could have shown numerous things to investigators. For one thing, it could have shown the angle and direction in which the bullet entered, proving that Lee Harvey Oswald could not have shot Kennedy from the 6th story of the Texas Book Depository because of the difference in the angles. It could have also shown multiple bullet wounds, disproving the single bullet theory, and ruling out Oswald as the lone assassin. In all, having investigators obtain Kennedy’s real brain would have been catastrophic to any conspiracy, for it would have proved that the conspiracy’s scapegoat Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone assassin. The situation in which Oswald had supposedly shot Kennedy continues to seem less and less likely to be possible. Both Craig Roberts[6] and Carlos Hathcock[7] said that this assassination could not have been done how the Warren Commission says it was. â€Å"Let me tell you what we did at Quantico, we reconstructed the whole thing: the angle, the range, the moving target, the time limit, the obstacles, everything. I don’t know how many times we tried it, but we couldn’t duplicate what the Warren Commission said Oswald did. Now if I can’t do it, how in the world could a guy who was a non-qual on the rifle range and later only qualified ‘marksman’ do it? â€Å"[8] This quote vividly disproves the idea that Oswald was the lone gunman. Two highly qualified snipers completely recreated the scene of the assassination, and could not make the shot in a copious amount of attempts, but a mere marksman Oswald could make the shots perfectly in one? These odds are extremely unlikely, and to think that it is even possible that Oswald could make a shot of this caliber is absurd. There are countless reasons why Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone gunman in the Kennedy assassination. The final verdict on the assassination of President Kennedy, is that Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots from a 6. 5 mm Carcano rifle out of the 6th floor window in the Texas Depository building, with one bullet missing the motorcade entirely, one bullet going through Kennedy’s back, and one bullet puncturing the back of Kennedy’s head, straight through to Governor Connelly, wounding him severely. An abundance of witness accounts clearly state that they heard shots elsewhere, and were told to be quiet about this, the shot Oswald would have had to make was impossible, Oswald was murdered two days after his arrest, the Zapruder film disproves the idea of the lone gunman, and there were many falsifications in the stories of Oswald and investigators about what happened that day, what weapon was used in the murder, the brain description, and what happened in interrogation. The lack of paperwork itself should have been enough to sway the opinions of a higher authority that there was something wrong with the investigation. Even when researching this topic, it is still not even clear what did happen on that horrible day. The Warren Commission, along with the Dallas Police, the FBI, and many other organizations, did an atrocious job of properly investigating and documenting the investigation of this assassination. If that is not sufficient, there is the fact that the way the final report claims this assassination happened is not humanly possible. This has been proven by highly trained snipers and well informed authority. Lee Harvey Oswald was not a sniping guru, nor was he the man who by himself killed President John F. Kennedy. How to cite Lee Harvey Oswald Was Not the Lone Assassin, Papers

Art Old vs New Essay Example For Students

Art Old vs New Essay The piece by the Italian artist Ugo Da Carpi is a beautiful picture. The artist used great detail in creating the man holding the conk shell. His body is very well drawn in detail depicting his muscle structure as well as the use of light and shadow. It shows the man holding a shell and attempting to read a book. He seems to be holding a pointer of some type in his right hand using it to hold down a book. By the look he might be holding the book down due to wind, his hair seems to be flowing and clothing flapping. Keith Haring has drawn a very plain picture of two people. It seems to me that one man is killing another man maybe in the name of god. I say that because he is holding a cross. The use of lines around the men shows me action and lots of it. Im not sure what the purpose of the light bulb is in the upper left corner. Carpi must have had a distinct purpose for this work; Im not exactly what that was. There is a chicken in the background and he is reading books. This is an Italian artist so it could possibly be a god or some type of European saint. Im stuck on the meaning of the chicken. The man seems to be trying to educate him self maybe on scripture, it gives me a real biblical feeling. Harring drew a simple, non-color, bland picture. Its not the actual use of color and lines that makes this good. I think is intent was in the actions of the figures. One man or thing or person is killing another form of life. At the same time holding a cross symbolizing religion. I think the light bulb may symbolize an idea. As if the meaning is that its a bad idea to kill and its a sin. If I had to choose between both of the works of art based upon which one I like most I would choose Carpis. I like his use of detail and just the whole way the piece flows together. The other is just plan and I think was not intended to be visually pleasing but instead to make you think or get a point across on I particular subject. Dont get me wrong I dont think it makes Haring any less of a good artist, he chooses to use his talent in a more simplistic way to get a point across. I choose Carpi solely based upon being visually pleasing. I cannot put an exact interpretation on the work but just the flow and the use of texture and color makes it more attractive to my eye.

The Bakan Peninsula Essay Example For Students

The Bakan Peninsula Essay The Balkan Peniunsula is comprised of the countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and European Turkey. Balkan history is characterized by military and political strife. Because of its crusial location between Asia and Europe it has been conquered and re-conquered by countless nations. Seeking trade routes to the middle east, many eastern European countries have set up ports there. Within the past ten years Yugoslavia has undergone major political changes. In 1991 and 1992 four Yugoslav republics, Slovenia,Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, declared their independence from Yugoslavia. Serbia and Montenegro then formed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After Yugoslavia began skirmishing with ethnic Albanianrebels in Kosovo at the end of 1998, NATO forces began airstrikes in late March, 1999. Caoncluding eleven weeks of bombing, the Yugoslavgovernment allowed a NATO peacekeeping force into Kososvo.Social Issues We will write a custom essay on The Bakan Peninsula specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

Disk Defragmentation essays

Disk Defragmentation essays Fast, reliable disk performance is mandatory in todays complex information technology world, because system response and virtual memory performance depend on fast disk I/O. unfortunately, common disk fragmentation leads to significant performance degradation. According to one vendor, 58 percent of any I/O operation is disk seek time. So reducing seek time by defragmenting files can play an important part in increasing application performance. How such an intelligent file placement program works and what does it really speed up windowsNT machines? Computer machines play a major and fundamental role in todays world. Almost all applications and studies require a big chunk of work, if not all, to be done on these machines. Thus improving their operation and performance will result in a better throughput and an important improvement of the work. In fact, when they want to improve the operation of a computer running the windowsNT operating system, most people think of adding RAM (increasing memory) or upgrading to a more powerful processor. Recent research studies prove there is a simpler solution : every so often, do a disk defragmentation. This feature, available on windowsNT systems, can more than triple system responsiveness, according to a study by the independent software testing laboratory NSTL Inc., Conshohoken Pa. Almost all operating systems suffer the consequences of files organization on disks, however very few support such a defragmentation software, mainly because their markets are smaller than windows and less appea ling to software developpers. Actually, just by running such a software, both individuals and corporations can enjoy faster system performance. How can this be interpreted? Files or data existing on a computer are stored on non volatile storage devices called magnetic disks; they are usually fragmented into pieces or fr ...

Introduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Introduction - Essay Example Because of these above features, the two plant species remain to be most ideal for population growth experiments (Clatworthy and Harper, pg 308). According to Harper et al (221), the main aim of this experiment will be concerned with competition for resources between L.minor and S.rotundifolia in a laboratory setting. There is a suggestion that interspecific competition will result into a dip in the growth rate of either species. This is brought about by factors such as leaf size which mean creation of plenty of own food and other nutrients thereby growing at an increased rate and healthier thus out competing the other. The same experiment will be focused at regulating environmental thereby observing the interspecific interactions between the two plant species by measuring growth rate and competitive effect. It is possible to make a simple model of floating aquatic plant population. This is attributed to the fact that it is possible to provide them with regulated environment in glass beakers with cultures. The parameters controlled are temperature and light intensity. In order to investigate interspecific competition, the two are to be grown in same culture. This will be followed by observation as the struggle for existence commences (Harper and Chancellor, pg 682). As for intraspecific competition, the culture will be of a single species of Lemna. For that experiment which is aimed at investigating increase in light supply or duration, L.minor is grown in cultures exposed to varying light intensities and duration. Clatworthy, J.N., Harper, J.L., Comparative biology of closely related species living in same area. Inter and intraspecific interference within cultures of Lemna spp. and Salvinia natans. J. Exp. Bot. 13, 307–324, 1962. Print. Harper,J . L. & Chancellor, A. P., The comparative biology of closely

European business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

European business - Essay Example The term is used for defining the concept of a single federation of states. Fiscal federalism means a more centralized economic order within the new European Economic Community. The European Community progress towards an economic and monetary union based on a common currency will create new demands for the design of fiscal policy. With a common currency and thus, a common monetary policy, member states will no longer be able to influence their local economies through exchange rate or monetary policies when state specific economic shocks occur. (Inman & Rubinfeld 1992, p.1-2) The economic situation in one province does not imply a sectarian policy to take any action or decision regarding exchange rate, interest rates and tax basis. The classical concept of federalism refers not only to an indestructible union of indestructible states but is also the method of dividing powers so that the general and regional governments are each, within a sphere, coordinate and independent. A major rea son for the existence of relatively centralized fiscal systems in developing and transitional countries is the adoption of planned development strategy. (Ahmad & Brosio 2008, p.225) A respected journalist argues that the expanding European Union is becoming a second, and potentially superior, superpower to the United States, and outlines what the new Union will mean to world trade, politics, and power (Reid, 2005). Fiscal federalism involves the handling of fiscal and monetary policy tools by a centralized body. It prevents regional financial inequalities by providing a balanced level of support to all the sectors. It is also criticized in terms of sharing prosperity and crisis. If one of the sectors is making huge revenues and they are effortlessly shared by others because of being members of a union is unjustified. Therefore detailed policy orientations are to be prepared for managing such systems is highly essential. Members of the European Community signed a treaty in 1992 and i t is called Treaty of Maastricht. It is more commonly known as treaty of Europe. This same treaty was the origin of a common currency in Europe called euro. Once the treaty was signed many amendments were made as the need for more detailed orientations rises. The 1992, French Referendum on the Maastricht Treaty, The Treaty on European Union was signed at the Dutch town of Maastricht by the foreign ministers of the twelve European Community members on February 7, 1992 (LeDuch 2003, p.83). The Maastricht Treaty established three so-called pillars of EU: the first being the pillar of Community; the second pillar relating to foreign and security policy; and the third pillar on justice and home affairs (Obokata 2006, p.87). Exploring the politics of European integration, Michael Baun argues that the end of the Cold War and German unification have created a new set of geopolitical realities in Europe (Baun 1996, p.2). European Union is an example of free trade unions like Mercosur, NAFTA, SAFTA and others. It is different to the extent that it has reduced national boundaries to a large extent as compared to other free trade zones. Member countries have wide range of agreements in terms of business, transportation, import and export, tourism, agriculture and so on. The strongest part is the common currency i.e. euro being operational in all member countries. The Treaty of Lisbon or

African american women underrepresantation in higher education Dissertation

African american women underrepresantation in higher education - Dissertation Example The African American women play a very important role in the academic field This alone calls for further research to find out the issues that surround the African American women in higher education.Since the beginning of 21st century, women have been integrated into the administration in most institutions of higher learning.However, they are hardly recognized and are only seen subordinates to the white women or black men. They are seen as a group that has no experience, even though they are equally competent with their colleagues (Anderson and Ramey, 1998). Still, there is a lot that needs to be done despite the fact that research has been done concerning the same. Research has in the past mainly concentrated on the students and the administration as a whole. This leaves the plight of the African American women unattended to. This literature review examines the following aspects. For one, I consider the policies that have been made by the judiciary, legislature and the executive conc erning the African American women in higher education. Secondly, the literature review focuses on the implementation of these policies, with an in depth focus on the state of Georgia. The third aspect that I will consider is the place of women in higher education. I will approach this by giving a comprehensive description of the same. Lastly, I will consider the future considerations of the policies that can enhance women’s representation in future. Main problems faced by African American women administrators ... This further leads to lack of influence and bottlenecks in achieving authority in these institutions. The third aspect that challenges these women is the prejudice on whether they are competent enough to lead other or make good management decision. Their families are also demanding, giving them limited chances of advancing in their careers. Fourthly, they face inequities in the opportunities of promotion and pay increase in these institutions (Eaglya and Johnson,1990). Many women have not been exposed to the opportunities of presidency. More so, they are still underrepresented in the faculties and in the senior most positions in the higher learning institutions. African American women have had to face limited chances in enrollment in the universities (Robson, 1985). This is mainly in North America, where a majority of women have no access to education. This explains why it is hard to have representation in the universities in such areas. The women also have balance between the tradit ional roles as homemakers and their professional careers. They are expected to do more than men, limiting their chances of rising as professional in any field (Eaglya and Johnson,1990). Further, their own views on what they are supposed to do in every day of their life, which limits their chances of fighting for their promotion in higher learning institutions (Robson, 1985). The responsibilities are both demanding, which means that a woman has limited chances of further education and thoroughness in their professionals. These are the very factors that warrant promotion and enhancement of leadership skills. Still, many women feel that their professional careers are secondary to their family roles and duties. Black women lack support by their spouses in the progression of their

Foreign Direct Investment Determinants Economics Essay

Foreign Direct Investment Determinants Economics Essay This paper provides a research proposal investigating the question of determinants of FDI in the ASEAN and the SAARC. significant relationships and differentials between potential Macro-economic, country specific and Transnational company specific determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in the ASEAN (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand) and select SAARC countries (Sri Lanka and India) using data sets from 1990-2011 are identified. The paper ascertained all objectives of the study and conducted a literature review where 32 variables and 32 hypotheses were identified to test the research question. The proposal was critically centred on research design and research method but also the research conducted time frames, weaknesses and bibliographic references which are to be proposed for future research in to the authors research topic. Finding of the study are to be conducted as per the time frame. Furthermore the Author provides definitions of all varia bles in the annexure 2. Or Abstract This study aims at analyzing the determinants of foreign direct investment inflows for a group of European regions. The originality of this approach lies in the use of disaggregated regional data. First, we develop a qualitative description of our database and discuss the importance of the macroeconomic determinants in attracting FDI. Then, we provide an econometric exercise to identify the potential determinants of FDI inflows. In spite of choosing regions presenting economic similarities, we show that regional FDI inflows rely on a combination of factors that differs from one region to another. Design/Methodology/Approach A mixed method approach to research is conducted gathering secondary data from the World Bank Statistics, International Financial Statistics (IFS) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Global Market Information Database (GMID). Global Market Information Database (GMID), the database of Department of Statistics for each country (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Philippines) and the Bloomberg database. Central bank annual reports of all countries. Furthermore primary data analysis will be conducted post testing where interviews with specialists in the field of Finance and economics will help make meaning to the results. The paper proposes to use a multiple regression analysis method where robustness of results and hypothesis are proven/disproven using ANOVA, Correlations and Model significance. This data will be tested using various statistical packages such as SPPS and visually will be shown to the reader via MS project. Then based on the variables ascertained from literature the hypothesis will be proven or disproven. Furthermore to stimulate the interest of the reader the data will be displayed as much as possible in the research report stage using graphical software such as MS project, Microsoft visio, Mind Mapping software and Matlab. Findings: The following paper is a research proposal and no findings have been ascertained. Research limitations and implications: Certain variables lacked time series data and may prove to have some level of significance on FDI. Certain countries did not have the required data to test Hypothesis. Practical Implications: The finding will be a guideline so that policy planners in emerging markets can use prior to making any type of investment decision related to the markets concerned. Also the paper after the finding will have section on the lessons learnt for each country or region in terms of FDI and it will be catalyst paper for future research and academia. Originality/value The paper extends and expands the knowledge of international capital flows and provides a more nuanced understanding of the importance of internal market dynamism in attracting FDI in the ASEAN and SAARC. Paper type: Research Chapter 1: Introduction 1.0 Background One of the remarkable features of globalization in the 1990s was the flow of private capital in the form of foreign direct investment. FDI is an important source of development financing, and contributes to productivity gains by providing new investment, better technology, management expertise and export markets (Sahoor, 2004). Domestic investment still accounts for the majority of the total investment in developing economies. Foreign investment can only complement this. However, each form of foreign investment plays a distinct and important role in promoting growth and sustainable development, boosting countries competitiveness, generating employment, and reducing social and income disparities. Non-FDI flows may work either in association with FDI, or separately from it. As no single type of flow alone can meet investment needs, it is vital to leverage their combinations to maximize their development impact (UNCTRAD, 2011) Foreign investors are also expected to transfer intangible a ssets such as technology and managerial skills to the host country and provide a source of new technologies, processors, products, organizational technologies and management skills as a strong impetus to economic development (Dr Catherine S.F. et .al, 2011) As per the Ernst young report six factors will shape our world including, Emerging markets increase their global power, Cleantech becomes a competitive advantage, Global banking seeks recovery through transformation, Governments enhance ties with the private sector, Rapid technology innovation creates a smart, mobile world and Demographic shifts transform the global workforce. If we Identify the key emerging markets globally as per a study conducted by Ernst and Young suggests Estimates show that 70% of world growth over the next few years will come from emerging markets, with China and India accounting for 40% of that growth. Adjusted for variations in purchasing power parity, the ascent of emerging markets is even more impressive: the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that the total GDP of emerging markets could overtake that of the developed economies as early as 2014 also other emerging markets were identified such as . The emerging markets already attract almost 50% o f foreign direct investment (FDI) global inflows and account for 25% of FDI outflows. In fact the largest The brightest spots for FDI continue to be Africa, the Middle East, and Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRICs), with Asian markets(Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) of particular interest at the moment. By 2020, the BRICs are expected to account for nearly 50% of all global GDP growth (Ernst Young,2011). In fact from the top 20 FDI inflow host countries as depicted in figure 3 China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India and Indonesia are among the top recipients in the world. In fact as per the UNCTADs World Investment Prospectus Survey(WIPS) confirms that developing and transition economies are becoming important investors, and this trend Is likely to continue in the near future (UNCTAD, 2011) Therefore Securing a strong base in these countries will be critical for investors seeking growth beyond them (Ernst Young, 2011). As depicted below in figure 2 shows the FDI inflows both global and group of economies, and it is estimated that in 2014 share of GDP growth in developing countries will surpass that of developed cuntries as shows bellow in figure 2, furthermore as Krugell, 2009 Suggets The spatial distribution of FDI depends firstly on interregional differences in factor and resource endowments. When foreign firms can choose between different regions, cities or towns, they locate in favourably endowed places. Investors also prefer to locate where other firms cluster together. Agglomeration creates a large local market and ensures diverse intermediate inputs and a thick labour market. This generates positive externalities which reduce costs and increase competitiveness and hence attracts investors. . Figure 1 : Top 20, Host recipients of FDI (Source: UNCTAD, based on annex table I.1 and the FDI/TNC database (www.unctad.org/fdistatistics). a Ranked on the basis of the magnitude of 2010 FDI inflows. Note: The number in bracket after the name of the country refers to the ranking in 2009. British Virgin Islands, which ranked 12th in 2010, is excluded from the list) Figure 2: World GDP forecast (World Economic Outlook, Business Source Monitor, 2010) To secure strong base as advised by Ernst Young for investors require an understanding on the history, policy, trends, important lessons learnt from a global context with an emphasis in the South, East and South East Asian regions to understand its investment environment prior to understanding FDI determinants, which will be covered in section 1 of the report. Then the essay will conduct a literature review looking at various benchmark indices that measure FDI performance together with other literature which will help in understanding the location or regional FDI determinant factors at a country specific and regional level. Then the determinants will be tested by model creation for its significance by using data from a variety of reputed sources and testing panel data using OLS regression and a unit root equation using panel data from 1xxx-2010. Then the findings will be done both for a country specific angle and at a regional level. Then a TOPSIS analysis will be conducted to see i f FDI promotes competitiveness. Then the findings will be interpreted and finally the dissertation will be concluded with some considerations for investors/Policy Makers. 1.0.1 History, policy, Trends and Lessons learnt through Global FDI and FDI in the ASEAN and SAARC 1.0.1.1 Global trends and directions in FDI As stimulus packages and other public fiscal policies fade, sustained economic development fade, sustained economic recovery becomes more dependent on private investment, at present Trans National Corporations (TNC) have taken a customary role as private investors (UNCTRAD, 2011). Global FDI rose to $ 1.24 Billion in 2010 from $1.185 Billion, but were 15% below pre-crisis averages. This in contrast global industrial output and trade, which were back to pre-crisis levels. UNCTAD estimates that Global FDI, will recover to pre-crisis level in 2011, increasingly to $1.4 Trillion-1.6 Trillion, approaching its 2007 peak(as per UNCTAD econometric model), this is baring any global economic shocks, that may arise due to a number of risk factors (UNCTRAD, 2011) risk factors especially for TNCs have become critical as unpredictability of global economic governance, possible widespread sovereign debt crisis, fiscal financial sector imbalances, rising inflation, apparent signs of overheating cer tain economies; might derail global FDI. Therefore investors have changed there preferences as the global FDI trends depict below: Developing (including ASEAN and SAARC) and transition economies contributed more than half(52%) of Global FDI flows while its outward flows were also the highest, while intra-regional flows of FDI between developing countries plus TNC were also high. Figure 3 depicts the transition of FDI flows over 3 decades from developed to developing and transition economies (UNCTRAD, 2011). TNC are actively in those countries due to its cost effectiveness and to remain competitive in the global production networks and also since the consumption patterns in the world are shifting (UNCTAD, 2011). 52% to developed and transition countries figure 3: World FDI inflows, global and by group of economies(Source: UNCTAD, based on annex table I.1 and the FDI/TNC database (www.unctad.org/fdistatistics) In the South, East and South East Asia inflows rose in the region by 24% in 2010, reaching $300 Bn, as a result of economic growth, good macro-economic fundamentals and higher commodity prices spurred FDI, figure 4 depicts FDI inflows to the developing economies in the region and it is clear that most FDI flows are flowing to South, East and South East Asia. Figure 4: FDi inflows to developing and transition economies, by region, average of 2005-2007 and 2008 to 2010 (Source: UNCTAD, FDI/TNC database (www.unctad.org/fdistatistics). International production expansion in foreign sales, assets and employment TNCs account for 1/10 of global GDP and 1/3 of world exports. TNC contribute largely as global presence sustains price advantage, cost effectiveness and make them remain competitive with global production networks. Furthermore state owned TNCs account(650 in number) with its affiliate network (8500 in number), their outward investments account for 11% of global FDI flows. Therefore the governance of state owned TNCs have raised concerns of late, the level playing field, national security, regulatory implications for international expansion becomes important for these companies. Understanding their incentives for capital flows is important to understand FDI flows. In 2010, 70% projects(Cross border merger and acquisition (MA) and Greenfield FDI projects) from these were invested in these regions. Mainly FDIs were inherited by BRIC countries in which China and India have gained ground In recent years following rapid economic development in home countries, abundant financial resources are strong motivations to acquire resources and strategic assets abroad. Infact Chinese and Indian companies saw large capital investment beyond their own regions. In fact in 2010, there were seven mega deals(12% of the total inward FDI came from these deals as shown below in table 1 in appendix 2 of this report were done by Chinese companies mainly to the Latin American Region. TNC ROI on FDI is approximately 7.3%, where leverage has shown decline, as proxy by outward FDI stock over foreign assets. Sales over foreign affiliates increased by 9.1%, reflecting strong revenue in developing and transition economies, employment continued to expand, as efficiency seeking investments increased. A new recent development is that TNCs account for nearly 80% of global FDI and TNCs are in the developing world account for 70% of global FDI flows. Strong profits of TNCs in emerging markets were incentives for further investments. Infact 100 of the largest TNC companies of Anglo-American origins gained 93% of their profits from these economies, this includes high EBIT positions for Coca-Cola, Toyota Motor, Unilever, SABMiller, Nestle, Barrick gold, Holcim, British American Tobacco, Nissan Motor, BASF, Honda Motor and Bayer. Even state owned TNCs became important to global FDI contributing largely to global FDI inflows and outflows, the 15 largest state owned TNCs account for large chunk of global FDI. Geographically 56% of State owned TNCs are located in China (50), Malaysia (50) and India (20) are among some top participants. Among them include Volkvagen group, GDF suez, General Motors, CITI group, Tata steel to just name a few. If we consider FDI by sector wise classification, FDI towards manufacturing sector increased while services and primary sector saw declines. Within manufacturing business cycle sensitive industries such as metal and metal products, electronics and wood products saw declines while chemicals, food, beverages tobacco, textile, automobiles showed rapid increases in emerging economies. In fact manufacturing related FDI rose to 23% in 2009 to $554 Billion, this as seen made TNCs more receptive to restructuring in to more profitable and productive units FDI in the primary sector decreased in 2010 despite growing demand for raw materials and energy resources, and high commodity prices. FDI projects (including cross-border MA and Greenfield investments) amounted to $254 billion in 2010, raising the share of the primary sector to 22 per cent, up from 14 per cent in the pre-crisis period(UNCTAD, 2011). Natural resource-based companies with sound financial positions, mainly from developing and transition economies, made some large acquisitions in the primary sector. Examples include the purchase of Repsol (Brazil) by Chinas Sinopec Group for $7 billion, and the purchase of the Carabobo block in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela by a group of investors from India for $4.8 billion. The value of FDI projects in the services sector continued to decline sharply in 2010, with respect to both 2009 and the pre-crisis level of activity. All main service industries (business services, finance, transport and communications and utilities) fell, although at different speeds(UNCTAD, 2011). Business services declined by 8 per cent compared to the precrisis level, as TNCs are outsourcing a growing share of their business support functions to external providers, seeking to cut internal costs by externalizing non-core business activities Transportation and telecommunication services suffered equally in 2010 as the industrys restructuring is more or less completed after the round of large MA deals before the crisis particularly in developed countries (UNCTAD, 2011). Figure 5 depicts the breakdown of Sectoral distribution of FDI projects during the 2009-2010 period. Figure 5: Sectoral Distribution of FDI projects (Source: UNCTAD. a Comprises cross-border MAs and Greenfield investments. The latter refers to the estimated amounts of capital investment.) In terms of mode of entry Greenfield investment has become much larger that cross-border M A, however TNCs. Recovery of FDI flows in 2011 reliant on the rise of both Greenfield and MA. as depicted in figure 6 MA and Greenfield projects have increased by 36% to $ 339 Bn as a result of higher stock prices increased the purchasing power of investors to invest abroad, the higher the values of corporate assets in 2010 raised the leverage of investors to undertake MA by using shares in part payment. At the same time the ongoing corporate and industrial restructuring is creating new oppertunies for for cash rich TNCs including those from emerging markets. However the total project value of Greenfield Investments over MA is not surprising as varying conditionality has tilted the favor towards Greenfield projects Figure 6: Greenfield Vs Mergers and Acquisitions (Source: UNCTAD, based on UNCTAD cross-border MA database and information from the Financial Times Ltd, FDI Markets (www.fDimarkets.com). Note: Data for value of Greenfield FDI projects refer to estimated amounts of capital investment. If we consider FDI by component; reinvested earnings grew fast, while equity capital investments and intra-company loans declined, cash reserves of foreign affiliates grew substantially. For example the profits to sales ratio of the United States SP 500 firms, Japanese Firms, Korean firms and developing country firms rose in 2010. However the rise in reinvested earning brought a decline in equity capital, intra-company loans declined as loans were paid back and capital was held for future investments. Given the fact the foreign affiliates hold large retained earnings on their balance sheet, repatriation to their parents become important role in determining the investment flows. Here government policymakers need to take steps. FDI flows in developing economies and transition economies should be treated with caution due to containing some short-term volatile flows, hot money, stabilization of capital flows represents an important challenge to many developing countries. As private foreign capital flows-portfolio investment, bank loans and FDI all contribute to development. But due to the nature of the crisis, official development assistance (ODA) is less prone to fluctuations and is as important to developing countries. But there effectiveness has been questioned on actual development. Private equity sponsored FDI has regained momentum, although it fell of its pre-crisis level. It is directed more towards developing and transition economies as secondary buyouts and smaller acquisitions. Sovereign Wealth Funds FDI declined substantially because of severely reduced investment from the Gulf region. However its long term potential as a source of investment remains. Poorest countries saw declines in FDI flows such as landlocked countries, small island developing countries or certain regions in south Asia. (UNCTRAD, 2011) Figure 5: FDI inflows by component (Source: UNCTAD, based on data from FDI/TNC database (www/unctad.org/fdistatistics). a Based on 106 countries that account for 85 per cent of total FDI inflows during the period 2007-2010. 1.0.1.2 Policy reform in terms of FDI and Macro-economic reform in East, South, South-East Asia The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and East/Southeast Asian countries have made rapid enhancement in their macroeconomic situations, investment, exports and employment over the decade of 1980s and 1990s through the use of large amounts of Foreign Direct Investment. Similarly private capital, which was long seen with concern and suspicion, is now regarded as source of investment and economic growth in South Asia. Like other developing countries, South Asian economies focus their investment incentives exclusively on foreign firms. Over the last twenty years, market reforms, trade liberalization and intense competition for FDI have led to reduced restrictions on foreign investment and expanded the scope for FDI in most sectors. However, the South Asian countries have been largely unsuccessful in attracting FDI. These countries, jointly and also individually, receive low FDI compared to PRC, Brazil, Singapore and other East/Southeast Asian countries. South Asia received the smallest FDI flows among developing Asian countries, accounting for around 3 percent of the total FDI inflows to developing countries in the region. All the countries in the South Asian region except India have received very little attention and negligible FDI inflows. South Asian policymakers realize that credible efforts for economic reforms in South Asia must involve an upgrading of technology, scale of production and linkages to an increasingly integrated globalise production system chiefly through the participation of Multi National Corporations (MNCs). South Asian countries have many advantages to offer to potential investors, including high and steady economic growth, single-digit inflation, vast domestic markets, a growing number of skilled personnel, an increasing entrepreneurial class and constantly improving financial systems, including expanding capital markets. On top of these advantages, South Asian countries have been designing policies and giving incentives to foreign direct inv estment in several ways (Sahoor, 2006) Till the late 1960s, most of the developing economies, including those of East Asia, adopted closed macroeconomic policies with import substitution industrialization policies, under which self-reliance and indigenous efforts were encouraged. At the same time, a dominant role was assigned to the state in the development process. These import substitution strategies, coupled with the large public sectors, resulted in rent seeking activities and uncompetitive production processes (Bhagawati and Srinivasan, 1975). Therefore, export-led industrialization and liberalization was advocated to make the production process efficient and competitive. Following the export-oriented growth argument (Bhagawati and Srinivasan, 1975 and Kruger, 1975), and the success of East Asian countries with higher exports and economic growth during the period from the early seventies to mid nineties, most of the South Asian countries started opening up their economies from the early eighties. The South Asian econ omies are currently enjoying the benefits of economic reforms, particularly reforms related to trade and investment. These countries undertook reform processes and opened up their economies after having experienced sluggish growth rates throughout the seventies and eighties (Sahoor, 2006 ). Please see appendix 1 for the types of reforms undertaken by SAARC countries. 1.0.1.3 Current trends in the ASEAN and SAARC * to understand the Policy, policy framework or related public institutions for FDI then foreign policy in terms of its automatic routes, government approval, FDI in attractive zones, repatriation of profit, labour regulations applicable to the South, East and South-East Asian Countries have been shown in appendix 1 of this report. à £Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã‚ ½Ãƒ §Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã…’à §Ã‚ £Ã‚ »Ãƒâ€œÃ‚ ±Ãƒ ¬Ã…’†º à £Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã‚ ½Ãƒ §Ã¢â€ž ¢Ã…’à §Ã‚ £Ã‚ »Ãƒâ€œÃ‚ ±Ãƒ ¬Ã…’†º Figure 6: Various Tables and Graphs (Source UNCTAD, 2011) In 2010, FDI inflows to South, East and South- East Asia increased by 24 per cent, to $300 billion (Figure A of Figure 6). inflows to the ASEAN countries more than doubled; those to China and Hong Kong (China) enjoyed double-digit growth; while those to India, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan Province of China showed decline (table B of figure 6). FDI to ASEAN increased to $79 billion in 2010 breaking 2007s previous record of $76 billion recorded at pre-crisis level times. The boost was driven by large magnitude of FDI inflows to Malaysia (537 per cent), Indonesia (173 per cent) and Singapore (153 per cent) (table A ; annex table I.1). Positive policy at country level fuelled good performance within region, and seem likely to continue to do so: in 2010, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines liberalized more industries; Indonesia improved its FDI-related administrative procedures; and the Philippines strengthened the supportive services for public private partnerships. Singapore the global financial centre and a regional hub of TNC headquarters, has benefited greatly from increasing investment in developing Asia, this accounted for half of ASEANs FDI, recorded record FDI levels of $39 billion in 2010. Due to rising production costs in China, some ASEAN countries, such as Indonesia and Viet Nam, have gained ground as low-cost production locations, especially for low end manufacturing. FDI to East Asia rose to $188 billion, thanks to growing inflows to Hong Kong (China) (32 per cent) and China (11 per cent) (table A). Benefiting greatly from its close economic relationship with mainland China, Hong Kong (China) quickly recovered from the shock of the global financial crisis, and FDI inflows recorded a historic high of $69 billion in 2010. However, inflows to the other two newly industrializing economies, namely the Republic of Korea and Taiwan Province of China, declined by 8 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively. China continues to experience rising wages and production costs, so the widespread offshoring of low-cost manufacturing to that country has been slowing down and divestments are occurring from the coastal areas. Meanwhile China has seen structural transformation shifting FDI inflows towards high technology sectors and services. For instance, FDI in real estate alone accounted for more than 20 per cent of total inflows to China in 2010, and the share was almost 50 per cent in early 2011. Mirroring similar arrangements in some developed countries, China established a joint ministerial committee in 2011 to review the national security implications of certain foreign acquisitions. FDI to South Asia declined to $32 billion, reflecting a 31 per cent slide in inflows to India and a 14 percent drop in Pakistan, the two largest recipients of FDI in the subcontinent. In India, the setback in attracting FDI was partly due to macroeconomic concerns, such as a high current account deficit and inflation, as well as to delays in the approval of large FDI projects;10 these factors are hindering the Indian Governments efforts to boost investment, including the planned $1.5 trillion investment in infrastructure between 2007 and 2017. In contrast, inflows to Bangladesh increased by nearly 30 percent to $913 million; the country is becoming a major low-cost production location in South Asia. Cross-border MAs in the region declined by about 8 per cent to $32 billion in 2010. MAs in manufacturing rose slightly while they declined by 8 per cent in services. Within manufacturing, the value of deals surged in industries such as chemical products ($6.0 billion), motor vehicles ($4.2 billion) and metal products ($1.6 billion), but dropped in industries such as food and beverages ($2.9 billion) and electronics ($920 million) (table D). Greenfield investment remained stable in 2010, after a significant slowdown due to widespread divestments and project cancellations in 2009 (annex table I.8). FDI inflows to East Asia should continue to grow in the near future, and those to South Asia are likely to regain momentum. The competitiveness of South- East Asian countries in low-cost production will be strengthened, and further FDI increases can be expected. Prospects for inflows to the LDCs in the region are promising, thanks to intensified South-South economic cooperation, fortified by surging intraregional FDI. Indeed, countries in the region have made significant progress in their regional economic integration efforts (within Greater China, and between China and ASEAN, for example), which will translate into a more favourable investment climate for intraregional FDI flows. To get a closer picture of the emerging trends in terms of its industrial patterns please refer appendix 2 of this report. (UNCTAD, 2011) 1.2 Problem Statement However despite recent improvements FDI flows have declined in 2012, for the first time Developed nations and nations in transition received more FDI than there Asian counterparts during the recent period which has primarily been as a result of volatility in the markets. The capital surge is exposing developing countries to greater unstability, putting direct pressure on their exchange rate and the low interest rate environment will be hard sustain in the long term (UNCTRAD, 2011). While FDI recovery resumes unevenly, the world wide demand for private productive investment is increasing as public investment, which rescued the global economy from declines in FDI in one country after another. With unsustainable level of debt in many countries, with nervous capital markets, governments must now rein in their deficits and let private investment take over the lead role in generating and supporting recovery. Infact responses by TNCs indicate increasing awareness to invest, and clear priori ty in opportunistic areas but TNCs feel that increased protectionism coupled by regulatory risks have put a brake on capital expenditures. Infact many developed nations require private investment rather than public investment, but TNCs are reluctant to invest due to past FDI performance would seem to warrant(UNCTRAD, 2011). Taking in to consideration the volatility in the markets, TNC investments directed towards the right countries, sectors and the understanding of the current investment environment is pivotal. However current indicies are full of limitations and thus building an index to both understand the current investment environment and reduce the limitations in other indicies is the main problem trying to be solved by this report. 1.3 Objective This study aims to provide an investigation of the determinants significantly affecting FDI flows in to key emerging markets in in East, South and South East Asia. The investigation builds on previous research both from literature conference proceedings and focuses on a variety of determinants including the policy framework of FDI, economic determinants and FDI determinants in relation to business facilitation for FDI. This is a important consideration in the global context for investors. To construct the variables 3 sets of macroeconomic, country specific and transnational company specific determinants of FDI will be used. The empirical assessment will consider econometric models such as Improved Inward FDI Potent

Problems in Air Traffic Control and Proposed Solutions Essay -- Aviati

Problems in Air Traffic Control and Proposed Solutions In northern California this summer, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) unintentionally performed it's first operational test of "free flight"; aviation without direct air traffic control. This was an unintentional experiment because it was a result of a total shut-down of the Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). Although Oakland is only the 16th busiest ARTCC, it's responsible for the largest block of airspace of any ATC facility; 18 million square miles. Oakland directs all upper-level flight from San Luis Obispo, California to the California/Oregon boarder, including most Pacific oceanic routes. The failure happened at 7:13 a.m. local time during the morning "departure push". Controllers estimated there were 60-80 aircraft under their control when the power died. All radar screens went dark and all radios went silent. It took 45 minutes to restore radios and bring up a backup radar system. It was more than an hour before the main radar presentations came on line. One controller described the sudden quiet in the control suite as "the loudest silence I've ever heard" (UPI , 1995). He went on to say there was "panic on everybody's face" as they realized they had been rendered deaf, dumb, and blind by this catastrophic equipment failure. It took a few minutes for controllers to realize the shut-down had affected the entire facility. There was no book procedure to cover this emergency scenario, so most controllers improvised. Controllers in adjourning Los Angeles, Salt Lake, and Seattle ARTCCs and various Terminal Radar Approach Controls (TRACON; the level of radar coverage below upper-level ARTCC radar) were asked to take control over all airspace within their radar coverage, and divert aircraft under their control inbound to Northern California. Control towers in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento, and other airports in the area were instructed to hold all IFR departures on the ground. The most difficult problem was getting notification to the airborne flight crews. In one case, controller Mike Seko said, "We had Napa tower telling high altitude aircraft Oakland Center had lost everything, and to switch to emergency frequencies" (Seko, UPI, 1995). But most airborne aircraft on Oakland Center frequencies were in a state of "l... ...ly privatize it, another to rework it from within, and a few other variations of those. Legislators have their own reasons to support certain bills; is our safety one of them? The Federal Times editorial sums up an everyday controllers concern. He's the one working with that aged computer equipment, he's the one working the unnecessarily long shifts, he's the one scared every day his screen will go dark during the morning rush hour. I would be inclined to listen very closely to his concerns and follow his recommendations towards a solution. The FAA's Quality statement declares the agency as an organization dedicated to "eliminating barriers, improving communication, providing additional opportunities for training, and constantly encouraging all personnel to seek ways to improve". The FAA is proud of its Quality activities because they "foster such initiatives as continuous improvement of work processes, empowerment of employees, partnering of labor and management, and re- engineering". (World Wide Web FAA Home-page, 1995) These are very lofty goals that always require improvement. But will disaster strike before their processes gets us a new ATC system?