Financial Ratio and the Gross Profit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Ratio and the Gross Profit - Assignment Example The ROCE is has decreased over the four years from 15.78% in 2010 to 11.63% in 2013; indicating that the company received fewer earnings for every unit of capital invested in the company in the recent years compared to the past years. However, it is above average in the industry in terms of utilization of assets to earn profits because its ROCE is more than the industry average of 8%. Generally, the company is doing well in terms of profitability. Inventory days decreased from 2011 to 2013, indicating that the number of days that inventory remains in the store has decreased; hence the company is managing its inventory successfully. Compared to the industry, the company is below average in the number of inventory days because the average industry average is 60 days. This shows that the company manages its inventory more effectively than most companies in the industry. Receivable days are also lower than the industry average indicating that the company collects its debts faster than most companies in the industry. Payable days are also lower than the industry average, showing that the company pays its credit faster than most companies in the industry. Debt/equity ratio decreased from 0.96 to 0.82 in 2013 indicating that the equity could pay total liabilities more times in 2012 than 2013 using its equity. This is a lower number of times compared to industry average, meaning that the company’s equity can pay off its liabilities faster than most companies in the industry (Sutton, 2004). The interest cover of decreased over the four years from 11.16 times in 2010 to 5.70 times in 2013; indicating that the company uses fewer debts to fund its total assets in the recent years. it is also below the industry average of 12 times; hence it uses less debt to fund its assets than most companies in  the industry.

Almarai and Anaam firms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Almarai and Anaam firms - Essay Example The foregoing data are consistent with the following performance indicators which reflect that Almarai has achieved better profitability levels for the year 2012 as compared to Anaam: Of the two companies, Almarai provided better returns for its shareholders for the year 2012. The following tabulation shows the standard deviation of the two companies: Stock prices of Anaam for 2012 turned out to have higher standard deviation, which peaked in July 2012 at 7.297. Closing at SAR 36.02 in June 2012, Anaam shares went up by SAR 10.32 or 28.65% in July 2012 in response to the approval by the company’s General Assembly of the proposed capital increase which was seen to boost its liquidity and profitability. In comparison, Almarai’s equivalent figures deliver the highest point in March 2012 at 4.271. From its closing price of SAR 60.81 for February 2012, Almarai’s stock rose to SAR 65.84 at the end of March 2012. This may have been the market’s positive reaction to the news declared on 28 March 2012 regarding Almarai’s increased stake in one of its subsidiaries, Global Co. Anaam stock prices are more volatile and, therefore, bring in more risk compared to Almarai’s. Incidentally, the beta figures of the two companies – 0.64 for Almarai and 1.39 for Anaam – consistently reflect that Anaam has more price volatility. 2. Capital Structure There are material differences in the annual levels of indebtedness of Almarai and Anaam for the years 2008 to 2012. Almarai has turned out to be a highly leveraged company, with its long-term debt to equity ratios ranging from 70.13% in 2010 to a high of 96.10% in 2012. This means that Almarai’s creditors have lent the company SAR 96.10 (for 2012) for every SAR 100 invested by the shareholders in the company. In fact, Almarai’s total debt to equity ratio – also called the leverage ratio – has consistently been over 100% from 2008 to 2012, peaking at 150. 31% in 2012. This means that the company’s total liabilities, both current and long-term, is higher than the company’s equity by as much as half of it (equity). It is, thus, not surprising that the total debt to total assets ratios of the company from 2008 to 2012 yield figures above 50%. In the same year when both the long-term debt to equity ratio and the total debt to equity ratio are at their highest during the 5-year period, the total debt to total assets ratio for the year stand out as the highest. By the year 2012, 61.32% of the company’s assets are financed by its creditors. The fact that Almarai is highly leveraged is further demonstrated by a comparison between the company’s leverage ratios and those of the industry that the company belongs to. Almarai’s total debt to equity ratio is 150.31% while the equivalent for the Agriculture and Food Industries Sector is 123.69%. Almarai’s long-term debt to equity ratio is 96.10% as against the Sector’s 56.49%. In the light of the foregoing, it is clear that Almarai has managed to maintain the confidence of its investors and creditors in spite of its high-leverage capital structure. The company has successfully ensured that its cash flows are stable and are capably generating all the cash requirements of its operations and treasury. As cited in the company’s Board Report for the year ended 31 December 2012, it is its efficiently controlled cash flows that have given Almarai access to additional financing

The Decadence of Han China and the Roman Empire Essay Example for Free

The Decadence of Han China and the Roman Empire Essay In the both of the declines of the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty in China, there were similarities in many aspects, such as their economics failing, a sudden decrease in both populations, and collapse of both their political systems. Although, even in these few of the many similarities, there were differences in the economic failure, the decay of their cultures, and the political collapse of the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty in China. In both the Han Dynasty in China and the Roman Empire, economic failure was one of the factors of both their declinations. Both were subjected to harsh invasions by surrounding nomadic barbarians and were forced into spending large amounts of money on border defense and an offensive team, such as Han China’s Great Wall of China and the Roman Empire’s several garrisons. Both Han China and the Roman Empire had a substantial and harshly effectual sudden drop in population, as well. Han China and the Roman Empire both fell to similar plagues and epidemics which caused many people to die and flee their residences to get away from the inevitable sickness. Both of the governments of Han China and the Roman Empire suddenly stopped flourishing and working correctly suddenly due to unstable leadership and the surrounding nomadic barbarian invasions becoming too much to handle for both Han China and the Roman Empire. The Han Dynasty in China and the Roman Empire both split into separate parts within themselves, the Roman Empire splitting into two separate eastern and western parts, and Han China splitting into three separate parts. Within the economic failure in both Han China and the Roman Empire, Han China mainly collapsed due to taxes being too high and people revolting, such as the Yellow Turban Rebellion. The Yellow Turban Rebellion was Han China’s uprising of society because of unfair taxation. The Han Chinese government tried to stop it, but there was too much corruption within the government, causing its military efforts to stop the Yellow Turban Rebellion to fail miserably. The Roman Empire was in fear of abandonment as many civilians left due to the fact that their taxes that were being collected were too high and the civilians in the Roman Empire that remained were stuck in financial troubles. Han China and the Roman Empire’s cultures fell apart differently. The Han Dynasty in China had one common script and common culture, while the Roman Empire’s was in many fragments, making the fall of Han China more severe because the language and many things surrounding it fell apart. The political confusion, instability, and eventual collapse was very different for both the Han Dynasty in China and the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire had split into the two eastern and western parts and Han China had split into three, as mentioned above. But with that, the Roman Empire had a string of weak leaders which caused succession and an eventual civil war within itself. In Han China, public servants such as politicians became corrupt, which in turn caused landlords to suddenly have a substantial increase in power, figuratively robbing everyone else outside of that social class of their money. In conclusion, between the Han Dynasty of China and the Roman Empire, their downfalls were the same in ways such as economic failure, decrease in population, and the collapse of both of their political systems. Even though they are similar in those ways, they differ in the ways their economies crashed and fell apart, they way Han China’s and the Roman Empire’s cultures dissolved and faded away, and even the way their political systems had collapsed.

Introduction To Aircraft Manufacturing Industry Marketing Essay

Introduction To Aircraft Manufacturing Industry Marketing Essay The Aircraft Industry is a duopoly industry comprising of Airbus (EU) and Boeing (US). If there are to be viewed from political consensus they are two-party political system. Anthony Downs proposed a classic model in the political science that suits the situation in the perfect way. His proposal reversed the conservative connection between party ideologies and elections. He said that instead of parties achieving victory in the elections on the basis of the appropriateness of their agenda, his findings give elections pre-eminence, with insinuation that all actions taken by the party are aimed at maximising votes. According to Downes, both parties will try to resemble each other as much as possible. Both parties will keep their policies modestly different from each other. Also majority of voters only want to see minor alterations in government functionality. The Market of large and mid size aircrafts works on the same ideology. There is an immense consensus among market players to what an attractive product comprises, that is, an economically efficient and safe aircraft. But there are also some interest factions that have wagered in product design, just as there are much potential groups within a democratic system(Ibsen n.d.). Â  The Government of the United States and its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are considered to be influential as they look upon the largest air transport market in the world. Regulations laid by the European and United states government will prove to be a major driving force for orders of new aircraft in the coming years. In the similar way, the deregulation of European airlines, which begun in 1990s, promises to expand the markets for smaller regional jets(Ibsen n.d.). Trade of large commercial jetliners has been tariff free under the agreement of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The high degree of political intervention has effect on the purchase of aircraft. The decision of buyers to buy which aircraft depends on the political reasons because the support and interference from the government could effect the future of buyers. For Example, presently Boeings biggest market is China and is estimated to be for next twenty years. As a result Chinas purchase of boeing aircrafts has led to lot of political influence in the United States(Ibsen n.d.). ECONOMIC FACTORS Air traffic in US and UK is likely to increase as they have just recovered from the recession. The commercial aircraft is estimated to rise worth US$ 2 trillion in the coming twenty years, which will result into need of 16,600 new aircrafts (estimated). The largest demand is expected to come from airlines from China, US and India. Huge amount of growth is expected from the Middle East countries. It is expected that China alone will need 2,200 new aircrafts to meet its travel needs. Also, international freight sector is estimated to grow by 253% in the next twenty years (Irwin Pavcnik n.d.). China being the biggest emerging market and considering its population size, the growth in air passengers is likely to shoot up which would result in increasing demand for new aircrafts (The Economist n.d.). High Oil prices: towering oil prices have elevated the operating cost of airlines. In the year 2007, the worldwide airline industry had to pay 136 billion US dollars for fuels, its a 300% increase compared to what they had to pay in 2003. Even in 2008, when crude oil prices fell dramatically, it still accounted for 32% of the operating expenses. Global GDP- the primary factors in determining the demand of aircraft and growth in the industry is the GDP, which is expected to grow by 3.2% by 2030 The global recession: The recession which impelled a theatrical drop in load factors in the middle of 2008. In response, airlines have been putting aircrafts out of service and rethinking plans to order replacement for the existing aircrafts. In the third quarter of 2008 24 airlines went bankrupt. The loses during this period were estimated about 4-8 billion US dollars. The credit crunch: The credit crunch in combination with the above mentioned factors, has made it hard to purchase new aircrafts, airlines are finding difficulties to finance new aircrafts. Despite of the credit crunch, orders for business and commercial jets have seen increase at the beginning of 2008, but the credit crises has resulted in delays and deferrals and failure to take delivery of many aircrafts(Captain n.d.). SOCIAL FACTORS Recent changes in society have led to increase in air travel. Also changes in life style of people and the viewpoint of air journey being a feasible option. Demand of air travel is driven by convenience. However, the trend is changing as the consumers travel decisions is primarily based on price. Rising cost and competition produced by low-cost carriers is affecting majority of Airlines. Business travels, once a stable of income, now is a conduct by corporate travel guidelines. As a consequence, airlines are combining their networks to utilize economies of scale, minimize environmental impact and offer smaller markets with new and improved services. The noise generated and CO2 emission near the airport is also a thing of higher concern as people living near the airport are pressurizing authorities to change their operating style(Ferreri n.d.). TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS In the commercial aviation industry, there are huge amount of costs connected with Research and development for the development of a new aircraft. European Union governments sustain European technology R D sector, just as the united states government does, though FAA, NASA, Department of Defence (DOD) and programs that reliefs export tax (Colantonio n.d.). Though United states has three times more support than the European union. The Aircraft industry is very demanding with very high quantity of time and money dedicated to innovations and RD. Now a days carbon fiber is used for the construction of an Aircraft body. (example: A350 XWB with 50% carbon fiber body) Concentration on development on making more fuel efficient engines for longer ranges (Szodruch et al. n.d.). Use of alternative sources of fuel to counteract raising oil prices The development of supersonic aircraft is also a chance because it will lead to creation of whole new market segment. Commercial carriers will buy these aircrafts to meet customers demand of reaching the destination quickly and on time. The largest and cost efficient advancement for commercial aircraft industry is the faster designing of planes. The augmented manufacturing time will save aircrafts manufacturers time on labor and help them to better utilize resources. For Example: Boeing 777 used computer to design a prototype, this saved them the cost of building a real prototype(Szodruch et al. n.d.). In todays competitive world, robots are also considered an effective tool for the manufacturing of aircraft. LEGAL FACTORS There are many restrictions when it comes to entering the market but due to globalisation circumstances have changed and also due to US open skies agreement. Open skies agreement has led to smooth flow of national and international flights in and out of US, promoting tours and business activities, improving productivity and creation of job opportunities and economic growth (BBC n.d.). United states open skies policy has been proved very effective in airline globalization. It enabled the airline carriers limitless admittance in the partners market and right to go to all middle and beyond points. This agreement has offered the most operational flexibility for airline coalitions. This agreement has been successful in achieving over hundred partners from every part of the world and every level of economic growth (BBC n.d.). Also there is IATA (International Air Transport Association). Its aim is to provide assistance to airlines to decrease complexity of their process and increase passenger convenience, decreasing costs and develop efficiency. The pioneering simplifying the business scheme is vital in this area. Moreover, IATAs primary priority is safety and its aims to continuously improve safety standards via IATAs Operational safety audit (IOSA)(Rothman Rothwell n.d.). The Boeing company and government have long complained that Airbus has ignored the 1992 bilateral agreement, which is one of the key agreement, which says that launch aid will be available to Airbus till its in the level of its competitor Boeing, but that is no longer the case with Airbus having 52% of the market share. The US government says that the aid given to Airbus is illegal under the WTO agreement and had also asked for litigation. The case is solved and US won the battle and Airbus was penalised and WTO promised to restore fair trade in the industry (EU Business n.d.). Major regulatory bodies such as EPA, FAA have a major impact on the industry as they decide on the laws and regulations that various suppliers, producers and operators have to deal with. The impact is substantial as they are capable of creating major obstacles in the final approval of aircrafts (Barriage n.d.)(Clarke n.d.). ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Environment factors generally include ecological aspect of climate and weather change, which in turn can influence industries such as insurance, tourism and farming. Today, there is an awareness of climate change in the minds of people, which is becoming a deciding factor on how companies function and what are their offerings, because it can lead to formation of a new market or destruction of the present market. ACARE is an European group of airports, eurocontrol, airlines, manufacturers, universities and members of EU and EU commission. Its primary challenges are safety, reasonable, quality, environment and security. Some of their objectives are to reduce air accidents to 80%, 15 minute less wait time on airports for little distance destinations and 50% less time needed to market. One of most popular intention of ACARE was to reduce specific CO2 discharge by 50%, the discharge of NOx by 80%, and to decrease the exterior noise of fixed wing aircraft by 10 db per operation. For example- Boeing is a major element of the commercial aviation industry. It is executing some new plans to improve its aircrafts environmental performance. Compared to present It also claims that it will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020(Szodruch et al. n.d.). The purpose of ACARE clearly reflects the demand of society, especially in the area of security and stability of environment. Also, their purpose reflect the requirements of aircraft operators, which are major driver for innovation in technology. The ACARE objectives reflect requirements which are demanded by society, particularly in the areas of environmental compatibility and security. On the other hand, the ACARE objectives also reflect the needs of aircraft operators, which are an important driver for technological improvement. On the other hand, the mounting pressure from society regarding emissions, noise around airports is affecting airline operations(Szodruch et al. n.d.). In addition, with increasing pressure from society as a whole, as well as from local communities around airports, noise and local emissions have an impact on airline operations(Clarke n.d.). CONCLUSION Commercial Aviation Industry is optimistically connected to the world economy. As a result, with the continuous growth of world economy, this industry is also presenting signs of swift growth. Airbus and Boeing forecasted immense growth in the future and adjusting their strategies accordingly. Boeing and Airbus create a duopoly in the market. However they still face competition from small companies located in Russia. Also China is entering the market with its first home made commercial jetliner COMAC C919 coming in 2012. This sector is heavily dependent on outsourcing and external factors. Their operations are carried out around the world so multiple trade policies of different countries affect their strategies. Rising oil prices is a serious problem for the industry; airlines are forced to shut down their old planes because of increased fuel consumption. After the PESTEL analysis, it can clearly be concluded that the biggest challenges are expected to come from economic, legal and e nvironmental factors in the near future. PART B AIRBUS FUTURE FORECAST According to Airbus latest Worldwide market forecast, there will be a delivery of 25,000 new freighter and passenger aircrafts between 2009 to 2028, which are expected to be worth US$ 3.1 Trillion. Rising economies, developing airline networks, extension of low cost airlines and increasing number of big cities as well as growth in traffic and also the also the orders to replace new aircrafts with the new ones which are more efficient are creating more demand for the aircrafts. In 2009, there was a downfall in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) by 2%, it is expected to rise to 4.6% in 2010. The forecast also estimates that in next twenty years, passenger traffic RPKs will show resiliency to the repeated effects of the sector and raise itself by 4.7% per year or double in the coming fifteen years. This will only happen if demand rises to 24,100 new aircrafts of value US$2.9 trillion. When the old 10,000 aircrafts will be replaced with the new ones, the global aircraft fleet of hundred seating or more will twofold from some 14,000 today. According to the forecast, airfreight tonne kilometres (FTKs) are expected to increase annually by 5.2%. Pooled with fleet renewal, this will lead to requirement of 3,440 new freighters. More than 850 of these are new, which are expected to valued more than 210 billion dollar, with the remainder converted from passenger aircraft. Economics of Oxford predicts that in the next twenty years, this industry will directly employ 8.5 million people and will add US$ 1 trillion to the world GDP. Other indirect advantage and tourism are even bigger. The biggest demand will come from the Asia pacific and the emerging economies. They are China and India (31%), followed by Europe (23%). Also in terms of domestic market China (10%) and India (7.9%) will be the fastest growing in the next twenty years. But the US will retain its title of being the biggest domestic network. Not very surprising, Airbus also predicts requirements for Very Large Aircraft (VLA) which can accommodate more than 400 passengers like the A380, at above 1,700. About 19 percent by value of passenger and freight deliveries, or seven percent aircraft units are valued at over US $570 billion. Out of these, 1,318 will be used to link the mega cities of the world, which are continuously increasing in numbers. This implies greater increase in air traffic. Also more than half of the VLA will be operational in Asia-pacific. In the segment of twin aisle aircraft which can accommodate 250 to 400 passengers, forecast states that there will be a need of 6,250 new aircrafts in the next twenty years, expected to be valued at US$ 1,300 billion, or 25% by units, 42% by value. Out of these 6,250, 4,240 will be small twin aisle (250-300 sitting capacity) and about 2,010 will be twin aisles (350-400). Such sections include members of A330/A340 family. It is also expected that from 2013, A350 XWB will replace the whole twin aisle market requirements. According to the forecast, in the single aisle section, aircrafts worth US$ 1,200 billion or 68% by units, 39% by value will be distributed in the next twenty years. There is comparatively an increase in forecast compared to previous ones due to arrival of low-cost transporters and liberalization in route and increasing requirement of single aisle aircraft in Asia pacific(Leahy)(Airbus n.d.). BOEING FUTURE FORECAST Global economic activity revealed that gross domestic product (GDP), is the most powerful driver of development in commercial aircraft and airlines industry and also affects demands of aircraft. The worldwide GDP is anticipated to rise at an average of 3.2% on a yearly basis for the next twenty years. Revealing on the economic growth, global traveller traffic will rise average 5.3% and cargo traffic to 5.9% over the forecasted period. The traveller and cargo traffic growth rates are comparatively higher than prior years due to fall in air traffic. After calculating the twenty year growth rate on the basis of lower base year results into a higher growth rate. If the low starting point is neglected, it is estimated that traveller traffic will increase to a rate of 4.9 percent and the cargo traffic will also increase to 5.4 percent each year. To meet the current demand of business-related aviation services, the number of aircrafts needed worldwide will increase at an annual rate of 3.2% , doubling-up from 19,000 aircrafts present today to a total of 36,000 aircrafts in 2029. Also airplane deliveries for the purpose of substituting old planes and growth of fleet will total 30,900 over the next twenty years of value US$ 3.6 trillion. Diverse demand for air services: Air travel around the world continues to change in response to challenges and opportunities. New airline Business models and energetic growth of air travel in the emerging countries are expanding the demand of airplanes. Despite the downfall in travel in 2009, there were still several business models and markets that experienced growth. In the next twenty years, seventy seven percent of the demand of new aircrafts will arise from outside of north America, with 34% going to Asian region. According to the Boeing forecast the biggest demand form market value point of view will come from United States, followed by china. Amazingly, the United Arab Emirates, with less than five million population, is home to numerous highly competitive airlines, is expected to be the third biggest market by value (Boeing n.d.). AIRBUS COMPANY PROFILE AND STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED Airbus is an aircraft manufacturing company based on France, Toulouse, is presently the worlds largest commercial aircraft manufacturer with 52% of the market share in the European market, and has been involved in an intense competition with Boeing since 1970. Airbus is a supplementary of European Aeronautic defence and space space company (EADS). In 2001, Airbus officially became a solo company, BAE and EADS relocated their assets to newly formed company and became stakeholders of 20% and 80% respectively. A shareholder committee that contains seven members and work as an administrative council, 5 members from EADS and 2 members from BAE administer airbus, they approve the investment and make up three year investment plan. In the May month of 1974, Airbus successfully made its first delivery, it was an A300B2, to an air operator in France Airbus has been restructured into centres of excellence and each centre is managing its own policy of buy and make accordingly, making decision to subcontract trying to find out whether they can lower cost, which is the only way to continue profitability. Airbus has also adapted differentiation strategy for its core activities since it rolled out its first wide bodied twin aircraft which differentiates it from its competitors (UscubaComission n.d.). Airbus follows an expansion strategy by proving itself expert in the industry and put it in use in the military program A400M program. Airbus has started research on the new engine option (NEO) that could result into reductions of operating costs. Boeing plans to offer a new aircraft in 2020 followed by 737NG in 2011. The company make use of only prime and properly tested technology to chose its suppliers to assure quality. The company used synergies between its aircrafts, which leads to shorter training time between engineers and pilots, leading to savings in maintenance processes and reduction in spare parts inventory. This leads to monetary gains and competitive advantage for them(Goold n.d.). Airbus functions on the thinking of foreseeing and listening properly to their customers and employees in building more fuel efficient, less noisy and comfortable aircrafts. Airbus operates on the principles of thinking ahead and listening to their customers, passengers, and employees in building constantly more comfortable and efficient aircrafts. Also Airbus corporate culture and diversity is competitive advantage for the company (Composed n.d.). The increment in oil prices and journey cost may interfere in the low cost offerings by Airbus, which may put pressure on the firm to switch to more fuel efficient engines(Chapman n.d.). BOEING COMPANY PROFILE AND STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED Till now, Boeing has been conventional leader in the global aviation industry, with Airbus lying behind. Nevertheless, in the last few years Airbus has been ahead Boeing repeatedly because of the large number of orders its been receiving and surpassing its deliveries in 2003. Boeing is the key producer of commercial airplanes and the foremost aerospace firm and offer connected support services. Boeing is currently the worlds biggest producer of large commercial aircrafts (LCAs)(Composed n.d.). Boeing has been keeping up with its objective of giving its customer eco friendly products. Boeing has been aggressive in taking over, expanding and putting into practice new technological solutions for reducing aircraft noise, and also maintaining operational effectiveness and customer satisfaction of its products in parallel. The Boeing capital corporation also invests in commercial apparatus and private airplanes. The Boeing is also involved in design, growth, sale, production as well support of industrial jetliners, rocket defence, satellites, space flight of human and launch services and systems. Boeing is one out of the two main producers of 100 plus seat aircrafts for the global commercial airline industry and the second biggest defence constrictor in the United States. Boeings major operations are carried out in the United States of America. They depend heavily on their chain of suppliers, subcontractors and partners which are situated around the globe(Arkell n.d.). Boeing has injected huge amount of capital in the construction of new facilities, equipments to carry out their tests, and to improvise on their noise control and aero-acoustics research. There are also several research project that focus on applying the new technology and implementing it to the production. Most of the important research projects are employed to deal with cost, maintenance, production and cross functional design and problems coming in the adaptation of new technology. NASA Boeing is also a NASA contractor who has worked vigorously in the operations conducted by it and so that it can gain access into new technologies in the field of aerospace. Boeing also has its full database linked with the NASA. Boeing has been involved with NASA for quite a long time regarding noise problem in commercial planes. This also enables the firm to have a very strong RD department. Boeing has made a decision to market in a different way by turning their focus on small and mid-size aircrafts to increase flexibility between airline operations and to cover longer distances. They focus not on increased capacity but to cover longer distances, this differentiates them. This will enable airlines to provide much convenience to travellers, at much less operational costs, leading to combination of lower rates for travellers and profit for airlines. Their potential success which they foresee is based on three of strategies of running core business values in a healthy way, using strength into new products and opening up new limits (Horton McKay n.d.). Their potential success which they foresee is based on three of strategies of running core business values in a healthy way, using strength into new products and opening up new limits. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BOEING This segment analysis the strengths if Boeing, they will use the strength to meet the upcoming future demand to gain competitive edge. Strength Customer Satisfaction: The project named My Boeing fleet has implemented web service and XML technology to improvise operations, reduce general work errors and decrease costs. Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Boeing uses the latest IT technology to execute tasks from their work locations. They improve their time spent in meeting to learn new things every time they undergo training. These action lead to rise in productivity. High performing employees: Boeing endeavours to be improve quality continuously and with the help of its workforce benefit programme and maintaining balance between work/life culture. Also, Boeing also recognizes that its competence lies with its employees. Well Developed Organization: Boeing has several dedicated project teams and subsidiaries to give a hand in improving overall companys performance. For example, Aero-info is a subsidiary of Boeing focused on providing aircraft maintenance solutions. New Facility Supply: With the numerous increments in commercial communication satellites, Boeing has decided to build a new construction factory in Alabama and Decatur for the production of newest generation of missiles used to push the satellites into space. Weakness Recent suspension of Boeing from the military contracts and re-assignation of those contracts to Lockheed martin, this occurred to ethical lapses. Columbia Shuttle Tragedy: The name of Boeing suffers drawback every time the tragedy is re-called because Boeing is a very special part of United Space Alliance. Ongoing controversy linking ex-CFO and ex-CEO: This happened due to hiring of a military regulator while negotiating an important contract. Change of Aircraft Supporting: Boeing has decided to fold up the production of Boeing 757, while Boeing 717 and 767 are on lifeline. This could have a bad effect on consumers confidence and interests. Opportunities: Government Support: Boeing is the biggest exporter and second biggest weapons manufacturer in the US and primary contractor in many the countries missile programs, it can gain government support anytime they want. Expected deal from Boeing 7E7 contracts: The program has already started and it has also received orders from All Nippon Airways and also from airlines from New Zealand and Australia. They expect sales of around 500 at the end of the year. Threats Aggressive competition: Boeing is in the middle of a fierce competition, especially from the field of LCAs. It was once leader in LCA but now its on a very close competition with Airbus, which is the leader in producing commercial aircrafts. Foreign Barriers: The growing concern for Boeing is the foreign government involvement in the production of LCA. A term suited to this situation is called Regulatory Nationalism. This can result into refusal of US made aircrafts in some countries(Campbell et al. n.d.). SWOT ANALYSIS OF AIRBUS Strength Diversity in employees: Airbus has been very conscious about its employees, it believes in keeping diversity in their employees. Ingenuity: The ingenuity of Airbus company has enabled it to survive for the last three decades. Since its commencement in the 1970, the has risen to be the leader surpassing its main competitor Boeing in 2005. Freezing of Spare parts: Airbus freezes the price of its spare parts for three years. For example, the prices of spare parts in 2009 were same as in 2006. This practice has gained them lot of customer support. Weakness The A380: The Airbus company invested almost everything in the A380. Even after that it faced delays in the delivery of A380. This lead to a lot of stir with its parent company EADS, so much that its management was changed in 2006. Airbus also made huge amount of cuts by reducing its suppliers from 3000 to 500, resulting into saving of US$ 2 billion and cut administrative costs by US$ 446 million. These steps were taken to accommodate growing needs with the launch of A350. When A380 production was delayed for two years, the parent company EADS reportedly lost US$ 6 billion dollars. After shocks came when FedEx world largest express transportation company, cancelled its ten orders for the double decker and ordered 15 Boeing 777 in place of that. Also one of the major weakness of Airbus is that it has low RD investment compared to its competitor Boeing which can prove harmful in a long run. Opportunities Airbus is continuously going on a green path. This is a very auspicious position for any company who intends to be in forefront of Greening technology. Development of new aircrafts that significantly lower the carbon footprint on the environment is an opportunity no company would pass. Today, people are concerned about the environment and this act by airbus will gain a lot of public support. Airbus plans on being the industry pioneers when it comes to keep the environment clean. All of its manufacturing sites are kept within the environment standard, all ISO14001 certified. Threats Legal actions are inherited in this industry and no one is immune from it. For example, Air France sued the company for the crash occurred in 1992 near Strasbourg. A major finance risk is also there when there are exchange rate clashes. A major part of the revenues of EADS are generated in US dollars and most of its cost incurred are in euro, this can seriously affect profits (Weidner et al. n.d.). Conclusion Airbus strategies are to the point, provide every variety of product available to meet the different requirements of the customers with the latest technology, also maintaining low cost of operations and maintenance expenditure. Airbus implements mixed type of strategies on different types of its products, it follows differentiation strategy on commercial airplane segments for different needs of customers and invent units to operate at lower costs. Boeing has a very strong Research and Development network, the company uses its innovative technology to gain competitive advantage. They know that they are lagging behind airbus but they put high amount of work to improvise the quality of their products. They are going in a different direction by catering to different set of customers. Both Airbus and Boeing cater to different kind of customers. Airbus makes bigger jets and Boeing makes smaller jets. Boeing needs to overcome the situation and regain their position in the market.

Claudius, the Bad Guy in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare Ham

Claudius the Bad Guy in Hamlet  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   This essay will thoroughly delineate the character of King Claudius in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, show his place in the drama, and interpret his character -- with the assistance of literary critics.    Philip Burton in â€Å"Hamlet† discusses Claudius’ sudden rise to the Danish throne upon the death of King Hamlet I:    The fact that Claudius has become king is not really surprising. Only late in the play does Hamlet complain that his uncle had "popped in between the election and my hopes." The country had been in a nervous state expecting an invasion by young Fortinbras, at the head of a lawless band of adventurers, in revenge for his father’s death at the hands of King Hamlet. A strong new king was immediately needed; the election of Claudius, particularly in the absence of Hamlet, was inevitable. What is more, it was immediately justified, because Claudius manages to dispel the threat of invasion by appealing to the King of Norway to curb his nephew, Fortinbras; the ambitious young soldier was the more ready to cancel the projected invasion because the object of his revenge, Hamlet’s father, was now dead, and in return he received free passage through Denmark to fight against Poland (Burton).    The drama opens after Hamlet has just returned from Wittenberg, England, where he has been a student. What brought him home was the news of his father’s death and his uncle’s accession to the throne of Denmark. Hamlet has also learned the disturbing news of the new king’s â€Å"o’erhasty marriage† to Hamlet I’s wife less than two month’s after the funeral. It would seem initially that Gertrude, rather than Claudius, is to blame for the protagonist’s â€Å"violent emotions† (Smith 80); thus ... ...et.htm    Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. Lectures and Notes on Shakspere and Other English Poets. London : George Bell and Sons, 1904. p. 342-368. http://ds.dial.pipex.com/thomas_larque/ham1-col.htm    Faucit, Helena (Lady Martin). On Some of Shakespeare's Female Characters. 6th ed. London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1899.    Jorgensen, Paul A. â€Å"Hamlet.† William Shakespeare: the Tragedies. Boston: Twayne Publ., 1985. N. pag. http://www.freehomepages.com/hamlet/other/jorg-hamlet.html    Mack, Maynard. â€Å"The World of Hamlet.† Yale Review. vol. 41 (1952) p. 502-23. Rpt. in Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos.   

The Two Best Websites to Find a Used Car :: Sell Websites Buy Websites

The Two Best Websites to Find a Used Car Have you ever been disappointed while searching a used car online? For example, never finding the car that you are interested in, hard to obtain the contact information about the seller, not getting satisfactory information relating to the car that you have found, that leads to total disappointments. After performing some researches for a week and based on my personal experienced, I found out two best websites to find a used car. They are http://www.cars.com/ and http://www.autotrader.com/. At first, these two websites seem to be alike, but if you go through the detail, you can see the strength and the weakness of both websites. These are what I am going to explain further in this paper. Cars.com [2] and Autotrader.com [1] are comprehensive online resources for buying and selling a car. Both of these websites list all potential cars from dealers and private sellers. Cars.com [2], which is created in June 1998, is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by six leading media companies. Autotrader.com [1], which is created earlier in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is a division of AutoTrader.com, LLC. Autotrader.com [1] is the world’s leading automotive marketplace online, more than 2.5 million cars for sale by dealers, private sellers, and manufacturers. Both Cars.com [2] and Autotrader.com [1] are public websites; this means that these websites are opened to automotive dealers and private sellers throughout the United States. The buyers can search for a car all around the United States by entering their ZIP code. The individual sellers also can post their car on the website despite where ever location they are. Both of these websites provide free information on all aspects of the car shopping and processing procedure. You do not have to be a member to access the website. The website is free for car buyers. However, the sellers have to pay to advertise their cars on the website. Another income for these websites is from the advertisement that was posted in the websites from other car companies. Advertising on these websites helps both the dealers and manufacturers to promote their company as well, because more than 8 millions people averagely visit these websites monthly. The outline of both of these websites seems so simple. At the top headline, both of them have lots of menus, but if we compare between these two, Autotrader.

Role of Human Resource Department

The human resource department plays a major role in helping plan the system and in developing job description, job specification and performance standards. Specialists in that department may be assigned to conduct job analysis and write job descriptions in cooperation with managers, supervisors and employees. The human resource department is not involved in the actual writing of performance standards but play a diagnostic, training and monitoring role. JOB DESIGN Job design is a process of determining the specific tasks and responsibilities to be carried out by each member of the organization.In simple words, the logical sequence to job analysis is job design. Job analysis provides job-related data as well as the skills and knowledge expected of the incumbent to discharge the job. Job analysis, then, involves conscious efforts to organize tasks, duties and responsibilities into a unit of work to achieve certain objectives. Fig: Factors Affecting Job Design Factors Affecting Job Desig n Job design is affected by organizational, environmental, behavioural factors. A properly designed job will make it productive and satisfying.If a job fails on this count, the fault lies with the job designers who, based on the feedback, must redesign the job. (See Fig) Techniques of Job Design Fig: Techniques of Job Design ?Work Simplification: In this technique, the job simplified or specialized. A given job is broken down into small sub-parts and each part is assigned to one individual. ?Job Rotation: Job rotation implies movement of employees from job to job. Jobs remain unchanged, but incumbents shift. With job rotation, a given employee performs different jobs, but more or less, jobs of the same nature. Job Enlargement: Job enlargement involves expanding the number of tasks or duties assigned to a given job. Job enlargement is naturally opposite to work simplification. Adding more tasks or duties to a job does not mean that new skills and abilities are needed to perform it. ? Job Enrichment: Job enrichment seeks to improve both task efficiency and human satisfaction by building into people’s jobs, quite specifically, greater scope for personal achievement and recognition, more challenging and responsible work, and more opportunity for individual advancement and growth. Autonomous or Self-directed Teams: A self-directed work team is an intact group of employees who are responsible for a whole work process or segment that delivers a products or service o an internal or external customer. ?High-Performance Work Design: It is a means of improving performance in an environment where positive and demanding goals are set. Role of Human Resource Department The human resources department’s role in job design is usually indirect, although job design influences almost every aspect of human resources management.The department diagnoses organizational problems that suggest job redesign, incorporate information on job design in training and management de velopment programs, and help plan job redesign programs to ensure that sound human resources policies and practices are developed. Further, the department is needed to prepare to modify job descriptions and job specifications and to modify recruitment, selection, training, compensation and other practices to be consistent with any job redesign program.

End the Wolf Hunt – Save the Wolves

Molly Kinney Composition 1 Mary Burmaster November 11 2012 Saving the Grey Wolves Wolves and humans have been coexisting for hundreds of years. Before Europeans conquered our vast country, wolves held a very esteemed place in Native American culture, as they were vital to forest ecosystems, and were often believed to be spiritual beings in many tribes (kidsplanet 1). As much as they were honored in tribal cultures, others feared them.Children’s fables often described them as â€Å"the big bad wolf† in stories such as Little Red Riding hood and The Three Little Pigs (kidsplanet 1). Settlers saw wolves in this way because they were a sort of competition, dwindling stock and wild game numbers (kidsplanet 1). Even into the 20th century, the belief that wolves were still a threat to human safety continued despite documentation to the contrary, and by the 1970s, the lower forty eight states had wolf populations less than three percent of their historical range, about 500 to 1 ,000 wolves (kidsplanet 1).In a book written by Bruce Hampton called The Great American Wolf, he states, â€Å"In the span of three hundred years nationwide, but only seventy years in the West, hunters in the United States had managed to kill off the wild prey of gray wolves; settlers, farmers, and ranchers had occupied most of the wolves' former habitat; wolfers had poisoned them; bounty hunters had dynamited their dens and pursued them with dogs, traps, and more poison; and finally, the government had stepped in and, primarily at the livestock industry's behest, quite literally finished them off.    Fortunately, around this time in the 70’s, American’s were starting to become much more aware of their impact on the environment and the wildlife. The Endangered Species Act was created in 1973, and the Grey Wolf was put on the list in 1974. After almost 35 years of restoration efforts and conservation work, the Grey Wolf has finally been taken off the endangered speci es list in Minnesota, with about 1,700 hundred wolves in the state (kidsplanet 1). Less than a year later, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) passed a law allowing a certain number of wolves to be hunted starting November 3, 2012 (kidsplanet 1).In the month and half the season has been open, about 150 Grey wolves have been killed (dnr. state. mn). Grey wolves are a vital part of our ecosystems and perhaps eventually grey wolves will once again thrive well enough that hunting them will not result in more conflict, but it is too soon to start the hunt again. Hunters should not be allowed to hunt grey wolves in Minnesota, because they have not had enough time to replenish their population and wolves are not a threat to human safety at all.Normally when an animal is taken off the endangered species list, it is given a five-year grace period to try and regain its spot back in the ecosystem before declaring a hunting season is even a thought in the minds of DNR decisio n makers (Horon 1). Since it took close to 40 years for the Grey wolf to be taken off the list, it seems logical to give the animal an even longer period to recover, to ensure that the animal does not get put on the list ever again.Though one hunt most likely will not kill off all the wolves, if hunting continues every year, there could be serious damage once again to the wolf population, as said in an article from a Wisconsin news website, madison. com. â€Å"One hunt won't put wolves†¦ back on the list but research hints at possible longer-term harm to the wolf population and even an increase in wolves killing livestock, researchers say† (Seely 1). However, the Minnesota DNR ruled that less than one year was a sufficient amount of time for the wolves to repopulate, and opened a wolf-hunting season on November 3rd, 2012.Before settlers came to North America, more than 250,000 wolves roamed the uncharted territory that is now the United States (Cosmos magazine). With eve ry year of citizen growth in the New World, Wolf population decreased. As the U. S. grew and became more populated, settlers practically made careers out of wolf hunting. In the 19th century, the pelts were in such high demand that almost everyone sought to kill as many wolves as possible (kidsplanet 1). People moving west bought hundreds of acres of land to raise their stock on, and killed every wolf that came near.Research from1974 showed that there were only about 500 Grey wolves living in the entire United States (kidsplanet 1). In efforts to re-grow the wolf population, conservationists took wolves into protection. Being protected by the Endangered Species Act has helped the Grey Wolf a lot. In the  Great Lakes, wolves have grown in population and expanded their range from Minnesota to Northern Michigan and Wisconsin (Meador 1). Although there have been huge gains in favor of the wolves, population recovery is far from over.Only 5,000 to 6,000 wolves occupy a mere five percen t of the animals’ historical range throughout Minnesota and the rest of the United States (Meador 1). Replenishing wolf populations through out the states would protect the future of wolves and allow them to play their important role in the forest environment in greater fulfillment of their former range. Yet another reason why wolves should not be hunted is because they pose no actual threat to humans or livestock. Wolves are able to kill animals much larger than humans and should be treated with respect.Contrary to the belief that wolves are vicious and aggressive towards humans, there have only been two reported deaths by wolf attack since 1900, one of which is heavily disputed (OregonWild 1). Moreover, wolves are opportunists, and sometimes eat livestock. However, they have a relatively small impact on the livestock industry as a whole (OregonWild 1). Unstable meat prices, disease, fuel and land prices, weather, dogs, and even human thieves pose larger threats to the marke t. (OregonWild 1). It is simply not true when people in favor of the wolf hunt say that wolves are detrimental to the industry.The United States livestock industry has been in a slow decline, preceding wolf recovery by many decades; However, a study done in an area of Oregon with a high wolf population showed that from 2009 to 2011, while the wolf population grew from 500 to 1400, revenue in the livestock industry jumped almost fifty percent to almost $27 million in a county with barely 7,000 citizens (OregonWild). Although wolves were not the cause of the huge increase, it is clear that their impact in the industry is small (OregonWild).Like shark attacks, when wolves wreak havoc, it can make for upsetting photos and grim stories, and so the risk of wolves to livestock is many times magnified (OregonWild 1). Research done in areas of high wolf populations has actually shown that having wolves around may actually decrease livestock loss by keeping smaller predators like coyotes in c heck (OregonWild 1). Of course, there are many people who believe that a Wolf hunt is completely acceptable under current circumstances. Many supporters believe that if professionals are not actively watching wolf population, it will increase much too rapidly (Robb 1).In an article from petersenhunting. com, Bob Robb, a hunting column writer, says, â€Å"This is especially true in areas where there are lots of animals for them to eat – like the Yellowstone ecosystem. Because wolf numbers exceeded targeted reintroduction population goals in the Yellowstone ecosystem more rapidly than expected, the animal was removed from the Endangered Species List and a sport hunting season on wolves was instituted in 2009† (Robb 1). Research does show that wolf packs not observed by researchers do reproduce more (petersenhunting 1).Minnesotans should not be allowed to hunt wolves because they have only been off the endangered species list for a year so their populations are not at the greatest numbers, and statistics from states where wolf hunting is illegal show that they may actually help the livestock industry and are not a threat at all. Very recently, researchers at Yellowstone National Park were saddened when the Alpha Female, called 832F by scientists and â€Å"Rockstar† by visitors, was found dead outside park boundaries on December sixth.Seven other wolves were found dead with her, all killed by hunters (EarthIslandJournal 1). After environmentalist’s work getting the Grey Wolf on the list finally paid off, they had hopes for the wolves to once again thrive someday in their natural habitat. This will never happen if we start diminishing wolf populations, right when they are at the height of restoration progress. Works Cited â€Å"DNR- What Happened behind Closed Doors? †Ã‚  Howling for Wolves Minnesota. N. p. , 13July 2012. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. ;http://www. owlingforwolves. org/news/dnr-what- happened-behind-closed-doors;. â€Å"COSM OS Magazine. †Ã‚  Grey Wolf Withdrawn from Endangered List. N. p. , 05 May 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2012. . Greder, Andy. â€Å"Minnesota Wolf Hunt: About 150 Wolves Killed Statewide’’. â€Å"TwinCities. com. N. p. , 18 Nov. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. Horon, Sonia. â€Å"The Grey:? A Bad Fairy Tale About Wolves. †Ã‚  Globalanimal. com. Global Animal Website, 27 Jan. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 012. Meador, Ron. â€Å"Save the Grey Wolf. †Ã‚  Causes. Minnpost, n. d. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. ;http://www. causes. com/causes/75833-save-the-grey-wolf;. Motsinger, John. â€Å"Wolf Weekly Wrap-up | Defenders of Wildlife Blog. †Ã‚  Wolf Weekly Wrap-up | Defenders of Wildlife Blog. N. p. , 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Oregon Wild. †Ã‚  Wolves-Misunderstood. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. ;http://www. oregonwild. org/fish_wildlife/bringing_wolves_back/wolves- misunderstood; Robb, Bob. â€Å"Petersen's Hunting. †Ã‚  Petersens Hunting. N. p. 2 Nov. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. Seely, Matt. â€Å"Questions abound before Wisconsin’s Wolf Hunt†Ã‚  Madison. com. 14 Oct. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012 William, Matt. â€Å"Yellowstone Popular Alpha Female Wolf Shot Dead by Hunters Outside Park. 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Wolf Management. †Ã‚  : Minnesota DNR. Minnesota DNR, Web. 13 Nov. 2012. ;http://www. dnr. state. mn. us/mammals/wolves/mgmt. html;.

EHT Task

Guided Practice: a. Teacher follows the above procedure for each student working with each student both directly and indirectly. Teacher and aid will use both physical and verbal cues until student is able to work in pairs and then independently. E. Independent Student Practice: a. Teacher will begin pairing students together based on ability to follow through with â€Å"kick the ball†. B. Students will be monitored for safety implicate, sharing and taking turns as well as using correct technique. C.Students who are non-compliant with safety procedures will work independently with teacher or aid as they kick the ball and retrieve it. D. Wheel chair students will receive moral and physical support as required. F. Culminating or Closing Procedure/Activity/Event: a. Students will participate in a non-traditional game of kick the ball; students will utilize a three base plus home plate field (set up like baseball). Each student will receive a turn to kick the ball and maneuver the basses. Students enable to walk or run or who are in a wheelchair will be assisted around the course.Students will receive instruction, praise and reward for all efforts and achievements. Pedagogical Strategy (or Strategies): Teacher will be utilizing direct instruction, one-on-one instruction, small group instruction and independent teaching strategies. Differentiated Instruction: Accommodations have been implemented for physically challenged students. Small group Para-pro for student with CUP. Classroom aid for wheelchair bound student and additional coverage where needed throughout the lesson.Technology Integration: Technology deemed inappropriate for this lesson format as physical exercise is required. Student Assessment/Rubrics: Assessment: Per state guidelines students are only required to participate so attendance will be taken and submitted. An alternative assessment could be documented and kept in student records and could be in the format of a rubric. Students could be me asured as: Mastered, independent, guided, and physically assisted. This information could as well be kept in a teacher grade book used to monitor progress or regression.

Advantages of Geothermal Power Plants

Advantages of Geothermal Power PlantsGeothermal power plants are used for production of electricity from geothermal energy. The traditional thermal power plants need fuel for generating electricity while geothermal powre plants don't need fuel. Here are some of the advantages of generating electricity from geothermal energy. Advantages of using Geothermal Energy for Producing PowerGeothermal energy is the energy stored below the earth’s crust. Due to heat below the earth’s crust water gets heated and also sometimes gets converted into steam. This hot water and steam can be used for generating electricity. Here are the advantages of using geothermal energy for producing electricity: 1) No fuel is required: The thermal and nuclear power plants use fossil and nuclear fuels respectively to heat water and generate steam for production of electricity.The geothermal power plants use the readily available hot water from the geothermal reservoir so no fuel is required. 2) Clean source of power: The fuels used in conventional thermal power plants produce lots of toxic gases and particulate matter polluting the surrounding atmosphere. Electricity can be produced from geothermal reservoir without creating any air-pollution. 3) Less area is required: The land required for the geothermal power plant per megawatt of power produced is much lesser than that required for the other types of power plants. 4) Unhindered production of power: The energy from geothermal reservoir is available 24 hours a day and all the days of the year without any breakage or change during varying seasons, natural disaster and political turmoil. Thus geothermal energy is the reliable source for producing electricity continuously without any hindrance.Parts of a Geothermal Power PlantGeothermal Vents The geothermal vent is the first component of a geothermal plant. A geothermal vent is a deep well drilled into the Earth that the power plant uses to tap into the Earth's heat. A geothermal plant may have two goals for its vent; most current geothermal plants draw superheated, pressurized water  upward; these are called flash steam plants. Geothermal plants may also simply dig far enough underground, as many as three kilometers, to reach a point where the Earth is warm enough to boil water, these are called dry steam vents. Steam GeneratorAnother key component of a geothermal plant is the steam production unit, which can take multiple forms. In a flash steam vent, superheated pressurized water is drawn from its place underground to low-pressure tanks. The pressure of the Earth kept the water in liquid form despite its high temperature, and by removing that pressure the hot water instantly turns to steam, hence the term flash steam. In a dry steam plant, the plant technicians pump water to the bottom of the vent where the Earth's heat boils the water and turns it into steam.TurbineRegardless of the plant type, both flash steam and dry steam plants pump the steam from the geothermal vent to a large turbine. The steam passes this turbine, turning it in the process. This turbine is attached to an electric generator, and as the turbine turns the generator turns the mechanical energy into electric energy, thus converting the heat from the Earth into usable electricity.CondenserAfter the steam passes through the turbine, it continues to a condenser chamber. This chamber condenses the steam back into liquid water by cooling it. The excess heat lost as the steam turns to liquid water may be used for other applications, such as heating or greenhouse farming. The cooled liquid water is then typically pumped back into the ground to either restart the boiling process for dry steam or to replenish the natural heated aquifer for flash steam plants.Disadvantages of Geothermal EnergyGeothermal energy is a key contender for future electricity production in various countries across the globe. This however, doesn't mean that geothermal energy comes without its dis advantages, many of which are explained below.The Disadvantages AvailabilityThe availability of geothermal energy that is capable of feeding geothermal power stations is limited. This intense energy source is often only available in countries where geothermal activity is at its peak, mainly tectonic/volcanic regions such as Iceland. Significant Investment Required – A significant investment is often required prior to building a geothermal power station. Geological surveys have to be undertaken to ensure the location is suitable for geothermal electricity production before any potential installation work can go ahead. It's often costly to transport any required materials to remote locations where there is sufficient geothermal activity.Harmful Gas Potential – Geothermal power stations have the potential to release harmful gases into the air. Toxic gases exist deep beneath the ground in various regions and can sometimes be released via the infrastructure used by geotherm al power stations. Most modern geothermal power plants have systems and procedures in places to deal with these harmful gases. Localised Supply – As geothermal is trapped beneath our feet, we cannot extract, store and transport this energy source to other countries as we do with fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. Geothermal energy has to be used at source to generate electricity, thus providing a supply of electricity for the electrical grid system of only the source country.The Steam Can Stop – Geothermal power stations have the potential to cool the rocks beneath them buried deep under the ground. If the rocks are cooled via too much water flowing into the well, they will no longer be able to produce the steam required to turn a generator, thus rendering a site useless and resulting in significant losses for any company making use of geothermal energy at that location. Visual Pollution – Geothermal power stations, as with many other power station designs can be unsightly and provide visual pollution. Networks of pipe systems have to be utilised for production purposes and many people are opposed to the sight of these. –Advantages of Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is widely considered as a key contender for future electricity production in various corners of the earth. Countries including Iceland, the USA and New Zealand already make use of this renewable energy source to provide electricity on a significant scale. There are many advantages relating to the use of geothermal energy and these are described  below. The AdvantagesEnvironmentally Friendly – Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that's highly environmentally friendly. Little disruption is made to the environment as a result of the various processes that are used to harness this energy source in order to provide electricity. Few chemicals and pollutants feature in geothermal electricity production. Highly Efficient – Geothermal energy is highly efficient and can be used to provide electricity in select areas or even to provide heating for our homes and business on a much wider scale via the use of ground source heat pumps.Cost Effective – As geothermal power stations are relatively small and less complex than large fossil fuel alternatives, they are highly cost effective, especially when they are placed in areas of high geological/tectonic activity where magma is closer to the earth's crust when compared with other locations. Job Creation – The introduction of geothermal energy systems on both an industrial and domestic scale has helped to boost jobs in many different countries. This is a key advantage for areas that may have already been experiencing job shortages. Land Value – Another advantage of geothermal energy and tied into the cost effectiveness of this energy source is land value.Geothermal power stations are often placed in areas of high geological activity where land values may be lo w due to obvious reasons. This helps to provide cost savings for energy companies that wish to make use of geothermal activity. Almost Infinite – Although geothermal activity in a particular area is actually finite, this is likely to be available for anywhere between 5,000 and 1,000,000 years. This huge time scale means geothermal energy is almost infinite and will be able to long live out many fossil fuel alternatives. Always On – As long as geothermal activity is present in a particular region, this energy source will always be on and will be fairly constant.This means that unlike solar, wind, wave and tidal alternatives, geothermal energy can provide continuous electricity production whatever the weather. Very Quiet – Another significant advantage of geothermal energy is how quiet it can be. Geothermal energy is the electric car of power stations and is likely to provide little noise pollution to nearby residents. –Geothermal Power PlantA geothermal po wer plant uses its geothermal activity to generate power. This type of natural energy production is extremely environmentally friendly and used in many geothermal hot spots around the globe. To harness the energy, deep holes are drilled into the earth (much like when drilling for oil) until a significant geothermal hot spot is found. When the heat source has been discovered, a pipe is attached deep down inside the hole which allows hot steam from deep within the earths crust to rise up to the surface. The pressurized steam is then channeled into a turbine which begins to turn under the large force of the steam. This turbine is linked to the generator and so the generator also begins to turn, generating electricity.We then pump cold water down a new pipe which is heated by the earth and then sent back up the first pipe to repeat the process. The main problems with geothermal energy is that firstly, you must not pump too much cold water into the earth, as this could could cool the roc ks too much, resulting in your geothermal heat source cooling down. secondly, geothermal power plants must be careful of escaping gases from deep within the earth. We suggest if you would like to learn more on this topic, you take a look at our advantages of geothermal energy, and our disadvantages of geothermal energy articles.A very good way of thinking about geothermal energy is remembering that all our continents lie on molten rock deep within the earth, this rock produces tremendous levels of heat that we are able to extract, just think of your nation lying on a bed of fire. Geothermal power is one of the most renewable energy sources that exists on our planet today, the earth will contain this heat for our lifetime. If this heat disappears, our planet will become too cold to survive on.You can purchase small scale geothermal equipment for your home yet this works in a different manner to geothermal power stations. The power stations extract the heat directly from deep within t he earth, whereas home geothermal hot water equipment absorbs heat over a lengthy period of time from a few meters beneath your feet.Main parts of the plant are1. Coal conveyor 2. Stoker 3. Pulverizer 4. Boiler 5. Coal ash 6. Air preheater 7. Electrostatic precipitator 8. Smoke stack 9. Turbine 10. Condenser 11. Transformers 12. Cooling towers 13. Generator 14. High – votge power linesBasic Operation :A thermal power plant basically works onRankine cycle. Coal conveyor : This is a belt type of arrangement.With this coal is transported from coal storage place in power plant to the place near by boiler. Stoker : The coal which is brought near by boiler has to put in boiler furnance for combustion.This stoker is a mechanical device for feeding coal to a furnace.Pulverizer : The coal is put in the boiler after pulverization.For this pulverizer is used.A pulverizer is a device for grinding coal for combustion in a furnace in a power plant.Types of Pulverizers Ball and Tube Mill Ba ll mill is a pulverizer that consists of a horizontal rotating cylinder, up to three diameters in length, containing a charge of tumbling or cascading steel balls, pebbles, or rods. Tube mill is a revolving cylinder of up to five diameters in length used for fine pulverization of ore, rock, and other such materials; the material, mixed with water, is fed into the chamber from one end, and passes out the other end as slime. Ring and BallThis type consists of two rings separated by a series of large balls. The lower ring rotates, while the upper ring presses down on the balls via a set of spring and adjuster assemblies. Coal is introduced into the center or side of the pulverizer (depending on the design) and is ground as the lower ring rotates causing the balls to orbit between the upper and lower rings. The coal is carried out of the mill by the flow of air moving through it. The size of the coal particals released from the grinding section of the mill is determined by a classifer s eparator. These mills are typically produced by B&W (Babcock and Wilcox).Boiler : Now that pulverized coal is put in boiler furnance.Boiler is an enclosed vessel in which water is heated and circulated until the water is turned in to steam at the required pressure.Coal is burned inside the combustion chamber of boiler.The products of combustion are nothing but gases.These gases which are at high temperature vaporize the water inside the boiler to steam.Some times this steam is further heated in a superheateras higher the steam pressure and temperature the greater efficiency the engine will have in converting the heat in steam in to mechanical work. This steam at high pressure and tempeture is used directly as a heating medium, or as the working fluid in a prime mover to convert thermal energy to mechanical work, which in turn may be converted to electrical energy. Although other fluids are sometimes used for these purposes, water is by far the most common because of its economy and suitable thermodynamic characteristics.Classification of Boilers Bolilers are classified asFire tube boilers : In fire tube boilers hot gases are passed through the tubes and water surrounds these tubes. These are  simple,compact and rugged in construction.Depending on whether the tubes are vertical or horizontal these are further classified as vertical and horizontal tube boilers.In this since the water volume is more,circulation will be poor.So they can't meet quickly the changes in steam demand.High pressures of steam are not possible,maximum pressure that can be attained is about 17.5kg/sq cm.Due to large quantity of water in the drain it requires more time for steam raising.The steam attained is generally wet,economical for low pressures.The outut of the boiler is also limited.Water tube boilers : In these boilers water is inside the tubes and hot gases are outside the tubes.They consists of drums and tubes. .They may contain any number of drums (you can see 2 drums in fig).F eed water enters the boiler to one drum (here it is drum below the boiler).This water circulates through the tubes connected external to drums.Hot gases which surrounds these tubes wil convert the water in tubes in to steam.This steam is passed through tubes and collected at the top of the drum since it is of light weight.So the drums store steam and water (upper drum).The entire  steam is collected in one drum and it is taken out from there (see in laout fig).As the movement of water in the water tubes is high, so rate of heat transfer also becomes high resulting in greater efficiency.They produce high pressure , easily accessible and can respond quickly to changes in steam demand.These are also classified as vertical,horizontal and inclined tube depending on the arrangement of the tubes.These are of less weight and less liable to explosion.Large heating surfaces can be obtained by use of large number of tubes.We can attain pressure as high as 125 kg/sq cm and temperatures from 3 15 to 575 centigrade.Superheater : Most of the modern boliers are having superheater and reheater arrangement. Superheater is a component of a steam-generating unit in which steam, after it has left the boiler drum, is heated above its saturation temperature. The amount of superheat added to the steam is influenced by the location, arrangement, and amount of superheater surface installed, as well as the rating of the boiler. The superheater may consist of one or more stages of tube banks arranged to effectively transfer heat from the products of combustion.Superheaters are classified as convection , radiant or combination of these.Reheater : Some of the heat of superheated steam is used to rotate the turbine where it loses some of its energy.Reheater is also steam boiler component in which heat is added to this intermediate-pressure steam, which has given up some of its energy in expansion through the high-pressure turbine. The steam after reheating is used to rotate the second stea m turbine (see Layout fig) where the heat is converted to mechanical energy.This mechanical energy is used to run the alternator, which is coupled to turbine , there by generating elecrical energy.Condenser : Steam after rotating staem turbine comes to condenser.Condenser refers here to the shell and tube heat exchanger (or surface condenser) installed at the outlet of every steam turbine in Thermal power stations of utility companies generally. These condensers are heat exchangers which convert steam from its gaseous to its liquid state, also known as phase transition. In so doing, the latent heat of steam is given out inside the  condenser. Where water is in short supply an air cooled condenser is often used. An air cooled condenser is however significantly more expensive and cannot achieve as low a steam turbine backpressure (and therefore less efficient) as a surface condenser.The purpose is to condense the outlet (or exhaust) steam from steam turbine to obtain maximum efficie ncy and also to get the condensed steam in the form of pure water, otherwise known as condensate, back to steam generator or (boiler) as boiler feed water.Why it is required ?The steam turbine itself is a device to convert the heat in steam to mechanical power. The difference between the heat of steam per unit weight at the inlet to turbine and the heat of steam per unit weight at the outlet to turbine represents the heat given out (or heat drop) in the steam turbine which is converted to mechanical power. The heat drop per unit weight of steam is also measured by the word enthalpy drop. Therefore the more the conversion of heat per pound (or kilogram) of steam to mechanical power in the turbine, the better is its performance or otherwise known as efficiency.By condensing the exhaust steam of turbine, the exhaust pressure is brought down below atmospheric pressure from above atmospheric pressure, increasing the steam pressure drop between inlet and exhaust of steam turbine. This fur ther reduction in exhaust pressure gives out more heat per unit weight of steam input to the steam turbine, for conversion to mechanical power. Most of the heat liberated due to condensing, i.e., latent heat of steam, is carried away by the cooling medium. (water inside tubes in a surface condenser, or droplets in a spray condenser (Heller system) or air around tubes in an air-cooled condenser).Condensers are classified as (i) Jet condensers or contact condensers (ii) Surface condensers. In jet condensers the steam to be condensed mixes with the cooling water and the temperature of the condensate and the cooling water is same when leaving the condenser; and the condensate can't be recovered for use as feed water to the boiler; heat transfer is by direct conduction.In surface condensers there is no direct contact between the steam to be condensed and the circulating cooling water. There is a wall interposed between them through heat must be convectively transferred.The temperature of the condensate may be higher than the temperature of the cooling water at outlet and the condnsate is recovered as feed water to the boiler.Both the cooling water and the condensate are separetely with drawn.Because of this advantage surface condensers are used in thermal power plants.Final output of condenser is water at low temperature is passed to high pressure feed water heater,it is heated and again passed as feed water to the boiler.Since we are passing water at high temperature as feed water the temperature inside the boiler does not dcrease and boiler efficincy also maintained.Cooling Towers :The condensate (water) formed in the condeser after condensation is initially at high temperature.This hot water is passed to cooling towers.It is a tower- or building-like device in which atmospheric air (the heat receiver) circulates in direct or indirect contact with warmer water (the heat source) and the water is thereby cooled (see illustration). A cooling tower may serve as the h eat sink in a conventional thermodynamic process, such as refrigeration or steam power generation, and when it is convenient or desirable to make final heat rejection to atmospheric air. Water, acting as the heat-transfer fluid, gives up heat to atmospheric air, and thus cooled, is recirculated through the system, affording economical operation of the process.Two basic types of cooling towers are commonly used. One transfers the heat from warmer water to cooler air mainly by an evaporation heat-transfer process and is known as theevaporative or wet cooling tower.Evaporative cooling towers are classified according to the means employed for producing air circulation through them:atmospheric, natural draft, and mechanical draft. The other transfers the heat from warmer water to cooler air by a sensible heat-transfer process and is known as the nonevaporative or dry cooling tower.Nonevaporative cooling towers are classified as air-cooled condensers and as air-cooled heat exchangers, and are further classified by the means used for producing air circulation through them. These two basic types are sometimes combined, with the two cooling processes generally used in parallel or separately, and are then known as wet-dry cooling towers.Evaluation of cooling tower performance is based on cooling of a specified quantity of water through a given range and to a specified temperature approach to the wet-bulb or dry-bulb temperature for which the tower is designed. Because exact design conditions are rarely experienced in operation, estimated performance curves are frequently prepared for a specific installation, and provide a means for comparing the measured performance with design conditions.Economiser : Flue gases coming out of the boiler carry lot of heat.Function of economiser is to recover some of the heat from the heat carried away in the flue gases up the chimney and utilize for heating the feed water to the boiler.It is placed in the passage of flue gases in between the exit from the boiler and the entry to the chimney.The use of economiser results in saving in coal consumption , increase in steaming rate and high boiler efficiency but needs extra investment and increase in maintenance costs and floor area required for the plant.This is used in all modern plants.In this a large number of small diameter thin walled tubes are placed between two headers.Feed water enters the tube through one header and leaves through the other.The flue gases flow out side the tubes usually in counter flow.Air preheater : The remaining heat of flue gases is utilised by air preheater.It is a device used in steam boilers to transfer heat from the flue gases to the combustion air before the air enters the furnace. Also known as air heater; air-heating system. It is not shown in the lay out.But it is kept at a place near by where the air enters in to the boiler. The purpose of the air preheater is to recover the heat from the flue gas from the boiler to improve boiler efficiency by burning warm air which increases combustion efficiency, and reducing useful heat lost from the flue.As a consequence, the gases are also sent to the chimney or stack at a lower  temperature, allowing simplified design of the ducting and stack. It also allows control over the temperature of gases leaving the stack (to meet emissions regulations, for example).After extracting heat flue gases are passed to elctrostatic precipitator. Electrostatic precipitator : It is a device which removes dust or other finely divided particles from flue gases by charging the particles inductively with an electric field, then attracting them to highly charged collector plates. Also known as precipitator. The process depends on two steps.In the first step the suspension passes through an electric discharge (corona discharge) area where ionization of the gas occurs. The ions produced collide with the suspended particles and confer on them an electric charge. The charged particles drift t oward an electrode of opposite sign and are deposited on the electrode where their electric charge is neutralized. The phenomenon would be more correctly designated as electrodeposition from the gas phase. The use of electrostatic precipitators has become common in numerous industrial applications.Among the advantages of the electrostatic precipitator are its ability to handle large volumes of gas, at elevated temperatures if necessary, with a reasonably small pressure drop, and the removal of particles in the micrometer range. Some of the usual applications are: (1) removal of dirt from flue gases in steam plants; (2) cleaning of air to remove fungi and bacteria in establishments producing antibiotics and other drugs, and in operating rooms; (3) cleaning of air in ventilation and air conditioning systems; (4) removal of oil mists in machine shops and acid mists in chemical process plants; (5) cleaning of blast furnace gases; (6) recovery of valuable materials such as oxides of copp er, lead, and tin; and (7) separation of rutile from zirconium sand. Smoke stack :A chimney is a system for venting hot flue gasesor smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outsideatmosphere.They are typically almost vertical to ensure that the hot gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion through the chimney effect (also known as the stack effect). The space inside a chimney is called a flue. Chimneys may be found in buildings, steam locomotives and ships. In the US, the termsmokestack (colloquially, stack) is also used when referring to locomotive chimneys. The term funnel is generally used for ship chimneys and sometimes used to refer to locomotive chimneys.Chimneys are tall to increase their draw of air for combustion and  to disperse pollutants in the flue gases over a greater area so as to reduce the pollutant concentrations in compliance with regulatory or other limits. Generator : An alternator is an electromechanical device that converts mechani cal energy to alternating current electrical energy. Most alternators use a rotating magnetic field. Different geometries – such as a linear alternator for use with stirling engines – are also occasionally used. In principle, any AC generator can be called an alternator, but usually the word refers to small rotating machines driven by automotive and other internal combustion engines.Transformers :It is a device that transfers electric energy from one alternating-current circuit to one or more other circuits, either increasing (stepping up) or reducing (stepping down) the voltage. Uses for transformers include reducing the line voltage to operate low-voltage devices (doorbells or toy electric trains) and raising the voltage from electric generators so that electric power can be transmitted over long distances. Transformers act through electromagnetic induction; current in the primary coil induces current in the secondary coil. The secondary voltage is calculated by mult iplying the primary voltage by the ratio of the number of turns in the secondary coil to that in the primary. To see the complete operation of the plant in flash player Click here

Mahiavellis Unique Morality essays

Mahiavelli's Unique Morality essays When reading Niccolo Machiavellis The Prince, one cant help but grasp his argument that ordinary morality and politics cannot exist in the same forum. However, when examining Machiavellis notions in depth, one can conclude that perhaps a moral end fuels his suggested use of force and violence. First and foremost, one must have the understanding that this book is aimed solely at describing what conditions and actions are necessary for a would-be prince to take in order for him to obtain and maintain power. Therefore, it is essential to grasp his concepts of fortune and virtue. These two concepts reflect the manner in which a prince should govern in order to minimize his chances to be subjected to misfortune. This kind of governing demands the use of force. However, this is only done for the strict purpose of maintaining his throne, and generating both fear and admiration within his subjects. In these cases of violence, Machiavelli suggests limiting the amount of force to a mini mum, and that the victims be enemies of the people. The Prince is essentially taking the role of the villain and assuming all bad acts so that his people do not have to suffer and commit the acts themselves. Subsequently, the Prince requires that his power not be threatened or disrespected. In the end, Machiavellis Prince assumes all the burden of immoral behavior while leaving his noble people live prosperously and according to their moral virtues. This is Machiavellis unique sense of morality. Before examining how the interaction of violence and politics lead to morality in the end, it is important to analyze exactly what Machiavelli demands of his Prince. First and foremost, Machiavelli harps upon the concept of fortune and virtue. By fortune, he means those things that are left to chance and the absence of the guarantee that a certain event will occur. Machiavelli writes that a great long standin...

How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times

How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times How to Punctuate References to Dates and Times By Mark Nichol Where do the commas go in references to days, months, years, and time of day? Take some time to note these punctuation rules: No comma is needed between a month and a year: â€Å"The meeting was held in August 2011.† The same form is correct for referring to a holiday during a certain year: â€Å"I haven’t seen her since Christmas 2005.† However, set the year off from the month and day: â€Å"She attended the August 31, 2011, meeting.† Use a comma to set a day off from the date on which the particular day falls: â€Å"The meeting was held on Wednesday, August 31.† A continuation of the sentence requires a second comma: â€Å"The meeting was held on Wednesday, August 31, and the report was issued the following week.† No comma is required between a date and a starting time for an event on that date: â€Å"The meeting is scheduled for August 31 at 7 p.m.† A continuation of the sentence requires no punctuation unless a new independent clause is introduced: â€Å"The meeting is scheduled for August 31 at 7 p.m. and is expected to last for three hours,† but â€Å"The meeting is scheduled for August 31 at 7 p.m., and it is expected to last for three hours.† However, as in the second example in the second paragraph, the combination of day, date, and time requires organizational punctuation: â€Å"The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31, at 7 p.m.† â€Å"The meeting is scheduled for August 31, 7-9 p.m.† (Print publications should use an en dash for the time range; some online publications do so, too.) A comma should follow the time range if the sentence continues: â€Å"The meeting is scheduled for August 31, 7-9 p.m., and will feature a guest speaker.† A reference to day, date, and time requires commas between each pair of elements: â€Å"The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31, 7-9 p.m.† (And don’t precede a time range with from: It’s either â€Å"7-9 p.m.† or â€Å"from 7 to 9 p.m.†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Arrive To vs. Arrive AtProved vs. Proven30 Nautical Expressions

How to Amend the Constitutionâ€About the Process

How to Amend the Constitution- About the Process Amending the Constitution was never meant to be simple. Although thousands of amendments have been discussed since the original document was approved in 1788, there are now only 27 amendments in the Constitution. Though its framers knew the Constitution would have to be amended, they also knew it should never be amended frivolously or haphazardly. Clearly, their process for amending the Constitution has succeeded in meeting that goal. Constitutional amendments are intended to improve, correct, or otherwise revise the original document. The framers knew it would be impossible for the Constitution they were writing to address every situation that might come along in the future. Ratified in December 1791, the first 10 amendments- The Bill of Rights- list and vow to protect certain rights and freedoms granted to the American people and speak to the demands of the Anti-Federalists among the Founding Fathers by limiting the power of the national government. Ratified 201 years later, in May 1992, the most recent amendment- the 27th Amendment- prohibited members of Congress from raising their own salaries.   The Two Methods for Amending the Constitution Article V of the Constitution itself establishes the two ways in which it may be amended: The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate. In simple terms, Article V prescribes that amendments may be proposed either by the U.S. Congress or by a constitutional convention when and if demanded by two-thirds of the legislatures of the states. Method 1: Congress Proposes an Amendment An amendment to the Constitution may be proposed by any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate and will be considered under the standard legislative process in the form of a joint resolution.  In addition, as ensured by the First Amendment, all American citizens are free to petition Congress or their state legislatures to amend the Constitution. To be approved, the amending resolution must be passed by a two-thirds supermajority vote in both the House and the Senate. Given no official role in the amendment process by Article V, the President of the United States is not required to sign or otherwise approve the amending resolution. Presidents, however, typically express their opinion of proposed amendments and may attempt to persuade Congress to vote for or against them. States Ratify the Amendment If approved by Congress, the proposed amendment is sent to the governors of all 50 states for their approval, called â€Å"ratification.† Congress will have specified one of two ways by which the states should consider ratification: The governor submits the amendment to the state legislature for its consideration; orThe governor convenes a state ratifying convention. If the amendment is ratified by three-fourths (currently 38) of the state legislatures or ratifying conventions, it becomes part of the Constitution. Resurrecting ERA? Clearly, this method of amending the Constitution can be lengthy and time-consuming.  However, the U.S. Supreme Court has stated that ratification must be completed within â€Å"some reasonable time after the proposal.† Beginning with the 18th Amendment granting women the right to vote, it has been customary for Congress to set a maximum time period for ratification. This is why many have felt the Equal Rights Amendment is dead, even though it now needs only one more state to ratify it to achieve the required 38 states. The ERA amendment was passed by Congress in 1972; 35 had ratified it by its extended deadline of 1985. However, in 2017 and 2018, two more states ratified it, concerned about the constitutionality of setting those deadlines. If Virginia would ratify it in 2019, people expected a battle to ensue in Congress over whether to accept the late ratifications. Method 2: The States Demand a Constitutional Convention Under the second method of amending the Constitution prescribed by Article V, if two-thirds (currently 34) of the state legislatures vote to demand it, Congress is required to convene a full constitutional convention. Just as in the Constitutional Convention of 1787, delegates from every state would attend this so-called â€Å"Article V Convention† for the purpose of proposing one or more amendments. Though this more momentous method has never been used, the number of states voting to demand a constitutional amending convention has come close to the required two-thirds on several occasions. Indeed, the mere threat of being forced to surrender its control of the constitutional amendment process to the states has often prompted Congress to preemptively propose amendments itself. Although not specifically mentioned in the document, there are five unofficial yet legal ways of changing the Constitution  used more often- and sometimes even more controversially- than the Article V amendment process. These include legislation, presidential actions, federal court rulings, actions of the political parties, and simple custom. Can Amendments Be Repealed? Any existing constitutional amendment can be repealed but only by the ratification of another amendment. Because repealing amendments must be proposed and ratified by one of the same two methods of regular amendments, they are very rare. In the history of the United States, only one constitutional amendment has been repealed. In 1933, the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment- better known as â€Å"prohibition†- banning the manufacture and sale of alcohol in the United States. Though neither has ever come close to happening, two other amendments have been the subject of repeal discussion over the years: the 16th Amendment establishing the federal income tax and the 22nd Amendment limiting the president to serving only two terms. Most recently, the 2nd Amendment has come under critical scrutiny. In his editorial appearing in the New York Times on March 27, 2018, former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens controversially called for the repeal of the Bill of Rights amendment, which guarantees â€Å"the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† He argues that it would give more power to peoples desire to stop gun violence than the National Rifle Association. Sources The Constitutional Amendment Process. The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. November 17, 2015.Huckabee, David C. .Ratification of Amendments to the U.S. Constitution  Congressional Research Service reports. Washington D.C.: Congressional Research Service, The Library of Congress.Neale, Thomas H. .The Article V Convention to Propose Constitutional Amendments: Contemporary Issues for Congress  Congressional Research Service.