Impressions of Stella Essay Example for Free

Impressions of Stella Essay A Streetcar Named Desire contains many different themes and symbolism, included by Williams to help introduce the characters and ideas of the play. I believe one of the main ideas Williams tries to convey in this play is to do with the streetcar being a metaphor for the idea of fate, going down one route and not being able to change your direction but being destined to arrive in one, pre-chosen destination. Take a streetcar named desire, and then transfer to one called the cemeteries shows further how Williams chose the name of the play to symbolise how desire and passion (in Blanches case) lead to death or self destruction. Within the first two scenes of the play, my first impressions of Stanley were that he was the alpha male, in charge of his household, very stereotypical of a working class man. You also see Stanley as quite short tempered and slightly violent without many manners. Stanley is first seen in the play in a bowling jacket which shows immediately his working class background and joy in sports. He is also carrying a red meat stained package showing his savage manliness and that he is bringing home the food for his family. His character is also constructed through the language he uses in the first scene; in a conversation with Stella he answers Catch! Meat! Bowling! Come on all very short to the point plain answers showing again he is working class with primitive speech. Throughout the play Williams builds on his character and we see a more violent and equally passionate side of Stanley as he becomes more and more angry towards Blanche finally raping her and then with Stella, as we see the violence he shows towards her suddenly change into a raw, animal like passion. Stanleys lines are very to the point and often shouted showing his working class and straight up attitude, but also his tendency to anger and need for dominance of his life and the people in it. My first impressions of Stella arise from the conversation she has with Blanche. They show her as very quiet, and quite simple compared to her sister. She appears to not be worried about her appearance, as she is wearing simple clothes that have been made dirty. This additionally shows how Stella has become more working class than the way she was brought up because she married a working class husband, and could symbolise that unlike Blanche hiding behind fancy clothes, she has nothing to hide. Right from the beginning you are given signs of Stellas infatuation with Stanley, and it seems that from Blanches speech, she has matured and settled down becoming more lower class than the class she was born into at Belle Reve. The way Blanche speaks to Stella shows the drop in class as she seems surprised and looks at Stella with a slight distaste. This is shows when she exclaims, What Two rooms, and we are shown Stellas maturity in, How quiet you are, youre so peaceful As the play goes on I dont think my impressions about Stella change dramatically I think I understand more the extent of Stellas desire for Stanley as she continues to go back to him after violence and rage. I think you learn most about Blanches character within the first two scenes although some of these impressions maybe false. Within her first conversation with Stella she comes across as very open, speaking freely and plentifully but later on we see how closed she is with a lot of history that she tries to keep hidden. She also becomes a lot frailer; she is described as a moth having to avoid strong light but as the play goes on she is shown in light and we see how old and decayed she really is. We discover in the first two scenes that Blanche is an alcoholic, and shows she is unable to control it I never had your beautiful self-control. She also shows that she is secretive about this and deceitful to Stella when the subject occurs. This shows a side of Blanches character that develops through the play as we see how much she is hiding and lying about to Stella and Stanley. I do think Blanches appearance is of her true character right through the play though, as Williams describes her daintily dressed that her appearance is incongruous to this setting of a rough neighbourhood and that Her delicate beauty must avoid strong light. I think these descriptions show more of Blanches character than the way she acts or what she says at the beginning because you are able to tell straight away she is fragile, used to posh places and could be quite snobby and that she cares about her appearance. She shows this very openly through the first conversation with Stella, wanting to show it off, look at my figure! She also shows vanity, mentioning Stellas appearance Youve put on some weight, youre as plump as a little partridge! Blanches snobbery is shown as she expectantly asks Stella, You have a maid, dont you?

Translation Essays Sir Frank Whittle

Translation Essays Sir Frank Whittle The pioneering work of Sir Frank Whittle in developing the jet engine. The pioneering work of Sir Frank Whittle in developing the jet engine helped transform the way civil aviation operates today.   Indeed, it is probably true to say that without the jet airliner, there would be no package holiday business today and air travel would have remained an exclusive activity.   However, the invention of the jet alone did not make these changes possible.   Aircraft manufacturers too had their part to play in building aircraft types that were economic to operate for airlines.   There are a variety of important aircraft models, all equally impressive in their own rights, which helped shape the air travel business.   We shall focus on three of the most notable product lines: The Boeing 77 series, the McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 series, and the Airbus 300 series, all of which have utilized varying degrees of speed, fuel efficiency, service, and passenger capacity to make air travel accessible and attractive to the common person. It is worth briefly mentioning here that the American aircraft manufacturers had a built-in advantage in the jet passenger craft market coming out of World War II, for a fairly straightforward reason:   The American aircraft industry was completely undamaged, in contrast to the European and Asian companies which had been devastated.   So aircraft manufacturer Boeing, makers of workhouse American bombers such as the B-17 and B-29, was well-poised to enter and dominate the commercial jet aircraft arena.   The first commercially successful venture, unsurprisingly, was the Boeing ‘7X7’ Series, four-engine large-payload jets, the first of which was the 707.   This remarkable craft was airborne within two years of the announcement of the project’s commencement, taking to the skies on May 14, 1954 on its first test flight, and carrying its first commercial passengers a relatively short time later (December 20 1957), thanks to Pan American Airways’ agreemen t with Boeing to purchase and operate a large number of 707s to form the backbone of Pan Am’s worldwide fleet.   The first model, the 707-120 (medium-range jets), carried up to 181 passengers, and subsequent versions including the 707-320 (longer-range jets), carried up to 200 passengers.   Cruising speeds for the 707 reached up to 1000 kilometers per hour, making even international travel a speedy, convenient, and more affordable process.   In all, 1,010 707s in its various incarnations were produced in an astonishingly lengthy commercial production run from 1954 to 1978.   (Boeing continued to produce 707s for the military until 1991.) The American passenger airline business benefited greatly from government deregulation in the 1970s, opening the way for an explosion comprised of a perfect storm of more carriers, lower prices, and higher customer demand.   The aging 707 series, venerable as it was, simply did not carry enough passengers or boast adequate fuel efficiency to remain economically feasible for production and continued use.   Some airline industry analysts felt Boeing was slow to realize this, but the company responded with remarkable agility by announcing in 1966 that it would begin production of a line of so-called ‘jumbo jets’ within four years, spurred again by a huge order from Pan Am, who was gambling on twenty-five brand new jets, sight unseen.   This was no minor undertaking – the development and production of this revolutionary new behemoth airplane nearly bankrupted Boeing.  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1970 right on its announced schedule, yet against all outside predictions Boein g introduced the 747, a colossal double-decker jet which will have held the record for largest size jet until late 2006, when it will be surpassed by the introduction of Airbus Industries’ A380 (more on the Airbus later). Like the 707, Boeing’s 747s were rolled out in a progression of improving and size-varied series, ranging from the 747-100 to the 747-400s. Though the 747’s cruising speed is a tad slower than the 707 (910 kilometers per hour), the latest models transport an astonishing amount of human cargo between 415 and 525 passengers (up from the earliest models’ 374-passenger maximum).   Its better fuel efficiency, compared to the 707s, allowed it to travel longer distances without refueling, as well, for example, from New York to Hong Kong nonstop.   In addition to meeting the market demand of more people to fly for less money, the 747 also accommodated those who were willing and able to pay more to fly in style.   Another clever feature of the 747 was the refinement of the idea of different ‘classes’ of passenger service.   The original evolution of passenger air flight in general, not just the 747, was simply along the lines of making air travel affordable for the maximum number of people.   Once this goal was achieved, the airlines modified their business plans to accommodate the fact that certain travelers, particularly those traveling for business purposes, would be willing to pay higher fares for added amenities such as larger seating, better food, free alcoholic beverages, priority boarding, etc.   The 747’s upper deck was designed for such so-called ‘first-class’ passengers and Boeing produced, for various airlines, a variety of configurations that included such amenities as a piano lounge and standup cocktail bars for its more upscale clientele.   In all, over 1,200 747s have been produced, and with the advent of the 747-8 series in late 2005, the line lives on.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another important jet was McDonnell-Douglas’ DC-10, which flew its first passenger flight in 1971.   It was designed to compete directly with Boeing’s 747 and its creation, like the 747, was spurred in large part by the demand from a particular airline.   In the DC-10’s case, American Airlines specifically asked McDonnell-Douglas if it could manufacture a plane capable of flying the same long routes as the 747 but which could accommodate shorter runways and standard gate sizes found at many airports.   The result was a three-engine aircraft that could carry between 250 and 380 passengers in its various incarnations.   Its speed was essentially comparable to the 747, at 982 kilometers per hour, with less fuel consumption, again making it more affordable.   United Airlines, pleased with the results of McDonnell-Douglas’ fruits, also purchased a number of DC-10s.   Unfortunately, the DC-10 was not to have as celebrated an era of service as the 747 .   In the 1970s, several horrific and well-publicized disasters occurred involving DC-10s that were traced to design flaws.   The most noteworthy of these problems was the design of the cargo doors.   Most passenger jets utilized designs in which the doors opened inward; the DC-10 cargo door opened outwards, requiring a complex and heavy locking mechanism to withstand the heavy outward-directed force of cabin pressurization.   The locking mechanism was prone to a variety of dangerous pitfalls, ranging from human error to mechanical failure, any of which could cause a catastrophic blowout of the door.  Ã‚   There were a few near-misses in the early 1970s in which a door failed, including a 1972 incident in Detroit, but no accidents transpired.   Tragically, however, a complete and utter disaster befell a Turkish Airlines DC-10 on March 3, 1974.   The plane took off from Orly airport in Paris; within seconds, its cargo door blew out and the resulting depressurization se vered the control cables, rendering the aircraft unmanageable by the pilots.  Ã‚   The plane crashed 77 seconds after takeoff into the dense Ermenonville forest outside of Paris, shredding the plane and its passengers to ribbons.   All 364 people aboard were killed.   Subsequent investigations by the French and American governments revealed that McDonnell-Douglas was well aware of defects in the cargo door design, but made inadequate efforts to correct it.   Under legal pressure and rebellion from passengers who simply refused to fly on a DC-10, McDonnell-Douglas corrected the flaw.   But after yet another catastrophic crash of a DC-10 in 1979 at Chicago O’Hare airport, the DC-10 never regained its footing and eventually, production was halted in 1988 after a comparably small production run of 446 planes, ending what could have been a healthier competition between the 747 and DC-10 that would have continued to benefit airlines in their fierce competition for passeng ers. Lastly, Airbus Industries’ Airbus model is important to mention, both for its successful, albeit relatively short track record and the simple fact that it is not a product of American design and manufacturing.   Airbus was formed in 1967 by a consortium of European aviation manufacturers with the express purpose to compete with Boeing’s overwhelming dominance in the passenger jet market.   In the intervening 38 years, Airbus has fought a pitched battle with Boeing, both politically and commercially, and achieved remarkable parity. It narrowly edged out Boeing in total number of orders received in 2005, 1055 jets to 1002.   Airbus did not get off to an auspicious beginning, however.   Only 81 of its A300 model were in service by 1979 despite its entry into the world market in 1974.   However, the introduction of the A320 model in 1981 was a smashing success, with Airbus having taken 400 orders from airlines before the first model even left the ground.   Thoug h the A320 typically only carried approximately 150 passengers, its reliability, speed (approximately as fast as a 747) and fuel efficiency made it an attractive choice that could compete with Boeing’s smaller jets including the 737, and Airbus wasted little time in expanding the passenger capacity of the A320 and subsequent models.   In fall 2006, Airbus’ A380 will overtake the 747 in maximum passenger capacity – 555.   The competition between Airbus and Boeing has become so fierce that it has escalated into conflict between the United States and European Union, with unfair subsidy accusations and threats of trade wars flying across the Atlantic Ocean as often as the jets. Certainly, Boeing, McDonnell-Douglas, and Airbus were not the only major players in the passenger jet business since its advent.   Other notables include American manufacturer Lockheed and a host of minor foreign manufacturers.  Ã‚   None, however, have matched the dominance and industry-changing models of Boeing 77 series and Airbus 300 series, or the unfortunate inability of McDonnell-Douglas to live up to the potential of the maligned DC-10.   Each of these planes played a key role in making long-distance air travel more competitive, more affordable, more international, more accessible, and safer (ironically, in the case of the DC-10) with each passing year. BIBLIOGRAPHY http://www.boeing.com/commercial/707family/ http://www.aviation-history.com/boeing/707.html http://www.aircraft-info.net/aircraft/jet_aircraft/boeing/747-400/ http://www.boeing.com/commercial/747family/index.html http://www.pbs.org/kcet/chasingthesun/planes/747.html http://www.aircraft-info.net/aircraft/jet_aircraft/mcdonnell_douglas/DC-10_MD10/ Johnston, Moira.   The Last Nine Minutes: The Story of Flight 981, Avon Publishers, 1976. http://www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/ Contrada, John Della.   â€Å"Subsidy war could harm Boeing more than Airbus, UB researcher says,† The University of Buffalo Reporter, 24 June 2004.

Impact of Campaign Contributions on Policy in Congress

Impact of Campaign Contributions on Policy in Congress Dominique Ornelas   The Impact of Campaign Contributions on Policy Making in Congress Introduction From the 1960s and continuing through the 1980s the number, activity and diversity of interest groups being represented in Washington proliferated. Observers of this phenomenon, primarily journalist, argue that the rise in interest group activity has resulted in interest groups enjoying far too much influence in Congress (Smith, 1995; Stratmann, 2000). However, scholars paint a far less certain picture as to the nature of interest group influence in Congress. This lack in academic consensus has led to a wealth of research. This research largely focuses on one question: how and to what extent do the campaign contributions of special interest groups influence the legislative decisions and actions of individual members of Congress. In this paper I will inventory and review this research to convey as clear as possible where we are in our understanding of whether or not campaign contributions influence the decisions of individual members of the U.S. Congress and conduct a content analysis Literature Review The increase of Political Action Committees involvement in congressional elections have resulted in journalist, scholars and the American public growing increasingly concerned about the influence of campaign contributions by interest groups. However, whether or not campaign contributions by interest groups influence congressional decision making is still a subject of popular and academic debate. The popular perception is that a great deal of corruption arises from large contributions to candidates and political parties or from certain types of expenditures on behalf of those parties and candidates (Persily Lammie, 2004). Sixty five percent of Americans believe that campaign contributions by special interest groups result in Member of Congress giving the contributor’s opinion special consideration because of the contribution (Smith, 2013). Figure 1 depicts the trend that as the presence and activity of interest groups increases so does public perception that government officia ls are crooked (Persily Lammie, 2004), thus conveying the idea that American’s believe Congress is beholden to special interest. Figure 1: Trends in Public Opinion of Government (1958-2002) Similarly, journalist have argued that campaign contributions contribute to the overrepresentation of special interest in Congress at the expense of the interest of unorganized citizens (Choate, 1990; Clawson, 1992; Curtis, 1990; Drew, 1983; Smith, 1990). However, according to several scholars popular opinion and the evidence that is presented by journalist in support of claims that campaign contributions impact Congressional policy making is seriously flawed (Smith, 1995; Souraf, 1992). As stated by Richard Smith (1995), Souraf (1992) and Edsall the research presented by journalist consists of various stories, interviews with lobbyist and members of Congress and correlation studies that do not present a causal relationship between the campaign contributions of interest groups and congressional decision making (Smith, 1995). In other words, a significant correlation between money and votes does not justify the conclusion that money buys votes and journalist failed to provide substantive evidence that suggest members of Congress would’ve voted differently if it were not for the contributions of interest groups (Thomas Stratmann, 2000). In fact, according to several sources, when you aggregate the research the work of scholars seems to suggest that the campaign contributions of special interest groups exert far less influence over Congress than commonly thought. However because there is less consensus amongst the academic community it is difficult to formulate a firm and concise conclusion. Moreover, this lack of academic consensus has led to a wealth of literature filled with conflicting results. Consider first the works concerning how campaign contributions effect roll call voting behavior on the House and Senate floor. On one hand you have various scholars asserting that campaign contributions by interest groups do marginally impact congressional roll-call voting behavior. For instance , a study conducted by Fleisher (1993) that analyzed how PAC contributions from defense contractors influence member’s votes for pro-defense positions on the floor showed that PAC contributions do in fact have an effect on the roll-call voting behavior of members of Congress (Fleisher, 1993). Similarly studies conducted by Stratmann (1991), Durden, Shogren and Silberman (1991) and Langbein and Lotwis (1990) all show that there’s a causal relationship between the campaign contributions of interest groups and congressional voting behavior. However, at the other end of the spectrum you have scholars asserting the exact opposite. Scholars Chappell (1982), Grenzke (1989), and Rothenberg (1990) all report views that suggest there is no statistically significant relationship between campaign contributions and members of Congress’ roll-call voting. However, between the two extremes lies research that purports mixed results. According to observations of Richard Smith several scholars including: Kau and Rubin (1981, 1982), Neustadl (1990) and Langbein (1993) all purport an array of results. The study conducted by Laura Langbein concludes that campaign contributions are effective primarily when the group’s ideology is consistent with the members underlying ideology and constituency. Another study conducted by Neustadl reports that the effectiveness of interest group contributions varies by the saliency of the issue. This lack of academic consensus is visible whether one looks at the House or the senate and whether one analyzes single votes or a string of votes. So how does one overcome these discrepancies in findings? In this study I will critically analyze the research as a whole and conduct a content analysis to look for areas in which there is academic consensus and determine the conditions under which, according to scholars, campaign contributions by interest groups have the most influence on the voting behavior of members of Congress. Data and Methods To examine the influence of campaign contributions by interest groups on the decisions of individual member of the U.S. Congress I will analyze†¦x amount of sources and conduct a content analysis. A content analysis is especially appropriate for this study because it will enable me to identify common themes throughout the literature and shed light on the areas in which interest group campaign contributions can influence the decisions of individual members of Congress. References Berry, Jeffrey M. Citizen Groups And The Changing Nature Of Interest Group Politics In America. Annals Of The American Academy Of Political And Social Science (1993): 30. JSTOR Arts Sciences VII. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. Chappell Jr., Henry W. Campaign Contributions And Voting On The Cargo Preference Bill: A Comparison Of Simultaneous Models.Public Choice36.2 (1981): 301-312.Business Source Complete. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. Fleisher, Richard. PAC Contributions And Congressional Voting On National Defense.Legislative Studies Quarterly18.3 (1993): 391-409.Political Science Complete. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. Fordham, Benjamin O., and Timothy J. McKeown. Selection And Influence: Interest Groups And Congressional Voting On Trade Policy. International Organization 57.3 (2003): 519-549. PsycINFO. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. Kasniunas, Nina Therese. The Influence Of Interest Groups On Policy-Making In Congress. Conference Papers Midwestern Political Science Association (2007): 1-31. Political Science Complete. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. Langbein, Laura I. Pacs, Lobbies And Political Conflict: The Case Of Gun Control.Public Choice77.3 (1993): 551-572.Business Source Complete. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. Neustadtl, Alan. Interest-Group Pacsmanship: An Analysis Of Campaign Contributions, Issue Visibility And Legislative Impact.Social Forces69.2 (1990): 549-564.Business Source Complete. Web. 12 Mar. 2014 Persily, Nathaniel, and Kelli Lammie. Perceptions Of Corruption And Campaign Finance: When Public Opinion Determines Constitutional Law.University Of Pennsylvania Law Review153.1 (2004): 119-180.Index to Legal Periodicals Books Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 12 Mar. 2014. Rubenzer, Trevor. Campaign Contributions And U.S. Foreign Policy Outcomes: An Analysis Of Cuban-American And Armenian-American Interests. Conference Papers International Studies Association (2008): 1-48. Political Science Complete. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. Stratmann, Thomas. Can Special Interests Buy Congressional Votes? Evidence From Financial Services Legislation. Conference Papers American Political Science Association (2002): 1. Political Science Complete. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Welch II, William M. The Federal Bribery Statute And Special Interest Campaign Contributions.Journal Of Criminal Law Criminology79.4 (1989): 1347-1373.Political Science Complete. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.

Defending Privacy of Personal Information Essay -- Internet Web Comput

Defending Privacy of Personal Information Privacy does not have a single definition and it is a concept that is not easily defined. Information privacy is an individual's claim to control the terms under which personal information is acquired, disclosed, and used [9]. In the context of privacy, personal information includes any information relating to or traceable to an individual person [ 1]. Privacy can be defined as a fundamental human right; thus, privacy protection which involves the establishment of rules governing the collection and handling of personal data can be seen as a boundary line as how far society can intrude into a person's affairs. The Internet offers many benefits but it also creates many threats that undermines our personal privacy. Concerns about loss of privacy are not new. But the computer's ability to gather and sort vast amounts of data and the Internet's ability to distribute it globally magnify those concerns [1]. Privacy concerns on the Internet are centered on improper acquisition, improper use of personal information such as intrusions, manipulation, discrimination, identity theft, and stalking of personal information. Today the Internet stretches our geographic boundaries and force us to deal with global ethic based on moral principles held to be valid across the cultures. Due to the nature of the Internet, our personal information may be transmitted over the internet and that the transfer of personal information may be made to any country in the world, regardless of the extent of any data protection laws and regulations in any of those countries. Protecting privacy on the Internet It has long been believed that information is power. Thus, people collecting personal information in ... ... 2. Privacy and Human Rights 2003 3. Herman T. Tavani, "Privacy Online," Computers and Society, Vol. 29, No. 4, 1999, pp. 11-19. 4. A. Michael Froomkin, "The Death of Privacy ?", Stanford Law Review, May 2000. 5. CPSR: Electronic Privacy Principles 6. Daniel Lin, Michael C. Loui, "Taking the Byte Out of Cookies: Privacy, Consent, and the Web" Computers and Society, June 1998. 7. Herman T. Tavani, James H. Moor "Privacy Protection, Control of Information, and Privacy-Enhancing Technologies", Computers and Society, March 2001 8. FTC: Protecting Privacy and Security of Personal Information in the Global Electronic Marketplace 9. Jerry Kang "Cyberspace Privacy: A Primer and Proposal" Human Rights Magazine, Volume 26, Number 1, Winter 1999. 10. CPSR: Potential Threats to Privacy 11. An International Survey of Privacy Laws and Practice

Illegal Immigrants: A Modern Day Grapes of Wrath Essays -- Mexican immi

As depicted in John Steinbeck's novel Grapes of Wrath the 1930's was a time when migrant workers like the story's Joad family had to leave their homes, cross a perilous desert, live through the social injustices of the time, and work at jobs with low insufficient pay just to have a better life (Steinbeck). Seventy years later, the situations and experiences stay the same but the people are no longer native-born Americans but illegal immigrants who sacrifice everything to come to the United States to live a better life, as a result of that the 500,000 immigrants that illegally enter the United States through the Mexican border annually and stay in the country are the Joads of today (Aizenman). In the Grapes of Wrath the Joad family had to abandon their home and memories and cross the dessert by car to reach to their new life and the jobs that wait for them. The journey was not easy for the Joads or for any of the other migrant workers; consistently the journey for illegal immigrants is no different today. Contrary to popular belief, not all immigrants crossing the border are Mexican; while the majority is Mexican the immigrants are also from the rest of Latin America. The second largest groups of immigrants that cross the border are from El Salvador, other countries include Guatemala, and Colombia (fairus.org). The migrant workers of the 1930’s had the benefit of cars, however since cars are too noticeable by border patrol an immigrant has to walk the whole length (Garcà ­a). Walking the desert between the U.S and Mexico is the hardest way of crossing. An immigrant has to cross when the heat is not as strong and walk miles without rest (National Geographic). All th e walking without rest makes the immigrants very tired and dehydrated... ...They left their home traveled the hot roads of Route 66, and arrived at a place where they were underpaid but made the best of what they had. The immigrants crossing the border into the United States had to leave the majority of their family, walk through deserts, swim through rivers, and ride on trains so they could work below the minimum wage, be looked down upon and be excluded from the benefits of the country they so dearly wanted to reach. Human nature is to survive and to look for the best, and as John Steinbeck wrote on the Grapes of Wrath â€Å"Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments† (204). This quote, like the experiences and situations, remains the same for the migrant workers of the 1930’s and the illegal immigrants of the 21st Century.

El Nino and La Nina :: essays research papers

What are El Nino and La Nina? El Nino and La Nina are unusual weather patterns that form in the period of 10 months. El Nino and La Nina both impact climates all around the world, each different in countries and regions. Normal weather patterns are when low atmospheric pressure is over northern Australia and Indonesia, and when high atmospheric pressure is over the Pacific Ocean. Winds move east to west over the Pacific. The east flows of the trade winds carries the warm surface waters to the west, and bring rainstorms to Indonesia and northern Australia. To the coast of Ecuador and Peru, warm surface water is pulled west, and the cold water beneath pulls up to replace it. This is called an upwelling. An El Nino happens in intervals of 3-7 years. The formation of this is related to the Pacific Southern Oscillation which is also the cycling of the Pacific Ocean circulation. The Pacific Southern Oscillation (the change of atmospheric pressures) happens when the easterly trade winds collapse, weaken, or even reverse. As this happens, the upwelling stops. The slight weakening of the winds cause a small change in sea surface temperatures, and the wind and pressure changes increase. The warm water of the western Pacific Ocean flow eastward and sea surface temperatures increase on the western coast of South America. When this occurs, the wet weather conditions (originally in the western Pacific) move east, and dry conditions (normally in the east) appear in the west. During El Nià ±o?s in the Pacific Northwest, the amount of precipitation greatly decreases, the winter temperatures get milder, and winter has below-average precipitation. Some economical and environmental impacts are that erosion is increasing due to severe storm surges, concerns that property built on low-lying areas or on top of unstable bluffs possibly be flooded or threatened by landslides due to regional climate changes, and various salmon species potentially endangered. In California, during El Nino?s they get extreme precipitation and snowfalls. Economical and environmental impacts are heavy precipitation, damage from debris flows or mudslides, and floods from the rain. El Nino seasons in Peru bring so much rainfall that there is now a lake made from the rain, compared to the desert it once was. Several economical and environmental impacts from El Nino include massive floods or mudslides, and since Peru lives in a cold-water zone, it carries many fish that are caught and so ld commercially, but during El Nino, a layer of warm water covers the nutrient-rich east coast waters, abruptly stopping the upwelling and the nutrients fail to come up.

Communication Case Study Essay

1. Which barriers to listening described in Chapter 3 might make it difficult for Mark and Kate to hear one another’s perspectives when they meet to discuss the situation? Listening is very important in communication. This is the key to effective communication. Listening effectively is one’s ability to fully understand and interpret messages sent by the speaker. In Mark and Kate’s situation, there are listening barriers that prevent and make it difficult for them to fully understand one another. In Kate and Mark’s situation, and many other people’s situation, psychological barriers are the most common. Emotions became a distraction to listen what the speaker has to say. Just when Mark is calling her attention about doing the job right, Kate already started to put up her guard and defended herself. Most people, including myself, get anxious when we hear criticisms about ourselves. There are many things that are already playing inside our mind about the situation. This makes it difficult to listen to what the other speaker has to say. We tend to be close-minded in situations like that. In addition, under the psychological barriers is the egocentrism. The book says, â€Å"your own ideas are more important or valuable that those of others.† Kate mentioned the situation about her ideas being shot down. She believes that her ideas or suggestions are not as important as the other members of the team. If we believe that our ideas and suggestions are not appreciated well like others, we tend to not listen anymore because we feel like whatever we do, it will not be treated the same as others. On the other hand, Mark needs to carefully listen to what Kate has to say. Since he already listened to what the other members of the team said, he also needs to understand why Kate acts the way she is acting. I believe in Mark’s situation, an environmental barrier is present. I am not sure if the influence of other people is under this category. Mark became so focused about his own observations of Kate’s actions and what the team was saying about her. If he is only to focus on what he had observed and what other said, it will be a huge problem and understanding each other will be too difficult for them. 2. Consider the listening styles discussed in Chapter 3. Present evidence that indicates each person’s styles, and then describe how this knowledge might have created a different communication outcome for Kate and Mark. Kate is a critical listener. In this particular scenario, she became exaggeratedly overreactions on Mark’s message. If only Mark and Kate are relational and analytical listeners, a better situation and outcome of the meeting could’ve been in place. For example, if Kate is an analytical listener, she will be more concerned about fully understanding the message before making a judgment. She could’ve seen the situation like Mark must have been concerned about her and wants her to become better at the job. Instead of taking it in a bad way, she could’ve seen the feedback as a room for improvement on her performance. On the other hand, Kate could really be an analytical listener. She might have just over analyzed the situation that worsens her interpretation of the information conveyed by Mark. Yet, if Kate become more professional about it, she should clarify the message she received with Mark instead of making her own conclusions and interpretations. This is one problem when we tend to just hear not listen. In addition, if Mark will be a relational listener, he will be nonjudgmental about what Kate was saying. He will be able to further help and understand her with the situation. He also must understand where Kate is coming from. Instead of firing her, he can offer her some support and resolve the issues arising within the team. The issue must not only be addressed just between Kate and Mark. It must be resolved together with the whole team. This is to eliminate any other future similar issues. They all need to listen not just hear so they can properly communicate. If they are effective listeners, ideas of each members of the team will be evaluated in the s ame importance as the others.