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Do Pretty People Earn More? – Essay Sample

When career counselors advise job seekers and active professionals to give proper attention to their physical appearance, they usually mean dressing and personal hygiene but evidence is emerging that one’s perceived attractiveness also plays a part in his/her career prospects. A research by Daniel Hamermesh and Jeff Biddle in the Journal of Labor Economics suggests that attractive people earn about 5% more in hourly pay than their average-looking colleagues, who in turn earn 9% more per hour than the plainest-looking workers (CareerBuilder).

In another research by Daniel Hamermesh and Amy Parker at the University of Texas in Austin, students consistently gave better-looking professors higher evaluations than less comely teachers. In addition to looks, confidence also makes candidates more appealing. According to researchers Markus Mobius and Tanya Rosenblat, confidence makes up 20% of perceived attractiveness. (CareerBuilder). Everything else equal, we have a tendency to be attracted towards better looking people as well as those who project confidence. Unlike explicit forms of discrimination that can be proven through data analysis, it is difficult to prove implicit discrimination in hiring and job promotions such as on the basis of looks. I had a friend who was a recruiter for an investment bank and he once confided in me that some organizations do less severe background checks of attractive candidates than average looking candidates. This is due to their personal preference for better looking candidates, thus, they avoid actions that may jeopardize the chances of their preferred candidates.

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The Differences between Butterflies and Moths – Essay Sample

Introduction

Butterflies and moths may look very similar on the surface, but they are actually quite different. Both are insects that start as caterpillars, then construct a cocoon, and within that cocoon transform themselves from worm-like creatures to flying insects.  It is easy to confuse these two amazing types of animals. Both moths and butterflies come in amazing varieties of patterns, colors, and sizes . This paper will review the best ways to distinguish between moths and butterflies for easier recognition.

Discussion

There are several ways to distinguish between  a moth and a butterfly.  The easiest differences to observe are (1) differences in the antennae of the insect; (2) differences in when the animal is active.  More subtle differences include (3) colors; (4) wing structure; and (5) position of wings when at rest.  Each of these will be discussed below.

In terms of the most obvious differences that apply across most moth and butterfly species, the first of these is the shape of the antenna.  In a moth, the antenna usually looks “feathery” whereas in butterflies, the antenna generally has some kind of thick knob or even a hook at the tip (Australian Museum, 9 July 2009).  The thickened knob or club at the end of a butterfly’s antenna may be either readily visible or harder to see, but all butterflies have that club-shaped end to the antenna (Big Sky Institute at Montana State University, n.d.). A very few moth species may have the club antenna, but no butterfly has a feathery antenna (Australian Museum, 9 July 2009).

The second easily identified difference between butterflies and moths is the time of day when they are active.  Usually butterflies are active during the day (i.e., they are diurnal), while most moths are active at night (nocturnal) (Wikipedia, 7 May 2011; Butterflies and Moths, 2000).  There are exceptions to this rule, however.  For example, the gypsy moth and the “sunset” moths are both active while the sun is up (Wikipedia, 7 May 2011; Butterflies and Moths, 2000).

If these characteristics do not differentiate butterflies and moths, the more subtle differences may confirm.  The first of these is color.  Moths usually have flat, matte colors, most often gray, brown, black, or white.  They also tend to have patterns that tend to camouflage them during the day by allowing them to mimic the bark of their typical resting places.  while butterflies are more often brightly colored, which helps them find mates from visual patterns (Wikipedia, 7 May 2011).

Wing structure may also help differentiate between moths and butterflies, though this is more difficult to notice.  Typically, moths front and back wings are connected so the wings work in unison.  In butterflies, the front and rear wings tend to be independent (Library of Congress, 23 August, 2010)

Yet another difference between the two is the position they take at rest.  Butterflies usually rest with their wings vertical above their body, while moths tend to rest with their wings spread horizontally.  This is not guaranteed, however, since a few butterflies sometimes rest with their wings spread horizontally and some moths sometimes rest with their wings vertically, particularly if space is limited (Wikipedia, 7 May 2011).

Conclusion

While moths and butterflies look very similar to each other, differences do exist.  The antennae, time of activity (i.e., nocturnal vs. diurnal activity), colors, wing structure, and resting position all tend to differ between the two types of insects. While none of these differences make a 100% positive identification individually, since exceptions to each of them exist,  if multiple characteristics point to moth or butterfly, it can be assumed that the identification is almost certainly correct.

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Formal and Informal Power

Power refers to an individual’s ability to get things done. Power within an organization is normally categorized as power or informal power. Formal power comes from the formal position one holds within an organization. The authority and powers associated with the formal position are outlined in the job contract and are known to almost everyone in the company. Formal power changes with one’s formal designation over the course of his/her career. Workers in all organizations are expected to respect formal authority or powers as part of their job. In contrast, informal powers are not officially sanctioned but instead arise due to the factors that are unique to an individual. An individual may have skills that give him credibility and thus, an informal power over others with lesser skills. A person may be good at people skills which makes him likable. Someone may have the ability to inspire and motivate others by making them feel important. A person may have a history of accomplishments and good calls which will make others trust his/her judgment. Similarly, someone with more experience may also be able to exercise informal power over others with little or no experience. Thus, whether someone has formal powers or informal powers or both, in all cases he/she will use that power to make things happen through others.

A nurse leader has both formal and informal powers. He/she has formal powers due to his designation. This results in more efficient provision of services because instead of letting everyone follow their own judgment, a nurse leader is able to set uniform standards and policies and minimize confusion. A nurse leader may also have an informal power due to his experience and skills that were the reasons he/she became a nurse leader in the first place. Moreover, his subordinates may see that he/she is passionate about his work, takes good care of his subordinates as well as look after their needs, and has successfully dealt with crisis situations.

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Masterpieces as Fashion: William Adolphe Bouguereau – Essay Sample

Very few famous artists have been fortunate enough to both set the trend in art collecting and strongly influence it.  Nineteenth century master William Adolphe Bouguereau was such an artist, in that his precise and classic Academic style was celebrated in Europe and the United States as the highest reflection of artistic culture.   Much of what made Bouguereau a cultural icon of his era can be seen in his 1862 painting, “Orestes Pursued by the Furies”.

Trained in France and, after achieving some success, in Italy, Bouguereau was a pure classicist throughout his long career, as both the subject matter and the style of this painting reveals.  The classical school invariably used mythological or Biblical subjects and scenes, and the cause is obvious; Greek and Roman mythology alone held a vast store of rich, sensational material and characters from which to draw upon, and the Christian ethics of the day could easily be woven into the scenarios. “Orestes” is something of a minor departure for Bouguereau, in that the central character is male.  Typically, his work employed female subjects, which he painted in the lavish and realistic style of Raphael. It seems, however, that he was drawn to the intense passion of the subject, and in his capturing of it Bouguereau fed the era’s social desire to exalt ancient traditions and complex histories as presented in Greek drama, expressed in exquisite painting and stunning color.

In the nineteenth century, there was an unparalleled appreciation for classicism occurring in Europe and in the United States. Any art work that was related to antiquity, and particularly to ancient Greek and Roman culture, was prized because more than one purpose was being fulfilled in extolling it. The art itself would be extravagant and beautiful, as all of Bouguereau’s paintings are, and the subjects of the paintings indicated that the owners were intellectual, and had a powerful sense of cultural aesthetics and historical significance. Impressionism had yet to be born, when Bouguereau’s fame grew;  when it became prominent, it would cause his name to disappear for many years. Until then, however, his work, bringing the ancient past gorgeously to life in opulent realism, was the standard for brilliance because, to the cultures of the day, it was both art and education.

Because of this aspect, Bouguereau enjoyed particular acclaim in the United States, where the newly wealthy American industrial giants were eager to prove how sophisticated they were.  His paintings figure in the novels of Edith Wharton, who captures the ways and ambitions of this elite class in New York.  What was European was elegant and cultured, and owning an expensive Bouguereau was proof of the very best taste.  This was art as mark of status, both decorative and there to make a very definite point, and it carried over into how this class lived and raised their children: “The arts were ornamental subjects in the education of young ladies and gentlemen.  Artistic accomplishments…demonstrated good taste and ideal values, knowledge and skill” (Stankiewicz 324).  When an owner of “Orestes” entertained, he or she was no longer merely a rich American because the painting made it clear that the household aspired to highest standards of taste.

This consideration aside, it is important to note that another element made Bouguereau the sensation he became: sheer brilliance.  As an Academician, he followed all the traditions of form, face, and detail the school encouraged, but Bouguereau brought something more to the canvas.  In the “Orestes” painting, there is a power of expression no mere technician could create; each face is potently alive.   This genius goes to why Bouguereau enabled the trend in classical art from which he profited.  Very simply, his work was so good that it enlarged the existing demand to new levels, and gave the classical school a new generation of followers.   Ironically, the talent of the artist went beyond even the most superficial reasons for people wanting to own the work.  It became fashionable and desired because it expressed European tradition and indicated a scholarly appreciation of Greek and Roman classics, but the greater reality was that the art itself was more than enough evidence of exquisite taste.

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Static Electricity – Essay Sample

Introduction

Static electricity is a common phenomenon to experience, particularly in winter.  You walk across a carpeted rug, then touch a door handle and…zap! A little spark stings you as it arcs between your fingers and the metal doorknob.  Or you brush your hair, and find that it starts sticking straight up following the brush as it approaches your head.  This paper addresses the issue of static electricity, what it is, and what its effect is.

Discussion

Because matter is made up of atoms, and atoms have a positively charged nucleus orbited by negatively charged electrons, all of matter has electrical charge associated with it. Normally,  positive charge of the nucleus exactly equals the negative charge of the electrons so the atom  is electrically neutral.  If an atom loses an electron for some reason, the atom becomes positively charged because the nuclear positive charge is larger than the negative charge of the remaining electrons.  If the atom collects an extra electron for some reason, the opposite is true and the negatively charged electrons outnumber the positive charge in the nucleus, resulting in an overall negative charge for the atom (Library of Congress, 2011).

Static electricity happens when electrically charged atoms (either positively or negatively charged) collect on the surface of an object.  That makes the surface slightly positively or negatively charged.  Because those charges simply sit on the surface, and are not part of an electrical current, this is called “static” (i.e., not moving) electricity (Kurtus, 23 January 2009).

To generate a static charge on a surface, typically two different types of materials are rubbed together.  One is a material that tends to shed electrons (and thus develop a positive charge) and a second material that tends to collect electrons (and thus develop a negative charge) (Science Made Simple, 2009).  Building a static charge is easier when the humidity is low—which is why it happens so often in winter—because if there are water molecules on the surface of the materials it’s harder to get the charges to build up (Kurtus, 23 January 2009).  It’s also important to know that it is not friction that causes static electricity to build up.  Instead, it’s the fact that the two materials adhere, and when they are rubbed together, a larger surface area is allowed to adhere, which builds up more charge (How Stuff Works, n.d.).

A Van de Graff generator is a machine that generates a significant amount of static charge—up to millions of volts of electricity.  The generator has a  motor which turns a roller with a belt around it, usually arranged to rotate vertically.  The upper end of the belt loops around another roller and the belt brushes against a metal brush which is attached to an enclosing sphere of metal (usually aluminum or steel).  The rubber belt, brushing constantly against the metal brush generates a static charge which is transferred to the enclosing sphere. That sphere “holds” the charge, allowing very large static electrical charges to accumulate (How Stuff Works, n.d.).

Static electricity is everywhere.  In addition to being common in winter, it also is the basis for lightning as a charge separation between the clouds and the ground.  As with a Van de Graff generator, a lightning bolt can amass thousands of volts of electricity, enough to do serious damage, start fires, or even kill (Wikipedia, 18 May 2011).

Conclusion

Static electricity is a natural phenomenon of everyday life.  It is a common phenomenon in winter, but it’s also common in other seasons, in lightning storms.  It happens when two different materials accumulate a separation of charge, with positive charge building up on one object and negative charge building up on the other.  A Van de Graff generator can be used to develop huge static electrical charges by rubbing a rubber belt against a metal brush connected to a metal sphere which can amass the charge.  Because static electricity is the basis for lightning, it can be destructive as well as awe-inspiring.

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