[Word Powers] Daily Words - December

Gusto (gus′tō) (noun): keen enjoyment; enthusiastic appreciation; zest; relish They sing their praises to God with great gusto - or in a quieter meditative manner.
Gusty (gŭs'tē)(Adjective): 1. Blowing in or marked by gusts: a gusty storm. 2. Characterized by sudden outbursts. In many areas there were gusty winds for much of the day.
Hypochondria (hahy-puh-KON-dree-uh) (noun): A state in which a person continually worries about their health without having any reason to do so She's a terrible hypochondriac - she's always at the doctor's. Recently, she read about an illness, which kills its victim within one month, and claimed to have its symptoms for last one year.
Hypocrisy (hi-POK-ruh-see) (noun): 1. insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have 2. a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude. He's a hypocrite - he's always lecturing other people on the environment but never switches off the air conditioner.
Indict (in-dahyt) (Verb): (Of a grand jury) to bring a formal accusation against, as a means of bringing to trial: The grand jury indicted him for murder. To charge with an offense or crime; accuse of wrongdoing; castigate; criticize. One of the most important developments in international criminal law has been the indictment of leaders of states or armed groups for war crimes during the course of the conflict.
Indigenous (in-dij-uh-nuhs) (Adj): Originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country. Inherent; natural. India is now on the verge of testing a new indigenous rocket the GSLV-3, which has the capability to transfer up to 8000 Kg into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Junket (ˈjəŋ-kət) (Noun): 1. A cheese cake; a sweetmeat; any delicate food. 2. A trip made by an official at public expense; A promotional trip made at another's expense Though she maintained she had gone abroad to collect firsthand data on the common market, the opposition claimed that her trip was merely a political Junket
Junta (ˈhu̇n-tə) (Noun): A council or committee for political or governmental purposes ; especially : a group of persons controlling a government especially after a revolutionary seizure of power As soon as he learned of its existence, the dictator ordered the execution of all of the members of the Junta
PDCA – Plan Do Check Act PDCA is an iterative four-step problem-solving process typically used in quality control. It is also known as the Deming Cycle, Shewhart cycle, Deming Wheel, or Plan-Do-Study-Act. ü PLAN Establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with the specifications. ü DO Implement the processes. ü CHECK Monitor and evaluate the processes and results against objectives and Specifications and report the outcome. ü ACT Apply actions to the outcome for necessary improvement. Review all steps (Plan, Do, Check, Act) and modify the process to improve it before its next implementation. “If you don't know where you are a map won't help”
TQM – Total Quality Management As defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO): "TQM is a management approach for an organization, centered on quality, based on the participation of all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all members of the organization and to society." ISO 8402:1994 TQM is composed of three paradigms: v Total: Involving the entire organization v Quality: High degree of excellence v Management: System of managing with steps like Plan, Organize, Control, Lead, Staff, provisioning and organizing. TQM requires that the company maintain this quality standard in all aspects of its business. This requires ensuring that: “Things are done right the first time and that defects and waste are eliminated from operations” “Q_AL_TY is incomplete without U and I”
Hyperbaton (hahy-PUR-buh-ton) (noun): Figure of speech in which the natural order of words or phrases is inverted, especially for the sake of emphasis "Cheese I love" is a hyperbaton. More hyperbatons: "Whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad." - Euripides, Greek tragedian "Sorry I be but go you must." - Yoda (picture) in the movie Star Wars
Hyperbole (hahy-PUR-buh-lee) (noun): A way of speaking or writing that makes someone or something sound bigger, better, more, etc. than they actually are. The blurb on the back of the book was full of the usual hyperbole - 'enthralling', 'fascinating' and so on.
Travel (travul) (verb / noun): Change location; move or proceed; Undertake a journey or trip; the act of going from one place to another. * The word “travel” comes from the old French word “travail” which means to work. When ‘travel’ was first introduced into the English language it meant something that was hard and difficult. It was work, one never travelled for pleasure! * Usage: traveler (US) or traveller (UK) * Travel 2.0 is a term that represents the extension and customization of the concept of Web 2.0 into a form that applies to the world’s largest industry: travel and tourism. [More Info] : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_2.0 / http://www.askoxford.com/worldofwords/oed/surgeon/travel/?view=
Transportation (‘transpor’teyshun) (noun): A facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers or goods; the act of moving something from one location to another; the commercial enterprise of moving goods and materials * Transportation is performed by various modes, such as air, rail, road and water. Other uncommon modes of transportation are Pipeline transport, Cable transport and Space transport. * Transportation was a form of punishment devised in England to exile convicted criminals to the American colonies from c. 1650 and after the War of Independence to Australia between 1788 and 1868, when it was abolished. The system arose out of England's lack of state-organized prisons and the overcrowding of what few prisons there were, including converted warships (hulks) anchored in the river Thames. [More Info] : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport / http://www.answers.com/topic/transportation
Carol (kar-uhl) (Noun): 1. A song of praise or joy, especially for Christmas. 2. An old round dance often accompanied by singing. All the family hold hands to form a ring around the tree, and walk around the tree singing carols.
Egg-nog (eg′näg′) (Noun): Traditional Christmas drink made of alcohol with beaten eggs and milk They listen to Christmas music, have eggnog and hot cider, eat nuts and spend time with family and friends in the evening.
Tinsel (tin-suhl) (Noun): 1. a glittering metallic substance, as copper or brass, in thin sheets, used in pieces, strips, threads, etc., to produce a sparkling effect 2. anything showy or attractive with little or no real worth; showy pretense The decorations come out, the tinsel gets hung and houses get lit up with a multitude of tiny colored lights on Christmas day.
Scrooge (skrooj) (Noun): A mean-spirited miserly person; a skinflint. A selfish person who is unwilling to give or spend is called a scrooge, after Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly protagonist of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
Yuletide (YOOL-tahyd): 1. (noun) the Christmas season. Period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6. 2. (adj) of or pertaining to the Christmas season. Yule or Yuletide was a Germanic midwinter festival involving a sacrificial feast that was absorbed into Christmas. The pagan Germanic peoples celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. In picture, Juletræslys, a Danish Yule Tree Candle.
Tidings (TAHY-dingz) (Noun): A piece of news, information, or intelligence. ¯...Good tidings to you wherever you go, Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year... ¯
Epiphany (i'pifunee) (Noun): Twelve days after Christmas; celebrates the visit of the three wise men to the infant Jesus; Twelfth day; January 6 For Western Christians’ Epiphany primarily commemorates the coming of the Magi (sages), while in the East the feast celebrates the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan. However, in both cases the essence of the feast is the same: the manifestation of Christ to the world, and the Mystery of the Incarnation.
Wassail (wósul) (Noun): 1. A punch made of sweetened ale or wine heated with spices and roasted apples; especially at Christmas 2. Good wishes, Make merry ¯.. Wassail! wassail! all over the town, Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown; Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree; With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee. ..¯
Wreath (rēth) (Noun): A ring or circlet of flowers, boughs, or leaves worn on the head, placed on a memorial, or hung as a decoration. A representation of this ring or circlet, as in woodwork. People hang wreaths on their front door around Christmas time
Windfall (wĭnd'fôl') (Noun): A sudden, unexpected piece of good fortune or personal gain. Something, such as a ripened fruit, that has been blown down by the wind. There had been an unexpected windfall of half a million pounds more in License Fee income than expected.
Inter (in'tur) (verb): Bury, Put in the ground, Put to rest Joseph Stalin’s embalmed corpse was put into a coffin and interred behind the Kremlin wall.
Intern (inturn) (noun): 1. A junior doctor undergoing training in a hospital 2. Trainee or assistant at a job in order to gain practical experience; 'houseman' British term Interns at the city hospital were warned by senior doctor for not taking care of the old man.
Doyen (doy'en) (noun): A man who is the senior member of a group; Dean; Krishna Kumar Birla, doyen of Indian industry, popularly known as K K Babu, was a builder of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani Rajasthan, his birthplace.
Don (dón) (noun): 1. The head of an organized crime family 2. Teacher at a university of college (British) Amitabh Bachchan acted as Don in “Don” movie was first remade in Telugu as Yugandhar, starring N.T. Rama Rao. Another remake was made in Tamil titled Billa, starring Super star Rajnikanth. Also the movie was remade in Malayalam as Sobharaj, starring Mohanlal.

W o W - Week of Words - November

FINANCE / STOCK MARKET

The “W o W” word Mr. Market (Noun): Benjamin Graham used an imaginary investor called Mr. Market to demonstrate his point that a wise investor chooses investments on their fundamental value rather than on the opinions of others or the direction of the markets. Father of Financial Analysis Benjamin Graham is considered by many to be the father of financial analysis and value investing. He revolutionized investment philosophy by introducing the concept of security analysis, fundamental analysis and value-investing theories. More than 20 years after his death, he continues to have one of the largest and most loyal followings of any investment philosopher. Known as "the father of value investing" and the "Dean of Wall Street", Ben Graham (1894-1976) excelled at making money in the stock market for himself and his clients without taking big risks. Graham created and taught many principles of investing safely and successfully that modern investors continue to use today

The “W o W” word Caveat emptor(‘keyvee’at’emptor ) (noun): A commercial principle that without a warranty the buyer takes upon himself the risk of quality. let the buyer beware... Latin for 'let the buyer beware'. This implies a buyer must ensure that goods about to be purchased are free from defects and that he/she bears the risk. It is particularly relevant in property transactions, where the seller is legally obliged not to mislead the buyer, but other than that the onus is on the buyer to satisfy himself that the property is in the condition he wants. In the UK, consumer law has moved away from the caveat emptor model, with laws passed that have enhanced consumer rights and allow greater leeway to return goods that do not meet legal standards of acceptance. Many companies operating in the UK, as well as most consumer based economies, will allow customers to return goods within a specified period for a full refund, even if there is no problem with the product. [More Info] : http://www.finance-glossary.com/terms/caveat-emptor.htm / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caveat_emptor

[Bonus]: NASDAQ is an acronym standing for National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations.

The “W o W” word Inflation (in-FLEY-shuhn) noun: A persistent, substantial rise in the general level of prices related to an increase in the volume of money and resulting in the loss of value of currency How inflation eats up into savings and increases costs? Inflation means less bang for your buck, as it erodes the purchasing power of a unit of currency. Inflation usually refers to consumer prices, but it can also be applied to other prices (wholesale goods, wages, assets, and so on). It is usually expressed as an annual percentage rate of change on an index number. Let's say, you have saved up Rs 100. “Item A”, that you have your eyes on, costs exactly Rs 100. You decide to hold your savings to buy “Item A” after one year when the time is right. Being smart, for that one year, you allow your money to grow by investing it in a savings scheme that gives you 9% interest. Hence, you will get Rs 109 after one year. Now suppose inflation is 7%. This would mean that “Item A” that now costs Rs 100 will cost Rs 107 after one year. Your wisdom will prevail, not only will you be able to purchase “Item A” with your savings, you will also save Rs 2. On the other hand, if inflation is at 11%. Item A will cost Rs 111. That means, you will be short of Rs 2.

The “W o W” word Stagflation (stag-fley-shuhn) noun: A condition of slow economic growth and relatively high unemployment - a time of stagnation - accompanied by a rise in prices, or inflation. Stagflation in the 21st Century: A series of dramatic rate lowerings by the U. S. Federal Reserve designed to fight the Credit Crisis caused commodity prices to soar. For example, there was a one-year gain in the price of oil from about $70 per barrel to about $145 per barrel at the July, 2008 peak, depending on market and grade. The major developed economies almost universally reacted by printing money"; in the United States alone, permanent funding approaches a total of one trillion dollars and temporary funding is nearly double that much. In parallel the U. S. central bank again lowered interest rates to a further non-economic low in parallel with similar moves across Europe. European central banks also put forth nearly two trillion dollars to recapitalize crippled banks. As a result long-term interest rates edged upward, with the cost of a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rising from 5.75% to 6.25%. These are classic causes of inflation during recession, i.e., stagflation.

The “W o W” word Oligopoly (`ólu'gópulee) noun: A market in which control over the supply of a commodity is in the hands of a small number of producers and each one can influence prices and affect competitors. Studio Oligopoly Six Hollywood studios that control around 90% of the US film business. All the real independents together have an inconsiderable share of the market, and most of them have to work with or through a major studio to get national release. Most of the major studios are now divisions of gigantic international media empires. Some of them, like Universal studios, have been bought and sold several times. DreamWorks and MGM/UA were exceptions until recently, when DreamWorks was sold off to Paramount (once part of Viacom) and MGM was bought by Sony. Company Studios % share of market Time-Warner Warner Brothers, New Line, Warner Independent 20.4 News Corp. 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight 15.3 Paramount (was Viacom) Paramount, DreamWorks, Paramount Classics 15.1 Sony Sony, Columbia, Screen Gems, MGM, Sony Classics 12.5 Disney Buena Vista, Miramax, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, Pixar 12.5 Universal (General Electric) Universal, Focus 11.4 [More Info]: http://www.oligopolywatch.com/