35 Synonyms for Look

35 Synonyms for Look 35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look† 35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look† By Mark Nichol Look, it’s perfectly acceptable to use the verb look, but don’t hesitate to replace this fairly ordinary-looking word with one of its many more photogenic synonyms. Many of these substitutions come in especially handy when it comes to finding one word to take the place of look-plus-adverb or look-plus-adjective-and-noun, as the definitions demonstrate. 1. Blink: to look at with disbelief, dismay, or surprise or in a cursory manner 2. Browse: to look at casually 3. Consider: to look at reflectively or steadily 4. Contemplate: to look at extensively and/or intensely 5. Dip (into): to examine or read superficially 6. Eye: to look at closely or steadily 7. Fixate (on): to look at intensely 8. Gape: to look at with surprise or wonder, or mindlessly, and with one’s mouth open 9. Gawk: see gape 10. Gawp: see gape (generally limited to British English) 11. Gaze: to look steadily, as with admiration, eagerness, or wonder 12. Glare: to look angrily 13. Glimpse: to look briefly 14. Gloat: to look at with triumphant and/or malicious satisfaction 15. Glower: to look at with annoyance or anger 16. Goggle: to look at with wide eyes, as if in surprise or wonder 17. Leer: to look furtively to one side, or to look at lecherously or maliciously 18. Observe: to look carefully to obtain information or come to a conclusion, or to notice or to inspect 19. Ogle: to look at with desire or greed 20. Outface: to look steadily at another to defy or dominate, or to do so figuratively 21. Outstare: see outface 22. Peek: to look briefly or furtively, or through a small or narrow opening 23. Peep: to look cautiously or secretively; see also peek (also, slang for â€Å"see† or â€Å"watch†) 24. Peer: to look at with curiosity or intensity, or to look at something difficult to see 25. Peruse: to look at cursorily, or to do so carefully 26. Pore (over): to look at intently 27. Regard: to look at attentively or to evaluate 28. Rubberneck: to look at in curiosity 29. Scan: to look at quickly, or to look through text or a set of images or objects to find a specific one 30. Skim: see scan 31. Stare: to look at intently 32. Stare (down): to look at someone else to try to dominate 33. Study: to look at attentively or with attention to detail 34. Watch: to look carefully or in expectation 35. Wink: to look at while blinking one eye to signal or tease another person 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Inquire vs EnquireProved vs. ProvenRite, Write, Right, Wright

Difference in Weatherproof and Weather-Resistant Gear

Difference in Weatherproof and Weather-Resistant Gear In the market for rainwear, outerwear, or tech gear, but dont know whether to browse for weatherproof or weather-resistant options? Although the two types may sound alike, knowing the difference could save you money in the long run.   Weather-Resistant Definition Weather resistance offers the lowest level of protection against Mother Nature. If a product  is labeled weather resistant, it means its designed to withstand light exposure to the elements sun, rain, and wind. If a product resists the penetration of water to some degree (but not entirely) its said to be water- or rain-resistant. If this resistance is achieved through a treatment or coating, it is said to be water- or rain-repellent. Weatherproof Definition On the other hand, if something is weatherproof (rainproof, windproof, etc.) it means its able to withstand routine  exposure to the elements yet still remain in like new condition. Weatherproof items are considered longer-lasting. Of course, this rugged durability also comes at a steeper price. How Weatherproof Is Weatherproof?   So youve found the perfect product and its got the weatherproof stamp of approval. Thats all you need to know, right? Not exactly. Contrary to what you may think, weatherproofing isnt a one-size-fits-all kind of spec. As persnickety as it sounds, there are actually degrees of weatherproof-ness. For example, if you want to know how wind resistant a garment is, youll want to pay close attention to something called its CFM rating. This rating expresses how easily air (typically at a speed of 30 mph) can pass through a fabric. The lower the  rating number, the more wind-resistant the fabric is, with 0 being the most wind-resistant (100% windproof). In general, the more ​hard-shelled  the garment, the less able winds are to cut through it.   To measure a materials rainproof performance, companies test to see that no water leaks through it when subjected to a water pressure test. While there isnt an industry standard, youll want a material tested under a pressure of at least 3 psi. (The force of wind-driven rain is about 2 psi, so anything in the 3 psi range is sure to keep you dry during spring and summer downpours.) However, if youre planning on hunting hurricanes, youll want a jacket that exceeds 10 psi. Similar  to how SPF ratings tell how well sunscreen protects your skin from the suns UV, textiles, too, are rated for their level of UV protection. A fabrics Ultraviolet Protection Factor or UPF informs you how many sunburn-causing or color-fading UV rays will pass through. The lower the rating, the less UV resistant the product. A rating of UPF 30 is typical of sunproof  fabrics and blocks nearly 97% of UV radiation.  (It means that if 30 units of UV fall on the fabric, only 1 unit will pass through.) A rating of 50 provides the maximum level of UV protection. If you cant find a mention of UPF rating, look for fabrics having a tight or heavy weave and dark color these will typically offer the most  sun protection.  And dont forget about moisture-wicking features these will offer cooling and breathability. These ratings dont just apply to apparel. To check durability for tech gear and electronics, youll want to  check its outdoor durability by looking at whats called an IP code.   And the Winner Is. While which spec you need weather-resistance or weatherproof-ness largely depends on what kind of product youre buying and how much youre willing to pay for it, weather-resistant is all most of us need. (Unless of course, youre a meteorologist.) One final word of advice when considering weather-resistant vs. weatherproof: No matter how  weather resistant something claims to be, remember nothing is 100% weatherproof forever.  Eventually, Mother Nature will have her way.   Source: ​Rainwear: How it Works  REI, July 2016

Brigance Testing - Inventory of Early Development Coursework

Brigance Testing - Inventory of Early Development - Coursework Example This essay stresses that the assessment normed on the early childhood inventory for children aged between zero to seven years. This includes majorly children attending Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First Grade. The assessment focuses on the general knowledge of these children in the eleven particular areas of assessment, which lead to the determination of the learning progress of child. The test focuses on children at their early stages of learning in order to create a suitable learning environment for them in the future by setting the right track from as early as Pre-Kindergarten. At this early stage, a child gets to know his or her weaknesses and strengths, and then starts improving on them instead of letting the problem lie for some years into the middle school, for instance, before commencing work on it. This paper makes a conclusion that this assessment is also adaptable to children with limitations, such as those with communication and language limitations. The test enables teachers to identify the particular areas in their limitations that make it difficult for them to undertake a proper learning experience. The schools in question focus clearly on the administration of a Bringance Test to the children during admission in order to determine their weak and strong areas, as well as come up with the right strategies to improve and maintain their performance in order to enhance their learning experience. This test enables children to improve their learning progress from an early stage

Dell evaluating the potential outsourcing of the firms software Essay

Dell evaluating the potential outsourcing of the firms software development services in Russia, Brazil, and UAE - Essay Example The firm has managed to create a powerful network of branches internationally. However, its performance is not stable, meaning that the firm has been proved vulnerable to market pressures, as this problem can be identified in the firm’s financial statements, as, indicatively, analyzed below. The review of the firm’s financial and operational characteristics and challenges has led to the assumption that the outsourcing of the firm’s software development services would significantly strengthen company performance through the improvement of the rate of response to customers’ orders and requests. At the same time, the firm’s position in its industry would be stabilized and strengthened since the firm would be able to achieve an important increase of its profits even in the long term. At this point, the following issue appears: which country would become the firm’s most important supporter, in terms of the promotion of the particular business proj ect. The potential participation of a firm based on one of the following countries: Russia, Brazil and UAE is evaluated in this paper. It is concluded that all three countries have certain advantages for supporting such business project. However, seems that two of them, Russia and UAE would be preferred, as they are proved more ready to support the specific initiatives. The basis of this assumption is presented below. The characteristics of the company and of the industry involved are also explained at the level that they can justify the decision of the firm to outsource its software development services. 2. Dell – analysis of the aspects of outsourcing the firm’s software development services in Russia, Brazil, and UAE 2.1 Company characteristics Dell is a

How Can College Students Manage Their Money Essay

How Can College Students Manage Their Money - Essay Example A student should also be able to separate wants from needs and prioritize the most significant things. â€Å"Scholarships.com† explains that a good plan must be put into action after identifying the differences between wants and needs (Web). Understanding wants and needs helps in tracking a student’s spending and making sure that a student has sufficient resources in the event of an emergency and enhances making informed money management decisions. Moreover, a student may opt for a checking account that reduces fees on withdrawals or fund transfer and therefore shopping around to find a bank with convenient ATM’s near campus may hugely reduce some unnecessary costs. Just in line with the banking, a student should be able to keep an eye on the account balance before spending against it thus reducing cases where a student budgets for money that is perhaps not existing. Additionally, most students misuse credit cards hence attracting dangerous financial position.   Many students currently use credit cards in carrying out their transactions thus making it easier to amass a large amount of debt while in college. A student should go easy with the credit cards and understand that the easiest way of spending beyond one’s means is charging the credit card (â€Å"Scholarships.com† Web). Students should, therefore, use credit cards sparingly and avoid paying interest on even simple things such as on a bag of chips.

Gothic Architecture and Renaissance Architecture Comparison

Gothic Architecture and Renaissance Architecture Comparison Introduction Gothic architecture and Renaissance architecture are both the comprehensive expression of culture in their own times. Gothic architecture started in 12th-century France and lasted for 4 centuries, into the 16th. After that, renaissance architecture took the place of Gothic architecture from 15 century until 17 century from Florence, Italy. Different time-backgrounds, social cultures, religious believes and different aesthetical standards from origins are the main reasons that formed these two polarity architectural style, Gothic and Renaissance. They represent their time and nation, becoming a specific language. In this essay, I will study and compare two finest works from each era, Amiens Cathedral and Florence Cathedral, trying to find out the contrast of these two architecture styles through the angle of historical evolution on European architecture. Time background and characteristics of Gothic architecture Gothic architecture evolved from Romanesque architecture and then flourished during the high and late medieval period. Gothic started from the 12th century France and it spreaded to the entire Europe, especially south and middle Europes architecture are deeply influenced. Europe was divided into a multitude of city states and kingdoms at the end of the 12th century. Throughout Europe archived its heyday because of the rapid growth in trade and the development of artisan industry, and an associated growth in towns (Banister, 1975 John 1950). Because of Germany and the Lowlands were in comparative peace, emerged lots of large flourishing towns. With the purpose of competition with other towns, or united for mutual weal, citizens had very high enthusiasm to built religious buildings. Those buildings were importance to these towns, represented wealth and pride. At that time, religious architectures like churches, cathedrals, abbeys were not only used as unalloyed religious architecture, they became the central of civic lives, became as halls, Hanseatic Leagues, even markets or theaters. Not only the religious architectures, many castles, universities, municipal halls were built in gothic style and remained till today. Few of domestic houses were gothic s tyle. In the other word, gothic architecture embodies the power of the rulers of the day. Gothic architecture is the zenith of European medieval architecture. No matter the engineering technologies or the means of artistic expression both achieved an unprecedented level, and hence came the golden time of European religious architecture. Churches buildings are the most elegant and superb workmanship of construction among all gothic buildings. Amiens cathedral is the most typical gothic architecture; we can almost find all of the gothic architecture Characteristics in this building. Amiens cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral. It is located in Amiens, the chief city of Picardy, north of Paris. It is the tallest complete cathedral in France, with the nave high 42.30 m, and it has the greatest interior volume, estimated at 200,000 m ³ (Wikipedia, 2009). It is said that it can contain all citizens in Amiens city at that time and more than sufficient (Baidu, 2009). Characteristics of Amiens cathedral Gothic art not only can been shown on the gothic religious buildings, but also painting, sculpture and crafts. A lot of sculpture, reliefs and illuminated entrances of the cathedral, let the gothic church buildings becoming art galleries. These sculptures and paintings break out of the range of religion and restrict, emphasize portray of characters, novelty seeking for accurate human histology. It presents a new thought, a brand new art creations tend was increasing through these gothic arts in church buildings, and it might lead to the renaissance art. (Huihua, 2004) The Western portals of the Amiens cathedral have a lot of outstanding elegant art works. Especially their elaborate sculpture, featuring a gallery of locally-important saints and large eschatological scenes are justly famous. In the book Mr Standfast, John Buchan has his character Richard Hannay describe the Amiens cathedral as being the noblest church that the hand of man ever built for God.( John,1960) Material Gothic architectures have no strict restraint on the chosen of material. Mainly French gothic churches employed limestone as the material. In England, Germany and Italy, heavy materials such as marble, sandstone, brick and stone are also be used. Amiens cathedral, just like the mostly French churches use limestone as material. Amiens cathedral have a very standardized gothic churchs Latin cross or cruciform plan. The long nave makes the body of the cathedral. Beyond a transverse arm called the transept, there is an extension which may be called the choir, chancel or presbytery. In other gothic churches architectures, there are several variations on the plan because of the regional reasons. Gothic architecture made a breakthrough of Romanesque style, using sprightly ogival or pointed arch, forceful spires and lots of narrow long windows instead of heavy shape, stability and semicircle arch,emphasis gothic churches verticality. These characteristics application, aimed to create a powerful impression on the approaching people, indicating the might of God and the might of the institution that it represents. Like other French cathedrals, Amiens cathedral is emphasis its height, both real and proportional. The 42.30 m height nave is even considerably taller than the width. On the interior of the Amiens cathedral, there is no break of the vertical lines. 126 giant pillars rise up from the floor straight to the ceiling, and meet the ribs of the vault. The walls and long narrow windows are all follow the rule of verticality. Through these methods, it leads peoples sight up to the high, create an impression of pious and transcendence of god, and the dream of heaven. The treatment of vertical elements in gallery and window tracery of mostly French and perpendicular period of English gothic churches shows a strongly unifying feature that counteracts the horizontal divisions of the interior structure. (Wim, 1985) Rose windows are applied widely in the design of gothic churches. In Amiens cathedral, rose windows can be found above the entrance and transept. This is the rose window above the west entrance of the Amiens cathedral. In Amiens cathedral, brick or stone is not the main part of the walls, but colored glasses, which tells many stories of gods, in order to educate people who cannot read at that time. All the rose windows and long narrow windows are using stained glass. The big contrast of dark walls and bright gorgeous windows gives a mysterious feeling. The flying buttress is a crucial element or characteristic contributing to the larruping looking of Gothic cathedrals. The flying buttress was used as a structure element, supporting the walls vertically. But in some gothic architecture, it comes to become a kind of decoration of building. The flying buttress outside the clerestory walls, decreasing the solidity of structure virtually, made the cathedra looked as being suspended from heaven. Furth more, it also played a role to balance the network of interior vaults ribs to give the same impression of a tent-like canopy over the congregation (www.wikipdia.com, 2009). In Art Through the Ages, authors describe the flying buttress as like slender extended fingers holding up the walls.( TANSEV. R , KLEINER. F. S CROIX. H, 1995) The ribbed vault is another importance characteristic of gothic architecture. The ribbed vault is made by combining three separate but connected arches. These are the transverse arches that span the ends of the vault, the lateral or longitudinal arches that span the length or sides of the vault, and the two diagonal arches that reach from corner to corner.(Parry. S) This simple construction dominated the medieval construction because of it is simply constructed, strong and flexible. Time background and characteristics of renaissance architecture The renaissance architecture appeared from the 15th century Florence, Italy, and then it spread to other European countries like France, Germany, England, Russia and elsewhere quickly, and formed regional renaissance architecture styles. At the end of the 14th century, the bud of capitalism in Europe. With its development, people in that era changed their attitude and requirement of art. Renaissance is a Political and cultural movement, which aim to bury the darkness rule of religious class in medieval in Europe. The newly emergent bourgeoisie against feudal aristocracy, and at the same time, they also fight with religious forces. In their mind, the though the medieval culture as historical regression, they describe the era as dark and barbarous time. Classic Greece and Rome culture was highly praised as luciferous and well- developed culture. From then on, the whole Europe went into the renaissance. In brief, we can find that, both the gothic and renaissance architecture, the style of architecture changed and fit the rulers taste, as a result, influence on the architecture style of that age. Because of the change of ruler, lots of commercial buildings like town halls, theaters, palaces and domestic buildings all built in renaissance style, not only the religious churches. St. Peters Basilica St Peters basilica can be though as one of the most outstanding religious renaissance buildings. St. Peters Basilica is located within the Vatican City. St. Peters Basilica can hold 60,000 people inside of it, been considered as the church with the largest interior of any Christian church in the world. It has a very high status of Christian churches, and it is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites. The St. Peters basilica was described as holding a unique position in the Christian world(Lees-milne. J, 1967, p. 12.) and as the greatest of all churches of Christendom by Fletcher (FLETCHER .B, 1996, p. 719). It is the most prominent building inside the Vatican City. Its dome is an outstanding symbolic feature of the Rome skyline. It covers 2.3 hectares with a capacity of over 60,000 people. Characteristics of St Peters basilica Gothic architecture emphasizes its verticality. But renaissance architects paid lots of attention on symmetry, proportion and geometry of buildings. The faà §ade is 114.69 meters wide and 45.55 meters high .Not as the Amiens cathedral using pointed arch, spires and lots of narrow long windows to increase the visual verticality feeling, the St Peters basilica been put emphasis on its horizontality, symmetrical around its vertical axis. Its faà §ades is surmounted by a pediment and organized by a system of pilasters, arches and entablatures (www.Wikipedia.com). The columns and windows show a progression towards the center. You can also find fancy sculptures of gods at the top of the basilica. Compare to Amiens cathedrals intricate decoration, colourful west entrance and a good many sculptures on the surface of the cathedral, the St Peters basilicas appearance seems more maestoso and laconic. Material As the same reason as the architect of Amiens cathedral, the architect chose to use massive white travertine stone as the building material for the sake of highlight the solemn and saintly of the basilica. For gothic architectures, stones and glasses are the only used materials. For the St Peters basilica, brick masonry is used for the domes as well. Some other renaissance churches, timber and brick are also be used for domes. The St Peters Basilica took almost 120 years to finish. Lots of architects and artists worked together to join the design of the basilica, and made great contribution. So we can say that, the St Peters basilica is an aggregation of greatest renaissance architects and artists brightness. Donato Bramante was the first architect start the rebuilt of the St Peters basilica. Photo 11 is the plan that Bramante designed, which followed the renaissance thought, applying an enormous Greek cross with a dome in the middle, inspired by that of the huge circular Roman temple, the Pantheon. But he did not blindly follow the classic style. Bramante employed four large piers to support the basilica. Latter Bramante was replaced with Giuliano da Sangallo, Fra Giocondo and Raphael. The concept of the 4 piers remained unchanged. In Raphaels design, he added a row of complex apsidal chapels off the aisles on either side. He also reduced the size of towers to define the squareness of the exterior walls. And the semi-circular apses more clearly defined by encircling each with an ambulatory (Wikipedia). It cannot deny that Michelangelo made greatest contribution to the design of the basilica. The building remained now was built base on his design, although in his design he reconsidered the obvious plans and made some improvements. Michelangelo replaced every corner of the Raphaels plan with small vestries to blur the definition of the geometry. Columns and pilasters are the most obvious element of renaissance architecture, they are also an embodiment of the renaissance though, which is the classic columns and pilasters presents the harmony and senses of ancient Greece though. The whole series of columns and pilasters were continued to use by renaissance architecture. People tried to understand ancient Greeks understand of human body. So the base of the column was regarded as humans foot, the main body as the body, and the capital as humans head. A giant order of pilasters set at slightly different angles to each other was employed on the surface of the exterior walls of St Peters basilica. They do not like columns have supportive function, they are purely decoration purpose. Columns were used inside of the building. As introduced the basilica is supported by 4 piers, the columns take the role of decoration in this case. Semi- circular arch, which was shunned by gothic architecture represent its value on renaissance architecture. They are used in arcades, supported on piers or columns with capitals. In my point of view, the pointed arch in Amiens cathedral gives a mysterious impression, but on the other hand, the renaissance semi-circular arch accidently gives people a shock of god. And the vaults without ribs continue follow the semi-circular or segmental shape. All the vaults are on a square plan, unlike the vault of Amiens cathedral, which is rectangular. The dome of St Peters basilica is the tallest point of the Vatican City. The basilica becomes the landmark of the Vatican city of the day, the conspicuous dome made the most significant contribution to this result. Qua the tallest one among all renaissance domes, the domes height is as tall as 136.57 meters, accounting from the floor to the silver cross on the top of the dome. Its internal diameter, slightly smaller than Pantheon of Ancient Rome and Florence Cathedral, is 41.47 meters. I thing Michelangelo Buonarrotis dome is another engineering success after the Florence cathedral. The dome is constructed similar as the dome of Florence cathedral, which has two shells, but the St Peters outer shell has 16 strong stone ribs, as twice of the Florence cathedral. The 16 pairs of 15 meters height columns visually buttress each of the ribs, but actually they are redundant in structure of the dome. There are some openings along bottom edge of the dome, which subdued light up the elegant painting inside of the dome. Openings on the top of dome let bright sunlight goes straight into the interior of the basilica, light up the interior room naturally. Furthermore, the strong sunlight contrasts with the shading space, creating a saintly feeling. As the same as mostly gothic architecture, the ceiling of Amiens cathedral is left open. The interior aesthetics rely on light and shade contrast by the effect of colourful windows. The St Peters basilica is comprehensive decorated. Roofs are fitted with coffered ceilings, which are painted. Not only the ceiling, but also inside of domes are painted by famous renaissance artists. Fancy sculptures can be seen on every surface of piers, including some Michelangelos masterworks. Conclusion After all, the thought of the society limited the architecture style of the day. So gothic architecture and renaissance architecture were both influenced by the particular politic, economy, culture and art of the time. After all, all architecture styles centered around the rulers taste, and then influenced all the building style of that era. From here we see that architecture, as the symbol of the age, also can presents the characteristics of the society. Therefore, in order to satisfied the need of new social, political and culture, architecture form changing along with the time. On the other hand, the development of engineering techniques and material gave a solid support for the development of new architecture. Bibliography Banister FLETCHER, A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method, June 1975 John HARVEY, The Gothic World, 1100-1600: A Survey of Architecture and Art, 1950 Amiens Cathedral, from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amiens_Cathedral, modified on 24 December 2009 Amiens cathedral, http://baike.baidu.com/view/426548.htm, modified on 27 December 2009 John BUCHAN, Mr Standfast. London: Penguin Books, 1960 Huihua HUANG, the difference characteristics between gothic architecture and renaissance architecture, 2004 Wim SWAAN, The Gothic Cathedral,1985 Flying buttress, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_buttress, 2009 Richard TANSEV , Fred S. KLEINER, Horst De LA CROIX, Gardners Art Through the Ages, 1995, http://www.tudorhistory.org/glossaries/f/flying_buttress.html Stan PARRY, the key elements of gothic architecture , http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Arts/Architec/MiddleAgesArchitectural/GothicArchitecture/KeyElementsGothicArchitecture/KeyElementsGothicArchitecture.htm Claims made that the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro in Africa is larger appear to be spurious, as the measurements include a rectorate, a villa and probably the forecourt. Its capacity is 18,000 people against St. Peters 60,000. Its dome, based on that of St. Peters, is lower but carries a taller cross, and thus claims to be the tallest domed church. James Lees-Milne describes St Peters Basilica as a church with a unique position in the Christian world in Lees-Milne 1967, p. 12. Banister FLETCHER, the renowned architectural historian calls it The greatest of all churches of Christendom in Fletcher 1996, p. 719. Wikipedia, Renaissance architecture, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_architecture,2009 Wikipedia, St. Peters Basilica,2009

The Benefits of ObamaCare Are Greater Than the Costs Essay -- ObamaCar

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) also known as Obama Care has been put into place to transfer the cost of healthcare from employers to the government. Employer provided insurance is common place in America. Nearly 60% of the American public utilizes insurance provided by their employer (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services). Since the proposal of the PPACA it has been surrounded by much controversy concerning the constitutionality of the bill. During the industrial stages of the nation came the passage of strict labor laws, regulated minimum wage, and health coverage became a perk offered by employers to build a dependable workforce. Healthcare was readily available before the concept of globalization occurred and made it less realistic for an employer to keep supporting the overhead of health care rising prices while competing with other countries that do not provide healthcare or have to adhere to minimum wage guidelines. Companies in the US have been driven to cut spending in order to stay competitive with companies producing similar products in other nations. Global economy has had a huge impact on healthcare and the people it is available to. Companies have been gradually paying less and less towards their employee’s healthcare which in turn has made insurance too costly for the average employee to continue the same amount of healthcare coverage. While companies have been lessening their contribution to employee health benefits insurances have continually raised their prices. In the recent years between 2001 and 2007 the cost of health care premiums has escalated almost 80% (Health Care Marketplace Project, 2008). To understand the dispute surrounding the constitutionality of Obama Car... ...9% during the same time period (Health Care Marketplace Project, 2008) Works Cited Health Care Marketplace Project . (2008, March 14). Employer Health Insurance Costs and Worker Compensation. In Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved June 28, 2008, from http://www.kff.org/insurance/snapshot/chcm030808oth.cfm Jost, T. (2009). Health Insurance Exchanges: Legal Issues. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 3751-70. doi:10.1111/j.1748-720X.2009.00420.x Stengel, R., & Ford, A. (2011, July 4). One document, under siege. Time, 178(1), 30-45. Retrieved July 16, 2011, from Academic Search Premier. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). The Effect of Health Care Cost Growth on the U.S. Economy. In Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/08/healthcarecost/report.pdf

Essay and Research Paper Essay

Some young children spend a great amount of their time practicing sports. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. There is a true saying that everyone knows: playing sports is very good for our health. Playing sport helps us stay in shape, builds up our teamwork skill, and makes us consistent players. But there is a truth that not many people can realize: spending too much time on sports may cause some bad influences. Especially when it comes to young children. They need a balanced schedule so that they can take advantage and avoid some disadvantages of playing sports First, playing sports is necessary for everyone to reserve good health. It is proven by scientists that doing exercises or playing sports regularly helps people stay in a good shape, and helps avoid some health problems such as heart attack or blood pressure. For those reasons, young children should spend time in playing sport everyday. But if they spend too much time on that, they will not have enough time to participate in many other interesting and useful activities, such as going on a picnic with their friends or learning to play musical instruments†¦Even worse, they may not spend enough time on study. Second, playing sports helps young children develop their team-work skill. Usually when playing sport, they will be allocated into teams. By trying to connect with other team members to win to the game, they will learn how to get along with people, how to understand other people’s ideas, and how to coordinate with the others to get the best result, not only in sports, but also in study or in a working environment. But still, if they spend too much time on playing sports, there will be a disadvantage for young children, since they spend too much time hanging on with the others in a team, will not know how to handle problems alone, resulting in performing badly when working independently. Lastly, playing sports helps children learn how to stand up after failing, making them competitive in any tournament. It is definite that everyone will fail at least once when they play sport. The desire of being the winner urges them to try more and more. The more they try, the better.they become, but once they are so involved in the game, they somehow become so aggressive. Some will try anything to win, and some will even play unfairly to be the winner. The stories about the soccer players using drugs or the players fighting in a game are clear evidences to the disadvantage of playing sport when it is not under control.

Meridian

To be independent is to be without limitation and free of civilization, all the while, the thought of being free of civilization, without limitation is overwhelmingly wild. In the novel Meridian, by Alice Walker, the short presence of a character addressed as The Wild Child symbolizes the theme of self awareness and pursuing one’s life independently. Alice walker uses the short presence of The Wild Child as an influential factor when developing her main character Meridian. The use of characters from Meridian’s ancestry, such as Feather Mae (Meridian’s great grandmother) and inanimate objects, such as The Sojourner (tree), further support the theme that The Wild Child represents. Notably, Alice Walker writes her Meridian through a series of flashbacks through third person omnicient narration. The novel opens with Truman Held arriving in Chicokema, Georgia, to meet up with Meridian, his former lover. Meridian is seen escorting a group of children, who were mostly black and impoverished, to an attraction displaying a mummified woman in which they were not permitted to attend. A shift then occurs to a flashback in New York City where Meridian, ten years prior, had not been willing to proclaim that she would kill on behalf of an African American revolutionary organization. Another flashback then occurs to when Meridian had been a child who chose not to accept Jesus into her life despite her mother’s religious devotion, this urges Meridian’s mother to withdraw her love towards her daughter. The novel continues to shift unravelling a countless number of memories that contributed to the reasoning behind why Meridian resulted to her introverted ways. Meridian seeks guidance and a sense of belonging that she never received from her mother, but finds that traditional paths in life do not provide her any comfort. Instead she cultivates a keen sense of dedication towards the civil rights movement, which gives her drive throughout her young adult years. Meridian endures sexual misfortunes throughout life first as a child, when she becomes pregnant and marries due to her lack of knowledge about sex, and later with older men who take advantage of her low self esteem. Giving up her son, Eddie Jr. , Meridian seeks happiness within the campus of Saxon College where she intially struggles and finds refuge under The Sojourner, a rarely large magnolia tree. This is where she later encounters The Wild Child. The novel concludes with Truman asking Meridian to love him as she once did before he had married Lynn, a white activist for civil rights. Meridian admits her love for Truman has changed and prepares to pick back up her life elsewhere; Truman realizes that he must now take up the internal struggle in which Meridian has finally escaped. Although Meridian began as a shattered individual who struggled throughout much of her life, this is what helps to mold and define the calm, determined person that she ultimately becomes; through the representation and comparison of The Wild Child to Meridian, Meridian’s growth is all the more apparent. Alice Walker creates The Wild Child as almost an eidolon figure, for she is not even given a name. Occupants within the impoverished areas surrounding Saxon College, the school in which Meridian attends, know hardly anything of the mysterious young girl who searches for food in garbage cans and can barely speak any language besides the few swear words she has aquired over the years. Meridian attempts to help the poor child but fails to tame her, which in return plays a large role in The Wild Child’s death. Meridian is much like The Wild Child in regards that she has always stripped her life of outside guidance, close relationships, and comforts (material, mental and physical comforts) as she moves from place to place. As an activist against racism and a person of whom secludes herself from others, Meridian lives as an outcast within society trying to avoid the judgement passed by people, just as The Wild Child does. This shows both Meridian and The Wild Child’s sense of self identity and independence in the way that they realize that they would rather be separated from society and go about things in their own way, the only way that they know. Although The Wild Child makes only a brief appearance within the novel, Alice Walker makes her intentions of this character evident by supporting the theme of self awareness and independence that The Wild Child represents with other characters and objects. Feather Mae, Meridian’s great- grandmother is made out to also be a person of free will, who is far reachinging and of an eccentric nature. Feather Mae is a woman whoabandons all religion not founded on physical ecstasy and later results to worshiping the sun while walking around naked. This is just as Meridian renounced religion at an early age in her life because she had not experienced any type of â€Å"ecstasy† in trying to become devoted to Jesus. Just as The Wild Child lived content in her own ways of surviving, both of these exceptional women, Meridian and Feather Mae, endure life in their own idealistic way. Walker also emphasises the importance of the rather large mangolia tree, The Sojourner, in which Meridian takes refuge through hard times when she intially began college. The tree was rare in itself, being the largest in the country. The Sojourner not only signified the growth of African American people through times of oppression, but it also stood as a souvenir of the past. Like the tree, Meridian is a character who has been around through difficult times and still continues to grow, but Meridian also carries with her guilt and saddness from her past. Although the destruction of The Sojourner later in the novel Walker symbolized the abrupt destruction of ties to racism and ways of the past, it also represented the destruction of Meridian, leaving room for a new part of her to grow and develop more as an individual who can be contempt with who she is in the present, rather that sulk in who she was in the past. As has been noted, Meridian being a novel made up of flashbacks and recollections of the past allowed for Alice Walker to create a character that develops through the influences of her surroundings and other characters. Although The Wild Child plays only a small role in the writing of the novel, her presence is significant, for it shapes the entire meaning of who the main character, Meridian, becomes. The Wild Child also serves to enhance the sense of independence and self awareness that the author tries so strongly to get across. Meridian To be independent is to be without limitation and free of civilization, all the while, the thought of being free of civilization, without limitation is overwhelmingly wild. In the novel Meridian, by Alice Walker, the short presence of a character addressed as The Wild Child symbolizes the theme of self awareness and pursuing one’s life independently. Alice walker uses the short presence of The Wild Child as an influential factor when developing her main character Meridian. The use of characters from Meridian’s ancestry, such as Feather Mae (Meridian’s great grandmother) and inanimate objects, such as The Sojourner (tree), further support the theme that The Wild Child represents. Notably, Alice Walker writes her Meridian through a series of flashbacks through third person omnicient narration. The novel opens with Truman Held arriving in Chicokema, Georgia, to meet up with Meridian, his former lover. Meridian is seen escorting a group of children, who were mostly black and impoverished, to an attraction displaying a mummified woman in which they were not permitted to attend. A shift then occurs to a flashback in New York City where Meridian, ten years prior, had not been willing to proclaim that she would kill on behalf of an African American revolutionary organization. Another flashback then occurs to when Meridian had been a child who chose not to accept Jesus into her life despite her mother’s religious devotion, this urges Meridian’s mother to withdraw her love towards her daughter. The novel continues to shift unravelling a countless number of memories that contributed to the reasoning behind why Meridian resulted to her introverted ways. Meridian seeks guidance and a sense of belonging that she never received from her mother, but finds that traditional paths in life do not provide her any comfort. Instead she cultivates a keen sense of dedication towards the civil rights movement, which gives her drive throughout her young adult years. Meridian endures sexual misfortunes throughout life first as a child, when she becomes pregnant and marries due to her lack of knowledge about sex, and later with older men who take advantage of her low self esteem. Giving up her son, Eddie Jr. , Meridian seeks happiness within the campus of Saxon College where she intially struggles and finds refuge under The Sojourner, a rarely large magnolia tree. This is where she later encounters The Wild Child. The novel concludes with Truman asking Meridian to love him as she once did before he had married Lynn, a white activist for civil rights. Meridian admits her love for Truman has changed and prepares to pick back up her life elsewhere; Truman realizes that he must now take up the internal struggle in which Meridian has finally escaped. Although Meridian began as a shattered individual who struggled throughout much of her life, this is what helps to mold and define the calm, determined person that she ultimately becomes; through the representation and comparison of The Wild Child to Meridian, Meridian’s growth is all the more apparent. Alice Walker creates The Wild Child as almost an eidolon figure, for she is not even given a name. Occupants within the impoverished areas surrounding Saxon College, the school in which Meridian attends, know hardly anything of the mysterious young girl who searches for food in garbage cans and can barely speak any language besides the few swear words she has aquired over the years. Meridian attempts to help the poor child but fails to tame her, which in return plays a large role in The Wild Child’s death. Meridian is much like The Wild Child in regards that she has always stripped her life of outside guidance, close relationships, and comforts (material, mental and physical comforts) as she moves from place to place. As an activist against racism and a person of whom secludes herself from others, Meridian lives as an outcast within society trying to avoid the judgement passed by people, just as The Wild Child does. This shows both Meridian and The Wild Child’s sense of self identity and independence in the way that they realize that they would rather be separated from society and go about things in their own way, the only way that they know. Although The Wild Child makes only a brief appearance within the novel, Alice Walker makes her intentions of this character evident by supporting the theme of self awareness and independence that The Wild Child represents with other characters and objects. Feather Mae, Meridian’s great- grandmother is made out to also be a person of free will, who is far reachinging and of an eccentric nature. Feather Mae is a woman whoabandons all religion not founded on physical ecstasy and later results to worshiping the sun while walking around naked. This is just as Meridian renounced religion at an early age in her life because she had not experienced any type of â€Å"ecstasy† in trying to become devoted to Jesus. Just as The Wild Child lived content in her own ways of surviving, both of these exceptional women, Meridian and Feather Mae, endure life in their own idealistic way. Walker also emphasises the importance of the rather large mangolia tree, The Sojourner, in which Meridian takes refuge through hard times when she intially began college. The tree was rare in itself, being the largest in the country. The Sojourner not only signified the growth of African American people through times of oppression, but it also stood as a souvenir of the past. Like the tree, Meridian is a character who has been around through difficult times and still continues to grow, but Meridian also carries with her guilt and saddness from her past. Although the destruction of The Sojourner later in the novel Walker symbolized the abrupt destruction of ties to racism and ways of the past, it also represented the destruction of Meridian, leaving room for a new part of her to grow and develop more as an individual who can be contempt with who she is in the present, rather that sulk in who she was in the past. As has been noted, Meridian being a novel made up of flashbacks and recollections of the past allowed for Alice Walker to create a character that develops through the influences of her surroundings and other characters. Although The Wild Child plays only a small role in the writing of the novel, her presence is significant, for it shapes the entire meaning of who the main character, Meridian, becomes. The Wild Child also serves to enhance the sense of independence and self awareness that the author tries so strongly to get across.

Whole Foods Market Input Analysis

Whole Foods Market Input Analysis The Firm’s Strategy One of the major stratagems being pursued by the firm is the differentiation. The firm adopts the differentiation strategy in terms of product provision in order to enhance its competitive advantage. In fact, the firm has ensured that all its business processes including products are unique to the industry.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Whole Foods Market Input Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The major driver for the strategy is the increased competence of the business associates and employees in terms of skills and capabilities (Whole Foods Market, 2013). Besides, the competitive edge depends on the degree in which the firm’s business processes are conducted. In other words, the firm carefully selects diverse brands of items that are highly valued by the customers. However, highly valued products attract high prices. Whole Foods understands the sensitivity of prices . As such, the firm offers its high quality food products at fair prices that clients can afford. The combination of quality and fair prices is one of the greatest competitive advantages to the firm (Whole Foods Market, 2013). As indicated, Whole Foods is different from the major competitors in terms of the prepared food brands. The firm offers a wide variety of prepared meals for lunch, dinner and desert (Martin, 2008). Clients have the options of eating on the premises or take out. Whole Foods takes advantage of the increasing number of clients that normally have their meals on the premises as high end consumers tend to look for ways of curbing spending amid a difficult economic situation (Martin, 2008). Moreover, the retail store prefers the special brands in favor of the common major delicacies found in most of the stores. Since the firm has a narrow niche of customers and few competing stores are found in most areas it operates, Whole Foods can easily scan and understand the ma rket. The strategies are the main contributors of the firm’s higher profit margins (Martin, 2008). How the Strategy is Aligned to Porter’s Generic Model According to Porter’s generic forces model, strategies are actions that help in the formation of invulnerable place in the industry (Porter, 1998). In other words, strategies are actions that increases the firms competitive advantage in the industry in which it operates. According to the model, the strategies can be either defensive or offensive.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Defensive strategies normally take the form of the industry and place the firm to cope with its strengths and weaknesses (Porter, 1998). On the other hand, offensive strategies transforms the underlying causes of the competitive forces and as such changes the environment in which the firm operates. Porter proposed t hree broad and standard strategies that the firm can utilize to generate durable defensible situations as well as increase its competitive advantage. The strategies include cost leadership, differentiation and the focus or the niche strategy (Porter, 1998). The firm’s approach fits directly with the differentiation strategy of the Porter’s model. According to the model, the differentiation strategy means offering services, products and brands that are unique to the industry (Porter, 1998). Essentially, the differentiation strategy requires that the firm creates own market niche. Approaches to the differentiation strategy include diverse product designs, brand image, variety of features and the new technology (Porter, 1998). All these approaches have been applied by Whole Foods to create its product brands together with competitive prices to create its own market niche. The differentiation strategy has contributed greatly to the growth of the firm in a highly competitiv e industry. In fact, the differentiation approach has insulated the firm from the competitive rivalry through the creation of brand loyalty and reduction of price elasticity of demand by making clients to be less sensitive to the price changes of the product (Martin, 2008). Besides, the uniqueness of the products have created barriers and the reduction of substitutes, which in effect, has led to higher margins and decreases the need for low-cost advantage (Martin, 2008). Moreover, higher margins enable the firm to handle influential suppliers. In fact, the strategy has enabled the firm to alleviate the buyer’s power since few alternatives are available to the purchasers (Whole Foods Market, 2013). The Firm’s Inputs According to the congruent model, organizational inputs are ranging from the environment to the strategies applied by the firm (Nadler Tushman, 1980). Within the continuum are inputs such as resources and the firm’s history.Advertising We wil l write a custom assessment sample on Whole Foods Market Input Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The resources available to the firm include human capital, technological applications, financial capital, information as well as other intangible assets. Besides, while strategy is considered the most important input in the model, it forms the link between the mentioned inputs and the system mechanism of the entire firm’s transformation process (Nadler Tushman, 1980). According to the model, environmental inputs are factors that are outside the firms influence including things that come from an institution or industry, individuals, groups as well as events (Nadler Tushman, 1980). Essentially, the environmental inputs must have a potential influence on the organization. In this case, the firm’s environmental inputs include industry research and development, suppliers and most importantly organic food consumers. Similarly, r esources include all assets that the firm can access. The resources include both human and financial capital as well as information. In addition, resources include intangible assets such as recognition by the market niche. Generally, the resource inputs are broad and normally applied by the firm to produce the desired outcome (Nadler Tushman, 1980). In terms of the input history, past decisions, activities and behavior are considered as greater effort to attain the current desired results. Essentially, these factors must have a direct influence on the existing organizational operations. Whole Foods is known for its traditional quality organic food offerings, which the firm exploit to increase its competitive advantage. Whether the Inputs are Congruent to the Strategy According to the congruent model, the firm’s strategy is the stream of decisions concerning the manner in which the inputs or the organizational resources are transformed to meet the needs of the clients. Beside s, strategies are involving the way the firm’s resources are configured to deal with limitations as well as prospects available to the firm within the context of the patterns of the past behavior (Nadler Tushman, 1980). In order to attain the desired results, the inputs have to fit within the strategies. Essentially, aligning the firm’s inputs to the strategies is critical for increased performance and success.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As indicated, the congruent model argues that the inputs have to be aligned to the strategies in order to increase performance (Nadler Tushman, 1980). In other words, the level of performance would depend on the degree of congruity of the firm’s inputs to the strategy. In this case, the resource inputs fit greatly to the firm’s strategy. Whole Foods has used all its resources in order to ensure increased competitive advantage. In other words, the inputs are aligned to the firm’s strategy to attain the desired competitive advantage. Essentially, the firm’s resources are highly utilized to increase the performance of the strategy. In fact, the firm has ensured that all its resources are aligned to the strategic goal of ensuring increased competitive advantage. In other words, the firm’s resources greatly fit with the organization’s strategy. Besides, the firm has fully utilized its human resources to attain the desired product brands. Similar ly, the capital resources including financial and other assets have been fully utilized to ensure that the specialized and unique food products are produced to meet the client needs. The target clients’ acceptability of the products confirms the congruity of the resources to the strategy. The environmental inputs available to the firm including clients have a greater degree of congruity to the strategy of differentiation. The differentiation strategy aims at increasing the target customer value. Within the context of Whole Foods Market, clients and suppliers are considered as individual inputs. The contribution of the suppliers and consumers remains critical in the product development and distribution. However, in terms of suppliers, the differentiation strategy has ensured a drastic reduction of supplier’s power, which in turn has resulted in increasing the firm’s performance. Essentially, the firm’s environmental resources are highly congruent to its st rategy. However, the history inputs fairly fit with the current differentiation strategy. The firm barely utilizes its historical resources in the determination of the current product offerings. Nevertheless, some of the effective decisions that were made before form the basis of the current strategy. References Martin, A. (2008, August 2). Whole Foods looks for a fresh image in lean times. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/02/business/02food.html Nadler, D. A., Tushman, M. L. (1980). A model for diagnosing organizational behavior. Organizational Dynamics, 9 (2), 35-51. Porter, M. E. (1998). Competitive strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. New York, NY: Free Press. Whole Foods Market (2013). Whole Foods annual report 2013. Retrieved from https://eu.wholefoodsmarket.com/

Critical Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Response paper - Essay Example The Japanese supported limited travels by Koreans, and this explains their suppressive rule that locked Koreans from the rest of the world. Increased travel meant more Koreans were intermingling with the outside world thus social changes would occur. The era also brings about social disparity in the Korean society as the elites considered themselves superior. Presence of westerners and elites meant to devalue Korean tradition and social values. On the contrary, the Koreans are seen to be opposing Japanese and Western assimilation, a factor that contributes mainly to societys isolation from the rest of the world. Shin and Robinson (53) describes the role that broadcasting media played in suppressing Korean culture and history. The authors focus on the manner in which Japanese used radio to bring changes to Korean culture. The 1924-1945 also marks the beginning of Korean freedom in radio broadcasting. Koreans can be seen to be transforming from the imposed Japanese radio programs characterized by censorship to the broadcasting freedom by the end of 1945. The authors bring to attention the role that radio played in spreading Japanese Propaganda and cultural ideologies. The Korean situation presents the theme of radio colonization and its effects on culture and tradition. However, the era also marked radio broadcasting policy change for the Koreans where the Japanese became a bit lenient on radio broadcasting censorship. However, the freedom to Korea’s broadcasting corporations revived the society’s culture. The era, thus, marked the revival of traditional music, drama and arts an d also assimilation to modern music. Korean radios were, therefore, means of subverting the predominant Japanese culture. The revival of Korean history and culture shows how radio colonization can suppress traditional norms, culture, and behavior. The events of early 1930s in Korea brought about themes

Does the state control capitalism, or does capitalism control the Essay

Does the state control capitalism, or does capitalism control the state Answer by referring to at least two authors - Essay Example Introduction There are several definitions about the government forms of capitalism; however, many scholars have narrowed the definitions into two distinct perceptions. Firstly, capitalism can be described as a form of an economic system where the government controls all the means of production and the trade industry. In such a situation the government tends to use all the possible production means to exploit the citizens at the interest of the state.1 Russia is one of the major countries practicing this kind of capitalism where all projects are initiated by the government, financed by the state and the revenues collected are contained by the state.2 The second distinction entails a condition where the government controls private capital firms such that, the operations are defined and controlled by some acts or policies enacted by the government. However, the level of control in private firms would now greatly depend on the extent of the government involvement. ... An evidenced by countries such as the United States where the government control on private firms has resulted in an economic crisis that can be backdated all the way back to the early 60s, it can be seen that even if the general control of the private firms is left in the hand of the owners, the government will always find a way of establishing control by using various tools such as the sneaking in of policies aimed at imposing regulations that will allow them to effect more control. In the essence of war, the government always ensures the all the necessary elemental bodies concerned with the provision of war materials are prepared in time. In addition to this, most governments step in to control farmers produce and food production industries with an aim of sustainining its’ citizen during the warfare; this is a clear indication of how the government engagement in capitalism ends up in its controlling the economy. Several questions have been raised as to whether the governmen t maintains good roles pertaining to capitalism. However, several results indicate competition is controlled so as to create capitalism and this is different from the other forms of capitalism. Capitalism is never simply engaged in the collection of revenue, but the state officials would exercises extreme exploitation of the workers which, is very contrary to the interest of the society.3 General state control on capitalism Despite the fact that individual ownership of private organizations has been in existence for quite sometimes now, most governments participate actively in the regulation of the operation and control of vital industries such as the ones concerned with the production of food and exports amongst others. Most economists point out that the state can become a very