Examining the difference between a material weakness and a significant deficiency

Examining the difference between a material weakness and a significant deficiency The purpose of this memo is to summarize selected paragraphs of AS5 to form an understanding of how the top down approach is applied to an audit of internal controls. It is also to explain the difference between a material weakness and a significant deficiency by providing a list of indicators of material weaknesses, as well as an explanation of how both a material weakness and a significant deficiency will be communicated to the audit committee and on the auditors report. Top Down Approach The purpose of using the top down approach for an audit of internal controls is to allow the auditor to take a systematic approach to identify risks and select which controls to test. The top down approach begins with the auditor forming a general understanding of the entity and the industry in which it operates. This is accomplished by looking at the companys financial statements, and acquiring general business knowledge. The auditor then looks at the entity-level controls of the company to ensure that sufficient policies and procedures are implemented to recognize misstatements, due to error or fraud, in a timely manner so that material misstatements do not affect the financial statements. The two most important types of entity-level controls are those related to the control environment, and those over the period-end financial reporting process. Controls over the control environment should assess how management promotes ethical values and integrity, as well as whether or not the Board of Directors or the audit committee has assumed the responsibility of the accuracy and completeness of the financial statements and internal controls. Controls over the period-end financial reporting process should assess the methods used to enter information to the general ledger, how much IT is used in the financial reporting process, types of adjusting and consolidation entries, and the involvement of management, Boa rd of Directors, and the audit committee in the period-ending financial reporting process. Other entity-level controls that must be taken into account include controls over management override, the companys risk assessment process, centralized processing controls, controls that monitor operations, and controls that monitor other controls. It is important to understand that entity-level controls vary both in nature and precision. Some entity-level controls only indirectly affect the likelihood of detecting or preventing material misstatements, whereas others are specifically designed to monitor the effectiveness of the other controls. The more precise the control, the less tests the auditor must perform on those controls. Next, the auditor identifies any significant accounts and disclosures, and their relevant assertions. Relevant assertions are basically risky financial statement assertions. Financial statement assertions show that a transaction has occurred, is complete, is valued correctly, has transferred ownership to the company, and is properly presented on the financial statements. A relevant assertion, therefore, would be any of these financial statement assertions that are exceptionally vulnerable to having a misstatement and could cause the financial statements to be materially misstated. Significant accounts and disclosures that require more attention are those that are larger in size, are more susceptible to misstatements, are very complex, contain a larger volume of transactions during the period, have realized losses during the period, involve a high likelihood of related party transactions within the account, or there has been a significant change in the accounting methods used from las t year. It is beneficial for the auditor to go through the financial statements, and for each account and disclosure brainstorm all the ways it could have been misstated to identify as many risky areas as possible. Risk factors, as well as significant accounts and disclosures, and their relevant assertions will be the same for both the audit of internal controls as well as the financial statement audit. When auditing an enterprise with multiple business entities, the auditor should use the consolidated financial statements to identify significant accounts and disclosures. The next step is for the auditor to understand likely sources of misstatement. In order to do this, the auditor should achieve a series of objectives. These objectives include the auditor being able to show where there are vulnerabilities in a companys internal controls that could result in material misstatements to the financial statements, and what controls management has implemented to reduce these risks. The best way for the auditor to achieve these objectives is by performing walkthroughs. A walkthrough is when the auditor follows a transaction from its origination until it reaches the financial records, and makes sure that all of the control procedures were conducted properly. It is important that the auditor conducts these types of procedures him or herself and takes careful notes about what type of information technology is used, as well as what personnel is involved in each processing procedure. The final step in the top down approach is to select which controls to test. The auditor should test each control that is the most important in determining whether or not a particular risk has been sufficiently addressed. If two controls address the same risk, it may not be necessary to test both controls. Also, it may not be necessary to address two risks separately if one control sufficiently addresses both of them. Together, the tests of these internal controls will provide the auditor with a conclusion about the effectiveness of the internal controls over financial reporting. Material Weakness or Significant Deficiency The difference between a material weakness and a significant deficiency is simply that a significant deficiency is less severe. A significant deficiency is, however, still risky enough for the auditor to let management know so that they may have a chance to get rid of the problem. If management does not sufficiently address the problem within one year, the deficiency becomes a material weakness. All material weaknesses must be communicated to both management and the audit committee as well as mentioned in the auditors report on internal controls over financial reporting. A material weakness is a problem with the internal controls over financial reporting that will most likely result in an important error on the financial statements that would alter creditors and investors opinions about the company. Indicators of Material Weaknesses Auditing Standard five mentions four important indicators of material weaknesses to help the auditor determine what deficiencies are considered material weaknesses. The first indicator of material weakness is if there is any evidence that shows there may be fraud present. The second occurs when management alters the financial statements to fix a material misstatement that they found. The third is when the auditor finds a material misstatement and informs management about the problem. The fourth is an assessment of the audit committee. If the audit committee is doing a poor job acting as oversight over the financial reporting process of the company, there may be an increased likelihood of a material weakness. If any or all of these indicators are present for a given deficiency, the auditor should compare the facts with what a reasonable professional would consider to be in accordance with GAAP. If this is determined not to be true, the auditor must consider this deficiency a material weakness and disclose it on the auditors report of internal controls over financial reporting. Communicating to the Audit Committee and on the Auditors report The auditor is required to report any and all deficiencies found to management in writing and tell the audit committee about this communication. If the deficiency has already been revealed to management through different means, the auditor does not need to repeat this communication. If a material weakness is discovered, the auditor must communicate it to management and the audit committee first, and then disclose it in the auditors report. If a deficiency is determined to be significant, the audit committee, as well as management, must be informed in writing. The auditor is not responsible to report control deficiencies he or she is not aware of, nor is he or she responsible to provide assurance that all deficiencies have been discovered. The top down approach is a systematic method of assessing risk that an auditor uses to locate specific areas of risk in a companys internal controls over financial reporting, and select the best tests to make sure these risks are sufficiently addressed. The top down approach requires the auditors to start by understanding a company and its industry, then moving down to the companys entity-level controls, then to significant accounts and disclosures and their relevant assertions, then double check that the auditor has a complete understanding of the risks, and then finally select the controls that are necessary to test to make sure that all risks have been addressed. The main difference between a material weakness and a significant deficiency is that a significant deficiency is less severe. Also, although both must be communicated, in writing, to both management and the audit committee, only a material weakness must be disclosed in the auditors report.

Health And Fitness Structure

Health And Fitness Structure To-day health and fitness or wellness services industry is also a fast growing sector in India. In the previous unit we have discussed about the hospitality industry wherein offering health club services are considered as an additional feature of a hospitality business. Now, in this unit let us discuss exclusively about the health and fitness industry that is booming in India. This segment includes a number of services such as beauty treatment services, therapy based treating products, personal health counselling, rejuvenation such as yoga, spas and last but not least the fitness developing centres viz. various gymnastic clubs or centres. In fact the field is experiencing a healthy growth rate and currently has an estimated market size of USD 120 million. The visible trend of surge in wellness business is the increased range of wellness books, products, and wellness holidays on the offer of the concerned person or that particular product manufacturing company. India has emerged as a big player not only in medical, tourism industry but also in developing domestic fitness and health centres in addition to the supply of the fitness product made to the individual by the manufacturing company for doing the exercises with those products to keep them fit. As on 2008, there were 765 fitness clubs in India with total membership of 2.3 million members. (Source: Statistics of the IHRSA Asia Pacific Market Report, 2008) In fact the Indian fitness industry is an immensely under penetrated market compared to several developed and developing countries in the world. For example, 16.0% of the US populations have fitness club membership whereas in India, a survey taken in seven metro cities shows that it is only 0.4%. On the other hand you know that India has the highest incidence of diabetes in the world. That is 40 million people are affected and it is likely to go up to 70 million by 2025 if left unchecked. This sudden increase is due to the changes in the lifestyle. You can notice some major changes in the areas of food consumption, lack of physical activities, longer commutation, lesser or change in sleeping time etc. among the working class population. The point is most of them in this class are well aware of the correction they need to necessarily make in their living styles. Therefore, there is a huge emphasis on regular exercise to prevent obesity and diabetes. An entrepreneur can start a business of fitness centre with the equipments and tools which are being sold by many manufacturers. The habit of people living in main metro cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi etc, ladies in particular utilise these centres to make them fit for a healthy live. Some of the equipments are Aerobic stepper, forearm flexor, anti microbial speed rope, resistance bands, skipping rope and many more equipments and products are available for doing exercises. The equipments like treadmill, stretch, and rovers, elliptical are also available to do exercises safely for everyone who wishes to keep their body fit in all aspects. There is a scope for the entrepreneurs to start this type of health institutions, gyms, fitness centres etc. Since these equipments are given to customers on a fixed time basis they come to the centres regularly, and the entrepreneur can earn a considerable amount. http://www.healthkart.com/sports/fitness-accessories/aerobics-general-fitness?pre=pageNo=3 Example: AC Nielsens global online consumer survey findings released in Feb 2009 said that 54 percent Indian respondents think they have issues with their weight. About 80% people said that they exercise at least once a week. Going to a gym is second most preferred option for exercise after walking. Objectives: After studying this unit, you will be able to explain the concept of health and fitness list the types of health and fitness activities classify the types of health and fitness services describe the business opportunities list the advantages starting a health and fitness centre list the challenges of managing a health and fitness centre commencing a health and fitness business 10.2 Concept Health is defined in the WHO (World Health Organisation) constitution of 1948 as a state of complete physical, social and mental well-being, and not merely the absence of any disease or infirmity. Health is optimal well-being that contributes to quality of life. Being free from ailments alone cannot be considered as healthy although it is essential to good health. Optimal health includes high-level mental, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical wellness within the limits of ones heredity and personal abilities. Health is the state of being and wellness depicts the quality of life or the state of living a healthy life style. Wellness reflects the positive aspects of health that can help expand your potential to live and work effectively. Wellness is possible for everyone, regardless of whether you have a diagnosed disease Fitness refers to being fit enough to perform our personal and social obligations in an active manner. To achieve this, sufficient energy and strength levels are important. Being fit need not mean being an athlete or sport person but a capable and independent human being in general.(http://www.mhhe.com/hper/physed/clw/01corb.pdf) The concepts of health and fitness are related. If you are fit, you have a higher chance of being healthy. For example, if we observe the people who go for a walk or jogging every day, we can notice that they enjoy a healthy life, free from stress and illness. This is because their persistent walking improves their physical fitness, and also their mental well-being. Well being refers as an organised set of activities fabricated to help the individuals and families and maintain the behavioural pattern which in turn help to reduce the risk of them and simultaneously enhancing the ability of them in order to perform the tasks. The health and fitness industry is focused on the supervision of exercise and physical activity either in an individual capacity or within a group in a controlled environment. The industry provides various services and facilities that encourages and promote physical activity and the general concept of promoting wellness. In health and fitness industry, you also need to know the five major health related physical fitness components, namely: Cardio -respiratory endurance Body composition Flexibility Muscle endurance Muscular strength Let us now discuss each of these in detail. Cardio respiratory endurance: This refers to the ability of the heart, its functions, blood, and blood vessels including the total respiratory system. The required power and oxygen will be supplied to the muscles and allow them to do the exercises. Any person who does the muscle exercises can be bodily fit and can do physical activities for a longer period of time without any stress. Cardiovascular exercise offers the individual major benefits to the health and to those who are regular and constant with their exercises. The exercises for cardiovascular activities are swimming, cycling, jogging, and swimming, and pedalling and riding a machine which is elliptical in shape used in health institutes and fitness centres. (http://www.livestrong.com/article/502099-recommended-total-duration-for-cardiovascular-endurance-exercise/#ixzz1wbJEGORh) Source: http://healthplux.com/intense-cardio-workouts/ Body composition: It comprises of bones, muscles, fat and tissues etc. An individual who perform regular exercises will have normal percentage of fat. Body composition refers to your percentage fat in the body. The bone, connective tissue, muscle and internal organs are fat-free and termed lean mass. This mass is superior to fat mass and should be checked and maintained by taking healthy foods and regular exercises. Everyone who wants to keep the fat in control can improve body composition by losing fat, increasing lean muscle or a combination of both. For example, weight training adds both muscle mass and bone density. Flexibility: It is refers to the movement of joints in a body. The movement range may vary from person to person. There should be a free movement of such joints to have the flexibility. It is affected by length of the muscle, the structure joints etc. An individual can move his joints to the maximum level and full range for engaging himself in his duty and play as well. Source: http://eugenept.blogspot.in/2009/07/if-it-looks-like-duck-flies-like.html Muscle endurance: This refers to the repeated usage and ability of the muscles. An individual can repeatedly move his muscles for a longer period of time without any tiredness. Muscular strength: This refers to the ability of the muscles to carry out the external works such as lifting the weights and keeping the arm and shoulders in good shape and strength. You can perform this for maintaining the external force and lifting of weight and controlling of your body. Source: http://www.ehow.com/list_6967692_good-weight-training-exercises-beginners.html A health and fitness professional must be able to measure the components to advise clients about their health related fitness, and to use data obtained from the tests to design appropriate exercise programs which can then be evaluated. It is intended that all 5 components contribute evenly to make up a holistic health related physical fitness. Self Assessment Questions Fill in the blanks: _________ reflects the positive aspects of health that can help expand your potential to live and work effectively. The health and fitness industry is focused on the supervision of _____________ and physical activity either in an individual capacity or within a group in a controlled environment 10.3 Categories of Health and Fitness Activities You have learnt that being healthy and staying fit means meeting all our personal and social needs independently and actively. Let us now discuss more about general health and fitness scenarios. Wellness incorporates all aspects of health, including the physical, mental, spiritual and environmental. Wellness programs are those that work to positively influence these areas of a persons life to improve overall health and well-being. The term wellness program is most often associated with corporations and work-sites however wellness programs may also be offered through community organizations such as schools, Cooperative Extension Offices or public health departments However, as we are going to discuss about fitness industry more, let us also have a closer look on the health related issues in this section. The fitness centres differ from the nature of exercises they offer. Some of these are; Meditation and yoga therapy centres for deriving peace and pleasure and keeping good health Fitness centres and health spas for keeping the health fit and rejuvenated. Gym and dance 10.3.1 Meditation As we are from the land of Buddha we are not new to many of his thoughts though we do not practice them in our real life. Meditation is considered to be a way for attaining spiritual bliss and peace, ultimately for healthy living. Every culture and tradition has its own distinct and exclusive styles of practicing meditation. The basic concept and understanding i.e. to concentrate and focus towards one issue or object for a longer duration may not be feasible for all. But once we get habituated to do this in a systematic way the result is there. In India there are many missions conduct programs and classes on various captions involving meditation to teach this. Here, all you can attach yourself as a member and practice meditation for individual benefit to attain the ultimate benefit which the modern science proves true. There are many groups in all the main areas of the cities and they are teaching the meditation to group of people at different timings. This meditation controls the anger of a person and it induces us to concentrate on what we do. As per Michael J.Baime the meditation educates to have an emotional stability which allows the meditator to experience the intense emotions. One can gain insight and proper understanding of his thoughts. If you do the meditation regularly you can conquer your emotional intense and can get rid of the emotional imbalances. This helps in full relaxation of the body. The entrepreneur may get the knowledge about the meditation from the leading group of institutions and in turn this meditation will help to fell comfort and confidence including self control in his life. And he can also conduct such training centres for the benefit of the residents and can earn money with the knowledge of meditation. Meditation gives a sense of calm and acceptance of oneself and the others as well. This technique is being done for many years. Irrespective of caste and creed many people practicing the meditation for their wellness. Hence there is much scope for an entrepreneur to start such centres or visit s chools and colleges etc to teach the meditation. 10.3.2 Yoga therapy India was the origin of Yoga. It is a simple but useful technique for doing exercise which works as union among our body, mind and soul. It consists of gestures and postures. It is called Asna in Sanskrit. Yoga helps you to keep your body fit and maintain the balancing and to get self enlightenment. And it helps to control the emotions of the mind. As you know yoga is simply one sort of physical exercise involving stretching and balancing. This is mainly to keep the physique fit thereby derive fitness. But ancient legend would speak much about this theory and there are therapies developed in modern days to either prevent or cure various illnesses. However, you must appreciate that a right postures play a very important role for health fitness. As said above Yoga means union and aims at the realisation of the unity of our whole being. It is a Hindu discipline aimed at achieving a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquillity. In the West, the term is most commonly understood as the physical exercises that are practiced as part of this discipline. Human health fitness depends not only on the general physical fitness but mental peace. The entrepreneurial company can do the business of teaching Yoga to the people in and around in his area. He can also conduct group wise and offer packages of services of Yoga and there is a scope for him to earn money out of it. 10.3.3 Nature cure Naturopathy is a science of healthy living and a drugless system of healing. Nature Cure is rightly defined as a system of man building in harmony with constructive principles of nature on physical, mental, moral and spiritual. This is a technique for keeping you fit by using herbals and other naturally grown food. In nature therapy green vegetables, spinach and fruits etc are given to the people who want to cure their disorders. Since it is also a simple technique the entrepreneurial enterprise can invest money in this business and can earn some return from the investments made. Naturopathy deals with treatment of disorders by balancing the condition of homoeostasis and up-keeping the equilibrium through addition and deletion of substances. This type is available only in some places and the entrepreneur can opt for this business. Now-a days the public are fully aware of these techniques and they are known about the facts of maintaining wellness. Yet they know that these are inexpensive and there is no side effect for these techniques. For the entrepreneur it is a good chance for them to start the business as there is no much competition in India. He can start many branches across India even in abroad also. The public are eager to know about their health conditions and they want to learn more and more about the nutrition, diet and exercises to be followed etc for maintaining their wellness. Physical Exercise There are many institutions which deal with physical fitness for the wellness of the people concerned. You have already learnt that fitness is about being in shape or in good physical condition. Wellness refers to being free from illness. Living fit requires not only consuming healthy diet but doing some regular exercises along with diet. Exercising can be done by means of special equipment for lifts, squats presses or in various other ways like aerobic exercises viz. cycling, running, biking, swimming, rowing, gymnastics such as pull-ups and push-ups. Doing all these exercises in different combinations will increase our withstanding power and stamina. In USA there are more fitness and recreational sports centres which are equipped with latest machineries. These are running as a successful business unit. Some of them are: aerobic dance and exercise centres athletic club and physical fitness health spas exercise fitness centres gymnasiums health studios weight training centres nutrition strength development centres (http://www.census.gov/epcd/naics02/def/ND713940.HTM) Hence, in this unit we discuss about catering to the ever increasing demand of people in the field of fitness by setting up commercial units such as gymnastic centre or centre for yoga and other related therapies. Many publications are also available for the people to do exercises which are re commended in that. People in India use the fitness centres to do exercises. These centres have instructors and trainers to teach the people how to do exercises or meditation etc. They are conducting group exercise classes with audio and video facilities for making the people to grasp the techniques. Various fitness centres in India are: spice world fitness centre -New Delhi fitness flash- New Delhi fitness studio- New Delhi fit line- New Delhi Ozone fitness N spa- New Delhi Satguru machine fitness-Mumbai Proline fitness- Mumbai Herbal life- Mumbai Body grace- Mumbai Park health club-Kolkata Enkon body gym- Kolkata Source: http://business.mapsofindia.com/fitness-centres/ The entrepreneur can very well start his fitness centre in any place. It is undoubtedly a good business for him as people are very much interested in maintaining their body, mind and soul to survive as a fittest. Self Assessment Questions State true are false: Pathology clinics are meant for diagnosing and analysing various biological factors. To concentrate and focus towards one issue or object for a longer duration is very easy and feasible for all. Naturopathy deals with treatment of disorders by balancing the condition of homoeostasis and up-keeping the equilibrium through addition and deletion of substances. 10.4 Classification of health and fitness services The health and fitness services are classified according to the nature and technique provided in the centres. There are more services available for the entrepreneur to chose. It is required by the entrepreneur to gain knowledge about these health fitness and wellness products. There are facility and service providers who are mushrooming in India across the urban areas. Let us now broadly classify them. The classifications are: Gymnasiums with workout areas (fitness building): The Bodybuilding is always unique; it joins the unknown elements of human nature with nutritional science, exercise and psychology. Your workout in the gym will vary from other Bodybuilders. You have to determine the goals such as lose fat and tone up or gain weight or doing both at the same time. But it will be difficult and can lead to zigzag diets. Some workouts will provide good results and other workouts will be a waste of time. Aerobic dance and exercise centres (Physical fitness): At first, the main aim of the step-aerobic dance exercise was to achieve a heart rate of 50-60% as per the age of the individual. This was raised to 70-80% of the heart rate. The step-aerobic dance exercise was performed by all in the experimental group for the total of eight weeks time. These were choreographed by a professional step-aerobic coach. The movement were simplified and was to learn, required the use of both the upper and lower extremities and the back. Verbal and tactile prompts were given during each step-aerobic dance exercise class. The subjects in the experimental group participated in three groups of 40 minute sessions per week for four weeks initially, followed by three 50-minute sessions per week for another four weeks. Athletic club facilities, (Physical fitness keeping the sport in mind): Athletics club are offering mind body programming and facilities which can help you to obtain new level of goals of the fitness and wellness. These clubs are having a management team and provide childcare enrichment programs, nutrition and private training etc. Exercise centres and fitness salons (Physical fitness and stress relieving): These are providing the regular exercise programs. They are equipped with modern equipments which are necessary for the wellness. To remove the stress they teach meditation along with the exercises. This stress leads to unnecessary problems of the individual. Hence the technique to overcome the stress is being taught and training is given by these clubs. Fitness Spas (health building): These spas offers house spa, hydro spa, and massages etc. They provide phenomenal facilities to their customers. In addition they are providing group class training programs, including personal training. Ice skating rinks or roller skating (fitness as well as entertaining in sport): It is a place of ice skating where high tech plastic is used to skate on. And they use synthetic ice skating rink surface for easy skating. They provide ice skating and play hockey, figure skating and public skating. Squash club facilities: These squash club provides the facilities of viewing gallery for men and women in addition to the coaching given for the indoor games. There are trainers and at some clubs these training are given free for the members. Swimming pools: Constructing of such swimming pools will yield a good income to the entrepreneur as many products are to be supplied along with the construction of pool. They are to be provided with cleaning chemicals, swimming pool covers and rollers, pumps and fittings, lightings and ladders, safety equipments , separate room for men and women for their urgent needs etc. Tennis club having court facilities: These sports club is used by some people only in the society. Since this game is not that much popular and do not attract the viewers only a few are using this to play to keep them fit and proper, Tai chi studio: Tai chi referred to as meditation in movement. It is a martial art which combines physical movement and stretching technique. It teaches and promotes the health, well being and longevity. GYM: An entrepreneur can opt for this business as it is attracted many youngsters including the women. The regular exercises practices in gym help the individual to build the body and the structure including shaping. A gym is an integrated part of a health club or leisure centre which allows the users whether members or non members to exercise effectively using a wide range of resistance and cardiovascular machines. Presently many gym centres provide necessary classes on aerobics, body buildings and the ways to use the available equipments and fixtures to prevent a loss or damage to both the operator and the users. In the case of health club it may be necessary to equip a spacious fully equipped gym facility, exercise area, giving initial training, constructing a swimming pool, steam room, sauna and a club room for various social activities and a small snack cum juice bar. By adding more facilities such as internet access etc. the founders of the club will initially arrange for membership enrolment to have more viability in its operation. Gyms with workout areas Some of the health clubs have a main workout area, which primarily consists of free weights including dumbbells, barbells and exercise machines. This area often includes mirrors so that exercisers can monitor and maintain correct posture during their workout. A gym which predominately or exclusively consists of free weights (dumbbells and barbells), as opposed to exercise machines, is sometimes referred to as a black-iron gym, after the traditional colour of weight plates. Gyms with cardio facility theatre A cardio theatre or cardio area involves many types of cardiovascular training-related equipment such as treadmills, rowing machines, stationary exercise bikes etc. These areas often include a number of audio-visual displays (either integrated into the equipment, or placed on walls around the area itself) in order to keep exercisers entertained during long cardio workout sessions. Health Clubs offering various exercising facilities Most of the new health clubs offer group exercise classes that are conducted by qualified fitness instructors. Many types of group exercise classes exist, but generally these include classes based on aerobics, cycling (spin cycle), boxing or martial arts, high intensity training and muscle training. Health clubs with swimming pools sometimes offer aqua aerobics classes in addition to their coaching on various swimming styles. Health Clubs offering only sports facilities Some health clubs offer squash courts or boxing areas in addition to swimming facilities. In those cases, additional fees are charged for the use of these facilities. In addition to the above larger health clubs generally include health-shops, snack bars, restaurants, child-care facilities, member lounges etc. Where these facilities are available it is not unusual for a sauna, steam shower or wellness areas to be made available. These clubs generally charge a fee to allow visitors to use the equipments, courses and other available services. A fairly new trend is the advent of eco friendly health clubs which incorporate principles of green living in its fitness and in their systematic way of giving therapies. Due to the influences of all the above factors it results in the monthly or annual membership fees varying differently. 10.5 Equipments Accessories Now let us see the various fitness equipments and its classifications. Cardiovascular Equipments: Treadmills, stationary bicycles and stair climbers etc. comes under this category. In some places it is common to see rowing machines also. Weight Training Equipment: Weight lifting machines, barbells, various types of benches bars and racks are considered as weight training equipments. These are meant for body shaping and buildings especially for the sport communities. Weight Reduction Equipment: Weight reduction or weight loss equipment consists of more methods than any specific equipment in any particular formation. Still there are small tools like jumping rope and other handy products etc. for the needy to do exercises as all the above models of equipments mostly involve weight reduction. The exceptional ones are that you use for body buildings that too with specific in takes. The fitness industry has a huge growth potential as only 1.5% of the urban Indian population regularly practices workout. When we talk about the points of end-user segment, they are divided into two. 1) Residential or Home Segment 2) Institutional Segment Equipments for Home Segment The entrepreneur can manufacture the equipment needed for maintenance of the wellness of the people. He can supply to these clubs and fitness centres. Apart from that he can supply these equipments to the individuals who want to do exercises at home. For this he advertises in media and informs the features of the products including its spares. He sends the equipments by VPP or courier to his customers. New products with additional features are being introduced from many countries like Japan and China. The entrepreneur can deliver the equipments for residential usage some equipment. If the entrepreneur buy them for the usage in his fitness centres it is called institutional segment. The entrepreneur can save cost if purchases additional quantity of the different equipments. He can get quantity discount from his supplier. Cost The followings are the top and the entrepreneur can supply or lend them on rent to the individuals those who are not able to make use of the gym facilities are the following ones. 1. Treadmills, this will cost approximately Rs.30,000/- 2. Bikes for exercising will cost approximately four thousand to forty thousand depending upon the models and amenities available in it. 3. Small multifaceted gymnastic machine will cost Rs.18,000/- For example Home Leaper 16H, Pro Leaper 16P etc. Equipments for Institutional Segment There is a vast requirement for these equipments. The fitness equipment markets there are opportunities for the entrepreneur to start the fitness centre for the maintenance of the wellness. In India it is estimated to be worth Rs 12.5 billion in the year 2008 and is expected to reach Rs. 63.3 billion by 2012. The annual growth rate is expected to be around 50%. Hence the entrepreneur can start this fitness centres in many places of a city and can control all the branches through effective management system. The following equipments are generally installed in the fitness centres and the entrepreneur can purchase considerable quantities for meeting the demand in his centre. The important requirement for the entrepreneur is the knowledge about the equipment and the way they are to be utilised. The company which manufactures these fitness equipments are conducting training for the entrepreneurs and teaches them how to use those equipments including the trouble shooting process. Treadmill The cardio equipment in a gym is among the most popular equipment because it is the most effective equipment available there to help people lose weight and the treadmills are also of that category. Cardio equipment has one main purpose i.e. to get your heart pumping and functioning normally. Treadmill is important equipment and now-a-days insisted by many insurance companies to have the facility of treadmill even in diagnostic centres. If the necessary equipment is available with the entrepreneurial for the wellness he can earn more revenue out of it and this will be fetching for ever as this industry is growing day by day. Elliptical Machines An entrepreneur can include these Elliptical machines in his fitness centres since they used by many for performing cardiovascular exercise. Like a treadmill, this machine will be in an elliptical shape and is stationary but allows to simulate running or walking by using a rolling or gliding ramp that are moved by feet. Many elliptical machines also have handlebars that move, allowing you to get an upper-body and lower-body workout at the same time. Weight training equipment These can also be found in most gyms and generally comes in two varieties. One is for free weights such as barbells and dumbbells that can be moved around from place to place in the

Free Essays - Yoricks Attitude Towards Women in A Sentimental Journey :: Laurence Sterne A Sentimental Journey

If we are to read Laurence Sterne's A Sentimental Journey, we must abandon the fixed idea about ordinary travel, which are filled with detailed descriptions of the landscapes. In Sterne's work, however, there are unique descriptions of human feelings, compared to the other ordinary travelogues. Consequently, the whole work makes readers confused at first. However, once we are absorbed in that story, we can easily follow Yorick's unique thoughts. Especially his attitude towards women is interesting. He meets many women and his attitude towards them does not change. That is, we can see there exists some principles when Yorick faces women. Therefore I will discuss Yorick's attitude towards Lady at the Remise; the Grisset in Paris; the fille de chambre; Maria and Eliza. Why does Yorick meet so many women in such a short time? As there is not a single passage about his own profile in the story, we cannot assume what he is and what he does in his country. Nevertheless, Yorick seems to be single, because nobody ever told Yorick not to go abroad in the first episode. And also Yorick is really afraid of being kept in prison. Though it is a sort of general fear that everybody can be scared, Yorick seems to be even more sensible about being limited to a particular place or group of people. He tries to set free the "starling" (71-3), because he does hate the feeling of confinement. A marriage possibly can be a sort of confinement to Yorick. That is, being a free single man, Yorick does not want to be tied to particular person. And that makes him meet so many women in such a short time and have lots of relationships with them. Then what is Yorick's attitude towards these women? First of all, he is a little bit passive when he approaches them. Yorick is usually left with a woman in some place, such as "the Remise", "Desobligeant". It is totally different from other's way of making acquaintance with someone. For instance, in case of La Fleur, he directly goes to some girl and have a good time with her (101). As the following example show, Yorick, is not active at all. : "Mons. Dessein left us[Yorick and a lady] together with her hand in mine" (16). When he is in the shop with the Grisset, she willingly asks him to feel her pulse (53).

Marriage In Japan :: essays research papers

Marriage in Japan Why people get married? There would be many reasons; to save money, to escape from loneliness, to have a better life, and so on. But in most case people marry for love. Though it is almost always true, a married life is different between in the western culture and in Japan. A marriage in modern western culture is based on mutuality and companionship. In Western there is a tendency to be independent. Most college graduates live apart from their family and find an apartment near the working place. They have learned how to  ¡Ã‚ °survive ¡Ã‚ ± in single and marriage is an optional. However, a person in Japan who graduates from a college and has a job still lives with one ¡Ã‚ ¯s family until one gets married, which means one keeps the parent-child relationship. Therefore it is hard for a Japanese man to learn to be independent. After he gets married, he now relies on his bride for having foods, doing laundry, and many other things. Takeo Doi explains it with the te rm of amae that means the seeking or causing of oneself to be loved, nurtured, and indulged. He says it is an active attempt to make oneself into a passive love object. One reason why a man continues depending on someone else is that he has been witnessed what his parents have been done and now he considers himself as a head of his own family. In case of woman, it is difficult to keep her job after the marriage, because she needs to take care of her child, which is considered to be a wife ¡Ã‚ ¯s job. She has to do everything else except making money for the family, which makes her dependent on her husband who has the economic power. However in western culture, it is natural for both partners to have their own jobs and to be responsible for every single household job after marriage. Until recently it has been true in Japan but now it is changing. More women have their jobs rather than prepare to be a bride after the graduate. They don ¡Ã‚ ¯t need to get married if they don ¡Ã‚ ¯t want to. It has also become common not to have many children and some couples don ¡Ã‚ ¯t have a child at all. A younger bride could decide to divorce her husband if she wants to because she has a chance to get an economic independence easily nowadays. Marriage In Japan :: essays research papers Marriage in Japan Why people get married? There would be many reasons; to save money, to escape from loneliness, to have a better life, and so on. But in most case people marry for love. Though it is almost always true, a married life is different between in the western culture and in Japan. A marriage in modern western culture is based on mutuality and companionship. In Western there is a tendency to be independent. Most college graduates live apart from their family and find an apartment near the working place. They have learned how to  ¡Ã‚ °survive ¡Ã‚ ± in single and marriage is an optional. However, a person in Japan who graduates from a college and has a job still lives with one ¡Ã‚ ¯s family until one gets married, which means one keeps the parent-child relationship. Therefore it is hard for a Japanese man to learn to be independent. After he gets married, he now relies on his bride for having foods, doing laundry, and many other things. Takeo Doi explains it with the te rm of amae that means the seeking or causing of oneself to be loved, nurtured, and indulged. He says it is an active attempt to make oneself into a passive love object. One reason why a man continues depending on someone else is that he has been witnessed what his parents have been done and now he considers himself as a head of his own family. In case of woman, it is difficult to keep her job after the marriage, because she needs to take care of her child, which is considered to be a wife ¡Ã‚ ¯s job. She has to do everything else except making money for the family, which makes her dependent on her husband who has the economic power. However in western culture, it is natural for both partners to have their own jobs and to be responsible for every single household job after marriage. Until recently it has been true in Japan but now it is changing. More women have their jobs rather than prepare to be a bride after the graduate. They don ¡Ã‚ ¯t need to get married if they don ¡Ã‚ ¯t want to. It has also become common not to have many children and some couples don ¡Ã‚ ¯t have a child at all. A younger bride could decide to divorce her husband if she wants to because she has a chance to get an economic independence easily nowadays.

The Closet :: Creative Writing Essays

The Closet Wolfgang knew about his father's past. It wasn't talked about much, but when it was, Wolfgang's mouth would perspire saliva and he would swallow it with fear. His past scared him, scared him so much one time while listening a small puddle began to form around his left leg. His father had never hit him or anything. His friends, they all got the belt, slap across the butt. Wolfgang tried to explain to them the stories, but they all thought he had it easy. The stories consisted of a kid, a non descriptive child. Wolfgang guessed it was supposed to be his dad. The stories were of the same idea, of a kid being bad and getting punished for it. But they weren't your butt slapping punishments like all the other kids got. They were kids locked away in basements for the rats to eat, getting sold on the street to dirty men, things to the degree only the grotesque mind could imagine such a horror. But when Wolfgang was really menacing or his dad was drunk he would tell the story of the kid in the closet. The kid in the closet story scared Wolfgang so much he wouldn't dare get near one. The night had fallen and the dealers came out just after dusk, so Wolfgang moved his toys from the corner and walked up the apartment stairs. As his little twelve year old legs climbed the steps, he had to pass the bums that lay cold on the steps with their bottles of liquor. Once to the top of the staircase he passed a late dealer, and headed toward his home. As Wolfgang reached to the door it swung open nearly swiping off his arm. "What the hell do you think your doing out this late?" It was his father, again in a drunken state. "Get your ass in here!" he grabbed Wolfgang by the ear and pulled in him. "You know what use to happen to me when I was a kid?" he asked. "Not the closet, please no." Wolfgang pleaded with him. He didn't want to hear it one more time, or not ever again. " Oh you want to hear about the kid in the closet?" he took time to say it with ease and in such a matter that it scared Wolfgang so much he began to beg. "No, no, please, please don't, anything, whip me like the other boys, anything." He couldn't hold back the tears. Wolfgang's crying only worsened the scene and his father picked him up by

Frankenstein Analysis ; Essay Essay

I. The pursuit of knowledge is at the heart of Frankenstein. In the letters at the beginning of the novel, Robert Walton had been writing to his sister of how he longs to travel the seas and attempts to surpass previous human explorations by endeavoring to reach the North Pole. Due to his pursuit of knowledge, he finds himself in a dangerous position trapped between sheets of ice. Victor’s pursuit of knowledge started from when he was just a child. The narrator begins to pick apart and identify the aspects of his personality that will eventually lead to his downfall. He possesses what he calls a â€Å"thirst for knowledge. † Thirst, of course, is a fundamental human need, necessary to one’s very survival. Victor’s desire to learn, therefore, is driven by nothing so insubstantial as curiosity. It is instead the precondition of his very being. The fascinations of the human soul and how the body works, intensifying his thirst by reading the books of Cornelius Agrippa, Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus. As Victor attempts to surge beyond accepted human limits and access the secret of life, his creation ends up destroying everyone that he had care for. Although the two had a thirst for knowledge, one quickly realized that they had chosen a dangerous path, Robert Walton. â€Å"You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been. † ( letter IV pg 39)From the wise words of Victor, Walton ultimately pulls back from his treacherous mission, having learned from Victor’s example how destructive the thirst for knowledge can be. The theme of the pursuit of knowledge leads into the theme of secrecy. Victor keeps his studies and his experiment of his creation a secret. He also keeps the knowledge of Williams killer a secret because it was his creation of the monster that murdered the innocent boy. II. In chapter two, Victor witnesses the destructive power of nature when, during a raging storm, lightning destroys a tree near his house. â€Å" It was not splintered by the shock, but entirely reduced to thin ribands of wood. I never beheld anything so utterly destroyed. † (pg 48) Therefore Victor had witnessed the destructive powers of nature and was astonished that something so beautiful could be destroyed so abruptly. The world of nature that is expressed in the book can be argued that it affects the moods of characters in the novel. The sublime natural world, embraced by Romanticism as a source of unrestrained emotional experience for the individual. It initially offers characters the possibility of spiritual renewal. Mired in depression and remorse after the deaths of William and Justine, for which Victor responsible, Victor heads to the mountains to lift his spirits. The harsh winter that Victor endured symbolised depression and remorse. As well, after a the hellish winter of cold and abandonment, the monster feels his heart lighten as spring arrives. The influence of nature on mood is evident throughout the novel, but for Victor, the natural world’s power to console him wanes when he realizes that the monster will haunt him no matter where he goes. By the end, as Victor chases the monster obsessively, nature, in the form of the Arctic desert, functions simply as the symbolic scenery for his primal struggle against the monster. III. Victor has been in a stage of secrecy since he was a child. Because of his interests and ambitions that no one could understand, he stayed in secrecy. Victor conceives of science as a mystery to be examined and discover its secrets, once discovered, must be jealously guarded. He considers M. Krempe, the natural philosopher he meets at Ingolstadt, a model scientist: â€Å"an uncouth man, but deeply imbued in the secrets of his science. † Victor’s entire obsession with creating life is shrouded in secrecy, and his obsession with destroying the monster remains equally secret until Walton hears his tale. Whereas Victor continues in his secrecy out of shame and guilt, the monster is forced into seclusion by his bizarre appearance. Walton serves as the final confessor for both, and their tragic relationship becomes immortalized in Walton’s letters. In confessing all just before he dies, Victor escapes the stifling secrecy that has ruined his life; likewise, the monster takes advantage of Walton’s presence to forge a human connection, hoping desperately that at last someone will understand, and empathize with, his miserable existence. IV. The way Mary Shelley wrote the novel Frankenstein is in first person point of view. By having the book in first person the reader is able to witness Victor’s life story on a different level. This helps the reader have a better understanding of what’s going on in the novel. If the novel was written in another form, the reader would probably have great difficulty understanding Victor’s story. Other pieces of works were also mention in the novel such as Paradise Lost. The texts and languages strongly associate with the story as well with other themes in the novel. â€Å"It moved every feeling of wonder and awe, that the picture of an omnipotent God warring with his creatures was capable of exciting. I often referred the several situations, as their similarity struck me, to my own. Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but state was far from different from mine in every other respect. He had come forth from the hands of God a perfect creature, happy and prosperous, guarded by the especial care of his Creator, he was allowed to converse with, and acquire knowledge from, beings of a superior nature, but I was wretched, helpless and alone. † (Ch. XV, page 116) As stated in the quote, the monster is comparing himself and the relationship of him and his creator to the story that he reads in Paradise Lost. The reader can relate to the monster and can see his point of view of how he is mistreated by his creator unlike Adam in the Story. V. In Victor’s case, his isolation comes from pursuing his ambitions, choosing his ambition over the people around him. Even when Victor finishes creating his creature, his feelings of melancholy and guilt overwhelm him so that he cannot have solace from those around him. Though Victor is alone once the Creature has killed his family, this isolation could also be considered brought upon by Victor himself. Victor’s isolation, then, should create in him a sense of guilt or atonement for his creation of a Creature who stripped him of those friends and family surrounding him; however, Victor only seeks vengeance and his continued state of melancholy. The Creature, on the other hand, is isolated because of Victor. Victor was the Creature’s creator and should have provided and taught the creature, taking responsibility instead of running away. He also is isolated by society because of his appearance, which is, again, not the Creature’s fault. Compared to Victor, the Creature is far more isolate, and we can see that this isolation is superior to that of Victor because of the drastic measures the Creature takes in order to be with people. Victor does not really consciously attempt to engage with those around him, but the Creature does, craving companionship and a way to release himself from his isolation. Ultimately, the Creature cannot become part of any community so this isolation creates rage inside of the monster and leads him to commit the acts that ultimately isolate Victor. VI. In the novel Frankenstein by mary shelley there is a clear comparison between the creature and Victor to God and Satan. Victor and the creature are mostly compared to God and Satan. Victor was so blind by his determination to recreate that he was too late to realize exactly what he was creating. He saw that he wasn’t creating life but he was just twisting death. God also regretted his creation after it was too late. In the novel, Frankenstein, Mary Shelley intertwines the relationships between her characters through their insatiable desires for knowledge. The actions of these characters, predominantly the monster, allude to Satan, in John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost. Both the monster and Satan are fixated on vengeance because of the parallel rejection they are faced with in their respective works. Vengeance becomes the principal theme during the course of both works and it fuels the fire for the consciences’ of the monster and Satan’s every judgment. Rejection by creator plays a vital role in the plots of both the monster and Satan. Victor’s creature, born innocent, tried to fit in the world that he was put into. But the constant rejection and isolation from the very beings that he longed to interact with caused him to evolve into a self-acknowledged Satan, from Paradise Lost. The monster immediately upon setting eyes on the world is abandoned and rejected by Victor Frankenstein. The monster states, â€Å"It is with considerable difficulty that I remember the original era of my being; all the events of that period appear confused and indistinct. † (Shelley 194) VII. Throughout the novel, Victor has been struggling with his identity. He was isolated because of his interests in philosophy that no one else had. â€Å" When i was thirteen years of age, we all went on a party of pleasure to the baths near Thonon:†¦ i chanced to find a volume of the works of Cornelius Agrippa†¦I communicated my discovery to my father. My father looked carelessly at the titlepage of my book, and said, â€Å"Ah! Cornelius Agrippa! My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this: it is sad trash. † † ( pg 46 chap II) Victor’s interest were not accepted therefore he kept to himself and became non social. Thus hindering the aid of finding his identity. The creature also struggled with his quest to find his identity. His creator was filled with disgust at the first sight of him. Without hesitation he shunned his creation and ran away from him. The monster was left with no one to teach him how to love, no one to teach him social skills, how to live, the creature had to fend for himself in every case. This left the monster to question his identity, â€Å"Was I then a monster, a blot upon the earth, from which all men fled, and whom all men disowned. † This leads him to doubt himself, and actually contemplate suicide. Not knowing one’s identity can be troublesome for someone. It can make one question everything they do, every move every thought questions. This can put a strain on ones life and cause them to feel depressed and suicidal. We can see this in the monster and Victor throughout the novel. Although the creature starts to realize that he is alone, there is no other like him. This helps him create an identity for himself. He can characterize himself as an outsider. The theme of identity helps the reader to have a stronger understanding of the characters. In the novel of Frankenstein it can be argued that the theme of religion has been illustrated within the book. While many people view Mary Shelley’s â€Å"Frankenstein† as a horror novel, it is also to be believed it has more of a religious background due to the insertion of â€Å"Paradise Lost† into the story. The story of God creating Adam is a popular topic in this story and is also believed that Shelly had intended for â€Å"Frankenstein† to be an allegory for the story of creation. In the instructional novel of How to read Literature Like a Professor, chapter five and seven can be used to make a connection with the novel of Frankenstein. In chapter five of the instructional manual of How to read Literature Like a Professor, the author explains how stories overlap in a way. Book are never totally original. They all use similar characters with similar personalities. Authors use other authors to influence their style of writing and what they write about. In the novel, Mary Shelley introduces the story â€Å" Paradise Lost†, to make a comparison and difference between the creature with Adam. â€Å" But ‘Paradise Lost’ excited different and far deeper emotions. I read it, as i had read the other volumes which had fallen into my hands as a true history†¦ I often referred the several situations, as their similarity struck me, to my own. Like Adam. † This quote can prove that the creation referred to the story of â€Å"Paradise Lost† and used it as a comparison to its own situation. Therefore stories indeed did overlap in a way. In chapter seven of the instructional manual of How to read Literature Like a Professor, it is mainly about how every piece of literature is somehow related to or referring to the Bible. They all involve things such as temptation, betrayal, denial, etc. Also, writers refer to the Bible because almost everybody knows at least some of the stories from the Bible. The novel Frankenstein expresses religion because Victors obsession with recreating life. He takes a place as God and the creature takes the place of Adam. The story of God and Adam was used in the novel to draw out the use of religion. Chapter seven also connects to Frankenstein because he felt the temptation of knowing the secrets of nature. † The world was to me secret which i desired to divine. † As quoted, Victor had temptation for knowledge. Therefore temptation was involved in the novel. Therefore, the instructional manual of How to read Literature Like a Professor and the novel Frankenstein are relatable. The manual is solely based on teaching rising students like me how to think, and change my perspective in order to get the deeper meaning behind a piece of literature. In Frankenstein the Monster, who is thought to be illiterate, watches the Frankenstein family and teaches himself to eat, sleep, and hold himself like them. He teaches himself to be a more sophisticated human being by watching this family similar to the way millions of students are teaching themselves to be more sophisticated by reading this manual.

I Am Sam Analysis

Sam loves his daughter Lucy very much and tries very hard to keep her with him. Although, he is mentally-challenged and the court argues whether or not he should keep Lucy. They say he only has the ability of â€Å"a 7-year old† and doesn’t have enough money. He looks for a lawyer to help him get Lucy back, which she offers for free under the pressure of being seen by these women who gossip about her at work. She is super annoyed with him at first but eventually starts to understand and be nicer to him, so she helps him what to say at court.Lucy is with a foster family who eventually gives her back to Sam because they don’t think they can promise to give her the love she’s never had. They decide to be on Sam’s side in court & promise not to tell that Sam can’t take care of her alone. They win the argument and Sam and Lucy live together again. Main Character Description Sam: He is a mentally-challenged father who loves his daughter very much. He’s very caring, happy, and loves Ihop. He enjoys making paper cranes and other different shapes too.His job was working at Starbucks, and then he quits and works at Pizza Hut. Sam can also lose his temper quite easily as shown in the scene where he and Lucy eat at a different breakfast place and he throws a fit when she tells him they don’t have French pancakes with fruit toppings on the side. Lucy: She is a very smart and sneaky young girl. Even though her dad isn’t normal, she still loves him unconditionally and wants to see him as much as possible. She is also very understanding towards her father and cares about him a lot.Rita: Rita is Sam’s lawyer to help him with getting Lucy back. She lives a very stressful life with people who dislike her, with hundreds of things she needs to do, and then she has to deal with this case she brought herself into. She never loses, so she tries very hard to win this case. She becomes very caring and understanding to wards Sam as she helps him through getting Lucy back. Psychological Illness Autism is portrayed in this movie with Sam who struggles to keep his daughter to live with him.In the beginning, Lucy’s friend asks her, â€Å"What is wrong with your dad? Is he retarded? † and replies with a yes. Her friend judges Sam very negatively because he is not â€Å"normal. † On the day of Lucy’s birthday party, Sam tries to calm everyone down so they can surprise Lucy; he touches one of the kids to hide and the child says, â€Å"get off me! I have cooties! † The child doesn’t even want to be touched or handled by him because of the way he is.The father also pushes him down away from his child right when Lucy walks in and sees that. She loves her father no matter what because he has always been there for her and will always love her like no one else can. Her peers would look at him like he is a weirdo and laugh at him. Whenever he would talk to people, they would just keep nodding their heads like they’re listening because they don’t care what they have to say. But Sam has some friends just like him who all like to hang out just like a regular group of friends.They would compliment each other a lot, encourage each other, support each other, and talk about their same interests. The court officials thought it was best for Lucy to not live with Sam because they don’t think he has the ability to support her. Especially since he has a mental illness, they don’t think he would be able to take care of her properly. But he pointed out that all she needs from him is love, support, patience, to listen to her, and happiness.