Anita Desai Essay

The main characters who struck me the most are Uma and her brother Arun; to them are dedicated the two parts of the novel. Personally I think they have a lot of things in common and I’m not only considering the fact that they belong to the same close-knit family: they are somehow subjected to a reality from which they both want to escape. Uma is the plainest character of the novel, I think: she always obeys her parents and makes everything they want her to do. This is not completely a negative point but, reading the first pages of the book, I admit that I would like to react for her to the commandments of her MamaPapa, as they are often mentioned†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Go to the cook†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Prepare the packet for your brother†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Write a letter†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦but how can she manage to do all these things together?! In my opinion Uma is also naà ¯ve, she seems to be somehow tied by a sense of duty to her parents, especially after the failure of her two arranged marriages, and what about the dowry she has squandered?! as her father reminds her. The only â€Å"pause† of her life is given by the visits of Mira-masi, a particular woman who deeply fascinates Uma for the stories she tells her: she represents a ray of hope into the life of the girl, although her parents don’t approve the complicity created between them. Arun, whose birth was really longed for, is sent to the USA where he attends the college: being the only son of the family he has the honour of receiving a good education and he has also the possibility to live far from the oppressing reality of his homeland. But his life remains very unhappy: also the family to which he lives while in America is a sort of weight for him. The second part of the novel seems to me a long digression about food, I think that the food itself is the only reason for a link between Arun and the new family, Mrs Patton in particular. I think both brother and sister are oppressed voices who want to live in peace and to escape from the world they live in, although they aren’t able to rebel against it. For this very reason I would like them to write to each other, what does not happen in the novel. Dear Arun, Maybe for the first time in my life I admit that I’m very sad but what troubles me the most is the fact that I’m not able to find a way out†¦ Our cousin Anamika is dead. Everybody here is trying to give an explanation but†¦what for, she won’t ever come back and there are no acceptable explanations for her death†¦ I absolutely can’t imagine that the urn in front of me contains her ashes†¦she is dead†¦ but I’m dead too. Her awe for the family led her towards death, but what about me? I will stay forever with MamaPapa, I can’t abandon them, they are†¦my life! When mama grips my hand I know, I feel that there is something strong between us and I can’t, I can’t leave†¦ MamaPapa is calling me†¦I have to go. I don’t know if I will ever send this letter to you: perhaps I will burn it. Uma Dear Uma, A new semester at the college is beginning and my stay with the Pattons is over. I’m happy because I can leave this strange family: it wasn’t my place, I didn’t feel comfortable with them, I felt oppressed and obliged to be part of it, maybe only because I felt sorry for Mrs Patton and I didn’t want to disappoint her. This is the reason why I gave her the presents you sent me (but please don’t reveal anything to MamaPapa!): I didn’t want her to be worried about me when I silently walked out of her life. Arun Alice Bravin 5 H Liceo Scientifico â€Å"M. Grigoletti† Pordenone Anita Desai â€Å"FASTING, FEASTING† The novel by Anita Desai appeared insipid to my eyes. If I were asked to collect all the emotions that the book has stirred in my heart, I would find myself in anguishing troubles, for I’m quite numb to it as well I am frustrated by each work of art dominated by a sense of heaviness. The characters are imbued with, or even better, they are emblems of this heaviness which reveals itself mainly in the temperament of Uma, who is the best-built character of the novel. Anita Desai succeeded in the enterprise of creating a character without personality, a woman deprived of her soul. She is the designated victim who is doomed to endure the burden of life, symbolized first of all by her parents. Uma doesn’t strike my sensibility: I don’t feel pity for her, nor would I establish a sort of sympathetic relationship with her; her ineptitude doesn’t arouse my anger, nor would I shake her out of the status of torpor she experiences. I am quite interested in one of the psychological aspects of Uma, that of repression. Uma is not free to be what she wants to be, to do what she wants to do, so she is utterly repressed in her passions, in her feelings, in her personality; this last dimension is completely neglected to her. These inner forces run inside her veins and arteries, like water permeating through the cracks of a rock and when temperatures gets colder, it becomes ice and causes the explosion of the rock. The same happens inside Uma and the implosion is disguised as a sort of disease. Convulsions, nausea which leads to vomit, suffered cries, these moments are the most involving – and at the same time disturbing – moments and situations of the novel. I would have appreciated if Anita Desai had developed this edge of the prism of Uma. Sigmund Freud stated that mental patients are like diamonds, whose structure is based on its corners. In these lines the diamond would break in case it fell on the ground. Uma is like that. Her body seems possessed by a demoniac spirit, her limbs, her bowels are rocked by the unique act of rebellion which is allowed to her. I wonder why the writer has snobbed this issue, which probably assumes a religious and philosophical value and is strictly connected to Indian culture. The heaviness that haunts the book is expressed even by the settings. Concerning this point I would like to recall the image of Uma and her aunt who leave together on a spiritual trip. The bus they catch is incredibly crowded: this episode evokes the image of mingled noises and smells within the dusty and sandy air of India. The writer enables us to appreciate each aspect of the setting – thanks to her detailed language – so that the reader manages to broaden his sensorial perceptions and is caught by the use of synaesthesia. ( The description of the believers bathing in the Gange becomes meaningful in this sense ). Before starting reading the book I thought it would be quite precious for me in order to learn more about the Indian world, even appreciating it by means of the parallel Anita Desai draws with Northern America. But I was wrong: â€Å"Fasting, feasting † doesn’t seem so representative of India: the impression I get is that of a character – Uma – who might be possibly Irish or even Italian. Westerners share the same common imagery about India and this common imagery is banal and dominated by prejudices. The book is ambiguous, in the sense that neither supports this statement, nor deny it. The same ambiguity lies in the second part of the novel – that dedicated to Arun – which takes place in the United Stated of America. Anita Desai gives us tenets and traits of the American Society coming in the story of an American family. Here there aren’t crowded busses or temples, but televisions, junk food, couches, barbecues, baseball matches and people who enjoy all these objects and events. The same dusty air is breathed by Arun when he goes back home walking on the boundaries of the street. The same atmosphere of heaviness which degenerates into disease. For these very reasons I state that Uma and her story are not so â€Å"Indian†. Moreover, I have some perplexities about the last chapter – really shorter than the first one – which doesn’t find a proper literary justification. It is a sort of appendix, even if only almost at the end of the book there’s the precise reference to the tile â€Å"Fasting, feasting† and is embodied by the bulimic girl. Alessandra Crimi 5 H Liceo Scientifico â€Å"M. Grigoletti† Pordenone Anita Desai – Fasting, Feasting Fasting, Feasting is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. Thanks to the brilliant descriptions and the elegant narration the reader has the opportunity to create an imaginary but precise setting were characters develop during the story. I think that this novel is like a mirror because it gives the opportunity to reflect, in both meanings of the word. We can reflect ourselves in the protagonists (mirror-like effect) and we can reflect, think, about the different values and importance that people from different societies give to ideals they believe in. In my opinion the rhythm of the narration is sometimes too slow, but I can understand that it is due to the fact that, once again, it mirrors the context where the story takes place. In India, in fact, there is no frenetic life, no stress, no anxiety of living and for this very reason people can pay attention to little events that we probably ignore. When the father asks for his drink, it seems to me that everyone in the family has to stop and be there for this event; when a guest arrives unexpectedly, all the attention is directed to him; even the choice of one kind of food rather than another seems to be one of the most important problems of the day. . The character of Mumdad is what emotionally touched me most, maybe because to a certain extent I can detect in them some traits my parents have. The image of Mumdad on the swing describes their indissoluble bond. Mumdad are a unique person/entity made up of two different souls. These two souls are always at unison, they never take opposite decisions, they argue but they always find a compromise, they are, in a word, complementary. I always admired this ability to build little by little a life together even if, for a child, sometimes it’s not so easy to accept their decision, or rather, their impositions. Uma is my favourite character. In some parts of the novel I felt really involved in her problems, in her thoughts and desires. She loves school even if she isn’t able to get good marks; she loves learning, she wants to try again, to spend another year at school, she’s sure she will improve. She suffers when Mumdad decide she should give up her studies. She suffers when she understands she is not as beautiful, intelligent as her sister Aruna, and so she is considered a lesser woman. Uma suffers silently, she accepts her condition of inferiority, yet she is always looking for a moment of glory that, unfortunately, never comes. She is like the most humble flower that grows up silently, that is trampled from the gardener that gave her birth, because a rose is blooming next to the humble flower and he must be there to praise the perfection and beauty of the rose. I’m not saying that I reflect myself in Uma , absolutely not, on the contrary, I’m saying that all my life I have been an Aruna, and I didn’t know about it. I’m an only child, there is no Uma in my family, but thanks to the juxtaposition of the two characters I have understood that I have always been loved and pampered and nursed and highly considered and I don’t really know if I deserve all this. This book has really been a great opportunity for me, it has made me reflect on my values and on the meaning of my â€Å"little† life: too often we don’t realise what is around us. But now I want stop talking about me. I would love to write a few lines about arranged marriages. In our Western society, marriage is generally viewed as a value strongly linked with the concept of freedom, the freedom to choose the person with whom we would like to spend all our life. We have this great opportunity and we often waste it. We are free to love a person for his peculiarities and not for his money and often people choose the partner for his richness, we get married and then we divorce and kids are treated as merchandise, we often get married for reasons that sometimes are far away from love and we claim to judge a society where parents choose a spouse for their children. I think that Western people are more contradictory than what they want to admit and perhaps less happy. Perhaps it is this very feeling that leads plenty of us to judge other cultures. DA PIEVE LUCIA 5 H Liceo scientifico â€Å"M. Grigoletti† Anita Desai â€Å"Fasting,Feasting† This is the first book by Anita Desai I have ever read. Her observations are astute whether they are on living conditions in India or USA. Anita Desai uses her words perfectly to convey exactly what she feels,but even if it could seem a contradiction,I think that the problem with the book is its dry, clinical approach in chronicling the lives of the characters, the book lacks passion. I was always on the outside, looking into the lives of people. The book offers few chances of getting involved with the characters ,in fact while reading the book I didn’t feel the compulsion of finishing it quickly. The part I liked better is the first half of the book that deals with life in a small, slow town in India, with rigid parents and well-drafted routines. The †Indian half† is more detailed than the other half which deals with the â€Å"rule-less† life in suburban USA. In the first half there is a partly successful, proud father, who goes through life, with set patterns and no passion. A mother who goes along with her husband, doing what is supposedly right and expected of her, curbing and killing all her innate desires. Three children. The eldest, Uma, clumsy . The middle daughter Aruna, pretty, ambitious and smart, but eventually also a victim of her choices. The last, a son, Arun, on whom the parents put all their dreams and energies. All of them, along with members of their extended family, go through some form of deprivation (of will, of fun, of passion and of love). I think that a merit of this book is the way it highlights the Indian traditions, cultures and mostly the place of a woman in an Indian family. I liked the character of Uma in the book because she is both willing to take a chance with life and at the same time dedicated to her family.She takes whatever happens to her life with such grace that she does not give me a chance to cry for her. I like her inner strength. The story in itself is told from the perspective of the protagonist, Uma, who starts out as a wideeyed child at a convent who shows an enthusiasm for education but with the birth of her brother Arun, Uma takes on the role of nanny. Here, one encounters the distinct preference parents have for the male child. Desai next explores the conventional belief that ties a woman’s worth to her physical appearance. A woman who lacks beauty is often rushed into the first marital offer she receives, only to pay a heavy price later on. Desai shows the challenges a single woman faces regardless of how successful she is. By contrast, Uma’s cousin is portrayed as the ultimate success because she is able to marry well thanks to her looks. She makes the reader wonder how happy she truly is, when she eventually takes her own life. Uma is the main character in the first half of the novel. She is a clumsy, uncoordinated woman who finds it difficult to succeed in almost everything she does – she fails in school, can’t cook, spills food and drink and can’t find anyone worthwhile to get married to. Her father feels that Uma is incapable of fending for herself, as she is too clumsy, uncoordinated and proves a failure in almost everything she does.Uma fails in school, in the kitchen and she even fails to find anyone worthwhile to get married to. The father asks Uma to interrupt her studies in the Christian convent when he find out she not doing very well at school. He feels that it was a waste of time and money to provide Uma an education ;he has other plans for her.She will look after her baby brother Arun and take care of the household while her mother rests after giving birth. Uma’s life is constantly planned by her father.Uma cannot resist her father’s oppressive patriarchal ideology, as she is afraid of the consequences that would befall her if she angered the colonial characteristics of her father. Uma’s entertainment comes in the form of her cousin, Ramu. When Ramu is around, Uma feels at ease. But the father feels that Ramu is a bad influence on Uma. He does not want Uma to be influenced by other men who are capable of brainwashing her to resist the demands of his patriarchal nature.

National Jazz Hall

QSO-640 Midterm Robert Wilson Question 1 The project that Mr. Rutland is trying to manage is establishing maintaining a National Jazz Hall of Fame(NJHF) in Charlottesville, VA. The NHJF was created and has been in existence for about one year. Now, Mr. Rutland has found that the Paramount Theatre in downtown Charlottesville, which shares it’s name with a famous jazz hall from the 1930s and 40s in New York City, is about to be demolished and would like to save and renovate the building as the headquarters for the NJHF.The Paramount Theatre would be where the NJHF would be located and provide a venue for a museum, archives and a concert center. This would also allow the NJHF to sponsor jazz festivals, workshops and scholarships. The museum would be used to remember great jazz artists, serve jazz enthusiasts along with education he public on the importance of jazz in American culture and history. Question 2 The stakeholders in this project begin with Mr. Rutland himself.After tha t, some of the other stakeholders include the board of directors for the NHJF, the City of Charlottesville departments renovating the historic district of downtown Charlottesville, the consultant hired by the board, other tourist attractions in around Charlottesville and in Western Virginia, they include Monticello, James Monroe’s house, and the University of Virginia. Other stakeholders would be the contractors employed to renovate the Paramount, possible donors to the project, they could be private as well as governmental such as the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.The potential jazz performers that are potential members of the NJHF are also very important stakeholders. If this is not a highly recognized and reputable hall of fame, some of these iconic jazz musicians will not want to be members of the organization. Finally, jazz fans as a whole are key stakeholders as well. Without them, there would not be a need for this type of attraction. Question 3 There are three major issues facing Mr. Rutland and the NJHF. They are: 1. Fund raising, 2. Building and leading a professional team to complete the project. 3. Marketing in order to promote the NJHF and gain national recognition.In order to successfully address these issues the following skills will be needed: Good communication skills – Since the PM will be dealing with many different type of people, groups and audiences, they will need to be able to communicate effectively on all of these different levels. They need to communicate with government entities in order to secure the necessary permits and inspections once the theatre is set to be renovated. They will have to speak with philanthropic groups in order to raise private funds for the renovation of the theatre along with donations to run the NJHF.In order to gain public funding, the PM will have to address government agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts. For issue two, the PM will be the team leader and have to communicate well with each group of the project team. They will have to work with the different teams to create the renovation plan. Once that is done, they will have to work with many different contractors to secure bids before deciding on who will complete the renovations. Other groups that the PM will have to communicate would include the finance team, the procurement team and the budget team.As for issue number 3, the PM will have to work with several marketing firms who specialize in the work needed for the NJHF to establish national recognition. They will have to meet with many different firms in order to select the best one for the NJHF. Once that group is selected, the PM will be the interface to that group for the project. Communications with this group will of course be vital to the longevity of the NJHF. Ability to command respect – The PM needs to be to command respect from every group involved in each aspect of the project.With out respect, none of the groups will be â€Å"encouraged† to complete their assigned tasks. Also, without respect the project as a whole will not have any credibility. It is this respect and credibility that will help generate private and government funding. Also, if there is no respect in the project, the NJHF will not gain any respect in the Jazz community. Without that, why would any of the potentials jazz musicians want to be a member of this hall of fame? Conflict Resolution skills – this is a basic skill that every PM must have. Without it, no project would move forward.In this project, the conflicts could be many for all three issues. If the PM cannot resolve the conflicts that will arise from the renovation of the theatre alone, the other two issue will never come to fruition. Good knowledge of project management principles – Of all of the PM principles, risk management is key in this project. If you look at issue two, fundraising, what happens to the pr oject if a major source of funding becomes compromised? One real world example is the Boy Scouts of America. They received almost 40% of their annual budget from a donation by the American United Way.A few years ago, the United Way reduced their donation significantly. The BSA now receives only one percent of its budget from that organization. It was real blow to their ability to maintain their year round projects. In order to recoup this budgetary loss, they established the Friends of Scouting project. They now solicit donations from the parents of Scouts, former Scouts and other companies and non-profit organizations to fulfill the gap. The PM for this project will have to have contingency plans in place like the BSA has done.Be comfortable in an uncertain environment – This is a huge, multifaceted project that a PM can understand every aspect. The PM for this project needs to be able to manage well the pieces they know very well and have the ability to manage the pieces th ey are not so familiar with. They need to put the right people in place for the aspects of the project they are the least familiar. Say the PM is strong in construction but weak in fund raising, they need to find a good fund raiser and someone who is good with marketing. Question 4 I feel that Mr. Rutland does have credibility.He is a professor of History at the University of Virginia. I don’t think that he would have been able to have had jazz greats, Benny Goodman and Chick Corea join the NJHF National Advisory board if they didn’t feel that Mr. Rutland and the board of directors he established were credible. Having two famous jazz musicians like that on the board definitely adds credence and credibility to Mr. Rutland’s plan. Is Mr. Rutland a leader? A leader is defined as â€Å"interpersonal influence, exercised in situations and directed through the communication process, toward the arraignment of a specified goal of goals. † Mr.Rutland has shown tha t ability in the first year of building the NJHF. Mr. Rutland came up with the NJHF and locating it in Charlottesville, VA. He enlisted the help of his fellow jazz enthusiast, and created the board of directors for the hall of fame. After that he found a possible building location that, by name, has ties to the famous jazz era of the 1930s and 19402 in New York City. This would give the NJHF a headquarters with a credible and recognizable name. After establishing the board, Mr. Rutland went out to generate funds for the hall by applying for grants from philanthropic groups along with various government agencies.They were denied for two reasons, inexperience of the board members and the brevity of their existence. This could not be construed negatively toward the board or affect their credibility. Mr. Rutland also understood that the NJHF would need visitors to help generate revenue to continue the hall’s existence. He found that over half a million people visit the Charlottes ville area to see many other attractions. He knew he had to work with the various venues and tourist organization to help promote the NJHF as a viable attraction. Finally Mr.Rutland showed his leadership in hiring a consultant to help answer two questions. One, what is the interest level of the respondents for jazz and the establishment of a National Jazz Hall of Fame. The survey was conducted on a national level and on a local level. This allows Mr. Rutland to find out if people were actually interested in a Jazz Hall of Fame and if they would attend, jazz music as a whole, if people would be willing to donate money to such an organization, what services and events they would expect from the hall and what the average person interested in such a place would be willing to pay for admission.This gave the board an idea of what kind of funding they could expect fromt eh public through donations and admission fees. Question 5 The cultures relevant to this project are the African-American , Cajun, Africans, and American. Jazz was influenced by different cultures and sub-cultures. The music also has roots in the development of other music movements around the world. In the US, Jazz has influenced, the Blues, R&B, Motown, Dixieland, Classical and Country music. Jazz is a melting pot of music as well having its roots in other genres.The project environment for the National Jazz Hall of Fame was a struggle to get off the ground, but was met with great enthusiasm. After the first year, even though they had many setbacks due to difficulties raising contributions from outside sources and finding out they needed at least $600,000 to renovate the theatre, Mr. Rutland and the board felt the project showed promise. Mr. Rutland did not seem to give up, but found other ways to promote and endow the NJHF. He tried to utilized the local tourism outlets, the NJHF promoted concerts to raise money and awareness.Mr. Rutland visited other halls of fame to gain ideas and insights into th eir success. He also commissioned a two surveys to gather information about the viability and interest the public would have for a jazz hall of fame. Question 6 Mr. Rutland should do the following: Budget- Philanthropic organizations – Since they had difficulties raising funds from these types of organizations due to a lack of experience on the part of the board, they need to hire an executive director with fund raising experience.This will give them someone with the proper background that these organization are looking for and a higher level of credibility. This will help solidify them as a true purveyor of a hall of fame for Jazz. Government Agencies – Once they have a qualified executive director and have been established for over two years, they should reapply for government funds from groups like the National Endowment for the Arts. They will be able to get enough funds so that they may even begin to renovate the theatre. Donations – The survey showed that they could receive an average of $23. 0 per donation. They should pursue a low cost way of garnering these donations in order to increase their bottom line. The survey targeted individuals over 35 years old with an income of $50,000+. Perhaps they can target other age and income range along with woman. Memberships – These are an excellent way to raise money. You can usually provide a few low cost incentives to individuals and they will pay a little more of an admission fee to benefit from those perks. However, at this time, without an actually facility for the hall of fame, memberships may be something they should wait on.It was recommended that they pursue Founding Memberships. This would be a more viable option until it is decided on where the actual NJHF will be located. Everyone likes to say that they were the first ones to be involved in a new endeavor. Visitors – The survey found that the average admission fee could be $3. 50. This is a good price considering how many tourists visit the Charlottesville area. Again, until a facility if build and functional, this idea should be set aside. Budget – Expenditures. The Paramount Theatre is the NJHF’s largest expenditure at $600,000.Other expenditures are the cost of the surveys. Future costs will be setting up the Founding Membership accounts, the regular memberships (if any), the salary of the executive director and all of the operational costs of an office for that individual. There will also have to be a budget for correspondence, fliers for concerts and workshops, etc. A Travel budget for the executive director will be required as well. Performance: service/activities The NJHF will have to continue to sponsor concerts and workshops.This will help them promote their mission along with getting their name out there. Offering a scholarship will help as well. This would also help gain credibility with the National Association of Jazz Educators. Competition – The NJHF needs to work with their competition. This will allow them to learn about how they are doing things. What works and what does not. It could also give them an opportunity to create an association with other hall of fames. This would make them appear more established. They could use their competitions success to their advantage.Schedule – First thing would be to hire an experience executive director. I think the NJHF’s first window of opportunity will come when they have been around for over two years so they qualify for government funding. Their first milestone could be signing up their first Founding Member. This would give them a good jumping off point to establish a large group of Members. http://businessmanstar. blogspot. com/2012/01/national-jazz-hall-of-fame-njhf-case. html http://www. expertprogrammanagement. com/2009/06/required-skills-to-be-a-program-manager/

Work Family Conflict

Hypotheses Hal- Individuals who report telecommuting will report less work-family conflict than those who do not report telecommuting. H2O – Individuals who report being able to take work home to complete will report less work-family conflict than those who do not report being able to take work home.. HA – Individuals who report having a flexible work schedule will report less work- family conflict than those who do not report having a flexible schedule. HA – Individuals who report taking a family leave will report less work-?family conflict than individuals who do not report taking a leave..HA – Reporting to a family-supportive supervisor will be related to the use of (a) telecommuting, (b) taking work home, (c) flexible hours, and (d) family leave. HA – There will be a negative relationship between reporting to a family-supportive supervisor and work-family conflict. HA – Having a family-supportive supervisor will mediate the relationship b etween (a) telecommuting, (b) taking work home, (c) flexible work hours, and (d) family leave and work-family conflict.Method Sample for the study was drawn from two sources (alumni of the College of Business f a public university and students enrolled in an evening MBA program there). Consent forms, questionnaires, and return mail envelopes were sent to alumni along with a letter requesting their participation. Only 12% of the alumni returned usable questionnaires. The low rate of returns was due to incorrect addresses and the fact that alumni were told they were only eligible to participate in the study if they were currently working and had a supervisor.For the MBA students, consent forms and questionnaires were distributed during class time. Students were told they only would fill out a questionnaire if they were employed by an organization. In total, 140 alumni and 71 MBA students returned questionnaires. Given the focus of the study was on work-family conflict, the only Indivi duals Include In the analyses were individuals who were working at least 35 hours per week and who had responsibility for whom an individual had responsibility. Given the sample inclusion criteria, the study ended up with a sample of 96 individuals (83 alumni and 13 MBA students).Of those individuals, 86 reported having childcare responsibility; eight individuals ported being responsible for another person, and two persons reported being responsible for both children and others. In order to ensure accuracy of the self- reported information, the alumni and the MBA students who returned questionnaires were asked to supply the name and address of a person whom they felt was quite familiar with their work and family life. A questionnaire was sent to those significant others along with a letter explaining why they were contacted.Of the 96 persons who comprised of the main sample, 53 questionnaires from significant others were received. Results Childcare responsibility, non-child responsi bility, and the use of family-friendly practices, questionnaire responses were made on a 7-point scale (1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree). Participants were asked-?†On average, how many hours do you work per week? ‘ , â€Å"How many children do you have under your career, and â€Å"Do you have care giving responsibilities for someone other than a child? ‘ (coded 1 = no, 2 = yes).As noted in the study, in order to be included in the analyses, an individual had to be employed, have a supervisor, be working at least 35 hours per eek, and be responsible for a dependent. With regard to the mean number of hours worked, the 96 individuals comprising the main sample reported working 47. 21 hours (SD = 6. 21). In terms of child dependents, the mean number reported was 1. 89 (SD = 1. 08). In terms of being responsible for non-child dependents, of the ten individuals reporting such responsibility, no one reported being responsible for more than one person. 6 indi viduals reported taking work home (58%), 55 individuals reported working flexible hours (57%), 23 individuals reported using family leave (24%) and even individuals reported telecommuting (7%). Of the 96 employees in the sample, two reported using all four family-friendly practices, 12 reported using three practices, 24 reported using two practices, 49 reported using one practice, and nine individuals reported using no practices. Hypothesis 1 predicted that individuals who reported telecommuting would report less work-family conflict.This hypothesis was not supported for either self-reports of work-family conflict (r = -. 01) or reports of significant others (r = -. 07). Hypothesis 2 predicted that individuals who reported Ewing able to take work home to complete would report less work-family conflict. No support was found for this hypothesis for either self-reports of conflict (r = . 17) or significant other reports (r = . 10). In fact, for self-reports, the correlation attained a p. 05 level of statistical significance but in the direction opposite of that predicted. In contrast to the results for Hypothesis 1 and 2, Hypothesis 3 received strong support.Individuals who reported having flexible work hours also reported lower levels of work-family conflict (r = -. 22, p. 05). The results for significant other reports of conflict also supported Hypothesis 3 (r = -. 23, p. 05). In terms of Hypothesis 4 individuals who reported having made use of family leave reported lower levels of work-family conflict (r = -. 21, p. 05). On the other hand, significant other reports of conflict did not support Hypothesis 4 (r = -. 11). Hypothesis 5 predicted that individuals who reported to family-supportive supervisors would make greater use of family-friendly (r = . 8, p. 05) were significant at the . 05 level. Hypothesis 6 predicted that individuals porting to a family-supportive supervisor would report lower levels of work-family conflict. This hypothesis was supported both for self-reports of work-family conflict (r -? -. 54, p. 01) and significant other reports of conflict (r = -. 38, p. 01). In summary, with the exception of the relationship between taking work home to complete and self- reports of work-family conflict, all of the other relationships between the use of family-friendly practices and work-family conflict were mediated.Discussion The study hypothesized that telecommuting, taking work home, having flexible hours, ND taking a family leave each would be negatively related to reports of work-family conflict. Strong support for Hypothesis 3 (I. E. , the use of flexible hours was negatively correlated with both self-reports and significant other reports of work-family conflict). This information may prove to be advisable for many organizations to offer flexible hours to their employees. In addition to focusing on the use of family-friendly practices, the study also examined the effects of reporting to a family-supportive supervisor.It was f ound that reporting to such a supervisor was positively related to he use of flexible hours and family leave. In terms of the correlation (r = . 14) between having a family-supportive supervisor and telecommuting, it may be premature to dismiss this relationship because it did not meet the p. 05 threshold that was used throughout this paper (this correlation was significant at the p. 10 level). Criticism Limitations for this given study are as follow: The response rate for the alumni survey was lower than the study would have liked. Another limitation is the low base rate for a few of the variables that were examined (I. . The use of telecommuting). A third limitation to note was the educated nature of the sample (everyone in the sample was a college graduate). Application This study could be expanded to include a larger population of employees, such as non-college graduates. It could also be expanded to other professions/departments in the organization. In future studies, it might also be worthwhile to consider coworker support for balancing work and family responsibilities (e. G. , are coworkers willing to switch work days or work hours to accommodate family responsibilities? ).

Examine how commitment to lifelong learning and reflective practice Essay

Examine how commitment to lifelong learning and reflective practice contributes to the role of being a health profession - Essay Example This academic paper provided guidelines for health professionals to explain, document, research and promote their professions. To complete the process of proving effectiveness, it is essential that health professionals undergo lifelong learning and reflective practice (Gross 2001). This academic paper will describe the concepts of lifelong learning and reflective practice, then it will discusses why both of them are necessary in this changing society. Followed by explaining commitment is important in lifelong learning and reflective practice to health professional area. Lifelong learning has been advocated by government agencies both local and international as well as private professional institutions because of its increasing importance with ensuring that health professionals are keeping up with the changing times. There are existing federal and international laws being applied to regulate professions and to serve as their early defence towards the increasing needs of the people in the society (Knowles et. al 2003). The efficacy of different health professions has not been fully explored. Some of these professions are relatively young professions and, therefore, needs all members of the field to contribute to its development (Riechmann 2000). Healthcare professionals should engage in continuing professional development (CPD) throughout their careers. This can be achieved through both formal activity, such as course attendance, and informal activity, such as reflective practice. However, about the latter, many healthcare practitioners have anxieties about when they might operate this activity and how they might undertake it (Kinsella 2001). While there are many methods of CPD, the government focuses on outcome and defines it as: ...a process of lifelong learning for all individuals and teams which meets the needs of patients and delivers the health outcomes. (Jourgin 2002). Lifelong learning is

Minimum Wage Laws Are Necessary To Protect The Future Of Our Labor Essay

Minimum Wage Laws Are Necessary To Protect The Future Of Our Labor Force By Providing A Livable Wage For Each Worker And Protecting Workers Fro Being Exploited By Their Employers - Essay Example Minimum wage laws are created to protect workers from being exploited, a lower minimum wage would mean those who make a little more than the minimum wage even if the wage is not enough for the worker to support themselves or their family it would mean that the worker is not eligible for any help or support from the government, it also means that those who are little above the minimum wage will have to pay normal tax rates further encumbering them while making them struggle to make ends meet (Wikipedia source,n.a) . In a recent film unveiled by Michael Moore in Cannes is his ‘Sicko’, which displayed many of the problems faced by those who are just a little bit above the minimum wage, the film depicts real people who are living on most of their paycheck but when they get sick or hurt hospitals would charge them a high sum of money because they cannot afford medical insurance. Because of this whenever any of the workers got sick they will heavily be in debt and most of the time they are unable to repay their medical debts thus furthering them into a vicious cycle until they are declared bankrupt and become homeless (Moore, 2007). From the statement above, it is clear that it should be proposed that the minimum wage rate should be increased to a level where at least those who are a bit above of the minimum wage are able to pay their taxes as well as be able to afford other things that improve a person’s quality of life, to be able to afford their medical fees, their children’s school fees, to be given paid vacations and last but not least, be able to have enough to save their money for a rainy day.

The intercaction between business and the external environment - Pest Essay

The intercaction between business and the external environment - Pest Amalysis - Essay Example With competition in the food and drinks retail market becoming stiffer in the UK market, the company has come up with strategy of increasing its retail outlet in other parts of the world as a way of maintaining growth in the market. The company has set out four manning goals which have been a source of it strong in the market n and also source of growth. (T-online, 2008) Tesco is one of the largest retail chains in the industry holding more than 30% of the market share in the UK which has been seen as dominance in the sector. The supermarket accounts for 1 of every 8 pounds that are spent by UK shoppers in food and drinks industry. Currently the store has more than 400,000 employees in all its retail outlets. It has integrated the interest of different stakeholders in its goals and objective which have been the growth point. The company and an initial goal of becoming a strong UK core business. In this regard the company had set out a goal of growing in the external world but with a special focus of the UK market. In the last few years the industry had been record marginal growth but Tesco had been recording massive growth in its operation. This has been through given customers value for their money and offering cheaper products. Since it was established the company set out goals of becoming strong food and nonfood earlier in the UK market. These were two industrial sectors that were growing very fast in the consumer world and therefore the initial targets were aimed at reaching to all the market segments that dealt with these goods. Since then it has grown to be the largest online retailer in the world with more that 1 millions customer in the word. The company also set goal of diversifying its operations in the external market and a 30% of the stores are found out side the UK and the company has been having a plan of increasing it to 45% of their markets by investing in Central Europe and Asia. The company also set out a

How museums institutions shape the art world and in turn, how art and Research Paper

How museums institutions shape the art world and in turn, how art and artists have critiqued and sometimes transformed these institutions - Research Paper Example t goes back to the early 1866 in Paris when a group of Americans decided to create an institution and gallery of art so that the art and art education could reach to the people of America. The New York State Legislation then incorporated the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the Incorporation Act in 1870. The purpose of this act was to allow the Metropolitan Museum to serve as a Museum and Art Library in the city and further encourage and develop the study of fine arts and the application of arts in advancing the general knowledge. Eastman Johnson was the artist who acted as the co-founder of the museum, and the former Civil War Officer was the first director under the guidance of whom the holdings of the museum consisted of a roman stone sarcophagus and 174 European paintings. Since its formation, Metropolitan Museum of Art had many additions to its outside view and the building. It also had many additions in its collection of Art works, and is now holding some of America’s best art contributions. There are seventeen separate departments for the collections in Metropolitan. Each of the departments has specialised staff and a department of scientific research and conservation. The permanent collection that the museum holds includes paintings and sculptures of almost all the European masters, American and modern art, and also holding of the African, Asian, Oceanic, Islamic and Byzantine Art. Furthermore, the museum also has a collection of musical instruments and weapons from all around the world. The museum holds more than 13,000 artworks currently. Despite the controversies in 2009 related to the book Rogue’s Gallery by the journalist Michael Gross, and the criticisms that the museum faced, they plan to expand their collections and area in the future. The Metropolitan Museum of Art works under the policies of the State and acquires the world-class paintings. They have acquired artworks that hold immense value and have added to the contribution of promoting

Does money buy votes in congress outline the relationship between Research Paper

Does money buy votes in congress outline the relationship between campaign contributions and voting in congress - Research Paper Example Special interest contributions can flow to politicians who intrinsically value the same policy outcomes, but the contributions may have insignificant political behaviour once a politician is elected in office. One cornerstone of the argument presented in the various studies is the notion that campaign contributions are essentially concerned with affecting election outcomes and that donations are for the most part not meant to buy votes. However, donations are used by various groups in trying to influence ideological positions closer to congress regarding the ideal perception for the interest group (Bronars & Lott, 1995). According to Wawro (2001), efforts to reform campaign finance laws result from the belief that campaign contributions have pernicious effect on politician behaviour with a recent survey showing that 53% of individual believed campaign contributions influence policies of elected officials. ... Therefore, PAC (Political Action Committees) contribute to members of the congress in a way likely for the politicians to vote the way PACs favour even without contributions. PAC donation to friendly members may be construed as cause for the members to vote in a certain way when in fact the member would have voted the same way without the donation. The extensive research on the issues has not produced consistent results that indicate that campaign contributions influence congress members’ voting behaviour (Wawro, 2001). Despite the common knowledge that campaign contributions of interest groups have far less influence that commonly thought; systematic examination of literature reveals various studies that establish connection between monetary donations and votes. Findings from various studies indicate several significant qualifications to the common knowledge that monetary donations do in fact sway how elected representatives vote. The findings are however subject to variation s in model specification because there is less significant link in certain research model specifications such results are nevertheless common in better models. Clearly, monetary donations are linked with voting that favour the donor’s interests; nevertheless, any attempt to conclude autonomous sway on legislators has to fully account for the complexities of the relationships involved. That of great importance is the propensity for PACs to give money to affiliates who are disposed to favour their position; for instance, liberal groups back their own associates who come from liberal constituencies resulting in them voting generously while the opposite applies to conservatives (Roscoe & Jenkins, 2005; US Congress votes on trade, 2011). The pattern suggest that it is the

Job Security between India and Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Job Security between India and Japan - Essay Example Moreover, the current report will also execute the theoretical and practical implications of the IR transformation outlook. The laws of employment dominating India, the newly industrialized country are of a safeguarding nature to the employees. They permit the policies of workers’ retrenchment or lay-offs but only with government’s approval. On the other hand, the condition of labor in Japan, the advance-industrialized country, gives a differing outlook. The practices of labor, there, depict distinguishing aspects, of which, the most prominent is the ‘lifetime employment’. This assists the workers in the provision of beneficial behavior by hiring those schools, maintaining retaining, and developing them in the companies or organizations until they are 55-60 years. This provision of lifetime guarantee does not require the workers to sign any particular contract and is flexible towards the employees throughout their job. Various researches and studies regarding the employment security in India depict that the rate of unemployment in India is higher than that of Japan. The Indian Government is responsible to formulate the laws of industrial relations. Some of such IR laws prevailing in India are worth mentioning in the context of the report. Moreover, the IR laws in India are distinguished by the Industrial Relations laws of other countries through the feature that it does not provide for trade unions to be acknowledged as the collective bargaining agents. Under the TUA, only registering of the union does not give it the status of a legal and autonomous representative of the employees in the organization (Sarkar 2011). The Industrial Law makes it mandatory for the government to interfere in tackling any disputes that emerge in the organizations and its activities. According to the provisions of the Industrial Disputes

590-1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

590-1 - Essay Example According to a report, Philip H. Knight, the CEO of Nike Inc. had felt that the University of Oregon (UO) had â€Å"broken chain of trust† by deciding to join the Workers Right Consortium which opposed the Fair Labor Association (FLA) as supported by Knight. The UO raised a dispute with the support of the student activists and the faculty that the Nike’s products which were sold in the stores of university campus, bearing the university logo apparel were manufactured by not abiding the sweatshop terms and conditions. In this connection it is worthy to mention that ‘Workers Right Consortium’ or WRC is identified as an independent labor rights organization which keeps an eye on and focuses on protecting the rights of the workers those who generally sews apparel and manufactures other products especially those which bears university and college logos being sold in the markets of United States. The FLA is a joint effort of socially responsible companies, colleges, civil society organizations and universities intended to recover the working conditions of the factories operating worldwide. It is a brand accountability system providing the responsibility towards companies for accomplishing the FLA’s labor standards as maintained in the factories which is involved with manufacture of their products. Their mission is to protect the workers and improve the working conditions of the workers globally. Their objective is to end up the sweatshop standards being followed worldwide. FLA’s code of conduct includes; abolition of child labor, discrimination, intimidation of those workers who seeks to organize unions, improving hazardous work conditions, settling payments for over time (Fair Labor Association, 2008). Whereas, WRC being a non-profit organization supervises the manufacturing of university apparel in order to make sure that

Comparative International Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Comparative International Accounting - Essay Example ntal bodies to determine what taxes a business must pay; and occasionally by customers to determine the price to be paid when contracts call for cost-based payments. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2007) The aim of this paper is to critically compare and contrast the accounting methods, structure and regulation in Canada with the UK including a critical and detail analysis of both current issues and academic literature surveyed relevant to the country. To begin we will talk briefly about the evolution of Accounting in both countries. According to Baylin et al (1996), Accounting standard setting in Canada has undergone a number of significant structural adjustments since the late 19th century. Following Canada’s emergence from its colonial status and due to the establishment of new trading partners, there was a change in the demand for accounting and the accounting standard setting process in Canada (Baylin et al, 1996). There have also been changes in the source of authority for standard setting, the range of interests were formally included in the standard setting process and changes in relative influence of technical versus political concerns. Canada continues to have one of the few private standard-setting processes in the world. (Baylin et al, 1996). No central source of accounting standards existed in Canada before 18646. Accounting standards were governed by common law. For example, the Dominium Insolvent Act was introduced in 1864 and was the first legislation to recognise the need for the regulation of accounting and the quality of financial information. (Baylin et al, 1996). Following this act, Canada witnessed the first real appearance of public accountants to act as â€Å"Official Assignees† for the handling of the affairs of estates, which were bankrupt. Foreign influences, government, and the internal needs of the early accounting firms drove the accounting profession, which was still at its infancy. (Baylin et al, 1996). As a result, the legal

Gendered Societal Expectations of Appearance and Their Effects Upon the Individual Essay Example for Free

Gendered Societal Expectations of Appearance and Their Effects Upon the Individual Essay It has long been generally accepted that we as humans are influenced greatly by the things that surround our everyday lives. These things can include friends, family, co-workers, the media and even society as a whole. The society in which people live can play a huge role in how they view themselves and how they view others. Over the years researchers have come up with many theories as to how and why society has such a large influence on people. Now-a-days there are appearance prescriptions for everything in our society. It is not good to be too fat, but it is not good to be too skinny either. The way a person looks, dresses and acts is a large factor in how other people will think about, talk about and respond to them. These societal prescriptions also differentiate between other factors such as gender, race, level of education and more. Interestingly most of these prescriptions for appearance in society today are relatively unspoken until someone violates them. This paper will attempt to shed some light on the complex societal prescriptions regarding personal appearance and body imaging; more specifically it will delve into how those prescriptions are gendered within society and how people respond both positively and negatively to those prescriptions. As previously stated appearance prescriptions are very strong in our society especially when it comes to societal expectations regarding gender. These gendered expectations cause people to do all types of things for the sole purpose of fitting in to societal norms. Some women exercise religiously to maintain a good looking body, other women go tanning regularly because they think it is embarrassing, or even unacceptable, to be pale; there are also many men who do the same things for the same reasons. While looking good is not a bad thing sometimes these societal prescriptions, or expectations, can cause people to go too far. When people are not satisfied with themselves and their appearance they can become desperate and have feelings of inadequacy about their physical appearance. These feelings of inadequacy can lead to depression or making destructive decisions which can include but are not limited to over-eating or even eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. There have been numerous studies done on the relationships between societal pressures to be thin and body dissatisfaction among both men and women. One such study, from the University of Texas at Austin that studied the effects of social pressure to be thin on women said that â€Å"These same pernicious messages (that one is not thin enough) are thought to foster negative affect, because appearance is a central evaluative dimension for women in Western culture† (Stice, 2003). This study tested what sources most influence societal expectations of appearance and the different ways those expectations can negatively affect women (Stice, 2003). It concluded that some of the biggest social pressures to be thin come from the mass media, family members and peers (Stice, 2003). It also concluded that the negative effects of these social pressures can go in two different directions, this is not to say that women negatively affected cannot fall victim to both types of effects (Stice, 2003). A synopsis of this study could say that societal expectations to be thin often create body dissatisfaction within women (Stice, 2003). This body dissatisfaction, which can often lead to depression, frequently leads to either restrictive dieting or binge eating. Restrictive dieting, while not bad in itself, can lead to unhealthy eating habits such as eating disorders, laxative abuse or other methods of losing weight that can be extremely harmful to the person practicing them, and binge eating â€Å"because it is commonly believed that eating provides comfort and distraction from negative emotions† (Stice, 2003). A similar experiment, coming from the University of Toronto, studied the relationship between body image and depression among adolescents regarding adiposity (Chaiton, 2009). This study suggests â€Å"that body dissatisfaction may mediate the relationship between overweight and depression† (Chaiton, 2009). It goes on to suggest that the relationship found between obesity and depression is differentiated by gender because of the difference in societal expectations placed on women and men (Chaiton, 2009). The study concluded that females experience body dissatisfaction almost solely when they believe they are overweight, whereas both males who believe that they are under or overweight experience body dissatisfaction which can in all cases lead to some level of depression (Chaiton, 2009). As the aforementioned study showed societal expectations concerning appearance can, and often do, affect men just as much as they do women (Chaiton, 2009). Our society pushes men to be big, muscular and manly. To certain degree the more muscular a man is the more attractive he generally is within society. A study from an international journal regarding social behavior and personality concluded that the attractiveness of a man is more important in determining social desirability than the age of the man in question (Perlini, 2001). Comparatively the results of these two studies add up to say that the attractiveness of a man is one of the main factors in determining societal desirability and one of the biggest factors in being attractive is being muscular or strong. This puts a lot of pressure on males to be concerned with how they look in comparison to society’s expectations of how they should look. There are numerous different theories as to why societal expectations differ between genders, but none that can definitively explain why prescriptions concerning appearance are the way they are (i. e. women should be skinny and men should be muscular). Some theorists take a biological approach saying that something within the genetic makeup of human beings causes men to be larger and more muscular and likewise causes women to be smaller and skinnier; therefore it is innate within human beings to prefer women to be skinnier and men to be more muscular. Other theories use a combination of nature, a biological approach, and nurture, an approach that says how and where people are raised effects how they view the world, to explain why there is such a gendered difference in societal expectations. While still others use strictly nurture based theories to explain these differences. An experiment from Colby College testing the awareness of preschoolers to societal expectations of gender showed that by the age of five or six humans can easily differentiate between what society expects differently of men than of women (Raag, 1998). Granted this study tested the societal expectations of gender based on toys (tools and dishes) and how the children themselves reacted to the toys as well as how the children thought others (parents, babysitters, friends, etc. ) would react to them playing with the aforementioned toys (Raag, 1998). On the whole the children were able to identify that the tools were for boys to play with and the dishes were for girls; the children also, with no hesitation, said that boys playing with dishes or girls playing with tools would often be responded to negatively by parents or babysitters or the like. That means that while this study cannot shed light on the societal expectations of strength versus thinness it does give some credence to the nurture side of the theories mentioned earlier (Raag, 1998). In summation the societal expectations of appearance can have both positive and negative effects upon people. Society pushes for women to be thin, but not too thin and for men to be muscular, but not too muscular. Society pushing people to be in shape is not a bad thing; studies have shown that being physically fit is not only good for people physically, but also mentally. When people feel attractive it boosts their confidence and self-esteem which has been proven to increase mental health. It just happens to be that some of the anxiety or stress put upon people to look good to others can cause them to do harmful things to themselves and others. For instance constant pressure from the media and other outside influences to be skinny and tan has led countless females to have eating disorders and go artificial tanning all the time, neither of which are conducive to being physically healthy. Those same influences have led to countless males developing eating disorders as well to lose weight or even start using all types of drugs, that harm themselves and can harm, or cause them to harm, others, such as anabolic steroids or pro-hormonal supplements simply to gain muscle mass at unnatural and unhealthy rates. The best thing anyone can do to help society as a whole to resist unhealthy expectations regarding appearance is to spread awareness. It may sounds overplayed but awareness about a problem and the education necessary to fix or even just alleviate that problem is always to first step to solving that problem. At the end of every abovementioned study the researchers conducting the study talked about the significance, or importance of that study, and every single researcher included somewhere in that section that raising awareness about the issue at hand was one of the most significant aspects to their respective studies. This is because being aware and educated about a problem is one of the most important and fundamental ways to confront a problem; especially one of this magnitude. This problem will never be solved if society as a whole does not become aware of, and change, how it effects people’s everyday lives regarding physical appearance.

Contributions of Siddhartha Gautama to Buddhism

Contributions of Siddhartha Gautama to Buddhism Ilinca Stingaciu Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha, is considered the founder of Buddhist religion. Many buddhist beliefs and teachings are based on the Buddhas discoveries and teachings. One of the most important ways in which the Siddhartha Gautama influenced Buddhism is by actually spreading the religion, and spreading this teachings to people, which drew in followers who continued to further spread buddhism (Alldritt, 2004, p. 25). After reaching enlightenment, Buddha found the answer to suffering, which is also referred to as the dukkha in religious scripts. Based on his realizations, he founded the Four Noble truths of suffering, an important concept in Buddhist teachings. The first of the truths, known as the Truth of suffering, essentially states that everything in life leads to suffering. The second truth, that of where suffering comes from, explains the realization that suffering stems from selfishness and cravings. The third truth teaches of the cessation or elimination of suff ering within ones life, and to let go of all cravings or desires that cause suffering (Gethin, 1998, p. 59).The fourth truth teaches what to do be able to eliminate suffering, essentially teaching followers how to come about attaining nirvana (Gethin, 1998, p. 80). The eightfold path, a common concept and symbol in Buddhism, was also established by the Buddha based on fourth of the Noble truths. This outlines eight concepts on how to live life, which guide a person to end suffering, and find fulfillment (Gethin, 1998, p. 82). Meditation is a key practice within Buddhist religion, one that like many, can be traced back the the Buddha. He taught followers how to meditate in order to separate themselves from their personal thoughts and emotions (Hope Van Loon, 1999, p. 38). He encouraged ideology that enlightenment and meditation is personal, so each person must find their way to enlightenment on their own (Ross, 1980, p. 4). Born into royalty, Siddhartha Gautama was raised in a life of luxury, sheltered from the realities of pain and suffering (Ross, p. 5). After one day going against his Fathers orders to stay within the palace walls, Siddhartha was given a tour of the city, where he learned of the three sufferings (Ross, 1980, p. 6). Outside, the prince saw the realities of illness, aging, and death. Siddhartha was scared of the fate of pain and death which awaited everyone, and no longer saw a purpose in anything after (Hope Van Loon, 1999, p. 13). He found no more value in wealth he had and in the pleasures of life, as he realized that it would all go to waste in the inevitability of suffering and death (Gethin, 1998, p.15). Siddartha wanted to find out how to find happiness, regardless of inevitable suffering (Ross, 1980, p. 6). He isolated himself from everyone, and sat under the Bodhi tree, until he fully understood suffering (Hope Van Loon, p. 19). Further inspiration came after Buddhas enlight enment. After discovering the true meaning of suffering, and how to accept it within ones life, he made it his mission to help others find this awakening, and understand the truth about suffering (Gethin, 1998, p.15). Although Buddha had attained Nirvana, he chose to stay on earth to teach others how to reach enlightenment just as he had. He believed everyone should have equal right be followers and learn the teachings of their religion (Ross, 1980, p. 5). This was his inspiration to spread Buddhist teachings, rather than to keep his awakening to himself (Ross, 1980, pg. 18). He drew in followers who continued to further spread Buddhism (Alldritt, 2004, p. 25), and encouraged followers to question everything he said in order to find a path to enlightenment on their own, in lieu of only following his word (Hope Van Loon, 1999, p. 7). He did not want to be seen as their religious leader, but rather as a teacher on how to reach enlightenment (Ross, 1980, p. 4). `All created things perish, he who knows and sees this becomes passive in pain; this is the way to purity. (The Dhammapada, verse 277). Through this quote are reflected many core buddhist teachings, as many teaching surround the idea of transience, from one life to the next. It exemplifies how in order to reach enlightenment, and to be free of pain and suffering, one must realize what suffering truly is, and why it is present within all life. Buddha saw that suffering stemmed from greed and desire. This belief was outlined through the second of the Four Noble truths, realizing where suffering comes from. He believed that in order to end suffering, one must give up materialistic and selfish desires The quote can be translated back into the ideology of the Four Noble truths, as these truths outline the meaning of suffering within ones life, truths that must be realized in order to find enlightenment (Gethin, 1998, p. 59). The quote alludes to the need for this clarity and knowledge of suffering to achieve enlightenment. One of the many teachings of the Buddha are the three Marks of Existence. The first is dukkha, which is suffering. The second is the teaching of impermanence known as anitya, stating that nothing lasts, as everything is a transition into something else. The third, anatman teaches to be selfless, in the sense that a person does not live forever, so nothing considered to be part of ones personality will live on. Analyzing these teachings, they can be related to the idea set out in the quote, that of continuity and the inevitability of dukkha, or suffering. Out of these, the anitya, the second teaching, provides the clearest link to the meaning of the quote.ÂÂ   Anitya teaches that nothing lasts forever, just as the quote states that everything ends and this must be realized, which are in part done by understanding the Three Marks (Alldritt, 2004, p. 24). References Alldritt, L. (2004, October). Buddhism. Retrieved from ebooks.infobaselearning.com/View.asp x?ISBN=9781438106380InstID=7469 The Dhammapada, (n.d.). Full books. Retrieved from www.fullbooks.com/The-Dhammapada. html Gethin, R. (1998). The Foundations of Buddhism. Retrieved from search.ebscohost.com/logi n.aspx?direct=truedb=nlebkAN=12334site=ehost-liveebv=EBppid=pp_59 Hope, J. Van Loon, B. (1999). Introducing Buddha. Cambridge, UK: Icon Books. Ross, N. (1980). Buddhism: A Way of Life and Thought. Location:Vintage Books.

Vodafone India Evaluation and Entry Strategy

Vodafone India Evaluation and Entry Strategy The Indian telecom industry is the worlds fastest growing telecommunications industry. The total number of subscribers was 225.21 Million with a teledensity of 19.86 %. It was expected that the mobile subscriber base will grow to 500 Million by 2010 i.e. more than one mobile phone per household and 1.159 Billion mobile subscribers exceeding total subscriber count in China by 2013. The average addition of new subscribers per month was 7.34 Million and it was increasing. The annual growth rate (2006-2007) of the new mobile subscribers was 46.82%.The average revenue per user (ARPU) for GSM was US$ 6.6 per month. There were more number of mobile users than fixed line subscribers.The Indian telecom industry witnessed a CAGR of approximately 22 per cent from 2002-03 to 2006-07. The CAGR from 2006-07 to 2009-10 is expected to stabilise at 21 per cent. In addition, the telecom equipment market had grown to US$ 17,100 Million and the handset market had gone up to US$ 4,750 Million. In 2006-2007, Indian telecom industry generated revenues of approximately US $ 20 Billion. The market witnessed a CAGR of 22% in the period 2002-2003 to 2006-2007 with last years growth rate of 33%. The high growth rate resulted in doubling the revenues of the Indian telecom industry in the past 3 years. The industrys revenue is expected to grow up to $ 43 Billion by 2009-2010. The Indian telecom industry can be divided broadly into Basic, Mobile and Internet services. Basic services cover Fixed Wire Line and Wireless in Local Loop (WLL-fixed) services. This segment is dominated by BSNL and MTNL. MTNL operates in Delhi and Mumbai, whereas BSNL dominates the rest of the country. A few private service providers like Bharati and Reliance have done well lately in this segment but government owned BSNL and MTNL continue to dominate in terms of number of subscribers. In 2006, the total number of basic service subscribers exceeded 50 million. Fixed wire line users made up a large share of this, with a contribution of 83 per cent. Mobile Services The prime reason of the spectacular growth in the Indian telecom industry is the rise of Mobile Services. The total number of mobile services subscribers has increased to 185.13 Million with an addition of more than 6 Million subscribers every month. India is one of the few countries where there are more number of subscribers than the number of fixed line users. GSM dominate this segment with a share of 73% whereas CDMA has a share on only 27%. Currently there are 12 active players in this segment. All the service providers provide services predominantly under two categories Voice Service and Value Added Services (VAS). Voice service comprise of only basic calling services whereas Value Added Services comprise of SMS, mobile internet services, email, chatting, conferencing, video conferencing, GPRS services etc. The revenues from Value Added Services are growing by 30-40% annually. This growth is laying foundations for the introduction of 3G services in India. All the service providers have constantly indulged in price wars which have led to a reduction in the ARPU constantly. However, the reduction in ARPU has been backed by the increasing number of subscribers. The ARPU of GSM service in India has been much higher as compared to CDMA. In spite of a constant decline in ARPU and with the help of constant tariff reduction, the mobile usage in India has been increasing constantly. Currently, India stands at 2nd position in the world after China in terms of Minutes of Usage (MoU). Another inference of reduced tariffs, reduced ARPU and increasing number of subscribers is that the service providers is successfully tapping the bottom of the pyramid by increasing affordability, which has a huge market potential. Internet Services In 2002, the government of India opened internet telephony and issued licences in this domain. In 2004, the government of India implemented the Broadband Policy which sent out signals of governments positive intent of increasing the penetration of internet in India. Currently, there are 2.25 Million internet connections in India. There are nearly 400 Internet Service providers which are operating in India currently. Though the penetration rate is low, but this segment holds a huge growth potential in India. Government owned BSNL is the largest player in this segment. The total number of Internet subscribers increased at a CAGR of approximately 60 per cent from 1997-98 to 2006-07. An emergence of private players and superior technologies, internet broadband segments have shown impressive potential for growth. With the significant undergoing improvement in telecom infrastructure, the quality and penetration of internet broadband services have undergone significant improvements. Though the private ISPs are catching up fast, the government owned ISPs BSNL and MTNL still hold nearly two third share of the total internet services market India. Telecom Subscriber Base and Tele-density Due to the phenomenal growth rate in the Indian telecom industry, India is likely to reach second position in the global telecommunications market by 2010. The total subscriber base in India is likely to reach 500 Million by 2010. The telecom subscriber base is expanding phenomenally and the soaring industry revenues are a clear proof of it. The additions in subscriber base in 2007 registered a growth of approximately 47 per cent over the previous year. The CAGR witnessed by the subscriber base for the period 2002-03 to 2006-07 stood at 40.4 per cent. The superbly increasingly subscriber base has also played its part in increasing the tele-density in the country. Currently, the tele-density is India is low as compared to other markets, which is an Indication of a huge untapped market and a huge business opportunity. In 2006-07, India had a tele-density of 18.31%, depicting a growth of 43%. From 2002-03 to 2006-07, the tele-density in India registered a CAGR at 40.4 per cent and 37.6%. Telecom Service Providers The Wireless Industry crossed 165.11 million-subscribers mark in 2007 comprising of 120.47 million GSM and 44.64 million CDMA subscribers registering an annual growth of 83.17%. Bharati leads the Indian telecom market with a total share of 22.49% followed by BSNL, Reliance and Hutch. Despite stiff competition, Bharti has been successful in retaining its position of leadership. 75% of the total GSM segment is occupied by the private players, Bharti and Hutch being the top two players. Reliance and Tata Teleservices dominate the CDMA segment with a combined market share of 91%. Vodafone Vodafone Group is the worlds leading mobile telecommunications company. It is a British multinational  mobile network operator  headquartered in  Newbury, England. It has a significant presence in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the United States. It currently has operations in 31 countries and partner networks in a further 40 countries. The company has made its presence felt through the Companys global strategies of subsidiary undertakings, joint ventures, associated undertakings and investments. Based on subscribers, it is the  worlds second largest mobile phone operator  behind  China Mobile  and over  Telefà ³nica. The name Vodafone comes from  voice  data  fone, chosen by the company to reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones Vodafone was formed in 1984 as a subsidiary of Racal Electronics Plc. Then known as Racal Telecom Limited, approximately 20% of the companys capital was offered to the public in October 1988. It was fully demerged from Racal Electronics Plc and became an independent company in September 1991, at which time it changed its name to Vodafone Group Plc. Following its merger with AirTouch Communications, Inc. (AirTouch), the company changed its name to Vodafone AirTouchPlc on 29 June 1999 and, following approval by the shareholders in General Meeting, reverted to  its former name, Vodafone Group Plc, on 28 July 2000. Country evaluation We evaluate India from the perspective of Vodafone during the period before its entry into India. We look at the various opportunities it could have foreseen in terms of sales revenue, ease of entry and operations and also look at some of the hurdles it could have predicted. Country opportunities We begin with an analysis of the opportunities it could have seen in a large country like India. Market size With the second largest population in the world (Fig 1), the Indian market looked very promising. But one hurdle it faced was low mobile penetration (Fig 2) and low tariff (Fig 3) which kept profit margins low. But the penetration was expected to increase over 40% in the next 5 years  [1]  (Fig 4). The population growth and the GDP growth both were in the positive indicating larger future potential( As shown below).  ­ Economic Environment Since 1991 when the Indian economy opened up, the gradual economic reforms have delivered major cumulative change. These have greatly been in favour of a foreign party entering and doing business in India. The ease of operations has greatly increased. As the bureaucracy has been reduced and the state influence over business decision also reduced, it is easier for companies to quickly formulate and implement business policies. The government has been promoting competition and de-licensing key sectors giving great boost to positive market dynamics. Foreign investment is also being encouraged into many sectors of the economy. Various capital market reforms have been undertaken and the foreign exchange rules have been relaxed. Overall the economy growth rate increased, the balance of payments is stabilized and the economy overall looked very promising. Regulatory status TRAI The regulatory institutions were very well developed among emerging market peers. The following is the mission of TRAI which is very encouraging for a foreign entrant: TRAIs mission is to create and nurture conditions for the growth of telecommunications including broadcasting and cable services in the country in a manner and at a pace which will enable India to play a leading role in the emerging global information society. The goals and objectives, as taken from its annual report 2006-07, clearly indicated the creation of a booming market for telecom operators. Following are some goals of TRIA particularly favourable to a foreign mobile operator entering India: Increasing tele-density and access to telecommunications in the country at affordable prices, Providing a fair and transparent policy environment which promotes a level playing field and facilitates fair competition Re-balancing tariffs so that the objectives of affordability and operator viability are met in a consistent manner Preparing the grounds for smooth transition to an era of convergence of services and technologies, Various recent dynamic consultations were done on 3G licensing, roaming and infrastructure sharing. The government had clear targets for teledensity such as: 500m telecoms connections by 2010 (implies significant rural coverage) 20m broadband subscribers by 2010 The high levels of fees and taxes had been reduced to promote affordability and increase teledensity further increasing scope for higher revenue. The sharing of passive infrastructure (sites, towers) was permitted and encouraged by the government of India. TRAI was evaluating active network infrastructure sharing to underpin teledensity targets. Other factors India has a very well developed and written legal system in place making the legal aspects easy to comprehend and therefore easier for a foreign company to enter. With the IT boom in place, there was a large educated workforce available for a foreign company to exploit. Although language barriers existed, they could be overcome in a phased manner. Major Competitors We can classify players in telecom industry in three major category: Government: MTNL, BSNL Indian Owned companies: Reliance Infocomm, Tata Teleservices Foreign Invested companies: Escotel, Idea Cellular, BPL Mobile, Spice Communication, Bharti Tele-Venture, Hutchinson-Essar Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) BSNL is a one of the biggest player in telecommunication industry throughout the globe. It was established in year 2000. It stands 7th in the world in term of its size. It provides diverse range of tele-services which encompasses wired phone, GSM Mobile, CDMA, Internet, VoIP, broadband, VPN etc. It is one of the largest Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) in India. It has a turnover of $ 8 billion. It covers 45 million lines covering 35 million connections across 5000 towns in India. It is a Government of India Undertaking. It plans to increase its customer base up to threefold to 125 million and invest Rs. 733 crores in coming three years. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) MTNL is a Government of India undertaking. It has about 13% market share and covers 5.92 million consumers. GoI holds 56.25% stake in the company. It has revenue about $ 2.47 Billion. Recently it has formed a JV with Telecom Consultants India Limited (TCIL) under name of United Telecom Ltd in Nepal. It has also setup its subsidiary in Mauritius. It has also formed two joint ventures with Software Technology Park of India and BSNL. With estimation of growth in telecom sector it is try to enter M-commerce. Bharti It was formed in 1985 and was incorporated with name of Bharti Tele-Venture Limited on July 7, 1995. It has mainly two groups: Mobility Group and Infotel Group which handles operation. It has turnover of $ 1.37 billion. It provides fixed and wireless telecommunication services across India, also offering broadband services across 94 cities. It has formed a joint venture with British Telecom for Internet services, in 1998. It is trying to found join venture for various sector like, submarine cable landing station in Chennai, infrastructure projects. It is ready to focus on semi-urban and rural areas and to do this is has aggressively to setup more than 3000 towers. Reliance Communication It was established in 1999 and is available in more than 340 towns across eight telecom circle. It has been offering first of its kind mobile data service in India. It is present in CDMA 1X network. It offers complete package of services ranging from fixed telephones to broadband, long distance call and also data services. It has revenue of $ 767 million. It has very strong infrastructure of about 150 thousand kilometres of optic fibre spanning India, Middle East, Asia Pacific as well as Europe. It is also a wholesale service provider for various tele-services across the world. It has a strategy to give more focus on mobile content provider rather than it voice services. It also plans to double its coverage area in next three years. Tata Teleservices It was established in 1996 and is a part of Tata Group. The range of tele-services it provides are mobile services, public booth, wireless desktop phones, wireline etc. It also has services spanning internet, Wi-Fi, USB modem, calling cards, and enterprise services. It has it presence in 19 telecom circles. It has also acquired Tele.com in Maharashtra in 2002. It has very aggressive and has paid DoT for 11 new licenses. Idea It was founded in 1995 as a part of Aditya Birla Group which is Indias first multinational corporation. Stakes of Idea are distributed among various sister companies of Aditya Birla Group. It has a sales turnover of Rs 24,005.50 million. It has a customer base of over 17 million which are present in 12 telecom circles. It has merged or acquired various players in the different circles to become a service provider. It plans to enter rural and less developed cities to gain subscriber form first mover advantage. It also plays a pro-active CSR role Mode of Entry There are basically five major different modes of entry for a company to enter a foreign market. They are: Exporting Licensing Franchising Strategic Alliance or Joint Venture Wholly owned subsidiary Choice of entry for a company depends and varies from company to company and also on county of investment. We can see from the figure risk associated with various modes of entries. We can also compare various pro and cons of different entry modes in the table. Level of Control High Low Low High Level of Risk Mode Description Advantages Disadvantages Exporting Transfer of goods or services across national boundaries Ability to realize location and experience-curve economies Avoids the cost of establishing manufacturing operations Low risk High transport costs Unpredictability of trade barriers Problems with local marketing agents Licensing Foreign licensee buys the rights to produce a companys product in the licensees country Low developmental cost Quick growth possible Difficult to have control over technology Franchising Selling of limited rights to its brand name and business model Low costs of development and risk Quick growth possible Difficult to engage in global strategic coordination Difficult to control quality Strategic alliance/ Joint Venture Sharing of ownership and control by parent companies Access to partners knowledge Shared development cost and risk Transfer of complementary skills Difficult to engage in global strategic Risk of knowledge sharing Wholly owned subsidiary Parent company owns 100% of the subsidiarys stock Protection of technology Ability to engage in global strategic coordination High costs and risks Mode of Entry Acquisition of Hutchison Essar In February 2007, Vodafone Group, one of the leading global telecommunication companies entered into Indian market by acquiring the 67% stakes in Hutchison Essar, one of the leading telecom operators in India, which provided its services under the brand name, Hutch. When Vodafone acquired Hutch the later had already earned a huge brand success in Indian mobile communication sector. Rational Behind the Acquisition Below sections will describe about the rational of why Vodafone chose acquisition as its mode of entry in India rather than going alone or other mode of entries. Leveraged up-on existing infrastructure built by Hutch One of the objectives of Vodafone was to bring the product and services at the lowest possible cost for the Indian consumers. Existing infrastructure such as, towers, power supply, distribution channels etc. could help Vodafone to reduce its operating costs and investment requirements. After five years of acquisition Vodafone was able to save more than one billion dollar by leveraging upon the ready-made and shared infrastructure. Quick entry to the new market- Acquisition also helped Vodafone to make a quick entry to the Indian market. Other mode of entry could have been time consuming or at least could take years to build the communications channels and network if Vodafone decided to enter by own. Also taking the approval/license from the government could have been the time consuming. Minimizing the risk due to cultural differences- Since Hutch was already operating in Indian market before the Vodafone came; it had a good understanding of consumers behavior towards selecting a product or services. Also Indian consumers are diversified in term of product choices, likes and dislikes, social and cultural influences, so managing the risk arises out of this divers consumers could have been difficult if Vodafone entered alone. Growth opportunity India is the worlds 2nd most populated country and the fastest growing mobile market in the world. So entering to India could help Vodafone to accelerate its business growth Building a Strong Brand Acquisition would result in forming a strong brand name Vodafone Essar in India, enabling them to make nationwide presence with strong financial position. Better competition to competitors One notable point regarding the Indian telecom market is that, this sector is highly competitive as there are many strong players, like Airtel, Reliance and BSNL operating in the market. So, it could have been difficult for Vodafone to counter the threat posed by those competitors. However, Vodafone along with Hutch could give them better competition. This further support the Vodafones strategy to acquire Hutch. Win- Win situation for both Vodafone and Hutch-Vodafone-Hutch acquisition was an strategic movement for both the companies. Although Hutch had done well in the Indian market, its penetration of total Indian population was only 40%. So, in order to expand its business to other parts of the country, Hutch needed money for investment. At the same time Vodafone was ready to make the investment in India market. So, Hutch decided to sell its 67% stake to Vodafone to meet its financial needs. Other motive toward acquisitions was that through the acquisition, Hutch would get the global platform for its business as Vodafone was an international player in telecommunication. According to Vodafone Essar director as saying that the objective is to leverage Vodafone Groups global scale in bringing millions of low-cost handsets from across-the-world into India. Sound economic environment After the economic reform Indian foreign policy has been very friendly to the foreign companies who want to come to Indian market. There is relaxation in taxation and foreign exchange rules. Also there is least intervention by the bureaucracy in the management of the foreign companies in India. Tax Purposes The corporate effective tax rate in India is 33.22% for a local company and 42.23 % for a foreign company. However joint venture companies are taxed same as domestic companies with some minor differences. According to Indian FDI policy, Foreign companies are free to open branch offices in India. However, a branch of a foreign company attracts a higher rate of tax than a subsidiary or a joint venture company. The liability of the parent company is also greater in case of a branch office. Implementation After the acquisition, Vodafone brought many improvements to the existing business model of Hutch. It also made a huge investment to expand its network and distribution channels. The story doesnt stop here; it also made a substantial spending in the branding and advertisement. Its zoo-zoo ad was one of the most successful ads ever made for Indian market. Due to its eye-catching design and features, the ad contributed a lot in branding the Vodafone products- especially value added products and services. Over all Vodafone adopted an aggressive strategy towards expanding its business in Indian market. Below is the elaborated view of the Implementation strategies adopted by Vodafone India Re-branding Before acquisition, Company was named as Hutchison Essar, which was the name of the previous owner, Hutchison. However brand was marketed as Hutch, just because its simple to remember After the government approval to Vodafone Group to acquire majority of stake, the company name was changed to Vodafone Essar. The marketing brand was again changed to Vodafone on September, 2007 Escalating the Distribution Channels Investment to increase the number of exclusive showrooms and retail outlets -Hutch management was such that it relied on no subsidy (Only SIM) and low cost strategy. Vodafone continued with the same strategy. However it made a huge investment to increase the current level of exclusive shops and retail outlets. Then there were around 1800 exclusive shops and more than 300,000 retail outlets across India. Accelerate distribution roll-out in-line the network roll-out plans Vodafone took a holistic approach for improving its supply-chain network. Vodafone had correctly realized the escalation of the channels for of product delivery is as important as developing its network channels. Escalating the Network Coverage MOU with BharatiAirtel on extensive level of sites s Adding up more mobile circles India is divided into 23 license territories, also called Circles for the purpose of mobile services. Out of 23 circles, Hutch was operating into only 16 circles, which covers only 40% of the Indian total population. After the acquisition Vodafone expanded it coverage and now captures all 23 circles in India. Sharing of active infrastructure- MOU with Airtel In order to achieve its long term strategy to become the cheapest mobile operator in India, Vodafone actively shared its infrastructures with other telecommunication operators in India Currently about 2/3 of Vodafone sites are shared with other mobile operators. haring including, sharing of towers, shelters, civil works and power supply Easily penetration to rural segments Achieved low cost services Significant capital expenditure and operating expenses savings for the Vodafone-more than one billion dollarsavings was achieved due to infrastructure sharing Developing consumer and business propositions More consumer focused strategy One of the most important drivers who contributed towards the success of Vodafone in India is that its more consumers centric. It offers a blend of product and services that suits to individuals needs. Consumers can choose the kind of products that they think best cater to their individual needs. Following are the major steps taken in order to make Vodafone the most preferred mobile service provider: Introduced low cost handsets Brought Vodafone live to India Payments through Mobile A range of product schemes targeted towards the customers with different needs First mover advantage to become the only operator in India integrated into an International mobile company International voice and data roaming Strong brand presence improved the credibility of the company and hence made the consumers to become more dependent on the Vodafone Strong Management team Vodafone took the control of management from Hutch. It formed a hierarchy of management team to ensure that the business objective is achieved at each and every level of the business Strong and efficient customer care services Emphasized on providing 247 customers care services Efficient customer feed-back mechanism- It also brought a customer feedback mechanism at place

Scripture Analysis :: Religion

Scripture Analysis "It is finished!" John 19:30. What Christ is referring to here is the accomplished salvation of the people. What that means is that when we are saved, we do not have to put out burnt saccrifices up to Him. It is no longer needed because Christ died for us, which took away the iniquities of our sin. He did this out of great love for us. This is exemplified in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotton son that who so ever belief in him shall have eternall life!". That verse is very important to us, or should be, because in a way, one could base his/her relationship with the Lord upon it. The reason is because God loved us so much that he did that for us so that is the least that we could do. In Genesis 3:15 it says that we will be punished for our sins. Yes, that is true, but God will forgive and forget them if we repent. You see this is not possible without Jesus dying for our sins. In Romans 5:6-8 it says that Christ died for all of us. Even the bad ones, ALL. This is a sign of the Victory that Christ had won a victory here. The reason is because of all of the lives that he saved and will later be saved. In Romans 5 it says that Jesus died for All Sinners! We are all sinners so his death was for all. When Jesus says that "It is finished", he can also be reffering to the older predictions of Christs' life. There is one in particular that it might have been talking about in Isaiah. That is the one in which Isaiah talks of the life of Jesus and the crucifiction, in very short and brief detail. The suffering in which Jesus took for us lasted all through the night, and then in the morning the thrusted a sword into His side to see if he was alive. After the water poored out of His side, you can say that it is officially over. In my heart it is not completely over, just that of that era. Jesus will always live in my heart and not until the very end times is it over in my heart. When the life of Jesus was over, at the same exact time God tore the