American Strategic Culture

American Strategic Culture Introduction There is a strong notion among historians that every nation’s strategic culture has a connection with its society. The Strategy of any nation stems from its resources and features as well as its experience with history. It also depends on the society and the political structure and organization of the system. Past experiences of a nation give rise to a slowly conceived and evolved approach that finally defines the strategic culture.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on American Strategic Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Considering the above factors that influence strategic culture, different nations have different strategic cultural policies. For instance the UK has historically favored the use of the navy in its military operations. Israel, considering its geographical size and history of hostility towards it, it has perfected the use of offensive operations, preemptive military strikes and t echnology in war. This paper will concentrate on the strategic culture of the US and how it applied in some of the major wars that the US has been involved in. By virtue of its being a super power, the US is prone to many challenges and threats that leave with no choice but have a strategic culture that is aimed at protecting its territory and people as well as ensuring survival of the nation for generations to come. According to Mahnken (2006, p. 4), American strategic culture has been shaped by free security that is underscored by exceptionalism. He adds that the country’s strategic cultures lays emphasis on open-minded idealism and believe wars as the downfall of policies. The strategic culture of the US is closely linked to the military culture that stresses on employment of direct strategies, an industrial approach to war as well as technology and firepower use in combat. In the American context therefore strategic culture is defined as the modes of thought and action in respect to force that is as a result of historical experiences of the nation and aspirations for self characterization (Mahnken, 2006, p. 4). There is often debate as to who are the drivers and keeper of a nation’s strategic interest. However, many scholars agree that the state and the military do play the crucial roles in implementing the strategies that are defined by the nation’s strategic culture. In the US the values of the nation in regard to the use of force represents the first level at which strategic culture is determined and kept.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The military’s engagement in armed conflicts presents the other level that strategic culture is kept and enforced. In the US both the first and second levels have been active in promoting the US strategic interest. The most important reasons have been either for the preservation of sove reignty, eliminating security threats and securing resources for the nation. In light of the above US strategic culture can be summed up as containing three biases that guide the use of military force. They include technology, avoidance of causalities and legal pragmatism (Theo, 2005, p.9) American strategic policy and major wars The American strategic culture developed greatly through a time when the world was involved in major wars like World War I World War II and the civil war. These were however disruptins to an otherwise peaceful American nation and period. The geographical location between two oceans, protection from the Royal forces and weak neighbors ensured limited American involvement in major conflicts (Toje, 2008, p.102). The situations conditioned American and their leadership that engaging in war is a deviation from the norm. Similarly American strategic culture grew to reject the European approach of actively engaging in power politics. The founding father of the US considered themselves and the nation exceptional and that ideal has been the basis of the US approach in its dealings to other nations. To that effect, the US considers its responsibility to actively engage even militarily in situation where aggressors through the use of force threaten universally agreed principles of the world like democracy. The strategy demand that the aggressor has no choice but surrender and it its place a democratic authority is installed. According to Mahnken (2006, p. 7), the rejection of power politics and the view that war is tantamount to discontinuation of policy has bred a dichotomy is ASC. Generally put, American strategic culture emphasizes on peace but if need arises, its morally upright to mobiles resources for the attainment of unlimited political gains and aims. For instance, President Lincoln and his generals fought to defeat the confederacy in the Civil War with the belief that their defeat was necessary for the good of the union.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on American Strategic Culture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The American Revolution is described as a conflict between the thirteen colonies and Britain’s that was a result of perceived mistreatment from the colonial master led by King George. The war ended in 1783 with the signing of the Paris treaty with the colonies declared independent. Both Americans and Englishmen held contrasting opinions of the ways the colonies and Britain should treat each other. The introduction of many acts that raised taxation and lack of representation of the colonies angered many leaders of the colonies and many felt they did not enjoy full rights as Englishmen. Though the thirteen colonies had not yet become the US, the common cause they fought for can translated to mean the British were the aggressors. Equal treatment is what they demanded, therefore the aggressor in this case Britain had to give in to there demand to independence which can be equated to regime change. The declaration of independence can be equated to victory for observance of world wide agreed norms like liberty and democracy which define American strategic culture. Territorial integrity and the right for sovereignty may have influenced the US to engage war with Mexico. Texas was originally Mexican territory. The admission of the state to the Union did not go down well with Mexican authorities. The attacks on American troops by Mexican forces compelled Americans to declare war on Mexico. Clearly there were a lot of strategic interests that Americans had to protect. There were unlimited political aims in the armed engagement with Mexico. The US was able to gain land that forms a large part of the current US territory. Conclusion It’s apparent that the twenty first century has presented numerous challenges to the American nation. The rise of new super powers, dwindling world resources and rising consumption, and the rise in global terrorism and religious extremism have influenced the modification of American Strategic Culture. It’s clear that there is a shift in the culture to include en explicit use of force to perpetuate the American empire through sowing American ideals and the control of resources. There are strong indications that the strategic culture of the US is moving towards the establishment of an empire and the original ideal of not dealing with other nations as partners, allies or enemies is fast waning.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Mahnken, G.T. (2006). American Strategic Culture: Defense Threat Reduction Agency Advanced Systems and Concepts Office. Retrieved from: www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/dtra/mahnken_strat_culture.pdf Theo, F. (2005).Strategic Culture and American Empire. SAIS Review, Volume 25, Number 2, Summer-Fall 2005, pp. 3-18. Retrieved from: muse.jhu.edu/journals/sais_review/v025/25.2farrell.html Toje, A. (2008). America, the EU and strategic culture: renegotiating the transatlantic bargain. New York: Routledge.

Dos and Donts of Writing a Law School Resume

Dos and Donts of Writing a Law School Resume Some schools require that applicants submit a law school resume, but even if not requested, you should most likely send one anyway. Why? Because a resume can give you an added chance to show the admissions officers that you’re prepared to come into their school and make a difference. Indeed, this short summary of your professional and personal qualifications can end up being a very important component of your file, so you want to dedicate some time to putting forth the best law school resume you can. What follows are some tips for preparing your law school resume, namely what you should and shouldn’t do. What You Should and Shouldnt Do 1. DO set aside a couple hours to sit down and think about all the things you’d like to include on your law school resume. Start by asking yourself these questions for information-gathering purposes. 2. DO organize your resume using the sections Education, Honors Awards, Employment, and Skills Achievements.   3. DO emphasize activities, hobbies, interests, or experiences that demonstrate personal drive, responsibility, determination, dedication, language proficiency, compassion, extensive travel (especially international), cultural experiences, and community involvement. 4. DO proofread your resume several times and ask someone you trust to do so as well. 5. DO worry about presentation. For example, if you’re putting periods at the ends of bullet points, make sure you do so for each and every one. For more tips on what you should be looking for besides spelling and grammar errors, see the Law School Resume Style Guide. 6. DON’T simply use a work resume that you’ve been using and updating for years. You need to gear your resume to law school admissions officers, who are looking for different things than potential employers are. 7. DON’T include â€Å"Objective† or â€Å"Summary of Qualifications† sections. These are great in work resumes, but they serve absolutely no purpose in a law school resume and only take up valuable space. 8. DON’T include activities from high school unless they are extremely significant, like winning a national debate competition or performing at a very high athletic level. 9. DON’T include activities you only did for a short time or a long list of insignificant summer jobs. You can sum up such things in just a sentence or so if you really want to include them. 10. DON’T go longer than two pages. For most law school applicants, one page is plenty, but if you’ve been out of school for a considerable amount of time or have an unusual number of significant life experiences, a second page is fine. Very few people should go to that third page, though.

IR theorists specifically in the realist school have emphasized the Essay

IR theorists specifically in the realist school have emphasized the important role of states and their interaction in the intern - Essay Example The Realist school of thoughts presents the nation as the most important force in international politics. According to this school of thoughts the states are sovereign. Therefore a state’s authority is higher than all other non-state players like the transnational enterprises, the nongovernmental organizations, or the international organizations. All the states act in their own national interest. The Realist school of thoughts promotes the idea of states interlocked in a constant struggle for power to establish their supremacy over the others. However this struggle for power and the domination of one particular state over the others lead to a counter force against the dominant state. As a result the global balance is restored. In this struggle for power and the counter struggle military of the nations act as significant sources of power (Pant, n.d., 3; Spiegel, 2011). The states also collaborate with the other states for their national interest. The struggle for power between nations during the Cold War is an example of the Realist theory of international relations. The other states also adapt to the existing system of power on the world platform and align themselves according to their national interest. ... Realists and Market   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Globalization is a phenomenon that has caught the attention of scholars around the world. According to McGrew globalization is the growing interconnectivity and linkage that has transcended the national boundaries. It is a feature of the modern world system. By this process, any event, decision or action by a certain nation affects the residents of a different nation (Koffman, Youngs, 116). It has resulted in the integration of the entire world (Baylis, Smith, & Owens, 14, 15). According to the realists, the states have exhibited accepted globalization properly and ultimately they have played a key role in the process of globalization. Various developments had indirect influence of the state. The authors argue that the states have indeed established their sovereignty and not lost control in the age of globalization. The states have been the most significant drivers of the process of globalization through relaxing the regulation of the markets. Therefore there is a presence of state in the emergence of globalization. For a market to operate successfully there needs to be rigid enforcement of laws. The states act as the primary regulator of market. The rise in the number of multilateral trade policies shows how the states can incorporate the process of globalization in their plans and policy in the interest of their nation (Taylor, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the age of globalization human rights have received considerable focus and international standards of worker’s and civilian rights have emerged. But the realist school advocates that this attention on human rights have been possible due to the hegemony of the powerful nations. The powerful nations are mostly democratic countries. Therefore they have set up norms of

Reaction essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Reaction - Essay Example The Ort, or the Centre of Information, offers more insight on the terrors of the holocaust through compelling projections made on the walls of the room. Furthermore, it gives recognition to all known Jewish Holocaust victims through names acquired from the Israel’s Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem. People have argued that the title â€Å"Murdered Jews of Europe† excludes those who died of natural causes in concentration camps. As such, the title â€Å"Memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust† serves as a better title since it would act as a remembrance of the suffering of all the Jewish victims, dead or alive. There are Holocaust Monuments in the United States though none are dedicated to slavery. Some argue that reason behind this lies in the fact that, unlike slavery, the Holocaust was not perpetuated by the United States. In fact, the U.S. fought to have it stopped. However, many people feel that the U.S. should emulate Germany by setting up memorials for crimes they initiated. Emmaly Reed represents a beacon of hope and perseverance. The fact that she survived the Holocaust at such a young age and lived to her eighties shows that people can overcome such trials in life and go on to enjoy a long and healthy life (Cantrell,

Analysis of two stories from Roald Dahls Tales of the Unexpected Essay Example for Free

Analysis of two stories from Roald Dahls Tales of the Unexpected Essay The story is about an old lady, Mrs. Foster, who doesnt like to be late. Her husband teases her by always being a little bit too late, just to make her suffer. One day, she is going to Paris to see her daughter and her family, but she has to wait for her husband to be done, because he is driving with her, to be dropped off at a club. When he finally out in the car with her, he has forgot his present for her daughter, so he goes back into the house to get it. She goes up to the door of their house, but when she is about to open it, she suddenly hears a strange sound and goes back into the car. She tells the driver to go, even though; Mr. Foster is still in the house. She catches her plane and enjoys her time in Paris, but when she gets back home, after six weeks, there is no lead of Mr. Foster. Then she calls a guy, which can come and fix their lift. You would think that Mrs. Foster is the main character in this story, because we are following her life and the story starts up with an introduction of her. But at the same time, we are also introduced to Mr. Foster right after, and in the end of the story, you wonder if it actually was Mr. Foster, that we were supposed to keep up with, because he is kind of the victim in the end. Almost like we are told about how he died in their lift, because of his lunatic of a wife. And then still Mrs. Foster can be seen as the victim, because she is this sad woman, who is manipulated by her husband, and then finally does what she has always wanted to do, just in a more drastic way. So therefore I see them both as main characters in this story. Mrs. Foster is described in the text as a woman with a pathological fear of missing something, and if she feels that she is about to miss something, she gets into a state of nerves and starts to wink with her left eye, because of a vellicating muscle in the corner of her eye. She lives in a large six-storey house in New York City, on East Sixty-Second Street with her husband and they have four servants. She is also a modest woman, who has served his husband loyally and well, for over thirty years, but she still wonders sometimes, if his husband always is being late on purpose, just to torture her. Her biggest wish is to live in Paris, so she can see her daughter, her son in law and her grandchildren all the time. Mr. Foster is nearly seventy years old and also living with his wife in their large six-storey house. He is described in the text as a man who tortures her wife, by always being late, because he is irritated by her making a fuss about everything. And he smokes cigars. We can tell by their big house, their four servants and their rented car with a chauffeur, that they are a very wealthy couple. They dont speak to each other like a normal couple; Mr. Foster has disciplined Mrs. Foster to not say, what she wants to say, like she is under his control. Like it says in the text; that she would never dare to call out and tell him to hurry. He had disciplined her too well for that. The Landlady The story is about a young man, Billy Weaver, who has travelled down from London, and now he needs a place to sleep. He was told that he should try The bell and dragon, but on his way down to the hotel, he suddenly catches sight of a printed notice, that says BED AND BREAKFAST on a boarding house. He stares at the notice and feels like the words are a large black eye that is staring at him, like he is forced to go in, so he decides to do it. A middle-aged woman invites him in and shows him where he is going to sleep, and she keeps talking about how she has been waiting for a young boy like him. He later finds out, when he is about to write in her guestbook, that only two other guys has been staying there, and the latest guest is over two years ago. He finds it strange that he feels like he has heard these two guys names before. She keeps getting him to drink her tee, and then he suddenly notices that the dog he thought was alive is dead and stuffed. She tells him that she has stuffed them herself. When he sits for a moment, he finds out where he has heard the other guests names before, he has read about them being missing, in the newspaper. The main character in this story is definitely Billy Weaver, because we are following his moves and thoughts of the weird lady. Billy Weaver is seventeen years old and he has travelled from London. He is wearing a navy-blue overcoat, a brown trilby hat and a brown suit. He is a young businessman and he is trying to do everything briskly. When he is told that there has only been two guests before him and that the last guest was over two years ago, and that they are even still living there, he is a bit naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve not to see that something is really weird. But you also know that he must be a smart kid, if he is already a businessman and he reads the newspaper. The old lady seems kind and harmless in the beginning, because she is calling him my dear and smiling all the time. And like it says in the text; She looked exactly like the mother of ones best school-friend welcoming one into the house to stay for the Christmas holidays. But when things get more and more weird, Billy starts to think that she is slightly dotty and off her rocker. We also know that she has a bad memory, because she has a hard time remembering her guests names. Billy and the old lady have no relation, the old lady is a total stranger to Billy, but he somehow seems to trust her anyway. And Billy is also a total stranger to the old lady, but she keeps talking like if she knew that exactly he would show up on her doorstep, almost like if she had been watching him. Comparison of the two stories Both stories are written by an omniscient 3rd person. And in both of the stories they are using the language dear; In The landlady the old lady probably uses it, because many British old women spoke like that in the old days, but also to sound extra kind, to Billy. And in The way up to heaven, it sounds like they are only using it because the finer families spoke like that in the old days. So both of the stories could be going on in, maybe the 50s. Mrs. Foster and the landlady are both killers, but really different kinds; Mrs. Foster is feeling trapped in her marriage and she has a fair reason not to save him, when she has the chance. And the landlady is simply a lonely lunatic, who wants fake company, by stuffing her victims. The landlady is killing them herself and Mrs. Foster just didnt save him, when she could. The main theme in both of the stories is deception, because in both of the stories, the victims have faith in their killers, but are duped by them. The ending of The landlady Then he said Are you sure Mulholland and Temple are upstairs? with a stiff look on his face. Of course they are, my dear. Im sure they are enjoying themselves, you shouldnt worry that much. She answered. Billys eyes flickered and his legs felt so heavy, when he tried to stand up. Sit down, my dear. It will soon be over she said, with a calm tone in her voice, like nothing was wrong. Billy couldnt walk, so he sat down again and tried to hold his head still. Something is wrong with me! What did you give me? he yelled with a pathetic voice. She smiled and went over to the windows to draw the curtains, and when she sat down again, she started telling him, that she had been looking forward to having such a young boy in the house, and that she had been waiting for him for such a long time. Why do you want me, you crazy woman? he said. Youre just perfect, my dear. So young and handsome! she said, still witch a nice and calming voice. Billy didnt get to say much more, before everything turned black. One month later MISSING! A seventeen year old boy named Billy Weaver, last seen in Bath.

Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf This essay will show how the epic Anglo-Saxon/Scandinavian poem Beowulf is part of the heroic culture seen all over Europe at that time. While the poem has been escribed to about the year 800, recent research has indicated beyond doubt that it was first written down between 1087 and 1090, as entertainment for the court of King Henry II. (Aubrey Beardsley, Beowulf: New Beginnings, 2001, p. 74) Of course, the late eleventh centry was merely when it was actually put to paper, the language of the poem shows that there are many parts that are much older, that probably date to the Celtic Iron Age of southern Norway. The story of Beowulf simply, is this. Beowulf has fought in many battles and returned as victor from all but his last, which he lost in a swimming match owing to having to fight sea monsters on the way. This is a lot like the story of the Trojan War as told by the Greek poet Homer in which Achilles confesses how he had a swimming race against Coriolanus, and lost it only because he was delayed, he had to prevent a battle between Neptune and Poseidon. (JM Synge, A Mirror Among Cultures: a Comparison of the Greek Hero, 1997, p. 41) So even though he is late is was because he was acting like a hero should. The story of Beowulf then tells of his battle with the monster Grendel. The description of Grendel as having three eyes is a lot like the epic Greco-Babylonian story of Dedalus, who slew the Gorgon, a creature that like Grendel, sometimes has wings that can fan a small flame into a raging conflagration. A difference is that Beowulf has super-human strength, but Perseus has to rely on his wits. (A Mirror Among Cultures, p. 88) But both of them are completely fearless in their epic battles, and both come out of them victorious, and both have not realised that there is another battle to fight. Beowulf makes many heroic speeches. He keeps coming back to the idea that it is the good of the nation (the Geats) that he is fighting for and not himself, even though he knows that he will get glory if he wins. This is typical of early European epic writing. And the hero almost always dies in these epics. Beowulf is not an exception to this rule.

Cultural Experience Essay

A friend of mine is a close friend of an Indian family who lives in the same general area that my friend and I live in. My friend told Mrs. Suayna Patel about my assignment and we were both invited over to dinner at her and Mr. Rajesh Patel’s house for Saturday dinner. My friend and I were warmly invited into their two-story really large tan blockhouse. It is actually located just yards from a hotel they own called â€Å"Passport Inn. † They also occupy the two closest/adjoining rooms to the hotel’s lobby designed as a more modest second home they live out of when there are working as the hotel clerks. Their house was very elegantly decorated in a way with an obvious female touch. It had an incense smell to it, but enjoyable, not over-powering. I was initially invited into what I believe was their living room. The house had quite a few rooms downstairs so I’m not positive it was their living room. I think all of the family’s bedrooms were located on the second floor. Mrs. Suayna Patel invited me to sit on a sofa and then she proceeded to sit down on the other end. She was very soft-spoken and I really didn’t understand everything she said. She introduced me to her husband Rajesh. Rajesh, on the other hand, almost spoke as if he were a native of the U. S. although they both came here in 1997 after his uncle purchased two hotels. Their children, nine-year old son Siva and a twelve-year old daughter, Sanirika were born in the U. S. They pretty much acted like American children but possibly with more manners. I’m only stating this because we were to keenly observe things, but both children were over-weight probably like the majority of their American peers. The only communication barriers I had or I should say we had, was between Suayna and myself. Sometimes we didn’t understand one another but my friend would subtly and courteously intervene and help. They gradually lessened but her husband was quite a bit more extraverted than she was, so he talked to us while Suayna finished cooking the dinner. Suayna was definitely more passive and mild-mannered than the typical American woman and Mr. And Mrs. Patel did assume what we refer to as traditional male and female roles, although my American parents do also. I talked with the children because they were in the room. They had very little Indian accent and were more than willing to answer questions and talk to me. They were the most extraverted and talkative members of their family, possibly partially due to that they were raised here and have no communication differences from Americans. Suayna invited my friend and I to the table and had us sit down first and then the rest of the family sat down with Rajesh being the last one to be seated. I followed their lead at the table because I didn’t want to talk much at the table if it wasn’t something that was acceptable. However, they made me comfortable and just talked like any American family at the dinner table. Suayna served the best Chicken Curry with Rice, Naan bread (Dsouza, 2006), and lentil dish I have ever eaten in my life, by the way. I do think their family was more polite between one another and in talking with me than a typical American family. It could have been because of their company but I don’t think so. This isn’t always untypical of American families but I did notice Rajesh didn’t help out with the making of dinner. He did, however assist in removing the dinnerware and utensils from the table after dinner while neither of them allowed the company to help with the work. Unlike most families of my culture, I guess part of their behavioral language could be that they didn’t seem like had felt a need to occupy every second with words. There was no usage of divergence speaking or emotive language. I feel this is at least partly due to that they didn’t speak at all in a â€Å"self-important† manner whatsoever—even the children, at least while I was there. There was no usage of gestures when talking and there was no creativity or sense of humor in their conversation. They did use relative words when they were telling us why it was easier for them to visit their relatives in India then for their relatives to visit them in America. Overall, their language was cordial and to the point. They spoke pretty succinctly without being verbose. In fact, Mr. And Mrs. Patel spoke slower and less often than the families and friends I typically would eat with. It actually felt pretty peaceful. The children spoke a little more but they never spoke loudly at the table. As far as what I learned about the culture, because this was just one Indian-American family, I can’t make too many generalizations but I do feel they relate to one another in a quieter, probably a more gentle and peaceful manner than a typical American family. Their overall home and family had a more peaceful feel to it. It was a pleasant experience of India. Source Used D’souza, Z. (2006). Veda: the essential Indian cookbook. Baltimore [Md. ]: PublishAmerica.

Orthopedic Physical Therapy

The history of orthopedic physical therapy originated in Egypt as far back as 2830 B. C. Splints have been found on mummies made from bamboo, reeds, wood and bark, padded with linen (). Orthopedic physical therapy has also been recognized in ancient Greece around 430 and 330 B. C. Hippocrates had developed special splints for fractures and focused on aspects of the knee during this era (). Modern orthopaedics, with particular focus on the year 1741, shows Nicholas Andry as being the father of orthopaedics.Andry coined the word, which derived from the Greek words for â€Å"correct† or â€Å"straight† (orthos) and â€Å"child† (paidion). Orthopedic physical therapy specialized in the US in 1974. The Orthopedic Section of the APTA was formed for physical therapists that specialized in Orthopedics. Orthopedic physical therapy includes treatment of the musculoskeletal system that has been subject to injury or trauma. This includes sprains, strains, post fracture, post -surgery and repetitive injuries (Orthopedic Physical Therapy).Orthopedic physical therapy focuses primarily on treating post-operative joints, acute injuries, arthritis, and amputations. This therapy is essential to reestablish the patient’s strength, activity or motion after injury or surgery. Some approaches to orthopedic therapy are stretching, strength training, cold/hot packs, joint mobilizations, and electrical stimulators. Also used sometimes are ultrasounds when dealing with muscle retraining. Stretching is good if the patient has a stiff joint. It is extremely crucial to perform proper stretching techniques.Strength training exercises can be closed chain workouts or proprioceptive workouts. Closed chain workouts are meant to assist and balance the strength of muscles whereas proprioceptive workouts assist patients who lost the sense of knowing where a body part is in space. The heat and ice therapy contributes to the circulation of blood which decreases swelling. It is also used as a warm up or cool off of the muscles being treated. With the use of sonogram, deep tissues are stimulated and warmed (Physical Therapy).Just like in any physical therapy, it is important to keep the concept of function in mind. If the patient presents complaints in the musculoskeletal system or if any abnormality has been observed, it is important to do a detailed Orthopedic Physical Therapy examination. To perform an orthopedic physical therapy examination of the muscles, bones and joints, start by dividing the musculoskeletal system into functional parts. Use the opposite side for comparisons. Upon examination, one should note areas of enlargement while palpating the joints and surrounding structures.By noting carefully the stability of the enlargement and its boundaries, one can decide whether this is due to bony widening, thickening of the synovial lining of the joint, soft tissue swelling of the structure surrounding the joint, an effusion into the joint capsul e, or nodule formation, which might be located in a tendon sheath, subcutaneous tissue, or other structures about the joint. While palpating the joints, the therapist should note areas of increased warmth (Orthopedic Physical Therapy). There are two types of equipment used in orthopedic therapy.The first are items that are worn and used to support and stabilize weak or traumatized body parts. Back braces; cervical collars; wrist, hand and elbow splints; and knee and ankle braces are a few examples. An injured body part requires stabilization to heal and prevent additional injury. These braces are often made from a mold taken of the affected body part for a perfect fit to insure complete support. The second type of equipment is meant to assist with activities of daily living and enable one to complete difficult tasks.These items are often referred to as durable medical equipment. The most common DME items include canes; crutches; walkers; adaptive strollers; manual and power wheelcha irs. Other forms of DME include specialized spoons, dishes, extended straws, and raised commode seats, mechanical lifts, transfer boards and disks, bolsters, and arm troughs. Even though these items are not worn, one will still need to be measured for walkers, wheelchairs and supportive seating. Many of these items are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies (Munson, 2010).An orthopedic therapist must have in depth knowledge of disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system which includes muscles, bones, joints, bursa, ligaments and tendons. The orthopedic therapist must also be trained in the treatment of post-operative joints; sports injuries, such as sprains, fractures, and tears; arthritis, and amputations. One must also be proficient in the use of hot packs, cold packs, and the use of electrical stimulation that is often used to speed recovery. (Inverarity, Laura D. O. , 2010). Physical therapy assistants held about 63,800 jobs in 2008.Employment op portunities are expected to rise due to the increasing demand for physical therapy services. Employment is expected to rise 35% through 2018, which is much faster than most occupations! Baby boomers are entering the elderly stage making the demand for physical therapy services rise. The elderly are more vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require therapeutic services. Technology developments will also increase the survival rate of trauma victims and babies with birth defects creating another demand for rehab services. Opportunities for physical therapy assistants are expected to be very good.Physical therapists are able to manage a much bigger clientele with the help of the assistant. Job opportunities are to be particularly good in acute hospitals, skilled nursing and orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most often treated. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). The healthcare reform has been a big factor in patients receiving care from a physical therapist. T he American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) strongly supports efforts to reform the United States health care delivery system to improve coverage, access, and quality of care and reduce unnecessary costs. APTA stands ready to work with the U.S. Congress and President Obama’s administration to meet this policy challenge in 2009. APTA supports the following policy principles for health care reform: †¢ Enact systematic health care reform that provides patient guarantee issue, renewal, and choice and access to affordable health care for all individuals from the health care provider of their choice. – Guarantee issue ensures that patients would not be denied meaningful coverage due to pre-existing conditions. – Guarantee renewal would ensure patients would not have their coverage terminated due to a change in health status. Guarantee choice would ensure that patients have a choice in their health care insurance.†¢ Reduce health care disparities across r ace, gender, geographic area, setting, and health status. †¢ Ensure that rehabilitation services, provided by licensed health care professionals, are an essential element of a standard benefits package in any proposal to reform the insurance delivery system. Rehabilitation is a critical part of the health care continuum and ensures that individuals can return to the highest function possible in their homes and communities. †¢ Enact insurance reforms that: eliminate arbitrary limits on annual or lifetime benefits; -prohibit cost shifting by increased co-payments, deductibles, and/or premiums; and – ensure non-discrimination on benefits or providers. †¢ Eliminate existing Medicare payment policies that impede patient access to cost-effective outpatient rehabilitation services provided by physical therapists including: – permanently repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula in the Medicare physician fee schedule and replace it with inflationary indic es to accurately reflect costs in delivering health care services; permanently repeal arbitrary outpatient therapy caps on services; and – eliminate the unnecessary referral requirement or certification of the plan of care for patients to access outpatient physical therapy services.This barrier to patient access delays care and adds additional costs for patients and the health care system. †¢ Ensure that all models of care delivery, such as medical homes and accountable care organizations, enhance patient access to rehabilitation services. Ensure that any policy set forth regarding bundling payments for post-acute care services meet the following criteria: – Bundled payments should not be implemented into law or regulation without full evaluation of its feasibility and advisability as a payment model for post-acute care services. APTA recommends demonstration projects to further evaluate this payment methodology and for the gradual phase in of policies that change the payment system from post-acute care. Patient safeguards should be established to ensure patient choice and access to the full range and continuum of post-acute and outpatient care. -Post-acute care should be defined as Part A services within the first 30 days post discharge from an acute care hospital stay delivered by inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and/or long-term acute care hospitals. †¢ Enhance initiatives to develop a national strategy that will ensure that an adequate health care workforce exists to meet the needs of patients. Enable physical therapists to fully participate in current initiatives, such as the National Health Services Corp, as well as any new programs established to provide workforce incentives to recruit and retain qualified health care professionals in underserved areas. – Expand federal funding for clinical education, fellowships, and faculty development in physical therapy. †¢ Red uce unnecessary regulatory burdens on physical therapists to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in delivering health care to their patients at the right time and place.†¢ Eliminate referral for profit arrangements in health care. Include prevention and chronic care management programs and services to reduce health care costs or to manage those costs in an efficient and effective fashion. †¢ Expand health information technology incentives to all health care professionals to ensure greater efficiency, improve patient care, facilitate outcomes measurement, and enhance collaboration and integration between all members of the health care team across patient settings Payment incentives, training and education should be phased in over a period of time to enhance compliance and effectiveness. (APTA 2009)The anatomical structures involved in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear are the three different bands that make up the anterior cruciate ligament. These are; the anteromed ial, intermediate and posterolateral bands. Along with the thigh muscles the ACL works to stabilize the knee joint, it prevents the femur from moving posteriorly while bearing weight and stabilizes the tibia from excessive internal rotation. Other structures that may be involved in an ACL injury are other supporting structures such as the anterolateral or anteromedial joint capsules, the LCL and MCL and the PCL (Arnheim-Prentice-Ch19, 1997).There are three bones that meet to form your knee joint: your thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella). Your kneecap sits in front of the joint to provide protection. The meniscus is on either side of the joint and offers a layer of articular surface for weight bearing and shock absorption purposes. The bones are connected by ligaments to provide stability to the joint. The anterior cruciate ligament runs diagonally in the middle of the knee to prevent the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur, as well as providing rotati onal stability to the knee (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2009).The ligament most vulnerable to injury is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The major mechanism involved in an ACL tear occurs when a running athlete suddenly decelerates and makes a sharp â€Å"cutting motion†. This is called a single plane injury and occurs when the lower leg is rotated while the foot is in a fixed position. A direct blow to the knee can cause hyperextension and also cause an ACL tear. An athlete that experiences a tear feels or hears a ‘pop’ with immediate instability, pain and swelling and may complain that it feels as if the knee is coming apart (Arnheim-Prentice-Ch19, 1997).Other symptoms associated with ACL tears include joint swelling or stiffness, knee instability (or â€Å"giving away† symptom), loss of full range of motion, discomfort with walking, or tenderness along the joint line (Journal of Neurophysiology, 2006; American Academy of Orthopaedic S urgeons, 2009). The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured ligament generally among persons who participate in high risk sports. Actions such as pivoting, sidestepping maneuvers, direct contact, slowing down by running or awkward landings have caused this type of injury.Females have a higher risk of ACL injury than males in certain sports due to differences in conditioning of the body, muscular strength, and neuromuscular control (American Orthopeadic Surgeons, 2009). Treatment for a partially torn ACL is far more favorable than a complete ACL rupture. Partial ACL tears typically have a recovery and rehabilitation period of three months; however, if a patient continues to have instability symptoms, patients are advised to participate in a complete course of physical therapy with clinical follow-ups.Complete ACL ruptures leave a patient unable to participate in pivoting type sports or other various activities, such as walking. Patient treatment also varies on t hat person’s individual needs, which allows the patient to choose between non-surgical or surgical treatment options. ACL tears typically do not heal without surgery; therefore this option is best for those persons with a low activity level or quiet lifestyle. Patients may recommend bracing and/or physical therapy.If a patient would prefer to return to their high activity lifestyle, then the surgery treatment option would be recommended. Opting for surgery would require the doctor to rebuild the torn ligament by replacing the ligament with a tissue graft. The healing process could take up to 6 months or more (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2009). Physical therapy plays an important role in rehabilitation whether there is surgery or not. It helps reduce swelling, increase mobility and build strength and stability by using various methods.A physical therapy program should focus on returning motion to the joint and surrounding muscles. Followed by strengthening the su rrounding muscles to protect the new ligament and give it stability. After the athlete is able to get back to normal activities then the program should focus on gaining strength that will pertain to the athlete’s sport.Works Cited â€Å"ACL Injury: Does It Require Surgery?. † 30 Nov. 2010. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. March 2009 . â€Å"A List of Durable Medical Equipment Needed for Orthopedics. † livestrong. com. 20 Nov. 010. . â€Å"Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries. † 30 Nov. 2010. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. March 2009 . APTA. 1 Dec. 2010. . Arnheim, Daniel, and William Prentice. Principles of Athletic Training, Ninth Edition. New York City: WCB McGraw-Hill/Mosby, 1997. Claes, L. , Faist, M. , Friemert, B. , Gothner, M. , & Melnyk, M. â€Å"Changes in Stretch Reflex Excitability Are Related to â€Å"Giving Way† Symptoms in Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture. † Journal of Neurophysiology. 28 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions About Physical Therapy. Orthopedic Physical Therapy. 30 Nov. 2010. . Lippert, Lynn S. Clinical Kinesiology and Anatomy. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Company, 1994. Lunsford, Denise. PT. Personal interview. 1 Dec. 2010 Orthopedic Physical Therapy. n. d. 23 November 2010 . Physical Therapy. 8 September 2010. 23 November 2010 . â€Å"Physical Therapist Assistants and Aides. † Bureau of Labor Statistics. 20 Nov. 2010. . â€Å"Types of Physical Therapy. † about. com. 20 Nov. 2010. http://physicaltherapy. about. com/od/typesofphysicaltherapy/a/typesofpt. htm? p=1 World Ortho. 2 Dec. 2010. .

Myths and Value Essay Example

Myths and Value Essay Example Myths and Value Essay Myths and Value Essay Essay Topic: Mythologies Treasure Island Myths and Value Name: Course: Date: Myths and Value Lesson 1 A myth is a traditionally told story about historical events usually meant to explain something or to instill certain beliefs and values. Most myths are held by members of a certain community or institution and they are known by all the members. They determine how the people carry themselves since they have some influence on the way they make their judgments. Myths are known to instill various values depending on the subjects they cover. Myths have various uses, which include preservation of social cultures such as Santa Claus, explaining mysterious natural phenomena and instilling morals among the people. Lesson 2 The Greek are among the communities with myths that they treasure up to date. One of the famous Greek myths is that of the boy who flew too high. It narrates the story of and a talented architect and inventor who were trying to escape the island of Crete with his son Icarius. They had been kept prisoners by king Minos due to Daedalus’ abilities. They wanted to go back home in spite of been adequately provided for in the island. Daedalus discovered that they could escape from the tower and use a boat as their get-away. He tricked the king into providing him with feathers and wax for an ongoing project, which he used to make wings. He worked on the wings at the rooftop until they were ready for use. Icarius and his father practiced flying with the wings until he could fly as good as his father. On the day they had planned their escape, Daedalus just like any other father gave his son some instruction. He told Icarius to always follow him and not take a different path since Daeda lus is the one who knew the way home. He instructed Icarius not to fly too low since his feathers would be filled with moisture, become heavy and make him sink into the sea. If he flew too high, the wax would melt away and the feathers would fall off. They both went to the rooftop ready for take-off. The father flew into the air first as the son followed. While in the air, Icarius discovered that he could fly without much effort and he forgot the instructions he had been given. He flew too close to the sun and immediately the wax began to melt and the feathers fell off. Before he could do anything, he was falling fast into the sea. His power of flight had been overtaken by the power of gravity. Lesson 3 This interesting narration is not just a story but it has various moral lessons. Icarius is used in the myth to represent the people in society who are rebellious and do not follow rules given to them. Icarius ignores the instructions given to him by his father, which result to his downfall. He is warned against going too close to the sun, which is exactly what he does, and the result is his fall into the sea. This means that people who do not follow instructions often end up in problems. For instance if you do not follow the doctor’s prescription, you could end up falling sicker or your ailment could persist. In the myth, Daedalus comes up with the ideas for the escape and goes ahead to invent the magical wings. This shows that a father should provide for his children and the welfare of his family should be a major concern to him. Daedalus leads Icarius into flying and he teaches him how to fly. Here, the role of a father is brought out by molding of the son in his childhood. By Daedalus, giving Icarius instructions shows his concern for his son. He even begged the son not to get too close to the son since he knew the consequences. Daedalus and his son were provided with comfort by king Minos but they still wanted to go back to their home. This teaches that east or west home is the best. Even if someone travels the world, home will always be the best place in the world since there is a lot of love from family. Their escape from the island where they were prisoners is a lesson that people should always make effort to make their lives better and not settle for destructive lives if they have the ability to improve their lifestyles. The name of the story is the boy who flew too high and it ends in tragedy of the boy falling into the sea after he refuses to adhere to the instructions given to him by his father. This warns against overdoing actions since ‘too much of something is dangerous’. Take eating as an example, if you eat too much you get a stomach upset and if you do not eat you get hungry. It is therefore wise for a person to eat just enough to satisfy him. The phrase ‘fly too high’ is used to denote success. In most cases when people become successful, they tend to be ignorant of rules and this leads to their downfall and this serves as a warning to them. The sun in this case represents evil that destroys people and makes them fall. Icarius falls when he gets too close to the sun. This is a moral teaching that evil should be avoided and people should instead do good deeds. References Graves, R. (1955). The Greek myths. Baltimore: Penguin Books. Eliot, A. (1976). Myths. New York: McGraw-Hill. Barthes, R. (2012). Mythologies. New Yo3424rk: Hill and Wang.

Prepare yourself for your upcoming internship

Prepare yourself for your upcoming internship Are you on the cusp of starting a new internship? If so, then congratulations- this can be an amazing opportunity for self-discovery and an important step in your lifelong career journey. Simply put, internships are great ways to explore your professional strengths and weaknesses, and can help you target your interests and passions- hopefully helping to guide you onto the career path that best suits you. That said, not all internships- or interns- are created equal. While some make every effort to put their best self forward and approach the internship as if it were an ultra-important full-time job, others take a less serious approach- and take a guess which type of intern typically fares better? That said, how have you decided to approach your upcoming internship? If you’re smart, you’ll prepare yourself in advance as much as possible in an effort to make a great impression. Who knows- if you really nail it, you just may find yourself weighing a great new job offer at the end of it!Consider using the following plan of attack to help ensure that your internship starts off strong.Do your homeworkBefore your first day at your new internship, make sure you know everything there is to know about the company you’re about to join. Most companies these days have a robust online presence, so take advantage of available information online. Not only will it help you do your job more effectively, it will likely impress the folks you’ll be working around. It may even serve as a springboard for bold new ideas that you can use to wow your new boss- and who knows what can happen from there?Also do your best to be fully aware of what your role in the organization will be, what will be expected of you from day one, and what your team or department does within the broader context of the organization (ideally, you used the interview process to have all of these questions answered). This will help reduce any awkward surprises on day one of your internsh ip, and also set you up to impress your new bosses when you’re able to hit the ground running when you first arrive.Know yourselfAs mentioned before, internships are a great way to learn about your strengths and weaknesses and discover what you’re interested in and good at. That said, you already know a great deal about yourself and can use what you know to your advantage at your new position. Make sure your strengths are on full display while at work. Are you a whiz at spreadsheets? Then do your best to set yourself up to work on any spreadsheets that your department utilizes. Have countless presentations in class made you a PowerPoint pro? Then volunteer to work on any PowerPoints that you discover are being worked on while at your internship. Not only will you come across as a team player who’s willing to go the extra mile, you’ll hopefully impress others with your abilities.In contrast, try to work on building your skills in your week areas subtly whi le at your internship. Take small opportunities to test yourself and confront new challenges- before long you’ll be more well-rounded and capable at work than ever before!Get professionalThis one often gets overlooked by interns, and they wind up paying the price when they arrive at work and aren’t completely ready. Get into a professional mindset before your internship starts and you’ll be setting yourself up for success. This includes getting an appropriate work wardrobe ready, practicing your workplace etiquette (here’s where a parent, mentor, or experienced friend or family member can really help), getting any supplies you might need, and even practicing getting up early for several days beforehand- you’ll be surprised by how a little advance planning to get yourself into professional mode can really benefit you in the long run.If you’re on the cusp of starting a new internship, it can be a really exciting time- as long as you prepare sm artly. Use the strategies and advice presented here to be your best starting on day one. Soak it in- this is the time for you to explore a profession or a company to see if it’s a great match. Use it wisely!

Project costing (Project Management) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project costing (Project Management) - Essay Example This gives the essence of a project which should be a temporary thing outlaid within the limits of time. In respect of this case study, it’s imperative that the project appraisal is facilitated so that the resources can be put into proper use. In a project like a construction of say a health facility, there tends to be three major players for the success of such endeavors. These factors are mainly; time, quality and budget. In project management circle, a lot of regard is given to the attainment of the specified quality and this need to be within the stipulated project life so that there is no much deviation of the cost. It is therefore important that before a project like the one in the case study take off, appraisal and evaluation is effectively carried out. It is common that time and cost tend to show an inverse relation and therefore it is always advisable that to cut time, there must be a compromise in the overall project cost (Smith, 1995). Any project management team mu st therefore be very considerate and extra careful when designing and implementing so that resources which tend to be costly are economized. In regard to the construction project referred to in this case study, cost stands out o be one of the thorny issues since it forms the better part of the implementation process. This is in the form of building materials, manpower and other costs like sunk and legal costs. It a bit easier to manage cost issues ones the network analysis has been drawn and simple breakdown of the work is put down. Project cost management will tend to be challenging since there is always the issue of uncertainties caused by natural disasters like floods, fire, earthquake and others which can alter the plan significantly. For this project proposal to succeed, cost control is paramount. Beginning with the building materials, the client may decide to give tender wholesome to a given contractor so that even the cost