The Postal Service Monopoly :: Economy

The Postal Service Monopoly In the United States economy most markets can be classified into four different markets structures. But, each and every market in the United States is completely unique from the others. Generally the best type of market structure for the general public is per- fect competition because it creates the lowest possible price for the public. There are some exceptions were perfect competition isn’t the best choice for the public on account of various reasons. The United States Postal Service is one of them and since the Postal Service is a monopoly, it is its own market. This paper will discuss the budget dilemmas that the postal service has faced for the past twenty years and if it is in the best interest of the economy for the United States Postal Service to continue as a monopoly. The first time there was talk of privatizing the Postal Service was in 1979 when the Postal Service was losing vast amounts of money in the long run. But since the Postal Service is a necessity for America, the government had to subsidize the service in order for it to continue in operation. In 1979 the United States Postal Service had a cash flow of $22.5 Billion and was additionally receiving $176 million from investing(#1, Intro). Even with this added revenue the Postal Service was still greatly under funded on its own (#1, Intro). During this time it was discussed to privatize the postal service and introduce competition because of the extreme losses that the service was experiencing. A positive argument for privatizing the Postal Service was with numerous competitors in the market there would be more efficiency and the public would receive lower prices. But this would also increase the usage of resources, for example airplanes and cars. One of the problems the Post Office had was its receipts from consumer purchases that were submitted the next day after the transaction (#1, i). If the receipts were submitted earlier the postal service would receive more money because they could invest that money sooner (#1, i). Another way the Postal Service could increased

The Alamo :: Essays Papers

THE ALAMO In San Antonio in early 1836, 6,000 Mexicans marched to The Alamo to fight a groups of Texas of 187 strong, They were led by Colonel William B. Travis. During 10 days of fighting, the Mexicans climbed over the wall’s of The Alamo., to defeat the Texans they killed a woman . her baby, and a slave were killed. Among the dead were frontiersmen Davy Crockett and the Bowie brothers. Following, is a description of how the Alamo fell. On February 24, 1836 Colonel Travis wrote a letter requesting aid in his own handwriting to all the people of Texas and all Americans. It was carried to Gonzales by Captain Albert Martin, It was first delivered upon his arrival on the Feb 25th to Smithers. Who then carried it on the San Felipe on the Feb. 27th. His letter explained the difficulty him and his men were having defending The Alamo against Santa Anna and his men. At the end of the letter he explains that if they do not receive aid, then they will fight till VICTORY OR DEATH. He also explains that, to this point, no men has lost his life. Following is an exact replica of his writing. COLONEL TRAVIS LETTER: â€Å"Commandancy of the AlamoBexar, Fby. 24th, 1836 To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World Fellow Citzens & Compatriots---I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna---I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man---The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion , otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken---I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls---I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism, & everything dear to the American character, to come are tour aid, with all dispatch---The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four of five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of h is country.

Mental Health in Texas Prisons and Jails

Fall 2012 Mental Health in Texas prisons and jails October 13, 2012 University of Southern California A. Introduction: Issue, Policy, Problem: Texas has approximately 24. 3 million residents according to 2010 state statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Close to 833,000 adults live with a serious mental illness. Within these 24. 3 million residents of Texas in 2008, approximately 37,700 adults with a mental illness were incarcerated (NAMI. org).Additionally, there is an estimated 31% of female and 14% of male jail inmates nationally live with serious mental illness. We see this because there are inadequate public mental health services to meet the needs of those suffering. Texas public mental health system provides services to only 21% of adults who live with a mental illness (NAMI. org). The objective of the 18th Edition Texas Laws for Mental Health are to provide a comprehensive range of services for persons with mental illness or mental retardation that need publ icly supported care, treatment, or habilitation.In providing those services, efforts will be made to coordinate services and programs with services and programs provided by other governmental entities to minimize duplication and to share with other governmental entities in financing those services and programs (TDSHS. us). Regardless of the objective by the Texas Laws, prisoners are not, however, a powerful public constituency, and legislative and executive branch officials typically ignore their rights absent litigation or the threat of litigation (UNHCR. org).With this being said, there is great failure within this objective. Many, even thousands of prisoners become incarcerated without receiving the major mental health services they require. Gazing within, many prison mental health services are woefully deficient, crippled by understanding, insufficient facilities, and limited programs. State budget cuts handed down during the recent legislative session left the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with a dangerously-low $6. 1 billion biennial budget, approximately $97 million less than last year’s funding levels.As a result, the mental health care system suffered layoffs along with the rest of the prison health care services. In addition, although treatment and medications were left untouched, fewer medical workers are now left to treat mentally-ill inmates. Staffing cuts in turn increased the inmate-to-staff ratio from 58 to one upward to 65 inmates for every mental health care worker (Nix, 2011). The growing number of mentally ill persons who are incarcerated in the United States is an unintended consequence of two public policies adopted over the last thirty years.The elected officials have failed to provide adequate funding, support, and direction for the community mental health systems that were supposed to replace the mental health hospitals shut down as part of the â€Å"deinstitutionalization† effort that began in the 1960’s (U NHCR,org). Following the deinstitutionalization process came the â€Å"war on drugs† campaign. This was to have embraced a punitive, anti-crime effort. What we saw was a considerable proportion of the prisons and jails population sore, more than quadrupling in the last thirty years. B.History and Scope of Issue: Eighty-three years after the first American institution exclusively for the insane was opened in Williamsburg, Virginia, the first Texas facility for the mentally ill was established by the Sixth Legislature. Legislation signed by Governor Elisha M. Pease on August 28, 1856, called for the establishment of a state lunatic asylum (Creson). Fifty thousand dollars was appropriated for land and buildings. The State Lunatic Asylum (now Austin State Hospital) did not open until 1861, when Superintendent Dr. Beriah Graham admitted twelve patients.Before 1861, individuals with a mental illness or mental retardation were kept at home, sent out of state for treatment or custodi al care, or confined in almshouses or jails. Dr. David Wallace was the first physician in the state to limit his practice to psychiatry. During his tenure as superintendent of the two institutions, Wallace successfully resisted political patronage in the asylums, advocated removal of the â€Å"harmless mentally retarded† from them, did away with restraint, introduced occupational and recreation activities as treatment modalities, and utilized furloughing as a prominent part of institutional procedure.Dr. David Wallace was a true advocate for the mentally ill, and fought for their right to be treated respectfully. Overcrowding became a major problem during the 1940s. Public pressure to reduce the lengthy waiting lists for admission to state hospitals and to remove mentally ill individuals from local jails increased occupancy in already overcrowded hospitals. In 1943, the legislature converted the Confederate Home for Men into a hospital for mentally ill male geriatric patients in order to provide beds in the larger hospitals.In 100 years, the state system for caring for the mentally ill grew to nine state hospitals scattered about the state. Their population had, however, begun to decline as a result of new treatment techniques and changing social ideas about the role of state psychiatric hospitals in caring for afflicted individuals (Creson). Over the years, as the population continued to grow, so did crime, drug use, and violence. Research indicates that 72% of both male and female jail detainees with severe mental disorders also meet criteria for substance use disorders of alcohol or drug abuse (Abram & Teplin, 1991).Within this negative growth, the punishment for the crimes also tightened. Soon we began to see an increase in arrest, and more offenders incarcerated. However, some of the increase was because those suffering with mental illnesses were the individuals committing the crimes. Subsequently, the mental institutions were closing, due to t he changing social views of the way those suffering were treated, left those suffering with nowhere to go. As time moved forward, we can see a striking corresponding movement with the legislative funding for mental health care; it is spiraling downhill.Hence, the beginning of overcrowding in Texas prisons and jails. Sadly, those suffering from mental illness will not receive quality, fair treatment during incarceration. Providing mental health services to incarcerated offenders is frustrated by lack of resources (UNHCR. org). Reflecting back to the early 1800’s, there is a mind blowing resemblance to what we see today; lack of treatment for those with mental illnesses. C. Perspectives and Analysis of Policy:In Texas, legislators, mental health professionals, and advocates have recognized the need to reduce the prevalence of serious mental illness in jails and prisons by diverting minor offenders to community-based mental health services. In fact, House Bill 2292, passed in 20 04, calls for the development of jail diversion strategies along with the implementation of Resiliency and Disease Management (RDM) by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for the treatment of severe mental illness (TDSHS).Steps should be taken at the federal, state, and local level to reduce the unnecessary and counterproductive incarceration of non- offenders with mental illness. Mandatory minimum sentencing laws should be revised to endure prison is reserved for the most serious of offenders. Reducing the number of mentally ill offenders sent to prison will also free up prison resources to ensure appropriate mental health treatment for those men and women with mental illness who must, in fact, be incarcerated for reasons of public safety (UNHCR).On any given day, between 2. 3 and 3. 9 percent of incarcerated offenders in State prisons are estimated to have schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, between 13. 1 and 18. 6 percent major depression, and between 2. 1 and 4 . 3 percent bipolar disorder (manic episode). In 1999, NAMI (formerly known as the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) reported that the number of Americans with serious mental illnesses in prison was three times greater than the number hospitalized with such illnesses (UNHCR).In the fiscal 1990 year, the average state hospital census was 3,475, and the number of clients served in community mental health-mental retardation centers was 125,277. The Harris County Psychiatric Center, a 240-bed hospital established in October 1986, jointly funded by the state and Harris County and under the direction of the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, served an additional 195 individuals. After federal block grants given to states in 1980 provided more state control in distributing federal funds, Texas (like other states) placed a high priority on severely and chronically ill patients in community programs.This re-allocation of resources resulted in an exacerbation of conflict s caused by different local and state agendas, legislative concerns for cost effectiveness and advocacy groups' agendas for expanded services, as well as professional territorial battles and an expanded definition of what constitutes mental illness. Lawsuits have further complicated the matter of organizing, implementing, and administering the state system while compelling needed reforms. Significant in this regard in Texas was RAJ v.Jones, filed in 1971. Major issues in the case included individualized treatment, patient rights, use of psychotropic medications, and adequate community aftercare services. Morales v. Turman, filed in 1971, resulted in increased quality and availability of mental-health services for juvenile offenders held by the Texas Youth Council. Ruiz v. Estelle did much the same for adults in state prisons and provided impetus for a new prison psychiatric hospital currently under construction in Sugar Land (THSA. org).D. Impact of Policy and Analysis: During 2003 New Freedom Commission on Mental Health found that the mental health delivery system is fragmented and in disarray- leading to unnecessary and costly disability, homelessness, school failure and incarceration. In many communities, access to quality care is poor, resulting in wasted resources and lost opportunities for recovery. The likely-hood of failure for community mental health services to meet the needs of those suffering with mental illness is pronounced.The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have estimated that 72 percent of mentally ill individuals entering the jail system have a drug-abuse or alcohol problem. Deinstitutionalization resulted in the release of hundred s of thousands of mentally ill offenders to communities who could not care for them. At about the same time, national attitudes toward those who committed street crime-who are overwhelming the country’s poorest -changed remarkably (UNHCR. rg). Prisoners with mental illness f ind it more difficult to adhere to prison rules and to cope with the stresses of confinement, as evidenced by the new BJS statistics that 58 percent of state prisoners with mental problems have been charged with violating prison rules, compared to 43 percent without mental problems. An estimated 24 percent with a mental health problem have been charged with a physical or verbal assault on prison staff, compared to 14 percent of those without.One in five state prisoners with mental health problems has been injured in a fight in prison, compared to one in 10 of those without. Community health services, though good, are, due to lack of funding, inadequate to meet the needs of persons with mental illness. This results in those suffering to â€Å"fall between the cracks†, and into the world of criminal mishap. The lack of funding also affects the ability of law enforcement, courts and correction facilities to divert persons with mental illness away from the criminal justice system and into a more fitting arrangement.Many persons with mental illness, prison can be counter-therapeutic or even â€Å"toxic. † Nevertheless, we recognize the tragic irony that, for many, prison may also offer significant advantages over liberty. For some mentally ill offenders, prison is the first place they have a chance for treatment. For those who are poor and homeless, given the problems they face in accessing mental health services in the community, prison may offer an opportunity for consistent access to medication and mental health services.Realizing this opportunity depends, of course, on whether the prisons provide the necessary services. In 2008, 1,900 out of 11,000 inmates, or 17. 3 percent in the Harris County jail were on psychotropic medication. Spending on mental health care in the prison has risen to $24 million per year, and the combined cost of incarcerating and treating the mentally ill is $87 million annually. A county official noted: the jails have becom e the psychiatric hospitals of the United States.Class action lawsuits have led to improvements in prison mental health care in a number of states, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Lawsuits have led to consent decrees and court orders instituting reforms and the court appointment of masters and monitors to oversee compliance. Considering the needs of today's mentally ill prisoners, the progress to date is far from enough. Viewed from the perspective of where prison mental health was two decades ago, the progress has been momentous.Both the state system and the private sector are in a period of major transition. The Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation was placed by House Bill 7 under the auspices of the Commission on Health and Human Services, a new umbrella agency established by the legislature in July 1991. How this new structur ing of the administration of state mental health care will ultimately affect the delivery of mental health services remains to be seen (TSHA). E. Judgement: There are nine state mental hospitals in Texas with a total of 2,477 beds to reat civil and criminal patients. About a third of the beds are reserved for criminal commitments, and in 2006, the Department of State Health Services started a waiting list for the beds, because the demand exceeded availability. The shortage of state hospital beds is a problem that local law enforcement officials have been grappling with for years as sheriffs cope with overflowing jails, in which many of the inmates are mentally ill. Harris County officials have seen the number of mentally ill inmates explode since 2003, the last time Texas had a budget crisis and made major cuts.Then, there were fewer than three full-time psychiatrists on duty at the jail. Now, there are more than 15. Often they see the same mentally ill inmates repeatedly. State law makers are considering budget proposals that would reduce community-based health care services for adults and children and for community mental hospitals by about $152 million in 2012 and 2013. It is about a 20 percent reduction in financing from the previous two-year budget. For community mental hospitals, financing would fall about 3 percent, but the money would be split among five facilities instead of three (Grissom, 2011).Several problems associated with housing mentally ill persons in jails and prisons rather than hospitals: – The rate of recidivism. Since mentally ill inmates generally receive little care for their illness while in jail or prison, they return to jail or prison at a greater rate than the general prison population. – Mentally ill inmates cost more than other prisoners to house. The average Texas inmate costs the state approximately $22,000 per year. While an inmate with a mental illness costs the state approximately $30,000 to $50,000 per year. Ot her issues the study cites include the fact that mentally ill inmates commit suicide at a greater rate than the general prison population, and mentally ill inmates are easier targets for abuse by other prisoners and prison staff. Texas ranks 49th in the nation in per capita spending on mental health services. Only 25 percent of children and 18 percent of adults with severe mental illness and in need of services from the public mental health system in Harris County are able to receive them. Now, Texas lawmakers are looking to cut funding to the already overburdened public mental health system by $134 million for 2012-13.A prime example of cost shifting has occurred within the Harris County Jail, now the largest mental health facility in Texas. The Harris County Jail treats more individuals with mental health issues on a daily basis than our state’s 10 psychiatric hospitals combined. This is especially worrisome given that the United States Department of Justice reports that it costs 60 percent more to incarcerate inmates with serious mental illnesses than it costs to house typical inmates. It is clear that imprisonment of the mentally ill will not help the situation at hand, only add to the severity of it.Incarceration of the mentally ill can be devastating and costly. While, those suffering from mental illness need help, confinement in federal, state, and local prisons is not the answer. Local leaders and government officials need to advocate for the mentally ill, and push for more funding to insure proper treatment is available to those in need. References Abram, K. M. , & Teplin, L. A. (1991). Co-occurring disorders among mentally ill jail detainees. American Psychologist, 46, 1036-1045. Dan L. Creson, â€Å"MENTAL HEALTH,† Handbook of Texas Online (http://www. shaonline. org/handbook/online/articles/smmun), accessed October 14, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. Janice C. May, â€Å"GOVERNMENT,† Handbook of T exas Online (http://www. tshaonline. org/handbook/online/articles/mzgfq), accessed October 14, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. Undefined. (May 15, 2012). Texas Department of State Health Services. In 18th Edition Texas Laws for Mental Health. Retrieved October 14, 2012, from http://www. dshs. state. tx. us/mhrules/Texas_Laws. shtm.

Of Mice and Men Essay

John Steinbeck provides a variety of different attitudes towards women in the novel ‘Of Mice and Men. ’ I will explore these attitudes in order to represent the portrayal of women in the book; in which there are many different women with different attitudes respectively. Steinbeck uses the portrayal of Curley’s wife, who is the main female protagonist to show how women were treated during the 1930’s ‘Depression era. ’ The women I will analyse are Curley’s wife, Aunt Clara, Susy, Clara, The woman in Weed and Curley’s wife’s mother. In the novel, women play a significant role as they are featured in every scene of the story. However their roles can be defined negatively for they are portrayed as weak and as possessions of men. Steinbeck displays many different women who are displayed from a man’s perspective in a sexist era. The reader’s first encounter with a female character is ‘The woman in Weed. ’ She is presented as a liar and exaggerator due to her reaction when Lennie tugged her dress. George and Lennie are forced to flee from Weed, in order to escape the newly formed mob chasing them. This forces the reader to perceive women in a diminishing way at the start, which influences the reader’s perception on women overall, throughout the novel. After the initial encounter with a woman the reader is encouraged to believe that ‘The woman in Weed’ seemed to be the root cause of George and Lennie’s dilemma. This idea of women being pest-like, poison and objects of sexual desire is played on throughout the novel. This ideology is presented in the likes of Susy and Clara. Susy and Clara were both brothel owners, this job taken by both women suggests the type of jobs available for women at the time. Steinbeck presents life when the ranch workers go to the whore house. This suggests that women were seen as just a pass time during the 1930s and no-one had any respect for them. This shows how women were seen as being an object used to have fun not to socialise with. The job they possess, in comparison with Curley’s wife’s role, shows how Steinbeck displays the role of women in the novel. The language and context causes the reader to perceive women as objects that have to cater for a man’s every whim. Steinbeck provides the reader with one relatively positive role of a woman throughout the novel, in the form of Lennie’s ‘Aunt Clara. Aunt Clara is not his mother, but she has taken on the maternal role and it is implied that she is a blood relative. She is a flat character but when she is talked about, it is in a respectful tone. We can guess that from the way Lennie talks to her in his mind in the last pages that she has high standards; Lennie says à ¢â‚¬Ëœma’am’. This shows that Lennie respects her. The use of ‘Aunt Clara’ provides the reader with mixed attitudes towards women in the story. Yet this positive image of women is overlooked as the reader meets the likes of Curley’s wife and her mother. Curley’s wife’s mother is represented as conniving and jealous, due to her involvement in Curley’s wife’s life. Curley’s wife is changed from becoming a movie star and following the ‘American dream,’ to living with Curley, a dominant and sexist man who doesn’t allow her to be free. Throughout the novel the reader is expectant to distinguish women as possessions, this expectation is significantly shown with Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife is the main woman presented in the book. Her tone of language and the type of language connected to her is the same as the stereotypical depiction of women in the 1930’s. She is subjected to sexist beliefs which essentially pave the way to her death, for if she hadn’t sought attention from Lennie who seemed to be one of the only men to speak to her, she wouldn’t be dead. Steinbeck presents the women in the novel as being an object, not like normal people just because they are women and they believe men are superior. Men believe they own women and can treat them how they want to. In the novel, the women are socially inferior to the men and men just see them as possessions or objects. Curley’s wife is nameless which suggests that she is insignificant and unimportant, and that she is not treated like the men on the ranch who all have names. The importance of her character is crucial for the story’s development. The apostrophe in ‘Curley’s’ suggests that she belongs to Curley as if she is just an object. Also, when we find out that Curley’s glove is full of Vaseline, it implies that he likes petting his wife, just like Lennie like petting dogs, mice and rabbits. This suggests that Curley thinks of his wife like an animal. It also gives the implication that he needs to please her but there is no love in their relationship. Curley is proud of his wife, especially when she makes others envious of him. However, he has no respect for his wife and shows her off like a trophy wife. Later on in the novel, we find out that Curley’s wife doesn’t actually love Curley, and only married him in the hope of escaping a lonely, dull life. ‘I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella. ’ She seems preoccupied with strategies to avoid detection from her husband and manages this by continuously asking of his whereabouts. ‘Have any of you boys seen Curley? ’ Like George, Lenny and later on Candy, Curley’s wife has a dream despite it being one of great contrast to theirs. The futility of dreams is ever present within the novel. Curley’s wife has an ambition to work in films ‘coulda been in the movies and worn nice clothes’ and this is no doubt stemmed from her desire for attention and is linked to her loneliness and insecurities on the ranch as she bitterly resents not being treated as an individual. Men make promises to her ‘he says he was gonna out me in the movies’ but she appears to lack the intelligence to realise the emptiness of their promises. This means that women were presented to have a lack of intelligence and were only there to look good. Steinbeck presents women as objects of forbidden lust. The word â€Å"jail bait† is used to describe Curley’s wife repeatedly throughout the novel, this word describes his wife in a way that presents her as a very attractive young girl, but the term jail bait can also be used to show that she is a danger to toy with. Despite the fact that she is constantly flaunting herself, if she is approached in any way it will cause conflict with Curley which could result in an altercation that could cause a prison sentence. Hence her being bait, to end up in jail. ‘†¦ Yeah? married two weeks and got the eye’ Using these words Steinbeck is implying that all women start looking at other men only two weeks after being wed. The words ‘the eye’ suggests it’s like a disease you can get which will make you look at other men instead of your own. The reader is able to recognise the negative atmosphere when Curley’s wife is mentioned, through the language and attitudes of the ranch workers associated with Curley’s wife. â€Å"Curley’s married †¦ a tart. † This shows how George values women very little as he calls Curley’s wife â€Å"a tart†. This could be judged as prejudice as he does not fully know her and jumps to conclusion. However in the book john Steinbeck presents women in a negative fashion, for example Curley’s wife is very provocative and dwells on men’s feelings and takes advantage of them. John Steinbeck’s view represents that of many people during the 1930’s. John Steinbeck’s use of colour symbolism can be interpreted through Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife is connected with the colour red. The colour red is also linked with ‘The woman in Weed,’ this suggests that George’s negative attitude towards women like Curley’s wife, is associated with his stereotype of women, due to his previously bad encounters with them. The colour red can be associated with danger, romance, lust and blood. This suggests that the use of the colour red with women provides the reader with belief that they may be associated with danger, romance, lust and blood. The story surrounded by the actions of Curley’s wife can be interpreted through the likes of Genesis and Greek Mythology. In Genesis, Adam and Eve are met with a serpent who beguiles them to eat fruit from the tree which god had instructed them not to eat from. In consequence they are expelled from heaven. This can be interpreted as Curley’s wife being the serpent and George and Lennie being Adam and Eve, as Curley’s wife creates the obstruction of fulfilling the dream George and Lennie had of owning their own house. In Greek Mythology, Sirens lure sailors to their death. Sirens are seductive female creatures in Greek Mythology. The role of Sirens can be interpreted through Curley’s wife. The Sirens seduce sailors to their deaths. Due to the use of language used by Steinbeck, the reader is forced to accept the role of Curley’s wife as a version of a Siren. Curley’s wife is, socially speaking, a marginal figure. She is a minority and has very little power in the world. She is introduced as a â€Å"tart† and a trouble-maker, Curley’s wife is presented in increasingly sympathetic ways as the novel progresses. In the end, instead of being a trouble-maker, Curley’s wife is a victim. Not only is she is victim of a murder, but she is also a victim of circumstance, having married to get away from home only to find herself trapped on the ranch where she has no friends, nothing to do, and is allowed only one relationship. The reader is forced to see her death as sympathising, as the death of someone young is more painful than of an elder. To conclude I will provide my own opinion regarding the different attitudes towards women in the novel ‘Of Mice and Men. ’ As a reader, my intake on this situation is that Steinbeck uses a variety of techniques that portray women in different senses. However, these different attitudes are put aside as they are overpowered by the ideology that women are inferior to men and that they are their possessions.

Eschatology of Priesthood Essay

â€Å"Through the sacred ordination and mission which they receive from the bishops, priests are promoted to the service of Christ the Teacher, Priest and King; they are given a share in his ministry, through which the Church here on earth is being ceaselessly built up into the People of God, Christ’s Body and Temple of the Holy Spirit oriented to Eternal life. † (PO, #1) The Eschatological Value of the Priesthood  Basically, this is all about ministerial priesthood- that office set apart to offer sacrifice and mediate between God and human beings, to act in the person of Jesus Christ as the Head and serve as God’s mouthpiece to proclaim His good intention to humanity. But more than being on the â€Å"ideal† side, priesthood is first and foremost oriented to service. â€Å"That office†¦ which the Lord committed to the pastors of his people, is, in the strict sense of the term, a service, which is called very expressively in sacred scripture a diakonia or ministry† (LG, #24). Priesthood is a ministry of service, both to the common priesthood and to Christ the â€Å"great high priest†. Servant of the People towards God The ordained ministry is always at the service of the common priesthood. â€Å"It guarantees that it really is Christ who acts in the sacraments through the Holy Spirit for the Church. The saving mission entrusted by the Father to His incarnate Son was committed to the apostles and through them to their successors: they receive the Spirit of Jesus to act in his name and in his person†. (CCC, # 1120). Priests are servants of the Church to foster its one and ultimate end. That is, to continue Jesus’ mission here on earth. They bring people back to God- for them to attain salvation and later on be partakers of the heavenly homeland. They serve God’s flock by continuously nourishing their faith so that the people may not go astray and later on find their fulfilment in union with their creator. Through means of sanctifications, the priests are giving the people necessary hope so that they could aspire to that divine promise of Jesus that we will be with Him in Paradise. Priesthood is a lift of everyone’s faith for us to attain eternal life- that is God’s promise to us (Psalm 15). So all these is oriented towards bringing people towards God; in the same way, priesthood is also instrumental of bringing people away from sin and to all destructions that keeps us away from heaven. Upon denouncing the call to sin and embracing the almighty power of God through their everyday life, the people have that fair chance of being with God, which is the primary end of every man. â€Å"Man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to Himself. Only in God will he find truth and happiness he never stops searching for†. (CCC, #27). Servant of Christ Towards People  Priesthood finds its fulfilment in Jesus Christ, the God who mediates between God and man. â€Å"The priesthood of Christ is made present in the ministerial priesthood†¦ Only Christ is the true priest, the others being only His ministers† (CCC, #1545). From this sense, priests are made only sharers of that divine task of sanctifying the people for them to be one with God. For us to attain salvation and later on be sharers of the divine state, we need Christ to help us attain that position. So on the part of the priests, they are helping Jesus to carry out His mission here on earth- to bring us closer to God. Priests are co-workers of God. They are handmaids of God to carry out God’s loving plan. Priests are fully dependent on Christ’s priesthood, who is the â€Å"eternal high priest† (Hebrew 5:10; cf. 6:20; Gen. 14:18). Priesthood is directed at unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians, gifts of the Lord to us. Priests are helpers of the Lord to His vineyard, so that in the end we may all partake the heavenly fruit of God’s labour. Priests are servants of Christ, first of all, to bring people to heaven. Priest as Mediator: Servant of God and Man Through the priestly ministry, a man can serve God and His people in the noblest form. Priests serve the Church, as a stable union of human beings with a view to attaining an end by action pursued in common. And one with the Church, priesthood is the Church’s primordial asset. Priesthood is representing that we come to experience God’s saving presence, and so find our lives transformed so that we could attain salvation and in the end enter the heavenly Jerusalem. As a mediator, â€Å"every priest is called to be, above all, a man of prayer- to pray for God’s people. By his mission, he is a hearer of the Word of God; he treasures it up in his heart and ponders it. He has made the purpose of his life to be an adorer of God in spirit and in truth, and to help all the priestly people of God to abide in the Word of the Lord, to pray and to find a synthesis between faith and life, to the honour and glory of God† (Bernard H? ring’s Meditation on the Sacrament of the Holy Orders). He made known God’s saving presence. When God and man meet- that is heaven. And that encounter is the main goal of a priest, to bridge the gap between God and man. Though he himself is both limited and sinful, a priest is entrusted by that wonderful task to establish unity. Salus Animarum- that is every man’s goal, a priest is a servant of that goal so that in the end, he may attain his personal salvation. Priesthood is not a guarantee of heaven; rather, it is a humble way towards it. Priesthood is indeed, mediation of God and Man. It builds the communication. It forges the encounter. It is always oriented for the good of man and of God so that all, in the end find its final destiny- to be with each other. That is the eschatological value of being a priest- to help God find His lost sons and to help His sons to find the way to God again.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Injustice)

Analyze the different ways in which injustice is presented in Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry. We learn more about â€Å"injustice† as we read through Mildred D. Taylor’s novel: Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry. This story reflects on an African American family facing dark and difficult times in Mississippi. Throughout the story, Mildred D. Taylor symbolizes hope and bravery for oneself when facing inequality. In the novel, the author emphasizes injustice throughout problematic stages in Mississippi.Through characters such as Cassie, Little Man and T. J, the author uses several language techniques: sensory imagery, figurative language and flashbacks, allowing the readers to reveal the theme, â€Å"injustice. † Cassie, the protagonist of the story is described as a tough, intelligent and courageous character, who will always stand up for herself and looks after her siblings and friends through all the ups and downs they face.Cassie first demonstrates her boldness as she protects her youngest brother, Little Man. She stands up for him in front of a teacher, despite knowing that she will face consequences. â€Å"Miz Crocker, don’t please! † This quote conveys how scared Cassie and her love towards her brother. Cassie also displays courageousness as she faces injustice at the Wallace’s store, where she is insulted and humiliated for no proper reason. â€Å"Who’s little nigger is this! Mildred D. Taylor uses short sentences and strong words to get straight to the point and speed up the suspense. Cassie demonstrates her intelligence through a ruse she had planned with her Uncle Hammer. She tries to seek revenge from a white, schoolgirl by pretending to be her friend, but afterwards she would teach her a lesson. â€Å"I yanked unmercifully on her long, loose hair. † The author uses sensory imagery to emphasize her Cassie’s violent act.

Integrating Occupational Health & Safety Into Sustainability Term Paper

Integrating Occupational Health & Safety Into Sustainability - Term Paper Example As a result of these worrying trends, social dumping which results from exporting or work processes and technology, machines, innovation, chemicals and commodities for use in certain workplaces of recipient nations has become a matter of concern and, as such has to be treated as a matter of priority. Keywords: sustainability, environment, workplaces, job safety and health, environmental sustainability Introduction As mentioned in the proposal, sustainability can be effectively integrated into occupational health and safety through the utilization of corporate responsibility. The utilization of environmental health and safety procedures is an efficient method of making sure that a single integration can be implemented. This kind of implementation can ensure that risks found in operations and procedures, as well as, regulatory compliances are properly adhered to. Sustainability has been indicated to be one of the essential influences of the global business processes to become supported by EHS. According to the guidelines of EHS, there are three key elements that are required for the integration of safety into environmental sustainability, and these include such things as health and safety, environmental performance, and product safety and stewardship1. It should be noted that the issues of business integration and occupational health and safety and sustainability are closely related. This is so because it is through the protection of the environment that the well-being of human beings is catered for and addressed. As it follows, economic success can be achieved when the well being, safety, and health of individuals are protected, as well as, when businesses are well integrated with environmental sustainability. Therefore, workers should be able to perform their duties in an environment that assures them and promotes their health and safety. This has been indicated to be possible through the establishment of health and occupational programs that are appropriate an d effective2. Review of Relevant Literature A recently published article argues that sustainability is an issue that has been increasing in priority in the minds and agendas of many parties like management, customers, investors, and employees, all of whom are grappling to understand the environmental and social implications of the operational and financial decisions a company makes. This is especially concerning in companies that are highly regulated and those industries that are conscious of brands. Major companies have come to realize that sustainability is not just about being ‘green’. To be feasible, processes and practices of sustainability must work hand in hand with the key strategies and goals of the company to enhance enterprise profitability. In the end, firms need to manage risk, protect their brand, as well as, find chances to improve their profits3. The same article argues that responding to the challenges that result from sustainability has never been more difficult, although the priority given to the same has never been higher. As a result, firms that try to develop programs for sustainability find a number of unique challenges.