The gift of the magi, a continuation Essay Example For Students

The gift of the magi, a continuation Essay THE GIFT OF THE MAGIIt was one week from Dellas 30th birthday and Jim didnt have enough money to buy her a present. Well, Jim thought, if I dont have a watch then why should I have a chain for one? So, he sold his watchchain in order to have money for Dellas present. Now, what do I buy Della? he asked himself. I think Ill goto the flea market and look for something, because one little rusty old chain wont buy me very much, Jim statedas he started riding his bicycle to the market. At the market Jim found many things, some very pretty andexpensive, some very pretty and cheap, and some just plain ugly things that had been there awhile and alwayswould be until they were finally thrown away. Omigosh, is that DDDDeeDDDe? Jim stuttered inastonishment. Was what he had seen real? Or was he just jumping to conclusions? Was that really the hair thatDella had sold just 2 years ago? It was, and Jim thought that Della would maybe like it back, so he bought it for 2cents and he was so happy and he thought he had the best present anyone could ever give their girlfriend. Now,Jim thought, will this be a useful gift, and I dont mean in a few years, this time I want to get it right, So Jimthought for two days straight. Finally he came up with an idea, Ill make it into a wig, a girl can never have tomany wigs. So he went to the wig shop, which usually only made those white braided wigs that all the importantmen wore, but the wigmaker made an exception because Jim was a good friend and after all, it was for a girlsbirthday. The wigmaker asked, Are you sure Della will like this present, I mean it is rather odd, and Dellas hairhas already grown twice as long as this. But dont get me wrong, Im not trying to be rude, I mean, well I thinkIll just get started on this wig right away, okay, bye. So Jim left, thinking that the wigmaker was a little out ofhis mind that day. The next day, which was the day before Dellas birthday, the wigmaker called Jim. Hello, Umm, did youwant this wig dyed, or left red? And also, I cant make a wig that fits unless Dellas head is measured, what willyou do to find out without arousing her suspicions? Jim answered uncertainly, Well I guess Ill just have tothats all, and of course not, Dont you dare dye that beautiful color of hair, its the prettiest Ive ever seen. Thewigmaker replied, Okay, but I still need to know her head size very soon in order to finish the hat, are you sureyou like that color? Im not stupid, what I say I want is what I want. Now, I will bring the measurements overas soon as I get them, Jim replied rudely. We will write a custom essay on The gift of the magi, a continuation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Della, Jim replied, breathless from running all the way to the store and back to buy a tape measure, Ineed to get your measurements for something, could you come here? Della obeys thinking maybe a new dress as apresent. What measurements do you need, honey? Della answered in her sweetest voice. Jim said I need to getyour head size for something, thats all. Well, Okay, Della replied surprised at first, and then realized that shemust be getting a hat for her birthday. Later at the wig shop. There, its all finished; do you like it Jim? asked the wigmaker. Jim said, Itsgreat, dont you think? You dont look to sure about it? The wigmaker replied, lying, Its great, after all its thethought that counts, right?. Sure thing Phil, well, gotta go, tomorrows Dellas birthday, are you going to bethere? Sure Jim, Ill be there. Said the wigmaker. .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 , .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .postImageUrl , .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 , .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9:hover , .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9:visited , .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9:active { border:0!important; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9:active , .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9 .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5f7ba4b43143ba7356e709548d688bc9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Sir Gawain And The Green Knight EssayIt is Dellas birthday, all of Jim and Dellas friends are at their home, and she begins to open presents. She will be opening Jims present first. I wonder what it could be? Della claims, quite ecstatically. She untiesthe ribbon, carefully undoes the golden wrapping paper, opens the box, and slowly takes out the tissue paper, pieceby piece. Im really exited, she says as the first piece floats to the floor. I can hardly wait, I know it will begreat, she says as the second tissue is lifted up. This is the last one, its its its a wig!!! Della shoutsloudly and upset. It is just a piece of filthy old hair, worse yet its someone elses who coul d have germs. Howdare you, you, you Jim shouts back, in order to be heard by the roaring of Della, My sweet, its your very ownhair, the hair in which you cut off to buy me a Christmas present, doesnt that mean anything to you? And besides,I thought it was the thought that counted. But Della was to upset to listen to reason. She shouted at him, I hateyou, I really hate you. How dare you give me a worthless rag, get away from me, I never want to see you again, Impacking and leaving tomorrow! As she finished speaking she ran into her bedroom, locked the door, and droppedonto her bed, crying her eyes out. Della left the next day, not even saying goodbye to Jim. Jim was heartbroken. He moved away out of shame for being so dum. For the next 30 years he kept the wig, which had been thrownback in his face by his beloved, and he mourned his loss. He vowed that if he could ever se Della again, he couldmake up for his stupidity. It is 34 years after Della left Jim. Jim had previously been traveling the country, and eventually settledin Dellas home town, hoping that someday she too would return. Lucky for him, she did return, for her 64thbirthday. She wanted to spend it with her brother, David, and his family. David and Jim had been friends eversince they met when Della and Jim started seeing each other. David is how Jim had been keeping tabs on whereDella was. By now, Della was old, gray, with short ugly hair. On Dellas birthday, Jim showed up, with the wighiding in a box. Della opened the door and froze, stunned. Jim, it, its been so long, why are you here? Dellaasked shakily. Jim replied, Well, I have never forgotten you Della, and I still love you and hope you could forgiveme. Actually, I shouldnt have been as cruel to you as I was, but still, that was a dum move, Della said. Jimstated apologetically, It was a stupid present then, but would you take it now? It kinda fits the situation betterdont you thin k? But I am not implying that you look ugly now, If I gave you this I wouldnt want you to wear it ifyour just around me if you didnt want, because I dont think youve changed one bit. Jim says, taking the boxfrom behind him and handing it to Della. She opens it, and its the old wig, but cleaned and groomed of course. Della stutters, I, I, I dont know what to say. I love it, and its true with me also. I have never loved anyone elsebut you. Jim asks, Della, will you marry me? Yes, oh yes, of course I will marry you. Della says as she putson the old wig. Della and Jim lived happily ever after, until 2 years later when they both died together in a terrible carcrash. .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 , .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .postImageUrl , .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 , .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94:hover , .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94:visited , .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94:active { border:0!important; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94:active , .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94 .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud1432ecf15847bfa9a68939c7a5d7f94:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Christopher Columbus (601 words) EssayCategory: English

Alternate Dispute Resolution at Darden Restaurants and Hooters of America Essays

Alternate Dispute Resolution at Darden Restaurants and Hooters of America Essays Alternate Dispute Resolution at Darden Restaurants and Hooters of America Paper Alternate Dispute Resolution at Darden Restaurants and Hooters of America Paper ADR at Darden Restaurants and Hooters of America More companies are turning to alternate dispute resolution (ADR) as an alterative to the judicial system for settling employee disputes. There are some clear advantages and disadvantages to ADR for both employers and employees. The best-designed ADR programs are those that are fair and impartial. A good ADR program should seek to find the best possible outcome for both parties while saving time and money and preserving relationships. The least effective ADR programs tend to be unfair and perpetuate the imbalance and bargaining power discrepancy frequently found in employer-employee relationships. In this paper, I will compare the ADR programs of Darden Restaurants and Hooters of America. My basis for comparison will be measured primarily on how well they address the advantages of ADR equally for the employer and the employee. It should be noted that Darden’s is considered to be a model program due to its comprehensiveness and fairness. By contrast – perhaps unsurprisingly – it is disappointing to see that Hooters has constructed an ADR program that offers little justice to its employees. Advantages of using ADR ADR can save vast amounts of time and money. While lawsuits can take years and thousands of dollars to settle, through ADR, conflicts can often be resolved in a matter of weeks or months at a greatly reduced cost. There are potential savings in court costs, attorney fees, and expert witness fees when a dispute is settled through mediation, arbitration, or a combination of both. Potential disadvantages of ADR are the wasted time and increased cost that are incurred when a dispute goes through ADR but still ends up in court. At Darden, there are four ways to resolve workplace disputes – Open Door Policy, Peer Review, Mediation, and Arbitration. Each is designed to encourage settlement without litigation and each is promoted as an effective alternative to litigation that is fair to all parties. The first step toward resolving disputes at Darden is use of the open door policy. If the employee is not satisfied with the first three steps of the ADR program mentioned above, the matter can move on to the final step: arbitration. The court has determined that the Darden program appears to meet the legal tests for ADR. It is important to note that Darden does not expect to reduce expenses via reduction in the payout of damages and compensation to employees with legitimate claims; rather, their expected cost savings lies in reducing court-related fees. In stark contrast, Hooters’ ADR program is a one-sided agenda designed to help the company win arbitration cases and save time and money. The ADR program takes advantage of the company’s superior bargaining power: employees must sign the agreement to arbitrate disputes in order to be eligible for raises, transfers, and promotions. Employees are allowed only five days to review and decide if they will accept or reject the agreement. Hooters’ ADR agreement states that the company has the right to change the rules and procedures at any time – even while in the midst of an arbitration proceeding – without notice. In addition, the rules require employees to disclose their cases to the company, along with a list of witnesses and a record of facts known to each witness. Hooters, meanwhile, is not required to reciprocate by disclosing the details of its defense. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit summed it up by stating that the Hooters rules are â€Å"so one-sided that their only purpose is to undermine the neutrality of the (arbitration) proceeding. † The basis for a workable ADR program is that it should guarantee neutrality; a neutral party is hired or retained to hear and decide on cases. At Darden, the choice of a neutral party is governed by outside rules preventing abuse in the selection of a biased arbitrator or mediator. The neutrals at the proceedings are experts belonging to the American Arbitration Association (AAA). AAA is a public-service, non-profit organization serving businesses and government. Meanwhile, Hooters’ mechanism for selecting a panel of three arbitrators is crafted to ensure a biased decision maker. The employee and the company each select an arbitrator. These two arbitrators in turn select the third arbitrator. The biggest problem with this process is that all of the arbitrators must be selected from a list created exclusively by the company. Hooters can nominate its managers or select arbitrators who have a financial interest in the company to be placed on the list. Anyone deemed as being against the company can be taken off the list. ADR is a legitimate and potentially highly beneficial alternative to litigation, and its use can save employers and employees both time and money. ADR can decrease the adversarial dynamic between parties and offer greater flexibility in settlements. Further, it provides the potential to preserve business relationships. Darden Restaurants has a good ADR program that addresses these issues.

Johnson and Johnson Sun Care Product Competitor and Consumer Analysis Essay

Johnson and Johnson Sun Care Product Competitor and Consumer Analysis - Essay Example The long term success of the company in the marketplace is predicated upon its ability to react to, anticipate, and even create needs. Johnson & Johnson is a large corporation with 16.929 Billion of operating income. Total assets of the company are about 84.912 Billion and net income is 12.949 Billion (2008). Johnson & Johnson specializes in pharmaceutical products, medical devices, healthcare products, soaps, shampoos, toiletries, etc. Still, sun care, skin care, health and beauty products, OTC and drug products occupy a large market share. The famous brands of Johnson & Johnson are Johnson's Baby, Coach, Gynol, REACH, etc (Johnson & Johnson Annual Report 6). The company was founded in 1886 as a manufacture of ready-to-use surgical dressings. Robert Wood Johnson was the first president of Johnson & Johnson. The uniqueness of this company is diversification. The first consumer goods were manufactured in 1920s, toiletries were added in 1970s, and at the end of the 21st century the company developed a new division for medical and biopharmaceutical products (Johnson & Johnson Home Page). For Johnson & Johnson, the mingling of value construction and communication that occurs in businesses in which the customer enters the system is worth striving toward in manufacturing firms as well (Burke 3). In Johnson & Johnson, strategic marketing is based on strategic thinking which can be seen as a unique vision of the problem. The subject of decision making raises the larger issue of the planning organization's strategic thinking; specifically, the question is about prerogative and responsibility. Although most "professionally managed" organizations now subscribe to "participatory" decision making, there is nowhere any uniform understanding of exactly what that means. According to the company's annual report, "international sales were 10.3%, 9.6% and 11.2%, respectively 10.8% over 2007 with 8.3% of this change due to operational growth"" (Johnson & Johnson Annual Report 35), The opportunities of Sun care products include high potential to growth and profitability, professional management team and unique corporate culture, customized order system and discounts. There is a great opportunities for ssupermarkets in this field, because specialized shops, throughout the world are interes ted in goods produced in the environmentally friendly manner. "The Skin Care franchise sales grew by 10.8% to $3.4 billion in 2008. The sales growth was primarily due to the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, NEUTROGENA and JOHNSON'S" (Johnson & Johnson Annual Report 35). The company's market share is about 18 %. As for sun care products, the market share is about 11% of the total US market. For sun care products, the opportunities include high potential to development and expansion, professional approach to management and wider product range. Retail service assesses the areas in which the organization can benefit the most from greater emphasis on creativity and innovation. Competitive advantage serves both as a way of identifying what creative and innovative things competitors are doing as well as finding out for each of the areas requiring imagination and innovation who is the best. "Worldwide demand for products using natural ingredients continues to drive growth for the AVEENO brand, which uses a