Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin It hides in plain sight in a Seattle neighborhood. A building that would not attract even a hint of curiosity. Inside it’s a bit of a different story as this seemingly bare-bones structure serves as the fulfillment center for Blue Nile , the world’s largest Internet retailer of diamond jewelry. It’s easy to view Blue Nile solely as an early eCommerce success story but perhaps its greatest feat is the ability to produce and ship jewels in a highly efficient manner based on the individual requirements of an online order. This efficiency is one of the ways it earns the trusts of customers making a highly emotional purchase. The nondescript nature of the facility is due to security concerns. The merchandise is highly valuable, consisting of diamonds, colored gems and precious metals. Inside, multiple doors are used to enter and leave certain areas for security purposes. Workers were not identified in the story for the same … [Read more...] about How Blue Nile Delivered A Million Pieces Of Bridal Jewelry
Hiding in plain sight youth
The hidden cost of free lunches
A crowd at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh. (Image Source: AP/File photo) The prime minister has set the cat among the pigeons, with his fusillade against election freebies while inaugurating the Bundelkhand expressway. He said the culture of garnering votes by promising freebies harms the country’s economic development and warned the youth, ‘Your present will be lost and your future pushed into darkness.’ Those who believe in distributing freebies, he said, would never build infrastructure, sorely needed for securing the country’s future. That little speech succinctly lays out the rationale against populism---it promises instant gratification, at the cost of future penury. Predictably, the speech drew the ire of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who defended his trademark policy of giving away free power. His promise of giving 300 units of free power to each household if his party wins the Gujarat elections is estimated to cost the state Rs 8700 crore a year. It is policies such as … [Read more...] about The hidden cost of free lunches
Opinion: Biden’s Afghanistan exit decision looks even worse a year later
Peter Bergen is CNN's national security analyst, a vice president at New America and a professor of practice at Arizona State University. Bergen's new paperback is "The Rise and fall of Osama bin Laden." from which this article is, in part, adapted. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN) In 1961, after a CIA-backed invasion of Cuba failed spectacularly, President John F. Kennedy said of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, "Victory has 100 fathers and defeat is an orphan." Peter Bergen Last week, President Joe Biden took a victory lap when he announced that the US had tracked down and killed its most wanted terrorist, al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was living in a house in Kabul, Afghanistan. Don't expect a similar celebration on August 30, the first anniversary of the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, which ended the longest war in American history. Any realistic assessment of that action shows that it … [Read more...] about Opinion: Biden’s Afghanistan exit decision looks even worse a year later
Reconnect With Self Love And The Divine Feminine At Tanjong Jara Resort’s Spa Village
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin There are countless ways for one to connect with a destination. For the gastronome, local flavors are telling of a country’s diverse culinary culture. Art and design enthusiasts will most likely head to museums, architectural landmarks and gallery spaces as a means for enriching the travel experience. Adventure seekers will head to less-beaten paths, all in search of an adrenaline rush. For the beauty and wellness advocate, healing traditions of a region are the biggest draws for packing a bag and hopping on a plane. It was in May of this year when Malaysia finally opened its borders to foreign visitors. It had been over a decade since my last visit to the beautiful Southeast Asian federal country. A full spa tour itinerary was an opportunity to return and get to know the Malay Peninsula better. YTL Hotels’ Spa Village was an irresistible concept that inspired me to finally book my ticket and make room reservations after … [Read more...] about Reconnect With Self Love And The Divine Feminine At Tanjong Jara Resort’s Spa Village
Super Bowl XLVI’s Real Winner? Indianapolis!
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The site of this year's Super Bowl was within walking distance of many hotels and all of downtown ... [+] Indy. Sunday’s Super Bowl was the most watched television event in American history, tuned into by nearly half of all households and at peak time, more than 117,000,000 viewers. Ad rates were $3.5 million per 30 second spot, and while viewers debated who was better, an overweight Volkswagen obsessed dog or Clint Eastwood, the real beneficiary of all that airtime and all those viewers was the city of Indianapolis. “Ten years from now, I think we will look back on this one single day as the tipping point in tourism and perception for the city,” said Chris Gahl, Vice President of Marketing for the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association. Several years ago when the city decided to go for the 2011 Game (it ended up with 2012), the bid process required $25 million in non-taxpayer funds, and several … [Read more...] about Super Bowl XLVI’s Real Winner? Indianapolis!
Taman Kebun Teh Umno branch received RM10,000 contribution from Shahrir, says witness
Tan Sri Shahrir Ab Samad (The Edge filepix by Zahid Izzani) - A + A KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 9): The High Court here on Tuesday (Aug 9) heard that Taman Kebun Teh UMNO branch in Johor had received a cheque worth RM10,000 from former Felda chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Ab Samad for the expenses of a football tournament, nine years ago. Its deputy chief Abu Bakar Abd Aziz, 72, said the donation was deposited into the Maybank Islamic account, which is the official account of the branch, on Dec 10, 2013. "On Dec 13, 2013, a cheque worth RM7,000 was issued to Mohamad Danial Zainal Abidin who is the Taman Kebun Teh UMNO Youth chief for the expenses of the YB Tan Sri Shahrir Hj Ab Samad Football Tournament," Abu Bakar said, adding that he had applied for the donation himself because Shahrir is the Johor Bahru UMNO division chief. He said this when reading his witness statement at the trial of the former Johor Bahru MP, who is charged with failing to declare RM1 million which he … [Read more...] about Taman Kebun Teh Umno branch received RM10,000 contribution from Shahrir, says witness
Apple’s chart-topping run gets a boost from retail investors
- A + A (Aug 9): Apple Inc is back in a familiar role as market leader after a painful first half of the year that saw hundreds of billions of dollars in market value disappear, and individual investors are a big reason for the rally. Since bottoming in mid-June, the iPhone maker’s shares have surged 27%, outpacing the S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq 100 Index. That’s put Apple back on top as the world’s most valuable company and within sight of turning positive for the year. Apple is now down just 7.4% in 2022, compared with a drop of 20% for the Nasdaq 100. Apple shares benefited from a relief rally after its quarterly earnings were better than feared, and its ongoing buoyancy reflects Wall Street’s confidence in its ability to continue churning out big profits. Individual investors, who recently helped ignite rallies in speculative corners of the market, have flocked to the stock. “Retail investors have been strong buyers of Apple over the past couple of … [Read more...] about Apple’s chart-topping run gets a boost from retail investors
Malaysia and New Zealand have demonstrated how small states can work together
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta responds to queries during the Question-and-Answer session of the Foreign Policy for Small States lecture series, organised by the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR) at the IDFR Auditorium in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, Aug 9, 2022. (Bernama pix) - A + A KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 9): Malaysia and New Zealand are a powerful demonstration of how small states can work together bilaterally, regionally and globally in dealing more effectively with the current global and regional geopolitical challenges, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said. Both countries served together on the United Nations (UN) Security Council in 2015-16 and worked closely in another area, disarmament and arms control. “We also cooperate on international law issues, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Last year New Zealand joined others in setting out our legal position on the South China Sea, in support of … [Read more...] about Malaysia and New Zealand have demonstrated how small states can work together
How this Family-Owned Retailer Capitalized on RushTok
Last August, sorority rush at the University of Alabama exploded on TikTok with Greek letters, glitter, and teenage girls explaining their #OOTD, or outfit of the day. The videos generated millions of views as people watched new college students share carefully curated ensembles for each round of the recruitment process--name-dropping well-known brands like Shein, Target, Kendra Scott, Kate Spade, and Steve Madden. But one unfamiliar name kept getting mentioned: the Pants Store. Founded as a wholesale warehouse for pants in 1950 in Leeds, Alabama, the Pants Store is a third-generation family business run by Michael Gee, whose grandfather started the company out of the trunk of his car. Not being a TikTok user, Gee had no idea his business had gone viral on the platform last year. It was his then-14-year-old daughter who told him. In just one week, online sales soared by more than 600 percent year-over-year. Orders from out of state--particularly from other college … [Read more...] about How this Family-Owned Retailer Capitalized on RushTok
Editor Daily Rundown: Joe Biden Deeply Unpopular With Voters
BIDEN DEEPLY UNPOPULAR WITH VOTERS… WSJ: Biden, Democrats Lose Ground on Key Issues, WSJ Poll Finds WASHINGTON—President Biden and his fellow Democrats have lost ground to Republicans on several of the issues most important to voters, a new Wall Street Journal poll finds, a troubling sign for the party seeking to extend its controlling majority of Congress for another two years. The new survey showed that 57% of voters remained unhappy with Mr. Biden’s job performance, despite favorable marks for the president’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a recent State of the Union speech, which provided him an opportunity to directly speak to millions of Americans. Just 42% said they approved of Mr. Biden’s performance in office, which was virtually unchanged from the previous Journal poll in mid-November. Meanwhile, Democratic advantages narrowed over Republicans on issues related to improving education and the Covid-19 response. A 16-percentage-point Democratic edge … [Read more...] about Editor Daily Rundown: Joe Biden Deeply Unpopular With Voters