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Snapchat Now Offers More Location Information to Brands

Jonathan Antonio
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Snapchat Now Offers More Location Information to Brands

As Snapchat continues to battle against their biggest rival Facebook, the camera company has announced a new location – based feature that will allow businesses to see whether people will go to their stores after seeing an advertisement.

The new product by Snapchat is called snap to store. It primarily looks at the number of people who will visit a store within one week of seeing an advertisement posted on Snapchat’s vertical mobile ads.

So far, according to Adweek, Wendy’s, 7-Eleven, and Paramount Pictures have tested the new location-based ad. In fact, Wendy’s released a new type of geo-filter to help promote their new chicken sandwich and thanks to Snapchat’s advertising product Wendy’s was able to encourage 42,000 people to visit the restaurant during the seven-day period.

“Foot traffic into our restaurants is the best measurement of short-term sales success for any program,” Brandon Rhoten, Wendy’s VP and head of advertising, media and digital, told Mashable. “Snap to Store is a big win for Wendy’s for this reason — we want more adtech like this.”

Following the test and pilot program, Snapchat is launching a dashboard where advertisers can analyze and review data about their advertising on the social network platform. The dashboard will calculate the number of visitors and demographic information such as age, gender, and region.

But Snapchat is looking beyond just advertising and plans on using their location-based technology to create new features for users on the social network platform. For example, by using location data, the company plans to add new categories based on the new site data.

What about privacy? Snapchat claims it only uses location data when people open the app. Moreover, Snapchat will only aggregate data from at least 1000 users and then break them into different categories such as Jim’s restaurants or other types of venues.

Snapchat has found success in their vertical advertising products. For example, according to Snap,  when craft release sponsored lenses that overlaid a macaroni cheese and cheese graphic on top of photos purchases of macaroni and cheese increased by 13%. Also, Gatorade created an advertisement that links to a game where users could play tennis against Serena Williams and approximately 14.5% of users swiped to play the game.

This news comes after Snapchat parted with McDonald’s to allow for snapshot users to apply for a job using a McDonald’s lens.

‘Manchester By the Sea’ May Have Inspired a Family to Murder their Son, NY District Attorney Says

Jonathan Antonio
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0
‘Manchester By the Sea’ May Have Inspired a Family to Murder their Son, NY District Attorney Says

A New York couple was charged this week with murdering their adopted son. While this story is tragic, saddening, and horrifying enough, authorities argue that they may have gone the idea to kill their adopted son by watching a movie. What movie do you ask? The feature film that went on to win several Academy Awards this year, Manchester by the Sea.

Casey Affleck Manchester By the Sea
LOS ANGELES, CA. February 26, 2017: Casey Affleck in the photo room at the 89th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles. (Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com)

The New York District Attorney says Ernest and Heather Franklin watch the movie on the night of February 28. Then two hours later their house was burned down with their teenage adopted son Jeffrey Franklin inside. In the film, the main character accidentally starts a fire that killed his children, and he’s told that he could not be prosecuted for his children’s death because the fire was an accident. The district attorney claims Ernest considered his adopted son, who was adopted five years ago, was a “handful” because he had special needs. In fact, Jeffrey’s adopted mom reportedly complained on Facebook about how difficult it was raising him because of his “bowel issues” and “urine control issues.”

Ernest reportedly told authorities of the fire was an accident which occurred while his wife was out shopping. Heather who is currently pregnant, reportedly said that she was driving around to various stores looking for a particular type of drug while the house burned down. The district attorney claims authorities believe they have proof she was not driving around. Also, the couple’s dogs have been let outside before the fire, and no one but Jeffrey was not inside the home. Also, the district attorney says that there is no evidence illustrating Ernest tried to rescue h is adopted son, and there is evidence that Jeffrey was killed even before the fire started. Heather and Ernest had been charged with numerous felonies including murder, arson, and tampering with physical evidence.

This is not the first time Manchester by the Sea was caught in the middle of a controversy. Following the Academy Awards, Casey Affleck’s sexual harassment lawsuit that was later settled out of court.

Shia LaBeouf is Isolating Himself in Finland for Art

Jonathan Antonio
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Shia LaBeouf is Isolating Himself in Finland for Art

Shia LaBeouf is now working on his latest performance art stunt. LaBeouf plans to spend at least a month isolated in a cabin in Finland located in the remote Lapland region. The only way he will be able to communicate with the outside world is via text messages from visitors visiting the Helsinki Museum.

This new performance art stunt is called #ALONETOGETHER and involves two other members of LaBeouf’s performance art team, Nasty Ronkko, and Luke Turner. Turner and Ronkko will also begin spending time in isolated cabins starting this Wednesday.

Visitors to the Helsinki Museum can visit a small cabin installed inside of a gallery. Their visitors will be able to send a text to LaBeouf, Ronkko, and Turner, who will also be able to respond to visitors but they cannot talk to one another. And in true Shia LaBeouf fashion, the entire event will life will be live streamed.

Shia LaBeouf AloneTogether
Actor Shia LaBeouf attends the ‘Man Down’ premiere during the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on September 15, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. (BAKOUNINE / Shutterstock.com)

LaBeouf’s decision to start another performance art exhibit comes after LaBeouf’s anti-– Donald Trump live stream was shut down. The He Will Not Divide Us art campaign featured several incidents of violence such as reported gunshots and physical altercations. In fact, Shia LaBeouf’s He Will Not Divide Us art exhibit was moved to Mexico after the former New York Museum of moving image shut down the art installation. However, after reported gunshots in the area, the New Mexico art exhibit was closed down.

Right now might be a perfect time for LaBeouf to take time off from the film industry. His latest movie, Man Down, only sold one ticket at the box office earning less than $20 in its opening weekend.

You Can Now Apply for a McDonald’s Job with Snapchat

Jonathan Antonio
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You Can Now Apply for a McDonald’s Job with Snapchat

If you’re looking for a new job in the Australia outback, then just open up your Snapchat. According to reports, McDonald’s Australia has teamed up with Snapchat to allow users to apply for a job using only the video app. Those interested in working for McDonald’s only need to send a 10-second video using a special filter the lesson try on the McDonald’s name tag or uniform. Once the video has been viewed users will be directed to an application form on the McDonald’s website. Applicants will then be arranged for face-to-face interviews.

It is important to note that in Australia McDonald’s employees more than 65,000 people under the age of 18. Snapchat’s user base is also between the ages of 13 to 24. As a result, McDonald’s Australia is looking for a new way to recruit people to join their company. The company’s chief operating officer is calling this new type of job application “snaplications.”

McDonald’s features “personality, positive attitude and enthusiasm are … traits that [Snapchat] captures in a simple, yet effective manner,” according to a statement obtained by Fox News.

McDonald's Australia
Melbourne, Australia – February 21, 2016: people crowding the footpath on Swanston Street outside McDonald’s during the White Night arts festival. In Australia many McDonald’s are branded Macca’s. (Nils Versemann / Shutterstock.com)

But before you pull out your smartphone and start snapping away there is no word on whether McDonald’s plans on using the similar application outside of Australia.

On Tuesday, investors revealed that the only way for Snapchat to compete with their biggest rival Facebook the company will need set out – innovate the world’s largest social media platform.  Moreover, Instagram announced new features that mimicked some of the functionalities that made Snapchat unique and famous. As a result, Snapchat stock, Snap, Inc., dropped by nearly 1% on Tuesday. But it appears as though Snapchat is not going to let Facebook out innovate them

Can United Airlines Fly Away from a PR Crisis?

Reginald Edward
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Can United Airlines Fly Away from a PR Crisis?

United Airlines has started 2017 by going viral. Last month, the company went viral for not allowing a woman to board the plan in yoga pants. But, earlier this week United Airlines made headlines after a video went viral.

It all started after a nearly 70-year-old doctor was chosen at random to be removed off of a United Airlines flight because the flight was overbooked. But the passenger was later physically dragged off of the company’s airlines after refusing to get off of the plane. A fellow passenger captured the whole ordeal and shared it on Twitter. Moments later United Airlines started trending on social media. The video was so disturbing a Chicago Aviation Police Department officer was placed on administrative the leave. Also, the federal government also got involved.

In the middle of this PR crisis, the CEO of United Airlines Oscar Munoz praised his employees for following “establish procedures for dealing with situations like this,” which later sparked airline customers to threaten to boycott the company. As a result, on Tuesday, United Airlines CEO finally apologize for what took place on Flight 3411.

United Airlines apology

United
HONG KONG – NOVEMBER 03, 2015: check-in area in Hong Kong Airport. Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is located on the island of Chek Lap Kok (Sorbis / Shutterstock.com)

“The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment,” Munoz wrote in a statement. “I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened… No one should ever be mistreated this way.”

“It’s never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what’s broken so this never happens again,” Munoz continued.

Meanwhile, on Wall Street United Airlines value as a company drop more than $750 million in the past 24 hours. 

But it begs the question – why do airlines overbook anyway?

The Wired reports airlines traditionally benefit from overbooking a plane flight. For example, not everyone shows up for the flight. Different things can happen such as hangovers, delayed flights, and late connecting flights. Ultimately, it is in the airlines best interest to maximize revenue and to calculate the percentage of people who will miss their flight.

Snapchat’s Stock Falls After Instagram Releases a New Feature

Reginald Edward
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0
Snapchat’s Stock Falls After Instagram Releases a New Feature

On Tuesday, Instagram announced a new update to improve how the app manages direct messages between users on the platform. The new update allowed for text conversations to appear on the same page as disappearing videos and photos. Self-deleting messages, which were a hallmark of the Snap founder’s mobile platforms Snapchat, are now included within Instagram’s new feature update. Also, Instagram will notify a user if someone takes a screenshot of the photo or video; another feature made famous by Snapchat.

According to Instagram, since the company updated their direct messaging function, more than 375 million people are currently using the new feature.

Instagram’s new feature may not have boded well for Snap as shares on Tuesday dropped following the release of the Facebook-owned Instagram feature update. In fact, shares of snap closed down over 1% on Tuesday.

Since Snapchat has gone public, their biggest competitor has been Facebook. A few weeks ago, Facebook revealed their latest feature for Facebook mobile users, Facebook stories. Many have argued that Facebook has been blatantly stealing functions that were popular and celebrated on Snapchat and then placing them on Facebook-owned apps including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook.com. Consequently, many investors have not felt confident in Snapchat as the social media giant Facebook continues to copy Snapchat’s most attractive features. Moreover, Snap inc’s stock is down more than 6% in the past month.

Jahanara Nissar, an investor behind Odeon, says the value of Snap Inc will fall by more than fifty percent to $10 to $12 a share and they plan on shorting the stock. Meanwhile, Barclays has set a price target of $24 per share which is approximately around 9% up from its current position.

Moreover, BTIG analyst argued Snap will need to out-innovate Facebook to compete. Richard Greenfield released a report on Tuesday, and he believes Snap is currently fairly valued, however, because Facebook continues to copy Snapchat, the company will struggle to monetize their platform.

Parasite that Attacks the Brain Known as “Rat Lungworm” Spreads Across Hawaii

Brent Edward
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0
Parasite that Attacks the Brain Known as “Rat Lungworm” Spreads Across Hawaii

Last January, scientists discovered parasites in the US caught salmon. Researchers were able to find a particular type of tapeworm known to infect fish throughout Asia was also found infecting salmon caught within the United States. A few weeks later, researchers found a tapeworm that was the same height as NBA All-Star Tyree Irving living within a human body. The patient complains of feeling fatigued and suffering from abdominal pains. Physicians were able to remove the parasite from the man’s mouth. While this news of parasites is alarming and somewhat disturbing researchers report a dramatic rise in the number of cases caused a rare type of parasite.

The Hawaii State Department of Health has now confirmed at least six cases of rat lungworm disease. Individuals affected by this disease were found in Maui and several cases on the Big Island. No deaths have been reported but, these cases have taken place over the past three months.

hawaii
Two Hawaiian Men preparing to Dance with Fire in Maui

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rat long worm disease is a parasite that targets and affects the brain and spinal cord. The Hawaii State Department did not reveal the cause of rat lungworm but a spokeswoman for the Department of Health explained that the state typically gets between 1 to 9 cases of the disease per year and over the last decade there have only been two related deaths.

While researchers are not able to determine the cause of illness and why people are becoming infected with the parasites the State Department explained that people acquire the parasite by consuming raw or undercooked snails and slugs.

While this research may be frightening, and other positive news, researchers finally debunked myth that cat owners were susceptible to developing schizophrenia and depression thanks to a parasite.

Why Prostate Cancer Screening Could be Headed in a New Direction

Brent Edward
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0
Why Prostate Cancer Screening Could be Headed in a New Direction

Scientifically, the prostate is an organ that produces seminal fluid a type of fluid that allows for the transportation of sperm. The prostate allows for reproduction not only in humans but including mammals and other different types of animals.

But the prostate is also known to develop cancer in men. Research has shown that there are more than 200,000 US cases per year of prostate cancer. But a new recommendation by the United States Preventative Services Task Force provides advice for men who are at risk of developing prostate cancer.

Previously the United States Preventative Services Task Force once said that middle-aged men should not get the blood test for prostate cancer. However, on Tuesday the health agency now argues that particular people may benefit from the blood test however they must understand the potential risk involved with the procedure. Ultimately the health panel claims that men between the ages of 55 to 69 should talk to their physician about the advantages and disadvantages of the PSA test. Most importantly, African Americans and people with a genetic history of the disease should ask their doctor about getting screened. That said, those who are 70 years old and older should not get screened for prostate cancer.

This new advice comes in stark contrast to what the panel suggested five years ago. In 2012 the task force announced that men should not get tested saying that there was no evidence of benefits that outweigh the harm from an overdiagnosis or overtreatment of prostate cancer. In fact, nearly a decade ago the same group argue that there was little evidence that the PSA test helped younger individuals and men older than 75 years old should not be screened.

Why is the task force now recommending a change?

The health panel reports that new research shows men tested between the ages of 55 to 69 may reduce their chances of actually dying from the disease. In addition, new research has shown that preventative actions such as repeated PSA testing can help men diagnosed with cancer avoid overtreatment.

How does the prostate cancer test work?

The PSA test is a simple test that allows for researchers to identify a particular protein. Elevated levels of this particular protein may be a sign of cancer. However, this can also be attributed to other biological functions such as an infection or an enlarged prostate. Ultimately the goal of the PSA test is to identify cancer earlier on before it becomes terminal.

The biggest issue with the PSA test is that prostate cancer grows slower than other types of cancers. Ultimately, men who have prostate cancer will die of other causes and will never experience symptoms.

Hackers Can Steal PINs and Passwords by Exploiting Your Devices Sensors

Jonathan Antonio
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0
Hackers Can Steal PINs and Passwords by Exploiting Your Devices Sensors

Just by looking at how are user types and tilt their phone, hackers can theoretically hack into a built-in feature inside smartphones enabling hackers the ability to steal passwords, private identification numbers, and other personal and secure information.

According to Guardian and a new study published in the International Journal of the Information Security, researchers at Newcastle University note that most smart devices today come filled with various sensors. These sensors range from GPS to the sensor that allows for the screen to changed based on how a smartphone user uses their phone. Researchers discovered that malicious websites, hackers, and apps do not need permission to gain access to the sensors and as a result, they are listening to the sensor data stored on your smartphone. However, these sensors may reveal personal information including the passwords you type in the pin numbers you use according to researchers studying mobile technology at Newcastle University.

Essentially, the way a smartphone user navigates through his phone by clicking, scrolling, and tapping on their device provides a “unique orientation and motion trace.” This kind of data allowed for security researchers to figure out what a user is typing on certain websites and mobile applications. Overall, researchers argue that this sort of data is metaphorically a giant jigsaw puzzle. “The more pieces you put together, the easier it is to see the picture,” co-author Siamak Shahandashti explained.

Scientists were able to predict and figure out users four-digit pin numbers approximately 100% of the time after five tries. Researchers involved in the study have since informed Apple and Google of their research results.

The ability to hack phones using just the tilt feature comes after several reports of hacking related incidents. Whether it is foreign governments allegedly meddling with political elections or celebrities whose private and personal photos are leaked en masse to the world, hacking is now becoming a standardReceipt stop day threat to businesses and individuals alike. This report shows that not only is someone’s personal camera able to be hacked but also their passwords and pin numbers.

Payless ShoeSource Files for Bankruptcy

Reginald Edward
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0
Payless ShoeSource Files for Bankruptcy

It is clear that business is dying for the retail industry. Fewer and fewer people are visiting balls and are considering shopping for clothes, food, and other items online mostly through Amazon. On Tuesday, Payless Shoe Source filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As part of the filing, Payless will close nearly 400 stores as the company attempts to balance their debts and restructure their business. The company has over 4000 stores in more than 30 different countries, according to their website.

In a statement, Payless CEO said that this is a “difficult, but necessary, decision.” The CEO continued by saying that the decision to file for bankruptcy only highlights the new challenges facing retail businesses.

“We are confident that this process will also enable us to leverage Payless’s existing strengths to succeed,” Jones said. “These strengths include our ability to produce significant free cash flow and, even last year, flat [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization] despite unprecedented challenges and in contrast to many retailers.”

Rumors hit Wall Street and the business community that Payless will soon file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to the amount of debt the company has accrued as well as weak sales. Two months ago, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded company to a negative pointing out and over $500 million loan that will come to do in the next four years.

It is important to highlight the fact that Payless is the 10th retailer to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this year, illustrating how the industry is struggling to remain open since 2009. According to CNBC, 18 retailers have resorted to bankruptcy due to declining sales and high debt.

Payless listed liabilities to one to $10 billion and that the company currently has between $500 million-$1 billion in assets. As part of the company’s restructuring plan Payless has entered into an agreement with certain parties to reduce its debt by nearly 50%. This agreement has designed to lower their interest costs and provide additional capital to the company.

According to CNBC, here’s a list of business that filed for bankruptcy so far:

  • Gordmans Stores
  • Gander Mountain
  • General Wireless Operations (formerly RadioShack)
  • HHGregg
  • BCBG Max Azria
  • Michigan Sporting Goods Distributors
  • Eastern Outfitters
  • Wet Seal
  • Limited Stores
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