Google: 10% Of Web Ads Are Never Seen - Business Insider

Unattributed

Neal Mohan, Google's VP of display.

Google has finally fixed one of advertising's worst-kept secrets: That advertisers frequently pay for web ads that have never been seen by consumers.

Up to 10% of all ads appear in positions that make it unlikely they were seen by human eyes, Google noted in a blog post on Friday. Those ads are often referred to as being "below the fold," meaning they appear so far down a web page that a user would have to scroll down to encounter them ? which most users never do. However, advertisers get charged for such ads simply because the ad impression was served, even though it may never have been seen by the target user.

Google's solution is a system called ActiveView, which will rate ads for actual viewability. It's just been endorsed by the Media Ratings Council ? meaning it becomes an industry standard of sorts. AdExchanger reports:

"Viewability is the first critical building block ? no other metric matters, from a brand's perspective, if the ad wasn't seen by an actual human being," said Neal Mohan, Google's VP of display, in an interview with AdExchanger. "Anything that we build on top of that, such as brand lift, as we announced with our Google Consumer Surveys product, follows from that first step of knowing if an ad has been viewed."

To give you an idea of just how many ads are served in positions where users are unlikely to see them, take a look at these two charts that Google's DoubleClick unit produced.

Up to 10% of ads are clicked on by users who have seen them for less than 1 second, suggesting that the clicks were accidental:

CTR = click through rate. BTF = below-the-fold.

The longer an ad is actually displayed to users, the higher the click-through rate:

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-10-of-web-ads-are-never-seen-2013-4

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Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?

Including failed terror plots in US terrorism databases would make the US terror-threat picture more complete and provide important information for law enforcement, researchers suggest.

By Mark Clayton,?Staff writer / April 27, 2013

Failed Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad enters guilty pleas in a court appearance in New York in 2010. Shahzad pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted terrorism transcending national borders.

Jane Rosenburg/REUTERS

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The terrorism threat facing the United States may be vastly understated, as well as inaccurately characterized, because so many ?failed? terror plots are excluded from the nation?s terror attack databases, new terrorism research suggests.

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Despite a sharp decline in terrorist attacks since the 1970s, there still were 207 terrorist attacks recorded inside the United States in the decade after 9/11 ? about 20 per year on average, according to the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) maintained at the University of Maryland, widely regarded as the nation?s most complete tally.

But what if those totals were, say, 50 percent higher? A researcher at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Calif., recently tallied 109 failed terrorist plots between 2001 and 2012, only a few of which were included in the GTD?s national terror ?attack? totals.

Yet those failed plots are perhaps just as important in their own way as plots that became actual attacks, some terrorism researchers say. Placing failed plots alongside successful attacks would make the US terror-threat picture more complete, highlight trends in terrorist targeting and methods, and possibly reveal a different ? or even bigger ? threat, they say.

?One finding from my research is that the terror threat within the US is higher than most Americans realize,? says Erik Dahl, an assistant professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, whose research has identified 227 failed domestic and international terror plots of all kinds (Islamic jihadist, right-wing extremist and others) against the US dating back to 1987 ? the vast majority excluded from national ?attack? tallies.

In his post-9/11 analysis, Dr. Dahl found that of the 109 failed attacks, 76 were inspired by radical Islamist beliefs. But the fact that the rest of the terror flops ? 30 percent ? were not inspired by radical Islam ?might surprise some people and shows the importance of the domestic extremist threat, including right-wing militias, anti-government groups,? Dahl says.

Understanding exactly why terror plots fizzled before they could be carried out ? and how far they proceeded before being stopped ? is vital if lawmakers and investigators are to accurately calibrate the scope of the threat, the law enforcement techniques that work best, and terrorist groups? adaptation and targeting patterns, he says.

Yet at present, only successful ?attacks? or attack attempts that at least make it ?out the door? are included in the GTD, according to criteria on its website. Cases where terrorists dropped their plot, or where law enforcement made arrests long before any action could be taken, are usually not included.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/qb9-IBlofMQ/Terrorism-in-America-Is-US-missing-a-chance-to-learn-from-failed-plots

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Obama chides lawmakers over flight delay fix, budget conflict (reuters)

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The PR of Chael Sonnen : MMAPayout.com: The Business of MMA

For MMA fans the thought of professional wrestling is beyond comparison with the real sport of the UFC. ?Yet, if you want to see pro wrestling in MMA, you need only look to Chael Sonnen.

?Anderson Silva you absolutely suck.? ? Chael Sonnen post-fight Octagon interview at UFC 136.

In my opinion, the best start to a promo in UFC History with GSP?s admonishment of Matt Hughes: ?I?m not impressed by your performance,? coming in second. Sonnen liberally uses old school pro wrestling microphone techniques to add a unique spin to get his point across.

While we may scoff at Sonnen?s antics, his brash, trash-talk has grabbed himself headlines and main events. ?How is it that Sonnen was on the short list of fighters sought to replace an injured Dan Henderson at UFC 151? ?At that time, Sonnen was competing in the Middleweight division. ?He was chosen (after Lyoto Machida) because the UFC knew he was reliable to sell the fight.

When Jones passed on taking the match with Sonnen, UFC 151 was off and Jones and Greg Jackson took the brunt of the blame for the cancellation. ?Sonnen took to social media to call out Jones and rail on the champ. ?Seeing this as an opportunity, the UFC put Jones and Sonnen together as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. ?Hoping for the social media beef to continue on television, the adversaries actually became friends on the show. ?As a result, the ratings did not do as well as expected. Thus, no momentum was gained from the show to the fight. ?Yet, Sonnen has picked up the banter for UFC 159.

Sonnen has done the media rounds from The Jim Rome Show to ESPN. He?s bragged, he?s boasted, he claims to be making?$10 million?in the Jon Jones fight. ?Is it because of the delivery that no one seems to challenge Sonnen on his proclamations?

He?s helped promote this fight despite receiving little assistance from the champion. ?But then again, does the one man sound-bite need a partner?

Sonnen?s unabashed mouth has paid dividends for his career. ?He will eventually become a full-time talking head for the UFC?and will be the best at doing that job. ?He looks the part on the set of UFC Tonight of television anchorman. ?He?s composed, articulate and even if he doesn?t know what he?s talking about, it sounds like he does.

While there have been claims that Sonnen may use inferences of race in promoting himself to subtly remind people that he is white and his opponent is not, it is hard to verify the truth or falsity of the claim. ?Old school pro wrestling is known for racial insensitivities (YouTube any wrestling promotion in the 1970s-80s?90s?) and you will find the divide between good and bad may be based just on that. ?We?re not saying this may be the cause for the inferences of race, but its a possibility. ?But, the defense or the accusations of race baiting are set aside here. The purpose is to address the promotion ability of Sonnen.

In the end, will Sonnen sell pay per views as he claims he will? ?Let?s take a look from when he first had the chance to get an extended amount of time in front of a microphone ? his fight at UFC 117 with Anderson Silva.

UFC 117: Sonnen-Silva I ? 600,000 PPV Buys

UFC 136: ?Sonnen-Stann ? 225,000 PPV Buys

UFC 148: ?Sonnen-Silva II ? 925,000 PPV Buys

This does not include Sonnen?s fight with Michael Bisping at UFC on Fox 2 in January 2012. ?Still, Sonnen sold UFC 117 almost all by himself. ?He put the heat on Silva and almost pulled off the upset. I suggest watching the documentary ?Like Water? to see that fight from Silva?s perspective. ?Silva did assist in providing some heat to the rematch at 148. ?Yet, Sonnen was still the center of attention.

However, UFC 136 seemed like an anomaly. ??It marked the return of Sonnen from suspension. ?It was headlined by Maynard-Edgar and Aldo-Florian yet only received 225,000 buys. UFC 159 should do well because of Sonnen?s constant sell for the fight and Jones? ability to fight.

Do people tire of Sonnen?s gimmick? ?Yes. ?Will people stop watching him because of it? ?Probably not. ?Sonnen?s tactics in promoting fights are questionable but one thing is certain, he makes his presence known and tries his best to make you take notice.

Source: http://mmapayout.com/2013/04/the-pr-of-chael-sonnen/

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9 Security Features In New $100 Bill - Business Insider

Come October, when you go to the ATM each morning to take out your daily stack of $100 bills (and really, who doesn't do this?), don't be alarmed if you don't recognize the crazy pieces of paper that come flying out.

Those will be the Fed's new $100 bills ? a project Uncle Sam has been chipping away at since 2003.

The new Benjamins were originally scheduled for circulation starting in February 2011, but the agency was forced to postpone due to problems including "unwanted creases" reports the Los Angeles Times.

Well, it was worth the wait. The new currency is loaded with high-tech features that will make it "easier for the public to authenticate, but more difficult for counterfeiters to replicate," says the Fed. And though the bill costs slightly more to produce than our current $100 note, it should save money in the long run ? $100s are more frequently counterfeited than any other U.S. currency outside the United States. North Korea in particular is known for producing incredibly high-quality counterfeit $100s known as "supernotes," which are almost impossible to detect as fakes. This new bill should make "supernotes" extremely difficult to produce.

And don't worry about turning in the stack of old $100s under your bed. The billions of notes already in circulation will remain legal, but starting October 8, they will be destroyed and replaced when they pass through the Fed. In the interest of preventing confusion at the cash machine, here's a quick look at the new $100:

New security features include:
1. A blue, three-dimensional security ribbon that's woven ? not printed ? into the note's fabric.
2. Another security strip to the left of Ben's face. It's only visible when held up to the light.
3. A faint image of Ben's face in the black space on the right, which can be seen on both sides of the bill.
4. Alternating images of bells and the number 100 that change as the viewing angle is tilted.
5. A liberty bell inside an ink well that changes from copper to green when tilted.
6. A large "100" on the front that also changes color when tilted.
7. An even larger "100" vertically positioned on the back to help those with visual impairments identify the currency.
8. Raised "intaglio" printing throughout the bill to give the note its "distinctive texture."
9. Microprinting reading "The United States of America" on Ben's collar, "USA 100" on the watermark, and "ONE HUNDRED USA" along the golden quill.

Check out NewMoney.Gov for more info.

More from The Fiscal Times:

This story was originally published by ?The Fiscal Times.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/9-security-features-in-new-100-bill-2013-4

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Butler Joins Think Finance | peHUBpeHUB

Marcella Butler has joined Think Finance as Chief Human Resources Officer. Butler joins Think Finance from Google where she worked in a variety of directorate-level roles across corporate development, finance and people operations.

PRESS RELEASE

Think Finance, a company that develops online financial products that bridge the gap between payday loans and credit cards, today announced it has named Marcella Butler as its Chief Human Resources Officer.

Ms. Butler joins Think Finance from Google, where she spent five years in a variety of directorate-level roles across corporate development, finance and people operations. Prior to that, Ms. Butler was the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for Pershing Square Capital Management and Chief Administration Officer for Sanford Bernstein, LLC. She has also held positions with Egon Zehner International, McKinsey & Company and Morgan Stanley & Co, Inc.
?We?re delighted to welcome Marcella to Think Finance,? said Think Finance Global Chief Executive Officer Ken Rees. ?Her impressive background and expertise will help us navigate the challenges of rapid growth and create a truly great place to work for all our employees.?
?I?m excited to work with the talented individuals at Think Finance,? said Ms. Butler. ?The Think Finance team is vibrant and growing with the business, and together, we will continue to lever the unique aspects of Think Finance?s culture as we build a great place to work and grow.?
Ms. Butler graduated with highest distinction from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill where she was a Morehead scholar and holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University?s Kennedy School of Government.
About Think Finance
Think Finance develops online financial products that bridge the gap between payday loans and credit cards. Using our technology and analytics platform, Think Finance and the lenders we work with have provided over $3.5 billion in credit to 1.5 million consumers in the U.S. and abroad and have saved customers over $1 billion compared to payday loans. Think Finance is privately held and is backed by some of Silicon Valley?s most respected venture capital firms including Sequoia Capital and Technology Crossover Ventures. The company was recently named No. 2 on Forbes? America?s Most Promising Companies list. Learn more at?www.ThinkFinance.com.

Source: http://www.pehub.com/198600/butler-joins-think-finance/

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US economy accelerates at 2.5 percent rate in Q1

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. economic growth accelerated to an annual rate of 2.5 percent from January through March, buoyed by the strongest consumer spending in more than two years. Government spending fell, though, and tax increases and federal budget cuts could slow growth later this year.

The Commerce Department said Friday that the economy rebounded from an anemic 0.4 percent annual growth rate in the October-December quarter. Much of the gain reflected a jump in consumer spending, which rose at an annual rate of 3.2 percent. That was the biggest such jump since the end of 2010.

Growth was also helped by businesses, which responded to the greater demand by rebuilding their stockpiles. And home construction rose further.

But government spending fell at a 4.1 percent rate, led by another deep cut in defense spending. The decline kept last quarter's increase in economic growth below expectations of a 3 percent rate or more.

Many economists say they think growth as measured by the gross domestic product is slowing in the April-June quarter to an annual rate of just 2 percent. Most foresee growth remaining around that subpar level for the rest of the year.

GDP is the broadest gauge of the economy's health. It measures the total output of goods and services produced in the United States, from haircuts and hamburgers to airplanes and automobiles.

Across-the-board government spending cuts, which began taking effect March 1, have forced federal agencies to furlough workers, reduced spending on public projects and made businesses more nervous about investing and hiring.

Consumers' take-home pay has also fallen because President Barack Obama and Congress allowed a Social Security tax cut to expire. A person earning $50,000 a year has about $1,000 less to spend this year. A household with two high-paid workers has up to $4,500 less. Consumers' take-home pay is crucial to the economy because their spending drives roughly 70 percent of growth.

Americans appeared to shrug off the tax increase at the start of the year. They spent more in January and February, helped by a stronger job market. In part, that's why growth is expected to be solid in the first quarter.

But hiring slowed sharply in March. And consumers spent less at retail businesses, a sign that many were starting to feel the tax increase. Economists expect spending to stay weak in the second quarter as consumers adjust to their smaller paychecks.

Ben Herzon, an economist at Macroeconomics Advisers, said the tax increases could shave roughly 1 percentage point from growth this year. He also expects the government spending cuts to reduce growth by about 0.6 percentage point.

The drop in government spending cut growth in the January-March quarter by 0.8 percentage point. Three-fourths of that decline came from defense spending.

Income growth slowed sharply after a big surge in the final three months of 2012. The fourth-quarter gain had reflected a rush to pay dividends and make bonus payments before higher tax rates took effect on Jan. 1. Incomes were also held back in the first three months by the increase in Social Security taxes.

The big jump in consumer spending, along with slower income growth, meant that the saving rate fell to 2.6 percent of after-tax income in the first quarter. That was down from 4.7 percent in the fourth quarter.

The first-quarter growth figures will be revised twice more based on more complete data.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-26-Economy-GDP/id-afd6e0dceb494d2895dc69aa24fd41e4

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