<ul><li>WhatsApp has launched <keyword id="6426726" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="valentine" source="Orion">Valentine</keyword>'s day sticker pack.</li><li>Users can send these Valentine's day stickers to individual or group chats.</li><li>WhatsApp also supports third-party sticker packs for iOS.</li></ul>WhatsApp stickers are a popular way to send greetings and wishes on special occasions, including Valentine's Day. While there are many creative ways to express feelings, a heartfelt note with some cute stickers remains a classic. If you're looking for Valentine's Day stickers for your phone, we've got you covered. Check out the following steps to download and use Valentine's Day sticker packs for both <keyword id="6355645" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="android" source="Orion">Android</keyword> and iOS devices. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Steps to download and use Valentine's Day stickers on an Android" comment="subhead" text="Steps to download and use Valentine's Day stickers on an Android">Steps to download and use Valentine's Day stickers on an Android </cmsannotation><ul><li>To send Valentine's Day stickers on WhatsApp for Android, open the chat where you want to send them, then tap the smiley icon located in the text bar.</li></ul><ul><li>After tapping the smiley icon, you will find the stickers icon located next to the GIF button within the app.</li></ul><ul><li>By tapping on the icon, you can access all your stickers.</li></ul><ul><li>But, if you want to add more stickers to your collection or want to explore more options, scroll down to the bottom. Click on - ‘Get more stickers.' It will redirect you to the Google Play Store where you can get any of your favorite Valentine's Day stickers.</li></ul><ul><li>Select and download the desired sticker pack. After installation, open the app and tap 'Add to WhatsApp' to start using the stickers.</li></ul><ul><li>Once the process is complete, you can easily access the Valentine's Day stickers in WhatsApp and send them to your contacts.</li></ul><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Steps to download and use Valentine's Day stickers on iOS" comment="subhead" text="Steps to download and use Valentine's Day stickers on iOS">Steps to download and use Valentine's Day stickers on iOS</cmsannotation> <ul><li>Third-party WhatsApp sticker apps, such as Sticker.ly, Sticker Maker + Stickers, Stickles, and Wsticker for chat apps, are also available for download on the App Store. These free apps offer a vast collection of stickers, including those with a Valentine's Day theme.</li></ul><ul><li>To keep your favorite Valentine's Day stickers handy, you can add them to your 'Favorites' collection. To do so, long-press on the sticker you want to add and tap on the star option.</li></ul><ul><li>Once you've added a sticker to your 'Favorites' collection, you can easily access it by tapping on the stickers option in the text bar. Your 'Favorite' stickers will be available there.</li></ul><ul><li>Once you've downloaded the Valentine's Day sticker pack, go to the desired WhatsApp chat and select a sticker from the menu to share. You can either send a single sticker or multiple Valentine's Day stickers simultaneously. </li></ul>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/how-to-protect-yourself-from-dating-app-fraud-scam/articleshow/97773479.cms">Love is in the air, but so are scammers: Protect yourself from valentines day dating app frauds</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-unleashes-ai-powered-updates-to-revamp-user-experience-on-maps-search-and-translate/articleshow/97761551.cms">Google unleashes AI-powered updates to revamp user experience on Maps, Search and Translate</a>

New Valentine's Day sticker pack now available on WhatsApp: Here’s how to download and use them

Love dominates our popular culture and is the subject of countless songs, movies, and works of literature and art. But what's happening in our body when we feel love? Love is difficult to define, but can be described as an intense feeling of deep affection. At the most basic level, science sees love as a cocktail of chemicals released by the brain. From an evolutionary perspective, romantic love evolved from the primitive animal drive to find and keep preferred mates. Love keeps people bonded and committed to one another, to raise children through infancy. This ensures our species will continue to reproduce, survive and thrive. However, romantic love is not just about reproduction. Some argue we should consider love a motivation, like hunger, thirst, sleep or sex. There are many benefits of loving others and being loved. These include better mental health, wellbeing and immune function, and reduced chronic stress and disease. What happens when someone initially falls in love? Falling in love typically begins when someone starts to see another person as special and unique. The initial phase of falling in love is an extreme neurobiological state, characterised by heightened responses and high passion. Lust and attraction are driven by the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, as motivations for sex. Specific areas of the brain are activated when you fall in love, in particular the limbic system and the reward centres. The limbic system has key roles in emotion and memory. This causes a positive mood and explains why the memories associated with new love are so strong. There is also an increase in dopamine and noradrenaline. Dopamine stimulates the reward pathways and increases motivation and obsessive thoughts and behaviours to pursue the love interest. Noradrenaline causes the feelings of euphoria, and the physiological responses of a faster heart rate, butterflies in the stomach and increased energy. At the same time, other brain areas are deactivated. Reduced activity in the frontal cortex reduces negative emotions and judgements. This explains why initially people may be blind to faults in the person they are in love with. But while you might be feeling less judgement, there is also increased cortisol, stress and feelings of insecurity in the early phase of falling in love. How does romantic love change over time? The initial phase of falling in love and intense infatuation lasts for several months. During the next phase, there is increased intimacy, commitment and attachment. This is driven by the hormones <keyword id="70889" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="oxytocin" source="Orion">oxytocin</keyword> and <keyword id="1616006" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="vasopressin" source="Orion">vasopressin</keyword>. Oxytocin helps us feel safe and secure after the initial high cortisol and stress of the uncertainty and risk of falling in love. Vasopressin promotes behaviours of vigilance and being territorial and self-protective. Between oxytocin and vasopressin there is a balance of connecting with others while also protecting the person you are in love with and yourself. Oxytocin is often called the "hormone of love" because it facilitates the formation of social bonds and connections. However, new research in animal models suggests oxytocin is not essential for life-long pair-bonding as previously thought. Sexual activity is distinct from love, but it does reinforce attachment. When we touch, kiss or have sex, oxytocin and vasopressin are released, which promotes love and commitment between a couple. Years into a romantic relationship, there is often a period of transition from passionate love to companion love. High intimacy and commitment help to sustain this love. Some relationships end at this time because of the reduced passion, while other couples remain in the passionate love phase for decades. What about non-romantic love? Beyond its role in romantic love, oxytocin is important in all forms of love, including with family, friends and even pets. Positive social relationships and oxytocin have many benefits on human health, wellbeing and longevity. In our research, we have shown oxytocin is associated with better quality of life and healthier social connections, among people with and without depression. So, for the love of your favourite person, people or pet(s), whoever they are, however long you love them for, and however many times you fall in love, relish loving and being loved. Love might just be nature's best chemical cocktail. But all the intricacies of the complex behaviour and emotion of love continue to elude science. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/switzerland-pays-tribute-to-yash-chopra-for-presenting-its-beauty-to-indians/articleshow/97908336.cms">Switzerland pays tribute to Yash Chopra for presenting its beauty to Indians</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/new-valentines-day-sticker-pack-now-available-on-whatsapp-heres-how-to-download-and-use-them/articleshow/97904883.cms">New Valentine's Day sticker pack now available on WhatsApp: Here’s how to download and use them</a>

What happens in our brain and body when we're in love?

Mumbai, "<keyword id="10498851" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="queen-charlotte" source="Orion">Queen Charlotte</keyword>: A <keyword id="10435244" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bridgerton" source="Orion">Bridgerton</keyword> Story", a prequel spin-off of "Bridgerton", is set to start streaming on <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> from May 4. The upcoming show charts the rise of a young Queen Charlotte, played by <keyword id="16533213" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india-amarteifio" source="Orion">India Amarteifio</keyword>, and her romance with the young King George, essayed by Corey Mylchreest. Netflix announced the release date of "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" in a press release. "A love story that changed the world. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, streaming May 4 only on Netflix. Save the date," the streaming platform said. Centered on Queen Charlotte's rise to prominence and power, this "Bridgerton" prequel tells the story of "how the young Queen's marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the ton inherited by the characters in 'Bridgerton'," said Netflix. In the parent series "Bridgerton", Golda Rosheuvel and <keyword id="7255539" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="james-fleet" source="Orion">James Fleet</keyword> play the royal couple. Rosheuvel will also return for the "Bridgerton" series, which has been renewed through season four. Netflix has yet to announce the premiere date of the third season. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/new-valentines-day-sticker-pack-now-available-on-whatsapp-heres-how-to-download-and-use-them/articleshow/97904883.cms">New Valentine's Day sticker pack now available on WhatsApp: Here’s how to download and use them</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-unleashes-ai-powered-updates-to-revamp-user-experience-on-maps-search-and-translate/articleshow/97761551.cms">Google unleashes AI-powered updates to revamp user experience on Maps, Search and Translate</a>

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, prequel to the Netflix series will premiere in May

<ul><li>Twitter has announced that it will no longer allow <keyword id="16569598" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-twitter-blue" source="Orion">non-Twitter Blue</keyword> users to use text messages as a two-factor authentication (2FA) method.</li><li>Currently, the platform offers three methods of 2FA - text message, authentication app and security key.</li></ul> San Francisco, Micro-blogging platform Twitter has announced that it will no longer allow non-Twitter Blue users to use text messages as a two-factor authentication (2FA) method, after March 20. Also, users will now not be able to enroll in the text message/SMS method of 2FA unless they are Blue subscribers, the company said in a blogpost. After March 20, <keyword id="16569599" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="non-blue" source="Orion">non-Blue</keyword> accounts with text message 2FA still enabled "will have it disabled." Currently, the platform offers three methods of 2FA - text message, authentication app and security key. The company further mentioned that it "encourages" non-Blue users to "consider using an authentication app or security key method instead." "These methods require you to have physical possession of the authentication method and are a great way to ensure your account is secure," it added. Meanwhile, last week, Twitter had confirmed that it will charge Rs 650 per month for its Blue service with verification on the web and Rs 900 on <keyword id="6355645" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="android" source="Orion">Android</keyword> and iOS mobile devices in India. In December last year, the micro-blogging platform relaunched its <keyword id="16355941" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="blue-subscription-service" source="Orion">Blue subscription service</keyword> with verification, costing $8 for Android users and $11 for iPhone owners per month globally. Moreover, Blue subscribers in the U.S. can create long tweets of up to 4,000 characters. Blue users will also see 50 per cent fewer ads in their home timeline. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/new-valentines-day-sticker-pack-now-available-on-whatsapp-heres-how-to-download-and-use-them/articleshow/97904883.cms">New Valentine's Day sticker pack now available on WhatsApp: Here’s how to download and use them</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-unleashes-ai-powered-updates-to-revamp-user-experience-on-maps-search-and-translate/articleshow/97761551.cms">Google unleashes AI-powered updates to revamp user experience on Maps, Search and Translate</a>

Twitter to limit SMS two-factor authentication to Blue users

<ul><li>Smartphone maker Vivo on Saturday launched its new "Y56 5G" smartphone.</li><li>The new smartphone is priced at ₹19,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant, and is available for purchase at the official e-store and across all partner retail stores.</li><li>It will come in two colour variants, <keyword id="16569374" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="orange-shimmer" source="Orion">Orange Shimmer</keyword> and Black Engine.</li></ul>New Delhi, Smartphone maker Vivo on Saturday launched its new "Y56 5G" smartphone which features a 50MP super night camera, in the country. The new smartphone is priced at ₹19,999 for the 8GB+128GB variant, and is available for purchase at the official e-store and across all partner retail stores, the company said in a statement. It comes in two colour <keyword id="16569373" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="variants-orange-shimmer" source="Orion">variants-- Orange Shimmer</keyword> and Black Engine. The new Y56 5G features a 6.58-inch FHD+ display, and comes with a 5,000 mAh battery. "Vivo Y56 5G is the first-ever 5G device in the Y-series to come under Rs 20,000 price segment. With Vivo Y56, we wish to reach out to an even larger audience and give them an opportunity to experience the latest technologies," said <keyword id="12737630" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="yogendra-sriramula" source="Orion">Yogendra Sriramula</keyword>, Head of Brand Strategy, Vivo India. For security, the phone features a side fingerprint scanner along with the face wake feature for quick and efficient unlocking. The new deviceAsports a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 50 MP main camera and a 2MP bokeh camera, and also features a 16MP front camera. Moreover, it is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 700, a 5G chipset that clocks at up to 2.2 GHz. It also comes with <keyword id="13570595" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ultra-game-mode" source="Orion">Ultra Game Mode</keyword> that "promises to offer an indulgent sensory experience during Immersive gaming." "The all-new Y56 runs the latest <keyword id="2938187" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="funtouch" source="Orion">FunTouch</keyword> OS 13 which is based on the Android 13 Platform out of the box. The new Funtouch OS 13 operating system brings new personalisation options, security upgrades, and more easy-to-use features for a smoother, uninterrupted experience," the company said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/new-valentines-day-sticker-pack-now-available-on-whatsapp-heres-how-to-download-and-use-them/articleshow/97904883.cms">New Valentine's Day sticker pack now available on WhatsApp: Here’s how to download and use them</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-unleashes-ai-powered-updates-to-revamp-user-experience-on-maps-search-and-translate/articleshow/97761551.cms">Google unleashes AI-powered updates to revamp user experience on Maps, Search and Translate</a>

Vivo Y56 5G with 50MP super night camera launched in India

<ul><li><keyword id="6354427" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="apple" source="Orion">Apple</keyword> has been granted a patent for a wristband release mechanism that could be used with a built-in camera on the <keyword id="1577486" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="apple-watch" source="Orion">Apple Watch</keyword>.</li><li>The wristband features two sections and a "nest" component, providing a comfortable and straightforward method to detach the watch from the strap.</li><li>So far, this remains uncertain whether this particular concept will make it to market or not.</li></ul>Apple was recently awarded a patent for a wristband release mechanism that may be compatible with a built-in camera on the Apple Watch. While this is an intriguing concept on its own, it is also the third patent related to Apple Watch cameras that has emerged in the past few years. Although patents for tech devices are not always indicative of actual product features, they can provide insight into a company's research endeavors. Considering that the patent application was initially submitted in 2019, it's evident that Apple engineers have been considering wearable cameras for quite some time. As reported by <a href="https://www.patentlyapple.com/2023/02/apple-wins-patent-for-an-apple-watch-with-a-built-in-camera-unique-band-system-that-allows-the-watch-to-easily-detach-to-ta.html">Patently Apple</a>, the abstract and description sections of the patent reveal a wristband consisting of two sections and a ‘nest’ component. The objective was to devise a simple and comfortable method to detach the watch from the strap. As a result, this could introduce new possibilities for employing the Apple Watch beyond the wrist, such as taking photos with an integrated camera as specified in the claims section. Apple’s patent filing depicts a cutaway of an Apple Watch with a camera facing downwards and its associated view. In essence, you could pop up the watch, elevate the camera part, and capture an image. <div type="image" title="Apple&amp;#39;s patent" msid="97915604" hostid="261" sizebytes="22768"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="This is not Apple's first patent related to a camera on the Apple watch" comment="subhead" text="This is not Apple's first patent related to a camera on the Apple watch">This is not Apple's first patent related to a camera on the Apple watch</cmsannotation> According to <keyword id="3555442" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="patently-apple" source="Orion">Patently Apple</keyword>, this is not the first instance where Apple has filed patents related to a camera on the Apple Watch. In 2022, Apple received another patent titled ‘Watch having a camera.’ It outlined a situation where a camera was positioned inside the digital crown. Apple was granted a patent for a camera installed at the end of a wristband that can be rotated. It's worth noting that there is a third-party accessory for the Apple Watch called <keyword id="14425666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wristcam" source="Orion">Wristcam</keyword> which operates in a similar way. This is merely one of many Apple Watch camera concepts, and it is uncertain whether it will make it to the market, similar to previous ideas. Most patents do not result in actual products, so it is likely that new patents for different versions of the same idea will continue to emerge without resulting in finished products. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/new-valentines-day-sticker-pack-now-available-on-whatsapp-heres-how-to-download-and-use-them/articleshow/97904883.cms">New Valentine's Day sticker pack now available on WhatsApp: Here’s how to download and use them</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-unleashes-ai-powered-updates-to-revamp-user-experience-on-maps-search-and-translate/articleshow/97761551.cms">Google unleashes AI-powered updates to revamp user experience on Maps, Search and Translate</a>

Upcoming Apple watch may include a built-in camera and a novel strap design

<ul><li><keyword id="14462987" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="voice-status" source="Orion">Voice Status</keyword> has been added, allowing users to record and share <keyword id="3527677" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="voice-messages" source="Orion">voice messages</keyword> of up to 30 seconds.</li><li>Now, you can select the private audience for each status update.</li><li>Here's how you can use them.</li></ul>Sharing moments through status or stories have become habitual to people on almost every social media and messaging application, including WhatsApp. Now, with the recent update to WhatsApp, these momentary posts disappear after 24 hours. Also, you can share a mix of photos, videos, GIFs, text, and more on WhatsApp status. With the latest update, WhatsApp is elevating the status update experience by introducing voice status, status reactions, and a private audience selection feature. Let's take a look at how you can utilize these new features. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Private Audience selector on WhatsApp" comment="subhead" text="Private Audience selector on WhatsApp">Private Audience selector on WhatsApp</cmsannotation> The Private Audience selector gives you the control to decide who can see your status updates. You can specify the targeted audience for each update, and the privacy setting will remain in effect for subsequent posts. Here’s how you can use it- <ul><li>To post a new status for a selected audience, simply navigate to the status section and tap the floating action button on the bottom right.</li><li>After selecting content for the post, a new floating button will appear on the bottom left.</li><li>Now, choose between the available options of ‘My Contacts,’ ‘My Contacts Except,’ and ‘Only Share With’ on the pop-up window that appears.</li></ul><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How to record Voice Status on WhatsApp" comment="subhead" text="How to record Voice Status on WhatsApp">How to record Voice Status on WhatsApp</cmsannotation> WhatsApp has recently introduced the ability to record and share Voice Messages of up to 30 seconds in your status, offering a more personal and expressive way to update your friends and family. Here’s how you can use it in simple steps- <ul><li>First, navigate to the Status.</li><li>Now, hit the floating action button with the pencil icon inside.</li><li>Here, you’ll find a microphone icon at the bottom right.</li><li>Tap and hold on to it to record and let go to stop.</li><li>Once you’re done recording, hit the send icon on the bottom right.</li></ul><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How to use Status Reactions on WhatsApp" comment="subhead" text="How to use Status Reactions on WhatsApp">How to use Status Reactions on WhatsApp</cmsannotation> Interacting with status updates has become more effortless with the introduction of status reactions. Quickly show your reactions by swiping up and tapping on any of the available eight emojis. You can still respond using text, voice messages, stickers, and other options. Here’s how you can use it- <ul><li>Open a status you wish to react to.</li><li>Now, simply swipe up on it to reveal eight emojis.</li><li>Tap one of these emojis to send a reaction as a direct message immediately.</li></ul>Please note that these features may not be instantly available to everyone. If you do not see them, they should be rolling out in the upcoming weeks. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/how-to-protect-yourself-from-dating-app-fraud-scam/articleshow/97773479.cms">Love is in the air, but so are scammers: Protect yourself from valentines day dating app frauds</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-unleashes-ai-powered-updates-to-revamp-user-experience-on-maps-search-and-translate/articleshow/97761551.cms">Google unleashes AI-powered updates to revamp user experience on Maps, Search and Translate</a>

You can now record and share voice messages on WhatsApp status — here’s how

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In 2022, Cassidy Davis threw a "Chaotic Singles Party" with 65 men she matched with on dating apps.</li><li>The concept was a hit, so she kept hosting parties — though she met her boyfriend at her first one.</li></ul>Cassidy Davis had spent five years dating single men in Los Angeles, and she was sick of it.Davis said that on dating apps she'd match with seemingly compatible magicians, actors, writers, and musicians but became tired when their in-person connections were lackluster or outright disappointing."A dumpster fire is how I would describe it," Davis, who works as an actor, said. Last year, when Valentine's Day was approaching, she decided to delete her dating apps and try something different.She instructed her girlfriends to invite dating-app matches they'd yet to meet to her apartment for a mixer. Worried no one would show up, Davis invited 65 men she'd matched with on Tinder and Hinge.Davis made <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cassidynashdavis/video/7064671630810877230" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a TikTok of the event</a>, which she named "Chaotic Singles Party," that got 1.7 million likes and over 1,000 comments, many from users who said they wanted to join or throw their own. And after Davis received rave reviews from her own guests — including one who would soon become her boyfriend — she decided to keep throwing the lively parties at venues in various Los Angeles neighborhoods.The concept remains: If you're attending, use it as an opportunity to invite someone who you've matched with on an app but who's still a stranger.Davis said that her millennial and Gen Z guests, who typically learn about Chaotic Singles Party on TikTok or Instagram, often tell her how refreshing and welcoming the in-person experience feels after years of relying on dating apps to find love.She hosted 17 parties in 2022, mostly in Los Angeles, and wants to expand to five new cities this year as her social-media followers from across the country beg her for their own parties, she said.<h2>Davis connected with her now-boyfriend at her first mixer, but she still throws them</h2><div type="image" title="Cassidy Davis still hosts mixers for singles. She met her boyfriend of one year at her first." height="4790" width="6386" msid="98370972" hostid="261"></div>When Davis planned her first party, she said, she broke her own rule and invited a handsome man she'd met at a bar, not on a dating app. She knew she had a crush on him but didn't know if the feelings were mutual, so she hatched a sneaky plan involving a video confessional.Davis propped up her phone in her bathroom, creating a makeshift private booth for <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cassidynashdavis/video/7064316031384325423">a confessional-style video she later uploaded on TikTok</a>. "Everyone, tell us who you're crushing on," Davis told her guests. In the video, she and the man admitted they liked each other. They've now been dating for a year.Even off the market, Davis decided to keep curating the parties for her single friends and social-media followers who loved the concept. She said that focusing on her guests rather than her own search for partnership had been an unexpected benefit."It kind of lets me be everyone's wingwoman and buddy at these events," Davis told Insider.Since her first party, Davis has found ways to make the experience more welcoming. She added ice-breaker games, like question cards that ask, "What's the worst date you've been on?"Each guest also gets a "gold heart," a sticker they get to give to their top crush before the night is over."And then there's always that one hot guy covered in gold hearts by the end," Davis said.Davis estimated that 250 to 350 singles had attended each Chaotic Singles Party she'd thrown this year. She's hosted social-media influencers and has spotted a few contestants from the Netflix reality show "The Circle" there too. Ticket prices have ranged from $10 to $30, <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/find-your-boo-chaotic-singles-party-tickets-424345728497" target="_blank" rel="noopener">depending on the party</a>.<div type="image" title="Cassidy Davis created her &quot;chaotic singles party&quot; after lackluster dating experiences in Los Angeles." height="4023" width="5365" msid="98348355" hostid="261"></div><h2>You don't have to be an extrovert to attend Chaotic Singles Party</h2>Davis said she's always been outgoing, so she knew a mixer would feel more fulfilling to her than meeting men on dating apps.But for people who are introverted and worry about fitting in at a huge singles' mixer, Davis said she's designed the event to be welcoming for anyone who wants to take a leap of faith to find connections.She said that one time, a group of single women bought Chaotic Singles Party tickets, thinking they'd make it a pit stop on their night out — but after heading to bars where it was unclear who was looking for new connections, they headed back to Davis' event for the rest of the night.<div type="image" title="Davis said both introverts and extroverts attend her singles parties and she works to create an environment where everyone feels welcome." height="5304" width="7952" msid="98370973" hostid="261"></div>"They were like: 'We missed the energy of the singles party where everyone was open. Everyone was welcoming, and even if they weren't into us, they were gentle and respectful about it,'" Davis said. "Whereas at a regular bar it's a lot more cutthroat, a lot more like a jungle."She estimated that half of her attendees are self-described introverts who want to push themselves outside their comfort zones. For nervous first-timers, she suggested treating the event like a social experiment and inviting a cute stranger you matched with on a dating app. Even if you don't click, your hopeful energy can propel you toward other fun connections, Davis said."I feel like really putting yourself out there energetically opens the door to more dating opportunities," she said. "Maybe that's the woo-woo LA girl in me, but I do really believe that. My best advice is to be bold and get out of your comfort zone."

A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's now been dating for a year

<ul class="summary-list"><li>On February 10, my family received an anonymous letter containing anti-Semitic imagery and threats.</li><li>It told us to "go back to f------ Israel Jews" and included an image of a gun and a bullet.</li><li>My experience shows how Trump-endorsed hate speech continues to linger after his presidency.</li><li>This is an <keyword id="6356002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="opinion">opinion</keyword> column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author. </li></ul>This article contains anti-Semitic slurs and detailed accounts of anti-Semitic violence.We thought it was a valentine. The anonymous white envelope arrived in the mail at our home in Buffalo, New York, on February 10 adorned with heart stickers and no return information. It wasn't addressed to my family or any of the four of us individually - the only information was our address printed on computer paper and secured with tape. Something about it immediately seemed off. My dad even joked he hoped there wasn't poison inside. When we opened it, the only poison we found was on the page.A single piece of computer paper contained anti-Semitic propaganda and the text, "GO BACK TO F------ ISRAEL JEWS YOU DON'T BELONG IN OUR COUNTRY WE'RE COMING FOR YOU!"<h2>My mom started crying and a feeling of numbness washed over me</h2>On the page, there was also an image of a black and gold T-shirt, typically worn by members of far-right groups, with an eagle and the phrase <a href="https://www.adl.org/blog/proud-boys-bigotry-is-on-full-display?fbclid=IwAR026x6WzNJ1NsORLoQQLdWLyOI2vE3_QNOCMwIvEz-F9FUP6OLpZXbZw6w">"6MWE,"</a> which stands for "6 million weren't enough," referring to the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust. In a second photo, a pistol and a bullet rested on top of the American flag and constitution.<div type="image" title="Anti-Semitic letter" height="977" width="1300" msid="81162296" hostid="261"></div>So many questions raced through my head: There was a written threat and a picture of a gun - were we safe? Was someone going to harm us in our own home like the New York <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/nyregion/rabbi-monsey-attack.html">rabbi who was fatally stabbed in his house</a> in 2019? How did the sender(s) know we were Jewish? Did they drive by our house and see the menorah we display in our window during Hanukkah? Was it from someone who found us online and, for some reason, had an issue with our religion? Or, maybe even worse, was it from someone we know?We immediately called the police, other Jews who lived in our neighborhood, and the synagogues in town, but no one else appeared to have received a similar letter.But on the same day, <a href="https://www.adl.org/education-and-resources/resource-knowledge-base/adl-tracker-of-antisemitic-incidents?field_incident_location_state_target_id=All&amp;page=1ge=1">at least three other anti-Semitic incidents</a> were reported to the Anti-Defamation League around the country. Ours is not an isolated incident.<h2>Individuals who used to lurk in the dark nooks of the internet have been given the confidence to rear their ugly faces </h2>During Donald Trump's presidency, <keyword id="6463069" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hate-crimes">hate crimes</keyword> committed not only against Jews but many minority groups seemed to worsen each year while the confidence of alt-right extremists appeared to grow.According to a 2019 <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/22/trumps-rhetoric-does-inspire-more-hate-crimes/?noredirect=on#click=https://t.co/bYXsN60xzH">Washington Post</a> study, in counties where Trump held a campaign rally in 2016, hate crimes increased 226%. In 2020, the FBI concluded that <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/hate-crimes-under-trump-surged-nearly-20-percent-says-fbi-report-1547870">hate crimes increased 20% overall</a> during Trump's presidency. Many of these hate crimes involved <keyword id="135025" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="anti-Semitism">anti-Semitism</keyword>.We've witnessed terrifying examples of this hate in action. There was the 2017 Charlottesville rally during which a protester was killed and President Trump <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/13/civil-rights-inquiry-for-charlottesville-rally-death">failed to condemn</a> far-right counterprotesters' actions and slogans, which had included anti-Semitic messaging. Then, after the 2018 Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, which was the deadliest attack on Jewish Americans in the history of the United States, the synagogue's rabbi said politicians' <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/03/us/pittsburgh-shooting-first-shabbat/index.html">hate speech had led to the massacre.</a>It's not just hate against Jewish people, of course. Experts <a href="https://www.insider.com/hate-incidents-against-asian-americans-have-skyrocketed-2021-2">have linked</a> the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in the last year in part to language used by President Trump and other Republican lawmakers. Trump regularly called the coronavirus the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-doubles-down-on-calling-coronavirus-chinese-virus-2020-3">"Chinese Virus,"</a> the "Wuhan Virus," and "Kung Flu" - language that experts say "contributed to a culture of prejudice and blame directed at Asian Americans," Insider's Erin Snodgrass previously reported.It's too early to know the number of anti-Semitic incidents in 2020 but in 2019, according to the <a href="https://www.adl.org/news/press-releases/antisemitic-incidents-hit-all-time-high-in-2019?gclid=Cj0KCQiA962BBhCzARIsAIpWEL1l-6VI-RpUDmMC824CWuASCSwVkQwNXEuYDblb_ILU4TWvGRUJirkaAgSSEALw_wcB">Anti-Defamation League</a>, Jews in the US experienced more than 2,100 anti-Semitic incidents, the highest number of hate crimes since the organization started keeping track more than 40 years ago. It was a 12% increase from 2018 - more specifically, harassment increased by 6%, vandalism by 19%, and assault by 56%.On January 6, when I watched the mob of Trump supporters storm the Capitol building, this hate appeared to have reached a fever pitch. <h2>I was flabbergasted at the sheer volume of anti-Semitic symbols on show during the <keyword id="1621083" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="insurrection">insurrection</keyword> of the Capitol</h2>There were many egregious sights and acts committed at the Capitol on January 6. But what stuck out to me the most was the abundance of anti-Semitic symbols and propaganda throughout the mob. Rioters donned <a href="https://www.insider.com/capitol-rioters-clothes-revealed-deeper-story-about-possible-future-threats-2021-1">"Camp Auschwitz" sweatshirts</a>, waved <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/video/rioters-used-anti-semitic-imagery-during-capitol-assault/#x">flags with swastikas on them</a>, and one protester even had <a href="https://twitter.com/insidernews/status/1350848190896107520?s=20">tattoos</a> of symbols appropriated by neo-Nazis. I was floored that thousands of people apparently felt safe and confident enough to flaunt their anti-Semitism so openly without fear of punishment.It seemed like fiction, like something out of the kinds of dystopian novels students read to learn about the dangers of Hitler, the Holocaust, and anti-Semitism. Yet there my family was, more than two months after the Capitol riot, experiencing the same kind of vitriol - but, quite literally, on our doorstep.<h2>I'm scared that even though Trump is out of office, this is our new normal</h2>While this is not the first anti-Semitic sentiments my family has experienced - my neighbor's friend telling my mother, "Go inside Jew girl or I'll kick your ass into next Tuesday" comes to mind - this was by far the most extreme. Far-right and extremist groups gained in confidence during Trump's presidency, and I fear they will not disappear anytime soon. While <a href="https://www.splcenter.org/news/2021/02/01/year-hate-2020">the Southern Poverty Law Center reported</a> a decrease in the number of hate groups last year, it noted there was not a decline in hate. Where formal membership once existed, people can now go online or download encrypted apps where they can share their beliefs and connect with like-minded people. "And, despite the lack of formal affiliation, these individuals still take real-world actions," the report said - as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parler-posts-capitol-riot-trump-bongino-pelosi-threats-2021-1">we saw on January 6</a>.Far-right groups may appear to go dormant for a time, hiding behind anonymous hate crimes like the letter sent to my family, but they'll still exist. And while I'm hopeful the person who mailed us this letter will be caught, I acknowledge that by writing this essay, the person who sent the letter is getting exactly what they wanted - more attention to their cause and the knowledge that they left my family distraught.<div type="image" title="Anti-Semitic Letter" height="3024" width="4032" msid="81162297" hostid="261"></div>But we're not giving up.After we reported the letter to the police, the two head detectives from the Buffalo Police Department came to inspect the evidence, and they found a hair under one of the heart stickers. The FBI is investigating and we hope there will be justice for whoever sent us the letter. Once my family notified friends and family about what had happened, we received an outpouring of phone calls and messages. Our rabbi's wife even dropped off a homemade challah. Thanks to the love and support from our friends, we found ourselves laughing at how crazy the situation was within a few days.Far-right extremism may be growing but so is my community and our resolve.

My family received threatening anti-Semitic propaganda in the mail, and I worry that Trump-endorsed hate speech is here to stay

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5dcadbe17eece52bce587b9a-1781/kid-holding-candy.jpg" border="0" alt="kid holding candy" data-mce-source="dejandjuric/Getty Images" />dejandjuric/Getty ImagesThe author is not pictured.</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>When I was in middle school, I sold candy to my classmates as an easy way to make money.</li><li>I learned <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/steps-how-to-launch-small-business-entrepreneur-2019-11">entrepreneurial basics</a> such as figuring out how much profit I would earn, eyeing the competition, and strategizing the sell.</li><li>Putting most of my earnings toward a goal helped me stay focused and motivated.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yourmoney?utm_source=bullet">Read more personal finance coverage.</a></li></ul>Growing up, I was one of those kids who liked coming up with ways to make money. While my peers daydreamed about flying to the moon and being superheroes in alternate universes, I played "store" with my cousins. At the risk of sounding boring, all I really wanted was a job so I could have my own money.I looked forward to school fundraisers, and worked hard at selling enough candy bars to score a free school trip to one of the nearby theme parks. And in the 7th grade, I got the idea to sell candy to my fellow classmates. While it didn't make me rich, there were a few <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lifelong-money-lessons-from-frugal-parents-spending">early lessons</a> I learned about money and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/turned-down-6-figure-job-to-freelance-no-regrets-2019-8">entrepreneurialism</a>:<h2>1. Understand profit margins</h2>After scouring the shelves at the Smart &amp; Final in my neighborhood, I decided on selling Pixy Stix, caramel apple pops, and fun-sized chocolate bars. That's because the cost of these products was relatively low.I looked at the cost of candy against how much they were being sold for. For instance, back in the mid-'90s, I could get a small box of 36 (three Stix in each package) for about $3. As I sold each for a quarter, I ended up raking in about $9 for every box I sold, which ended up being a $6, or 200%, profit. Not too shabby.I did some simple math for the other types of candy I peddled, and made sure that I earned at least a 200% profit, if not more. When the prices of the candy went up at the store, I hunted for alternatives. While I knew I could just up my own prices, I knew that my fellow <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/increased-kids-allowance-teach-money-skills-budgeting">tweens don't have a ton of disposable income</a>, so that idea was nixed.<h2>2. Research the competition</h2>While there weren't any other kids selling candy, there were vending machines in the school cafeteria that sold large candy bars. I made a point to sell my candy for less than the vending machines, and also to offer different types of candy.There were certainly slower times, like after Halloween, Valentine's Day, and during the holidays. I also noted that it could be slightly tougher to make a sell during school fundraisers, when students were up to their ears in candy and maybe more focused on selling their own.During these slumps, I still peddled candy. I figured that if I stopped selling, my classmates might forget that I was an option, and I would lose my steady customers.<h2>3. Strategize the sell</h2>I'd offer candy in between periods - right outside my locker, between class periods, during lunch, and before and after school. Besides trying to be relatively discreet about it lest I get in trouble, I tried to make it as convenient as possible for my classmates to buy some candy. I offered flexibility and different options for someone to shell out a quarter or two to satiate their sweet tooth.It was also important to listen to what my classmates wanted. They were the customers, after all. When one of my friends suggested I add Starburst and Skittles to the mix, I tried it out- and those turned out to be bestsellers.<h2>4. Re-invest the profits</h2>After I sold a box of Pixy Stix or went through a bag of chocolate, I would take some of my earnings and put that toward replenishing my supply. That way I was never drawing from my weekly allowance, or from money gifted to me during Chinese New Year or my birthday.Even as a middle schooler, I didn't feel great about pulling from other sources of money to put toward my small operation. I felt it was best to use the funds I was earning from candy to keep it going.<h2>5. Save for a goal</h2>After setting some money aside to buy more candy, I put the rest toward the big 8th grade trip to Washington, DC. While my mom helped pay for part of my trip, I raised the rest of the money, partly from selling candy through a school fundraiser and partly from my own endeavors.The rest of my earnings I spent on random stuff: stickers, clothes, Christmas presents for my friends and family, and on food while hanging out at the Burbank mall. Having a specific savings goal to work toward kept me going. Even on days when I didn't feel like selling, or felt discouraged because I wasn't making as much money as I would've hoped, I kept my eye on the prize.While my business endeavor wasn't terribly sophisticated, and I probably didn't rake in more than a few hundred dollars selling candy throughout the school year, it taught me a lot about what it takes to strike out on your own to make a few bucks. These early money lessons have stayed with me throughout my life.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>More <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/personal-finance-insider">personal finance</a> coverage</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-airline-credit-card-comparison-delta-united-american">What's the best airline credit card?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com//best-cash-back-credit-cards">The best cash back credit cards</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/are-cds-a-good-investment">Are CDs a good investment?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-save-money-in-high-yield-savings">When to save money in high-yield savings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-rewards-credit-cards">Best rewards credit cards</a></li></ul> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/candy-corn-ingredients-made-of-gelatin-lac-resin-halloween-sugar-syrup-2017-10">Here's what candy corn is actually made of</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/OFK368vQ-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

5 lessons I learned selling candy in 7th grade that have stuck with me ever since

<div class="image-container" style="width:620px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/51278b75ecad04481600001b-2064-1032/ron-johnson-jcpenney-3.jpg?maxX=620" border="0" alt="ron johnson jcpenney" width="620" />Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images</div></div>
<keyword id="1402916" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="JCPenney">JCPenney</keyword> may have a glossy new exterior, but inside the 111-year-old retailer, there is a major culture clash.
There's widespread anxiety, fear, distrust, and resistance to CEO <keyword id="279737" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Ron-Johnson">Ron Johnson</keyword> within the company, according to several JCPenney executives.
Rumors have spun out of control, even among the executives at headquarters, and they have trickled down to the front line workers in stores, the execs told us.
We've corresponded with dozens of JCPenney employees throughout its transformation over the past year.
Some are executives at the company's headquarters in Plano, TX. Others are regional coordinators and managers. We've also heard from store managers, associates, and stylists who deal directly with customers and receive their marching orders from far above.
The latest numbers also reveal that the company is in a tailspin.
The stock price is down a whopping 46 percent in the last year. Same-store sales have been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jcpenney-year-under-ron-johnson-2013-1">abysmal every quarter</a>. Some analysts are even worried that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jcpenney-reports-horrible-earnings-2012-11">the company may be approaching a cash crisis</a>.
That said, there are signs that JCPenney may survive this transition. CEO Ron Johnson's vision of reinvigorating the <keyword id="6354851" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Retail">retail</keyword> experience with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jcpenneys-new-shops-succeeding-2012-9">his "shop" concept has gone well so far</a>, yielding numbers that dwarf the rest of the department store's bazaar-like floor space.
Johnson is certainly capable of thinking up brilliant new ideas that have the potential to turn entire industries on their heads, as he did with the Apple Store. It's his strongest attribute.
But this time, he's transforming an entire company — not just a retail experience.
<div class="image-container float_left" style="width:343px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4faadf31ecad04b222000002-590-442/138050890.jpg" border="0" alt="jcpenney" width="343" height="254" />Scott Olsen / Getty Images</div></div>
To do this, he has to manage a period of rapid change across JCPenney, including its mission, structure, brand, operations, and technology. The types of changes he's making will have an unavoidable impact on the organization's stability, and they must be managed carefully.
The employees, who have all asked to remain anonymous for fear of being reprimanded or fired, have provided a look under JCPenney's hood.
JCPenney did not respond to a request for comment.
Where communication goes to die
When the new management team was installed at JCPenney, the internal culture became one of opacity — not transparency.
"Corporate culture is very different than it was one year ago," a current exec who had worked in the previous era explained. "There is no protocol or process in the company anymore. The direction given on product changes very frequently."
"There are no memos or written directives anymore," another JCPenney home office executive said. "Last one I saw was almost eight months ago. Everything gets communicated verbally and without too much detail."
"They do not leave any opportunity for anyone to ask questions," the exec continued. "While working at home office, we do not get any insight to store operations and changes."
The murkiness plants the seeds of distrust. Johnson has cagey work habits, according to insiders. It's likely a symptom from his extended time at Apple, which has a notoriously secretive environment.
Johnson commutes by company jet from his home in Palo Alto, California, to JCPenney's Plano headquarters. When he's in town, he reportedly stays in the glitzy Ritz-Carlton hotel in Dallas. Johnson rarely works a full week at the office, <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/ritz_crackpot_QH49hishsF4oKa55qrEORK">according to a report from the NY Post</a>.
“What does [Johnson] do the rest of the time?” one former exec said to the Post. “If he’s doing this huge transformation, why isn’t he there 12 hours a day helping everybody get things done?”
<div>
Johnson is surely working around the clock at JCPenney. He's a professional, and he and his team have made an incredible amount of change in a very short period of time. 
Still, it makes him look conspicuously uninvolved and uncommitted. Perception matters and there are real consequences to the apparent disconnect.
Several JCPenney execs we talked to said that they simply did not trust Johnson. If he doesn't trust his own people, they say, then why should they return the favor?
<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:350px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/50084451eab8ea8e49000001-400-300/jc-penney-fresh-air-event-(2).jpg" border="0" alt="jcpenney ron johnson steve jobs" width="350" height="262" />Aimee Groth / Business Insider</div></div>"Ron doesn't trust any information to be given except to his inner circle," said the first exec, who specified that Johnson's cadre of most-trusted confidants only includes four or five people at the top rungs of management.
"For example, no one but Ron and his team can view sales [numbers]," a veteran regional exec noted. "Store Managers can only view their store's sales and their district. They can't see how anyone else is doing."
The never-ending rumor factory
Rumors "run rampant" at JCPenney, according to insiders. There seems to be a new one every day. 
"There is always a lot of speculation about when the next big change will be," one of the home office execs told us. "The rumors of more layoffs have been going on for two months."
Last month, employees at JCPenney's headquarters were talking about chief merchant Liz Sweeney's status at the company. The rumor "went viral," according to an insider. Some heard that she would be fired on the first of the year. Others heard she was merely on the shortlist to go.
There are rumors about entire divisions disappearing, store departments being shut down, positions being eliminated, major strategy shifts, and much more.
Part of the problem is that employees aren't told about significant firings.
Another round of firings hit JCPenney yesterday, and 300 workers are being sent packing, insiders told us. All information involving the layoffs has been vague and employees have been dreading the beginning of another set of cuts ever since <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/heads_will_roll_xFOSHxksftt6mKQM0kaFUN">the Post reported that another 10 percent of JCPenney headquarters staff</a> would be laid off — something employees called the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre."
"Every termination is surrounded by a trail of rumors ... No official announcement should be expected," said one of the home office execs.
Worse, nothing is being done to slow down the rumor mill. Johnson himself admitted it on live television.
"There's a lot of rumors. We have like a rumor a day," <a href="http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?play=1&amp;video=3000145399#eyJ2aWQiOiIzMDAwMTQ1Mzk5IiwiZW5jVmlkIjoiUEdDUTJNd3BnakhVYnVHcWFQQ09kZz09IiwidlRhYiI6InRyYW5zY3JpcHQiLCJ2UGFnZSI6IiIsImdOYXYiOlsiwqBMYXRlc3QgVmlkZW8iXSwiZ1NlY3QiOiJBTEwiLCJnUGFnZSI6IjEiLCJzeW0iOiIiLCJzZWFyY2giOiIifQ==">Johnson said in an interview on CNBC</a>. "Today there is a rumor about layoffs at headquarters. I would never talk about that, but you have to separate the fact from the rumor."
And yet, the only people who would have the ability to separate fact from rumor — Johnson and his team — aren't saying anything. The rumors fester.
"Ron loves rumors," the regional exec told us. "JCPenney loves rumors. The belief is, 'you'll know when you need to know it.'"
As a result, employees experience constant uncertainty. Then comes the angst and fear. They worry about the company's health, they worry about their colleagues, and they worry about whether their bosses are doing the right things.
Most importantly, they worry about their own livelihood, explained the execs. There are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/surefire-ways-to-destroy-employee-morale-2012-1">few ways to destroy employee morale</a> faster than letting them work in constant fear. 
In Plano, it's worst for high-level employees who worked in the previous regime. Johnson <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jcpenneys-cfo-is-leaving-2012-4">forced out the entire c-suite from JCPenney's old senior team</a>, and the purge crept down to the EVP and VP levels over time.
<div class="image-container float_left" style="width:336px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/51278dbfeab8ea5479000010-542-406/jcpenneystandalone.jpg" border="0" alt="JCPenney_Standalone" width="336" height="251" /><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JCPenney_Standalone.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></div></div>
"Everyone is afraid for their jobs," explained the exec who had also worked under the previous regime. "Much time is wasted on discussing, so not a lot of work gets done."
JCPenney recently addressed one rumor directly, but it wasn't necessarily for the benefit of its own employees — it was to clear things up for a different set of stakeholders. After an <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ron-johnson-jcpenney-bondholders-2013-2">accusation from bondholders who claimed that the company had defaulted</a> on some of its debt, JCPenney CFO Ken Hannah and Johnson himself firmly denied any wrongdoing in statements, which helped placate investors.
As bad as the communication issues are at the upper management tiers, the problem is worse down in the stores, employees said.
The front lines
</div>
Retail workers are generally left in the dark about corporate changes, often to avoid strategic initiatives from being leaked. While this occurs at many major retail companies, it's particularly true at JCPenney. 
"Instructions from top are to ensure nothing gets out," an insider noted. He added that because of this, he doesn't blame managers for having "secret" meetings with their workers.
"It seems a lot of misdirection and bad communication that starts with corporate filters its way down to management, and ultimately dumps on us employees at the foot of the hill," a JCPenney associate told us. "It has become a horrible place to work at, and feeling trapped there is not a good feeling." 
Cutbacks have also become a major problem on the ground level. Mass firings are a necessity for an organization that's attempting to trim costs, but with so many of them happening in waves, they have taken a devastating toll on morale. Management hasn't been able to keep ground-level employees looking forward, or get many of them to buy into the vision.
"I have never seen the company in such disarray," a 5-year veteran JCPenney associate said. "Sure we had our share of problems during this time but nothing like this ... Now all hope seems lost."
"I hate it. I hate the disorder and I hate having my customers give me that look, that 'you don't have any idea what you're doing and I hate this place and I'm never coming back' look," said another associate. "I hate having to explain why there aren't any more [expletive] coupons, why the stickers to the 'everyday' prices are wrong or why a supposed clearance item is not clearance."
Without the base of the business on board, it's impossible to get anything done. The good news is that JCPenney does have some store employees working hard to make Johnson's vision a reality.
<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:344px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4fdf444169bedd6f1c00000b-400-300/ap070808040227.jpg" border="0" alt="jcpenney employee" width="344" height="258" />AP</div></div>
"It will be a good step for the future of our salon," a salon worker told us after the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jcpenney-salon-receptionist-layoffs-2013-1">mass elimination of salon receptionists</a>. "Without change there will be no reward. Time will tell!"
But JCPenney needs to do more to get its workers aligned. It's a key factor as the organization goes through a period of profound change.
For instance, accessibility is always a hot topic for low-level employees in gigantic corporations. They want to be heard — just look at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/workers-accuse-wal-mart-of-intimidation-2013-2">the recent uproar at the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart</a>.
A store employee told us that he recently sent a letter to upper management complaining about various issues at JCPenney and he was quietly reprimanded later. The worker said that he'd never do it again, widening the distance between the everyday worker and the tiers of management up in the clouds.
Do you work at JCPenney (at headquarters or in a store)? Contact me at <a href="mailto:kbhasin@businessinsider.com">kbhasin@businessinsider.com</a>.

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