If you're using KRED be WARNED, AGAIN.....

UPDATE: Feb. 7, 2013 8:45pm est: A company is only as good as it's leader!  Leadership starts from the top. Not five minutes after I posted this story I got this #Twitter response from #KRED CEO Andrew Grill.....

I try not to jump to conclusions, it's HARD! I'm not only a "PARODIED" New Yorker but a "CYNICAL" one! I hope my #KREDSTORY has another happy ending!!

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I've been having writers block lately, maybe cause writing sometimes doesn't come easy for me, "although I did stay at a holiday inn express last night!!" ;-)

Anyway, I was going over my published post as I sometimes do to follow-up and decided to explore again the relatively new start-up @KRED.

If you recall #KRED  "It is a measure of influence created by PeopleBrowsr, a San Francisco-based social media analytics company, to identify the most influential people in interest-based communities. Kred scores are generated by observing a social network user's content, who it reaches, who acts upon it, and whether the user relays the content of others."

It is similar to @Klout, (could always use more #KLOUT, HINT-HINT @UBtalkin, but goes even further with there "New" #KloutStory! But let them explain it in this short video.......

My reason for my first post on #Kred was that when you sign in vie #Twitter one of there requirements is that you authorize and grant access to @PeopleBrowsr, HomePage (They are an influence analytics and social media marketing solutions collect social metadata, identify influencers, and enable analysis and engagement.) to your #Twitter DM's (Direct Messages). To me those are EXTREMELY personal and really see no reason that they or anyone should have access to them. Call me a "PARANOID" New Yorker if you want but #Klout doesn't require that as really most others don't as well.

In my first post, you can read HERE, expressing my concerns to my surprise I got almost immediate responses from the CEO Andrew Grill  and Travis Wallis Leading Data Strategy #PeopleBrowsr & #Kred.  

Both could not have been nicer and more forthcoming saying that they were fixing this for there next version coming out...

 

 

  

And true to there word I got a tweet from #KRED CEO Andrew Grill......

Now that's a company we can trust or so I thought!

I signed up for my #KredStory and was really getting into exploring the many features and really in depth details they provide as it really does go beyond #Klout in many factions! But alas My #KredStory has an Unhappy Ending!

I often check my #Twitter Apps, those that I have given permission to access my account, (that paranoid  New Yorker again) just to make sure nothing has changed. And, unfortunately, #KRED is now once again accessing our #Twitter DM's. No warning, No explanation just back to the way it was.  

So I have revoked access to them and put my #KredStory back up on the bookshelf again. It's there company, there idea, there reason for doing so but again I ask them WHY? Why do you need access to my "Personal" twitter DM's. I would DM someone on twitter cause I only wanted THAT PERSON to see it not anyone in my stream or you for whatever reason you might come up with. 

Maybe its an error, a mistake, a misunderstanding, it happens! I hope so. My brother-in-law and I had a misunderstanding this week and I believed we have worked it out! Miscommunication, it happens! I really was starting to enjoy reading my #KredStory and maybe this doesn't bother most of you using there service, so be it. But you should know and decide for yourself.  

But for now I feel betrayed, lied too, fooled! We are about to get a major snowstorm in #NYC, I feel like I just got a Major "SNOW JOB"    

So again I say, "Sorry #KRED, you AGAIN have NO #KLOUT with me!

 

 

 

 

Manti Te'o: Hoax or Lier?

Once again we are faced with yet ANOTHER athlete falling from grace. Now, before I go on, Manti Te'o is innocent until proven otherwise, but the story and facts that have come out today are truly reprehensible!

An article at DEADSPIN.com   that Manti Te’o’s Dead Girlfriend, Lennay Kekua who was 22 years old and who supossidly had been in a serious car accident in California, was then diagnosed with leukemia while being treated at the hospital for her injuries, then who dies right before or just after Manti's grandmother who passed away in Hawaii, the Most Heartbreaking And Inspirational Story Of The College Football Season, Is A Hoax!

Now Manti Te'o did lose his grandmother this past fall. Her name was Annette Santiago and she died on Sept. 11, 2012, at the age of 72. BUT, as Deadspin has reported,"There is no SSA record there of the death of Lennay Marie Kekua, that day or any other. Photos of her online are NOT Kekua. There is no record of a car accident.

Supposedly she tweeted to him with the #Twitter A/c @lovalovaloveYOU A Google search reveals this profile:

which has since change! Remember folks, what you post on-line, STAYS ONLINE! There are some 92 posts by this account which she or someone has deleted from there twitter A/C. Manti Te'o #Twitter A/C @MTeo_5   is following some 146 people and she or this account is NOT one of them.

Another tweet from this accout is from March 9, 2012:

  She changed her account to @LennayKay 

 

Now it's changed to @LoveMSMK and the account has been deleted!

Has Manti Te'O been the victim of a elaborate Hoax? If so, what was the purpose of the Hoax? What did the people want from Manti?  When did Manti find out about it and why didn't he now or then contact the police?

Was Manti in on this elaborate scheme to drum up publicity, sort of a "RUDY" Ruettiger Notre Dame figure to help him in gaining popularity and attention thus getting more money from an NFL team? 

STATEMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME:

On Dec. 26, Notre Dame coaches were informed by Manti Te'o and his parents that Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia. The University immediately initiated an investigation to assist Manti and his family in discovering the motive for and nature of this hoax. While the proper authorities will continue to investigate this troubling matter, this appears to be, at a minimum, a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators. 

STATEMENT FROM MANTI TE'O

"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her.

"To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating. It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life. I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick.

"I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been. In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was. Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL draft." 

For me it's hard to believe ANY Athlete nowadays! As the story develops and the entire story is known will Manti Te'O just be another one of the many high profile figures that have fallen from grace and now beg us for a second chance to make even more money at our expense!!

 

Lance Armstrong Oprah Winfrey Interview Details

AN @AP source says Lance Armstrong confessed to Oprah Winfrey during an interview Monday January 14, 2013 that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France.  Orah said; "We were mesmerized and riveted by some of his answers," she said, adding that "he did not come clean in the manner that I expected." She didn't elaborate.

A group of about 10 close friends and advisers to Armstrong left a downtown Austin hotel about three hours after they arrived Monday afternoon for the taping. Among them were Armstrong attorneys Tim Herman and Sean Breen, along with Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's longtime agent, manager and business partner. All declined comment entering and exiting the session.

Soon afterward, @Oprah Winfrey tweeted: "Just wrapped with @lancearmstrong More than 2½ hours. He came READY!"

The interview is to be broadcast Thursday on Winfrey's network.

Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven  Tour de France victories from 1999 to 2005,which was a record by any cyclist, last year in the wake of a voluminous U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that portrayed him as a ruthless competitor, willing to go to any lengths to win the prestigious race. USADA chief executive Travis Tygart labeled the doping regimen allegedly carried out by the U.S. Postal Service team that Armstrong once led, "The most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."

It is a fact that Armstrong has NEVER failed any of his 500 drug test and for more than a decade, Armstrong has denied he used performance-enhancing drugs but after a federal investigation of the cyclist was dropped without charges being brought last year, USADA stepped in with an investigation of its own. The agency deposed 11 former teammates and accused Armstrong of masterminding a complex and brazen drug program that included steroids, blood boosters and a range of other performance-enhancers.

Before sitting down with Oprah, Lance visited the staff at  his Livestrong cancer foundation. Armstrong addressed the staff Monday and said, "I'm sorry." as the disgraced cyclist choked up and several employees cried during the session.

Armstrong apologized for letting the staff down and putting Livestrong at risk but he did not make a direct confession to the group about using banned drugs. He said he would try to restore the foundation's reputation, and urged the group to continue fighting for the charity's mission of helping cancer patients and their families.

His story of  fighting back from testicular cancer to reaching the heights of winning not one but an UNREPRESENTED seven Tour de Frances was a story straight out of a Hollywood script. What was once an inspiration to so many has, as has been all too frequently, turned ugly and disgraceful as we yet again watch one of what we thought was a TRUE HERO and INSPIRATION turn out to be just another lier and cheater.

Got me!!! I too was caught up in the pride of what this America in Paris did together with the admiration of what he had to overcome. He fooled me as well as millions around the USA and the world. More importantly he cheated, not just us all and his competitors, but himself out of true victory, self sacrifice and fair competition over dishonesty, chemicals and the ultimate selfishness to WIN at ANY COST no matter what you have to do!

Does he deserve forgiveness?  A second chance? Redemption?

Of course I ask you this, How many others do the same thing and never get in suspicion getting away with what Lance almost did!!!

Google Maps for #iOS is Here.......BUT...

FINALLY!!!

After #Apple dropped #GoogleMaps from its latest #iOS 6 upgrade in lieu of its own Maps App which has had MANY problems, an apology from apple CEO Tim Cook and the firing of Maps developer Richard Williamson, GOOGLE has launched its stand alone App for iOS!

A little after 11pm est on 12/12/12, wonder if they planned that, word came down vie #Twitter that it had been released! I quickly got a link for it to the App store, nothing was coming up on my #iPhone 4S searches, and tried to download! AND TRIED!!! AND TRIED!!! I kept getting the following message.... →

Persistent I finally after about half an hour was able to download it to my phone.

When you first enter the world of Google Maps you get the following screen.
Now I did not choose to help Google improve there App by giving them permission to collect my personal data, location etc. They want that, PAY ME, so I unchecked that box.(you can always go back in settings).
You can also choose to sign in with the "MY PROFILE" feature by tapping the little figure→ and save your favorite places and get quick access to past searches and directions from phone or computer. Another way #Google wants to track your info! 

The first time you type in to get directions by tapping in the top bar arrow key →
it takes you to the main direction finder. Your location should be there, provided that you enabled "location services" on your device. It gives you three options, Car, Transit or walking. Type in your destination, usually finds it before you've finished entering it, and that's it. Gives you three routes to choose from. If you have an #iPhone 4S or latter with Siri intergration it will give you turn-by-turn voice activated directions. To stop just hit the X in the lower left hand corner.

The first time I used this I got this SCARY WARNING....
 Now you have to accept it, but it goes to show you, BE CAREFUL using anything!


The side navigation bar, located in the lower right corner opens with a SWIPE with four options to improve directions with TRAFFIC, Public Transportation, Satellite and a separate integration google earth which you must download that App to work.

There is also an interesting feature, SHAKE your phone/ipad and this screen pops up......

Interesting, not really sure why they have this when you shake your device, NOT sure why I shook my device to have this pop up in the first place!!!

One of my favorite and interesting features is the "SEARCH" Bar.
Type in the address your tring to find  it gives you quick access to directions, you can share it with someone else vie Message, email copy to clipboard. Save it if you signed in using your Google account.  Gives you street view by clicking on the picture of the locations.

There is still lots more to explore, discover and get used to. Problems I'm sure will arise.

BUT for me, IT'S NICE TO HAVE YA BACK #GOOGLEMAPS...........