Please watch the video above. I’ll wait.

Glad to have you back. Doesn’t that GM ad sound nice? There is only one problem with it. It will not happen. That GM is the GM that should have been.

What happened? Congress decided that GM was “too big to fail” and bailed it out in the amount of billions. What Congress did not realize is that no matter how much money was thrown at the automotive companies the underlying problem would remain – the cars are not selling because they are not in high demand. The government was only delaying the death of GM and Chrysler. Now, as we know, both companies have filed for bankruptcy that will result in the taxpayer (us) losing money.

What do we get? Instead of the dream that GM (and Chrysler) would pay the United States Government back, we now are going to be losing billions and gaining a 60% stake in GM. The other owners include the United Auto Workers (UAW) union with a 17.5% stake, Canada with a 12.5% stake, and the bondholders, who are the big losers in this deal, with a 10% stake. The first indication that the ad will not hold true should be UAW having a 17.5% stake. It is hard to make competitive costing cars when labor costs remain at a high rate. Second, GM is now Government Motors until the debt to the government is paid back. Governments do not have a good track record in running business especially when the person in charge of figuring out the new business’s inter-working has no experience in that industry. That is exactly the case here.

Meet Brian Deese. He is the 31-year-old “not-quite” Yale Law School graduate who has no experience in the auto industry yet is the one who will help to remake the the automotive industry in the United States. This is what things are now beginning looking like. First, car companies will now be required to make “green” cars. While I am all for helping the environment, this move will continue to cripple the automakers. The truth of the matter is that while some Americans do want a hybrid most are opting for a bigger vehicles that will not make the “green” cut (35MPG standard). The demand is not pointing to the “green” vehicles. This could result in an increase in the price of vehicles requiring new technology from $6,000 to $7,000 or the drop of additional brands. Second, employees will still be cut in the order of thousands along with the loss of 1000+ dealerships many of which were still profitable. This is not the path to a successful company.

Things might have been different if the government had let the automakers go into bankruptcy. We could have had a new period of innovation with our cars just ad the depicted. After all, this is how GM originally got its start.

Note: This post is not meant to be an all-inclusive article for facts of GM or Chrysler. It is meant to start a conversation, so please post a comment.

Remarks as prepared for delivery to the Monahans High School Commencement Exercises on Friday, May 29th, 2009 by Matt Pippen:

Good evening and welcome administration, school board members, faculty, parents, friends, and fellow graduates of the Class of 2009. I have the distinct honor of welcoming you today as your salutatorian. Today, I want to talk to you about the future.

Thirteen years in the making, today, we have reached the frontier of our lives – the unexplored. While the past eighteen years have been under the guidance of our parents, we now begin a new path shaped by only our own will. This unexplored life will greet us with the greatest adventure, mystery, hardships, uncertainty, happiness, and joy from everyday forward. The lessons we have learned at Monahans High School will become vital to our success.

We began our journey to reach this frontier as small kindergarteners, full of uncertainty. It has not been easy. The trek from kindergarten to high school has been a rough path full of stepping-stones that led us to the young adults we are today. Young adults that carry dreams and aspirations. Young adults that are full of potential.

Many people say we will be the future and the world will be in our hands long from now. This is wrong. The world is in our hands now. We now have the power to change things and from our generation, we will visit Mars and beyond, find the cure to cancer, make the next breakthrough in alternative energy, and lead the country into its greatest period of prosperity. To do this you must remember a few things. 1) You never fail until you give up; Tom Krause sums it up best: “There are no failures – just experiences and your reactions to them.” 2) “I can not do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do.” Those are the words of Helen Keller as she reminds us of the importance in taking action. 3) Do what you love and you will succeed. Theodore Roosevelt tells us this: “The best prize life offers is to work hard at work worth doing.” These are just a few things to remember as we move forward.

Very briefly, I would like to say thanks to a few people. First and foremost is God who I owe all my success to. I would like to thank my parents for providing me with guidance and love and then standing by my side when I choose not to take that guidance. I would like to thank my brother, Bryan, and sister, Megan. While I may not always show it, they are my best friends in life. To my friends I owe a special thanks for providing me with encouragement, among other countless things, and lifelong memories over all these years. I would also like to thank my teachers from Kindergarten though high school. So many of you have become more then just a person that teaches math or science, but a friend, counselor, inspiration, and educator of lifelong lessons. To all of those who have been in my life, I can never say how much I thank you and owe to you.

I leave you with two things this evening. The first – Before Google was even a thought, many people used a publication called The Whole Earth Catalog as a means of finding information. The catalog started its fade as technology developed and the Internet took center stage. The final issue was printed in 1974 with a message on the back: “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” Always remain hungry for more knowledge as it is the key to your success, and not only that, you must accompany this with foolishness. This is the idea that you are not the brightest and have much to learn no matter how much you may already know. The second – In 1997, Apple Inc. created one of most famous advertising campaigns in the history of television – Think Different. Along with the campaign came a mantra that I live my life by everyday. I would like to share it with you. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Tonight is our night. Good luck and congratulations to the class of 2009.

Thank you, God bless, and “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”

To begin, Mr. Krugman has the perception that these tea parties are being held by members of the Republican party. While some tea parties are being sponsored or organized by the Republican party or its members, the majority of the parties are not. They are held in a non-partisan manner with attendance from Democrats and Republicans alike. However, it would be important to point out that conservatives (not Republicans, and there is a difference) and center-leaning liberals are the majority of those who feel these tea parties serve an important purpose.

Next, Mr. Krugman refers to the tea parties as “antitaxation demonstrations.” Let’s set the record straight. The Tax Day Tea Party has an intent of speaking out against additional taxes (or extreme taxes) to pay for massive spending that the attendees did not want and a majority of Americans are against. The tea parties are not intented to serve as a platform for tax evasion, as most of the attacks paint the situation, or even to get rid of taxes. In reality, many tea parties are call for the implementation of the FairTax.

Anyone who does attend and attempt to turn a tea party into an anti-taxation demonstration is misguided. Additionally, the idiots who attempt to demean our President by using this as a chance to call him names, as Mr. Krugman wrote about in his column, should be ashamed. None of this is what the tea parties are about.

Mr. Krugman is also wrong when he opines that President Obama is being refered to as a socialist by the parties. This is completely wrong. The tea parties, however, do hope to call attention to the actions which our entire government have made that move us away from free market principals.

Mr. Krugman also made this claim in his column:

Last but not least: it turns out that the tea parties don’t represent a spontaneous outpouring of public sentiment. They’re AstroTurf (fake grass roots) events, manufactured by the usual suspects. In particular, a key role is being played by FreedomWorks, an organization run by Richard Armey, the former House majority leader, and supported by the usual group of right-wing billionaires. And the parties are, of course, being promoted heavily by Fox News.

The tea parties are far from “AstroTurf events.” While some of the big city parties may have gained the support of prominent Republicans, as mentioned before, the majority of the parties are in everyday America, many in small towns. In these locations, normal citizens, such as you or I, can be found organizing the events. There is no massive outpour of money to these parties. Most receive their support because citizens want the event to take place and donate their time, money, or goods to the party.

The reason attacks are made in this light against the Republican party is because Democrats see that these tea parties can be used as a grassroots-led instrument. If the Democrat-controlled Congress continues to alienate Americans with their spending, the Republican party can take the grassroots network and rally around it in future elections. Mr. Krugman and Democrats alike feel the strength of the party growing, and with that, their concern is growing. They can not understand it and feel the need to suppress it. That is why attacks, such as today’s op-ed column, are made with such pointed teeth – refering to Republicans as “crazy people” and “embarrassing to a watch.” Even Fox News has been attacked for simply covering these major events that other news outlets pretend are not happening.

With that said, please do not think that I am standing up for the Republican party. I am not a member of the party; I do not agree with it on several points. I simply feel that these attacks against the GOP depend heavily on bias and are hardly fair.

Finally, when Mr. Krugman claims that, “For now, the Obama administration gains a substantial advantage from the fact that it has no credible opposition, especially on economic policy…,” he is completely wrong. The entire government has a credible opposition – the American people.

The day these tea parties are taking place, April 15th, is no coincidence; it’s tax day. The Tax Day Tea Party intends to shine the light on how this spending is costing America through tax increases. Ultimately, the parties want to mirror the (original) Boston Tea Party’s notice to the government that the citizens are mad, concerned, and silent no longer.

Even in West Texas, the attention is brewing for tea parties. Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, Fort Stockton, Alpine, San Angelo, Abilene, Lubbock, and El Paso have confirmed tea parties planned for the 15th, except for Midland which is scheduled for the 18th. I will be attending the Odessa tea party where I have the honor of participating in the ceremony. While it is not final, it is requested of me to read the Declaration of Independence and speak. (I will be posting a transcript of my speech here.) I am looking forward to share my opinion with fellow citizens in my preferred format.

To those going to a tea party, I have a quick note for you. Please remember that the mess we are in is both the Republicans and Democrats fault. The tea parties are not being held to fight but to unite and find a solution though calling attention to the problem. Also, these are peaceful assemblies. Please do not attend if you want to make it anything more then that. It is not a search for anarchy or unlawfulness.

If you are in the Odessa area, I encourage you to attend the tea party. It will be at the Odessa City Hall (411 8th Street) from Noon to 1:30 PM, and it looks to be the biggest tea party in the Permian Basin. If you do attend, please feel free to contact me if you would like to meetup. I can not stay around for long because of obligations after the event, but I will be there long enough for a good talk.

You can find a tea party near you by visiting the official Tax Day Tea Party website.

First and foremost, today is a day about our veterans. These brave, bold, and courageous men and women in front of us today have taken up arms for our country; an experience that we will never be able to understand unless we make it ourselves. Please give them a round of applause. (Applause) However, just as important, are the men and women who are not with us in this room; those who gave the ultimate sacrifice – their life. It is their blood that stains the battlefields of war and wrote the pages of history books. Although they cannot be with us, please give these men and women a round of applause. (Applause) Let us always remember that these men and women gave a sacrifice so we may continue to live in a free and safe country with the opportunity to prosper like no other country on the face of this planet. The impact of these heroes can best be summed up in a common bumper sticker: “If You Can Read This Thank A Teacher. If You Can Read This In English Thank A Soldier!”

Fellow students, I now want to take an opportunity to talk to you about the importance of giving to our country. As John F. Kennedy said in his 1961 inaugural address, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” The heart and soul of America is found in those who do this. Despite what you might think, giving back can be done in a variety of ways.

The most obvious of these is serving in the military. All of us in this room know about serving as a defender of freedom through commercials on TV or recruiters on campus, but many have never considered giving back though the military. This path is not for everyone, but everyone should take a note from Theodore Roosevelt: “No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his body, to risk his well being, to risk his life, in a great cause.”

A second way to give back is though national service. Those that feel military service is not an option for you, consider national service. Throughout history, people have felt the importance of serving a cause greater then themselves. Just look to Monahans High School for an example. Those in the band, do you feel proud that you pull together each year in the attempt to make something work that is greater then yourself? How about football. Do you cherish that feeling after a hard fought Friday night victory all to push the team, something greater then yourselves, to a new height? The factor that makes national service different then these is that the cause is human, and there is no greater cause then the human cause. All around the world, people are suffering from things such as AIDS, malnutrition, a lack of clean water, or even a way to produce food. Organizations such as Peace Corps will enable you to help these people escape these conditions – conditions that no human should have to endure. Even here in the United States, AmeriCorps serves as a way to affect others. Today, AmeriCorps leads community service efforts all around the country. It helps struggling youth, children learning to read, voter participation, and so much more that is vital to our countries ability to stand out as a world leader in the 21st century.

There is also one other great way to give back to your country. That is being an informed citizen. Take this as an example: Those of you who supported Barack Obama during this recent political election – why? If you supported John McCain – why? If you cannot answer beyond “He sounded good” then you have found a new way to give back to your country. Take it from Thomas Jefferson: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” But it doesn’t end there. Just as important as being an informed citizen is being an active citizen. Vote on election day, start a blog, run for a political office, and express your educated opinion on important issues. Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” If you don’t believe him, open a history book and look at how wars of tyranny and great oppression started.

Thank you for your attention. I truly hope that you consider one of the ways to give back, and just as important, I hope you remember the importance of our Veterans. Calvin Coolidge , a former U.S. President, best sums up what will happen the day we forget. “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.”

Thank you and may God continue to bless America and those who serve her.

I agree with Queen of Spain (Erin) that is type of behavior is absolutely unacceptable, but she is forgetting a few things.

First, John McCain and Sarah Palin are not the ones who are making these actions and should not have this level of blame thrust at them. It is those lunatic supporters who believe that all those who don’t share their exact views must be cast from the earth. Now saying this, I do believe that McCain/Palin do need to calm down on attacking that incites people on this level, and, second, they need to ask supporters who behave like this to disassociate themselves from their campaign.

Second, the solution isn’t to run over to the other political party. While it might not have been at a Obama rally, McCain has had his share of this too. Here’s just one example of no doubt many you can find that uses the same logic as the person at the McCain/Palin rally. Why isn’t a big deal made about comments such as these? (Note: I am not saying one comment is better/worse then the other. Simply that very negative comments have been made.)

Here’s the truth: both parties have supporters that are responsible for making comments such as these. The solution shouldn’t be to attack the candidates over these supporters, but to call these supporters out. We all, including both candidates, need to make it clear that this type of behavior is in no form or way allowed. If they want to carry on exercising their free speech, they need to move away from the campaigns.

While we are on the topic, even Twitter needs to settle down on the hatred. I can no longer bare to watch my Tweet stream during political events due to the smears made toward both candidates. Can’t we simply agree to disagree instead of making disgusting remarks? I am not saying that you can’t support your candidate or express yourself, but a little class would be nice.

A little class is all I ask.

First, thanks for the thoughts! I always appreciate them. However, I hate to tell you that it’s not really my birthday…yet.

On most non-essential websites, I tend to give my birthday as September 1st for security reasons. This has caused quite the confusion for my friends, on the Internet and in real life, over the past few birthdays. Most people tend to only tell me happy birthday on the wrong days, but I actually had a friend gift me on th wrong day. This wasn’t a between-two-person kind of gift giving, but the friend publicly had a gift sent to me at school. Due to embarrassment, my friend will never forget my exact birthday, September 6th, again.

Just a short story to remind you that it isn’t my birthday today. However, I am still excepting birthday gifts. :D

A couple of weeks ago I received an iPhone/iPod accessory in the mail for review called the “Smart Backup Battery Pack.” It’s made by Richard Solo, created by the same person who founded The Sharper Image.

I was really skeptical when this product arrived because of the large amount of accessories that are simply horrible, so I went into the review open minded but expecting a “so so” product. On the contrary, I found out how amazing this product really was.

Let’s look at how it works out in the real world.
My iPhone died at the beginning of class while I was using it. I plugged the battery pack into my iPhone and let it charge for a minute. As soon as the iPhone gained its reserve battery life back, I was back to emailing and Tweeting. It took about 1 hour and 30 minutes for the battery to charge to 75% while I was using it. (The reason it didn’t make it to 100% was because the battery pack ran out of “juice”.)

The battery comes with all the attachments – retractable USB charging cable and the AC wall charger. This gives you the option to charge the battery pack at a computer or at the wall, like normal.

A nice touch to the battery pack is the indicator lights. It gives you a general feel as to the status of your battery.

The only real complaint I have is that it doesn’t hold as tight as possible to the iPhone (or iPod) when connected. You have to hold them as one to make sure it doesn’t fall out.

Finally, the battery pack isn’t limited to use on your iPhone. It supports all iPods but the iPod Shuffle which doesn’t use the 30-pin connector.

How much will cost you? $49.95. If you order in bulk (2+) you are eligible for discounts as well.

Pros:

• Well Designed
• “Plug and Charge”
• Convenient
• Can use on iPods (Except Shuffle)
• It works!

Cons:

• Doesn’t hold very tight to iPhone when connected

Final verdict: 4.5/5 iPhones

Have you seen some of the content on TBN or TPN? On TPN, we have podcasts ranging from liberal politics to overclocking. Is that “Im tired so this post wont be two long… I had a cheezburger for lunch today…it was good… THANKS FOR READING!!!!!!” type content? Or if you look to the developing TBN, we have articles from bloggers detailing some of the best iPhone Web Apps to posts about CSS changes in the authors blog.

At TMP, we have developed our goal from the original goal of the TPN. We want to show adults that teens can produce quality content at the same level as them. We don’t mean were all going to be Leo Laporte’s and Rush Limbaugh’s, but we can create content that isn’t “blabber.”

In addition, when people see that amazing content is being produced by teens it boosts the overall teen image.

Instead of avoiding something, it should be fixed. That’s part of what TMP is about, as mentioned above.

This really isn’t targeted toward TMP, however I would like to point out there are no minimum posting limits to either network. All we are looking for is a site actively producing content. I would actually agree with you that requiring people to post a minimum amount of times is harmful, and I would even take it as far to say it hurts creativity.

I would like to clarify TMP’s stance on content. We leave all creative control in the hands of the author, but we do tell you that we do not allow “offensive content.” This is meant in the sense of making of a race or religion. If you use harsh language or are explicit, that’s your choice. You post.wouldn’t even be considered “offensive” under our definition. However, TMP will not stand behind the distribution of the afore mentioned hateful content.

But, what happens if you do choose to distribute such content? TMP will simply notify you that your post has been removed from our site, but you will not be removed from the network.

It is your choice entirely over to join a network with such a policy set in place, but in the same sense, the network has a right to control what is distributes. TMP and myself are large believers in free speech, so I do not in anyway want to infringe on it. At the same time, there’s a certain level of responsibility to maintain.

Teen Media Productions has been online for a full year now, and Teen Media Productions since July of 2005. We are in no way new to the scene. We are, however, reforming ourselves to better suit the podcasting and blogging environment. Did you know Teen Podcasters Network is even mentioned in a book? Tricks of the Podcasting Masters by Walch/Lafferty.

We are a high-quality network that is here to stay.

The “duplicate content penalty” myth is one of the biggest obstacles I face in getting web professionals to embrace reprint content. The myth is that search engines will penalise a site if much of its content is also on other websites.

Clarification: there is a real duplicate content penalty for content that is duplicated with minor or no variation across the pages of a single site. There is also a “mirror” penalty for a site that is more or less substantially duplicating another single site. What I’m talking about here is the reprint of pages of content individually, rather than in a mass, on multiple sites.

From Bytestart.co.uk

That’s simply not true. There are many sites that do syndicate your content simply upon stumbling upon your feed anyways. Point being, if it was going to hurt you it would have hurt you by now.

The second major goal of TMP taken from TPN is to have the community help each other. This has been going on long since the original days (I was there) of TPN. It may not always be apart to all others, but as a community we communicate though forums, chat, and email, among others. Right now we may be a little absent on the forum posts, but I can guarantee if someone did ask for help they would receive it.

Chris, I respect your opinion, but there are several things you are overlooking.

In response to the previous article on the iPhone being Time’s Invention of 2007. We’re covering the two published responses Time received to the iPhone article.

“In naming the iPhone the best invention of 2007, you forgot about Windows-based PDA phones. They’ve been out for years. Touch interface? Big deal. As you noted, it’s been done before. A miniaturized operating system? Done. Windows-based phones are everything the iPhone is and more. The phones can text, MMS, email (through POP, IMAP, Exchange), surf the real Web at broadband speed on EVDO networks and open, edit, and save documents. The iPhone is for kids. Windows Mobile PDA phones are for adults who need to do real work” -Eagle Bear Morgan, Seattle

“What a brilliant piece of writing from Lev Grossman. I don’t yet own an iPhone, but I plan to in the near future. Like Grossman, I’m sick of the sour grapes from naysayers who moan about what the iPhones doesn’t do and ignore what it does do and just how well it does it. I hate my conventional cell phone with its 100-page, four-language manual that I can’t begin to understand. I’ve used the iPhone without having to look at the manual. And the only language required is intuition.” -Brad Cathey, Wheaton, IL

Let’s examine the letters.

Our first reader has an apparent “I can do anything you can do. I can do anything better then you.” towards iPhones with Windows-based phones. What he forgot is Apple isn’t an inventor or even a re-inventor. They innovate. Remember Apple’s trademark saying – “Think Different”. Apple took the touchscreen interface and made it into a new interface. An interface where you just don’t press things with your fingers. You manipulate the content right in front of you with your fingers.

Next is the miniaturized OS. Windows-based phones are far from being a complete OS. It’s a MOBILE version of the OS as it says in the actual OS name – Windows Mobile. Apple tells you right from the technical specs. Operating System: OS X. You are running a compressed form of OS X capable of working and running applications exactly like a “full-blown” computer.

The reader does mention a weakness of the iPhone in his next point. MMS. The iPhone can not MMS. Is it coming? Yes, it will come to the iPhone in time when Apple deems it important. In my opinion, lack of MMS is one of the critical flaws of the iPhone. One that turns off a lot of teens who view the ability to send pictures or other media as a must.

The last point made is the iPhone is a toy and Windows-based phones are for adults. This has a basic amount of truth. The iPhone wasn’t made for a business executive in mind. If so, it wouldn’t have needed all the “Just for fun” features Apple though in for the normal consumer such as the iPod functionality or even the ability to expand in the future to use applications that have no business use. Chris Pirillo touches on this with one of his recent videos, “Why Your It Department Doesn’t Love the iPhone“.

The next letter makes an important realization that is true. People skip over how Apple truely did innovate the phone industry. If other phone manufactures want to have the “next big thing” they will have to incorporate some of the improvements Apple made with the iPhone. This includes easy-of-use. We shouldn’t have to read a manuel to learn how to send a text message. (Exaggeration, true, but not for all.)

Six years ago today, thousands of innocent lives were taken in the worst attack against our country. Today take a moment to pray for or remember those who lost their lives or were injured in these attacks. May God continue to bless America.

This week’s wallpaper is a shot from my trip to California. It’s was taken in the Phoenix, AZ region. For all those who may ask, yes I was on a plane. If you have any comments or suggestions, please be sure to email me, use the contact form, or simply leave a comment.

Download the wallpaper here or by clicking on the picture.

This week’s wallpaper is a shot from this year’s vacation to California. We went out onto the Pacific Ocean, and as we past a buoy I had a chance to take this picture of the California Sea Lions exhibiting themselves on the buoy. If you have any comments or suggestions, please be sure to email me, use the contact form, or simply leave a comment.

Download the wallpaper here or by clicking on the picture.

This week’s wallpaper is an interesting one because I don’t have a clue what it is. At best, you can say it’s a random object that is broken. If you have any comments or suggestions, please be sure to email me or use the contact form.

Download the wallpaper here or by clicking on the picture.

First off, sorry about no wallpaper last week. This week’s wallpaper is a personal favorite of mine; It was taken at the Texas Capitol Building during Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Please be sure to write in with your comments and suggestions using the contact form or whatever other method you would like.

Download the wallpaper here or by clicking on the picture.

In Episode 3 of My Life in Mouse Clicks, I talk about the developing vidcast and thank you for your support.

I am starting up a new project at MattPippen.com by the name of Wallpaper Wednesday. Every Wednesday I will have a picture that I have taken myself up for download on MattPippen.com. This is in the hope of getting some feedback on my photography skills, so please be sure to send an email or use the contact form located by clicking the link at the top.

Download the wallpaper here or by clicking on the picture.

1) Wallpaper Wednesday

I have a new project on my website, MattPippen.com, called Wallpaper Wednesday. The idea is that every Wednesday I will post a picture I have taken with my Sony DSC-W50 for people to download and use as wallpaper.

My hope is that at least one person will write in with some comments to help improve my photography. I have my first wallpaper up right now for download in 1920×1080 of the American flag on MattPippen.com so be sure to check it out.

2) Plans for a New Computer

I am in the process of planning out what parts to put together in my next computer. I am going to buy a barebones setup to save some time.

I normally have built my desktop computers although this time I have a fair amount of money to work with. The specs will be below please tell me what you think and if I should make any changes.

• Barebones: Shuttle SG33G5B – Intel GMA 3100 Barebone with HDMI/HDCP/Dolby Digital Live! DTS/Vista ready
• CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Kentsfield Q6600 2.4Ghz (Will be overclocked to minimum of 2.66Ghz)
• Ram: No Specific Brand, At least 2GB
• Hard Drive: Western Digital Raptor 150GB 10,000RPM SATA
• Optical Drive: LITE-ON 20x DVD Burner

3) Donate Button

MattPippen.com now has a donate button in the left sidebar. If you like what I am doing and would like to support it as well as me please donate. I am also willing to link to you if you specify that in an email sent to me after the donation.

I can really use all the donations possible to help get my new computer which in end will help me create better content.

(Click image to see bigger.)
Here’s a picture I took with my phone of a potentially “bricked” Xbox 360 at a Gamestop in Odessa, TX.

It’s error E65: DVD Drive Error – DVD Timeout, Wrong firmware, dvd is without f/w chip, etc. This can also be caused by the tray not being fully closed on boot.

I asked him about his early years in life, the iPhone, Pownce, and America’s infrastructure just to name a few. I was even lucky enough to get a genuine Leo response.

During discussion of the iPhone, Leo started going into how 3rd party applications aren’t currently allowed on the iPhone. To sum it up, Leo said that if Steve Jobs is really so arrogant that he thinks the second a 3rd party developer touched the iPhone it would ruin it, then screw him. He even said that he would make the switch back to his old phone again if the 3rd party applications situation doesn’t improve.

I can’t quite describe the feeling I had during the entire interview to know that I was indeed talking to Leo Laporte. It’s one of those things you just have to try yourself sometime (although with your hero).

After the story got on Digg and about 20-ish hours had past, the flood gates of people to my server had been opened. Within about 4 minutes of becoming “popular” on Digg my server had began to experience the “Digg Effect” (according to comments posted on Digg). Because of this, I had to add a mirror for the podcast, which Zach provided. So thanks to Zach! You can find him at macflauaus.com, so check it out.

In addition, visitors to my website jumped only an amount a picture could describe. So, I have decided to put one up. Thanks to FeedBurner for stats!

I would like to remind everyone to go check the interview out and send me

your feedback. All of the information for that is at mattpippen.com.Also, while your at mattpippen.com please be sure to click the digg link and digg the interview.

Now on to my next interview.

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We have Leo Laporte join me for episode 2. In this episode, Leo gives his thoughts on the iPhone and Pownce and reveals a bit about his earlier years. All this and more in My Life in Mouse Clicks Episode 2!

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