Assault Breacher Vehicle – “The Joker”
Posted by Matt in General Posts on February 22, 2010
The Joker, the nickname given by the crew to one of the 72 ton, 40 foot long Assault Breacher Vehicles. “The Joker” is seeing its first combat duty in Operation Cobra’s Anger in Afghanistan. ABV’s are fitted with a plow and nearly 7,000 pounds of explosives. The Breachers are the Marines Corps’ answer to the deadliest threat facing United States and NATO troops in Afghanistan, thousands of la nd mines and roadside bombs aka improvised explosive devices, that litter the Afghan taliban region.
Wow…
Early Morning
Posted by Matt in General Posts, Mobile, Rants on February 17, 2010
So I am thinking… As I sit here with access to my blog via Blackberry…..why not go off into blog land for a little bit? When is the last time I did that? January, it seems to be. What do you know about that?
Sun is coming up, sky looks a light blue with a few cloud strands here and there. Not that it really matters to you, but that’s what I see so you get to know it as well.
I am starting to recommend Sponsored Tweets more and more. Maybe after my next payout we will talk about how strong I like them. Probably need to get a referral link. Oh well.
Getting brighter outside, bunch of birds chirping. Few ducks making noises too. I am waiting for the Fountain to turn back on….Awww, there are no ducks on the fountain. If there was, I’d get another possible chance to see the Fountain hit the ducks. But they are smart, or they hear some sort of something below them kick on, because I have seen them jump off it within minutes of it turning on.
Well, I don’t guess the fountain is going to turn on while I’m writing this. Typing, rather — you get the point.
Bored with this…
Umm.. I think Twitter Counter is Broken
Posted by Matt in Facebook, General Posts, Kid's Show, MySpace, Twitter, Twitter Counter on January 22, 2010
Well, I do believe something has gone terribly wrong at TwitterCounter.com
As you can tell from the chart above, even though my Twitter profile stays the same, the counter on my site and the direct stats from Twitter Counter shows I have 0 followers.
Yes, I know, this isn’t really something important for me to complain about. However, I just figured I would share with you something that has happened. After all, isn’t that the point of this whole online blogging thing? And with Twitter slowly ruling the world like it is today (along side Facebook — only a few years ago it was Myspace ruling the web…) I figured what better place to talk about Twitter and twitter related issues than on my site!
On another note: I received a few emails regarding Kids Show… I am thinking about putting Kids Show 1 & 2 back up, but I do not know just yet.
Something that amuses me:
What To Expect
Posted by Matt in General Posts, Kid's Show on January 15, 2010
Wow, you’d almost think I had forgotten how to get on here and post anything. Well, it’s nothing like that — I’ve just been busy. I do, however, have a lot of updates for you curious minded folk.
Get with it: Abbreviations commonly used: MFDB-Matt Fowler dot Business MFN-Matt Fowler Network
First of all, I’m very proud to announce the utilization of Mattfowler.net — which was known as Matt Fowler dot Network, is being transformed into the Matt Fowler Network. If you are asking yourself “Does he really need a network named after him??” well, although the answer is probably no, I am creating one so deal with it. I’ve owned this domain for quite some time now and I haven’t been able to figure out how I want to go about this new step. But, I do believe I have finally figured out which way I want to this site to go. I think you will be quite pleased. Since the internet today (and mostly has always been like this) is extremely focused on collaboration and ease of use, I figure that I can easily get this going and have instant success. However, nobody knows what will happen.
My goal with starting this new network is to collaborate everything I do online, and have it easily accessible on one location. Sure, MFDB has done most of this for me, but I also have a lot of projects outside of this site that need recognition. Nothing will happen to this site, as it will stay exactly as it is. Only it will soon be a subsidiary of tMFN. (the Matt Fowler Network, just in case you weren’t paying attention or just skipped to this part of the post)
Also, the new improvements to MFDB are coming along great, although you aren’t able to see a lot of changes on your end just yet, they are coming. I am very picky when it comes to how my site looks so I usually don’t release the new changes unless its all at once and I have had enough time to preview, test, and debug them. I’m done with the Maintenance Mode plugin, especially after it locked me out of my site for 3 days with no explanation. I was able to remove the plug-in and continue, but that ended my support for them. From now on, when my site is in any kind of maintenance mode you will either be redirected to another page, or you will just see a friendly “Things might looked messed up” warning on the front page.
To give you an idea of what kind of changes I’m talking about: A big one is Navigation. Sure, this may not seem like much of an issue right now, but I’ve really got to work on how I distribute my Social Networking pages and my portfolio. Eventually, “On the Web” and all pages under it will be gone. It’s pointless to have that many pages linked to one another when I could just have one page that shows all of them at once. Originally, the whole reason these pages are segmented like they are is because I was going to have a feed from each of them show the latest posts & updates. Well, as it turned out — once I set up FriendFeed to do this in one location, the other feeds never seemed to make it on those pages. (hence, laziness)
Also, you may have noticed that all of my videos on YouTube have been deleted. This isn’t a mistake — because I’m the one who deleted them. (obviously!) I cannot give an explanation right now as to why this was done, but I can tell you that it is related to the new MFN. All the videos are still kept on my External HD’s, but I cannot release at this time which ones I will re-upload. Don’t worry Kid’s Show fans, Bubble’s isn’t gone — he is just taking a break.
Ahh, ranting on the internet. I have quite missed this actually… I will indeed have to start finding more time to get on here and do this as often as I used too.
A Better 3G Experience, AT&T vs Verizon
Posted by Matt in Mobile, Straight Up News on November 25, 2009
There's A Map For That
I have to get my hands on this story. It’s too much.
It all started with Verizon issuing AD’s displaying a rich vibrant red 3G coverage map, and AT&T’s “spotty” blue coverage map. Of course, why wouldn’t this make AT&T upset. Turning to legal matters would seem like a sure fire way of taking care of this. But there stands only one problem. AT&T is now suing Verizon for “mis-leading customers”, because as it turns out the 3G Coverage Map Verizon shows is accurate. AT&T has not taken the time to upgrade their 3G coverage.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/atandt-sues-verizon-over-theres-a-map-for-that-ads/
Funniest thing is, the judges overruled the idea of Verizon pulling the ads. They are still running and probably will stay that way.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2356122,00.asp
AT&T is trying to say that most people are not able to distinguish the difference of their 3G Coverage Map, and their actual Data map (which includes EDGE, GSM, etc). Granted most people may have difficulty understanding the real difference, we can still tell the best kind of coverage and how much of it there is throughout the states.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/181379/verizon_lawsuit_makes_atandt_the_villain_again.html
They are also starting their comeback commercials. Check boxes comparing the two differences (how original), with Luke Wilson (who again) comparing.
What I find completely humorous is AT&T has went to saying “The Best 3G Coverage” to “A Better 3G Experience“ Maybe Verizon should file a counter claim that AT&T is just straight up lieing. Once Verizon (if they ever do after this) gets the iPhone, I see AT&T retiring from the mobile wireless market and selling to Verizon. Especially now that Verizon is tied up with Google. (and that’s all I’m saying about that) Who knows what is going to happen next.
http://www.9to5mac.com/AT-T-Verizon-ads-court-judge-misfit-43562
I want to know your opinons
Pajama Pants in Space Update
It’s been a little while since I’ve reported anything, especially Pajama Pants in Space. The all-genre band by yours truly. Awhile back, you may remember me mentioning a PPIS website. Well, that day is finally no longer a myth. You can check it out here: http://www.mattfowler.biz/ppis
Yes, I know, not real fancy just linking off of my site. But, I figure this will be a good place to at least start a site. The band isn’t popular enough just yet for me to purchase a domain name for it. Though, this may happen in the near future. Just be watching out.
Other good news, Internet Explorer 8 apparently has something against me. Or Microsoft… Pretty much, when running this new feature “compatibility mode” my site crashes. Displays a connecton error.On Vista and XP Users. Have no idea why. I have contacted Microsoft and heard nothing back. My host says its nothing on their end.
I sent an email to the designer of the layout for my site, and still waiting for their reply. I am hoping it is just a simple scripting problem I am overlooking.
Other than that, everything is going good and I am done typing..
Represent
Posted by Matt in Straight Up News on October 25, 2009
You know, I won’t speak my feelings toward the President.
However, regardless how you or I feel, just because he was born in Hawaii doesn’t mean he forgot where he spent most of his time.
As soon as H1N1 hit Illinois hard, he declared it a National Emergency.
Granted, he should have done this when H1N1 first started, at least it’s finally been done.
Yeah, I guess that is it.
Read about it:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1932113,00.html
KGB Sells your number!
Posted by Matt in General Posts on October 13, 2009
Can’t write much because I’m actually on the road to the St. Louis Dethklok/Mastodon show, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I strongly believe that the 99 cent question answerer KGB sells your cell number to sponsors and other third parties.
I know this because I hadn’t received any “spam” texts since I texted KGB (not actually asking a question – just seeing what happens when you just text them saying hello)
Then today I received a short digit text explaining the latest deals with a “reply STOP to end service”, which I did opt out of – which may have hooked me into more, we will find out.
Either way, gotta go.. My heart will go on just came on…..crying time.
Powermat?
Posted by Matt in General Posts, Rants, Straight Up News on October 5, 2009
Anybody heard anything about Powermats? I mean I understand that it is something inside the back panels that connects wirelessly to the mat. Something tells me it’s not safe. Could be wrong.
Little pricey, but I guess it’s a little worth it.
$99.99 Powermat Portable Recharging Mat.
Target or Best Buy
$29.99 iPhone or iPod Touch “receivers”
And $29.99 for a DS too! Yeah!
It sounds great, but it just almost seems like something that would either get your phone hot — and you know the problems that follow that. And then maybe it would screw up the charging system. Maybe thinking that it is fully charged when it’s not. I do know that when you have a constant WiFi connection the battery power is pleh (new word) on phones. Does just fine on iPhone/iPod Touch and DS. 
Hurrah! I hope it’s legit and non damaging…because…I want it.
It will make my blackberry, however, even less pocket friendly. Sadness on a silver platter.
I want one but I just wonder how legit they are. Not that it’s a scam, but maybe. Give it some thought at least.
Let me know what you think.
How do you look at Fast Food?
Posted by Matt in General Posts on September 23, 2009
Photographer Jon Feinstein has taken fast food pictures to a new level.
From Good.is:
In the short time since fast food chains have become part of our national (and global) culture, a number of burger shops have begotten some truly iconic–and insalubrious—food items, the mass production and marketing of which is utterly astounding. However, when removed from their brightly colored wrappers and shot against a stark, clinical background, as in the case of Jon Feinstein’s photographic series, “Fast Food,” the archetypal snacks and sandwiches take on a decidedly unsettling quality.
It almost makes me want to give up Fast Food all together, although I sort of have with McDonalds, but I cannot resist Burger King. Yes, I realize it’s not healthy. But it’s quick and easy, and isn’t that what the general public likes? Who wants to wait 20 Minutes for a meal on lunch break when you’ve only got 30? That’s what I thought.
