Well … my next mission is in an icy venue — Philadelphia.  Or is it?  All flights from Cleveland to Philadelphia have been canceled, so it may be back to sunny Texas … or who knows.  Life is an adventure.  And this new gig (supplemental to blogging) has just upped the unknown ante considerably.

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In 2004 Forbes named my blog “Best of the Web.”  Marketing types from Kodak headquarters contacted me to ask what I would charge for a personal appearance at one of their events. Blah, blah, blah.

Vintage Ping -- The Wi-Fi Guy Tour, 2004

That was then … this is now.  I won’t lie.  The Internet is teeming with bloggers now — so I am not the “oddity” that I once was.  (I mean that in a good way.)

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“What a small world” is not a cliche.  It is a truism that applies pretty much every day … seems like.  This morning, I was standing in line at an American Airlines gate, checking a bag to Cleveland.  (I am going there for some Wi-Fi and also a little “Dirty Jobs”-like action.)

I heard a voice, “Kent?”

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Andy's Space

If for no other reason than my membership expires in a week, today I rushed over to The Modern art museum in Fort Worth to check out the Wi-Fi.  And of course, while I was there, I sampled the “decor” in Tadao Ando’s architectural showpiece.

Actually, there was another reason.  As of late, PingWi-Fi is focusing on Wi-Fi hotspots “in our own backyard”  — Dallas/Fort Worth.  So, why not The Modern?

One of my favorite pieces in the permanent collection is still the green Andy Warhol “Self Portrait,” largely because of the dramatic placement.  Head up a few steps on the first massive stairway, and you see spiked hair.  A few more steps, ascending, and you see Andy’s face staring at you, birdlike.  Climb to the top, and you see the portrait, dominating a special little landing area.

Another most impressive piece is a recent addition to the collection by Kehinde Wiley — a huge, classical style portrait of a “soldier” on steed.  Actually, it is a modern remix reminiscent of Napoleon.  A few details have been changed. The general riding the horse has been replaced with a young hipster in his fur-lined coolio coat and Nikes.

So how ’bout the art of wireless Internet?  Well … because the “art police” wouldn’t let me take photos of the featured exhibit,  I pulled out my iPhone to check for a signal among the computer art by Jeff Elrod.  See:

Frictionless Drawings

No prob.  Plenty of Wi-Fi in Elrod’s space and in the permanent collection as well (where photos are permitted).  I picked up a couple of networks with the iPhone, although my backup computer (a Dell with an ancient add-on Wi-Fi card inserted) found only one.  I managed to get by, comfortably perched on a catwalk over the main hall of the museum … uploading photos and blogging at will.

Provocative art, diversity and satisfactory Wi-Fi for this collector — The Modern gets 5 pings.

Grand Hall

"Twenty-five Colored Marilyns," Andy Warhol

Foliage

iWiz -- "Klansman," Andres Serrano

Andy

Warhol Pistol, "Gun"

"Elke," George Baselitz

"Aschenblume," Anselm Kiefer

"Colonel Platoff On His Charger," Kehinde Wiley

Well … the universe is right again.  For my birthday yesterday, Texas Tech gave me everything I wanted. The university signed a new $12.7 million contract extension with the “Wizard of No Wood” — coach Mike Leach out on the barren South Plains.

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As I pinged my way through the heart of San Francisco several months ago, I spotted a TV crew, and being the publicity-needy waif that I am, I got right in the middle of them.  They were shooting a pilot for MTV, and they ended up interviewing me.  The only reason they gave me the time of day?  — I had on a bright red Texas Tech t-shirt … probably the only one in the Bay Area … and TT football was ranked #2 in the nation that day (albeit shortlived).

Makin Like Pirates

One of the TV hosts was from England and one was from Detroit.  The latter was a Texas Tech fan!  Why?  Two reasons — legendary Coach Bobby Knight and genius Coach/pirate enthusiast Mike Leach!  If you have not been following along, Knight retired after a lackluster showing on the courts for Tech.  But, his media value to Tech — invaluable.

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As reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Entire story

Delta Sued For Inflight Wi-Fi Service

By Kelly Yamanouchi
Delta Air Lines and its in-flight Wi-Fi service provider have been sued by a Massachusetts company for patent infringement.

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It has been several months since I had the chance to speak to Edgar Figueroa of the Wi-Fi Alliance. To establish the timeframe, he and I talked one or two days before Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech made that highlight reel, last-minute catch and scored to upset the then #1 ranked Texas Longhorns in football. Those are significant details, because Edgar is a product of the University of Texas, and I went to Tech. It was a big week, but not too big to discuss our common passion – Wi-Fi.

Edgar Figueroa, Wi-Fi Alliance

And of course, I have just now come down from the high of a Tech victory so that I can recall the conversation.

Meanwhile, Figueroa and friends at the Wi-Fi Alliance continue their winning ways. Last month they announced sales of Wi-Fi chipsets for 2008 rose 26 percent to 387 million units, according to InStat and the Wi-Fi Alliance. (Ha, this news should also bode well for a blog that’s main focus is Wi-Fi …)

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Are you on Twitter?

I know, I know.  It is such a silly name it is difficult to take it seriously.  But I must confess it is a pretty cool way to get the word out.  If you are already among the twitterati, I invite you to follow us.  Look for @PingWiFi (no hyphen on Twitter).  If you are not a part of twitterdom, you might want to check it out:

www.twitter.com

I highly recommend following FOX News and The Associated Press … And if you are a rebel like me — LOL — also follow Twitter Moms.

Today, I guess I am in a kinder/gentler/twittler mood.  It must be all the Valentine candy.  Here my earlier take on the phenom:

Twitter take one