Peter Howard, Mick Jones, Strummer, Paul Simenon ... on tour, Amarillo, Texas

This time of year, every year, I sound like a broken record or maybe a corrupted MP3 file, or whatever.  It is December 23, the day punk’s Joe Strummer died.  More than 20 years ago, just prior to the final concert by The Clash, he took time out to sit for a couple of hours to be interviewed.  His outlook made an impact on the way I see the world.  So as long as I have a forum, I will remember him and his music on this day.

What a character.  Have you seen the film on Sundance Channel, documenting Strummer and his last band The Mescaleros?  Check out “Let’s Rock Again.”  It gives insight into his politics, his artistic process and the sad reality that after Rocking The Casbah all the way to the top, he had to start over.

As Strummer put it, he went from “being a hero to zero and back again.”

Then at 50, after three world beat ecclectic records with his new band, he was gone.

Here is the link from the VIPeep section of this site — a  one-on-one interview with Strummer.

https://pingwifi.westerfunk.net/the-day-the-punk-music-died/

Here’s a great piece seen in The Telegraph:

Wireless internet beat Sky+, Sat Navs, iPods and Blackberries to top the poll in a leading gadget magazine.

The survey asked readers to choose the greatest technological innovation of the past ten years. Wireless Internet was voted for by more than a third of the readers of Stuff.

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TELETOUCH – HAWK ELECTRONICS DIV. KICKS-OFF “WHAT IF 10%” CUSTOMER AFFINITY CHARITY PROGRAM BENEFITING THE USO VIA THE ESPN BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL

Extends Cellular Industry First Customer Loyalty Program

FORT WORTH – Teletouch Communications, Inc. (OTC: TLLE) Hawk Electronics division, a leading U.S. cellular services provider and consumer electronics retailer today announced that it is extending its recently introduced, cellular industry first, customer affinity and charitable donation program: “What If 10%”TM to support the USO (United Service Organization).

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Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Announces Luncheon Speaker

FORT WORTH – Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, who lost both legs to a bomb in Iraq and has served as an inspiration for the XLII Super Bowl champions, will be the featured speaker at 2008 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Kickoff Luncheon presented by Armed Forces Insurances and the Omni Fort Worth Hotel here December 30 in the ballroom at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

Credited by Michael Strahan for the New York Giant’s turnaround when he accepted the 2008 ESPY Award for “Biggest Upset” in May, Lt. Col. Gadson was named an honorary captain and given a Super Bowl XLII ring. At the request of President George W. Bush, Lt. Col. Gadson was one of seven U.S. delegates in the 2008 Paralympics Games in Beijing (pictured to the right).

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Do You Hear What I Hear?

Several of my friends had standing orders to shoot me if I EVER started wearing a bluetooth earpiece.  Just a clean shot below the left shoulder …  I mean … I love me some Star Trek, but even I know that communicators should not be worn on the clothes or an appendage — if one is to remain all fashy.  Plus, for a while it was easy to avoid — one of the most miserable people I have ever met had one “welded” to the lobe and looked really ridiculous 24/7.  So that helped me abstain.

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A friend asked me about my favorite page on www.pingwi-fi.com.

Ha … It would have to be the 404 Page.  To the uninitiated, that is the “mile marker” on any site that says “You are lost my friend.”  Go to most sites’ URLs, and put a slash and a nonsense word behind that, then hit enter.  It is as if you have fallen into a dark hole, deep within the site.  You must turn back.

So at PingWi-Fi … that is my favorite.  I like the copy … and if you have seen it, chances are you have been spelunking on our site a little.  There is a lot of stuff in here … trust me.   If you have yet to fall that deep into our well, the copy is pasted below.  If you want to see it fo yo own self, hit

www.pingwi-fi.com/poop … that should take your there.

It says:

You Can’t Get There From Here

You have stumped the panel. We don’t know where you were trying to go, but somehow, it just has not worked out. Don’t be hatin. Please, please, stay with us by hitting the reality redo button (the back arrow on your browser).

Know what I sayin?

DineBlast Mobile Enhances Customer Dining Experience with Wi-Fi-Based Service
Innovative Chain Froots is the First to Implement Nationally

MARGATE, Fla., (BUSINESS WIRE) — SoftTouch LLC today announces that it has incorporated significant enhancements to its newest solution, DineBlast Mobile, which allows take-out, curb-side, quick-service restaurant and table service patrons to use their mobile phones and PDAs to electronically place an order and pay for their meal while at the restaurant.

DineBlast Mobile enables what is known in the industry as “line-busting, in which customers can bypass long lines and tedious checkouts.” Along with this new service upgrade, Froots Smoothies will be rolling out the technology in 10 locations across the country with plans to deploy at over 40 locations in 2009.

To view a demo of DineBlast Mobile, please visit:

http://www.softtouchpos.com/DineBlast/Presentation.html

The video is best served with a side order of earbuds.

This week T-Mobile and the GRAMMYs will kick off the Party with a Friend at the GRAMMYs sweepstakes! Five winners will enjoy an all-expense paid trip for two to attend the 51st GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 8th.

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Delta wouldn’t give me my Christmas present early, last night when we were trading e-mails.  But, this is a nice news release to wake up to:

Gogo Inflight Internet Service Ready to Take Flight for Delta Customers

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