Ho, Ho, Ho...

Thinking about the g33k or n3rd in your life? What would be a great present for him or her?

Check out some of these cool ideas:

From thinkgeek.com:

Inanimate Character Stickers
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/9866/
Really cute and at $4.99 each, a steal

Infectuously Cute Plush Microbes!
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/plush/6708/
What's a better way to say "I love you" than with the gift of infection? These are $7.99 and include such fun stuff as malaria, rabies, mange, the plague, and mad cow disease, just to name a few.

Smart Mass Thinking Putty
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/5ac8/
For $9.99 you can get your fav geek the ultimate silly putty

Plush Robot Tissue Box
http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/9a87/
If your honey has the winter sniffles, help them hide the kleenex box with this $14.99 gift

Sneaky Uses for Everyday Things
http://www.thinkgeek.com/books/nonfiction/7957/
Sneakier Uses for Everyday Things
http://www.thinkgeek.com/books/nonfiction/7b59/
Sneakiest Uses for Everyday Things
http://www.thinkgeek.com/books/nonfiction/9a58/
If your geek has a "creative genius" steak, these books will fascinate them for $9.99/each

Fiendish Japanese Pocket Puzzle
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/japanfan/9c83/
Choose from 9 styles and at $9.99 each these are guaranteed to perplex even the toughest geek minds

Tetrius Puzzle Game Magnets
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/9928/
Is your geek also a gamer, they'll love these classic magnets for their fridge for $9.99

The Office Space Kit
http://www.thinkgeek.com/books/humor/8e6c/
And what geek doesn't love the movie "Office Space"? For $12.99 you can get your geek a kit so they can just imagine working at Initech

Chargers Chocolate Espresso Beans ($2.99/pack)
http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/candy/5f75/
Bawls Mints - High Caffeine Candy ($2.99/pack)
http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/candy/6b77/
Is your geek not wired enough? The caffeine products above will jazz them up more...watch out! Gaming and coding at 3 a.m....can be rather ugly


From jinx.com:

Some awesome t-shirts (just a sampling)...

Darth J!nx T-shirt
http://www.jinx.com/men/shirts/geek/dar ... ml?catid=3

I am not a geek T-Shirt
http://www.jinx.com/men/shirts/video_ga ... ml?catid=3

I Love my Gamer Women's Tee
http://www.jinx.com/women/shirts/video_ ... ml?catid=8

World of Warcraft Rogues Original GANKstas T-Shirt
http://www.jinx.com/world_of_warcraft/m ... l?catid=40


Have fun...

A microchip is a form of identification for your pet, such as a tattoo. Microchips make it easier to identify the animal if it is stolen or lost and they can return it to its rightful owner. Although it is not necessary to have the microchip to claim owner ship of the pet it goes hand in hand with the legal ownership. Microchips also have their pros and con’s.

But what is a microchip and how does it work? It’s a very small chip that is injected beneath your pet’s skin that stays inside its entire life. The chip is linked to the owner’s information and contact details which are kept in a database so that it can be constantly updated. If the pet is found or ends up at a shelter, it can be scanned for the number and run through the database. If it does have a chip then the owners will be contacted immediately.

There are alternatives to having your pet microchipped. You can put ID tags on your dog which is a cheap and efficient way to keep up with your pet. The downfall is that these tags can be ripped off and lost and you have to make new tags every time your personal information changes which can be hard to remember. Tattoos are the other way where a number is tattooed on your pet. Your information is kept in a data base linked to a number with your information. The down fall to this is tattoos can become less readable over time and if you really love your pet enough to keep tracking on it, why would you put it through getting a tattoo.

The best part about microchipping is it will generally only cost you $20-$30 just depending on where you have it done. The best thing to do is call up your vet and ask for details. Some animal shelters will even include it in their adoption package.

Sometimes it does no good to microchip your pet though because there are no chip scanners in the area to even locate a lost pet. This gives the owners a false sense of hope. A pet can be another member of the family and even though the pet had a microchip they are not always found. Some animal shelters don’t have scanners that pick up every microchip. Lisa Massey of Stafford, VA had a dog that was put to sleep by a shelter because their universal scanner did not pick up the Banfield chip she had put in her dog. (www.cbsnews.com)

If your pet means everything to you though, it’s not going to hurt you to spend a few extra bucks to keep up with them. I have tags and a microchip on my dog. I know that keeping her information up to date and her having that chip will greatly increase my chances of getting her back if anything was to ever happen. So if you really care about your pet then think about it!

by Tony Morrow

So you did it; pulled the trigger and bought Mac OS X 10.5 “Leopard” or a new Mac altogether. Now what? How do you use your new system? How can Leopard be made to do what you want it to do instead of what Apple says you want to do? This is where the Internet becomes a person’s best friends, several sites exist to help Mac users get the most out of their new or existing computers with tips, tricks, forums, and downloads.

Tips & Hints

MacOSXHints.com is the best place to find great tips and tricks that you may or may not know about. Everything from unknown keyboard shortcut commands to advanced system hacks are documented to allow users to personalize their Mac. Even if you are not running Leopard, MacOSXHints.com has stuff dating all the way back to 2000; the year OS X was originally released.

Help & Advice

Macrumors.com has one of the largest online communities. With a forum quickly reaching 150,000, almost all are willing to help with any question you may have regarding you new system. MacRumors also has a wiki section that allows users to add their knowledge to an online collaboration. Think of a wiki as an always updating encyclopedia.

Software & Downloads

If you are looking for new software to load onto your system or just updates for applications you already use, look no further than MacUpdate.com and VersionTracker.com. Both websites search the Internet for the latest software for Macs and consolidate the information in an easily searchable site.

News

For finding the latest info about Apple and OS X, check out AppleInsider.com and Tuaw.com. These sites cover all the news concerning Apple; from the latest iPhone hacks updates to performance shootouts between systems. AppleInsider has recently written articles named “Road to Mac.” The articles give a detailed history for many of the features found in OS X and describe how they function in Leopard.



Regardless of what you are looking for, the Internet has many resources for Mac users to personalize their computers. All it takes is a little searching.

Tips: http://www.macosxhints.com

Help: http://www.macrumors.com

Software: http://www.macupdate.com
http://www.versiontracker.com

News: http://www.appleinsider.com
http://www.tuaw.com

by Seth Johnson

Wherever there is a will there is a way. That can be said about the legacy of comics. With technology growing more advance with each passing day many things within our culture must change too, one for instance being comics. Even though comics might change from being stories published they will have a place ever evolving internet as web comics.

Web comics are not a new idea but an idea which has been growing steadily since 1986 with the earliest online comic published being T.H.E Fox. Since then web comics have changed over the years and have gained a wide range of popularity. Most of the comics that are web comics can only be seen online without being printed anywhere else. With the Internet's easy access to an audience, webcomics run the gamut from traditional cartoon strips to graphic novels and beyond.

Not all but the majority of web comics are self published to the point were anyone can make there own web comic. Rather than being confined to normal print dimensions, artists are free to spread out in any direction indefinitely with their comics. One such comic named When I Am King whose used artist used a form of scrolling, while other comic artist such as Mark Fiore with his flash-based editorial cartoons, have experimented by incorporating interactivity and animation. Many web comics appear stylistically similar to black-and-white newspaper comic strips. This gag-a-day format allows for quicker, more frequent updates, allowing an artist to build up an audience quickly. Other webcomics are presented in the same manner as traditional comic books, manga and graphic novels. These comics, come in a page form rather than a strip form and tend to focus more on story than gags.

Some web comics are reprented comics from major comic companies such as Marvel comics and DC comics. On those websites they call there comics digital comics which reprint old comics or give little previews of comics that have yet to come out on maket. The Digital comics look the same as regular comics except that it has buttons on the bottom of the page which turns the pages of the comic and makes it look like your reading a real comic. Marvel has already decided to branch thereselves out to the next genration by relasing 2, 500 reprints of old comics as digital comics on November 12, 2007 which have fans extremly exicited.

The growth of webcomics has also resulted in the growth of online communities around webcomics. There are fanbases that artists foster through the use of forums, fan sections and blogs, and many artists maintain close relationships with their fans. The artists themselves also create communities through the exchanges of emails, links, forum posts as well as art in the form of guest filler strips and cross-overs, and band together in collectives. There are also webcomic communities emerging through the general webcomic sites that cover the medium through news and articles. The webcomic community has already seen much controversy. Since the nature of a webcomic is closely tied to quality as well as popularity, flame wars can ensue if a controversy involves a particularly popular webcomic and/or its artist. Many of these controversies are caused when webcomic artists post an opinionated piece. The controversy can also be fanned by a particular webcomic's fanbase.

Web comics have intersected with many things in popculture, wether it be comics based on movies such as the Matrix or new ways to present old ideas. With technology ever evolving whose to say that comics can’t last longer than the leagcy they leave behind.

By Chris Adams

Popular computer hardware company, Nvidia, has announced some pretty nifty technology that is soon to be on the way and the strangest part is that it's open.

Yes, Nvidia's new Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA) is open in hopes that it may benefit the pc building/modding community on a larger scale and not just those who purchase Nvidia products by allowing others to use it in their computing systems. ESA will be launched as a new, open, and royalty-free standard for the real-time monitoring and control of PC power supplies, chassis, and water-cooling systems.

Though they have yet to release any information other than a PDF introducing the architecture, it looks like a promising system whether you are an avid gamer, builder, or just a typical user. To see the PDF and details of how the proposed system will function, check out

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.h ... VzaWFzdA==

It will remain to be seen how Nvidia's competitors and affiliates will react and use the system. That is if they choose to at all.

by Ashley Johnson

Freeware is software that copyrighted computer software that is available for use without charges attached for an unlimited time. Sometimes authors of these programs may place restrictions on their use such as for personal use.
Available Freeware Programs Include:

Ad-aware 2007
AVG Anti-spyware
Spybot Search & Destroy
AVG Anti-Virus

Shareware is different from freeware because these programs are that are copyrighted and can be copied for use by individuals with the person having knowledge that he or she will have to buy for the software in the future if they continue to use the software. Think of this as sort of a trial version of a software program.
Available Shareware Programs Include:

Winamp

Some Screen Savers found on the Internet

Bank Book (to help keep track of bank accounts)


For More information go to the following sites:

http://www.supershareware.com/dbresult/shareware_2.html

www.downloads.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeware

by Brady Begley

"Real-Time Guardian™ (RTGuardian) is the most advanced perimeter security solution for managing web browsing, securing unauthorized IM and P2P usage and blocking the spread of malware in the enterprise." -facetime.com

RTGuardian is your new best friend in the battle against spyware, malware and the other trouble related websites. RTGuardian has gotten rave reviews from leading technology sources. This new service will be coming soon from IT!

"it can enhance your ability to filter unwanted data from your network." -networkcomputing.com

"Offering the zero latency that IT users have come to expect from the Real Time Guardian platform with double the throughput of FaceTime's RTGuardian 1000, the new RTG 2000 addresses the challenges of managing and securing the avalanche of real-time applications being deployed on the enterprise network." -eetimes.com

"Enterprises can manage employee use of all Internet channels—both greynets and the Web—with a single solution using unified policy management." -itwire.com

Typical user will not see any changes to the network but if you are one of the unlucky few who are infected with any spyware you will see a page that tells you "Web Site Restricted". If for some reason you feel you have reached this page while trying to view a legit site please contact us at resnet@eku.edu

As of the date of this summation EKUs IT has no intentions of blocking IM and P2P usage.

By Demetrius Anderson

Just right for Halloween is this tale of robots and zombies. Over the past few semesters Eastern has experienced a rise in software robots or BOTNET software. BOTNETt (also known as a zombie army) is a number of Internet computers that, although their owners are unaware of it, have been set up to forward transmissions to other computers on the Internet. These computers are remotely controlled and they are used to send out worms, Trojans, and/ or backdoors throughout the net. According to the Symantec Internet Security Threat Report, through the first six months of 2006, there were 4,696,903 active BOTNET computers.

Of course there are many ways to prevent this from happening to your PC and the safest form of prevention is always internet absence. If you don’t what your PC to become a Zombie we recommend that you avoid going to websites you don’t trust, don’t install software when you’re unsure of what it is, and be cautious of programs like Limewire and many other file sharing programs that install a huge amounts of spyware. If a browser or instant messenger pop up asks you to install software it’s probably not a good idea to install it! We recommend that you download and install Ad-aware and other free anti-spyware programs offered on our support site. Make sure to keep these programs updated and run them weekly!

For more support visit:
http://support.resnet.eku.edu/
http://www.resnet.eku.edu/

By: Scott Roberts

As “Frag Your Brains Out 15” is on our door step we should take the time to reflect and think of how one should act at a LAN Party.
• Be conscious of space limitations.
• Don't bring alcoholic beverages unless the host specifies that they're allowed.
• Be kind to players who are new to a given game or to LAN fests in general.
• Be very careful around open beverages.
• Make sure your PC is virus-free before connecting to the LAN, and have an antivirus program running and up to date.
• Do not cheat.
• Be a good sport.
• Be prepared to listen to and obey those in charge.
So whether you’re going to attend FYBO15 or are a LAN Party fanatic keep these in mind and remember the most important rule. HAVE FUN!!!

by. Chelsea Rilley

Most people would say that a laptop bag needs to have a few certain qualities. The laptop bag should be lighter than the laptop itself; the shoulder strap should be comfortable; and with all of the gadgets that are out now, it should in turn have many compartments. Color and material are a personal choice of course, along with the style of the bag. Most people will settle on just a basic black nylon laptop bag for protection and easy transportation, although some laptop bags are on the market to completely defeat the basic needs of the laptop bag. Here are the top ten most outrageous bags on the market with no other purpose but to be on this list:

10.) The Crazy Metallic bag- This bag resembles the crazy pants that MC Hammer wore in the 80’s. This glossy material has somehow travelled through the test of time and is now being compiled into laptop bags. This 16 inch bag sells for about $46.00 at MangoTangoLLC.com.

9.) The High Voltage Laptop bag- This bag, sounding like you may get electrocuted at any given moment however does not have any special powers like that. This bag, is army-green with yellow "high-voltage" signs all over it. Inside, there are four medium pockets and six small pockets. It is made of durable canvas and has a nylon interior. On the back of the bag is a duct-tape ID tag to write your name and number. This bag is sold for about $65.00.

8.) The Warm your fingers bag- This laptop bag is complete with a “muff pack” for cold hands in the winter. This bag is ideal for college students who walk across to campus in the winter. Oh yeah, and it houses a laptop too! This mitten is going for about $200.00 and is made in the colors blue, dark green, and grey.

7.) The Laptop Luxury Bag- This bag is for the Princess of the laptop world. This bag is made of Italian leather with satin lining and is complete with a matching clutch. Each of these bags run at about $700.00.

6.) The Wooden bag- Yes along with wooden shoes and earrings now there is now a wooden laptop bag. This bag is crafted from Japanese cedar, canvas, and leather. There is nothing else amazing about this laptop bag other than the price. This bag is selling for $300.00 from Monacca.

5.) The International Space Station Parachute laptop bag- This bag while being waterproof, and containing a dual quick-released strap, also is made out of parachute material for reliability. The many closed compartments make it easy for any daredevil to travel anywhere with their laptop. This bag is selling for $225.00 at SpaceToys.com

4.) The Skin bag- This gruesome, watertight laptop bag is shock absorbent and contains many pockets for little knick-knacks. O yeah and lastly it is made up of synthetic human skin which stretches for stability. This skin bag’s price is starting at $655.00.

3.) The Mac truck laptop bag- This durable laptop bag is made entirely of aluminum alloy, with two steel latch bars, designed to house a MacBook or PowerBook. This bag is so tough that the company has said a truck can be drove over the bag and it still be completely fine. This bag does weight about 3.5 pounds too! Its going for $199.00-$299.00 depending on what size you get.

2.) The Wool-Worthy laptop bag- This cozy laptop bag is made of 100% thick wool. It is shock absorbing and biodegradable, just in case you decide to throw it out of a car window. This itchy bag is starting at the price of $450.00 in many colors.

1.) A picnic friendly laptop bag- This bag consists of bamboo chopsticks. The liner is hemp cloth with several pockets. The liner comes in tan or dark green. The bag is sold at a surprisingly low cost of $54.00.