See this cute young man over to your right?  His name is Jon Penn, he is 11 years old, and he is the administrator for his entire school’s IT department.  That’s right; an 11-year-old boy is in charge of a 60-computer network which he has basically redesigned from the ground up.  And I was impressed with myself when I installed a wireless network in my home. 

I don’t want to take anything away from Jon, because his computer skills are incredible.  He inherited a bunch of old donated Windows 98 machines and a network that had no virus scanners, firewalls, or even a gateway security device.  I have no doubts those computers were in abysmal shape (which is probably why the old admin quit the week before school started). 

This kid is, to put it mildly, a genius.  I’m sure it’s a very nice school, but it’s very under funded and he did a miracle on a shoestring budget.  Kudos to him, and I wish him the best of luck on his A++ certification test!

This is why I love Mystery Science Theater 3000.  They manage to combine awful 1950's educational films with comedy and blend it into a smoothie that is both educational and hilarious.  Now that's edutainment!

I take local honey for my allergies, or I try to.  It's hard because I'm pretty busy, and I'm incredibly absent-minded, so I don't get my teaspoon or two a day like I'm supposed to.  That's not good, because for about 8 straight months out of the year, I have constant headaches, nosebleeds, congestion, wheezing, and other nasty allergy symptoms. 

I take standard medicine, of course, but all that does is make me pass out on the couch.  That's why, on Friday, I slept from the time I got home from work until, roughly, 2 PM on Saturday afternoon.  Not that I wanted to do that, but if you get enough pills down, it can't be helped.  That's why I wish someone would make honey drops out of local honey, like the Honibe drops.

I love honey, I love the taste, I like taking it in my coffee, but it's messy and sticky, and worse, since I don't have a bottle sitting on my desk at work like my vitamins, I always forget to take it.  This would be a great answer to my problems, but I have enough trouble getting local honey in liquid(ish) form, let alone honey drops.  I wonder if there's something high-tech about making honey drops from local honey, or if it's something I could do at home.

HT:  PopGadget

The World gets bigger all the time.  Not just our physical world, but also the World of Warcraft, which has recently passed 10 million subscribers, with more joining all the time.  That's a whole lot of people, and most of them have never actually played another MMO before, so there's a learning curve.  That's where this guide comes in handy!

When I started WoW, I had no idea what I was doing or how to do it.  I thought a PUG was an angry dog!  I didn't know anything about pulling or aggro, tanking or threat meters, QQ or pew pew.  I knew nothing, that's why I've abandoned my first character even after hitting the level cap of 70 with him.  Turns out I hate the class I forced myself to level up, because I didn't know any better! 

If you're looking to start any new MMO, and you want a brief and funny explanation of what in-game language means in the real world, this is a great place to start.  I wish I'd had this two years ago!

Conan O'Brien, every geek's favorite late night show host, has managed to both explain the concept of Leap Day, that special event every four years we call Feb. 29th, and to completely make fun of the concept of Leap Day.  All at the same time!  That's what an Ivy League degree gets you, I guess.  It's slightly blue, but no worse than an average episode of The Simpsons.

Enjoy!

One year ago today, the Shakadoo family of websites was launched.  And what a year it has been!  In the ever-changing world of the Internet, keeping any venture around for a year is impressive, much less a venture as large and vibrant as the Shak Media family of blogs. 

I've been here at Shaktronics since August, and I'm glad to have been able to join up with such a great crew of talented bloggers.  Here's looking forward to another year of Shak goodness from the guys and gals at Shakadoo, Love Shak Baby, Work Shak, ShakYard, Animal Shak, Loan Shak, Shak & Jill, Shakhammer, and, of course, right here at Shaktronics.  Cheers, all, and keep up the good work!

Image:  Worst Birthday Cake...ever!

With all the fun that one can have with e-cards, and the hundreds of Valentines I'm sure we all recieve from various friends, loved ones, and stalkers, you have to really be careful about what you open on your computer.  What looks like an innocent animated greeting card of, let's say, kittens snuggling, can actually be a virus designed to zombify your computer, wipe out your life savings, and report you to the RIAA for having MP3 files.  Nobody wants that, especially not me.

So, tomorrow, when your e-cards come fluttering in from your legions of admirers, practice the same precaution with them as you would practice on a blind date.  Click warily, make sure the link goes to a legitimate source before you open it, don't run any EXEs, and make sure you've got a firewall and anti-virus software running.  There've been a lot of new viruses going around, so make sure you've got protection for your computer.   

I just had a few minutes to check out the video about the Apple MacBook Air. I WANT it! I want it bad.

I have been a PC user up until now but am seriously considering converting just because the Air is so cool.

Super Sleek
Aside from the incredible thinness (0.16 to 0.76 inch- about the size of your index finger) and light weight ( just 3 lbs!) it also offers the advantages of a full size notebook. Like a full size key board that is back lit for ease of use in low light situations such as conference rooms and airplanes.

Impressive Display 
The glossy 13.3-inch, widescreen LED backlit display is the same viewable size as the screen on MacBook. The 1280-by-800 resolution gives you vibrant images and rich colors at full brightness.

Built In Camera
Unlike most other ultraportable notebooks, MacBook Air includes a built-in camera they refer to as iSite. The iSight camera along with iChat software makes video chatting easy anywhere there’s a wireless network.

Slim Battery
This impressively slim battery does not compromise power. It is said to provide 5 hours of wireless activity.

Touchpad Capabilities
Last but not least is the feature that I loved most. The oversized trackpad with multi-touch technology. This design is taken from the gesture based commands of the iPhone and Ipod. You can pinch, swipe, or rotate to zoom in on text, advance through a photo album, or adjust an image. It will recognize the difference between two finger commands and three finger commands.

The Dilemma...I know nothing about operating a Mac. I am a self taught PC user (other than the DOS class in high school many moons ago) and would not consider myself highly techy. But this machine is so sexy I feel like I must have it. But I am trepidatious. Is the conversion too hard to tackle for an ole gal like me? You know what they say about teaching old dogs new tricks. Will I feel lost and therefore less productive? I certainly dont have time to be less productive. These are the questions that I ask myself.

Of course the Apple Store offers free tutoring and classes that I can take, but again thats just more time invested that could be spent elsewhere. So what do I do??? I ask you Shak-ers that are Mac converts; will I regret it? Let me know what you all think so I can make the right decision.

I'll eagerly await your vote...To Mac or not to Mac, that is the question.

So have you always wanted to be James Bond, but lack the million-dollar budget for all those cool spy goodies?  Well, Kipkay Videos has a guide, as you'll see below, as to how you can build your own color video and audio spy sunglasses for under $40!  Well, not counting the cost of the camcorder to stick in your pocket or backpack, but hey, that's still a bargain!

I'm a nut for spy goodies and other improvised gadgetry.  If you can stick a sword in a cane, I want to buy it, even though I don't know how to use a sword or need a cane.  If you have sunglasses with a little mirror on the back so you can see if someone's following you, I'm immediately interested.  There's nothing I've wanted more than a house with at least one secret passage behind a bookshelf leading to a hidden room, unless that house was also a castle.

H/T: Pop-Fi

I've seen lots of great computer case mods in my day, but this one is pretty much the top of the line when it comes to NES computer cases, if only because his controller ports actually work! If you want to pick it up on eBay, you can do just that by going here for the French version, and here for the English translation.

Or, if you're a do-it-yourself type, go here and see how another NES case modder made his NES PC.

Create You Squidoo Lens On A Shak Subject And You Could Be Featured On Shakadoo! Once you have built your lens, submit it to the group HERE.

Mousepad Mania! by EditorDave

Is Your Mouse...... ????

Sluggish?

Jumpy?

Uncooperative?

It might be because you have a dirty mouse ball!

No... I'm not talking about rodents here (although I might go with a different Squidoo lens on that subject later<grin>).

What I'm talking about is that computer accessory that usually resides next to your computer.

What I'm saying is that perhaps it's time to clean your mouseball.  Yup, dirty mouseballs can cause all sorts of problems when trying to move the cursor accurately on the screen!

So, this Squidoo lens is an attempt to help you to improve your onscreen experience. This Squidoo lens will not only provide instruction for do-it-yourself mouseball cleaning, but it will also provide ways to give your mouse traction so that the mouseball can do its job! 

How do you provide traction to mouseballs?  With a proper mousepad, that's how!

You not only want a mousepad that will be functional from a traction perspective, but also something that can provide atmosphere for more comfortable mousing.

Oh, and for "proper use of a mouse", I've recently added a new video that provides instruction at the end of this Squidoo lens.  Just scroll down and watch the video there.  Be sure to leave a comment on how you use your mousies.

Also, if you like this Squidoo lens, be sure to share it or email it to your friends!

If Your Mouse Is Uncooperative, Jumpy, or Sluggish.... Here's How to Check It

Nothing worse than dirty mouseballs!

To learn everything you ever wanted to know about keeping your mouse responsive, visit the entire lens by clicking: Mousepad Mania!

Create You Squidoo Lens On A Shak Subject And You Could Be Featured On Shakadoo! Once you have built your lens, submit it to the group HERE.

Tips on Choosing a Flat Screen TV by thefluffanutta

Flatpanel TV Screens

Having a flat screen television is the ultimate gadget to have in your living room. You get a large picture, but it doesn't take up a whole lot of room. You can even hang it on the wall.

For any home cinema fanatic, having a large flat screen for watching movies on can only increase the enjoyment of the experience.

To learn everything you ever wanted to know about pumpkins, visit the entire lens by clicking: Tips on Choosing a Flat Screen TV

Today we don’t have much of a special theme, kids.  Sorry, but it’s been kind of a dead week, technologically speaking.  BUT, we do have something cool that money can’t buy.

If you live in the Pacific Rim area of the world (Western North/South America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand) or most of the rest of the US and Asia, you’ll get to see something pretty awesome Monday night/Tuesday morning.  It’s even worth waking the kids up, because you’ll get to see a lunar eclipse.  Unfortunately, Europe, Africa, and Western Asia will miss the whole thing, but those of us on the Eastern Seaboard will still get to see some of the action.  Sorry, Europe.  At least you’ve got the iPhone now to hold you over, right?

Here’s what to look for and how to look for it, from MSNBC and Space.com:

The eclipse will begin when the moon enters the faint outer portion, or penumbra, of the Earth's shadow about an hour before it begins moving into the umbra. The penumbra, however, is all but invisible to the eye until the moon becomes deeply immersed in it.  Look for a slight hint of shading or smudginess on the eastern (left) edge of the lunar disk about 40 minutes after the moon first enters the penumbral shadow. 

The most obvious part of the eclipse will be when the moon is passing through the dark umbral shadow of the Earth.  On this occasion, the full moon will track just to the south of the center of the Earth's umbra; deep path almost through the center of the umbra which will result in a total phase lasting an unusually long 1 hour 30 minutes (the maximum possible is 1 hour 47 minutes).

Because some of the sunlight striking our planet is diffused and scattered by our atmosphere, the Earth's shadow is not entirely dark.  Enough of this light reaches the moon to give it a faint orange or reddish glow even when it's totally eclipsed.

Wake the kids up for it.  Generally, every year I drag out of bed to watch the Leonid meteors or lunar eclipses and stuff like that, and while I may grouse, it’s always worth it in the end because it’s things like this that can fill a kid with a love of science and nature.  Plus it’s cool.

I know it’s short notice, but totality begins at about 4:30 am Eastern Time this morning, so set your alarm clocks ahead of time.  If you missed it, I’m sure you’ll be able to find some awesome video online while you prepare yourself for the next lunar eclipse on February 21, 2008. 

So you’re raising a budding geek child. Good for you; as a geek myself, I can honestly say I hope my dorkishness gets passed along to my children as I find being smart is immensely helpful in everyday life. Now, there are certain things you can do to make sure your child grows up to be brainier than the median.

Step 1: Get the bouncing baby geek some geek-themed matryoshkus, or Russian nesting dolls. What better way to teach your child the difference between bits, kilobytes, and terabytes than with hand-crafted wooden nesting toys? Not only is the kid learning about computer storage hierarchies, he or she is also developing the hand-eye coordination necessary to pwn n00bs in the face at video games (very important).

Step 2: Teach when your child isn’t expecting to learn anything. It can be as simple as having the periodic table of elements on your shower curtains or using fantasy football to teach your child about statistics and probabilities (like, say, the probability that Rex Grossman won’t be starting for the Chicago Bears by Week 6).

Step 3: Say your kid’s getting a little older, and he needs a more engaging toy. So what do you get the geek in your life (or maybe the father of a potential geek in your life)? Well, I can’t think of anything cooler than Takara Tomy’s Transformers MP3 player. That’s right, guys; it’s a working Soundwave. Pair him up with a set of Rumble and Frenzy headphones and I think you’ve got yourself the best possible way to listen to Weird Al’s epic track from the Transformers (animated) movie, “Dare to be Stupid.”

Photo credit:  Prime Diary

Well especially if you are living in or driving through Washington State, because they have become the first state in the union to ban texting while driving, otherwise referred to as DWT.

This has come about on the back of the cell phone bans that are being introduced in quite few cities and states across the US, this is for using a cell phone without a hands free device, and this very act has become the target being blamed for many accidents, the theory being that people who use their cell phones while driving are nor fully concentrating on the road and what is going on around them, clearly texting has to be a lot worse as the driver would need to be looking at the cell phone to text properly.

The law is strange though, it appears that if you are spotted texting while driving by a police officer, he cannot stop you unless you actually do something else, like hit the curb or swerve etc, if you do that and you find yourself being pulled over, you can expect to be paying a $124 fine!

Where will this stop, you need to remove your hand from the steering wheel to change gear, operate the sat nav and light a cigarette, will we be seeing more bans on what drivers can do?

Source  [Auto Blog]

The top ten passwords used by people who regularly go online have been discovered in a survey by PC Magazine, I suppose on one hand I should not be telling you this, but on other hand I would like to think that I am doing you all favor and do sincerely hope that your password is not listed here.

1. password
2. 123456
3. qwerty
4. abc123
5. letmein
6. monkey
7. myspace1
8. password1
9. blink182
10. (your first name)

I must say that at first glance the list looks like a standard, what not to do list, I mean apart from “letmein” and blink182, which do a margin of security placed in them, but seriously the rest are just asking for trouble, I know that when you use so many passwords it hard to remember them, but why not use a long suitable word that is personal and very hard for someone just to get by looking at the keyboard.

The days of using just any old word as a password are long gone, especially now that many of us are using web 2.0 services to keep all of a data server side, we use this for safety and the use a lame password to protect.

Microsoft and many other places on the web offer password checkers, where you get a rating for its effectiveness, if you put in a word mixed with numbers it is high, and if you put in one of the passwords above the system will show low, or it might just seized up!

Password Checker  [Microsoft]

Source  [New Launches]