BigConna.com

(Computerworld) -- I was standing in a spacious entryway, chatting with the chief science officer at Sun Microsystems. His short-cropped hair, V-neck sweater and glasses were a sure sign of technical prowess.

Peeking just over the horizon, the sun cast a warm glow over a nearby server rack. I was wearing a Sun baseball hat, a T-shirt with the Java logo emblazoned on the front and a purple lapel pin. I was also holding a Sun helium-filled balloon that was at least three times as big as my head.

"Nice facility you have here," I said, as he suddenly vanished into thin air.

"It happens once in a while," said another Sun employee.

In the virtual world of Second Life, anything goes -- even if your goal is to build a corporate brand, hold ad hoc user group meetings, sponsor a conference or help end users find a video card driver.

Here's a list of the top eight sites worth visiting. To find them, just register at SecondLife.com, install, click Search and type the company name to find its island and transport.

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http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&...

Yes yes yes I know that Volapalooza, the yearly Frat Row concert presented by the UT Campus Entertainment Board, always runs the risk of being ruined by 3,000 intolerable greeks, but I pray that this year will be different. Last year the Ben Folds show was all but ruined by the fratty frats drug out to the show by their loud-mouth sorostitute girlfriends, when all they really wanted was to go back to the house, snuggle up with a brother, and keep drinking natty.

This year, however, Cake is coming. I saw them a couple years ago in Nashville at River Stages, and they're well versed in getting the crowd involved and moving. A lucky kid may even get to come up and play a song or two with them. At any rate, here are the details:

The event is FREE and open to UT students with a UT ID. Non-students may also attend but must sign in at the gate.

April 27, 2007
06:30 PM - 11:00 PM
Location: Fiji Island, Volunteer Boulevard

For more information, visit the UT Volapalooza 2007 page. See you there, noobs!

Dear Knoxville/Friends,

I'd like to invite you to my house next Wednesday, April 25th, where I'll be hosting a viewing party for Bill Moyers' new documentary "Buying the War", which is broadcasting live on PBS. The film looks at some of the critical questions that still remain concerning the marketing of the war to the American people, such as why the press bought it, and what it says about the role of the journalist. I will provide the sodas and chippies, so bring your own booze.

If you would like to attend you can register on the venue page.

Personally, I believe that as corporations increase their stranglehold on media culture, profit motive will continue to be the dominating factor in whether or not a story will be delivered to the American people. When it comes to news, shock sells, and the prospect of going to war and sending Americans to the other side of the globe to kill is undeniably shocking. This media state is one of the largest structural problems in the way our society gathers and disseminates information. I'm just glad we have the INTERNET, which gives us far more options when it comes to getting news.

In keeping with the times, as they seem so eager to do all of a sudden, Modest Mouse (aka Sony) has opened up its arms to the creative college community to solicit music video submissions for their new song "We've Got Everything." They're even including some green screen footage to get people started, but are also allowing completely independent films to enter. The winner will receive a Sony HDR-HC5 High Definition Mini DV 2.1MP Handycam Camcorder and a video premiere on mtvU! I love you Isaac but your new music sucks!!

Check out some behind the scenes previews of the upcoming Halo 3, due in November.

http://videogames.yahoo.com/gamepreview?cid=1951038564&tab=previews&page...

(Computerworld) -- Welcome back, Firefox fans! We've helped you get started on your journey to browser perfection with our list of 20 must-have Firefox extensions. But the ability to tweak your browser is a double-edged sword. There are extensions best avoided, including some of the most popular.

Popularity shouldn't be the acid test to determine if you should install an extension. The important question is whether it enhances your browsing experience without any nasty side effects. The good news is that the extension community is actually pretty adept at self-policing. Most extensions that are truly "broken" (for instance, they crash your browser or suck up all your CPU power) either get fixed quickly or simply vanish.

But some extensions are "bad" in unapparent ways, or just don't provide enough benefits to be worth running. So, in no particular order, let's look at 10 to avoid.

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UT students rallied on campus Tuesday to protest the denial of tenure to history professor George White, citing concerns of discrimination and secrecy.

See BigConna.com's own Ashley Susong take it to the streets! I mean sidewalks! I mean giant concrete patio!

Yes, it's true. The greatest news source in America, and perhaps the WORLD, is now on teh television.

Check it out:

Thursday, March 12, 2 a.m.: my bedroom

Already behind schedule. Great!

2.56 a.m.: Clinch Avenue

Here we go! 16,400 miles on my car.

5 a.m.: other side of Nashville

We retrieve Karly from the Flying J. Thomas has logged 200 miles. My car sits at 16,600.

7 a.m.: I-40 West

100 miles outside Memphis, Mamaw calls to tell us to turn back due to flooding in Austin. We drive on, but it rains like hell over the Mississippi River in Memphis.

Thomas and Karly sleep, and I nearly kill us all in Arkansas when I fall asleep behind the wheel in the furthest western point I’ve ever experienced. Each gravel under my tires or 90s hit song Karly and I sing brings me further away from my known and into the wet, sticky unknown.

Thomas took a muscle relaxer and refuses to wake up. What did I expect?

I log 250 miles but miss the ever-important anniversary of my car’s 16,666th mile. Karly takes over, and we are sick to our tummies thanks to no food, all caffeine. We are quick pissers at rest stops. 16,900 miles.

10 a.m.: other side of Little Rock

Finally I have made it to the coveted backseat of the car. Relinquishing control of my vehicle in such shitty weather is a test of will power. Remaining oblivious in the backseat is much harder than it might seem.

Now would be an opportune time to inform my devoted readership that it is during the rain when I have endured my least favorable auto experiences. When I was 16, I totaled my car and shattered my right lower leg after an early summer rainstorm. The day before my 20th birthday on our way to Chicago, my boyfriend-at-the-time totaled my car in a hurricane. Thus my anxiety.

In keeping with my tendency to not do anything that's nearly responsible enough, I set off on a wild hair yesterday evening to hit up a sold out Of Montreal show in Asheville. After having such extreme luck in Austin, I figured I'd ride that residual wave and wiggle my way into the venue come hell or high water. But, just in case, I made a sign proclaiming "1 PLZ"