YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDEDThere has never been a greater need for cool, critical analysis of the culture, politics and the economy by those who love freedom -- a service we provide every day. This site has never needed your support as much as it does right now. Please donate at the PayPal button on the left-hand side or contact wendy AT wendymcelroy DOT com for other means of donating. Thank you.
Monday 05 January 2009
Frugal du Jour: Free Computer Backup
What's a New Year without a resolution? I wrote four years ago about the importance of backing up your computer's hard drive, and how to do it inexpensively. Time and technology have changed, and if you have a broadband Internet connection, you can now back up your computer for free.
One of the local Linux users told me about ADrive. Although it looks like you get only a 14-day free trial, he says that you can sign up for the trial and immediately change your account from Trial to Basic. The Basic plan is free and gives 50 GB of storage for "individual use only."
And on the Infoworld GripeLine I learned that Microsoft offers a similar service, SkyDrive. That's 25 GB of free storage.
There are others. Google "free online backup" if you want to investigate alternatives. Just watch out for the trial offers, or those that charge you to read back the data you saved.
Caveats: 1. I've never tried these services -- we don't have sufficient bandwidth on our Internet connection.** So you use these at your own risk.
2. Don't store anything private or secret on these sites without encrypting it. They probably don't snoop your data, but how can you be sure?
3. I wouldn't use these sites for any file storage other than backups.* Web sites come and go, free offers get withdrawn, and servers fail. Your attitude should be that you can lose the Internet-stored data at any time. The philosophy of backup is that you can lose your backup medium if you still have your primary (hard drive) -- really, they back each other up, and if you lose one, you restore it from the other. (You need to check periodically that your on-line backup is still available. And if it fails, you need to make another backup of your hard drive, pronto.)
* You can store working files on one of these sites if you keep a local backup. It's the same backup philosophy -- two copies -- but now your hard drive is the "backup". Remember to keep it up to date.
** In case you're wondering, I spend $0.43 a week to back up our computers to DVD-R disks.
Brad - Monday 05 January 2009 - 08:23:32 - Permalink
For the past few years, ifeminists.net has been sustained by the generosity of a sponsor who worked through the Independent Institute on the conditiion that II maintain his/her anonymity. I have wanted to write a personal note of thanks for a long time and, now that the sponsorship has ended, it seems wrong NOT to render proper thanks. Alas, this public note must suffice. Your support has made ifeminists and its amazing growth possible. It has been much appreciated and I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Should you change your mind about remianing anonymous and, so, write in, I would love to thank you in person.
The debate over pornography is too often dominated by conservatives and liberals; the former castigate pornography as disgusting and corrupting, the latter defend its publication with 'free speech' arguments, but are rarely prepared to defend pornography as worthwhile and socially positive. Far too often voices – and there are a growing number – that argue pornography/erotica is a good thing that should be defended and celebrated are not heard.
There is a major paradox here. Never has the public acceptance of and engagement with erotica been so widespread. The consumption of pornography in all its forms is massive; it is a huge industry that could not exist in its present form without millions of people worldwide being avid consumers. But among official opinion formers, especially politicians, its stock has never been so low. Many mainstream media commentators treat producers of erotica as they would drug dealers or gangsters. Pornography is an anathema in polite society, while hundreds of millions use it in private. This is 'cognitive dissonance' on a huge scale – saying one thing and doing another.
Part of the reason the anti-porn charge is so powerful is the de-facto alliance between anti-porn feminism and the religious fundamentalist right. Any rational discussion of sex is very difficult in the USA and Britain, but especially difficult when taking a pro-porn position is likely to find its advocate decried as a priori perverted or – even worse – misogynistic. Pornography and its advocates face among the most violent and pervasive of taboos. Millions of pornography fans have their use of it as among their most personal secrets.
Fortunately the most articulate defence of pornography today often comes from women – in the first place Wendy McElroy, but also Nina Hartley, Susie Bright and Violet Blue.
The liberal position on the 'right of free speech' is something that the pornography industry will shield behind, but in the end a weak line of defence. If something is fundamentally anti-social and damaging, then free of speech arguments aren't very strong and will often falter. Only by sex-positive, pro-pornography views being openly expressed and fought for will the argument, eventually, be won.
For those who file California tax returns...this is the year to file immediately. Why? The state is suffering from what Lysander Spooner once called "pecuniary embarrassment." MSNBC reports on what this means you.,
If you expect you'll be getting a refund from California when you file your 2008 state income tax return, be prepared: you may instead receive a "registered warrant." Translation: an IOU....California's Franchise Tax Board has processed electronic refunds in as short a period as a week. This raises the possibility that taxpayers with simple returns who file as soon as possible after New Year's may be able to receive refunds before the proposed February start date for issuing IOUs.
When a similar situation arose in 1992, many banks in California accepted IOUs from the state as valid deposits but no one knows what will happen in 2009. Of course, another option is being considered by California -- "The state could simply delay payment. Under the law, it has until May 30." In which case, filing early may not be an effective tactic.
Note: I included Everyone in the Attn subject line of this post because I do not think California will be/is alone in weighing options like IOUS or delayed tax refunds. Of course, you could always move to Texas-- a state with a surplus...What a concept! Or you could try paying your taxes with the official IOUs with which the state pays its debts. In which case, you'd better have your bags packed and on-the-ready for that move to Texas.
I am not naive about the thievery that is government but even I'm amazed at how blatant it has become. All of politics now revolves around the grab for power, for position, for money...mostly for money...and the grasping bastards lack sufficient shame to hire good PR agents. Or, perhaps, they no longer care. If the public just lets them redistribute unprecedented wealth from the hands of working people into those of the worthless rich through bailouts...well, maybe politicians are correct. Maybe there is no need to be anything less than blatant.
The foregoing is prompted by a news item with the headline "Oregon looks at taxing mileage instead of gasoline." Here, the true face of the political process shines through the 'noble' masks it often wears in order to appear...if not attractive then, at least, acceptable.
The news item opens, Oregon is among a growing number of states exploring ways to tax drivers based on the number of miles they drive instead of how much gas they use, even going so far as to install GPS monitoring devices in 300 vehicles. The reason? So many people are driving fuel efficient cars that the resulting decline in gas sales poses "a threat to road upkeep, which is paid for largely with gasoline taxes." Oregon is one the "greenest" states in the Union -- by which I mean, it is among the first and loudest states to clamor for environmental measures. And, yet, such an epitomy of greenness is willing to pioneer the establishment of a policy that eliminates the financial incentive for buying fuel-efficient vehicles instead of gas-guzzlers.
People bought too much gasoline, so they wanted to raise gasoline taxes. Now people aren't buying enough, so they want to raise gasoline taxes. The constant: they want to raise taxes. Take away the rhetoric and what you have left is the bottom-line of government: a gun in the hands of those who want your money.
(For a discussion of Oregon, mileage taxes, granola-crunching, etc., see the thread "They Hate Us for Our....Oppression" on this site's sister BB. You are most cordially invited to join...or just browse.)
Dear Wendy, FYI...a few years ago I created a domestic violence blog in order to sort through what seem to be heretic thoughts about my own experience of DV. Although I have not posted to it for quite some while I continue to receive notes of thanks, such as the one that follows, and, so, I maintain a live link to it.
The reader's email: Thank you. Thank you for putting my thoughts in words. Thank you for saving me from a big mistake. My boyfriend kicked my butt (actually he kicked me in the head, and threw me into a wall hard enough to break the drywall in a 3 foot area, plus about 30 more minutes of horrifying abuse) the Sunday morning after Christmas. It wasn't the first time. It was just the first time he was arrested for it. I should have broken up with him in the very first 3 months when he head butted me on the bridge of my nose. But I didn't. This past Sunday, I finally made it out of the house at 5:30am and called 911. They arrested him on Domestic Battery. There is a hearing on Jan. 12th, 2009. I've been thinking about whether or not this relationship (starting year 5 on 1/16/09) would be able to continue....going back and forth in my mind. When I feel weak and forgiving I will read your blog again and stay strong. Below are the words from your Sept. 27th, 2004 blog that have helped me maintain my resolve - everything you wrote below is exactly how I've been feeling and what I've been thinking, and it felt good to know that I wasn't alone in thinking and feeling that way...
My old friend Vic Koman -- owner of KOPUBCO -- writes, Some great news about our publishing efforts: two new books are available from our website, An Agorist Primer, by Samuel Edward Konkin III, and The Legend of Anarcho Claus, by Samuel Edward Konkin III and Victor Koman. NOTE: I discussed An Agorist Primer in an earlier blog post; more information of the work can be accessed here.
Meanwhile, Vic continues, If you've ever wondered what Agorism is or why it is the next step in the evolution of libertarian theory and practice, then this introductory volume is exactly what you've been seeking. Told with clear and concise prose, An Agorist Primer is exactly that — a primer on all the important aspects of Agorism and Counter-Economics: how they work together to enable you to free yourself and expand freedom to your friends, family, and the world! Hardback, new — $29.95. Special WInter Sale Price $19.95! Free Shipping!
In time for Russian Christmas (Jan. 7th), for the first time anywhere, The Legend of Anarcho Claus -- the secret story of Santa's rebel son, who defies his famous father to bring forbidden toys to non-coercive girls and boys. Little Janie wants something her parents don't think she should have, but jolly not-so-old Anarcho Claus smuggles it to her under Santa's radar — and spirits her away to Elf-Land for an eye-opening tour. Three-time Prometheus Award-winner Victor Koman expands Samuel Edward Konkin III's original short story into a book destined to become a Christmas classic. Own the first edition now! Paperback, new — $9.95. Special WInter Sale Price $7.95! Free Shipping! Order from KoPubCo.
As you opened your eyes this morning, a new set of laws -- especially on the state level but federal and local as well -- descended upon your life ... whether you know it or not. Lawmakers everywhere were busy last year; they passed laws that justified their existence, laws that bled one more drop of blood from your wallet, laws to 'thanks' various constituents, laws that no one understands why the hell they exist....laws, laws, laws. Thou shalt, thou shalt not, and thou wilst pay until you scream in pain...and, then, pay again for violating a noise ordinance.
You will have to consult the peculiarities of your state since the new laws enacted will vary widely. Two states that are likely to reflect the laws within your own, however, are California and/or Illinois.
A sample from California...
Beginning today, text messaging while driving is against the law and carries with it a $20 to $50 fine. The new law, authored by state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, closes the technology loophole left after the hands-free cell phone law went into effect last year. The new law is just one of the 834 bills signed into law in 2008 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
A sample from Illinois....
Drunken drivers arrested after midnight Thursday will be required to install a breath-alcohol ignition-interlock device in his or her vehicle under a new law. The device prevents a vehicle from starting if the driver fails a breath test. The device requires breath tests from the driver while the vehicle is in operation and logs failed tests. A failed test will also cause the horn of the vehicle to sound until the vehicle is turned off. The devices must be installed by a certified business, approved through the Secretary of State and the offender is responsible for payment of its installation, monthly recertification fees and system removal.
Reader and friend J.P. writes in to share his frugal tips...
One of the problems I had living in Europe was that the cuts of meat there were much less tender. Often the meat was like chewing cardboard except stringy. I looked for tips on tenderizing meat and it often required long term marinating or a great deal of effort with little result. But one suggestion I discovered was too simple to be believed until I experimented with it and found it worked.
It is simple. When you have a tougher, or cheaper, grade of meat and want to tenderize it for cooking you use salt. Now most said to take sea salt or kosher salt but I found that really cheap boxes of salt for making ice cream worked fine. You just need the really large grain salt. About 30 minutes before you are going to cook it you cover one side of the meat with this salt. Try to cover as much of it as you can. And then pop it back in the fridge and let it sit. When the 30 minutes is up take it out and rinse the salt off under water. Then pat the meat dry and cook as normally would. The large grain won't flavor the meat where small grain salt will. But it does tenderize it. And the salt is quite cheap. One large box costs me about 75 cents and it sufficient for quite a few pieces of meat. Leaving it on longer than 30 minutes can start to cause the meat to taste salty. But this really does tenderize meat. And sometimes you don't want to stew the meat. I've had cheaper cuts taste a lot more expensive this way. By the way, this doesn't work well with roasts but that I address differently.
With a roast I put about half a cup of water in the bottom of the roaster. I spice the meat and the water both to my preferences (a little salt and thyme). I then it cook it at a lower setting than normal but for a bit longer. The steam inside the pan helps tenderize the meat. And the juices that flow from the meat into the water make a nice base for gravy.
This is widely known, of course, but we went out and bought a freezer. Our stores often do meat at substantial savings. I'm talking about 50% to 65% discounts over the normal price. Now we fill the freezer with these discounted meats when they are on sale so we can have them when they aren't. The same is true with other items that can be frozen such as butter. When they had a sale on butter that was well over 50% off I bought a bunch and froze it, I take it a day before we run out and it is thawed and fine for use. I try not to buy anything unless it is on sale and the bigger the sale the more I will buy. We have a big pantry and lots of cupboard space and now the freezer so we can store lots.
A post from the discussion board that is affiliated with this website and with our sister-site ifeminists.net. You are cordially invited to browse and/or join the discussion.
In his post, Ragnar expresses one of the concerns that prompted me to distance myself from many men's/father's rights activists and sites. The short version: they too often link issues like "fairness in custody" to anti-gay/anti-abortion issues, a pro-religion stance or otherwise ultra-conservative contexts. Ragnar writes,The iFeminist website has a link to a Stephen Baskerville perspective on the referenced Newsweek article.
Having had my children ripped away from me in a high-conflict custody battle, I'm obviously attuned to the reform of family law. That put me in association with many groups who think of Baskerville as their knight in shining armour. And if you look at the surface only, it's easy to agree with what appear to be their objectives. But the closer you look, the more you realize that the reform of family law which they desire is a reform which returns it to the way it had been in the 1940's or earlier: a contract, defined by the collective, which regulates the propagation of the species (birth, adoption, etc), limits participation in that process (removing from consideration such groups as the the unmarried and homosexuals - they'd include gypsies and atheists if they could figure out a way), and rewards those who adhere to the rules with stipends and tax breaks.
There's a hyperlink in Steven's article that references another article purportedly about the debasement of marriage through divorce; and it's far from that. It's a screed against individual choice in matters of lifestyle, sex, religion and even rock-n-roll.
But most of the atheists who first warred against the country's Judeo-Christian marital and family traditions were free-thinking heterosexuals advocating "sexual and familial experimentation" of the sort that finally helped incubate the New Left's Counterculture of communes, drugs, free love (overwhelmingly heterosexual), and rock music."
And it's easy to see where the family reform contingent, that Baskerville lauds, is headed when you read
Even American Catholics—previously distinctive for their deference to hierarchy and tradition—became "more personally autonomous and less subject to traditional mechanisms of social control."
And I love this one:
Even when heterosexual couples did wed in the post-Sixties world, an increasing number did so unencumbered by the scriptural prohibition against adultery (cf. Ex. 20:14; Matt. 19:18): in a 1983 survey of over 3500 couples, 15-26% allowed for "nonmonogamy under some circumstances," while a parallel 1989 British study of married adults found that "of those surveyed under age 35, over one fifth (22%) entered their first marriage with no belief in sexual fidelity." In 1991, British sociologist Paul Mullen warned that adultery was fast becoming "a participation sport indulged in by the masses," as "citizens increasingly assume the right to change and vary their erotic attachments." A 1995 American study documented the very attitudes that so distressed Mullen, its authors reporting that "many married persons continue to search for an intimate partner, or at least remain open to the possibility of forming extramarital relationships, even while married."
As if, prior to the cultural plague of the 1960's, adultery was unheard of. I'm currently reading The Third Chimpanzee which has a chapter titled The Science of Adultery; which makes it quite clear that adultery is and has been prevalent in our species and our ancestors. It mentions one research project from the 1940's, in particular, that studied blood-group substances in a group of newborns and analyzed whether they were inherited from mother or father (biologically they have to come from one or the other). Nearly 10% of the newborn subjects had blood group substances that couldn't be traced to either the mother or her married husband. Take into account here, that the adultery rate indicated by this could much higher because they weren't studying paternity but merely heredity of these blood substances (i.e.: if all blood substances were inherited from the mother it doesn't rule out an adulterous conception). Also take into account that this study only indicates the adulterous liasons which resulted in conception and birth (and only on the part of the mothers - this study indicates nothing about the adultery engaged in by the married father of the newborns studied). Makes you wanna advocate for personal child-rearing contracts that include DNA-testing before you assume responsibility for a newborn, doesn't it guys?
I'm an atheist who had two children out of wedlock (and I rather enjoy rock music Wink). My perspective is a reform of family law that allows the definition of the parameters and clauses of family and child-rearing contracts by the individuals involved. Quite obviously Baskerville (and the substantial percentage of the Fathers Movement which backs him) are not looking for the same outcome as I was and am. It's always made me leery about backing him/them with my money and time.
I encourage reasoned disagreement about everything...even frugal tips. And, so, I've appended one such disagreement to this post. [Click on "read the rest"]
Before giving more frugal tips, however, I want to mention an aspect of doing so that bothers me. It is possible to interpret my rallying cry to frugality as a criticism along the lines of "if you are having financial problems, it is your own damned unfrugal fault!"
Let me tell you how I feel about the need for frugality that many people now feel as opposed to frugality as a freely chosen lifestyle (as I approach it). I am so angry at the government and its corporate/financial running dogs that I could scream for hours without skimming the reservoir of fury I feel. I have never seen such blatant theft and corruption. Financially raping the masses is no longer part of the system; it has become the system itself. Government is acting and will act to benefit the elites even if that means you lose your home, your retirement, your job, your dignity and the very food off your table. And then, after all that, Obama is likely to draft your children -- or, rather, legally require them to perform voluntary community service. The political system and its lackeys have always been thieves. But now they are vultures who want the last clinging morsel of flesh from your bones.
The most damnable aspect of the whole damnable system is that the average decent, working person cannot avoid its trucklike impact. Most of what will financially happen in 2009 is outside of your control. When I harp on frugality, it is not as a reproach but as an encouragement to grab onto those areas that are still within your discretion. The steps may seem like small ones -- e.g. put change from your pocket in a savings jar at the end of every day -- but all good habits come from consistent effort, every accomplishment can be broken down into small directed efforts. And taking control, even in a small way, can keep you from feeling overwhelmed ...helpless. Don't let the bastards take all power away from you.
