Free, Automatic, Effortless, Internet Backups ... Now You Have No Excuse

You know how I'm always bitching at you to make backups?

Just this week another friend lost another research paper she'd worked on for hundreds of hours. She screamed and railed against the support reps from the manufacturer of her laptop.

No, sweetheart. No. You're lovely, but no. It's not their fault. It's yours.

I don't know what else I have to do to get this through to all of you. You, yes, you, the person reading this right now, you, YOUR HARD DRIVE IS 100% GUARANTEED TO FAIL. It is an absolute certainty. Not maybe. It will. The only question is when.

Hard drives are like the tires on your car. Sometimes they wear out slowly. And sometimes they fail in the most spectacular ways possible.

There is now a free service I am recommending to all my friends, Dropbox. Get it now. No really. Now. RIGHT FREAKING NOW. Not tomorrow. Not when you get around to it. Not when you're done with your project. STOP READING THIS RIGHT NOW AND GET A DROPBOX ACCOUNT. I'm telling you. I'm ordering you. I'm begging you.

OK. Do you have it yet?

Good.

Here's how you use it.

Install it on every computer you own and also your iPhone.

It puts a folder on your computer called "Dropbox". This folder is magic. It automatically syncs between all your systems. Any document you put in your Dropbox will also appear in all your other Dropboxes. From now on, instead of keeping your documents in your "Documents" or your "My Documents" folder, you'll keep them in your Dropbox. Your Dropbox will become your new Documents folder.

AND!

Everything you put in your Dropbox is magically, automatically backup up to the Internet. Dropbox even let's you retrieve older copies of documents you've lost.

Even if you make backups at home (and you should) if your whole house burns down you'll lose your laptop and your backups with it. Dropbox protects you against this.

I have not believed this strongly in a service in quite sometime. Everyone should use it. EVERYONE.

Did you read all of this and not go get a Dropbox account? Then you're an idiot.

Really, please. Do it.

They're Just Teasing Us

Seriously, WTF? Someone built a poison water fountain.

The Ultimate Emasculator

Welcome to San Francisco, where the men wear Little Mermaid backpacks with Little Mermaid tote bags attached.

It Came From Craigslist

If you enjoyed,

"Want it from behind while you play Super Mario Brothers?"

Then you'll love,

"Guide to Gay Personals Ads"

and

"My roommate is obese and I am looking to have an intervention."

You're welcome.

David Mania, Delicious and Disasterous

There so much more to be said about David. But I wanted to separate the sincere from the sarcastic. Ready for a huge helping of tragic and tacky? Here we go....

There is entertainment to be had while viewing the David. The slightly uncomfortable looks on the American frat boys' faces betray their delicious inner turmoil. "Dude, I'm being told to look at a naked man as an object of beauty. I don't know how to cope with this."

It seems other people are curious about the model as well. Here's a fascinating bit of visual speculation about David.

The whole city of Florence is in the grip of David Mania. Now, when I say the whole city, really I mean tourists and the vendors who sell them crap. I'm sure the locals wouldn't touch this stuff any more than I would.

Some of it is done with a certain charm and affection. David Reloaded by Maria Paola Pozzoli offers many reinterpretations of David.

CARTIER DAVID


DISCO DAVIDS


DEVIL AND ANGEL DAVIDS


GAY PRIDE DAVID


and my favorite ...

ROCKY HORROR DAVID


Remember Mel Brooks' merchandising pitch? "Spaceballs the T-Shirt, Spaceballs the Coloring Book, Spaceballs the Lunchbox, Spaceballs: the Breakfast Cereal and Spaceballs: the Flame Thrower"

It seems the world's most famous set of cock and balls needed this treatment. And since the official museum gift shop is not inclined to serve this crass market, Florence street vendors offer David's not-so privates on everything.

DAVID'S JUNK THE APRON


DAVID'S JUNK THE POSTCARD


DAVID'S JUNK THE PUZZLE


DAVID'S JUNK THE POSTCARD WITH SUNGLASSES


There's really no end to it. It's pretty horrifying but I have to admit there's a little part of me that likes it. Florence may well be the only city in the world where man parts are proudly displayed on every street corner. That's awesome.