Backup

Backup - making copies of data so that these additional copies may be used to restore the original after a data loss event.

Hopefully the data loss event will never occur, but given the amount of stuff I now have on my computer, I thought it would be wise to take precautions. In 1997, during a fire at the headquarters of Credit Lyonnais, a Paris bank, system administrators ran into the burning building to rescue backup tapes because they didn't have offsite copies. I could almost see myself doing that - running screaming into the burning house "no, not my photos and music!" The recent data loss experienced by a friend of mine spurred me into action - and really considering how easy and cheap it is ($130 for 320g) I am surprised I didn't do it sooner. I am not sure what to use for an offsite location though - most logical place is work I suppose.

Lars and the Real Girl

While I am on the subject of movies, I'd like to mention another film that I loved. "Lars and the Real Girl":

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

There is just something undefinably sweet about this movie, in the same way Amelie was sweet. In some ways they explore a very similar theme – the power of love and acceptance. It was nominated for a whole heap of awards (most of which it didn’t win), and did ok at the Box Office. However I think it deserves more recognition and praise than that, if only for the respect with which it treats its characters. As the NY Post reviewer pointed out it “eschews cheap laughs”, which considering the subject matter would be almost inevitable at the hands of another scriptwriter.

Does anyone else have anything to recommend? I find it very hard to locate DVD that (a) I haven’t seen and (b) would wish to see nowadays.