The website was inspired by two friends after helping them move and realizing that they needed a little push to get rid of the junk in their lives that was following them, untouched, from house to house. Packrats and hoarding are even coming into public mainstream with new television shows, but KeepOrToss never really caught on enough to support itself as a community. It did however function very well in giving me a wealth of practice and testing for later website redesigns and other personal sites, such as NovelRank.

As a learning experience it was really successful for 2 years, but as a sustainable website, it failed. Like any good entrepreneur, I learned, I loved, and I let it go when it couldn’t return the favor.  I’m much happier with my latest venture and the thriving community of authors over on NovelRank, so there is always that. Thanks KeepOrToss, and enjoy your life at archive.org.

I am comparing 3 different cereals:

• Special K with Berries
• Frosted Flakes
• Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds

For the record, all boxes offer 3/4 of a cup as their portion size, though they vary in their gram weight and in their calories:

• Special K – 120 Calories, 31g
• Frosted Flakes – 110 Calories, 30g
• Honey Bunches – 130 Calories, 32g

Notice that? It gets better… here come the photos.

Conclusions

If you look at the last 2 photos you will realize that a full bowl of cereal is actually three servings! I always guessed it was 2, but I underestimated.

If you just ‘fill your bowl’, you will go a long way with Special K with Berries or Frosted Flakes, due to the large flakes and the fruit, the same weight product takes up more volume in the bowl, which means you will eat less calories, not even noticing. Secondly, if you use a smaller bowl, it will be almost overflowing, while a larger bowl looks almost full. Shrink your bowl!

Finally, volume (3/4 of a cup) is not a good measure. Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds has smaller flakes and thus it compacts greater than the other two. Being the highest in calories, this is a dangerous combination!

When camping at a Renaissance Faire, it’s important to secure the area to ensure that only invited guests and those that are part of the camp find their way into the inner areas, typically focused on a fire pit or food tent. Rennies, either drunk or high, may sometimes wander into the unknown, unaware or indifferent of their surroundings. The following methods are recommended ways to deal with these intruders.

• Place tents close together in a crescent moon or semi-circle shape, with the outer guide wires crossed before being staked in the ground. This is typically referred to as a Drunk Trap. Acceleration through this area leads to a sudden impact and, if you’re lucky, immediate unconsciousness.
• Dig a pit in the center of your camp. Wandering Rennies tend to take the most direct route. Covering this pit isn’t required, though you should make the walls notably high enough (and thus the pit deep enough) to allow only the sober to escape. The following lures can also be used to trap these slaves Rennies:
  
  • A drum: It’s said that finding a drummer at a Ren Fair is as simple as opening your eyes. The presence of an unclaimed drum works as the perfect lure.
  • A glow stick: Possibly waving in a breeze as possible. Raves no longer an option, this classic lure finds many a Rennie an easy target for its mysterious pull.
  • A blow-up doll (in garb): Female preferred, as some may become instantly chivalrous in an effort to win the bed of a fellow Rennie for the evening.
  • A bottle of rum: Obvious.
• A camping shower with a false floor is also an acceptable trap, as respect for personal property is as limited as respect for ‘this is not your damn campsite’. Be advised, this will not be effective with a large portion of Rennies as a fear of water is as prominent as you may find in creatures of the feline persuasion.
• Super-glue a bottle to the road full of alcohol. This will collect many Rennies in a single area and provide a notable amount of entertainment, usually for hours. The predictable outcome is usually the destruction of the bottle (with the loss of its contents) or less frequently the discovery of a straw.
• A rope barrier around the camp is not always allowed at the Faire, but can provide immediate incapacitation of a Rennie in motion.
• Though highly technical, a classic rope ankle trap will not raise your Rennie off their feet and upside down (perfect for Cinco De Mayo), but also provide the opportunity to collect any items that fall out of their pockets before their release. This method provides immediate toll payment for crossing through your campsite. Common term: Booty Blowout.

This post was inspired by a fireside conversation camping with friends at the Texas Renaissance Faire 2009, closing weekend (Thanksgiving weekend). Thanks to Jer, Chloe, Lacey, Aja, and Mel for their input and laughs.

The site was built off of an open source web-design base and then improved and adapted to the needs of the client: Me, in this case. While it uses the very popular jQuery library for some fancy web 2.0 interactions, the entire site is built off of PHP from the ground up. This build included a lot of unique work that is designed for unknown visitors to add content as well as get back results in familiar formats, include RSS Feeds, website widgets, and CSV spreadsheet downloads. This is greatly different from LRECO because the users interacting with the website were all employees updating content such as apartment information, images, and cities.
Work will continue on NovelRank with more features coming online in the future. Who knows what website will be next; Maybe yours!

• Ticket: $14
• Parking: $1
• Gas: $5
• Seeing an OpenStage performance: Priceless

Friday afternoon I decided to do something better with my Friday night and reserved tickets to see “Anton in Show Business” at 8pm on October 9th, 2009. I grabbed my fedora and my trench coat, and off I went after work, leaving Broomfield and grabbing some cash before the drive. The way up greeted me with snow flurries, not yet sticking to the road. Winter, in early October. sigh

It was part of OpenStage’s etc project which is held elsewhere in Ft. Collins. For this show, it was held at an empty storefront in old town Ft. Collins, previously a law firm. The location was actually part of Art Lab, a great community project which turns these spaces into art galleries. OpenStage had managed to setup chairs and a small stage in this small space which gave it a fantastic, intimate feeling. The crowd was typical for a theatre performance: Majority older than myself (30), some with their older children. I went solo this time, though I’ve brought numerous people to performances with me in hopes of luring them into the addiction I seem to be indulging regularly. Turns out the entire performance was to include only female actors, regardless of the gender of the character. This was a pleasant surprise when I arrived and read the playbill, and luckily I didn’t feel creepy going solo, as a single guy, to a performance of an all female cast.

Speaking on that point briefly, I sometimes let my eyes wander across the stage area (I was seated right up front in an effort to encourage others to sit in the ignored first row) and found another gentleman who came alone and gave me a few minor moments of distraction, as I noticed his eyes wander from the actors faces from time to time (he had flowers at the end, so I suppose he was a friend/boyfriend of someone). Of course, this made me feel less guilty myself of the behaviour on occasion, which was understandable considering the beautiful cast and attractive character traits (no, not just Holly the sexy one). But I digress…

During the opening section, I was greeted 2 feet away with a bit of the “Rent” soundtrack as part of a series of outbursts, and I thought to myself, “Oh this is going to be a great night.” The play was incredibly funny, with great comic timing put forth by the actors. Sydney Parks playing male roles proved incredibly entertaining, as her small facial gestures used to accent her fake facial hair and portray character emotions were subtle things too easily missed by those not paying attention; a great loss if missed.

The entire cast really embodied their characters fully, from the self-centered sexy tv star to the tabacco company underwriter and everywhere in-between, I found all the performances believable and entertaining. Nicole Gawronski’s portrayal of Ben, a male actor in the play-within-a-play, kept me doubting whether it was the same actor. Phenomenal.

Some memorable lines were delivered that really made me laugh or smile:

“Fuck you with my art. You cry out.”

“…sexy, Russian roulette. You’re still alive.”

It’s amazing what the actors brought to the performance, with sometimes rowdy passers-by only 40 feet away, passing by the front windows. It never once affected the performance, and typically there was so much engagement on the stage that you wouldn’t pull your attention away for even a moment, regardless of the noises outside. This was my first etc performance, and it brought me back to the moment over a decade ago where I was reminded how much I love theatre, by a performance setup in much the same fashion. This is definitely a great performance to bring friends to, in hopes of sparking their own interest.

The play wasn’t without its foibles, and there were some slips, which happens. The true measure of this is the ability of the actors to move through it, or compensate for the slip, which was always done fantastically. If it sounds like I’m gushing it’s because I really really really enjoyed my time. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

When the play completed, and curtain call was done, Christine Sharpe immediately took the opportunity to greet, thank, and shake hands with those along the first row. This was a fantastic gesture and really wrapped up the evening well. The whole cast took the opportunity to greet the audience, which is one of the reasons I always enjoy OpenStage performances.

On the way home, the weather was notably worse, with at least 4 cars in accidents and 8 cars which had separated themselves from the designated path we call I-25, half of them facing the wrong way. Needless to say, it was a bit scary in my little 2-door Honda Insight that does horribly on snowy/icy conditions, but at 45 mph, I made it back safe. Still worth it? Absolutely (though if I spun off the road, I can’t say for sure if that answer would change).

So far this season I’ve enjoyed “SceneWorks” (this should happen every year!): a collection of scenes from different plays grouped together in two acts, and “Anton in Show Business”. Next up for me will likely be “A Christmas Carol”, and I can’t wait. It’s funny, I work in Boulder but live in Broomfield, close enough to Denver to be able to enjoy some richer arts and entertainment. In a twist of fate, I’ve found my creative home 55 minutes north in Ft. Collins, and the drive is always worth it. Thanks OpenStage founders, cast, staff, and sponsors for reintroducing me to great theatre.

I raised over $400 individually, and the SurveyGizmo team raised over $1400 together (4 riders total).

SurveyGizmo Team Photo for Bike MS

In preparation, I went to bed at 10 PM the night before after checking tire pressure, freezing some water in my bottle, stocking up my Camelbak hydration pack with Clif Bars, and spreading some Assos Chamois Cream on my bike shorts chamois (this stuff was fantastic, highly recommended).

Saturday, June 27, 2009

• 5 AM – Wake up with both alarms… you know, just in case.
• Have a little food, get dressed, double-check I have everything, fill out my emergency info (almost walked out the door without it), fill up the Camelbak and head out for a 3 mile bike ride to the start around 5:45am.
• Climb slowly, staying limber on a fantasticly cool morning in Broomfield/Westminster, heading up the hill from 120th and Federal to 112th, a climb I would see again 150 miles later with less excitement.
• Cars pass by me, bikes strapped to the back. I’m getting excited. Even better, I get excited as I pass the line of cars waiting to park at Front Range Community College. Passing cars gives me a happy feeling. Actually, passing anything makes me feel that way, and it didn’t happen often!
• Follow the crowds to the port-a-potty line, breakfast tent, and make-shift bike corral where I park for a bit, send a text message to my teammates who were arriving together, grab a donut and some fruit, and get in line for the bathroom.

It’s currently about 6:15am and I’m realizing a few things: Hydration packs were the exception, most people weren’t sure what to do with the number tag and twisty ties for your bike, let alone the stickers which I realized that morning were luggage tags. Next, wearing a plain red cycling jersey (2 months old, bike is 4 months old) I was once again the exception; amazing jerseys were all around. I also started noticing all the costumes, from dinosaurs on helmets to dog ears and tails, there was no shortage of creativity and fun in this bunch. I also got my first glimpse of the riders on single-speed beach cruisers (more on them later). One of the best was a member of MegaSaurAss on a tandem with an inflatable 4′ dinosaur on the back seat. Awesome.

Team shows up, all looking at the best way to affix the bike number tags (instructions on this in the welcome packet would be great). For reference, it folds over your top tube near the front, with the front-bottom corner having the two holes punched (one on each side). A single twisty-tie through the holes, around your head tube, and tied off so it is held close in the front and doesn’t slide back to annoy your legs. Image courtesy of the Touring Dane.

It Begins (sort of)

• 6:45 AM – We head up to the START to get into line to leave as we were leaving in ‘waves’, I was told. Yeah, no line, just some cheering, so we just go. Nobody seems to mind. Apparently waves are for 6:00-6:15am.
• We stop about 100 yards down the road because an adjustment needs to be made on my teammates’ personal numbers which were attached with only 2 safety pins on the top, and the incessant flapping was already too much. We acquired a few more safety pins and everyone was set to restart.
• Weather is perfect, everyone is in good spirits, and the route is clearly marked by red arrows at intersections and volunteers (you guys and gals were so encouraging, thank you). Downhill for 15 miles, life was good.
• Get a look at my favorite jersey of the entire ride: The Medic jerseys. I was happy they were around, but seriously, I really dug their jersey designs. Kinda jealous.
• First rest-stop appears quickly as we were making good time downhill. One teammate stops for a bathroom break and the rest of us ride on. Lots of people on the ride, chatter and conversation is light but present. Picking up a conversation with a stranger is exceptionally easy and rewarding.

A quick note about saying more than ‘on your left’ when pulling up next to someone. When the opportunity arose and I wasn’t interfering with the safe flow of traffic (car and bike), I took the opportunity to just say hello to a stranger. Even if we only exchange a few words about the weather, seeing that person again later in the ride was always accompanied with a few words, as if the barrier was down, we were friends. Seriously, just one sentence back and forth and you had a new friend to share your ride with, uphill or down. Totally worth it. I even had the pleasure to run into (both days!) friends I had made during ‘Ride with Phil’ in Denver months earlier because I simply said hello. Something insulation was their company who sponsored their jersey, though they were a team of 2 + 1 virtual. I wish I remembered their names, I’d love to ride with them again. These moments made minutes seem like seconds, and miles seem like inches.

Made it into the first rest stop to find some fruit, snacks, port-a-potty lines (I really need to get High Roller status for VIP access), and supplies of water, ice (this became more desirable as the day went on), and Gatorade. Here’s the thing, out of all the rest stops in which I enjoyed some Gatorade, only 1 stop (that I visited let me reiterate) had enough powder for the water content so it would be more than lightly flavored water with a dash of electrolytes. I don’t want to be negative, I was grateful for the support and the volunteers, but it left me wanting. Got what we needed and headed off again.

A blowout!

A phone call rings as the team is split into 2 and 2, and myself and a coworker backtrack 0.5 miles as a teammate nicked some glass and popped her tube. Her husband was already at work on the tube. Turns out that as she blew-out, she motioned forward and asked if any rider passing her could tell Scott she needed the spare tube and pump. A gentleman riding past had no idea which ‘Scott’ she was referring to, so he must have asked every person he passed, “Are you Scott?” till he found him and let him know what happened. Incredible character.

While changing the tire, 10+ people asked if we had everything we needed and if we were okay, from riders to cycling ride marshals (fantastic bunch as well). I don’t think I can say it enough that the riders, organizers, and volunteers were tremendous. We even got a view of skydivers falling from the sky as we waited for the bike tire to be repaired. After 10 minutes, we were on the road again, ready to start a little climbing.

A Bee Buzzing in my Ear

Between the 3rd rest stop and the 4th (lunch!), Team Sugarbee, who was hosting rest stop #4, had signs along the road with poetry that was no more than 4 signs, each sign 3-4 words long. Some rhymed, some was silly, and all of it made the trip towards lunch a pleasant ride. The stop was the largest (I learned that lunch existed on the ride and was a mini-city) for the day and had covered areas for you to sit and digest for a little bit. Music was playing (always welcome) and overall it was a great recharge before starting into the climb on the day. Oh yeah… climbing, after 50 miles… owe.

I’m proud to say that I never stopped pedaling or dismounted during any of my climbs. Maybe at the top if waiting for teammates (or catching up with those faster), but never on a climb. I was most proud of this, considering I was practically standing still compared to most who passed me on the climbs. At the rest stop near the top of the climbing sections was rest stop #5 where a volunteer announced, “Sno-Cones are mandatory, turn right to get your Sno-Cones.” Though resistant at first, I couldn’t argue with a mandatory requirement, and I’m glad I didn’t, because this was a fantastic treat at the high point of the day in the middle of climbing. Whoever thought of this needs a medal, a message, and a group, “Hell yeah!”

Oh, I almost forgot. One of the best volunteer actions at rest stops was to step from behind the table with jugs of water and bags of ice and fill containers of those waiting, as there were more volunteers and people than there were coolers to dispense the water. Made everything more efficient.

Finish Time and BBQ

2 PM
Cruising into Ft. Collins was a fun experience, and once again the level of organization was clear. Dropping off the bike in the bike corral was easy and safe, with plastic bags provided for your seat. The next day, you needed to have your wristband checked against your bike tag’s number. Anyway, after 5:14 (H:MM) riding in the saddle, I was quite happy to get off the bike and into the Halliburton BBQ (the only food available till 4pm dinner). While strolling past people eating a burger or a few brats, some teammates went for beer as I went for food. I got 1 brat and bun, some onions, 2 slices of tomato, and a smile. This did not last long. By 2:30pm, teammates returned from 1 beer at the beer garden to get food and Halliburton had run out, packed up, and even moved their semi as if to say, “BBQ, what BBQ?” To say this was…. frustrating for the hungry and exhausted teammates would be an understatement. So much so that we skipped team photos to leave and get food, never to be seen till the next morning.

A few other notes. While I didn’t experience the CU dorms, transportation between hotels/dorms and the start, or the free massages and the Cigna tent (I had a personal massage therapist luckily), I never heard anything bad from those who did use those services and the massages were appreciated. However, next year, I’m going and filling up my bike tires that afternoon/evening (which were surprisingly low).

Sunday, June 28th, 2009

The line for the mechanics was 5-8 riders deep. The line for the 2 available bike pumps was 12+. The delay as we waited our turn was a good 20-25 minutes. I’d happily donate a pump to Day 2 next year to alleviate this strange bottleneck. However, the mechanics services were very welcome and helpful with all that they offered. Speaking of offers, I found more reasons to like FedEx, as their vehicles served as SAG Vehicles. For those wondering as I did why it was called SAG, here is what Wikipedia has to say:

“SAG” (most commonly written in all uppercase in the United States but without capitals elsewhere) comes from a 1930s British expression about riders “sagging” off the back of a group. It was adopted in the 1940s when road-racing restarted in Great Britain to mean a following vehicle into which riders sagged when the effort became too much and they dropped out a race. SAG is sometimes described as an acronym for ’support and gear’, ‘gear’ meaning in this context mechanical support.

None-the-less, the ride began with a 5 minute cruise out of town to barely warm-up and then climb 900′ over 10 miles. Apparently this is standard for most BikeMS courses, and everyone else seemed to like facing this early. After doing it, I can’t say it was a bad idea, but I wasn’t thrilled at the time. But, what comes up must come down, and that’s always the reward of a hill. Near the top, about 1 mile shy of the first rest stop, I met most of my team at a beautiful overlook on the lake. It was at this time that I paid closer attention to one of the riders on a single-speed beach cruiser, merrily playing Jimmy Buffet from speakers and I can only assume MP3 player around his waist in a storage belt. It was Batman, in California, with a margarita (if you want a visual representation). Many of those riders were looping up and down, encouraging others (there were other teams doing this as well), while on a single-speed beach cruiser, in sandals. Impressed I was.

A Chain Gang and Teamwork

Throughout the ride, teams or groups of individuals will form a paceline, a group in a line taking turns at the front and drafting each other. The riders starting at the 2nd rider are all doing less work as you get farther back while maintaining the same speed as the lead rider. When well organized, it’s a powerful way to cover greater distance in a faster time and with less effort. I picked up the back wheel of a group of 4 members of the Chain Gang team, “Breaking the Chain of MS.” I was welcomed along with the group, even though I was not there long enough to ‘earn my keep’ at the front. This group was very good, and I had to announce I was dropping off the back before I pushed myself too hard for too long. I was sorry to see them go, but happy to share the experience.

A few miles later, after catching up to a teammate, we were 10 miles or so from Lunch on day 2 (rest stop #4 again), and cruising on relatively flat roads. There were more riders around, but nobody to pace with, so I was setting the lead between myself and my teammate. After 2 miles, a group moving a bit faster than us passed on the left. This wasn’t unusual, but since their pace was relatively close, I grabbed a back wheel hoping to hold on for a little while. That line lasted till lunch and was my best moment on the bike of the entire ride. I think the part I enjoyed the most was that, with the exception of myself and my teammate (7 and 8 in the paceline), and two others on a team together (2 and 3), everyone was strangers it seemed. When reaching lunch, I rejoiced how great it was, and thanked the gentleman at the front who rode there the entire time I was on the paceline. He motioned to a female rider (number 2 in the line), “She started it.” I thanked her as well, and the gentleman soon followed up with, “I get energy from pulling a line like that. It was great.” I’m smiling right now typing that story.

Lunch and the Accident

About lunch… Jamaican Lemonade is not good. My opinion, but I don’t recommend it.

After lunch, we headed off to the last rest stop before the finish, where the team regrouped again. While standing there, an echo of, “Medic! We need a medic down the road,” came through the rest area. Two ambulances, a fire truck, some rider Medics, and a volunteer “Goldwing” motorcycle rider all answered the call. I don’t know the facts, I just know that a woman went down hard enough that she was loaded into an ambulance. The entire peloton (at this point) was held for 20+ minutes as they took care of the downed rider. I hope she’s okay, it’s definitely not what anyone wants to see happen. If anyone has information, please post it in the comments below.

Just a little farther…

Remember that climb early in the morning on Saturday from my home to the start? I met it again, but this time feeling very different. Thanks to the marshal who hung with me chatting as I climbed. I would have been fine without her presence or words, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate it any less.

Our team gathered just outside the finish, so we could cross together. While waiting for the last teammate, a group of riders came down the hill, one about 30 yards ahead of the others. As he came within 20 yards of the turn into the college and the finish line, the worst sound possible rings off the brick wall behind us: pzzzttttssshhhhhhh…. “Noooooooo!!!!” he exclaimed, as his front tire goes flat 5 yards from the turn. Without skipping a beat, he hops off the bike while it is still rolling, pops up his front wheel while holding onto the handlebars and commences to run it in, front wheel in the air. I clapped proudly amused and impressed with his dedication. A teammate commented, “It would have been funnier if he would have stopped right here and changed out the tube.”

The team gathers back together, and we cross the line as a group, grabbing our gear w/bike chain medals for finishing the Colorado Bike MS150. Successful, excited, and inundated with cheering riders, friends, family, and volunteers. A great finish to a great ride. Thank you Colorado, and hopefully Multiple Sclerosis research will find a cure for everyone affected, especially for those riding with the jersey, “I Ride with MS.” Cheers.

Mario Lurig
Team SurveyGizmo
You can still donate! Do it for the VIP port-a-potty!

Blockbuster Online has made another change to their terms of service as of March 1, 2009:

Free in-store movie exchanges will count towards the number of DVDs you are allowed out at-a-time under your Total Access plan. For example, if you have a 3 DVDs out-at-a-time plan, your free in-store movie exchange will count towards the 3 DVDs you are allowed out. You will not receive your next online rental until you return your free in-store exchange.

Previously, in-store exchanges would not count toward your total, allowing customers to quickly get access to changing out DVDs or getting extra content faster than the mail-only service of Netflix. This feature was the last holdout for many customers staying with Blockbuster Online over their main competitor, Netflix.

It’s widely reported that Blockbuster is on the verge of bankruptcy, so it’s not surprising they are quietly cutting corners. Yes quietly, since customers were not notified of this change unless contacting Blockbuster directly or speaking to in-store employees.

The advantages of Blockbuster Online vs Netflix have begun to dwindle with this recent change, as Blockbuster is trying to catch-up with Netflix in the online streaming arena. According to Netflix ready devices FAQ, it now currently has over, “…12,000 movies & TV episodes available to watch instantly, but very few are new releases.” Meanwhile, a recent email (January, 2009) to a Blockbuster customer reported, “Roughly 2,000 titles are currently available. The library changes frequently.” Comparing set-top boxes, the Roku player for Netflix recently added Amazon Unbox to it’s library of available streaming, shortly after adding 720p streaming for some of the content.

The below chart compares the two services, updated with the newest information. Let the exodus to Netflix begin.

Comparison of Netflix vs Blockbuster mail and online video rental services

	Blockbuster Online	Netflix
1 DVD at a Time	$11.99 2 free in-store exchanges*	$8.99
3 DVDs at a Time	$19.99 3 free in-store exchanges*	$16.99
Blu-Ray Discs	Yes	Yes**
Trial Available	2 weeks	2 weeks
Online Streaming	2,000 titles	12,000 titles (3,500 movies, 8,500 tv)
* Counts toward disc-at-a-time total
** Additional $1/month fee

The section from the newsletter was as follows:

1.  New… 50GB Free Personal Backups!

I’ve noticed my newsletters seem to have less and less themes recently.

Well, except for last month, I guess that had the Olympic theme. I guess
by recently, I mean really recently; like really, REALLY recently. Like,
just this newsletter.

In keeping with my no-theme theme, uh oh, I think I just made a destroy-
the-universe-LHC-style self-contradiction, here’s a new feature that
pretty much has nothing to do with anything I said in the introduction!

https://panel.dreamhost.com/?tree=users.backup

Now, you know how we give out a LOT of disk space with our hosting? Well
technically that space is only supposed to be used for your _actual_ web
site (and email / database stuff) .. not as an online backup for your
music, pictures, videos, other servers, etc!

Well, just like every other web host does, we’ve been sort of cracking
down on that some lately, and it seems to catch some people by surprise!
Nobody likes being surprised, especially in the shower, which is where
we typically brought it up, and so now we offer a solution:

You CAN use 50GB of your disk space for backups now! The only caveat is,
it’s a separate ftp (or sftp) user on a separate server and it can’t
serve any web pages. There are also NO BACKUPS kept of THESE backups
(they should already BE your backups, not your only copy), and if you go
over 50GB, extra space is only 10 cents a GB a month (a.k.a. cheap)!

Obviously they realized a lot of people wanted somewhere in ‘the cloud’ to store important files, and my guess is they realized that the man hours cracking down on abusers was better spent doing what they do best: making their customers happy. Needless to say, I’m counted among them. It’s not fancy, it’s rather straight-forward to upload through SFTP (recommended), but it’s a welcome addition to the services already offered for a very low monthly/annual price.

My only gripe is that the username for the backup is chosen for you by dreamhost, and thus if you do lose your computer and all your data, you will need to login to your panel to find the username they supplied for you before you can access those important files.

Secondarily, I recommend taking those important files and using IZarc to zip them up and encrypt them, password protected. This way, besides a secure transfer, your data is safe from prying eyes. If you were looking for a hosting solution I don’t recommend going any farther. Check out dreamhost, and feel free to use the promo code FOOL50 to get $50 off of your order. There is a bevy of other dreamhost promo codes available on that page of the blog as well.

The website is now live and available at www.lreco.com