From Net-A-Porter: In this video, Proenza Schouler designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough talk about their iconic PS1 messenger bag: the ultimate cool-girl essential this season — and every season!

Get the PS1 at Net-A-Porter

Unfortunately, most people don’t realize just how much we rely on technology until it fails.  And, when it fails, it can mean losing big if it’s not properly backed up.

Some of you will have a separate hard drive or flash drive for backing up your most important things and actually perform a backup regularly.  Congratulations, you’re ahead of a huge percentage of the population.  But is that backed-up data protected as well?  If there were a fire or flood in your home, would that hard drive or flash drive be in a fire-proof and water-proof safe?  Or, are they sitting next to each other, so that a thief could steal both at the same time?  If you don’t take precautions to protect your backup, you could lose both your primary and secondary data sources.

A few months ago we tried an unlimited backup service called Mozy.  Mozy is a service that keeps your backup safe for you.  The process is simple, and requires the installation of the Mozy software.  The first thing Mozy will do is take a complete backup of the information you wish to keep safe.  You can save just your photos, music and financial information, or you can save the entire contents of your hard drive.  Remember, it’s unlimited.  The first backup will take a while.  Ours took about 2 days, and it will vary based on your internet speed and how much data you want to save:

“For a typical system on a typical broadband line — assuming you continue working on your computer during the backup — Mozy backs up data at the rate of about 2-4 GB per day. If left undisturbed on a fast connection, however, you can back up over 9 GB in a single day.”

However, this is a one-time process, and it works in the background so you can keep working.  After the first full backup, Mozy will perform regular, incremental backups, which means they will only process the information that has changed–new, modified, deleted, etc. and the incremental backup will take much less time.

Mozy is affordable. In fact, you can backup up to 2GB of data absolutely free.  The home subscription is $4.95/month per computer.  If you’ve ever had to recover your entire life from a dead laptop (I have), you know that this service is worth considerably more than $4.95.  Additional discounts are available for 1- and 2-year subscriptions.

But what about security?  Will my data be safe?

“Absolutely. MozyHome gives you the ability to select your data’s encryption method: a MozyHome key with 448-bit Blowfish encryption or your own personal key with 256-bit AES encryption. Your files are encrypted on your computer using the key of your choice and then transferred to the Mozy servers using 128-bit SSL encryption, the industry standard for safe and secure data transfer.”

Try Mozy.  What have you got to lose?

Use Code: JULY for 10% off annual and biennial services until July 30, 2010

This is not a paid endorsement, though I am a Mozy.com affiliate and may receive a referral bonus for your subscription.

20% off Suze Orman FICO Kit; use promo: SUZEFKP

The thing I forgot to do was smell the sumbitch before slapping it all over my head.  I thought I was going to pass out.  But, I was committed.  So, I followed the instructions.  Then tried washing out the stench with a different shampoo.  Tea Tree–that should work, it’s pretty strong, I think to myself.  Eight shampoos later, my head still smells like creosote and evil.  The Devil may wear Prada, but even he won’t go near this stuff.

Seems the active ingredient is coal tar.  It’s not cheap, either.  I think it’s because it’s only made one day per year, December 26th.  That’s the day the elves take the coal dust from the bottom of the “naughty” sack and distill it down into a big vat of pure Essence of Santa’s Hatred.

I am going to a fancy tea room for High Tea tomorrow.  I smell like I sleep in a shipyard.

Neutrogena, I trusted you.  I feel violated.  And, for the record, I still have flakes.

For the truly adventurous, (or the criminally insane), you can get it at Drugstore.com.  But don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I’m not just crazy about handbags.  I’m also crazy about art.  And, after today, I’m crazy about Blick Art Materials.  I’ve ordered from them several times before, and I have always been very satisfied with their selection and prices.

Long story short, I voiced a complaint via their web interface about a problem I was having with their checkout system.  Turns out, the problem was ME.  I was the one at fault, for not grasping the concept of price changes between the day I placed something in the cart and the day I actually tried to purchase the item. 

The thing is, Lisa, the Order Department Lead, bent over backwards to make me happy, even though it was entirely my fault.  Not only did she explain what had happened in language that didn’t make me feel like an ignoramus, she offered to allow me to complete the order using the (now expired) coupon discount and pricing.  Their webmaster was able to pull the information about which items had been in my (ever-changing) cart at the time.  Lisa even phoned me this morning so that I could complete the order over the phone with a minimum of hassle, and even expedited it so it would go out today.  I was nonplussed! 

I’ve rarely experienced this level of customer service with a retailer, and it’s important that I let other people know, even though this isn’t the best forum.  I know some of you who read my blog are “crafty,” so I thought you might be able to find some goodies on their site.  I swear, they have the largest selection of art and craft supplies I’ve ever seen.  And, their prices are extremely competitive–no need to clip that weekly coupon for “one single item at 40% off” (you know which coupon I mean).  I decided to become an affiliate (which, like all the retail links on this site, merely means that if you shop by clicking through the links here, it supports the site by kicking back a small percentage of the sale) but did not receive any compensation from Blick for reviewing my experience.  Blick was just well worthy of a mention, and I’m happy to do it. 

FREE SHIPPING on orders totaling $200 or more

Follow them on Twitter at @Blick_Art for notice of new sales, happening all the time!

Personalized Gifts: December 18th (this Friday!)
Non Personalized Gifts: December 21st (Monday!)

First, Gosline notes that consumers are much more confident in their ability to judge real from counterfeit if they see the item in context, e.g., if they see a handbag being carried by a woman vs. seeing it on the shelf.  Now, she doesn’t imply that consumers are truly any better at judging the difference, just that consumers will look at the “whole package” and pass judgment on whether a person looks like they would be carrying real or faux luxury.  I suppose this is good news for people like me, because I can infer that my beloved Balenciaga is safe from thieving hands when I pair it with my Birkenstocks.  (I’m thinking of marketing my look; I call it “frumpy fab.”)

What is most interesting, however, are Gosline’s conclusions about purchase motives.  In another working paper, “The Real Value of Fakes,” Gosline used interviews from hundreds of consumers who had knowingly purchased counterfeit goods (at purse parties, etc).  Within two years, a full 46 percent of those consumers had purchased the authentic version of the same product, even if they couldn’t tell the difference. 

Why is this so significant?  First, it explains why design houses seem to be looking the other way when it comes to counterfeit goods selling all over the internet and in your neighborhood malls.  There is clearly a benefit to the label if a shopper will spend as much as 10 times the fake price to purchase the exact same bag again.  46 percent is one heck of a conversion rate.  And why do we do it if we can’t tell the difference?  It’s the snob factor.  It’s evidently not enough to look the part, we don’t feel the power or status of luxury goods unless we actually spend the money.  We don’t get the high unless it’s the real thing.  I guess our conscience knows we’re only faking ourselves out with counterfeits. 

And I’ve been there.  Before I knew how counterfeits were made, and what counterfeits funded, I didn’t see the harm in owning them.  I quickly learned that the cost to society is too great to ever again purchase a fake.  Unfortunately, salespeople hardly ever give me a second glance when I walk into the boutique.  It’s a shame, because I only ever buy the real thing–and only from attentive, polite salespeople.  Because of the way I dress, I’ve learned to stop making snap judgments about whether or not a woman is carrying a real or fake bag.  I’ve seen some very well turned-out ladies carrying very poorly made counterfeits.  I’m not sure who they thought they were fooling.  One fake ruins a whole outfit.

Me?  I’m sticking with “frumpy fab.”

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to fondle any Aspinal in London, but, fortunately, they offer their yummy goodies to the US via their website.  Aspinal quality is amazing; their leather is superb, sumptuous, sublime–very typically “English” and unmistakeably elegant.  It’s rare to find anything of equal craftsmanship here in the US. Below are some excellent coupons to kick your holiday shopping into gear!

Get 10% Off your Entire order on 11.27.09 ONLY with code BLACKFRI

Get 20% Off your Entire order on 11.30.09 ONLY with code CYBERDAY

And look at the adorable keychain/purse charms I’ve found; Monkeys and Piggies and Skulls, oh my!

My favorite right now is the Victoria, very reasonably priced at $135.  It measures 14.5″ L x 12″ H x 6.5″ W with loads of pockets inside and clean lines outside.  It’s an excellent every-day size in a durable every-day fabric but the conservative Tartan really dresses it up. 

My prediction: more ladies are going to find their way back to Dooney & Bourke if they keep this up.  Bravo!