The Lifehacker Total Security Guide 
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Top 10 Pervasive Tech Myths That Are Only Wasting Your Time Forget your waistline or learning to play the violin – how about making a new year’s resolution to kick some of those terrible computing habits you’ve picked up over the years? It could be spending too much time web browsing, or (in my case) a critical failure to backup. The Web Worker Daily blog has offered some suggestions for making your computing more secure in 2008 – including using a portable thumbdrive to backup your computer, and using a VPN when connecting to the internet from a public place.It got me to thinking about the plans I’m making to improve my computing experience this year. On the agenda is setting up regular backups, and ensuring that my backups are done in such a way that system recovery would be quick and simple. I haven’t yet decided if I want to backup to a hardware device or to an online service.And, inspired by our very own Gina Trapani’s Lifehacker book, I’m planning on setting up my computer to create automatic backups this year. I really like the idea of a computer which will wake itself up at 2am to run the backup program, then return to hibernate mode.I’m also considering things like VPNs and encrypted emails, but I wonder whether those fall into the category of ‘over the top’ security.So what’s your computing new year’s resolution? Do you have a plan for making your computing environment more secure (or more streamlined) this year? What do you think is good enough security, and what’s over the top? Share in comments please.
Six ways to start off secure in ’08 [Web Worker Daily]
Adelaide Council has introduced a free bus service provided by what it says is the world’s first all-electric, solar powered bus. The Tindo Solar Bus (named for the Aboriginal word for sun) offers a free service which runs seven days a week between major facilities in North Adelaide and the city. Details of the route can be found here.The environmentally friendly bus will recharge using solar panels installed at the Adelaide Central Bus Station.
[via EcoGeek]
If you’ve ever felt flummoxed by the rhetoric in more “advanced” level books, it might be a good idea to employ some equalising techniques so that you can understand what it is that you’re reading. Blogger Ryan Holiday says that the best thing you can do is to remember that you’re reading for no one else but yourself. While some bibliophiles would disagree, Ryan says that you might want to ruin the ending to understand the specific themes to be discussed throughout the book. Also, check out reviews to find out what’s important to other readers. While reading, if you’re confused with a word, look it up. Highlight important passages and take notes.
If you’re like me, you probably get unwanted mobile phone calls often from people who accidentally but habitually dial the wrong number. You can ask your carrier to block the repeated offenders, but that option is not supported by all carriers. The Baby Toolkit blog has an alternative that may be just as good. For people who repeatedly call the wrong number, create a contact called “Wrong Number” and set your phone to silent. That way, you can save your cell phone minutes and avoid being distracted when you get a call that isn’t intended for you anyway.
Hack Your Cell: Identify Regular Wrong Number Calls [Baby Toolkit]Are you constantly finding yourself unable to get away from the computer because of your Internet addiction? You’re not alone. If you’re looking to reclaim your life, start slowly. Zen Habits shares three discipline techniques to regain that independence. First, time yourself. You likely have no idea how long you’re really sitting in front of that screen. Previously mentioned application Rescue Time is a great way to get started if a traditional clock isn’t feasible.
If ever finished a jar of pickles and don’t know what to do with the piece of glass, personal finance weblog Wise Bread inspires you to recycle it creatively. One method is to store dry goods in the jar. Since most jars are clear, this promotes organisation (and prevents having to open the cover to see what’s stored within). Turn the right-sized jar into drinking glasses for large cocktails. Jar up gifts and give them to your friends. Create homemade wax candles. Turn them into pen holders or use jars to organise other items on your desk, like paperclips or spare change. Store your flowers in a vase created from a large jar. Better yet, don’t buy gift baskets: just use your jars to store items that fit. Surprise yourself. There’s really a lot you can do if you consider reusing jars instead of tossing them in the trash. What other ways do you recycle canning jars?
Sanity Saving Ideas for Canning Jars [Wise Bread]If you want to get your Linux learn on, LinuxHaxor has compiled a list of sixty-eight eBooks related to anything Linux. If you’re just starting off with Linux for the first time, you’d appreciate the installation guides. Once your machine is up, you may be compelled to read the security and firewall guides to control and secure your box. If programming is where it’s at for you, numerous eBook downloads are available and cover anything from JavaScript to PHP. Command line interface users can find a document detailing the Bash shell. Additionally, if you want to play with the Webmin administration interface, there are several downloadable guides that have been collected as well. Do you know of any other Linux guides that may not have been referenced? Share your favourites in the comments.
68 Linux Related Free e-Books [LinuxHaxor.net]
