If you spend some time analyzing your data, you'll find out that not all data is equal. Loosely your data is split among:

1. actual work (spreadsheets, documents, etc.)

2. media

3. programs

4. OS There are different attributes to those different types. Your work files are most likely the most important, they are also the least in size, and the hardest to re-create. Media does not change over time. New is added, but whatever is there, never changes. Programs are easily re-installed, same as OS.

What I'm saying is you need different backup strategies. For me, work files are backed up online via a service. Music media is backed up on DVDs, incrementally, so when new is added, only the new is backed up (and for me media is music only - for movies I keep the original DVD media, or if downloaded, I don't bother. They are re-downloadable. Same for programs - either I have the original, of if downloaded, I create a DVD media for it.

For my pictures collection I use a different scheme. I use online redundant synchronized copies. I have 3 copies. If one disk dies, after I fix the computer, I have 2 more copies to re-sync from.

I think that like any big problem - cutting into smaller ones gives simpler if different solutions to the parts of the problem.

Hammas 'tis but a scratch' will definitely lead to a glorious victory. So they'll loose some arms and legs, so what?

The stupid idiots got their land, got into power, all they had to do was live in peace. All they had to do to prevent this war was give up. Would they be any worse? Using diplomacy would have gotten them much further, perhaps with their limbs intact.

I don't know if they are manipulated or not. What I know is that when the US was whacked (world trade center, remember?) the bombed the hell out of Afganistan. When the British were blitzed, they fought back, didn't they?

So how does it end? "Oh running away? you yellow bastards, come back, I'll bite your legs off..."