About
Coffee, and technology. There’s nothing like sitting down on the PC with a good cup of coffee and the world at your fingertips. I read about so many cool things going on in the technology arena on a daily basis. Web 2.0, gadgets, corporate technology news…always something going on out there. What follows on this website is some of it that I take an interest in, and have the urge to comment on.
My name is Cristoforo (ok, not really, that’s the Italian version. It’s just Chris), and I’m an American Italian living in the metro Detroit area. I got my start in this geeky world of technology and computers way back in 1983 when I received my first computer at Christmas. An Atari 800 XL. From that point forward, my path was chosen.
As far as what I do? I’m a VMware / Windows system engineer for Quicken Loans/Rock Financial. That means I get paid to play with really complicated computers and operating systems. Probably the primary reason for the blog originally was to publish tech stuff that I run into, and most of it will contain that sort of content. But, from time to time I like to rant about things, or talk about stuff going on outside of the technology field, or get ideas in my head that you just can’t avoid reading about…that stuff will show up on here too.
About the Site Name: Hey Baccala! What does that mean? Literally, it is dried salty cod fish. In older times in poorer areas of Italy, it was the dinner of choice when Friday rolled around and there wasn’t anything else to eat. It kept well for long periods of time, hence Italians always had some on hand for meals. It was prepared by splitting cod fish in half, salt and dry them for 10 days and store for later. The stored fish resembled a paddle, so Italian children have memories of being threatened by their parents with the baccala if they were bad as if they would be paddled with it. “You better behave yourself, or you’ll get a baccala!”
In more modern times, the word is used as a very light-hearted slang derogatory term with Italian friends (mostly in the US). Italians calling each other a Baccala is a light way of saying the equivalent of “Hey dumbass/jackass!”, or “Hey stupid/idiot!”. Its one of my favorite greetings with my Italian friends and family. “Hey Baccala?! Whataya doin’?”
