Well, it happened a few days ago. My almost brand new PC's hard drive completely froze up and I lost about two weeks worth of photos, essays, pics and bookmarks. I also lost a lot of freelance stuff I was working on, which I'm now frantically trying to patch together from the fragments of my disjointed mind. Don't worry, I'll live.
The thing that did strike me as odd on the morning of my first day without a computer, was how blue the sky was, how purple the pansies, and how yellow the sun. It was like a man emerging from a cave after a year-everything burned with new significance.
But in all seriousness, what really bothered me was the fact that I have become so dependent on my computer, the internet-technology in general. I'm not one of those people who walks around almost being hit by a bus because he's texting on his Blackberry, and I consider myself a responsible, courteous, citizen. I like to think that I control my life, but sadly, to some degree, The Technology god rules.
In any case, it was actually kind of nice not being a slave to my computer for a couple of days-
I just whipped out my iPod, texted my agent, and rode off into the sunset...
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Tivo As Time Machine.
I have a bad habit of recording shows on my DVR and then not watching them for weeks, months, or even a year. I recently went through the list of recordings (half of them shows that I would never watch anyway) and I came across a documentary on Howard Hughes that I taped exactly a year ago. The documentary was fascinating and I learned a lot of things about a subject that I thought I was somewhat of an expert on. But, that's not what I want to talk about today. There was another more disturbing facet of my little screening - the commercials.
It seems that almost every car commercial these days comes with a disclaimer that says something like "If you lose your job, we make the payments for at least nine months", or "Lose your income and we'll take the car back, no questions asked." Most commercials are quite depressing and almost morose these days, but a year ago you would hear pitches like "Indulge yourself-buy a new Hummer-you deserve it." There was one car ad from last year where a guy is in a black BMW or Mercedes with three supermodel type women where he goes out to some really expensive looking club. Now, they show a guy looking sad, but sitting down to a budget family dinner, or they don't show people at all.
Now we have some pretty sad and dire ads sandwiched in between shows that have had their budget cut, at least somewhat, from last year. The saddest commercial of all is the Progressive Insurance spot where the guy had to sell his watch because he's so broke.
I'm not trying to depress anybody, just making an observation, and I hope that I won't be selling my watch a few months from now.
It seems that almost every car commercial these days comes with a disclaimer that says something like "If you lose your job, we make the payments for at least nine months", or "Lose your income and we'll take the car back, no questions asked." Most commercials are quite depressing and almost morose these days, but a year ago you would hear pitches like "Indulge yourself-buy a new Hummer-you deserve it." There was one car ad from last year where a guy is in a black BMW or Mercedes with three supermodel type women where he goes out to some really expensive looking club. Now, they show a guy looking sad, but sitting down to a budget family dinner, or they don't show people at all.
Now we have some pretty sad and dire ads sandwiched in between shows that have had their budget cut, at least somewhat, from last year. The saddest commercial of all is the Progressive Insurance spot where the guy had to sell his watch because he's so broke.
I'm not trying to depress anybody, just making an observation, and I hope that I won't be selling my watch a few months from now.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Kids on Leashes!?
I think it was Mark Twain who said, "Children should be kept in a box with air holes until they are 18 years of age." While I always chuckle at that tongue in cheek quote, one thing I most certainly don't approve of is putting children on leases. Now, I know what you're thinking: "What the hell does Nick know? He doesn't even have any kids!" Very true, but I do have 3 wonderful nephews and a niece, who are all very curious and active. True, sometimes I can't keep up with them, and I have to chase them, but I don't think putting them on a leash is the answer.
Besides, somehow the leash would end up comically wrapped around my neck and arms, or in a tree, or something along those lines.
The leash thing seems pretty extreme to me, but then there's the other end of the spectrum: Parents who are too busy texting or chatting to notice that their kids are about to fall down the stairs or run into traffic. A few years back I grabbed a little kid by the collar as he was about to run into traffic in Manhattan. The mother, who was on her cell phone and not paying attention thought I had just grabbed her son for now reason. The guy standing next to me explained to her that I had most likely just saved her son's life. She was a bit nicer to me after that.
Parents, you probably don't want parenting advice from a confirmed bachelor, but I'm offering it anyway-Keep and eye on your kids, and the leashes on the cats or dogs.
Besides, somehow the leash would end up comically wrapped around my neck and arms, or in a tree, or something along those lines.
The leash thing seems pretty extreme to me, but then there's the other end of the spectrum: Parents who are too busy texting or chatting to notice that their kids are about to fall down the stairs or run into traffic. A few years back I grabbed a little kid by the collar as he was about to run into traffic in Manhattan. The mother, who was on her cell phone and not paying attention thought I had just grabbed her son for now reason. The guy standing next to me explained to her that I had most likely just saved her son's life. She was a bit nicer to me after that.
Parents, you probably don't want parenting advice from a confirmed bachelor, but I'm offering it anyway-Keep and eye on your kids, and the leashes on the cats or dogs.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
It's The Blackberries Stupid!
Okay, so everyone is postulating and speculating about the state of the economy and AIG and the stock market, and on and on. There is no doubt that the world is in the midst of a Bastard strength quagmire, conundrum, or what have you, but in this humble journalists opinion, it has more to do with the fact that we are alienating ourselves from each other than with politics or even the economy.
We are all blackberried, facebooked and twittered up the wazoo, but no one is REALLY communicating. Sure, it's all fun and a great distraction, but when 9 out of 10 people in a business meeting are texting their friends instead of paying attention to the new "Business Model", well, Houston, we have a problem. I've seen this first hand, and quite frankly-it makes me ill.
It's been said before, but all this technology isn't really helping us, it's ultimately just making us ruder and more isolated. I for one, go out of my way to bump into people on the street who are too busy texting to pay attention to where they are going. And of course they give me the "deer in the headlights" look when I grab their coat to try to save them from being hit by a cab (that actually happened).
I'll get off my soapbox now, but, perhaps we need to go back to the days where people would actually get on a soapbox and communicate with their fellow man.
We are all blackberried, facebooked and twittered up the wazoo, but no one is REALLY communicating. Sure, it's all fun and a great distraction, but when 9 out of 10 people in a business meeting are texting their friends instead of paying attention to the new "Business Model", well, Houston, we have a problem. I've seen this first hand, and quite frankly-it makes me ill.
It's been said before, but all this technology isn't really helping us, it's ultimately just making us ruder and more isolated. I for one, go out of my way to bump into people on the street who are too busy texting to pay attention to where they are going. And of course they give me the "deer in the headlights" look when I grab their coat to try to save them from being hit by a cab (that actually happened).
I'll get off my soapbox now, but, perhaps we need to go back to the days where people would actually get on a soapbox and communicate with their fellow man.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Joe Blow-Blogger...
I was watching CNN recently, and the anchor was interviewing a guest, about what I can't remember, but what I do remember was his title - "Blogger." Since when did "Blogger" become a title? I can understand "Analyst", "Doctor", "FBI Director", but "Blogger?" They might as well put "Eater" or "Breather."
Okay, the irony of me blogging about the title "Blogger" isn't lost on me. I love "blogging" and I have read many intelligent, hilarious and insightful blog entries of all kinds, from people of all walks of life. I've also read some serious crap from people from all walks of life. I guess my point is this - today anyone can be a writer, or in the case of You Tube, a film director. I'm guilty on both fronts.
And I'm not an elitist, by any stretch of the imagination. I just think that the digital age has made it easy for any shmo to famous, or to be considered an expert. It's truly a double-edged sword.
Nick C., Blogger, signing off...
Okay, the irony of me blogging about the title "Blogger" isn't lost on me. I love "blogging" and I have read many intelligent, hilarious and insightful blog entries of all kinds, from people of all walks of life. I've also read some serious crap from people from all walks of life. I guess my point is this - today anyone can be a writer, or in the case of You Tube, a film director. I'm guilty on both fronts.
And I'm not an elitist, by any stretch of the imagination. I just think that the digital age has made it easy for any shmo to famous, or to be considered an expert. It's truly a double-edged sword.
Nick C., Blogger, signing off...
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Shaken or Stirred-The Cocktail Application For iPhone
“Shaken or Stirred-The Cocktails Application for iPhone”, By Nick Ciavatta
Last month’s much anticipated launch of the new iphone 3G has created quite a stir for “techies”, such as myself, as well as less technically inclined users. This new “it” gadget offers dozens of useful add-on applications, such as games, GPS programs, social networking, music, video, and it’s a phone too! To be honest, the application that really creates a “Stir” for me, is the “Cocktails” application.
A Pocket Mixologist…
Created by Cocktail Historian and software developer, Martin Doudoroff of cocktaildb.com, and software wizard Ian Baird from Skorpiostech, Inc. (www.skorpiostech.com)“Cocktails” is a pocket mixologist that caters to the bartender us all. In addition to alphabetically listing the recipes for just about every mixed drink known to mankind, the “Cocktails” application also breaks down the libations by category-including fizzes, flips, flings and punches. Each recipe includes information about specific glassware for each drink, and the user can choose whether a recipe is displayed in Imperial or metric units.
Other functions include the ability to search by keyword, the ability to share recipes with friends via email and twitter.com, and a favorites key which automatically flags and files recipes for future use. iPhone users can also use the “buy the book” function which performs a search for a purchasable copy of the book from where the recipe came on Amazon.com.
An Interesting Mix
Martin Doudoroff founded the Cocktaildb.com project in 2003 with Ted “Dr. Cocktail” Haigh, a prominent cocktail historian, author and collector. Ian Baird, is the president of Skorpiostech (www.skorpiostech.com), a Mac and iPhone development shop specializing in the design and implementation of custom and general purpose software applications.
The two met in 2007 and began collaborating to improve the functionality of CocktailDB.com, when the opportunity to develop the “Cocktails” application for the iPhone arose. “Cocktails” launched in July, 2008 as the preeminent portable cocktail database. They plan to expand the application and add more features in the future.
The Ultimate Bartending Device?
As a former bartender myself, I really could have used the Cocktails application on my iPhone (even though cell phones were probably only used by the military back then). I was forced to drag out the “War and Peace” sized bartender’s guide when a customer came in and ordered a “Knucklebuster” aka “Rusty Nail”, which is comprised of 1.5 oz Scotch and .75oz Drambuie, which you serve over ice in a rocks glass. With “Cocktails”, you can find anything from a basic “Screw Driver” (1.5oz vodka mixed with ice and orange juice and served in a high ball glass) to a “Block and Fall” (.75oz brandy, .75oz cointreau, 1.5oz apple brandy and .5oz pastis-served in a cocktail glass.
According to Doudouroff and Baird, the “Cocktails” application was not created so much as a guide for bar keeps, but for everyone. They have recieved very positive bartender feedback, though, especially from bartenders in New York City, who are dealing with a huge demand for mixed drinks at the present time. Ian Baird warns: “Just be careful that you don’t get lime juice in your iPhone.”
As far as the general public goes, Douderoff and Baird have received emails from people who were inspired by the application and tried new drinks and combinations they never would have attempted before.
Cocktail Evangelist
Martin Douderoff considers himself an “evangelist” for American cocktail culture, and hopes to inspire people to be adventurous in their mixing endeavors.
Prohibition really disrupted cocktail culture, according to Douderofff, and we unfortunately regressed during those years, but in the past ten years or so there has been a real resurgence and interest in cocktails of days gone by, and a passion for new mixed drink creations.
The Cocktails application costs US$9.99, and can be downloaded and updated from the iTunes “App Store.”
Last month’s much anticipated launch of the new iphone 3G has created quite a stir for “techies”, such as myself, as well as less technically inclined users. This new “it” gadget offers dozens of useful add-on applications, such as games, GPS programs, social networking, music, video, and it’s a phone too! To be honest, the application that really creates a “Stir” for me, is the “Cocktails” application.
A Pocket Mixologist…
Created by Cocktail Historian and software developer, Martin Doudoroff of cocktaildb.com, and software wizard Ian Baird from Skorpiostech, Inc. (www.skorpiostech.com)“Cocktails” is a pocket mixologist that caters to the bartender us all. In addition to alphabetically listing the recipes for just about every mixed drink known to mankind, the “Cocktails” application also breaks down the libations by category-including fizzes, flips, flings and punches. Each recipe includes information about specific glassware for each drink, and the user can choose whether a recipe is displayed in Imperial or metric units.
Other functions include the ability to search by keyword, the ability to share recipes with friends via email and twitter.com, and a favorites key which automatically flags and files recipes for future use. iPhone users can also use the “buy the book” function which performs a search for a purchasable copy of the book from where the recipe came on Amazon.com.
An Interesting Mix
Martin Doudoroff founded the Cocktaildb.com project in 2003 with Ted “Dr. Cocktail” Haigh, a prominent cocktail historian, author and collector. Ian Baird, is the president of Skorpiostech (www.skorpiostech.com), a Mac and iPhone development shop specializing in the design and implementation of custom and general purpose software applications.
The two met in 2007 and began collaborating to improve the functionality of CocktailDB.com, when the opportunity to develop the “Cocktails” application for the iPhone arose. “Cocktails” launched in July, 2008 as the preeminent portable cocktail database. They plan to expand the application and add more features in the future.
The Ultimate Bartending Device?
As a former bartender myself, I really could have used the Cocktails application on my iPhone (even though cell phones were probably only used by the military back then). I was forced to drag out the “War and Peace” sized bartender’s guide when a customer came in and ordered a “Knucklebuster” aka “Rusty Nail”, which is comprised of 1.5 oz Scotch and .75oz Drambuie, which you serve over ice in a rocks glass. With “Cocktails”, you can find anything from a basic “Screw Driver” (1.5oz vodka mixed with ice and orange juice and served in a high ball glass) to a “Block and Fall” (.75oz brandy, .75oz cointreau, 1.5oz apple brandy and .5oz pastis-served in a cocktail glass.
According to Doudouroff and Baird, the “Cocktails” application was not created so much as a guide for bar keeps, but for everyone. They have recieved very positive bartender feedback, though, especially from bartenders in New York City, who are dealing with a huge demand for mixed drinks at the present time. Ian Baird warns: “Just be careful that you don’t get lime juice in your iPhone.”
As far as the general public goes, Douderoff and Baird have received emails from people who were inspired by the application and tried new drinks and combinations they never would have attempted before.
Cocktail Evangelist
Martin Douderoff considers himself an “evangelist” for American cocktail culture, and hopes to inspire people to be adventurous in their mixing endeavors.
Prohibition really disrupted cocktail culture, according to Douderofff, and we unfortunately regressed during those years, but in the past ten years or so there has been a real resurgence and interest in cocktails of days gone by, and a passion for new mixed drink creations.
The Cocktails application costs US$9.99, and can be downloaded and updated from the iTunes “App Store.”
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Witness to a Bank Robbery?!
Okay, this is a 100% true story- I swear! I walked into my bank branch in Manhattan last week and one of the bank managers asked me if the police contacted me. Of course, a million things start running through my mind-
was I a victim of identity theft? Did someone screw up something in the condo account? It turns out that it was something much more serious, surreal, and somewhat hilarious.
My friendly bank manager informed me that I was in line behind a bank robber a few days before. The guy, who was wearing bike shorts, a tank top, and a bike helmet, told the teller that he had a stick of Dynamite in his pocket (not this isn't from a Woody Allen movie), and to give him all the money she had in the till.
All this happened before I walked up to the teller window to his left. I did not witness the beginning of the conversation, but I did hear him say "Hurry up-
I don't have all day." I just assumed that he was an a$$hole, as many bank customers in New York are. The teller didn't seem alarmed, so I didn't give it a second thought. I'm not sure what I would have done if I had known anyway.
The police never contacted me, but I'm not sure if I would have been much help. I don't remember what the guy looked like, except for the fact that he was very tall and dressed in bicycle related garb.
I assume that Bank of America won't be hiring me for their security division any time soon.
was I a victim of identity theft? Did someone screw up something in the condo account? It turns out that it was something much more serious, surreal, and somewhat hilarious.
My friendly bank manager informed me that I was in line behind a bank robber a few days before. The guy, who was wearing bike shorts, a tank top, and a bike helmet, told the teller that he had a stick of Dynamite in his pocket (not this isn't from a Woody Allen movie), and to give him all the money she had in the till.
All this happened before I walked up to the teller window to his left. I did not witness the beginning of the conversation, but I did hear him say "Hurry up-
I don't have all day." I just assumed that he was an a$$hole, as many bank customers in New York are. The teller didn't seem alarmed, so I didn't give it a second thought. I'm not sure what I would have done if I had known anyway.
The police never contacted me, but I'm not sure if I would have been much help. I don't remember what the guy looked like, except for the fact that he was very tall and dressed in bicycle related garb.
I assume that Bank of America won't be hiring me for their security division any time soon.
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