Cyrus Farivar

My good friend and fellow (although he cringes when I say it) journalist Paul Boutin has this Web 2.0 shakedown today in Slate. And if you don’t know what Web 2.0 is, or think that it’s yet-another-meaningless-buzzword, read on: Beyond that, publicists and self-promoters invoke Web 2.0 whenever they want to tag something as new, cool, and undiscovered—”This could be a big story for you, Paul!” That kind of hucksterism is what sends editors reaching for their blue pencils. Prior…

Inspired by Kathy, I’ve written a Cyrus Quiz. I’ll buy you a pint of your favorite beer/drink to the person that gets the most points. Leave your answers in comments. Each correct answer is worth two points, and the bonus are worth three. There is no guessing penalty. Answers and the winner, will be posted on Friday! Enter, for those who dare. Current standings: Becky (24 points), Rebekah (14 points +1 for her amusing bonus answer, even if it is…

So, after Paul posted about how to easily FOIA yourself, I went ahead and did it. Here was my result: Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington, D.C. 20535 March 22, 2006 Dear Mr. Farivar, This is in response to your Freedom of Information-Privacy Acts (FOIPA) request above. A search of the automated indices to our central records system files at FBI headquarters located no records responsive to your FOIPA request. Although no records responsive to your FOIPA request were located in…

Dallas: We’re looking for an experienced and versatile journalist for a National Correspondent position in Dallas that will focus on the religious right and its increasingly powerful role in U.S. politics, while also providing spot news coverage in a territory that includes part of Texas and three contiguous states. This reporter will explain to an often mystified world the whys and hows of a group whose vote has become critical in national elections and as a result, with friends in…

When I blogged about this last summer, the figure, according to Computerworld, was this: About 8 million passports are renewed annually out of some 57 million passports in circulation. Now I read in Slate, from 2001: The United States issues three types of passports. There are currently about 44 million holders of the familiar, blue tourist passport (a few thousand people have green passports issued during the bicentennial of the U.S. Consular Service). About 400,000 have a maroon-covered “official” passport.…

Griffin Radio Shark – $40 Fujifilm 2600Z Camera (damaged?) + 128 MB SmartMedia card + 64, 16 MB – $40

The scene: Curt Poff (Macworld’s Online Managing Editor) and Cyrus Farivar (Macworld’s Assistant Editor) sit across from one another in the offices of Macworld. It’s still early in the day, so hardly anyone else is around. Curt gets up and walks past Cyrus’ desk: CP: “You know, it’s funny that Bush is still calling our forces in Iraq a coalition.” CF: “Who’s left in our coalition?” CP: “Us, Britain and about eight Pakistanis who can’t get out. Their visas expired.”…

If you miss this one, we’ll be performing again in about a month in Castro Valley — but I would love to see any/all of you tonight! Wednesday, March 22: Gifts of Love Benefit. 7:30 p.m. at Bishop O’Dowd High School, 9500 Stearns Ave., Oakland. The Bishop O’Dowd High School Symphonic Band and the Castro Valley Adult School Band will perform several musical selections separately and will also play two selections together. Conductors: Kathy Maier, Castro Valley Adult School Band…

I have two articles in this month’s Popular Mechanics. Too bad I can’t find the articles online.

Here’s an awesome photo of my favorite bridge. The Chronicle published it today in conjunction with this piece saying that the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge won’t be done until 2013. Most interesting part comes from the timeline: November 1998: Residents of San Francisco, Oakland, Emeryville and Berkeley vote that passenger rail service should be “part of the redesign of the Bay Bridge” — an advisory measure initiated by Willie Brown. Awesome!