Cyrus Farivar

Ed: The following is an assignment for my book writing class that is due tomorrow on the theme of “Ties that Bind”. I just finished it. We’re supposed to practice writing narrative non-fiction. Comments always welcome. This is a tale from my adventures in Guinea-Bissau in 2003. Farivar, Cyrus February 21, 2005 Prof. Freedman “Ties that Bind” WC: 2572 When we arrived on the island, we were told it was like the Hotel California. Lucienne, Sara and I had just…

So as you may recall, I wrote a story for the Times about podcasting back in October. Lo and behold, I discover that this morning, not only is there another story on podcasting in the Times — but that it’s on page A1! (Below the fold, but still.) The story really doesn’t add that much, besides the fact that it has the voices of more podcasters and mentions that there’s talk of sponsorship and so forth. Essentially it’s the same…

I have been able to finish up this great piece, which I did for my Radio Documentary class, on a friend of mine’s adventures at a Youssou N’Dour concert last summer. Enjoy. lisa_and_youssou.20050219.mp3 [2.7 MB (5:48) 64 kbps]

Check out our new show, along with the new blog to go along with it (that I put together!) I did the first newscast. Comments always welcome.

If you’d like to gain an inside knowledge to the new radio show that we’re working on at Columbia, check out our new blog Radio116. And if you’ve caught the podcasting bug, our feed is here. My first piece, on subway technology is available here: [radio116.subwaytech.20050211.mp3 [1.3 MB (3:00) 64 kbps] Comments always welcome.

So I’m reading The Kite Runner and on the front of the paperback, there’s a blurb from Entertainment Weekly which reads: “A moving portrait of modern Afghanistan.” Now I don’t read EW, but I’d be willing to be that they don’t have a Kabul bureau. And I’d also be willing to bet that the closest that any EW staffer ever got to Afghanistan was probably some place like Paris. Modern Afghanistan indeed.

(Courtesy Paul Thornton) President George W. Bush: George W. Bush is tha 43rd President of tha United States gangsta style. He was swizzay into office January 20, 2001, afta a campaign in which he outlined steppin’ proposals ta reform America’s public schools, transform our national defense, provide tax relief, modernize Social Security n Medicizzles n encourage faith-based n community organizzles ta W-to-tha-izzork wit government ta help Americans in need n shit. President Biznush served fo’ six years as tha 46th…

Ed: The following is an assignment for my book writing class that is due tomorrow on the theme of “From Generation to Generation”. I just finished it. We’re supposed to practice writing narrative non-fiction. Comments always welcome. Maria and Alex are good friends of mine in Berkeley. Farivar, Cyrus Prof. Freedman February 14, 2005 “From Generation to Generation” WC: 1387 “Maria, receive these coins as a symbol of my total and free offering to you of all that I am…

This was first broken by UPI back in January. I’m hoping to go to Iran for the first time this summer, assuming we’re not at war. WashPost: By Dafna Linzer Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, February 13, 2005; Page A01 The Bush administration has been flying surveillance drones over Iran for nearly a year to seek evidence of nuclear weapons programs and detect weaknesses in air defenses, according to three U.S. officials with detailed knowledge of the secret effort. The…

Reuters: PARIS (Reuters) – Top French radio group NRJ predicted on Friday mobile phones would replace portable music players such as Apple Computer Inc.’s (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) iPods, as it unveiled plans to become France’s third high-speed mobile service provider after Orange and SFR. “The mobile phone will become the digital portable music player of tomorrow on which you can do everything,” Jean-Paul Baudecroux, chairman of NRJ Group’s (SONO.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) supervisory board told Reuters in a interview.…