Cyrus Farivar
@cfarivar.bsky.social
"suh-ROOS" / سیروس
🕵️ 20+ year tech journalist, editor, author, comms
🔥 🏡 Ex: Fire Aside
📰 🎧 Ex: Forbes, NBC, Ars Technica
🖖 Friend of DeSoto
😎 Nice dude
🐻 4th-gen Californian // Oakland, CA
📥 [email protected]
📱 +1-341-758-0888 (mobile/Signal)
🕵️ 20+ year tech journalist, editor, author, comms
🔥 🏡 Ex: Fire Aside
📰 🎧 Ex: Forbes, NBC, Ars Technica
🖖 Friend of DeSoto
😎 Nice dude
🐻 4th-gen Californian // Oakland, CA
📥 [email protected]
📱 +1-341-758-0888 (mobile/Signal)
Pinned
Farivar Media LLC
Farivar Media LLC (est. 2026) is a one-man band: Journalist. Editor. Author. Speaker. Comms.Companies need more than just content — they need clarity. I deliver insightful communication that …
farivar.media
Farivar Media LLC is now open for business!
I’m taking on both journalism assignments (hi, editors!) and also new comms work for various clients.
I’m now bringing my 20+ years of journalism experience to companies, non-profits, and even political campaigns.
Learn more at farivar.media .
I’m taking on both journalism assignments (hi, editors!) and also new comms work for various clients.
I’m now bringing my 20+ years of journalism experience to companies, non-profits, and even political campaigns.
Learn more at farivar.media .
Great-granddaughter of Piedmont’s first Black residents, who were forced out by a ‘terror campaign,’ sues city oaklandside.org/2026/02/04/p...
Great-granddaughter of Piedmont’s first Black residents, who were forced out by a ‘terror campaign,’ sues city
In 1924, the Dearings faced attempted bombings, mob attacks, and KKK threats. Attorneys say their descendants are owed an apology and compensation.
oaklandside.org
February 4, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Great-granddaughter of Piedmont’s first Black residents, who were forced out by a ‘terror campaign,’ sues city oaklandside.org/2026/02/04/p...
OFD PIO Michael Hunt is a great dude, no doubt.
In my 20+ years of experience, I cannot recall another instance where a local media outlet wrote about how awesome a PIO is.
"One reason the newsroom has appreciated Hunt’s approach is his willingness to pick up the phone."
bsky.app/profile/cfar...
In my 20+ years of experience, I cannot recall another instance where a local media outlet wrote about how awesome a PIO is.
"One reason the newsroom has appreciated Hunt’s approach is his willingness to pick up the phone."
bsky.app/profile/cfar...
Oakland’s fire department has a secret weapon — a candid spokesperson oaklandside.org/2026/02/03/o...
Oakland’s fire department has a secret weapon — a candid spokesperson
Michael Hunt, OFD’s chief of staff, is unlike many Oakland public information officers, answering calls and dishing out facts while leaning on the side of transparency.
oaklandside.org
February 4, 2026 at 10:23 PM
OFD PIO Michael Hunt is a great dude, no doubt.
In my 20+ years of experience, I cannot recall another instance where a local media outlet wrote about how awesome a PIO is.
"One reason the newsroom has appreciated Hunt’s approach is his willingness to pick up the phone."
bsky.app/profile/cfar...
In my 20+ years of experience, I cannot recall another instance where a local media outlet wrote about how awesome a PIO is.
"One reason the newsroom has appreciated Hunt’s approach is his willingness to pick up the phone."
bsky.app/profile/cfar...
Oakland’s fire department has a secret weapon — a candid spokesperson oaklandside.org/2026/02/03/o...
Oakland’s fire department has a secret weapon — a candid spokesperson
Michael Hunt, OFD’s chief of staff, is unlike many Oakland public information officers, answering calls and dishing out facts while leaning on the side of transparency.
oaklandside.org
February 4, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Oakland’s fire department has a secret weapon — a candid spokesperson oaklandside.org/2026/02/03/o...
My heart is heavy as one of the stalwarts of American journalism, the @washingtonpost.com, has chosen to lay off so many of my friends and colleagues, whose work I admire so much.
The words of Marty Baron -- a former editor at the Post -- carry a lot of weight.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mabaro...
The words of Marty Baron -- a former editor at the Post -- carry a lot of weight.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mabaro...
February 4, 2026 at 8:56 PM
My heart is heavy as one of the stalwarts of American journalism, the @washingtonpost.com, has chosen to lay off so many of my friends and colleagues, whose work I admire so much.
The words of Marty Baron -- a former editor at the Post -- carry a lot of weight.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mabaro...
The words of Marty Baron -- a former editor at the Post -- carry a lot of weight.
www.linkedin.com/posts/mabaro...
🏡 🦏 My Rhino colleague Michael Chien has new insight as to why real estate agents need to tackle the thorny problem of property insurance sooner rather than later.
withrhino.substack.com/p/insurance-...
withrhino.substack.com/p/insurance-...
Insurance is reshaping where Americans choose to live
Why insurance is a real estate problem that isn't going away — and what agents should do about it
withrhino.substack.com
February 3, 2026 at 6:16 PM
🏡 🦏 My Rhino colleague Michael Chien has new insight as to why real estate agents need to tackle the thorny problem of property insurance sooner rather than later.
withrhino.substack.com/p/insurance-...
withrhino.substack.com/p/insurance-...
New bill aims to make California FAIR Plan cover all insurance risks, not just fire www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...
New bill aims to make California FAIR Plan cover all insurance risks, not just fire
If passed, the legislation would mean that California FAIR Plan policyholders no longer need to purchase a second policy for water damage and liability payments.
www.sfchronicle.com
February 2, 2026 at 10:44 PM
New bill aims to make California FAIR Plan cover all insurance risks, not just fire www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...
"A spokesperson for DHS declined to answer questions about the two agents and referred ProPublica to the FBI. The FBI declined to comment. ProPublica made several attempts to call Ochoa and Gutierrez but neither answered."
bsky.app/profile/cfar...
bsky.app/profile/cfar...
@propublica.org names the two federal officers that shot Alex Pretti as CBP agents Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez
More:
www.propublica.org/article/alex...
More:
www.propublica.org/article/alex...
Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting
The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raym...
www.propublica.org
February 2, 2026 at 12:41 AM
"A spokesperson for DHS declined to answer questions about the two agents and referred ProPublica to the FBI. The FBI declined to comment. ProPublica made several attempts to call Ochoa and Gutierrez but neither answered."
bsky.app/profile/cfar...
bsky.app/profile/cfar...
@propublica.org names the two federal officers that shot Alex Pretti as CBP agents Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez
More:
www.propublica.org/article/alex...
More:
www.propublica.org/article/alex...
Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting
The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raym...
www.propublica.org
February 2, 2026 at 12:40 AM
@propublica.org names the two federal officers that shot Alex Pretti as CBP agents Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez
More:
www.propublica.org/article/alex...
More:
www.propublica.org/article/alex...
The @sfstandard.com has new details about the Oakland ride in honor of Alex Pretti, and great photos by Jungho Kim.
sfstandard.com/2026/01/30/a...
sfstandard.com/2026/01/30/a...
Bay Area cycling community rallies after Alex Pretti’s death
Rides in San Francisco and Oakland are part of a global tribute to the nurse killed in Minneapolis by federal authorities.
sfstandard.com
February 1, 2026 at 12:22 AM
The @sfstandard.com has new details about the Oakland ride in honor of Alex Pretti, and great photos by Jungho Kim.
sfstandard.com/2026/01/30/a...
sfstandard.com/2026/01/30/a...
Reposted by Cyrus Farivar
Judge Biery signed the order with a photo of Liam and two bible verses: The first is "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The second is simply "Jesus wept."
Astonishing thing for a judge to do.
Astonishing thing for a judge to do.
![Philadelphia, September 17, 1787: "Well, Dr. Franklin, what do we have?" "A republic, if you
can keep it."
With a judicial finger in the constitutional dike,
It is so ORDERED.
SIGNED this 31st day of February, 2026.
_________________________________________________
FRED BIERY
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
[photo of Liam]
Credit: Bystander
Matthew 19:14
John 11:35](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:73t3muu2pudsajp7a2fj3aly/bafkreigfz6fzbu65haq7nfqgaoe7m42gsaonpinpmaaptuzd5atkqvya4i@jpeg)
January 31, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Judge Biery signed the order with a photo of Liam and two bible verses: The first is "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The second is simply "Jesus wept."
Astonishing thing for a judge to do.
Astonishing thing for a judge to do.
Feds make ‘unauthorized' use of license plate reader in Mountain View
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/f...
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/f...
Feds make 'unauthorized' use of license plate reader in Mountain View
Mountain View police criticized the company supplying its automated license plate reader system after an audit turned up "unauthorized" use by federal law enforcement agencies.
www.nbcbayarea.com
January 31, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Feds make ‘unauthorized' use of license plate reader in Mountain View
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/f...
www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/f...
Reposted by Cyrus Farivar
Government risk maps are too coarse for the way wildfire works now. But new tools powered by AI are giving us a clearer picture.
@umairfan.bsky.social for @vox.com: www.vox.com/climate/4769...
@umairfan.bsky.social for @vox.com: www.vox.com/climate/4769...
America’s wildfire risk data quietly puts millions of homes in danger
Federal models keep missing homes that burn. A new AI tool zooms in.
www.vox.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Government risk maps are too coarse for the way wildfire works now. But new tools powered by AI are giving us a clearer picture.
@umairfan.bsky.social for @vox.com: www.vox.com/climate/4769...
@umairfan.bsky.social for @vox.com: www.vox.com/climate/4769...
How a trans woman's removal from a restroom tore the world of competitive pinball apart
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
How a trans woman's removal from a restroom tore the world of competitive pinball apart
Pinball is one of the most welcoming sports for trans players. But after a confrontation at an arcade last fall, pinball’s governing group is struggling to rebuild trust.
www.nbcnews.com
January 31, 2026 at 10:43 PM
How a trans woman's removal from a restroom tore the world of competitive pinball apart
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
For 24 hours, a young Muslim woman was locked inside a bathroom with 3 men at the Whipple Federal Building, she said. Meals consisted of one sandwich a day.
There was one working toilet. When the men pulled down their pants to use it, the woman hid her face.
www.startribune.com/no-humanity-...
There was one working toilet. When the men pulled down their pants to use it, the woman hid her face.
www.startribune.com/no-humanity-...
‘No humanity’: Detainees describe conditions inside Whipple Federal Building
Immigration sweep brings overcrowded rooms and overflowing toilets. Lawyers say they can’t visit their clients. The Department of Homeland Security says “all detainees receive full due process.”
www.startribune.com
January 31, 2026 at 9:31 PM
For 24 hours, a young Muslim woman was locked inside a bathroom with 3 men at the Whipple Federal Building, she said. Meals consisted of one sandwich a day.
There was one working toilet. When the men pulled down their pants to use it, the woman hid her face.
www.startribune.com/no-humanity-...
There was one working toilet. When the men pulled down their pants to use it, the woman hid her face.
www.startribune.com/no-humanity-...
Unpaid rent and at least one closure: What’s going on with Horn Barbecue? www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaur...
Unpaid rent and at least one closure: What’s going on with Horn Barbecue?
Lines stretched out the door for the opening of the latest Horn Barbecue, a 6,500-square-foot restaurant located in Fresno. But elsewhere in Matt Horn’s barbecue empire, the lights were off.
www.sfchronicle.com
January 31, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Unpaid rent and at least one closure: What’s going on with Horn Barbecue? www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaur...
BREAKING: Risking fury from parents, SF teachers vote to approve first school strike since ’79
sfstandard.com/2026/01/31/s...
sfstandard.com/2026/01/31/s...
SFUSD strike: Teachers vote to approve work stoppage
Roughly 6,000 San Francisco educators may soon hit the picket lines, prompting a scramble for child care.
sfstandard.com
January 31, 2026 at 8:13 PM
BREAKING: Risking fury from parents, SF teachers vote to approve first school strike since ’79
sfstandard.com/2026/01/31/s...
sfstandard.com/2026/01/31/s...
Neighbors say a machete-wielding man is terrorizing their local park. S.F. has no idea what to do about it www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/emil...
Neighbors say a machete-wielding man is terrorizing their local park. S.F. has no idea what to do about it
It’s been seven years since a San Francisco resident says he encountered a man hacking apart plants with a machete. Neighbors worry it’s just a matter of time before his behavior escalates.
www.sfchronicle.com
January 31, 2026 at 7:53 PM
Neighbors say a machete-wielding man is terrorizing their local park. S.F. has no idea what to do about it www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/emil...
Three juveniles shot blocks from City Hall, one fatally, SFPD say (by @cfarivar.bsky.social)
sfstandard.com/2026/01/31/h...
sfstandard.com/2026/01/31/h...
Three juveniles shot blocks from City Hall, one killed
Police responded to reports of gunfire Friday evening near Golden Gate Avenue and Laguna Street. No arrests have been announced.
sfstandard.com
January 31, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Three juveniles shot blocks from City Hall, one fatally, SFPD say (by @cfarivar.bsky.social)
sfstandard.com/2026/01/31/h...
sfstandard.com/2026/01/31/h...
My first byline at @sfstandard.com :
Bay Area cycling community rallies after Alex Pretti’s death
sfstandard.com/2026/01/30/a...
Bay Area cycling community rallies after Alex Pretti’s death
sfstandard.com/2026/01/30/a...
Bay Area cycling community rallies after Alex Pretti’s death
Rides in San Francisco and Oakland are part of a global tribute to the nurse killed in Minneapolis by federal authorities.
sfstandard.com
January 31, 2026 at 1:50 AM
My first byline at @sfstandard.com :
Bay Area cycling community rallies after Alex Pretti’s death
sfstandard.com/2026/01/30/a...
Bay Area cycling community rallies after Alex Pretti’s death
sfstandard.com/2026/01/30/a...
X is hiring a creative writing specialist at $40 an hour to make Grok better at writing and a true LOL at the qualifications
January 30, 2026 at 8:23 PM
Reposted by Cyrus Farivar
OpenAI says it's going to retire GPT-4o. Again.
This time, the move to sunset 4o comes amid a wave of lawsuits alleging that the sycophantic model pushed users into delusional and suicidal spirals, upending lives and causing psychological harm, self-injury, and death.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
This time, the move to sunset 4o comes amid a wave of lawsuits alleging that the sycophantic model pushed users into delusional and suicidal spirals, upending lives and causing psychological harm, self-injury, and death.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Amid Lawsuits, OpenAI Says It Will Retire "Reckless" Model Linked to Deaths
OpenAI will retire GPT-4o, an especially sycophantic version of its chatbot linked in lawsuits to multiple deaths, next month.
futurism.com
January 30, 2026 at 6:34 PM
OpenAI says it's going to retire GPT-4o. Again.
This time, the move to sunset 4o comes amid a wave of lawsuits alleging that the sycophantic model pushed users into delusional and suicidal spirals, upending lives and causing psychological harm, self-injury, and death.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
This time, the move to sunset 4o comes amid a wave of lawsuits alleging that the sycophantic model pushed users into delusional and suicidal spirals, upending lives and causing psychological harm, self-injury, and death.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Reposted by Cyrus Farivar
I would like to connect the dots between the Supreme Court’s upcoming Chatrie decision on geofence requests and the growing authoritarian and aggressive deployment of law enforcement around protests and dissent.1/12
January 29, 2026 at 6:38 PM
I would like to connect the dots between the Supreme Court’s upcoming Chatrie decision on geofence requests and the growing authoritarian and aggressive deployment of law enforcement around protests and dissent.1/12