The Rundown Radio Program

Image for Soundcloud taken from:
Kennetradio

Taken from:
Apple

"The above audio file is a Radio Program entitled THE RUNDOWN  produced for the JRMC460 course. The first part of the program is a discussion between JRMC460 students Dina Meky, Linda Badr and Mona Bassel about Apple's donations to victims of Hurricane Sandy, Apple's new products; iPad mini, iMac, Fusion Drive and iPhone 5 versus other products like those of Google Nexus and Samsung. The second part of the program is an interview with The American University in Cairo's (AUC) Reference Librarian, Rosie Johnson in which she talks about the latest technological devices used at the library and for research at AUC." ~ Courtesy of fellow team member Linda Badr

Montage of our recording the show. Property of Mona Bassel and Linda Badr

The Radio Program went better than I expected. I was hesitant about doing a 30 minute radio talk show. One of the biggest challenges we (myself, Mona Bassel and Linda Badr)  has was making sure we had enough material for 15 minutes of continuous, flowing discussion. One of our group mates was very worried that we wouldn’t have enough and that we would keep having to pause in between topics. Scheduling and time management wasn’t a big problem for us, since we all agreed to get it done early when we were assigned the project. We stayed late after classes, booked a study room and went for it. Though, it was ironic that whenever one of us individually books a study room, no one comes to the door or bothers us. But when we had something to record in utter silence, people kept bursting in to ask us if they could use the computer, if we needed any books shelved, or simply (and most annoyingly) ask what we were doing. We had to take about 3 or 4 takes before we could record 15 minutes of continuous discussion.

As a group, we did work well together, but our personalities did clash a little. Some of us were very content to have some of the conversation unscripted while another wanted more structure (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing). Researching the topics wasn’t difficult but it was challenging when you were evaluating sources and trying to determine what was interesting, newsworthy, etc.

As I mentioned, as a group, we got along well and while there were some bumps in the road, we managed them well. We were in constant contact with one another via phone and email so we were always on the same page. We has an issue booking interviewees for the program as may professors at AUC were busy or, in our case, retired and did not want to talk about developments in research. We managed to brainstorm a similar, interesting topic (ebooks and the future of libraries) and was fairly relevant to our discussion. We managed to book an interview with Rosie Johnson and we managed to do it on the Thursday we were off. She graciously agreed to be interviewed at home on her day off.

As the host, I was very aware of my delivery and I tried my best to speak slowly and clearly, without any ‘Ums’ and ‘likes.’ I think I did fairly well. We pre-planned some of the topics so everything flowed smoothly and I didn’t have to monitor/guide the conversation much. We came up with signals to sign when the time was running out and we ended right on time.

All in all, it was a fun experience and we were lucky to have chosen a group that got along and worked well together.

For more information on the topics discussed, check out the following links:
iPad mini Overview    Google Nexus Tablet Features   Windows Phone Devices Competing with iPhone    Updates on Apple and HTC Patent Disputes   Samsung Pays Apple $1.05 billion  

Sources Used for The Radio Discussion:

Apple's $2.5 million Donation to Hurricane Sandy Victims   iPad mini Features  iPad mini vs. iPad Google Nexus Tablet Price   Google Nexus vs. iPhone5 Prices    Environmentally Friendly Phones  Fusion Drive    iMac Features

Credits:

Host: Dina Meky
Guests and Producers: Linda Badr and Mona Bassel
Interviewee: AUC Reference Librarian Rosie Johnson
Music: Sleepless Nights by Anitek, taken from Jamendo

'The Princess Bride' Audiobook excerpt

(30th anniversary edition. Courtesy of Barnesandnobel.com)



 



The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure, is one of my all time favorites. William Goldman's "Good Parts Version" has been adapted into the wildly popular 1987 Rob Reiner film starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright and Wallace Shawn and narrated by the amazing Peter Falk (if you haven't seen the trailer or the movie, you are missing out on one of the greatest cinematic classics of all time).

I am reading an excerpt from the "Good Parts Version" abridged by William Goldman using an M-Audio recorder.  Enjoy!



The Princess Bride:

The Spaniard.Courtesy of scriptshadow.blogspot.com

"There!" The Sicialian pointed.

"The Cliffs of Insanity."

And there they were.

Rising straight and sheer from the water, a thousand feet into the night.

They provided the most direct route between Florin and Guilder, but no one ever used them, sailing instead the long way, many miles around. Not that the Cliffs were impossible to scale; two men were known to have climbed them in the last century alone.

"Sail straight for the steepest part," the Sicilian commanded.

The Spaniard said, "I was."

Buttercup did not understand. Going up the Cliffs could hardly  be done, she thought; and no one had ever mentioned secret passages through them. Yet, here they were, sailing closer and closer to the mighty rocks, now surely less than a quarter mile away.

For the first time, the Sicilian allowed himself a smile.

 "All is well. I was afraid your little jaunt in the water was going to cost me too much time. I had allowed myself an hour of safety. There must still be fifty minutes if it left. We are miles ahead of anybody and safe, safe, safe."

"No one could be following us yet," The Spaniard asked.

"No one," the Sicilian assured him. "It would be inconceivable."

"Absolutely inconceivable?"

Absolutely, totally, and, in all other ways, inconceivable," the Sicilian reassured him. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," the Spaniard replied. "It's only that I just happened to look back and something's there."

They all whirled.

Something was indeed there. Less than a mile behind them across the moonlight was another sailing boat, small, painted what looked like black, with a giant sail that billowed black  in the night and a single man at the tiller.

 A man in black.  

The Spaniard looked at the Sicilian. "It must just be some local fisherman out for a pleasure cruise alone at night through shark infested waters."

"There is probably a more logical explanation," the Sicilian said. "But since no one in Guilder could know yet what we've done, and no one in Florin could have gotten here so quickly, he is not, however much it may look like it, following us. It is a coincidence and nothing more."
                                                                            The Spaniard and the Man in Black duel. Photo from scriptshadow.
"He's gaining on us," the Turk said.

"That is also inconceivable,"  the Sicilian said. " Before I stole this boat we're in, I made many inquiries as to what was the fastest ship in all of Florin Channel and everyone agreed it was this one."

"You're right," the Turk agreed. "He isn't gaining on us. He's just getting closer, that's all."

"It is the angle we're looking from and nothing more," said the Sicilian

Buttercup could not take her eyes from the great black sail. Surely the three men she was with frightened her.

But somehow, for reasons she could never begin to explain, the man in black frightened her more.





Music and Sound Effect credits to:
Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride: YouTube clip uploaded by DeathbyBlunderbuss
Water sound effect uploaded by  Sphivelala on YouTube