Archives for : MRP

A New Year, A New Start and New Possibilities

Posted by :David Manly On : January 5, 2011
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Category: 2011, Black footed ferrets, MRP, Scientific American

Happy 2011 everyone!

It is five days into the new year, and I hope everyone is still sticking to their New Year’s resolutions (or at least trying to).

I am excited and thrilled to say that the new year has started off with a bang, as something I wrote was chosen to be out on the Scientific American Guest Blog.

Yes, one of the most prestigious science magazines asked me to write a post, and I said yes without hesitation. But, now I was faced with the daunting task of what to write about.

Those of you who read my blog regularly know that in the summer of 2009, I embarked on a journey to South Dakota for my Masters of Journalism project to find an endangered species. My adventures were a very interesting one, and I always thought that there was more than enough material for my project as well as another article.

I pitched it to SciAm, and they loved it!

So, here is a more in-depth look at me spending a few days with “The Ferret Hunters”

Black-footed ferret project COMPLETE

Posted by :David Manly On : June 13, 2010
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Category: Black footed ferrets, MRP

Sorry for the long delay between posts, but it’s gotten surprisingly hectic over here.

I’ve got a few things on my plate that are keeping me busy, and some will be posted here (as well as on other sites as well), so I will keep you posted.

But, I just wanted to direct you to a project of mine that began while I was finishing up my Master’s of Journalism degree. The project deals with the plight of the endangered North American black-footed ferret, a cute mammal that has been in danger for many, many years.

I decided to create a multimedia website devoted to discovering what happened to cause its classification of endangered, what is being done in the United States and Canada and what the future could hold for the magnificent animal.

Thanks to an intrepid young web-designer and all the fellow students and professors who helped me out with this project, it became something that I am immensely proud of.

So please, do go check out all the video’s, slideshows, text and photo galleries I have there … and learn about an animal that needs our help.

Check out: “Back from the brink: The story of the North American black-footed ferret.”

Winter activities, Ferrets and the virtues of Twitter

Posted by :David Manly On : December 20, 2009
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Category: Forensics, MRP, Twitter, Winter vacation

Every day that passes by, is another step closer to my eventual return to Ottawa and journalism.

Recently, I’ve been taking it easy and relaxing with friends and family.

However, do not think I’ve shirked my many responsibilities that I have to do when I’m home. I have started reading a book which needs to be reviewed for science journalism at the beginning of January, as well as watching my MRP footage and taking notes about the shots I took.

The worst part is watching myself doing the stand-up’s and video diaries which I made in South Dakota.

It’s odd watching yourself on video, and since I was the only one there, I just kept the camera running as I did take after take.

So, there are many takes of me flubbing my lines, and since the camera was running and I was miked, you can hear me talking to myself in the badlands of South Dakota. It’s very funny, but at the same time, slightly cringe-inducing.

Whatever shape my MRP takes, it will be interesting, that’s for sure.

I also need to start thinking about how I can set up a website for it….

Anyway, I had an interesting experience with the last article that I had to hand in for 2009.

The article was about my experiences tagging along with a company that did crime scene and biological clean-up. I really needed an outside source to discuss how important safety is in that particular industry.

I tried calling police officers and the like, but no one was getting back to me promptly. That was, until I mentioned what I was writing about on Twitter.

One of the people who I follow, and have had Twitter conversations with on various occasions, mentioned to me that she is in the industry. Not only that, she also knows a lot about the various safety concerns that can crop up.

I got a source, for a school assignment, via TWITTER! Seriously, how amazing is that???

Thank you so much, Adrianna. You saved the day! 🙂

If F.D.R Was In J-School

Posted by :David Manly On : March 25, 2009
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Category: Doom, Fear, MRP, What NOW?

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” said F.D.R in 1931.

I propose an addendum, which F.D.R probably would have agreed with if he were in my boots.

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Well, that and total failure of all your life-goals.”

School is draining the life and exuberance out of me, like some sort of misinformed vampire.

Ever since reading week ended, I am always tired at the end of every day. Not just normal tired, but exhausted tired. But can I go to bed? No!
I have too much work to do to keep my life from crumbling all around me.

Doing TV is killing me, it’s an exhausting experience made harder by all the lugging around of very heavy equipment. And the constant time stress of, “gotta do it FASTER, on time, impress the teacher and showcase all our new skils!”

If that was the only thing wrong here, I’d be ok. I mean, I survived Biology undergrad stress!

No, every day I get new rejections for UNPAID INTERNSHIPS! Seriously, most people in my program have something or other planned. I, I have nothing. To quote The Peach, “Life FAIL!”

And yet, the humiliation and terribleness does not end there my friends, no, it continues.

The subject that I dare not broach, is that of my Master’s Research Project (or MRP). It is basically a large contribution to journalism in one of the three medium (print, radio or TV).

My original idea:
Go behind the scenes of zoos with a TV camera to show people all the good research and stuff that happens in zoos.
– EVERY zoo I contacted said no, because of either privacy, security or trade secrets.

Idea #2:
Look into the TB epidemic, and how it could be even worse becasue of the drug resistant strains.
– I was told I lacked a narrative arc.

Idea #3:
Follow a doctor going to a foreign country with an infectious disease epidemic for a week or two, and examine how modern doctor’s treat patients in such situations.
– The organization (to remain nameless) said that in order to be considered, I repeat, CONSIDERED, I would have to get network backing. As in funding and a guarantee that it would air.
What apparently they did;t understand, is that I am a student and a network would have to be run by lobotomized monkeys with schizophrenia to promise a student airtime on TV.

Well, THAT was cathartic 🙂