Interview with Crap Mariner on Second Life

Yesterday I sent private meaasge to 10 ireporters on CNN. But no one write back to me. So I just search thier names in SL and IM them. Two people added me and were eager to take the interview.

The following is the interview with Crap Mariner

- Instant message logging enabled --
[21:40] alicealice Zepp: Hello : )
[21:40] alicealice Zepp: Thanks for friendship!
[21:41] Crap Mariner: yw
[21:41] Crap Mariner: how may i be of assistance?
[21:41] alicealice Zepp: Well, I am a english major students
[21:42] alicealice Zepp: I am doing project about CNN ireporters report SL stories
[21:42] alicealice Zepp: COuld I ask some questions, let you show your experience? : )
[21:42] Crap Mariner: certainly.
[21:43] alicealice Zepp: Thanks!
[21:43] alicealice Zepp: Fiest of all, why do you want to be a ireporter?
[21:44] Crap Mariner: iReport.com has a large audience. If I have a story to tell, it's a good way to get it heard and viewed widely.
[21:44] alicealice Zepp: Yes, CNN is an international media
[21:45] alicealice Zepp: And what is your mission as an ireporter? : )
[21:46] Crap Mariner: I think it's to show that there are things in SL that would be interesting to people not a part of it yet. So many stories in the media are about the nasty side of SL. The few stories I have done, it's about the good side.
[21:47] alicealice Zepp: Ok. so you want to let more people to know the interesting and good part of SL?
[21:47] Crap Mariner: Yes.
[21:47] alicealice Zepp: I think it is good!
[21:47] alicealice Zepp: Then, do you know your readers?
[21:48] alicealice Zepp: thier age group and social background?
[21:49] Crap Mariner: I really don't know their demographics. There were a lot of viewers of the US Holocaust Museum piece. Some of them were quite dismissive and rude, but I've found that there are always hateful people i nthe world. I just brush them off, do what I do, and figure that their hate will one day be their undoing.
[21:49] Crap Mariner: Today's horrors in Washington reminded me of that piece I did on the museum in SL.
[21:49] alicealice Zepp: Ya
[21:50] alicealice Zepp: I think you hold serious attitude your writing?
[21:51] Crap Mariner: I try to have a loose and relaxed, sometimes silly feel in my writing. Hunter S, Thompson is a hero of mine, and his gonzo style demonstrates the thrill of a journalist writing with a narcassistic approach. But there are times when you have to be serious.
[21:52] alicealice Zepp: I think it is good. Both entertaining, relaxing and serious
[21:53] alicealice Zepp: And I notice your two articles about SL are on CNN, Good job!
[21:54] Crap Mariner: They were featured prominently, yes. I am grateful they gave attention to those efforts. The US Holocaust Museum in SL is an amazing build with purpose.
[21:54] Crap Mariner: i do it not for attention to myself, but for what i report on.
[21:55] alicealice Zepp: Ya, but there are so many articles in ireports everyday, to be selected on CNN is still a nice thing
[21:55] Crap Mariner: i keep meaning to do another. when i have the time and something is important to me, i will.
[21:56] alicealice Zepp: Do you have any idea about which kind of article can be selected on CNN?
[21:56] Crap Mariner: I am unaware of their selection or editorial process.
[21:57] alicealice Zepp: Ok
[21:57] alicealice Zepp: And, you like take adventure in SL and find your topic?
[21:59] Crap Mariner: Topics find me. They spark ideas.
[21:59] alicealice Zepp: Ya, it is good
[22:00] Crap Mariner: Every so often I get an idea... sometimes, I finish it, but often I just blog it and move on.
[22:00] Crap Mariner: Takes me about an hour to write, record, and edit a video piece. I work very fast.
[22:01] alicealice Zepp: You are a good writer then! For , when I write papers I work really slowly XDD
[22:02] alicealice Zepp: Are you a writer in RL? Or does you work have some relation with writing and reporting?
[22:02] Crap Mariner: I do a lot of writing in RL. Not professionally. A hobby.
[22:02] Crap Mariner: stories 100 words long
[22:03] alicealice Zepp: Um
[22:03] alicealice Zepp: Then, what the amazing part of reporting SL stories?
[22:04] alicealice Zepp: Personaly you feel......?
[22:04] Crap Mariner: Each thing I write about is important to me personally.
[22:04] alicealice Zepp: OK
[22:04] alicealice Zepp: is there any limitation of CNN ireports?
[22:05] Crap Mariner: I am not sure.
[22:05] Crap Mariner: But when I reach that limit, I am sure they will let me know ;)
[22:05] alicealice Zepp: XDDDDDDD
[22:06] alicealice Zepp: yesterday I sent a message for you on CNN ireport
[22:06] alicealice Zepp: But the deadline of the project is coming!
[22:06] alicealice Zepp: So I come to Second Life and take interview! XDD
[22:07] Crap Mariner: ;)
[22:07] alicealice Zepp: My group member have not finish the questionnaire
[22:08] alicealice Zepp: after she finished it, could you spend some time answer some more questuins?
[22:08] alicealice Zepp: It is all about CNN ireporters
[22:08] alicealice Zepp: just tell us your experience and feeling of be a ireporter!
[22:09] alicealice Zepp: I hope it wont bother you
[22:12] Crap Mariner: please do so
[22:12] Crap Mariner: crapmariner@isfullofcrap.com
[22:12] alicealice Zepp: Thanks a lot!
[22:12] Crap Mariner salutes
[22:13] alicealice Zepp: Finally, if is ok can I take some pictures with you in SL?
[22:13] Crap Mariner: i am about to go to sleep. perhaps tomorrow?
[22:13] Crap Mariner: there are many of my avatar in my flickr site. look for username isfullofcrap
[22:14] alicealice Zepp: OK, thanks a lot, you are grest help!
[22:14] Crap Mariner: feel free to use any. it's easy to find my av,
[22:14] alicealice Zepp: Thank you^^
[22:14] Crap Mariner: yw
[22:14] alicealice Zepp: Good night~~
[22:14] Crap Mariner: and a good night to you as well

Discussion II

This week, Heather and I had discussed the questions for students. Our group’s topic is the difference between the English-teaching of RL and SL. First of all, we should make it clear that why students would like to choose on-line English learning on Second Life. What attract them to here and begin learning? Do teachers of SL use some tools and methods which are different from RL? Is on-line teaching more professional and effective? Is on-line teaching more interesting and entertaining? And also, we tried to focus on the feature of Sl. We think when people are using Second Life, they probably don’t pay much attention to it. For example, when one is using computer, he may also watch video games, check out emails and chat with others on MSN. Therefore, on-line learning is so free! There is no one watching you. How students face this existing problem and still learn a lot from SL? We are rally eager to know it! In the class, Brooke and Alina gave us some advice and helped us amend the questionnaire. Yet we have a big problem. Our urgent mission is to find the owner. But it seemed very difficult.

5/27 Second Life discussion!Yes, but where are the students?

Yes, but where are the students?

27, May, 2009, Group 4 decided what we will do for our final project. First we should find some English-learning organizations. Yes, obviously there are some in Second Life. But the big question is just like what Brooke said: no one is there. When we searched apart, the problem kept bothering me. However, I thought it could be better to put it aside and discuss our survey.
We should have a topic. And I wondered why people would like learn English in SL? I mean learning language in virtual world must be quietly different from learning in real world. So, what is the advantage of learning on line? Alina pointed out that we can ask about how they have classes, such as their way of teaching. I found it interested me a lot-how do those virtual schools follow their students’learning. To connect with people online sometimes may be difficult. Therefore, how do they overcome it and succeed in teaching online? Our group finally decided there will be two parts in our project. Two of us will focus on the organizations and the other will take the students part. We have to try to meet mangers and students. Yes, I am certainly sure that we will do it. Yes, but where are the students? Oh, I’d like to take to them and get some useful information!