What are the Odds? What do you think?
Regular readers of ART PREDATOR know that I want the Best Job in the World–caretaker on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. (See my page “best job application” for details.)
But what are my odds when they are reviewing 30,000 one minute video applications by Sunday, February 22?
The way I figure it is by Sunday, Feb 22, 2009, 30,000 people will have attempted to upload a video.
Of these 30,000 video applicants:
1/2 are typically disqualified (I read this somewhere…not sure if this is still true but it was at some time in the process, maybe someone has better info)
Of these 15,000 video applicants: 2/3s lack qualifications like a college degree in a science field (BBC News reports 75% will not be considered for this reason)
Of these 5,000 video applicants: 4/5 will be disqualified for lacking quality: boring video, grating voice, weak charisma, or will have more than one video! etc
Of these 1,000 video applicants: 1/2 won’t be strong enough writers capable of producing the blogs required
Of these 500 video applicants 1/2 won’t have enough experience with blogging or teaching or multimedia etc
Of these 250 the Magic 50 Semi-Finalists will be chosen
Of these 50 11 will be chosen with help from the world
Of these 11 1 will get the best job in the world–ME! (just kidding!)
Seriously, though, what do you think the odds are? How do you break it down? What do you think makes or breaks someone into the top 50?
How do you think they will narrow the field from 30,000 to one? Add any I might have missed in the comments, and if you’re an applicant, feel free to post a link to your blog and your video so we can check you out!
Send Valentine Cards & $$$ to Fire Devastated Australia
Unless you’ve had your head underwater for a week or two (possibly working on your video application for the job of caretaker on the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef?) , you’ve heard about the devastating fires which struck Australia’s southwestern region recently, with some of the worst burning last Saturday February 7. Learn how to donate via the Australian Red Cross link here. Read on to read why.
As a southern Californian, and as the granddaughter of a firefighter, I am too familiar with fire fueled by eucalyptus trees. Just three years ago, Fall of 2005, a fire threatened the home my grandfather built and where my mother lives. My neighbor woke me, pounding on my door and pointing Read more…
As we all know, we don’t always get picked when we think we should be. Or by the person we hope will pick us. Figuring this all out has fueled the consumption of many a bottle of wine as well as research dollars.
One researcher is the brilliant Pulitzer Prize winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond. He addresses the evolutionary development of human sexuality including some peculiar aspects of human sexuality like why women’s ovulation is not overtly advertised and why humans have sex in private rather than in public in his 1997 book, Why is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality.
A new book Why Him? Why Her? by Helen Fisher, anthropologist and evolutionary biologist, answers Match.com’s question “Why do you fall in love with one person and not another?” by examining “how brain chemistry determines temperament and temperament dictates who we love,” according to an LA Times article by Erika Schickel.
Fisher’s book argues that there are four basic types:
Explorers
have high levels of dopamine and norepinephrinene; they take risks, are flexible and energetic, spontaneous and easily bored by routine.
Builders
have high levels of serotonin; they’re calm, managerial, loyal, orderly, and conscientious.
Directors
have high testosterone; they’re competitive, self-disciplined, good with systems, exacting, focused
Negotiators
have high estrogen and oxytocin (lucky them!); they’re trusting, broadminded, empathetic, and idealic
Further research showed the following results:
Explorers like Explorers
Builders like Builders
Directors like Negotiators
And me? I’m an Explorer/Negotiator happily celebrating my 7th Valentine’s Day with a fellow Explorer/Negotiator!
Now let’s see how this ties in to my NEGOTIATOR/EXPLORER’s hearts desire: job as caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef!
Happy Valentine’s day, everyone! Thank YOU for being my Valentine, for subscribing to my blog, and for reading and commenting!
Who lives in & on the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef? 10 Facts
Who lives on and around the 2000km long Great Barrier Reef, an area the size of the state of New Mexico?
- 6 breeding species of turtles: Green, Leatherback, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Flatback and Olive Ridley.
- 14 species of sea snakes: they can hold their breath up to 2 hours!
- 30 species of whale and dolphin inlcuding dwarf mink and humpback
- 74-150 islands in the Whitsundays, depending on who you ask, with Hamilton Island the largest
- 200 species of birds; Raine Island hosts 17 nesting species
- 400 species of corals, hard and soft
- 500 species of seaweed and sea algae start the food chain
- 1500 species of fish including NEMO!
- 5000 species of molluscs like clams, octopus, nudibranchs, and cuttlefish
- 5000 humans on Hamilton Island plus 1 Island caretaker –ME!
Well, I don’t live there yet–I’m applying for the job of Island Caretaker–and I will be sharing my video application here soon!
I found most of these facts here: http://www.reef.crc.org.au/discover/plantsanimals/facts_plantanimal.htm
The photo up top is an image from space which I found here: http://www.solarviews.com/browse/earth/barrier.jpg
Great Barrier Reef Fun Activities for Kids
To prepare for the best job in the world as caretaker on Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia, the other day the redheaded boy and I scoured the internet for videos, games, and informational sites about the Great Barrier Reef and sea creatures in general. A search on the National Geographic site offered up this maze as well as the following links. We hope you enjoy checking these links out!! Read more…
Try this test:
Smile at someone. Anyone.
Doesn’t that feel good? Don’t you feel better? And did the recipient of your smile smile back at you?
Most of us know from our own experience that if we’re surrounded by smiling happy people, we feel happy and smiley too. I know when I’m teaching, it always goes better the more I smile–and my students smile back! Scientific research supports our experience that a simple act such as smiling spreads smiles and happiness.
People’s happiness depends on the happiness of others with whom they are connected. This provides further justification for seeing happiness, like health, as a collective phenomenon.
Research published last December studied how happiness spreads dynamically through social networks of friends and family. They found that Read more…
For the next three Saturdays in February, let me recommend some wild and wonderful places to go and activities to do that not only are good, but also do good.
First up, this Saturday, Valentine’s Day, February 14
When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
watch the film Hair at Place of Peace in Ventura at a VCCOOL fundraiser. On Valentines day, the Moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars… Open your heart to an Aquarian experience, and help heal the planet. For more about this month’s astrology, go here.
In downtown LA, on Valentine’s Day, join Read more…
Part 2: How to Green Your Valentine’s Day
Even though Valentine’s Day screams RED: red roses, red foil chocolates, red sweaters, red hearts, and RED 
ink in your checking account, GO GREEN and SAVE GREEN this year! Turn your Valentine’s Day GREEN with some of these tips from LIVE Earth: Save a Little Love for the Planet on Valentine’s Day (photo by LA Green Girl). Art Predator’s additional tips and commentary are in bold and italics; PART TWO OF TWO PARTS! Find 1-5 here.
6. Buy lingerie made of hemp or organic cotton.
Or go without!! Surprise your love with a super cheap thrill!
7. Wrap gifts in red fabric or recycled wrapping paper.
My friend Elzbet and VCCOOL Board Member makes wonderful gift bags and folders from old nature calendars (I admit I can’t help but peek to see what she does each month!): she sews up the sides using a simple stitch on her machine or you could use a hole punch and yarn.
Save the colored comics form the newspaper OR use crayons to color on newsprint–big red hearts would be super fun! Fleece fabric scarfs (made from recycled plastic bottles!) are also easy to make and could be used to wrap a present.
8. Don’t buy a vase of flowers. Buy instead a locally grown Read more…
Part 1: How To Green Your Valentine’s Day
Even though Valentine’s Day screams RED: red roses, red foil chocolates, red sweaters, red hearts, and RED ink in your checking account, GO GREEN and SAVE GREEN this year! Turn your Valentine’s Day GREEN with some of these tips from LIVE Earth: Save a Little Love for the Planet on Valentine’s Day. Art Predator’s additional tips and commentary are in bold and italics; PART ONE OF TWO PARTS!
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching! February 14th is Saturday and you want to be prepared, but while you’re at it why not show some love for the planet too. It doesn’t take much to green your Valentine’s gifts and festivities. You will be surprised at how much love you can spread around the world. Here are some great tips you can use to show your loved one you care about them, and the planet.
1. Buy valentine cards from local artists who make greeting cards out of recycled material.
Most art galleries feature a selection of cards by local artists: around here, I find my favorites at Farmer and the Cook in Meiners Oaks by a local cycling activist artist or at Buenaventura Art Gallery on Fir by the Post Office. Or download my kisses poem and send me a donation; you could also send your loved one a link to my Kisses poem (and show me a little link love too while you’re at it by linking to Kisses on your site!)
2. Make your own valentine cards with recycled items and things from nature such as dried flowers, satin ribbons, fabric hearts.
Try going to the beach or the snow and handwriting your message! Photo the message and send it to your loved one! Or print it out!
3. If you like to dine by candlelight dine with eco-friendly fragrance free candles. Beeswax or vegetable based candles that are biodegradable and smoke-free are a good choice.
Beeswax candles also clean and clear the air of pollutants and they smell wonderfully while they burn. I find mine at our local farmers markets; I keep them near sunlight so as they warm during the day, they exhale a rich sweet scent.
4. If you drink wine or champagne Read more…
For you Valentine: Art Predator’s “Kisses” poem & Radiohead’s “15 Steps” Grammy Video
Happy February Full Moon and Happy Valentine’s Day Saturday!
I published the broadside above, “Kisses” in ArtLife Limited Editions as well as in a chapbook; both are available for sale! I am also working on a collection of my ArtLife pages and will let you know when all 3 dozen can be purchased in limited edition hardcover book! Let me know if you’re interested in one, please. Go here to see more broadsides.
For my next Valentine’s gift, I offer up Radiohead performing “15 Steps” with the USC Marching Band at the 2009 Grammy Awards: Read more…
art predator 
