Friday, February 06, 2009

Friday Fuckwit

More than 10,000 people have jumped at the chance to become the caretaker of a Hamilton Island, a tropical Australian island in the Whitsunday Passage in Queensland's North. One application pricked the eyes and ears of interviewers. I thought it was funny but he's deemed a total fuckwit.

Tourism Queensland, which is coordinating the contest, confirmed that a person using Osama bin Laden's name had lodged an official application but it was rejected as inappropriate.

Queensland launched the "Best Job in the World" campaign on Jan. 12, calling for video applications from people interested in the Australian contract to relax on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef for six months while writing a blog to promote the island. More than 11,000 video resumes have been received and there are still three weeks until applications close.

The employee will live free on the island, exploring the reef and posting videos and photos on a weekly blog. Looks pretty good eh?




. . .it's 8:30pm . . about 35 inside, smoke is permeating everything because there's a bushfire somewhere . . . I'm sitting dripping wet in a sarong in front of the computer, with a fan on full bore because that's the only way to keep cool and right now . . .I'm cursing my small carbon footprint! It's going to be a bumpy night as Bette Davis would say . . .

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Don't melt, see! Hope it cools down soon, Baino, that incessant heat is devastating.

Oh, and there's a little something for you over at my place :-)

Ces Adorio said...

I read about this job opening. Plenty of solitude which would be welcome, yet staying connected with millions of strangers. Solitude is no longer what Thoreau had in mind and Hamilton Island is no Walden Pond. I hope they hire someone who can spell.

Anonymous said...

35? I would murder to have such warmth!

Anonymous said...

I hope they've got some very tight shortlisting criteria, otherwise by the time they've interviewed 20,000 people the island will have disappeared under the sea....

laughingwolf said...

lol... gotta admire sense of heehaw ;)

Bimbimbie said...

Tsup*!* Hope you got through the night ok ... nothing worse than bushfire smoke on a too hot a night.

Christopher said...

35? I would murder to have such warmth!

Remembering that most of the rest of the world uses the Celsius scale always keeps my on my toes. :) Although there have been a few days when 35 degrees Farenheit still would have been considered warm here.

TCL said...

Got damn close to 35 today in Buenos Aires too. Just negotiated my bus fares and happily left the mega BsAs central bus station with my tickets to carnaval and the bushes. Need to get out of the city!

I decided since I'm off might as well keep going north for another couple days and have a walk about Argentina's tropical north.

Don't know if Hamilton is or isn't what Thoreau wished for. Even the Patagonia is full, unless in August.

Perhaps I'll see Hamilton myself someday - hopefully.

Megan said...

Nick's comment made me laugh out loud!

They'd never give me the job but it would be fun to apply. Like trying out for Survivor or something!

Baino said...

Apparently AV, we're going to be the hottest country on the planet this weekend. Bumped even central Africa off it's steaming pedestal! Oooh pressies . . .I'm off!

Actually Ces, Hamilton is the biggest Whitsunday Island, very commercial with big condos and you can even buy property on the lee side of the Island. Not my cup of tea although the location is pretty special. Someone who can spell? Gawd, that kicks me off the list!

Ian 35 is do-able but a bit disruptive to sleep . .45 is horrendous. I think that's about 113 . . .Clare and I will be cooling off at the movies this arvo!

I think they're being pretty selective with their candidates Nick but it's a nice little salary to wax lyrical about such a beautiful place.

True that Wuf. I wouldn't mind betting they've received a few doozies.

Aw tell me about it Bimbimbie. Not sure where it's coming from but there's a pall of smoke over my place at the moment. (gah! Smuts on washing!)

Oh Christopher. Yep pretty much the rest of the world uses Celsius ! Its you strange Americans (and the good citizens of Belize) who still use farenheit. I've always thought it odd that you have decimal currency and imperial measurement . .go figure.

TCL I think Buenos Aries has very similar temps to us from what I know. Enjoy the carnival and the humidity! I've never been to the Whitsundays but Hamilton wouldn't be my choice of island - Lizard Island . . .less developed.

Megan . . he's a card alright! God, I'd be dead after one task on Survivor!

Susan at Stony River said...

That many applicants already? If you won, just imagine the hatemail you'd keep getting from your frustrated fellow hopefuls! LOL

It would be SO worth it!

Don't Bug Me! said...

Now that is my kind of job. I am a tad surprised that they are not headhunting me.

Excellent Adventures said...

You should apply for this job! You're a good blogger and you never know!!!

RED MOJO said...

I didn't apply. If they want me, they'll have to come get me! lol

Thanks for your recent visit to my dead blog. I am going to let halfabubble go, and only write Smartassbian. I wrote a post today and I will try to post at least weekly. I appreciate your visits! I hope 09 is going well for you so far!

Kath Lockett said...

LOVED the application by OBN. Having holidayed at Hamilton island, the first thing he can do is blow up any of the restaurants of shops that charge double the mainland prices and make sure that the 'free' gym facilities are what they promised in the brochure and NOT $22 a pop.....

Oh and it's 44C here today....

Kurt said...

The job sounds okay, but I don't know if I could live on Vegemite and meat pies.

Unknown said...

I am not surprised that they thought it was inappropriate.

Anonymous said...

Hope they manage to get the brush fires under controlle, Baino. 35 is hot enough without the added warmth. We were at round -8C this morning. Good ol' New England winter weather. Refreshing.

Baino said...

Susan I supposed they'll announce the winner which would be a bit embarrassing for them. There are videos of some of the applicants on the Queensland Tourism site!

Well they probably did DBM but you were in the Amazonian wilds at the time!

You trying to get rid of me Clare? You know there's no such thing as a healthy tan!

Red! You're back! Very pleased about that, I hate it when bloggers go awol without a word. Excellent news.

Kath I haven't been there but sent a bunch of delegates there for a conference once (I wasn't allowed a pre conference familial visit unfortunately) It just looked very commercial to me. I think the smaller outlying islands would be more my cup of tea.

Kurt, after Plugger's blown up the restaurants,that's all you'll be able to get ...oh and the odd banana and pineapple.

Yeh a bit silly eh Ropi!

Subbie there's a few burning, it's not so smoking this morning but because Sydney is a geographical 'basin' we cop smoke from fires well outside the city. Most are contained, I believe. I should live in New England . .seriously!

Anonymous said...

Would this be a good time to ask you for a picture of your fridge? You could bask in the cold air for a while!!

Talking of pics. I challenge you to publish the fourth pic of the fourth file of your pictures. (and yes, I know what it is!!) xx

Melissa said...

Oh, me! Me! I'll do it! :) But I need to bring my kids and my dogs and the cat and the bird.

I love fountains, too -- that one in the last post is gorgeous.

Keep cool and stay away from that damn fire. :(

Melissa said...

Oh. And I'd need Eli, too!

Unknown said...

Hey! I usually say a lot "eh" or something like that. OK, then I will be stubborn and I won't ask my future girlfriend on Valentine's Day. :D