[ScottOliveira]

Who I would save:
1:A college professor would hopefully possess some leadership skills, and could help take command. Botany is an excellent hobby to have for such a situation, in order to help identify useful plants. Will be damaged by loss of wife and child, but will hopefully be able to recover.


4:Working in the service industry (both as waitress and prostitute) would necessitate good people skills. Easy enough to get along with. While not highly educated, most of the skills you would learn in high school are not valuable in a survival situation, so not a large hindrance.

6: Trade school education is possibly valuable, although it doesn't specify which trade. Art talent is useful for helping keep people entertained and morale high. Young, which means she is less likely to have serious health complications. Glasses could present a problem if damaged, but not enough information is given to know for sure. However in many modern glasses, the frames are more likely to break than the actual lenses, so something can be rigged to hold the lenses.

7:Young and very well educated (medical school). Medical school knowledge would be useful for treating any problems that might arise. Music can help keep people entertained. Being a physical fitness nut means he is likely to be able to help with hard labor, not as likely to get ill.

9: Experience in construction would be valuable. Knowledge of mechanics would likely prove useful. Enjoys outdoors, so would be better able to cope, may have understanding of survival. Possible conflicts with #10 due to views on racial issues.

10: Farming background would be very valuable. Hopefully still fit as a former college athlete, but not specified. Religion can be helpful as a comfort to the survivors, could also cause conflicts. May have conflicts with #9, but farming background too valuable to ignore.

11: A practicing doctor is very useful to have, even with a medical student already on the list. However his poor health and advanced age will be a problem. Ultimately however, he presents a better option than any of the remaining candidates. His love of literature could help to provide entertainment.


People not to bring
2: While it would be very useful to have a psychologist and mental health worker, her poor physical condition would be detrimental. The diabetes would also be a problem, with no sure way to monitor blood sugar levels, and no guarantee for an easy way to adjust them.

3: The mentally impaired child would prove a burden on the other people on the island, and has no useful skills.

5: Too young to perform any sort of labor, will prove a hindrance.

8: There is unlikely to be any working electronics on the island, so the skills of an electrical engineer are not necessary. No beneficial other skills listed. While her age is acceptable, there is nothing to distinguish her above any other member.


The big choice involved #2 and #11. Both present useful skills and severe health problems. I ended up going with #11 because a diabetic crisis seemed like it would arise sooner than another heart issue. Would definitely be willing to substitute the two however.