Tip in Strategic Fooling for Fools

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

- Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the Union

Change

change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal - Arthur Schopenhauer

CHANGE

when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves - Viktor Frankl

Time Management

Time is the scarcest resource: and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed - Peter Drucker

Who is being coached today?

Companies are investing in coaching in an effort to develop a new generation of leaders to replace retiring Baby Boomers. The ones that use it most effectively develop specific performance goals, financial measurements or other tools to determine what they want the end result of their coaching program to be. Of U.S. companies surveyed, 52 percent said they had business coaching programs in place, and another 37 percent said they would be implementing coaching programs in the future.
These findings are reported in a major study of business coaching published in June by the American Management Association (AMA) in conjunction with the Institute for Corporate Productivity, an HR industry researcher.
>>>Companies use coaches to work with executives, high-potential employees, problem managers and expatriates headed to overseas assignments.
>>>Companies that use formal metrics to measure performance of coaching programs are most likely to report that those endeavors are successful.

STRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Time management

Good time-management skills are critical for effective stress control. In particular, learning to prioritize tasks and avoid over-commitment are critical measures to make sure that you're not overscheduled. Always using a calendar or planner, and checking it faithfully before committing to anything, is one way to develop time-management skills. You can also learn to identify time-wasting tasks by keeping a diary for a few days and noticing where you may be losing time.

For example, productivity experts recommend setting aside a specific time (or multiple times) each day to check and respond to email and messages rather than being a continual slave to incoming information. Banishing procrastination is another time-management skill that can be learned or perfected.

SOURCE: http://www.medicinenet.com/stress_management_techniques/page4.htm#toci

Coca Cola's Secret Recipe Allegedly Revealed

 

It may have been what it is claiming to be - the original secret recipe of Coca Cola that had eluded generations of speculators and even conspiracy theorists.  

Even with the current advances in Chemistry and pharmacy (Coke, after all was invented by a pharmacist), the company still stated their trade secret remains closely guarded. 

I simply argue that what most people are missing is the fact that Coke's competitive advantage is not in its secret formula. So why the hype?

Read: Who does not recognize the brand above?

Every continent that had ever been mapped probably has a Coke product or advertisement in it.  Every race knows it, regarldless of tongue.  I bet my arm even at the bottom of the ocean, a Coke item lies buried. 

This, to me, is what should cause a stir - not its secret formula, because this is what created brand loyalty to Coke.  

Edu del Agua

An interactive multi objective model for the strategic maritime transportation of petroleum products: risk analysis and routing

Dealing with the maritime transportation of crude oil and petroleum products has become a problem of major international concern due to the potential of environmental pollution created by oil spill incidents. This paper presents the development of a strategic multi objective network flow model, allowing for risk analysis and routing, with multiple commodities, modalities and origin-destination pairs. The development of an interactive solution methodology is also presented followed by its implementation via a World Wide Web-based software package. Government agencies will find the model helpful in determining how regulations should be set to derive desirable routing schemes. Shippers will also find the model useful in optimizing their logistics costs.

The health benefits of positive thinking

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009

Greek ferries head to Libya

Greek-controlled passenger ferries have been pressed into service to lift thousands of Chinese, Greek and Brazilian citizens from strife-torn Libya.

The 1,560-lane-metre Anek Lines vessels Olympic Champion (built 2000) and Hellenic Spirit (built 2001) were expected to arrive in Crete this afternoon with some 15,000 persons aboard. The other two ships are understood to be Anek’s 2,500-passenger El. Venizelos (built 1992) and Minoan Lines' 2,182-passenger ship Knossos Palace (built 2000). However, some source say that Anek’s 1,800-passenger ships Kriti I and Kriti II (both built 1979) have also been pressed into service.

The proximity of Greece to Libya makes it an ideal centre for the evacuation operations.

Source: Tradewinds

MLC 2006 : Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance

The Declaration of Maritime Compliance is in two parts.

Part I - is to be completed by the attending surveyor and will identify the topics for inspection, and list the relevant pieces of legislation implementing the MLC, 2006 together with any substantial equivalences and exemptions that have been granted.

Part II - is to be completed by the ship-owner and verified by the attending surveyor when the first inspection is completed. The part II declaration details the measures adopted by the ship-owner to ensure ongoing compliance with the national requirements (i.e. 14 items listed in Appendix A5.1 of the MLC, 2006) and the measures proposed to ensure there is continuous improvement. Guidance on what should be included in the DMLC-Part II is provided below.

Nissan as Japan's No.2

YOKOHAMA, Japan – Nissan Motor Co. eclipsed Honda last year to become Japan's No. 2 automaker, but COO Toshiyuki Shiga says the company still trails where it counts: Profits.

"Honda still makes better profit," Shiga said in a February 17 interview.

In 2010, Nissan sold 4.08 million vehicles globally, edging Honda's 3.39 millionCQ, to become Japan's second-best selling manufacturer behind Toyota Motor Corporation, the world's No. 1.

But for the fiscal year ending March 31, Nissan expects net income of 315.0 billion yen ($3.86 billion) and operating profit of 530.0 billion yen ($6.50 billion). Honda sees net income of 530.0 billion yen ($6.50 billion) and operating profit of 620.0 billion yen ($7.60 billion).

"Nissan became No. 3 (in sales) at the end of the 1990s. At that time, it was quite a tough time for Nissan, with the financial crisis," Shiga said, adding that its finances still have a way to go.

"We are still the challengers," he said.


Erik G Pedrosa
AUTONEWS

Qualities of Entrepreneurs

1. A high level of drive and energy
2. Enough self-confidence to take carefully calculated, moderate risks
3. A clear idea of money as a way of keeping score, and as a means of generating more money still
4. The ability to get others to work with you and for you productively
5. High but realistic achievable goals
6. The belief that you can control your own destiny
7. Readiness to learn from your own mistakes and failures

(Source: www.thinkingmanagers.com/management/entrepreneurs.php)

New Zealand: Lyttelton Port Damaged by Earthquake

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday caused damage to infrastructure and facilities at Lyttelton Port, the port that serves Christchurch. No injuries were sustained at the port.

The oil berth reportedly held up well, and if the pipework is fully serviceable, as expected, engineering staff reported that the berth should be operational by tomorrow. A tanker is scheduled for fuel discharge on Saturday.

An assessment of container assets found that wharves have held up well, but there are urgent minor works to be done. The port aims to have limited operations available within three to four days, and be back to usual operation service in 10 days

The Royal New Zealand Navy provided the services of a number of divers that assisted port engineers in assessing structures, and carried out a series of soundings to review the channel depth. 

SOURCE: http://www.bairdmaritime.com

Battle for Title of World's Biggest Shipping Line Heats Up!

MSC has overtaken Maersk Line to become the world’s biggest shipping line, in terms of vessel capacity.

According to recently published figures by IFW sister publication Containerisation International (CI), MSC’s containerships have a total capacity of 1.84 million teu, while Maersk Line vessels can carry 1.82 million teu; Thus, the figures do not include vessels owned and operated by Maersk’s sister shipping lines, Safmarine and MCC Transport.

Safmarine owns 11 containerships, (with a total capacity of 31,632teu) and charters-in a further 45 (76,379teu), while MCC Transport charters 52 containerships (78,070teu). If the MCC and Safmarine vessels were included, their capacity being available to Maersk customers, Maersk would operate a fleet with 9% more capacity than MSC’s.

However, Maersk’s lead including its two sister lines is shrinking by the year. Just five months ago the Danish carrier led MSC by 20% in terms of vessel capacity. Matthew Beddow, Managing Editor of CI, said the battle for the top spot was “a race between two very different beasts”.

He said: “Family-owned MSC thrives best in niche north-south trades and benefits from mercurial management, whereas Maersk Line focuses more on east-west trade lanes and is managed corporately, as well as being more process-driven.

“According to Drewry Shipping Consultants’ Schedule Reliability Insight, Maersk is always one of the best performers, whereas MSC is much further down the ladder; “The [parent] AP Møller-Maersk group’s financial position is, however, much more transparent, and it is consistently a top performer.”

This week, CI data shows that MSC owns 187 vessels, with a total capacity of 873,281teu, and has 241 chartered vessels with a total capacity of 975,159teu.

Maersk Line owns 185 vessels, with a total capacity of 1.03 million teu, and charters 226 vessels with a total capacity of 797,572teu.

According to figures produced by analyst AXS Alphaliner, Maersk today operates 14.5% of the containership fleet, compared with 15% at the beginning of last year, while MSC has lifted its marketshare to 12.6% from 10.9% a year ago.

SOURCE: http://www.ifw-net.com

The EDSA People Power Revolution

Preparations are already crafted for the 25th celebration of the legendary 1986 People Power Revolution and the aim of the said event is to rekindle the EDSA spirit of volunteerism, sharing, giving and caring. The triumphs of that day are now experienced by the Filipinos – DEMOCRACY; in sustaining the unity and freedom today, the Filipinos has to be liberated from oppression and uplifted from the mire of the social disadvantages. It is also a call for the legislators that the nation has to be freed from corruption, atrocities, war and injustices; it is also a call for us Filipinos that we have to recognize and keep in our hearts the essence of sacrifice, selflessness, and love of country.

On the other hand, horizon of hope for the people of Czech Republic, Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen and Libya is needed for their own crafted revolution.

Three Cruise Lines Plug into Shore Power, Port of LA

The Port of Los Angeles this month became the first port worldwide to provide Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) to three separate cruise lines. In recent weeks, ships from Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line have all taken advantage of unique “AMP Mobile” technology developed specifically for the World Cruise Center.

“The use of AMP at our World Cruise Center reduces emissions not just at the Port but improves the quality of air throughout the Los Angeles region,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “The ability to adapt this technology to multiple cruise lines eliminates significant ship exhaust when cruise ships are at berth, and the AMP Mobile is another innovation that demonstrates our commitment to developing cutting-edge technology that can benefit port communities everywhere.”

(Source: MarineLink.com 24 February 2011)

Five Signs You're a Bad Boss

1. Most of your emails are one-word long. - It may be efficient, but many bosses don't realize how curt a one-word email -- even a simple "yes" or "no" -- can be.

2. You rarely talk to your employees face-to-face. - Relying on email may be convenient, but bosses are increasingly using technology to avoid having tough discussions.

3. Your employees are out sick -- a lot. - Employees will fake sickness to avoid a bad boss.

4. Your team's working overtime, but still missing deadlines. - New bosses are particularly prone to giving unmanageable deadlines to staffers.

5. You yell. - Even if you aren't screaming angrily at your employees, speaking loudly can damage workplace morale.

Say Thank You, Even for Routine Things

There is far too little praise and appreciation in most work environments. Even those who are good about giving positive feedback can tend to reserve it for "above and beyond" moments. Yet, the routine work that people are expected to do every day often goes unnoticed and underappreciated. Genuine gratitude goes a long way in engaging people and binding them together. Once a week, say thank you to an employee. Don't only focus on the extra mile they may have gone, but on the ordinary things they do to make your team, unit, or company hum. Be specific: explain the behavior or task that you are grateful for and the positive impact it has on you and
the company.

Source: Adapted from "Thank You for Doing Your Job" by Whitney Johnson

Use Scarcity to Spur Innovation

Necessity is the mother of invention. When times or resources are tight, people usually figure out how to make due: they create work-arounds, devise new ways of operating, and make better use of limited assets. If you're looking for a creative solution or an innovative new product, remember that creative problem-solving is the inevitable result of working with constraints. Try deliberately imposing scarcity on a process. Trade in "blue sky" thinking for "closed world" techniques. Limit time, money, options, or other resources. Or, you can capitalize on the external constraints that the economy presents.

Source: Adapted from "The Number One Key to Innovation: Scarcity" by Uri Neren

OIL MAJOR.....MAJOR DISASTER

UMIPAMBA, Ecuador (AFP) – She has no legal training, and doesn't speak the Spanish that dominates government in Quito but indigenous villager Maria Aguinda helped bring a landmark judgment against US oil giant Chevron for polluting the rain forest she calls home.

The diminutive grandmother whose modest home sits near marshes clogged for decades in sticky oil has been at the heart of the David-and-Goliath case, and spoke out after Chevron was slapped last week with a $9.5-billion fine, among the heaviest ever handed down for environmental damage.

"Before I die they have to pay me for the dead animals, and for what they did to the river, and the water and the earth," the 61-year-old Aguinda told AFP at her home in Rumipamba, a town in remote Orellana province where pollution caused by 30 years of oil drilling and petroleum accidents had become a sad fact of life.

from yahoo news

lesterpasco

IMF says weaker dollar would help global growth

– Wed Feb 23, 4:21 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The International Monetary Fund called for a weaker dollar to help the United States reduce its deficits with the rest of the world and rebalance the global economy, in a report released Wednesday.

In the report prepared for a Group of 20 finance chiefs meeting last week, the IMF said that its calculations showed the dollar remains "on the strong side" of medium-term fundamentals, while the euro and the Japanese yen were "broadly in line" and several Asian currencies, including China, were undervalued.

The widening US current account deficit -- a broad measure of trade in goods, services, income and payment -- rose a fifth straight quarter in the third quarter last year, to $127.2 billion, according to the latest US official data.

The issue of a weak dollar is particularly sensitive in Brazil, where the government has said an international "currency war" is under way with the United States pumping cheap dollars into its post-crisis economy, while China's yuan sinks in tandem.

Among the threats to global growth, the IMF highlighted "insufficient progress in developing medium-term fiscal consolidation plans, especially in the United States and Japan" and "sovereign and banking sector risks in the euro area periphery."

"In key surplus economies, overheating pressures can be alleviated by permitting currency appreciation, facilitating a healthy rebalancing from external to internal demand."

Marcos can turn Philippines to another Singapore

The son and namesake Bongbong Marcos said that the country would now be as successful as Singapore had former President Ferdinand Marcos not been removed from power.
The younger Marcos likewise maintained that his family was unfairly judged "by those who have a political interest and who provide the propaganda" against them.
The younger Marcos explained that the "best way" to determine the situation of the country is to go through "objective tests" that would prove or disprove the supposed improvement in the Filipino people's lives.
Despite this, the lawmaker admitted that the country must move on from the past. "We should build on the painful, the good and bad lessons of the past and then allow our people to move forward,".
What is the improvement in our security, what is the improvement in security, in peace in order, and in our standing in the international community of nations?
Look at what's happening in Indonesia, Egypt, Libya? Look around and think what to do for a better change.

3 Ways to Balance Bossing with Empowering

Good bosses strike a careful balance between telling people what to do and empowering them to do things on their own. Struggling with this balancing act is common, especially for new managers. Here are three ways to let others take ownership, while giving them what they need:
1. Make goals clear. Your job is to make sure the team understands its objectives. But, leave it up to team members to decide how to achieve those goals.
2. Share leadership. Identify informal leaders among the group who can take on roles such as heading up ad hoc task forces and arranging off-site meetings.
3. Ask for solutions, not problems. When your team members encounter an obstacle, ask them to come to you to explain the problem and present a proposed solution. Encourage them to problem solve before asking for your perspective.

Adapted from the Harvard Manage Mentor Online Module, "Team Management."

14 Reasons: Why Ship Owners Prefer Filipino Seafarers and How They Exploit Them

Why most of the shipping companies prefer Filipino seafarers ? How they exploit them ? Here are some reasons:

1.Seafarers by Nature:   Filipinos have natural mariner’s instincts and always work cheerfully despite their months of separation from their families
2.Dedication and Discipline: Ship owners often resort to contract substitution, a umber of years of service in the shipping company is hardly considered and they can also be easily discharged.
3.Hard-Working: Filipino seafarers have more stamina and work physically more on board the ships. Most of the ship owners refuse to admit responsibility over the seafarers’ injuries.
4.Flexible: Filipino seafarers, willingly perform duties that are not part of their contracts and ship owners take advantage of that. They are subjected to excessive working hours or are ill-treated.
5.Reliable and Loyal: As Filipino seafarers are reliable and loyal, ship owners take their own time to release them from Somali pirates.  To compensate for this piracy risk, ship owners are generous enough, to give ‘double pay’ while sailing through unsafe Gulf of Aden off Somalia.
6.Work for less Salaries: Filipino seafarers are often paid less salaries than that was promised to them.
7.Fluent in English: Filipino seafarers have good command over English language and have good communication skills.
8.Highly trainable and Adapt to changing Environment: Filipino seafarers easily adapt to new technologies and to the changing environment.
9.Problem-solving capability: Everyone including the captain, display ingenuity in dealing with problems. So ship owners do not find it necessary to stock up spares in the ships.
10.Attitude: The Philippine Islands were a Spanish colony from 16th century. Mixed colonial influences have enabled Filipino seafarers to make friends easily with foreigners and their combined Asian and Hispanic cultures have turned them into the most lighthearted workers. They easily get along with fellow crew members and value the seafarers life at sea. All-Filipino crew of M/T Team Venus saved 12 Ukrainian crew of M/S Star Admiral under severe weather conditions.
11.Follow and Respect the laws:  twelve Filipino seafarers of M/T Clipper Trojan and M/V Windsor Castle have helped the prosecution of owners and operators of B.Navi Ship Manning Services and Clipper Marine Services who illegally dumped toxic wastes into the ocean. Here is the commendation by the Senate of the Philippines.
12.Patience and Tolerance: Despite racial discrimination on board ships, Filipino seafarers continue to work with patience and tolerance.
13.Sacrifice their life: In the SS Norway explosion one of the most fatal cruise-ship accident in the United States, seven of the eight who died were Filipinos. Also the heirs of Anthony Allas, a seafarer, who died due to urinary bladder cancer were not paid any compensation by the shipping company. Even the court has ruled out the compensation.
14.Women: Women Filipino seafarers work mostly as waitresses in cruise vessel and they get as low as $50 a month. They augment their meager salaries with tips given by passengers. Shipping companies prefer to employ more female than male waiters.

Posts in MarineBuzz on this day a year before.

10 ways to burn calories at home

Here are the top 10 household chores for burning calories, as featured in Umagang Kay Ganda. Estimates were based on a 150-pound person and 30 minutes of activity:

1. Moving furniture: 225 calories

2. Scrubbing floors: 189 calories

3. Raking leaves: 171 calories

4. Gardening: 162 calories

5. Mowing the lawn: 162 calories

6. Washing the car: 153 calories

7. Cleaning windows: 153 calories

8. Vacuuming: 84 calories

9. Washing dishes: 76 calories

10: Doing laundry: 72 calories

A good workout, of course, should be accompanied by proper nutrition.

source: abs-cbn news

BAD MANAGERS ARE BAD FOR THE HEART

Bad managers have a lot to answer for, with poor leadership increasing the risk of heart disease among employees, new research indicates.

A team of Swedish researchers tracked the health of over 3,000 employed men aged between 19 and 70. The men’s heart health was checked regularly and their occupational health records were then matched with national registry data on hospital admissions and death from ischaemic heart disease.

All of the participants were also asked to rate the leadership style of their senior managers. Good leadership skills included consideration for individuals, the clear setting of goals for staff, good communication and feedback, successfully managing change and delegating properly.

The staff were monitored for almost 10 years and during that time, there were 74 cases of fatal and non-fatal heart attack, acute angina or death from ischaemic heart disease.

The study found that the more competent staff ranked their senior managers to be, the lower the risk of a serious heart problem or death among lower ranking employees. However the reverse was also true, with the link between poor leadership and the risk of serious heart disease strengthening the longer an employee worked for the same company.

“This suggests that the effect of leadership could be cumulative,” the researchers said.

The results stood irrespective of educational attainment, social class, income, workload, lifestyle factors such as smoking and exercise, and other risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

The researchers said that if a direct cause and effect is confirmed, then the behaviour of managers should be targeted in a bid to stave off serious heart disease among less senior employees.

“One could speculate that a present and active manager providing structure, information and support, counteracts destructive processes in work groups, thereby promoting regenerative rather than stress-related physiological processes in employees,” they added.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

(For more information on heart disease, see… http://www.heart.ie)

(by Deborah Condon - www.irishhealth.com)