JUST ONE WISH

A man was walking along a California beach and stumbled across an old lamp, He picked it up and rubbed it and out popped a genie. The genie said, "OK, You released me from the lamp, blah blah blah; this is the fourth time this month and I'm getting a little sick of these wishes so you can forget about three. . . You only get one wish!" The man sat, and thought about it for a while and said, "I've always wanted to go to Hawaii, but I'm scared to fly and I get very seasick; could you build me a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over there to visit?
"The genie laughed and said, "That's impossible!!! Think of the LOGISTICS of that! How would the supports ever reach the bottom of the Pacific? Think of how much concrete -- how much steel!! No, think of another wish; "The man said "OK, I will try to think of a really good wish".
Finally, he said, "I've been married and divorced four times, my wives always said that I don't care and that I'm insensitive; So, I wish that I could understand women, know how they feel inside and what they're thinking when they give me the silent treatment, know why they're crying, know what they really want when they say "nothing," know how to make them truly happy. "The genie said, "Do you want that bridge to be two lanes or four? "

Logistics: as a profession

Logistics: The Profession - As a business professional with a vested career interest in the field of logistics, you are a part of a highly dynamic profession: current global developments and technological innovations are impacting logistics today as never before. While the logistics function's contributions to a firm's competitive strength have often been "invisible" in the past, many factors have coalesced to heighten its importance and visibility in the early years and beyond.

Aussie student finds universe's 'missing mass'

A 22-year-old Australian university student named Amelia Fraser-McKelvie has solved a problem which has puzzled astrophysicists for decades, discovering part of the so-called "missing mass" of the universe during her summer break locating the mystery material within vast structures called "filaments of galaxies".
Monash astrophysicist Dr Kevin Pimbblet explained that scientists had previously detected matter that was present in the early history of the universe but that could not now be located.
According to Pimblet that there is a missing mass, ordinary mass not dark mass and it is missing to the present day however, now they do know where it went because that's what Amelia found.
Fraser-McKelvie, an aerospace engineering and science student, was able to confirm after a targeted X-ray search for the mystery mass that it had moved to the "filaments of galaxies", which stretch across enormous expanses of space.
Pimbblet's earlier work had suggested the filaments as a possible location for the "missing" matter, thought to be low in density but high in temperature and Pimbblet further explained that astrophysicists had known about the "missing" mass for the past two decades, but the technology needed to pinpoint its location had only become available in recent years.
He said the discovery could drive the construction of new telescopes designed to specifically study the mass and though the discovery was primarily academic, he stressed that previous physics research had led to the development of diverse other technologies.
"Whenever I speak to people who have influence, politicians and so on, they sometimes ask me 'Why should I invest in physics pure research?'. And I sometimes say to them: 'Do you use a mobile phone? Some of that technology came about by black hole research'.
"The pure research has knock-on effects to the whole society which are sometimes difficult to anticipate." - Yahoo

After reading our group report... I had a moment.... took a deep breath .... and said to my self " sayang kung nabasa ko lang ito noon pa mayaman na sana ako :- ) "

Enjoy reading it, and keep incorporating it into our daily lives ...

SMC buys Cebu shipyard property for P596M

A UNIT of diversifying conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has acquired parcels of land at the biggest shipyard in the Visayas area.

Keppel Philippines Holdings Inc. said it had sold its 72-percent stake in Keppel Cebu Shipyard Land Inc. (KCSLI) to SMC Shipping and Lighterage Corp.

The shares in KCSLI, held by Keppel Holdings’ unit Goodsoil Marine Realty Inc., will be sold for a total of P596.2 million.

SMC Shipping is the cargo handling, warehousing and shipping service provider to the San Miguel group. The company said the acquisition was meant to “expand its business interests,” but did not elaborate.

The SMC group, led by chair Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. and run by president Ramon S. Ang, has been diversifying into heavy industries such as power generation and infrastructure to add to its growth drivers as revenues from traditional sources plateau.

source: http://business.inquirer.net/2681/smc-buys-cebu-shipyard-property-for-p596m

Coal ship remains aground on Mindanao reef

The cargo ship that ploughed through the Bakud Reef off Kiamba town on May 15 remained stuck in the protected reef as of Friday and it would still take some time before it is removed, the Coast Guard said in a report.

The Coast Guard said the Malaysian towing company contracted to remove the vessel has decided to unload some 8,000 tons of the coal cargo before re-floating it. But the process according to the Coast Guard has been slow as only 1,600 tons have so far been transferred to a barge.

The MV Double Prosperity was carrying 66,000 tons of coal from Australia to India when it ran aground on the reef.

Angel Zapatos, provincial legal officer, said late last week that four coral and fish experts from the University of the Philippines’ marine science department conducted an investigation to determine the extent of damage to the reef and marine life.

Zapatos said a special board will conduct a marine inquiry to determine why the international cargo ship deviated from its route and ploughed through the coral reef.

Sanrangani Governor Miguel Dominguez had said earlier he believed the ship’s crew – mostly Filipinos – had left the vessel on autopilot while they watched the Pacquiao-Mosley fight.

source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/2512/coal-ship-remains-aground-on-mindanao-reef

Smoking ban in Manila public places starts May 30

Officers from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), together with the 17 local government units (LGU) of Metro Manila, will prohibit lighting up in bus terminals, waiting sheds, schools, hospitals, recreational places and inside public utility vehicles starting May 30 as part of a joint campaign to protect Filipinos from secondhand smoke.

MMDA's "environmental enforcers" will issue warnings to those who will be caught violating the provisions of Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 for the month of June.

source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/05/27/11/smoking-banned-manila-public-places-starting-may-30

Crew Welfare Onboard is important

Despite major improvements in technology, maritime accidents and

disasters continue to occur with monotonous regularity, leading to

recognition of the need to care for the ‘Human Element’, a concept endorsed by the International Maritime Organisation.Whilst the need for profitable shipping is fully acknowledged, this profitability

should not take its toll from the human beings on board.

Without a happy and fit crew, existing in decent working and living conditions, the shipping industry will be unable to meet its requirement for safer ships operating in clean waters.

The Power of expenses

Expenses can be an asset or liability, regardless of how much money you make. One of the reasons why 90% of people only have 10% of money is because they dont know how to spend the money they make. A rich person can take trash and turn into cash. The rest of the people take cash and turn it to trash. The reason the poor, the middle class go broke is because they lose control of their expenses to make them poor. The rich continue to expand limit. A person is limited only to his or her reality of what is possible financially. Nothing changes until that person’s reality changes. And a person’s financial reality will not change until he or she is willing to go beyond the fears and doubts of his or her own self-imposed limits.

Biggest European Ports jammed, expanding terminal capacity

The biggest ports of Europe are not big enough to house the growing container vessel imports from Asia. So to cope up with the ‘space crunch’, many ports are raising their terminal capacity.

Serious congestion issues are troubling the biggest European ports due to their failure to expand fast enough to accommodate burgeoning imports of container vessels from Asia.

Industry officials are of the view that the only solution for growing chaos at ports is to upgrade the terminal capacity to handle the growing imports of manufactured goods from China. However, the expansion work is not going fast enough to match pace with the trade flow.

The data from CLECAT (a European association for transport, logistic, and customs services) reveals that container shipping is projected to rise 7.8% annually during the period spanning from 2005 to 2011, while the port capacity of Europe is anticipated to hike by just 4.2%.

Due to high congestion, port of Rotterdam (largest in Europe), Hamburg in Germany (second largest port in Europe) and Southampton and Felixstowe, Britain, had to return container vessels in 2007, said industry officials, according to news reported by Cargonewsasia on June 15, 2007.

Somalian Pirates

At last, a global effort to fight piracy attacks in Somalia! A conference, attended by diplomats and shipping industry officials, was held recently in Dubai regarding the worsening crisis in Somalian waters. For years, seamen, shipowners and various governments have feared the pirates of Somalia. The conference seeks the prosecution and imprisonment of suspected pirates and financiers of such activities. Warships from the United States and other European and Asian nations now patrol the Somalian seas, particularly along shipping lanes leading to the Gulf of Alden. Furthermore, a trust fund was created by the United Nations aimed at fighting piracy and provide finacial support to Somalia to build its economy and create a stronger security forces to deter pirate attacks.

Making Information Work

Being involved in managing information and its processes is an important role, but the data needs to be sorted, analyze and understood properly for it to be used optimally.

3 Must-Dos When Investing in a Friend's Venture

A friend with a great business idea can be a blessing or a curse. Making an investment can yield great things for both sides, but, going into business with a friend can also be tricky territory. Here are three things you should do before you write the check:
1.Set clear boundaries. Don't skimp on up-front agreements because you trust each other. Remember this is a financial transaction, not a friend charity fund.
2.Establish rules of engagement. As the venture moves from idea to execution, make sure there is a sound business plan in place and you discuss plans for action.
3.Accurately assess your partners. Going in on a venture together is a lot like dating. Don't be fooled by love at first sight. Do a SWOT analysis on your partners so you understand what you are getting into before it's too late.


Source: "My First, Failed Foray into Venture Investing" by Whitney Johnson.

Cool mobile logistics tool

ABF, a provider of customizable supply chain solutions, has launched a new mobile logistics tool for iPhone called ABF Mobile. The new tool is available as a free download on the iPhone App Store. Using ABF Mobile, ABF customers can track, get rates, find locations, and schedule a pickup using their mobile devices. This new tool enable customers to better manage their supply chains.

(www.logisticstechnology.logistics-business-review.com/news/abf-launches-new-mobile-logistics-application-for-iphone-130511)

Treat Your Boss and Colleagues as Clients

When you communicate with a client, you likely have on your "game face" and project a high degree of professionalism. Do you do the same with internal colleagues? Whether you are talking with your assistant, your boss, or the CEO of a client, it pays to be thoughtful and articulate every time. When you ask a question, make sure it's a smart one. When you present an analysis, spend a few minutes thinking ahead about your key message, supporting details, and follow-up or action items. This shows your team that you have respect for them, and allows you to continually practice so you're ready for the real thing. It also shows those paying attention that you are smart, competent, and client ready.

Source: from "Your Boss is Your Client (& Your Colleagues Are Too)" by Jodi Glickman

Egyptian Pyramids found by Infra-Red Satellite Images

Seventeen lost pyramids are among the buildings identified in a new satellite survey of Egypt and which more than 1,000 tombs and 3,000 ancient settlements were also revealed by looking at infra-red images which show up underground buildings. Initial excavations have already confirmed some of the findings including of two suspected pyramids through the analyzation of the images from satellites orbiting 700km above the earth, equipped with cameras so powerful they can pin-point objects less than 1m in diameter on the earth's surface. In the BBC documentary Egypt's Lost Cities, they visit an area of Saqqara (Sakkara) where the authorities were not initially interested in her findings, however,after being told by Dr Parcak that she had seen two potential pyramids, they made test excavations and they now believe it is one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt. Recently, they'd excavated a 3,000 year old house that the satellite imagery had shown and the outline of the structure matched the satellite imagery almost perfectly which really validation the technology. The Egyptian authorities plan to use the technology to help protect the country's antiquities in the future and also hopes that the new technology will help engage young people in science and will be a major help for archaeologists around the world. -BBC News

Signs You're Doing Business With The Wrong Bank

1. When you make a deposit, tellers high-five each other.

2. Your monthly statements are handwritten, in crayon.

3. When you want to make a withdrawal, clerks suddenly don't speak English.

4. Your safety deposit box is a Dunkin' Donuts carton wrapped in tin foil.

5. All cash deposits go directly into teller's pants.

6. Toll-free customer service line is: 1-800-GET-HOSED.

Epiphany

After reading the report on Introduction and History of Logistics and Supply Chain Management, I had an epiphany about my own understanding of Philippine history.  Our country became known in the western map because of the logistical prowess of a Portuguese, who was performing logistical organization for the Spaniards.  

The narrative by Pigafetta satisfies each of the descriptions of the key components of SCM, that is, raw material, component, manufacturer, retailer, consumer. 

Need I even mention the Acapulco trade? 

Edu del Agua

Anger

If you're one of those people who tends to bottle things up, only to explode ... don't hold it in so long. Studies show that bursts of anger here and there are good for the health, and can be an even more effective coping mechanism than becoming afraid, irritated or disgusted. Anger, however, is best in moderation. stay angry for long periods of time and you'll be plagued with a host of health issues, like blood pressure, sleep disorders and lung damage.

When Others Fail, Just Empathize

When people fail at work, your instinct may be to go into problem-solving mode. You search out reasons for the failure, try to figure out how to avoid it in the future, and draw out the lessons to be learned. But when people who have failed are in the depths of despair, they need empathy more than your rationalizations and encouragements about the future. A concerned response is not only compassionate but productive. Empathy communicates trust, and people perform best when they feel trusted. Next time one of your people falls short, listen. Don't interrupt, don't offer advice, don't say that it will be all right. Just reflect back what you hear them say. There will be time to solve the problem later.

Source: "The Right Way to Respond to Failure" by Peter Bregman

Rules in Basic Investing

Basic Investing

Basic rule number one – Is to always know what kind of income you are working for.

1. Earned Income: Income generally derived from a job of some form of labour. In most common form a paycheck. It is also the highest taxed income.
2. Portfolio Income: income generally derived from paper asset such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. Portfolio income is by far the most popular form of investment income, simply because paper asset are so much easier to manage and maintain than any other others.
3. Passive income: income generally derived from patents of license agreements. Yet approximately 80% of the time, passive income is from real estate.

Basic rule number two – is to convert earned income into portfolio income or passive income as efficiently as possible. Risk is always a part of investing, as it is with real life. People who are too negative and avoid risk back themselves out of the most opportunities because of their negativity and fear of risk.

Basic rule number three – is to keep your earned income secure by purchasing a security you HOPE to convert your earned income into passive income or portfolio income.

A security can be an asset or liabilities. When it is earning security is called an asset when it is not earning it is called liabilities.

Money is only a medium of exchange. In reality, money by it self has very little value. So as soon as you have money, you want to exchange it for something of value. The irony is that for many people who cling desperately to money, the money they spend for thing of very little value.. and some time turn their cash into trash.

The plan

1. to be secure
2. to be comfortable
3. to be rich

If you want to be rich you must invest first in something more valuable than money, This are time and education. These are more important than money.

Most people were saying “I don’t want to make a mistake” In the world of academic, people who made mistakes were considered stupid. In rich people’s world, mistake, risk and failure as an integral part of human development. So instead of avoiding risk and mistake, learn to manage risk and mistakes. A mistake is a simple lesson with emotion attached to it. 

VIP treatment in Muntinlupa

Special treatment for VIP's and other inequalities have been in practice in state penitentiaries for a long time, one Roman catholic priest said...
"There's a culture of impunity where if one is rich, influential and powerful, one can get away from detention, such as what has happened to ex-Batangas Gov. Antonio Leviste and former Zamboangadel Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos". When you go to prison there is no equal treatment; there's VIP treatment as Bishop Pedro Arigo said over the Church-owned radio veritas.

Source: Philippine daily inquirer, may 21, saturday issue..

The Special Value of Logistics

Customers judge the value of merchandise not only by quality, but also by
availability. Logistics can increase this value. Suppliers or distributors, for
instance, can offer the customer increased added value by taking over logistics
activities like free delivery. Such performance-oriented concepts improve
customer satisfaction and create competitive edges.

Source: http://www.dhl-discoverlogistics.com/cms/en/course/origin/characteristics/value.jsp

Reproductive Health Bill...YES or NO?

The Reproductive Health bill, popularly known as the RH bill, is a Philippine bill aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care. The bill has become the center of a contentious national debate. There are presently two bills with the same goals: House Bill No. 96 or the Reproductive Health Act and Population and Development Act of 2010 introduced by Albay 1st district representative Edcel Lagman, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or the Reproductive Health Act introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.
While there is general agreement about its provisions on maternal and child health, there is great debate on its key proposal that the Filipino taxpayer and the private sector will fund and undertake widespread distribution of family planning devices such as birth control pills (BCPs) and IUDs, as the government continues to disseminate information on their use through all health care centers. Private companies and the public and private elementary and secondary school system will be required to participate in this information and product dissemination as a way of controlling the population of the Philippines.[1]
The bill is highly controversial, with experts, academics, religious institutions, and major political figures both supporting and opposing it, often criticizing the government and each other in the process. The issue is so divisive that at one point, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines threatened to excommunicate the President, Benigno Aquino III if he supported the bill.

Minimizing Transporation Cost

Transporation involves the movement of goods and raw materials. This includes shipment of raw materials to the manufacturer and movement of finished product to the customer. Transportation also includes the movements of parts to assembly areas as they are assembled. The easiest to minimize transportation cost is to eliminate unnecessary transportation. You can do this by finding closer suppliers. You can reduce transportation cost by consolidation shipment, buying partially assembled products from vendors and and reducing the number of trips needed to ship in raw materials. Having work stations within the factory close to each other minimize material transportation, which is a non-value added labor cost. Consolidating transporation service providers increases the volume each transportation firm provides and can allow for a negotiated volume discount.

source: www.ehow.com/about_651500_transportatiion-logistics_.html

ABC Good Guide to Seafarer

Accident Prevention

Create and maintain a safe working environment and promote safe behaviour through a programme of proactive accident prevention by identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing necessary preventive measures, before accidents and ill-health arise.

Benefits

Provide advice to seafarers and their families on the benifits that are available to them particularly with regards to medical care, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, old-age benefits, employment injury benefits, family benefits, maternity benefits, invalidity benefits and survivor's benefits.

Company Culture

Develop a company culture by building trust through a policy of openness, good communication and empowerment such that the employee and his/her family feel valued and involved as part of the Company.

5 anti stress tips

1. Develop better time management skills: Learn to prioritise work and do the most important things first

2. Take more breaks: Working through lunch makes you less effective in the afternoons, meaning you will achieve less overall

3. Listen more: The answers are always there in front of you, you just need to listen for them instead of arguing your point

4. Get more sleep: A well rested body makes it easier to put proper perspective on your problems

5. Laugh more: Laughter is nature’s stress reliever. A bit of office banter can actually create a better workplace

source: http://www.logisticshandling.com/absolutenm/templates/article-critical.aspx?articleid=561&zoneid=22

Being a Logistics Manager

In business, logistics is the coordination of all of the entities in a supply chain. A good logistics manager is responsible for overseeing all of the activities that relate to logistics for the company. He must have the skills to train, supervise, and evaluate workers and be able to keep track and ensure that all deliveries arrive on schedule and keep the costs of operation as low as possible. He must also have good oral and written communication skills, leadership traits, organization, and time-management skills
(source:www.ehow.com/facts_5728610_job-description-logistics-manager.html)

Modernizing the Philippine Navy

The Philippine Government recently purchased from the United States a Weather High Endurance Cutter (WHEC) vessel which was turned over to the Philippine Navy last May 13, 2011 in Alameda, California. The maiden crew of the WHEC are in the Alameda US Coast Guard facility undergoing familiarization training onboard the vessel. They will sail her across the Pacific for the Philippines on August this year. The vessel will be the largest in the inventory of the Philippine Navy and will be deployed to patrol Philippine territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone. The Cutter is armed with a 76mm gun mount controlled by an MK92 Fire Control System and was designed to undertake long range search and rescue operations, oceanographic research and law enforcement - defense operations. This form part of the series of acquisitions to modernize the current capabilities and assets of the Philippine Navy.

Stop the Shouting Matches

You don't have to raise your voice to appear to be yelling. There are many ways to inaudibly be aggressive: sending nasty emails, enlisting others to exert pressure, and escalating disputes to your boss, to name a few. Yelling, even when done quietly, betrays your frustration and anger, and certainly doesn't encourage real understanding or acceptance of your message. If you find yourself in a silent shouting match, restart and reframe the discussion. Take a step back and ask the other party to as well. Work backwards by asking questions like: What are our shared goals? What do we want to accomplish? From this defused spot, you have a much better chance of
making progress.

Source: "Turn Down the Volume on Yelling!" by Ron Ashkenas

Makeover Your All Staff Meeting

When executives want to communicate important messages or engage employees, they hold town hall or all hands meetings. Gathering everyone together is meant to convey the importance of the topic and get the biggest bang for your communication buck. Yet, employees often rank these meetings as some of the least effective. Don't give up on bringing everyone together. Instead, give your all staff meeting a makeover. Make your message resonate by explaining what's in it for everyone. Forego the PowerPoint presentation in lieu of a more personal communication; make the conversation two-way and engage your people in a discussion; and lastly, don't hog the stage. Even charismatic leaders can sound like broken records. Staff often want to hear from others in leadership for a fresh perspective.

Source: "The Perils of the All-Employee Meeting" by Amy Jen Su and
Muriel Maignan Wilkins.

OOCL and NYK Finalize Charter Agreement for Four 13,000 TEU Vessels

May 12, 2011
NYK and OOCL are pleased to announce that they have entered into an agreement for the charter of four 13,000 TEU ships.

OOCL has exercised its option to order an additional four 13,000 TEU ships on top of the original order of six.

Out of the ten ships, four will be chartered to NYK for a period of three years. The first charter ship will be delivered to NYK in 2013.

Both parties intend to deploy these ten ships within the Grand Alliance service network to allow for a service upgrade.

About NYK;
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha is one of the world's leading transportation companies; NYK is based in Tokyo and has regional headquarters in London, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, and Sao Paulo, at the end of March 2010, the NYK Group was operating 803 major ocean vessels, as well as fleets of planes, trains, and trucks.

The company's shipping fleet includes 142 containerships, 321 bulk carriers, 57 woodchip carriers, 115 car carriers, 85 tankers, 30 LNG carriers, three cruise ships, and 50 other ships.

About OOCL;
Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed Orient Overseas (International) Ltd., Headquartered in Hong Kong, OOCL is one of the world's largest integrated international container transportation and logistics companies, with more than 270 offices in 60 countries.

OOCL is one of the leading international carriers serving China, providing a full range of logistics and transportation services throughout the country; It is also an industry leader in the use of information technology and e-commerce to manage the entire cargo process.

Filipino sailor dead in ship attacked by pirates

The Philippines says a Filipino seafarer has been found dead on a ship that was attacked by pirates at anchor in the West African nation of Benin.

The Philippine foreign affairs department said it's not clear how Christopher Cortez Ceprado died and if the pirates were responsible.

He was found dead Friday, four days after armed pirates robbed the chemical tanker MT Sea King and its 17 Filipino crewmen in the port of Benin's main city, Cotonou. The other crewmen were not harmed.

The department said Tuesday the Philippine embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, was coordinating with Benin authorities in investigating his death and repatriating his remains.

Filipino sailors make up a third of the world's 1.2 million merchant seafarers.

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/filipino-sailor-dead-ship-attacked-pirates

TACTICS, STRATEGY & LOGISTICS

There is an old saying at West Point: ’beginners study tactics, amateurs study strategy, but only the best study logistics’. Logistics being the formal study of how one achieves a goal.

Clausewitz vs. Sun Tzu