Wavelength #41

W

Year 2010, Volume 5, Issue

41

avelength The CENTROFIN Newsletter

Bean counters should add in value of professional pride

01 October 2010 - by Michael Grey Standards have slipped in the shipping market, but there are still a few old stalwarts who take pride in their profession THE shipping industry has always been peopled by a broad range of standards, in both human and equipment terms. Like a triangle sitting on its base, the apex has been populated by the few real 'Rolls-Royce' operators, the fat base crowded with the 'bottom feeders', who will do no more than they have to in terms of standards.

The area between these extremes is filled with those on the way up, those descending from their proud heights, and those who will be compliant, but not willingly so.

It is also a sad fact that the specifications for real excellence alter over time, and usually downward, as the bean counters who have gravitated from the basement to the boardroom over the last generation or so define what they consider to be the ultimate as what they are prepared to afford.

Just as school standards have been dumped down by the powers that be, there is a lot of what is proudly described as cutting edge that would be regarded as pretty mediocre by those who were brought up in another world.

Before you mentally dismiss this as just another bad tempered rant from Mr Grumpy, let me smoothly note that there is an awful lot that is a great deal improved within the industry.

cont'd on pg 2

Three mast clipper 'James Craig'

In this issue pg 2

Seafarers deserve more respect pg 4

How to avert a global water crisis

Tall Ships - Seamanship - Poetry A tall ship is a large, traditionallyrigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques.

Traditional rigging may include square rigs and gaff rigs, with separate topmasts and topsails.

It is generally more complex than modern rigging, which utilizes newer materials such as aluminum and steel to construct taller, lightweight masts with fewer, more versatile sails. Most smaller, modern vessels use the Bermuda rig. Though it did not become popular elsewhere until the twentieth century, this rig was developed in Bermuda in the seventeenth century, and had historically been used on its small ships, the Bermuda sloops.

such ships were the norm.

The term's popularity may have stemmed from its use in a wellknown nautical poem by English Poet Laureate John Masefield entitled Sea Fever, first published in 1900.

pg 6

John Masefield

While Sail Training International (STI) has extended the definition of tall ship for the purpose of its races to embrace any sailing vessel with more than 30ft (9.14m) waterline length and on which at least half the people on board are aged 15 to 25, this definition can include many modern sailing yachts.

pg 8 - 9

Safety First! pg 10

A world without mosquitoes

Replica of 'Argo' - Corinth Canal

The term tall ship came into widespread use in the mid-20th century with the advent of The Tall Ships' Races, and was not generally used in the era when

Sea Fever I MUST go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking, And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep on andpg a sweet cont'd 11 dream when the long trick's over.

TO THE MASTER: Please circulate copies of this Bulletin to the CREW.

To reach our Seafarers

pg 12

Piracy pg 14

Titanic

from pg 1

Bean counters should add in value of professional pride I always recall the howls of rage in the tanker fraternity during the 1980s when the then chairman of the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, Gerhard Kurz of Mobil, declared only about one-third of all the tankers at sea were fit to charter.

This was reflected in the number of accidents, and the amount of oil that ended up in the sea.

He was dead right.

If you refer back to my triangle of standards once again, and at risk of making a lot of industry people very angry, I would suggest that, circa 2010, almost all the shipping companies at its apex are tanker operators, who have redefined that word 'excellence' but in the right direction.

Seafarers deserve more respect 06 October 2010 Shipping is woefully blasé in its attitude to human resources

ONE story Lloyd's List reported yesterday showed that most seafarers are still seeing salary increases, even in a year when shipowners are experiencing deflation in overall operating costs.

In another article, we revealed that the UK is one of the many maritime nations that are still dillydallying over Maritime Labour Convention ratification, four years after the measure was carried.

The contradiction highlights the continued ambiguity over the professional standing of officers and ratings in the modern world. All of these men and women are, at the very least, hardworking and often possess specific skills that are in short supply.

Yet making sure that they are able to enjoy the minimally decent terms and conditions the convention sets down obviously does not rank highly in the priorities of many flag states.

Then throw into the mix a third piece in Wednesday's edition. Luneta Park in Manila is still serving as a vast open-air informal recruitment agency.

In other words, command of vessels worth tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars is being entrusted to people out for a Sunday stroll, providing they can produce the right papers, or at the very least a passable facsimile thereof.

The proof of the pudding is the reduction in accidents of all kinds, with tankers being run by what my old hero Richard Cahill used to describe as “a superior kind of seaman”.

The really good thing is that the real bench markers in this sector, who others look up to, are to be found in both oil company and independent fleets, managed and self managed.

You might suggest it is ever tighter regulations, the application of key performance indicators and a lot of self-policing within the sector from charterers and OCIMF with its Ship Inspection Report system, that have made tanker owners soar into the stratosphere, leaving other sectors stranded on the mud-banks of Try to keep that last one a secret from the US homeland security establishment, please.

We do not need the inevitable coronary infractions, or the inevitable subsequent regulatory backlash, on our consciences.

All of this would almost be endearing were the potential implications not so serious. It is difficult to think of any other industry that is quite so blasé in its attitude to human resources.

There is nothing approaching a coherent plan to train the quality personnel that will be necessary to crew an expanding world fleet. The prevalent assumption is that the requisite people will always be there to poach. Sure, our luck has held out so far, but might it be wiser not to leave these matters entirely to chance?

The short message is that seafarers deserve more respect than they are currently getting, and if they do not get it soon, large numbers of ships could suddenly fall idle.

Article from Lloyd's List http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/sector/regulation/ article346576.ece

mediocrity. You would be right, of course, but only partly so.

What the market leaders have grasped is something that was understood a long time ago, and that is the influence of ethos in a shipping company. In the grim days of the brown envelopes, when the shipping industry was remorselessly down-shifting and scouring the world for the cheap and shoddy, there was damn-all to be proud of in an industry where most shipping companies now believed second best was perfectly good enough.

Why on earth would you have any professional pride in working for a company that grudged you your job in the first place, and was constantly looking to replace you with someone cheaper?

Why would you go that extra mile for people who never appreciated it, and wanted more?

Why would you work any harder for a company that spent all its time shaving away the standards, to the lowest common denominator, in the ship, its scantlings, its maintenance and the number of crew it considered adequate to operate it, to its mean and half-starved level of bare acceptability?

I can still remember, as if it was yesterday, the roar, accompanied by a lot of bad language, of the mate, as he came to inspect some work we apprentices had undertaken, and which failed to come up to his exacting standards.

It was all part of the process of making us into professionals who had pride in our work, in our ship and the way we did things in that fine old company.

I dare say there are people who were brought up in companies like that, who have hung on to their beliefs in real professionalism, and now as chief executives of tanker companies, and some international ship managers, and the leaders in the cruise sector, are at last able to make a difference and impose their RollsRoyce standards on the companies they command.

All power to their beefy elbows, because they will still have to cope with the bean counters, who do not really understand anything that is not on a spreadsheet, and will niggle away about budgets and costs, and why if company X is getting away with Y, should we not be doing the same?

They have to battle the mindset of a 21st century inculcated by accountancy and management consultancy, and above all, they are in mortal combat with a world that thinks shipping should be cheap. Let's hope our team wins.

Article from Lloyd's List http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/sector/shipoperations/article346250.ece © 2010 Informa plc. All rights Reserved.

Lloyd's is the registered trademark of the Society incorporated by the Lloyd's Act 1871 by the name of Lloyd's

- pg 3 Albatross chicks fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents on Midway Atoll in polluted North Pacific Ocean

Sea-birds work hard to ensure survival (Environment) From: The Australian, By Paige Taylor, August 16, 2010

(Environment - Clean Seas) From: The Daily Telegraph (AUS) / October 22, 2009 The photograph of albatross chicks was made this month on Midway Atoll, a tiny stretch of sand and coral in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the way between Honolulu and Tokyo.

The nesting babies are fed bellies-full of plastic by their parents, who soar out over the vast polluted ocean collecting what looks to them like food to bring back to their young.

On this diet of human rubbish, every year tens of thousands of albatross chicks die on Midway Atoll from starvation, toxicity, and choking, said photographer Chris Jordan.

Midway Atoll, which is territory of the US, provides habitat for millions of seabirds. It is estimated to be home to 67-70 per cent of the world's Laysan Albatross population and 34-39 per cent of the global black-footed albatross.

In common with all the Hawaiian Islands, Midway Atoll receives substantial amounts of debris from what is term the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which was first documented extensively about 12 years ago.

This is a large-scale system of rotating ocean currents containing litter twice the size of Texas - the second largest state in the US with a width of 1244km and a length of 1270km.

(Janos Hennicke, pictured last week, is studying the plight of seabird life on Christmas Island. Picture: Colin Murty Source: The Australian) A Long-Term study of some of the Indian Ocean's most iconic seabirds has uncovered alarming findings.

There were 10,000 breeding pairs of red-footed booby birds on the tiny Australian territory of Christmas Island in 1989, but numbers appeared to have plummeted this year. In the past month, a survey team from Hamburg University has found just 24 nests in a coastal strip of jungle where there were 212 last year.

In previous years, there have been up to 250 nests.

The currents draw in waste material from across the North Pacific Ocean, including the coastal waters off North America and Japan. It takes about five years for the current to draw the waste in from North America.

Despite its size and density, the patch is not visible from satellite photography because it consists of very, very small pieces, almost invisible to the naked eye and most of its contents are suspended beneath the surface of the ocean.

The scientific community has known for years about the plight of the Christmas Island frigate birds, large black pterodactyl-like pirates that harass other birds into giving up their catch. And seabird ecologists, such as Janos Hennicke, are keenly aware of the endangered status of the island's abbott's booby, the heavy, awkward hunter that risks death daily by nesting precariously above a jungle floor alive with giant, agile and carnivorous robber crabs.

The rubbish - 90 per cent plastic - accumulates on the beaches of Midway Atoll.

But when Dr Hennicke, and his team, looked to the supposedly prolific redfoot species of booby bird on the island to try to discover some secrets of its success, he found it wasn't thriving at all. Tiny loggers wrapped in condoms and attached to the tails of the red foots showed that, in 2007, nesting birds fished for one day at a time.

Of the 1.5 million Laysan Albatrosses which inhabit Midway, nearly all are found to have plastic in their stomachs. Approximately one-third of the chicks die from ingestion of this plastic.

"To document this phenomenon as faithfully as possible, not a single piece of plastic in any of these photographs was moved, placed, manipulated, arranged, or altered in any way," Mr Jordan said. “The image depicts the actual stomach contents of baby birds in one of the world's most remote marine sanctuaries, more than 2000 miles (3200km) from the nearest continent."

This year, Dr Hennicke and his two assistants have learned that the birds' fishing expeditions in the seas off Christmas Island now last for two days each. "They are working twice as hard to catch the same amount of food for themselves and their chicks," Dr Hennicke said. Dr Hennicke began climbing the tall rainforest trees of Christmas Island in 2004 as part of the Christmas Island Seabird Project, which is ongoing.

On twice-annual trips, he has monitored nine species in the seabird community which he has discovered hunt as far away as Java in some cases.

"What we see is that the reproductive success for all the species at the moment is very low, and we are trying to find out why that is.�

Heavy rain has destroyed many nests this year, he said.

But he said there were also questions about whether rising sea surface temperatures were taking a toll.

Dr Hennicke began working on the seabird project from the University of Hamburg to create a scientific foundation for the conservation of Christmas Island's seabirds.

How to avert a global water crisis Published online 4 October 2010 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2010.490 (Nature - Water Management)

A dearth of data on water resources is holding up improved management practices.

By Natasha Gilbert

Colin Chartres.

International Water Management Institute If current trends continue, global annual water usage is set to increase by more than 2 trillion cubic metres by 2030, rising to 6.9 trillion cubic metres: 40% more than can be provided by available water supplies. Without immediate action to improve the monitoring and management of existing water resources, and in particular to reform water use in agriculture, the world will face a water crisis.

But researchers at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Battaramulla, Sri Lanka, have come up with plan for averting disaster1. Nature asked Colin Chartres, director of the IWMI and a co-author of the plan, how to avoid running out of water.

What is causing the crisis?

So what is the hold up?

Agriculture is the biggest user of fresh water, making up 70–90% of the annual water demand for many countries. This will have to change, because global food production is going to have to double over the next 40 years to meet the needs of a growing population.

Farmers will have to increase production without using any more water than they do today. If all the water in a river is used by agriculture and industry, leaving nothing for the aquatic environment, fish and plants won't be able to survive, and the river will die.

We need better data on how much water there actually is, and how demand and supply are changing. Only with those data can we make sound decisions on how to manage resources, forecast flood risks and understand variations in seasonal flow. Following the privatization of water resources during the 1980s, many countries in the West now have inadequate data because the corporate water managers cut back on information gathering and monitoring to save money. In developing countries, the problem is even greater because they never had the funds to invest in monitoring.

How can we change the way we use and manage water?

But there is hope on the horizon. In 3–5 years we will be able to use remote-sensing technologies such as satellites to measure and monitor water resources.

The water-management institutions and governance models for many nations were developed when water was plentiful.

Developing countries, such as India, have traditionally used surface-irrigation systems, which use gravity to distribute water over the soil surface. But these systems are no longer adequate, and farmers are now using up groundwater supplies to irrigate their land.

Governments are not regulating groundwater extraction properly, and the water tables in many regions are declining. Governments need to introduce polices that allocate water to agriculture and industry, and that will enable them to reduce those allocations when supplies become scarce or demand from other sectors increases.

not going to do any damage to your credit card, but it will cost you. Often you can expect a flat fee for getting a cash advance and also an astronomical interest rate on top of that for the convenience.

The 10 Worst Credit Card Mistakes Moolanomy, Thursday 30 September 2010, / NAI There are plenty debates over whether or not you should use a credit card, especially if you are in debt. If you have a credit card, you want to be sure you are using it to your advantage and avoid costly mistakes. To help you avoid these mistakes, here is a list of the ten biggest credit card mistakes that people make.

1. Using your credit card like a debit card Your credit card is not your bank debit card.

Never put your credit card into an ATM. No, it's

2. Signing up for a credit card with an annual fee and not setting a reminder in your calendar It is sometimes a good idea to sign up for a new credit card to get a big sign up bonus or take advantage of a balance transfer offer.

However, if you ended up with a card that has an annual fee, be sure to set a reminder in your calendar if you are not planning to keep the card and want to avoid the fee. Far too many people pay annual fees on credit cards just because they forget to cancel the card.

3. Not properly researching foreign transactions fees Before travelling overseas, you need to realize that every credit card has different foreign currency exchange rates and international transaction fees. A typical fee is anywhere from

Can we prevent a catastrophe?

I don't think we will reach crisis point, because we will put in place technological solutions to help close the gap between supply and demand. For example, farmers in developing countries could save water by using sprinklers on the surface of fields to irrigate crops, rather than using up groundwater supplies or relying on surface irrigation, which wastes a lot of water.

Wastewater recycling also has an important role, but safe practices need to be developed.

For example, industrial and domestic discharges should be separated and the watersupply and sanitation sectors should work more closely together 0 percent to 3 percent. If you have several cards in your wallet, you should use the one that has the best foreign currency exchange rate.

4. Lending your card or card number to people This is a recipe for disaster. If you give someone your card number, they can make an exorbitant number of purchases. Protect your account by refusing to give anyone your card or card number.

5. Spending more on your card than you have in the bank Credit card debt is one of the most costly types of debt. In fact, it is the reason why so many people face huge financial problems. If you have a card, you need to be sure that you have a system in place to limit or monitor your spending. You need to know how to budget with your card, and if you don't do it well, you need to immediately address your credit card debt problems.

- pg 5 Earth from Above Why is a A collection of aerial photography produced by Yann Arthus-Bertrand "Earth From Above" is the result of the aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand's five-year airborne odyssey across six continents. It's a spectacular presentation of large scale photographs of astonishing natural landscapes. Every stunning aerial photograph tells a story about our changing planet.

Dollar called a Buck?

ETYMOLOGY: Short for buckskin (from its use in trade) http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary

Cattle, Argentina

Coal mine in South Africa

"Male deer" c.1300, earlier "male goat"; from Old English *bucca* "male goat", from Proto Germanic *bukkon* (cf. M.Dutch *boc*, Old High German. *Boc*, Old Norwegian *bokkr*), but some speculate that it is from a lost PreGermanic language. Barnhart says O.E. buc "male deer" is a "ghost word or scribal error."

Meaning "dollar" is 1856 American English, perhaps an abbreviation of buckskin, a unit of trade among Indians and Europeans in frontier days, attested in this sense from 1748. "Pass the buck" is first recorded in the literal sense in 1865.

The 'buck' is any inanimate object, usually knife or pencil, which is thrown into a jack pot and temporarily taken by the winner of the pot.

Whenever the deal reaches the holder of the 'buck', a new jack pot must be made. [J.W. Keller, "Draw Poker," 1887]

Another problem with this theory is that buckskins were always worth substantially more than one dollar.

The origin of the dollar sign, usually rendered as an "S" with two vertical lines through it, is somewhat more certain. According to Professor Florian Cajori, author of a book called "A History of Mathematical Notations," the dollar sign actually started out as an abbreviation of "Peso," the Spanish unit of currency. As explained Cecil Adams in his newspaper column "The Straight Dope," the Spanish dollar, known as the "peso de 8 reales," was used as standard currency in the U.S. until 1794, when Americans decided to get it together and commenced to mint their own money. "Pesos" was abbreviated "ps," and usually written with the letters overlapping, making a symbol which eventually evolved into the modern dollar sign.

Road Marvels of a Pre-WW II era.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term…

Fraser Island dune, Australia

6. Giving anyone other than your spouse signing rights If you get a secondary card for someone, you are liable for all the charges. If you're married, you're already liable because you own everything jointly. Otherwise, you are taking a serious risk by adding other card members.

The only possible exception might be your children, and if they do have an account you should properly monitor their spending and their credit limit.

7. Not calling to ask to reduce your APR If you currently are trying to get out of credit card debt then you should call your card issuer and ask them for a reduced rate. Just gather a few offers for lower rates you have in your mailbox and threaten to leave if they don't lower your rate. If they don't budge, move your balance elsewhere.

8. Signing up for a credit card to get a free T-shirt or a 10 percent discount on a $20 shirt There can be some very lucrative sign up bonuses. Your best bet is to only sign up for

The origin of "buck" as slang for one dollar is a perennial mystery. The only even remotely plausible theory ties "buck" to "buckskins," which were occasionally used as a form of exchange in Early America. Unfortunately, "buck" in the "dollar" sense didn't appear until around 1856, long after such barter had been replaced by standard currency. cards with really good offers. A free T-shirt and a 10 percent off are not good incentives.

9. Not properly managing your statement and payments Some people get into credit card trouble simply because they don't review their statements and they don't have a system in place for paying their bills. You need a system.

If you are not in a habit of reviewing your statement, it is quite likely that you are making some reoccurring payments you know nothing about.

10. Not taking advantage of credit card rewards I figure if you have a credit card you might as well be getting rewards. There is no such thing as the right card because the right card depends on your spending habits. Just be sure your spending is offering you something of value.

In line 7.1 liter 6 cylinder engine. unique, built in 1931.

Won the “concours d’élégance”

> Burka Bank windfarm - near Liverpool Harbour

verse. Poems composed in his official capacity were sent to The Times. Masefield's humility was shown by his inclusion of a stamped envelope with each submission so that his composition could be returned if it were found unacceptable for publication.

After his appointment, Masefield received many honours, including the Order of Merit by King George V. He was the recipient of many more honorary degrees from Universities throughout the United Kingdom, and in 1937 he was elected President of the Society of Authors.

John Masefield

(1878-1967)

Early life Masefield was born in Ledbury, in Herefordshire, to George Masefield, a solicitor and Caroline. His mother died giving birth to his sister when Masefield was only 6 and he went to live with his aunt. His father died soon after. After an unhappy education at the King's School in Warwick (now known as Warwick School), where he was a boarder between 1888 and 1891, he left to board the HMS Conway, both to train for a life at sea, and to break his addiction to reading, of which his Aunt thought little. He spent several years aboard this ship and found that he could spend much of his time reading and writing. It was aboard the Conway that Masefield's love for story-telling grew. While on the ship, he listened to the stories told about sea lore. He continued to read, and felt that he was to become a writer and story teller himself.

In 1894, Masefield boarded the Gilcruix, destined for Chile, this first voyage bringing him the experience of sea sickness and a taste of fierce weather. He recorded his experiences while sailing through the extreme weather: it was obvious from his journal entries that he delighted in viewing flying fish, porpoises, and birds, and was awed by the beauty of nature, including a rare sighting of a nocturnal rainbow on his voyage. Upon reaching Chile, Masefield suffered from sunstroke and was hospitalised.

He eventually returned home to England as a passenger aboard a steam ship.

In 1895, Masefield returned to sea on a windjammer destined for New York City.

However, the urge to become a writer and the hopelessness of life as a sailor overtook him, and in New York, he deserted ship. He lived as a vagrant for several months, before returning to New York City, he did many odd jobs where he was able to find work as an assistant to a bar keeper.

For the next two years, Masefield was employed in a carpet factory, where long hours were expected and conditions were far from ideal. He purchased up to 20 books a week, and devoured both modern and classical literature. His interests at this time were diverse and his reading included works by Du Maurier, Dumas, Thomas Browne, Hazlitt, Dickens, Kipling, and R. L. Stevenson.

Chaucer also became very important to him during this time, as well as poetry by Keats and Shelley.

When Masefield was 23, he met his future wife, Constance Crommelin, who was 35.

Educated in classics and English Literature, and a mathematics teacher, Constance was a perfect match for Masefield despite the difference in age. The couple had two children (Judith, born in 1904, and Lewis, in 1910).

By 24, Masefield's poems were being published in periodicals and his first collected works, "Salt-Water Ballads" was published.

"Sea Fever" appeared in this book. Masefield then wrote two novels, "Captain Margaret" (1908) and "Multitude and Solitude" (1909). In 1911, after a long drought of poem writing, he composed "The Everlasting Mercy".

"The Everlasting Mercy" was the first of his narrative poems, and within the next year, Masefield produced two more narrative poems, "The Widow in the Bye Street" and "Dauber".

As a result of the writing of these three poems, Masefield became widely known to the public and was praised by critics, and in 1912, the annual Edmund de Polignac prize was bestowed upon Masefield.

Masefield encouraged the continued development of English literature and poetry, and began the annual awarding of the Royal Medals for Poetry for a first or second published edition of poetry by a poet under the age of 35. Additionally, his speaking engagements were calling him further away, often on much longer tours, yet he still produced a veritable amount of work.

It was not until about the age of 70, that Masefield slowed his pace due to illness. But even then, he continued to learn new things, and took a greater interest in classical music.

In 1960, Constance died at 93, after a long illness. Masefield was constantly at Constance's side, and although her death was heartrending to him, he had spent a very tiring year watching the woman he adored die. He continued his duties faithfully as Poet Laureate, and even his other literary works continued. His last published book, "In Glad Thanksgiving", was published when he was 88 years old.

On 12 May 1967, John Masefield died, after having suffered through a spread of gangrene up his leg.

For more poems visit: www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf

Later years In 1930, due to the death of Robert Bridges, a new Poet Laureate was needed. Many felt that Rudyard Kipling was a likely choice. However, upon the recommendation of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, King George V appointed Masefield, who remained in office until his death in 1967. The only person to remain in the office for a longer period was Tennyson.

In 1932, Masefield was commissioned to write a poem to be set to music by the Master of the King's Musick, Sir Edward Elgar and performed by choir and orchestra at the unveiling of the Queen Alexandra Memorial by the King on 8 June 1932: this was the ode "So many true Princesses who have gone".

Although the requirements of Poet Laureate had changed, and those in the office were rarely required to write verse for special occasions, Masefield took his appointment seriously and produced a large quantity of

Aron Lee Ralston Born October 27, 1975 Ralston is an American mountain-climber. He received notoriety in May 2003 when while canyoneering in Utah he was forced to amputate his lower right arm with a dull knife in order to free himself after his arm became trapped by a boulder.

Personal life Ralston, a graduate of Cherry Creek High School and a mechanical engineering and French student at Carnegie Mellon University, was a member of the honour society Phi Beta Kappa.

- pg 7 -

Top 5 Tips to Build Wealth and Success (Ed. Or How to Keep your Finances in Order) Warren Buffett is worth $45 billion. That wealth isn't only a factor of savvy investing and good business — the "Oracle of Omaha" is also known as a penny pincher. Buffett still lives in the same Omaha, Neb., home he bought in 1958 for $31,500.

ousted from Apple when he was 30. Today, he's a billionaire and a legend. Plus, after getting fired, he created another billion-dollar media company, Pixar.

"Bouncing back from defeat is something all great achievers have. They have this undying belief good things will happen and will continue to happen," says Butowsky.

Follow his frugal formula, and you too may wind up with a lot more money than you ever dreamed.

This week Financially Fit covers five tips to build wealth and success.

Take Michael Jordan. "His airness" was cut from his high school basketball team. Motivated by the rejection, Jordan became a star the next season. The rest is history.

5. Buy Cheap

1. Live Below Your Means

3. Self-Promote

Being wealthy isn't just a product of your salary or investment prowess; it's learning how to save.

Regardless of the profession, the rich and successful tend to have a strong sense of self-worth — key to skilfully navigating an upward career path. Mark Hurd, who was ousted as CEO of Hewlett-Packard in August, couldn't be kept down for long. Using his business skills and connections, in September, Hurd was named president of Oracle. (Hurd and Oracle founder Larry Ellison are known to be close friends.)

John Paulson, a billionaire hedge fund manager, bought his Hamptons "dream house at a bargain basement price," according to Greg Zuckerman, author of the Paulson-based book, "The Greatest Trade Ever." The story has it that Paulson eyed the home while it was in foreclosure. Finally, on a rainsoaked day, he purchased the home on the Southampton town hall steps. He was the only bidder.

"We can make a lot of money, you can make a little bit of money, but the second you spend all the money is when people get into trouble. Saving is the key to preserving your wealth," says Ed Butowsky, managing partner of Chapwood Capital Investment Management, a firm that manages money for wealthy individuals.

As many Americans realized during the booming real estate market, just because you think you can afford something doesn't mean you should buy it. Keeping an eye on your bottom line will pay dividends over the long term.

2. Bounce Back From Defeat With nearly 15 million workers unemployed right now in the U.S., it's easy to get discouraged. Don't!

Most successful and wealthy people have overcome obstacles and failure along the way. Steve Jobs was

At Carnegie Mellon, he served as a Resident Assistant, studied abroad, and was an active intramural sports participant. He left his job as a mechanical engineer with Intel in 2002 to climb all of Colorado's "fourteeners", or peaks over 14,000 feet high during the winter season.

In August of 2009, Ralston married Jessica Trusty, and their first child, a son, was born in 2010.

Accident In 2003, while he was on a canyoneering trip in Blue John Canyon (near Moab, Utah), a boulder became dislodged, crushing his right forearm and pinning it against the canyon wall.

Ralston had not told anyone of his hiking plans and knew no one would be searching for him.

Assuming that he would die, he spent five days slowly sipping his small amount of remaining water while trying to extricate his arm. His efforts were futile, however, and he could not dislodge his arm even slightly. He eventually ran out of water and began to drink his own urine, carved his name, date of birth and presumed date of death into the sandstone canyon wall, and videotaped his last goodbyes to his family.

4. Have Street Smarts Bernie Madoff lived the high life for decades, scamming unsuspecting clients, with a moneymaking formula that proved too good to be true.

Only afterward did we learn that with a little due diligence, most clients could have easily uncovered the fraud.

But it's not only the swindlers and the con men you have to watch out for. Many times, friends and family take advantage of the rich. Whether it's a handout or an investment idea, Butowsky advises his high net worth clients that in most cases, it's wisest to just say

After five days of trying to lift and break the boulder, the dehydrated and delirious Ralston prepared to amputate his trapped arm in order to escape. He forcibly levered his forearm against a chockstone until both the radius and ulna bones broke. Using the dull blade on his multiuse tool, he then cut the soft tissue around the break. He used the tool's pliers to tear at the tougher tendons. Although he never named the manufacturer of the tool other than to say it was not Leatherman, he did describe it as "what you'd get if you bought a $15 flashlight and got a free multi-use tool".

After freeing himself, he was still eight miles from his stick shift truck, and he had no cellular phone. He had to rappel down a 65-foot (20 m) sheer wall, then hike out of the canyon in the hot midday sun. While hiking out, he encountered a family of three on vacation from the Netherlands who gave him water and two Oreo cookies. They then alerted the authorities. Just as the search helicopter was turning around to fuel up, they had spotted Ralston and the family. He was ultimately rescued by a helicopter search team. His arm was retrieved by park authorities and removed

"no." The best way to do that: have someone else do it for you.

"You need to really set up a wall between you and your family," he advises. "If you don't want to give them (family or friends) money ... saying no is probably a good idea.”

The rich can afford to splurge, but that doesn't mean they do.

On New York City's Upper East Side, Michael's— The Consignment Shop for Women— has been a bargain-hunting destination for more than 60 years.

"We have a good percentage of women who can afford to shop on Madison Avenue but really like the idea of saving that money," says proprietor Tammy Gates.

From Chanel to Gucci and Louis Vuitton, the store specializes in high-end designer merchandise for a reasonable price. Speaking of her clientele, Gates says, "They're wealthy for a reason. They recognize that bargains keep people wealthy. Paying top dollar when you don't have to do make sense."

from under the boulder. It was cremated and given to Ralston.

Aftermath of accident Mountaineering and adventuring Ralston still climbs mountains prolifically, including a 2008 expedition to climb Ojos del Salado and Monte Pissis in Argentina. In 2005, Ralston became the first person to climb all 59 of Colorado's mountains over 14,000 feet in elevation, solo in winter, a project he started in 1998 and resumed after his amputation in Blue John Canyon.

In 2008, he solo-climbed Denali and skied from the 20,320 feet summit.

In 2009, he led an expedition with his friends on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

While Ralston still intends to climb Mount Everest some day, he did not go along with polar explorer Eric Larsen on his "Save the Poles" expedition in 2010, as was previously reported.

Ed.

Safety First !!

Message from the DPA: Assumption is the Mother of All Failure In the way this phrase is commonly known, the word “failure” is substituted by another one which I cannot unfortunately repeat here.

Nevertheless, whichever way you say it, it is absolutely true.

Investigation of most accidents or hazardous occurrences will reveal that at some point along the chain of events, something went wrong because someone “assumed” an action or precaution had been taken.

Usually assumptions are taken as given without question. However, if these assumptions are proven false, the entire structure that has been built upon them will fail.

We rely on you to avoid such occurrences. Use your judgement and your standing instructions to decide what you should accept and where you should double check. Follow these general guidelines:

1. Question everything, particularly the most important assumptions.

2. Don't take anything for granted, unless you have drilled down to basics.

3. Only fools accept blindly - professionals check, re-check and validate.

4. Always rely on cross checks for important actions – one man errors are major cause of accidents.

The decision making of each individual on board can make a difference.

Put your experience, logic, tools, procedures, risk assessments to good use.

Anthony Lambros / Q&S Manager DPA I welcome your comments, suggestions or feedback on the contents of this column (Safety First!) at q&s@centrofin.gr

Case Study: Near Loss of Emergency Power Vessel: Cargo vessel – applicable to all vessels Source: DNV Casualty Information No. 3-10 April 2010 Course of events

Lessons to be learned

The vessel went aground and damaged the hull, which resulted in water ingress. Partial flooding of the engine room caused shut down of the main generators and as a consequence the emergency generator started automatically. After about 45 minutes it was noted that the emergency generator engine was overheating, leading to a risk of emergency power supply failure.

The immediate cause of the problem was quickly remedied and sustainable emergency power supply was restored by the crew.

- During an emergency situation, the crew should carry out regular checks of the emergency generator room to ensure safe operation in general, and as illustrated in this case, that unobstructed air supply is maintained.

Picture of the accumulator with the non-return valve mounted.

Probable cause The emergency generator room was fitted with flaps over the air intake (for engine ventilation and as fire flaps). These vent flaps are normally kept closed and held so by a mechanical spring. When the emergency generator is running, the vent flaps are pushed into an open position by a pneumatic actuator. The actuator is supplied by compressed air from a small accumulator, which in turn is kept pressurised by a connection to the ship's working air supply. When the main generators stopped, so did the working air compressor. As a consequence, a possible leak in the ship's working air system, caused the pressure in the accumulator to drop, thereby closing the vent flaps, which led to air starvation, insufficient cooling air and subsequent overheating of the emergency generator engine.

- If the emergency generator room is equipped with remotely controlled air vent flaps, the crew should periodically make sure the mechanism which controls the flaps is working properly.

- The revised ISM Code (amended 1 July 2010), highlights even more than before, to assess risks, e.g. “assess all identified risks to its ships” and “identify equipment and technical systems the sudden operational failure of which may result in hazardous situations”.

The illustrated case is one small, but vital, example of technical systems, which may be identified in such processes. Identifying risks is a continual process and the crew and management should regularly ask the question “What if …?” for the most unlikely situations.

In this case, the resulting smoke emission from the emergency generator room was detected by the crew who managed to force the vent flaps open and restore the emergency power supply.

Subsequent investigation revealed that the original pneumatic “selfcontained system”, could have been designed differently.

That is, with a non-return valve, to prevent loss of pressure in the accumulator, thus maintaining sufficient air pressure to hold the air vent flaps open.

System arrangement with original design and modified design.

- pg 9 Safety Bulletin 10-04

Complacency, Human Error and the Mental States of Safety Sources: (1) Company Records & (2) Chevron Bulletin August 2010 hazard was right there, but nobody was able to truly see – or sufficiently appreciate the magnitude of the dangers.

“How can experienced mariners miss such seemingly simple hazards?” you might ask.

The answer is that it is not that simple.

We are all human and are subject to the human faults and the mental states that are associated:

Think about the recent injuries we have experienced onboard company vessels. Starting in 2010, one of crewmembers has:

Has twisted his right hand: When the Fitter asked for some assistance from the Wiper by the lathe machine in operation, the latter promptly obliged still wearing a pair of cotton gloves. Unfortunately, the Wiper's with gloves was twisted as it was caught by the slow rotating pipe being worked on.

Has wounded his arm: The AB was using a cutting disk for completing the job.

During this task the cutting disk plate broke and a piece of it wounded his arm.

Has bruised a leg and back: During scheduled maintenance of the boiler nr.1 the Electrician stepped on a screwdriver and lost his balance. He fell on the boiler's fitting on his back.

Injured a finger requiring stitches: While the Bosun was tightening the turnbuckle of the anchor lashing the marlin spike he was using slipped and the sharp end injured the middle finger of his left hand.

Clearly all of these incidents were preventable. Even more concerning, was that some of the people involved noted “that is the way the job has always been done”. In other words, the

MENTAL STATES · Rushing · Frustration · Fatigue · Complacency HUMAN ERROR (that cause most of the injuries / fatalities) · Eyes not on task · Mind not on task · Body (part) in the line-offire · Loss of balance / traction / grip SOURCES OF UNEXPECTED INFLUENCE (Injuries / Fatalities) · Self (97-99% of the time) · Others (1-2%) · Equipment (less than 1%)

We must understand that every one of us has many opportunities, everyday, to make a difference in the safety of ourselves and others (see below the Incidents Triangle).

The question is whether our inner safety voice is louder than the voices of our ego, insecurities and false perceptions.

As with the illusion of “Common Sense”, we must always scrutinize our own inventory of

what we believe versus what we know.

Furthermore, if what we know is based on facts.

The fact is that your values and knowledge of what is common sense is different than that of someone else; sometimes drastically different. Make no mistake; there is a fundamental difference between common sense and common knowledge.

Using the various safety tools like risk assessment with job safety analysis or just the prework daily planning meeting is a key step to appreciating the true, actual hazards of any task.

Allowing ourselves to be selfguided not taking into consideration what is safe and what is at-risk (based on “getting away with it”) invites complacency.

Many people are really not quite sure what “complacency” means or what it looks like. In a Dictionary you will find that it means “self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers.”

There are too many examples of what happens to those who became complacent, yet the sources of hazards were just as real and present as ever. The hazards and consequences of complacency are too many and too common. If one could gather them to one imaginary entity as if it had a personality, then the characteristics of complacency personality would be described as stealthy …cold …uncaring …unbiased …patient, and focused on finding you in the mindset of being safe and in control, when you really are not.

Complacency is very patient; he can wait for days, months, even years for just that one day you proceed with a false sense of security derived from not getting hurt doing something you know is

at-risk. And just when you justify to yourself your at-risk behaviour is okay because you “have done this job for years without getting hurt”… complacency is waiting for you… as if he was expecting you all along.

There are ways to defend yourself from complacency.

These are methods both internally and externally driven.

However, you must be committed to exercising them…everyday…or like any muscle; it will atrophy and lose its effectiveness: 1. If you realize that you are experiencing any of the Mental States (Rushing, Frustration and Fatigue)… then STOP! And rethink from a mindful perspective.

2. Do continuous safety observations, both safe and atrisk. Keep yourself sharp and aware of your surroundings. Of course take the opportunity to address at-risk behaviours and positively reinforce safe behaviours through recognition.

3. Remember why you want to be a safety-conscious person. For many, their family comes first and they need them to return safely home.

Use lessons learned e.g. from near miss reports or accident reports. They are a clear warning sign that conditions are right for a storm of at-risk weather.

Ecology:

A world without

mosquitoes Published online 21 July 2010 | Nature 466, 432-434 (2010) | doi:10.1038/466432a News Feature Eradicating any organism would have serious consequences for ecosystems — wouldn't it?

Not when it comes to mosquitoes, finds Janet Fang.

Every day, Jittawadee Murphy unlocks a hot, padlocked room at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, Maryland, to a swarm of malaria-carrying mosquitoes (Anopheles stephensi). She gives millions of larvae a diet of ground-up fish food, and offers the gravid females blood to suck from the bellies of unconscious mice — they drain 24 of the rodents a month. Murphy has been studying mosquitoes for 20 years, working on ways to limit the spread of the parasites they carry. Still, she says, she would rather they were wiped off the Earth.

That sentiment is widely shared. Malaria infects some 247 million people worldwide each year, and kills nearly one million. Mosquitoes cause a huge further medical and financial burden by spreading yellow fever, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, Rift Valley fever, Chikungunya virus and West Nile virus. Then there's the pest factor: they form swarms thick enough to asphyxiate caribou in Alaska and now, as their numbers reach a seasonal peak, their proboscises are plunged into human flesh across the Northern Hemisphere.

So what would happen if there were none? Would anyone or anything miss them? Nature put this question to scientists who explore aspects of mosquito biology and ecology, and unearthed some surprising answers.

There are 3,500 named species of mosquito, of which only a couple of hundred bite or bother humans. They live on almost every continent and habitat, and serve important functions in numerous ecosystems. "Mosquitoes have been on Earth for more than 100 million years," says Murphy, "and they have co-evolved with so many species along the way." Wiping out a species of mosquito could leave a predator without prey, or a plant without a pollinator. And exploring a world without mosquitoes is more than an exercise in imagination: intense efforts are under way to develop methods that might rid the world of the most pernicious, disease-carrying species (see 'War against the winged').

Yet in many cases, scientists acknowledge that the ecological scar left by a missing mosquito would heal quickly as the niche was filled by other organisms. Life would continue as before — or even better.

When it comes to the major disease vectors, "it's difficult to see what the downside would be to removal, except for collateral damage", says insect ecologist Steven Juliano, of Illinois State University in Normal. A world without mosquitoes would be "more secure for us", says medical entomologist Carlos Brisola Marcondes from the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil. "The elimination of Anopheles would be very significant for mankind."

Arctic pests Elimination of mosquitoes might make the biggest ecological difference in the Arctic tundra, home to mosquito species including Aedes impiger and Aedes nigripes. Eggs laid by the insects hatch the next year after the snow melts, and development to adults takes only 3–4 weeks. From northern Canada to Russia, there is a brief period in which they are extraordinarily abundant, in some areas forming thick clouds. "That's an exceptionally rare situation worldwide," says entomologist Daniel Strickman, programme leader for medical and urban entomology at the US Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, Maryland. "There is no other place in the world where they are that much biomass.”

“If there was a benefit to having them around, we would have found a way to exploit them. We haven't wanted anything from mosquitoes except for them to go away.”

Views differ on what would happen if that biomass vanished. Bruce Harrison, an entomologist at the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Winston-Salem estimates that the number of migratory birds that nest in the tundra could drop by more than 50% without mosquitoes to eat. Other researchers disagree. Cathy Curby, a wildlife biologist at the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Fairbanks, Alaska, says that Arctic mosquitoes don't show up in bird stomach samples in high numbers, and that midges are a more important source of food. "We (as humans) may overestimate the number of mosquitoes in the Arctic because they are selectively attracted to us," she says.

Mosquitoes consume up to 300 millilitres of blood a day from each animal in a caribou herd, which are thought to select paths facing into the wind to escape the swarm. A small change in path can have major consequences in an Arctic valley through which thousands of caribou migrate, trampling the ground, eating lichens, transporting nutrients, feeding wolves, and generally altering the ecology. Taken all together, then, mosquitoes would be missed in the Arctic — but is the same true elsewhere?

Food on the wing "Mosquitoes are delectable things to eat and they're easy to catch," says aquatic entomologist Richard Merritt, at Michigan State University in East Lansing. In the absence of their larvae, hundreds of species of fish would have to change their diet to survive. "This may sound simple, but traits such as feeding behaviour are deeply imprinted, genetically, in those fish," says Harrison. The mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), for example, is a specialized predator — so effective at killing mosquitoes that it is stocked in rice fields and swimming pools as pest control — that could go extinct. And the loss of these or other fish could have major effects up and down the food chain.

Many species of insect, spider, salamander, lizard and frog would also lose a primary food source. In one study published last month, researchers tracked insect-eating house martins at a park in Camargue, France, after the area was sprayed with a microbial mosquito-control agent. They found that the birds produced on average two chicks per nest after spraying, compared with three for

- pg 11birds at control sites.

Most mosquito-eating birds would probably switch to other insects that, post-mosquitoes, might emerge in large numbers to take their place. Other insectivores might not miss them at all: bats feed mostly on moths, and less than 2% of their gut content is mosquitoes. "If you're expending energy," says medical entomologist Janet McAllister of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, Colorado, "are you going to eat the 22-ounce filet-mignon moth or the 6-ounce hamburger mosquito?”

With many options on the menu, it seems that most insect-eaters would not go hungry in a mosquito-free world. There is not enough evidence of ecosystem disruption here to give the eradicators pause for thought.

ums. "People being bitten by no-see-ums or being infected through them with viruses, protozoa and filarial worms would love to eradicate them," she says. But because some ceratopogonids are pollinators of tropical crops such as cacao, "that would result in a world without chocolate".

Without mosquitoes, thousands of plant species would lose a group of pollinators. Adults depend on nectar for energy (only females of some species need a meal of blood to get the proteins necessary to lay eggs). Yet McAllister says that their pollination isn't crucial for crops on which humans depend. "If there was a benefit to having them around, we would have found a way to exploit them," she says.

"We haven't wanted anything from mosquitoes except for them to go away.”

Ultimately, there seem to be few things that mosquitoes do that other organisms can't do just as well — except perhaps for one. They are lethally efficient at sucking blood from one individual and main-lining it into another, providing an ideal route for the spread of pathogenic microbes.

"The ecological effect of eliminating harmful mosquitoes is that you have more people. That's the consequence," says Strickman. Many lives would be saved; many more would no longer be sapped by disease. Countries freed of their high malaria burden, for example in sub-Saharan Africa, might recover the 1.3% of growth in gross domestic product that the World Health Organization estimates they are cost by the disease each year, potentially accelerating their development. There would be "less burden on the health system and hospitals, redirection of public-health expenditure for vector-borne diseases control to other priority health issues, less absenteeism from schools", says Jeffrey Hii, malaria scientist for the World Health Organization in Manila.

(Mosquito larvae form a substantial part of the biomass in water pools worldwide.M. & P. FOGDEN/MINDEN PICTURES/FLPA)

At your service As larvae, mosquitoes make up substantial biomass in aquatic ecosystems globally. They abound in bodies of water ranging from ephemeral ponds to tree holes to old tyres, and the density of larvae on flooded plains can be so high that their writhing sends out ripples across the surface. They feed on decaying leaves, organic detritus and micro-organisms. The question is whether, without mosquitoes, other filter feeders would step in. "Lots of organisms process detritus.

Mosquitoes aren't the only ones involved or the most important," says Juliano. "If you pop one rivet out of an airplane's wing, it's unlikely that the plane will cease to fly.”

The effects might depend on the body of water in question. Mosquito larvae are important members of the tight-knit communities in the 25–100-millilitre pools inside pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea) on the east coast of North America. Species of mosquito (Wyeomyia smithii) and midge (Metriocnemus knabi) are the only insects that live there, along with microorganisms such as rotifers, bacteria and protozoa. When other insects drown in the water, the midges chew up their carcasses and the mosquito larvae feed on the waste products, making nutrients such as nitrogen available for the plant. In this case, eliminating mosquitoes might affect plant growth.

In 1974, ecologist John Addicott, now at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, published findings on the predator and prey structure within pitcher plants, noting more protozoan diversity in the presence of mosquito larvae5. He proposed that as the larvae feed, they keep down the numbers of the dominant species of protozoa, letting others persist. The broader consequences for the plant are not known.

A stronger argument for keeping mosquitoes might be found if they provide 'ecosystem services' — the benefits that humans derive from nature. Evolutionary ecologist Dina Fonseca at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, points as a comparison to the biting midges of the family Ceratopogonidae, sometimes known as no-see-

Phil Lounibos, an ecologist at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory in Vero Beach says that "eliminating mosquitoes would temporarily relieve human suffering". His work suggests that efforts to eradicate one vector species would be futile, as its niche would quickly be filled by another. His team collected female yellow-fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) from scrap yards in Florida, and found that some had been inseminated by Asian tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus), which carry multiple human diseases. The insemination sterilizes the female yellow-fever mosquitoes — showing how one insect can overtake another.

Given the huge humanitarian and economic consequences of mosquito-spread disease, few scientists would suggest that the costs of an increased human population would outweigh the benefits of a healthier one. And the 'collateral damage' felt elsewhere in ecosystems doesn't buy much sympathy either. The romantic notion of every creature having a vital place in nature may not be enough to plead the mosquito's case. It is the limitations of mosquito-killing methods, not the limitations of intent, which make a world without mosquitoes unlikely.

And so, while humans inadvertently drive beneficial species, from tuna to corals, to the edge of extinction, their best efforts can't seriously threaten an insect with few redeeming features. "They don't occupy an unassailable niche in the environment," says entomologist Joe Conlon, of the American Mosquito Control Association in Jacksonville, Florida. "If we eradicated them tomorrow, the ecosystems where they are active will hiccup and then get on with life. Something better or worse would take over.”

_______________________________________________________ (Janet Fang is an intern in Nature's Washington DC office.

A debate on this article is continuing. Anything found abusive or inappropriate or which does not otherwise comply with the Terms or Community Guidelines, is brought to the attention of its author. Ed).

Message in a Bottle Survives Epic Journey

Piracy (Compliments NEWSFRONT - 24 September 2010 Vol. 11 / No. 36) United Nations secretary-general Ban KiMoon has expressed concern about the intolerable human cost of piracy off the coast of Somalia and its serious consequences regionally and globally.

Further, he has declared the UN "will spare no effort to address the challenges resulting from piracy".

Replying to a letter from the IMO secretary-general and heads of international shipping and seafarer organisations, Ban underlined the need to reinforce the collective response at sea, on land, and in judicial systems around the world, and to provide effective and sustainable solutions to the governance, security and humanitarian difficulties faced

by Somalia.

Ban stated he will "bring to the attention of the Security Council the unacceptable plight of hostages currently being held by pirates in Somalia" and he will seek the Security Council's support "to develop an approach that might obtain their release".

"The United Nations, in partnership with the broad range of concerned international institutions and organisations, including the IMO, will spare no effort to address the challenges resulting from piracy", said the UN secretary-general.

r u o m u H

An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard. I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of. He calmly came over to me, I gave him a few pats on his head; he then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.

An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out...

The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in

(Compliments YAHOO Singapore - by Mike Krumboltz) He also welcomed the theme chosen by the IMO Council for World Maritime Day 2011, "Piracy: orchestrating the response".

The UN leader's commitment came as shipping bodies expressed satisfaction at the second judgment brought down in Kenyan courts sentencing 14 Somali men accused of two separate acts of piracy to five years' imprisonment. In both cases seven were arrested by an EU NAVFOR warship.

In a statement after the first judgment was announced Intertanko said it "commends Kenya for its willingness to assume the responsibility, despite limited resources, to prosecute and incarcerate sentenced pirates. Intertanko once again challenges signatory nations to UNCLOS, nations with naval units deployed in the high-risk area and/or whose merchant ships receive protection during transit of the high-risk area, to assume their responsibilities to act with force and determination to apprehend suspected pirates and bring them to justice under their national judicial systems", said the tanker association md, Peter Swift.

The second judgment involved seven men who attacked the Iolcos Hellenic Maritimecontrolled bulker Anny Petrakis, 75,200dwt, built 2008, in May 2009. They were each sentenced in a Mombassa court to five years in jail for the assault which again saw a European warship step in to prevent any hijacking of the Greek ship, a statement from counter-piracy force EU NAVFOR read. the hall and again slept for about an hour.

This continued off and on for several weeks.

Curious I pinned a note to his collar: “I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.”

The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar: “He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 He's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?”

Last year, a high school student named Corey Swearingen put a letter in a bottle, sealed it up, and dropped it in the Atlantic Ocean, off the Florida coast. It was kind of an experiment for school. In the letter, he appealed to whoever came across the bottle to contact him and let him know where in the world it showed up. Amazingly, someone did.

About 16 months after the bottle was dropped, Swearingen's marine science teacher heard from someone in Ireland. The letter had made its way across the Atlantic Ocean and washed up on the shores of the Emerald Isle, found by a 17-yearold and his Dad while out for a stroll. In an interview with Florida Today, Swearingen said he never expected the message to be found.

Can't blame him for pessimism. After all, the wine bottle, which, according to Swearingen, is being put up on display in an Irish pub, did face long odds. But it's hardly the first message in a bottle to survive a perilous journey.

In 2009, a message in a bottle washed up on the shores of England. It had been tossed into the waters near the Bahamas nearly five years previous. Incredible, but that pales in comparison to a bottle sent by Emily Hwang. True, Hwang's bottle travelled "only" 1,735 miles from Seattle to Alaska, but it took an amazing 21 years to do so.

There's even a case of a message in a bottle helping a family find a new life. In 1979, Dorothy and John Henry Peckham dropped a message in a bottle in the Pacific Ocean while on a cruise.

Amazingly, the bottle found its way to Southeast Asia where it was picked up by 31-year-old Hoa Van Nguyen.

Nguyen wrote back and began a correspondence that eventually led to the Peckhams helping to sponsor Nguyen and his family's immigration to the United States.

Eat your heart out, email.

- pg 13-

Altruism and Evolution: A New Theory (Science) Compliments the J.TEMPLETON Foundation (JTF)

Photo:Stephanie Mitchell Harvard University From left: Martin Nowak, Corina Tarnita, and E.O. Wilson

Support the queen at all costs!

That is the prime directive in an ant colony, the mission to which all its members are committed, even though it means sacrificing their own reproductive capacities.

This kind of hierarchical social organisation—in which the individual exists radically for sake of the collective—is called eusociality.

Eusociality, which is also observed among bees and other species, has long been thought

Humour Four Engineers There are four engineers travelling in a car: a mechanical engineer, a chemical engineer, an

difficult to explain in terms of standard evolutionary theory. After all, the purpose of biological life is to reproduce itself. Why would ants, for example, give up their own ability to have children to help the queen with her own offspring? How can natural selection account for this kind of extreme altruism?

For decades, scientists have believed eusociality was a family affair—that is, that members of a eusocial collective shared so much DNA that they treated each other like close relatives.

Proponents of “inclusive fitness theory,” also called “kin selection,” contend that eusocial organisms depend on the survival of family members to pass on their genes.

The puzzling altruism of eusociality has therefore been understood as something of a deviation from standard natural selection.

But a stunning paper published in the August 26 issue of the science journal Nature dramatically challenges these once-settled conclusions. Harvard evolutionary biologists E.O. Wilson, Martin Nowak, and Corina Tarnita contend that eusociality can, in fact, be explained within the bounds of ordinary natural selection theory—a finding with profound implications for the study of basic evolution.

“We provide a mathematical proof that shows that inclusive fitness theory needs many specific assumptions,” Nowak says. “It is not an extension of natural selection, but a subset of natural selection. Moreover, we show that inclusive fitness theory is not needed to explain eusociality, or, in fact, any other phenomenon that arises in evolutionary biology.”

Nowak, Harvard professor of mathematics and biology and leader of the university's 'Program for Evolutionary Dynamics',

electrical engineer, and a software engineer ...who works on Microsoft Windows.

The car breaks down and they all have suggestions on what to do.

"Sounds to me as if the pistons have seized," says the mechanical engineer. "We'll have to strip down the engine before we can get the car working again.”

argues that erroneous mathematics behind inclusive fitness theory has “led to much confusion in the field” of evolutionary biology. Though their paper was received with controversy among scientists, Nowak hopes that the new framework that he and his colleagues propose “will help to clarify the issues and lead to a clear understanding of the evolution of social behaviour.” If Nowak and his team are correct, biologists will have to explore new theories of how eusocial behaviour emerges among species.

Nowak's work on this project is part of the $10.5 million Foundational Questions in Evolutionary Biology initiative JTF established in 2009 in commemoration of Charles Darwin's “double anniversary” year—that is, the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth, and the 150th year since the publication of his landmark On the Origin of Species.

“Exploring these kinds of Big Questions in biology can do as much for our understanding of 'deeper' or 'ultimate' reality as work in cosmology and physics does,” says Paul Wason, who directs JTF's life sciences programming. “For this is a universe capable of bringing forth and supporting life. For the living world, natural selection is one of the most basic of processes, so the study of its effects and limits represent some of the most important topics in biology. ”

So, take a good look at this photo:

Humour

These contractors were installing the steel pillars in concrete to stop vehicles from parking on the pavement outside a sports bar.

They're now in the process of cleaning up at the end of the day in order to go home.

The question to consider: how long do you think it'll be before they realise where they parked their own truck?

"I disagree," says the chemical engineer. "It sounded to me as if the fuel might be contaminated. I think we should clear out the fuel system.”

"I thought it might be a grounding problem," says the electrical engineer, "or maybe a faulty plug leads.”

They all turn to the software engineer, who has said

nothing so far.

"Well?" they all say to the geek.

“What do you think?"

"Well," the Microsoftie suggests, "perhaps if we all get out of the car and get back in again...?”

[Source: JumboJoke.Com] (Compliments the Maritime Advocate online)

c i n a t i T Titanic sunk by steering mistake, author says

The sinking of the Titanic still captures imaginations and prompts explorers to revisit the site of history's most famous maritime tragedy.

Reuters–The RMS Titanic in what is thought to be the last known image of the ship as she sets sail from Queenstown…

Reporting by Mike Collett-White Sep 22, 2010

AP/Premier Exhibitions, Inc.-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Once the mistake had been made, Patten added, "they only had four minutes to change course and by the time (first officer William) Murdoch spotted Hitchins' mistake and then tried to rectify it, it was too late.”

LONDON (Reuters) – The Titanic hit an iceberg in 1912 because of a basic steering error, and only sank as fast as it did because an official persuaded the captain to continue sailing, an author said in an interview published on Wednesday.

Patten's grandfather was not on watch at the time of the collision, but he was present at a final meeting of the ship's officers before the Titanic went down.

Louise Patten, a writer and granddaughter of Titanic second officer Charles Lightoller, said the truth about what happened nearly 100 years ago had been hidden for fear of tarnishing the reputation of her grandfather, who later became a war hero.

There he heard not only about the fatal mistake but also the fact that J. Bruce Ismay, chairman of Titanic's owner the White Star Line persuaded the captain to continue sailing, sinking the ship hours faster than would otherwise have happened.

Lightoller, the most senior officer to have survived the disaster, covered up the error in two inquiries on both sides of the Atlantic because he was worried it would bankrupt the ill-fated liner's owners and put his colleagues out of a job.

"If Titanic had stood still, she would have survived at least until the rescue ship came and no one need have died," Patten said.

"They could easily have avoided the iceberg if it wasn't for the blunder," Patten told the Daily Telegraph.

The RMS Titanic was the world's biggest passenger liner when it left Southampton, England, for New York on its maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. Four days into the trip, the ship hit an iceberg and sank, taking more than 1,500 passengers with it.

"Instead of steering Titanic safely round to the left of the iceberg, once it had been spotted dead ahead, the steersman, Robert Hitchins, had panicked and turned it the wrong way."

Patten, who made the revelations to coincide with the publication of her new novel "Good as Gold" into which her account of events are woven, said that the conversion from sail ships to steam meant there were two different steering systems.

Crucially, one system meant turning the wheel one way and the other in completely the opposite direction.

The Gingham Dress (Human Behaviour - Worth Reading) (A TRUE STORY, By Malcolm Forbes) A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly without an appointment in to the Harvard University President's outer office.

The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge 'We'd like to see the president,' the man said softly. 'He'll be busy all day,' the secretary snapped. 'We'll wait,' the lady replied.

For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go a way.

They didn't, and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted.

'Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave,' she said to him!

He sighed in exasperation and nodded.

Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, and he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.

The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted to ward the couple.

The lady told him, 'We had a son who

attended Harvard for one year.

He loved Harvard. He was happy here.

But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus.’

The president wasn't touched. He was shocked. 'Madam,' he said, gruffly, 'we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery.’

‘Oh, no,' the lady explained quickly. 'We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.’

The president rolled his eyes. He

Meanwhile Titanic expedition provides new images, but hurricane puts survey on hold

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By Associated Press August 31, 2010 ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland — A team surveying the wreck of the Titanic is showing off some crisp images of the world's most famous shipwreck, but it has temporarily headed back to shore because of rough weather.

Officials from Expedition Titanic said Sunday that they were returning to Newfoundland because high seas and winds brought on by Hurricane Danielle were preventing researchers from carrying out their work.

The team of scientists has been using a pair of robots to take thousands of photographs and hours of video of the wreck, which lies roughly 2.5 miles below the surface. The highresolution images include shots of the ship's bow, clearly showing the railing and anchors.

The expedition left Newfoundland earlier this month to the spot in the Atlantic where the ship struck an iceberg in 1912 and sank. More than 1,500 passengers and crew perished on the ship's maiden voyage.

Scientist is using imaging technology and sonar devices never utilized before on the Titanic wreck. They are probing nearly a century of sediment in the debris field to seek a full inventory of the ship's artefacts.

The expedition is a partnership between RMS Titanic Inc., which has exclusive salvage rights to the wreck, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.

! When one is brought up to be civil to all;

sociable to many ; familiar with few; friend to one; and enemy to none, then one is slow in choosing a friend and slower in changing. ! A happy life consists in tranquillity of mind.

To be lead to a calm and untroubled old age one needs a life of peace, purity and refinement. ! We have nothing to fear but fear itself (FDR) ! You have enemies? Good. That means

you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. (Winston Churchill). ! Melancholy men are of all others the most

witty

The team will not collect artefacts but is scheduled to probe a 2-by-3-mile debris field where hundreds of thousands of artefacts remain scattered.

! He/She holds strong opinions and has a

Expedition officials say they intend to return to finish their work after a delay of a few days.

! The beauty of stature is the only beauty of

Since oceanographer Robert Ballard and an international team discovered the Titanic in 1985, most of the expeditions have either been to photograph the wreck or gather thousands of artefacts, like fine china, shoes, and ship fittings.

James Cameron, who directed the film “Titanic,'' has also led teams to the wreck to record the bow and the stern, which separated during the sinking and now lie one-third of a mile apart.

! I always read the last page of a book first so

direct management style. men that if I die before I finish I'll know how it turned out. ! Probable impossibilities are to be preferred

to improbable possibilities ! Gentleman. A man who buys two of the

same morning paper from the doorman of his favourite nightclub when he leaves with his girl.

-Marlene Dietrich ! One never needs their humour as much a

when they argue with a fool.

-Chinese Proverb ! It is impossible to underrate human

intelligence -- beginning with one's own. ! Caution is the parent of safety.

glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, and then exclaimed, 'A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard.'

For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now.

The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, 'Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?’

Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment. Mr.and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, travelling to Palo Alto, California where

they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about. ”You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

People will forget what you said People will forget what you did But people will never forget how you made them feel” (Note: A Gingham Dress: Cotton or linen cloth with a striped or check patterns.

Ed.)

! There comes that mysterious meeting in life

when someone acknowledges who we are and what we can be, igniting the circuits of our highest potential. ! Our sun is one of 100 billion stars in our

galaxy. Our galaxy is one of billions of galaxies populating the universe. It would be the height of presumption to think that we are the only living beings in that enormous immensity.

Wernher Von Braun ! Education begins a gentleman, conversation

completes him. ! Many a true word is spoken in jest. ! Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

Leading for Safety Confidence and Authority

4 Remain calm in a crisis Safer Lives, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas

Crown Copyright www.mcga.gov.uk People need strong, clear leadership in a crisis and rely more on their leaders than would otherwise be the case. Calmness in a crisis situation is a core requirement and will rely on many of the other leadership qualities described in this booklet including commanding authority and drawing on knowledge and experience. In particular, it is important to have confidence and trust in the crew's abilities and emergency preparedness.

Attendance at safety training and at response drilling is essential for all crew.

Why is it important?

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The Articles written and the Views expressed in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of CENTROFIN and/or its members.

Queries to: wavelength@centrofin.gr Disclaimer. The contents provided herewith are for general information purposes only; not intended to replace or otherwise contradict the detailed instructions/procedures issued by the owners/managers, flag etc.

Editor: Cmdr Nicholas A. ILIOPOULOS - Master Mariner - Human Resources Tel. +86.1347.8526 865. Email: ilioship@yahoo.com.sg Comments. This editor welcomes readers' responses to all articles & Editorials.

Design-Production: www.paradox.com.gr Tel.+30.210.6560 574

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Calmness in a crisis is particularly important in view of the additional complications of different languages and nationalities that make up the crew. These complications tend to be emphasised during emergencies.