W
Volume 2, Issue 15, March 2005
To r Sea each far ou er r s
avelength centrofin@centrofin.gr
The Nautical Institute Mars Confession
MARS Report 200409
pg2
I
CENTRO-NEWS
In this issue
used to pride myself on my navigation and "Rule of the Road" skills, having had 13 years of experience at sea. However, a recent event and near miss reminded me of my own complacency and how, even the best of us, sometimes take (the wrong) things for granted with nearly drastic consequences. Own vessel was on a course of 090 x 12 knots, off the coast of Oman. We were due to make an alteration of course to 075 in 10 minutes time. It was a clear dark night. A container vessel on parallel course at a speed of 21 knots was overtaking us on the port quarter, giving a CPA of 0.2 miles in 20 minutes. I was observing this vessel for the previous 20 minutes and she did not seem to have any intention to keep clear. I was concerned with the small CPA and gave her five flashes on the ALDIS lamp. There was no response. I was also (I realise now, unwarrantedly) concerned of the alteration that I was due to make to port according to the passage plan. When the vessel was about 2 miles behind us, I made the mistake of altering course to port to make the alteration as per the passage plan. The previous CPA of 0.2 miles now became 0.1 mile in 10 minutes. I now started giving more rapid flashes to the overtaking vessel, which were about as fast as my heartbeat! Suddenly, the container vessel altered her course to starboard and headed for a collision course! I put the wheel hard over to starboard but realised that it was a point of no return - any action on MY part now could not prevent a collision unless the other vessel altered to port. I did, in desperation, what I always tell my cadets NOT to do - I reached for the VHF and said "container ship on my port quarter - I am altering to starboard - please alter YOUR course to PORT". Miraculously this had the desired effect and she altered just in time to port passing us at a CPA of less than 0.1 mile.
continued to pg 2
Ancient & ﾃ経dern Attitudes pg4-5
COLREGS pg6
Time A Brief History of
Celestial bodies the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars have provided us a reference for measuring the passage of time throughout our existence. Ancient civilisations relied upon the apparent motion of these bodies through the sky to determine seasons, months and years.
A Brief History of Time pg8
Authentic happiness
We know little about the details of timekeeping in prehistoric eras, but whenever we turn up records and artefacts, we usually discover that in every culture, some people were preoccupied with measuring and recording the passage of time. Ice-age hunters in Europe over 20,000 years ago scratched lines and gouged holes in sticks and bones, possibly counting the days between the phases of the moon. continued to pg 6
Multinational Crews
Cultural differences or, are we really that different?
In our previous issue, Wavelength 14, we gave a brief definition of what culture is. This editor, considering culture to be the most important ingredient in running a smooth and effective multinational crew onboard a vessel, is back with some more thoughts. We shall attempt to indicate that though there are some cultural
differences, however, people, everywhere, have much in common; such as a need for affiliation and love, participation and contribution. Thus, when the exterior is peeled off then one finds out that there are not that many differences after all. Differences between people within any given nation or culture are much greater than differences between
groups. Education, social standing, religion, personality, belief structure, past experience, affection shown in the home, and a myriad of other factors will affect human behaviour and culture. Certainly there are differences in approach in to what is considered polite and appropriate behaviour both on and off the job.
continued to pg 2
TO THE MASTER: Please circulate this Bulletin to the CREW.
Multinational Crews
continued from pg 1
In some cultures “yes” means, “I hear you” more than “I agree”. Length of pleasantries and greetings before getting down to business; level of tolerance for being around someone speaking a foreign (not understood) language, politeness measured in terms of gallantry or etiquette (e.g., standing up for a woman who approaches a table, yielding a seat on the bus to an older person, etc); and manner of expected dress are all examples of possible cultural differences and traditions. Paying attention to customs and cultural differences can give someone outside that culture a better chance of assimilation or acceptance. Ignoring these can get an unsuspecting person into trouble. There are cultural and ideological differences and it is good to have an understanding about a culture's customs and ways. In studying cross-cultural differences, we are not looking at individuals but in a comparison of one ethnic group against others. Hence, generalisation cannot be avoided, as well as the human tendency to categorise. True and true, but the danger comes when we act on some of these generalisations, especially when they are based on faulty observation. Acting on generalisations about such matters as eye contact, personal space, interest in participation etc can have serious negative consequences. Much of the differences in culture have to do with food preparation, music,
and what each culture considers politeness. Still with world globalisation, even tastes in food and music are rapidly changing. Observations on cultural differences are based on our own weakness and reflect our inability to connect with that culture. They also are contaminated and tainted by other factors. Perceived status differences can create barriers between cultures and even within organisations. One will have to show, by word and action, that one values the potential contributions of those one works with. Until this happens one will only obtain compliance but seldom (or, never) commitment. At times, then, it may appear that some seafarers, especially when there are social or ethnic differences, do not participate as easily. This is not because they do not have ideas to contribute, but rather because they may need a little convincing that their ideas would be valued. Once this floodgate of ideas is opened, it will be difficult to stop it. In some subcultures, once a person has given an opinion, others are unlikely to contradict it. That is why is prudent to ask the least senior seafarers to give an opinion first, as few will want to contradict the more season ones. Setting up the discussion from the beginning as one where one desires to hear all sort of different opinions, can be very fruitful both in the workplace and in the classroom. Only through equality of respect between races and nations can we reach positive international relations in this global economy, (as well as peace at home). Cultural and ethnic stereotypes do little to foster this type of equality.
The Nautical Institute Mars
cars & computers
continued from pg 1
After the incident, as our nerves calmed down, we analysed the near miss and the following factors seemed contributory to me. I would welcome comments from others if they see other factors:
1
As per rule 13, the overtaking vessel had the duty to keep clear, even after we made our alteration to port. As per rule "Action to avoid collision" though, we should have altered to starboard on seeing the overtaking vessel not taking action. The decision to make the normal course alteration to port (as per the passage plan) was a bad one and should have been delayed. Having been on container ships for 5 years, I know for a fact that container ships "get tired" of altering for vessels they are overtaking and find a CPA of 0.1 to 0.3 miles in open seas quiet sufficient. I am simply stating facts as they are and not trying to justify anything. It also seemed that the watch on the container ship had not seen us (were they busy in the chartroom?) as they were only alerted at the second set of quick flashes. Then panic must have set in there and, seeing our port side light and masthead light, the OOW must have decided to alter to starboard. It is doubtful if her ARPA would have shown the vector correctly at such close range, especially if she was not tracking us earlier. It appears that the OOW must have put the wheel hard over and then possibly checked other bridge equipment. Of course, the entire near-miss could have been avoided if the overtaking vessel had just altered well in time and given us a berth of say 1 mile, but then, we don't live in a perfect world! Under most circumstances, a close quarters situation with another vessel is far more risky than missing the waypoint by a few cables. If a slight adjustment to the waypoint on a coastal passage is more risky than having a collision, there must be something drastically wrong with the Passage Plan. Similarly, is it wise to put a position on the chart or make an entry in the log book when there are other vessels or hazards in close proximity? Make sure that there is no risk of collision or grounding before carrying out these secondary tasks.
2 3 4 5
202 Lambeth Road London SE1 7LQ Tel: +44 (0)20 7928 1351 Fax: +44 (0)20 7401 2817 More Reports are needed to keep the scheme interesting and informative. All reports are only read by me and are treated in the strictest confidence. Please send Reports to: Capt R Beedel, 17 Estuary Drive, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 9TL UK. email address: mars@nautinst.org Fax +44 (0)1394 276534
- pg 2 -
AT a recent computer exhibition, Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry to the motor car industry. He said that if car manufacturers had kept up with technology in the way the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars achieving a thousand miles to the gallon. In response, the car manufacturers issued a press release saying that if they had developed technology along the lines of the computer industry, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:
1 For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day. 2
Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
Did you know that a squirrel hides its nuts in different places in the woods? Typically what a prudent investor should do:
Diversify investments To minimise risks and maximise returns!
PUZZLE and PRIZE
Cultural differences or, are we really that different? Breaking through the status barriers can take time and effort. The amount of exertion will depend on many factors, including the skill of the 'manager' (shipmaster, trainer) on the one hand, and how alienated and disfranchised from the main stream the person he is trying to reach feels. Stereotyping can have intense negative effects, especially when educators or managers make fewer attempts to involve those of other cultures because they have been taught not to expect participation. As we interact with others of different cultures there is no substitute for receptiveness to interpersonal feedback, good observation skills, effective questions, and some horse sense. There is much to be gained by observing how people of the same culture interact with each other. Don't be afraid to ask questions as most people respond very positively to inquiries about their culture. Ask a variety of people so you can get a balanced view. Making a genuine effort to find the positive historical, literary, and cultural contributions of a society; learning a few polite expressions in another person's language; and showing appreciation for the food and music of another culture can have especially positive effects. Differences between cultures are real and can add richness (and humour) to the fabric of life. (Adapted from an article by G.Billikopf of UCL)
3
Occasionally, your car would die on the motorway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all the windows, shut off the car engine, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
4 Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5 Somebody would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive, but would run on only five per cent of roads.
6
The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning
The winner of the puzzle, as per our Wavelength issue W-13, is Captain Emeterio Andaya (photo), presently early March 2005 the Master of M/T CE-SHILLA. The misspelled word of W-12 is COLRGES; instead of the right one COLREGS (Collision Regulations). Congratulating Captain E.Andaya for his perseverance to answer the puzzle and “be part of the solution and not of the problem” and saluting his long and outstanding service with this company, (since July 1997), we kindly invite him to collect his prize when next in Manila.
OUR JOKE (s) Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence. Ultimately; What is right is What is good for you.
lights would all be replaced by a single 'This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation' warning light.
7 The airbag system would ask, “Are you sure?" before deploying.
8 Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
9 Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
Traffic warning AN old age pensioner was driving his car down the motorway when his mobile phone rang. It was his wife, urgently warning him, “I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on the Motorway. Please be careful.” ””It's not just one car,” replied the man. “It's hundreds of them.”
10 You'd have to press the 'Start' button to turn the engine off.
Ancient & Modern Attitudes I have often encountered two opposing views, one which "refuses to look away from the ARPA and out of the window", and the other which "refuses to look into the ARPA and looks only through the window". Very rarely have I seen people with a well balanced attitude who, so to say, "look at both the ARPA and 'out of the window.'" I belong to the so-called "GPS generation" - other than my first two ships, all the rest had GPS, though I have used the Decca, Loran, Satnav, even Omega, and still take sun and star sights on clear days and nights (Something which I continue to teach my cadets). A few years ago, we had some interesting voyages on 14 knot 30,000dwt ship sailing between Brazil and the entrance of the English Channel - the master would check our position on the Satnav every noon....just to be on the safe side, and then switch it off. I often wonder, if it is not the slowness of seafarers to adapt to new technology which makes them either over dependent or foolishly independent. Do we practice shouting or, for that matter, using smoke signals, in the fear that the telephone lines or cell phone towers may be down sometime? Do we stop using the TV / heating / lights / electric appliances - preparing for the power shut down? Do we stop using computers and e-mails fearing a computer crash / virus attack (something which happens more often than the GPS going "off"!).
Do we go about revising the multiplication tables of "23"....just in case the calculator goes bonkers? For all those people so suspicious of all the modern gizmos on the bridge, have they had a look into the cockpits of the very aircraft that fly them to their ports of joining / sign off? The normal transatlantic Boeing carries two people in the cockpit, the autopilot functions with inputs from the anemometer plus the INS and automatically alters course. Perhaps they should go and give a lecture to each of these pilots every time they join / sign off. The fact remains, no technology is fool proof....but that doesn't mean we should live in the Stone Age! To shrug off modern technology is as stupid as to over-rely on it. I recently used the ECDIS during a Radar and Navigation simulator course and wondered why such a fantastic tool is not used on ships. It would ease the burden from the watch keeper tremendously. There is no good reason why a watch keeper would doze off on the bridge if he had a supply of coffee and wasn't overworked and had a reasonable sense of responsibility. A tired watchkeeper would end up sleeping STANDING, even in the midst of the English Channel traffic, with no modern gizmos. (A Navigator - Unsigned)
- pg 3 -
COLR
A Guide to G
RULE 13 Overtaking (a) Not withstanding anything contained in the Rules of Part B, Sections I & II, any vessel overtaking any other shall keep out of the way of the vessel being overtaken. (b) A vessel shall be deemed to be overtaking when coming up with another vessel from a direction more than 22.5 degrees abaft her beam, that is, in such a position with reference to the vessel she is overtaking, that at night she would be able to see only the stern light of that vessel but neither of her sidelights. (c) When a vessel is in doubt as to whether she is overtaking another, she shall assume that this is the case and act accordingly. (d) Any subsequent alteration of the bearing between the two vessels shall not make the overtaking vessel a crossing vessel within the meaning of these Rules or relieve her of the duty of keeping clear of the overtaken vessel until she is finally past a clear.
Leave Ample Room! Don't forget! If you are not sure you are an overtaking vessel, you must assume that you are and keep clear. Don't pass close - overtaking invariably takes time, so make sure you have a safe distance between you and the other vessel. (Where possible this should be at least greater than your hard-over turning circle). Beware of interaction! if you are forced by traffic to pass closer be very careful that interaction does not occur. Avoid crossing ahead if you are not on parallel courses and passing clear, cross astern rather than ahead. Does the ship being overtaken know you are there? Always assume they do not! Remain vigilant - Remember, you remain an overtaking vessel until you are finally passed and clear.
- pg 4 -
(Compliments NoE)
REGS
Good Practice RULE 14 Head-on Situation.
(a) When two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision each shall alter her course to starboard so that each shall pass on the port side of the other.
(b) Such a situation shall be deemed to exist when a vessel sees the other ahead or nearly ahead and by night she could see the master-head lights of the other in line or nearly in line and/or both sidelights and by day she observes the corresponding aspect of the other vessel.
(c) When a vessel is in any doubt as to whether such a situation exists she shall assume that it does exist and act accordingly.
Ship Ahead! "Nearly reciprocal" does not mean exactly right ahead. If a vessel is ahead and coming the other way on an opposite course and roughly within half a point (6 or 7 degrees) of either side of the bow, Rule 14 applies. IF YOU ARE STILL NOT SURE ASSUME A HEAD-ON SITUATION ANYWAY AND ACT ACCORDINGLY!
! !
Rule 8(a) says, “any action to avoid collision shall be taken in accordance with the Rules of this Part… (“this Part” being the Steering and Sailing Rules) It means that if you have a vessel fine to starboard, even at some distance away, altering to port to increase the clearance may be construed as not being in accordance with he COLREGS. You should always go to starboard as directed by the Rule.
Alter early! Do not wait for the other vessel to act, the closer you get before taking action the greater the steps you subsequently have to take to avoid collision. (Compliments NoE P&I Club)
- pg 5 -
Tim
A Brief History of
Tim ....continued from pg 1
B
F
ive thousand years ago, the Sumerians in the Tigris-Euphrates valley (in today's Iraq / Iran) had a calendar that divided the year into 30 day months, divided the day into 12 periods (each corresponding to 2 of our hours), and divided these periods into 30 parts (each like 4 of our minutes).
T
he earliest Egyptian calendar was based on the moon's cycles, but later the Egyptians realised that Sirius in Canis Major rose next to the sun every 365 days, about when the annual inundation of the Nile began. They devised a 365 day calendar around 3100 BCE. Before 2000 BCE the Babylonians (today's Iraq) used a year of 12 alternating 29 day and 30 day lunar months, giving a 354 day year. The Central America cultures of the Mayans and Aztecs had their own calendar years. Our present (western?) civilisation has adopted a 365 day solar calendar with a leap year occurring every fourth year.
N
ot until somewhat recently (that is, in terms of human history) did people find a need for knowing the time of day. As best we know, 5000 to 6000 years ago great civilisations began to make clocks to augment their calendars. The evolution of ways to mark the passage of time had to have two basic components:
a
A regular, constant or repetitive process or action to mark off equal increments of time.
b
A means of keeping track of the increments of time and displaying the result.
Early examples of such processes included the movement of the sun across the sky, oil lamps with marked reservoirs, sand glasses, obelisks etc. Modern clocks use a balance wheel, pendulum, vibrating crystal or electromagnetic waves associated with the internal workings of atoms as their regulators.
Our ways of keeping track of the passage of time include the position of clock hands and digital time displays.
So in brief we have had Sun Clocks (sundials), Water Clocks (clepsydras 'water thieves), and Mechanised Clocks; all, of various types. Note: In Athens is still standing the Horologion supervised by the Macedonian astronomer Andronikos, known today as the 'Tower of Winds'. It was erected in the first half of the first century BCE. This octagonal structure showed scholars and shoppers both sundials and mechanical hour indicators. It featured a 24 hour mechanised clepsydra and indicators for the eight winds from which the tower got its name. It also displayed the seasons of the year and astrological dates and periods.
etween roughly 500 CE to 1400 CE sundial styles evolved but didn't move far from the ancient Egyptian principles. Then in the first half of the 14th century large mechanical clocks began to appear in the towers of several large Italian cities. Public time telling it first began in church. In 1335, the bells of the church of San Gottardo, began tolling the hours in Milan, ringing once at 1 a.m. and culminating in 24 chimes at midnight. It was the first time church bells had been used to announce time regularly. The idea spread rapidly through Europe, and for the first time in history, large groups of people knew the time. The Milan clock could be off by as many as 1,000 seconds a day, but that wasn't really a problem, because if nobody knew exactly what time it was, how could anyone really be late?
M
easurement of time improved as the centuries passed, but even into the early 18th century most people had no need for precise time. (The time hand shows up on watches, for example, around 1700). The bells tolled hourly, and that was plenty. These initial public clocks were weight-driven and regulated by a 'vergeand-foliot' escapement (that is a mechanism that regulates the swinging of the pendulum for accurate timekeeping). Clocks progressed more once the invention of spring-powered mechanism came into use. Although they ran slower as the mainspring unwound, they were popular among the wealthy individuals due to their small size and the fact that they could be put on a shelf or table instead of hanging on the wall. These advances in design were precursors to truly accurate timekeeping. Certain names come to mind: Christiaan Huygens, George Graham, Siegmund Riefler, R.J.Rudd, W.H.Shortt and others.
T
ill the Quartz Clocks came into existence from the 1920s onwards. The quartz clock operation is based on the piezoelectric property of quartz crystals. If you apply an electric field (battery) to the crystal, it changes its shape, and if you squeeze it or bend it, it generates an electric field. When put in a suitable electronic circuit, this interaction between mechanical stress and electric field causes the crystal to vibrate and generate an electric signal of relatively constant frequency that can be used to operate an electronic clock display. However, they still rely on a mechanical vibration whose frequency depends critically on the crystal's size, shape and temperature. Thus, no two crystals can be exactly alike, with just the same frequency. Nevertheless quartz clocks and watches continue to dominate the market in large numbers because their performance is excellent for their price.
T
ill again the “ATOMIC Age� of time standards came into our life. Scientists had long realised that atoms (and molecules) have resonance; each chemical element and compound absorbs and emits electromagnetic radiation at its own characteristic frequencies. These resonance(s) are inherently stable over time and space. An atom of hydrogen or caesium here today is (so far as we know) exactly like one a
Bertrand Russell B
ertrand Arthur William Russell (1872 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, essayist and social critic, best known for his work in mathematical logic and analytical philosophy. His most influential contributions include his defense of logicism (the view that mathematics is in some important sense reducible to logic), and his theories of definite descriptions and logical atomism. Along with G.E. Moore, Russell is generally recognized as one of the founders of analytical philosophy.
- pg 6 -
O
ver the course of his long career, Russell made significant contributions, not just to logic and philosophy, but to a broad range of other subjects including education, history, political theory and religious studies. In addition, many of his writings on a wide variety of topics in both the sciences and the humanities have influenced generations of general readers. After a life marked by controversy (including dismissals from both Trinity College, Cambridge, and City College, New York), Russell was awarded the Order of Merit in 1949 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. Also noted for his many spirited anti-war and anti-nuclear protests, Russell remained a prominent public figure until his death at the age of 97.
M
CE
M AGE ENT I N AN
C.
me
NTROF
IN
me
million years ago or in another galaxy. Thus atoms constitute a potential 'pendulum' with a reproducible rate that can form the basis for more accurate clocks. In 1949 NIST built the first atomic clock, which was based on ammonia. As its performance wasn't much better than the existing standards attention shifted to more promising atomic-beam devices based on caesium. The caesium atom's natural frequency was formally recognised as the new international unit of time in 1967: the second was defined as exactly 9,192,631,770 oscillations or cycles of the caesium atom's resonant frequency, replacing the old second that defined in term's of the Earth's motions. The second quickly became the physical quantity most accurately measured by scientists. As of January 2002 NIST's latest primary caesium standard was capable of keeping time to about 30 billionths of a second per year!!
QUOTATIONS
O
n the other hand, in our shipping world, accuracy improved vastly during the Industrial Revolution and was honed at sea: Ship Captains needed extremely precise clocks to coordinate their celestial readings with the time those readings would occur at a known point usually Greenwich, England (the city that later lent its name to Greenwich Mean Time - GMT the world's standard time). John Harrison, the famous clockmaker, developed a chronometer; accurate and portable enough to do the job in 1761, which it ultimate changed the world. But once clocks were capable of precision time telling, the question was, what to set them against. In the early 19th century enter the time ball. Robert Wauchope, a Royal Navy captain, had an idea: A large signal in a harbour would, at a specific moment, indicate the exact time sailors could set their chronometers precisely. In 1829 the Admiralty gave it a shot, setting up the world's first time ball in the harbour of Portsmouth, England. It worked so well that in 1833 they set one up at the Royal Observatory in Flamsteed House, on a Greenwich hilltop.
T
he idea caught on. The U.S. Naval Observatory began dropping a noontime ball in Foggy Bottom in 1845 and kept it up until 1885, when the ball drop moved to the State, War and Navy Building next to the White House, where it kept dropping until 1936. Meanwhile in 1877 the Navy telegraphed a daily signal to the Western Union Building in New York, atop which an automatic time ball then dropped. Since 1923, the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) radio station has provided round-the-clock short wave broadcasts of time and frequency signals. Time signals are an important by product of the Global Positioning Signal (GPS), and indeed this has become the premier satellite source of time signals. This editor uses the BBC Radio/World for his weekly time adjustment worldwide, as he can't afford to own an 'atomic' watch.
M
uch of modern life has come to depend on precise time. Transportation, communication, financial transactions, manufacturing, electric power and many other technologies have become dependent on accurate clocks. French, German, British, U.S. and other laboratories are presently developing the next generation of time standards. Time and time again. “For everything there is a season, And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away; A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for 'war', and a time for peace”.
The text below is an adaptation from Russell's Writings:
Love brings ecstasy and relieves loneliness. In the union of love I have seen In a mystic miniature the prefiguring vision Of the heavens that saints and poets have imagined. With equal passion I have sought knowledge.
the softness of indifference and apathy An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he knows absolutely everything about nothing The first myth of management is that it exists If you don't like the answer, you shouldn't have asked the question Every kind action has a not-so-kind reaction It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument Know thyself
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
“Three passions have govern my life: The longings for love, the search for knowledge, And unbearable pity for the suffering of [humankind].
There is nothing harder than
I have wished to understand the hearts of [people]. I have wished to know why the stars shine. Love and knowledge led upwards to the heavens, But always pity brought me back to earth; Cries of pain reverberated in my heart Of children in famine, of victims tortured And of old people left helpless. I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot, And I too suffer. This has been my life; I found it worth living”.
- pg 7 -
Nothing too much Protagoras asserted that there are two sides to every question; exactly opposite to each other. If moderation is a fault, then indifference is a crime
Authentic
happiness The 24 strengths below, names and descriptions, are taken from “Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification” by Christopher Peterson and Martin E.P. Seligman, Oxford University Press, 2004.
4. JUSTICE
Civic strengths that underlie healthy community life
Appreciation ! Citizenship (social responsibility, loyalty, teamwork)
1.WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE
Cognitive strengths that entail the acquisition and use of knowledge
! Creativity (originality, ingenuity)
Thinking of novel and productive ways to do things; includes artistic achievement but is not limited to it ! Curiosity (interest, novelty-seeking, openness to experience) Taking an interest in all of ongoing experience for its own sake; finding subjects and topics fascinating; exploring and discovering ! Open-mindedness (judgment, critical thinking) Thinking things through and examining them from all sides; not jumping to conclusions; being able to change one's mind in light of evidence; weighing all evidence fairly ! Love of learning Mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge, whether on one's own or formally; obviously related to the strength of curiosity but goes beyond it to describe the tendency to add systematically to what one knows ! Perspective (wisdom) Being able to provide wise counsel to others; having ways of looking at the world that make sense to oneself and to other people
Creativity
Forgiving those who have done wrong; giving people a second chance; not being vengeful ! Humility / Modesty Letting one's accomplishments speak for themselves; not seeking the spotlight; not regarding one's self as more special than one is ! Prudence Being careful about one's choices; not taking undue risks; not saying or doing things that might later be regretted ! Self-regulation (self-control) Regulating what one feels and does; being disciplined; controlling one's appetites and emotions
6.TRANSCENDENCE
Strengths that forge connections to the larger universe and provide meaning
! Appreciation of beauty and excellence (awe, wonder, elevation)
Noticing and appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience ! Gratitude Being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen; taking time to express thanks ! Hope (optimism, future-mindedness, future orientation) Expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it; believing that a good future is something that can be brought about ! Humour (playfulness) Liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing the light side; making (not necessary telling) jokes ! Spirituality (religiousness, faith, purpose) Having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe; knowing where one fits within the larger scheme; having beliefs about the meaning of life that shape conduct and provide comfort.-
Love NTROF AGEMENT I N AN
C.
IN
Wavelength
Articles written in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CENTROFIN. DISCLAIMER. The contents provided herewith are for general information purposes only; not intended to replace or otherwise contradict the detailed instructions issued by the owners, flag etc.
M
Valuing close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated; being close to people ! Kindness (generosity, nurturance, care, compassion, altruistic love, niceness) Ding favours and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them ! Social Intelligence (emotional intelligence, personal intelligence) Being aware of the motives and feelings of other people and oneself; knowing what to do to fit into different social situations; knowing what makes other people tick
CENTRO-NEWS
! Forgiveness and mercy
Forgiveness
Interpersonal strengths that involve 'tending' and 'befriending' others
! Love
Strengths that protect against excess
Humour
Emotional strengths that involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals in the face of opposition, external or internal ! Bravery (valour) Not shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain; speaking up for what is right even if there is opposition; acting on convictions even if unpopular; includes physical bravery but is not limited to it ! Persistence (perseverance, industriousness) Finishing what one starts; persisting in a course of action in spite of obstacles; “getting it out of the door”; taking pleasure in completing tasks ! Integrity (authenticity, honesty) Speaking the truth but more broadly presenting oneself in a genuine way; being without pretence; taking responsibility for one's feelings and actions ! Vitality (zest, enthusiasm, vigour, energy) Approaching life with excitement and energy; not doing things halfway or half heartedly; living life as an adventure; feeling alive and activated
3. HUMANITY
5.TEMPERENCE
CE
2. COURAGE
Working well as a member of a group or team; being loyal to the group; doing one's share ! Fairness Treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice; not letting personal feelings bias decisions about others; giving everyone a fair chance ! Leadership Encouraging a group of which one is a member to get things done and at the same time maintain good relations within the group; organising group activities and seeing that they happen
Editor: Cmdr Nicholas A. Iliopoulos Staff Captain - Human Resources Manager Tel: +30.210 8983.305 Fax: +30.210 8983.231 E-mail: nai@centrofin.gr Design-Production: www.paradox.com.gr Tel: +30.210 6560.832