M O N T H L Y Year 3 Vol.No: (24) December 2011

JOC Conducts EMSR In EDD and OFD

KJO Organizes the Conference of “Human Resources - Strategic Partner 2011”

AGOC Held Its 30 th Annual Board Meeting

Oil Price (Monthly)Source : Opec

( US Dollar 106.98)3

NE

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The JEC Held its Second Meeting

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On Wednesday December 7th, 2011 The Joint Executive

Committee (JEC) Held its second meeting for 2011 at Kuwait’s Hilton Hotel. The meeting was chaired by P&CEO, Abdullah Al-Helal and the membership of Mohammed Abdulwahab, Mohammaed Al—Subie, Wafa Y. Al-Zua’abi, the Committee Secretary, Michael Weems and the JOC secretary, Mr. Qais Fairooz. From the Joint Operating Committee, the meeting was attended by the A/C-JOC, Jamal A. Jaffar, Dr. Ali Al-Malhan, Qasem Al-Mejadi, Abdulrauf Allarakia, Mohammed Al-Khatib, Mutlaq Al-Khodair and Marzooq Buarki who represented KGOC. The meeting discussed a number of issues pertinent to the activities of KJO, including the annual and the five Year master plans, also discussions covered the report of the Joint Auditing Committee and other important issues.

JEC members in a group picture

JAC members in the meeting JAC members before the meeting

On Tuesday, December 6th, 2011, the Joint Auditing

Committee (JAC) held its second meeting at Kuwait's Hilton Hotel, at Al-Mangaf City. Chaired by Marzook Buaraki, Mohammed Al-Subaie and Michael Weems attended as

members representing AGOC, Waleed Al-Saeed represented KGOC, and Jaber H. Jaber attended as a Joint Committee Secretary. Asked by Ad-Dorra about JAC and its members, Marzook Buaraki stated: «JAC is comprised of four

members; two representing AGOC and two representing KGOC, and each of the two Companies chairs JAC every alternate year”. He added: «In 2012, JAC will be chaired by a representative from AGOC”. As for JAC’s duties, he demonstrated

that it includes assigning the external auditors to audit the year-end financial statements, determining their fees, reviewing the external and internal reports about KJO activities and finally submitting the reports to the Joint Executive

Committee (JEC). JAC also reviews and approves the annual and five-year plans for internal audit, reviews the year-end financial statements and ensures compliance with the applicable financial policies and procedures.

The Joint Auditing Committee Held its Second Meeting

News Year 3 Vol.No: (24) December 20112

In Cooperation with Aramco Gulf Operations (AGOC) Saudi

Aramco launched The «Safe Driving Challenge» program , at the Traffic Exibition Hall in Khafji Governarate, on December 17th 2011.The launching ceremony was attended by Khafji Governor, Khalid Al-Sufayyan, AGOC P&CEO, Eng. Abdullah Al-Helal, EDI Dr. Ali Al-Malhan and MIS Engineer Mohammed Al-Ghamdi.Mr. Bader Al-Mutairi from AGOC, and Mr. Ibrahim Al-Qar’awi from Saudi Aramco briefed the attendees about the program and took them later to the «Safe Driving Challenge Truck». There they demonstrated the three main stages of this program. The first stage is a twelve question test

that evaluates the driver’s knowledge

about traffic rules; the second stage

is a driving test simulator made with

the latest technologies acquired,

while the last stage is a sum-up report

to the previous stages.

This program is targeting students

who are new and about to drive

cars, and this approach is meant to

familiarize them with traffic laws and

regulations as well as other required

skills to achieve safe driving.

It is worth mentioning that «Safe

Driving Challenge truck» was

specially customized and designed

for this program by Saudi Aramco to

spread awareness among students

for a better and safe driving future.

On the purpose of enhancing the traffic awareness in Khafji

Saudi Aramco and AGOC Sponsor “The Safe Driving Challenge” Program

Al-Helal, Al-Malhan and Al-Ghamdi in a group picture with Khafji Governor and other officials.

Badr Al-Mutairi demonstrating the safe driving simulator

AGOC Held Its 30th Annual Board MeetingOn Thursday 24th

November, 2011, AGOC held its 30th annual meeting in London to review and discuss the items of the yearly agenda. There attended the Chairman and Senior Vice President, AGOC, Abdulrahman Alwuhaib, and the board members: P&CEO, AGOC Abdullah N. Al-Helal, KJO EDI Dr.Ali Al-Malhan, KJO EDB Abdul Rauf A.Al-Arakia, Manager Operations Accounting department, Saudi Aramco, Mohammed O. Al-Subaie, Chief Engineer, Saudi Aramco, Ahmed O. Al-Khowaiter, Manager, Safaniya Offshore Production Department, Saudi Aramco, AbdulHameed Al-Rushaid, and the Board Secretary Majdy Al-Qahtany.

AGOC board members in a group picture

NewsYear 3 Vol.No: (24) December 2011 3

On December 18th-19th,2011 KJO organized a pioneering

human resources conference under the motto of “Human Resource – Strategic Partner”, in the auditorium and conference rooms of the Office Park. The opening of the conference was on Monday and in the presence of

A/C-JOC Jamal A. Jaafar, AGOC P&CEO, Abdullah Al-Helal, Executive Directors, Department Managers, Superintendent, and supervisors of the division.

After Distributing Packages containing employee handbooks and booklets of HR projects, the announcer of the event Mr. Mohammed Al-Enezi announced the launch of the conference activities. EDH Qasem Al-Mejadi delivered an opening word demonstrating the importance of HR and its relevance to achieve KJO’s objective as a role model to other oil sectors in the region. He also talked about the challenges the company would

face as constant changes and development programs. Lastly, Al-Mejadi thanked the attendees for accepting his invitation.

MER Faisal Al-Yami delivered a word about KJO structure and upcoming economic expansion. He advised the attendees to pessimistic, for this program will show a promising future for the joint operations.

Thereafter, the HR line representatives ; Salah Shaman, Jasem Atiyah, Nawaf Al-Hudaib, Saad Al-Mutairi and Jaber Jaafar deliverd their words about the HR project and future of the HR.Afterward the key note speaker

Dr.Tariq Al-Suwaidan took the stage and delivered a very inspiring lecture about leadership, discovering leaders, developing leadership skills, and many other administrative values.In the next day, three workshops were prepared. In the first workshop room a lecture was delivered by Dr. Salah Al-Abdul Jader about the future of the HR, its role, and the importance of attaining HR objectives and facing future challenges. The second workshop was led by Dr. Khalid Al-Qassar and it focused on HR and its investment. The last workshop formed a round table meeting

for representatives from different companies demonstrating their HR programs, strategies, and their HR experience.

At the end of the workshops, the organizers arranged a draw competition in the lobby of the office park and presented the winners with valuable gifts.

KJO Organizes the Conference of “Human Resources - Strategic Partner 2011”

Al-Mejadi delivers a word The attendees during the conferenceMohammad Al-Enazi

Dr. Saleh Al-Marri Mohammad Al-Mulla Ahmed Fazai Anas Salmin Hamad Al Qahtani Nawaf Al-Hudaib Shahnawaz Abdul Salam Imran Dalvi

MER Faisal Al-Yami

Nawaf Al-Hudaib

Jassim Atiyah

Salah Shaman

Jaber Mohammad

Saad Al-Mutairi

News Year 3 Vol.No: (24) December 20114

The Financial and Accounting

Department (FAD) held a meeting

with the external auditors; “Price

Waterhouse Coopers” in association

with “Deloitte”, at FAD meeting room.

The meeting was attended by A/MIT

Ghazi A. Al-Harbi, AGOC Chief Financial

Officer, Michael L. Weems, and KGOC

Financial Services Manager, Hilal Al-

Mutairi. The attendees discussed the

preliminary annual report for 2011. It

is worth mentioning that the external

auditors started their work on October

8th, and finished on October 19th,

2011. The purpose for holding such

meeting was to check the quality of the

internal auditing at KJO, as well as the

international accounting standards that

will be applied on the financial reports

of the year ending on December 31st,

2011. Another meeting will be held

at the end of this year to discuss the

reservations and the taken actions.

Finally, the attendees were invited to a

luncheon served on this occasion.

FAD Holds the Annual Financial Meeting with The External Auditors

The annual meeting of the Auditing Committee

A group picture for the teams before the inspection

JOC Conducts EMSR In EDD and OFD

Forming three teams the executive

managers conducted EMSR to cover

in their inspection the offshore production

department (OFD) and the exploration

development department (EDD).

The first team comprised EDI Dr. Ali Al-

Malhan, MEX Hussain A. Al-Rashoud,

MER Faisal Y. Al-Yami, MIA Jaber H. Jaber,

M(TDD) Miz'il Al-Anazi, A/ MMT Mobarak

K. Al-Sa'eedi, A/MMS Dr. Saud Al-Theeb,

Acting superintendent, Loss Prevention

Division, Mohammed A. Al-Margalani, CPD

represent Marai M. Al-Abbas, and Loss

Prevention Engineer Arnel G. Arcos. The

team inspected safety measures in EDD

and its workshops.

The second team comprised P&CEO

AGOC Abdullah Al-Helal, A/EDP Mutlaq

Al-Khodair, MIS Mohammad N. Al-

Ghamdi, MIT Abdul Aziz Al-Hudaib, MAC

Mohammad N. Al-Ajmi, MPO Nabeel A.

Alola, MMD Khaled A. Al-Ali, A/MCT Mishal

Al-Shammiri, Community and Businesses

Services Represent Salamah H. Al-Sharari,

and Loss Prevention Division, Engineer

Jerry Lopez. And they inspected OFD and

its workshops.

The third team comprised EDO Mohammed

R. Al-Khatib, EDB Abdulrauf A. Al-Arakia,

M(OFD) Abdulrahman Al-Qusayer, M(MSS)

Odais Al-Qahtani, ELD and OND Represent

Hussain A. Al-Bori, MPC Abdullah J. Al-

Daoud, ESD Represent Sa'ad Al-Dousery,

A/MTM Fahad Al-Jeneedi, Loss prevention

Division, Supervisor Naser Al-Anazi.

After the inspection visit the three teams

met again at the office park and received

a presentation by Mohammed Al-Margalani

reviewing the implemented safety measures

in the offices and workshops of the visited

areas. The attendees also discussed how

important it is to raise safety awareness level

to ensure safe and productive environment.

NewsYear 3 Vol.No: (24) December 2011 5

On November 22nd, 2011, a delegation from the Public Relations Department

in Kuwait Gulf Oil Company (KGOC) visited the Public & Government Relations Department (PGD) for the purpose of enhancing the mutual cooperation and sharing experience. The visiting delegation was comprised of Faisal B. Al-Jari, the

Public Relations Manager, Bassam B. Al-Khedr, Chief Public Relations Officer, and Jassim M. Al-Mohanna, the Public Relations & Media Specialist. On arrival, the delegation was received by MPG Sulaiman Al-Rasheedi at his office in the presence of Faris Al-Subai’ei, the Media Affairs Superintendent and Khalid Al-Ahmad, the

Media Technical Support Supervisor.After welcoming the delegation, Al-Rasheedi briefed them about PGD and its role in serving and developing the community. Thereafter, the Media Affairs team held a special meeting with the delegation in the Meeting Room and briefed them about the tasks of each division in PGD, including the

media affairs, the government relations, the public relations and the passports & registration. The Media Affairs team demonstrated also the publications issued by KJO, the editing process and the method of making the annual calendars. After the meeting, the visiting team, accompanied by the Media Affairs Superintendent, visited the divisions of PGD, including the Technical Support Office, the Graphic Design and Multi Media Office and the Archive Office. At the end of their tour, Mr. Faisal Al-Jari expressed his gratitude for the kind hospitality and said: “The purpose of our visit is to enhance the means of cooperation between the public relations teams in both companies and share information about the mechanism of work. In fact we are happy to see the national manpower managing such tasks skillfully and we wish them all success and prosperity”.

CBD Fixes CPU Holders for KJO’s Offices

CTD Signs a Contract with MEELSA for Maintaining the Gas Turbines

The CBD Office Equipment Division

fixed CPU holders to all desks at KJO

premises. The holder is meant to save

space, facilitate movement and keep the

CPU away from dust, as well as having

the media drives at an accessible level. It

is noteworthy to mention that the holders

are the best mean to keep CPUs because

it is adjustable and helps in ensuring

safety at office.

The Office Equipment Division is also

working in full swing for equipping and

furnishing the KJO Library at the Office

Park, ground floor. The library (which is 35

meters length and 11 meters width) was

already furnished and the work is ongoing

with equipping it with racks, tables,

chairs, and other necessary equipment.

The Joint Operating Committee is keen to

develop this Library to create a suitable

atmosphere for reading, research and

innovation.

On Wednesday, November 30th, 2011, the Contracts Department (CTD) entered into

a five-year contract, under No. HQ941SS2010, with Middle East Engineering Ltd. Saudi Arabia (MEELSA) – General Electric – for the purpose of carrying out the maintenance and repair works for the gas turbines. On behalf of Khafji Joint Operations, the signing ceremony was attended by A/MCT Mishal M. Al-Shammari, Meshal M. Al-Enazi, Contracts Administration Superintendent, Shehdeh A. Abukarim, Data Controller, and Tareq A. Mahmoud, MSS

Power Stations Engineer. As for MEELSA, it was represented by Mohammad A. Banjabi, the Sales Manager, and Rabee Yazbel, the Commercial Manager. It is worth mentioning that the contracting works include inspecting the fire rooms, the hot gas routes and the general inspection, as well as repairing and rehabilitating the previously used parts according to the instructions of the manufacturer, in addition to providing the specialized manpower and the necessary spare parts for the emergency maintenance cases.

KGOC’s Public Relations Team Visits PGDFor the purpose of enhancing the mutual cooperation

Al Rasheedi and PGD team in a group picture with KGOC team

PGD team and the visiting team during the meeting

Fixing CPU holders and equipping the LibraryA group picture after signing the contract

News Year 3 Vol.No: (24) December 20116

By: Dennis Lee, MD http://www.medicinenet.com

Here are three reasons why following a healthy diet is important:1.to maintain health by preventing loss of muscle strength, bone mass, and vitamin deficiency states;2.to prevent diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, obesity,osteoporosis, and certain cancers; and3.to help control and/or treat chronic diseases and conditions such ashigh blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and celiac disease.

Maintaining healthThe body requires carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to maintain healthy organs, bones, muscles, nerves, and to produce hormones and chemicals that are necessary for the proper function of organs.Vitamins and minerals are naturally occurring substances that are essential for the growth and function of the body. Vitamins and minerals are both necessary (in small amounts) for normal chemical reactions (metabolism) in the body.Preventing and controlling diseasesObesity and heart attacks are major public-health problems in the United States and other countries. Therefore, most dietary recommendations are aimed at preventing these two diseases. Obesity is caused by eating more calories than the body burns. Obesity, in turn, can be a cause of many diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, arthritis, high blood pressure, gout, gallstones, and certain cancers.To lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, one needs to eat more low-energy-dense foods. Low-energy-dense foods (such as vegetables and fruits) contain few calories per unit volume of food so that one can eat a large volume of it (for example, lettuce) without taking in many calories. One should also eat less of the high-energy-dense foods such as fats, egg yolks, fried foods, sweets, and high-fat salad dressings. Foods with a high energy density also often have high cholesterol and saturated fat content. One should also eat less of those foods that provide calories but little other nutrients, such as alcohol and many packaged snack foods.The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published in 2005 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), contains guidelines for healthy diets based upon review of scientific studies for people above 2 years of age. These guidelines recommend that a healthy diet should:•emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products;•include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and•be low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

Disease Prevention Through Diet & Nutrition

HealthSafety&

What is caffeine?

http://safety.lovetoknow.com

Bye: Betty Kovacs, MS, RDThere are few people who are not aware of the stimulating effect that caffeine provides. We have a choice and choose caffeinated beverages for a reason. Caffeine is considered the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world. Approximately 90% of adults consume it on a daily basis, and research is being done on its health benefits and consequences.We may love our caffeine, but what exactly is it? Caffeine is the common name for 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine. When purified, caffeine produces an intensely bitter white powder that provides a distinctive taste in soft drinks. The word «caffeine» came from the German word kaffee and the French word café, each meaning coffee. After ingesting caffeine, it is completely absorbed within 30 to 45 minutes, and its effects substantially diminish within about three hours. It is eventually excreted so there is no accumulation in the body. Caffeine has been shown to affect mood, stamina, the cerebral vascular system, and gastric

and colonic activity. But caffeine may not be for everyone. This article will discuss the health benefits and consequences of caffeine.What are the sources of caffeine?Caffeine is naturally found in certain leaves, beans, and fruits of over 60 plants worldwide. Its bitterness acts as a deterrent to pests. The most common sources in our diet are coffee, tea leaves,

cocoa beans, cola, and energy drinks. Caffeine can also be produced synthetically and added to food, beverages, supplements, and medications. Product labels are required to list caffeine in the ingredients but are not required to list the actual amounts of the substance.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) classify a «moderate intake» of caffeine as «generally recognized as safe.» This means that if you consume a moderate amount it is generally safe for the people on whom it has been studied. Most of these studies have been done on adults. Here is the definition of what

is considered low, moderate, high, and heavy amounts of caffeine intake:•a low to moderate intake is 130 mg-300 mg per day•a moderate is 200 mg-300 mg per day•high doses are above 400 mg per day•heavy caffeine consumption is more than 6,000 mg/day.

The best safety advice related to fire safety is to stay calm. You can't help yourself or a co-worker if you lose control during an emergency. That's why the second-best tip related to fire safety is have timely drills. At least once a year your entire workplace should have a fire safety drill but every three months is ideal. Being prepared helps you stay calm during a real fire. •A good workplace fire drill will combine the following: •How to get everyone safely out of a burning and smoky building. •A review of where to meet when everyone is out of the building. •How to properly use a fire extinguisher. Ideally, during your workplace fire drills, a trained safety expert should run the fire extinguisher portion of the drill. Everyone should have a turn using a real fire extinguisher to put out a real fire - trained safety experts will know how to run a drill like this and will be able to teach you about other important issues such as fire safety monitoring. If you don't have a trained professional you can run a fire extinguisher training but without the real fire.

http://www.medicinenet.com

Safety

Falls and fires are dangerous and common in the workplace, but that’s just the beginning. There are many possible safety issues that can occur at your workplace. Sometimes the best workplace safety arises out of simple good planning and smart thinking. Every single workplace should have a safety committee and safety plan in place. If you don’t have safety committees at your workplace then propose one. If you work at home, guess what; you are the safety committee. Working at home or for a very small business isn’t a reason to get out of safety planning. If you don’t have a safety

plan in place yet, follow these steps when you recognize a workplace safety issue. When a potential hazard is discovered…1.Make sure that everyone else in your workplace is aware of the problem. 2.Notify your supervisor. Unless you are the supervisor; then get going on that safety committee plan. 3.File any reports or documents about the problem. 4.Follow up. Telling someone there’s a problem is not a guarantee that the problem will be resolved satisfactorily. Report it and later follow up to make sure the problem was addressed.

Planning for a Safe Workplace

By Jennifer Chait

Fire safety

NewsYear 3 Vol.No: (24) December 2011 7

EnvironmentManagement&

What is management? Management is like investment: its goal is to get the most out of resources, add the most value or get the best return. Management can be defined as: achieving goals in a way that makes the best use of all resources. This definition covers self-management as well as managing people, being a manager. Whenever you prioritize, you are managing your time. You manage yourself and all other resources at your disposal in order to do a good job.Leadership, by contrast, is about influencing people to change direction. When senior executives decide to change direction, this is seen as leadership. But because it is a decision, it is a management act - not leadership. Decisions flow from authority, leadership is an act of influence. Leadership is an attempt to influence followers. It’s never a decision of any sort. All decisions made by executives are managerial actions.This is not the conventional view of leadership and management but, if leadership is an influence process, one implication is that there can be no such thing as autocratic leadership. Decisions can be made autocratically, but deciding for people is not a type of influence so it shouldn’t be classed as leadership.Managers and Leaderswhat’s the difference between managers and leaders?This question, as asked, is a problem because it focuses on people in roles. This is normally how we think about them but there is a better way. We need to recognize that all employees can both lead and manage. For example, whenever you set priorities, you are managing your time.Whenever you set an example by working harder or smarter and others follow your example, you have shown leadership. Similarly, when you convince your boss to think differently, you show leadership bottom-up. Thus management and leadership are functions, which are like tools because anyone can use them.Writing, analyzing, knitting, cooking are also process tools that everyone can use. Managers use the same management tools and processes used by front-line employees; they just have more resources to manage.Leadership works through influence, while management works through decisions and facilitation. Leadership must be restricted to selling the tickets to the journey. It can’t take followers to the destination. Why? Because this is

the only way to account for a number of otherwise odd kinds of leadership such as leading by example, green leadership and bottom-up leadership.Take green leadership for instance. If a green leader promotes green policies in Norway and is followed by an organization in India, then leadership is not a two-way relationship between leader and follower and leadership stops once the target audience buys the proposal. This is important if we want to explain how leadership can be shown bottom-up.All the old clichés about management are wrong, on this view. Our negative attitude toward management arose following the success of Japanese business in the West. This led to a great hue and cry to replace managers with leaders. Management has had a bad name ever since, totally undeserved.Management’s bad nameEveryone has wanted to be a leader, not a manager, ever since the early 1980’s. Japanese business success at that time drove Western managers and gurus to proclaim an end to management. They

wanted to banish managers and replace them with leaders. This was an emotional overreaction. Instead, we should have upgraded management. The views expressed on this

website, Leadersdirect, are not in line with conventional thinking which has little that is very positive to say about the role of manager. It is because of this historical baggage that you hear people say that managers are only interested in the present, preserving the status quo, keeping things ticking over and that they are controlling or bureaucratic.This is really nonsense. If we define management simply as the aim to get the best return out of all resources, then any style that works is compatible with this definition. Enlightened managers can be people-oriented and good at fostering innovation. They can SHOW leadership by promoting better ways of working and by setting an inspiring example.What is management today?We can’t live without good management. Nothing would get done without it. On a personal level, how could you make best use of your time and your life if you didn’t set priorities and invest your time wisely?Similarly, the world is so complex that nothing is possible without the coordination of large numbers of people. This takes good management. Management today, is about facilitation, enabling others to act, being a catalyst

What’s the Difference Between Managers and Leaders?

You may not be able to reduce global warming, end pollution and save endangered species single-handed, but by choosing to live an earth-friendly lifestyle you can do a lot every day to help achieve those goals. And by making wise choices about how you live, and the amount of energy and natural resources you consume, you send a clear message to businesses, politicians and government agencies that value you as a customer, constituent and citizen. Here are five simple things you can do—in 30 minutes or less—to help protect the

environment and save Planet Earth. Drive Less, Drive SmartEvery time you leave your car at home you reduce air pollution, lower greenhouse gas emissions, improve your health and save money. Walk or ride a bicycle for

short trips, or take public transportation for longer ones. In 30 minutes, most people can easily walk a mile or more, and you can cover even more ground on a bicycle, bus, subway or commuter train. Research has shown that people who use public transportation are healthier than those who don’t. Families that use public transportation

can save enough money annually to cover their food costs for the year. When you do drive, take the few minutes needed to make sure your engine is well maintained and your tires properly

Five Ways to Help Save the Planet in 30 Minutes or Less

Ocean water may cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, but thirsty humans rely on finite supplies of freshwater to stay alive. And with exploding human population growth, especially in poor countries, these finite supplies get quickly spoken for. Further, in places without proper sanitation, water can become tainted with any number of diseases and parasites. Billions of People Lack Clean WaterAccording to the World Bank, as many as two billion people lack adequate sanitation facilities to protect them from water-borne disease, while a billion lack access to clean water altogether. According to the United Nations, which has declared 2005-2015 the “Water for Life” decade, 95 percent of the world’s cities still dump raw sewage into their water supplies. Thus it should come as no surprise to know that 80 percent of all the health maladies in developing countries can be traced back to unsanitary water. Water Scarcity Likely to Increase as Population GrowsSandra Postel, author of the 1998 book, Last Oasis: Facing Water Scarcity, predicts big water availability problems as populations of so-called “water-stressed” countries jump perhaps six fold over the next 30 years. “It raises tons of issues about water and agriculture, growing enough food, providing for all the material needs that people demand as incomes increase, and providing drinking water,” says Postel. Environmentalists Oppose Desalination SolutionWith world population expected to pass

nine billion by mid-century, solutions to water scarcity problems are not going to come easy. Some have suggested that technology--such as large-scale saltwater desalination plants--could generate more freshwater for the world to use. But environmentalists argue that depleting ocean water is no answer and will only create other big problems. In any case, research and development into improving desalination technologies is ongoing, especially in Saudi Arabia, Israel and Japan.

And already an estimated 11,000 desalination plants exist in some 120 countries around the world. Water and Market EconomicsOthers believe that applying market principles to water would facilitate a more efficient distribution of supply everywhere. Analysts at the Harvard Middle East Water Project, for example,

advocate assigning a monetary value to freshwater, rather than considering it a free natural commodity. They say such an approach could help mitigate the political and security tensions caused by water scarcity. Personal Action to Conserve Water ResourcesAs individuals, we can all rein in our own water use to help conserve what is becoming an ever more precious resource. We can hold off on watering our lawns in times of drought. And when it does rain, we can gather gutter water in barrels to feed garden hoses and sprinklers. We can turn off the faucet while we brush our teeth or shave, and take shorter showers.

Could There Ever be a “Water Scarcity?” Isn’t Water the Most Plentiful Thing on Earth?

Invest half an hour to protect the environment by changing how you live each day

By: Chris Carroll, Austin, TX

By: Mitch McCrimmon, Ph.D.

http: www.leadersdirect.com

http://environment.

Crises happen from time to time in all organizations. So when one happens «on your watch» how will you react? Will you resolve it in a way that seems graceful and well-considered? Or will you stumble,

and make mistakes which seriously damage your business – and your career? Crisis planning requires foresight, insight and hindsight. When you plan for a crisis you are planning for something that has not yet occurred but might do, and might have a serious impact on your business. No one wants a crisis to happen, but we must acknowledge the truth: Unanticipated events do occur and the results can be serious or even disastrous.The need for it is clear, but because the exact nature and likelihood is unknown, many of us put off crisis planning. Don’t make that mistake! It’s not defeatist or fatalistic, it’s simply realistic. If a crisis happens, you’ll manage it much more successfully if you’ve prepared properly in advance! When we think of business crises, we often think of major disasters such as terrorist attacks, hurricanes, or a pandemic of avian flu. While terrorism and natural disasters definitely need to be anticipated, it’s worth remembering that there are many other types of less dramatic business crisis that can cause damage to your organization. These include:Fires, floods, tornadoes – these are the things we often connect with contingency planning. These can all cause confusion and disorder if you haven’t prepared for them properly. Contingency planning is a key part of this preparation. As you see, contingency planning is not just about major disasters. On a smaller scale, it’s about preparing for events such as the loss of data, people, customers, and suppliers, and other disruptive unknowns. That’s why it’s important to make contingency planning a normal part of your everyday business operations. The need for contingency planning emerges from a thorough analysis of the risks that your organization faces. It’s also useful in thinking about new and ongoing projects: what happens when ‘Plan A’ doesn’t go as expected? Sometimes Plan A simply means ‘business as usual.’ Other times, with more sophisticated risk management plans, Plan A is your first response to deal with an identified risk – and when Plan A doesn’t work, you use your contingency plan. «The truth is that no one factor makes a company admirable. But if you were forced to pick the one that makes the most difference, you’d pick leadership.»As organizations adapt to changing business environments, the need for effective leadership is especially critical. When times are good, leading a company or a team is exciting. Resources are plentiful, customers are satisfied, and opportunity is everywhere. However, when the economic conditions are challenging, this excitement and positive energy tend to weaken. People often feel the pressures of work, and they fear for their job security. These worries and fears present a major challenge for leaders who need to keep their teams on target and productive. One of the keys to protecting yourself and your business in an economic downturn is to develop a culture that builds, and sustains, effective leadership practices. Of course, you need leaders who can control costs and conserve cash. However you also need leaders who see opportunity - and who will strive to seize that opportunity - despite all the negativity. You need leaders who remain committed to their people. And you need leaders who can transfer their positive outlook to the people and processes around them. In an economic downturn, you need to conserve your resources so that you can survive. However, you also need to position yourself to benefit as competitors falter( weaker and less effective), and to

be ready when the economy recovers. An economy in decline is often an opportunity to regroup, rethink, and renew. Here, I’m providing you with some solid tips for getting your organization in position to handle social crises:1.Understand your organization. Review external communication processes, social capabilities, and corporate culture. This is where we recommend scenario planning. 2.Create a new social mindset in your organization. The social shift calls for a mindset( a set of unchangeable attitudes) characterized by transparency, accountability, employee empowerment, and planned spontaneity. Technology is certainly a crucial component of dealing with crisis communication, but preparing processes and practices must come first.3.Know your consumers. Listen to conversations unfolding on the social web about your brand, and respond/employ proactive social support. Also identify your customer advocates on the social web – they will be invaluable in the event of a crisis.4.Form a social crisis team. A successful social strategy must cross the boundaries of department and hierarchy because consumers expect a seamless ( with no pauses or spaces) experience. Build a cross-functional team, including a social media manager, a product owner, and at least one executive sponsor. Draw up a social team charter to clarify roles and responsibilities and create an internal collaboration space for this team. 5.Roll out a social crisis communications plan. Develop a playbook with guidelines for the social crisis team. Define an escalation process for potential PR issues. Build feedback into every step so you can adapt. Your plan needs to think through three areas – process and culture (what / who needs to change), technologies and tools (what to use to get there), and key metrics (what to track).Expecting the unexpected has become a corporate responsibility. Whatever the threat – whether from natural disasters, acts of terrorism or civil unrest – companies need to be certain how long they should continue to operate and, if the intensity of the threat increases, when business operations should be wound down or, as a last resort, suspended. Given the enormous costs for each day that a company is not operating, the advantages of planning for operating in difficult environments and during crises are considerable. Control Risks helps its clients to prepare for a variety of unforeseen and potentially financially damaging events:•Crisis management – we prepare for evacuation and return, and test existing plans; design and implement crisis management policies, plans and procedures; and provide strategic planning and on-the-ground support.•Business continuity – we provide an understanding of the risks and assist an organization to prepare for and recover from disaster.•Contingency planning – we develop pre-determined responses to a wide range of threats from terrorist damage to health pandemics ( a disease that spreads in all the country).•Political and security risk analysis – we monitor and analyze political and security developments in more than 200 countries. In the event of nightmare scenarios becoming a reality – an executive kidnap, devastation from natural disasters, extortion( taking others’ things by threatening them) demands from local guerrillas – Control Risks enables its clients to respond quickly and effectively to preserve life and to secure operations and reputation.•Incident response – there should be a highly dedicated, specialist team of consultants that provides an unrivalled service advising clients in the event of an acute crisis, such as kidnap or extortion.•Incident support – as well as providing preventive services in times of crisis. Also operating a 24-hour operations center staffed by experienced crisis management consultant and are are available to offer immediate support and assistance and organize resources on-the-ground in times of crisis.

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Science and Technology

Crisis PlanningPreparing your response to the unexpected

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NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered the first Earth-size planets orbiting a sun-like star outside our solar system, a milestone in the search for planets like the earth.The planets, called Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f, are the smallest planets outside the solar system confirmed around a star like the Sun, NASA said in a statement.The planets are too close to their star to be in the so-called habitable zone where liquid water could exist on a planet’s surface.«This discovery demonstrates for the first time that Earth-size planets exist around other stars, and that we are able to detect them,» Francois Fressin of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said in the statement.The new planets are thought to be rocky. Kepler-20e is slightly smaller than Venus, measuring 0.87 times the radius of Earth.

Kepler-20f is slightly larger than Earth, measuring 1.03 times its radius. Both planets are in a five-planet system called Kepler-20, about 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Lyra.Kepler-20e orbits its parent star every 6.1 days and Kepler-20f every 19.6 days.Kepler-20f, at 800 degrees Fahrenheit, is similar to an average day on the planet Mercury. The surface temperature of Kepler-20e, at more than 1,400 degrees

Fahrenheit, would melt glass.The Kepler space telescope detects planets and planet candidates by measuring dips in the brightness of more than 150,000 stars as planets cross in front their stars.NASA is an acronym for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

http://www.reuters.com/

NASA finds Earth-size planets outside solar system