The once-stodgy Korean company has hired a team of Western managers to boost its image—and its profits

Watch full size video:

“It’sitting usually through debate that great ideas present itself,” says CEO Nam Jae-Hyun Kim

By Moon Ihlwan

LG Electronics Chief Executive Nam Yong and his corypheus marketing magistrate, Dermot Boden, had just wrapped up a rough strategy meeting. Tempers had flared—a rareness in a Korean gathering, to what consensus and “face” are paramount. After the meeting this autumn, Nam said: “You know, we argue a lot.” Boden was worried that he might have crossed a line that, as an Irishman working in Seoul, he hadn’t recognized. Nam soon afterward took a few steps, turned back toward Boden, and added: “Why don’t we chop logic more often?”

The mischance illustrates the cultural shift under practice at LG. The company, once among the most Korean of Korea’s chaebol, or conglomerates, is pushing to spot its management and become truly global. Boden is single of five Western veterans of IBM (IBM), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Procter & Gamble (PG), Unilever (UL), and elsewhere that Nam has lured into the executive suite. The foreigners now allure the part of a quarter of LG’s leadership and have taken over guide positions including purchasing, supply-chain management, and human resources.

Nam didn’t unavoidably intend to hire a bunch of back-talking cranks, but he knew LG needed make some change in.. The company’session Korean administration team had built an engineering powerhouse that excelled at manufacturing and selling good-quality, inexpensive TVs, cell phones, refrigerators, and scores of other products: Since 1976, when Nam started as a trainee in LG’s export department, sales had soared 300-fold, to $44 billion hold out year. And in many persons respects, LG has long been global: By last year, more than four-fifths of its revenues came from overseas, and nearly 60% of its manufacturing was outside Korea.

But by the time Nam took over the top job in January 2007, LG was coasting. It had become a top-five consumer-electronics player globally but had few hits. Nam believed the company needed to be a trendsetter if it wanted to prosper in the Digital Age. To shake things up, he asked headhunters to find top talent from multinationals worldwide, regardless of nationality. “It’s usually through debate that great ideas discover itself,” says the 59-year-old CEO.

The foreigners have been asked to standardize the hodgepodge of processes and systems that LG has developed around the world. Its purchasing, for instance, was done by four distinct vocation units and was split amidst factories and subsidiaries in 110 countries. “I’m like a transmitter, getting [2,000 purchasing officers] to work in concert to make capital music,” says Tom Linton, a 20-year veteran of IBM who joined LG as its leading chief procurement official in January. Nam says Linton’s efforts to reshape the purchasing system have already saved the company hundreds of millions of dollars.

LG’s supply chain was virtuous for the reason that chaotic. Didier Chenneveau, a Swiss who in March free HP to become LG’session chief supply-chain functionary, inherited more than 10 warehouse-management systems, five carriage operations, and four computer systems to warner the movement of parts and polished products. His goal is to merge them into a single global system by 2010. Until now, “a lot of things were driven by means of pure dedication and commitment of the people,” says Chenneveau.

The foreigners haven’t been entirely welcomed by Korean managers. “The biggest worry was the prospect of Western executives imposing a passage of thinking that might not work in our Confucian culture,” says marketing manager Choi Seung Hun. “The prospect of communicating with my boss in English gave me a headache,” adds Lee Kyo Weon, a purchasing manager. Both Choi and Lee, granting, say the newcomers have made an essay to build a bridge over the cultural gap; and it helps that an interpreter is always adhering hand.

Boden was the chief foreign change agent. A year ago, Nam hired the long practised of Pfizer (PFE) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) to withstand turn LG into a premium brand. The problem, Boden says, was that LG’s marketing was uninspiring. So he’s aiming to give the brand a in addition sophisticated image with high-end products such as a organic unit phone co-branded with fashion dwelling-place Prada and washers costing $1,500-plus. He’s also taking a more organized approach to marketing by hiring a single agency—London’s Bartle, Bogle, Hegarty—to handle advertising worldwide.

Early evidence suggests Nam’s globalizing push is paying off. Despite a drop in consumer spending in the wake of the Wall Street meltdown, analysts say LG should announcement record results this year. Its operating profit jumped 138%, to $2 billion, in the highest nine months of 2008 on sales of $36 billion, up 20%. It’s unclear, though, whether LG’s upmarket brand strategy will act in increasingly troubled times. “The big test be disposed be how LG copes with the risks posed by the global slowdown,” says Park Kyung Min, chief executive at fund manager Hangaram Investment Management.

Nam’s extraneous executives predict the company will prosper fair at the same time that the economy swamp-sickness. Nam, they say, is willing to spend what it force of will take to break into the top tier of global brands. In November, for instance, the house announced a five-year deal to plaster Formula 1 racetracks with the LG logo. Although it faculty of volition cost LG tens of millions of dollars annually (Boden declined to give details), he vows to press ahead. “We are making a statement,” Boden says, “equitable though things will be tough.”

Analysts aiming to steer investors clear of disaster are pointing fingers at those companies that seem to have being headed for bankruptcy

By Aaron Pressman

Watch full size video:

Allen Crawford/Plankton Art Co.

It seems like only yesterday regulators were accusing stock analysts of being stingy by “take a bribe for” ratings because of conflicts of part, similar since a desire to win investment banking business. How quaint. With the S&P 500-stock index down 39% and many individual stocks from a thin to a dense state twice that, analysts have started assigning an plane worse rating: “going to zero.”

The trend may have started over the summer when some enterprising banking analysts predicted that shares of IndyMac Bank (IDMCQ) in Pasadena, Calif., would turn out to zero. Bravo to them, since the stock was recently hind part before 4 cents a share.

Now “cipher” ratings are proliferating. RBC Capital Markets (RY) analyst Mark Sue slapped a target price of zero on telecommunications-equipment maker Nortel Networks (NT); Deutsche Bank analyst Rod Lache says General Motors (GM) shareholders will have worthless stock certificates in the compass of 12 months; and Henry Blodgett thinks hanger-on radio provider Sirius XM (SIRI) is headed for bankruptcy. Analysts at Morningstar (MORN) suppose the shares of 32 of the 2,000 companies they cover are likely to become worthless.

Analyst estimates are notoriously untrustworthy, of course, so don’t expect every numskull with a target price of zero to go out of business. But frequent recent zero-rating recipients are indeed in dire straits.

Take Nortel. Defenders theme out that it had $2.65 billion in cash as of Sept. 30 and sales of $11 billion over the prior year. A looming $1 billion bond issue doesn’t mature until 2011. But RBC’s Sue notes that Nortel is fervid through cash—more than $600 million since the start of 2008—and needs $1 billion to $1.5 billion just to run its business next year. “Bankruptcy is a distinct possibility,” he writes. While not commenting on the report, a Nortel spokesman says it “has put in place decisive actions to cut costs and protect cash to harden our monetary footing.” GM says: “We’ve clearly outlined a plan to restructure our business. We think that will drive our dolt price in the for a long time christen.”

At Morningstar, the number of companies seen as well-suited to go lacking of business has doubled in the past not many weeks, and the firm expects the number to rise. Its sector analysts cast accounts fair set a value on for every trunk they cover based forward fundamentals, says analyst Matthew Coffina, author of Morningstar’s “Most Overvalued Stocks” column. Setting a value of zero “says there’s a considerably better than 50% chance a stock will be worthless,” he adds.

Most of Morningstar’s picks, such as Citadel Broadcasting (CDL), are in the media industry, where heavily in debt companies are seeing advertising revenues thrust one’s self. But regional airline Mesa Air Group (MESA) faces a lawsuit over its operations in Hawaii and could see lower payments from its carrier partners. Decode Genetics (DCGN), what one. uses genealogical records from Iceland to understand genetic diseases, hasn’t had any drugs approved by the Food & Drug Administration and could run deficient in of cash.

Coffina says Morningstar isn’cheek by jowl advocating that investors sell those shares short, but it wants to inform shareholders who may be hoping for a recovery. “Even selling at 30 cents is a very large return if shares are going to cipher,” he says.

In a year of loss, they’re building market share, upending their industries, and changing consumers’ lives

By Jena McGregor

Watch the Video…

Watch full size video:

“Power lasts 10 years,” goes an old Korean adage. “Influence, not greater quantity than a hundred.”

In a year that brought the excellent to their knees, more of the biggest players in business be in actual possession of seen their power whittled away. The once-venerated Lehman Brothers filed for insolvency in September. American International Group (AIG) now bows to dominion officials after nearly collapsing under a web of risky bets. Even the blue-chip General Electric found itself going hat-in-hand to Warren Buffett.

As the proverb points out, authority has a shelf life, too. And it’s in all probability getting shorter as the cycle of modify accelerates. Companies that once wielded a seemingly unshakeable hold over their industries—General Motors (GM), Sony (SNE), Microsoft (MSFT)—now find themselves following the outstrip of more nimble players of the like kind as Toyota ™, Apple (APPL), and Google (GOOG). “There’s no standing still,” notes veteran strategy guru Gary Hamel. “Influence is like water, always flowing in one place or another.”

The essential part characteristics of influence are unchanged, whether it’s inspiring a faithful following, spawning big ideas, or edifice up gigantic market share. What has changed is how players do it. A company’s physical assets are less important now than the force of its ideas. In the age of blogging and instant communication, consumers are less the recipients of corporate ascendency than powerful actors who help shape it. “We’re coming to realize a brand is not just what the manufacturer says it is,” says Shelly Lazarus, presiding officer and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, “but everything that the consumer or the purchaser experiences.” Think of the common built around Apple products.

With that in mind, BusinessWeek developed a list of the World’s Most Influential Companies. We chose 10 companies that have devised winning strategies in their industries. They are the ones with the game-changing ideas, the greatest impact on consumers, and the bold tactics rivals compete with. None is infallible or without controversy. And our choices were more art than body of knowledge. But we believe each company played a greater role in business over the spent year and could shape the incorporated rural scene for years to come.

In honing the think fit, BusinessWeek worked with an advisory board of 14 academics, consultants, and industry leaders worldwide. Several themes emerged. For one, the developed world is no longer the sole repertory of influential companies. Nearly a third of the board’session suggestions were with respect to companies based in emerging markets, where a vibrating workforce and global capital play a vital role.

And forget about first-mover advantage. Google was not the first search engine, just the simplest and most technologically advanced. Apple, though late to the cell-phone race, has revolutionized the industry with its iPhone. Futurist Andrew Zolli notes that these latecomers don’t “due define, but redefine, the terms of competition.”

Senate Republicans refuse $14 billion in aid after UAW’s Gettelfinger balks at fast wage cuts. GM, Chrysler pay bankruptcy advisors

By David Kiley and David Welch

Watch full size video:

Last-ditch efforts to forge an agreement to rescue the U.S. automakers fell apart late Thursday, Dec. 11, when union officials refused fast and deep cuts in worker pay. The collapse created the substantial possibility that General Motors (GM) and Chrysler will face bankruptcy in a matter of weeks, unless the Treasury Dept. acts to prevent it.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on the Senate knock down Thursday night that a denial of the United Auto Workers, headed by Ron Gettelfinger, to agree to lower wages and benefits at close correspondence with workers at Toyota ™ and Honda (HMC) in the U.S. by a begin certain in 2009 was the last sticking point preventing Republicans from supporting the bill.

"We were three words away from a deal," reported Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who spent all day trying to middleman an agreement between Republicans, the union, and the auto companies. Tennessee is home to a GM and Nissan (NSANY) plant, as well as a future Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) plant and several supplier facilities.

Officials from the UAW did not return phone calls at press time.

"It’s disappointing that Congress failed to act tonight," the White House uttered in a prepared statement. "We think the legislation we negotiated provided one suitable to use funds already appropriated for automakers and presented the best betide to avoid a disorderly bankruptcy while ensuring taxpayer funds no other than go to firms whose stakeholders were prepared to serve difficult decisions to become viable."

The Senate rejected the bailout 52-35 on a procedural vote after the talks collapsed.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called the exchange kisses and caresses’s collapse "a damage for the country," adding: "I dread looking at Wall Street tomorrow. It’s not going to have existence a pleasant sight."

The bill called for $14 billion to exist divided between GM and Chrysler, both of which are at the financial fracture point as the recession and consumer put faith in crunch have crippled their finances. The companies, anticipating failure in the Senate, have hired bankruptcy law firms. Ford (F) has reported it doesn’t neediness federal assistance now but has asked for a $9 billion line of confide in in case sales deteriorate below the current level.

According to Corker, bond holders that conferred through lawmakers Thursday agreed to espouse a 70% writedown on debt they grasp from the automakers, and to take half of the remainder in stock. GM has $42 billion in debt, not counting payments the company must make to the union’s health-care trust to in 2010. As dividend of the deal, the UAW also agreed to take half of its subsequent time $21 billion in payments to its health-care fund in stock. "The companies would have been stronger than they have been in 40 years, or headed in the place of Chapter 11," reported Corker.

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) took a harsh and emotional tone with Republicans who voted against the bill. "Evidently the and nothing else thing that matters to those upon the body the other espouse a cause of the passage is that workers make in addition much standard of value," she said.

Watch full size video:

Islamabad, Pakistan

Pakistan on Thursday detained the trip of the militant group accused by India and the United States of conducting the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, was being held in Lahore at his headquarters for Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the charity that fronts for the contending assign places to, Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Madrid, Spain

Unrest in Greece spreads to Europe

The unrest that has gripped Greece is spilling over into the rest of Europe, raising concerns the clashes could be a trigger for opponents of globalization, disaffected minority and others outraged by the continent’session economic turmoil and soaring unemployment.

Protesters in Spain, Denmark and Italy smashed shop windows, pelted police with bottles and attacked banks this week, while in France, cars were cause to sit ablaze Thursday outside the Greek consulate in Bordeaux, at which place protesters scrawled graffiti warning about a looming “insurrection.”

The chaos in Greece was triggered by the police killing of a teenager on Saturday.

São Paulo, Brazil

Retired policeman held in gladsome slaying

A retired police official has been detained in connection with the slayings murders of 13 gay men in a low-income suburb of São Paulo, police said Thursday.

Retired state police Sgt. Jairo Francisco Franco was taken into custody Wednesday night after a witness identified him as the killer of a homosexual man put on Aug. 19, said police superintendent Paulo Fortunato.

Watch full size video:

With a winter storm bearing down about the quarter, here’s a refresher on basic winter-driving techniques from the state Department of Transportation.

• Drive with headlights on.

• Leave extra room between you and other vehicles to bestow yourself time to stop.

• Slow down at intersections, offramps, bridges or shady areas that might have black concreted sugar.

• Avoid abrupt stops or other last-minute actions so you don’confidentially lose control.

• Don’t use rove over the sea rule or overdrive.

• Keep a obstruct estimate on traffic ahead of you.

• Give yourself extra time and distance to stop. Stopping on wet or icy roads on the outside of skidding takes more time.

You also should carry an emergency car fiddle everywhere the hibernate. A kit should include:

• Jumper cables

• Cat litter or sand for tire traction

• Shovel

Watch full size video:

A storm bearing a threat of snow and some of the coldest temperatures seen since 1990 is expected to arrive Saturday evening in the Seattle area and declare hibernate is here.

The Seattle circle could see rain turning into snow as early as Friday fall of day, with areas in higher elevations bracing for as much as 8 inches by Saturday evening, National Weather Service meteorologists said.

With devoid of warmth air moving southerly from British Columbia, Saturday-morning temperatures are expected to hover around freezing, with highs in the 30s, but that by Saturday evening, the mercury force of will plunge into the 20s, forecasters say. Sunday will offer similarly chilly temperatures in the 20s and low 30s.

Meteorologists saw the Puget Sound circle may wake put on Monday to bone-chilling temperatures around 20 degrees with highs that day in the upper 20s to low 30s.

A dry, unimpeded cold snap is expected to continue next week, said Brad Colman, head meteorologist inasmuch during the time that of the National Weather Service in Seattle. It could be the coldest air to hit the region since December 1990, he uttered.

“It certainly is a major winter blast,” he said.

Meteorologists put out a winter-storm watch Thursday for Central Puget Sound and a winter-storm warning in the mountains. The Central and Southern Cascades are forecast to get blasted by 1 to 2 feet of snow over the weekend, while the North Cascades besides will see their fair share, with about a foot of new snow. High winds too may gust from one side the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Central Coast, which are on a high-wind watch. The San Juan Islands and areas near Bellingham are also on a high-wind keep awake for Saturday.

Driving conditions will have existence treacherous throughout the region, state officials assert, by blowing, drifting snow in the mountains and slippery, snowy roads in the metropolitan areas.

The represent fully already temporarily closed Chinook and Cayuse passes and the North Cascades Highway on Thursday because of the coming fume. The state has about 100 plows covering state roadways in five Western Washington counties, and crews have been preparing for the first winter storm and are ready to go around the clock, said Patrick Moylan, maintenance and operations manager concerning the national transportation course of life.

Neither Snoqualmie nor Stevens passes are likely to close for extended periods completely the weekend because in that place’s not yet enough of a snowpack to pose an avalanche danger, Moylan said. But major traffic accidents from slippery roads still could shut them from the top to the bottom of notwithstanding a couple of hours at a time.

Weather and state officials are asking people to consider delaying travel plans this weekend. If you must fashion, look at the weather forecast and conditions (www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/sustain) before heading out and adjust by filling your gas tank, making sure in that place is coolant in the radiator and carrying chains and turn of events supplies such as nutrition, water and a blanket.

Those itching to get out in the snow for refreshment also need to be circumspect. Weather provisions are likely to have existence bad enough that people should not hazard beyond developed areas, said Mark Moore, boss of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center.

The flurries of snow on the way probably will subsist light and fluffy, and Crystal Mountain is the only ski area considering opening this weekend, Moore said. If it does open, the runs would be limited to the lower lifts because of cold temperatures and wind chill, he said.

“Conditions will be brutal out there,” he reported.

Even vulgar herd who stay home this weekend should prepare, officials aforesaid, vexation precautions such as protecting pipes from freezing and ensuring that water for outdoor animals is not iced over.

“It’s an important storm,” Colman said. “We shelter’t had this devoid of warmth for a long proper time.”

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com

Watch full size video:

The gymnastics rivalries had almost become predictable.

Woodinville would battle Bothell and dark horse contender Inglemoor for the KingCo 4A team spot at state. In KingCo 3A, perennial contenders Newport and Issaquah would take their rivalry all the way to the Tacoma Dome.

But Newport and Issaquah have moved up to 4A, and the battle for KingCo 4A’s single state berth has become a lot more crowded.

“We’ve always been really familiar with 3A,” said Issaquah coach Ryan Fleisher. “It’s hard to set a goal … when you don’t know what your playing field is.”

Woodinville’s goal is the same: get to state, win a third consecutive title there, and have fun doing it. The Falcons got off to a good start on Dec. 4, posting a whopping 178.75 score in their season opener against Juanita.

Woodinville junior Hailey Wells, fourth in the all-around at last year’s state meet, and newcomer Karin Ochsner gave the Falcons a 1-2 punch, each averaging more than 9.0 per apparatus.

Woodinville coach Kim Fleming said she’s excited to see Issaquah and Newport in 4A, but worries that the depth of KingCo 4A means gymnasts who deserve to compete at state will be left behind.

“My first reaction to it is that I like that they’re up in our league,” Fleming said. “But at the same time, it makes for a lot harder competition, and the sad part to me is that it’s still just one team that goes to state.”

Although Woodinville lost several members of last season’s state team and has battled early season injuries, they’ve also gained sophomore Gina Puccio, who transferred from Bothell.

Winning KingCo 4A may be more challenging than winning the state meet, Inglemoor coach James Evans said.

“Whoever walks out of this district is probably going all the way,” he said.

Evans hopes Inglemoor will be that team. The Vikings return junior Amy Sisk and have a second solid all-around competitor in sophomore Becca Berge.

Newport coach Farrah Griffin welcomes the challenge.

“No worries here,” she said. “We can only control our team and have everyone else worry about what they worry about.”

Newport won its third consecutive 3A/2A state championship last season, but two months later an automobile accident took the life of senior Taryn Gillies. Since then, the Knights have become closer as a team, Griffin said.

Issaquah, the 3A/2A state runner-up last year, has lost some depth. But the Eagles return sophomores Olivia Goree and Risa Fukuda, who had strong showings at state last year, along with seniors Ashley Lester, Kelly Richards and Kelsea Neal.

The departure of Newport and Issaquah leaves a vacuum in KingCo 3A. Bainbridge coach Cindy Guy, whose Spartans won the state title in 2005 but placed fifth last February, sees an opportunity.

“We’re pretty excited about what the competition’s going to be,” Guy said. “It’s going to help us out for sure.”

Guy expects her team to be competitive with Auburn Mountainview and Mercer Island. Bainbridge gymnastics have a tradition to uphold: The Spartans haven’t lost a regular-season meet in seven years, and returners like senior Annie Zuckerman and sophomore Anne Schwartz want to keep it that way.

Mountainview, led by senior Ashley Perkovich and junior Alexi Morton, has been steadily ascending the state ranks. The Lions were fifth at state in 2007 and third in 2008.

Some coaches inspire by cajoling, some yell, some make foolish promises. Evans made a deal with his team: If Inglemoor makes it to state, he will do a back handspring on a high beam.

“That’ll be interesting,” Evans mused. “My life might come to an end.”

Watch full size video:

Jack Zduriencik’s first Mariners trade, by sheer song, was the biggest in franchise history.

With 12 players changing teams in a three-way deal — seven coming to the Mariners — it knocked aside the previous volume leader, the 11-player deal with Texas consummated by Lou Gorman on Dec. 13, 1980.

In that much-ado-about-not much (as it turned out) swap, the Mariners sent Rick Honeycutt, Larry Cox, Mario Mendoza, Leon Roberts and Willie Horton to Texas for Richie Zisk, Brian Allard, Kenny Clay, Jerry Don Gleaton, Steve Finch and Rick Auerbach.

Zisk is still fondly remembered by means of means of a few; the rest of the Mariners’ draw was forgotten almost instantly.

What will exist the legacy of Zduriencik’s maiden foray into the baseball swap market? Check away from the thicker settlements in 28 years. I give it high marks for both novelty and achievement, however some Mariners fans seem to be having trouble embracing the deal — because it requires faith, I suspect.

Faith in Zduriencik’sitting ability to sniff out under-the-radar and developing ableness. Faith in his competency in judging esoteric defensive metrics. Faith that this is all part of a coherent preceptor plan, a work in progress that will eventually fill in totality the voids, analogous capability and a closer. Faith that he won’t bungle it up with subsequent moves that render moot the gains of this deal.

A drench of skepticism, a dollop of cynicism, is consummately understandable. After completely, direct the eye where faith in the Mariners’ architect has gotten fans in the recent exceeding.

It hasn’t quite ordinary in yet, this universal idea that a Mariners GM has a vision worth embracing. This is a trade that brings subtle gains in opposition to the Mariners. Defense. Potential. Flexibility. Depth. All the things, in other words, that the club needed to load up on far more than a sexy slugger with name memory and an uncertain future.

Speaking of which … one has to wonder where this manual occupation leaves a possible following out of Ken Griffey Jr., who clearly has a willingness, if not a strong desire, to finish his career where it began.

“He was obviously overwhelmed by his party when he came back in 2007,” Griffey’s agent, Brian Goldberg, said Thursday. “I’ll never consign to oblivion, in the second inning, [Griffey’s wife] Melissa and the kids came back to the staff the Mariners were nice enough to give us.

“His daughter, Taryn, grabbed me and reported, ‘Hey, Brian, at the end of Dad’sitting speech, I saw him tear up. I’ve never seen Dad cry.’ “

Although the J.J. Putz trade indicates (as has virtually every offseason incite) a hankering by Zduriencik to agitate things up and start anew, I still see a potential lay for Griffey with the 2009 Mariners.

Griffey, at date 39, doesn’t spasm with equal reason neat into the defense-oriented outfield that Zduriencik is clearly trying to build. But dominion, especially from the left side, remains a gaping need for the Mariners, and designated hitter is still largely unaddressed. Griffey, coming off arthroscopic left-knee surgery in October that he expects to replace the power lost last year (when he slipped from 30 home runs to 18), seems willing to take . that role.

Junior also seems perfectly willing to accept a reasonable wages (one that would be potentially set-off by dint of. his drawing power) and a short-term deal that won’t saddle the Mariners if it doesn’t work out.

“Let’s put it this way: I put on’t expect circulating medium to subsist an issue, given the fact that Junior has deferred remuneration kicking in this year for many years to come, and has been quite prudent with the money he’s made over the years,” Goldberg said.

Considering that Griffey has earned $147 million in his sweep, according to Baseballreference.com, I slip upon’confidentially think he’ll be trying to break the bank. It’s not unreasonable to think that a healthy and motivated Griffey could approach his 2007 numbers, when he played 144 games and put up an .869 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Zduriencik is not tied into the nostalgia wave that might lead his bosses, and a significant portion of the fan base, to endorse a Griffey go. He’ll view this on a baseball-only foundation, and right now doesn’t seem to have any urgency to deal with Griffey.

Zduriencik says he wish keep exploring other deals, including some that might render the Griffey notion untenable. But based on the talent currently on hand — equal after picking up seven shiny commencing pieces on Wednesday in the Mariners’ deal to end all deals — there still seems to be a place for Ken Griffey Jr.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com

Watch full size video:

BUCHAREST, Romania — By his own admission, Barack Obama was “a skinny kid with a funny name,” still that isn’t stopping proud parents from Romania to Indonesia from naming their newborns in relation to the U.S. president-elect.

Romania’s downtrodden Gypsies — once enslaved, like African Americans, yet still struggling to overcome deep-seated prejudice — seem particularly inspired.

“When I saw Obama on TV, my disposition swelled with joy. I contemplation he was one of us Gypsies because of his skin color,” said Maria Savu, whose infant grandson — Obama Sorin Ilie Scoica — was born in the central Romania village of Rusciori.

Little Obama is the third baby of a poor house that barely gets by on $66 a month in advantage benefits.

He came into the world Nov. 4, the day Americans voted in their new multiracial president-elect, and Savu, 43, told the Evenimentul Zilei newspaper she hopes his name will bring him success.

Obama’s conquest also moved Sugiarto, a 36-year-old security guard in Jakarta, Indonesia, and his wife, Sularsih, to name their new son after him.

Indonesia, a Muslim nation, is unabashedly Obama-crazy — in part as Obama spent four years in that place as a child.

“He’sitting grand, isn’t it?” said Sularsih, 34, rubbing the cheek of their dormant 1-month-old, Husein Obama. “I ponder it’s a beautiful credit for him. And who knows? Maybe one day he’ll be president of Indonesia.”

Americans also have been naming children for Obama. Patrick and Sasha Hall Fisher of Hollywood, Fla., are credited as being the first: Sanjae Obama Fisher was born a not many hours before news outlets declared Obama to be the new president-elect.

In the Dutch city of Leiden, officials proudly announced highest week that Obama’s roots can be traced to the Pilgrims who eventually settled America after fleeing England in 1609. The Pilgrims spent 11 years in Leiden on their interval to the new world.

Obama is a descendant of Thomas Blossom, local alderman Jan-Jaap Haan related, citing examination by the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston.

But Obama’s triumph has had a special reverberation in corners of the world where the poor and underprivileged see him as an example of the make different they crave.