Haiti – relief via a diversity of organisations.

A few days ago I posted the following tweet on my twitter account.

I posted this tweet to illustrate the efforts that the two main organisations I am involved with; namely my employer Ericsson and the Church I attend The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; are going to, to assist in the relief effort in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake. 

It fills me with admiration for both these organisations that both are participating in some degree to help. Perhaps it is expected of a Church to be involved in relief efforts and I am glad the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints lives up to that expectation.  I am not sure if the same expectation exists for a multinational telecom vendor such as Ericsson.  However I am happy that such a company exceeds or even creates a different sort of expectation by providing relief services in the area it excells in. 

So I thought it would be worthwhile to post a few extra links to direct those who read this blog to the work that Ericsson and The LDS Church are doing alongside the many, many, many other organisations and relief agencies and volunteers that are working in Haiti and other places around the world.  There will be many unreported stories of selfless acts of service that take place as a result of this natural disaster, I think it is well worth publicising those that are reported.

Should you be looking for a way to donate funds to the relief effort it is possible by the first of the two links below. Members and visitors to the Church can also do so by the normal donation slips found in LDS buildings.  Fill out the Humanitarian Aid section on the slip.

http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services/

http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/corporate_responsibility/ericssonresponse/index.shtml

Thoughts and prayers are with those in Haiti, both the Haitians effected and those working to provide relief.  Just this evening we learned how a survivor has been pulled from the rubble, 11 days after the quake, if there are more people alive in the rubble I pray they will be found and brought out alive.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all who read my blog.

 This time of year seems to bring a wave of optimism throughout, especially when collectively we have endured one of the more difficult years. I am sure that 2009 will be remembered by many as a bit of a mixed bag, the national & international perspective will be as a year of recession, depression and financial instability, but personally & individually there will be heartwarming experiences for which 2009 will be remembered most fondly, perhaps the birth of a child, a marriage, the recovery of a loved one or some other equally enriching experience.    In the midst of national, political or financial turmoil, there will hopefully be in everyones lives this past year an oasis of happiness, joy and fulfillment to offset and perhaps dwarf the negative.

I have always been a secret admirer of the US thanksgiving day and the sentiment upon which it is based, even though like Christmas,  New Year or Easter holidays it may sometimes be overidden by commericalism.  The sentiment to look back upon the recent past and evaluate the present and be thankful for what one has and the opportunities given rather than what one does not have or opportunities missed.  Perhaps it is a tactic that can be deployed by each of us now to help put into prespective our relative situations.

I will remember 2009 as one of the busiest periods I have yet lived through in my professional life.   It has been an interesting dicohtemy to be involved in a project that has been running at full pace in an environment of recession.  Inevitably throughout this year conversations in my social circles are drawn towards ones employment and it’s current position in global recession.  I have heard of friends and acquaintances whose businesses or markets have completely vanished within months, weeks or even days.  It has been very sobering to have these discussions and has kept me grounded when contemplating my own situation. 

I will remember 2009 for the oasis of happiness and joy that have been created throughout the year and it doesn’t take me too long to remember a whole host of such oasis in the year.  them and I hope that anyone taking the time to read these few words will also be able to recount theirs from this past year.

Happy new year to you, may 2010 be bright and full of joy, the  realisation of such has a lot to do with yours and my perspective.

Not an iPhone but not a bad option – The Nokia N97

And Ok so as I was blogging the match report for the Under 10’s football team that my son plays for I reflected on the process I was using to do so. The scene is familar to many and fairly typical, parents and families standing on the sidelines cheering and offering advice and instruction, we’re all capable of managing top flight football teams weren’t you aware. In between the cheers and shouts I am there tapping away my thoughts into my 3G Nokia N97. The ball is cleared up the field the defender misses it, the ball bobbles on the uneven pitch and beats the keeper who is dwarfed by this goal behind him. I tap onto the keyboard .. “a thunderous shot from half way beats the defense and the back of the net bludges 1-0″ I then go up a few lines and recap on the build up and snap a shot using the 5megapixel on board camera. The picture quality is acceptable from the phone and I email it directly to the flickr link that is set up for the team and it’s up on the blog before half time oranges are dispensed.

The final whistle goes and I have a quick check through what I have written, there are only a couple of spelling mistakes or phantom ‘m’s dotted through the sentances where instead of hitting the spacebar that is located to the right of the keyboard on the N97 and not on a 4th row as with a full size qwerty. So i decide it’s good enough to go straight on the blog and so email it to my wordpress email address as I am doing with this post and it’s there on the blog.

When I joined 3UK in 2001 is this what I envisaged I would be using a 3G phone for? All the talk then was video calling and what would be the killer app. It would seem there is no one killer app but many…. I used profimail to write and send the text of my blog entry, gravity to tweet about it, photobrowser to pick the right picture to send.
Maybe next time I’ll use the you tube app and upload a video clip of the goal to the blog.
It seems to me that the killer app is just our insatiable need for bandwidth fuelled by a desire to access all we can on the move via our mobile devices. These devices such as the iPhone or this N97 that I am typing on now are packed with little goodies with which to consume bandwidth, they add wifi connectivity to such devices and so we become accustomed to broadband speeds and expect the same when we are travelling on the bus, train or sat in a field camping. 3G networks are not quite there yet but it won’t be long.
I blogged on here a couple of years ago that the original iPhone was a shadow of future models and that is true as we have seen not only extra models added but the introduction of the app store took the iPhone to a new level. This is to a certain extent being emulated with the launch of ovi store for nokia devices and the number of apps for symbian devices such as N97 & Samsung phones that are on the net. If this can be built upon then the device can be a successful alternative to the iPhone.
Gonna go now just had a text message with Man Utd’s full time score and there is a video highlight to watch.

T-mobile/Orange merger

The announcement this morning by Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom of the impending merger of T-Mobile UK and Orange UK has been one of the top trending topics on twitter today and has been a hot topic in the office.
It has been no secret that Deutsche Telekom have been looking to sell off the UK arm and it seems quite sensible that Orange the only mobile operator not currently involved in a Radio Access Network consolidation of some nature with another operator would want to be involved.
When the news broke earlier this year that Vodafone & O2 had entered into a network co-operation deal similar it would seem to the RAN consolidation announced last year by 3UK & T-Mobile it became apparent that orange would have to do something.
It can be argued that they did try in the first place to shake the market up by investigating a site share/network share of their own with vodafone a couple of years back, but that didn’t come off. It is my personal opinion that the 3UK/T-Mobile deal in forming MBNL UK was as a direct result of the orange/vodafone trial. Now it is all change, it’s analagous to a game of musical chairs, a chair has been taken away. the music has stopped and instead of being the last one standing Orange have sat on the knee of T-Mobile. Now the interesting question is whether or not they have pushed 3UK off the chair aswell or whether the MBNL experiment will be allowed to continue to press ahead. Time will tell, it always does with these things.

For the observer of this market the challenge is trying to keep up how it is evolvimg. Perhaps these sorts of the deals are the only way mobile operators are going to survive as they continue to labour under the massive debt they were placed in as a consequence of the huge sums paid for the 3G licenses auction in 2000.

Perspective……..

Do you ever have those weeks despite them being no fuller in terms of appointments or travel or things to do you get the end of it and take a deep breath and think “ok that one is over” I’ve had a couple of those types of weeks just recently.  My schedule has been no busier than normal, but perhaps the nature of some of those appointments has been a little different.
In this last two weeks I personally have known of five individuals who have left this mortal realm leaving behind family and friends to mourn their loss and celebrate their lives, some very much shorter than others. 

Of those five who have passed away in the last few days, I sadly only had the opportunity to meet personally with two of the three dear gentlemen and brothers in the Church whilst they were ill.  I was struck by how they both dealt with the impending certainty of death with such dignity and peace. I saw how their faith and the faith of their wonderful wifes in a higher power and an eternal perspective provided great comfort and peace to them in their last few days on the earth.
The knowledge that there is something beyond this life and that there is a purpose to being here, brings me great comfort and helps make sense of a great deal of things that would otherwise not make sense, particularly when death comes to one so young, such as a child or a new born baby.  It is a sign of a loving and kind Heavenly Father, God if you will, that he would make sure that such a child is not lost or damned or that the tender feelings of a mother and father mourning can be comforted in the knowledge that they will once again have the opportunity in the eternities to raise that child and be a parent to that child who now is lost to them through death.   (For further reading on this topic please visit www.mormon.org or teachings on bereavement )

I can only comment for myself but I would find it difficult to reconcile such experiences with death without this faith and knowledge.  In fact it can be difficult enough with that knowledge and faith to cope with those close to us who pass away. My heart reaches out to those who must experience the pain of losing a loved one without this insight or surety of faith that death is not the end but mearly a parting for a season until the time comes when body and spirit are reunited and the opportunity to live together again but this time for ever in the eternities is given.

If you are reading this now and are feeling that way I hope that you will accept the invitation to learn more about this teaching of the “great plan of happiness”.  Throughout the world the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have representatives who can come and teach more about this plan, they can reached from the website of the Church, www.mormon.org or you can come along to the nearest Church building using the online building locater

An Island in the sun

11 years ago just before my wife and I married we along with a friend organised a Young Single Adult Camping covention for the Church of Jeus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) on the Isle of Wight.

We entitled it the Island in the Sun convention and true to form it rained.
Today we were back on the Island today for the first time together since we struck the camp in July 1998.
We were talking about the fun we had in organising it and the last minute change in plans due to the weather. It forced us to change the planned raft race to a pool party, the bouncy castle was pulled in the marquee and the largest game of “moose moose” I have ever particpated in. Now I am sure we are looking back on the convention with rose tinted glasses somewhat but we had a good time and I think most who attended did also.
In a way it is probably a good job it did rain as looking back I am not sure we were ready for the raft race. I think a bit of divine protection was being afforded us that day.
What I did find is that in the fabled Internet archive the website for the convention can still be accessed.

http://web.archive.org/web/19990218130651/http://come.to/island.in.the.sun.convention

Ahh the early days of HTML…….

As I said today we were back on the Isle of Wight as a family, the first time we had been able to do so since I was called as Stake President and a decade and four children later it was good to back. I have been over to the island a number of times in the callings I have held for the last few years but to go across with my family was a bit more special. Church services went really well and the Saints of the area were in good spirits. It was good to be there and not be rushed which is often the case when trying to adhere to ferry timetables. Today as we were taking the car we had booked on an evening ferry so we could make a day of it, we took a picnic so we could enjoy the sun. Today was really an island in the sun with a beautiful sunset over the west Wight finishing the evening.

The Zafirovski Agenda…… Nortel’s demise continues

After being tweeted by the internal comms team here at Ericsson about the ongoing sale of Nortel’s wireless assets and the online commentary that continues, I was lead to the article by Martin Warwick on TelecomTV.com .  I am not one for reposting someone else’s articles on my blog and so I encourage you to use the link below and read it yourself. 

The premise that Nortel are selling off assets but trying to retain their most precious patents is a very interesting idea.  From what I have read so far it seems hearsay and rheotric but is there some truth in it…….

http://www.telecomtv.com/comspace_newsDetail.aspx?n=45333&id=e9381817-0593-417a-8639-c4c53e2a2a10# Full Link

A day of Service Saturday 27th June – Mormon Helping Hands Day

PRESS RELEASE: 29^th June 2009

Sewing bags for the emergency kits

 

Local Church members participate in National Day of Service

 

Running excitedly into the room Elizabeth aged 7 announces “we need 3 more children’s bags making and then we are finished.” A cheer rises from the room of 16 whirling sewing machines, where members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had been working for over 3 hours on the hot sunny Saturday of June 27th 2009. Her mother picks up the Winnie the Pooh material which has been cut to size in the cutting room opposite and sets to work.

Over twenty other children like Elizabeth buzzed around passing out material, checking the contents of the bags and making small board rubbers that could be placed in the bags allocated for children.

 Following a recommendation from the local MP  over 100 members of the Church joined forces with local businesses and organisations in providing domestic violence shelters across south Hampshire and west sussex with emergency packs for those being forced out of their homes either over night or on a more permanent basis.

 

On the day, 200 drawstring bags were cut, sewn, threaded and carefully packed, ready for distribution to refuge centres across the south.

 

In a related project, united with the common cause of helping the community, members of the Church on the Isle of Wight assisted the rangers of Afton Marsh in clearing and rebuilding 110m of footpath using up the five tonne of crushed limestone provided in 3 hours. 

 

These service projects were part of a national day of service organised by the Church of Jesus Christ entitled Mormon Helping Hands Day. 

 Reflecting on the day, Mark Gilmour, President of the Portsmouth Stake, a division of the Church covering 6 congregations commented “As a Church we are encouraged to be anxiously engaged in a good cause, often this is reflected in individual acts of service quietly done in the background. Every now and again we have the opportunity to participate in larger projects in the wider community. We thank local businesses such as Tesco, Kinetika, MoltenBrown, Carnival group who donated goods and materials to fill the emergency packs and the Isle of Wight Rangers at Afton Marsh who provided the opportunity for us to help”

 www.lds.org.uk

~ Ends ~

A faith promoting experience on the side of the road…

This afternoon, as I was driving back from Sunday church services in Winchester, I passed as I have done many, many times the roadside memorial of two friends that were killed in a car accident driving between Hursley and Ampfield two years ago.  As I came up on the spot where the memorial now stands, a plaque and messages attached to a tree, a car pulled up and a couple got out with fresh flowers to place there.  I drove past but felt the urge and complusion to turn around and go back and just say hello and pass on my best wishes. 

I am so glad I did, as I reached Ampfield I turned around and went back the couple of miles to the spot where I met with the couple who are the parents of one of the two friends who was killed on that day two years ago.  We chatted together for a few moments and shared a smile and some thoughts together on the importance of family.  I was impressed by the faith they both displayed in those few moments we spent together. 

We spoke about how I as a regular commuter along that stretch of road, remembered when the flowers appeared and how they have continued to be there.  The hope is that the flowers act as a reminder that life is precious and to take care. 

What impressed me the most about this couple as we spoke on the side of the road is how even after such a tragedy in their life, they were able to express thanks and gratitude for their son and their other children to God.   Today their faith strengthened mine, I have not had to endure that trial of losing a loved one in such circumstances and there are many who have.  I don’t know if I could be as strong as that, if I didn’t have the knowledge that I have, of a plan of happiness that God, our Heavenly Father has for us all, that means that the family unit can be eternal, in fact is designed to be so.  This knowledge through the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by his Church on earth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has brought me great comfort in my life, which I hope can be a comfort to many others.

What has happened to Nortel?

Ok so I am here in Montreal, Canada at the moment doing some verification testing with Nortel on some of their optical equipment.   I was last here in 2006 and had a flying visit to the Ottawa campus in 2004 and the places are a shadow of their former self.  It is horrendous to see what apparent & alleged corporate mis-management can do to a once giant of the industry. 

Much the same could be said of Marconi who were “rescued” as such by my current employer Ericsson.  Unfortunately the world is watching as other institutions this time in the finance sector are failing, perhaps also as a result of poor decisions in the past. 

Perhaps there is a glimmer of light for Nortel in the future, their optical portfolio is strong, the technology is sound,  but whether the company is as robust as the technology they are developing and selling is another question. 

I normally refrain from these sorts of posts, in fact recently I have refrained from all posts on my blog! but being here this week and seeing the sea-change in the size and scale of the operation from just 3 years ago is somewhat disturbing. It makes me think, I hope my bosses are being prudent and not taking uncalculated risks with not just their livelihoods but that of thousands of others. 

Perhaps a better sense of financial management is going to be the positive aspect of this Credit Crunch for both corporations and the individual alike.

MG