Something Big coming in August 2009

****JULY 22-2009 UPDATE****This is a follow up on this article I posted  last month. I guess the old saying “if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is” still holds true. PLEASE READ THIS LINK BEFORE ENTERING INTO ANY THING WITH THIS COMPANY, I WILL KEEP MY EAR TO THE GROUND AND REPORT AS NEWS COMES IN. Article here (http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/072009-zer01s-mobile-offer-may-be.html) is well worth the read.

Well as many of you may know I am no fan of Robbers aka Rogers or the any of the Canadian telecommunications offerings from any of the wireless carries here in the great white north. Since www.ithelpcrew.com is heavily dependent on email I’ve decided I should switch my device to a Blackberry, yes Greg is going to get a blackberry, and I’m not kicking and screaming. The problem is if I get it from Roger they will charge me $299 if I lock in on a 3 year plan, the contract is not very appealing especially when I hear rumors of the coming revolution to the North American telecommunication juggernaut. The rumor comes from www.howardforums.com:

>>Extreme22 (47 post) wrote

k i just got off the phone with fido rep she said that something big is coming in August that would change the face of telecommunication

something very big has anyone heard of this

The thread goes on for 6 pages with everyone chiming in with their own idea of what they think the big change is going to be, from the intro of the iphone on the Fido network to new affordable Rogers price plans that include nationwide unlimited but for me the most intriguing was the intro of the new carriers especially since several months prior I had personally received some news from a industry insider about a big change coming to North America market this fall.

I personally think the ensuing revolution is going to be the intro of a new competitor that will change the game in Canada and that competitor I believe is Globallive. If you visit their site you can read up on there acquisitions of space on the Canadian spectrum and their concern about the high cost we are forced to pay and the lack of service and network features available to us at these cost.

You can read more here:

http://www.globalive.com/?page_id=212

Watch Ben Piilani interview at CTIA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-4OrqV1gPM

Globallive apparently is not the only company that has aspiration on stirring up the telco game in North America, on their website Buzzirk is promising UNLIMITED calling anywhere in the Mexico, Australia, US and Canada for $79.95/month, their site makes me a bit skeptical as it looks amateurish and kinda cheap. Then there is ZER01 they seem competent and I have actually heard of their technology before and from what I’ve heard they seem like they are able to deliver on their promises. Buzzirk will be using ZER01s technology but we’ll have to wait and see how and if they can deliver on July 1st. I’m still stuck in a 3 year plan with Rogers but my plan is if buzzirk delivers then I’ll lower my Rogers plan and get a Buzzirk plan and just wait for my Rogers plan to DIE!

Anaphylactic Shock & Sexual Frustration – WTF?!?

I was in Cameroon, Africa for a few months between 2004 and 2005 doing a government-sponsored internship in a local non-governmental organization (NGO). What follows below is what I consider to be my best personal story. It is a true story. To put everything in context, I have a severe allergy (anaphylaxis) to peanuts, a legume which, unfortunately, is a staple in that part of the world. I welcome your comments. Enjoy the read.

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It must have been no more than 2 seeks after my arrival in Cameroon. My supervisor brought me a “pain au chocolat” (French baguette smothered with a local chocolate spread).  He was aware of my health concerns, and assured me that the spread contained neither peanuts nor peanut byproducts. Being that this was my first time in the Mother Land, and since I did not want to offend my supervisor who so graciously presented me with a local offering, I took a small piece of the suspicious sandwich.  After about 2 bites I had to put it down, because I knew something was wrong.

I immediately felt horrible: nausea; eyes burning; red, itchy patches all over my body; irritated, scratchy throat, and diarrhea (sorry, is that too much information?). Anyway, my entire body swelled, reaching Michelin Man proportions.  I went home in a hurry the minute my bowels took a break.  My supervisor followed me home and insisted on taking me to the University Hospital Center.  By that time I was feeling much worse.  We had to wait a bit before heading to the hospital (my bowels were working on overdrive…).

It took every ounce of strength I had in my over inflated body to make it from the hospital gates to the doctor’s office (it seemed like the longest walk ever!).  There was a line-up in front the doctor’s office, but luckily, I was ushered in right away. As soon as I entered the doctor’s office, I tried to make a b-line for the sink. He stopped me (&@#!!!), sat me down, and held a small container in front of my face, which I immediately filled.  I immediately felt better, the swelling went down, the red patches started disappearing, and the itchiness finally subsided.  (In my case, a good “purge” usually fixes everything.  Unfortunately, I cannot do it on command, and must wait in agony for my body to be good and ready.)  Despite my objections, the doctor insisted on giving me an injection of God-knows-what and gave me medication I had never heard of for later, which I didn’t bother taking.  What was also annoying is that I had to foot the bill for the meds, which I didn’t want in the 1st place.

Now finally, the “pièce de résistance”: the consultation.  The doctor asked me my age, the country I came from and my ethnic background.  That alone was enough for his diagnosis: my problem was not a food allergy, but rather sexual (yes, you read correctly) in nature.  According to him, I was afraid of sex.  Really? Let me see… I can think of a few things that I am concerned about when it comes to sex when I’m at home in Canada even though I practice safe sex: sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDS, pregnancy…  The doctor continued to explain that the food only set off my crisis, which was the result of my fright of sex. I sat incredulous in front of him. At first I thought he was kidding, but when I realized he wasn’t, I pointed out that the reason I was i Cameroon was to work in a local NGO on an HIV/AIDS project, and that I was aware of the state of the epidemic in the country. His response was that I should get married ASAP so I could feel more secure about having sex.  Wasn’t this man aware of the HIV infection rates in Cameroon — a context where sexual promiscuity is an indicator of male status and virility? In a nutshell, what the ‘good’ doctor was telling me is that he thought I was sexually frustrated and would continue to have health problems if I didn’t “take care of business”.  Unbelievable!!!  He asked me to come back if any symptoms reoccurred.  LIKE THAT WOULD HAPPEN. HELL WOULD FREEZE OVER BEFORE I EVER SET FOOT IN THAT HOSPITAL AGAIN.  To think that this man taught medicine was mortifying…

The people who saw me walk into the office looking like crap (hyperventilating, soaked with perspiration, bloated, barely able to stand, etc.) and come out looking fine thought the ‘good’ doctor had performed a miracle.  I guess I helped business for him. Sigh…

Believe it or not, on this occasion I had a mild reaction. I did have an Epipen, but did not think of using it. I was too sick, and somewhat overwhelmed because I was alone in a foreign land.  Following the ‘incident’, I was much more careful with what I ate, and stopped being afraid to politely decline gifts of food.  I also gave my supervisor a list of medical practitioners recommended for expatriates if ever I require medical attention again. The positive thing about this unfortunate situation was that thereafter, everybody in the office  understood the severity of my allergy to peanuts…

Oh, later that evening, I found a container of that Camerounian chocolate spread, and peanuts were listed as an ingredient.

And about the ‘good’ doctor, I have no idea whether or not he is still at the hospital, but Lord help his students and patients if he is.