The Public Trust Partnership

iPad to arrive

Apple announced today that the Wi-Fi versions of its long-awaited iPad will arrive in late April in stores in the UK but will be stores in the USA on April 3.

Apple’s tablet computer is expected to ship with 12 new applications designed specifically for the device, and it will run almost all of the more than 150,000 applications available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.The company has been aggressively recruiting personnel for the new iBookstore, listing a variety of iBook-related job openings on its corporate job board — including “Manager, iBooks Asia Pacific & Canada,” “Independent Publisher Acct. Mgr., iBookstore” and a “Merchandising Manager, iBookstore.”

Ever‐so‐much‐more‐so and an ox on steroids says CEO

The Admiral Group had another positive year in 2009, with strong top line growth and a

continued rise in profit before tax and earnings per share.It was the report of the CEO that caught the eye.

According to talented CEO, 2009 was the year of the ox. This was a year where we did a lot of hard labour, tilling the car insurance soil as it were. The hard work certainly isn’t over yet but we’re one year closer to meeting our goal of creating profitable, sustainable, growing businesses outside the UK. Meanwhile, 2009 in the UK was an ox on steroids.

But as reported in the FT yesterday the CEO Statement was littered with analogy . According to the CEO 2009 was also an ever‐so‐much‐more‐so year. That is to say, it was a lot like 2008 but ever‐so‐muchmore‐so. For those of you who are fans of the author Robert McCloskey, you will know that

ever‐so‐much‐more‐so is a colourless, tasteless, odourless chemical which makes things, well,

ever‐so‐much‐more‐so: sprinkle it on a soft bed, the bed becomes softer; add it to a fine glass of

wine and the wine is even finer, etc. Well, I think somebody sprinkled it on Admiral Group and

so 2009 was like 2008, only … ever‐so‐much‐more‐so.

If anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things

As St Paul puts it in his epistle to the Philippians ‘whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things’. 

This week started in Cardiff with our Patron St David’s day breakfast in the Hilton and a service at St John’s with Archbishop Barry Morgan and the Lord Mayor of Cardiff lunch, and a St David’s procession on our streets. The day made me think. St David’s Day always does. During the week I also had the good fortune of attending Cardiff Business School to listen to the Human Resource Director of John Lewis Partnership at the annual ICI lecture and share dinner with leading academics at the Business School and fine manager of the new John Lewis store. Also last night to break bread with old work colleagues and celebrate a dear departed special one and someone I worked with for nine years.

 

Cities now draw people to live and shop and for me to listen to sermons. St John’s is where I listened to Canon Edwin Davies as a student – amazed at his depth. But it was our Archbishop who hit the right notes.

Cardiff is now the main engine of growth in the Welsh economy and conveys economic, social and cultural benefits across the wider region.

The economy of Cardiff and adjacent areas makes up nearly 20% of Welsh GDP with, 40% of the Cardiff workforce are daily in-commuters, resident outside the City.

 

 

In celebration of the regeneration of Cardiff our Archbishop Barry referred to Ezra and Nehemiah’s massive regeneration project for Jerusalem had huge social and economic consequences for Judea, providing a stable and energetic focus for the re-building of regional confidence.

Barry said “The regeneration of Cardiff is meant to stimulate the urban, regional and indeed the national economy and assist in beating the economic blight which still deeply afflicts the post-coal industrial valleys of this area. At the heart of Ezra and Nehemiah’s city was the temple, signifying religious values but also signifying the importance of the city, not just as an economic financial and commercial centre but as a place that valued people as people and catered for all their needs – social, religious, communal.”

Quite rightly he referred to a hidden element of the total regeneration programme a £3 million pound hostel and support centre for the homeless, planned to improve significantly the city’s existing service provision and enhance the work of rehabilitation.He could have added the new Library. The city has realised that unless there is good news for everyone, there’s good news for no-one and that a city or society is ultimately judged by how it treats its poorest inhabitants.