Unlocking the iPhone

Skip to the bottom line to avoid all the horrid details! :)

A few months back I had finally decided to try to unlock my iPhone 3G. I did lot's of searches on the easiest/best way of doing so. I came across posts about AT&T laughing or ridiculing the request. I tried a few quick solutions to the tune of $20 - $30, which turned out to be little more than links and fancy instructions to what is freely available on the Internet. So, I took the jump and jailbroke my iPhone for the first step to unlocking it, only to discover that my modem firmware was a version which could not be unlocked. There was a hack available for that as well but the risk was breaking the GPS reception, so I didn't jump. But then there was supposedly a hack to undo the modem firmware hack if it didn't work. I finally decided to try it. The unlock worked but not GPS. So, I tried the second hack to undo the modem firmware hack, well that didn't work either. I was stuck without GPS. I tried lots of ways to revert to an older iOS with working GPS to no avail. Finally, I decided to call AT&T to ask for an unlock, actually for an older, "dumber" phone. AT&T was like, sure no problem, here is the code to unlock it. So, I decided to ask about unlocking the iPhone and they asked for my info and checked on it. No problem (an older iPhone out of warranty, 2 year contract over), just sync through iTunes and now it will be unlocked. But my problem was now with a hacked iPhone, I couldn't get it to update through iTunes. So, I tried a couple of more hacks, finally got the iPhone in a state so that it would update and sync through iTunes. My iPhone is unlocked for use on any GSM carrier and I have tried it on a couple of them.

BOTTOM LINE - iPhone out of warranty and contract, just call and ask for it to be unlocked - EASY!
AT&T's FAQ even explains it.

Tidbit about Apple Time Machine

If you have a large enough backup harddrive Time Machine looks like it should be a great ease of use solution, but I'll investigate other backup solutions for more flexibility of backup of specific files/folders.
link

Crisis in food, farms, and agri-business

I see lot's of articles concerning unhealthy food and unsafe practices being promoted by agri-business with their large bank accounts while the FDA and other civil government agencies target small agricultural producers trying to offer healthy alternatives to their well-educated customers that seek out their products. This is a great article that I think provides a fairly good overview of the issue and some sustainable solutions coming out.

I definitely believe that the next major crisis could be food or possibly water. We must begin to develop sustainable lifestyles and systems that accurately steward our natural resources.

‎"Progress" at what price?

Last Stand for the Xingu River

On a river in the Amazon Basin in Brazil, plans are progressing to build a massive dam, called Belo Monte. The dam(s) will have massive negative impact on the lives of people that have lived in the region for centuries as well as negative environmental impact for the region. Over the years the indigenous people in collaboration with others opposed to the project have been able to slow the advance of the project but it is still progressing and construction is very close to beginning. Those that oppose the project are becoming more focused and organized to stop the project.
Integrity, wisdom, humility demand that we look at the drivers for the need for more electricity production which the proponents say these dams will provide. Love, compassion, righteousness, prudence demand that we look at the impact on others and long term environmental impact that the actions will have and speak out for the oppressed and "weak", at least politically and monetarily weak.
Here is a petition to the Brazilian Government:
I support the demands of Brazilian civil society and urge you to defend the Amazon and its people and stop the Belo Monte Dam Complex.
Sign here.

ustream.tv vs justin.tv

I just found this draft from 3/27/2009. I don't remember the specifics of what I wrote here but I will post these rough notes. Hope it helps!

We started using ustream.tv instead of justin.tv. We could not get the XH-A1 Video Camera to connect to the firewire port on the Windows laptops and then we found camtwist for the Mac which is very nice for controlling the video input. Almost anything can be used as a video input.


viewers not having to login to access the integrated chat and can set their own name in the chat
the ability to change audio and video inputs without stopping the broadcast, of course CamTwist now fairly well covers that for the video
I just discovered the ability to type text as an overlay onto the video screen, very on the fly, I used it as a replacement for streaming the pp slides with the camera feed

Global warming debunked?

Scientist Piers Corbyn's website:
http://www.weatheraction.com/

Other links on climate change.

Push to get Genetically Modified Foods out of our food supply

My life is a stewardship for which I give account to God as to how I live. This is the perspective I am developing for every decision which I make in my life, including my health and how I eat. So, this is the context in which I post articles on my blog.
Ten years ago consumers in Europe forced food companies to not offer generically modified foods (GMOs). The power of the market place. This month in the USA there is a push to educate enough consumers about the options and how to avoid GMOs so that we reach a tipping point and cause GMOs to not be profitable for the food companies. Do it for your health and those to follow after us.

 Non-GMO Shopping Guide to print


App for the iPhone/iPod


Another App for the iPhone/iPod

From The Center for Food Safety

10.91 acres for sale south of Dallas

Land for sale

"Natural Flavors" ?!!?

Ever see "Natural Flavors" in the ingredient list of packaged food and wonder what it really is? (You really should read ingredient lists and know what you are acually eating!) Here is an explanation.
HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein)  is used to enhance flavors of thousands of food products, extend shelf life, and otherwise increase the food industry's bottom line.   HVP is an ingredient in just about every processed food available in stores.  As a paste or powder, it is added to soups, sauces, chilis, stews, hot dogs, gravies, snack foods, dips and dressings.  The name hydrolyzed vegetable protein most often refers to "hydrolyzed corn protein" or "hydrolyzed soy protein" and may sometimes be labeled as such.   If mixed with spices, it is routinely identified only as "natural smoke flavor" or "natural flavors."  This labeling practice protects proprietary recipes of manufacturers, but has long been a nightmare for people who are allergic to soy or corn, or who react to MSG, which is an inevitable and unavoidable byproduct of the hydrolyzing process. Products containing this additive may even state “No MSG” on the label, though this is clearly an untruth.
Source article 
The article also continues with more information about problems with eating soy.

Son Finds Place Back on Family Farm

This article really spoke to me about building generationally. Even more than just building a business or natural wealth to pass to the next generation, there is building a life with the principles and values of God that is transmitted to the next generation. But certainly working together in a family business gives great opportunity to see the application of those principles.

Deuteronomy 11:18-21 (New American Standard Bible)

 ¹⁸" You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
 ¹⁹" You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.
 ²⁰" You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,
 ²¹so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.

How to Avoid Mosquito Bites Naturally | eHow.com

How to Avoid Mosquito Bites Naturally | eHow.com

I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC parody

Here's the article.

The Truth About Saturated Fat

Say "No" to canola oil and "Yes" to coconut oil.

Article

USDA to Prepare Environmental Impact Statement for Genetically Engineered Sugar Beets – Seeks Public Comment

Here is your opportunity to tell the USDA your comments concerning the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), specifically sugar beets. This is their article with a link to comment online or address to mail your comments.

There has been no extensive study to determine the safety of tampering with God's genetic design but there is coming to light more and more information calling into question the health and safety of GMOs and their unfulfilled promises of increased productivity. Here is one study by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Here is another article about GMO soy production in Argentina, which I have posted before. One point this article makes is that the use of herbicides was to decrease with the use of this GMO soya but herbicide use has actually increased and herbicide resistant super weeds are being found.

Reformation

"When we talk of reformation we are not just talking about manifestations of the Spirit designed to bless us. We are talking about a foundational renovation of everything that the Church is. Therefore, there can be no reformation without conflict. There can be no reformation without confrontation. Things have to break, things have to be remodelled, old things have to be renewed. A reformation is the critical activity of transformation within the very structure of the Church.
"'Behold the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah. Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers.' A new covenant is not a cloning of the old. You cannot take the old things into the new. It must be not according. You can't take with you your old attitudes, your old relationships, your old mentality and your old style. Things have to change. As long as we come over into the new, with the position and the mentality, with the desire and the perception of that which you were in the old, we will miss the frequency. The old vision cannot work in that which is new, there must be a re-evaluation of our personal postions in the Spirit.
"As long as we glorify, as long as we honour, as long as we are filled by that which we now have, there will be no transition, there will be no spiritual journey to a new position. Every reformation emerges from a spirit that is filled with hunger. There has to be a deep spiritual discontent. There has to be a breaking of that which is old. We have to come to a place where we recognize that we can no longer call the old success. If we continue with that which was successful, we now begin to define ourselves into a present failure. Therefore, reformation emerges out of that state of brokenness, that state of chaos, that state of personal tumult, that sense of a loss of the way. The passage to reformation is through violent seeking and through strong desire. There is no comfortable, complacent passage towards a reformation move of God."
Dr. Noel Woodroffe from the song, "Reformation"

Community knowledge

Many indigenous cultures don't have a capitalistic or possessive mentality about knowledge or things. Knowledge is held in common for the good of all and God's creation has abundance for all to utilize for themselves and their family. But neither is this culture of community communism or socialism imposed by external force. It is the values in their heart which governs their lifestyle. Here is another article about the conflict some communities in the Amazon encounter when they are forced to interact with society outside of their communities:
Indigenous Community

Making a house a home

You've probably heard the saying, "Home is where the heart is." Certainly a home is more than a house. Here is an interesting article on home-making.
Anyone up for building real relationships?

Argentina - impact of GM soya production

A look at some of the effects of genetically modified soy bean production in Argentina:
article

Another example of greed overriding the common good.

African Dynamo: How a Malawian Teenager Harnessed the Power of the Wind

A self-taught African boy brings electricity to his village. Click here for the full article.

WAORANI The Saga of Ecuador's Secret People: A Historical Perspective

This article is such a clear presentation of how modern civilization is destroying traditional cultures and teaching them to live in the ways of the corrupt world system which is destroying them.
GOD, LET YOUR KINGDOM COME AND RULE IN THE HEARTS OF THESE PEOPLE.

Not just the Waorani but all the weak and defenseless people being abused by the big, powerful, greedy societies; so-called Western "civilized" society. Help your people to rise up, seize the opportunities to be the voice for these that have no voice, to show them the ways of the kingdom and to true life in Christ.