Sorry about the blog silence everyone, I spent the last week or so at Fort Huachuca, AZ. (I’ll post about that later today or tomorrow.) So here’s a little something to break the silence. I recently started contributing to CydiaUpdates.info (in the process of name change, for legal reasons, to Jailbreak News). So I thought I’d share my first contribution on here. It follows…

Many of you may have noticed that recently Kyek has put up a troll bridge on his popular site for downloading “crack apps”, Appulo.us. It’s only temporary until he finishes upgrading his server due to high traffic. (For those who don’t know what a troll bridge is: to access the site you have to answer a question only a certain group of people know the answer to.) The whole purpose is to reduce traffic and increase performance until they finish upgrading their servers by only letting in the “in crowd” and keeping out the “leeches”. Unfortunately, this leaves the average user high and dry. So we’ve published this tutorial for you to get around the pesky troll bridge.

Perform a Google search for the cracked app you wish to download and include “site:appulo.us” at the end. When your results come up, do not click the regular link to the page; instead, click the cached link. (This will allow you to access Google’s cache of Appulo.us, instead of Appulo.us itself.)It should look something like this.

After you have downloaded it regularly, you will need to install it through iTunes via File>Add Folder to Library. Then select the folder you unzipped and Sync your iDevice regularly.

Remember this is a temporary solution to a temporary problem. Kyek said it himself, the troll bridge won’t be there forever. For more information on the Appulo.us troll bridge click here.

Nick Hesson has been great to work with so far and I look forward to making further contributions to his site.

I did this personally with the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G[S], and 1st Gen iPod Touch.

Blackra1n RC1 was pretty tweaky as far as 3G support goes (I had to attempt the jailbreak 3 times before I could manage it successfully), but GeoHot improved that greatly in RC2. Since RC3 was released Wednesday, we will be using that version of blackra1n. This tutorial is for those running on a Windows OS. There are two major parts to this tutorial: jailbreak and carrier unlock. (The unlock portion applies only to iPhone users, as iPod touch users have no carrier at all)

Blackra1n is designed to be the simplest jailbreak written (for both OS X and Windows). If it works seamlessly, you should be able to just download blackra1n, plug in your iDevice, and run blackra1n (click “make it ra1n” and watch the magic happen). 45-second process. The following is a tutorial for those experiencing “hiccups” in the process or those who simply don’t want to chance a hiccup. (You might also consider it a dummy’s guide to blackra1n.)

Jailbreak:

1. Sync your iDevice with iTunes and make a backup. If your device was previously jailbroken and you are updating or restoring, you can back up you jailbroken applications from Cydia using AptBackup (Free from the BigBoss repository) or PkgBackup ($3.49, also from the BigBoss repository)–remember you get what you pay for. For AptBackup or PkgBackup to work, you will need to make your backup in iTunes after you have run the application.
2. Make sure that your iDevice is running the latest OS, OS 3.1.2, and that automatic syncing is turned off.



3. Close iTunes completely, and use the processes tab of the Task Manager to end all iTunes or iPod related processes such as iTunesHelper.exe



4. Download blackra1n from blackra1n.com. Save the file directly to C:/
5. Right click the file blackra1n.exe and ensure that it is not blocked by the security settings



6. With you iDevice connected to your computer, right-click blackra1n.exe and select “Run as administrator”



7. Click “make it ra1n”



8. Wait as your phone is being jailbroken (30-45 seconds), you should see GeoHot’s face on your iDevice screen.
9. Congratulations, your phone is now jailbroken. To install Cydia open the blackra1n app that was just installed on your device, select Cydia and press install. (You can install blacksn0w at the same.) If this is your first time jailbreaking, I highly recommend installing Cydia. It is basically the jailbroken App Store equivalent.

Carrier Unlock:

1. From within the blackra1n app, select blacksn0w and install. You should see a message from GeoHot, read it, close and wait for service to reappear. This will make your iPhone compatible with a SIM-based networks.

Bonus:

Blacksn0w re-enabled the IPCC hack you need to enable tethering on your iPhone! = )

1. Once blacksn0w has been installed visit http://m.peacefulinsanity.com/Tether.mobileconfig and install, even despite the warning.



2. Now that your new carrier settings are installed open Settings > General > Network > Internet Tethering and simply turn the switch on, and tethering is enabled. Enjoy = )

Some Notes:

If you have an older version of blackra1n on your iDevice, you can easily update to RC3 using that application, and then install blacksn0w from there. (“ra1n” will load as one of the installers, that is the update)

To install blacksn0w using Cydia, add http://blackra1n.com/ as a repository, and install like any other package.

Uninstalling blackra1n will only remove the blackra1n app from your phone. It will not affect your jailbreak.

According to GeoHot, some users experienced difficulties with wi-fi after running blackra1n. Resetting network settings will solve this issue.

If these steps didn’t work for you, keep trying and leave a comment with the exact nature of your problem, and I will see if I can help. You can always email blackra1n.support@gmail.com for official blackra1n support.

My official entry to the CoM contest

This past Saturday I spent the majority of the day working on my entry for a Cult of Mac (CoM) contest. The idea of the contest was to take a picture of your workspace, submit it by posting the photo on their Facebook Fan Page, and finally the CoM admins would choose their favorite picture. The prize was the new Apple Magic Mouse.

I decided to take my Mac up Camelback Mountain to the semi-secret cave Joanna is pictured in “Conquering the Mountain”. The first obstacle I had to overcome to achieve this was the simple fact, I unfortunately don’t own a Mac. Made a few phone calls and my buddy, Dobbs, agreed to loan me his MacBook Pro for  couple days. Next, I needed a camera. Not a problem, I borrowed my fiancée’s Nikon D70. Then, the real obstacle, hauling a laptop and a D-SLR up Echo Canyon. At first, I thought this would be a cinche. However, I severely overestimated myself. This having been my first time hiking Camelback alone, that I’m not quite as fast on there as I thought I was. Either waiting for my fellow hikers on their break was the only reason I could move so fast or I really underestimated the difference the weight of that pack would make. Most likely, it was some combination of both. I did end up making it to the cave and got some great shots. Above is my official contest entry; you can see the entire photo set here (Facebook photo album).

The winning workspce

Despite my best efforts, I don’t think my submission was quite what CoM was looking for. They chose a more traditional entry from Nick Duarte. Maybe next time. Can’t get much better than free.

It was a rude awakening and bit humbling, but overall a quite enjoyable experience = )

A local coffee shop that my good friend and best man Dobbs works at.

I love small coffee shops and cafés (generally excluding Starbucks, but when it’s the only thing around an exception can be made). The peaceful atmosphere & the close community despite the urban environment make for quite a nice morning or afternoon place for study, meeting, or anything really. There is only one thing about these places I don’t appreciate, coffee. I have never enjoyed a regular cup of coffee, now coffee-based drinks are a whole different story, but on coffee, I must agree with Christian Lander when he said in the first paragraph of the first post on the Stuff White People Like Blog,

There is no doubt that white people love coffee. Yes, it’s true that asians like iced coffee and people of all races enjoy it. But I promise you that the first person at your school to drink coffee was a white person. You could kind of tell they didn’t enjoy it, but they did it anyways until they liked it – like cigarettes.

I simply refuse to force myself to like coffee for the sake of conforming with the rest of the white people.

As a writer and one who enjoys visiting coffee shops, I was quite excited originally to see that Jason of Coffee Cup News, who I originally connected with on Twitter, was seeking reviewers for local cafés. However, to my dismay, I soon realized I would have to actually drink regular coffee to review a shop thoroughly. I’m considering to several other sites for the sake of getting my name out, such as this, as well as technology related sites like Cult of Mac (you’ll be seeing more tech-related posts on here that I’ll be using for reference). It would be particularly nice to find a prophetic site seeking contributors, but that would be a rare opportunity considering the type of examination it would take to allow someone to post writing of that nature without a personal relationship. But I digress…

I actually enjoy coffee shops so much that I am working with a few business partners, including my fiancée, on opening a coffee shop of our own with plans to expand to several states. Should be lots of fun and be quite unique = )

cuz I'm just that cool...

I went hiking on the Echo Canyon side of Camelback Mountain recently with my fiancée. It was the first time she had hiked the trail or the mountain for that matter. Our hike brought a lot of differences to my attention that had never come up before. Taking our the significant disparity of our height it took her substantially longer to climb. We took a number of breaks and visited my favorite spot on the way up (a cave less travelled- pictured on the right) and enjoyed the view. Then proceeded to the top where we rested before turning around.

This was quite different from any experience I’d had on any hike before. I have usually hiked with other men (mostly my dad and brother, but occasionally with friends and of course there’s Boy Scouts from back in the day), so I was unaware

Her first time at the somewhat secret cave

of how differently women tend to hike. It turns out they do it to enjoy the scenery! In the words of Miley Cyrus, “It’s about the climb.” However, every man knows that it’s about conquering. That’s what’s fun about it. I think that this was the first time I took a break on that trail in years. It wasn’t an issue though, I certainly enjoyed spending the time with her, but I will definitely plan on it being a long hike when we go out together again. I never really understood hiking slowly and “taking in the scenery”; I’m always driven just to achieve my goal, the peak. This same characteristic in each of us manifests (slightly less noticeably) in daily life as well. While I am generally goal-driven, Joanna prefers to take her time and enjoy what she does as much as she can, that is unless she let’s herself get stressed out about it. It was a great learning experience for the both of us, and I look forward to getting to know her better daily.

It is undeniable that the Bible does speak against tattoos in the Levitical law saying

You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.
-Leviticus 19:28 [ESV]

When I was so aimed against tattoos, I used this verse all the time. However, I never took the time to understand it for my self by examining the Scriptures. Now that I have, I can firmly say that this verse does not mean “Don’t get ink.”

I believe this law was written for two very specific purposes: to prevent the people of G-d from marking themselves for idols and to distinguish them from the Ammonites and other pagans. Tattoos in that era were most commonly associated with pagan gods (idols). According to the MacArthur Study Bible (NASB)

The practice of making deep gashes on the face and arms or legs, in times of grief, was universal among pagans. It was seen as a mark of respect for the dead, as well as a sort of proprietary offering tithe gods who presided over death. The Jews had learned this custom in Egypt and, though weaned from it, relapsed into the old superstition (cf. Is 22:12; Jer 16:6; 47:5). Tattoos also were connected to names of idols, and were permanent signs of apostasy.

(emphasis added) The surrounding text focuses on making the Jews distinct from the Ammonites and other local pagans. This has been reaffirmed to me by my eldership and prophetically.

The prophetic revelation is actually what inspired the examination of this Scripture. G-d showed me that He had designed for me specific markings for Him for my body. At first I thought to myself, “Isn’t tattooing sinful? Why would G-d show me this then?” However, it made me realize that I had only thought that out of a dead theology which I had abandoned for Christ. I began to examine the scriptures like the Bereans and behold, I found what I sought: truth.

G-d has shown me four specific tattoos which are for me, with a promise of more to come. They are listed below in the order revealed.

Left palm (re: Isaiah 49:16)
El ‘Elyon
אל עליון

Right palm (palms together will read “Glory to the Most High God”)
Shekinah
שכינה

Chest (as though on my heart)
YHWH
יהוה

Ring finger (tattooed around the finger like a ring)
I am my Beloved’s and He is mine.
אני של אהוב שלי אהוב שלי הוא שלי

(Please, no comments about the issues of palm tattoos… I know.)

My name is Jimmy. Some call my Witness Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy Jam Man, Jimmathy, JimJam, Jimbo, or Bobo, and the list goes on. But my mame isn’t incredibly important. At least not near important as my identity. I identify in Christ. I am an over-the-top zealot to some and to others I am just crazy (not speaking figuratively here). But in the crowd I roll with I believe I’m considered rather mellow. But don’t worry that won’t be for too long; I am still growing into who G-d has designed me to be.

I am here in the spirit of Elisha. Right now I am seeking radical discipleship so that I can be sent out declaring the way of the Lord!

I have no vocational aspirations, but desire only to do Kingdom business. This has been a struggle for me, but the Lord is providing for me and revealing to me a path.

I am engaged to be married in January to my second love = )

Posts on here will likely vary greatly in subject from simple everyday life, to technology and theology, etc. Hope you enjoy them = )

Lemme know what you think…

*update: this link has expired

What’s even more amazing to me is his spiritual growth! This is a man who lived the life of an absolute wild man, and now he is broken before the Lord. Since his accident, he is not only born again but he is full of the Holy Spirit! Mickael is the only person in my family who’s ever been open to the baptism of the Holy Spirit and to see that is just absolutely beautiful. I love you Mickael. I won’t let you down, or give up… ever.

For Mickael

I’ve looked up to you since I was little.
Though I saw you but once a year,
you were my hero.
I knew not your struggles
nor your joys.
I saw only your heart

Your beautiful heart that yearned for Christ
Your beautiful heart that yearned to be free

You left us then
and every year I searched for you;
every year I was disappointed, and
every year I wondered why you were not there.

Though I could not describe your face
or articulate your soul,
your love was vivid to my memory,
and I greatly missed your heart.

Your beautiful heart that taught me of Christ
Your beautiful heart that taught me the value of freedom

As I entered that place once more
in search of you,
I expected only that same disappointment
that had come while you were gone.
But that day you ran into the open arms
of the family that rejected you before.

You’d loosed the chains you chose
and the chains been assigned you.
Though it had been many years
And we’d not been together since I was a small boy
I recognized your heart from afar.

Your beautiful heart that was intimate with Christ
Your beautiful heart that knew freedom better than most

Love is such a strange thing. Most associate love with family or romance, but love is so much more than that.

The Word says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” –John 13:35 [ESV]

Why in the world would God make this the sign of His people? It is because God is love. When we love one another we are expressing God and exemplifying the relationship we have with Him. All are made in His image and inclined to love. Though some men may be bitter and hateful, were they not born with the desire to be loved?

Not only is it our sign but it is our “greatest commandment.”

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. –Matthew 22:37-40 [ESV]

It seems as though there is no thing more important to the Father than love. He even goes to great lengths to explain to us all of the most important characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. –1 Corinthians 13 [ESV]

I would encourage everyone to look up “love” in their concordance and look through all those verses. Pray about it. See for yourself how important love is.

Love is.