​Apple, Android or Windows 10; when buying a tablet primarily used for Theocratic purposes it can be difficult to know what the best option is. In the beginning there were only two choices, Android or Apple and both had their good and bad features. But then in 2016 Microsoft got it right with Windows 10, which is now running “Creator” and soon the much anticipated Redstone. So if you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses making the choice can be a challenge. This article will look at all three options and I will attempt to present a natural approach to each.

ANDROID: In the beginning most chose Android, Samsung was the brand that most migrated to. A Samsung running Android was cheaper than an Apple and it had far more options for apps. Android runs the JW App well and is quick and they are still far more affordable than an Apple. However that may be changing. Recently Samsung changed their naming method and when considering both the 8” and 10” there are a possible 98 different Samsung tablet names to choose from. In many of them the only difference is in what limits are placed on the OS. There are some lower priced Samsung tablets that do not have a rotation option if you go from horizontal to vertical. Some of the differences are hardware and then a combination of hardware and software features. When I was using Samsung I went from a Tab 2, to a Tab 4 to a 2013 Note. Each of those was a fully featured Samsung tablet in its time. The Tab 4 was my favorite, however to get those same features today will cost far more than I paid several years ago. Samsung has made their own tablet field so complicated that many give up and buy the most costly just because they believe they will get the entire package. In short Samsung has now become as costly as Apple. But using an Android for Theocratic reasons come down to will it run the JW App? Yes, so if you want an affordable tablet to run o nly the JW App a cheap Android will do.

APPLE: To start I am not a fan of Apple products, but only because they are locked into their own restrictions and Apple will charge you your first born child for those restrictions. (I am not speaking of any systems that have been jailbroke.) Apple tablets are costly and beyond the reach of many on budgets. They also do not have a large built in storage system so much of your personal data remains on the cloud. Another drawback is when Apple does a major OS update you will not be able to migrate all of your data to the new OS or a new tablet. I am aware of several who have older Apple tablets and used the provided ePub software to make notes and now they have learned they can’t migrate their notes to the latest Apple OS. These ones are at a loss. For a serious student this can be a very daunting and disappointing occurrence, in effect you lose all your personal study data. Also recently Apple lost their patient lawsuit against Android so the door is open to both Android and Windows to create similar versions of the same apps. Also Apple recently announced that they are requesting from the government to disallow owners or techs that are not Apple Certified to work on their own systems. If this request is granted than for every aspect that requires any work on an Apple device one would have to call a certified Apple tech. The cost can reach unaffordable quickly. However Apple products appear to be very easy for the elderly and tech challenged to manage easier. I have seen ones try to use an Android or Windows system and was unable to “catch on”. But when given an Apple device they were able to manage quickly. So it appears that Apple tablets are easy enough to learn that they work well for the elderly and challenged.

WINDOWS 10: As I mentioned above I started out on an Android system, but sooner or later we must give up the toys or go from milk to meat. I currently use a 11” Dell Venue. It runs Windows 10 Creator and Windows has come a long way with 10. It is as if Microsoft finally got it right. Windows 10 Creator is a fully functional OS, no RT or Windows S, it has the full features of a desktop OS. With the Creator update it has some toys that Apple has and Redstone will have more. Windows 10 has the same hardware features as a laptop so if you shop for one have the same mental attitude as if shopping for a laptop, because you can do far more with a Windows 10 tablet then you can with Android, also the last benchmarks between Apple and Windows, Windows based systems can out preform Apple in the hardware department. Windows 10 runs the JW App and very quickly, the response time is fast for opening, however in a recent update to all versions of the JW App, the App looks for an Internet connection when loading. This added feature causes a delay in all versions but if you attempt to tap anything in the App while it is looking for the connection it may crash. I am hoping this feature will be removed. Windows 10 also runs the full DVD version of the Watchtower Library that is the DVD disc with everything on it. So you get the JW App and the WT Lib all on one tablet. So when you study you can copy can paste notes straight from the WT Lib to the JW App, it makes studying so much more entertaining.
So in short

Windows 10 Anniversary Update Mail Update:
This one has really gotten under my skin. After I ran the Anniversary Update I had several app update to run, one being the Mail. I installed it, fully trusting Microsoft. Well it’s broke.
THE ISSUE:  After opening it , it hangs and does not load a message, after a few minutes it crashes. It will do this 4 or 5 times. When I try to create a new message I can’t get the curser to go into the message field. Typically it has to crash several times before it works properly.
DON’T:  If you encounter this issue do not uninstall the Mail app, even if Microsoft advises it, why? The mail app is tied directly in with the Calendar app and thee People App. Currently the People App after the Anniversary Update has sync issues. If it is working properly and you alter it in any way the sync feature may stop. The only fix for this is a clean install (see previous post here). Microsoft’s catch all fix is to remove and reinstall but I do not believe Microsoft’s staff is fully aware of the cross integration of their own apps. Removing one app will cause issues across the entire Windows 10 install. So if you remove the mail app you may create more problems and Microsoft will not care. My suggestion is to wait it out. Microsoft is aware of the Mail app issues and hopefully will issue a fix.

As many users of Windows 10 are learning, Microsoft is making changes again. The Anniversary Update has several hidden changes of which Microsoft provides no explanation. In this article I intend to cover a few of those changes…

1. THE ISSUE: You download and install the Anniversary Update, after reboot you get a message similar to “The App {Name} has been removed as it is not compatible with this version of Windows”. That’s it, no other information and you will not find any. THE FIX: In most cases simply reinstall the program or app. THE WHY: Discovering the reason why on this one was easy. After an update a program I was using had been removed with the above bogus reason. Within a few minutes of using my browser I had a “TOP BROWSER MESSAGE” appear, it was from Microsoft . It as a suggestion to use “NAME OF APP” and it was made by Microsoft. It appears that Microsoft is removing apps and programs during an update that are in direct competition to an existing app either produced by Microsoft or a third party they have an agreement with. It appears that Microsoft is attempting to control which programs and apps users can even install, but not because the program will not run, but because that is what Microsoft is attempting to tell users. The fact is I have gotten the error several times and reinstalled the program and it runs without any issues.
2. THE ISSUE:  On a clean install of Windows 10 or after the Anniversary Update you can’t install some older programs you like. You have searched but can’t discover a reason. THE FIX:  In the pre-Windows 10 days when you ran Windows update .net 1.0 through .net 3.5 installed. Never failed. In fact those updates sometimes frustrated me; they always appeared to hang up the system. Well something new from Microsoft is here. When you do a fresh install of Windows 10 or run the Anniversary Update .net 4.5 installs. Now one would think that .net 4.5 is a roll up of all previous .net’s but it is not. It has no previous versions in it. Now almost all aftermarket programs require a version of ,net to run and older programs require older versions of .net. I have many several older versions of programs that are costly to replace and after a fresh install of Windows 10 many would simply not install. I had .net 4.5 installed so I could not figure out why. On a whim I downloaded the stand alone install of .net 3.5 rollup and installed it, all my older programs installed without issue and I did not have to run any in compatible mode. This was a huge surprise. THE WHY:  I can’t find a “reason” from Microsoft why but it seems logical on their part to not allow the defaulted install of .net 3.5 on Windows 10 to force users to re-purchase older software. Sounds crazy since Microsoft does not own all the vendors. But think it through, not only would a user have to rebuy Microsoft software but all third party companies that have agreements with Microsoft. It is a reasonable conclusion as well. If older software did work on each upgrade version of Windows vendors would soon go out of business.
3. THE ISSUE: System Restore turs off by default on Window 10 after Anniversary Update. I have found 2 possible reasons for this. 1 limited space on smaller HDD tablets and laptops, 2 with the Windows “rebuild” feature that allows you to keep your files no real need for the old System Restore. Both have credit. I hope a future update does not remove it all together. THE FIX: The fix for this one requires you to check if from time to time and ensure it is on, if turned off turn it back on.

Microsoft is in the business of making money for itself and its third party business partners. All of the above issues appear to be related to force users to spend more money. But as noted there are fixes.

 
Prior to the creation of Jesus time could not have existed. The Bible refers to Jehovah as needing nothing or no one. His first act of creation, that of Jesus, also sat into motion time. Mankind refers to time as a moving river, and this is the closest analogy we can use to comprehend such a complex issue. However when thinking of time as a river we must have a reference point from which time moves or is flowing against. In the sciences of the learned there is no such reference which has created a paradox without end. However when time is view as flowing away from something it then becomes an easier concept to grasp. In the chart above the creation of Jesus was also the point of which time begins to move away from. Therefore the “river” of time moves out of the First Born of all Creation. All other elements are “in” the river of time, as a part of time itself.
              It is reasonable to conclude that at this point or close to this point Jehovah and Jesus spent “time” together to get to “know” each other. Of course one needs to keep in mind “time” was only required for Jesus as well as the “knowing”. It may very well have been during this time that Jehovah revealed His Purpose to Jesus and thus begin the input from Jesus. At some point in “time” (it is important to note time is relevant only to Jesus at this point) the creation of the entire Angelic Host started. How this came about and the order is as yet unknown to us. Undoubtedly the entire Heavenly Host existed for some time to allow teaching and understand to take place. At some point in “time” (relevance of time would now involve not only Jesus but also the entire Heavenly Host, but from their own perspectives) Jehovah and Jesus turned their attention to the creation of the physical universe. As to why that “time” in time was chosen is not relevant, one must keep in mind Jehovah has a Purpose behind the entire act of creation, which began out of love, and within that Purpose all things are measured out in “time” as it started from Jesus. From the first act of creation of a subatomic particle to the present man has learned that about 13.5 billion years has elapsed. One needs to keep in mind however this a best guess based on current understanding. At some point in the physical creation Jehovah and Jesus turned their attention to the Earth (again why that “time” chosen has no relevance to man’s concept of time, it was in “time” with the Purpose of Jehovah). After several million years of preparing the Earth attention was now given to the creation of man. The creation of man and the entire act of creation from Jesus to man was done as an act of love from Jehovah as He wanted to give His give of life to others. After the creation of Adam some time (relevant now not only to Jesus and the Heavenly Host, but also to Adam) was to pass before the creation of Eve. It was at some point after the creation of Eve that a rebellion against Jehovah’s Purpose began. This started in Heaven as a lone angel questioned Jehovah’s method of government. Soon the angel later known as Satan got Adam and Eve to side with him. This event did not alter Jehovah’s Purpose, just the time line of its fulfillment had to be adjusted.
              So then what is time?
                             Time is the measure of all events in creation as they flow from the Firstborn of all Creation, Jesus.
 
Questions to answer
Can time be altered?
Is the movement of time a constant?
Is time-space a single entity?

Before I write this I would like to make a statement. Altering this recipe WILL alter the taste. If you use this recipe and choose to add to it or take away from it, please do not complain that it was due to this recipe. If you change it that change is your fault.
 
Now, when I was a young boy, about 6-8, I would watch my Grandma Watts cook. She was born in 1900 so in 1974-1975 she would have been 74 and 75. She lived about 4 months shy of being 100. Most of the time she cooked from memory and I watched as she expertly mixed everything together. At times I asked questions. I did not realize it at the time, but I was memorizing what she was doing.
Her apple pie was the best and I have never found a recipe for it. There is one caveat for this recipe, there are no measurements. This was one she mixed by sight, taste and color. I will do my best to guide you, but this is a recipe that requires skill.
 
Ingredients:
Several Red Delicious apples (use any other, but make sure a sweet variety)
Flour
Sugar
Eggs
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
2 Store bought round pie crust (may make from scratch as option)
 
Preparation:

1. Peal & dice apples into small cubes (about ½” cubed) place in cold water.
2.  Peal enough at once for all the pies you intend to make. Keep cubes same size and consistent.
3. In a large bowl (plastic or glass, ensure it has a tight lid) place about an inch deep of white flour (DO NOT substitute whole wheat, wheat or any other type. It will have a huge negative impact on taste)
4. Now add sugar. If you used a 8x4 bowl about 1 cup sugar. Place lid on and mix flour and sugar. Look at mixture. If flour is too heavy add sugar.
5. Then add cinnamon. Place lid on and mix. Look at mixture. You want a light golden brown throughout, but not heavy brown. Too much cinnamon can over power. Taste mixture. You are attempting to achieve a cinnamon roll taste. This is trial and error. Add little at a time, over adding means adding more flour and sugar.
6. When you have reached the proper taste and looks; even out the mixture and sprinkle a thin sparse layer of nutmeg. Go easy, but not stingy. Put lid on and shake mix. Set aside.
7. Use 9” round glass pie dish and lightly and very thinly coat bottom with flour. Use a flour sifter for best results. (Please do not use oil, butter etc. anything liquid will soak into the crust. This will impact cooking time and temp and may result in an undercooked crust or burnt.)
8. Once the flour is in (remember super thin layer, just a light kiss) place your bottom crust in. Do not move crust around so do a nice drop. If you move around you move the flour. Now place just that bottom crust in a 350 preheated oven.Watch it close. You’re not attempting to cook it done, just cook it enough to give your juicy apples a solid base. By lightly cooking the bottom crust by itself the juice from the apples will not soak through it. This will allow the bottom crust to be nice and firm.When done (before it starts to turn brown) remove from over and let cool) return to apples.
9. Remove the apples from the cold water and place on one side of a clean towel. (Have the towel spread out on counter). Fold towel over and pat dry the apples. Try to remove as much moisture as possible. (Do not apply pressure, don’t squeeze dry them)
10. Dump apples into dry mixture allow enough room to shake. Put lid on and shake real well. Not violently, don’t bruise the apples. Just ensure they are coated well.
11. Put apples into bottom crust. Add until desired amount. Pour extra dry mix on top of apples, do not mix into. Allow the heat from the oven to melt the mixture from top down.
12. Place on top crust, sealing edges together, make your slits or fork holes in top. Put in oven at 350.
13. Take 2 eggs and separate the whites. Get a spoon or brush.

Watch the pie, as it starts to turn gold on top remove and brush on the egg white and then sprinkle some of the dry mixture on top of the still wet egg white. Yes you have to be fast. Return to oven and watch. When it has turned golden brown it is done, remove and let cool.
Eat
 
You may have to make more dry mix as you make your pies. The dry mix will not always be the exact same, but if you follow the above close enough it will be fine.

People claim making sweet tea is easy. But then they drink mine and notice a difference. Now I want to point out, I have been making tea in this manner for decades and shared it with all that have asked. In that time some have forgotten and have claimed “been makin’ it that way for years”. I don’t mind, but please remember when you say it to me and I remember when you asked I know you ain’t been makin’ it that way for years.
 
There are 2 critical parts to making tea using the manner I do. I would like to point out that I use physics as it applies to cooking when I make stuff. Some of the reasons behind what is involved in my apple pie is due to physics. Likewise two very important steps in my tea making have to do with applied physics. So if you skip, you alter taste.
 
Ingredients:
1 Gallon Filtered water
1 Cup sugar (organic best)
4 Family size black (regular tea) tea bags
 
Place 1 gallon filtered water in a stainless steel pan and heat on high. DO NOT allow the water to come to a boil. Watch the water, when it starts to steam and water is agitated REMOVE from heat and place on a different burner that was not used.
Put in all 4 tea bags. (DO NOT place tea bags in water until it is heated and removed from heat. DO NOT boil the tea bags)
Allow tea to sit at room temperature and seep until it completely cools down to room temperature.
Pour 1 cup sugar into glass pitcher. Remove tea bags from pan (DO NOT squeeze or press remaining tea from bags)
Pour tea into glass pitcher with sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Place in refrigerator to chill.
 
It is important not to boil the water, not to put tea bags in until removed from heat and allow it to cool at room temperature.