It was 1993 and I was stuck in the mall with 4 hours to kill and I had already window-seen Babbages 6 times. So I was happy to find the free-to-use Sega Genesis screen with Sonic the Hedgehog in the electronics section of Montgomery Wards. I had always been a fan of the Super Mario series, and with its snappy 16-bit graphics and high-speed gameplay, Sonic was a great experience.

16 years later I was pleasantly surprised to see that Sonic is back and you can take him anywhere you go on your BlackBerry thanks to EA mobile.

Now, there are some BlackBerry games that started out as console games that can leave the user in the lurch, mainly due to control issues. However, while there’s a slight lag in gameplay on BlackBerry, Sonic’s simple running and jumping transfers well to the phone and it’s not long before you find yourself going from level 1 to level 4.

The gameplay is identical to that of the Genesis. You run at high speed, defy gravity, smash robots and collect rings to free the kingdom from the government of the evil scientist. It seems that some of the levels have been abridged, but that doesn’t affect the fun factor of the game at all.

On a BlackBerry Tour I used the S and F keys to run from left to right and easily jumped while running with the E key. And if I needed to do something else, I easily paused or suspended the game to read an email or access the web.

Needless to say, it’s great to see Sonic again and the ease of play and portability only adds to the experience.

Mobile devices such as BlackBerry and Pocket PC are becoming more popular. People are moving away from the office so they can be more productive.

As this trend continues, it becomes even more popular for the webmaster or business to have a mobile friendly website.

The best thing is to retain those web users and maybe even get some new ones in the process. Websites designed specifically for mobile devices do just that.

Why can’t mobile devices use the same website as PCs and Macs?

Well, the main reason is that the pages are too big. Most websites are made to be viewed at 1024×768 resolution or at least 800×600. Well, the BlackBerry 8730e has a resolution of 320×240. It’s the equivalent of looking at a map through a pinhole.

so what needs to be done? We need to lower the resolution of the web page. Since we can’t expect 90% of your PC users to see a small website on their screen, we need to create a duplicate site.

There are some solutions, but the best one in my opinion is to do it by hand. First, consider why someone would be viewing your website from a mobile device. There are a few main reasons 1. Looking for an email address 2. Looking for a phone number 3. Looking for a location 4. They want to know more about your company

IT’S OKAY. I’m getting ahead of myself here. So we need to create a second website for mobile users. Most people go for the mobile.yourwebsite.com approach. I think creating a subdomain is probably the best and fastest way to deal with the situation.

Creating a mobile subdomain on the Apache web server

If you are running your site on an apache webserver then most likely you have cpanel and in cpanel there is an icon/text to create a subdomain. If this is the case, go there and follow those instructions. It will then create a folder on your site like so. http://www.yoursite.com/mobile/ and when users go to mobile.yoursite.com, the contents of the mobile folder will be displayed.

Creating mobile subdomain on IIS server

Creating a subdomain on the IIS server is a bit more complicated than on Apache. First you must create a folder in the inetpub called mobile. Then you need to add a new website by right clicking on My Computer by going to Manage then Services then IIS then Websites. Create a new website and name it Mobile Site, then make sure the Home Directory / tab correctly displays the contents of the mobile folder. Then go to control panel and select network devices and right click on your network connection and go to properties. Then click on the advanced button and make sure the tab is under IP Settings. Add an IP address (a new one that isn’t the same as your other site) and then save all of that.

Now you need to NAT the incoming request from mail.yoursite.com to that internal IP address. I may have missed a step or two, but I think I’ve got all of that covered. If you have questions, google “Subdomain Setup IIS Tutorial”

Now back to what we were talking about earlier, creating some pages specifically for mobile browsers. You must create at least 4 different pages.

* Email directory

* Telephone directory

* To lease

* On

If your organization isn’t that big, you can probably squeeze the email/phone directory into a contact page.

These pages should be minimal. Minimal text, minimal tables, minimal images, etc. Also NO FRAMES, NO JAVASCRIPT and NO FLASH as most mobile browsers can’t read any of them.

Assuming all has not gone well, you should have a mobile friendly website that can be viewed by any user anywhere. Be sure to post a link on your front page that links to the mobile page and give it to your customers as well.

The first roots of graffiti began to appear in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the late 1960s, when a couple of young people began tagging corn bread and cool earl all over town until almost everywhere you saw corn bread and cool earl written on it. on the walls and windows of trains. etc. Soon this radical form of expression known as the art of graffiti captured the attention of the community and the local press.

A few years later, after the Cornbread and Cool Earl movement, it was noticed that many graffiti artists were slowly appearing on the streets of Manhattan, but it was not until the year 1971 that the New York Times published an article about a young graffiti artist. the name of TAKI 183, a boy who had traveled all over the city capturing everyone’s attention due to the fact that you would literally see his name tagged all over the city.

Taki 183 was employed as a foot courier and often moved around and dumped around town, something he took advantage of by tagging his name everywhere he would be on walls, trains, windows, cars, etc. But while he was the first graffiti artist to be recognized for his art, he wasn’t the first to start writing in New York, where many others before him. But his fame opened the doors to many other young artists who would emerge from the streets of New York.

Soon enough, graffiti art became a way for young children to express themselves by tagging their names on walls or trains using anything from paint markers, spray paints, etc. Little by little, the art of graffiti began to move from the streets to the underground and until it became very competitive. that graffiti artist would write their names as many times as possible.

After a graffiti artist discovered that they could paint on trains by sneaking into train yards. something that lessened the possibility of being caught, so they began to work more on detailed pieces called bombs or bombing, a popular form of graffiti that still exists today.

Once the trains started showing up with many kinds of colors and tagging the community started protesting and the trains were cleaned up every time someone painted them after the graffiti artists realized there was no point in painting them they stopped and they moved the art back to the streets where it has remained to date.

But graffiti did not stay only in New York or Philadelphia, it quickly caught the attention of many boys and girls from all over the world from one continent to another. Today graffiti is well established in many of the most popular cities and each and every city contains its own unique style of graffiti art.

Population is the total number of people living within a country or a geographic area at a given time. In other words, population refers to the total number of children, adults (men and women), youth (boys and girls) living in a given geographical area, which can be a town, village or country, at a specific time.

The study of the population is very important for many reasons. Such reasons include the determination of the active population, the allocation of resources, the availability of labor, etc. As of 1982, the world population was estimated at 4.5 billion people. With an average world population growth rate of 1.8%, it was estimated that by the year 2000, the world population would have been 6.25 billion. This is not far from the truth since it is about 6,697,254,041, according to the world statistics of the site “100people”. In terms of continents, Asia is the most populous continent in the world, followed by Africa, Europe, North America, South America, and lastly Australia, and Oceania and Antarctica. In terms of countries, China is the most populous country, followed by India, the United States, Indonesia, etc. In Africa, Nigeria is the most populous country.

Population census

This is the count of all citizens of a country at a given time. Refers to the government’s count of all boys, girls, men and women, including those with disabilities, in a country in a given period of time. Censuses are generally conducted every 10 years when a series of censuses has been carried out correctly, it becomes easier, using the growth rate, to estimate the population between count periods. The population census provides information on age, sex, occupation, residence, etc. Take the example of the enemy of Nigeria. In Nigeria, the government conducted several population censuses. The 1952/53 census was 3.12 million people. This figure, according to observers at the time, was an underestimate. Another census conducted in 1962/63, which put the country’s population at 55.670 million. This figure, as of that moment, was over inflated. This generated much controversy regarding its reliability and acceptability. In 1973, another count gave a population of 79 million people. This figure was rejected for double counting and overestimation. In 1991 another population census was carried out. It was given as 88,514,501 people. Since then there has been no ‘true’ census and the current estimate of Nigeria’s population as of 2004 stands at 120 million, 2008- 140 million, 2010- close to 180 million.

Buying a new iPhone nowadays can be costly and expensive for most of the people. If you are not in Class A and basically buying a new iPhone means a hole in your pocket, then the best option would be to look for a second hand iPhone unit.

The idea of ​​buying a second-hand iPhone is cheap and practical.

However, we must check if the iPhone is stolen before handing over our hard-earned money to the second-hand phone seller. Many iPhones are sold online on sites like Olx.ph and buying online creates the danger of accepting a stolen iPhone and therefore throwing your money down the drain.

The best option for a person looking for a second-hand iPhone to avoid the danger of buying a stolen unit would be to go to a second-hand phone dealer, particularly in Greenhills, and check to see if the iPhone is stolen.

Here are some steps on how to check if an iPhone is stolen that you should take when you decide to buy a second-hand iPhone to avoid being scammed into buying an iPhone that was reported stolen.

When a mobile device is lost or stolen, the owner can usually contact their local operator to request that it be locked.

If the local operator owns an Equipment Identity Registry (EIR), then it will put the IMEI of the device in it and can optionally report it to the Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR), which blacklists the device from all all other operator switches that use the CEIR. .

With this blacklist in place, the device becomes locked and unusable on any carrier that uses the CEIR, making theft of mobile equipment a worthless business proposition, unless it’s for parts.

Remember, a fool won’t exist if we don’t let ourselves be fooled!

These are the steps to follow to check if the iPhone is stolen or not.

1.) Get iPhone IMEI Number

Tap the Settings icon on the iPhone home screen, tap General, and then tap About. Scroll down to the bottom and copy the number displayed in the IMEI field.

Prayed

Touch the phone app to open the dial pad on the screen. Dial *#06#. Copy the IMEI shown.

2.) Visit the blacklist site

Open your browser and go to the site http://www.iphone-unlockme.com/LostorStolen.htm.

Enter the IMEI number and check the status of the iPhone you want to buy.

The site will then validate your IMEI number to check if the iPhone is stolen. Next, a report will be given about the status and result of the IMEI check.

If the Status indicates “Available”, then you can rest assured that the iPhone is not a stolen unit.

3.) Ask the seller or owner to disable Find My iPhone

Ask the seller of the iPhone to access Find My iPhone and use their function to erase the data on the iPhone so that it is erased and the Activation Lock status is turned OFF.

Accessing Find My iPhone requires the owner to enter the password of the Apple ID connected to the iPhone. If the current “owner” of the iPhone is unable to do so, the device may be stolen.

4.) Call your nearest mobile phone company or Apple branch

Since the iPhone is an Apple product, one of the best ways to check if the iPhone is stolen is to visit the nearest

Apple store and give them the IMEI to see if the iPhone you plan to buy or have bought is a stolen unit.

5.) Check Activation Lock Status

Go to the Apple Activation Lock Status website http://www.icloud.com/activationlock.

Write the IMEI or serial number in the box

Enter the CAPTCHA code shown

Click Continue.

The next screen will tell you if the iPhone has Activation Lock turned on.

What the results mean

If Activation Lock is off, you’re clean.

However, if Activation Lock is on, a couple of things may be happening:

a.) The phone is stolen

– An iPhone sold with Activation Lock still enabled could mean the device is stolen, as a thief probably won’t be able to disable Activation Lock. Ask the seller to disable the feature and check again.

If they refuse or can’t do it, don’t buy that phone.

b.) The seller forgot to disable activation lock

– An honest seller may have forgotten to disable activation lock. Ask them to disable the feature.

If they do, it’s okay to buy.

When buying a used iPhone, be sure to ask for the IMEI or serial number before you buy and use this tool to check the condition of the device. It will save you money and frustration.

Tool Limitations

This tool is not connected to any police system, so it does not compare police reports of stolen devices.

This only checks the activation lock status.

If your iPhone is running on iOS 6 or below, it will not work as this feature works with iOS 7.

Essentially, these are the steps to check if your iPhone is stolen or not.

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, can be obtained from a wide range of food sources within a typical diet. There are some especially outstanding food options that contain higher levels of biotin that can be easily added to your family’s diet to help you reap the benefits of biotin. We’ll get into those foods in just a minute. First, we’d like to go over the basics of adequate biotin intake to give you an idea of ​​how much biotin your body needs.

Adequate Intake (AI)

The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, an independent, non-profit organization that works outside of the federal government to provide authoritative and non-judgmental guidance to the open public, considered that there is insufficient evidence to be able to calculate a Recommended Daily Diet. Allowance (RDA) therefore established adequate intake amounts. The Institute determined that your adequate intake of biotin should be between 35 and sixty micrograms (mcg) per day in adult men and women.

Biotin Food Sources

Biotin can be available in quite a few foods, although generally in smaller amounts than other water-soluble nutritional vitamins. Fortunately, the biotin your body requires can be obtained through a healthy diet that includes ingredients such as eggs, nuts, vegetables, fresh fruits, fresh fish, various meats, and certain dairy products. It is also important to note that fresh foods will offer you a higher level of vitamins and more biotin benefits compared to processed foods.

Eggs and Dairy

The foods that have the highest amounts of biotin are eggs, especially egg yolks. Eggs can contain between 13 and 25 micrograms of biotin depending on their size and how they are cooked. Cooking generally depletes foods of their total nutrients, but this doesn’t mean they lose all of their benefits. Eating raw egg whites is actually detrimental to raising biotin levels simply because they hinder the body’s ability to absorb the nutrient. The yolk is actually where you are sure to get the best benefits from biotin. In addition to eggs, milk, a number of cheeses, yogurts, and other dairy products include reasonable levels of biotin.

Fruits and vegetables

Fruits like bananas, avocados, and raspberries are good, nutrient-dense sources of vitamins like biotin. Vegetables that are high in biotin range from broccoli and cabbage to leafy greens like Swiss chard. Organic mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower offer higher levels of biotin.

Meat, Poultry and Fish

Almost all varieties of meat, poultry, and fish are excellent and abundant sources of biotin. Chicken, turkey, beef, and pork contain low to high levels of vitamin B7. Beef livers can pack a full day’s worth of vitamin B7 in one serving. Fish such as tuna, haddock, and salmon also have good levels of the nutrient and are generally among the best sources of biotin in shellfish.

Nuts and Whole Grains

Almonds and peanuts are wonderful sources of vitamin B7 and contain a full day’s worth per 1/2 cup serving. Hazelnuts, commonly known by their somewhat funnier name “Filbert Nut,” offer you a great way to get thirty micrograms per 1/2 cup serving. Peanut butter can also provide up to 30 micrograms per serving. Whole grain breads, definitely not white breads, often have a good percentage of your acceptable daily requirement.

For those who currently eat a well-balanced diet, especially one that contains some or all of the foods mentioned here, chances are you are keeping your own biotin levels right where they should be. If after reading this article you have realized that you are not consuming as many biotin-rich ingredients as you should, simply start incorporating some of these foods into your next dinner.

The phone interview is such a crucial part of the hiring phase because if you can’t make a good first impression over the phone, your chances of being invited for an in-person interview are nil. Below are 7 tips to keep in mind for successful phone interviews.

1. Choose a quiet environment. Make sure you take the call in a place where you won’t be distracted and where there are no background noises like TV, radio, barking dogs, crying children, etc. For example, if you’re surprised by a call on your cell phone while you’re at the grocery store, ask the person if you can call them back or put them on hold until you can find a quiet, secluded place to talk. Better yet, ask the caller if she can schedule the interview for a mutually convenient time, preferably when she can be away from the commotion and take notes.

2. Prepare as you would for an in-person interview. You might be the type who can answer questions on the fly, and maybe you know the job description pretty well by heart. Still, it’s best to prepare ahead of time and have your notes, job description, resume, and any other reference materials you need on hand. Most phone interviews are efficient screening calls made by recruiters. They want to know if you meet the criteria in the job description and if your salary is in the ballpark. Experienced recruiters can usually determine this fairly quickly. However, you may find that some recruiters prefer to have a more in-depth conversation with you, and sometimes the hiring manager does the phone interview. Just in case, you should prepare as you would for a full in-person interview.

3. Be prepared to answer screening questions. The typical purpose of the phone interview is to screen out candidates. The interviewer is looking for red flags. He or she is trying to narrow the field of candidates and select the best matches to invite for a face-to-face interview. You will get questions like:

• Why are you looking for a new position? (Respond positively no matter how unhappy you are with your situation!)
• Show me your background. Why did you leave here, why did you leave there…? (Always put a positive spin on your reason for leaving. Talk about what he did in his previous experience related to the position in question.)
• What are your strengths/weaknesses?
• What was your greatest achievement during your last position?
• What specific projects have you worked on?
• Why are you interested in our position/company?

4. Engage with good questions. First of all, definitely ask questions. However, don’t ask what might seem like “it’s all about me” questions. Also, at this stage, it’s best for the interviewer to bring up money or benefits. These are topics that you may need to address when asked about during a phone interview, but are best left until later and/or final stages of the hiring process if possible. Your only goal at this point should be to convince the interviewer that his skills and experience are a good fit for him. Ask the interviewer how they define success for this position. Ask the interviewer what the most important elements of the job description are. Ask the interviewer why the position is open. Those are examples of good questions for a phone interview. And, of course, listen carefully to their responses, taking notes if you can.

5. Speak clearly. This may be obvious advice, but it’s a very important thing to remember in phone interviews because it’s through your words and your tone of voice that you have the opportunity to make a great impression. Keep the mouthpiece close to your mouth. Do not chew gum, eat, drink or smoke. Sounds are amplified through the phone – the sounds of slapping, chewing, swallowing and inhaling/exhaling are sure to be picked up. Also, if your mouth is busy with that other activity, you won’t be as coherent as you should be when you need to talk.

6. Use the name of your interviewer. Write down the interviewer’s name when you first hear it and use it from time to time during the conversation. People like the sound of their own name, and this simple tip will go a long way in building rapport. Of course, be careful not to exaggerate. The key word here is “occasionally”. Using a person’s name every time you reply can sound artificial and unnatural.

7. Smile. Let the interviewer “hear the smile” in your voice. Some experts say that you should hold a mirror where you are doing the interview so that you can observe yourself and therefore remind yourself to smile. If you’d rather not do that, at least have a sticky note with the word “smile” written on it and put it where you’ll see it during the call. Phone interviews deprive you of the opportunity to communicate your excitement and interest through your facial expressions and eye contact. Your voice is the only way you have to project positive energy and convey how you feel. You will naturally feel more excited when you smile and your voice will definitely reflect your smile.

Many times… and in many cases, “Electronic Point and Click Contracts” are the equivalent of pencil and paper agreements. The advent of “Cyber ​​Monday” has holiday shoppers rushing to their PCs in anticipation of getting, oh yeah, it’s legal, bargain buying power over the Internet.

The latest phenomenon, launched immediately after “Black Friday”, is supported by merchants, sellers and the media. In the turmoil of today’s economic problems, I see this as another burden on the general consumer. “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend!” TV commercials electronically blast this one with a vengeance. “Friends please…we’re told we won’t get anywhere with the ladies, your partner or a sexual encounter/experience if you don’t buy you a new hidden diamond item for Christmas. Car peddlers use the identical prose with both genders. As I recall, kids used to be the target of holiday gifts, while adults came second. Most kids, at least the ones I knew, had no money to spend on anything…less than all the presents.And for that matter, a lot of the adults didn’t either.

But we are bombarded anyway, from all directions, to buy, buy, buy… with no money to buy anything…

Online purchasing power is the other side of the proverbial marketing device. The “emptor warning” is “click agreements”. This electronic practice is also known as a “shrink wrap deal.” This type of contract agreement refers to the terms expressed within a box in which the goods are packaged. “Shrink wrap” is a term that describes the plastic covering over a package of products, which seals the products inside. What happens is that the party that opens the packaged goods is told that they agree to the terms and keeps whatever is in the box. When a buyer opens a software package, they agree to be bound by the terms of the “limited license agreement.”

Many technologies allow you to sign electronic documents. These include digital signatures. Many states have laws governing electronic signatures. The problem is that state electronic signature(s) laws are not uniform. The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and the American Law Institute enacted the Uniform Electronics Act (UETA) in 1999. This law has been adopted, in part, by more than forty states. A buyer’s failure to object to the terms contained in a shrink-wrapped software package may constitute acceptance of the terms – “it’s yours…you open it, you keep it” – by conduct. This responsibility is compatible and enforceable, according to section 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), the law governing sales contracts establishes that any contract for the sale of goods “may be entered into in any manner sufficient to demonstrate (agreement of /for terms offered) agreement, including conduct by both parties that acknowledges the existence of a specific contract.”

Recipients, sellers, merchants, and/or vendors doing business over the Internet can protect themselves against contractual disputes and legal liability by creating offers that clearly spell out the terms that will govern their transactions. If offers are accepted, important terms should always (or not) be visible and easy for online buyers to see.

In virtually all areas of law, the use of the Internet to conduct business has raised new legal questions or, more often, new variations on old questions. With respect to jurisdictions, this is certainly true and is quoted in The Fundamentals of Business Law, written by Roger Leroy Miller and Gaylord A. Jentz. “The court is reaching some consensus regarding trade cases before the courts that don’t really fit into the categories and rules that are developing in case law.” This item is the commerce clause in and of the Interstate Commerce Regulations, “Pro Tempore” (for the time being).

An “Electronic Contract” is a contract that is formed electronically. “E-Money” means prepaid funds registered to a computer or a card (such as a smart card or a stored value card – a gift card). A “Destination Contract” is a contract for the sale of goods in which the seller is obligated or authorized to ship the goods by means of a carrier and deliver them to a specified destination. The seller assumes responsibility for any loss or damage to the goods until they are delivered to the destination specified in the contract, under the auspices of the Commercial Law in the online world of web contracts and jurisdiction.

If a party (one or more persons or entities) encounters contractual difficulties or disputes, there are legal steps available to initiate a challenge. Anyone who is a party to a lawsuit has the opportunity to argue the case in a trial court and then in an appellate court, if they lose (to at least one level of appellate court), as provided in the statutes of commercial law. . Also, a statement alleging the facts necessary for the court to take jurisdiction: a brief summary of the facts necessary to show that the plaintiff is entitled to relief, and a statement of the relief sought by the plaintiff. In most cases, the defendant or defense attorney will file an “Expost Facto” motion (a statute of limitations or a motion to expunge). But the complaint and/or argument remains – “Resipsa Loquitur” (the facts speak for themselves).

Together, the Complaint and Answer (and Counter-Claim and Reply), together, are called pleadings. The briefs inform each party of the other party’s claims and specify the disputed issues or issues involved in the case.

So when you rush to the PC to order that new stereo, TV, camera, cell phone, kindle, Mitsubishi SUV, laptop or garter belt… remember: “Buyer Beware!”

You could end up in court, and still penniless.

Until next time.

Where most articles go wrong with any kind of MySpace tips is that they don’t mention that there are many different accounts for you to join. Two of them are a musician account and a user account. If you are a musician you need the musician account. I may sound smart, but if you don’t, then you don’t have access to 3 extra MP3s to show off… which is a lot.

In any case. Let’s continue with these MySpace tips:

Myspace tips: 1. Using games, flashy stuff, and large files will drive people away, mainly due to MySpace’s slow loading time. If you have to use graphics, don’t let MySpace host them for you, load them using your own bandwidth this way images and larger files will load a bit faster.

Remember these few words for any site:

short, clean, clear

See if you can come up with an identity for your site, certain colors, etc. The best sites are the ones you can navigate easily and find what you’re looking for quickly. To get the friend, it must be as clear as day for him to sign up.

MySpace tips: 2. How many people are registered on MySpace? 106 million… so, of them will become your friends? It’s not the answer and the main reason is that not everyone likes your music. So we have to find

Downloaders and like-minded friends

To do this, MySpace has given us some tools. The first is the search engine. Click the drop down bar to reveal: blogs, musical interests, etc. You can then search for artists similar to you.

If you look below, the networking affiliation allows you to get in touch with record companies and people in the industry (make sure the “field” is about music).

MySpace tips: 3. To get more friends, go to an artist of a similar genre, look at their list of friend comments, and then click view all. Now if your initial search was correct, then these like minded friends could easily like your music. Plus, these friends are active Spacers and fans of the artist (latest comments at the top of the page). Just be sure to contact the friend with the most responsible feedback.

MySpace tips: 4. Sometimes though you don’t want a friend who is 3000 miles away, especially if you want to play. When doing a general search, you can find people who are close to your hometown by doing a postal search or a county search. This has great possibilities, since when you start playing, these people are more likely to come to your place.

Also increase your zip search for the surrounding areas. When you have a concert ready, post on your forum a month before, a week and then a day… just to give everyone enough time.

MySpace Tips: 5 MySpace has grown thanks to the interaction between friends, a kind of pimp blog. So we must also interact. This is the time consuming part and it is also the best way to network. What you need to do is go through your friends’ homepages and leave a comment by clicking the Add Comment link at the bottom of the page.

Now, as we’ve seen with the send a message weapon, adding a comment can be done right or wrong.

Wrong Way (but you see this 80% of the time…it doesn’t work!)
1.=”you’re great”!
2.=”see my music at http://www.myspace.com/artist”

right way
wow what a good song [name] it is. I specifically like the middle part with the drum solo. Also, where did you get that big bottom?

Package requirements, what to include in your IRR package:

1. IRR Packet Checklist, based on Figure B-59 of USAR Pamphlet 600-5.

2. DA Form 4561, Request for Assignment or Attachment of Reserve Component. Fully filled out and signed by the Soldier and the Commander.

3. Your statement/justification letter and supporting documentation. This is based on the reasons listed in AR 140-10.

4. Recommendation on the chain of command.

5. Compelling personal reason. If the specific reason is not listed in AR 140-10, it requires an exception to the policy from your OFTS.

6. Counseling Statement (DA Form 4856). This is from the commander to the Soldier and it’s face to face. Are you in receipt of a bonus? This advisory statement should alert you to the termination or recovery of the bonus.

7. Counseling Statement (DA Form 4856). From Soldier to Soldier service career counselor; it is also face to face.

Valid reasons to transfer from Troop Program Unit (TPU) to Individual Ready Reserves (IRR):

As a TPU soldier, you can forward an IRR transfer packet up the chain of command. There is no guarantee for the approval of that package or for its transfer to the IRR.

If you want to improve your chances of transferring from TPU to IRR, please refer to the valid reasons listed in AR 140-10, Chapter 4, Paragraph 9. If you have enough documents and facts to support one or more of these reasons, please include them in your IRR package. This will help you make your case to transfer to the IRR.

Job issue:

Let’s say your employer is suddenly unable to release you from work hours so you can drill…since your absence would have an adverse impact on your employer’s operation. Before, this was not a problem. His employer released him for a weekend and he was able to continue his operation. When they couldn’t free you, you were able to reschedule.

Now? Your employer needs you, on the days he needs to drill, for the company to continue its mission. Conditions had changed since he started working with this employer.

Or, you’re at a company that restructures and eliminates your job. They transfer you to another part of the company. In this new job, you are on call to go to different parts of the country and your hours are random. You cannot do rescheduled workouts. Your employer cannot spare you for any mock booking without adversely affecting business operations.

These are just two examples, of which there are many, of how your employment could become something that makes it difficult for you to meet the TPU requirements.

In your Soldier Justification Statement letter, please provide an objective picture of how your work schedule makes it impractical for you to continue with the TPU. Include statements from your employer to support this justification.

Change of address:

You accept a new job within your company. It will pay you more, it’s something you love to do, and it represents a career advancement in your civilian career. The capture? You have to go somewhere that is two days from the nearest Army Reserve facility. Your employer cannot give you enough time to get to and from the nearest Army Reserve unit.

In this scenario, you are a TPU soldier who cannot drill with any army reserve units.

Or, you get a promotion that sends you abroad. His workplace is a long flight from the nearest Army Reserve Center.

For something like this, you could send a packet to transfer to the IRR. In your soldier justification statement, include employment orders, job promotion documentation, new job description, an objective image detailing the location of your new job, your new residence, etc.

Compelling personal reasons:

This is a kind of catch-all to cover other reasons not specifically covered in AR 140-10.

What you think is a very good reason to transfer may not be what the Army thinks it is. You also have to see this from your unit’s perspective.

He is asking them to release him when they need him in the unit during drills and summer training. They have no guarantee that they will get a replacement soldier. You have to convince them to “approve” your IRR packet.

Let’s say you’re “burned out” from exercising. It just wants to “sit” on the IRR until the “exhaustion” phase is over. In the eyes of your unit, this is a subjective reason. They may be able to work with you so that you do not need to send an IRR transfer package.

In this example, your soldier justification letter should provide an accurate and objective picture of how your Army Reserve duties contribute to your burnout. You will need letters from your medical professionals to help reinforce your justifications.

Whatever personal reason you choose, make sure you can provide an objective picture. Make sure you can provide factual information from subject matter experts involved in your situation.

You also want to show that there is no other way to “solve” your current problem other than transferring it to the IRR. Before you do this, you need to exhaust the means to resolve this with the resources your drive could reference.

You’ve completed the TPU portion of your contract, now you’re ready to transfer to the IRR:

At the time of this writing, everyone joining the army, for the first time, has signed an eight-year contract. When a first-time enlistee signs a 6-year Army Reserve contract, he’s not just signing up for 6 years. When those 6 years are up, that Soldier has an additional 2 years of commitment. They can request transfer commitment to the TIR after their TPU.

This concept applies even if the TPU part of the contract was for 3, 4 or 5 years.

Once the TPU part of the contract ends, they can request the transfer to the IRR. They have to keep drilling with the unit until they get their IRR orders.

Surviving her daughter:

You’re in the reserves and pursuing your civilian career. Two years later, your last remaining brother dies. You are now the only surviving child of your parents. This is an unfortunate event, but one that gives you the opportunity to transfer from TPU to IRR.

When writing your soldier justification letter, please include documentation showing that you are now the last/only surviving child of your parents.

Dependency or difficulties make it impractical to participate in TPU:

Let’s say your family situation changes and you need to provide extra care and support to one of your family members. This family member is someone on your list of dependents. You don’t have an alternate care plan… no one else could afford to waste a lot of their time and sacrifice their job to help you.

This dependent family member needs your presence. Without you, the well-being of this family member is negatively affected.

Two examples of this category are an “assisted living” situation and a “direct support provider” situation. In these scenarios, a family member cannot take care of himself. The family member requires the care, supervision, and direct support of a soldier to perform basic functions.

Statements from doctors, social workers, case managers, and other related persons should be included in this packet. Your statement should focus on the nature of the dependency difficulties and the need for you to always be available.

The pregnancy:

If you are pregnant, you may be able to transfer to the IRR. You have to be MOS qualified, and cannot be within 3 months of your ETS.

No selection for retention:

This affects TPU soldiers who have received their “official notification of eligibility to retire with pay at 60” letter. This is the “20 year letter”. By regulation, these Soldiers are subject to a Qualitative Retention Board.

Prior to the agreement of this meeting, the affected soldier receives a “pre-meeting” package. The Soldier has a couple of options. If the junta removes the soldier from the TPU, which control group would you like to transfer the soldier to?

The Soldier could choose to be transferred to the retired reserves or the IRR. If the qualitative review board decides to remove the Soldier from the TPU, orders will be issued transferring the Soldier to the control group the Soldier selected.

This is also applicable to TPU Soldiers subjected to the actions of other types of holding tables. In this situation, a soldier may have the option of transferring to the IRR.

Non-Scholarship ROTC Enrollment:

A “non-scholarship” ROTC program is one that offers a student the opportunity to participate in an ROTC program without financial benefits. These students do not receive a monthly stipend. These students pay their own tuition, fees, and other expenses.

Soldiers who are accepted into this type of ROTC program may submit an IRR packet.

Merchant Marine Academy:

If you are accepted into Merchant Marine Academy, you can submit an IRR transfer packet.

Army Regulation 140-10:

For details on each of these categories and how to apply under them, read Army Regulation 140-10, Assignments, Attachments, Details, and Transfers.

Commanding Officer and Service Career Advisor Statements:

Did you get a bonus for signing up for your current TPU contract? If your IRR transfer is approved, you could lose the rest of your bonus. Depending on the stipulation of your bonus, you could end up having to pay back the portion of your bonus that you received.

If you are receiving a bonus, you must be informed of this fact when you submit your IRR package.

This advisory statement should also tell you about your IRR responsibilities. The commanding officer will include any information that is important to you. This includes the fact that he must continue to drill with the unit until he receives transfer orders to the IRR.

The career counselor will inform you of the opportunities that are available to you at the IRR, including opportunities to reclassify and transfer back to TPU when personal conditions favor such a move.

IRR transfer package tips:

1. Are you on your initial contract, with IRR time after your TPU time? By regulation, you are not supposed to send your IRR packet until your TPU obligation is complete. You can send your IRR transfer package the day after your “TPU ETS” date.

2. After submitting your IRR package, you must drill with your unit until you receive orders transferring you to IRR.

Don’t just go by what someone in your unit says. Some soldiers stopped drilling after “completing” their “TPU years,” because they thought they were automatically in the IRR. This was not true, they had to report to drill.

3. Track your package. If HRC does not receive your package, they may extend your TPU status through the end of your military service obligation. In this case, you will have to drill until they are 8 years old.

4. If you have unresolved medical issues, you must resolve these issues before you can transfer to the IRR.

5. IRR Soldiers still have obligations and point requirements to meet. However, you could consider active standby reserves instead of IRR if you want to temporarily “walk away” from the TPU.

In the IRR, you have to get at least 50 points per year of retirement.

On active standby reservations, you do not need to earn at least 50 points. You maintain your military affiliation, but you are generally not required to maintain a good year. Active reserve reserves are what most people assume the IRR is.

Additional references:

1 AR 140-10; provides details on the above categories as justification for the transfer of IRR.

2. AR G1 policy cards.

3. USAR 600-5 brochure.