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Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula wants to offer our thanks to the Homer Foundation's Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) with funding support from YAC's generous donors and the Ashley J. Logan and Sheldon Youth to Youth funds for their continuing contributions on behalf of our 2013 Summer Institute and Exploration Bridging Institute programs.
YAC's donation was of great help as we welcomed students from 10 KPBSD schools, as they participate in activities designed to enhance their educational experience and prepare for the transitions from middle school to high school and from high school to college. Summer College Institute allows Project GRAD Kenai Peninsula students to be on campus and engage in challenging and enriching curriculum in a nurturing environment.
We appreciate YAC being a part of our support base as we work to assist students in achieving a rewarding and successful educational experience.
Mike Petersen, executive director
Project GRAD


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Every day, every member of our team works hard to ensure that each patient receives quality care, close to home. And although our convenient location may be attractive to first-time patients, it is the individualized care and exceptional customer service that keeps them returning.
We hope your stay (or visit) to our facility is a positive one. If at any time you have a question or concern, please ask a nurse or any team member wearing a photo ID badge. If that team member cannot address your concern, he or she will find the best person to assist you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Starter Lens Accessory Package - 2A Item # 106216
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Optimized optical design for digital SLR cameras.
Sigma launched first standard 50mm Macro lens in 1990. This was succeeded by the 50mm F2.8 EX Macro in 1998 which proved even more popular with photographers, benefiting from improved build and optical quality. The advent of digital SLR's requires optimum lens performance and therefore the very latest optical technology has been incorporated in the production of the New Macro 50mm F2.8 EX DG. This ideal standard lens sets the benchmark for digital SLR cameras.
Macro lenses require a high imaging performance for photographing objects with digital SLR cameras.
The new advanced lens design corrects various aberrations. This macro lens is specially coated to get the best color balance whilst cutting down ghost caused by reflections from the digital image sensor. This lens provides the utmost correction against lateral chromatic aberration which is a serious problem for digital SLR cameras.
Floating Focusing System
Floating Focusing system that enables this lens to photograph objects precisely in entire focusing range.
Standard 50mm lens for digital SLR cameras.
This standard macro lens enables you to enjoy the communication with subject. When viewing through the camera's finder, you are able to move your subject, and make precise adjustment. It has a close working distance and it is very convenient for taking close-up pictures of a fossil, or other inanimate things for example. This lens would have an equivalent field of view of an 85mm macro lens on a digital SLR camera (when used with the SD10).
Minimum aperture of F45
Although the depth of field this medium telephoto is shallow, sometimes would be necessary to have greater depth of field, because it is difficult to take a sharp picture of a subject and the background at the maximum aperture. Minimum aperture of F45 (F45 for Sigma, Canon and Konica Minolta mounts) or F32 (F32 for Nikon and Pentax mounts) provides greater depth of field.
A screw-in lens hood, for convenient use of circular polarizing filters. It is possible to attach a 72mm filter and a cap in front of the lens hood. Specifications:
- Lens Construction 10 Elements in 9 Groups
- Angle of View 46.8 degrees
- Number of Diaphragm Blades 7 Blades
- Minimum Aperture F45
- Minimum Focusing Distance 18.9cm/7.4 in.
- Maximum Magnification 1:1
- Filter Size Diameter 55mm
- Dimensions Diameter 71.4mm X Length 66.5mm
- 2.8 in. X 2.6 in.
- Weight 320g / 11.3 oz.
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Don't Leave Tax Breaks on the Table
If someone told you there's a way for you to potentially save hundreds – if not thousands – of dollars on your income taxes by simply spending a few minutes reviewing your benefits and tax paperwork, would you think it sounds like a late-night TV marketing scam? It's not.
You've still got a couple of months to tweak your employer-provided benefits and line up a few tax deductions that'll have you smiling next April 15.
Here are a few strategies to consider:
401(k) plan. If you haven't already maxed out on contributions for 2013, ask your employer if you can increase contributions to your 401(k) plan for the remainder of the year. Most people can contribute up to $17,500 in 2013, plus an additional $5,500 if they're over 50.
If you contribute on a pretax basis, your taxable income is reduced, which in turn lowers your taxes. If you contribute using after-tax dollars, you'll pay tax on the amount now, but the entire account value, including interest earned over the years, will be non-taxable when you retire. Either way, if your employer offers matching contributions (essentially, free money), you should contribute at least enough to take full advantage of the match.
Flexible spending accounts (FSAs). If you participate in employer-sponsored health care or dependent care FSAs, which let you use pretax dollars to pay for eligible expenses, be sure to spend the full balance before the plan-year deadline (sometimes up to 75 days into the following year); otherwise, you'll forfeit the remaining balance. If it looks like you'll have a surplus, consider which 2014 expenses you could pay before December 31, 2013.
You can use your health care FSA for copayments, deductibles and medical devices (e.g., glasses, contact lenses and braces). Note: Except for insulin, over-the-counter medicines are only eligible with a doctor's prescription.
Charitable contributions. If you plan to itemize deductions this year, charitable contributions made to IRS-approved organizations by December 31, 2013, are generally tax-deductible. If you've got extra cash now and want to lower your 2013 taxes even further, consider moving up donations you would have made in 2014.
Gifts. Most people probably will never reach the $5.25 million lifetime gift tax exemption limit – beyond which you would have to pay the 40 percent gift tax. But, if you're feeling generous, remember that if you give someone gifts worth more than $14,000 this year, you'll need to file a Gift Tax Return along with your federal tax return, even though you won't necessarily owe any taxes on the amount. (Married couples filing jointly can give $28,000 per recipient.)
Roth IRA conversion. People at any income level can convert part or all of their existing traditional IRAs or 401(k) plans from previous employers into a Roth IRA. With a Roth, you pay taxes now, but future earnings will accumulate tax-free. If your retirement is a long way off or you believe your income tax rate at retirement will be higher than it is today, such a conversion might make sense.
Remember, however, that converted balances (for pretax savings and their earnings) get added to your taxable income, thereby increasing your taxes – and possibly boosting you into a higher tax bracket for the year. Just make sure you don't need to borrow money – especially from a retirement account – to pay for the additional tax burden today; otherwise you could undo the potential long-term tax advantage of converting to a Roth IRA.


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What exactly is a joint?
A joint (joynt) is where two or more bones are joined together. Joints can be rigid, like the joints between the bones in your skull, or movable, like knees, hips, and shoulders. Many joints have cartilage (KAHRT-uh-lij) on the ends of the bones where they come together. Healthy cartilage helps you move by allowing bones to glide over one another. It also protects bones by preventing them from rubbing against each other.
Keeping your joints healthy will allow you to run, walk, jump, play sports, and do the other things you like to do. Physical activity, a balanced diet, avoiding injuries, and getting plenty of sleep will help you stay healthy and keep your joints healthy too.
What Can go Wrong
Some people get arthritis (ar-THRY-tis). The term arthritis is often used to refer to any disorder that affects the joints. Although you might think arthritis affects only older people, it can affect young people, too. There are many different forms of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis (AH-stee-oh-ar-THRY-tis) is the most common type of arthritis and is seen especially among older people. In osteoarthritis, the surface cartilage in the joints breaks down and wears away, allowing the bones to rub together. This causes pain, swelling, and loss of motion in the joint. Sometimes, it can be triggered by an injury to a joint, such as a knee injury that damages the cartilage.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (ROO-muh-toid ar-THRY-tis) is known as an autoimmune (aw-toh-i-MYOON) disease, because the immune system attacks the tissues of the joints as if they were disease-causing germs. This results in pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the joints. People with rheumatoid arthritis may also feel tired and sick, and they sometimes get fevers. It can cause permanent damage to the joints and sometimes affects the heart, lungs, or other organs.
- Gout (gowt) is a form of arthritis that is caused by a buildup of uric acid (YOOR-ic acid) crystals in the joints, most commonly in the big toe. It can be extremely painful. There are several effective treatments for gout that can reduce disability and pain.
- Juvenile arthritis is a term often used to describe arthritis in children. Children can develop almost all types of arthritis that affect adults, but the most common type that affects children is juvenile idiopathic (id-ee-uh-PATH-ik) arthritis.
- Other forms of arthritis may be associated with diseases like lupus (LOO-puhs), fibromyalgia (fi-bromy-AL-juh), psoriasis (suh-RYE-uh-sis), or certain infections. In addition, other diseases might affect the bones or muscles around a joint, causing problems in that joint.
How do I keep my joints more healthy?
Physical activity
Being physically active is one of the most important things you can do to keep your joints healthy. Regular activity helps keep the muscles around your joints strong and working the way they should. Even people who already have arthritis can benefit from regular physical activity, which will help reduce disability and keep the joints working well. Children and teenagers should get 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. When exercising or playing sports, be sure to wear the proper protective equipment to avoid injuring your joints. Remember that injuries to your knee early in life can lead to osteoarthritis later on, so be sure to wear protective pads and shoes that fit well. It's also important to warm up and stretch before exercise. If you have any concerns about your health, talk to your doctor or a physical therapist to find out what kinds of activities are right for you.
Kim's dad is only 43, but he already has arthritis in his knees. He played football and ran track in high school and had a few knee injuries. These are likely to have caused arthritis at a pretty young age. So he reminds Kim to warm up and never to "play through the pain"—no matter what anyone says—and to take care of injuries as soon as they happen.
Eat a healthy diet
Physical activity, along with a balanced diet, will help you manage your weight. Avoiding excess weight puts less stress on your joints, especially in your knees, hips, and feet. This can help reduce the wear and tear that may lead to osteoarthritis later in life.
Speaking of diet, no specific diet will prevent or cure arthritis. However, eating a balanced diet will help manage your weight and provide a variety of nutrients for overall health. A balanced diet:
- Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt.
- Includes protein from lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans, eggs, and nuts.
- Is low in solid fats, saturated fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), added sugars, and refined grains.
- Is as low as possible in trans fats.
- Balances calories taken in through food with calories burned in physical activity to help maintain a healthy weight.
For more information on a healthy diet, see www.choosemyplate.gov.
Arthritis (ar-THRY-tis). A term often used to refer to any disorder that affects the joints.
Autoimmune (AW-toh-iH-MYOON) disease. A disease in which the immune system attacks healthy parts of the body.
Cartilage (KAHRT-uh-lij). A hard slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they meet to form a joint. It also gives shape and support to other parts of your body, such as your ears, nose, and windpipe.
Fibromyalgia (fi-bro-my-AL-juh). A condition that causes tiredness and painful "tender points" on the body. It may cause headaches, trouble sleeping, and problems with thinking and memory.
Gout (gowt). A form of arthritis that is caused by a buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints, most commonly in the big toe.
Idiopathic (id-ee-uh-PATH-ik). From unknown causes.
Joint (joynt). Where two or more bones are joined together.
Lupus (LOOP-us). An autoimmune disease that can cause joint and muscle pain, fever, extreme tiredness, rash, and sensitivity to the sun.
Osteoarthritis (AH-stee-oh-ar-THRY-tis). The most common type of arthritis. It is seen especially among older people.
Psoriasis (suh-RYE-uh-sis). A skin disease that causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. Some people with psoriasis get a form of arthritis called psoriatic (sore-ee-AT-ic) arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (ROO-muh-toid ar-THRY-tis). An autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the tissues of the joints as if they were disease-causing germs.
Uric acid (YOOR-ic acid). A waste product that is normally flushed from the body in urine but may build up in crystals in the joints to cause gout.
For more information
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Information Clearinghouse
National Institutes of Health
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
Phone: 301-495-4484
Toll free: 877-22-NIAMS (877-226-4267)
For telecommunications support, dial 711
Fax: 301-718-6366
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: https://www.niams.nih.gov
If you need more information about available resources in your language or another language, please visit our website or contact the NIAMS Information Clearinghouse at firstname.lastname@example.com.
This fact sheet was made for you by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health. For more information about the NIAMS, call the information clearinghouse at 301-495-4484 or toll free at 877-22-NIAMS (226-4267) or visit the NIAMS website at www.niams.nih.gov.
NIH Publication No. 15-7578(J)


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Frida Kahlo at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Frida Kahlo dated her birth to July 7, 1910. It was the year when the Mexican Revolution began and, to quote Virginia Wolfe, "human character changed."
Kahlo's birth certificate recorded a different date, July 6, 1907. Kahlo's choice is significant, not because it shows her identification with Mexico or with cosmic alterations of human destiny. Rather, it demonstrates how Kahlo asserted herself, creating her own version of the facts of her life, literally from the day she was born.
As Kahlo lived, so she painted. The art critics and theorists of modern art, "these bunch of coocoo lunatic sons of bitches of the surrealists," could write and pontificate all they wanted. It was her life and she defined it as she saw fit.
"I never painted dreams," Kahlo stated emphatically. "I painted my own reality."
In honor of the centennial of her birth, a major exhibition of Kahlo's paintings has been touring the United States. After premiering last autumn at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Kahlo exhibition brought droves of art lovers to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, ending its run on May 18th. The exhibition just opened at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
The first reaction to this splendidly organized exhibition is to agree with Diego Rivera's assessment of Kahlo's art at her 1953 retrospective in Mexico City. "Anyone who attended it could not but marvel at her great talent. Even I was impressed when I saw all her work together."
Rivera's praise for his wife's art was only the truth. The sheer range of the works displayed in the current exhibition testify to the magnitude of Kahlo's innate talent and work ethic and the inspired way that she drew upon the strands of her personal life's story to create an artistic oeuvre entirely her own.
Kahlo began painting while recuperating from the terrifying bus accident in 1925 which nearly killed her and from which she never really recovered. Without formal training or the opportunity to visit the great art collections of Europe and the United States, Kahlo achieved a high degree of artistic skill in an amazingly short period.
The early portraits, self-portraits and the famous double portrait of herself and Diego Rivera, painted to commemorate their wedding, highlight three significant influences on Kahlo's art: the portrait photography of her father, Spanish colonial painting and Mexican folk art. To these factors must be added the enthusiasm she shared with Rivera for collecting Aztec and Mayan art.
In 1931, Kahlo painted "Frieda and Diego Rivera," one of the first of her paintings on display in the current exhibition. Kahlo used flat, finely modulated brush stokes to execute this striking double portrait. With the exception of the flaming scarlet of her shawl, the color range is somber, dominated by the drab olive and earth tones of the background. At first glance, this might be a depiction of an 18th century Spanish official and his wife, with a dove bearing a banner in its beak proclaiming his status in the colonial government. Diego appears stiff and austere, yet self-assured as he clutches his paint brushes and palette as a viceroy would have held the ceremonial baton of his office. Frida, tiny of stature, with incredibly small feet, shrinks into the role of a submissive, obedient spouse.
Look more closely, and the pose and the brush work, seeming throwbacks to an earlier epoch, reveal a thoroughly modern work of art. "Frieda and Diego" is painted with a conscious echo of naive art to underscore the attractions and tensions of a marriage that was already like no other. The hands of Diego and Frida clasp without ever closing in a tender gesture of love. Frida's head is tilted toward Diego at an odd, almost combative, angle. Her piercing eyes, focused dead ahead, recall those of a combat soldier's "thousand yard stare." Diego's gaze, doubtful and defensive, without so much as a sidelong glance at Frida, belies the massive authority of his hulking body which fills so much of the picture plane.
By the time she painted "Frieda and Diego Rivera," Kahlo had commenced the series of self-portraits that have come to define her art. "Self Portrait" painted in 1930, is a relatively straightforward work, an image of Kahlo clad in a turquoise dress without the symbolical elements of later paintings. Yet, when museum goers glimpse the deep, luminous pools of Kahlo's dark eyes in this early self-portrait, they are transfixed. It is the beginning of a cycle of artist-viewer interaction that would continue throughout Kahlo's self-portraits, an intense process of focusing the eyes and the brain that make these extraordinary works part of the life experience of the beholder as well as the painter's.
Kahlo's facility to depict the character and soul of her subject is readily apparent in two of the portraits appearing in the exhibition. In "Dona Rosita Morillo," painted in 1944, Kahlo presents an elderly woman, one of Mexico's "abuelas" or grandmothers. Strong and stoic, Dona Rosita appraises the world around her with skeptical regard. In the case of this matriarch, as in a number of Kahlo's self-portraits, the background is filled with a dense jungle of foliage, creating a sense of encroaching fate that only the strength of Dona Rosita's fortitude and resolve can hold at bay. In the foreground, Dona Rosita's powerful hands, busily engaged in knitting, rise out of the picture, as if to hold a scarf or shawl for our inspection. This abuela is more than a careworn survivor, killing time as the world passes by. Rather, she is an active and indomitable protagonist, filling the space beyond the canvas with the force of her resolute personality.
By contrast, Kahlo's 1937 portrait of a dead, three-year old child, "The Deceased Dimas," depicts a heart-rending image, not merely of infant mortality, but of death incarnate. Dimas Rosas was Rivera's god-child and is shown clad in the robe of a saint and surrounded by the accouterments of the Roman Catholic religion. Kahlo had long abandoned her Catholic faith and some commentators have detected a note of mockery for religious superstition in this painting. Kahlo, however, adored children and the graphic imagery of her own miscarriage in her 1932 painting "Henry Ford Hospital" provides abundant testimony of her sensitivity to the suffering of mothers and babies.
A small, easily-missed, detail provides a key to Kahlo's empathy. Several drops of blood have seeped down from the mouth of the dead child, drying at the corner of his parted lips. One may believe or disbelieve in life hereafter, but the power of this one detail focuses all of our attention and emotion on this lost child. Kahlo compels sorrow – and identification – with this child so powerfully that "The Deceased Dimas" becomes a meditation on the mortality of us all.
Death, pain, struggle and a search for love were the stuff of Kahlo's reality. And never more so than in the defining relationship of her life, her marriage to Diego Rivera. Kahlo famously declared that she experienced two accidents in her life, the bus collision that crushed her body and then in 1929 when she married Rivera.
Kahlo's portrait of Diego Rivera, painted in the same year as "The Deceased Dimas" reveals her mastery of a realistic style that owed nothing to the colonial or folk art traditions. Rivera's charisma and sexual appeal, the latter attribute which seems almost impossible to fathom given photos of the obese painter, dominate this brilliantly articulated portrait. So too is his complicated, multi-faceted personality. A habitual adulterer, as well as a jealous husband, Rivera was also a devoted proponent of Kahlo's art and, whenever he had money, generous with financial support.
One of Kahlo's lovers, the photographer Nickolas Muray provided an intriguing insight into why Kahlo maintained the bonds of her tortured marriage with Rivera. In a letter to Kahlo after the break-up of their affair in the winter of 1939, Muray wrote:
My dearest Frida – like you I've been starved for true affection. When you left I knew it was all over. Your instinct guided you wisely. You have done the only logical thing, for I could not transplant Mexico to New York for you and I've learned how essential that was for your happiness.
Murray knew he could not compete with the compelling attraction that Diego Rivera exerted on Kahlo. Rivera was a pillar of Kahlo's "reality." Her identity depended on the experience of their shared lives as interpreters and champions of Mexican culture and in the daily love-hate struggle of their marriage.
The love and hate, devotion and torment of these two "sacred monsters" provided the creative ferment for Kahlo's double self-portrait, "The Two Fridas," of 1939. Measuring 67 by 67 inches, it is the largest of Kahlo's surviving paintings. Her self portraits are generally very much smaller. The signature work of the current exhibition, "Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird," painted a year after "The Two Fridas," measures 24 1/4 by 17 1/4 inches.
"The Two Fridas" is the "show-stopper" of the exhibition. It fills the gallery in which it is placed and exudes such a powerful presence that it exerts a magnetic force drawing you back even as you depart to the next room.
The skill with which "The Two Fridas" was painted shows Kahlo at the summit of her talent and energy – and at the beginning of the long collapse of her health. At the time she painted "The Two Fridas," Kahlo spent much of her time hobbling on crutches or bed-ridden. A photo taken by Murray in 1940 shows her in traction, her eyes blankly staring at the camera with a despair that one never glimpses in her self-portraits.
But it was the anguish of her divorce from Rivera that fills "The Two Fridas" with such passionate intensity. As the title suggests, two images of Kahlo, nearly life size, appear on the canvas. One is clad in an ornate European-style dress, the bodice ripped open to reveal her shattered heart. The other wears one of Kahlo's Tehuana dresses. Her heart, this time healthy, is shown superimposed on the Tehuana dress. The vein linking their hearts like a long-umbilical chord is gripped by the stricken Frida with medical forceps in a doomed attempt to staunch the flow of blood that leaks down onto her dress.
Kahlo painted "The Two Fridas" to record the pain of her separation from Rivera. Always a perceptive critic of his wife's art, Rivera noted that much of her best work was done during the period of their divorce, a classic case of sublimating pain to creative achievement.
The "sacred monsters," as Murray perceived, needed each other too much and Kahlo and Rivera were remarried at the end of 1940. Kahlo lived to paint several more masterpieces, notably "The Shattered Column" of 1944 which symbolizes the endless round of medical operations, rigid corsets and health regimens which tried without lasting success to halt her bodily disintegration.
Kahlo painted virtually to the end of her life, but her "reality" kept shrinking to her bedroom and the easel that enabled her to paint lying down. Ever resilient, Kahlo managed one last great work, painted in 1949, five years before her death. In "The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Diego, Me and Senior Xolotl," Kahlo presents herself cradling an infant Diego, with cosmic forces of light and dark embracing them both. In a brilliant touch, Kahlo's dog, Senior Xolotl, sleeps through the whole drama.
Thus at the end of her life, as at the beginning of her painting career, Kahlo transcended pain, infirmity and the approach of death. Art kept her alive and able to assert herself when all the factors of her life seemed destined to crush her into oblivion at an early age.
Art critics may speculate about the influences on Kahlo's style or her place in modern art. In the end, these reflections, however valid some of the details may be, diminish Kahlo's achievement.
The truth of Frida Kahlo's life is startlingly simple. She recorded the realty of her life without flinching, creating for herself a world that conformed to her insights and her experience. And in the process, Frida Kahlo's art became Frida Kahlo's life.
Ed Voves is a freelance writer, based in Philadelphia, where he lives with his wife, the artist Anne Lloyd, and a swarm of cats who love curling up with good books.
Mr. Voves graduated with a B.A. in History from LaSalle University in 1976 and a Masters in Information Science from Drexel University in 1989. After teaching for several years with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, he worked in the news research department for "The Philadelphia Inquirer" and the "Philadelphia Daily News," 1985 to 2003. It was with the "Daily News," that he began his freelance writing, doing book reviews and author interviews with such notable figures as Umberto Eco, Maurice Sendak, and Peter O'Toole. For the "Inquirer," he specialized in reviews of major historical works. Following his time with the newspapers, he worked as an independent researcher for Knowledge@Wharton, the online journal of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined the staff of the Free Library of Philadelphia in 2005 and is currently the branch manager of the Kingsessing Branch in southwest Philadelphia. In 2006, he began writing for the "California Literary Review." History of Yoga


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- Home
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- Departments
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- Tax Collection Information
- Billing & Penalties
Billing & Penalties
Billing & Delinquency
Taxing units usually mail their tax bills in October. The normal delinquency date is February 1, but may be later depending on when the tax bill is mailed. If February 1 is drawing near and you haven't received a tax bill for the prior year, contact your local tax offices. Find out how much tax you owe and make sure your correct name and address are on file with the appraisal district since the taxing unit obtains that information from the appraisal roll.
In any event, the law allows you at least 21 days to pay after a tax bill is mailed to you. If your bill is mailed after January 10, the delinquency date is postponed. You have until the first day of the next month that will provide at least 21 days for paying the bill. So, if the taxing unit mails your tax bill on January 15, your taxes don't become delinquent until March 1. The delinquency date is printed on the bill.
Regular penalty charges may be as high as 12%, depending on how long the tax remains unpaid. Interest is charged at the rate of 1% per month, and interest continues to accrue as long as the tax remains delinquent. There may also be an additional 20% penalty added if the taxing unit hires a private attorney to collect the delinquent taxes.
Additional Information
Texas law requires you to comply with tax payment requirements before delinquency if:
- You plan to file motions with the appraisal review board alleging failure of the appraisal district or ARB to send you a required notice
- You file a pre-delinquency motion asking correction of a substantial error (an over appraisal of at least one third)
- You plan to appeal an appraisal review board determination to district court
In these instances, you must pay the amount of taxes due on the portion of the taxable value of the property that is not in dispute or the amount of taxes imposed on the property in the preceding year, whichever is greater; or the amount of taxes due on the property under the order from which the appeal is taken.


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Worldwide Caution
As part of the Department of State's continuous efforts to provide U.S. citizens traveling abroad with information about safety and security events, we are updating the Worldwide Caution with information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions, political violence, and criminal activity against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. This replaces the Worldwide Caution dated September 9, 2016.
As terrorist attacks, political upheaval, and violence often take place without any warning, U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness when traveling. To better prepare for possible emergencies, U.S. citizens are encouraged to read Country Specific Information pages, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts on travel.state.gov before planning a trip.
Travelers are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. The Department uses these security messages to convey information about terrorist threats, security incidents, planned demonstrations, natural disasters, etc. In an emergency, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate or call the following numbers: 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries.
U.S. government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
Terrorist groups including ISIS, al-Qa'ida, their associates, and those inspired by such organizations, are intent on attacking U.S. citizens wherever they are. Extremists may use conventional or non-conventional weapons to target U.S. government and private interests. Terrorists are increasingly using less sophisticated methods of attack to more effectively target crowds, including the use of edged weapons, pistols, and vehicles as weapons. Extremists increasingly aim to assault "soft" targets, such as:
- high-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.)
- hotels, clubs, and restaurants
- places of worship
- schools
- parks
- shopping malls and markets
- tourism infrastructure
- public transportation systems
- airports
In multiple regions, terrorists, guerrilla groups, and criminals seek to kidnap U.S. citizens to finance their operations or for political purposes. In the wake of well-publicized attacks against commercial aircraft in Egypt by ISIS and Somalia by al-Shabaab, the Department remains concerned that terrorists could again seek to down aircraft using concealed explosives or hijack commercial flights
Private U.S. citizens should not travel to any country to participate in armed conflict. U.S. citizens are reminded that fighting on behalf of or providing other forms of support to designated terrorist organizations can constitute the provision of material support for terrorism, which is a serious crime that can result in penalties, including prison time and large fines.
In addition to concerns stemming from terrorism, travelers should be alert to the possibility of political unrest, violence, demonstrations, and criminal activities when traveling. Country-specific information pages and Travel Warnings should be consulted to obtain the latest data on such threats.
Below, we provide information specific to different regions and countries. Please consult travel.state.gov for additional information.
AFRICA: An array of terrorists, guerilla, and insurgent groups are active across Sub-Saharan Africa, and the threat of al-Qa'ida and ISIS-inspired attacks constitutes a growing concern. U.S. citizens remain at risk from car bombings to complex assaults on hotels and tourist sites. In Somalia, terrorists frequently target hotels and the commercial aviation sector has been attacked. Additionally, a number of the aforementioned groups continue to target Americans traveling and working in the region for kidnap-for-ransom operations. Travel Warnings are in effect for the following countries:
Burkina Faso Travel Warning
Burundi Travel Warning
Cameroon Travel Warning
Central African Republic Travel Warning
Chad Travel Warning
Democratic Republic of the Congo Travel Warning
Eritrea Travel Warning
Ethiopia Travel Warning
Kenya Travel Warning
Mali Travel Warning
Mauritania Travel Warning
Niger Travel Warning
Nigeria Travel Warning
Somalia Travel Warning
Republic of South Sudan Travel Warning
Sudan Travel Warning
EAST ASIA and PACIFIC: Armed terrorist and criminal groups are operating in the East Asian and Pacific region and may attempt to target U.S. citizens, particularly for kidnapping in the coastal areas and outlying islands of the eastern part of the Malaysian state of Sabah, and the southern Philippines. Indonesia has witnessed an increase in terrorist-related arrests and foiled plots, and several small-scale attacks or attempted attacks have occurred. Periodic acts of violence in Thailand remain a concern. U.S. citizens are urged to avoid all travel to North Korea/the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) due to the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention under North Korea's system of law enforcement. Travel Warnings are in effect for the following countries:
North Korea Travel Warning
Philippines Travel Warning
EUROPE: Terrorist groups continue to plot attacks in Europe as foreign fighters return home from Syria and Iraq, while other individuals may be radicalized or inspired by ISIS propaganda. European authorities continue to warn of additional attacks on major events, tourist sites, restaurants, commercial centers, places of worship, and the transportation sector, frequently prompting heightened security at notable public venues and coordinated counterterrorism operations. Travel Warnings are in effect for the following countries:
Turkey Travel Warning
Ukraine Travel Warning
MIDDLE EAST and NORTH AFRICA: Terrorist groups are very active in the Middle East and North Africa. The U.S. government remains highly concerned about possible attacks against U.S. citizens, facilities, businesses, and perceived U.S. and Western interests in the region. Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Libya are considered violent and unpredictable war zones, and there is no official U.S. diplomatic presence in the latter three countries. U.S. citizens should avoid these areas. Terrorist groups have demonstrated capability to conduct attacks throughout the region, posing both a direct and indirect threat to U.S. citizens. Government officials throughout the region are concerned about the potential return of foreign fighters following ISIS's territorial losses in Iraq, Syria, and Libya. Travel Warnings are in effect for the following countries:
Algeria Travel Warning
Egypt Travel Warning
Iran Travel Warning
Iraq Travel Warning
Israel, The West Bank and Gaza Travel Warning
Jordan Travel Warning
Lebanon Travel Warning
Libya Travel Warning
Saudi Arabia Travel Warning
Syria Travel Warning
Tunisia Travel Warning
Yemen Travel Warning
SOUTH and CENTRAL ASIA: The U.S. government assesses terrorist groups in South Asia may be planning attacks in the region, possibly against U.S. facilities, citizens, and interests. U.S. citizens should avoid travel to Afghanistan, as no region in the country is immune from violence. A number of established terrorist organizations, indigenous sectarian groups, and other militants pose a danger to U.S. citizens in Pakistan. Extremist elements are also active in India, as outlined in a recent emergency message. Terrorists have hit a wide variety of targets and institutions in Bangladesh. Travel Warnings are in effect for the following countries:
Afghanistan Travel Warning
Bangladesh Travel Warning
Pakistan Travel Warning
WESTERN HEMISPHERE: Insurgent groups, armed criminal gangs, and terrorists remain active in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada. U.S. citizens are particularly vulnerable to kidnap-for-ransom attempts and violent crimes of opportunity while visiting a variety of countries. Gang- and narcotics-related violence is of concern in several countries throughout the region. Travel Warnings are in effect for the following countries:
Colombia Travel Warning
El Salvador Travel Warning
Haiti Travel Warning
Honduras Travel Warning
Mexico Travel Warning
Venezuela Travel Warning
For further information:
- See the Department of State's travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information.
- Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
- The Department of State's Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides several resources to enhance the safety and security of the U.S. private sector abroad. Additional information on OSAC can be found on OSAC.gov or by following OSAC on Twitter.
- Mariners and U.S. citizens considering maritime travel should also review information at the websites of the National Geospatial Agency, the Maritime Security Communications with Industry Portal, and the U.S. Coast Guard for information related to maritime and port security globally.


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Of course, I could be overlooking something. And that's why I'd like to accept a small number of testers. (It needs to be small in part because Apple restricts development to 100 devices.) The ideal tester:
- Has not played before (OK, that probably leaves out most readers).
- Has an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad capable of running iOS 4.1 or higher.
- Is willing to use prerelease software. The game may crash, be impossible to win, or have other bugs. Saved games may not be loadable by future test builds.
- Is good about noticing things that seem odd, and then reporting them.
- Reports them to us! The game isn't under NDA, but there's not much value in blog posts that an unreleased game has bugs.
- Has access to WiFi (you'll download the game on your device, and it's about 62 MB with overly compressed artwork).
- Volunteers. Apple also restricts promo codes, and reviewers and other marketing needs will come first.
To get your device ID:
- Launch iTunes on your computer
- Connect the device
- Click the device in the DEVICES list on the left
- Click the Serial Number (to show UDID)
- Select Edit > Copy (to get the UDID on the clipboard)
Thanks for your help!


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This article is more than 1 year old
UTIT IT touts titillation
LogoWatch We're much obliged to the reader (who's wisely chosen to remain anonymous because he really doesn't want to to end up dangling by his 'nads in a Saudi jail) for a fine example of branding wrongness from Riyadh-based UTIT.
Let's face it, the name's a cracker, and no messing, but check out the logo for extra jubtastic merriment.
We suspect there's a local law against this kind of thing which requires the offending part be chopped off, but if there isn't, there damn well should be.
We were going to say pints all round for UTIT and its designer, but then again... let's just leave it at a hearty slap on the back for all those concerned. ®
If UTIT's looking for a productive business relationship, might we suggest it flash its credentials at Al Rajhi Bank, which evidently also subscribes to the Carry On school of logo design.


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Go here to download the chore chart!
In December Liam, my oldest, was begging me to make a chore chart. Strange, I know. I finally got around to it a couple of weeks ago.
I found this one at ModEcoKids.com that I love. I love it because it is free, it is customizable, it is simple and it is cute. I copied the polka dot design (I LOVE polka dots) to spruce up our Family Rules page.
I made one for Liam and one for Sutton. Their chores are not identical (they are better at and enjoy doing different types of chores) but they are age appropriate. I wish I had left one line blank for extra credit type things. Like last week when Liam surprised me by cleaning his bathroom. After printing the charts I used self-laminating sheets to laminate them. Now we can make check marks with a dry erase marker and re-use the charts each week.
Michael and I deliberated whether or not to pay them for their chores. On one hand we felt we didn't need to pay them for helping out around the house on the other hand we thought it was a good opportunity to teach them about saving, spending and giving money. In the end we decided that the kids will earn $.05 for every check mark at the end of the week. Not much, the most they could earn in a week is $2.80, but it is enough to get them excited. And they are! These charts are working better so far than any chore system we have tried before.
UPDATE: This is for you Celeste! Our family rules and daily expectations. (Click on the photo to enlarge)


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How Would You Encourage a Burned-Out Pastor?
How would you encourage a burned-out pastor?
1) I would listen to him first.
I'd ask, "What has it been like? How did you get to this point?" That's a past question. And I would ask, "What's it like now? What are you feeling? What does 'burned-out' mean for you? Is it, 'I'm not sure I believe anymore'? Is it, 'I have no energy to get out of bed tomorrow '? Is it, 'I'm so discouraged. My people are not being changed at all'? What's the nature of it?"
So I would ask questions and listen. That would be my first approach.
2) And then, based on what I heard there, I would probably counsel him to step back and get some perspective. Ask your church for a leave: a week, a month, three months. And if they love you and value what you do, they might give it to you.
Be honest with them. Don't try to pull the wool over their eyes. Go to your leaders and say, "Here's my situation. Give me counsel." They may then ask you to get some counsel. They may send you to a renewal place. Or they may just give you time.
Make sure you discern the physical, emotional and spiritual components of this.
3) Then I would encourage him that great saints go through this. Elijah seemed to be like that. He seemed to be burned-out when he ran from Jezebel and said, "I've had it. I'm done. I'm not going to do this anymore."
And isn't it interesting that in James 5 we're encouraged to pray by looking at Elijah. James says that Elijah, who was a man of similar nature to us, prayed that it would not rain for three and a half years, and it did not rain for three and a half years. And the whole point of saying that is to say, "You remember Elijah don't you? He was discouraged. He was a man of emotions that were up and down." And James is saying to ordinary folks: "Elijah went through it. You're going to go through it. He prayed. You can pray."
So I would try to encourage him that a feeling of being burned-out happens to saints, so that he doesn't feel picked on.
4) And then I would try to take him to the preciousness of Christ and the preciousness of the ministry. I would try to help him dream a dream again, that he can come through this and God can give him a new lease.
I have had numerous pastors testify to me that discovering Christian hedonism has been revolutionary to their ministry. Christian hedonism says that the desire to enjoy the ministry and to enjoy God is a good desire. In fact, it is an essential desire, according to Hebrews 13 where a sad pastor is bad for his church and a happy pastor is good.
Now Christian hedonism can put a weight on you and make you feel guilty if you're sad, or it can release you to say, "You mean this is OK to want to enjoy what I'm doing?" And many pastors have found hope in Christian hedonism. And so I might take him there and try to show him some of those texts.
5) And I would pray with him.


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A relative giving information for a record could easily get similar (or not so similar) names confused.
Any chance a relative got the names John and Tom confused? These are not the same names, are not derived from the same name, but a mixup could easily take place.
This is more likely the case if a minority of documents give a name that does not appear anywhere else.


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Call screening has been a boon in the world of telecommunication, significantly impacting how businesses and individuals manage their incoming calls. But what exactly is call screening, and why is it...
AIM vs VoIPdito
Compare AIM vs VoIPdito. Find out whether AIM or VoIPdito is better for your VoIP business or home needs. The experts at VoipReview have analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of AIM and VoIPdito and detailed analysis of the comparison can be found below.
User Ratings & Reviews
- 8 Reviews
VoIPdito is a UK-based provider that focuses on providing businesses with hosted PBXs.
There is only one plan with VoIPdito.
If you would like to try VoIPdito first, there is a free...
Provider Info
- Website:
- Headquarters Country:
- Founder Year: 2002
- Website:
- Headquarters Country:
- Founder Year: 2010
Plans Available*
Users Average Rating
Recent User Reviews
In general, the quality of voice is stable and easy to use with the Japanese menu, even though almost VoIP service vendors can NOT support the Japanese one.
I class myself as a larger SME having a property management business that has a few branches in different areas of the UK. The VoIP calls and conference calls have proved invaluable as I can talk to all my managers at once and eliminate the need to try and meet up or chat online. I first got PBX when I expanded to two offices, which my then host just about coped with, but when I had 3 they were hopeless, so I changed to VoIPdito. Being a savvy businesswoman, the free trial was what initially attracted me and I dare anyone to say different! Once that was over, I put together the package I needed and did the deal so to speak. A special mention for Steve in customer service who waited patiently while I 'ummed and aarhed', added stuff and took stuff away, but between the two of us I got my perfect package. VoIPdito will come with me when I open my next office later in the year, and I hope our relationship lasts for many years to come.


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Jon Clark - Broker Associate
- NameJon Clark
- Cell970-333-1541
- Office970-510-9697
- E-mail Me
- Visit My Website
About Jon
Jon has called Summit County home for over 30 years. He and his wife Annie share a deep love of the outdoors and feel blessed to have raised their two grown children in a place with such a wonderful sense of community and world class year-round recreational opportunities. Avid skier and cyclist, he is a fly fishing maven and is a member of Trout Unlimited.
Since 1990, Jon has helped his clients realize their Summit County real estate investment goals and has made many friendships along the way. According to Jon, the best part of this business is getting to know a lot of neat and unique people from all over the world. Most of his business comes from these satisfied clients either selling and/or buying again and referrals from these clients who entrust Jon with their friends.
With extensive knowledge of the Summit County real estate market and a background in construction and resort development in both land and new projects, Jon can provide a comprehensive and knowledgeable perspective to serve your specific real estate needs.


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Michael Drewniak is not a target of the investigation but was in federal court to answer questions, his attorney Anthony Iacullo told ABC News. Iacullo declined to say what was discussed before the grand jury, but told the TV news program that he received assurances his client would be considered a witness throughout the proceedings.
U.S. Attorney spokeswoman Rebekah Carmichael said she could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
Drewniak and Iacullo did not return phone messages Friday.
Former Christie aides allegedly ordered the closing of two traffic lanes near the George Washington Bridge last September, resulting in gridlock in the nearby town of Fort Lee to retaliate against the mayor, a Democrat who did not endorse Christie in his November re-election bid.
The governor maintains he knew nothing about the scheme in advance or while the lanes were closed for four days. A report by lawyers he commissioned backs up his claim. He has referred to the lane closings as "inexplicably stupid."
However, the investigation by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman and a parallel probe by a state legislative panel are ongoing.
Drewniak, who has been Christie's press secretary since Christie's days as U.S. attorney in New Jersey before becoming governor in 2009, received emails about the traffic-blocking plot after it was carried out. He also drafted a resignation letter that Christie edited for another key figure, David Wildstein, who is said to have thought up the lane-blocking scheme.
Lawyers for Bridget Kelly and Bill Stepien, two former Christie associates who are key figures in the scandal, said their clients have not been called to testify before the federal grand jury. A lawyer for Bill Baroni, a former Christie deputy with the agency that runs the bridge, refused to comment.
The legislative panel will meet next week to vote on issuing subpoenas for the interviews Christie's lawyers used as the basis for clearing the governor. A judge's ruling is also expected soon on whether Kelly and Stepien will be required to turn over documents to the legislative investigators involving the lane closings.
Kelly and Stepien are fighting to have subpoenas withdrawn by asserting their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Most of the people and organizations close to Christie that have received subpoenas are handing over the requested documents.
READ MORE on ABCNews.com


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An Exposition of Psalm 23
Related MediaIntroduction
We live in a world in which many, if not most, people are engulfed with fear and anxiety. Some fear the future; they're anxious about what's going to happen. Others fear the past and they're anxious about what has happened. And still others fear even the present, anxiety has gripped their souls and they cannot imagine how they can cope with the ugliness of present circumstances in their lives. Thousands of people each day wake up with untold burdens to bear and anxiety with which they must deal. Are you one of these? Bearing secretly a heavy burden?
I used to work for a financial consulting firm in which I had occasion to talk with scores of business men each week. I'll never forget the conversation I had had with an angry businessman from a certain part of Canada. He was in the fisheries business and had been for some time. His whole family had taken their livelihood from the industry as far back as he could remember. I was talking with him during the time in which the Canadian government was shutting down large parts of his industry, due to budget cuts and the depletion of fish stocks. In a matter of a few months his entire life disintegrated in front of him—he looked on helplessly as he lost his entire income and accrued assets. When I spoke with him that day he cursed the government and as we spoke it became evident that he was overcome with anxiety and fear about the future—his future and that of his wife, children and immediate family. He was gripped with anxiety for his financial future.
How about you? Are you anxious for your finances? For many of us this is an area of tremendous concern, but sometimes we slip from concern into anxiety and are possessed with thoughts about the tentativeness of the security of our financial future. Some of you have kids in university and you do not know how you're going to make ends meet as you continue to help them. Some of you have mortgage problems. Others have insurance problems and are anxious about what the future holds.
For some of us it's not finances per se, as much as it is simply worried about the future and where you're heading in life. You've graduated from College, you're married, but you still wonder where life is taking you or what it is that God really wants from you. As far as you know you're seeking Him and doing all that you know to do and have been taught to do. But still you're not sure about what's ahead.
The question then becomes, "How does God want me to respond to the anxiety in my life?" Well, like all the great questions of life, Scripture affords us an answer. This time it comes from the life of David. David says, by way of example, in Psalm 23, that there is a constructive, God-honoring way to respond to anxiety in our lives. He says that we should trust God as the good and faithful Shepherd and rejoice in His grace. Now, it must be said that responding to God in this way will not necessarily solve your financial problems, but God will provide confidence as to what He's doing in your life. He will convince you, as He did David, that it is He who is leading your life, He is the One who is in control of all the details and circumstances. This will lead to greater peace and a knowledge that "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Let's look at Psalm 23.
David was a man just like we are. He was tempted to fret over his life on many occasions, not the least of which was the time when Saul was seeking his life, which according to some commentators may very well form the background to this psalm. But you see, David overcame sinful worry by trusting and rejoicing in God. Psalm 23 then provides a model for us, a paradigm to be followed throughout our lives as we respond to all the difficulties and worries that come our way.
The psalm has two basic divisions, each one providing part of the answer to our question about worry. The first four verses focus on God as the faithful and good Shepherd of his people. It calls us to trust Him as such. The second section made up of the last two verses, focuses our attention on God as a gracious host, preparing a splendid meal for a guest, and results in our rejoicing over His grace toward us. Why not read the Psalm now.
I. Trust God as the Good and Faithful Shepherd
A. To Provide for You
1. YHWH is personal
So you see, David says in the first section, verses 1-4, that YHWH is a faithful Shepherd and the last section, verses 5 and 6 that YHWH is a gracious person. Let's talk about God as a Shepherd for a moment. There are three major things I want you to see about God as your Shepherd: 1) He provides for you (this is understood from verses 1-3a); 2) He guides you (verse 3b), and 3) He protects you (verse 4).
Focusing in on His provision first, we see three things emerge from the text. First, God is a personal Shepherd. David says the Lord is my Shepherd. It's as if David were saying that He knew that the God of the universe was personal to Him and in control, as a good shepherd, of his whole life? Do you know that? Do you know the Lord as your personal Shepherd, like David did? The result of this, according to David, was the knowledge that he lacked nothing. Some versions say, "The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need." Like a good Shepherd YHWH gives Himself to us and therefore, we really lack nothing. The rest of verse 2-4 simply bear this out. How can we fail to trust a God who has so willingly made Himself available to us?
2. His provision is perfect
Second we see, in verse 2, that God's provision is perfect. David says that a good shepherd leads his sheep to green pastures and quiet waters. The green pastures probably refer to the tender young shoots that grow up in the morning and are loved by the wildlife of Palestine. The quiet waters probably refer to a well-spring with fresh water. The psalmist wants us to understand that this Shepherd goes all out for his sheep. The Shepherd wants them to have the best and is likewise sensitive to their needs. David wants us to understand that YHWH does the same for His people. It was David's experience and it ought to be ours. Some of us have deep struggles with our present financial situation, job situation as well as other things, but we need to come to grips with the truth, that as we seek God, we are not getting second best from Him. He is a faithful Shepherd to give us only what is excellent according to His own purpose and agenda. Can you trust Him for that? Listen to what Paul said the good Shepherd has done for His people: "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for all of us, will He not then, along with Him, graciously give us all things" (Romans 8:32).
3. His provision renews and satisfies (3a)
The first part of verse 3, that is, "he restores my soul," should be understood first of all on the level of the metaphor of the sheep and its shepherd. Therefore, we could say that the green pastures and quiet waters, provided by so caring a shepherd are for the physical nourishment and energy of the sheep. The shepherd literally revives the life of the sheep under his care.
God's provision for David and for us accomplishes similar ends. Whether it is physical needs that are met or spiritual, it revives or rebuilds us. Ultimately it strengthens our trust in God and enlivens our spiritual sensitivities toward Him. It satisfies our longings to receive from His hand.
4. Conclusion
So you see it is reasonable to trust our faithful Shepherd. His provision is always perfect and renews and satisfies us. Rather than worry ourselves to death, why not trust God for what only He can provide? God's faithful provision is only part of what He does for those who know and love Him. He guides them as well. Look at verse 3b.
B. To Guide You
"He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." I want you to notice two things here: 1) He guides you in righteous paths and 2) He does it for His name's sake.
1. He guides you in righteous paths
And David goes on to say that as we go through life God guides us, as a good shepherd, along paths of righteousness. For the sheep, of course, this means right or true paths; paths that are certain to lead to the places of rest and provision talked about in verse 2. But for David, God desired to lead him down paths of uprightness during his kingship and enable him to win great battles in his commission to possess the land promised to the nation. God desires to lead us into greater and greater righteousness in our lives as well. We should be concerned about this. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:7 that God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification or holiness and that God's intention is to sanctify us entirely (5:23). Therefore we must keep a short account with God. For some of us this is why we do not have the confidence before God that we ought to have. We want to know that God is our Shepherd, but we tolerate sin in our lives. It goes unconfessed for long periods of time. We must confess our sins and permit God, as our faithful shepherd to deal with us. John says that when we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive and cleanse. But notice why He leads and guides us.
2. He guides you for His name's sake
The end of verse 3 gives the reason why God was such a faithful Shepherd to David and still is for us today. He does it for His own name's sake. That is, it is for the sake of the glory and reputation of His own name and honor. What kind of reputation would a shepherd in Palestine earn if everyone knew he was careless and irresponsible with his own sheep? Let me ask you another question, what kind of reputation would God earn for Himself if He were careless with those who belong in His charge? God's name is on the line in your life. He wants to show the world that He is faithful to provide for all your needs and guide you in righteous paths, in a holy life.
So far we have seen that YHWH should be trusted as the good Shepherd, especially as One who provides for His own and faithfully guides them as well. But, shepherding in the ancient Near East consisted of more than just providing for and guiding one's sheep. The Shepherd must also protect them. This of course, as we talked about in the introduction, is the focus of verse 4.
C. To Protect You
David says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." The phrase "valley of the shadow of death" most likely refers to deep ravines with sharp cliffs. And, it was not at all uncommon in Palestine for a shepherd to have to travel through one of these dark ravines where danger was imminent (i.e. either from the cliffs themselves or from animals hiding and waiting for their prey), in order to get to another food source. David says, "and so it is with life." We often travel through what appears to be dangerous circumstances— perhaps David is thinking of the attempts made on his life by Saul and others—but we need not be overcome with fear for as the shepherd is with us and is able to ward off any danger by his rod and staff, so God is powerful enough to protect us from danger. For us the application the apostles make, is not that God will shield us from every harmful circumstance—this is patently false as many of you can testify—but that 1) nothing can separate us from Christ during those experiences (Romans 8:38,39) and 2) that He alone passes approval on what things are permitted to afflict us and 3) it really is for our good and deeper knowledge of Him (Romans 8:28). Some of you are going through some very difficult circumstances with your children, at your job and even struggling with untimely death in your immediate family. You need to know that God has not abandoned you—He is not a hired hand as it were—He is the faithful Shepherd (cf. Jn. 10:14). He has only permitted what in His wisdom is ultimately good for you and will never allow permanent separation to come between you and Him. You can trust Him to protect you from everything He does not desire for your life.
D. Summary
God is a faithful Shepherd. He provides for us without sparing a single detail. He guides us into a righteous life for the sake of His own reputation and He protects us, not by shielding us from difficulty, though He does at times, but by permitting in our lives only what is beneficial to us according to His good purpose for us. We need to trust Him as our faithful shepherd.
The question we raised in the introduction and have been dealing without throughout this study, as we've looked at Psalm 23 is, "How should I respond to problems and pain in my life?" The first portion of the psalm encourages us to trust in God as the faithful Shepherd, rather than allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed with anxiety. But it doesn't stop there, for David's example also encourages us to rejoice in God's grace to us. Let's look at verses 5 and 6.
II. Rejoice in God's grace
A. Because He Spares no Blessing (5)
The picture here is of God as a gracious host, throwing a banquet as it were, sparing no extravagance for the invited guest. David says, "my cup overflows" which could either mean that the quality of the drink is absolutely superb or that the host had provided him with an abundance. Either way, the tremendous grace of God is evident in David's experience here. In fact, the implication in verse 5 is that this has been David's experience with YHWH up to this point in his life and verse 6 seems to indicate that David is confident such grace and fellowship with God will continue throughout all his days.
B. Because it Results in Constant Fellowship with Him (6)
He says, in verse 6, "Surely (notice David's confidence) goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. Rather than being pursued by his enemies (e.g. Saul), the goodness and mercy (i.e. God's lovingkindness) of God will follow him all his days and he knows that he will dwell in the house of the Lord for as long as he lives. David envisions the direction his life will take as centered around fellowship and communion with His God. The grace of God can accomplish that in our lives as well. Do we realize how gracious God has been to us in Christ, forgiving our sin against Him and giving us His Spirit to enable us to walk with Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:12)? We ought to rejoice in God's grace toward us, rather than be overcome with anxiety over the circumstances the good Shepherd allows in our lives.
Related Topics: Assurance, Suffering, Trials, Persecution, Comfort


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Salesforce.com has unveiled a new series of cloud computing initiatives for the government user base — a highly lucrative niche for tech vendors, especially those that can present their products in a budget-friendly light.
The new offerings, bundled under the name "Government Cloud," include a dedicated, multitenant instance of Salesforce.com's cloud infrastructure, a new AppExchange for the Government, and a Salesforce Government Partner Accelerator Program.
Their structure is based on input from Salesforce.com's existing government customers, Daniel Burton, senior vice president of Global Public Sector, told CRM Buyer.
"Salesforce.com has had a lot of success in the public sector, and we have a good sense of what its needs are," he said.
Along with saving money, security is an important focus, and to that end, "Salesforce.com has received business certifications from numerous federal agencies," Burton noted. "We have a track record of being a trusted platform."
The dedicated instance of Salesforce.com's cloud infrastructure for the government, for example, complies with Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) requirements, as well as SSAE 16 (formerly SAS 70), ISO 27001, PCI-DSS Level 1, Safe Harbor, and TRUSTe.
More to the point, the government cloud version will have separate application and database servers to support government customers. They will housed in U.S.-based production data centers.
The government service is scheduled to be available in the third quarter of 2012.
AppExchange Means Budget-saving Replication
The second leg of Government Cloud, the AppExchange for government agencies, appeals to frugal-by-necessity budgets of federal and, especially, state and local government agencies.
"IT budgets are getting slashed, so agencies have to find new ways to save money," Burton said. "One way is replication via an app."
Like its commercial counterpart, AppExchange for Government offers a slew — specifically 60 — of applications, usually built on Force.com, in such areas as help desks and asset management, program and project management, and constituent relations.
One example is BasicGov, an app aimed at all levels of government, from local counties to federal agencies. It streamlines permitting and inspections, code enforcement and licensing.
Another is DocuSign, an eSignature app aimed at streamlining workflows around documents. In the education sector, SchoolForce helps parents and teachers track students' attendance and school performance, among other things.
AppExchange for Government is generally available now.
Calling All Integrators
The third piece of the Government Cloud offering is the Salesforce Government Partner Accelerator Program. Its goal is to train 1,000 integrators by the end of the year, whose focus will be on incorporating social and mobile technologies in Government Cloud implementations.
The first training session is scheduled for May 17. Salesforce.com is offering training in its Herndon, Va., office and via the Web. There is no charge for the program.
Presenting Vivek Kundra
The details of Government Cloud are being presented in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday by Salesforce.com's latest star executive, the former first CIO of the United States, Vikek Kundra.
Kundra left his post with the Obama Administration last year. He joined Salesforce.com as executive vice president of emerging markets at the beginning of this year.
In this case, "emerging market" includes the public sector, at least for Salesforce.com, Burton said.
Widely assumed to have been recruited at least in part for his government IT contacts, Kundra is one element — a major one — in Salesforce.com's push to dominate the government cloud space.
"There is no question that the government sector has shown a growing receptivity to cloud alternatives," Jeffrey M. Kaplan, managing director of THINKstrategies, told CRM Buyer.
"We have seen not only Salesforce.com but also RightNow Technologies successfully penetrate the government at the federal, state and local levels," he said. "Salesforce.com's new initiative, Government Cloud, is an indication of that growth potential."


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FAME Canadian Nationals on October 24 2009, presented by Fatima Leite Kusch, marked the first time in Vancouver for this event. The majority of competitors came from BC, although other Canadian locales accounted for some of the entrants. Head promoter Fatima Leite and staff kept things running smoothly throughout both morning and evening shows. The event featured some strong physiques, particularly in the model categories. For more information on FAME, visit their site at www.bodyproud.org
If you do not have a Username and Password for the Galleries, get one here


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A 39-year-old man who passed out on a sidewalk blocking the driveway of 710 Wilshire Boulevard on Thursday, Nov. 8 was arrested after resisting officers.
At 12:36 p.m. officers of the Santa Monica Police Department were on patrol in the 1200 block of Seventh Street when a citizen flagged them down and told them about a man lying face down on the sidewalk.
The officers found the man who was snoring loudly, suggesting he was sleeping.
The officers woke him up. In response to their request to see some identification, the man handed them a stick of deodorant.
The suspect gradually became more coherent and as he did he also became more agitated.
The officers decided this man was under the influence of alcohol and was not able to care for himself.
This man then confirmed those suspicions by cursing at the officers and telling them that he was going to have them "taken out."
The officers attempted to apply handcuffs to this man but he tensed up and resisted.
They eventually managed to handcuff this man but he refused to stand up and was actively resisting the officers.
The man was taken to the police vehicle and searched by the officers who discovered a large pair of scissors; the man then grabbed one of the fingers belonging to one of the officers in an attempt to cause injury to the officer.
The officers controlled the man using special techniques and arrested him.
This homeless man was charged with resisting officers and public intoxication.
Bail was set at $10,000.
Editor's Note: These reports are part of a regular police coverage series entitled "Alert Police Blotter" (APB), which injects some minor editorial into certain police activities in Santa Monica. Not all of the Mirror's coverage of incidents involving police are portrayed in this manner. More serious crimes and police-related activities are regularly reported without editorial in the pages of the Santa Monica Mirror and its website, smmirror.com.


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AARP Eye Center
An Appendectomy Costs How Much? $1,500 to $182,000 Study Shows
By Candy Sagon, April 30, 2012 08:00 AM
It was a simple question: How much do hospitals charge to remove an appendix?
The answer stunned researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.
As the Associated Press reported, the researchers found that California hospitals charge anywhere from the price of a refrigerator to the cost of a house.
For this common procedure, patient bills varied from as little as $1,529 to as much as $182,955, with an average of $33,000 -- and experts worry that the situation isn't unique to California.
"There's no method to the madness," said lead author Renee Hsia, an emergency room physician and UCSF researcher. "There's no system at all to determine what is a rational price for this condition or this procedure."
Hsia said she and her colleagues expected to see variations among hospitals of two or three times the amount, but not 100 or 121 times.
The study illustrates that "the laws of supply and demand simply do not work well in health care," Howard Brody, M.D., director of the Institute for the Medical Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and a frequent critic of skyrocketing medical costs, told the Associated Press.
The researchers examined 2009 data that hospitals were required to submit to the state on 19,368 adults under age 60 with appendicitis. To get the fairest comparisons, the researchers included only uncomplicated cases with hospital stays of less than four days.
Huge variations in pricing were found, even within the same county, the researchers reported.
The study also found:
* Charges went up with the patient's age.
* The uninsured and those on Medicaid were charged more.
* Those with other health conditions, like cancer, diabetes and congestive heart failure, were charged more.
Obviously, patients should be shopping for price when it comes to health care, but that's easier said than done, the researchers note. A patient doubled-over in abdominal pain, they write, "is in a poor position to determine whether his or her physician is ordering the appropriate blood work, imaging, or surgical procedure."
So what can consumers do if faced with an exorbitant bill?
There are companies that can help you negotiate your hospital bill.
The consumer website Healthcare Blue Book offers a guide to fair prices in your area, which can give you some idea of what you should have been charged. In addition, the website also offers tips on how you can negotiate a lower bill.
In other health news:
FDA approves new faster-acting Viagra. The first new erectile dysfunction drug in a decade was approved last week by the Food and Drug Administration. Avanafil, which will be sold under the brand name Stendra, is faster-acting than its rival Viagra, Reuters reports.
Survey shows best, worst paid doctors -- and many regrets. Increasing numbers of U.S. doctors regret their career choices --- even while taking in salaries average Americans might consider pretty sweet, reports USA Today. Those salaries remain much sweeter for some specialists than others, though, according to an annual survey of physician pay from Medscape/WebMD. Among the highest paid doctors: radiologists ($315,000) and cardiologists ($314,000). Among the lowest paid: pediatricians ($156,000), family medicine doctors ($158,000), and internal medicine ($165,000).
Should your dog be watching TV? The New York Times reports on DogTV, the first cable network to deliver 24-hour programming for dogs. The shows are actually three- to six-minute segments featuring grassy fields, bouncing balls and humans rubbing dog tummies. There are also segments featuring noiseless vacuum cleaners and muted doorbells to help make dogs more comfortable around such common household agitations.
Hand-me-downs are useful -- even when it's a kidney. Msnbc.com reports that a single kidney that was transplanted twice in two weeks is working fine after what appears to be the first-ever case of doctors salvaging a hand-me-down organ after it started to fail.
Photo credit: urbanbohemian via flickr.com


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Burma's landmark census planned for 2014 is likely to exclude and further isolate its Rohingya minority group, which has been denied citizenship by the government since 1982.
Although the government has agreed to include all "national races" in the census, the 1.5 million Muslim minority group does not fall under this category and campaigners worry they will be left out.
"It is very likely that the Rohingya will be excluded from the census in 2014," Tun Khin, President of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK told DVB. "Despite signs of political reforms in the past six months, Thein Sein's government has reaffirmed specific deeply discriminatory policies against [them]."
Considered illegal Bengali immigrants by the government, the Rohingya cannot travel without special permits and are routinely denied the right to education, healthcare and family life. They face jail terms unless they obtain permission to marry and are bound by a rigid two-child policy.
The President's advisor U Ko Ko Hlaing recently defended the government's policy to restrict the movements of the Rohingya to certain townships – mainly in northern Arakan state – for "security" reasons.
The director general of the department of population, Myint Kyaing, who is leading the census project in collaboration with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), has himself previously denied there are any Rohingya in Burma.
"We have no stateless people in Myanmar [Burma] and there are no Rohingya in Myanmar [Burma] as well, because no Bengali people are residing [here]," he said.
UNFPA Representative Mohamed Abdel-Ahad told DVB that the Rohingya had not yet been specifically discussed, but insisted that "the census will be inclusive."
Up to 400,000 Rohingya have sought refuge from religious and racial persecution in neighbouring Bangladesh, where they often face further discrimination. The Bangladeshi government has only recognised 28,000 refugees, leaving the rest in the shadows of statelessness and social exclusion.
A 2010 report by Physicians for Human Rights concluded that "Bangladeshi authorities have waged an unprecedented campaign of arbitrary arrest, illegal expulsion, and forced internment against Burmese refugees."
The Rohingya were stripped of their Burmese citizenship in 1982 by former military chief Ne Win on the basis of being "non-nationals". But Rohingya groups insist they have lived in Burma for generations, citing evidence of political participation dating as far back as 1936.
Reports of racism against Rohingya are widespread in Burmese society. Last year, a BBC report that identified Arakan state as populated by the group caused an outrage across Burma, culminating in threats to boycott the media outlet.
Even democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) has refused to speak out on behalf of the Rohingya. When pressed on the issue in a recent BBC World interview, a senior official for the NLD replied:
"I don't want to answer because even in our organisation the Rohingya question has not been settled. Even in our leadership some of them think that the Rohingya is a very delicate question."
Both the US and EU have called for greater rights for the Rohingya, but it is unclear what level or priority they will be afforded in Burma's reform process. Campaigners say the NLD's voice is crucial.
"Instead of staying silent, [Suu Kyi] should speak up," said Tun Khin. "I believe she is currently paying more attention to mainstream politics."


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Syria: The Western Deception Over Regime Change Unravels. NATO Prepares for All Out War
By Finian Cunningham
Global Research, March 8, 2012
URL of this article:
The Western governments' and mainstream media's narrative of a one-sided
humanitarian crisis in Syria is rapidly unwinding to reveal a self-serving
deception to justify a re-run of Libya-style NATO conquest. In reality, it is
the Western powers and their Israeli and Arab henchmen who are fuelling a
humanitarian crisis and creating the conditions for all-out war. All of which,
it should be said, constitutes criminality comparable to Nazi Germany's wars of
The latest crack in the Western façade over Syria comes in the form of leaked
correspondence from Western private intelligence firm Stratfor, which reports
that US-led NATO special forces have been operating inside Syria alongside armed
opposition groups. Stratfor is closely aligned with Pentagon planners; indeed
can be viewed as a private wing of the Pentagon. The document, disclosed by
Wikileaks, cites US military sources discussing a campaign of destabilisation
against the Syrian government of Bashir Al Assad, involving training opposition
groups and deploying guerilla tactics, including assassinations. In other words,
discussing a scenario that approximates to what is actually happening in Syria.
Given Straftor's credentials as a reliable think-tank for the US
military-industrial complex, the disclosure can be seen as a damning indictment
of NATO criminality and Western mainstream media complicity.
Since political turmoil erupted in Syria a year ago, the monotonous "big lie"
narrative from Western governments and the corporate-controlled news media has
been one of "brutal state repression against a civilian population" committed by
the Assad government.
This portrayal has, predictably, led to strident condemnation of the Syrian
government by Western leaders and calls for "humanitarian intervention" by NATO
powers and Western-backed Gulf Arab states – in a tested formula prescribed for
The Gulf Arab states led by Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been most prominent in
doing the bidding of the Western powers in labelling the Syrian government as an
international pariah – just as these Western client monarchies had done with
regard to demonizing Libya. The ridiculous irony of unelected Gulf Arab
despots, who have been brutally suppressing their own populations, denouncing
anyone seems wholly lost on the mainstream media.
Ominously, the 22-member Arab League suspended Syria's membership in a repeat of
a similar sanction against Libya before the latter was subjected to a
seven-month aerial blitzkrieg by NATO powers and eventual regime change,
culminating in the roadside execution of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
No doubt the Syrian government has a case to answer, not only over recent human
rights violations but also for decades of resistance to political reforms.
However, this is a far secondary issue to the immediate concern of criminal
aggression by foreign powers. Over the past year, the Assad government has
consistently maintained that a large measure of the violence assailing the
civilian population is emanating from external forces. That is, the situation
in Syria is more akin to a sponsored armed insurrection against the state. In
that context, the Syrian government has a sovereign right to suppress such
violent sedition, which furthermore appears to have little popular support and
which is threatening the stability and security of the entire country.
This sovereign right is all the more founded given burgeoning evidence that the
subversion is being fomented and furnished by foreign governments and their
special forces. Turkey, Israel and Saudi Arabia have emerged as key backers of
the self-styled armed opposition, the so-called Syrian Free Army. Most of the
weaponry supplied to the oppositionists is reportedly emanating from Israel.
French and British special forces, such as Britain's SAS and SBS, are believed
to have been on the ground in Syria for several months directing the armed
opposition. Michel Chossudovsky has reported British military sources admitting
to such involvement. This systematic infringement by foreign powers can only be
explained on the basis of a premeditated strategic plan.
Yet all the while, the Western governments and mainstream media studiously
promote a deceptive fiction that the Syrian state is acting unilaterally,
barbarically and criminally against its own people. The increasingly threadbare
narrative maintains that Western governments and military are not involved in
the Syrian conflict. Indeed, the Western mainstream media continue to report
that Western governments are "opposed to arming Syrian rebels" and that they are
anguishing over whether to intervene or not. This media also peddle the absurd
claim that Arab states are "considering" supplying weapons to the supposed
Syrian rebels when the latter are already armed to teeth by Arab Sunni monarchs
who are salivating at the chance to take down a Shia/Alawite "enemy".
Despite the mainstream media's self-serving smokescreen, the fact is that the
Western governments have been calculating for years on the subversion of Syria
from within. For the past 12 months, their plans for regime change in Damascus
have gone into overdrive with clandestine, criminal military action on the
ground and using Arab and Israeli proxies as conduits for weapons. The latest
leak from the Pentagon's favourite private-sector think-tank, Stratfor, is just
one more proof of an already established fact on the ground. But don't expect
the Western mainstream propaganda machine, or even some of the so-called
progressive media, to alter the mood music of "humanitarian crisis" in its
efforts to groom the Western public to accept yet another criminal war, even
when it becomes patently clear that the narrative is nonsense.
There is too much at stake for truth to be allowed to interfere. Syria is a
preordained piece on the chessboard that the Western powers want to take out in
their grand scheme for bolstering dominance over the oil-rich Middle East – with
Iran as the next piece. The Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria... Iran sequence
stretches Western government and media credibility to well beyond breaking
point. Believe the "responsibility to protect" or "weapons of mass destruction"
fairytale if you want. Meanwhile, in the real world Prince Charming is shafting
international law and human lives by the millions.
Finian Cunningham is Global Research's Middle East and East Africa Correspondent


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This is an archive of saves and save states. Saves are the normal saved games, and usually work with any emulator. Save states are emulator-dependent, and restore the entire gameplay state. A big thanks to Zophar's Domain for many of these files. Sometime I'll get around to posting some of my own. Feel free to submit save files you've made. me BEFORE sending me any attachments.
How to Use
In general, save files are usually stored either in the same directory as your emulator, or in the same directory as the ROM, and are given the same name as their corresponding ROM.
If you want to use a battery save, note that it will replace your current saved games, so it would be wise to back up your current battery save file. Then, simply copy the new battery save file to the proper directory, and give it the same name as your ROM.
Save states are a little more complicated. First you need to make sure you have the right emulator. Once you've done this, you need to figure out where to put the save state file, and what to name it. For example, ZSNES ZSTs follow this naming format: zelda.zst, zelda.z00, zelda.z01, etc. The name of the file will determine which save slot you will load from. Some emulators let you load a state from a file instead of from a slot, so the naming might not matter. Read your emulator's documentation for more details.
Important Detail: If you load a state, and then save your game, your old battery save file will be OVERWRITTEN with whatever battery saves were present in the save state. So if you're going to be messing around with a save state quite a bit, back up your battery save file just to be safe. It would probably be best to JUST use battery saves, or JUST use save states, and not mix the two.
Explanation of File Formats
- FCE Ultra FC0 - Save state for the NES emulator FCE Ultra
- NESticle STA - Save state for the old NES emulator NESticle
- SNES SRM - Battery save for SNES emulators
- ZSNES ZST - Save state for the SNES emulator ZSNES (SNES9X seems to use the same format now)
- GB SAV - Battery save for Game Boy emulators
- GBA SAV - Battery save for Game Boy Advance emulators (Virtual GameBoy Advance, Boycott Advance)
- GBA SGM - Save state for Game Boy Advance emulators (VisualBoyAdvance)
Game | Description | Contributor |
The Adventure of Link | Adventure of Link online save generator | Mobilis |