In a game known for its post-apocalyptic ambiance, one dedicated Fallout 4 player has taken the road less traveled and carved out a vibrant neighborhood amidst the desolation of the wasteland. The results are awe-inspiring and a testament to the game's flexible and robust settlement-building mechanics. This player, known by the Reddit username sirbalz, has devoted almost a decade to mastering the art of virtual construction in Bethesda's RPG, and their latest creation is proof of their extraordinary talent.
The neighborhood that sirbalz created is nothing short of a masterpiece. It's a beacon of life and color, standing in stark contrast to the desolate surroundings typical of Fallout 4's post-apocalyptic setting. This isn't a small scale project either - the full magnitude of their creation is best appreciated through a YouTube video they shared, which also includes an engaging lore explanation. The neighborhood's design has been greatly influenced by the world of Far Cry 5, another popular RPG, and fans of that game will notice several familiar locations.
Creating this lively neighborhood was no small feat. Sirbalz estimates that they invested between 45 and 50 hours in its construction. Considering the sheer scale and level of detail in the build, this is an impressive achievement. Even without understanding the nuances of Far Cry 5, the effort and thought that went into the project are clear. With the plethora of customization options available in Fallout 4, it is not surprising that the game is often hailed as one of the best post-apocalyptic titles for base-building.
The appeal of games like Fallout 4 often lies in their potential for near-infinite replayability, with the game's character and settlement-building mechanics contributing significantly to this. A plethora of mods exist that enhance these aspects of gameplay, allowing players to continue creating and customizing long after their initial playthrough. Even though these features are just one small facet of a larger RPG that also includes exploration, interaction with NPCs, and completing sidequests, it is clear that many players find tremendous enjoyment in spending hours perfecting their settlements and characters.
However, sirbalz is not just another casual Fallout 4 enthusiast. This latest neighborhood is not their first foray into ambitious settlement building. They have previously showcased an intricate recreation of Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter series. Additionally, they spent a year perfecting an impressive cityscape, set up a gladiator arena, and even constructed a futuristic Cyberpunk City. It's clear that sirbalz is a master at utilizing Fallout 4's settlement builder, crafting elaborate settlements that redefine what is possible within the game. In the end, their creations serve as a compelling example of the depth and range that the game offers, and a testament to the creative potential that lies in the hands of its players.


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A lot of friendships in Bollywood are superficial: Arshad Warsi
Ishqiya actor Arshad Warsi talks about his special bond with Naseeruddin Shah, their next film Irada, and what keeps the two actors connected.bollywood Updated: Feb 09, 2017 18:59 IST
Arshad Warsi and Naseeruddin Shah make an odd pair, but the two acclaimed actors have been friends since their first film together, Ishqiya (2010). Arshad, who will be seen with Shah in their third venture, hopes for another Ishqiya to be made soon. In an interview with HT Café, the actor talks about the rapport he shares with the senior actor, and friendship in Bollywood.
You and Naseeruddin Shah will team up for the third time for your next movie, Irada. What about the film appealed to you?
The script was great, and director Aparnaa Singh is fabulous. The film has a message about the environment. And Naseer saab was doing the film, which was also a good reason. I like him; he is a nice guy. He’s Naseeruddin Shah… it’s wonderful to work with him. Besides him, I admire Mr Amitabh Bachchan, whom I have also worked with. I hope I get a chance to work with him again.
Watch the trailer of Irada
How would you describe your relationship with Shah?
He has taken a liking for me, and I like him too. He likes me, as I am casual actor and I have a sense of humour… I don’t know. You should ask him why he likes me. (laughs). The first time I heard him praise me, it made me feel great. I felt, ‘wow, I must be able to act’. He is really sweet, and I thoroughly enjoy working with him. I wish they would make another Ishqiya soon. I like the space we were in during that film. It was bizarre. Although Irada isn’t like that; this film is about a serious topic.
Check out famous dialogues of Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi in Ishqiya
Do you think true friendship exists in Bollywood?
I am sure it does. It is a question of matching your wavelengths. A lot here [friendships in Bollywood] is superficial. I am sure there are true friends, too. When you look at photos of actors such as Raj Kapoor, Dharmendra and Dev Anand, you can see them enjoying each other’s company.
What would you say you have learnt from Shah?
I don’t know if I am smart enough to learn anything from anyone. I’ve done three films with Naseer saab, and I’ve enjoyed the process of working with him. I admire his seriousness, intensity and how he gets into the skin of the character. He is an honest actor and doesn’t lie about his job or mess around with it. His respect for the profession is something every actor should learn.
Do you guys meet off the sets?
Yes. We have done crazy things — we have walked on the beach in the middle of the night, been drunk out of our minds, and have got a restaurant opened so we could eat. This was when he was shooting for Homi’s film and I was there either for work or on a holiday, I don’t remember, and we partied. Any time we have a party at home, he is invited.
Who are you friends with in the industry?
I am friends with everyone, including Riteish Deshmukh, Jaaved Jaaferi, Vidya Balan, Huma Qureshi, Aditi Rao Hydari and Naseer saab. They all come home whenever we have a party, which means a lot to me. They are like family.
First Published: Feb 09, 2017 18:59 IST

domain: artistic


I recently bought a Scooter from Sunny Motorsports in Chino. Simple story intro. auspicious could go any direction, but this is real life not a story so it seems to go every direction.
I wanted a scooter because under California Vehicle Code a scooter is little different from a pedestrian. Now you can’t ride one on the side walks and you have to keep right. There are some very complicated and frankly ludicrous rules for turning at busy intersections, but a motorized scooter is defined as a two-wheeled vehicle with handlebars and a floor board, which may or may not have a driver’s seat (so long as you are able to stand on the floor board), and may or may not be human powered in addition to the motor. I thought this is what I was buying from Sunny.
There’s a whole new section to the vehicle code and the preamble says it’s purpose is to reduce traffic and pollution by encouraging scooters. Any Cali DL is sufficient and no insurance required. However when it arrived, the VIN plate said motorcycle. That had me puzzled.
The Vehicle code was specifically amended in 2008 to remove any engine size stipulation for scooters. So the fact my scooter was 150cc shouldn’t have mattered. There was the floor board and the handle bars. It had two wheels. I know cause I counted em twice. What was up?
I began reading the DMV website for more info. AHA! The vehicle code says “may be human powered” however the DMV has taken it on itself to alter that to “must” be. Interesting.
I read further, Scooters may be licensed (bycicles may as well), but aren’t required to be. I reread the scooter definition. Yep both the state legal site and the DMV agreed, scooters were not Motorcycles, Motorized Cycles or Motorized Bicycles. Now I got the first and the last, Motorcycles and Mopeds. No brainer. One has peddles and I was pretty sure that was the latter. SO what was this Motorized Cycle?
Fortunately the Vehicle Code defines these. Simply put it’s a motorcycle, but with less than 150cc engine. Less than. hrmmm. That reminded me of a first who had one of those little Honda MV5 bikes back in the 80′s. So that was pretty clear. WE all know a motorcycle when we see one. It has handle bars and pegs for your feet (no floorboard) and a bike frame with a gas tank and motor that snuggle between your knees and crush you in an accident. My scooter had a gap ther to step through and a floorbaord to rest my tootsies on. Nice and safe, with fram and farings to deflect fast moving steel in an accident. Mine was a scooter.
But then I read closer. The driver’s seat on a scooter can’t obstruct the rider from “standing up while operating it.” Could I stand while operating my scooter? After several tries I decided that the clear answer was no. But not because of the seat. The seat is quite comfortable and place far enough back to give me plenty of room for my size 12s. and theoretically I could stand on the floorboard while in operation without any interference from the seat whatever. However, the handlebars are far to short to allow such tricks.
If I were 20years younger and still had knees, I might manage just fine. But as it is I cannot stand with my knees bent at 30deg to save my life. Just can’t happen. SO. It remains true I can’t stand while in operation, but the seat isn’t the culprit and I find myself at an impasse. The inability to stand causes the DMV to declare it a scooter, while I maintain that it is a scooter, because handlebar height is not an issue in the actual code.
So I have a motorcycle (I don’t stipulate this only observe the registration in my hand) and all I can say is at least it’s 150CC so I can actually take it outside the city. At 150cc it is a motorcycle. I wonder if the “angels” that hang out at Deer Lodge will ever start replacing their sportsers and softtails for Vespas?
As a writer, rights to my work are important. Anyone who copies my work and doesn’t pay me for it literally takes away from my ability to care for elderly parents as well as myself. Writing is hard work. So is practicing long hours with musical instruments, or painting, drawing singing, etc. Hard work, harder in some cases than selling rainforest kitch, flipping burgers or building electronics.
On the other hand the spread of facisim in the west has brought about an unholy union between big content producers and government that is choking the life out of the freedom of the consumer. DRM and digital media restrictions are making it criminal to own and use your own copy of an artist’s work. With paper, canvas and vinyl, we allowed artists and producers to create “licenses” to content, but the media was property. If I bought a book, the words belonged to the author or his assigns (publishers heirs etc.); the paper, ink and binding was mine. I owned the book, the copy. If I wanted to share it with a friend I handed it to him and he read it. Libraries exist for the sole purpose of collecting books and lending them for the use of patrons, whether on site or off.
With digital, paperless, initiatives we have a problem. Can I own the electrons on a flash card? Is it possible? And if I send it to a friend he has it, but I still have it too. I’ve been accused of an intense grasp of the obvious. But the obvious seems to have escaped the legislators, producers and consumer public. The obvious is that DRM or Cloud storage infringe on the consumers rights as they have existed for just as long a tradition as those of the copyholder. DRM cannot be allowed to be a means of simply removing the ability of the consumer to loan or sell his media. This is a one-sided draconian approach that infringes on the majority rights in order to protect the minority. Unequal protection. For Americans at least, a huge no-no.
This case, a conflict between a programmer and Silicon Valley powerhouse Facebook ®, is a clear case of big business content producers attempting to circumvent the like a book doctrine and force the consumer to relinquish traditional rights to control, manipulate and warehouse their privately owned media. A quick review will probably leave most readers ambivalent at best.
The issue will continue to be a matter of struggle as we try to figure out how to insure media control “like a book” while preventing piracy. A start, would be for consumers to have the good grace to “just say no” to Pirate Bay.
This little Item from Professor Elemental’s FB fanpage caught my attention and held it. See the words are a bit ironic to me. It reminds me of an a somewhat dim acquaintance of mine that I spent a lot of time battling with over the last decade and a half. That is of course the subject for a different venue, let’s just say in a battle of wits his kit of choice is the Shield of Evil Banality and the Club of Low Cunning. He can always quote someone else’s witticism that will at least have some of the same words as the topic at hand.
But enough about that. The real issue is that the conversation in question started with him mocking Jay Leno for his avid interest in steam power. He finally fell to the question, why is it that you can only every find kits for low horsepower steam engines, none of which are organized as motors? That’s a paraphrase. He was never so articulate. I’m sure that ultimately he was trying to use his degenerate version of Scientology Lingo to seem witty. But he quite unwittingly tumbled onto a fine oddity.
He, like so many, believes that the internal combustion engine has supplanted and obsoleted steam power. Professor Elemental touches on that in the song linked above. He also points out wind power as an obsolete tech. I believe t he point of the song is that we had our hay-day mowing with gasoline and now we’ll have to buckle down and settle for steam. The implication is that it’s some sort pennence for the excesses of the 20′th century. But nothing could be more erroneous.
After World War I many ships were being converted to Diesel engine and this was a short lived detour that seemed like the big thing for the future. Mr. Diesel’s design for internal combustion is neat and “for a petroleum engine” marginally efficient. It doesn’t approach the the power and efficiency of a top fuel dragster or formula racer, but it does all right. And really, who wants a nitro-methane supercharged drag cruise-liner?
But the point here is that the foray into diesel was mostly a non-starter for really big vessels. Those that retain diesel today are mostly hybrid, using diesel to charge batteries that then run electric motorized screws. Even that design was scrapped on Naval vessels where, the big cruisers, carriers and subs use a nuke. Now my “friend” above was only too avid to concede that Nuclear (for texans: Nukular) power was the bomb. It’s latest and greatest, why it’s New Technology! Hmmm.
Reactors were invented in the 1930′s and used in the development of atomic weapons. Very new. Internal combustion dates from the late 19′th century, why that’s at least 40 years earlier. But there’s a problem with nuclear power.
Contrary to the Stark Trek ™ and Sci Fi vision, reactors are just giant furnaces where (in a terribly crude, even primitive way) zirconium plated metal rods are piled up till they get hot enough to spontaneously boil water. Said water “coolant” is driven through of all things a steam turbine which rapidly cools it. Then it is condensed in a coil and recirculated. This massively “high tech” generator is our old friend the steam engine.
Given the intense heat and radiation of a nuclear furnace, it’s probable that other means of gaining power from it are possible. But let’s face it, we’ve been living the steam punk fantasy for the last two hundred years. By burning hydrogen, oxygen and catalysts in various compounds, our wonderful liquid fueled rockets the main engines on the Space Shuttle are ultimately a form of–yes–steam power.
We are building windmills more often now. And I’m very happy to see it. As for some good old medieval tech, how about the hoover water-wheel. But it’s makes us feel more sophisticated to use terms like hydro-electric, harassing thermal energy, or reaction engines. So be it. All hail the heat expansion of aqueous fluid to provide mechanical energy!
I guess the strongest argument in favor of a state school education and curricula would have to be the revolutionary insights of the US Legislature.


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In my last article for LRC I wrote about literature from the perspective of a somewhat educated abecedarian. I take solace that my opinions are not totally ridiculous by comparing my view of Madame Bovary (first developed about 25 years ago when I read the book) with that of George Sand (that I only recently read). Quoting myself, “In Madame Bovary on the other hand, Emma’s passions make her almost an evil person. In fact almost every character is nasty. The basic theme being that below the facade of bourgeois respectability lurks great evil. Thus in the end Emma kills herself and everyone is miserable.” Here is what Sand wrote to Flaubert (CCCII. To Gustave Flaubert, in Paris Nohant, 12th January, 1876) about the realism of his writing.
That desire to depict things as they are, the adventures of life as they present themselves to the eye, is not well thought out, in my opinion. Depict inert things as a realist, as a poet, it’s all the same to me, but, when one touches on the emotions of the human heart, it is another thing. You cannot abstract yourself from this contemplation; for man, that is yourself, and men, that is the reader. Whatever you do, your tale is a conversation between you and the reader. If you show him the evil coldly, without ever showing him the good he is angry. He wonders if it is he that is bad, or if it is you. You work, however, to rouse him and to interest him; you will never succeed if you are not roused yourself, or if you hide it so well that he thinks you indifferent. He is right: supreme impartiality is an anti-human thing, and a novel ought to be human above everything. If it is not, the public is not pleased in its being well written, well composed and conscientious in every detail. The essential quality is not there: interest. The reader breaks away likewise from a book where all the characters are good without distinctions and without weaknesses; he sees clearly that that is not human either.
Thus, with this confirmation of my opinion of a great piece of literature I feel emboldened to discuss art. I have not always been interested in art, but I have always recognized my profound lack of artistic talent. This lack in my own ability has instilled in me great respect for those with talent. Considering my lack of talent, my crude definition of art is that if I could create it, it is not art. I feel that art is made up of craftsmanship and inspiration. Modern artists seem to have abandoned all notion of craftsmanship and simply rely on artistic inspiration.
One of the leaders of this movement was Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968). One is his major works is a signed urinal. In contrast, several years ago I visited the National Gallery in London. I enjoyed Canaletto’s (1697-1768) grand depictions of Venice, Pissarro’s (1830-1903) reality through the lens of his impressionism, and Van Gogh’s (1853-1890) eerie use of wavy lines and glowing colors. The featured exhibition was a study of Seurat’s (1859-1891) “Bathers at Asnieres.” I was gratified by the pedagogical value of the exhibition. The London exhibition showed how Seurat was trained in classical techniques, how he used classical forms, how he incorporated new techniques, how he was influenced by his peers, and especially the detailed preliminary work that was required to create a piece like the Bathers.
Bathers at Asnieres
On another European trip I visited two wonderful art museums in Madrid: the world famous El Prado and the home of the little known artist Joaquin Sorolla y Bastide (1863-1923). At the Prado was an exhibit of Dutch interiors that included several paintings by Vermeer (1632-1675). Of the regular exhibits, the Prado is known for its collection of paintings by Velazquez (1599-1660). In my opinion Vermeer and Velazquez are two of the greatest painters. What makes them great? Certainly both have incredible technique. For example, consider Vermeer’s “The Girl with the Red Hat” (on loan from the National Gallery in Washington). This is one of my favorite paintings. The light illuminating the delicate feathers of the hat is amazing. They both attempted to achieve what Hans Holbein (1497-1543) implied by the inscription on his portrait of a merchant: “Add but the voice and you have his whole self, that you may doubt whether the painter or the father had made him.” That is, the ability to create 3-D reality in two-dimensions with paint. But there is something much more than simply technique that makes these painters great. Obviously one could take issue with Holbein. Is this truly reality? Can you smell the person or hear them? Is this just how they looked to you and not to others? What Vermeer and Velazquez attempted and achieved was much more. They captured the personality or soul of the person in paint. Their work was germinated in the Christian concept of the uniqueness of the individual. Look at the “Philip IV” of Velazquez. His patron is great, but he is pompous and a bit of a fool. The enigmatic “Meninas” has many figures to contemplate. It is typical of Velazquez to depict a dwarf. Her body is malformed but her soul is worthy and unique. Velazquez found ways to shape a hand or make a background that gives meaning to the subject. Even the dog seems to have a unique personality. Sorolla has become another one of my favorites. He achieves the same type of results as Vermeer and Velazquez but with different techniques. Looking at his painting closely there does not seem to be any form to his work. But as the eye moves away the images become dazzling. That is, much of his work is in the classic impressionist style. And I would rank him at the head of this class even though now he is unknown to the general public, though during his lifetime he was very famous. An example of his work that is in New York (go to the wonderful Hispanic Society of America museum in Harlem, but it is closed for renovation until 2019) is “After the Bath.” The light filtering through the delicate, wet fabric is spectacular. Even more amazing is how he paints wet skin. It is a specialty of his that is unmatched. Also obvious is the tenderness that the man has for the woman, which is matched by the tenderness Sorolla has for his subjects. In contrast consider a typical work by Picasso, “Maya With a Doll.” I agree Picasso was a genius with a tremendous amount of talent, but I think it was wasted. Maya has no more body, and no more personality than the doll. This painting shows more of the mind of Picasso than any trait of the subject.
The Girl With the Red Hat
After the Bath
Maya With a Doll
The cultural historian Christopher Dawson has made the point that for all cultures “A purely utilitarian magic [culture] is incapable of producing a great art-in fact, among the principle people, even more than elsewhere, a great art requires a strong religious impulse to bring it to being.” So what has happened to art and culture in general? I think Picasso was a post-Christian artist as his intent is to deny the subject’s personality for his own. Simone Weil, writing during the horror and tragedy of WWII anticipated the dangers of postmodernism (what is left after modernism destroyed the Christian culture of Europe), “I believe in the responsibility of the writers of recent years for the disaster of our time. By that I don’t mean only the defeat of France; the disaster of our time extends much farther. It extends to the whole world, that is to say, to Europe, to America, and to the other continents in so far as Western influence has penetrated them.” Weil’s point as described by a biographer is that “the dadaists and surrealists [for example], by lending their voices to the `drunkenness of license,’ … offer no criteria for distinguishing good from evil, are, she thinks, more harmful than cocaine.”
Since these trips I was very pleased to come across The Art Renewal Center website as it seemed to confirm most of my reactionary views on art and is worthy of support. The Art Renewal Center is devoted to the following principles and beliefs:
- To promote a return of skill-based training, standards and excellence in the visual arts. The rich artistic heritage of 2,500 years of accumulated knowledge in creating traditional, realistic images touching upon universal and timeless themes.
- To promote visual literacy in public and private school classrooms and to the public at large.
- To unite the realist art movement into a synergistic community of like-minded organizations and individuals.
- To provide responsible views opposing those of the Modernist art establishment when warranted, especially as expressed in aesthetic philosophy and to rebut the idea that development in art requires destruction of boundaries and standards or pointless emphasis on ‘newness’.
- To advance the understanding that great art begins with great themes, expressing them poetically through mastery of all aspects of technique.
- To provide a forum for dialogue and exchange of expert information among educators, scholars, curators, collectors and artists.
- To promote scholarship and research on the artists of the past and the rediscovery and preservation of their techniques and methods.
- To create the largest reference database on the Internet for realistic art, including an online museum with thousands of high quality images of works by the greatest painters and sculptors in human history, alongside an encyclopedic online art reference library of historical texts, essays, biographies and articles, providing a technical and historical resource for artistic information.
Perhaps the concept of renewal is important for more than just art.
*A new word I just learned; Abecedarian: 2. a beginner in any field of learning.


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by Pixeleen Mistral on 10/09/11 at 7:52 pm
CosbyCoin "zing" takes Bitcointalk.org offline
Bitcoin - a peer-to-peer virtual currency - has reached the point in the media hype cycle were the inevitable backlash takes hold, and the Bitcoin ecosystem becomes a target for high visibility hacks.
The latest incident took place yesterday, when the bitcointalk.org forums were converted into a Cosbycoin ad site, complete with pictures of Bill Cosby, links to a cosbycoin.com web site and a simulated upload of the reader's digital wallet converting their Bitcoins into Cosbycoins. Buttcoin.org has an extensive collection of pictures from the hacked site as does nanimogold.com.
There is speculation that a group associated with the SomethingAwful forums may be responsible for Cosbycoins and this hack does seem to fit with the SA goon's style. Whomever launched the hack exerted some effort. Rather than simply injecting Cosbycoin images into the forums, they also set up a cosbycoin.com site and posted to other bitcoin forums.
This Cosbycoin hack is certainly embarrassing for the forum operators, and raises questions about site security, as did a hack of the MtGox currency exchange last June that lead to a collapse in the value of Bitcoins. Timing of the MtGox incident was particularly unfortunate, coming shortly after a Gawker.com story about Silk Road - an anonymous illicit substance exchange site - which stoked demand for Bitcoins.
simulated upload of Bitcoin wallet
Meanwhile, the mainstream media has begun to take notice of the potential - and limits - of the crypto-currency.
Earlier this week, New York TImes columnist and Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman pointed out the value of Bitcoins has taken a nosedive recently and the system is vulnerable to "money-hoarding, deflation, and depression" - problems shared with real currencies backed by the gold standard. We can only hope that the know-nothing branch of the republican party takes note. James Surowieki of the MIT Technology Review also wrote critically about the challenges bitcoin faces in surviving the hype cycle.
The hype cycle backlash is one problem, but more a more immediate question for Bitcoin fans is how to address the challenge posed by Cosbycoin parodies appearing on their forums and an insecure ecosystem of currency exchange sites.
Matthew N. Wright of Bittalk.tv reports that there is support for the Cosbycoin hack by members of the Bitcointalk.org forum who are unhappy with poor forum moderation and a pattern of "shuffling important and popular issues under the rug" - exactly the sort of behavior that Second Life players have grown to expect from Linden Lab.
a tip of the old Coffeepotting Gleefurs top hat to Ryokashi who first pointed me at this story - pixeleen

domain: news


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It seems lately that there have been more “because of a police investigation” announcements being made over the PA speakers lately. Everyday, there’s another station that is closed because od police activity. Sometimes, that ends up shutting down entire lines!
I’m all for being safe in the subway, but I hope the MTA police are actually doing something instead of just closing stations every time there is a suspicious situation.
The reason I question the activities of late are because there hasn’t been much attention in the press. Usually when the police make a big bust, they run for the cameras to talk about it. If there were a big police success, they would would want everyone to know about it.
Lately, the only police activity that is heard about outside the subway PA’s happens when the police are cleaning someones splattered ass of the tracks.
Live from the subway, back to you in studio…
One thought on “Police seem to shut down stops more often”
I agree. Seems like at least once a week there is some kind of “investigation” that requires them to shut down an entire line. Chaos ensues.


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Zero Motorcycles has been awarded a $1.8 million grant from the California Energy Commission to quadruple its manufacturing capacity in California. Additional matching funding brings the total project allotment to more than $3.6 million. Zero’s manufacturing expansion will further its commitment to manufacturing high performance electric motorcycles in California, which the company says stands to benefit by both economic growth and job creation.
“We are honored to receive this generous grant from the California Energy Commission and are excited to continue to expand our manufacturing capacity here in California,” said Richard Walker, CEO of Zero Motorcycles. “This project offers a unique opportunity to keep the competitive advantage of California’s skilled labor force and create dozens of additional jobs during both the implementation and volume manufacturing stages of the project. This grant is a milestone for us because it allows Zero to dramatically increase the scale of our assembly line to meet customer demand for our outstanding electric motorcycles.
“This investment in Zero Motorcycles will help to put cleaner vehicles on the road, reduce petroleum use, improve our air quality and create jobs in California,” said Energy Commissioner Carla Peterman.


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The Allegheny County Law Library (ACLL) is a public law library, serving the Allegheny County residents. The ACLL is not part of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh or the eiNetwork.
How to access the Allegheny County Law Library remotely
414 Grant Street, 9th Floor
The Allegheny County Law Library (ACLL) also offers these services for a small fee, as detailed in Guide to ACLL Services for the Public.
When it comes to services for the Bench, law libraries need to think about serving the public in need of Court Services absent legal representation. The Allegheny County Law Library strives to provide such services, understanding that privacy is paramount.
Pro Se Litigants are helped at ACLL in many ways, including:
1. find relevant resources by searching the ACLL's online catalog, or the Pro-Se Litigants Resource Page.
2. use the public terminals for your work;
3. make copies of those resources;
4. find directions for locating needed services in offices located in the City-County building, or outside.
Remember to research the law by using ACLL's LibGuides; and watching our videos. Watch our videos to learn how to access our resources - in person or remotely.
If you need additional assistance in research, you can visit the ACLL at acllib.org, call us at 412-350-5353 or email us at email@example.com.
Courthouses are important places to look for
These are usually found in the Register of Wills office in each county. For instance, in Allegheny County, the Department of Court Records, Wills/Orphans’ Court Division accepts documents for the Orphan's Court, and issues marriage licenses and takes passport applications.
Records in the Recorder of Deeds offices can also be useful. Here is the Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds.
Naturalization records are usually held by the Prothonotary's Office in each county; for Allegheny County information, click here.
If you visit the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas website you will find a map of all county courthouses in Pennsylvania, as well as information on county prothonotaries and registers of wills. Access a listing of recorders of deeds in Pennsylvania.
Here is a the map for the Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
Policy & Forms from the Federal Bureau of Prisons: https://www.bop.gov/resources/policy_and_forms.jsp
Resources from Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Resources for the formerly incarcerated from the Federal Bureau of Prisons: https://www.bop.gov/resources/former_inmate_resources.jsp
This directory of prison libraries is maintained by the Washington State Library Institutional Library Staff. This is the Pennsylvania entry.
Maps and lists of the institutions, regional offices, a headquarters, staff training centers, and residential reentry management offices administered by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Bureau also administers contracts with private corporations to operate additional correctional institutions.
Law Libraries Serving Prisoners is an online version of the print "Directory: Law Libraries Offering Services to Prisoners." The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), Social Responsibilities Special Interest Section, Standing Committee on Law Library Services to Prisoners compiles the data.
WorldCat list of books tagged by ALA Library staff as key references for prison library management.
Corrections-related resources including training plans, research reports, program evaluations and more. Not all items are online. Access to the full collection and onsite Information Experts, through online Information Help Desk. Catalog searchable and browsable.
If you have feedback, questions or suggestions about this guide, please contact the Allegheny County Law Library at firstname.lastname@example.org.
This guide was last updated on August 2, 2022.

domain: library


The computation of cutting temperatures under flank-worn condition needs the knowledge of the forces due to flank wear and chip formation. Methods determining forces due to flank wear have been based on the assumption that the chip formation process remains constant as the tool flank is progressively worn, such that the force due to flank wear can be isolated from the total cutting force measured. This assumption continues to be used in literature despite the fact that there is evidence disproving it. Error introduced by this assumption for computing work surface temperature can be significant, as shown by the result of this paper.
In this study, the forces and temperatures due to flank wear were investigated using a newly developed thermal model and orthogonal hard turning experiments without the above assumption. First, the microstructural change in chips was used to determine the heat carried by the work and chip. Then the heat generated and the heat partition coefficients at both tool-work and tool-chip interfaces were obtained by solving the heat partition equations of the thermal model. Finally, shear forces at the tool-work interface and tool-chip interface that were coupled in the cutting process were determined independently without using cutting force measurement. The results also show that, as flank wear increases, the force due to flank wear determined by this method is larger and the interface temperatures are higher than those obtained based on the conventional assumption.


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How Not to Die in the New Year
How this amazing woman literally added more LIFE to her life - and she wants you to know how to do it, too.
By Amy Lynne Johnson
You just never know when great advice will come your way. That’s why it’s so important to just get out into life, talk to people, and see what you might discover.
After watching a rehearsal at the Boston Ballet in preparation for the amazing ChoreophrapHER event, I decided to pop into Neiman Marcus on the way back to my car. I wanted a shot of all that abundance and beauty, and I wanted to sample a fragrance recommended by a friend.
I had no idea I would meet Cheryl Isabelle-Alper, an angel disguised as a Sisley rep, who would reaffirm for me why I love getting out there and being open to the surprises life has in store (literally this time). We got to chatting, and the conversation turned to feeling good and healthy, so of course I remarked about Cheryl’s glowing skin and exuberant attitude.
“What’s your secret?” I asked, expecting it would be something related to the Sisley product line.
“Well, yes, that is part of it,” she said, “but actually…did you know that you can do a LOT through changing the stuff you put in your body?”
My kinda girl, I thought. Cheryl went on to tell me how she had been feeling better than she ever has, has reversed serious health conditions that plagued her for years, has been losing weight without feeling deprived, lowered her blood pressure, and even helped her husband to lose weight and feel better, too.
It all started with reading Dr. Michael Greger’s How Not to Die, which inspired Cheryl to revamp the way she looks at her body’s own ability to heal itself and maintain good health. It inspired me to read the book as well, and, while there are tons of great health resources out there, I really believe this is the best place to start in terms of healthy living and science-based information to get your healthy self on track.
Dr. Greger’s story that led him to medicine and education is truly moving, and he has turned his passion for educating the public about nutrition into a smart, easy to follow, scientifically supported and comprehensive website that you have probably already used – www.nutritionfacts.org.
Dr. Greger’s book changed everything for Cheryl. She says she doesn’t miss her old ways of eating at all, and it all worked so quickly. It was simple, too – no counting calories or getting weird ingredients and spending tons of money on supplements or shakes or other gadgets you only use once and never look at again.
“With what we know today, most everyone can live a long heathy life without chronic illness associated with getting older. If I can do it, everyone can! We can all get off the medication carousel. I was up and down on that for years, and all it did was mask my issue and cause a different one. I just wish more people knew about this!”
Best of all, she loves the way she feels in her body now. She has more energy and vitality, and she’s not spending so much time at the doctor’s office! Becoming healthy can truly be FUN!
The proof is certainly in Cheryl’s face – you may want to stop by the Boston Neiman Marcus Sisley counter to see her radiant, happy energy in person, and see for yourself how powerful the transformation through delicious nutrition can be. Cheryl loves creating new recipes and trying new flavors, and she wants everyone to know how powerful good food can be for a healthy, long life. Her favorite veggie: the humble carrot. “They last forever in the fridge, you can throw them into any dish, they add great sweetness, and the benefits are phenomenal!”
Healthy eating is much simpler than you might think, and Dr. Greger’s book gives you plenty of options to make the best choices that are right for you. What better gift to give yourself (and those who love you) in the New Year than to improve your health? Take it from Cheryl, and the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives Dr. Greger and his team have helped to save.

domain: literature


text:
The civil society has slammed President Peter Mutharika’s appointment of Rodney Jose as Deputy Inspector General of Police, saying the development is a minus in the administration’s respect for human rights.
Jose was Police Commissioner for South during the murder of Polytechnic student Robert Chasowa which a judge-led death inquiry reported several irregularities by police, including possible cover-up attempts in the murder.
The inquiry revealed that Jose facilitated a meeting where the police attempted to recruit Chasowa, then a Polytechnic student and a critic of former president Bingu wa Mutharika alongside his college activist students, to foil planned civil society demonstrations but later fell out with the group.
Speaking in an interview, Centre for Human Rights Rehabilitation (CHRR) executive director Timothy Mtambo said Jose has no moral mandate to occupy the senior post at the police service and called upon Mutharika to reverse the appointment.
“He [Jose] will not act objectively on the matter of Chasowa. It is a matter of ethics. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty by the court of law but we are saddened that the President has gone ahead to appoint him. It gives us a lot of questions than answers on whether the President is committed to respecting human rights,” said Mtambo.
He said the development is more worrying at the time there is lack of political will to prosecute the Chasowa case and July 20 deaths.
“As human rights defenders, our concern is about the victim; we do not care who did what. We just want justice. Even the UN periodic review recommended the prosecutions; this is why we have been calling for an independent police complaints commission because police cannot objectively investigate themselves,” added Mtambo.
Leading opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) deputy publicist Ezekiel Ching’oma condemned Jose’s appointment.
“The Chasowa family in particular and Malawians in general deserve justice. They deserve the truth. For us in MCP, the appointment vindicates our fears that the DPP-led government has no interest whatsoever in ensuring the Chasowa family finds justice. DPP-government should not make a mistake, Robert Chasowa was a final-year student vital to his family and they do not deserve this,” said Ching’oma.
State House press secretary Fredrick Ndala said the State House could not comment on the matter as it was legal in nature.
“The issue can be best handled by the Attorney General [AG] because of the nature of the background. The AG should provide guidance on the matter,” said Ndala.
Efforts to speak to AG Kalekeni Kaphale proved futile as of Thursday as his mobile phone went unanswered.
According to findings of the Commission of Inquiry which was instituted by the late Mutharika and was headed by Supreme Court Judge Andrew Chotcha Nyirenda, police officers who first responded to the Chasowa murder scene clearly suspected the deceased to be a murder victim. However, police changed positions later and referred to the death as suicide.
Several people, including the ruling DPP Member of Parliament Noel Masangwi, DPP’s director of Youth Lewis Ngalande, prominent boxing promoter Ben Chitenje, Godfrey Botomani were arrested in connection to the murder.

domain: sociology


Find more information about:
The MMQ 200 Formtester cylindricity machine features an automated T7W probing system. The ±360-degree, motorized, bi-directional probe is designed to reduce operator involvement and improve measurement capability, the company says. Complete with EasyForm version 3.0 software, the cylindricity machine is compact, fast and easy to use and can be used for both metrology lab and shopfloor applications, the company says.
The intuitive software interface guides users through measurement setup and operation. Measurement results are immediately displayed on the screen in 3D, with color or grid lines providing an interactive graphic preview. Results can be printed, saved in various file formats (such as PDF) or exported for analysis in other software packages.
Cognex Acquires Two 3D Vision Companies
The two European acquisitions are expected to help the U.S. company meet 3D vision demands in the automotive, electronics and logistics industries.


text: Brookfield Property REIT Inc., formerly GGP Inc., is a real estate company. The Company is focused on owning, managing, leasing, and redeveloping of retail properties throughout the United States. The Company owned, either entirely or with joint venture partners, around 125 retail properties located throughout the United States comprising approximately 121 million square feet of gross leasable area (GLA). The Company has its operations in around 40 states of the Unites States. The Company's properties include 85 Fifth Avenue, 200 Lafayette, 530 Fifth Avenue, 605 N Michigan Avenue, Ala Moana Avenue, Alderwood, Altamonte Mall, Apache Mall, Augusta Mall, Brass Mill center, and Carolina Place.

domain: economics


text:
Wife of Taunton murder victim urges voter support for new police and fire building
TAUNTON — After Rosemary Heath's husband George was stabbed to death in the Bertucci's at the Silver City Galleria on May 10, 2016, she had to answer questions from detectives "in a dark, dingy room" at Taunton Police headquarters, she said.
"It should be a bright area for people to sit down and talk with detectives," said the Taunton resident.
George Heath, a popular New Bedford visual arts teacher, was stabbed to death by Taunton resident Arthur DaRosa, 28, who had fatally stabbed 80-year-old Patricia Slavin, 80, inside her home on Myricks Street shortly before he went on a violent rampage at the Silver City Galleria.
DaRosa stabbed pregnant waitress Sheena Savoy numerous times, and Rosemary and George stepped into rescue her, Rosemary said. DaRosa then stabbed George to death.
"I took a chair and hit him with it," she said. "George pulled the waitress away. He prevented a young mother from dying."
Plymouth County Deputy Sheriff James Creed was having dinner with his wife, a nurse, at Bertucci's during the rampage, and he fatally shot DaRosa.
"I heard the officer behind me say, 'Drop your weapon'," Rosemary said. "He started to charge the deputy who had to shoot him."
Rosemary Heath urges voters to support debt exclusion override
Heath said she hopes voters will approve a $67.7 million Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion override on April 29 to finance the construction of a new public safety complex for the police and fire departments.
"Having experienced violent crime first-hand, I want to do everything possible to keep Taunton safe," she said in a written statement from the city. "That's why I am endorsing the ballot initiative and urging voters to support the question on April 29."
Heath said she still remembers the poor condition of the police station where she was interviewed by detectives after her husband was murdered.
"I think victims deserve a safe place to talk to detectives other than walking through dingy hallways and seeing boxes piled up," she added.
Players to watchHere are the 20 Greater Taunton area softball players to watch this spring
Heath said she saw a station closet used as an office and a need for conference and decompression rooms.
"Nobody deserves to work in a closet and have a desk in there," she said. "They should have an office space and conference rooms. They should have a decompression room where officers can go after a disturbing incident to process their feelings about what happened. We need to have those things. It's 2023. They need to have everything to do their jobs properly."
"I love the police and firefighters and will do everything to support them," she said. "I have been a big supporter of the police and fire departments since I was a little kid."
Flooding, moldHere's a virtual tour of Taunton police station ahead of key vote
Heath said she visited Bertucci's restaurant a week after George's slaying, and an off-duty officer made her feel safe.
"An officer was sitting in the bar, and he came over to me and said you are safe, and nothing will happen to you," she said.
Heath said creating a new public safety complex would enable Taunton to hire more police officers to protect residents and provide firefighters with a fire department training facility.
"The community stood up for me, and I want to give back to the community," she said. "I always felt safe, and I feel that anyone who goes through a tragedy like mine should feel safe and okay. If we can put more officers on duty, there will be more officers to protect us."
According to city officials, voter approval of a debt exclusion override would raise property taxes for the average homeowner by $156 annually or an additional $13 per month until the $67.7 million construction fee is entirely paid.Heath said having a new public safety complex is worth a $13 monthly property tax increase until the construction of the public safety complex is paid in 30 years.
"I want people to get out and vote on the 29th so we can have this new public safety building," she said. "It's not a permanent tax on us. As we are paying the expense, the taxes will go down."
The Special Referendum Election to decide the fate of the Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion for the proposed public safety building will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2023. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

domain: law


text:
I stayed one night at Studios Anna in August. I was arriving with the late ferry boat from Kos and, being by myself, worried that I would find myself alone in Lipsi. I called the owner (Stephen) and his son (Manolis) and they reassured me that they would come and pick me up. They did and they were super nice... More
Region: Greece > Dodecanese > Lipsi
Bar/Lounge Beach Fitness Centre Free Breakfast Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Children Activities Kitchenette Pets Allowed Restaurant Room Service Shuttle Bus service Suites Swimming Pool Wheelchair access
Ranked #6 of 6 Specialty lodging in Lipsi
Price Range (Based on Average Rates): $
Hotel Class:2.5 star — Studios Anna 2.5*
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com so you can book your Studios Anna reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.

domain: travel


text:
Hearts of Oak goalkeeper’s trainer Abubakari Damba is singing praises on Philemon McCarthy, saying the team would have suffered more without the 28-year-old.
The Phobians have seen their title ambitions fade fast in recent games where they are winless in five games.
The recent slump has led to the change in coaching guard with Serbian Nebojsa Vucicevic making way for C.K Akunnor.
The ex Black Stars captain however failed to halt Hearts’ steep decline with a 1-0 defeat suffered at the hands of city rivals Liberty Professionals in his first game in charge.
The lost resigned the Phobians to fourth in the Ghanaian topflight – a staggering twelve points behind leaders Asante Kotoko with nine matches to go.
But Damba manages to find a silver lining within the big mess the team finds itself.
“Honestly speaking I think he (McCarthy) has played a very important role and has been in fantastic shape and have actually brought a lot of life and energy into the club.” He told Accra-based Radio XYZ.
McCarthy’s rise has seen the relegation of experienced Sammy Adjei to the substitute’s bench.
|Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.|


text:
The mission of Kids in Distress is to prevent child abuse, preserve the family, and treat children who have been abused and neglected. Discover how Blackbaud's integrated solutions have helped Kids in Distress improve efficiency, decrease expenses, and increase peer-to-peer fundraising.
Other content in this Stream
With Financial Edge NXT and Altru working together, the Historical Society of Central Florida staff is more organized and efficient and has better insight into revenue trends.
With Blackbaud solutions like Raiser's Edge NXT, the Foundation has the instant, reliable data it needs to streamline processes, raise more money, and better support its students and community.
The Heritage School tells us how Financial Edge NXT is meeting all of their fund accounting needs in an intuitive, user-friendly system. Read now »
In this video, Executive Director Krista Linklater discusses how the NXT Solutions Line has helped the Foundation remain transparent and accountable to donors.
Association of South Central Oklahoma Governments' (ASCOG) staff members simplified and streamlined their financial processes with Financial Edge NXT. Find out how in this customer story video.

domain: finance


text:
As a lawful permanent resident of the United States, your obligations for maintaining your immigration status are fairly simple. You need to notify USCIS within 10 days of moving and renew your green card every 10 years. International green card travel can introduce some new hazards.
Permanent residents are free to travel outside the United States, and temporary travel generally does not affect your permanent resident status. As the term “resident” suggests, your status comes with the expectation that you will live (make your home) in the U.S. If you spend too much time abroad, you could lose your right to a green card.
5 Tips for Permanent Residents Traveling Abroad
Before traveling outside the United States, it's important to understand there are certain risks. Understand how your absence affects your U.S. immigration status and how to deal with problems as they arise. Here are five tips to understand before traveling abroad:
Keep Up with Basic Green Card Maintenance
Permanent residents may be denied re-entry to the United States if they don't have valid, unexpired proof of status. It happens every day. When seeking to re-enter the United States after international green card travel, you will need to present a valid, unexpired green card at the port of entry. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will review your card and any other identity documents you present (e.g. passport, foreign national I.D. card, or U.S. driver’s license).
Unfortunately, many permanent residents forget or neglect to maintain their permanent resident cards. The simplest mistake is forgetting to renew a green card. Most green cards must be renewed every 10 years. If your green card needs to be renewed or replaced, use Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. Plan early – the I-90 processing time can be lengthy to obtain a new card.
Some green cards do not expire. Because these cards were generally issued in the 1970's, older cards can contribute to another problem. Dated photos or damaged cards can make the CBP officer’s job difficult. Remember, re-entry at the U.S. port of entry is at the CBP officer’s discretion. If the officer can’t read the card because it is distorted or the photo is so old that you can’t be recognized, there is the possibility of being denied entry. It is your responsibility to ensure the card is legible and accurate.
In the case that you are allowed to re-enter the U.S. with an expired green card (if travel was less than one year), the officer may require you to pay a reentry fee on top of the green card renewal fee. This can get very expensive. What's more, it will create a significant delay and potentially other legal problems.
Understand Continuous Residence
As a permanent resident of the United States, you have the freedom to travel abroad. However, any trip longer than six months is presumed to disrupt your continuous residence requirement for the purposes of becoming a U.S. citizen. If you plan to naturalize as a U.S. citizen, Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) requires you to document your international green card travel from the prior five years. Any absence from the United States that is six months or more in duration will create a problem.
The absence can break your continuous residence. Continuous residence means that the green card holder has actually lived in the United States and made it a home. For many people, making a life in the U.S. includes employment and building ties to the community. To naturalize, most applicants need five years of continuous residence. USCIS presumes that you disrupted this requirement if you have any trips of six months or more. It is not simple to overcome this presumption. One simple solution to prevent the problem is to shorten the duration of your trip to less than six months. But don't cut it too close. Remember that international travel delays could add another week to your trip. Learn more about continuous residence.
If your green card travel creates an absence from the U.S. for one year or more, you will definitely disrupt your continuous residence. But there is even a bigger risk with long absences.
Avoid Abandonment of Permanent Resident Status
Traveling abroad as a permanent resident for a period of one year or more will disrupt continuous residence. (There are some exceptions to the residence requirements for certain people such as those working for the U.S. government.) More importantly, you are potentially risking abandonment of your permanent resident status.
Lengthy trips put you under greater scrutiny for abandonment. When re-entering the United States, a CBP officer will likely interview you. If the officer determines that you did not intend to make the U.S. your permanent home at any point, that officer may determine that you abandoned your permanent resident status. Absences of one year or more will put you under increased scrutiny. But abandonment may be found to occur in shorter trips if the officer believes there's reason. Factors that may help you overcome this conclusion include evidence that you:
- Own a home or have a long-term lease in the U.S.;
- Continue to maintain U.S. employment;
- File U.S. income taxes;
- Have family and community ties in the United States; or
- Any other factors that help establish green card travel was temporary.
If you must make a trip abroad for a period of at least one year but no more than two years, it is highly recommended that you acquire a re-entry permit. In addition to serving as a valid entry document after long absences, re-entry permits provide evidence of your intent to return. You may apply for a re-entry permit by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Document.
Navigating a Lost or Stolen Green Card While Abroad
In some cases you may have made all the proper arrangements but find that you don’t have a green card for re-entry. Each year, hundreds of travelers have their green cards lost or stolen.
If you've lost a green card outside the U.S., you'll need to obtain a special boarding foil to board a transportation carrier and re-enter the United States. File Form I-131A, Application for Carrier Documentation, in-person at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Upon returning to the U.S., you must replace your lost or stolen green card by using Form I-90.
Avoid the Hassles – Apply for U.S. Citizenship
One of the great benefits of U.S. citizenship is the ability to travel with a U.S. passport. What’s more, you won’t have to worry about green card travel or re-entry permits.
It's probably less expensive than you think. In the long term, USCIS filing fees for naturalization are far less expensive that maintaining permanent resident status. Consider this: At the time of writing this article, the USCIS filing fees for green card renewal is $540 per renewal. Then, factor in an estimated 3 percent annual inflation rate and an average expected lifetime of 78 years. The typical 35-year old permanent resident will pay another $5,313 in green card renewal fees over their lifetime. These cost figures do not include additional fees that may be necessary to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged green card or legal fees associated with protecting permanent resident status. Generally, it’s more cost-effective to become a U.S. citizen. Check your eligibility for citizenship >>
Re-Entry to the United States Denied
If you are ever denied re-entry by a CBP officer, you do not have to accept the officer’s decision as final. You have the right to present your case in Immigration Court. Only an Immigration Judge has the authority to make a final decision about whether you abandoned your status. If you find yourself in removal proceedings, contact an experienced immigration attorney immediately.
CitizenPath provides simple, affordable, step-by-step guidance through USCIS immigration applications. Individuals, attorneys and non-profits use the service on desktop or mobile device to prepare immigration forms accurately, avoiding costly delays. CitizenPath allows users to try the service for free and provides a 100% money-back guarantee that USCIS will approve the application or petition. We provide support for the Application for Carrier Document (Form I-131A), Green Card Renewal (Form I-90), the Citizenship Application (Form N-400), and several other popular forms.
Want more immigration tips and how-to information for your family?
Sign up for CitizenPath’s FREE immigration newsletter and
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LEXINGTON CELEBRATES ITS SUCCESSES AT JULY 9 EVENT
Johnstown, Lexington, Fulton County Chapter, NYSARC, Inc., will hold an event on July 9, 2013 at its 465 N. Perry Street, Johnstown location, “Celebrating Our Successes.” Lexington supports children and adults with disabilities and their families in Fulton and Albany Counties.
The event, will celebrate the organization’s 60th Anniversary and its new space re-engineered from its now closed Workshop. Flame, Lexington’s world-renowned rock band, will perform at the event. There is a new Art Gallery in the space which features work by artists from Lexington and its Creative Expressions program. Tours of the new spaces will be offered and light refreshments will be served.
For more information, or to register for the event, contact Terry Swierzowski, at (518) 736-3909 or via email firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Sorting out your Western European ethnicity can be tough. Some genealogical DNA testing companies use very broad terms. Others break it down by country, or even smaller. But sometimes, no matter what label they used, your results just don’t make sense based on the family history research you’ve done so far.
There are a lot of factors that go into your Western European ethnicity, and a lot of different groups that get lumped together. Read on, and we’ll try to sort through the confusion.
What is Western Europe?
Exactly what gets called Western Europe depends on who you ask. Generally, at a minimum it includes modern day Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland. In some cases, it may also include Austria, western Poland, the Czech Republic, and Denmark.
In the past, some genealogical DNA testing companies also included the British Isles and Scandinavia, but today those are treated as separate regions.
One of the biggest problems with sorting out European ethnicity is that it isn’t as well defined as other areas. There are fewer physical barriers preventing people from moving back and forth all over Western Europe. That means there was more genetic blending than we see in many regions.
The first Europeans
Many groups migrated into and across Europe throughout the ages. Sometimes they came peacefully; sometimes they came as invaders.
Europeans were nomadic hunter/gatherers until the spread of agriculture some 6,000 to 8,000 years ago. Farmers arrived from the Middle East, bringing new crops and domesticated animals with them. Each group eventually found somewhere to stop and put down roots. After living in the same region for century after century, those groups began to develop the distinct genetic identities that we call ethnicities.
One of the first unique cultures to emerge in Europe were the Celtic tribes, some 2,500 years ago. They appeared in central Europe, around modern Austria, and spread gradually westward until reaching western Germany and eastern France. Some went on to cross the English Channel and inhabit the British Isles. They spread their influence across much of Western Europe, along with their language and customs. They even invaded Italy and sacked Rome in the 4th century B.C.
However, the domination of the Celts didn’t last. While the Celts remain a major group today in the British Isles, they are much less prominent in Western Europe, mainly due to the Germans and the Romans.
The Germanic tribes
The Germanic tribes originated mainly in areas now known as Scandinavia. Around the 5th century B.C., they began pushing south out of Sweden, Denmark, and northern Germany, perhaps in response to climate changes. They gradually overwhelmed the Celtic tribes who had remained in Europe, until only those in France remained. But before they could go much further, the Romans arrived.
Although the city of Rome was founded in the 8th century B.C., it took several hundred years for the Roman Empire to become the dominant military, political, and cultural force in Southern Europe. But by the 1st century B.C., Rome had consolidated its power in the Mediterranean, and was ready to start pushing north, led by generals like Julius Caesar.
Armed with better weapons, tactics, and discipline, the Roman legions drove their way through the Celtic-controlled region of Gaul (modern day France), across the English Channel, and all the way up to southern Scotland. They controlled the area for a couple hundred years and brought in a flood of fresh DNA.
The Germanic tribes, part two
Rome’s power and influence began to wane by 400 A.D., leaving Western Europe up for grabs. At the same time, invaders from the Central Asia and the Middle East began to push Europeans east, including the Germanic Vandals and Goths. In all, seven major Germanic tribes pushed their way into territory previously under Roman rule, and even sacked Rome itself. This period saw a vast wave of migration into and around Western Europe.
One of the Germanic groups, the Franks, eventually consolidated power over much of the area. By 800 A.D., the Frankish king Charlemagne controlled an area covering nearly all of Western Europe. He was crowned “Emperor of the Romans” by Pope Leo III, and the area became known as the Holy Roman Empire.
More on Germanic Europe ancestry.
Following the collapse of Rome’s power, Celts from the British Isles made their way back onto the continent and established Brittany, in northwestern France. Viking settlers also began to arrive, and their descendants became the Normans, who controlled northern France and, in 1066 A.D., invaded the British Isles once again.
Things mostly settled down about a thousand years ago in terms of new genetic material entering the region, but this is a much shorter time span than many other regions. Because of that, Western Europe is genetically more diverse. And that makes it harder to use genealogical DNA testing to narrow down specific locations.
“My report shows too little Western European ethnicity”
If you’ve done your research and know that most of your ancestors came from France, Germany, or other countries in Western Europe, you would expect your genealogical DNA profile to show that. But what if it doesn’t? What if the percentage you get is a lot lower than you expected?
That doesn’t mean the test is wrong, and it doesn’t mean your research is wrong, either. Consider what other regions might contribute to your genetics:
- Scandinavia – Many Vikings settled in Western Europe, especially along the northern coast. Read more about Scandinavian DNA.
- British Isles – Your ancestors may have a strong Celtic influence, meaning your ancestors were closely related to Celts in the British Isles, even if they never lived there.
- Southern Europe – This could indicate Roman genes that have survived over the centuries. Or it may include a more recent peaceful migration.
“My report shows too much Western European ethnicity”
A lot of different groups invaded Western Europe at various times. And at various times, people from Western Europe invaded right back. If your research shows your ancestors lived outside of Western Europe, but your genes say otherwise, consider how those genes got there.
- British Isles – Both the Anglo-Saxons (a Germanic tribe) and the Normans (descended from Vikings) invaded England and settled there. Modern DNA tests can usually take this into account, but not always.
- Eastern Europe and Southern Europe – The Germanic tribes sacked Rome, and not all of them went home afterwards. Napoleon’s troops fought their way across Poland and into Russia. Many smaller invasions took place in-between. These all carried Western European genes to other regions.
- Middle East – In the same way, Crusaders ventured through Southern Europe and into the Middle East on several occasions, leaving many children behind.
- Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America – The French, Germans, and Dutch all began colonial expansion around the world beginning in the 17th century. Even the Belgians got in on the act by the 20th century. That means Western Europeans lived (and had children) all over the world.
Trust your research
I was shocked when I took an mtDNA test with FamilyTreeDNA and discovered my ancient maternal origins lie in and around modern-day Turkey. Shocked because everyone on my mother’s maternal line is Italian. But after doing a bit more research into the area of Italy they were from, I found that it was frequently invaded by the Turks 500 years ago.
Genealogical DNA tests, such as those offered by AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, LivingDNA, and FamilyTreeDNA, can be a great addition to your family history search. They provide new insight into your genetics, and can help you track down missing ancestors. But they have their limits.
Ethnicity estimates are getting better all the time, but it’s still only an estimate, and there are a lot of confounding factors. In the end, if your research is telling you one thing, and your DNA test is telling you something else, trust your research.
But if you’ve hit a brick wall, or just don’t know where to begin, a genealogical DNA test can be the perfect way to dig up your family’s roots.

domain: history


text:
Access Bank Ghana participated in the Climate Finance for Sustainable Energy transition in Africa Conference last week at the University of Ghana, Legon. The conference brought together seasoned professionals from across the sub-region, who shared insights into pitfalls, potentials and paradoxes of financing sustainable energy transitions in Africa.
Speaking on behalf of Managing Director-Access Bank Ghana, Olumide Olatunji, during a panel discussion, Oluwaseun David-Akindele – Head-Corporate Communications, Access Bank Ghana, said renewable energy in Africa holds immense potential for revolutionising the continent’s energy landscape, driving economic growth and combatting climate change; however, African countries face significant obstacles in attracting adequate financing for renewable energy projects.
Limited access to capital is a significant challenge African countries face in this pursuit. He noted that factors such as the presence of political and economic instability across the continent create an environment of higher perceived risks – thus deterring potential investors.
He also noted that currency volatility and exchange rate risks, inconsistent or inadequate policies and regulations related to renewable energy, among other factors, pose additional risks for investors and further contribute in limiting access to capital.
Mr. David-Akindele touched on some ways to address these problems. “Bridging the funding gap for sustainable energy projects in Africa requires a thoughtful exploration of various financial instruments and mechanisms. These tools serve to attract investments and channel capital toward the development of renewable energy initiatives on the continent, ultimately fostering a transition toward a greener and more sustainable future”.
One avenue to mobilise funds, he noted, is through the issuance of green bonds which offer a purposeful investment opportunity for individuals and institutions seeking to support renewable energy projects in Africa.
Mr. David-Akindele said Access Bank Plc issued the first Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI)-certified corporate green bond in Africa in 2019, raising US$41million from this issuance. Also, in 2022 the bank successfully closed its second green bond issuance – raising US$50million. The step-up puttable green bond was issued under the Access Bank US$1.5billion Global Medium-Term Note Programme, and is listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
In addition, Mr. David-Akindele alluded to the importance of a collaboration between governments, financial institutions and development partners for effective mobilisation and allocation of climate finance.
He revealed that in 2022 Access Bank Plc partnered the Lagos Business School (LBS) to fund their 350KW and 152KWh hybrid power solutions project through its Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Energy Finance (SUNREF) facility. SUNREF is a green energy facility availed to Access Bank by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to support Nigeria’s journey toward carbon emissions reduction and a cleaner environment.
In addition, the Lake Turkana Wind Power project in Kenya, the M-Kopa Solar project in East Africa, South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), the African Development Bank’s Desert to Power Initiative, the Bui Solar-Hydro Hybrid Plant in Ghana, and the Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant in Nigeria are all examples of Access Bank’s commitment to sustainable renewable energy.
Access Bank remains committed to financing renewable energy in Africa. The bank presently operates through more than 700 branches across three continents and service outlets in 18 countries, including the UAE, UK and France, and three representative offices in China, India and Lebanon.


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As some of you may know I signed up for the disneyland half marathon in January saying that this was going to be my first half marathon I was going to run...well being the person I am I thought mid may I should try a half and see where I was in my training, and that ended up going great!
Moving right along to my second half, we left for California Thursday morning bright and early to make our 7 o'clock flight. We flew Virgin America which we had flown before but I liked much better this time then last. We landed at LAX around 10:30 and went right to our hotel the Disneyland Hotel which was incredibly convenient to the race start and everything in Disneyland. We stayed in the Adventure land tower which was great. (note how cool the headboard of our bed was! We wanted to keep it lit up all night but found it was too bright!)
After Checking into our hotel we went into downtown disney and had lunch at the rainforest cafe which was pretty good and the restaurant was really cool, they also had this pretty cool hat I was going to buy but decided against it ;)
Following lunch we laid by the pool for a while then headed to ESPN Zone for dinner and walked around Downtown Disney for the night, it wasn't super busy yet I think a lot of the runners were getting there the following day.
We headed back early because we were exhausted and wanted to be up early for the expo and to pick up my number, and then to head to the parks! I was so excited I could barely sleep, I needed to see what this run disney experience was going to be all about!
Part 2....Number pick up, expo and two park days! Coming Tomorrow!


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In a trading up for the three months, BAT chairman Lovemore Manase said the growth was achieved in a trading environment characterised by “a significant increase in inflation and exchange rate volatility”.
“For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the company delivered overall volume growth versus the same period last year mainly attributable to increased export of cut rag tobacco and leaf. The company’s volumes from sale of cigarettes were relatively flat compared to the same period last year on the backdrop of shrinkage of consumer disposable income,” he said.
He said the value-for-money brands, Lucky Strike and Madison, contributed 52 percent and 38 percent of the volume performance respectively. Additionally, the cigarette excise ad valorem regime was changed from 20 percent to 25 percent with effect from January 1, 2022.