🚲 Join the Washington Area Bicyclist Association for a Montgomery County bicycling advocates meetup, Thursday, May 30, 5 pm-7 pm at BabyCat Brewery in Kensington. Info & RSVP: waba.org/blog/2024/05/moco-bicycling-advocates-meetup/.

🚲 Join the Washington Area Bicyclist Association for a Montgomery County bicycling advocates meetup, Thursday, May 30, 5 pm-7 pm at BabyCat Brewery in Kensington. Info & RSVP: waba.org/blog/2024/05/moco-bicycling-advocates-meetup/.

🚲 Join the Washington Area Bicyclist Association for a Montgomery County bicycling advocates meetup, Thursday, May 30, 5 pm-7 pm at BabyCat Brewery in Kensington. Info & RSVP: waba.org/blog/2024/05/moco-bicycling-advocates-meetup/.

Every year, universities submit a list of who they think their peers are to the U.S. Department of Education, based on a number of factors like graduation rates, professor salaries, incoming student classes, etc.
Chronicle put together an interactive pagewhere you can search the schools and see which schools are their peers.
Mutual Peers mean that the school chose them as a peer, and they were also chosen as that schools peer.
Duke and Cal didn’t report any list, so they only have the schools that listed them as peers.
Red bubbles are public schools, blue bubbles are private schools. The bolded connections mean that they are mutual peers.
Inspired to make this by a thread I saw on Twitter.

I’m not a New Dawn hater I actually love the game but I have made some ideas for a revamped version of the game.
DLCS: 1: Inside Joseph: Far Cry 5 This DLC would be from the perspective of Joseph during Far Cry 5’s events with the deputy and his siblings
2: Surviving Impact You would play as a new character who lives in Montana Hope County when the nuke gets dropped. It’s basically about surviving the initial blast.
3: The Deputy Judge This would take place in the bunker from Deputy’s perspective when it’s just him and Joseph. You would go through stages of grief and insanity.
4: Protecting The Country This DLC would have you play as Ajay Ghale and the follow-ups to him nuking Montana.
Other Features: Montana is bigger
Story is longer and more fleshed out with better character development
Mickey and Lou feature more
RPG Mechanics are less severe. Less parts are needed for crafting.
An enemies gun that they drop on kill correlates to the enemies rarity. Makes ground loot more useful.
The character you control has dialogue
Colouring is more vibrant
New Guns including makeshift weapons
Less dead space
The ability to takedown is not locked behind perks
More Side missions
Length of story is increased by 5 hours
More outposts
Deputy Trials: Similar to Clutch Nixon but instead it’s killing in the deputy’s situations
Is able to run 4K, 240 FPS
Better animal physics
Graphical overhaul
Perma-Death mode
Less Linear. A bit like Far Cry 5’s system. Maybe with Mickey, Lou and another villain
More companions. Return of Hurk and others whilst adding new ones too.
Revamp in stealth
No Hive Mind enemies.
More Prepper Stashes
Feature to rebuild old locations. EG: Joseph’s Church, Falls End, Hope County Jail, Lamb Of The God Church, Rae Rae’s pumpkin farm
Anything else I should add?

Hey all. I'm not sure if this is typical, but I figured this was the place to ask.
In the county I've applied for, I have done the pre-employment for 911 communications, and also DS1 for the jail. I asked them about qualifications and the academy, basically stating without stating that I didn't want to work in the jail. They told me that everyone works a min. of 2 years in the jail before becoming an officeDS2.
Mind you, I'm 19 years old, so I'm not sure if they misunderstood my question, or whether you're 19 or 40, you still have to work in the jail?? I did a tour of the jail and was speaking with the lieutenant as we were going. Another question I had asked was when I turn 21, can I go straight into the academy or is there a different process. She responded by telling me, 'we tell you when you're ready, not you tell us', and shortly after mentioned that it could be 5 years before they send you, or it could be right at your two year mark. That took me by surprise honestly, but maybe thats the industry norm?
Sorry, I know this is such a loaded question, but I don't have any officer friends that I can ask about this and you all seem really well informed.
Thank you so much!!

Hi,
I have an upcoming interview in July at the Swedish embassy in Washington D.C. for my application for a residence permit (to move to someone in Sweden). My partner and I have been married for 2.5 years and sambo for 10 years before that (in the UK). We have been living in the US together for the last 20 months as she received an EU grant to be here for 2 years and then in Finland from October. Because of this I think I'm fine for the cohabitation/marriage certificate documents they are requesting. I am not too sure about the intent to settle in Sweden requirements for the interview and was wondering if anyone has any experience of this.
My partner and I are both post-doctoral academic researchers. I am currently employed at a university in the US with the intention to continue in this employment remotely (the US university will either employ me through Sweden or I will become a self-employed contractor), until I find a position in Sweden (I've applied for a grant with some Swedish colleagues, but won't hear back for a while and was advised by a migration lawyer not to include this in the application). My partner is in the process of getting approval from the Finnish institution to work remotely in Sweden, if this is not possible for some reason she will look to move the grant to a Swedish institution. She is also beginning discussions with a Swedish institution to apply for the next career stage research grant based at their institution.
So what sort of level of commitment are they looking for? They've requested acceptance for studies, employment contract, plans for accommodation or other obligations in Sweden. I have no need for further study in Sweden, employment contract also doesn't seem possible. I could maybe get a letter from my Swedish collaborators stating that they will look to apply for grants with me when I arrive in Sweden. I can maybe share some of my partners email conversations with the Swedish institution to demonstrate that she is beginning to establish a more permanent presence in Sweden. It also seems a bit difficult to arrange an apartment in Sweden while we are living in the US, I was advised that a contract of < 1 year would not be that helpful but not knowing when the approvals would come through I think it's difficult to commit to paying rent in both the US and Sweden.
Finally we've not been asked about our financial situation at all in the process so far. When we left the UK we moved our assets to Sweden and so can demonstrate that we can support ourselves financially for the 2 year period they require. Would this be sufficient to demonstrate intent (i.e., we've put all our money in Sweden)?

The City of Plano provides Emergency Assistance grants to income-eligible households to complete minor home repairs, repairs like replacing an inoperable air conditioneheater and hot water heater.
Minimum eligibility criteria include:

• Homeowner is a Plano resident
• Homeowner meets maximum income thresholds, see here: Plano.gov/HousingRehab
• The maximum county tax appraised value of the home is $478,975

(Note: other qualification criteria apply)
For more information and to apply, call 972-208-8150 and ask for a housing rehabilitation coordinator.

Delivering the commencement address to the graduating seniors at Morehouse College today, President Joe Biden addressed the nation. After thanking the mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and all the people who helped the graduates get to the chairs in front of the stage, Biden recalled Morehouse’s history. The school was founded in 1867 by civil rights leader Reverend William Jefferson White with the help of two other Baptist ministers, the Reverend Richard C. Coulter and the Reverend Edmund Turney, to educate formerly enslaved men. They believed “education would be the great equalizer from slavery to freedom,” Biden said, and they created an institution that would make the term “Morehouse man” continue to stand as a symbol of excellence 157 years later. Then Biden turned to a speech that centered on faith. Churches talk a lot about Jesus being buried on Friday and rising from the dead on Sunday, he said, “but we don’t talk enough about Saturday, when… his disciples felt all hope was lost. In our lives and the lives of the nation, we have those Saturdays—to bear witness the day before glory, seeing people’s pain and not looking away. But what work is done on Saturday to move pain to purpose? How can faith get a man, get a nation through what was to come?” It’s a truism that anything that happens before we are born is equidistant from our personal experience, mixing the recent past and the ancient past together in a similar vaguely imagined “before” time. Most of today’s college graduates were not born until about 2002 and likely did not pay a great deal of attention to politics until about five years ago. Biden took the opportunity to explain to them what it meant to live through the 1960s. He noted that he was the first in his family to graduate from college, paid for with loans. He fell in love, got a law degree, got married and took a job at a “fancy law firm.” But his world changed when an assassin murdered the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King—a Morehouse man—and the segregated city of Wilmington, Delaware, erupted with fires, looting, fights, and occasional gunfire. For nine months, the National Guard patrolled the city in combat gear, “the longest stretch in any American city since the Civil War,” Biden recalled. “Dr. King’s legacy had a profound impact on me and my generation, whether you’re Black or white,” Biden explained. He left the law firm to become first a public defender and then a county councilman, “working to change our state’s politics to embrace the cause of civil rights.” The Democratic Party had historically championed white supremacy, but that alignment was in the process of changing as Democrats had swung behind civil rights and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Biden and his cohort hoped to turn the Delaware Democratic Party toward the new focus on civil rights, he said. In 1972, Biden ran for the Senate and won…barely, in a state Republican president Richard Nixon won with 60% of the vote. Biden recalled how, newly elected and hiring staff in Washington, D.C., he got the call telling him that his wife and daughter had been killed in a car accident and that his two sons were gravely injured. The pain of that day hit again 43 years later, he said, when his son Beau died of cancer after living for a year next to a burn pit in Iraq. And he talked of meeting First Lady Jill Biden, “who healed the family in all the broken places. Our family became my redemption,” he said. His focus on family and community offered a strong contrast to the Republican emphasis on individualism. “On this walk of life...you come to understand that we don’t know where or what fate will bring you or when,” Biden said. “But we also know we don’t walk alone. When you’ve been a beneficiary of the compassion of your family, your friends, even strangers, you know how much the compassion matters,” he said. “I’ve learned there is no easy optimism, but by faith—by faith, we can find redemption.” For the graduates, Biden noted, four years ago “felt like one of those Saturdays. The pandemic robbed you of so much. Some of you lost loved ones—mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, who…aren’t able to be here to celebrate with you today…. You missed your high school graduation. You started college just as George Floyd was murdered and there was a reckoning on race. “It’s natural to wonder if democracy you hear about actually works for you. “What is democracy if Black men are being killed in the street? “What is democracy if a trail of broken promises still leave[s]…Black communities behind? “What is democracy if you have to be 10 times better than anyone else to get a fair shot? “And most of all, what does it mean, as we’ve heard before, to be a Black man who loves his country even if it doesn’t love him back in equal measure?” The crowd applauded. Biden explained that across the Oval Office from his seat behind the Resolute Desk are busts of Dr. King and Senator Robert Kennedy, challenging Biden: “Are we living up to what we say we are as a nation, to end racism and poverty, to deliver jobs and justice, to restore our leadership in the world?” He wears a rosary on his wrist made of Beau’s rosary as a reminder that faith asks us “to hold on to hope, to move heaven and earth to make better days.” “[T]hat’s my commitment to you,” he said. “[T]o show you democracy, democracy, democracy is still the way.” Biden pledged to “call out the poison of white supremacy” and noted that he “stood up…with George Floyd’s family to help create a country where you don’t need to have that talk with your son or grandson as they get pulled over.” The administration is investing in Black communities and reconnecting neighborhoods cut apart by highways decades ago. It has reduced Black child poverty to the lowest rate in history. It is removing lead pipes across the nation to provide clean drinking water to everyone, and investing in high-speed internet to bring all households into the modern era. The administration is creating opportunities, Biden said, bringing “good-paying jobs…; capital to start small businesses and loans to buy homes; health insurance, [prescription] drugs, housing that’s more affordable and accessible.” Biden reminded the audience that he had joined workers on a picket line. To applause, he noted that when the Supreme Court blocked his attempt to relieve student debt, he found two other ways to do it. He noted the administration’s historic investment in historically black colleges and universities. “We’re opening doors so you can walk into a life of generational wealth, to be providers and leaders for your families and communities. Today, record numbers of Black Americans have jobs, health insurance, and more [wealth] than ever.” Then Biden directly addressed the student protests over the Israeli government’s strikes on Gaza. At Morehouse today, one graduate stood with his back to Biden and his fist raised during the president’s speech, and the class valedictorian, DeAngelo Jeremiah Fletcher, who spoke before the president, wore a picture of a Palestinian flag on his mortarboard and called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, at which Biden applauded. “In a democracy, we debate and dissent about America’s role in the world,” Biden said. “I want to say this very clearly. I support peaceful, nonviolent protest. Your voices should be heard, and I promise you I hear them.” “What’s happening in Gaza…is heartbreaking,” he said, with “[i]nnocent Palestinians caught in the middle” of a fight between Hamas and Israel. He reminded them that he has called “for an immediate ceasefire…to stop the fighting [and] bring the hostages home.” His administration has been working for a deal, as well as to get more aid into Gaza and to rebuild it. Crucially, he added, there is more at stake than “just one ceasefire.” He wants “to build a lasting, durable peace. Because the question is…: What after? What after Hamas? What happens then? What happens in Gaza? What rights do the Palestinian people have?” To applause, he said, “I’m working to make sure we finally get a two-state solution—the only solution—for two people to live in peace, security, and dignity.” “This is one of the hardest, most complicated problems in the world,” he said. “I know it angered and frustrates many of you, including my family. But most of all, I know it breaks your heart. It breaks mine as well. Leadership is about fighting through the most intractable problems. It’s about challenging anger, frustration, and heartbreak to find a solution. It’s about doing what you believe is right, even when it’s hard and lonely. You’re all future leaders, every one of you graduating today…. You’ll face complicated, tough moments. In these moments, you’ll listen to others, but you’ll have to decide, guided by knowledge, conviction, principle, and your own moral compass.” Turning back to the United States, Biden urged the graduates to examine “what happens to you and your family when old ghosts in new garments seize power, extremists come for the freedoms you thought belonged to you and everyone.” He noted attacks on equality in America, and that extremist forces were peddling “a fiction, a caricature [of] what being a man is about—tough talk, abusing power, bigotry. Their idea of being a man is toxic.” “But that’s not you,” he continued. “It’s not us. You all know and demonstrate what it really means to be a man. Being a man is about the strength of respect and dignity. It’s about showing up because it’s too late if you have to ask. It’s about giving hate no safe harbor and leaving no one behind and defending freedoms. It’s about standing up to the abuse of power, whether physical, economic, or psychological.” To applause, he added: “It’s about knowing faith without works is dead.” “The strength and wisdom of faith endures,” Biden said. “And I hope—my hope for you is—my challenge to you is that you still keep the faith so long as you can.” “Together, we’re capable of building a democracy worthy of our dreams…a bigger, brighter future that proves the American Dream is big enough for everyone to succeed.” “Class of 2024, four years ago, it felt probably like Saturday,” Biden concluded. “Four years later, you made it to Sunday, to commencement, to the beginning. And with faith and determination, you can push the sun above the horizon once more….” “God bless you all,” he said. “We’re expecting a lot from you.” — Notes: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/05/19/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-morehouse-college-class-of-2024-commencement-address-atlanta-ga/https://www.inquirer.com/news/a/wilmington-del-riots-occupation-martin-luther-king-jr-national-guard-20181207.htmlhttps://www.reuters.com/world/us/morehouse-graduation-thanks-god-woke-class-2024-2024-05-19/

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/may-19-2024

PUBG MOBILE
Mech Mania Showcase
SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES
NO ENTRY FEE. NO PURCHASE OR OBLIGATION IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF WINNING. ODDS OF WINNING WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE ENTRIES RECEIVED WORLDWIDE. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR WHERE REGISTRATION, BONDING OR LOCALIZATION REQUIRED. SUBJECT TO ALL NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL LAWS.
This Mech Mania Showcase (the “Sweepstakes”) is in connection with the video game PUBG MOBILE (the “Game”), and is governed by these official rules (“Official Rules”), the Game’s EULA available at https://www.pubgmobile.com/terms.html (“EULA”), the Game’s privacy policy available at https://pubgmobile.proximabeta.com/privacy/en.html (“Privacy Policy”), and any additional rules on the applicable Sweepstakes webpage. By submitting an entry to the Sweepstakes, you are accepting the terms and conditions of participation on the applicable Sweepstakes webpage, the Official Rules, the EULA, and the Privacy Policy.
The sponsor of this Sweepstakes is ZAM Network, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company with an office at 12777 W. Jefferson Blvd – Building E, Los Angeles, CA 90066 (“ZAM” or “Sponsor”).

1. Promotion Period

The Sweepstakes begins on May 21st at 12pm PDT and runs through June 3rd 2024 at 11:59pm PDT (the “Promotion Period”).

1. Eligibility

In order to be eligible, participants must be at least (whichever is higher): (i) 18 years old, or (ii) the age of majority in their state or country of their legal residence as of the date of entry, who have an active email account and Internet access. This Sweepstakes is not open to legal residents of Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Dubai, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Quebec of Canada, Singapore, South Australia and QLD, South Korea, Turkey. Any additional eligibility requirements will be indicated in the additional terms found on the applicable Sweepstakes webpage. Persons identified as “Blocked Persons” or persons subject to applicable sanctions prohibitions, including, without limitation, those persons listed on the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List are not eligible to participate in the Sweepstakes. Employees of ZAM, Proxima Beta Pte. Ltd., Krafton, and their respective parent company, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, fulfillment or other coordinating agencies, individuals providing services to them through an outsourcer or temporary employment agency during the Promotion Period, and their respective immediate family members and persons living in the same household, are not eligible to participate in the Sweepstakes.

1. Entry Instructions

To participate in the Sweepstakes and be eligible for a potential prize, participants must complete one of the entry methods indicated on the applicable Sweepstakes webpage during the Promotion Period. One entry per individual, household and/or email address is permitted, regardless of method of entry, unless expressly set forth to the contrary in the additional terms found on the applicable Sweepstakes webpage. Multiple participants are not permitted to share the same email or other account needed for participation. Any attempt by any participant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different email or addresses, accounts, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that participant’s entries and that participant may be disqualified. Use of any automated, programmed or robotic system or the like entry methods to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Each potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder. All entries become property of ZAM and none will be acknowledged or returned.

Social Media Entry: Collect your best PUBG MOBILE content; then upload your content to social media with the hashtag #MECHMANIASHOWCASE + #SWEEPSTAKES. 

• Entries must be original and not violate any third-party rights, and the entrant must have all rights necessary to submit the entry.
• Entries may not contain material that (a) is obscene, defamatory, libelous, threatening, pornographic, racially or ethnically offensive, or encourages conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or violate any law; (b) infringes, misappropriates or violates a third party’s patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, contractual rights, moral rights or other intellectual property rights, or rights of publicity or privacy, or any other rights of third parties; (c) violates, or encourages any conduct that would violate any applicable law or regulation or would give rise to civil liability; (d) is fraudulent, false, misleading or deceptive; (e) is grossly harmful, racially or ethnically objectionable, disparaging, blasphemous, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, pedophilic, vulgar or offensive; (f) promotes discrimination, bigotry, racism, hatred, harassment or harm against any individual or group; (g) is violent, bullying, or threatening or promotes violence, money laundering or gambling, terrorism, or actions that are threatening or disrespectful to any person or entity; (h) harms minors in any way; or (i) promotes illegal or harmful activities or substances.
• Entries must follow the community guidelines and terms of service of the social media platform used for entry (where applicable).
• Participants may enter any number of times, but are only eligible to win once per week during the Sweepstakes Period.
• Sponsor may reject any entries that are found, as determined by ZAM in its sole discretion, to be in violation of these Official Rules.

1. Drawing; Notification of Winners

All Sweepstakes entries meeting the requirements of these Official Rules will be entered into the prize drawing. The number of winners will be indicated in the additional terms found on the applicable Sweepstakes webpage. Each winner will be selected by a random-chance drawing by independent persons or a computer program that randomly chooses the winner, from all eligible entries received and the random selection is final and binding, subject to the below. ZAM will notify winners by email, U.S. Mail at the address associated with the winner’s entry form, and/or by other means consistent with the Sweepstakes as soon as reasonably practicable following the drawing, but at least within seven (7) days of the drawing. ZAM is not responsible for any delay or failure to receive notification, including inactive account(s), technical difficulties associated therewith, or winner’s failure to adequately monitor any account. The winner must then respond to ZAM within fourteen (14) days or such other time frame as may be specified on the applicable Sweepstakes webpage. Winner, and any guest (if applicable), may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and liability and publicity release. Should the winner fail to respond to ZAM or cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize and/or where applicable an affidavit of eligibility and liability and publicity release is not timely received, is incomplete or modified, the prize may be forfeited and ZAM reserves the right to disqualify that winner and select a new one in a second-chance random drawing from remaining valid, eligible entries timely submitted.

1. Prize

Each winner will receive the prize below. No cash or other substitution, assignment or transfer of the prize is permitted, except at the sole option of ZAM, who has the right to substitute a prize with another of comparable or greater value. Winner is responsible for all income or other taxes and fees associated with the receipt and/or use of the prize. The odds of winning a prize depend on the total number of eligible entries received. ZAM will not replace any lost or stolen prizes. ZAM will use all reasonable efforts to deliver prizes in a timely fashion.
Prizes:
5 winners will each win UC valued at US$100

1. Intellectual Property
2. Ownership of the pre-existing underlying intellectual property of the entrant remains the property of the entrant subject to Sponsor’s rights to reprint, display, reproduce, perform, use, and exhibit the entry for the purpose of administering and promoting the Sweepstakes and for Sponsor’s marketing and advertising purposes. By participating in the Sweepstakes, each entrant grants to Sponsor a non-exclusive, worldwide, fully paid, royalty-free, perpetual, transferable license, with the right to sublicense, to reprint, display, reproduce, perform, use, and exhibit (including the right to make derivative works of) the entry and materials and information submitted on and in connection with the Sweepstakes or use or receipt of the prize for any and all purposes in any medium. If an entrant is selected as a winner, instead of the license granted above, each entrant grants to Sponsor an exclusive, worldwide, fully paid, royalty-free, perpetual, transferable license, with the right to sublicense, to reprint, display, reproduce, perform, use, and exhibit (including the right to make derivative works of) the entry and materials and information submitted on and in connection with the Sweepstakes or use or receipt of the prize for any and all purposes in any medium. Each participating entrant hereby warrants that any entry and other materials and information provided by entrant are original with entrant and do not violate or infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity, moral rights or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity, and do not violate any applicable laws, rules or regulations. If the entry or information or materials provided by entrant contain any material or elements that are not owned by entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, entrant represents he or she has obtained, prior to submission of the entry and information or materials, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit use and exploitation of the entry, relevant information and materials by Sponsor in the manner set forth in these Official Rules without additional compensation.

Each entrant warrants that the entry and materials and information provided do not contain information considered by entrant, its employees or personnel, or any other third party to be confidential, and that the entry, materials and information provided do not violate any laws or regulations. Entrant agrees that Sponsor has the right to verify the ownership and originality of all entries and that, upon Sponsor’s request, entrant must submit a written copy of any release or permission entrant has received from a third-party granting entrant the right to use such property. Entrant understands and acknowledges that in the event a submission is selected as a winning entry, and entrant’s ownership, rights and the originality of the entry cannot be verified to the satisfaction of Sponsor or is in any other way ineligible, Sponsor may select an alternate winner based on the same judging criteria.

1. Except to the extent prohibited by law, entrants waive the benefit of any “moral rights” or “droit moral” or similar rights in any country to any content that they upload, submit or otherwise provide to Sponsor associated with the Sweepstakes (“Entrant Content”). In addition, when an entrant creates, appears in, uploads, or posts Entrant Content, that entrant grants Sponsor a non-exclusive, transferable, worldwide, royalty-free, unrestricted, perpetual, irrevocable, license, with the right to sublicense, to such entrant’s name, likeness, and voice, including in connection with commercial or sponsored content. This means, among other things, that such entrant will not be entitled to any compensation from Sponsor, its affiliates, or its business partners if such entrant’s name, likeness, or voice is conveyed through the game or any related services, or on one of Sponsor’s business partner’s platforms.
2. Disputes

In the event of a dispute as to any participant, the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the entry will be deemed to be the participant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Each potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder. ZAM will make final determination of identity of participants and timing of entries in its sole discretion.

1. Additional Conditions

ZAM reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes in whole or in part, if in ZAM’s opinion (a) the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned by reason of the occurrence of any event beyond its control including, but not limited to, fire, flood, epidemic, pandemic, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, communications, equipment failure, utility or service interruptions, riot or civil disturbance, terrorist threat or activity, war (declared or undeclared), interference with the Sweepstakes by any party, or any federal, state, local or provincial government law, order, or regulation, order of any court or jurisdiction, or other cause not reasonably within ZAM’s control, or (b) any other factors beyond ZAM’s reasonable control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, in all instances without liability to the participants. ZAM also reserves the right to disqualify any participant or winner, as determined by ZAM, in its sole discretion.

1. List of Winner(s)

Individuals may request the name of the winners by emailing Sponsor at entries@zam.com with the subject line: “Mech Mania Showcase Winners List”, within 90 days from the end of the Sweepstakes.

1. Personal Information

ZAM may collect personal data about participants online, in accordance with its privacy policy and as may be more specifically set forth in these Official Rules and the Privacy Policy.

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1. Governing Law

These Official Rules, and any action related thereto, will be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, federal arbitration law and the laws of the State of California without regard to conflict of laws provisions. Except as otherwise expressly set forth in Section 15 “Dispute Resolution and Arbitration” the exclusive jurisdiction for all Disputes (defined below) that you and ZAM are not required to arbitrate will be the state and federal courts located in Los Angeles County, California and you and ZAM each waive any objection to jurisdiction and venue in such courts.

1. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration
   
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3. Exceptions. As limited exceptions to Section 15(a) above: (i) we both may seek to resolve a Dispute in small claims court if it qualifies; and (ii) we each retain the right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief from a court to prevent (or enjoin) the infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property rights.
   
4. Conducting Arbitration and Arbitration Rules. The arbitration will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules (the “AAA Rules”) then in effect, except as modified by these Official Rules. The AAA Rules are available at www.adr.org or by calling 1-800-778-7879. A party who wishes to start arbitration must submit a written Demand for Arbitration to AAA and give notice to the other party as specified in the AAA Rules. The AAA provides a form Demand for Arbitration at www.adr.org. Any arbitration hearings will take place in the county (or parish) where you live, unless we both agree to a different location. The parties agree that the arbitrator shall have exclusive authority to decide all issues relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability and scope of this arbitration agreement.
   
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6. Injunctive and Declaratory Relief. Except as provided in 13(b) above, the arbitrator shall determine all issues of liability on the merits of any claim asserted by either party and may award declaratory or injunctive relief only in favor of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by that party’s individual claim. To the extent that you or we prevail on a claim and seek public injunctive relief (that is, injunctive relief that has the primary purpose and effect of prohibiting unlawful acts that threaten future injury to the public), the entitlement to and extent of such relief must be litigated in a civil court of competent jurisdiction and not in arbitration. The parties agree that litigation of any issues of public injunctive relief shall be stayed pending the outcome of the merits of any individual claims in arbitration.
   
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For any feedback or questions regarding these Official Rules, the Sweepstakes, winners, or prizes, you can contact Sponsor by sending an email to: entries@zam.com

My son is finally being transferred! And.... secretly going to a state jail in Jefferson County Texas. Yes I know this from a bunch of clues that was given. Has anyone heard about that place? I think it's in Beaumont? And the tablet...is the tablet given at one state jail transfer to the other?? THANKS!

I want to warn everyone about a notorious scammer named Vikram Parmar who runs an extortion website called Gripeo and a reputation company called RemoveReports.com.
The NYTimes did a story on him when he was doing this with cheater type sites. Now he is doing it with slander sites, and his reputation company was changed from RepZe to RemoveReports. nytimes.com/interactive/2021/04/24/technology/online-slander-websites.html
You wonder how you got on Gripeo to begin with? RemoveReport's Martin Horan / Vikram Parmar (same person) posted you on there using AI. He gets his contacts from press outlets that reputation companies publish to or scrolls the internet looking for wealthy people who have a negative article online about them, then writes a story about you.
If you reach out to Gripeo to remove your post, you will suddenly get an email from Martin Horan at RemoveReports that he can remove it for a few thousand dollars. It is the same person who owns Gripeo under an alias. You will pay Martin Horan to remove Gripeo and it will be removed within a few days, but then it will pop up on a dozen other sites that he owns and he will want more money. He will go by fake names over and over. Other sites he controls that he will extort you with are Complaintsboard, Defaulters.com, Letmeexpose.is, Scamion, ScamPulse, DirtyScam, HolySmoke, LawTally, ProConsumer.com, CompaintBox.com, NameandShame.com, IsItaScam.com and many others.
His other aliases include Vikramsinh Parmar, Nathan Howard and Amit Tiwari. He claims Gripeo is under new ownership, but it is not. He pretends that so he can escape a lawsuit by Telf AG, currently in litigation in Los Angeles County. He lives in India, so he will probably escape it. But he has been in jail before in India for running another scam. Its only a matter of time before this all catches up to him, timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/two-fake-cbi-recruiters-arrested/articleshow/31911462.cms
As the NYTimes story above said, he used to run a company called RepZe. Once he got busted, he started RemoveReports.com. He will probably start another reputation company again to hide.
Here is a lawsuit where Vikram Parmar and RemoveReports was sued.
plainsite.org/dockets/download.html?id=293698243&z=73ca6482
And more fun reads from other people who were also scammed:
repzescam.com/owne
medium.com/@sayingtruth19/scam-e5f12ad810a4

So, you wonder how to combat this extortionist? Hire a reputation management company to do suppression on his slander. They will create positive articles about you to outrank it, and make it nearly impossible to be found. Whatever you do, do not pay for a removal on any of his sites. You will be stuck like I was in a never endling loop of paying extortion fees.

Family Name Change in USA
A person's decision to family name change is significant and meaningful to them and their loved ones. It's a procedure that involves more than just filing papers; it involves changing identities, securing estates and preparing for new beginnings. The decision to change a family name is a reflection of changing society standards and personal preferences in the United States where variety is valued and individual liberty is accepted.
Understanding the Value of Family Names
Family names are much more than simply labels; they are linked with our cultures, history and identities. They hold our forefathers' tales and family customs that have been handed down through the centuries. Family names connect us to our ancestors and give us a feeling of acceptance and connection. Family names are used in society as identifiers to set one person apart from another in a group. They have an impact on how we see ourselves and how others see us and they are important in legal papers, official records and social interactions. Also, family names frequently have symbolic connotations that represent regional origins, beliefs in religion or cultural customs. They honor those who came before us and serve as a reminder of our common history.
The importance of family names helps to explain why surname change is a serious choice. It entails balancing one's own identity with one's family's blood, handling complicated legal issues and taking the societal consequences of such a big change into consideration.
Reasons for Changing Family Names in USA
Knowing the reason of family name changes highlights the importance of this choice in people's lives and draws attention to the variety of factors that lead to these modifications. The main reasons are:
Marriage
One of the most popular reasons people decide to change their family name is marriage. Partners may choose to take one another's surname as a mark of unity and loyalty. Some spouses may want to honor their respective family identities by hyphenating both surnames. The choice to change one's family name after marriage is very personal and might be affected by social, cultural or personal values.
Divorce
As part of their struggle for independence and self-reinvention, people may decide to choose a whole new surname or attempt to go back to their maiden name after a divorce. Regaining their old name usually signals a couple's intent to close the chapter on their previous relationship and return to who they were before marriage. It may be strong and symbolic of a fresh start to change a family name after divorce.
Adoption
Adopted children and adults may choose to take on the surname of their adopted family. This choice creates stronger familial ties and represents how they fit into the new family. Adopting a child and creating a new family name are involves a significant emotional and legal change as the adoptee accepts their new family identity and builds relationships with their new relatives.
Legal Process of Changing Family Names in USA
It takes careful attention to detail and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations to successfully navigate the legal process of changing a family name. Below are the key steps involved in the legal process of changing a family name:
Filing a Petition
Filing a petition with the local court is the first step in changing a family name. A name change petition usually contains the petitioner's existing name, their desire for a new name, reasons for the name change (such as marriage, divorce or adoption) and any supporting evidence. A filing fee could also be required for the applicant to pay as part of the procedure.
Publication Requirement
A publishing requirement exists for family name changes in multiple countries. This entails notifying the public and providing an opportunity for any concerns to be expressed about the family name change by posting a notice in the local newspaper. The purpose of the publication requirement is to guarantee openness and provide those who are interested a chance to express any reservations they may have about the planned family name change.
Court Hearing
A court hearing is usually set following the filing of the petition and the fulfillment of any publication requirements. The petitioner might have to appear in front of the court during the hearing to make their case for the family name change. Ensuring compliance with all legal requirements and the judge will examine the petition and any supporting materials and may pose additional questions. A court order formally authorizing the intended name change will be issued if the judge grants the request.
Costs Associated with Family Name Change in USA
The state and county in which the petition is submitted determine the exact price of changing a family name. On the other hand, typical costs that includes court filing fees which can run from a few hundred to rather small amounts. These fees pay for the administrative expenses involved in using the court system to complete the name change petition.
If someone decides to engage a lawyer to help with the name change procedure then they may also have to pay legal fees in addition to court fees. Legal counsel may prove advantageous, and particularly when understanding complex legal requirements or handling any challenges that may surface throughout the process. The total cost of altering a family name may be considerably increased by legal expenses. Changing a family name pays a number of charges that including court fees, publishing costs and any other costs related with changing legal documents and records.
Conclusion
Changing a family name is a big decision with practical, emotional and legal consequences. People may go through this change with confidence and clarity if they know what to expect and how to proceed.

My ex and I are scheduled to go to court in 8 days for an evidentiary hearing in the state of Michigan. My ex's most recent ex girlfriend (we'll call her "Baby Mama") reached out to me this morning over concerns she has about her own children and our ex, I mentioned our court case and has volunteered to testify. If I am able to use her as a witness, what questions should I ask her? Is it a good idea to use her as a witness?
For context: my ex and I have one shared child. My ex is an alcoholic with multiple domestic violence cases and a PPO with Baby Mama. He and I have an abusive history as well, but I never called the cops, so there is no record of abuse. He is currently on probation for domestic violence and just had a court hearing over a probation violation 4 days ago. My ex and I are only allowed to contact each other over a court appointed app that may be monitored. I took my ex to court to establish parenting time and he was granted the state minimum parenting time, unless agreed upon. Since that court date, he has continued drinking and has been in jail numerous times. He got into a domestic violence situation with Baby Mama, which is the cause of the PPO. He recently told me, though the app, that he has moved into an apartment. He moved in with his now girlfriend (or not girlfriend? He's wishy-washy and it is irrelevant) who has called the cops on him constantly and has put him in jail for domestic violence. Her daughter called the cops on him in one instance. My ex was court ordered to attend therapy and go to a specific job agency during our parenting time case, and failed to do such things. I do believe he is in therapy and taking AA classes due to probation, but that is not something I can confirm with 100% confidence. I have reason to believe he is drunk around his children and even drives with them in the vehicle inebriated.
I have personally been able to maintain a job, maintain a home, and I've been stable ever since he and I split up almost 6 years ago. I have two other children that I have 100% of the time and provide for. I keep to myself and have no criminal record, nor do I have an alcohol or drug problem.
I guess my biggest thing is, will I be shooting myself in the foot if I use her as a witness? Do I even need her as a witness given his history? I need a lot of reassurance in this case.

Did you ever find out in your research that your great grandfather lived next door to someone famous? Or maybe went to school or had dealings with them? Something like country singer Tim McGraw discovering that George Washington spent some time with his ancestors?
For me it was finding out my ninth great grandfather, Michael Woods of Albermarle County VA, was a neighbor to the Jeffersons. Michael had legal documents with the signatures of Peter and Thomas Jefferson as witnesses. Another one was President Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, back when he was a Congressman, helped a great great something Aunt of mine receive her military widow's pension. Stephen Dean of Plymouth Colony. He just owned and operated a grist mill, but he knew all the famous Plymouth people, like Brewster, Bradford, Standish etc.
There's a few others, while I don't have 'proof' I think they must have known such a person. An ancestor lived in a community in Tennessee at the same time Davy Crockett lived there. They must have at least known 'of him'. Same thing for the wife of Daniel Boone, Rebecca Bryant. My ancestors were part of a Quaker community in Virginia and lived in the same area of Virginia as her family. It's possible they knew each other.
So anything interesting pop up?

Please reach out to me if you are interested in volunteering to help build new or repair houses in Washington, Sullivan , or Carter County (and cities within those counties) in Tennessee