diff --git a/.github/workflows/legal.py b/.github/workflows/legal.py
index 8dfe5e9..800cc9c 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/legal.py
+++ b/.github/workflows/legal.py
@@ -77,3 +77,5 @@ def shell_style (text): return _format (text, prefix='# ')
 
 if not legal:
     sys.exit(1)
+
+print ('all legal preambles seem to be valid')
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run.sh b/.github/workflows/run.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c1ac000
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/run.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# Script runs the work flow locally. This is not a general script that runs any
+# workflow like act. It is clearning and build to process these workflows since
+# they are all all Ubuntu based and require a virtual Python 3.12 environment.
+
+do_job()
+{
+    python -m venv $3/venv
+    . $3/venv/bin/activate
+    python -m pip install pyyaml
+    python <<EOF > $3/do.sh
+import os
+import sys
+import yaml
+
+with open ("$1", 'rt') as file: y = yaml.safe_load(file)
+lc = 0
+steps = []
+if "$2" == 'PyTesting':
+    print ('docker pull postgres:latest')
+    print ('docker run --detach --env POSTGRES_PASSWORD=password '
+           '--env POSTGRES_USER=tester --name ga_postgres --network host '
+           '--rm  postgres:latest')
+    print ('sleep 5')
+    print ('docker exec -i ga_postgres createdb -U tester testspace')
+for step in y['jobs']['$2']['steps']:
+    if 'run' in step:
+        for line in filter (len, step['run'].split('\n')):
+            if line.startswith ('sudo'): continue
+            if line.startswith ('createdb'): continue
+            if '&&' in line: line = line[:line.find('&&')]
+            if '||' in line: line = line[:line.find('||')]
+            cmd = line.split()[0]
+            lc += 1
+            if cmd == 'black' and 'KEEP_STYLE' in os.environ:
+                line = line.replace ('--check --diff ','')
+            print (line,f'&& echo "result of github action step: success,{cmd}" '
+                   f'|| echo "result of github action step: failure,{cmd}"')
+if lc: print (f'echo "github actions expected steps: {lc}"')
+if "$2" == 'PyTesting':
+    print ('docker stop ga_postgres')
+
+EOF
+    chmod 755 $3/do.sh
+    $3/do.sh
+}
+
+within()
+{
+    [[ $# -eq 1 ]] && return 0
+    base=$1
+    shift
+    while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]
+    do
+        [[ "$base" = "$1" ]] && return 0
+        shift
+    done
+    return 1
+}
+
+if [ -z "$(which python)" ]
+then
+    echo "'python' is not defined in your path. It should execute Python 3.12 or later."
+    exit -1
+fi
+python <<EOF
+import sys
+if sys.version_info.major >= 3 and sys.version_info.minor >= 12:
+    sys.exit(0)
+else: sys.exit(-2)
+EOF
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+then
+    echo "'python' is an older version. Need to use python 3.12 or later"
+    python --version
+    exit -2
+fi
+expected_jobs=""
+root=$(realpath $(dirname $0)/../..)
+this=$(realpath $(dirname $0))
+wdir=$this/local
+cd $root
+rm -f $root/*.rpt.txt
+trap "rm -rf $wdir $root/Python/build $root/Python/dawgie.egg-info $root/Python/dawgie/fe/requirements.txt" EXIT
+for yaml in $(ls $this/*.yaml)
+do
+    echo "yaml: $yaml"
+    for job in $(python <<EOF
+import sys
+import yaml
+
+with open ("$yaml", 'rt') as file: y = yaml.safe_load(file)
+print(' '.join(y['jobs'].keys()))
+EOF
+                 )
+    do
+        if $(within $job $*)
+        then
+            echo "   queuing job: $job"
+            expected_jobs="${expected_jobs} $job"
+            mkdir -p $wdir/$job
+            do_job $yaml $job $wdir/$job > $root/$job.rpt.txt 2>&1 &
+        else
+            echo "   skipping $job"
+        fi
+    done
+done
+echo "waiting for jobs to complete"
+wait
+rm -rf $wdir $root/Python/build $root/Python/dawgie.egg-info $root/Python/dawgie/fe/requirements.txt
+declare -i summary=0
+for job in $expected_jobs
+do
+    if [ -f $root/$job.rpt.txt ]
+    then
+        python <<EOF
+import os,sys
+def extract (frm:str, stmnt:str)->[str]:
+    result = []
+    idx = frm.find(stmnt)
+    while idx >= 0:
+       result.append (frm[idx+len(stmnt):frm.find('\n',idx)].strip())
+       idx = frm.find(stmnt, idx+len(stmnt))
+    return result
+with open ("$root/$job.rpt.txt", 'rt') as file: content = file.read()
+count = int(extract (frm=content,
+                     stmnt='github actions expected steps: ')[0])
+results = extract (frm=content,
+                   stmnt='result of github action step: ')
+summary = False
+if len(results) != count:
+    print ('Failure: $job did not produce all of the exptected messages. See $root/$job.rpt.txt for details.')
+else:
+    summary = all(r.startswith('success') for r in results) 
+    if summary: print ('Success: $job')
+    else: print ('Failure: $job - see $root/$job.rpt.txt for details')
+for result in results:
+    state,cmd = result.split(',')
+    print (' ', state+':', cmd)
+if summary:
+    if 'KEEP_REPORTS' not in os.environ: os.unlink("$root/$job.rpt.txt")
+    sys.exit(0)
+else: sys.exit(1)
+EOF
+        summary=$summary+$?
+    else
+        echo "Failure: $job did not create expected report."
+        summary=1
+    fi
+done
+[[ $summary -eq 0 ]] && echo "Summary: All test verifications were successful" || echo "Summary: Some or all test verifications failed." 
+trap - EXIT
diff --git a/Python/dawgie/__init__.py b/Python/dawgie/__init__.py
index 76da684..ca7b933 100644
--- a/Python/dawgie/__init__.py
+++ b/Python/dawgie/__init__.py
@@ -212,13 +212,13 @@ def diff(a, b, dt) -> METRIC:
     def measure(self, func, args=(), ds: 'Dataset' = None):
         c0 = resource.getrusage(resource.RUSAGE_CHILDREN)
         s0 = resource.getrusage(resource.RUSAGE_SELF)
-        t0 = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+        t0 = datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC)
         value = func(*args)
         c1 = resource.getrusage(resource.RUSAGE_CHILDREN)
         s1 = resource.getrusage(resource.RUSAGE_SELF)
         child = _Metric.diff(c1, c0, 0)
         task = _Metric.diff(
-            s1, s0, (datetime.datetime.utcnow() - t0).total_seconds()
+            s1, s0, (datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC) - t0).total_seconds()
         )
         self.__history.append({'child': child, 'task': task})
 
@@ -499,12 +499,18 @@ def do(self, goto: str = None) -> None:
 
             setattr(step, 'abort', self.abort)
             setattr(step, 'caller', self)
-            self.__timing['gather_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+            self.__timing['gather_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.now(
+                datetime.UTC
+            )
             aspect = dawgie_db.gather(step, self)
-            self.__timing['collect_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+            self.__timing['collect_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.now(
+                datetime.UTC
+            )
             aspect.collect(step.feedback())
             aspect.collect(step.traits())
-            self.__timing['start_' + self._name()] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+            self.__timing['start_' + self._name()] = datetime.datetime.now(
+                datetime.UTC
+            )
             log.debug('Stepping into %s', step.name())
             self.measure(step.run, args=(aspect,), ds=aspect.ds())
             setattr(step, 'caller', None)
@@ -821,12 +827,18 @@ def do(self, goto: str = None) -> None:
 
             setattr(step, 'abort', self.abort)
             setattr(step, 'caller', self)
-            self.__timing['retreat_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+            self.__timing['retreat_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.now(
+                datetime.UTC
+            )
             timeline = dawgie_db.retreat(step, self)
-            self.__timing['recede_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+            self.__timing['recede_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.now(
+                datetime.UTC
+            )
             timeline.recede(step.feedback())
             timeline.recede(step.variables())
-            self.__timing['start_' + self._name()] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+            self.__timing['start_' + self._name()] = datetime.datetime.now(
+                datetime.UTC
+            )
             log.debug('Stepping into %s', step.name())
             self.measure(
                 step.run, args=(self._ps_hint(), timeline), ds=timeline.ds()
@@ -1035,14 +1047,18 @@ def do(self, goto: str = None) -> None:
             setattr(step, 'caller', self)
             sname = f'{self._target()}.{self._name()}.{step.name()}'
             log.debug('Loading into %s', sname)
-            self.__timing['load_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+            self.__timing['load_' + step.name()] = datetime.datetime.now(
+                datetime.UTC
+            )
             ds = self._make_ds(step)
             for f in step.feedback():
                 ds.load(f)
             for p in step.previous():
                 ds.load(p)
             log.debug('Loaded into %s', sname)
-            self.__timing[f'start_{step.name()}'] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+            self.__timing[f'start_{step.name()}'] = datetime.datetime.now(
+                datetime.UTC
+            )
             log.debug('Stepping into %s', sname)
             self.measure(step.run, args=(ds, self._ps_hint()), ds=ds)
             log.debug('Returned from %s', sname)
diff --git a/Python/dawgie/fe/app.py b/Python/dawgie/fe/app.py
index 4e7f6eb..7b68f25 100644
--- a/Python/dawgie/fe/app.py
+++ b/Python/dawgie/fe/app.py
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@
 import dawgie.pl.schedule
 import dawgie.pl.snapshot
 import enum
+import importlib.metadata
 import json
 import logging; log = logging.getLogger(__name__)  # fmt: skip # noqa: E702 # pylint: disable=multiple-statements
-import pkg_resources
 import os
 import sys
 
@@ -281,20 +281,18 @@ def start_state():
 
 
 def versions():
-    # it is iterable so pylint: disable=not-an-iterable
-    dl = {
-        p.key: p.parsed_version.base_version for p in pkg_resources.working_set
-    }
-    # pylint: enable=not-an-iterable
     fn = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'requirements.txt')
     vers = {'dawgie': dawgie.__version__, 'python': sys.version}
     with open(fn, 'rt', encoding="utf-8") as f:
         for name in f.readlines():
-            if name in dl:
-                vers[name] = dl[name]
-            else:
+            name = name.strip()
+            for c in ['=', '<', '>']:
+                if c in name:
+                    name = name[: name.find(c)]
+            try:
+                vers[name] = importlib.metadata.version(name)
+            except importlib.metadata.PackageNotFoundError:
                 vers[name] = 'indeterminate'
-            pass
         pass
     return json.dumps(vers).encode()
 
diff --git a/Python/dawgie/pl/farm.py b/Python/dawgie/pl/farm.py
index 8ce215a..abbefb6 100644
--- a/Python/dawgie/pl/farm.py
+++ b/Python/dawgie/pl/farm.py
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ def _put(job, runid: int, target: str, where: dawgie.Distribution):
         )
         pass
 
-    now = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+    now = datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC)
     fac = job.get('factory')
     msg = dawgie.pl.message.make(
         ctxt=dawgie.context.dumps(),
diff --git a/Python/dawgie/pl/worker/__init__.py b/Python/dawgie/pl/worker/__init__.py
index 6aadf50..eed14da 100644
--- a/Python/dawgie/pl/worker/__init__.py
+++ b/Python/dawgie/pl/worker/__init__.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def run(self, factory, ps_hint, jobid, runid, target, timing) -> [str]:
         )
         setattr(task, 'abort', self.abort)
         dawgie.pl.version.record(task, only=jobid.split('.')[1])
-        timing['started'] = datetime.datetime.utcnow()
+        timing['started'] = datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC)
         task.do(goto=jobid.split('.')[1])
         timing.update(task.timing())
         return task.new_values()
diff --git a/Python/dawgie/pl/worker/aws.py b/Python/dawgie/pl/worker/aws.py
index 116e2ef..69ce8f9 100644
--- a/Python/dawgie/pl/worker/aws.py
+++ b/Python/dawgie/pl/worker/aws.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def advertise(self):
             pass
         message = {
             'id': os.path.basename(self._did),
-            'now': datetime.datetime.utcnow(),
+            'now': datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC),
             'payload': '',
             'step': 'advertise',
         }
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ def advertise(self):
     def interview(self):
         message = {
             'id': os.path.basename(self._did),
-            'now': datetime.datetime.utcnow(),
+            'now': datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC),
             'payload': '',
             'step': 'interview',
         }
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ def interview(self):
     def hire(self):
         message = {
             'id': os.path.basename(self._did),
-            'now': datetime.datetime.utcnow(),
+            'now': datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC),
             'payload': dawgie.pl.message.dumps(self._job),
             'step': 'hire',
         }
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ def exchange(message):  # AWS lambda function
             step = message['step']
 
             if (
-                datetime.datetime.utcnow() - message['now']
+                datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC) - message['now']
             ).total_seconds() < 50:
                 print('exchange() - within time bounds')
                 print('exchange() - do', step)
diff --git a/Python/dawgie/security.py b/Python/dawgie/security.py
index a7503df..e71cf7e 100755
--- a/Python/dawgie/security.py
+++ b/Python/dawgie/security.py
@@ -113,7 +113,9 @@ def _p3(self, hid: bytes) -> bool:
         if response.valid:
             hid = _PGP.decrypt(hid).data.decode()
             log.debug('Received handshake identification:\n%s', hid)
-            self.__msg = 'timestamp: ' + str(datetime.datetime.utcnow())
+            self.__msg = 'timestamp: ' + str(
+                datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC)
+            )
             self.__msg += '\nunique id: ' + str(random.random())
             msg = struct.pack('>I', len(self.__msg)) + self.__msg.encode()
 
@@ -241,7 +243,7 @@ def connect(address: (str, int)) -> socket.socket:
 
     s.connect(address)
     message = ' machine: ' + _my_ip() + '\n'
-    message += 'temporal: ' + str(datetime.datetime.utcnow()) + '\n'
+    message += 'temporal: ' + str(datetime.datetime.now(datetime.UTC)) + '\n'
     message += 'username: ' + getpass.getuser() + '\n'
     _send(s, message)
     _send(s, _recv(s))