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Review: The Symptoms of My Insanity
posted at Wednesday, April 17th, 2013 at 1:14 PM | Reviews, Young Adult
The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf
Published by Dial BFYR on April 18, 2013
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Source: Gifted
A laugh-out-loud, bittersweet debut full of wit, wisdom, heart, and a hilarious, unforgettable heroine.
When you're a hypochondriac, there are a million different things that could be wrong with you, but for Izzy, focusing on what could be wrong might be keeping her from dealing with what's really wrong.
I almost raised my hand, but what would I say? "Mr. Bayer, may I please be excused? I'm not totally positive, but I think I might have cancer." No way. Then everyone at school would know, and they would treat me differently, and I would be known as "Izzy, that poor girl who diagnosed herself with breast cancer during biology."
But Izzy's sense of humor can only get her so far when suddenly her best friend appears to have undergone a personality transplant, her mother's health takes a turn for the worse, and her beautiful maybe-boyfriend is going all hot and cold. Izzy thinks she's preparing for the worst-case scenario, but when the worst-case scenario actually hits, it's a different story altogether—and there's no tidy list of symptoms to help her through the insanity.
Yet again, my strong desire for a book stemmed from the awesome cover (not the final cover shown above) more than the blurb. Sure, the blurb is funny and all, but that's not what really raised my interest. This turns out to be yet another reminder that I should probably stop seeking out books that I wasn't especially interested in before I saw the cover. Though I didn't precisely dislike The Symptoms of My Insanity and some of it was quite humorous, I had a lot of issues with it as well.
What Mindy Raf does best are the funny, awkward scenes, and those are where she comes closest to capturing teenage life. The horrors of getting fitted for a bra, the discomfort with your body, and getting your long hair stuck on someone's glasses, prolonging an already tense moment. Those things work well, and Raf made me chuckle a handful of times. These small moments, the teasing and the day-to-day stuff are the aspects of The Symptoms of My Insanity that really worked.
For the most part, I feel like this novel couldn't decide whether to be serious or funny, and often ends up being vaguely disquieting, as the lighthearted tone jars with the serious subject matter. Mindy Raf attempts to tackle cancer, sexual harassment, friendship, and slut-shaming, all while keeping things funny, and the darker subjects do not get the respect they deserve.
Take, for example, Izzy's hypochondria, which she develops as a coping mechanism for her mother's slow but fatal cancer. Izzy started out researching her mother's disease, and gradually became a bit addicted to an online web diagnosis site, paranoid that every sniffle or stomach ache is an omen of disaster. Sure, hypochondria can be rife with humor, and Izzy's development of it in correlation to her mother's illness is convincing. What is less convincing is the way that, once a few jokes have been told at her expense and her hypochondria has been pointed out to her by more than one person, poof, it disappears. Awareness of a problem does not immediately conquer it.
Then there's Izzy's mother, who I suppose I ought to be sympathizing with, since she's dying a slow death from cancer. However, she is enormously hard to like, since she tears down Izzy's self-esteem left and right. Izzy's body issues mostly come from her mother, who suspects her of being a lesbian if she wears loose clothes and accuses her of being inappropriate if she wears anything tight. Apparently, if a girl has large breasts, wearing anything form-fitting or remotely low cut is inappropriate. Way to make her feel like her body is disgusting. Yes, Izzy's mom learns lessons about this in the long run, but, again, I felt like the denouement was rushed, and a bit unsatisfying, since it came basically two pages from the end after hundreds of pages of narrow-minded vitriol.
Most upsetting by far, though, is the plot line involving sexual harassment. Izzy ends up in a compromising position with a boy, very much against her will. Despite the fact that he and his friends have similarly harassed two other girls, her friends, Izzy doesn't report him or do anything other than give him the cold shoulder. Izzy and her friends are just sending them off to hurt other girls, because, if they hadn't learned their lessons hurting the two friends, they certainly won't have learned it now.
Along this vein, I don't think the female friendships were handled well. Jenna and Izzy are supposedly best friends, but neither one seems to care for the other at all. Jenna withholds information that could help Izzy avoid pain, all because Jenna felt neglected by Izzy over the summer. Now, I get feeling neglected, but the reason Izzy was so busy was taking care of her mother who was going through cancer treatments, so how about a little leeway. Yes, Izzy could have been more thoughtful of her best friend, but she also didn't know anything was happening. Of course, once Izzy learns what Jenna's issues were, she still doesn't inquire or support Jenna, so there's that. Meredith, who neither liked much at the outset, proved a much better friend to both, even they judged her unfairly.
The language is a bit stilted, and rarely does Izzy really coalesce into a character I had a strong handle on. Her personality doesn't seem particularly set in stone yet, and, if I were to describe her in one word, that word would be naive. So many things are going on that should be obvious to Izzy, like the issues with her crush or Jenna. I called what was up with both of them in their earliest scenes, but Izzy was completely shocked to figure out the truth hundreds of pages later. For all that she's concerned about her mom's health, that, too, takes her time actually believing that she's having health problems, despite the really obvious evidence and her obsession with all things medical.
Izzy's burgeoning healthy romance I did like. In fact, for once, I am wishing for more romance, rather than having that as the weak point in a novel. The scenes in which Izzy speaks with the boy are the ones where the dialog feels most natural, even in the way they end up saying the wrong things and fighting. They banter and have things in common the way that Izzy and the rest of her friends and family do not really seem to. Overall, there was an authenticity of character and emotion that was lacking.
I realize this has turned into a rant, but I did like parts of this novel quite a bit, and I do envision a good future for Raf as a writer. The humor is well done in places, and the tougher subjects show promise. The Symptoms of My Insanity tries to do too much and ends up not quite satisfying overall. Though I didn't end up loving this, I will be open to trying Raf's sophomore novel.
"Maybe facts and formulas comfort Marcus, but I think that article he read was totally wrong. You don't love chemical reactions or particles or neuron receptors. You love whole people. Including the parts you didn't know were there, and the parts you're waiting for them to become."
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Review: The Mockingbirds
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Review: This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills
Sadie Hawkins Sunday Review #98: The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
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TAGGED: 2.5 stars, art, cancer, high school
10 responses to "Review: The Symptoms of My Insanity"
Stephanie Sinclair says:
I swear, Jenna was the shittiest friend ever. She knew what Izzy was going through and who that guy was, but she still couldn't bring herself to say anything. Meredith came out of left field for me and seemed mostly out of place throughout the entire novel. What was her motivation to start being friends again?
Also, that was my favorite quote from the book as well.
Yeah, I really didn't get why Meredith was so friendly all of a sudden. At first, she's excluded them because she was popular, then she's using Izzy to sneak out, and then she's suddenly really supportive. It was a bit off the wall. Maybe she was supportive because of Izzy's scandal, since she went through something similar?
By far the best quote.
I honestly thought she had something to do with the Blake thing at first. It seemed a little too coincidental for me.
I didn't really think so, but…hmmm. It does seem possible. Mostly, I think it was clumsily constructed. With all she was trying to do, there wasn't time to really establish any of the relationships properly, so it ends up being confusing and not selling the emotions.
Megan K. says:
Eh, haven't been seeing many positive reviews for this one lately. It's disappointing, because it held such great potential! You're not the only one who judges books by their covers, too. I do that way too often. It's hurting my wallet so bad. Though the coming of age part the author captures so perfectly is definitely a plus, I don't think I'll enjoy the book much, due to the reasons you listed. If there's one thing I truly dislike, it's when characters and their interactions with each other aren't done properly.
Sorry this didn't work out for you! You seem to be reading a lot of books with good romance, though. 😉
Yeah, it's seriously disappointing. The other two reviews I've seen have been pretty similar. It's not bad, but it misses on a lot of levels.
Seriously, I have to stop hunting things down because of the cover. It almost always ends in tears all around. Since I read for character more than anything else, it was a real shame. I can forgive a lot for awesome characters, but without them it's tough at the best of times.
Hi! I just read over my blog partner's review of this yesterday and it seemed like OH SO MUCH as you said. For real! Did you think the author should take something out or a bit more finessing could have made it work? I feel like one of my biggest issues with book sometimes is the massive pile of problems a character has… but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
Yeah, I think if she'd chosen one major plot line and maybe one or two minor ones, it would have been okay. Also, decide what the overriding tone was going to be. Removing the whole sexual harassment element would be my recommendation, because I don't think that fits with the light hearted tone I think would be most ideal, since Raf's experience is largely in comedy, and she should take advantage of that.
Thank goodness I did not request this one. I was tempted, but then I looked at my pile and was like, this summary does not grab me at all. Your review makes me feel vindicated over that life choice, ha ha.
Also, I don't really get why that one girl Jenna is upset about the main girl not being around for the summer, especially because main girl's mom has fucking cancer. Uh, dumbass her mom could die, cut her some G-D slack.
And here I am ranting without having read the book.
I do that ALL the time when I see things I didn't get that people hate. I'm all "good life choices."
For real. That was so whiny. Like, yeah, she probably could have been more present, but I bet if Jenna had called and been like I went through some serious shit, Izzy would have made time. Her mom was going through cancer, so she was kind of focused on that.
Ha, you would have choice things to say.


This is a story about the introduction of bidirectional real-time features into a classical Web application stack.
Regarding frontend to backend communication this basically meant receiving all the requests from the client in PHP and translating them into something that the database could understand. The return values from the database then had to be translated back again into something the client browser would understand (JSON data). The requests ranged from simply passing through the contents of a table to the execution of some complex back end procedure (RPC).
Since our product is a data-centric application, the core logic regarding data processing in the backend was implemented right in the database for maximum performance (SQL and PL/SQL within Oracle).
Somehow dissatisfied with this messaging solution I always kept looking for a smoother alternative.
There was some improvement to the whole process by using the ExtDirect package of Sencha which helped in organizing your PHP code routing calls from the frontend to prepared PHP class methods in the application layer. For being able to do simple backend function calls from the frontend you needed to maintain a PHP API in the backend which could handle all the simplified RPC requests from the frontend.
But still there was no help regarding messaging between the database and PHP. Of course there was WebSocket out there, but that was simply too complicated for me and I did not have the time to dive into this technology.
Then, about a year ago, I stumbled across an old friend of mine who happens to be the author of Autobahn, an open-source real-time framework for Web, Mobile & Internet of Things.
It took some time until I was convinced of the simplicity of his technology, but eventually I found that I did not need to understand the inner complications of sending messages over WebSocket from A to B in order to use Autobahn.
// here you process the result of the RPC ..
Here, mySession is representing the connection and myEndpoint is an URI (a string identifier) which is associated with the backend PHP function. Just as in the ExtDirect world you needed to maintain an API specification containing the endpoint URIs for that.
Anyway Tobias and I got together and he supported me in replacing my existing ExtDirect stack to use WebSocket instead of AJAX. The architecture was however still very similar to that of ExtDirect. And it still did not help with the messaging between PHP and the Oracle database.
Once I had WebSocket working in my app, I was just a tiny step away from getting server pushed messages into the client browser. I very much liked this idea to get rid of those refresh buttons everywhere in the frontend. That was a low hanging fruit then and I quickly got some really nice changes in interface design (like live chat, object locking in the frontend and real-time refresh).
Well now I had WebSocket in place and I had bidirectional features. I should have been happy. But still I felt that this was not the "real deal" yet.
Tobias and I are strong supporters of in-database application logic, because the (good) databases nowadays are very capable programming environments and if you have a data-centric application you can't do better with respect to simple data access and high performance data processing.
So I started to get interested in my friends supplementary technology which integrates WebSocket very closely with the database and is now available as an open-source package Crossbar.io that builds on the Autobahn foundation.
When thinking about it at that time I did not yet fully grasp the deep architectural changes this method would result in for my application - which were all for the better!
This will register the PL/SQL procedure myprocedure with Crossbar.io under the RPC endpoint identifier http://myapp.com/myprocedure.
Note: Don't get distracted by the http in those URIs. The URIs are merely identifiers. There is no HTTP protocol transport involved at all - it's all WebSocket. See also the FAQ here.
That approach convinced me right away and even though it looked like a lot of effort I started to port all the existing PHP code into the database. I had a lot of cleanup to do at that time in the back end anyway, and it was easily possible to do this step by step without breaking the application.
My experience was that the code got much smaller on the way from PHP to the database because 50% of the PHP code was just string manipulation to get and set return values or prepare some SQL queries or creating a database session. In the database that was much easier since the language there is made for accessing and setting data and the session is maintained by Crossbar.io.
After finishing the code refactoring, I was able to call a database procedure right from the frontend with one line of code and listen for the return values. And I was able to push messages from the database to the client with also just one line of code.
In this way I simplified the application structure and completely replaced the existing middle-tier with something better (Crossbar.io).
In fact, from a coding perspective this new architecture is now a two-tier bidirectional architecture, since there is no application code on the middle-tier.
To explain in which way bidirectional two-tier technology affected my coding style I want to share some examples with you.
I started to "not returning values" anymore when I called a database procedure via RPC from the frontend. It suddenly was just not the right thing to do anymore. Instead of passing a return value to the callee, I rather published the return value to all clients including the callee.
Example: I create an object in my application which upon hitting "Save" will be persisted in the database and in the frontend it will be visibly added to some list.
I also want to mention another simple but major benefit of real-time in my frontend. Consider this common situation: There is a list of objects in a grid in the browser and a user X clicks one of the objects and can then edit the details of that object in another panel and afterwards save it to the back end.
In a classical setup you need to always fetch the fresh data for that object from the back end upon the user click. That is to ensure that user X gets the up to date version of that object, since another user Y might have edited the object after the initial load of the grid in user X's browser. Of course in 99% of all cases you fetch the fresh data only to find that it did not change compared to what user X had in his grid already.
If you have a real-time frontend then every grid for every user is always kept up to date by the backend. So there is no need to fetch fresh data from the back end each time a user clicks. And even better: The grid is updated by the back end with one published call for all clients and this only in the case it is necessary.
In WebSocket you have zero read requests against the backend database because the writing session has the changed information anyway and pushes that to all clients without issuing a single extra read SQL on the database.
most importantly your user interface is snappier.
Of course the potential for savings here depends very much on the kind of your application and also there are more ways to handle and optimize the situation with the grid and the detail panel in the AJAX world as well.
As another example I found that now in the two-tier world pushing messages from the backend to the frontend truly became a natural extension of the whole coding approach.
and that's it. Our event handler function gets called with myPayload as the argument for the event parameter. The payload can be an simple or structured JSON and there are helpers for creating JSON in PL/SQL.
While porting the application layer to the database, Tobias and I also created AutobahnExtJS, an Autobahn extension for ExtJS.
Using this extension I now can create ExtJS grids with attached stores that manage all CRUD requests over WebSocket automatically. And, in addition to that, listen to changes in the backend table.
You also need a trigger in the database which implements the push to the client. But again this is just a simple crossbar.publish(myTopic, myPayload).
Check out a complete example here here.
In the three-tier request based world you usually only have the data as the static common shared part of the whole application. The logic is individual for each client and has to check against the data to get the common state. The backend is understood as many applications with shared data. One application for each connected client.
With the two-tier bidirectional architecture you now have process logic in the common shared part of the whole application as well. This means you can have one process in the backend producing a result that is interesting to all clients.
It's only philosophical, but somehow the backend now is just one application running along and each client can reach into it by calling some procedures which do something to the common world. Nevertheless, you can still use session state in Crossbar.io if you want to.
We are very happy with our transition to Crossbar.io and are now using it in every aspect of our application. And we can see great potential in the future with Crossbar.io, because it has the power to blur the lines between what we understand to be a client and server.
I guess if you ask a regular person out there about how the Internet works he would simply assume that you have two computers sending each other messages. That guy would be surprised to see how things really still work today. But that simple vision is where Crossbar.io and Autobahn get you to.
It may seem that getting acquainted with WebSocket, Autobahn, WAMP and Crossbar.io is a lot of stuff to manage. But I can assure you it only seems to be like that: They are all part of the same greater concept and the benefits are just awesome.
Check out our videos on Record-Evolution to see some of the features in action.
We have some nice D3-based visualizations which react in real-time to backend events, real-time charts and real-time collaboration features - all driven by Crossbar.io.
Self-service Data-warehouse application for business users - built with Crossbar.io.
Open-source real-time framework for Web, Mobile & Internet of Things.
Open-source multi-protocol application router that builds on the Autobahn foundation.
Introduction to the new approach to application architecture that Crossbar.io enables.


A few odds and ends coming in off the sea during the day was the only really interest, Fieldfares (183) were the most numerous but also seen coming in were 1 Woodcock, 1 Blackbird, 3 Redwing and 14 Starling.
On the move (south unless stated) were 1 Gannet, 2 Common Scoter, 6 Rock Pipit and 2 Redpoll sp.
Also seen were 4 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Gadwall and a Crossbill in Cornelian Bay, a Shoveler and a Gadwall were on the Mere a Goldeneye was on the sea at Cloughton Wyke, a Little Egret and a Snipe were on Flixton Carr and 37 Skylark, 14 Meadow Pipit, 4 Rock Pipit, 14 Snow Bunting and 7 Reed Bunting were at Long Nab.


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Delphinium pylzowii är en ranunkelväxtart som beskrevs av Carl Maximowicz. Delphinium pylzowii ingår i släktet storriddarsporrar, och familjen ranunkelväxter. Utöver nominatformen finns också underarten D. p. trigynum.

Källor

Externa länkar

Storriddarsporrar
pylzowii

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
The Catalogue of Life, 3rd January 2011

#### Published in
null

#### Original name
Johrenia racemoso-umbellata Gilli

### Remarks
null

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


My work week began today with plenty of activity. I not only had six students (one cancelled, thankfully), but I had a furnace guy here and he didn't know why I had no heat for several hours on Sunday morning, but he did track down the odor that has been bothering me for two months and which no one else seemed to be able to smell. Unfortunately I have rats in my crawl space and they have gotten into my insulation. So next Monday (I hope) all the insulation will be removed and a new system for insulating my pipes installed (apparently quite pricey, but it doesn't provide any nesting for rats). At least I don't think I'm losing my mind imagining the smell, but now I'm rather freaked out instead. Anyway, it made for a lot of distraction today as I was tutoring and I was glad my students were so patient as I wasn't always terribly well focused.
I'm glad you figured out what that smell was!


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Q: PHP image transparent I'm trying to resize a PNG transparent image using the following code:
$src=ImageCreateFrompng($uploadedfile);
$background=imagecolorallocate($src,0,0,0);
imagecolortransparent($src,$background);
imagealphablending($src,false);
imagesavealpha($src,true);
$dst=ImageCreateTrueColor($tn_width,$tn_height);
imagecopyresampled($dst,$src,0,0,0,0,$tn_width,$tn_height,$width,$height);
Imagepng($dst,$dstfile);

I used imagealphablending($src,false) and imagesavealpha($src,true) but it still uploads an image with a black background instead of a transparent one.
Where's the problem?

A: This is because you copy transparent image on a black one. Your false setting for aplhablending only applyes to original image, so when you copy on new image, aplha blending is turned on.
Your code needs just a little improvement:
$transparent = imagecolorallocatealpha($dst, 0,0,0,127);  //Transparent background color
imagealphablending($dst,false);            //Not to compound transparent colors with opaque
imagesavealpha($dst,true);                 //Allow transparency
imagefilledrectangle($dst, 0, 0, imagesx($dst), imagesy($dst), $transparent);   //Give the destination image transparent background
//Now you can copy

OR JUST
imagealphablending($dst,false);   //I'm not 100% sure this will make it, but its worth a try

A: imagecolorallocate($src,0,0,0);
That line looks like it gets the image from the source, then uses a 000 background. Which would be black. Just a guess, not familiar with the function

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon MPG and Fuel Economy
Ford have been manufacturing models of LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon for 1 year, with the latest vehicle in 1989 having a combined MPG of 18.
The estimated fuel cost for the 1989 Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon is $3,500 per year.
💵 Compared to an average vehicle over 5 years, you will spend $6,000 more on fuel driving a 1989 Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon.
🛢 The Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon will consume roughly 17 barrels of petroleum per year, using the standard estimate of 15,000 miles per year.
💨 For every mile driven, the Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon will emit -1 grams of CO2, which is about -15,000 grams of CO2 per year.
🌳 To help you understand the impact of this, a normal tree will absorb around 21,000 grams of CO2 per year. This means that roughly 1 tree would be needed to offset emissions from the Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon.
The table below is a complete list of the 1 Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon fuel efficiency specifications we have data for.
1989 Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country... 18 $3,500
Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon MPG and Fuel Economy
"Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon MPG and Fuel Economy". MPG Buddy. Accessed on February 1, 2023. http://mpgbuddy.com/cars/ford/ltd-crown-victoria-country-squire-wagon.
"Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon MPG and Fuel Economy". MPG Buddy, http://mpgbuddy.com/cars/ford/ltd-crown-victoria-country-squire-wagon. Accessed 1 February, 2023
Ford LTD Crown Victoria/Country Squire Wagon MPG and Fuel Economy. MPG Buddy. Retrieved from http://mpgbuddy.com/cars/ford/ltd-crown-victoria-country-squire-wagon.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The steampunk typography age is thriving thanks to the collection of fonts by Ivan Datskov; moreover, now it's experiencing the Renaissance era thanks to Steampunk Renaissance Font. Dive into the world of mechanisms, steam and dirigibles.
A steampunk font is like an invitation to exploration of a new world because working within the boundaries of this genre is a truly unusual experience. As George Mann once said, steampunk is a joyous fantasy of the past, allowing us to revel in a nostalgia for what never was. In this context, steampunk typography is a platform you can use to connect your vision of the 19th century aesthetics with unique mechanical chimeras. And Steampunk Renaissance Font is a suitable light typeface for playing this steampunk game.
Do you love works by Datskov? We have more fonts by this artist in our store. Check and buy fonts like Steel Font, Steampunk Font or Time Machine Font.
Do you want to find a fantasy font by Handmadefont? Have a look at Frozen King Font, Dark Force Font or Lighting Font.
A book cover, video game, TV-series, blockbuster or an invitation to a party with steampunk aesthetics will gladly accept Steampunk Renaissance Font as a decorative element.


Looking for a holiday in Llangenny? Try the holiday cottage "Old Vicarage"
You'll find the holiday cottage "Old Vicarage" in the village of Llangenny, which is just a couple of miles from Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons National Park. Old Vicarage sleeps 14 people in 8 bedrooms, and makes a lovely home to spend a few days with friends and family - and pets are allowed to holiday with you, so you can enjoy walks in the countryside with your pet.
Old Vicarage is in the village of Llangenny, with the nearest pub being a short walk. The market town of Crickhowell is 3 miles, and has a shop, pub and restaurant.
You can explore the Brecon Beacons National Park during your holiday. With some great walks being available directly from your door. Fishing is also available close by, just ask the owner of Old Vicarage about fishing on the River Usk.
There are 8 bedrooms at Old Vicarage, which are made-up of 4 doubles: 2 of those double bedrooms have king-size bed; and one of the doubles has an additional single bed. There are 3 twin bedrooms. And 1 single bedroom. All of which means that Old Vicarage sleeps 14 people.
There are 3 bathrooms at Old Vicarage.
The living room has a TV and a DVD player; with a drawing room containing an open fire.
The kitchen has a cooker, microwave, fridge and a dish washer. An Aga is available in the winter months.
The laundry room has a washing machine, tumble dryer and a freezer.
Old Vicarage comes with Wi-Fi and your bed linen included. Please bring your own towels.
The garden is lawned and has a seating areas - the photo below has a picture of the garden.
If you think that Old Vicarage could be the place for you, find out more information from Brecon Cottages, why not pop over and see whether this cottage is available for your holiday dates. You can also find Old Vicarage on a map.
The cottages listed below have all been selected cottages and are within 50 miles of Old Vicarage.
Enjoy a cottage holiday on the edge of Exmoor National Park with a break in The Toll House near Minehead. The Toll House sleeps 4 people; has a wood burning stove; and allows your pet to holiday with you.
Holiday near the north Somerset coast at Kirby near Minehead. Kirby is a holiday cottage sleeping 6 people, and pets allowed.


This Black Label edition of G.I. JOE: The Complete Collection Vol.2 comes with a full-color illustration by series artist Russ Heath. The book is signed by Russ Heath & Larry Hama and hand numbered to 1-25. This collection of classic G.I. Joe tales has been packaged and presented in beautiful hand-assembled casing and re-imagined covers.
* NOTE * – The pictured hand-drawn artwork is a representative example. Herb Trimpe has drawn 25 uniquely different, completely original pieces of art for this project. The artwork you receive is one of a kind and may not match the image/character shown in this photograph.


From the 21st to the 24th of March, 2018 Nuremberg is again fully focused on the Fensterbau Frontale. During four days the business sector meets and presents their efficiency and innovations to its visitors.
Follwing the tradition of previous years the Gütegemeinschaft Kunststoff-Fensterprofilsysteme e.V. will co-exhibit together with EPPA ivzw (European PVC Window Profile and related Building Products Association) at a shared booth. An emphasis will be put on PVC recycling and the circular economy. Furthermore EPPA will inform about relevant European regulations and projects.
The Gütegemeinschaft offers a platform to members, visitors and stakeholders for discussing topics like system technology, standardization and quality assurance. In the sprit of the Single European Market, we organise our events together with Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment (CSTB) and KIWA.


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April 19, 2018 / 2:22 PM	/ Updated April 19, 2018 at 8:28 PM
Youths unaware popular e-cig JUUL contains nicotine, survey says
While 25 percent of teens and young adults knew about JUUL e-cigarettes, nearly two-thirds of those who are familiar with them were unaware the product contains the addictive chemical nicotine.
Allen Cone
While many users know that e-cigarette brand JUUL contains nicotine, few young people believe that it contains the addictive chemical. Photo by Mylesclark96/Wikimedia Commons
April 19 (UPI) -- Although many young people are aware of the e-cigarette brand JUUL, few know it contains nicotine, according to a new survey.
Truth Initiative, a national public health organization that pushes for youth and young adults to reject tobacco, conducted the online survey in November. The results were published this week in the journal Tobacco Control.
In the 1,012-person survey, 25 percent of people between age 15 and 25 recognized JUUL in a photo. But 63 percent of JUUL users did not known the product contains nicotine, and among those who recognized the e-cig, 25 percent thought it was in its own category.
JUUL comprises 46.8 percent of the e-cig market, according to tracking by Nielsen.
RELATED Study: Teens who vape are more likely to smoke in the future
Those aged 18-24 were more likely to recognize JUUL -- 29 percent -- compared with 21 percent among those aged 15-17, who are considered adolescents. And 7 percent of the younger group said they have tried JUUL, compared with 12 percent of the older group.
"It is no wonder that JUUL e-cigarettes have rapidly caught on with youth -- they look like a sleek USB flash drive, are easily concealed, and come in youth appealing flavors like mint, mango and crème brulee," Robin Koval, CEO and president of Truth Initiative, said in a press release.
A spokewoman for JUUL told UPI it is investing in efforts to combat teen use of its product, but did not comment on the perception among young people that it does not contain nicotine beyond noting that its packaging says JUUL cartridges do, in fact, contain nicotine.
RELATED Study: Diabetes drug metformin may help with nicotine withdrawal
"JUUL Labs' mission is to eliminate cigarette smoking by offering existing adult smokers a true alternative to cigarettes. JUUL is not intended for anyone else," the spokeswoman told UPI. "We strongly condemn the use of our products by minors, and it is in fact illegal to sell our product to minors. No minor -- or non-nicotine user -- should be in the possession of JUUL. In fact, we clearly state on our package labeling that JUUL is for adult smokers only and contains nicotine."
Although e-cigarettes may be less harmful than combustible tobacco products, e-cigarettes have been shown to strongly increase the likelihood of cigarette use among young people, according to a 2014 Surgeon General's Report. More than four times as many young adults who use e-cigarettes eventually switch to smoking tobacco cigarettes than those who do not vape.
Truth Initiative on Wednesday was one of six leading public health and medical organizations that sent a letter to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb urging the agency to take action addressing the dramatic increase in teen use of JUULs.
RELATED E-cigarettes may not help smokers quit, small study says
The other groups are the the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Heart Association and American Lung Association.
"JUUL is putting kids at risk of nicotine addiction and threatens to undermine decades of progress in reducing youth tobacco use," the health groups wrote to the FDA. "The FDA is responsible for regulating tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, and it is unacceptable that the FDA has yet to take action to address the skyrocketing youth use of JUUL."
Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois and 10 of his Senate colleagues on Wednesday also sent letters to the FDA and JUUL about the products. They want to know, according to a release, "how the product is marketed to children and teens, what ingredients are in the flavorings that accompany these devices, and requests that the company take a series of important steps to limit youth use of their product."
Last month, the FDA announced it was taking the first steps to limit fruit flavoring and menthol in tobacco products, and Truth Initiative and six other public health and medical groups have sued the FDA for its decision to allow e-cigarettes to avoid full regulatory compliance until 2022.
A survey released in March from the 2016 National Youth Tobacco Survey also found that teenagers who use tobacco products other than cigarettes often see their habit as harmless.
The survey asked the 20,675 sixth- to 12th-grade teens whether they considered themselves tobacco users. Sixty percent of e-cig users did not consider themselves tobacco users.
Three-quarters of kids who used e-cigarettes and 56 percent of those who used hookahs didn't see the products as harmful among teens who agreed that "all tobacco products" are not safe.
Scott Gottlieb
Biden COVID-19 adviser: Previous failings may slow vaccine effort


Laser Engraving - Stemless wine glass made from acrylic material. 20 oz. rim full bowl.
Laser Engraving - Stemless wine glass. Clear, semi-rigid bowl has a generous 20 oz. rim-full bowl. 4 3/4" tall, 2 7/8" dia. across top.


text:
Huxley council hears sidewalk presentation from students
By Andrew Gogerty For the Tri-County Times
Students walking from Ballard Middle School to Ballard High School may find it an easier go if a proposal submitted by four students to the Huxley City Council becomes a reality.
The students, Caleb Hyman, Seth Hilleman, Greysen Ehresman, and Greyson Inglett, each read portions of a prepared statement to the council, and displayed a LEGO model that portrayed a three-dimensional example of their idea during the council's meeting on Nov. 12.
"There is a gap in the sidewalks between the middle school and the high school," said the students, all members of the Huxley LEGO League team. "There is only a short bit of sidewalk along North Fifth Avenue that runs behind the football field to the gate, however the gate to the field is almost always closed. There can be a lot of traffic along this area (especially before and after school) with younger drivers that presents a danger for kids trying to get between the schools as they either have to walk in the ditch or on the road."
The idea came about as part of the club's responsibility to do a community project. The young men said that they had considered several ideas and settled on this one because of the practicality and high usage potential of such a sidewalk. They even presented cost estimates to council.
"We looked online and looked up the cost estimates for sidewalks, and it looks like it would potentially run $25,000 to 50,000 to put in the sidewalk," the boys said.
Councilman Dave Jensen said there is money in the budget for sidewalks and that the city understands the importance for safe transportation, and that council would like to participate, with assistance from the school.
Mayor Craig Henry commended the students for their research and presentation.
"I think it's really good, gentlemen," Henry said. "You did a really good job. We've been talking to the school about this same idea. Your timing is perfect. We are all interested in better sidewalks and better safety."
The council encouraged the students to make the same presentation to the Ballard School Board and said the city would discuss their recommendation further.
Sidewalks and the expansion of city trails have been large topics of council work sessions this year as the city works on short term and long term plans to upgrade Huxley's trail system.


From March 17th to the 20th, Pandawas will be attached to their steins closer than a mumussel to its rock! Nothing extraordinary about that, of course. But for once, they'll have a good reason for it. Well, they'd argue that drinking is its own good reason. But now, it's also because it's: Saint Potrick's!
If you love sports, the United States and Beyoncé, you probably didn't miss the event that took place on February 7. During the 50th Super Bowl, we gave you a chance to put your betting skills to the test. Are you one of the lucky people who won the Kriss Krass figurine?
Will it be a white Kwismas in the Krosmaster online arenas? You never know... It's time to wrap the presents but, for some people, it might start looking like they'll be going home in a box! Snow or not, one thing you can be sure of: until January 3, the presents will come raining down!
On February 7, the 50th Super Bowl will take place. Rallying cries from its players have rung out as far as the Gobbowl playing fields of the World of Twelve! So much so, in fact, that the people of the World of Twelve have decided to take part in this little appetizer before their own Super Gobbowl. It's time to place your bets, with a reward at the end for the victor!
On November 11, pimples, missing teeth, and greasy hair will be in style. No, it's not Al Howin, it's Our Miss Triste's Day! Created by an adventurer who was excluded from Miss Amakna, Our Miss Triste's Day pays tribute to all the figurines who weren't blessed with good looks. The Krosmasters understand!
On the 17th of April 2015, a select few players have discovered the newest video game projects by Ankama. Let's have a look back at the Ankama Line-Up 2015!
It's time to provide an epic start to Krosmaster for the year ahead, and what better than a terrific tournament? Oh, but it won't be any old tournament… it'll be the Krosmaster World Championship! Follow the event on 21st and 22nd of March live on our Twitch channel!
After two years of tournaments and national championships in France and abroad, Krosmaster is hitting new heights: the first World Championship will be held the 21st and 22nd of March at our Roubaix location. As a bonus, mini-tournaments on the side and exclusively, the Season 3 figurines!
It took a week of intense battle to determine who won our online tournament… Each of the three winners will go back home with some virtual promo figurines. But who are these three players?
Now that Season 2 has landed online, it's time for us to shake up the things a little… We're organizing an online tournament! From October 6th to October 13th, come and play online to win some virtual promo figurines!


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November 1, 2019 by Brian Fitzek 0 Comments
Caitlin Powell's induction into the world of Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) began around age seven. At that time, she was experiencing abdominal pain due to an inflamed appendix. During surgical removal of her appendix, doctors serendipitously noticed a large granuloma on her intestines. The next month involved a flurry of doctors' appointments to determine why a seven year old would have a granuloma. Eventually, tests uncovered a diagnosis of CGD. "This was quite a surprise to me and my parents," says Caitlin. "As far as we knew, there wasn't any family history of CGD."
Caitlin's parents empowered her early on by giving her opportunities to talk with doctors and ask questions. "I began giving myself shots in elementary school," explains Caitlin. "By allowing me to do so, they were helping me to feel more in control of the condition and the impact on my life."
Over the years, Caitlin has mostly maintained her health, only experiencing a couple rough patches along the way. In seventh grade, she developed Aspergillosis, an infection caused by a common mold. Most people breathe in Aspergillus spores every day without getting sick. However, people with weakened immune systems, such as CGD, are at a higher risk of developing health problems from these mold spores. After graduating from college, she had a bowel obstruction caused from the granuloma she had as a child, which required surgery to repair. In 2014, she was hospitalized with esophagitis, commonly due to opportunistic infections in people with immunodeficiency.
Many teens find it challenging to make the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare but not Caitlin. "I worked at a pharmacy in high school and that taught me the importance of adhering to a treatment regime," she explains. "With my parents allowing me to take early ownership of my management and my pharmacy experience, I was pretty well equipped to make the transition into self-care."
These days, Caitlin manages her health with what she describes as the trifecta—antibiotics, antifungals, and Actimmune. "This keeps me pretty healthy." While CGD does require management, Caitlin doesn't sit back and let the disease steer her life. "While you have no choice in whether or not you have to live with CGD, you do have a choice in how you respond to it," says Caitlin. "I don't live my life walking around and asking Why me? Instead, I live my life with resilience and optimism."
When asked how the diagnosis has affected life decisions, she responds "Minimally. It had no bearing on my career choice as a teacher," although she does concede taking extra precautions. "Flus and colds spread like wildfire in the classroom so I am cautious to minimize my exposure." Caitlin does acknowledge the largest impact CGD has had on her life is the choice of where to live. "I do need to live near a hospital and specialist who is knowledgeable about CGD," says Caitlin. "Other than that, I've moved beyond being a person with CGD. I am just a person living life to its fullest."
Prev:Don't Miss Your Opportunity to Share Your Experiences!
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text:
[Lecture review] 4. 'Three great mathematicians: Euler', 6 March 2002
Mann, Tony (2002) [Lecture review] 4. 'Three great mathematicians: Euler', 6 March 2002. BSHM Newsletter, 46. p. 33.
Tony Mann provides a review of the lecture:
'Three great mathematicians: Euler' held on 6 March 2002 as the fourth and last lecture of the Gresham College History of Mathematics season.
[1] This is a review of the fourth (and last) lecture in the Gresham College of the History Mathematics lecture series held on 6 March 2002. [2] Published in BSHM Newsletter 46, Summer 2002, p. 33. [3] The BSHM Newsletter was the journal of the British Society for the History of Mathematics from 1971-2004. [4] From Summer 2004 to Autumn 2005 the BSHM Newsletter was titled the BSHM Bulletin and published by the British Society for the History of Mathematics. [5] Since 2006 the BSHM Bulletin: Journal of the British Society for the History of Mathematics has been published on behalf of the British Society for the History of Mathematics by Taylor and Francis.
history of mathematics, mathematicians, Leonhard Euler, lecture review, Gresham College
D History General and Old World > D History (General)


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text:
Home Will Drew Barrymore Ever Get Married Again?
Will Drew Barrymore Ever Get Married Again?
Judge Rules that the San Francisco D.A. Must Make Paul Pelosi Attack Footage Public
Actress, producer, director, and talk show host Drew Barrymore has been a household name since she starred in the phenomenally successful 1980s film E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. Just seven years old at the time, Barrymore had to go through all of life's major transitions under intense public scrutiny.
Throughout her time in the limelight, fans have been rather fascinated with the star's love life, which, from all accounts, has been anything but smooth sailing. With three divorces under her belt, it's fair to assume that Barrymore has learned her fair share of lessons when it comes to dating. However, more than half a decade after her divorce from her last husband, Will Kopelman, the Charlie's Angels star is yet to remarry. So, is Drew Barrymore ever going to get married again? Read on to find out.
RELATED: Does Drew Barrymore Ever Actually Want A Boyfriend?
8 Drew Barrymore Has Been Married Three Times
via Instar
Drew Barrymore, who went through a self-described "un-uptight, exhibitionist, hedonistic, free, hippie, wildflower-like era" at the height of her fame has been married three times.
The Wildflower author's first two marriage were to Welsh bartender Jeremy Thomas in 1994 and actor Tom Green in 2001. Sadly, both marriages unraveled in less than a year. Barrymore's last marriage was to art consultant Will Kopelman and lasted four years.
7 Drew Barrymore Took Her Divorce From Will Kopelman Rather Hard
Drew Barrymore's divorce from art consultant Will Kopelman, with whom she shares two children (Olive and Frankie), took an incredible toll on her.
"It took me five years to be able to speak with strength, articulation, perspective, hindsight, and see everything we did right," she said of the divorce during an interview with Sunday Today. "Because when we were getting divorced, it felt like everything was just wrong."
6 Drew Barrymore Hasn't Been In A Relationship Since Her Divorce
Following her divorce from Will Kopelman, Drew Barrymore decided to place her love life on hiatus and focus on raising her children.
"Since entering life as a single mom, I have not been able to have an intimate relationship," she disclosed in a recent blog post, adding, "I am just in a completely different place in my life and maybe in the near future I will get into a relationship…but it simply hasn't been my priority."
RELATED: These Drew Barrymore Show Moments Prove The Series May Be One Of The Star's Greatest Accomplishments
5 How Does Drew Barrymore Feel About Marriage?
After three failed marriages, Drew Barrymore no longer believes in marriage as an institution. The prolific actor shared her irreverent views in a 2020 interview with People.
Among other things, Barrymore chastised marriage for being "an institution that [started] when the closest person to you for companionship was a three-day horse ride away and your life span was 30 years."
4 Is Drew Barrymore Ever Getting Married Again?
Given her unorthodox views on marriage, its no surprise that Drew Barrymore has completely ruled out tying the knot with someone else.
"Never. Never, never, never. I will never get married again!" she told People in 2020. "And I also believe people should not say the word 'never,' and I will never, with a capital N-E-V-E-R, never get married."
3 Why Has Drew Barrymore Sworn Off Marriage?
As it turns out, Drew Barrymore is unwilling to subject herself to the degree of emotional and mental turmoil she suffered in the aftermath of her divorce from Will Kopelman.
"I never want to be entwined with someone like that again ever," she said. "You break up, and you move on. You get divorced, and it's just so different."
RELATED: The Real Reason Drew Barrymore Hasn't Been 'In An Intimate Relationship In Years'
2 Is Drew Barrymore Open To Finding Love Again?
Despite her views on marriage, Drew Barrymore is still open to finding love again. However, the star is perfectly content with her life, and is in no way hankering to start a new relationship.
"It doesn't mean that maybe I wouldn't like to meet someone, especially when my kids go off to college," she said. "Or a year from now, I could be totally in love. I'm open to it; I'm not seeking it. My cup runneth over. I have so much love in my life."
1 Is Drew Barrymore Currently In A Relationship?
Back in 2020, Drew Barrymore appeared reluctant to venture into dating, disclosing to Sunday Today, "I don't know how to open that up again. It's like something closed, and it stayed closed. I think I'm equally as scared to find love again as I would be as if it never happened."
However, in a recent interview with Whoopi Goldberg on her talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, the 47-year-old confirmed to fans that she'd started dipping her toe in the dating pool, adding, "Because it had been so many years, I started to get a little worried, like I'm too good at being alone."
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The new Fat Shark Dominator V3 goggles feature an immersive 16:9 widescreen WVGA display (30 degree FOV diagonal) for compatibility with HD content and HD digital video links.
They are fully side/side 3D compatible, and allow NTSC/PAL auto switching, even while recording to the built in Digital Video Recorder (DVR) without interruption. Speaking of interruption, if the power is disconnected or the battery runs flat, the DVR will auto-save any recorded video, preventing a corrupted card or loss of data.
The HDMI display port has been beefed up with a robust mini HDMI port for a secure connection to HD input devices and supports up to 720p input.
Modular design means only purchasing the features you need. Fat Shark Dominator V3 goggles support Trinity head tracking as well as the full variety of receiver modules, allowing you to choose the frequency and functions best suited to your location or situation.
Fat Shark Dominator V3 ships with a fan equipped faceplate for exceptional comfort and lens fogging prevention.
*Note you will need to purchase separately a receiver module which is not included.


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                <time class="i ttu dark-gray" datetime="2016-08-18">18 August 2016</time>

It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest

Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations

Businesses try to maximize profit

Profit, net income, net earnings, bottom line (of income statement)

Profit = Total Revenues - Total Costs

Profit = (Price x Quantity) - (Total Fixed Costs + Total Variable Costs)

To increase profit

increase total revenue

increase price

increase quantity

decrease total costs

decrease fixed costs

decrease variable costs

Law of Demand

Inverse relationship between price and quantity

Demand Side Economies of Scale

Violates the Law of Demand

Luxury Goods: as price increases so does quantity

Rolex, Gucci

Network Goods: as quantity increases so does price

Microsoft Office, Skype, Facebook

Supply Side Economics

Desire to decrease average fixed cost and average variable cost

Supply Side Economies of Scale

Increase quantity leads to a decrease in average costs

Average Fixed Costs = Total Fixed Costs / Quantity

Fixed cost leverage

Average Variable Costs = Total Variable Costs / Quantity

volume discount, learning effect, division of labor

Maximize Profit

Marginal Revenues = Marginal Costs

Information Technology

Impacts on Profitability

Network Effects

Winner take all systems

Software

large fixed cost

near zero variable costs

example: freeware

Information Technology enhanced learning

Information Technology based transformation of industry structure

example: Netflix vs Blockbuster

Business Ethics

Resources be used efficiently and allocated effectively

Greatest economic value can be created

Strategic Value of Information Technology

                Future
                Past

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Lock in a great price for SH Ingles Boutique Hotel – rated 8.4 by recent guests!
It was in a great location, but that's about it.
This location is amazing. Valencia is a beautiful ancient city with so much to do , and the SH is a close walk to everything, or on the bus line. The museum of ceramics next door is a jewel, and the Cathedral is an experience- 700 years of history, architecture, art, and surprises!
Chic decorative lobby with lovely staircase, nice bar area and outdoor sidewalk dining next to a beautiful marble church .Bed was very comfortable, sofa bed ok enough to sleep on. Room was clean, nice and large with elegant window opening onto balcony for fresh air.
Modern hotel in great location. Valencia is such a wonderful city and from here you can walk almost anywhere. Looking out our window we had a great view of the ceramics museum across the way. Busy corner but our room had some excellent noise blocking windows!
Modern and clean. It's a beautiful old building that has been renovated recently. Spacious room and great location.
Perfect location. Airconditioning worked well. Very clean. Big room.
Location was amazing! Very near main plaza in the historic area of town. Excellent view looking out over the ducal palace next door that was lit up at night. Cute restaurant in the lobby of the hotel. Neighborhood was very nice and felt safe.
SH Ingles Boutique Hotel This rating is a reflection of how the property compares to the industry standard when it comes to price, facilities and services available. It's based on a self-evaluation by the property. Use this rating to help choose your stay!
One of our top picks in Valencia.This elegant hotel is housed in an impressive, 18th-century palace in the center of Valencia, 500 feet from the Cathedral. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.
The SH Ingles combines a recognizable and historic façade with a classic continental interior of noble woods and marble. It is surrounded by other prestigious buildings, such as the Palace of the Dukes of Cardona and the premises of many international jewelry and fashion brands.
A buffet breakfast is available and you can enjoy a drink on the terrace of the hotel café. There is an à la carte restaurant, which serves regional specialties such as Valencia's famous paella. Gluten-free meals are available on prior request.
When would you like to stay at SH Ingles Boutique Hotel?
This bright, modern room includes a 32-inch TV and free WiFi.
This modern room features a balcony overlooking the Puerta Dos Aguas Palace. It comes with a 43-inch TV and free WiFi.
This modern room features large windows, a 43-inch TV and free WiFi.
House Rules SH Ingles Boutique Hotel takes special requests – add in the next step!
SH Ingles Boutique Hotel accepts these cards and reserves the right to temporarily hold an amount prior to arrival.
Please note that there are 2 rooms available for guests with reduced mobility. Guests should contact Sh Ingles Boutique Hotel in advance using the Special Request box when booking or contact the property.
Please note there is limited access to the restaurant for disabled guests. Meals will be served at the bar instead.
No info about the hotel (meal times, etc) in the room; the supposedly 'boutique' room decor was actually a bit Spartan; anyone needing a dark bedroom should look elsewhere - the building is floodlit at night and there is a LOT of light leakage around the curtains; though perfectly usable, the bathroom is small in relation to the size of the room and appears to be wholly unventilated, so gets very steamed up after showering; the bedroom radiator was turned off and, on chilly April evenings, it really should not have been; MAJOR IRRITATION - the cafeteria had all four of its doors flung wide open to the street throughout breakfast: we had to wear our coats!
Could have done with some tea/coffee making facilities in the room.
Absolutely perfect location, hotel decor was gorgeous, hotel staff were very helpful and obliging to our every need. Rooms were spacious with great big windows, beds were comfortable.
Could have been cleaner on the floor and under the bed. We asked for slippers so we could walk on the floor without shoes.
Very nice rooms with an amazing view of the museum that is located next to the hotel. Located in the center , 5 minutes from everything. We loved it!
Perfect location, extremely friendly staff, great breakfast, lovely room.
Breakfast on two floor levels and busy at times.
Staff very helpful.room very clean and comfortable and good location.
Old room, noisy bathroom (I could hear the water flow all night long). The light from the lamp post in the street was exactly opposite my room so I could see the light coming in from the sides of the curtains. Bad pillows all same size so no choice (too high for my neck).
Staff were efficient but could not be described as friendly.
Typical English, I would have appreciated tea making facilities in the room. Apart from that, there was nothing I didn't like.
The location of this hotel was excellent, in the heart of the city in minutes and close to numerous shops and facilities. I would recommend this hotel, the staff were excellent; friendly, very informative and helpful. Nothing was too much bother for them. We did not eat at the hotel in the evenings but took advantage of the many local eateries. The breakfast was nicely laid out for "help yourself" and open for 3 hours, so time to lay in or get up and about, whichever you choose.


A face washing cream that removes melanin-filled cells and unclogs pores to reveal well-moisturized, radiant skin with a translucent glow.
Harnessing extremely fine ingredients such as Melothria extract, Chinese Indigo extract and Chinese Soapberry extract to prevent oxidation of your skin while increasing its metabolism rate.
Delicate foam enhances effective skin cleansing and circulation, preparing your skin for rapid absorption of subsequent beauty agents.
A big tube and you only need a bit of it to get a rich and fine-textured form, it cleansed well and smells good. My skin doesn't feel tight and dry after wash.
Really tense foam! Cleanses really throughly...love this!
Nice scent and no tight feeling after using, gd buy !
Has a clean and soothing aroma that helps to relax your mind and senses during facial cleansing, and grants a clean, softer, and brighter complexion after every wash.
After washing, feel my complexion fairer and smoother. This is my 3rd purchased.


NSW Sport and Recreation has teamed up with Cricket NSW to offer an accredited Level 1 Cricket Coaching Course in Ballina starting next week.
The course will be held at Fripp Oval from January 22 to 24 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, and on January 27 from 9am till 12 noon.
The course fee is $120 with a concession available to Aboriginal coaches.
Pre-enrolment is essential. For further information or to make a booking phone NSW Sport and Recreation on 6618 0400 orvisit the website atwww.dsr.nsw.gov.au.


text:
The Harlem Art Book Gift Guide
For presents with uptown flair, look no further than The Curious Uptowner's holiday gift guides rolling out once a week this holiday season.
Last week's featured gifts for those on your list obsessed with bodegas–a familiar-but-disappearing sight across Upper Manhattan.
Up next? You can't go wrong with a colorful coffee table book about–or with roots in–Harlem. So easy for you to buy and others to enjoy and display.
Here are some tomes both new and classic:
Showtime at the Apollo: The epic Tale of Harlem's Legendary TheateR
This graphic novel illustrated by James Otis Smith brings to life the history of the iconic Apollo Theater written by Ted Fox.
BLACK REFRACTIONS: Highlights from the studio museum in Harlem
A companion book to the touring exhibit of art from the Studio Museum of Harlem–currently closed as it builds its new home on 125th Street.
Art Kane: Harlem 1958
Marking the 60th anniversary of the famous jazz photograph "A Great Day in Harlem," this book constructs a visual history of the day when lensman Art Kane gathered 57 jazz musicians outside a Harlem brownstone to take their portrait.
the sweet Flypaper of Life
This fourth printing of "The Sweet Flypaper of Life," first published in 1955, brings back the lyrical images of Roy DeCarava and words of poet Langston Hughes who together captured everyday life in 1940s and '50s Harlem.
Harlem: A Century in Images
First published in 2010, this beautiful collection of photographs should be the first on your list of art books about Harlem's history. Produced with help from Harlem's Studio Museum, it features nearly 200 images from legends such as Gordon Parks, Richard Avedon and Weegee.
In the Spirit of Harlem
Looking for a stylish coffee table book that anyone will love? Assouline's hardcover includes vibrant photographs of the people and places that have made Harlem the iconic neighborhood it is today.
For daily updates, follow The Curious Uptowner on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
#shop #books #holiday #Harlem
That new Trader Joe's coming to Harlem? You guys have opinions.
Here's where to get your sweet Rosca de Reyes for Three Kings Day


text:
import java.net.DatagramPacket;
import java.net.DatagramSocket;
import java.net.SocketException;
import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;

public abstract class ServerNode {
	static final int PACKETSIZE = 512;

	DatagramSocket socket;
	Listener listener;
	CountDownLatch latch;

	ServerNode() {
		latch= new CountDownLatch(1);
		listener= new Listener();
		listener.setDaemon(true);
		listener.start();
	}

	public abstract void onReceipt(DatagramPacket packet);

	/**
	 * Listener thread
	 *
	 * Listens for incoming packets on a datagram socket and informs registered receivers about incoming packets.
	 */
	class Listener extends Thread {

		/**
		 *  Telling the listener that the socket has been initialized
		 */
		public void go() {
			latch.countDown();
		}

		/**
		 * Listen for incoming packets and inform receivers
		 */
		public void run() {
			try {
				latch.await();
				// Endless loop: attempt to receive packet, notify receivers, etc
				while(true) {
					DatagramPacket packet = new DatagramPacket(new byte[PACKETSIZE], PACKETSIZE);
					socket.receive(packet);
					onReceipt(packet);
				}
			} catch (Exception e) {if (!(e instanceof SocketException)) e.printStackTrace();}
		}
	}
}


text:
6 members of Florida church died of Covid days apart. 20 members in hospital others sick at home
CityFella August 8, 2021 Corona Virus, Health, Medical Care, NATIONAL
By: Matthew Allen/TheGiro
Impact Church hosts second vaccination drive as more Florida residents warm up to the idea of being protected against virus
A church in north Florida is grappling with the spread of a COVID-19 Delta variant among its congregation after multiple members died of the disease within the past two weeks.
Six members of Impact Church, a place of worship in Jacksonville, Florida's most populous city, have succumbed to the disease in the past 10 days, according to the church's senior pastor, George Davis.
More than a dozen are currently hospitalized with COVID complications and others are battling symptoms at home, Davis told local station WJXT.
"In the last 10 days, we have had six members of our church who passed away from COVID. Four of them were under the age of 35," Davis said. "All of them were healthy, and the only thing they had in common was they were not vaccinated."
Impact Church is hosting a second vaccination drive Sunday as COVID-19 cases rise in Florida. (via Instagram)
Davis stated that 10 church members are home with the virus, while as many as 20 are believed to be in the hospital. By comparison, as many as five members who are vaccinated against COVID-19 have contracted the virus.
Impact Church adheres to guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, requiring members to wear masks when entering and sanitizing the building in between services, according to Davis.
"It's pain," Davis said. "These are actual people that I know, that I have pastored. One 24-year-old kid, I've known him since he was a toddler."
Impact Church held a vaccination drive in March, helping more than 800 people be inoculated against COVID-19, as reported by Newsweek. The church has another drive scheduled to take place on Sunday as it hopes to capitalize on the moment as members once skeptical of vaccines warm up to the idea of getting a shot, Impact Church spokesperson Courtney Cole told the outlet.
The church is collaborating with the University of Florida Health.
"Pastor Davis said he is seeing more hesitant church members getting the COVID-19 vaccine," Cole said as quoted in Newsweek. "Some are even making plans to get the shot, during the vaccine event the church is hosting on Sunday, August 8th."
COVID-19 cases in Florida have been rising high since July. As of Saturday, the weekly average of new cases is 19,250 in the state. Just 49% of residents of all ages have been fully vaccinated, according to the New York Times.
Covid 19, Impact Church, Jacksonville Florida, Pastor George Davis
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text:
Second Class of Fellows Graduates from the National Academy for Health Equity in System Transformation
Andrea Heyward
Andrea Heyward has over a decade of experience working in the public health and health care sectors. She has supported the efforts of numerous community-based and health care organizations providing expertise in areas of community health, adolescent health, maternal and child health, women's health, rural health and the integration of evidence-based models to include the Community Health Worker (CHW) model. She is an experienced program manager and capacity-building professional; having established skills as a technical assistance provider, quality improvement coach, and trainer. She is also an experienced grant writer and reviewer. Andrea is most proud of her work as a health educator, working alongside community health workers across the state to improve access to prevention education, resources and health care services. Her passion for health equity and utilizing the strengths of communities to foster change brought her to the Center for Community Health Alignment.
Andrea completed a Master of Health Science degree in Health Education and Health Communication from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2010. She received additional certification in Health Communication with a focus in social and behavior change communication. Andrea is also proud alumni of the University of South Carolina, having received a Bachelor of Arts in Experimental Psychology and minor in Health Promotion, Education and Behavior. She is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist.
Holly Pendell
Holly Pendell has been engaged in public policy and health care advocacy for nearly 20 years. Holly is Director of Advocacy and Activist Engagement for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Using her experiences as a former staffer for an U.S. Senator and the former Lt. Governor of Ohio, Holly encourages and educates people living with MS on how to build relationships with their state and federal legislators. In this role, Holly engages activists in developing and sharing their stories related to access to health care, affordable prescription drugs and disability rights to influence policy at every level of government. In Ohio, Holly is serves on the leadership team for the Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage. She manages advocacy and policy efforts in Ohio and Michigan, in addition to her national role creating and maintaining a year-round activist experience for the Society. Most recently Holly was appointed to the Ohio Prescription Drug Transparency and Affordability Council and has also served on the Ohio Governor's Council for Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities. Holly resides in Hilliard, Ohio and is a graduate of Denison University.
Hortencia Armendariz
Hortencia Armendariz has been in the labor movement for over 19 years, since she began as a grassroots community organizer for the United Farm Workers in the borderlands of the tip of Texas. She has worked with SEIU since 2005, leading statewide campaigns, operationalizing vision and programs, and developing strong leaders. In Texas, she organized public-sector workers and negotiated with school districts and public administrations at the city and county levels over worker benefits and working conditions.
In 2009, she joined SEIU-UHW in the Kaiser Permanente Division, where she worked on the labor-management partnership and led the field program through two contract negotiations. Armendariz currently leads the Healthcare Justice division of SEIU-UHW, which organizes everyday people around the mission of ensuring everyone has affordable, accessible, high-quality care provided by valued and respected caregivers. The innovative program identifies, recruits, and trains patients, healthcare consumers, and working families to advocate for themselves as leaders in their communities, within the healthcare systems and to navigate the political environment to achieve healthcare justice. Armendariz is also on the board of the SEIU International Latino Caucus and Futuro Health. Futuro Health was established with a commitment of $130 million by Kaiser Permanente and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) negotiated by the union to grow the largest network of credentialed allied healthcare workers. Armendariz studied International Relations at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterey (ITESM) in Monterey, Mexico.
Huma Zarif
Huma Zarif is a staff attorney at Northwest Health Law Advocates (NoHLA) where she works on health care access issues including immigrant access to care, reproductive and sexual health care and services, behavioral health parity, and more recently on equitable access to COVID-19 testing and treatment. She serves on the steering committee of the Protecting Immigrant Families – WA coalition and is in the process of being appointed to the King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission. Huma graduated from University of California, Hastings College of the Law with a concentration in Health Law. Prior to law school, Huma worked as a social worker for over eight years, including at Harborview and Swedish Medical Centers. She obtained both her Bachelor of Social Welfare and Master of Social Work from the University of Washington, School of Social Work.
Jessica Gilbertson
Jessica Gilbertson is the Policy and Partnership Manager with the Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas. Her work focuses on advancing the priorities of Community Health Centers in the Dakotas through state and federal policy, as well as futhering organizational partnerships. Jessica has more than 15 years of experience working with nonprofits on advocacy and fundraising. She has previously worked with the North Dakota State Department of Health on a program aimed at reducing cancer health disparities across the state. Jessica is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and has a special interest in working on issues of health disparities amongst American Indians. Jessica received a bachelor's degree in communication from North Dakota State University and a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of North Dakota. She lives in Bismarck, ND with her husband and two children.
Katie Heidorn
Katie Heidorn is the Executive Director of Insure the Uninsured Project (ITUP). Prior to leading ITUP, Katie spent the past two years from 2018 – 2020 as a Government Affairs Advocate for Health Net and was Development Director and policy lead at the nonprofit California Coverage and Health Initiatives from 2017 – 2018. From 2012 – 2016, Katie served for five years in the Brown Administration at the California Health and Human Services Agency as an Assistant Secretary of Program and Fiscal Affairs and Health Reform and as a Governor's appointee in a Senate-confirmed position, Deputy Secretary of Special Programs. Prior to her service in the Brown Administration, Katie was an Associate and Principal Consultant for health policy in the California State Senate Appropriations Committee from 2008 – 2011. She is also an alumna of the California Senate Fellows Program, serving in the office of then-Senator Tom Torlakson. Katie received her masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California and her bachelor of arts and sciences degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Comparative Literature from the University of California, Davis.
LuAnne Brown
LuAnne Brown is the CEO of The Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network, one of 16 Comprehensive Networks established by New York State in 1987 in response to the high infant mortality and low birth weight infants in the state. BPPN's, focus is to improve pregnancy outcomes, promote better maternal and infant health care, establish better linkages between existing programs, and ensure that families have access to the full range of preventative and primary health care, social support, and educational resources in Erie County. It identifies problems of adequacy, acceptability, and accessibility in the delivery of health and human services. The agency also initiates demonstration projects to address such problems, encourages and seeks support for the implementation of programs which have a positive impact on the community and especially populations which have the greatest needs and are difficult to serve, promotes coordination between service providers and provides informational and educational activities and products for providers and consumers in the city of Buffalo.
Max Hadler
Max Hadler is the Director of Health Policy at the New York Immigration Coalition. He works on a range of issues and campaigns at the city and state levels to improve health access, coverage, and delivery for immigrant communities. Prior to joining the NYIC team, he worked in many capacities related to access to care for immigrants, including project director and research associate at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, researcher at the UCLA North American Integration and Development Center, and Spanish-English medical interpreter at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Max received an MPH from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and an MA in Latin American Studies from the UCLA International Institute. He also holds a BA from Wesleyan University.
Meredith Kacsits Sugarman
Meredith Kacsits Sugarman, MPH is the Associate Director of the Louisiana Community Health Worker Institute in the Center for Healthcare Value and Equity at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center – New Orleans. Meredith's work includes providing technical assistance on community health worker (CHW) program development, financing, policy development and evaluation to state health agencies, community-based organizations, and health systems. She also conducts community-partnered research related to CHW workforce development in Louisiana and nationally.
Meredith previously worked with community and academic stakeholders to develop and implement community-partnered participatory research projects to address health disparities in New Orleans. Specific topics have included the health of formerly incarcerated people, intimate partner violence, innovation in population health, and chronic disease management. Through partnerships with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, she contributed to the development of a public-facing, policy-focused database as a resource for state health departments, researchers, and CHW organizations.
Meredith is a person with a disability and has a passion for serving the community. She is a founding Steering Committee member for Community Care Corps, a national initiative from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration for Community Living that centers on innovative approaches to keeping people with disabilities and seniors safe and supported in the community.
Meredith holds a Master of Public Health from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and BA in Russian Area Studies and Political Science from Louisiana State University.
Reverend Robyn M. Anderson
Reverend Robyn M. Anderson is an ordained Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. She currently serves as Pastor of the Blackwell AME Zion Church in Hartford, CT. She is the Director for the regional Ministerial Health Fellowship Advocacy Coalition encompassing Middletown, New Britain and Hartford, CT. Robyn served as an Associate Minister at Cross Street AME Zion Church in Middletown, CT for over 15 years. In the ministry at Cross Street AME Zion Church, Robyn had Pastoral Oversight of Administration, Christian Education, Women's Ministry, Family Life and Education; and currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for the Cross Street Training and Academic Center. Robyn served as the Former Coordinator for the Hartford District of the New England Conference Balm of Gilead Ministry. She served for four years as the New England Conference Christian Education Director. Robyn currently serves as the Chairperson for the AME Zion Christian Education Department of The Commission on Family Life and serves as Assistant Conference Director of the New England Conference Christian Education Department. Prior to relocating back to Connecticut, Robyn served in the ministry at Covenant Baptist Church in Washington, DC for over sixteen years.
Robyn is currently pursuing her Master of Divinity with a concentration in Urban Ministry at the Boston Campus of Gordon Conwell Theological Institute. She holds a Master's Degree in Counseling, Bachelor Degrees in Computer Science and Counseling, and an Associate Degree in Information Systems. She is a graduate of Middlesex Theology and Technical Institute, FaithWorks Leadership Institute, Connecticut Health Foundation's Academy for Health Equity Advocacy & Leadership (AHEAL), Saint Francis Clinical Pastoral Counseling Program, and Hartford Seminary Women's Leadership Program. She has a Graduate Certificate in Spirituality from Hartford Seminary.
Robyn Anderson has over thirty-five years of experience in the Human Services field. She most recently served as the Program Director for the Multidimensional Family Therapy, Training, Consultation and Quality Assurance Program for the State of Connecticut at Advanced Behavioral Health, Inc.
She has over thirty years of experience working with adults and adolescents who have co-occurring disorders. She has managed and directed Inpatient and Outpatient Substance Abuse Programs for adults and adolescents. Robyn has and continues to provide Clinical Consultation to state programs, community-based substance abuse treatment programs and the faith based community in the Hartford and Washington, DC areas. She is a facilitator for the Saint Francis Pastoral Counseling Program and has served as an Adjunct Professor and Lecturer for universities and community colleges. Robyn served as a Cultural Ambassador at the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, a Church Liaison for the Imani Breakthrough Project, and as a Member of the Universal Health Interfaith Council. Robyn has authored many articles and publications that have been published in Psychology Journals.
As a change agent for the Human Services field, Robyn is a strong advocate for HIV / STD Education & Treatment along with culturally competent, innovative, trauma sensitive, gender specific, family driven quality services for families throughout the Diaspora.
Robyn is a National Trainer for Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT), a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Robyn Anderson is a Member of Governor Ned Lamont's Health Cabinet, a Middlesex Healthcare Corporatist and Co-Leader of the Middletown Health Enhancement Community Project. She is an author and has received many community service leadership awards.
Robyn loves the Lord and God's Church! Her favorite scripture is:
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
Robyn is a member of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation. Robyn has a blended family and is the proud mother of 5 children and 10 grandchildren.
Timothy S. Jackson
A native of Jackson, Mississippi by way of Huntsville, Alabama, Timothy S. Jackson currently works as the Director of Government Relations for AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC). His work at AFC includes developing and managing the organization's government relations activities specializing in HIV-related state legislative matters regarding appropriations, health care reform and policy issues impacting the social determinates of health and health disparities.
Prior to joining the Policy & Advocacy team at AFC, Timothy served as a staffer to U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-5). In addition, he also served as Board President for Thrive Alabama—an AIDS Service Organization and Federally Qualified Health Center providing medical and support services care to the people of north Alabama including people living with or vulnerable to HIV.
A person living with HIV since 2009, Timothy's career is centered on a promise made to a late aunt who died from AIDS-related complications that he would spend the rest of his life advocating on behalf of people living with HIV and amplifying their voices. Timothy is a national speaker and facilitator on the importance of self-empowerment through the creation of networks of people living with HIV. Timothy is also a member of the Center for HIV Law & Policy's Positive Justice Project and the National Gay Black Men's Advocacy Coalition. Finally, Timothy is also the founder of The Promises Project, an online clearinghouse of HIV-related resources and media content for advocates and allies.
Timothy is a proud Political Science and History alum of Mississippi State University. He also holds an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Holmes Community College. When not engaged in HIV advocacy, Timothy enjoys cooking up new recipes for his food blog, A Man about Food.
Willona M. Stallings
Willona M. Stallings, MPH has 20 years of public health experience in her home state of North Carolina. She is currently the director of two health initiatives designed to improve access to health coverage – one through the Affordable Care Act and the other related to North Carolina's pending move to Medicaid Managed Care. Both programs are housed at the Care Share Health Alliance, a statewide nonprofit whose mission is "collaborating for health equity."
Throughout her career, Willona has served on various statewide committees aimed at improving the health of all North Carolinians, including the Governor's Task Force for Healthy Carolinians, NC Institute of Medicine's Task Force on Early Childhood Obesity Prevention, NC Institute of Medicine's Task Force on Rural Health, and Eat Smart Move More NC's Executive Committee. She believes every human being deserves access to quality, affordable, whole-person healthcare – a belief that was informed by her late mother's 14-year battle with kidney disease.
Willona holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, along with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University.
Zaida Dedolph
Zaida Dedolph serves as Director of Health Policy at Children's Action Alliance, Arizona's independent voice for children. She has worked to enact change at the individual, organizational, and systems levels. Her experience in public policy has focused on addressing local, state, and federal barriers to health equity, including improving access to physical and behavioral health care, housing, food security, and financial wellbeing. She holds a Master's degree in Public Health from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology and Bioethics from Loyola University Chicago.
Dr. Zeenia Junkeer
Dr. Zeenia Junkeer was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and raised in Beaverton, Oregon. Trained as a naturopathic physician, Zeenia has combined her work in social and racial justice advocacy with her training as a physician to work towards equitable health outcomes that center healing and liberation through traditional ways of knowing. Dr. Junkeer is an experienced organizer, facilitator, advocate, systems thinker, strategist, and health care professional. Currently, Zeenia is the director at the Oregon Health Equity Alliance (OHEA), one of four regional health equity coalitions in Oregon, focused on health equity policy, systems, and environment change grounded in racial justice.
Sybill Hyppolite
Sybill Hyppolite joined the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO as Legislative Director in October 2019. She works alongside WSLC Government Affairs Director Joe Kendo to advance the Shared Prosperity agenda of the largest labor organization in Washington state. Prior to joining the WSLC, Hyppolite served for five years as the Healthcare Policy Specialist at SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, where she worked with labor and community partners to advance legislation and co-create policies to improve access to health care. She also has supported union members to bargain strong contracts. Hyppolite's career has centered on social justice, empowerment, and self-determination. As an organizer at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, she worked on a labor-community campaign to advance hospital accountability. She also brings international experience, having conducted policy research in Haiti funded by a Harvard Kennedy School program. At Partners In Health, she coordinated multi-national logistics and partnerships to help patients access medical treatment abroad. Hyppolite holds a Master of Science in Society, Human Development, and Health from Harvard University. She has firsthand experience of the importance of labor unions in marginalized communities. Raised by Haitian parents in a union household, Hyppolite learned organizing strategies from her mother, an administrative assistant committed to the struggle for equity. Today, she maintains a commitment to her local community as a yoga facilitator exploring collective healing for collective action.


Not only do we sell new and used cars but Crown Nissan of Greenville has an exceptional Nissan Service and Nissan Parts team to keep your car on the road. If your vehicle needs maintenance, speak to one of our pros today.
Looking for a selection of used cars in the Greenville area? Crown Nissan of Greenville has a selection of makes and models for you to choose from. Check out our extensive inventory here on the website or stop in and test drive one of our vehicles today.
Maybe it is something bigger that you are looking for, like a used minivan or SUV. Our selection of used vans and SUVs are available for you now, both here on the website and on our Laurens Road lot. Before you go anywhere else, be sure to stop by Crown Nissan of Greenville first - we are conveniently located near I-85 and are easy to get to from anywhere in the Upstate area.


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