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Taxi Tales
Taxi drivers in Syria, and especially in Damascus, don't have a particularly good reputation. Many are undercover security personnel. The remainder face the same struggles as other low-income Syrians. This is the story of chain-smoking conversationalist Abu Hussam, a taxi driver who speeds his clients to work in a tattered vehicle with no side mirrors or seat belts.
© SyriaUntold
Alice Al-Shami
Alice Al-Shami (pseudonym) is a Syrian writer.
Translated by: Naziha Baassiri
This story is the outcome of cooperation between Radio Souriali and SyriaUntold. Our readers are invited to listen to this story in Arabic.
Abu Hussam lights up his thick, silver Elegance cigarettes, one after the other, as he sits behind the wheel of his yellow, Iranian-made Saba car. A favorite among taxi drivers, the Saba has become the most common taxi car in Damascus given it is cheap to buy, easy to find spare parts for, and has good gas mileage. The same goes for the cigarettes: Elegance is top of the line among the cheap cigarette brands, the price of which skyrocketed with the sharp decline of the Syrian pound and after the US dollar became stronger.
It is rare to find a taxi driver who doesn't smoke, even though smoking is technically illegal and carries a fine. But it has become commonplace to ignore that law, especially as it is impossible not to smoke during working hours on the crowded streets of Damascus with all the checkpoints and the other causes of stress and anger.
Abu Hussam has been a taxi driver for over 30 years. He has spent more than half his life behind the wheel, and he's not 50 yet. But his appearance is quite misleading: wrinkles cover his face, his eyes sink into his skull, his teeth rotten from all the smoking.
Taxi drivers in Syria, and especially in Damascus, don't have a particularly good reputation. Many are undercover security personnel, leaving the actual taxi drivers to face the same problems as their fellow Syrians with lowly incomes. They don't have a union to protect them or regulate their work, and there is no official body to help facilitate the procedures they have to follow while acquiring the necessary paperwork. For example, a taxi driver must obtain a specific driver's license to be able to drive a "public transport" vehicle, after which he can use his personal car as a cab. However, he also has to equip the car out of his pocket: he has to install and pay for the taxi lamp provided by the Ministry of Transportation. He has to buy the ID sticker and the printed drivers ID to be placed inside the car. He has to acquire the meter and reset it whenever the set prices change. He also has to pay the compulsory cab insurance, which amounts to $50 or 23,000 Syrian Pounds. And last but not least, the car has to be yellow.
During "tickets" season, which usually coincides with the end of the year or Eid, traffic officers pick out taxi drivers and fine them for any small thing just to empty their tickets booklets. As the taxi fare has markedly gone up – almost 10 times more than the fare before the Syrian crisis started – a taxi driver who doesn't have his special connections can't, for example, skip the gas queue using a military card or doesn't receive free gas from a military gas truck. He has to work all day to barely cover his family's expenses, not to mention the costs of the cab from gas, fees, and maintenance.
Abu Hussam has been a taxi driver for over 30 years. He has a pool of clients who call him for their trips, and for over the last five years, he has become an expert navigator in the area of Jaramana, which is considered one of the more congested areas, making it extremely hard for people to find a spot on a public transport vehicle, be it on a bus or a van. This is not to mention the long hours people spend getting to their destination due to the numerous checkpoints and bad roads.
Many clients, especially those working with international NGOs, prefer to get to work in Jaramana via taxi despite the high fare. It could take more than two hours if one uses public transport to get to the Damascus city center. What sets Abu Hussam apart is his comparatively lower fares and his incessant talking, which often helps wake up his clients on their way to work.
Abu Hussam's car has old, tattered furnishings, and no side mirrors. "I was having them fixed at the blacksmith's, but he took them with him once he moved back to Zamalka after they reopened it. I really don't want to go there," says Abu Hussam.
"And how do you see the world behind you, Abu Hussam?" asked a passenger once.
"It's not a pretty sight anyway," Abu Hussam replied laughing, as the passenger nervously shifted in his seat. He tried to put his seatbelt on, but couldn't find the buckle. "It doesn't work," said Abu Hussam. "Just hold it in place on your chest when you see a police officer." It seemed that the seatbelt's function was to stop Abu Hussam from getting a ticket and not to protect the passenger during a crash.
"Don't be afraid. God looks out for all of us. In any case, I'm going to be operated on for my glaucoma next week, and I'll be able to see better. I can barely see up to the stop lights right now," Abu Hussam explains. The passenger's face turns white as Abu Hussam drives his car as if he's the only one on the road.
Despite the fact that Abu Hussam's car lacks the bare minimum in safety requirements, his clients still prefer him over other drivers, given his reasonable fares and fun rides. Abu Hussam has countless stories: from his own personal ones to those of his clients, which he shares without paying much attention of the idea of privacy. He's not a shrink to stick to any professional rules; however, he pays attention not to mention too many details, addresses, or names. It is, after all, a small world.
Abu Hussam picks the stories that suit his passengers. For example, if a girl with her dog gets in, he shares the story of his dog that was killed by a stray bullet in Al-Qaboun where he owned a big traditional home with his family. On that fateful day, there were intense clashes and the dog had been on the roof. When the clashes ended and Abu Hussam went up on the roof, he found the dead dog with a bullet in its stomach. He buried the dog by the house as his wife and daughter looked on crying.
If a passenger shares their story about renting apartments and the hike in prices, Abu Hussam shares his own: when the situation in Al-Qaboun started getting worse, young men began carrying arms, and the regime promised to hit the area. In mid 2012, and just before a cell was uncovered, Abu Hussam decided to leave Al-Qaboun with his wife, daughter, and two teenage sons for fear they were somehow involved with being armed.
Abu Hussam pulled out his savings to rent a place in the area of Rukn Eddine for some time. Two months later, Al-Qaboun residents fled by the hundreds as the military operation kicked off in the fall of 2012. That's when home rentals became exponentially expensive, and Abu Hussam knew that renting was no longer a viable solution.
"Here, I looked at my wife and said, 'whatever gold [jewelry] you have on you, take it off!'" Abu Hussam beams with pride as he recalls how his wife meekly submitted to his request, and how her sons assured her their father wasn't planning to take a second wife.
Abu Hussam sold his wife's jewelry for four million Syrian Pounds (the equivalent of $25,000) at the time, and bought a substandard house in the heights of the Rukn Eddine mountain. He only informed his family after the deal was done. Once his wife arrived at their new home, she lamented her luck, refusing to stay at that dump for one second.
"I told her, isn't this better than us being terrified whenever we have to renew our lease and we don't know how much they will ask us to pay this time? This house is ours, whatever it may be. No one can knock on our door."
Abu Hussam smiles for a second as he recalls how he subdued his wife and children, who have been living in that house ever since. When the army stormed into Al-Qaboun in the middle of last year, Abu Hussam went with his two sons to check up on their family home. The house had been stripped of everything: there was no door, no faucets, not even the floor tiles. When he returned to his wife, he said, "Imagine if we hadn't bought this house. What would have become of us?"
When the latest battle of Ghouta intensified at the onset of 2018, mortar shells fell heavily on Damascus, but Abu Hussam didn't stop working. "We're a people who if a bomb falls by our side, we dust ourselves off and continue working. We must survive," he says to the passenger beside him.
He is not sympathetic to any particular group, as he is busy tending to his family and his car, the source of his income. At checkpoints, Abu Hussam greets the soldiers enthusiastically and offers free rides to any soldier or officer who asks him for a ride to the bus station in the morning. But Abu Hussam also has a special kind of client: one is a soldier who mans the Fourth Division checkpoint in Yaafour. Anyone heading to the Lebanese border must pass through this checkpoint. Since Abu Hussam gives the impression to be pro-regime and an admirer of its security personnel and army, the soldier in question offered him a Marlboro Red pack one morning. Marlboro Reds are the hard currency used between soldiers, on the one hand, and travelers and taxi drivers heading for Lebanon, on the other. Almost everybody has to hand over a smuggled Marlboro Red pack if they are to cross the checkpoint, which costs 1,500 Syrian Pounds at least, the equivalent of $3.5. Compared to the Elegance that barely costs 50 cents a pack, $3.5 is a lot of money.
Some drivers tried their hand at giving the soldiers fake Marlboro Reds made in China, which cost only $1 a pack. But they were soon found out, and the soldiers punished the drivers and travelers by going through their luggage and cars at length.
Abu Hussam didn't enjoy his Marlboro cigarette. The soldier laughed: "You're right. I don't like them either." But the soldier had hundreds of cigarette packs as a toll fare given by to him by drivers.
"Do you know how much this box this worth, Abu Hussam?" says the soldier. "About a million [Syrian] pounds. We sell the pack to the kiosk for 1,200 Syrian pounds, but we didn't pay for it. So it's cheaper for him and he makes more money out of it."
"And how much do you make a day, boss?" asks Abu Hussam.
The soldier laughs. "On slow days, about 50,000 pounds ($100). And when it's a good day, I could make up to 150,000 pounds ($300)."
The soldier goes on to tell Abu Hussam that his work at the checkpoint allowed him to buy a house and two cars. However, he doesn't go out with his car because he's worried people would realize that he's doing well, so he prefers to use a taxi. He tips Abu Hussam generously as he often is the only client returning to Jaramana at sunrise.
The soldier told Abu Hussam more than once that he believes what he does is legitimate, given it is hard work: He has to man the checkpoint, come rain or come shine. He gathers his cigarette packs and does all the math, then goes around Damascus selling it to kiosks and vendors. It's not an easy job, and it involves many risks. As for the travelers heading to Beirut to do some shopping, or to travel via Beirut airport on an expensive ticket to Europe or the Gulf, or to vacation at one of the resorts, "then they deserve it. What's a pack of Marlboro Reds to those assholes?"
Abu Hussam smiled thinking of his eldest son, who a few months after his 18th birthday, fled to Lebanon to avoid military service. He now works illegally at a restaurant, and he has never lit a cigarette before, Marlboro Red or otherwise.
There are doctors, engineers, housewives, mothers, grandmothers, college students, professors, lawyers, businessmen, and craftsmen who all prefer to ride with Abu Hussam in his beat-up car, listening to his stories and smelling his cigarette, which he immediately puts out once a client complains. He never argues with his clients over the fare, telling them to give him whatever they feel like. He has never been late, and deals with patiently and positively with everyone. This is why they feel comfortable enough and safe enough to share their stories, even if his car lacks side mirrors.
Tags: economy society


Liz's Paper Loft: Monday Hop with EAD Designs!!
Hello and welcome to the Monday Hop with EAD Designs! First of all I want to thank all of my new followers, I hope that I'll be able to keep you interested and inspired! You should have arrive here form Lauren...isn't she so creative!! If you just stopped by to see me then you'll want to head over to EAD's blog for the start, leaving a comment for each one along the way.
If you've been with me for awhile then you already know that I have recently changed over to 8 x 8 size for layouts. Now I know this isn't for everyone and I might not stay with it, but for now I'm hooked! :) So for today I made a super simple layout...but I don't think it looks simple. That's the great thing about EAD's stickerz!!!
I can't wait for Christmas so I can add my pictures, this will be a two page layout!
I added red and diamond stickles to the stickerz! That's what's great about stickerz, you can make them your own with little details!
Again, more red stickles to Rudolf's nose!
I added Deco Art Snow Writer and diamond stickles to the tag!
gorgeous layout...love the stickerz on the kraft!
this is such a stunning layout, i want it for my scrapbook! i love the papers and those stickerz are stinkin adorable!
Gorgeous!!! I love the Stickles and the snow on the stickerz! I never would have thought to do that!
Wonderful layout. Love the colors, and i agree that the 8x8pages are a fun size to work with.
Just say this on pinterest and it's beautiful!
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Derby-Lewis showed remorse - Judge
Naledi Shange, News24
Hani's widow Limpho leaves the High Court in Pretoria. (Naledi Shange, News24)
Judge orders Derby-Lewis be granted parole
Hani's widow declined apology offer - lawyer
Derby-Lewis apology 'lip service'
Pretoria - The man who was linked to the murder of SACP leader Chris Hani was on Friday a free man after being granted medical parole in the High Court in Pretoria.
After an extensive court battle, Judge Selby Baqwa ruled that Clive Derby Lewis's medical parole was immediately effective, saying the former Conservative Party leader had shown remorse.
The 79-year-old has spent over 21 years behind bars and is said to be dying of lung cancer.
In January, he had been given just six more months to live.
Delivering his judgment, Baqwa said: "Taking into account all the evidence and all the information... I have come to the conclusion that the applicant has made a case for placement on medical parole."
Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha, who in January denied Derby-Lewis parole, had to determine the parole conditions along with the medical parole board by June 5.
Baqwa had been tasked with reviewing Masutha's decision in denying Derby-Lewis parole.
Masutha had denied Derby-Lewis parole, claiming he had shown no remorse for his deeds.
Derby-Lewis had provided the gun which was used to murder Hani outside his home in Dawn Park, Boksburg, in 1993.
Baqwa, however said Masutha's processes had been "flawed".
He claimed that Masutha had failed to take into consideration the remorse expressed by Derby-Lewis.
Masutha had also claimed that Derby-Lewis did not qualify to be released on medical parole as the law said an inmate needed to have been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer to be paroled.
Masutha said Derby-Lewis had Stage 3b. Two doctors who later examined him found the cancer had however advanced to Stage 4.
Baqwa said the act of ubuntu should be exercised and Derby-Lewis should be allowed to die in dignity.
As he spoke, friends of Derby-Lewis who sat in the back of the court expressed agreement.
They broke down and tears of joy flowed as it was announced that he would be set free.
The two men and a woman took out their cellphones and made calls, sharing the news.
Hani's wife, Limpho, however, left the court in a great hurry.
Seemingly disappointed by the ruling, she refused to speak to the media.
Meanwhile, the court also ruled that she and Masutha, as respondents in the matter would foot Derby-Lewis's legal costs.
Read more on: chris hani | clive derby-lewis | pretoria

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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From Our Parents & Alumni
We have 2 kids studying at the Niagara Academy of Tennis. We visited several schools in Canada and abroad and found the Niagara Academy of Tennis best suited for our children. The children are very happy at school and receive exceptional education and tennis training. Due to the smaller class sizes, each student gets individual attention. The teachers are very committed and help the students in every way.
My son went to the Canada-wide Science fair in 2017 and received a lot of guidance from his teachers. The students are surrounded by peers who excel at school and tennis with good placement in well known universities.
The curriculum is well balanced with tennis and education. It is the only school in Canada which is focused on excellent tennis training and providing world class education in the same campus.
— From Doctors Sivakumar Annamalai and Saraswati Sivakumar,
I would like to thank you and all Niagara Academy teachers to assist Dylan in completion of his study. The academy you have built, the culture, knowledge and flexibility of teachers and coaches is very unique worldwide. Niagara Academy allows young athletes to grow their game and education. Once again big thanks from bottom of my heart.
Graduating from Niagara Academy, Dylan is well equipped as a student and athlete and without any doubt will do well in school and on tennis court while attending Nebraska University. It is our expectation that together we will be able to celebrate many of his future achievements. As you know Daniel has graduated from Indiana University with very good marks, played leader role for his team, contributing to team overall success and made significant accomplishments along the way including finishing as 6th winningest double player in University history (founded January 20, 1820). Daniel has also won three consecutive BIG10 sportsmanship award. Recently Daniel has been accepted into MBA program at Division I school as graduate assistant coach for men's and women team. It is great accomplishment not only for Daniel but also great achievement for all people who helped him along the way. Niagara Academy, coaches, teachers and your own involvement in his life played significant role in his success . Many thanks to all of you.
— From Doroto and Marian Bednarczyk, parents of Dylan Bednarczyk
(2016 Niagara Academy graduate)
After graduating from NAT in 2009, I enrolled in McMaster University, where I completed my Bachelors degree in Human Geography and Urban Planning in 2013. From there, I completed a Masters in the same field at the University of Toronto, and as of September 2014, I am working towards my PhD. My research looks at the intersections of housing, finance, and immigration policy, as they relate to questions of social justice. I am particularly interested in how we can reform the way (current) markets work to ensure quality housing for all, and especially for racialized and low-income immigrants. The independent thinking, time management, and perseverance I developed as a student-athlete at Niagara Academy has directly impacted my performance in academics. Without question, Niagara Academy was the single most important and foundational time in my life, and the kindness and quality of character you will find there — among coaches, teachers, and friends — is second to none.
— Dylan Simone, University of Toronto PhD Candidate
After high school, I received a full scholarship to the University of Detroit Mercy where I competed on a Division 1 tennis team. At Detroit I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology, in addition to a minor in business administration. Upon graduating from college in May of 2014, I moved to Cambridge, MA to coach tennis at the Tennis Academy at Harvard for four months. I am currently employed by a firm named Fidelity Investments in Toronto. In terms of my future plans, I am hoping to remain with Fidelity Investments for a long and prosperous career. On the personal side, I would love to backpack through Europe this summer!
— From Raina Halabi, Niagara Academy 2009 Grad
It has been an amazing year here at Georgia Southern, although it has been challenging in the tennis part. In the season I have been playing in doubles as number one and two, and in singles from four to six. The tennis and/or every other sport atmosphere is crazy, everyone gets super intense when playing against another school. There is a big loyalty and a great support from the fans.
The facilities are great, we have a football stadium with around 20,000 seats, the basketball arena with 7,000, and softball and baseball around 4,000. We also have our own lockers with showers for the tennis team.
Now I know why so many people in Canada would get shocked or impressed when I would tell them that I would go to the south for studying, people here are so different from what I'm used to. It's all a different culture. People here is all about fishing, hunting, camouflage clothing, big trucks and BBQ.
I'm really happy to be here, and for sure I have done the right decision to come here. I would be more than welcome to help students from NAT to come here and share my experience with them. I already talked to Alexis and Johny to motivate them to come here hahah, I'm missing Luke to tell him!
I can now say that I'm living my dream! Thank you for helping me reach it!
— From Jose Eduardo Landin at Georgia Southern University
Alumnus, Hans Hach, has been visiting Niagara Academy while here competing in Futures tournaments in Ontario. Hans described life on the tennis pro circuit to the students.
The goal of competitive tennis players at the high school level is just to play as much tennis as possible and win as many tournaments as possible. At the college level, balancing academics with tennis becomes the main goal, especially with tournaments almost every weekend. Being on a tennis team means players needs to give their best all the time, so they don't let the team down. At the same time, they need to keep up with their studies to maintain their place at the college. Once they hit the professional ranks, there is a whole new set of conditions to challenge players.
Playing professional tennis looks glamorous, but sometimes it can be lonely. Players are no longer part of a team and they need to be away from family and friends, as they travel to practice or for tournaments. Whereas being part of a team at college level gives players a very active social life, traveling as an individual on the pro circuit means spending a lot of time on one's own.
It's extremely important to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. That means balancing fitness, tennis and downtime. Playing at increasingly higher levels of play also means players will lose a lot of games, some they think they should win. Learning to deal with the losses requires a mental toughness players can't survive without.
Whereas the top players have the finances to fly around in their own jets and have health and coaching professionals available whenever they need them, players in the lower ranks always have to find the most economical way of getting what they need. To get one thing, they may have to give up another, all the while trying to make sure they have what is necessary to continue to develop as a competitive player. Some very talented players don't make it to the top because they can't afford it.
Despite all these downsides, young professional players continue to make sacrifices because they want the challenge and tennis is what they love.
— Hans Hach, Niagara Academy Alumnus, ATP Tennis Professional
This is what some of our students have to say…When I arrived to Canada I didn't know English but this time my English is improving because I am taking a lot of English classes.
— Severo, Grade 7 (Mexico)
I like this school because it offers an international culture, something that other schools can't offer. I also like that this school isn't too big compared to others. This school has fewer kids than one classroomin another school. The advantage of that is that you get to know the people better and you get more attention from teachers during a class. I came to this school because I wanted to improve my tennisgame and I also wanted a change from a large noisy classroom where teachers don't pay attention toyou. Now that I have come I know I made the right choice because my game has improved and theteachers are a lot better than the other schools I've been to. This is my fifth school in my life but it is byfar my favourite.
— Charles, Grade 8 (ON, Canada)
I went to the Academy and the staff and students were very friendly with me. This has been a different experience compared to my life in Venezuela. I chose this Academy because I want to learn English and to train in tennis to become stronger and to play better.
— Miguel, Grade 12 (Venezuela)
I came to the academy because I wanted to improve my tennis game. I knew the only way I would be doing that is if I came to the academy. I like that the academy is an international school. You get to learn about different cultures from around the world. Also I like that the class sizes are small. It means more time and attention for each kid at school and on court.
— Mia, Grade 7 (ON, Canada)
I went to the Niagara Academy of tennis for two weeks for summer camp last year. It was fantastic and I decided that I wanted to visit the academy again. On my second visit to the Academy I stayed at the academy for four months, for the second semester. My home stay family was very nice. We went on a few excursions on weekends, to Niagara on the Lake and to Niagara Falls, when my Mexican sister and Ididn't have any tournaments planned for the weekends. I met students from Mexico, Germany, Canada,and so on and had a great time with them. The school was very nice, as I was in small classes. I was in regular classes at the school and I also had my individual tutoring lessons in French, Math and Spanish, which helped me to do my homework from Switzerland. The school schedule was very good, and the school times were the same every day. The tennis training was very intense. I had three hours of training a day and one hour of fitness. After a few days I made improvements on my technique and footwork. This helped me to get into the finals of tournaments. The coaches signed me up in tournaments and watched us playing matches. After a match we did an analysis on what went well and what I still had to work on. The fitness training was very exhausting; we did many exercises using weights and a lot of endurance training. I have had an unforgettable time at the academy and would love to come back again.
— Lydia, Grade 10 (Switzerland)
When I came to Canada it was a very different experience from where I lived in Mexico. I'm getting toknow Canadian culture and learning a new language. My parents decided to send me to Niagara Academy for a better life. First my brother went to Canada and then me.
— Cuau, Grade 7 (Mexico)
When I arrived to Canada I did not know any English but in a few months I understood and I'm still in theprocess of improving it. My home stay family is very good and they treat me like a member of their family. The workouts are very good and I have greatly improved my tennis. The Academy makes me feel comfortable and it is very good.
— Donato, Grade 12 (Venezuela)
I wanted to go to another country to improve my English communication skills but also wanted to play tennis. My goal was to collect experiences, to improve my English and my level in tennis. Some people told me I was crazy because I would get homesick, but fortunately I didn't listen to them because rightnow I am having the best time of my life. I miss my family and friends but here in Canada I have a really nice family and good friends. I have met many people from different countries and learned their cultures. I now have friends from Canada, Mexico, Russia, Venezuela and Switzerland. I also had the opportunity to visit Mexico with one of my friends over Christmas break and it was an amazing and unforgettable adventure for me. To go to Niagara Academy is a lot of fun but also hard work and there are different parts which make it special. I could never survive one of the fitness classes alone but because of the motivation my friends give me we can all do it together. For me the academy feels like a big family and I think we are a really good team.
— Greta, Grade 11 (Germany)
Before coming to this school I played tennis once a week at a junior program and had some private lessons with my coach. I came to Niagara Academy with the intention of getting a better education, more tennis and to feel like I belong. That is exactly what I got. My grades started improving, my tennis went to a whole new level and every morning I woke up with a smile on my face, excited to go to school. Throughout the five years I have been here I have seen many people come and go from countries around the world. Every time a new student comes you get to learn more about other cultures, their traditions, food and more. It truly is amazing. I have also been able to share my Ukrainian background with them. You get to know them well and we become like a family. When you become family it is hard to lose them when they have to go home, but they stay with us through memories. I am very happy tobe able to come here. I've improved so much and I feel like I belong somewhere. I am proud to be a NAT student.
— Dominika, Grade 8 (ON, Canada)
And a few of our young summer campers say…I like the academy and my home stay family. I really like all the city. This is a good experience.
— Fernando, age 12 (Mexico)
My summer was very good and fun. Why is the summer ending! Niagara Academy is the best in the world.
— Maxim, age 12 (Russia)
I like the waterfalls of Niagara, the Academy and the teachers in the Academy. I also like Canada's Wonderland and the mall.
— Adam, age 11 (Mexico)
I was here for 2 months. I liked the soccer and the swimming pool.
— Andrei, age 11 (Russia)
I live in Canada for 3 weeks. I like tennis and fitness. I like English, too.
— Nikita, age 12 (Russia)


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The Philippines: Government preparing package to aid small firms
Centennial Asia > The Asian Pulse > Daily News > The Philippines: Government preparing package to aid small firms
Category:	Daily News
THE economic team is working on an economic package and rehabilitation plan to keep small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) afloat after the quarantine period, which shut down most economic activity.
In a Viber message, Finance Secretary Dominguez told reporters that the draft package is expected to be ready "by the end of the week."
"I think the package to be rolled out will focus on keeping SMEs alive and viable after the lockdown," Finance Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa Habitan told BusinessWorld.
Habitan said the package will tap the PHP275bn freed up under "Bayanihan" Republic Act No. 11469 which allowed the government to realign funds from the national budget and make off-budget outlays for relief measures in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
The size the new economic package is not yet determined.
Mr. Dominguez said so far, the government has more than PHP200bn at its disposal to fund the emergency subsidy, "more than PHP100bn-worth of cash and cash equivalents in various GOCC (government owned and controlled corporation) accounts and another PHP100bn more in various national government accounts outside the Treasury Single Account (TSA)."
Earlier, the finance chief said the Philippines' deficit level may breach 4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, higher than the initial estimate of 3.6%.
He said COVID-19 is seen to cut revenues by as much as PHP286.4bn if economic growth settles at 0% in 2020. If the economy contracts by 1%, the drop in revenues would reach PHP318.9bn.
External Link : https://www.bworldonline.com/government-preparing-package-to-aid-small-firms/
External Link : https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/04/01/2004617/government-crafting-another-economic-stimulus-rehab-plan


text:
Home News New school board topic of Northwood Civic meeting
New school board topic of Northwood Civic meeting
Philadelphia is in the process of selecting a new school board that will once again bring back power to the local level.
The Northwood Civic Association last week welcomed state Rep. Jason Dawkins, who addressed the upcoming locally controlled school board, the possibility of Amazon bringing their second headquarters to Philadelphia and more.
The School Reform Commission voted to dissolve in the latter part of 2017. Philadelphia is in the process of selecting a new school board that will once again bring back power to the local level. Many Democrats in the city of Philadelphia rejoiced at the decision to bring back a local school board, but Dawkins has some reservations.
"Now the question becomes, do we follow the same steps we followed before when we had a local control school board and make those same mistakes?
"I do not believe that anyone who wants to serve on that board is eligible to give any political contributions to any City Council member or any elected official, period," he continued. "If you have a history of doing so, I think that should disqualify you only because I say you have some type of allegiance regardless if you say so or not."
Dawkins added the absolute need to reduce classroom sizes to approximately 17–18 students per class and potential partnerships with building trades for students who do not want to pursue college.
This upcoming change will also impact the charter schools in the city, Dawkins thinks. "I hope we invest in the ones (charter schools) that work," he said.
Dawkins' district is also poised to welcome in ShopRite, 5597 Tulip St., in March. Although Thriftway was once open in the area, there is currently no major supermarkets in his district. The location of the old Thriftway, the property now owned by Rite Aid, is still not occupied by an open business, and Dawkins believes this may be a result of Amazon considering Philadelphia for its second headquarters.
"Rite Aid is holding the property, my guess, as collateral, 'cause they're waiting to see if Amazon's going to be selected to the city of Philadelphia," Dawkins claimed. "If so, they'll probably repurpose the building into some type of housing."
Philadelphia is on a list of 20 cities being considered for Amazon's second headquarters. The proximity of the building to the El leads Dawkins into believing that property would be a "goldmine" if Amazon chooses Philadelphia.
The Northwood Civic Association voted to not oppose a request that a house being used as a triplex be legalized. The house, 4725 Northwood St., was purchased by a Realtor as a triplex years ago. The owner will go to the city to officially make it a triplex. Five tenants reside in the triplex. ••
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text:
package org.patricbrc.Workspace;

import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;
import org.codehaus.jackson.map.*;
import org.codehaus.jackson.map.annotate.*;
import org.codehaus.jackson.type.*;
import org.codehaus.jackson.*;

@JsonSerialize(using = args_get_archive_url_serializer.class)
@JsonDeserialize(using = args_get_archive_url_deserializer.class)
public class args_get_archive_url
{
    public get_archive_url_params input;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Das Ministerium der Finanzen des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (Kurzform: FM NRW; auch abgekürzt als Finanzministerium NRW) ist das Finanzministerium des deutschen Bundeslandes Nordrhein-Westfalen und eines von elf Ministerien der nordrhein-westfälischen Landesverwaltung.

Das Ministerium hat seinen Sitz in Düsseldorf, Jägerhofstraße 6. Amtsleiter ist seit dem 29. Juni 2022 Finanzminister Marcus Optendrenk (CDU). Ihm steht als Staatssekretär Dirk Günnewig zur Seite.

Organisation des Finanzministeriums

Das Finanzministerium ist entsprechend seiner Aufgabenbereiche in sechs Abteilungen geordnet; innerhalb dieser Abteilungen bestehen sogenannte Gruppen, welche wiederum in Referate – als kleinste organisatorische Einheiten – gegliedert sind.

Aufgaben des Finanzministeriums

Das Finanzministerium ist insbesondere für die Aufstellung des nordrhein-westfälischen Landeshaushalts und die Rechnungslegung über Einnahmen und Ausgaben sowie die Vermögens- und Schuldenverwaltung des Landes zuständig. Über die Bereiche Finanzplanung, Finanzstatistik und Steuerschätzungen besteht eine enge Verzahnung mit der Steuerpolitik. Das Finanzministerium ist auch für die Umsetzung und Durchführung bestehender Steuergesetze sowie die Aufsicht über nordrhein-westfälische Sparkassen und die Düsseldorfer Börse zuständig.

Behörden und Einrichtungen im Geschäftsbereich des Finanzministeriums

 die Oberfinanzdirektion Nordrhein-Westfalen (entstanden durch die Mitte 2013 beschlossene Zusammenlegung der Oberfinanzdirektion Münster und der Oberfinanzdirektion Rheinland) (OFD NRW)
 das Rechenzentrum der Finanzverwaltung Nordrhein-Westfalen (RZF NRW)
 das Landesamt für Besoldung und Versorgung Nordrhein-Westfalen (LBV NRW)
 das Landesamt für Finanzen Nordrhein-Westfalen (LaFin NRW)
 drei Aus- und Fortbildungseinrichtungen der Finanzverwaltung Nordrhein-Westfalen:
 die Fortbildungsakademie der Finanzverwaltung Nordrhein-Westfalen (FortAFin NRW)
 die Landesfinanzschule Nordrhein-Westfalen (LFSch NRW)
 die Hochschule für Finanzen Nordrhein-Westfalen (HSF NRW)
 130 Finanzämter in Nordrhein-Westfalen
 105 Finanzämter
 10 Finanzämter für Steuerstrafsachen und Steuerfahndung
 15 Finanzämter für Groß- und Konzernbetriebsprüfung

Minister seit 1946

Weblinks

 Finanzministerium des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen
 Finanzämter des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen

Einzelnachweise

Finanzministerium
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Ministerium der Finanzen des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
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Recent Recommended Reading, Part Two: 15 More Good Books
Yikes, this Part Two installment was not meant to take months to pull together, but — summer. Recent is no longer exactly accurate, but anyway, here you go:
If you're looking to spend some dreamy, golden-hour melancholic days reimagining classic Greek mythology, I highly recommend:
Circe, by Madeline Miller
This is one of my favorite books of the year. Miller spins a deeply moving backstory for Odysseus's favorite sea-witch. Compassion, guilt, vengeance . . . the peace and loneliness of a solitary life . . . reinvention, magical herbs, pet lions — it's all here, and it is gorgeous. "I thought: I cannot bear this world a moment longer. Then, child, make another."
The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller
This is another deft reimagining of one of Greek mythology's greatest heroes. More than prophecies, decade-long-sieges, and competing egos, the heart of this telling is a love story between Achilles and Patroclus, who are, like every other Greek, fate's pawns. "I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world."
If you're looking for something a little more fantastical, perhaps with a long, riveting chase scene:
Future Home of the Living God, by Louise Erdrich
Evolution is unraveling, reversing. Marital Law, blackouts, rationing ensue. Pregnant women are being abducted and held in guarded facilities. In short, people are freaking out. This chilling dystopian novel is different from Erdrich's usual work but no less powerful. It's a breathless tale of a changing world and female agency. "After a while, I asked who was in charge. Phil said God. I said that was the most terrifying thing I'd ever heard and he said, "Yeah, me too. That's why I bought the Bushmaster."
The Book of Dust, by Philip Pullman
If you haven't read Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, I question what you're doing with your life. This prequel takes place a decade or so before the events of The Golden Compass (here Lyra is but a wee babe) and involves the usual delightful mix of suspense, heroism, exploratory theology, fate, and rapid pacing of all Pullman's work. "Malcolm saw something out of the corner of his eye—or was it in his eye? A little patch of white on the floor of the canoe. And then, without the slightest warning, it became the shimmering, flickering spot of light, floating in the darkness ahead of him."
The Bear and the Nightingale, by Katherine Arden
Two old gods at war. A dogmatic village priest. A harsh winter. A wild, strong, and spirit-touched girl with a life-altering choice to make. Set in medieval Russia, this is a good cold-weather read to enjoy over a glass of spiced wine in front of a fire. "All my life," she said, "I have been told 'go' and 'come.' I am told how I will live, and I am told how I must die. I must be a man's servant and a mare for his pleasure, or I must hide behind walls and surrender my flesh to a cold, silent god. I would walk into the jaws of hell itself if it were a path of my own choosing. I would rather die tomorrow in the forest than live a hundred years of the life appointed me."
Or perhaps something more domestic?:
Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee
Beginning in 1910 during Japanese colonialization and ranging through 1989, Pachinko follows the saga of a Korean family through four generations. With echoes of East of Eden, it asks what it means to be good while examining great human themes like suffering, success, prejudice, honor, tradition, and the need to belong. "No one is clean. Living makes you dirty."
Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson
A beautifully written classic meditation on domesticity versus transience as experienced by two orphaned sisters as they come of age under the care of an eccentric aunt. "But every memory is turned over and over again, every word, however chance, written in the heart in the hope that memory will fulfill itself, and become flesh, and that the wanderers will find a way home, and the perished, whose lack we always feel, will step through the door finally and stroke our hair with dreaming, habitual fondness, not having meant to keep us waiting long."
Looking for a memoir? Try one of these:
Rules Do Not Apply, by Ariel Levy
The New Yorker staff writer Levy's intimate memoir recalls professional adventures writing profiles of unconventional heroines, before taking a devastating turn to explore wrenching loss and finding a way forward. Check out this essay for a taste of what you're in for. "When I was young. When I had no idea that all over the city, all over the world, there were people walking around sealed in their own universes of loss, independent solar systems of suffering closed off from the regular world, where things make sense and language is all you need to tell the truth."
Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah
This is not your typical comedian's memoir. Noah's journey from the South African ghetto to The Daily Show is surprising, fascinating, and inspiring. Born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother during apartheid, Noah's very existence was a crime. A crime with an absolute badass mother. The lengths she went to support and protect her children, her shrewd resourcefulness, humor, and unconditional love, are truly epic. I learned a lot and laughed a lot reading this book. "Learn from your past and be better because of your past," she would say, "but don't cry about your past. Life is full of pain. Let the pain sharpen you, but don't hold on to it. Don't be bitter."
The Home Place, by J. Drew Lanham
The Home Place is a thoughtful, elegiac meditation on nature and belonging, written by one of the country's few black ornithologists. It's both a moving memoir about growing up and loving a place and also a thoughtful exploration of the contradictions of black identity in the rural South. "I don't expect everyone to feel the same way that I do about land. For so many of us, the scars are still too fresh. Fields of cotton stretching to the horizon — land worked, sweated, and suffered over for the profit of others — probably don't engender warm feelings among most black people. But the land, in spite of its history, still holds hope for making good on the promises we thought it could, especially if we can reconnect to it."
Want to laugh about serious stuff?:
Calypso, by David Sedaris
I've read every one of David Sedaris's books, and intend to read every new book he writes, forever and ever, amen. What I wouldn't give to spend a weekend at the Sea-Section with him and his family. "In France the most often used word is "connerie," which means "bullshit," and in America it's hands-down "awesome," which has replaced "incredible," "good," and even "just OK." Pretty much everything that isn't terrible is awesome in America now."
We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, by Samantha Irby
Bitches Gotta Eat blogger Samantha Irby is really fucking funny if you like your emotional truths about chronic illness, poverty, race and gender politics, relationships, and general adulting peppered with self-deprecating humor, IBS jokes, and tales about a bitchy cat named Helen Keller. "Real love feels less like a throbbing, pulsing animal begging for its freedom and beating against the inside of my chest and more like, "Hey, that place you like had fish tacos today and I got you some while I was out," as it sets a bag spotted with grease on the dining room table."
If you want to challenge your brain with some smart nonfiction:
On Immunity, by Eula Biss
This fascinating book examines the history and science of inoculation while addressing our distrust of authority, government, the medical establishment, chemicals, medicine, and of course, vaccines. Biss gathers statistics and explains the science of herd immunity as well as she meditates on myths and metaphors. "We do not tend to be afraid of the things that are most likely to harm us. We drive around in cars, a lot. We drink alcohol, we ride bicycles, we sit too much. And we harbor anxiety about things that, statistically speaking, pose us little danger. We fear sharks, while mosquitoes are, in terms of sheer numbers of lives lost, probably the most dangerous creature on earth."
Men Explain Things to Me, by Rebecca Solnit
Typical Solnit — smart, scathing, funny, feminist, and unflinching. "Every woman knows what I'm talking about. It's the presumption that makes it hard, at times, for any woman in any field; that keeps women from speaking up and from being heard when they dare; that crushes young women into silence by indicating, the way harassment on the street does, that this is not their world. It trains us in self-doubt and self-limitation just as it exercises men's unsupported overconfidence."
The Argonauts, by Maggie Nelson
Maggie Nelson makes me feel dumb. Not in a bad way, more in a try-to-rise-to-the-challenge kind of way heady thinkers pull you along. Here is a deep dive intellectual examination of gender, sexuality, queerness, pregnancy, transition, motherhood, and family-making.
"There's something truly strange about living in a historical moment in which the conservative anxiety and despair about queers bringing down civilization and its institutions (marriage, most notably) is met by the anxiety and despair so many queers feel about the failure or incapacity of queerness to bring down civilization and its institutions
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Sometimes making your home look like your dream home can be difficult. Decorations are typically quite expensive and decorating does require quite a bit of thought. Luckily we have found a huge round up of 31 DIY Ideas To Upgrade Your Home so you can spend less effort thinking and more effort decorating. Enjoy!


Image Title: Brilliant Contemporary Dining Room Light Fixtures Intended For Prepare 14. Post Title: Dining Light Fixtures. Filename: brilliant-contemporary-dining-room-light-fixtures-intended-for-prepare-14.jpg. Image Dimension: 550 x 734 pixels. Images Format: jpg/jpeg. Publisher/Author: Laurel Schultz. Uploaded Date: Monday - October 08th. 2018 23:21:23 PM. Category: Architecture. Image Source: interiordesign.net. Brilliant Contemporary Dining Room Light Fixtures Intended For Prepare 14. 20 Dining Room Light Fixtures Best Lighting Ideas Inside Remodel 2. Dining Room Lighting How To Find The Right Size Fixture For Your Throughout Light Fixtures Designs 5. Top 6 Light Fixtures For A Glowing Dining Room Overstock Com In Prepare 0. Dining Room Lighting Fixtures Ideas At The Home Depot With Light Plan 13. 20 Dining Room Light Fixtures Best Lighting Ideas Inside Decor 11. Top 6 Light Fixtures For A Glowing Dining Room Overstock Com With Regard To Designs 3. Dining Room Lighting Chandeliers Wall Lights Lamps At Lumens Com Throughout Light Fixtures Remodel 19. Simple Dining Room Light Fixtures Design Of Inside Ideas 10. Trending Light Fixtures For Dining Room 14 Esescatrina Intended Prepare 15.


text:
Antonio Brown released by the Patriots
Posted 3:58 pm, September 20, 2019, by CNN Wire
(CNN) — The New England Patriots are finished with wide receiver Antonio Brown.
"The New England Patriots are releasing Antonio Brown," a Patriots team spokesperson said in a statement on Friday afternoon. "We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel that it is best to move in a different direction at this time."
Brown took to Twitter on Friday afternoon, thanking the Patriots for the opportunity in a series of tweets and saying, "The marathon continues."
The move to release Brown comes just a few hours after head coach Bill Belichick walked out of his news conference with reporters — refusing to answer questions on Brown.
But in a week when a second woman has accused Brown of sexual misconduct, and with Nike cutting ties with the Patriots wide receiver, the questions continued to come.
At the end of his opening address to reporters on Friday — before the team announced Brown's release — Belichick did acknowledge Brown, saying: "I know there are questions about Antonio. We take all the situations with our team very seriously. There are some things that we're looking into. But I'm not going to have any comment on any of the off-the-field situations or questions on that."
During the news conference, Belichick was asked if he expected Brown would be available for Sunday's game against the New York Jets. Belichick responded by saying, "He's on our roster."
After Belichick received another question about Brown, the coach said: "I think I've already addressed this, so we're going to get ready for the Jets here. Happy to answer any football questions. The rest of it … I'm done with the rest of it."
The next question was about Brown, prompting Belichick to say, "I'm good. OK? Thank you." He then walked off.
The media availability lasted roughly three minutes, 30 seconds.
Derrick Henry, Titans stun Patriots 20-13 in wild-card upset
Titan's Keys
Titans Keys to the Game for New England Patriots
Saints chasing NFC's top seed rally to beat Titans 38-28
Capital murder charge filed against LaJeromeny Brown in death of Huntsville PD officer
WHNT News 19 Political Analyst Jess Brown says 'independent' voters will shape President Trump's impeachment battle
Man charged with killing Huntsville officer evaded jail time, despite frequent brushes with law
Huntsville Police arrest Tennessee man, say he killed veteran officer Friday night
Cutting down Christmas trees could be a dying tradition in North Alabama
Candlelight prayer vigil held for fallen HPD Officer Billy Clardy
Fundraiser raises $1,800 for Fort Payne Police Officer who lost home in fire
Testimony: Kamille 'Cupcake' McKinney was sexually assaulted before her murder


And much more! You can read more in a publication from Harvard Medical School.
May is Mental Health Month, and there's no better time to beef up your knowledge of mental health facts and information. There are a number of great materials available via Mental Health America, Canadian Mental Health Association, and NAMI.
We'll be bringing you some of these resources on the blog throughout the month. Starting with Mental Health America's Infographic about Anxiety. Anxiety disorders are some of the most common mental health conditions — experienced by an estimated 21% of American adults. People living with anxiety describe it as, "Being so scared you're paralyzed" and "Being powerless against your own mind." Check out the infographic below for more information on what anxiety is, how it feels to those who experience it, and tips for tackling it.


Find great deals on eBay for ouran high school host club. Shop with confidence. Halloween" Hey Guys, I have had the best idea!
" Tamaki said loudly in pride, " This Halloween we are going to dress up as Vampires! " There were mixed reactions to Tamaki's new proposal, Hunny and Mori both agreed that they could make it work and it would be a great opportunity, Kaoru and Hikaru were talking costumes, Kyoya merely At Ouran High School, an academy where only the children of the rich and powerful attend, there exists a club consisting of the most elite of the student body: the legendary Host Club.
Within the club's room, six beautiful, bored boys spend their time entertaining equally beautiful and bored girls. Haruhi Fujioka, a poor scholarship student, has no interest in the Host Club You heard Ouran was a prestigious school, so you applied for a scholarship and was accepted! You met a motley crew of gorgeous guys. Ouran Highschool Host Club New Scholarship Student! Halloween! Any of the host club would help you if you needed or wanted it.
" Inuyasha Ouran High School Host Club Crossover. Halloween is my favorite time of year! I always have a good time scary everyone out of their wits! it is almost finished! Only a few more chapters, not sit back, relax and have some fun. Oh don't forget to review! Halloween Horrors. Chapter 19. I put a spell on you, And now you're Sep 18, 2011 First AMV 8D I'm sorry I couldn't find nonesubtitled episodes and so; A; Anyway, this turned out not scary at all.
Well that aside, enjoy and focus more on Ouran High School Host Club is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Bisco Hatori. The series follows Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student to the exclusive Ouran High School, and, through an accident, is forced to join the school's host club. Read Chapter 8 The Ball, Part 2 from the story Ouran High School Host Club X Reader by izzyana7 (IzzyBooDerp) with 4, 181 reads.
neko, ouran, fanfic. Choose Until the Day it Becomes a Pumpkin! is the 21st epsisode of the anime series. It's nearly Halloween and the students of Class 1A are planning their class event to celebrate. It's nearly Halloween and the students of Class 1A Volume 03 Episode 812. 5 Japanese Airdate March 5, 2004 U. S Airdate November 1, 2005 The third volume of the Ouran Highschool Host Club Manga Series. Chapters Volume guide Previous Next Volume 02 Volume 04 Chapter 08 The Host Club takes Haruhi to a real beach where they compete to learn Haruhi's Ouran High School Host Club is a manga series by Bisco Hatori, serialized in Hakusensha's LaLa magazine between the September 2002 and November 2010 issues.
The series follows Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student at Ouran High School, and the other members of the popular host club. Filter chapter Ouran highschool host club halloween chapter Ouran High School Host Club finished its run on September 26, 2006, totaling to twentysix episodes.
Haruhi's Class 1A has a Halloween event called" The Halloween TestofCourage Tournament, " in which teams do their best to scare each other. The losing team will be featured on the front page of the school newsletter with the headline, " The Lovely Boyfriend Scenario's with the cast of Ouran High School Host Club!
This Book consists of: Mori, Tamaki, Kyoya, Honey, Hikaru, and Kaoru Ouran High School Host Club Boyfriend Scenarios The Music room was decorated with Halloween and the Host club had on costumes suited for their guests.


text:
Just Married Baby Bruins In Memory
Liz Workman (G89) and Raymond Patee, June 24, 2016, in Spanaway, Washington.
David Lloyd (G02) and Jessica Cabrera, July 1, 2016, in Fallbrook, California.
Portia Riley (G07, MA07) and Ron Goyette, Oct. 10, 2016, in Kapalua, Hawaii.
Lauren Kuehl (G07, MA10) and McCoy Doerrie (G08), Feb. 7, 2015, in Portland.
Amanda Swanson (G08) and Chris Monaco, Nov. 1, 2015, in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Kaitlin Christiansen (G11) and Matt Wade, Aug. 20, 2016, in Las Vegas.
David Kays (G11, MA15) and Erin Davey, July 8, 2016, in West Linn, Oregon.
Laura Gotthardt (G12) and Eric Sage, Oct. 9, 2016, in Independence, Oregon.
Garrett Thompson (G12) and Felicia Niemann (G13), Aug. 9, 2015, in Hillsboro, Oregon.
Amanda Winkelman (G12) and Sam Howard, Oct. 9, 2016, in Portland.
Joseph Byrnes (G13, MBA14) and Natalie Pratt (G14), May 21, 2016, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Stephanie Mount (G13) and Julian Ametsitsi, Sept. 15, 2015, in Renton, Washington.
Megan Kays (G15) and Mason Kriz (G16), May 29, 2016, in Newberg.
Caleb Turner (G15) and Maria Green (G16), July 28, 2016, in Wilsonville, Oregon.
Baby Bruins
Tony Rourke (G95) and Heidi (Kunze) Rourke (G97, MA09), a boy, Bentley Jeremiah, born Jan. 6, adopted Jan. 7, 2017, in Riverton, Utah.
Jennifer (Kious) Simcoe (G00) and Michael Simcoe, a boy, Lucas Logan, Sept. 26, 2016, in San Francisco.
Bethany (Tibbs) Alanko (G04) and Gordon Alanko, a girl, Emilia Jane, March 10, 2016, in Albany, Oregon.
Katie (Grabner) Briedwell (G04) and Micah Briedwell, a girl, Hannah Jane, March 22, 2017, in Tualatin, Oregon.
Krystal (Muir) Donohue (G04) and Stephen Donohue (G04), a boy, Griffin Patrick, March 1, 2015, in Tualatin, Oregon.
Matt Kaufman (G04) and Mandy (Dunham) Kaufman (G05), a girl, Lydia Cait, Sept. 7, 2016, in Madison, Wisconsin.
Andrea (Corzatt) van de Bruggen (G04, MA11) and Pieter van de Bruggen (G05), a girl, Adrianna Rose, July 23, 2016, in Portland.
Sam Grable (G05) and Meaghan (Fischer) Grable (G07), a girl, Millicent Rene, Nov. 16, 2016, in Salem, Oregon.
Leanne (Madore) Ernster (G05) and Matt Ernster, twins, a boy, Gideon David, and a girl, Karis Leanne, Nov. 21, 2016, in Brush Prairie, Washington.
Shannon (Miles) Schaeffer (G06, MBA13) and Matt Schaeffer, a girl, Leighton Joy, July 27, 2016, in Portland.
Molly (Gallagher) Walter (G06) and Joshua Walter, a girl, Coraline Joan, Aug. 21, 2016, in Portland.
Lauren (Kuehl) Doerrie (G07, MA10) and McCoy Doerrie (G08), a girl, Paisley Jae, Aug. 12, 2016, in Portland.
Sarah (Brough) McTavish (G09) and James McTavish, a boy, Lucas Arden, March 1, 2017, in Portland.
Timothy Alvey (G08) and Rebecca (Whitley) Alvey (G10), a girl, Elizabeth Eileen, Sept. 30, 2016, in Salem, Oregon.
Hannah (Printz) Ho (G11) and Vinh "Tony" Ho (G11, MAT12), a boy, Anderson Scott, March 31, 2016, in Vancouver, Washington.
Mark Kelley (G11) and Sarah (Staples) Kelley (G12), twins, a girl, Octavia Joy, and a boy, Sam Elliott, Dec. 4, 2016, in Portland.
Taren (Stevens) Penington (G13) and Cory Penington, a boy, Liam Cory, April 21, 2016, in Redmond, Oregon.
Caroline (Hudson) Jovanovich (G14) and Peter Jovanovich (G16), a boy, Titus Joseph, Oct. 4, 2016, in Seattle.
Margaret (Nothiger) Morse (n35), March 3, 2017, in Newberg.
Wesley Smith (n41), April 2, 2017, in Napa, California.
Arthur O. Roberts (G44), Dec. 15, 2016, in Newberg.
Jessie (Wakefield) Almquist (n48), Jan. 12, 2017, in Sherwood, Oregon.
Homer Hadley (n50), Feb. 21, 2017, in Newberg.
Wanda (Pierson) Beebe (n54), March 18, 2017, in Newberg.
John Davies (G58), Nov. 9, 2016, in Ferndale, Washington.
Merton Peterson (PS62), March 20, 2017, in Roseburg, Oregon.
Don Staples (G86), March 1, 2017, in Newberg.
Myrlene (Hull) Rourke (ADP90), Oct. 29, 2016, in Portland.
Sally "Sarah" Lambert (MA95), Oct. 11, 2016, in Topeka, Kansas.
Kristi (Sabin) O'Gorman (n96), Aug. 14, 2016, in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
Daniel Mellers (student), April 24, 2017, in Sherwood, Oregon.
Donald Chittick, Dec. 4, 2016, in Newberg.
Chair, Division of Natural Science, 1968-80.
John Bennett, May 23, 2017, in Oregon City, Oregon. Photography professor, 2004-17.


3) Describe problem: Creating an image gallery.
if you go to my webpage, i want to create an image gallery of small thumbnails in the gif format, but when the user clicks on it the real image will come up, using lightbox, displayed in the jpg format. the images will roughly be between 400/600x450.
I know this will comprise the speed it loads at, so what options do i have to keep image quality, the size roughly but get the file size down.
Remember, as a photographer i cant really compromise the size of my images or too much quality, i want to display atleast 10-20 thumbnails then once clicked on the real JPG image appears in lightbox.


text:
import os

from neutronclient._i18n import _
from neutronclient.neutron import v2_0 as neutronv20

def get_qos_policy_id(client, policy_id_or_name):
    _policy_id = neutronv20.find_resourceid_by_name_or_id(
        client, 'policy', policy_id_or_name, cmd_resource='qos_policy')
    return _policy_id

class CreateQosPolicyMixin(object):
    def add_arguments_qos_policy(self, parser):
        qos_policy_args = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
        qos_policy_args.add_argument(
            '--qos-policy',
            help=_('Attach QoS policy ID or name to the resource.'))
        return qos_policy_args

    def args2body_qos_policy(self, parsed_args, resource):
        if parsed_args.qos_policy:
            _policy_id = get_qos_policy_id(self.get_client(),
                                           parsed_args.qos_policy)
            resource['qos_policy_id'] = _policy_id

class UpdateQosPolicyMixin(CreateQosPolicyMixin):
    def add_arguments_qos_policy(self, parser):
        qos_policy_args = (super(UpdateQosPolicyMixin, self).
                           add_arguments_qos_policy(parser))
        qos_policy_args.add_argument(
            '--no-qos-policy',
            action='store_true',
            help=_('Detach QoS policy from the resource.'))
        return qos_policy_args

    def args2body_qos_policy(self, parsed_args, resource):
        super(UpdateQosPolicyMixin, self).args2body_qos_policy(parsed_args,
                                                               resource)
        if parsed_args.no_qos_policy:
            resource['qos_policy_id'] = None

class ListQoSPolicy(neutronv20.ListCommand):
    """List QoS policies that belong to a given tenant connection."""

    resource = 'policy'
    shadow_resource = 'qos_policy'
    list_columns = ['id', 'name']
    pagination_support = True
    sorting_support = True

class ShowQoSPolicy(neutronv20.ShowCommand):
    """Show information of a given qos policy."""

    resource = 'policy'
    shadow_resource = 'qos_policy'

    def format_output_data(self, data):
        rules = []
        for rule in data['policy'].get('rules', []):
            rules.append("%s (type: %s)" % (rule['id'], rule['type']))
        data['policy']['rules'] = os.linesep.join(rules)

        super(ShowQoSPolicy, self).format_output_data(data)

class CreateQoSPolicy(neutronv20.CreateCommand):
    """Create a qos policy."""

    resource = 'policy'
    shadow_resource = 'qos_policy'

    def add_known_arguments(self, parser):
        parser.add_argument(
            'name', metavar='NAME',
            help=_('Name of QoS policy to create.'))
        parser.add_argument(
            '--description',
            help=_('Description of the QoS policy.'))
        parser.add_argument(
            '--shared',
            action='store_true',
            help=_('Accessible by other tenants. '
                   'Set shared to True (default is False).'))

    def args2body(self, parsed_args):
        body = {'name': parsed_args.name}
        if parsed_args.description:
            body['description'] = parsed_args.description
        if parsed_args.shared:
            body['shared'] = parsed_args.shared
        if parsed_args.tenant_id:
            body['tenant_id'] = parsed_args.tenant_id
        return {self.resource: body}

class UpdateQoSPolicy(neutronv20.UpdateCommand):
    """Update a given qos policy."""

    resource = 'policy'
    shadow_resource = 'qos_policy'

    def add_known_arguments(self, parser):
        parser.add_argument(
            '--name',
            help=_('Name of QoS policy.'))
        parser.add_argument(
            '--description',
            help=_('Description of the QoS policy.'))
        shared_group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
        shared_group.add_argument(
            '--shared',
            action='store_true',
            help=_('Accessible by other tenants. '
                   'Set shared to True (default is False).'))
        shared_group.add_argument(
            '--no-shared',
            action='store_true',
            help=_('Not accessible by other tenants. '
                   'Set shared to False.'))

    def args2body(self, parsed_args):
        body = {}
        if parsed_args.name:
            body['name'] = parsed_args.name
        if parsed_args.description:
            body['description'] = parsed_args.description
        if parsed_args.shared:
            body['shared'] = True
        if parsed_args.no_shared:
            body['shared'] = False

        return {self.resource: body}

class DeleteQoSPolicy(neutronv20.DeleteCommand):
    """Delete a given qos policy."""

    resource = 'policy'
    shadow_resource = 'qos_policy'


text:
Predictive value of arterial ammonia for complications and outcome in acute liver failure
V Bhatia1,
R Singh2,
S K Acharya1
1Department of Gastroenterology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
2Department of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
Dr S K Acharya
Room No 3065, 3rd floor, Teaching Block, All India of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India; subratacharya{at}hotmail.com
Background and aim: In acute liver failure (ALF), the brain is exposed to high levels of ammonia. Human studies defining the clinical significance of ammonia in ALF are lacking. This prospective study evaluated the relationship of arterial ammonia levels at admission to complications and survival among patients with ALF.
Methods: Eighty consecutive ALF patients admitted from March 2001 to December 2003 were followed up until death or complete recovery. All had arterial ammonia estimation at admission (enzymatic method). Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality.
Results: Forty two (52.5%) patients died. Non-survivors had significantly higher median ammonia levels than survivors (174.7 v 105.0 μmol/l; p<0.001). An arterial ammonia level of ⩾ 124 μmol/l was found to predict mortality with 78.6% sensitivity and 76.3% specificity, and had 77.5% diagnostic accuracy. Patients with higher ammonia levels also developed more complications, including deeper encephalopathy (p = 0.055), cerebral oedema (p = 0.020), need for ventilation (p<0.001), and seizures (p = 0.006). Logistic regression analysis showed that pH, presence of cerebral oedema, and arterial ammonia at admission were independent predictors of mortality (odds ratios 6.6, 12.6, and 10.9, respectively). Incorporating these variables, a score predicting mortality risk at admission was derived: 2.53 + 2.91 ammonia + 2.41 oedema + 1.40 pH, where ammonia is scored as 0 (if <124 μmol/l) or 1 (if ⩾124 μmol/l); oedema is scored as 0 (absent) or 1(present); and pH is scored as 1 (if ⩽7.40) or 0 (if >7.40). Levels of partial pressure of ammonia were equally correlated with outcome.
Conclusion: Arterial ammonia at presentation is predictive of outcome and can be used for risk stratification. Ammonia lowering therapies in patients with ALF should be evaluated.
ALF, acute liver failure
pNH3, partial pressure of ammonia
HCV, hepatitis C virus
ROC, receiver operating characteristic
OR, odds ratio
partial pressure of ammonia
acute liver failure
cerebral oedema
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/gut.2004.061754
Conflict of interest: None declared.
Copyright 2006 by Gut