Update: DOF suspends Order 17-09.

In my appearance in Boy Abunda’s “Private Conversations” many years ago, I was asked what’s my idea of being rich, and I replied, “just to have enough money in my wallet to be able to buy a good book I want when I see one.”

I said that because in my struggling days, I would have to save to be able to buy a book I want and by the time I have enough money for it, the book is gone. It was so frustrating.

With credit cards, half of my problem is solved. But there is still the problem of cost. Prices of bookpaper-bound books usually cost about P500. Much higher, up to P1,000 plus, if its hardbound.

At this time of budget scrimping, books usually are the first item to be deleted in the list in favor of the more basic necessities of food, shelter, transport, clothes and cellphone text. Which is a pity because books are nourishment for the mind and soul which is important to be a productive human being.

That’s why the Department of Finance’s idea of imposing taxes on imported books is undesirable. It has the effect of depriving the mind of people in the Philippines of food. It’s not only destroying the people’s wellbeing (what is a person with nothing in his mind) but also the nation’s soul.

An article by Robin Hemley, “The Great Book Blockade of 2009” related that the DOF, which is hardpressed trying to raise funds to sustain Gloria Arroyo’,Mulberry Handbags;s corruption riddled government, came up with this not-so-brilliant idea when a custom examiner named Rene Agulan opened a shipment of the best-selling novel, “Twilight” by Stephanie Meyer. Agulan demanded that duty be paid on the books.

That was a violation of the “Florence Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials” which states that the contracting States (that includes the Philippines) “undertake not to apply customs duties or other charges on,Replica Mulberry, or in connection with, the importation of … books, publications and documents… educational, scientific and cultural materials..”

Last March 24, the DOF issued a clarificatory guideline which imposes one percent rate of duty on educational, scientific, historical or cultural books and materials or five percent rate of duty for books and materials other than educational, scientific, historical or cultural and “those books or raw materials not to be used for publishing and its related activities.”

I have the feeling that these people in the finance department do not read books. That’s dreadful because how does a non-book reading custom official make a distinction which book should have one percent tax or five percent tax?

In a full page open letter to Gloria Arroyo published in newspapers yesterday,designer replica handbags, members of different book associations said the DOF Order 17-09 not only violates the Florence agreement but also R.A. 8047 or the Book Publishing Industry Development Act.

“The imposition of duty on book importations, no matter how minimal, will increase the cost to our readers, which in turn will fundamentally affect the quality of education, literacy and over-all access to information and knowledge. Our young need to be educated and become literate to a high degree to be competitive in the emerging world market. This requires world-class and world-wide access to information and knowledge through books.”

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) national Commission of the Philippines last Saturday issued a statement objecting to the DOF order.

It noted that “the tax scheme has an inherent anti-poor bias as it is the marginalized sectors that will be most adversely affected by more expensive publications. Taxes on imported books and other publications will definitely widen the ‘knowledge divide’ between the rich and poor sectors of society and therefore run counter to UNESCO’s vision of building an ‘inclusive’ society.

“Taxing imported books is tantamount to taxing reading habits. At a time when parents and educators worldwide have expressed alarm on the continuing steep decline in the reading habits and practices especially among the young, the tax measure is counterproductive to current initiatives to rekindle a reading culture. The measure would surely further discourage young and even old minds from appreciating, recognizing and rediscovering the value of reading.,”

The Commission further said that while they recognize the government’s need for additional revenues, they should refrain from getting it from imported books “that feed the minds especially of our young generation.”

“ Such action can only succeed in taxing our future,” the Commission said.

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Events bring in $6K for Wilson Scholarship,Gucci Handbags

Donations from the recent Bob Wilson Memorial Scholarship 5K Run/Walk and a Fitchburg State College Homecoming gift basket auction will add more than $6,000 to a scholarship fund in Wilsons name.

The Bob Wilson Memorial Scholarship Fund provides scholarships, through Fitchburg State College and Fitchburg Access Television,Mulberry Handbags, to communications and broadcast students attending Fitchburg State and Mount Wachusett Community College.

One scholarship is awarded to a returning Fitchburg State College photography or film/video student,Replica Chloe; the first of these scholarships will be presented in spring 2007. The other is sponsored by Fitchburg Access Television and will go to an incoming freshman at either Fitchburg State College or Mount Wachusett Community College. One Fitchburg Access Television-sponsored scholarship was awarded during 2005-2006 and the second of these scholarships will be presented in spring 2007.

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Haryana government is planning to come up with a unique educational ,Replica Handbags

EDUCATION CENTRAL
The Haryana government is planning to come up with a unique educational city approximately seven kilometres for the Delhi border. This city,Versace Handbags, to be called The Rajiv Gandhi Education City,Mulberry Handbags, would comprise a host of national and international universities and is slated to come up near Kundli by 2009. The state government for this city, for which the collaboration of British institutions of higher learning has been sought, has acquired more than 2,Versace Handbags,050 acres. So far at least ten such institutes have applied.

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Organizers of the annual food,Mulberry handbags, music, art and dance Greek Festival in Columbus want Central Ohioans to feel the filoxenia during the event (Friday through Monday, Sept. 4-7). The term, which means “friends of strangers” in Greek, defines parishoners’ approach to welcoming visitors to the 37th annual gathering, said event Chairman John Bizios.

“(Filoxenia) just describes a sense of hospitality that we Greeks innately have. … If you go to villages in Greece and people see you as a stranger, they invite you into their home.” That concept is still very strong among Greeks in the U.S. and especially at the festival, he said.

The festival runs from 11 a.m. to midnight Sept. 4 and 5; noon to midnight Sept. 6; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 7. The event, which takes place at the church at 555 N. High St., promises plenty of authentically Greek experiences awaiting visitors. “We’re really becoming a Central Ohio tradition as (far as) being one of the truly ethnic festivals that we have,” said Bizios.

Intrinsic to the festival’s filoxenia tradition is Greek food made months in advance by parishoners. “We don’t ply (festival visitors) with food that we buy; we ply them with food we make ourselves,” Bizios said.
Beginning in June and July, church members young and old stand shoulder to shoulder, preparing and freezing hundreds of pans of pastries, spinach pies, stuffed grapes leaves and more in the name of giving guests a “taste of Greece,” Bizios said.

“It’,replica sunglass;s truly a labor of love,” he said, and it falls in line with the church’s concept of stewardship. “The festival is definitely one area where people give of their time and talent very generously.” Organizers expect about about 30,000 visitors during the four-day event, and everyone is welcome, Bizios said.

“If anybody has ever wanted to travel to Greece and experience the beauty of Greece … I invite them to come to our festival.”

Those not familiar with the culture don’t have to worry about feeling out of place either, he said. “Everyone will feel welcome and a part of the festival. They’ll actually feel Greek once they get there,” he said.

Nearly 20 vendors from throughout the U.S. will set up booths inside the complex, peddling everything from Greek clothing and bath and beauty products to jewelry imported from Greece. Original artwork also will be available for sale.

Also new to the event is a bigger festival bookstore, which will be located in the new portion of the church.
“It’s going to be much larger with a lot more inventory than we’ve ever had before,” Bizios said.

For foodies wanting to create their own Greek cuisine, cooking classes also will be a featured part of the four-day affair. Those interested can learn how to make Greek food and pastries and buy the necessary ingredients along with a new companion cookbook while there.

Along with the gourmet food offered inside the church, Greek “fast food” items such as gyros and Greek pizzas will be just few of the items visitors will be able to buy at outdoor booths. Traditional dance performances also offer a fresh twist as the junior dance team sports new costumes this year.

From Columbus Local News; excerpts,Replica Gucci, edited by Greece Travel Blog