text:
package ftldb.ext.sql;

import freemarker.core.CollectionAndSequence;
import freemarker.ext.beans.BeanModel;
import freemarker.ext.beans.BeansWrapper;
import freemarker.template.*;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Set;

/**
 * This class wraps {@link FetchedResultSet} and adapts it for using in FTL both as a sequence of rows and as a bean.
 */
public class FetchedResultSetModel extends BeanModel implements TemplateSequenceModel, TemplateScalarModel {

    private final ObjectWrapper wrapper;
    private final FetchedResultSet frs;

    public FetchedResultSetModel(FetchedResultSet frs, BeansWrapper wrapper) {
        super(frs, wrapper);
        this.wrapper = wrapper;
        this.frs = frs;
    }

    /**
     * Retrieves the i-th row in this result set.
     *
     * @return the row at the specified index (rownum - 1)
     */
    public TemplateModel get(int index) throws TemplateModelException {
        return new FetchedResultSetRowModel(frs, index, wrapper);
    }

    /**
     * Returns the row count.
     *
     * @return the number of rows in this result set
     */
    public int size() {
        return frs.data.length;
    }

    private final static String TRANSPOSE_METHOD_NAME = "transpose";

    /**
     * Get the specified property or method's result.
     *
     * @return the result of evaluation
     */
    public TemplateModel get(String key) throws TemplateModelException {
        if (key.equals(TRANSPOSE_METHOD_NAME)) {
            return transpose();
        }
        return super.get(key);
    }

    /**
     * Returns the transposed result set as a {@link FetchedResultSetTransposedModel}.
     *
     * @return the transposed result set
     */
    public TemplateModel transpose() {
        return new TemplateMethodModelEx() {
            public Object exec(List args) throws TemplateModelException {
                if (args.size() != 0) {
                    throw new TemplateModelException("No arguments needed");
                }
                return wrap(new FetchedResultSetTransposed(frs));
            }
        };
    }

    /**
     * Returns the list of available methods and properties, extended by own methods.
     *
     * @return the collection of methods and properties
     */
    public TemplateCollectionModel keys() {
        Set keySetEx = super.keySet();
        keySetEx.add(TRANSPOSE_METHOD_NAME);
        return new CollectionAndSequence(new SimpleSequence(keySetEx, wrapper));
    }

    /**
     * Returns the empty list. Iteration through the {@code super.values()} list causes an exception.
     *
     * @return the empty list
     */
    public TemplateCollectionModel values() {
        return new SimpleCollection(new ArrayList(0), wrapper);
    }

    /**
     * Returns the result set as a text table with column headers. This method should be used for debugging only.
     * Usage example: {@code ${my_result}}.
     *
     * @return the result set as text
     */
    public String getAsString() {
        StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
        for (int i = 0; i < frs.columnLabels.length; i++) {
            sb.append(frs.columnLabels[i]).append('\t');
        }
        sb.append('\n');
        for (int ri = 0; ri < frs.data.length; ri++) {
            for (int ci = 0; ci < frs.columnLabels.length; ci++) {
                sb.append(frs.data[ri][ci]).append('\t');
            }
            sb.append('\n');
        }
        return sb.toString();
    }

}


Our client is a leading luxury travel retailer that owns a network of duty-free stores with prominent presence across several international airports and premium high-street stores. They wanted a Data Hub that would help democratize their data. We developed a Hadoop based Data Hub that effectively supports a variety of analytics applications.


They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:16, 17.
Jesus . . . says, "I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified through the truth" (John 17:19). "Thy word is truth." We need, then, to become familiar with the Word of God, to study and to practice it in life. . . . We deny Jesus Christ as the One who taketh away the sins of the world if we do not, after accepting the truth, reveal to the world the sanctifying effects of the truth on our own characters. If we are not better men and women, if we are not more kindhearted, more pitiful, more courteous, more full of tenderness and love, if we do not manifest to others the love that led Jesus to the world on His mission of mercy, we are not witnesses to the world of the power of Jesus Christ.
Jesus lived not to please Himself. He gave Himself as a living, consuming sacrifice for the good of others. He came to elevate, to ennoble, to make happy all with whom He came in contact. Those who receive Christ will drop out all that is uncourteous, harsh, and rough, and will reveal the pleasantness, the kindness, that dwelt in Jesus, because Christ abides in the heart by faith. Christ was the light that shineth in darkness, and His followers are also to be the light of the world. They are to kindle their taper from the divine altar. The character that is sanctified through the truth adds the perfect polish.
Christ is our model, but unless we behold Him, unless we contemplate His character, we shall not reflect His character in our practical life. He was meek and lowly in heart. He never did a rude action, never spoke a discourteous word. The Lord is not pleased with our blunt, hard, unsympathetic ways toward others. All this selfishness must be purged away from our characters, and we must wear the yoke of Christ. Then we . . . shall be fitting up for the society of heavenly angels. We are to be in the world but not of the world. We are to be a representation of Jesus Christ. As the Lord of life and glory came to our world to represent the Father, so we are to go to the world to represent Jesus.


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Booksellers Association announces Indie Books of the Month for September
The Booksellers Association has today announced The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa as its Fiction Book of the Month for September, while Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave with Tom de Freston is named Children's Book of the Month.
The Cat Who Saved Books, by award-winning Japanese novelist Sosuke Natsukawa, is the story of student Rintaro and talking cat Tiger, who join together on a mission to save books that have been imprisoned, destroyed and unloved. On their travels, the pair meet those who treat books poorly in an enthralling tale of love, fantasy, and friendship. The Cat Who Saved Books is published by Picador and is available to buy in bookshops now.
Author Sosuke Natsukawa said: "As far as I am concerned, books are my friends and bookstores are my schools.
Between large bookshelves, I met many people and learned a great deal from them.
Romain Rolland taught me courage.
Samuel Johnson taught me wisdom and humour.
Spinoza taught me poverty and spirit of inquiry.
Fromm taught me how to love.
Other books from around the world taught me to keep cowardice at bay and live with integrity."
Julia and The Shark, written by The Girl of Ink & Stars author Kiran Millwood Hargreaves and illustrated by Tom De Freston, follows Julia who is living on a remote Scottish island for the summer while her dad works and her mum tries to find the elusive Greenland shark. When her mother's obsessions threaten to submerge them all, Julia embarks on an adventure with dark depths and a lighthouse full of hope. Julia and The Shark is published by Hachette Children's and is available in bookshops now.
Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom De Freston said of their book's selection, "We never dared dream that our story would be selected as Indie Children's Book of the Month, but we couldn't be more delighted. Julia and The Shark is not only made for people who love stories: it's also a celebration of books – full of colour and texture and depth and movement, it's made to be held. We are so honoured that those champions of the book world – independent booksellers – will be putting it into the hands of the readers who need it most."
Independent bookshops around the UK and Ireland will be promoting The Cat Who Saved Books and Julia and The Shark throughout September on social media and instore. The Booksellers Association will be supporting the promotion of the Indie Books of the Month through social media and promotional material.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Grace Rafter Meitzel, of Billings, passed away June 16, 2003.
She was born in Hogeland on Nov. 30, 1921. In her younger years, she sang in the choir and taught Sunday School. Grace married Elmer Meitzel of Fort Peck on April 25, 1940. Together, they farmed in the Savage area before taking a job for a construction company where Grace flagged on the highway. The last 18 years before retirement, she worked for Billings News Inc. She loved yard work and painting pictures of birds and scenery.
Grace is survived by her four children, Bill (Carol) Meitzel, Billings, Wilma Kuehn, Butte, Bob (Debbie) Meitzel, Renton, Wash., and Mary (Gary) Schmidt, Huntley; 10 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; one brother, Ordway Rafter, Lewistown; two sisters, Garnet Sumner, Lanexa, Va., and Molley Thronson, Bellevue, Wash.; a sister-in-law, Agnes Thorn, Salem, Ore.; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families. Grace also had many friends that will miss her dearly.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Meitzel; parents, William and Elsie Rafter; brothers, Clayton and Richard Rafter; sisters, Erma Klungland, Ruby Murphy and Beth Dolven; and great-grandson, Chase.
Graveside services will be held Thursday, June 19, at 10 a.m., at Terrace Gardens. Cremation has taken place and memorials may be made to Big Sky Hospice.
Grace (Rafter) Meitzel, 81, passed away on June 16, 2003, in Billings. Cremation has taken place and graveside services were held on Thursday, June 19, at the Smith Terrace Gardens in Billings. Memorials may be made to Big Sky Hospice in Billings.
Grace was born to William and Elsie Rafter on November 30, 1921 in Hogeland. In her younger years she sang in the choir and taught Sunday school.
On April 25, 1940 Grace married Elmer Meitzel of Fort Peck, and together they farmed in the Savage area before taking a job for a construction company where Grace flagged on the highway. For the last 18 years she worked for Billings News, Inc. She loved yard work and painting pictures of birds and scenery.
Survivors include her four children, Bill (Carol) Meitzel of Billings, Wilma Kuehn of Butte, Bob (Debbie) Meitzel of Renton, WA, and Mary (Gary) Schmidt of Huntley; 10 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; one brother, Ordway "Bud" Rafter of Lewistown; two sisters, Garnet Sumner of Lanexa, VA and Molly Thronson of Bellevue, WA; a sister-in-law, Agnes Thorn of Salem, OR; plus numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer; her parents; two brothers, Clayton and Richard Rafter; three sisters, Erma Klungland, Ruby Murphy and Beth Dolven; and a great grandson, Chase.


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Home » TV Show Reviews » TV Show Review: "Extant" (2014)
TV Show Review: "Extant" (2014)
Posted by Ulkar Alakbarova in TV Show Reviews // 0 Comments
Creator: Mickey Fisher
Series Directed by: Paris Barclay, Matt Earl Beesley, Allen Coulter, Holly Dale, Kevin Downling
Produced by: Steven Spielberg, Halle Berry, Mickey Fisher, Peter Ocko
Cast: Halle Berry, Goran Visnjic, Brad Beyer, Pierce Gagnon, Camryn Manheim, Tyler Hilton, Sergio Harford, Grace Gummer, Michael O`Neill, Jeannetta Arnette, Annie Wersching, Maury Sterling, Hiroyuki Sanada
"Be careful! Don`t trust them. Don`t trust anyone!" – says Harmon Kryger to Molly Woods. But isn't this what we hear almost daily on TV? So we get another new TV series that is going to remind us every week that 'doubt' is a powerful weapon that can make you stop trusting everyone, except yourself. This is what Molly Woods has to deal with in the new CBS series- "Extant".
I don't remember ever having seen a new TV series with such heavy-weights (actors) before. Mickey Fisher should be proud of himself for getting such big name actors in his project. Halle Berry is an Academy Award winning actress, who surprised me by jumping from the big screen to the small screen. Camryn Manheim has already appeared in many TV shows and movies, so her face is easily recognizable on TV. Her appearance in "Extant" was not a big surprise, but rather a welcome one; Hiroyuki Sanada is one of the most famous Japanese actors in Hollywood today. He appears in almost every movie, and has most recently been seen in "The Railway Man" , where he shares the screen with Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman. Brad Beyer and Grace Gummer are two who are never without work on TV. And, also, there is Goran Visnjic – who I am sure everyone knows. On top of that, "Extant" has another big name, with Steven Spielberg as Executive Producer. It seems with all these top billed actors and producers, CBS`s "Extant" is doomed to succeed… or doomed to fail?
The plot of the series revolves around astronaut Molly Woods (Halle Berry), who has just returned home from a 13 month solo mission in space and must adjust to being around humans again – including her husband, John Woods, and robot son, Ethan. As soon as she returns to Earth she finds she is pregnant, but apparently, her husband John Woods (Goran Visnjic), is not the father of her child. And, how could he be, if she has just returned home after a year in outer space?
Ethan Woods, is a "Humanic Robot" who was designed by John Woods, a gifted scientist, who works on a future line of "Humanics". John decides to adopt Ethan, as he sees no other way to become a father since Molly is infertile. However, Ethan is slowly becoming one of the most important characters on the show because, even though he is a humanic robot, and feels and loves the way human beings do – there is still something about him that everyone should be terrified of; but what this is, we don't know yet.
Molly tries to hide her inexplicable pregnancy from her husband and from her colleague; however, it looks like they will find out soon; also about the mysterious event that occurred on the ship.
In 'Extant" we will see many plots interwoven with one another. The show produced by Steven Spielberg, looks really promising, but a little overstuffed. Since there are so many characters and stories surrounding the plot, the viewer can easily get lost in the middle. Having said that, "Extant" has every chance of losing the main idea of the show; taking the viewer nowhere. Even though, "Extant" is a summer blockbuster show, which has such big names, it does not mean that it will be one of the more successful shows on TV.
Based on what I have seen so far, "Extant" has nothing new to offer its' viewers. Whatever we see in "Extant" has been shown on TV countless times. "Extant" has such an excellent, and ridiculously talented cast, that I find it hard to believe that, even with these high-rate actors, a connection can be made between the characters and the viewers. And, isn't it the viewer who must be convinced of the character's existence?
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My name is Ulkar Alakbarova. A wonderful name, is it not? I come from the exotic land of Azerbaijan but now I live in the hub of Hollywood North – Toronto, Canada. How lucky I am to be able to enjoy and indulge in my favourite avocation of watching movies. Movies of every genre are screened here in Toronto. There are black and white classics, avant garde, independently produced, and of course, newly released movies for all to enjoy. Let me share this treasure of entertainment with you. Read my thoughts and opinions then let me know if you agree.


Among the rareties in the upcoming auction are Paul Stankard's 1984 Morning Glories, at left; an antique Baccarat blue primrose star-cut paperweight from the Rubloff Collection, top right; and a Baccarat Napoleon III with red and white torsade faceted weight, also from the Rubloff Collection.
Rare paperweights, many from the 19th century and held in private collections by prominent Chicagoans, will be auctioned off this week.
Now Scott and other enthusiasts will have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to buy such fine-art glass examples, many from the 19th century, from the Art Institute. The pieces have been held privately for decades.
Nearly 400 paperweights will be auctioned in lots of two to four pieces, with minimum bids of $500 to $1,000 and values of $15,000 or more. Each lot has at least one item originally collected by Chicago real estate developer Rubloff, who donated 1,200 paperweights to the Art Institute in 1978. Also included in the auction are pieces once owned by prominent Chicagoans Potter and Pauline Palmer, Ella Grace Burdick and Lucy K. Kretchmer.
Venetians were the first to create fine-art glass paperweights, displaying them at the Vienna Industrial Exposition of 1845. French glassmakers—Baccarat, Clichy, Pantin, Saint Louis—took note and, competing with each other, are considered to have created the world's most beautiful and colorful presse-papiers. These objects were given as gifts and used as fashionable desk accessories from 1845 to 1860, when the fad ended.
It wasn't until the 1950s that French glassmakers resumed production, though the paperweights have been made elsewhere in Europe and the U.S. "It's been this lost art, and then there's this blossoming coming out of France," Scott says.
Today, artists such as Paul Stankard, who lives and works in Mantua Township, N.J., continue the flamework tradition, encasing in clear orbs seemingly real glass compositions from nature.
The not-for-profit live auction on Sept. 17 will be handled by L.H. Selman, a gallery and auction house in Chicago that deals exclusively in fine-art glass paperweights; the hammer price of each piece sold by the Art Institute will go to the museum; the buyer's premium will go to Chicago-based Glass Paperweight Foundation, which promotes the awareness of paperweights as an art form.
Fine-art glass paperweights are typically sold through dealers. Selman, for example, sells from its South Michigan Avenue gallery and research center, and through slow-close online auctions held three times per year; prices range from $75 to $250,000. This live auction will attract several hundred people, including buyers from Europe and South America as well as phone bidders from Japan, China and India, says Ben Clark, co-owner of Selman. The auction will be held offsite, at 900 S. Clinton St.
Clark and his brother, Mitch, bought the business from Larry Selman in 2009 and moved it from Santa Cruz, Calif., to reach a broader client base. Larry Selman is credited with formalizing the paperweight marketplace in the 1960s, using auction catalogs to track and set prices.
This entry was posted in Artists, Auction, Blog by Ben Clark. Bookmark the permalink.


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Kudos: Excellence in Chemistry, History, Psychology, and More
Posted on March 01, 2019 by Office of Communications
Honors go to Baldez, Chang, Garcia, Greenberg, Ke, Hogan, Mirica, Paulsen, and Rogers.
(Photo by Eli Burakian '00)
Kudos is an occasional column that recognizes Dartmouth faculty, students, and staff who have received awards or other honors. Did you or a colleague recently receive an award or honor? Please tell us about it: [email protected].
Lisa Baldez, professor of government and of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies, will receive the 2019 Outstanding Professional Achievement Award by the Women's Caucus of the Midwest Political Science Association. "The award recognizes a senior woman in the discipline who has made a substantial contribution to the scholarship of political science (not necessarily in the field of women and politics), who has made significant contributions to the profession and its associations, who has actively mentored women at her own institution or elsewhere, and who serves as a positive role model for women in the profession," says the association.
Luke Chang, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences, has received a 2019 Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions from the Association for Psychological Science. The award recognizes "new and cutting-edge ideas coming out of the most creative and promising investigators who embody the future of psychological science." The research was conducted through his Computational Social Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, which supports work to understand the computational processes underlying social interactions.
Matthew Garcia, professor of history and Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies, has won an American Council of Learned Societies fellowship for his project, Eli and the Octopus: The Man Who Failed to Tame United Fruit Company. The fellowship, for $70,000, supports Garcia's research into the life of Eli Black, the first and last chief executive officer of United Brands, including United Fruit Company. "This book project, now under contract with Harvard University Press, anticipates the trend towards socially conscious capitalism today, and provides insight into how we arrived at the transnational food system governed by free trade agreements that now defines how and what we eat," says Garcia in his proposal to the council.
Associate Professor of History Udi Greenberg received the 2018 Chester Penn Higby Prize for his article "Protestants, Decolonization, and European Integration, 1885-1961" in the June 2017 edition of The Journal of Modern History. In the award citation, the Higby Prize Committee writes, "In this article, Udi Greenberg constructs a compelling analytical narrative at the intersection of several fields—the history of decolonization, of religion, and of European integration." The Higby Prize is awarded every other year by the American Historical Association for the best article appearing in The Journal of Modern History during the preceding two-year period.
Assistant Professors of Chemistry Chenfeng Ke and Katherine Mirica are among the 24 recipients of 2019 Cottrell Scholar Awards from Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA). "These awards provide $100,000 to each recipient identified as a leader in integrating science teaching and research at a top U.S. research university or a primarily undergraduate institution," RCSA writes in its announcement. "Just to put things in perspective, only 12 chemists are chosen a year," says Associate Professor of Chemistry Ivan Aprahamian.
Deborah Hogan, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the Geisel School of Medicine, has been named a 2019 Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Fellows of the AAM, a leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology, are elected each year through a highly selective, peer-review process—based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions advancing the field of microbiology. Specific election qualifiers include: scientific excellence, originality, leadership, high ethical standards, and scholarly and creative achievement, according to the AAM website.
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has announced that Keith Paulsen, the Robert A. Pritzker Professor of Biomedical Engineering, has been elected to the inaugural class of NAI senior members.
Assistant Professor of Sociology Kimberly Rogers has been selected as a member of the Eastern Regional Campus Compact Engaged Scholar Initiative by the Eastern Region Campus Compact, a partnership of Compacts serving campuses from Maine to Washington, D.C. The group's website says, "The Engaged Scholars Initiative seeks to develop, support and connect leaders who can advance co-created knowledge, critically engaged pedagogies, institutional change, and collaborative action to address societal issues. Scholars were selected from a highly competitive pool of nominated candidates from the eastern region. Scholars were nominated by college and university presidents and chief academic officers. The 2019-2020 scholars represent 11 institutions from 7 states and D.C., and a variety of roles on their campus connected to civic and community engagement."


Three cities, Johannesburg, London and Washignton D.C. host the event annually with an aim of exploring the role of technology in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning. The Johannesburg leg will be a two day event starting on 1 August 2018 at Jozihub in Milpark.
MERL Tech is a platform and space for discussion, learning and sharing experiences and challenges with the use of technologies for Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) in the social impact and humanitarian and international development fields.
MERL Tech, aims to strengthen understanding of the value, impact and risks of digital technology in MERL and to support learning and discussion on new approaches and tools for MERL work. The organisers and attendees are also interested in strengthening the evidence base and learning around technology used in MERL and technology in development.
MERL Tech focuses on the intersection of MERL and Tech, with consideration for five key areas that require attention: organizational, methodological, technological, operational and ethical.
This conference is a dynamic and inclusive space where researchers, evaluators, development practitioners, HQ and management, humanitarian aid workers, technology developers, data analysts/scientists, funders and others involved in this emerging field can come together for multidisciplinary conversations, learning and collaboration.
MERL Tech was started by Linda Raftree and Wayan Vota in 2014 with the M&E Tech Conference and Deep Dive, supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, the GSMA and FHI360.
Sign up for MERL Tech news or follow us on Twitter (@MERLTech) to share information and to learn about opportunities, resources, events and experiences.
For more information, contact Linda Raftree.


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Board index Middle-earth Journeys: Tolkien Studies Tolkien's Life, Beliefs, and Interests
Misc. Tolkien
All about J.R.R.Tolkien's life, his beliefs and philosophies, and his interests
Riv Res
Location: Walking the fields of the Pelennor with the King
Postby Riv Res » Sun May 24, 2009 4:49 pm
Miscellaneous Tolkien
A place to discuss all aspects of Tolkien the man.
© Image: David Wyatt
I opened this thread specifically because I have a question about Tolkien's beliefs and his ethics for life. Merry, you should feel free to chime in here.
In many USA news reports this weekend is the story os a woman in Washington State. She suffers from incurable cancer with a prognosis of a maximum of 6 months to live, and under the State's new Assisted Suicide Law, has decided to terminate her life now before the pain and suffering and loss of human dignity become too much to bear. Washington State law now permits her to do so in partnership with her doctor.
In all of the news reports, much is being made of her being able to call the shots on her own life and because of her terminal illness, choose the best time for her to die.
As I was listening to one of these news reports while running errands the other day, all of a sudden this passage from Tolkien's LOTR Appendix A came vividly to mind...Aragorn speaking to Arwen...
"Take counsel with yourself, beloved, and ask whether you would indeed have me wait until I wither and fall from my high seat unmanned and witless. Nay, lady, I am the last of the Númenoreans and the latest King of the Eldar Days; and to me has been given not only a span thrice that of Men of Middle-earth, but also the grace to go at my will, and give back the gift. Now, therefore, I will sleep."
Was Tolkien a proponent of picking your own time to die, be it sleeping or assisted suicide?
If not, why would he give this power to the mightiest of the Kings in his mythology? Is he not making that choice a noble cause?
Iolanthe
Uinen
Location: Washing my hair in the Sundering Sea
Postby Iolanthe » Sun May 24, 2009 7:29 pm
Interesting you should pick up on this. I have my long unfinished essay on Death in Tolkien: "Freedom from Time and clinging to Time" which looks at the Numenoriean gift of giving up their own life.
I really don't think he was advocating a sort of suicide - this is a bit of my essay as it's easier to post an extract rather than try to explain it:
Good deaths and bad lives
Death is the Gift of Iluvatar to men. Tolkien muses in his letter to Rhona Beare in 1958 about whether it was in fact a 'punishment' because men fell, though perceived by the elves as a good thing because all Iluvatar's apparent 'punishments' were in fact gifts, turning bad events into unforeseen blessings: "A divine 'punishment' is also a divine 'gift', if accepted, since it object is ultimate blessing". Or whether death was a gift from the start – always men's destiny (unlike the Christian viewpoint). Interestingly he comes down on the side of the latter in his own footnote [with the qualifying word may:
It was also the Elvish (and uncorrupted Númenórean) view that a 'good' Man would or should die voluntarily by surrender with trust before being compelled as did Aragorn). This may have been the nature of unfallen Man…The Assumption of Mary, the only unfallen person, may be regarded in some ways as a simple regaining of unfallen grace and liberty: she asked to be received, and was, having no further function on earth.
Letter 212 (draft continuation) to Rhona Beare Oct ? 1958
In Tolkien's developing mythology, death was Man's destiny before the Fall. Unfallen man may choose his time of going and Tolkien even finds a Christian argument for it. Aragorn - and the first Númenórean Kings before their fall - are possibly (because Tolkien is still trying to discover his own mythology here) given the grace of the unfallen. So man at his noblest and most advanced embraces it in the fullness of his life, before decay sets in.
So not only is death the gift of Iluvater, the ability to relinquish it and move on is perhaps part of the original intent for all men. This makes the clinging to life that the Ring imparts even more evil than it first appears as the desire to live beyond the allotted span is in itself against the original will of Iluvater. The Ring is designed to seduce all fallen men and maybe Aragorn's strength to reject the Ring and his ability to give up his life when he feels his powers fading are one and the same.
© Iolanthe
I really ought to finish this essay which is based on a comment of his that LotR was actually 'about Death and the desire for deathlessness'!! There is a lot more in the essay but this part does say a lot in answer to your question! I'll have to start working on it again....
I am certain, though, that he would have been totally against assisted suicide, or any kind of suicide. It would go totally against his faith. He clearly doesn't think of Aragorn's departure or the deaths of any of the Numenorean kings in that way, but as the acceptance of a lost gift.
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Postby Merry » Sun May 24, 2009 9:40 pm
Interesting distinction, Iolanthe--yes, definitely, finish that essay! I don't remember reading the letter that includes the reference to Mary's Assumption. I agree that Tolkien would never have considered such a thing, in additon to Aragorn's choice, as a suicide. For one thing, it did not involve violence to oneself or others. The process is never described, but it is almost as if Aragorn surrenders his will to Iluvatar and his life is taken.
'He [Faramir] calls,' said Gandalf, 'but you cannot come to him yet. For he must seek healing on the threshold of death, and maybe find it not. Whereas your part is to go out to the battle of your City, where maybe death awaits you. This you know in your heart.'
'He will not wake again,' said Denethor. 'Battle is vain. Why should we wish to live longer? Why should we not go to death side by side?'
'Authority is not given to you, Steward of Gondor, to order the hour of your death,' answered Gandalf. 'And only the heathen kings, under the domination of the Dark Power, did thus, slaying themselves in pride and despair, murdering their kin to ease their own death' . . .
'What then would you have,' said Gandalf, 'if your will could have its way?'
'I would have things as they were in all the days of my life,' answered Denethor . . . 'But if doom denies this to me, then I will have naught: neither life diminished, nor love halved, nor honour abated. . . But in this at least thou shalt not defy my will: to rule my own end.'
This is how Tolkien thought of suicide, assisted and legal or not. I do not think that those who wait for death lose their dignity.
Chrissiejane
Postby Chrissiejane » Mon May 25, 2009 8:15 am
Thanks, Iolanthe and Merry for your citations and explanations. I have no insights to offer about what the professor may have been thinking, either about the characteristics with which he endowed the Númenoreans, or about his own ethical and moral values; I only have more questions!
I wonder what he may say today about the current philosophies we pursue towards death and dying? I am thinking of the other end of the spectrum from a suicide: I'm thinking about the concept of the "living will", and about conscious refusal of active therapy for disease, with the substitution of palliation. These are essentially non-violent courses of action, that do, in my experience, often change the course of the end of a life and also restore a sense of control to the individual. Perhaps to lose that sense of control over ones self epitomises the ultimate loss of free will and therefore of dignity. Is that the ultimate burden of "fallen man"?
Tolkein must have pondered these matters during, and in the wake of, his WWI service. When he endowed the Numenoreans with that ability to end their own life at their conscious individual will, was he touching on a deep, subconscious human need - a need which simply could not be met in the horrific circumstances of the professor's experience of death and dying in the war? And are we now touching on that same need again in our "modern" approaches to dealing with incurable disease and impending death? We cannot become Númenoreans, so do we attempt to atone via our current approaches to the management of death and dying?
....her song released the sudden spring, like rising lark and falling rain, and melting water bubbling
Postby Riv Res » Mon May 25, 2009 11:52 am
Merry, I had totally forgotten that passage with Denethor, and it is very powerful, and it certainly throws a new light on my wonderings but I still now have questions as to why he would then give Aragorn the ending he did. Perhaps I would not think of Aragorn's death and the assisted suicide debate in the same light had it not been for the news agancies using almost the exact words from Tolkien in describing the reasoning/justification for the new laws.
... wait until I wither and fall from my high seat unmanned and witless... but also the grace to go at my will
It is as if they had read the passage and perhaps they had. Tolkien made a case for this kind of thinking whether he knew it or not, with his scene at Aragorn's death, and because he was such a devout Catholic, I guess that is why I wonder at it. I wonder if he knew that no matter the character's lineage, and no matter how delicately he dealt with it, picking your own time to die could be debated as suicide.
Merry wrote: I do not think that those who wait for death lose their dignity.
I agree with you here Merry, but what if waiting for death is excruciatingly painful, or involves living while having lost one's intellect, recognition, and reasoning, I debate with myself whether that is truly life.
Postby Merry » Mon May 25, 2009 4:17 pm
You know, I'm told by experts in the health care field that there is no need for people to be in that kind of pain any more. The field of palliative medicine has made huge leaps within the last few years. I'm told that it used to be the case that if a doctor couldn't cure you, you were on your own, sad to say. But now there is a lot of meaningful life that can be lived between a terminal diagnosis and the end, and lots of advances in the treatment and management of pain. The Hospice program is a great example of this.
The Catholic view makes the distinction between active and passive euthanasia, marbretherese. Active euthanasia occurs when the cause of death is something other than the injury or disease, an active killing. This is wrong. Passive euthanasia occurs when a person is allowed to die of his/her injury or disease without treatment. Here, the distinction is made between 'ordinary' and 'extraordinary' means of preserving life. Ethically, ordinary means of preserving life must be used. These are what all of us use to preserve our own lives: food, water, warmth when it is cold, basic medications like simple antibiotics, etc. Extraordinary means to preserve life may ethically be used, but they may ethically be refused as well. These are the more technological or experimental treatments. The Catholic view is that, after a terminal diagnosis, if these means only prolong life with no hope for improvement, they are not required to be used.
I should say that these ideas are not commonly understood, even by a lot of Catholics. Some think that all possible means of prolonging life must be used, but this is mistaken. Natural death is a part of life and must be accepted. It's just that Catholics think that it should not be hurried along by violent means.
So why did Tolkien include this thing about the Numenoreans? I think that Iolanthe is on the right track with this idea of 'unfallen Man' and I'd like to see more about this! I'm not a theologian, but coincidentally, I've been conversing with some about this topic. The famous ungrammatical "The wages of sin is death" line sort of indicates, I guess, that had we not sinned primordially (what is mythologized in the Adam and Eve story), death would not have been part of human existence. But it sort of seems that anything made of matter changes and ceases to exist. So how would this happen? This is just theological speculation, of course, but it is possible that humans could pass on to the next stage of existence, but death would "be removed of its sting". Maybe this is what Tolkien was trying to imagine. But I'm sure he would not have wanted us to think of ourselves as unfallen Numenorean kings!
As I approach the last part of my life, and watch the previous generation doing so, I also worry about the losses that it will inevitably bring, RR. I'm already starting to get forgetful! But research also shows that the great majority of people who favor the legalization of suicide change their minds when asked if they would still favor it if they could be assured of good care when the time comes. American culture pushes us to be so perpetually young and independent, to the point of solipsism. People who give their lives to the raising of children and hard work and the service of others ought to be able to expect good care in their turn, by families and community and government. Then the loss (and, according to my faith, at least, the final surrendering of our wills to God) can be a meaningful and beautiful and holy thing for all involved. I have witnessed this, so it is possible.
Postby Riv Res » Mon May 25, 2009 4:41 pm
Merry wrote: This is just theological speculation, of course, but it is possible that humans could pass on to the next stage of existence, but death would "be removed of its sting". Maybe this is what Tolkien was trying to imagine. But I'm sure he would not have wanted us to think of ourselves as unfallen Numenorean kings!
Yes, I think this sounds very much like what my understanding of Tolkien's beliefs and thinking is as I have garnered from reading his fiction and non fiction (letters ).
Postby Chrissiejane » Mon May 25, 2009 5:32 pm
Forgive my ignorance, but does Professor Tolkein present other examples of characters exercising this Númenorean gift of choice, besides Aragorn? He presents Aragorn as a man who is acutely aware of his destiny and who diligently prepares for his rôle as King of Gondor, and then strives his whole long life to be the best he can, for the benefit of all beings. Is this the Professor's archetype, or are there others in the mythology who have been similarly graced but perhaps do not mirror Aragorn's achievements?
CJ, it appears to be a Númenorean trait only. There is the reference in Appendix A, but I would have to look to see if he mentions it to anyone else specifically in writing about any of Aragorn's predecessors.
marbretherese
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Postby marbretherese » Mon May 25, 2009 7:11 pm
I'm late to this discussion, and have enjoyed reading your insights into this question. Iolanthe, you do need to finish and publish that essay! That quote from Tolkien's letter to Rhona Beare is spot on. I would be amazed if Tolkien were advocating euthanasia, given his Catholic faith.
Personally I'm uncomfortable with the idea of euthanasia or assisted suicide, partly because such things are open to abuse and partly because I think the way that we face death is, like everything else in life, a learning process. Merry , you are right about the improvements in palliative care. It's also worth noting how, when someone is allowed to slip away peacefully, they go in their own time.
"Torment in the dark was the danger that I feared, and it did not hold me back.
But I would not have come, had I known the danger of light and joy."
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Postby Merry » Mon May 25, 2009 10:15 pm
Woops! Chrissiejane and marbretherese, I got you two confused above. My apologies--see, the Great Decline has started already!
I seem to remember--for what it's worth!--one of the decendants of Elendil laying down his life, but don't ask me which one. I'll try to look it up. It does seem to be unlike Tolkien not to have some historical precedent.
Another aspect to this question might be to think about how Tolkien himself handled his own decline, as well as Edith's. I've always gotten a bit of an impression that Edith 'lost it' a little sooner than most, and that the great joyful life that they anticipated when they married kind of dissipated as they grew older. But that comes from reading between the lines: he doesn't seemed to have complained much, other than by taking his pint in the pub of an evening. It has always struck me that he seemed to grow happier as he aged and took the losses in relatively good humor. But, you know, now that I think of it, he never did have a great deal of control over the events of his life, in some ways, and so maybe he accepted the decline as a part of life.
Postby Lindariel » Tue May 26, 2009 1:30 am
This is an excellent discussion!
My perspective on Aragorn's beautiful act of "giving back the Gift" is not so much that he ended his life, but that he was given the grace to recognize the moment of Death when it was approaching and then make an important decision: To take the remaining time he had left to bid a loving goodbye to his family and loved ones, to arrange the lawful succession of his reign, and to accept the moment of death with humility and dignity and joy; or to succumb to the weaknesses of some of his ancestors, who used unnatural means to prolong their lives past the moment of natural death, thereby rejecting the Gift.
Recall this passage from the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen:
"Would you then, lord, before your time leave your people that live by your word?" she said.
"Not before my time," he answered. "For if I will not go now, then I must soon go perforce . . . . Take counsel with yourself, beloved, and ask whether you would indeed have me wait until I wither and fall from my high seat unmanned and witless."
I think it is pretty clear from this passage that the time of Aragorn's natural death was near, and that the only way to prevent that death would have been to indulge in the follies of his ancestors and then die an unnatural death "unmanned and witless".
Also, remember what Faramir told Frodo and Sam about his people:
Death was ever present, because the Numenoreans still, as they had in their old kingdom, and so lost it, hungered after endless life unchanging. Kings made tombs more splendid than houses of the living, and counted old names in the rolls of their descent dearer than the names of sons. Childless lords sat in aged halls musing on heraldry; in secret chambers withered men compounded strong elixirs, or in high cold towers asked questions of the stars. And the last king of the line of Anarion had no heir.
This is exactly what Aragorn would NOT do. Instead, he chose to die a Man, rather than be "unmanned" by the weakness of rejecting his impending natural death.
Yes, Death was the Gift of Iluvatar to Men -- to be released from the confines of life, rather than live with perpetual loss, as do the Elves. I think the "Gift" made especially to the Numenoreans was to recognize impending death -- to have that opportunity to prepare themselves and their loved ones, and to express their confidence and trust in The One to give back the Gift of Life willlingly when that natural time had come.
I think in our day and age we are dealing with the same problems and temptations of the ancient Numenoreans. Our medical, technological, and cultural advances have already significantly lengthened our "natural" lives long, long past our childbearing and childraising years. We are now dealing routinely with the diseases of advanced old age that were rarely encountered by our more ancient forebears, who simply never lived that long. We have the technology to keep people alive who would have died of their illness or injury not too terribly long ago. The ethical questions we face as a result of our "Numenorean" ability to prolong life are of our own making.
But do I think Aragorn's death is an example of assisted suicide? Certainly not! His natural death came -- and he welcomed it and returned to his Creator in Joy.
Postby Chrissiejane » Tue May 26, 2009 4:13 pm
Riv Res wrote: CJ, it appears to be a Númenorean trait only. There is the reference in Appendix A, but I would have to look to see if he mentions it to anyone else specifically in writing about any of Aragorn's predecessors.
What a dunderhead I am. If I had taken the time to read on a little further in Unfinished Tales, Part II, The Second Age, I would have got to chapter III, The Line of Elros, Kings of Númenor. There, I have learned more about this whole issue of longevity, who took advantage of the "grace' granted to them and who didn't. Christopher Tolkein's note 1 gives a great account of how it worked. Apologies to those for whom this is very familiar - I find it fascinating and so informative:
Thus (as the Eldar) they grew at much the same rate as other men, but when they had achieved "full growth" they then aged, or "wore out'" much more slowly. The first approach of "world-weariness was indeed for them a sign that their period of vigour was nearing its end. When it came to an end, if they persisted in living, then decay would proceed, as growth had done, no more slowly than among other Men. Thus a Númenórean would pass quickly, in ten years maybe, from health and vigour of mind to decrepitude and senility. In the earlier generations they did not "cling to life" but resigned it voluntarily. "Clinging to Life" was one of the changes brought about by the Shadow and the rebellion of the Númenóreans; it was also accompanied by the shrinking of their natural lifespan.
© The JRR Tolkein Copyright Trust and CR Tolkein 1980
Postby Iolanthe » Wed May 27, 2009 10:54 am
It's very enlightening, isn't it? I ramble on about it in my unfinished essay somewhere. This is (as I see it) one major connecting factor between the early tales and LotR, with the Nine Rings of Power (offering long life to the nine kings) and Sauron's exploitation of the weakness of men - a clinging on to life and power beyond it's natural end - which he saw at first hand in Numenor. The Nine kings become wraithes, neither living nor dead. With the Ruling Ring Gollum lives hundreds and hundreds of years beyond his time and has less life than anyone in the book. Bilbo feels stretched thin...
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Exploring the new frontier
October 16, 2016 / Andy Haigh / Comments Off on Exploring the new frontier
HBO's latest big venture Westworld arrived recently. Based on the 70's film written and directed by Michael Crichton (and featuring Yul Brynner in a memorable role as a robot cowboy gone haywire).
Westworld was in the media spotlight long before its first episode aired after a contract for extras was highlighted for being rather creepy now it's in the spotlight again with stars defending things seen in the premiere episode.
Set at some point in the future Westworld is a vast theme park of sorts which represents an Old West town and the surrounding area. The park is populated by incredibly lifelike robots/synthetic beings called Hosts. Westworld is the creation of Dr Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins). The series introduces various characters, some are people that work for Westworld in some capacity like Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) one of the technicians that works on the Hosts that populate the park, some are Hosts like Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood), Maeve (Thandie Newton) and Teddy (James Marsden), whilst others are patrons of the park like The Man in Black (Ed Harris) and his polar opposite William (Jimmi Simpson). These are just some of the characters that feature.
Visitors ,called Guests, are free to live out any desire they have with no judgement or consequence. The Hosts exist to accommodate their desires, whether this is being a brutal sadistic murderer, a violent rapist or something else. The Hosts though have no memory of what they are subjected to due to being wiped, monitored and recalibrated as necessary by the the parks technicians. Also Hosts generally speaking can't harm Guest ,though they might attempt to, because their guns don't fire real bullets. This enables Guests to engage in the thrill of a gun fight with no risk of real injury.
The various Hosts in the park are all playing a part in numerous overlapping looping narratives which the Guests can take part in. Once the narrative loop comes to an end it restarts with the Hosts involved completely oblivious to having done the same thing numerous times.
The first episode, and indeed the series as a whole, has more than a little in common with Charlie Brooker's acclaimed series Black Mirror given that it deals with the darker uses of technology and how they impact people and society, Dolores' story is a prime example. Dolores is part of a narrative loop involving Teddy but The Man in Black it turns out has been taking part in this loop for years. Each time it culminates in Teddy being killed in some way by The Man in Black and Dolores being brutalised and raped by him, the screaming Dolores being dragged off by her hair into a barn before the door slams ominously shut behind her.
Only Dolores isn't being brutally raped in the context of the world presented here because Dolores isn't a person with rights or bodily autonomy. Dolores is a thing. A synthetic person subject to the whims of the parks Guests. The problem with this is the presentation to the viewers at home is exactly the same because Hosts by definition look exactly like real people. This is basically rape by proxy. More than that it suffers from familiar problems that usually arise when sexual assault or rape features in a TV show, deferred consequence for the transgressor to build dramatic tension and deliver catharsis at a later date and glossing over the aftermath for the victim.
The first episode ,which focusses primarily on Dolores' loop, ends with her naked in the technicians lab (for some unexplained reason Hosts are always naked in the lab when taken for diagnostic maintenance) looking glassy eyed into the camera as engineers question her in a diagnostic mode. This visual is powerful because the viewer has the burden of knowledge of what Dolores has been subjected to repeatedly even if she doesn't and the Westworld employees are completely indifferent to the suffering.
The long play for Westworld is the Hosts through something in their latest software update (possibly intentional on Ford's part) is leading them to actually gain full awareness remembering all the horrific things they've been subjected to by the Guests over the years via flashbacks and dream like hallucinatory episodes. Dolores it's revealed is the oldest of the Hosts in the park and is it seems being set up as the leader of the Hosts rebellion against their human oppressors, whilst Maeve, who in episode 2 "wakes up" whilst in the lab, is set to play a big part too.
Whilst this undeniably fertile ground for an interesting multi-layered character drama it's yet another example of relying on the well worn plot device of women's sexual assault, rape and trauma being utilised as a catalyst for revenge and empowerment. This was the basis of I Spit on Your Grave back in 1978 and I'm sure it wasn't the first example. You can't help but think writers seem to not know how to write empowered women in TV drama without their empowerment being the by product of some man's malevolent transgression.
The idea that Westworld employees are seperated into different departments, with animosity between the workers of different departments, is prime for exploration as one of the most looming questions about Westworld is how does the place function? Does it have opening hours like a normal theme park? How many departments are there? How do they repair the Hosts damaged by Guests? Are there any animals besides the synthetic horses? Why would anybody take their children to Westworld? Why are there no child Hosts? How do the visitors function outside of the park where they have to revert to behaving in a normal civilised manner? How do the people that work at Westworld function in the real world? Those are just a handful of questions Westworld prompts.
A big part of Westworld is the idea that the only difference between modern, or in this case future, society and the savage primordial past is the thin veneer of civilisation, something which can be stripped away easily given the right circumstance. Swedish series Akta Manniskor explored the same themes regarding technology, A.I and the impact it has on society in a much more grounded manner, the series was remade in English as Humans which changed the story and some characters.
Surgeon X
October 2, 2016 / Andy Haigh / Comments Off on Surgeon X
Surgeon X from Image Comics is notable for several reasons, a big one being it marks the return of Karen Berger, founder and long time editor of DC's Vertigo imprint, to comics after leaving DC several years ago. Another is that it's probably the most meticulously researched comic to ever hit the shelves with a list of assorted medical professionals, scientists and learned types being thanked for their assistance in the credits.
Surgeon X is written by veteran TV producer/director Sara Kenney making her comics debut, a near future sci-fi horror about a Britain (and world) wracked by a medical crisis and in a state of political turmoil. Kenney's comics debut came about after striking up a rapport with Berger via LinkedIn and in the process demonstrating that LinkedIn is responsible for at least one good thing in its existence.
London, 2036, and Antibiotics are largely ineffective due to humanity's developed resistance and now rationed and reserved for the lucky few causing millions of deaths every year. Jim Powell of The Lionheart Party, a far right political party, is up for election as Mayor of London. Rosa Scott is a renegade surgeon and with the help of her brother Lewis, her sister Martha and Martha's husband Jacob , sets out to help those in need utilising her medical skills and blackmarket medicine.
Surgeon X is something that suffers from trying to explain what it's about in a few sentences, it's a story that features myriad elements besides the unfolding and engrossing human drama featuring the Scott family. There's social commentary, political commentary and a history of Antibiotics and why they're so vital to humanity making up the landscape of Kenney's impressive debut. A debut made all the more impressive by art team John Watkiss and James Devlin who conjure up a future Britain that's recognisable and relatable but also nightmarishly different, that's not forgetting letterer Jared K Fletcher.
More than that though the nightmarish scenario that's depicted in Surgeon X isn't some far fetched sci-fi concept it's informed by very real science, which is why there's so many learned types featuring in the credits. The most disturbing thing is when Kenney says when working on the story for Surgeon X medical professionals told her "You're not being extreme enough in your vision at all".
Surgeon X also has its own app which features "animations, documentaries and other exclusive content" to quote writer Kenney.
For more on Surgeon X check out the official website.
Bottomfeeder May 27, 2019
The failed cinematic ressurection of Hellboy April 20, 2019
Rediscovering Magic The Gathering January 27, 2019
Inquisitor Martyr September 22, 2018
Sex, Lies & Statistics July 8, 2018
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Posted on April 17, 2016 by Portsmouth Daily Times
Spring Bazaar was refreshing
By Portia Williams - portiawilliams@civitasmedia.com
Many vendors and many visitors stopped in at Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Spring Crafts Bazaar was held Saturday at the James Dickey Post 23 in Portsmouth.
From handmade jewelry and a host of other crafts and items were made available at the Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Spring Crafts Bazaar held Saturday at the James Dickey Post 23.
PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Committee is one step closer to their goal of acquiring two handicapped-accessible swings to install in one of the city parks.
PPR held a Spring Craft Bazaar at the American Legion James Dickey Post 23 in Portsmouth. The event attracted a great crowd and vendors with compelling items for sale.
Kismett Bratchett, chairman of the Spring Craft Bazaar planning committee, said all monies collected from the Spring Bazaar will be allocated towards the purchase of two hadicapped swings for two the city parks.
"This is our Craft Bazaar, and we are trying to raise money for our handicapped swings. We are trying to get two for the city for kids that are in wheelchairs," Bratchett said. "We just try to raise as much money as we can each time. We are a non-profit organization now, so any donation is a tax write-off for everybody, and accept donations anytime."
To date, PPR has raise approximately $1,500 for the swings, with a deficit of $2,500.
"The swings are about $2,000 a piece, and we are trying to get two," Bratchett said. "We hope that we be able to raise the money for both of the swings, but even if we can only get one for this year, then we will work on raising money for the other one next next year."
The two parks that PPR is looking to install the swings are Mound Park and Tracy Park, according to Bratchett.
Rich Saddler of PPR said they had a good turn out for Saturday's Bazaar, with a larger crowd than usual.
"We did fairly well today. We had more people coming in, in the afternoon. I'd say it has been an above average day," Saddler said. "We really don't put goals on our activities, we just plan, organize and do it. We're just competing with so many other things going on that we are just thankful for any and every dollar that we receive that we can put towards doing something in our parks."
"With the Arbor Day event that we have coming up on the 23rd we will be doing the vendor there as well, and Portsmouth Ambulance will be doing the cooking, and we will be working in conjunction with them," Saddler said. "All of the proceeds go to Parks and Recreation. We are tax exempt now, and have our 501c3."
Saddler said understanding how funds are prioritized by Portsmouth City Government is imperative, in terms of how it impacts funding for the city parks.
"When I was on the Council our City Manager Derek Allen stated that he has to prioritize his tax dollars. His priority list was first public safety, public health, your services like your roads, and waterlines, and fourth is anything else, the Engineering Department, City Parks," Saddler said. "Even though we had a tax increase, and we will start receiving some of that tax money at the end of this year, there is still not really enough tax money coming in to really put a big boost into our park system," Saddler said. "And that is the word that we are really trying to relay to people. They have to understand how the city is prioritizing their money, and they are doing it in the correct manner, those things are more important than for the parks. We just want to support the city, and assist them in making improvements and upgrades, or just maintenance in our city parks."
Donations may be made online to the Portsmouth Parks and Recreation PayPal account, or by mail to: Portsmouth Parks and Recreation, P.O. Box 1844, Portsmouth, Ohio 45662.
http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/04/web1_IMG_2463.jpgMany vendors and many visitors stopped in at Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Spring Crafts Bazaar was held Saturday at the James Dickey Post 23 in Portsmouth.
http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/04/web1_IMG_2459.jpgFrom handmade jewelry and a host of other crafts and items were made available at the Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Spring Crafts Bazaar held Saturday at the James Dickey Post 23.
By Portia Williams
portiawilliams@civitasmedia.com
Reach Portia Williams at 740-353-3101, ext. 1929, or on Twitter @PortiaWillPDT,
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