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Reading an Obit With Great Pleasure
by: Joseph L. Galloway

Well, the aptly named Robert Strange McNamara has finally shuffled off to join LBJ and Dick Nixon in the 7th level of Hell.

Never heard of the writer, but he's most definitely a white guy.

kaujot wrote:Well, as I said, I don't consider him to be truly shitty at all. The differences between him and Cheney are vast.

Cheney is merely more open about his shittyness, which I think makes him a better person than McNamara. There's a social elegance to openly and proudly declaring yourself something that is consistently, publicly loathed by all decent people... when dealing with a True Believer like Cheney, you're dealing with a known quantity who by his openness lets you know in advance what you're in for when dealing with him. Cheney will never mislead you as to what he's going to do if he gets the chance to do it. You canmake your moves in anticipation of such a man.

McN on the other hand was a sniveling, light-seeking moth who tried to play the Good Guy while heedlesly seeing to and acquiescing to the destruction of countless innocent people. I have no empathy for soulsellers like him. It's one of the things that completely tarnished Colin Powell: acting-- being-- the sensible man who knew better, continuously proposed his own decency through his manner and discourse through the Bush II years, yet through his ambitious circling of the corridors of power, and bullshit "military obedience of orders/commander in chief" (which didn't prevent swinging by the neck in Nuremberg remember) allowed himself to be stained with foulness.

Fuck Robert McNamara and the black limo he rode in and back out on.

The differences between him and Cheney are vast.

Which essentially boil down to: You lived through Cheney but not McNamara.

It's also worth mentioning that the octogenarian McNamara effortlessly ran circles around Errol Morris in the dubious The Fog of War.

Pat Oliphant's take:

Best line: "Is Henry the K here yet?"

I had never heard that anecdote about Halberstam following him around.

Not for the first time...I miss David.

GringoTex wrote:

Reading an Obit With Great Pleasure
by: Joseph L. Galloway

Well, the aptly named Robert Strange McNamara has finally shuffled off to join LBJ and Dick Nixon in the 7th level of Hell.

Never heard of the writer, but he's most definitely a white guy.

Yeah, I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with that. Lyndon's suffering eternally, to be sure, but I think he's a couple of levels above Nixon (hopefully pointing and laughing at him.)

Alas, now McNamara will never make the top of my list. His even more horrible eventual successor "Doctor" Kissinger is the current occupant, filling the chair once sat in by J. Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms.

Kissinger is the current occupant, filling the chair

I hope it's one of those trapdoor affairs, like in SWEENEY TODD.

Don't let the discussion around McNamara/Kissinger lag--looks like the grim reaper has been reading along; finally a pause in film-related deaths. [knocks on wood]

"I left Henry Kissinger in the Sistine Chapel gazing thoughtfully at the Hell section of The Last Judgement, I said to the lady with me, 'Look, he's apartment hunting.'" - Gore Vidal

=;

I'm glad Allen Klein managed to make up with Jodorowsky before he died

Kissinger's wife was once at an airport and a man who was a Discordian Pope followed after her repeatedly shouting, "Do you know that your husband fucks little boys?". Eventully, Mrs K attacked the fellow.

Peacock wrote:I'm glad Allen Klein managed to make up with Jodorowsky before he died

What was their beef?

Klein refused to release Jodorowsky's films for years, saying something along the lines of "While you're alive, they're never coming out." Something like that. I believe Jodorowsky placed a curse on him in return.

Anyway, as the Jodorowsky box shows, they found a way to cooperate.

Klein's son arranged for them to meet/talk for the first time in over 30 years in a hotel room. In a Jodorowsky interview he proudly says something along the lines of (going from sketchy memory!) 'if two people can make up like this after all this time then world peace is possible'.

But yeah as kaujot says Klein refused to let Jodorowsky show his films anywhere in the world for over 30 years, so he made no money and hence very few films

I had no idea he had clout in the movie business.

Well, clout isn't the word. He owned Jodorowsky's films. He got them after John Lennon died, though I'm not sure how (will? or what?).

kaujot wrote:Well, clout isn't the word. He owned Jodorowsky's films. He got them after John Lennon died, though I'm not sure how (will? or what?).

I'm pretty sure Lennon never owned them. They were made for ABKCO not Apple.

I just received word from her son that Chick Strand died on Saturday 11 July, experimental filmmaker & documentarian. No obituary yet.

A marvelous and inspirational filmmaker and person, the artful person whom one was always delighted to see. May we all screen some of her films soon in tribute and in astonishment, to revel in their beauty and insight and grace, and to continue her legacy.

Adam Hyman
Los Angeles Filmforum

From her son:

To All

My mom Chick Strand (Mildred Muller) passed away Saturday afternoon due
to her cancer. Her wish was to to do so at her adored home and garden,
with me, and her beloved dog "Tigo". We have discussed this for years due
to her enduring so many health issues over the last 10 years. I am
glad I was able to give her that final request. As much has she was
ready to go her inner strength kept her going much too long than anyone
expected. On her request medicine for pain was only given towards the
end, finally I felt it was necessary. She was one tough lady and is now
a legend with the Hospice nurses and Home Care Givers.

It is a great loss to us all. Not only was she my mom but my best
friend. She was a great mom who would do anything to help me and did so
on many occasions. My sister "Naja" and I were always her number one
priority. She was my teacher, adviser, and safety net on so many levels.
She taught me to be strong, independent, determined, righteous,
adventurous, think things through, and be creative, all in an unassuming
way; all the qualities she had. Through this process I have learned how
much she was loved and admired by you all and that she impacted so many.
I am sorry for your loss as well.

Please pass this on to anyone who should know.

There is no service planned per mom's request. She will be cremated
and I will mix her and Marty's (the love of her life) ashes together in
an infinity box, together again, at last.

Eric Strand

Julius Shulman, photographer
http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/ ... 3680.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Him only just now dying is the story. I thought he passed at least a decade ago. Either way he was one of the last of real journalists who reported on more then gossip.