Mourning Roundup: June 8, 2010
JUNE 8, 2010 TAGS:
Marvin Isley, Bass Player for The Isley Brothers, Dies at 56
Obit’s Grim Reader once noticed that the death of a musician usually sends an obit writer or two straight to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame for a nut quote.
The death of Marvin Isley, the bassist of the hall-of-famers The Isley Brothers, is no exception:
Election Day Again. Do the Dead Vote?
During the last round of primaries a month ago, Tom Ferrick, Jr. reflected on how the dead, whether as voters, candidates or both play a larger than expected role in our electoral process. Today’s round of preliminary contests remind us again that those seeking office might take note of the living and the dead.
Helen Thomas and the Political Obit
As career obituaries go, those of political figures mired by scandal are usually the most entertaining (or sad, depending on your loyalties). Helen Thomas’ departure as the emeritus member of the White House Press Corps under the pall of anti-Israeli (or anti-Sematic) remarks is a sub-species of the political obituary, a kind of newspaper and magazine writing that we at obit like to follow closely.
Looking back on Thomas’ esteemable career offers a wormhole to past administrations. Times when politics, circumstances, press secretaries and presidents were different, but Helen Thomas, and her brand of no-nonsense interrogations, were the same.
-The New York Times mourns the loss of “Helen Thomas Rules”
-The Daily Beast covers the race for her coveted seat in the front row.
-The Washington Post on Thomas’ less than glorious farewell, on a legacy tarnished.
Obit’s Grim Reader once noticed that the death of a musician usually sends an obit writer or two straight to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame for a nut quote.
The death of Marvin Isley, the bassist of the hall-of-famers The Isley Brothers, is no exception:
“The Isley Brothers are shockingly underappreciated,” said Howard Kramer, the curatorial director of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. “When Marvin was in the band they were played on white rock ’n’ roll stations, right next to the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, and their records are every bit as good.”
Election Day Again. Do the Dead Vote?
During the last round of primaries a month ago, Tom Ferrick, Jr. reflected on how the dead, whether as voters, candidates or both play a larger than expected role in our electoral process. Today’s round of preliminary contests remind us again that those seeking office might take note of the living and the dead.
Helen Thomas and the Political Obit
As career obituaries go, those of political figures mired by scandal are usually the most entertaining (or sad, depending on your loyalties). Helen Thomas’ departure as the emeritus member of the White House Press Corps under the pall of anti-Israeli (or anti-Sematic) remarks is a sub-species of the political obituary, a kind of newspaper and magazine writing that we at obit like to follow closely.
Looking back on Thomas’ esteemable career offers a wormhole to past administrations. Times when politics, circumstances, press secretaries and presidents were different, but Helen Thomas, and her brand of no-nonsense interrogations, were the same.-The New York Times mourns the loss of “Helen Thomas Rules”
-The Daily Beast covers the race for her coveted seat in the front row.
-The Washington Post on Thomas’ less than glorious farewell, on a legacy tarnished.
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