06.29.08
Posted in News of the World, What I'm Reading, Spooks, Covert Action, Politics at 4:53 pm by Spencer
The July 7-14 issue of The New Yorker includes a major new piece by Seymour Hersh, “Preparing the Battlefield” (already available in its entirety online), which reveals that late in 2007…
…Congress agreed to a request from President Bush to fund a major escalation of covert operations against Iran, according to current and former military, intelligence, and congressional sources. These operations, for which the President sought up to four hundred million dollars, …are designed to destabilize the country’s religious leadership. The covert activities involve support of the minority Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi groups and other dissident organizations. They also include gathering intelligence about Iran’s suspected nuclear-weapons program.
Clandestine operations against Iran are not new. United States Special Operations Forces have been conducting cross-border operations from southern Iraq, with Presidential authorization, since last year. These have included seizing members of Al Quds, the commando arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and taking them to Iraq for interrogation, and the pursuit of “high-value targets” in the President’s war on terror, who may be captured or killed. But the scale and the scope of the operations in Iran, which involve the Central Intelligence Agency and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), have now been significantly expanded, according to the current and former officials. Many of these activities are not specified in the new Finding, and some congressional leaders have had serious questions about their nature.
Meanwhile, there has been mounting pressure within the Bush Administration for a military strike against Iran, the extent of which is unclear but various accounts and recent developments suggest it would be a major one.
Military and civilian leaders in the Pentagon share the White House’s concern about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but there is disagreement about whether a military strike is the right solution.
…The Joint Chiefs of Staff, whose chairman is Admiral Mike Mullen, were “pushing back very hard” against White House pressure to undertake a military strike against Iran, the person familiar with the Finding told me. Similarly, a Pentagon consultant who is involved in the war on terror said that “at least ten senior flag and general officers, including combatant commanders” — the four-star officers who direct military operations around the world — “have weighed in on that issue.”
The most outspoken of those officers is Admiral William Fallon, who until recently was the head of U.S. Central Command, and thus in charge of American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. In March [2008], Fallon resigned under pressure, after giving a series of interviews stating his reservations about an armed attack on Iran.
Read the latest article online. For further context, see also Hersh’s earlier reporting for The New Yorker on the Bush Administration’s covert policies viz. Iran:
“The Next Act” (Nov. 27, 2006) — The debate within the Bush Administration over the extent of Iran’s nuclear weapons program and how best to counter it.
“The Redirection” (March 5, 2007) — A major policy shift, or “redirection,” in the Bush Administration’s Middle East strategy. The redirection has brought the U.S. closer to an open confrontation with Iran and propelled it into the sectarian conflict between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
“Shifting Targets” (Oct. 8, 2007) — The Bush Administration’s shifting policy toward Iran and the Pentagon’s preparations for possible “surgical strikes” against key Iranian targets. Hersh discusses how the Bush Administration is seeking to redefine the war in Iraq as a strategic battle between the United States and Iran.
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06.27.08
Posted in Cinema, Events at 3:02 pm by Spencer
Well, Hal Ashby won’t be there in person, mostly ’cause he died in 1988. But comedian Bobcat Goldthwait will be introducing Hal Ashby’s fine directorial debut, The Landlord (1970), on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at the Northwest Film Forum. This will be preceded by a reception with Bobcat at the Grey Gallery right around the corner. More details about the special event are available on the NWFF web site.
Advance tickets only, at a special price (proceeds benefit the non-profit NWFF), available online via BrownPaperTickets.com.
The special event kicks-off Hal Ashby’s Commingling Seventies, a fantastic series of screenings of the director’s work from the 1970s, every one of them briliant and a classic. It’s pretty amazing to see the line up and realize he made them one after the other, all in the space of just nine years — a stunning run of artistry that anyone would envy. The screenings (all on 35mm) are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only, through July and late August. Don’t miss a single one. Series passes are available.
The Landlord (1970) — Tues. 7/1 and Wed. 7/2
Harold and Maude (1971) — Tues. 7/8 and Wed. 7/9
The Last Detail (1973) — Tues. 7/15 and Wed. 7/16; the novel’s author, Darryl Ponicsan, will introduce the 7:30 screening on 7/15
Shampoo (1975) — Tues. 7/29 and Wed. 7/30
Bound for Glory (1976) — Tues. 8/5 and Wed. 8/6
Coming Home (1978) — Tues. 8/12 and Wed. 8/13
Being There (1979) — Tues. 8/19 and Wed. 8/20
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06.26.08
Posted in Friends and Family, Me at 12:13 am by Spencer
From the Indianapolis Star, June 22, 2008:
Lt. John M. Rader, 64, passed away Sunday, June 16, 2008 while being cared for by friends and family. He devoted his many talents to serving in the Marion County Sheriff’s Department and volunteering as an interpreter and educator at Conner Prairie Living History Museum. Lt. Rader joined the Sheriff’s Department in 1971 as a Reserve Deputy, and in 1976 became a Merit Officer. In 1992 he was honored as Crime Stopper of the Year. In 2005, he was promoted to Sergeant in the Investigation Division and later to Lieutenant when he was appointed Commander of the Internal Affairs Section where he served until his death. An accomplished historian, storyteller, actor, tailor, craftsman, and writer, John enjoyed a variety of roles at Conner Prairie. He portrayed Sgt. Ross of the White River Guard Militia Unit and was known for the fine meals he cooked over an open fire for the militia. John helped visitors understand the hardships of slavery and the Underground Railroad with his portrayal of the Owner in the Follow the North Star program [view images] and helped develop scripts, characters, and props for the Mystery on the Prairie event. On numerous occasions he embodied the characters George Whitaker and Doctor Campbell among others and put his rich sense of humor to use as Harrison Hamlin Whitley, the side show operator at the County Fair. John taught many young people at Conner Prairie skills such as leatherwork, cooking, sewing, gunsmithery, and interpreting. With his late wife, Carolyn Lee Rader, John also peddled his handmade wooden measuring spoons and lanterns at area rendezvous and pursued their interest in early American history. Visitation will be Sunday, June 22, 2008 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Washington Memorial Chapel, 9606 E. Washington Street. Funeral services will be Monday, June 23, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. He is survived by his mother, Grace Dale; sister, Nancy (Nan) Brooks; nephews, Spencer and Matthew Sundell, and a wide circle of neighbors, friends and co-workers. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions are sent to Salvation Army Flood Relief ( www.salvationarmyusa.org) or Conner Prairie Living History Museum ( www.connerprairie.org).
Related Link
“Back to the Frontier,” Smithsonian Magazine, May 2008 — a feature story about the Conner Prairie living history museum.
Reflections
To be honest, it’s quite late as I write and I don’t have the focus or energy to write about this properly right now (not with a pending morning alarm clock anyway), and I’m sure I’ll expand on this later. But my uncle John and his impending death has been pretty much my sole focus for the last month. John was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis about a year ago. It killed him slowly, until he was reliant on bottled oxygen at all times and was reduced to a frail shadow of the big, burly, robust man I’d always known. Through it all, he worked at the Sheriff’s Dept. in Indianapolis.
Just before the Melies show I did at the NW Film Forum on May 15, I got word that John’s wife, my aunt Carolyn, had died while he was in the hospital for a short stay to treat what amounted to a case of pneumonia. I flew out for the funeral and stayed 10 days to help care for him, which was at once a “clinical” experience — I was just doing what practical things had to be done — and also probably one of the most illuminating experiences of my life. It was agonizing to have to come back, even though one of the things that death teaches us is that it is important to live our lives.
Less than a month later, on Father’s Day, he died. His long suffering aside, his death was really pretty great. The day before, he went to the wedding of a young couple he knew from Conner Prairie farm. By all accounts he was his old self (as much as he could be), had a wonderful time, kissed the bride (”of course,” he said), and stopped for chocolate ice cream on the way home. The next day, a neighbor came by and said “We’re grilling some steaks, John, ya want one?” Steak was a favorite of his, and he gave precise instructions on how he liked it to be cooked. When the neighbor came back a short while later with the carefully-prepared steak — grill still going in case they’d cooked it wrong — they found him. He’d gone. Still in his own home, still calling his own shots.
I’ll share one story before I sign off for the night. In the waning weeks of his life, he was still working — bound and determined to die with his boots on. He only had enough bottled O2 to last four hours, but by god he pulled his four hour shifts every day. But at a certain point he would have to take a nap. A Department buddy of his told me that John’d sack out in a big overstuffed chair in the office of the Internal Affairs Section he commanded. He’d pull a blanket up to his chin for warmth, and under each arm he’d tuck…a teddy bear. Not one teddy bear — two.
This, to me, epitomizes everything John was, insofar as I knew him. A career deputy sheriff who was utterly devoted, tough, deeply principled and sometimes feared, and yet fulsome with ever-ready humor and a profoundly gentle kindness. The kind of man who could sleep with his teddy bears in his office at Internal Affairs, and still be deeply respected by all of the men and women working with him.
Goodbye, Uncle Johnny. You set one hell of an example. And wherever you are, I hope you’re getting all the homemade ice cream and blueberries you could possibly want.
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06.06.08
Posted in Cinema, Music, Events, Cinema History, 16mm Film at 11:12 pm by Spencer
Film collector extraordinaire and Washington expat Dennis Nyback is back in town with a mind-boggling series of programs devoted to music films, playing for the next week at the Grand Illusion Cinema (at the corner of 50th and University Way).
Many of the programs are one-show-only, so pay attention and carpe diem. Here’s the details courtesy of the Grand Illusion’s mailing list (which you should subscribe to via the web site, all the way at the bottom of the homepage):
On Friday, June 6th is ZERO TO MTV is a series of three minute musical shorts from 1914-1984 Contrary to popular belief, the three minute film short was not invented by MTV. Conversely, the very first sound films made were three minute music shorts. This program starts with an Edison test film made in 1914. It continues through the twenties with test films made by Lee DeForest, Fox-Case and Movietone. The thirties portion features Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and others. The forties feature shorts made by the Soundies company. In the fifties there are Snader Telescriptions. In the sixties Scopitones appeared. The program will end with 35mm shorts featuring Kiss, Motley Crue, Deep People and others. Friday June 6th at 7pm & 9pm
On Saturday, June 7th is THE HIGH LONESOME SOUND, a program of musical films by John Cohen, who traveled to the backwoods and hinterlands of America filming musicians. This program features his films THE HIGH LONESOME SOUND and MUSICAL HOLDOUTS. Musicians include Roscoe Holcomb, Bill Monroe and many others. See notes at http://www.johncohenworks.com/films/filmslist.html#4 Saturday June 7th at 7pm ONLY
Also on Saturday, June 7th is CHARLIE IS MY DARLING. This is a great and one of kind look at the Rolling Stones filmed during their tour of Ireland in 1965. It never had a wide release. The last time it was shown in Seattle was at the Pike Street Cinema in 1993. The short with it will be a production film on the making of the Beatles’ YELLOW SUBMARINE. Saturday June 7th at 9pm ONLY
On Sunday, June 8th is HILLBILLIES IN HOLLYWOOD. A fabulous bunch of Hillbilly, Cowboy, Hawaiian, Rockabilly, and other acts. Expect to have a foot stomping, Wa-Hooing great time! Sunday June 8th at 7pm ONLY
Also on Sunday June 8th is BOOGIE WOOGIE BOOGIE WOOGIE BOGGIE WOOGIE. There was a big Boogie Woogie craze in the 1940s. This program is made up filmed performers and cartoons. The performers include Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson in the great BOOGIE WOOGIE DREAM. It also features Lena Horne and Teddy Wilson. Maurice Rocco does Rumboogie. Ray Bradley with Freddy Slack does Boardwalk Boogie. Sunday June 8th at 9pm ONLY
On Monday, June 9th is JAZZ IN THE 1920’s. This program features two awesome films made by the enigmatic Dudley Murphy in 1929. You should look him up. They are BLACK AND TAN with Duke Ellington and ST. LOUIS BLUES with Bessie Smith. Also: Eddie Peabody and His College Chums (1928) with Hal Kemp’s band, Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet. Monday June 9th at 7pm ONLY
Also on Monday, June 9th is HARLEM IN THE THIRTIES. Several of these films are suppressed due to racial content. This a very rare chance to see the greatness in them. Included performers will be Cab Calloway , Duke Ellington, Ethel Waters (in the film BUBBLING OVER), The Mills Blue Rhythm Band, and others. Monday June 9th at 9pm ONLY
Tuesday, June 10th features RADIO DAYS 1929-1944. All shorts featuring radio stations and people at home listening to radios. Included will be THE BLACK NETWORK (Nicholas Brothers), CAP’N HENRY’S SHOWBOAT (Annette Hanshaw), Cab Calloway (HI DE HO), RADIO SALUTES (Ruth Etting), Rudy Vallee, Kate Smith, and others. Tuesday June 10th at 7pm ONLY
Tuesday, June 10th also features VAUDEVILLE DELUXE. This program is highly recommended by Travis Stewart who wrote “NO APPLAUSE, JUST THROW MONEY”. I screened it for him in NY. It features vaudeville performers, both black and white, from 1928 (Gus Visser, the Man With the Duck) to 1937. You get to see W.C. Fields juggle, Roy Smeck play the uke, rope skippers, singers, Chaz Chase eating everything, and finally, Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers with Slim Gaillard and Slam Stewart. Tuesday June 10th at 9pm ONLY
Wednesday, June 11th is THE SOUND OF JAZZ (plus some Bebop). In 1957 CBS brought together the greatest assemblage of jazz talent ever brought together for a one hour live broadcast. The kinescope of it provided much of the footage in A GREAT DAY IN HARLEM. Here it is seen in full, including original commercials. Thelonious Monk, Billie Holliday, Coleman Hawkins, Count Basie, many more. Also on the program will be JAZZ DANCE (1954), Booker Little with Max Roach (1962) and more. Wednesday June 11th at 7pm ONLY
Wednesday, June 11th also has SOUNDIE PANORAMA. A lot of greatness and also some musical atrocities. Soundie films were shown in jukebox-like devices called a Mills Pan-O-Ram. Wednesday June 11th at 9pm ONLY
And finally, Thursday, June 12th is the infamous SCOPITONE A GO-GO. A hit in New York at the Cinema Village. The show that started the Scopitone buying craze. Eddie Vedder came to the Scopitone shows at the Pike Street Cinema and bought his own Scopitone machine. Thursday June 12th at 7pm & 9pm
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