tim's post about aaliyah's death -- 7:30 today (timmy, permalinks!) -- or rather his inability to post something about aaliyah's death, called to mind for some reason marlene dietrich's elegy for orson welles's hank quinlan in a touch of evil. when all she can initially muster up is, "he was some kind of man," with audible frustration she lets slip,"what does it matter what you say about people?" what does it matter, really, what you say about someone when they're dead? what's the point? who are you saying it for? whose mind are you trying to change? questions that are sure to please my family, for whom i will undoubtedly be chosen to deliver elegies for upon their deaths.