LFS: The Storyteller

©2008 by LeeZard The Seattle Times ran an article last week (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004402316_uwsong09m.html), reporting that the University of Washington is looking for a new Alma mater. It seems nobody likes the existing one - written about 100 years ago - in fact, hardly anybody knows the lyrics. The school will choose three finalists and turn them over to Bill Conti who, amongst other accomplishments, wrote the music for the original "Rocky." LeeZard figures what the hell; might as well take a stab at it. Please let me know what you think. There's a place in our hearts, And a time we’ll always hold, A time and place forever, Under the Purple and Gold. On her campus green, Through seasons warm and cold, ‘Neath that flag of glory, Under the Purple and Gold. (CHORUS) In the shadow of the Cascade Mountains, With nature’s beauty so bold, Nestles our alma mater, Where our futures will unfold. We arrive so young, so eager, Seeking knowledge to beho...

©2008 by LeeZard Hillary Dillary Dock, Her campaign is now a crock. Obama leads, While Hillary bleeds, And time runs off the clock. There was an old senator, Who lived in a shoe, With such a big ego, And a dysfunctional crew. They told her this, They told her that, Until her campaign, Was just running flat. Old Bruthah Bubba, Used his mouth as a clubbah, And came across as a whiner. They turned him loose, Like a runaway caboose, And blew it in South Carolina. Four and twenty million, Thrown down the drain, While Hillary fights Obama, To the delight of Mccain. Jack Sprat could eat no fat, Nor could he stomach Obama. Hillary left him cold, The GOP he couldn’t hold, So he sat out the election, Momma. Hey diddle diddle, Here is the riddle. What are the Democrats doin’? Hillary and Obama, Will fight to the end, And leave the electorate stewin’. Hillary and Bill sat on a wall, Bill and Hillary took a great fall. All the consultants, Consultants times ten, Couldn’t put Billary together again....

©2008 by LeeZard Seattle welcomed the Dalai Lama to town this past week, for something called the “Seeds of Compassion” conference. While I recognize the almost rock-star quality of the world’s most famous Buddhist monk, the conference was a bit too esoteric for LeeZard. Apparently LeeZard missed the compassion canoe; more than 150,000 people attended the series of events, workshops and concerts spread over several days at a variety of venues. Oh well. OOPS! WRONG DOLLY Hey, we can all agree that more compassion would make for a better world but I’m not convinced a five-day conference in Seattle – even with the peaceful aura of the Dalai Lama – is going to make it happen. Hallloooo Beijing? Are y’all listening? Which gets me to the real point of this particular rant. While I sympathize with the fight for religious freedom and tolerance in Tibet, I am troubled by the debate – here we go again - raging over the upcoming Olympic Games in China. Boycott or not? Who do we think would be hur...

©2008 by LeeZard Last Saturday I attended my legislative district caucus as a delegate for Hillary Clinton. My heart wasn’t in it and, you know, it had nothing to do with my alleged advanced age. I can still be passionate about issues and people. I can still light the fire in my belly and join a crusade. Today I just feel let down. When this presidential marathon began, I was excited. I remembered being mesmerized by Barack Obama’s keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic national convention and, while I didn’t know much about him, I was thrilled at the prospect of a truly viable African American presidential candidate. No disrespect to Shirley Chisholm, Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson but, not one of them was ever a front-runner for the nomination. As for Hillary, I always thought she was the real brains of the outfit, even in Bill’s White House (That’s not to say the former president isn’t brilliant in his own right; I just think Hillary’s brilliance outshines his. Debate on that is for a...

©2007 By LeeZard “No, it won’t kill you.” I was sitting in the office of a surgeon I’d only met 30 minutes ago, listening to him recommend – what else – SURGERY. “It won’t kill you,” he continued, “unless it twists around and cuts off the blood flow. Then it’ll kill ya.” I had a double hernia. My regular physician referred me to this particular surgeon because this was his specialty. “He’s the best in the city,” my doc assured me. “It’s not a major procedure anymore,” the surgeon went on. Now, it’s day surgery, just a small cut below your navel, a scope and a micro-tool, that’s it. Three day recovery, max.” So, one week later, lying on a gurney in the hallway outside of Operating Theater A, I was inhaling the ever-present eau de antiseptic and staring blankly at the green painted walls. I found myself reflecting on how I got there. It was like the newsreel of my life rolling in my brain. ----------- Most people travel life’s highway with tools to deal with its hazards a...

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band in Seattle. Another AWESOME Bruce show but, is "The Boss" slowing down? He 'only' did a two-hour show and one - 30 minute - encore! (NOTE: Sorry about the photo quality here; needless to say, the lighting was tricky and I admittedly grabbed some shots from the video screen. The Key Arena "camera police" were out in force.) What a show! It is the only time anyone ever sees LeeZard dance fast - can't help it; I just get happy feet. Some concert notes; Clarence "Big Man" Clemons seems to be suffering from some serious (back?) pain. He sat in sort of a throne when he wasn't playing and, when he did play, he could hardly move. Luckily, whatever ails him did not affect his sax playing but, gone was the gleeful interplay between Clarence and Bruce. Too bad. The rest of the band - sans wife Patti, who was home "guarding the house" against the teen-age kids - was in fine form. Nils Lofgren had one...

©2008 by LeeZard Will the real Obama please stand up? Something has bothered me about this guy all along. Maybe it’s the lack of substance beyond his messages of change and unity. Nice rhetoric but (Gawd, I hate to invoke Ronald Rayguns) “Where’s the beef?” Events of the last 24-hours have only added to my reticence. Now we have his daring speech on the Race issue. It troubles me. Is it a desperate move by a savvy politician or a bold statement from a true leader? Obama had to do something to blunt the damage to his campaign wrought by the inflammatory rhetoric of his “former” pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr. In case you missed it, Wright over the years has sermonized in his (and Obama’s) Chicago church about the United States unleashing the AIDS virus and crack cocaine to kill Black people. He’s also damned our country for “a corrupt foreign policy that invited the deadly 9/11 terrorist attacks. He’s called this nation the “U.S. of KKKA.” In his address to local supporters, e...