The Silver State Chronicles

Justice has a Name – Sheriff Harry Lee

I got the word that Sheriff Harry Lee of Louisiana passed away earlier today, so I quickly decided to post this entry about one of my favorite figures across the fruited plain. I have been a longtime fan of Sheriff Harry Lee and his tough, no-nonsense, no-apologies style. The people of Louisiana were indeed very lucky to have him as the guardian the law!

Sheriff Lee is a great success story. He was born in the back room of a Chinese laundry in downtown New Orleans. During his childhood, he lived in a single room with his mother, father, two older sisters, two younger sisters and a younger brother.

The Lee family got out of the laundry business during World War II and opened a restaurant and bar, and young Harry would help out when not attending school.

While in grade school, he began his ascent to leadership position. He was elected president of his class and later president of the student body. In high school, he was the only person in the forty-year-history of Francis T. Nicholls High School to serve both as Senior Class President and Student Body President. When he graduated from high school, he received the American Legion Award as the outstanding male graduate.

Harry Lee pursued the hard sciences in college, earing a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Louisiana State University. There he also lettered in tennis and was designated an outstanding ROTC Cadet.

After graduating, Harry entered the Air Force and, as a Junior Officer in the Strategic Air Command was rated in the top two percent of Junior Officers in the entire Air Force.

Returning home from the service, Harry’s family opened the famous House of Lee Restaurant in 1959. Because of his ambition and leadership qualities, Harry was elected president of the New Orleans Chapter of the Louisiana Restaurant Association in 1964. His fellow restaurateurs credit his leadership for the peaceful integration of restaurants in New Orleans after the enactment of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

While helping manage the family business, Harry attended law school and graduated with top grades, passing the tough Louisiana bar with it’s arcane Napoleonic Code. After just a few years of law practice, Harry was the first United States Magistrate to be sworn in for the Eastern District of Louisiana in 1971. His leadership abilities were again recognized and he was elected President of the National Council of United States Magistrates in 1973.

When Harry Lee visited the People’s Republic of China as a member of the Boggs/Ford Delegation in 1972, it was determined he was the first American of Chinese Ancestry to be officially invited to the people’s Republic of China since 1959.

After resigning from the office of United States Magistrate, Harry was appointed as Parish Attorney for the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, and in 1979 was elected Sheriff of Jefferson Parish. Harry was re-elected in 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, and again in 1999.

Harry Lee was an accomplished lawman with a distinctive Louisiana drawl, and a popular figure in his region. A wonderful, tough gentleman. He shall be missed.

Source: Sheriff Harry Lee

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

And Let’s Be Heard!

NY Metro area newstalk radio icon Bob Grant returns to the airwaves this evening, at his old old haunting grounds WABC 770 radio.

I just tuned in via the magic of the internet and heard the opening theme and Bob re-enter the marketplace of ideas! I got goosebumps and was cheering!!! He will be broadcasting weeknights live at 8pm-10pm from the WABC studios in beautiful midtown Manhattan, over Madison Square Garden, where his radio colleagues Sean Hannity & Mark Levin also broadcast.

78 years young, tanned, rested and ready for more, here he is, Bob Gigante himself, the one, the only…Mr. Bob Grant!

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

So Long, Scooter!

Just got word that legendary NY Yankee player and longtime Yankee broadcaster Phil Rizzuto passed away today, at age 89.

Phil was a Yankee for life, and was part of the Yankees 1940s-1950s dynasty, being part of the squad that won five consercutive World Series. Phil was the 1950 AL MVP and a five-time All-Star.

I became a Yankee fan in 1975 so my memories of The Scooter are all from his broadcasting career, sitting next to Bill White on WPIX Channel 11 in NYC and enjoying his calls of Yankee baseball! Phil has shared the booth with Mel Allen, Bobby Mercer, Tom Seaver, and many others over the decades, but the White & Rizzuto combo set the standard!

Phil finally made it into the Hall of Fame in 1994, well overdue. I always felt the HoF was just using denying Rizzuto into the Hall as an opportunity to stick it to George Stienbrenner. In any event, The Veterans Committee did the right thing and placed Phil in The Hall of Fame!

I’ll never hear anyone say ‘Holy Cow’ again and not remember The Scooter! Thanks for the memories, Mr. Rizzuto!

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

The Savage Nation
Rap Music

Though it’s not well known, Newstalk radio personality Dr. Michael Savage is an accomplished rapper! Just take a peek below and enjoy five of his performances!

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Thanks for all the music and the memories! The music shall live forever!

Don Ho
RIP 1930-2007

I have always been a big fan of Don Ho. As much as I enjoyed his signature song, Tiny Bubbles, I admit i always preferred Pearly Shells. I understand that Pearly Shells is an authentic Hawaiian Island melody, but the lyrics don’t have much to do with the original island song!

Don Ho was born 1930 in the little Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako and is of Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, & German parentage. Don’s early days in entertainment began in a cocktail lounge called Honey’s, named after his mother. After a stint in the US Air Force, he returned to life back on the islands and assembled a band to draw in customers, and the rest is history!

Don Ho will live forever with his music! Thanks again for everything, Mr. Ho!

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Michael Richards Racist Tirade

Fans at the West Hollywood ‘Laugh Factory’ were treated to an unexpected part of Michael Richard’s stand-up act.

After being badgered by several patrons who were heckling him, he exploded in a bigoted tirade that has to be seen to be believed. Yahoo News reports.

The tirade apparently began after two black audience members started shouting at him that he wasn’t funny.

Richards retorted: “Shut up! Fifty years ago we’d have you upside down with a f—— fork up your a–.”

He then paced across the stage taunting the men for interrupting his show, peppering his speech with racial slurs and profanities.

“You can talk, you can talk, you’re brave now mother——. Throw his a– out. He’s a n—–!” Richards shouts before repeating the racial epithet over and over again.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Scarlett Johansson Takes a Stand

I certainly am not an advocate for top Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson wearing clothes! In fact, the less clothes she wears, the better! But it was recently reported that she took an odd stand in regards to her doing nude scenes in her films.

MSNBC’s Gossip Columnist Jeannette Walls reports:

Scarlett Johansson was furious when she was told to wear a bra during a bed scene in “The Island,” according to the director of the flick. “Scarlett said, ‘I’m not wearing this bra. I’m going naked,’” Michael Bay told the London Mirror. “And I said, ‘Scarlett, you can’t go naked — this film is PG!’” Johansson explained, “They wanted me to wear a bra when I woke up. Nobody sleeps in bras — except maybe French women.”

I like Scarlett – she really brings a lot to the table as an actress, and in some other ways I can think of. I am still struggling to figure out what her larger point is, though! Whatever it is, I am certain I will agree with her!

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

It’s going to be a long, long time…

Rocket Man was a hit song for pop star Elton John, written by John and his top songwriter, Bernie Taupin. It is based on Ray Bradbury’s short story, Rocket Man, featured in one his wonderful short story collections, The Illustrated Man.

In 1978, at the (first and last) Science Fiction Film Awards, broadcast on independent stations across the USA, Bernie Taupin personally introduced William Shatner’s “interpretation” of Rocket Man. Shatner’s rendition really has to be seen to be believed, and nothing I can say would possibly do it justice. Lets just say fasten your seatbelts, especially for the last 1/4 of the song!

I spent quite a few years looking for this on video, and a few years ago my old pal Andy gave it to me as a Christmas present. It has since become one of the jewels of my collection! Thanks, pal! In the time since then I have screened it (and dubbed it) for many friends and acquaintances, and none have been the same since.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

Be Sociable, Share!

•