Perhaps only Phillipe and Jorge know how difficult keeping the Cool, Cool World going for over 38 years has been, but this past year has been especially challenging in a world seemingly gone mad. As Jorge’s brilliant friend the Sun Queen recently put it, “Just a bunch of creators and destroyers, wandering around earth with only a dim vision left of how beautiful Life is and can be.” It does not seem like the same world we inhabited when we started this thing back in 1979.
Back then, we were writing satirical commentary, but when the world itself appears to have become a parody of what it once was, your superior correspondents now feel like we are making reliable and thoughtful statements on the condition of the world (with an emphasis on our community, the United States of America — well, at least they once were united).
Environmental Chaos
Nothing may be more concerning to P&J than our poor stewardship of planet Earth. A front-page story in the Fri, Jan 5, New York Times reported that the Trump Administration would “allow new offshore oil and gas drilling in nearly all United States coastal waters … in an effort to promote energy production.” Of course we need energy, but why no emphasis on natural alternatives like wind and solar sources? This is obviously a sop to the wealthy energy industry.
Our interest is in promoting policies that protect and maintain the planet we live on for future generations. Matters such as sanely addressing global climate change (rather than ignoring overwhelming scientific evidence about the damage we’re doing) are things we must face today.
The Stable Genius
Up until the guy who got elected president of “you know where” used the phrase in a tweet not too long ago, your superior correspondents always associated the phrase “stable genius” with equine star of the 1960s sitcom Mr. Ed. Now Wilbur, you learn something new every day.
Reflections on Our Little Towne
Another shocking realization for your superior correspondents has been the recent report on the behavior of former boxing champion Vinny Paz, someone P&J have known (or more accurately,
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Vinny Paz
did know), and who we once admired for his courage and work ethic. Is it money and success that gets to people like Paz and Matt Lauer (another old acquaintance)? Our sense of human nature is such that we know there is good and bad in all of us, but we have become saddened by revelations of how some of us mishandle things.
Tom Morgan
Finally, we want to mention the passing of ace journalist and all-around good guy Tom Morgan, who died a few weeks back. There were plenty of deserved tributes in the local media and we’d like to join the chorus. We especially remember late night visits to Tom’s apartment after Hope’s bar would close for the night, and Tom would invite a small crew over to eat the excellent food he would whip up and have another drink or puff of something equally intoxicating. He is greatly missed by his family and many friends. Rest in peace, Tom, and thanks for all the good times.
Hail and Farewell
Wanted to note the passing last week of Olive Loretta Young Gockley (nee Porter). She was known as Molly, which she changed her name to later in life because she couldn’t stand the name Olive. Typical of a woman who took things into her own hands when it just wasn’t right.
She fought through being widowed at age 34 with three kids aged 9, 3 and 1. Remarried a hell of a guy, which we guess you shouldn’t say about a minister. And after he also died, ended up partners with a wonderful RISD grad from Warwick down in Florida. At age 92, Molly had a good, long, almost always fun run, because she wouldn’t have had it otherwise. Even at her memorial service, she would have been first to say, “Hey, why all the long faces? Perk up!”
See ya and love ya, Mom. Thanks for everything. – Phillipe
