Parrillo, the longtime sports columnist at the Other Paper, passed away after enduring a number of health problems in recent years. He was a fixture on the local sports scene, from rubbing shoulders with the big timers at the highest-wattage events to sitting through cold and dank days and nights in high school bleachers. He was a Vo Dilun boy through and through, from Johnston and Mount Pleasant to URI, and this was reflected in the institutional memory that well-served his pieces. Not flashy, nor necessarily a Pulitzer contender, Parrillo nonetheless fully deserved the heaps of praise from such respected Other Paper colleagues as Bill Reynolds and Art Martone. These plaudits say all you need to know about the man.

Certainly on the flipside of the sporting coin was Angelo Pazienza, the father of Vinny Paz, former world champion boxer and local legend. Angelo was a show unto himself, and one of the kindest, most generous, and gregarious-beyond-belief characters you could ever hope to meet. He was ever-present in Vinny's corner, both literally and figuratively, as hid son lived out the Biggest Little version of the Rocky story, rising from the Cranston suburbs to become one of boxing's more incredible showmen. You definitely saw the source of Vinny's flash, as well as his determination, and it was rumored that when Vinny first sold out the Civic Center, his father, the fast-walking, fast-talking human Ticketmaster, had moved half the tickets. Phillipe and Jorge have come over the years to know and very much care for Vinny and his mother, and we send them our condolences. Angelo was one of a kind and he will be sorely missed.

Five years before Saddam infamously gassed his fellow countrymen, the Kurds, President Ronnie Rayguns sent Rumsfeld, then his Mideast envoy, to Baghdad to reopen diplomatic ties with Iraq. This was due to the threat to Middle East peace by Iran, which was at war with its neighbor, Iraq. The New York Times quoted Rummy as saying, "[Saddam] made it clear that Iraq was not interested in making mischief in the world. It struck us as useful to have a relationship, given that we were interested in solving the Mideast problems."

Four months later, when Rummy was back in Baghdad, UPI reported, "Mustard gas laced with a nerve agent has been used on Iranian soldiers in the 43-month Persian Gulf War between Iran and Iraq, a team of UN experts has concluded . . . Meanwhile, in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, US presidential envoy Donald Rumsfeld held talks with Foreign Minister Tarek Aziz [sic] on the Gulf war before leaving for an unspecified destination." Well, Gol-leee Gomer, wonder where they got that mustard gas? Have another hot dog with Gulden's, Rummy?

According to a report by Jeremy Scahill, "The Saddam in Rumsfeld's Closet," "Throughout the period that Rumsfeld was Reagan's Middle East envoy, Iraq was frantically purchasing hardware from American firms, empowered by the White House to sell. The buying frenzy began immediately after Iraq was removed from the list of alleged sponsors of terrorism in 1982." The day the UN report was released, Rummy was in Iraq, but he said nothing about the allegations of chemical weapons use, despite State Department evidence. Must have been that unreliable type of evidence called "facts," unlike the "Bushit" that Dubya has been conjuring out of thin air.

Scahill also wrote, "In 1988, Saddam's forces attacked Kurdish civilians with poisonous gas from Iraqi helicopters and planes. US intelligence sources told the [Los Angeles] Times in 1991, they `believe that the American-built helicopters were among those dropping the deadly bombs.' " Oh, so that's what they mean when they say "delivery mechanisms for weapons of mass destruction." Seems Rummy and his defense industry pals already have the market cornered in Iraq.

So Phillipe and Jorge suggest we all chip in to buy a drink -- a Beefeaters and tonic, perhaps? -- for our old diplomat Rummy. Maybe it will help to wash the taste of Saddam's missile out of his mouth, and keep Rummy from killing thousands of American soldiers in an attempt to rectify and erase his disgraceful past.

Well, we hate to correct such a keen mind, but to put it in the intellectual terms worthy of a Brown scholar, "Yes, you do, asshole." Elmer, you work for Kathy, Phillipe, Jorge, and every other Vo Dilun resident who pays taxes. But Elmer has evidently spent so much time sucking up to the likes of disgraced Speaker Johnny Hardwood that he forgot who pays the bills around here. A note to Brown president Ruth Simmons -- if this reflects the grasp that your political science professors have on the civic process, perhaps it's time for a job hunt for certain members of the teaching staff.

(Note: Bob Kerr, our good friend at the BeloJo and partner in numerous crimes, also mentioned Cornholio's idiotic and offensive remark in his always entertaining column, on Sunday, February 9. But since no one reads the Urinal anymore, we thought we would give the episode a wider audience.)

This is the same Phil Spector who allegedly pulled guns on Leonard Cohen and one of the Ramones. And yes, this is the same Phil Spector who produced the astonishingly despicable ode to domestic violence, "He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)." The fact that this odious tune was written by a very young Carole King, with her soon-to-be husband and songwriting partner, Gerry Goffin, makes it even more improbable.

Yes, anyone who's followed the life and times of Mr. Spector also knows that he held his former wife Ronnie (of his greatest group, the Ronettes) a virtual captive in their home for many years. They may recall Tom Wolfe's long-ago magazine profile of Spector, wherein Spector flits about his palatial estate with Wagner blasting from the stereo speakers as he pretended to be conducting. He's always been a nutcase, which explains why he still has that ridiculous hairdo at the age of 62. At this point, the only thing that will shock P&J is if he doesn't try to cop an insanity plea. It's a sad, sad tale.

According to Ms. Hopkins, "One of the two major components of the site is 'gay-friendly travel & tourism' and will include a comprehensive listing of gay friendly attractions, accommodations, events, entertainment, shopping, business, and more." She notes that some folks are already advertising and participating in the site: Cathers & Coyne, Kahlua, and Malibu Rum, the Newport Preservation Society, the Newport Art Museum, the Hall of Fame, all the stores on Bowen's and Bannisters Wharf, Pride Mortgage, Sardella's, the Market, B&B's, and countless more. The Web site will also serve as a resource guide for people from the Newport area.

Sombreros off to Colleen. It's great to see such a pro-active agenda and a more prominent voice for those of the superior persuasion in the Aquidneck area. She's intending to announce the launch of the site soon and if you're interested in having something listed in her calendar of events, give a holler over to Newport City Hall (main number [401] 846-9600) and help make this the big success we expect it to be.

Send Phil Spector repellent and Pulitzer-grade tips to p&j[a]phx.com.

Issue Date: February 14 - 20, 2003