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TV ReviewsThe MandalorianSeason 2
No one's ever really gone in a mostly satisfactory Mandalorian finale
Mike Vanderbilt
Photo: Disney+/Lucasfilm
TV ReviewsAll of our TV reviews in one convenient place.
Is this the end of The Mandalorian as we know it? The past two seasons of the Star Wars spin-off have proven that we haven't seen the last of most any character from the vast (and somehow also very small) galaxy far, far, away. But the season-two finale appears to wrap up Mando and Grogu's excellent adventure in a mostly satisfactory way, while a post-credits stinger implies that season three may take on a different point of view.
In my previous recap for "The Jedi," which found Ahsoka Tano making her live-action debut, I wrote that Dave Filloni not only understands the Star Wars universe, but he understands Star Wars fans—perhaps even more so than George Lucas, at least since the '90s. Filoni and series creator Jon Favreau, who helped kickstart the First Church Of Marv ... sorry, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, have successfully recaptured the tone and style of the original Expanded Universe that kept fans sated in the years between Return Of The Jedi and The Phantom Menace by mining those novels, comic books, video games—and yes, toys—for characters and inspiration.
Part of the thrill of The Mandalorian—at least for that premiere episode—was that it appeared that audiences were going to be treated to a corner of the universe where the Force was still the stuff of hokey religions and there was nary a mention of the dysfunctional Skywalker clan. Wise guys, crooks, bounty hunters, and rogues were going to be the order of the day, and the series would be more inspired by Tales Of Mos Eisley than Heir To The Empire. All of that went out the blast door with the introduction of The Child, a force sensitive "Baby Yoda" who became the focus of the show and a pop culture sensation.
The MandalorianSeason 2
The first two seasons of Mandalorian have found the team seeking inspiration from countless classic films (Lone Wolf & Cub, Yojimbo, The Wild Bunch), so it was only natural that the Star Wars Film School would eventually pay homage to one of the most culturally impactful pictures of all time: Star Wars.
The season-two finale, "The Rescue," is a deliberate throwback to George Lucas' 1977 original (at least in the middle section), opening up in the thick of the action with a high-speed outer space pursuit. But instead of Darth Vader chasing down the stolen Death Star plans, it's Boba Fett and the gang looking to get their hands on Dr. Pershing. After disabling Pershing's Imperial shuttle, Cara Dune and Mando board Pershing's Imperial shuttle and dispatch an Imperial true believer who assassinates his co-pilot before recounting the millions of Imperial lives lost on both Death Stars. He incurs the wrath of Dune, gleefully telling her that he saw her home planet of Alderaan destroyed, and, in what may be a first for Star Wars (outside of a gag on an episode of Newsradio), the Imperial pilot refers to the Rebel Alliance as terrorists. It doesn't end well for him, and you can sense that even Mando is unnerved by Dune's blood thirst.
From there, Boba Fett and Mando seek to recruit Mandalorian associates Bo-Katan and Koska Reeves to stage a daring rescue of Grogu, who's being held captive on Moff Gideon's Imperial cruiser (a daring rescue is apparently a typical Wednesday activity in a galaxy far, far away). There is some tension between Fett and Reeves that elevates into fisticuffs, and while the tussle seems like it would lend itself to a payoff later in the episode, it never does. "The Rescue" is at times too crowded for its own good, and doesn't deliver enough smaller moments between the characters. So much of the fun of the original film—which this episode is heavily cribbing from—is watching Luke, Han, and Leia become friends over the course of their first adventure. As much as Star Wars has been about family, it's also been about friendship, and the people in your life that become your surrogate family.
Dr. Pershing lays out to Mando and the team where Grogu is located on Gideon's ship, but warns them that a garrison of third-generation Dark Troopers is in a storage bay. "The human inside was the final weakness to be solved," he explains, revealing the Dark Troopers to be completely cybernetic; like an Imperial T-800, "it can't be reasoned with, it can't be bargained with."
The squad infiltrates Gideon's cruiser via their hijacked Imperial shuttle, feigning that they are under attack by Boba Fett's Slave I. After a hard landing in the ship's dock, Dune, Fennec, Bo-Katan, and Reeves run a distraction while Mando goes off on his own to scoop up Grogu. Meanwhile, Moff Gideon orders the activation of the Dark Troopers.
The mission alludes to the original rescue of Princess Leia so many years ago, but it's nothing audiences haven't seen in several episodes of The Mandalorian (not to mention the prequels, sequels, and other spin-offs). Unfortunately, the dialogue doesn't have that screwball snap-and-pop quality that Lucas (or was it Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz?) brought to that original film, or Lawrence Kasdan to the later entries. The lack of crisp one-liners is especially disappointing as Jon Favreau is a noted disciple of the original three films, and turning Fennec into a roguish, wisecracking Han Solo type would have been inspired: the "regular girl" that the audience can relate to. As it is, the team just looks bored as they mow down Stormtroopers (again) in the drab gray hallways of an Imperial ship (again), with no wisecracks to help endear the audience to the characters. Even if they are archetypes, a little personality goes a long way. The lack of humor in this episode is especially surprising, as director Peyton Reed helmed both of the Ant-Man movies, which are two of the sillier entries in the Marvel pantheon.
Meanwhile, Mando is attacked by a singular Dark Trooper after locking the rest of the battalion in the ship's storage bay. Mando nearly gets his beskar handed to him in an ultra-cool fight sequence with the droid. At times in the show's run, Mando has come off as indestructible, particularly when countless laser blasts simply ding his armor. Seeing Mando get bested, showing him to be fallible, heightens the stakes of the mission. He does overcome the Dark Trooper, however, and blasts the rest of them out of an airlock. When Mando makes it to Grogu's cell, Moff Gideon is waiting for him, Darksaber in hand.
This episode springs to life as soon as Moff Gideon faces off against Mando. Moff Gideon is the smoothest, savviest, and most devious villain that live-action Star Wars has delivered. Gideon uses his charms, getting Mando (and the audience) to let his guard down before the two engage in a gangbusters duel of Darksaber vs. beskar spear slicing up the walls of his ship. While short, the duel is nasty and primal, recalling both Obi-Wan and Darth Vader on the Death Star and Luke and his father on Bespin. Mando gets the high ground, but spares the Moff's life so that he can hand him over to Cara Dune and the New Republic. Gideon then surrenders the Darksaber to Mando.
When the gang reconvenes on the bridge, it's revealed that Gideon had one more trick up his sleeve: according to "Mand-lore," Bo-Katan cannot take the Darksaber unless it's via combat. Bo-Katan was adamant earlier in the episode that Gideon must surrender to her. In trying to tie together books, cartoons, and video games, The Mandalorian has often had these big, long exposition dumps; here, Gideon explaining away Mandalorian mythology just about brings the episode to a halt. Clunky dialogue hinders most of the episode.
A new platoon of Dark Troopers boards the ship and begins to break down the blast doors of the bridge where the rescue squad are holed up. As the episode briefly segues into Assault On Cell Block 1138, Mando and the team ready to make their last stand as Gideon confidently looks on... then an alarm goes off and a lone X-Wing approaches...
I often ask myself, as someone who was born into Star Wars (the closest thing we had to religion in my house was those first three films), if I'm a sucker for how much I dig The Mandalorian. Most times, the show gives me exactly what I want out of Star Wars: pulpy adventure, witty dialogue between otherworldly characters, janky-looking humanoid aliens, a little nostalgia, plenty of swash, but maybe not enough buckle. Am I just falling into the trap of nostalgia quicksand and a major corporation is playing me like a fiddle?
But holy shit… they really did bring back Luke Skywalker.
While director Reed holds off on the big reveal, it's pretty obvious (and even more satisfying upon a second watch) that it is Luke Skywalker who once again has come to save the day. There were plenty of theories as to who the Jedi that Grogu contacts could be: Ezra Bridger? Mace Windu? A character audiences haven't met yet? But as I wrote in my write-up of "The Jedi," Dave Filoni and his team know what fans want and (mostly) how to deliver it, even if it's obvious. Luke Skywalker was the only satisfactory answer—Skywalkers, always helping to bring balance to the Force). A character like Ezra Bridger would be very cool for fans who take in every bit of Star Wars media that Disney cranks out, but the appearance of Luke Skywalker speaks to not only the 18-25 marketing bracket–I'm sorry, younger fans—but also to those longtime lovers of the series who maybe only pay attention to the movies anymore.
Mando and Grogu watch the action unfold from the ship's security cameras, Luke mercilessly plowing through a small army of Dark Troopers with his traditional green lightsaber (not unlike Darth Vader decimating Rebel troops in Rogue One), and even using the force choking ability to smash one of the droids. Watching Moff Gideon's expression go from confidence to fear of Skywalker's appearance speaks to Luke's legend and how it's grown since the events of Return Of The Jedi. It is a thrill for anyone who has dedicated so much time to the Skywalker saga, and perhaps even more so for fans who maybe thought his character got the short end of the gaffi stick in The Last Jedi, to see Luke at the height of his powers as a Jedi Knight. As the Jedi enters the bridge and pulls back his hood, a digitally de-aged Hamill is revealed, not unlike Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher in Rogue One.
In terms of visual effects, one of the admirable qualities of the first six Star Wars movies (and Rogue One) is that they attempt to push the boundaries of what special effects can do in filmmaking and storytelling. Rogue One features two CGI characters, and there are plenty of viewers who are quick to point out that these computer renderings are not perfect recreations of the original actors. But these are the same people who would have exclaimed, "you can see the strings!," in any classic sci-fi film. Would casting Sebastian Stan have worked better? Maybe. And that could have opened the door to a Luke Skywalker series, but as it stands, that moment when Luke removes his hood is breathtaking.
But the reveal of Skywalker and Artoo is at once satisfying and disappointing. Yes, it is the the biggest and honestly the best answer to which Jedi Grogu reached out and touched, but the CGI Luke lacks that intangible Mark Hamill charm, and his dialogue—like most of this episode—is dry, lacking the quintessential Star Wars charm that the sequel trilogy understood, but the prequels didn't. Yes, Skywalker is five years older than he was at the end of Jedi and now a Jedi Master, but where's that joyous smile that he gives to the Force ghosts on Endor? Where's that passionate young man who risked everything to save his friends? Grogu already resembles Gremlins' Gizmo, and as the little guy says goodbye to Mando, it would have been a nice button on the episode if Luke explained that perhaps one day they would meet again, as Keye Luke (!) did to Billy.
So what is in store for season three of The Mandalorian? A post-credit stinger finds Boba Fett returning to Jabba The Hutt's palace, teasing the former boutny hunter and Fennec Shand taking over the Hutt's criminal Empire in his own show, The Book Of Boba Fett. Moff Gideon is still very much alive. Maybe the next adventure will find Mando fighting alongside Bo-Katan and Koska on a quest to reclaim their home planet of Mandalore, but that Darksaber is sure to cause some strife. The past two episodes have featured little to no Grogu, proving that the show can survive without the lil' green guy (and is maybe even a little better?), so maybe this wrapped up his arc. Of course, in Star Wars, no one's ever really gone.
Stray observations
While it's obvious that director Peyton Reed is being coy as Mando and the team watches Skywalker tear through Gideon's ship as to who the "mystery" Jedi actually is, a variation on "Binary Sunset" from the original film should have played as he lays waste to the Dark Troopers. The fan edit is sure to come.
When Mando and Boba go to recruit Bo-Katan and Koska Reeves, there is a ship visible that is similar to Kylo Ren's shuttle in The Force Awakens and beyond.
"Some of the in-universe "cursing" is painful ("Well if that isn't the Qucta calling the Stifling slimy," "son of a mudscuffer.") Some of the best bits of Star Wars dialogue is when they sound like they come from our world: "Well then he'll see you in hell," Poe Dameron referring to a "big ass door" and cracking wise about Hux's mother. That isn't to say we need Star Wars characters say "fuck," but this kind of dialogue could be improved. This is surprising as the episode is written by Favreau, who normally has such a reverence for that classic Star Wars style, and is trying to recapture those moments where pulling the ears off of a gundark or bulls-eyeing womprats come up.
The series could use a little less action and a little more adventure. The constant firefights with Stormtroopers can just wash over the audience sometimes.
The announcement of several new Star Wars properties for Disney+ is exciting, but could they be making the same mistake they made by attempting to release a film every sixth months? I'd hate to see a top-notch show get lost in the Sabbac shuffle the way Solo: A Star Wars Story did (which is the best film of the Disney era).
Some of the funniest moments in the series come from turning geek speak into in-galaxy jokes. Lack of railings on Imperial outposts. When the Imperial shuttle pilot mentions the lives lost on the Death Star, Cara Dune smugly quips back "which one?"
Gideon mentions Grogu's blood as being the key to "bring order to the galaxy." Was this the secret ingredient for Emperor Palpatine's return?
I still want to see Michael Biehn take on a Dark Trooper.
Maclunky!
Mike Vanderbilt is co-programmer of the Music Box Of Horrors Drive-In and co-host of the Halloweenies Podcast. A bartender by trade, he'll gladly do a shot of Malort with you.


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NewsArticles
FIRST LOOK: James Franco's arty gay movie ... starring a fake penis
By MovieFIX| 10 years ago
Now James Franco is certainly not one to be pigeon-holed, as you'll see in the first trailer just released for his latest film as actor/director/writer/producer, The Broken Tower. Phew, that was a mouthful...
The ever-surprising 127 Hours Oscar nominee plays Hart Crane, the early 20th century poet who committed suicide at age 32 after battles with manic depression, alcoholism and repressed homosexuality.
But the thing that's really getting tongues wagging is a scene where Franco performs oral sex on a prosthetic penis, as revealed at an early screening at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year.
Of course, that doesn't end up in the very short trailer. But the film is available already for digital download in the US, under the distribution of Focus Features, so we suspect it'll be here soon too.
Gay rumours have swirled around Franco ever since his role in Milk, then Howl and his self-directed films Sal and The Broken Tower. Just today it's been announced that the 33-year-old will play 60s gay photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in a biopic, which will surely add grist to the mill.
However, the ever-elusive star, whose ex-girlfriends include actresses Ahna O'Reilly and Marla Sokoloff, has said "part of what I'm interested in is how these people who were living anti-normative lifestyles contended with opposition. Or, you know what, maybe I'm just gay".
Auto news: Shock new reason behind car delays - drive.com.au
How to look after your mental health if you're at home with COVID-19

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


One of the most impressive kids that we have seen on the camp circuit over the off season has been Blake Whiteley (6-5 225 Sr. TE/WR) from West Vancouver Secondary in British Columbia.
The big man from Vancouver was impressive both as an athlete and as a kid, and we could for see him playing somewhere at the D1 level with the proper exposure. Whiteley impressed us first at the " Battle in Seattle" where he was one of the more dominant receivers in attendance.
Whiteley caught 36 balls for 501 yards and 3 Tds in 2011, and was 2nd overall among receivers after the regular season in (BC), while ranking 1st among all junior receivers in yards and catches.
Blake projects as more of a TE with ideal size and outstanding blocking ability. One of his coaches says, " Blake is a willing blocker, great route runner, and a hardworking kid that plays until the whistle. While I would love to say it was great coaching, it had a lot to do with Blake's leadership… In our offense he is used more as a WR, but with his body frame he's projected to be a TE/H-Back at College level"
Over the last 6 weeks Whiteley has attended 11 camps all over the western part of the United States and put himself on a lot of radars. We saw him at the UW Showcase event a few weeks back after he attended a host of college camps (Utah, Utah St, Unlv, Nevada, Wash St, E.Washington, Portland St, and San Jose St to name a few.
When asked what it was like playing in Canada and how recruiting was going Blake says," Its been really good, we have traveled for about the last month going to a bunch of college camps and some of the Barton events". He continued, "We tried to pick out schools that I could see myself playing at relevant to my talent level and then went with that". This was refreshing to hear as a lot of kids end up spending a lot of time and money traveling to places where they would never be able to play.
Whiteley added, " I became friends with three kids here in Canada on Facebook that earned D1 scholarships last year, and I just asked a lot of questions as to how they went about getting recruited".
Blake is a 3.2 student and also a very talented soccer and rugby player. He hopes to help his team improve on their (3-5) record from a season ago as they have a lot of returning starters back. He says, " Ive been in the weight room working almost everyday, and I feel that I gained a lot of good experience by going on the camp circuit". He added, " I just want to keep working hard and try to help my team win, and hopefully earn a scholarship."
Whiteley is definitely a kid with all the tools and someone we really like as a person. Which ever school lands Blake will be getting a kid that loves the game of football, and is willing to do whatever necessary to be successful. We wish him continued success and will bring you updates as they happen.


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Tricia J. Kellett
February 23, 2020 November 5, 2021 by FindtheMissing
Left and Center: Tricia circa, 1982
Missing Since: May 7, 1982
Missing From: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Age: 8 years old
Height and Weight: 4'0″ and 70 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian Female, Blonde hair, Hazel eyes, Tricia has previously broken her wrist and has also fractured her skull, she had a distinctive gap between her upper front teeth in 1982
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A blue long sleeved sweater, blue jeans, and brown shoes
Tricia was last seen in Chicago, Illinois on May 7th 1982. Tricia left her family's apartment after returning from school and went out to play with friends in the street. Tricia was seen playing with puppies on a neighbor's porch. She was last seen entering an unidentified vehicle with 1 or 2 men near the corner of Leland and Malden.
The vehicle was described as a blue four door 1979 Dodge or Pontiac car. The most distinctive features of this vehicle was a damaged front passenger door and that the beginning letters of a license plate were "Q" and "R". Tricia was never seen again and her abductors and the vehicle remains unidentified.
Tricia was discovered missing at 4:00 pm and at that point her family began searching for the child. Her mother called the police quite a few times that evening but they did not join the search for her until 10:00 pm of that night. No trace of the girl was ever found despite various searches that took place for her.
Investigators believe that Tricia got into the vehicle with a man named Marvin Pontarelli. He owned a car that matched the description of the one sought in Tricia's abduction. He had a extensive criminal history which included sexual assault, rape, and kidnapping. People who lived in the same neighborhood recognized his photo.
Pontarelli was charged with the 1967 abduction of his wife, Donna Pontarelli, and a young man, Robert Shearer from Quincy, Washington. Donna and Robert were allegedly tied up at gunpoint by Marvin before Robert said he was released on Highway 17. He also said that Pontarelli threatened to kill him if he reported the abduction. He was apprehended later on and charged with kidnapping and 2nd degree assault for firing at an officer when being apprehended. He was released later on.
Three witnesses picked him out of the lineup as the man they had seen with Tricia on the day of her disappearance. One witness told investigators they had seen Pontarelli go into the Malden Arms Hotel with Tricia and another unidentified man. He was questioned regarding the girl's disappearance and was also given a polygraph exam which he failed.
On the day of her disappearance, three of Tricia's friends who were aged between 11 and 12 years of age told investigators that Pontarelli had taken them to his apartment where he gave them beer and drugs and sexually assaulted them. He also forced them to engage in sexual acts and photographed them. His apartment was searched and inside, investigators found various items in relation to child pornography.
Investigators found photographs of the girls, guns, tear gas, brass knuckles, cattle prods, and handcuffs. He was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, indecent liberties with a child, child pornography, and charges regarding the extensive amount of weapons he had in his possession.
The charges were dropped months after they were filed, however, after the victims failed to show up in court to testify against him for what he did to them. Investigators believe he payed off their families so he could avoid trial and sentencing.
Investigators believe that Pontarelli might have kidnapped Tricia for purposes relating to prostitution. In 1984, he attempted to photograph a blonde Caucasian girl having sex by Larry Fassler so he could have blackmail against him. Fassler has met Pontarelli while they were in prison together and he owed him money.
Investigators from Chicago were able to find Fassler's address book and noted that an entry from October of 1982 bore Tricia's name and home address at the time of her abduction. Underneath her name was Pontarelli's name. During an interview, he said he had written the entry after he was questioned in relation to the girl's abduction. He wrote it down because he felt Pontarelli was someone who would have been responsible for Tricia's disappearance due to his violent history as well as his attraction to young children.
In 1985, Pontarelli was arrested in Arizona and was questioned again about what happened to Tricia. This time, he cried and stated that Tricia was killed after her abduction. He stated that Fassler was responsible for her death and that her body was buried on a property that his family owned in Illinois.
A few weeks after he told investigators that she was murdered, he recanted his statements and told investigators that he believed Fassler had taken Tricia to Mexico. Pontarelli has previously gone to Mexico with underage girls. Investigators believe that Pontarelli was likely responsible for Tricia's abduction and murder. It's possible her remains were concealed within the cement foundation of Pontarelli Apartments in Chicago. Cement was being poured at the complex when she was taken.
Pontarelli and Fassler were never charged with kidnapping Tricia or charged with anything in relation to her presumed death. Pontarelli died while serving prison time in 1994 and Fassler has also allegedly died in recent years since Tricia's disappearance.
At the time of her disappearance, Tricia lived with her mother and stepfather but she did see her biological father regularly before she went missing. She was well known around her neighborhood and was an active member at her local church as well. Her mother has since moved to Missouri and her father died in 2009. Her sister is still alive and continues to hope that Tricia will be found.
Tricia's abduction remains unsolved and foul play is suspected.
Chicago Police Department 312-744-8266
The Quincy Valley Post-Register
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HomeBlogAncient wisdomOriginal Perfection: Vairotsan...
Original Perfection: Vairotsana's Five Early Transmissions
by Watkins Books
Ancient wisdomMagazine
by Keith Dowman
Watkins Mind Body Spirit, issue 41
Thia article first appeared on Watkins Mind Body Spirit, issue 41.
The nature of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, is perhaps best understood as the essence of all nondual mystical aspiration. Within the Tibetan context, it lies at the heart of shamanism, Bon, and Buddhism.
Taking its cultural and linguistic references from Bon and Buddhism, it may appear to be limited to those traditions, but to see its existential reality restricted to that cultural frame would contradict the Tibetan precepts that define it as utterly nonspecific and unconfined. Historically Buddhism provided the ground in which the precepts of the Great Perfection appeared, and certainly it still provides a rich and wonderful metaphysical field of reference. But the principles of radical Dzogchen are appropriate to every religious and cultural context. All religion and culture is transcended by its formless essence. It subsumes science and humanism today as it once incorporated shamanism and theism. It supersedes religion by shunning dogma and doctrine. It surpasses yoga and meditation by disavowing technique.
It transcends the creativity of the human mind—whether as science or art—through identity with our intrinsic nature. Inclusivity defines the Great Perfection.
As mystical endeavor the quest for natural perfection may have continued for as long as human history. Surely it is hidden in the mysteries of Babylon and Egypt, Greece and Rome, in Indian tantra, the Chinese Tao, Muslim Sufism, and in the Jewish Torah and the Christian heresies of the Albigensians, the Knights Templar, and the Alchemists, if only because natural perfection is inherent in human being and cannot be suppressed. Deprived of a lineal tradition, guides, and precepts, it may burst out spontaneously as an imperative of the human spirit, as it did in Europe and America in the 1960s. Regardless of the cultural and religious context, the time and the place, the "pathless path" of nondual illumination is always the same because the nature of the mind, being the origin of time and space, is one. It has happened, however, that in the twenty-first century the exemplars and custodians of this living tradition are the Vajrayana Buddhists of the Tibetan plateau. Nondual mysticism finds its own ground everywhere in the scope of Tibetan Buddhism, particularly in the Kagyu Mahamudra tradition, but it is in its earliest transmission into Tibet, when the tradition of the Ancients (Nyingmapa) was still in its incipient phase, that we find the most pure and unequivocal statement of the principles and poetic effusion of the heart meaning of the Great Perfection. That is what is termed 'radical Dzogchen'.
Given that the oldest and earliest is not necessarily the best, nevertheless, the quality of pristine freshness reverberates down the centuries from a culture on the verge of breakthrough. This quality may be discerned in eighth-century Tibet and particularly in the work of the mystic and poet Vairotsana of Pagor, who at that time wrote down the five poems presented in this book. In his work there is a sense of the light of dawn spreading over the landscape to illuminate the darkness. The word of Dzogchen had arrived to illuminate the murk of spiritualistic shamanism, to clarify the Buddhist options presented by India, China, Khotan, Brusha, and Oddiyana, and to exalt the lifestyles of the people of the Tibetan plateau. The freshness and vitality of Vairotsana's vision, written down when the Tibetan language was as young as English when Shakespeare wrote, still has the power to illuminate, although the shadows that are dispersed today are cast by apocalyptic materialism and consumerism.
The power of Vairotsana's five original works may lie in the magic of 'transmission'—for that is how these poems are designated. Vairotsana did not attribute them to himself as the poet but cast them in the mold of revelations of Garab Dorje, the human source of the Dzogchen tradition, because all tantras, transmissions, and precepts of Dzogchen are said to have the same timeless origin. The verses of each of the five transmissions—consisting generally of a quatrain of two slokas, or couplets—can stand apart as didactic gems of Dzogchen expression, sometimes with only tangential connection between them, but they are better viewed as the facets of a crystal globe, each reflecting an aspect of the whole. The content of the transmissions is always the same—a unitary vision of the nature of mind. The nature of mind (where 'nature' can only mean 'essence') is luminous mind, the one indivisible nondual mind of natural perfection. The holistic product may be personified as the all-good buddha Samantabhadra, who at the same time is the supreme source of the transmission and the transmission itself. The reader, the recipient of the transmission, is identified, thereby, with the all-good Dzogchen vision of the transmission.
The purpose of these five poems, then, is to induce a vision of natural perfection in the mind of the reader. This is not done by logic or causal connection but through the magic, the ambiguity, of poetry. As Patrul Rimpoche writes, 'We do not agree with the common dogma of traditionalists, that the only valid knowledge is mental knowledge tested by reason against textual and logical proof. Experiential understanding of the naked direct perception in primal awareness itself is the Dzogchen vision'. In this sense, each of the five poems constitutes a direct introduction—if not initiation—into the nature of mind and the great perfection. The experience of the transmissions themselves is self-validating, and any rational evaluation of their logic or terms of reference diminishes or blights them. The sole requisite for attaining the vision set down by the poet is a wide-open mind, and since all human beings are endowed with this mind, the great perfection is available to everyone.[span3] We do not agree with the common dogma of traditionalists, that the only valid knowledge is mental knowledge tested by reason against textual and logical proof. Experiential understanding of the naked direct perception in primal awareness itself is the Dzogchen vision.Patrul Rimpoche [/span3]
The vision that these transmissions induce is not like a tantric mandala of buddhas or buddha-deities or patterned light-forms. There is not the slightest hint of symbolism, abstract or anthropomorphic. There is nothing to be seen that has any cultural specificity. There is no articulated abstruse metaphysical infrastructure to the vision. There is nothing that is not intrinsic to the nature of ordinary consciousness and the common light of day. In fact there is no trace of anything there at all. There is no structure to the vision whatsoever—the nature of the transmission is ultimately deconstructive.
The essence of the transmission is simple, direct perception. In the timeless moment of the here and now, there is no space for projection and filtration and no time for evaluation, reflection, and judgment. In this lies natural perfection. Herein lies the secret of nondual reality. When we speak of nondual mysticism, what is indicated is nothing but the clear light intrinsic to everyday perception; yet this perception and this function of awareness bring ultimate resolution to the human condition. All its dichotomies and contradictions are resolved in the unitary light of awareness in itself. If it can be said that conception and action exist, surely there is no gap between the initiation of the act and its actualization. The unitary moment is its own reward. Time and space are resolved in the all-inclusive wholeness of the moment. The quandaries of embodiment are resolved in each moment. The paradox and antinomies of gender are resolved in the unity of the moment. This is transmission of the Great Perfection that does not impose a new, conditional structure upon the mind but reveals what is already, primordially present. It comes by way of confirmation, then, of what has always been known: that the nature of being, the nature of reality, and the nature of mind are immanent as consummate perfection.
There is nothing in this transmission that can be grasped or conceptualized or cultivated or practiced. To assimilate it into the logical intellect and spin it out as a philosophy or doctrine is to nullify its purpose, just as the magic of poetry is lost in analysis. The transmission itself is a timeless event, like every moment of experience, arising as spontaneity, without cause or condition, so it cannot be developed into a yoga or a meditation practice. It cannot be turned into religion: there are no tenets of belief; neither devotion nor faith is a condition of its revelation; and no ritual interprets and structures it. It is simply an existential understanding of the here and now.
Vairotsana's five transmissions are compositions of deconstructive precept, expressing the Dzogchen vision of the nature of mind. Their primal impact upon a receptive reader may open a door into the vision of the great perfection. The rational mind, however, may concoct objections to such an unreferenced state and its attendant sense of identity loss. It is here that the commentary engages, providing elaboration through causal connection, lulling the intellect with its bromide, while undermining—deconstructing—the structure of the intellect by indicating the natural state of being, the suprarational reality of the great perfection that always lies immanent in the timeless moment. Here, the self-referential language of the tradition points at the unstructured ground of all language, and since this reality lies in an absence of any characteristic, attribute, or function, the Upanishadic method of "not this!" "not that!" is employed. The mystery of the Great Perfection resides in its ineffable nondual reality that is a unity but at the same time a multiplicity. It is at once the source and the creation. It is inconceivable and inexpressible. It is enlightened mind or luminous mind. To reveal all experience as this reality is the purpose of Dzogchen, and the self-evident principles of the Dzogchen Mind Series are the transmission.
About the Author: Keith Dowman has been involved in the arena of Buddhism for more than forty years, living and raising a family in India and Nepal and in Tibetan refugee society. He received lay ordination in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and is the author of more than a dozen books on Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism, including Flight of the Garuda, Sky Dancer, and Natural Perfection. He lives in Kathmandu, Nepal. www.keithdowman.net
Keith Dowman
Wisdom Publications
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Tags: Dzogchen, issue 41, Keith Dowman, tibetan buddhism
Karen French: the Energy of Shapes
The Nature of Sahaj Samādhi
Watkins Books


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Richard Mosse, Incoming, 2014-2017 © Richard Mosse. Courtesy of the artist, carlier I gebauer, Berlin and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.
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In the cross field between documentary and art, Richard Mosse, challenges our perspective on conflict and disaster in the world's hotspots. In his latest video installation Incoming, the prize-winning artist, who aroused public attention with The Enclave, focusses on the flow of refugees towards Europe.
How do we in the Western world look at the disasters and conflicts of our time? This is one of the questions on which a lot of works by the Irish artist and photographer Richard Mosse are based. Through impressive video installations and large-format photographs, he brings into focus places and conflicts only fleetingly covered by the ever-changing news flow.
Military Camera Technology
In his large video installation Incoming Richard Mosse documents the journey of refugees and migrants towards and in Europe using complex thermal camera technology. The camera enables him to take pictures at extreme distances and include events otherwise inaccessible to us. The camera is developed for military purposes and is used in connection with border control, searches and surveillance, but can also beused in military operations.
Due to the thermal technology, the black-white pictures seem almost luminescent, and the identity and skin colour of the documented individuals are blurred – despite the sharpness of the pictures. This gives the persons depicted an almost ghostlike appearance, as the pictures show them crossing dangerous waters, sleeping in temporary refugee camps and fighting to survive.
Richard Mosse states about his work: "The camera is intrusive of individual privacy, yet the imagery that this technology produces is so dehumanised – the person literally glows – that the medium anonymizes the subject in ways that are both insidious and humane."
Between Photo Documentary and Contemporary Art
Richard Mosse is known for his experimental work, which challenges the relation between photo documentary and contemporary art. He created the exhibition Incoming together with Musician Ben Frost and Photographer Trevor Tweeten. It consists of a 53-minute film shown on a wall 16 metres long and chosen photographs from the series The Castle, some of which are more than three metres wide.


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How to Attract and Retain Millennial Talent
Features - Human Resources
As the labor market continues to tighten, PMPs are working overtime to attract the industry's next generation of workers. Do you have a strategy in place?
Anne Nagro
Finding good employees has never been easy. When it comes to millennials, it seems nearly impossible.
PMPs said they now cycle through more potential hires to find one who fits and who's also willing to perform the physical parts of the job. Then, once workers become competent and efficient, they leave, which is expensive and frustrating. One manager said this limits his company's growth: The potential to grow is there but the people he needs to make it happen are not.
"Our research indicates that millennials across the board are changing jobs up to three times as much as people in previous generations would have by the age of 30," said Sean Lyons, associate professor of leadership and organizational management at the University of Guelph, Ontario, and a global expert in generational differences.
For any job that requires an apprenticeship or craft training where someone has to learn the ins and outs by doing, "the risk of hiring young people is incredibly high," said Lyons.
Why? Lyons said this generation exhibits a "pattern of anxiety and insecurity" when it comes to jobs. "There's the sense that the grass is greener somewhere else and no matter how many times they move they still feel that they could do better," he said.
They've been told (and have seen with their parents and grandparents) that life-long career opportunities no longer exist and not to count on the promise of future benefits. As a result, millennials "jump from job to job looking for a set of experiences that will help them get what they're looking for in terms of experience, pay and working conditions," said Lyons.
And they're really concerned with job prestige and status, much more so than previous generations. A lot of that very tangible pressure comes from their helicoptering parents, said Lyons. Tell them you've gotten a job in pest control and "I think a lot of young people would probably get pushback from their parents, who'd say, 'That's not what we had hoped for you,'" he explained. This would not have been the case two generations ago, when the response would have been more like, 'That's an honest day's work and hopefully you can work your way up to management,'" he explained.
Another factor: Many millennials treat their first jobs out of university as starter jobs because an increasingly large number have never worked before. Older generations figured out how to "deal with all the things you deal with in having a job" while in high school, said Lyons, but "summer employment among high school students is at an all-time low." It's even unusual to come across university students who work, he said. Without that early McDonald's employment experience, many are figuring this all out at the age of 22.
SO WHAT'S AN EMPLOYER TO DO? Lyons offered four ways to attract and keep millennial employees:
1. Fish in the right pond. Generalities aside, hardworking, industrious millennials do exist. But while 30 years ago pest management professionals could have used a net to catch a bunch of young people who'd take a job, today you've got to fish with a line using the right bait in the right place, said Lyons. A mass-market approach to recruitment doesn't work; you need to develop a strategic way to target young people who fit your niche employment needs.
One place to look: rural communities, where job opportunities are more limited but people, especially farm kids, have traditional work ethics and aren't put off by physical labor. And while research shows that not having transportation most often prevents these folks from taking a job, "that's an easily solvable problem if it's going to get you loyal, long-term employees," said Lyons. Being able to drive home a service vehicle is one solution. Another is providing a small signing bonus or allowance that lets a new hire buy a used car, which also conveys immediate prestige, he said.
In addition, think about your successful new hires and enlist their help. Who are these employees? What can you learn from them to reach more like them? Can they recruit like-minded individuals for you? People tend to hang out with people like themselves, so develop an employee referral program and start generating word of mouth, said Lyons.
2. Create a smaller-step progression. "By far in all of the studies I've done in the last 15 years, the highest priority for millennials has always been opportunities for advancement. And it continues to be even though they're already in their 30s," said Lyons. As a group, they very much need to see some reward for their efforts. In fact, a study found young workers would rather have four smaller raises than one larger raise over a two-year period, he said. If they work in the same job for even a year — an enormous amount of time in their minds — and don't see any advancement, any change in their status or their pay, they'll leave, he explained.
To counter this, Lyons advised developing a smaller-step process of advancement, providing smaller, more frequent raises and title changes that recognize a change in status. This probably doesn't require a change in how a company operates; rather it's a change in mindset for most small businesses, like having multiple levels of technician positions: junior assistant, junior, intermediate, senior, assistant supervising, etc. Remember, millennials don't want to wait to gain status; that's what is making them leave, said Lyons. And while some pest management professionals may think such titles are an artificial inflation of responsibility, they do show employees that their skills and responsibilities are increasing and that they are progressing on the prescribed career path.
3. Make relationships count. What makes people stay in a job? Often it comes down to relationships. Mentoring and grooming go a long way with a generation needy for nurturing and applause. As such, make high-touch opportunities to provide feedback and engage employees as a regular part of managers' routines. Give younger workers the leeway to develop new ideas, and guide them along in this process.
Some PMPs may question why they have to recognize people for just d-o-i-n-g t-h-e-i-r j-o-b-s, but recognizing good work when you see it is good management practice, reminded Lyons. When a person feels respected and trusted and gets along well with her supervisor, leaving for another job opportunity may not sound like such an easy move, he said.
4. Be open to returning workers. Sometimes employees leave only to find the other opportunity wasn't what they hoped. As such, be "ready to welcome people back," said Lyons. This is a chance to recoup your investment in training, plus gain an employee with more experience, skills and a greater appreciation for the company.
"Keep in touch with the people who do leave and don't get hurt feelings about their leaving. If you treat them like a traitor and write them off and say bad things about them, you lose the opportunity to bring them back," said Lyons.
The author is a frequent contributor to PCT magazine.
8 Demographic Trends That Will Change Your Company
Consumers are changing — more quickly than you realize — and this promises to impact every part of your business.
Today's consumer is evolving rapidly and this means big changes for your business, from how you talk to, target and service clients to the way you hire and retain employees.
"Brands are going to have to keep up," said Justin LaBorde, vice president of advisory services at The Futures Company, which helps businesses profit from consumer shifts. "Businesses that don't are going to be left behind and become quickly irrelevant," he said.
LaBorde outlined eight demographic game changers to heed now:
1. Polyculturalism. The U.S. quickly is becoming a very multicultural and diverse marketplace. "People are open to this; they're combining all these different influences together with their own pride and heritage" to create "a new polycultural experience," said LaBorde.
Take Away: Embrace consumers' ethnicity and culture, as well as that of your own company. A multicultural workforce can help forge relationships with customers and be a wellspring of creativity for the brand.
Ethnicity By The Numbers
8.2 million People in 2015 who identified as two or more races, projected to be the fastest-growing U.S. race group by 2060
49% U.S. kids age 15 and under who belonged to a race or ethnic minority group in 2015
> 50% All Americans projected to belong to a race or ethnic minority group by 2044
1 in 5 Number of U.S. residents projected to be foreign born by 2060
2. Diverse household structures. The rise in single-person and multigenerational households and the decrease in the number of children living in traditional family households has "huge implications" for all kinds of companies, said LaBorde.
Take Away: New household dynamics influence everything from child rearing to the type of houses people want, the products they put in them and the services they choose to protect them. Targeting the traditional nuclear family won't be your best bet in 10 to 20 years, added LaBorde.
Living By The Numbers
60.6 million: Americans living in multigenerational households in 2014
46%: U.S. kids under 18 years who are living in a home with two married heterosexual parents in their first marriage
46%: Two-parent households where both parents work full time
34%: Children living with an unmarried parent, up from 9% in 1960 and 19% in 1980
35 million: People who lived alone in 2015
7 million: Unmarried-partner households in 2014
Source: Pew Research; Deloitte; U.S. Census Bureau
3. New relationship models. The traditional romantic relationship — one man and one woman for life — is "really shifting if you look at the micro-demographic trends" that include rising divorce rates, the emergence of LGBT groups, and younger generations' tendency to delay or forgo marriage, said LaBorde. Relationships in the next 15 years "will be quite different," he said.
Take Away: Be aware of how this shift may necessitate changes in how you promote your service and communicate with customers. For employees, make sure your human resources policies and handbooks are up-to-date with new regulations.
4. Blurring gender roles. Men are taking on more family and domestic priorities and women are assuming more roles outside the home, said LaBorde.
Take Away: "Stereotypes need to be rethought; think more broadly," he advised. If you've traditionally reached out to women using a certain tone and language, it may not resonate as well going forward as it has in the past.
5. Flexible life cycles. Generations habitually followed a consistent life cycle: attend school, move out, get married, buy a house, have kids and so on. "Millennials came along and really just jumbled all of that up," said LaBorde. They may go to college for six years instead of four or not at all, have kids first or cohabitate and then get married. They defy tradition, he said.
Take Away: "You have to be open to the ways they want to be spoken to," said LaBorde of millennials. Adopt "a more flexible kind of communication" that appeals to this group or your messages will fall flat, he said.
6. Multi-generational workforce. Multiple generations with very different mindsets, definitions of success and employer requirements now work alongside one another. Millennials are the biggest group and they want different things in terms of career challenges, career paths, benefits, tenure.
Take Away: Many companies are struggling with this issue; resolving it will require "a give and take on both sides," said LaBorde.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Pew Research
Millennials By The Numbers
83.7 million: Americans in the millennial generation, born between 1982 and 2000
31%: Adults age 25-29 living in multigenerational households, the most likely age group to do so
2015: The year millennials became the largest generational group in the U.S. workplace
7. Complex identities. Old labels are no longer flexible enough to account for the "wide, increasingly complex identities" people have when it comes to their gender, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation and more, said LaBorde, who calls this trend "the big blend." Even the U.S. Census Bureau is struggling with this.
Take Away: It is becoming increasingly difficult to define and understand specific target groups, such as the urban millennial or stay-at-home mom. Connecting with these audiences will require "a new level of customization" in communications, said LaBorde.
8. Aging population. Baby boomers have transformed every life stage they've entered, including getting old. "They're going to redefine aging how they want to redefine it" and will not go quietly like previous generations, said LaBorde.
Take Away: Boomers will remain engaged, active and many will choose to age in place; they will demand that brands continue to speak to them. Companies that target the senior population will need to change their tone and service offerings.
Aging By The Numbers
47.8 million: Americans aged 65 and older in 2015
1 in 5: Americans projected to be 65 and older by 2030
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau; based on 2015 data)
FINAL TAKE AWAYS. Think about how you market or communicate right now and think about how well that style or that method or those communications align with these trends," LaBorde said. Most likely, there's work to be done in terms of "the product (or service) that we have and how to innovate it" and "how we're marketing to our customers," he added.
Attendees Bring Pesticide, Business Issues to Capitol Hill
Features - Legislative Day Coverage
More than 400 industry professionals braved a March snowstorm to make their voices heard at NPMA Legislative Day.
Delegates from Virginia met to discuss strategy prior to making congressional visits.
By Brad Harbison
This was a milestone year for NPMA Legislative Day, held in our nation's capital in March, as it marked 30 years since the first event, which was attended by about 28 industry professionals. While Legislative Day programming has changed throughout the years, the centerpiece of the program — members making visits to Capitol Hill — remains the same.
More than 400 pest management professionals attended this year's event, and they used their congressional visits to raise awareness about four pesticide- and business-related issues.
PCT's Technicians of the Year (l to r) Rob Heisner, Danielle Whitley and J.D. Donaldson, with BASF's Jonathan Sweat.
PCT/BASF Present Technician of the Year Awards
PCT presented the Technician of the Year Awards during a special ceremony at Legislative Day. The awards, sponsored by BASF Pest Control Solutions, recognize a trio of service professionals in the residential, commercial and termite categories.
"Successful companies recognize that their service professionals are more than just their frontline workers. To their customers they are the face of their companies," PCT Internet Editor and Managing Editor Brad Harbison said.
Harbison then presented plaques to the Technicians of the Year: Danielle Whitley, Massey Services (residential category); Rob Heisner, McCloud Services (commercial category); and J.D. Donaldson, Parker Pest Control (termite category).
Nominations for the 2017 awards are being accepted now. Download the nomination form.
Prior to making their way to Capitol Hill, attendees were briefed by Andrew Bray, director of public policy, NPMA, and Jim Fredericks, director of technical services, NPMA, about the following issues they would be addressing with their congressional representatives.
NPDES – An issue on the pest control industry's radar for many years has been the requirement of National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permits, which the industry believes places an unnecessary burden on them. Despite the fact that pesticides applied in accordance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) have already undergone a thorough review during the EPA registration and reregistration processes, NPDES permits are required under the Clean Water Act any time chemical pesticides are used in, over or near Waters of the United States (WOTUS). Bray said recent NPDES permit developments have been positive. In late February, the House Agriculture Committee approved the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act (H.R. 953), legislation that would eliminate NPDES permits. A counterpart bill in the Senate, the Sensible Environmental Protection Act of 2017 (S. 340), also was introduced. Legislative Day attendees met with their Congressional representatives and encouraged them to support both H.R. 953 and S. 340.
Lowering the Corporate Tax Rate – The pest control industry has joined other industries in the fight to lower the corporate tax rate. The most recent development occurred in April when President Trump announced his proposed tax plan, which NPMA's Bray interprets as lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 percent, and lowering "pass through" entity tax rates to as low as 15 percent. (An S corp is an example of a "pass through" entity.) At press time, details of Trump's tax plan were sparse, but Bray said NPMA is monitoring the situation closely and "this is a welcome development in lowering business tax rates for NPMA members."
Funding EPA's OPP – While the pest control industry has somewhat of a love-hate relationship with EPA, the agency's Office of Pesticide Programs is viewed as vital; it is responsible for registering and reevaluating pesticides. Since 2010, EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs has seen a 25 percent decrease of full-time employees and since 2010 funding has dropped from approximately $143 million to $120 million. This drop in funding has resulted in an underfunded and understaffed office that bogs down the registration and reregistration process of pesticides. Legislative Day attendees asked their congressional reps to reauthorize PRIA (H.R. 1029) and protect OPP funding levels under the new administration.
Endangered Species Act – NPMA is part of a larger group that is pushing to modernize the Endangered Species Act (ESA). NPMA and others believe the ESA, as currently drafted, is broken. The Department of Interior, specifically the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively the Services), are tasked with implementing the ESA. This group can slow down the registration (or re-registration) review of products they determine may affect a listed endangered species by engaging in a slow-moving consultative process — involving scientific assessments with different standards and expertise — with EPA. NPMA believes this collaborative consultation process is broken and unnecessarily bureaucratic. Currently there is no pending legislation in Congress to address the ESA, so the goal at Legislative Day was for attendees to raise awareness of this issue with their legislators.
Other Legislative Day highlights included:
Fox News' Bret Baier gave the keynote luncheon speech, sponsored by FMC. Baier made several observations about Donald Trump from the time he has spent with him personally and professionally. Baier said that despite the bumpy first few months, "Don't count him out no matter how bad things get." One advantage the Trump administration has, Baier noted, is that in 2018 there will be 11 Senators up for re-election in 2018 in states that Trump handily won. Baier said the Republican strategy might be to have Trump spend time in these states encouraging support for issues important to him such as tax reform.
Mark Halperin of Bloomberg TV's "With All Due Respect" shared his thoughts in a session sponsored by Dow AgroSciences. Halperin's observation of Trump is that there is a "good Trump" and a "bad Trump" and that is creating a lot of anxiety. From having observed Trump on the campaign trail, he said he thinks what people get the most wrong about Trump was his motivation for running for President. "He ran because he wanted to make America great again — not because he was bored. He didn't believe that career politicians could get the job done on issues such as trade and tax reform, immigration and regulatory reform."
Political analyst Charlie Cook spoke in a session sponsored by Control Solutions Inc. Cook said the outcome of the 2016 election can be boiled down to two issues: (1) Voters were disenchanted with Washington. "They all hated Washington and when that happens people will be even more oriented to change." (2) Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, was a deeply flawed candidate. "She inherited all of her husband's baggage and none of his charm."
Sen. Marco Rubio spoke as part of the MGK "Headquarters on the Hill" session. The Florida Senator and 2016 Presidential candidate praised pest management professionals for the important role they play in protecting public health. Rubio said municipalities should consider contracting with the private sector for vector work.
PCT Online has additional coverage of Legislative Day, including a slideshow of photos. Visit the "online extras" section of PCT Online.
The author can be reached at bharbison@gie.net.
Billy Tesh accepts the FMC Legislative Day Award from FMC's Pramod Thota.
FMC Recognizes Tesh, Murphy
FMC, lead sponsor of NPMA Legislative Day, took time at this year's event to recognize Billy Tesh with NPMA's Legislative Day Award and Galvin Murphy Jr. with the PestVets Veteran of the Year Award. Tesh, president of Pest Management Inc. (PMi), was presented with the NPMA Legislative Day Award by FMC's Pramod Thota for his many years of support for the pest management industry at the state and national levels. He has been involved in the pest management industry since the age of 14. With more than 40 years of experience, he has been active on both national and state levels. He served as North Carolina Pest Management Association president in 1987, president of the National Pest Management Association in 2014-2015, and has been active in public policy and legislative committees for both organizations for many years. He owns and operates Greensboro-based Pest Management Systems Inc., which he co-founded with his wife Laurie in 1984, and is a graduate of North Carolina State University.
Galvin Murphy Jr. was named the PestVets Veteran of the Year.
After receiving the award Tesh commented, "What we started 30 years ago [the first Legislative Day] with the simple goal of trying to get our message out, has resonated throughout D.C. and every state," Tesh said. "I'm proud to stand in front of you and be a part of an industry that is absolutely making positive changes to people's lives every day."
The award is presented annually to individuals who have distinguished themselves in the pest management industry through various activities — particularly legislative involvement — and through their contributions to advancing the industry.
Galvin Murphy Jr., director of business development of Yankee Pest Control, Malden, Mass., was recognized as the second-ever PestVets "Veteran of the Year." Murphy, a U.S. Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, began helping veterans in high school when he and his father, Galvin Murphy Sr., did volunteer pest control work at local veterans' homes. He's continued recruiting veterans to his business and has encouraged other NPMA members to do so as well. In addition, this past fall he ran in the Marine Corps Marathon to raise funds for the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Fund.
"Sergeant Murphy continues to play a critical role about educating our industry about recruiting veterans," said FMC Marketing Specialist Arnold Ramsey, a U.S. Marine, who presented the award to Murphy. This is the second year PestVets has given this award. Last year, Marty Overline, president of Aardvark Pest Management, Philadelphia, was presented with the first-ever award.
Comings & Goings
Departments - Comings & Goings
If your company has added new personnel, send a photo and press release to jdorsch@giemedia.com.
The Entomological Society of America announced that the following individuals earned ACE, ACE-International and BCE certifications.
New ACEs:
Bernard Albert Buttone Jr., ACE, Triangle Pest Control, Holly Springs, N.C.
Anthony R. Iverson, ACE, Orkin Pest Control, West Valley City, Utah
James Eugene Chittick Jr., ACE, Orkin Pest Control, West Valley City, Utah
Bradley K. Scott, ACE, Dayton's Pest Control, Knoxville, Tenn.
New ACE-Internationals:
Mwandacha Maganga, ACE-I, Abell Pest Control, Aldergrove, B.C., Canada
Julian Compton, ACE-I, Cannon Services, Markham, Ontario, Canada
New BCEs:
Vernard R. Lewis, BCE, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, Calif.
Jesse T. Hoteling, BCE, Rentokil, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Katherine Matthews, a founder of Modern Exterminating Company in Columbia, S.C., passed away on Oct. 4, 2016. As one of the first female business owners in Columbia, Matthews and her late husband, George, founded Modern Exterminating in 1955; it is the oldest family-owned pest control company in Columbia. Her grandson, Glenn Matthews III runs the business today, which offers corporate level services backed by small business values, the firm says.
Don Wiggins joined the sales team of Flock Free Bird Control Solutions. Previously, he spent the last two years as a pest control company branch manager in Las Vegas.
Heather King joined American Pest Control in Athens, Ga., as a training and development specialist, bringing more than 11 years of corporate and technical training experience in the industry.
PCO News
Departments - PCO News
Please send press releases about your firm to jdorsch@giemedia.com.
The following companies have earned the National Pest Management Association's (NPMA) QualityPro Certification:
Alvin Pest Control of Alvin, Texas
Earthwise Pest Management of Carmichael, Calif.
Mission Mosquito of Springfield, Pa.
Thrasher Termite & Pest Control of So Cal of San Diego, Calif.
Pied Piper Pest, Termite & Lawn of Eufaula, Okla.
Bug Busters USA of Woodstock, Ga.
Wayne's Environmental Services of Birmingham, Ala.
Pestmaster Services of Kingston, N.Y.
Northeast Pest Control of Albany, N.Y.
Pestmaster Franchise Network of Reno, Nev.
Rove Pest Control of Oakdale, Minn.
Nature First Pest Control of Portland, Ore.
Eco-Max Environmental Services of Columbus, Ind.
In addition,
The Pest Rangers of Hanover Township, Pa., is now offering QualityPro Food Safety certified service
Hearne Pest Control of Floral Park, N.Y., is now offering QualityPro Food Safety certified service
Pest Management Services of Blue Chip, Ill., is now offering QualityPro Schools certified service
Pestmaster Services of Kingston, N.Y., is now offering GreenPro certified service
Northeast Pest Control of Albany, N.Y., is now offering QualityPro Schools and GreenPro Certified service
Pest Express of Centennial, Colo., is now offering QualityPro Schools Certified service
Alliance Pest Services of Tinton Falls, N.J., is now offering GreenPro Certified service
McCloud Services of South Elgin, Ill., is now offering QualityPro Food Safety Certified service
Pestmaster Franchise Network of Reno, Nev., is now offering GreenPro and QualityPro Schools Certified service
Northeastern Environmental Services of Brooklyn, N.Y., is now offering QualityPro Schools Certified service
Minuteman Pest Control Co. of Northampton, Mass., is now offering GreenPro and QualityPro Schools Certified service
Eco-Max Environmental Services of Columbus, Ind., is now offering GreenPro Certified service
Orlando-based Heron Home & Outdoor hosted a OneBlood drive last summer at each of its eight locations across Central Florida to do its part in assisting OneBlood with maintaining the blood supply for those in need. The company has committed to hosting a yearly blood drive in an effort to keep up the blood supply for the Central Florida community.
Date Book
Departments - Date Book
Send your announcement at least 14 weeks in advance to jdorsch@giemedia.com. For additional dates, visit www.pctonline.com/events.
June 21: University of Georgia Getting the Best of Pests Webinar Series (Biology and Management of the Old House Borer and Principles of Commodity and Structural Fumigation). Contact: Beth Horne, 770/228-7214, bhorne@uga.edu or visit http://gabugs.uga.edu.
June 22-24: Pest Control Operators of California's EXPO 2017, Grand Californian Resort, Disneyland, Calif. Contact: http://pcoc.org.
June 28: PCT Bed Bug Virtual Conference. Contact: www.pctonline.com or call 800/456-0707.
July 9-12: International Conference on Urban Pests, University of Aston, Birmingham, UK. Contact: www.icup.org.uk.
July 19-21: NPMA's Academy 2017, Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, Scottsdale, Ariz. Contact: NPMA, 703/352-6762 or visit www.npmapestworld.org.
July 28-30: NPMA Carolinas/Mid-Atlantic Summer Conference, Hilton Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Contact: See July 19.
Aug. 16: University of Georgia Getting the Best of Pests Webinar Series (Biology and Management of Fleas and Biology and Management of Bed Bugs in Low-Income Housing). Contact: See June 21.
Aug. 18-19: Discovery Retreats — Surviving a Family Business. Contact: 816/888-9146 or www.lloydsmigel.com.
Aug. 23: PCT Mergers & Acquisitions Virtual Conference. Contact: See June 28.
Aug. 29-Sept. 1: Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials Annual Meeting, Burlington, Vermont. Contact: www.aspcro.org or 757/753-8162.
Sept. 27-28: Kansas Pest Control Association's Master Tech Program, Manhattan, Kan. Contact: 785/271-9220, kansaspest@yahoo.com.


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The Irish Times story about Muriel's death and the orphaning of the children.
The Irish Times has run a story about Muriel MacDonagh's death just over a year from Thomas's execution. It's a moving story of the price paid by the families of those fighting for Ireland's independence. There is a video with the article as well.
Thomas MacDonagh Family Papers, 1848-1966 Thomas' and family papers at the National Library of Ireland are on-line..
1916: Thomas MacDonagh, a personable revolutionary and a family man.
The Irish Revolution, a site by University College Cork and The Irish Examiner, 1916: CRISIS OF FAITH LED TO A NEW BAPTISM FOR THOMAS MACDONAGH is interesting article looking at Thomas' change of heart from Catholicism to nationalism and rebellion. They also include his last words to the execution squad.
Thomas's wife Muriel died just a year after the rising.
Muriel Gifford: The last casualty of the Rising. Click here or the image to check out on the RTE Century Ireland site.
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Thomas' and family papers at the National Library of Ireland are on-line..
1916: Thomas MacDonagh, a personable revolutionary and a family man. The Irish Times writes "The Thomas MacDonagh papers: 'I devoted myself too much to national work' Thomas MacDonagh worried about his family not having enough money, during his life and after his death, letters held by the National Library suggest".
They also made this video and has a video "1916: Thomas MacDonagh, a personable revolutionary and a family man"on Thomas' papers at the National Library.
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Muriel McAuley, granddaughter of Thomas MacDonagh, reads an extract of a letter sent by Pádraig Pearse.
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Thomas MacDonagh: one of the most fascinating characters behind the Rising is An interesting article read from the Irish Times.
A relative of the 1916 Rising?
Check out the history being accumulated by the 1916 Relatives.
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A paid check from Pears to MacDonagh up for auction.
A check made out by Padraig Pears to Thomas MacDonagh and has been signed and processed. It's up for sale at Adam's in Dublin.
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Boston College – Irish Institute.
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Margart Calvert – a retropective and a new railway design
Published 10 November 2020 by By Ian Mansfield Art
The work of the iconic designers of post-war Britain is the topic of a new exhibition, not just looking back at her work, but forward as she has designed a new font to be used by Network Rail.
Margaret Calvert is one of those legendary figures in design, and long before architects had worked out crowd flow through buildings, she was designing wayfinding signs and working out the best way of communicating information to already overloaded brains.
She famously started work in the post-war years as the government decided it wanted to clean up the miss-mash of random street sign designs as part of the exciting new future of the motor car and the motorway.
In that sense, there can be few people who have had as big an impact on how the UK looks than she has. Her fingerprint is on every street corner across the land, in every railway station, in the airports and hospitals. A miasma of design that flows unnoticed yet essential around our daily lives.
The road signs that go far beyond simple wayfinding – and over time become familiar, even friendly landmarks along a journey. They may say, Doncaster, Services, A1M, Lossimouth – but what they really mean is "just 30 mins to granny, nearly at the football match, phew busting for the toilet".
The ease of finding a toilet in an airport, or a hospital, or on the railway — the familiar ideograms that we see without noticing and yet are so familiar that we immediately know what they mean and take action at an often subconscious level.
She even features in one of them — as the little girl in the warning sign for children.
The exhibition trots through all these, from the early days winning the commission for the motorway signs, alongside insights into why some designs work, and others failed. A page open in a book shows the terrifying mess of road signs she cleaned up.
A video of the day she drove along the M1 for a preview reveals that she got so excited about the signs that the car overshot the end of the motorway and ended up in a field.
For many people, it's the railway wayfinding that she's most famous for, and was so good that it was used by the NHS before British Rail had started to roll it out. Work done in that golden age of British Rail, that has slowly diminished over time as style guides were increasingly ignored by fractured organisations.
But a hurrah – for design, if not entirely neglected, was maybe a bit overlooked in the late 20th century is making a comeback in the railways of the 21st century.
There's a small amusing note about the signs used in the display for the original Rail Alphabet, that they couldn't use that font for their display because it's not compatible with their digital sign making. And that is part of the reason why Network Rail commissioned Rail Alphabet 2, to tidy up an old wayfinding system, but make to make the font work on computers.
And Margaret Calvert was asked to design it.
This exhibition is also, therefore, the launch of a revamped wayfinding system for Network Rail – Rail Alphabet 2.
Many of the subtle changes are shown here for the first time, the sort of things that would be difficult to notice unless pointed out but make you nod in appreciation as to why they've been done. You'd probably never notice that many of the curved rectangles in the symbols match the p and d in the letters, but in doing so, a coherent design from icons to letters is created.
New icons were needed. They didn't have hire bikes, or vaping, or Wi-Fi in the 1960s, and even existing icons have had a slight revamp — the taxi looks a bit more modern, the baby changing sign doesn't assume it's only women's work.
It'll take time to roll out to the entire Network Rail estate — likely to be Liverpool Street first — and with luck, no one will even notice the change. Fewer people looking around for where something is the impact the new wayfinding will have. It's clever enough to make a difference, but subtle enough to be instantly familiar and comfortable.
And that's the best design.
The exhibition, Margaret Calvert: Woman at Work is open at the Design Museum from the end of lockdown until 10th January. As it's only open Mon & Tues, unless you are also visiting the Electronic Music exhibition, best to reserve a ticket early.
Just as the original British Rail corporate identity manual can be bought, I hope the new Network Rail manual is also made available one day.
‹ Christmas jumpers from London venues
When the Lord Mayor's show took place on the Thames ›
Tagged with: Design Museum, Network Rail
From the fonts in Fleet Street at Saint Bride's to the clarity of Calvert, I'm back in the basement at school with the "padush, padush" of the aged playbill printing machine. Also back in the back of the car on a Christmas car journey. Joyful!
Margaret Calvert's simple signage looks effortless but probably wasn't.
As for NR 'dot matrix 2.0' not being able to recreate it as clearly, it must be a question of cost and finesse. Or are we (just) still ahead of the robots?
Not sure that the new symbols aren't a little childish as a result though.
Think that the bus symbol looks like a luggage trolley even though there's the sign for one just by it in the example. And where's the motorbike flying over the taxi?
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The life and death of today's rhino revolves around its horn. Being hunted to the brink of extinction for their horns, conservationists and scientists are trying to find ways to use the horn to save them.
1. It is made of compressed keratin, much like horse hooves, cockatoo bills, fingernails, etc.
2. Rhino horns grow throughout their lifetime, at a rate of one to three inches per year.
3. Baby rhinos are born without horns.
4. There is no scientific evidence to support rhino horn being effective in curing medical ailments.
An obvious and tried solution to the poaching crisis has been to de-horn rhinos. The thought being if there is no horn, there is no reason to harm the rhino.
This has produced mixed results. While some reserves have seen success, for others rhinos were still poached after the de-horning.
The process is risky to the animal. It is an invasive procedure, and as with any situation involving immobilization and anesthetic, there is always a risk of complication. The process removes 90 to 93 percent of the horn, and needs to be repeated every 12 to 24 months.
It is also quite costly. Per Save the Rhino, current published estimates for de-horning range from $620 USD (at Kruger National Park) per animal to $1,000 (on private land).
Sadly with such a phenomenal price tag on the horn, that seven to 10 percent remaining still makes them a target for poachers. Sometimes this is unintentional; in the darkness, poachers may not realize the rhino is de-horned until they have killed it.
So when considering this as an option, the risks need to be weighed. Is the rhino in a high-target poaching area? Are there enough security and monitoring to back up the procedure?
The more recent method, developed by the Rhino Rescue project has been to make the horn less desirable by injecting it with a toxin.
Ectoparasiticides are used in conjunction with a dye. The ectoparasiticides are safe for animals, but not consumable to humans. If ingested, they cause digestive issues. Once poached, it is this pinkish dye that conveys to users it is a tainted horn.
Although still requiring an anesthetic, it is less invasive and only needs to be updated every three to four years. In addition it is fairly cost-effective when compared to other alternatives.
Initially it seemed an effective deterrent.
However In May of 2014, there were claims disputing its effects. The report by South Africa wildlife experts implied the dye "failed to deeply penetrate the high-density fiber of the horn." This controversial report angered many who wondered at the wisdom in publicizing the findings.
In 2013, the WWF donated microchips to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The chips were planted in every rhino in the country.
The system works by implanting one microchip in the horn and another in the body. This, along with their rhino DNA database, helps to keep track of the animals. If a horn is found anywhere in the world, it can be traced back to the area of the poaching.
According to KWS, "This will serve to strengthen rhino monitoring, protect the animals on site and also support anti-trafficking mechanisms, nationally and regionally."


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Keep the Fire [Columbia, 1979] C+
Vox Humana [Columbia, 1985] C+
Loggins and Messina
merge all
Keep the Fire [Columbia, 1979]
I used to think Kenny had no sense of rhythm, but his problems were actually less severe--he just couldn't rock. This Tom Dowd-produced Doobie-disco job swings just like Jesse Colin Young. And if you think it isn't Doobie-disco, tell me why the one great song on the record was written with Michael McDonald. "This Is It," it's called, and it is. C+
Vox Humana [Columbia, 1985]
"My goal was to transform my music into a more and more personal medium," says this harmless case study in contemporary pop of his first self-produced album, so he must think a lot about "love," a word which appears in seven of the nine songs. The subject is all-important for sure, but tricky to make new, as they say. Loggins succeeded in 1979 with the put-up-or-shut-up epiphany "This Is It." Here he hopes his rhythmic savvy and supple falsetto prove epiphany enough for Contemporary Hits Radio. Which given the promotional budget and catchy arrangement of the confidently entitled title tune, they already have. C+


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