Celebrities And Science Don't Mix

Remember a few years ago when actress Meryl Streep took center stage in the Alar controversy, testifying before Congress about the evils of this popular chemical that played such a critical role in protecting America’s apple crop? Well, it seems another celebrity — aging rocker Grace Slick — has weighed in on an “environmental” issue. Ms. Slick, the former lead singer of ’60s super group Jefferson Airplane, recently complained to New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani about the city’s use of Avitrol, a chemical that induces hallucinations in pigeons, prompting them to emit distress cries that frighten the rest of the flock from the treated area. According to one recent report, Slick cited her “considerable expertise on the subject of mind-altering drugs” in her protest against the use of the pesticide. Rock on, Grace!

If you’re still not convinced PCOs play a critical role in protecting the public’s health, pick up a copy of the book, Viruses, Plagues, and History by Michael Oldstone, a virologist and professor at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. Oldstone chronicles the human toll of some of the most devastating “plagues” in human history including yellow fever, Ebola, and a relative newcomer lurking on the horizon, hantavirus.

“In the end,” Oldstone writes, “the splendor of human history is not in wars won, dynasties formed or financial empires built, but in the improvement of the human condition.” The pest control industry can take justifiable pride in the significant role it has played in improving the human condition throughout the United States and the world.

I’d like to take a moment to thank the Greater Cleveland Pest Control Association for honoring Pest Control Publisher Jerry Mix and myself with its prestigious Tom Evans Award in May. The award has particular meaning to me because of my high regard for Mr. Evans, a man who has contributed so much to the pest control industry during a career that spans more than three decades, as well as my admiration for the two previous winners of this award — Carl Hinderer of Southern Mill Creek Products and Lonnie Alonso of Columbus Pest Control. Thanks again for the recognition. It’s much appreciated.

If you get the chance, I urge you to check out PCT’s new Online Trade Show at www.pctonline.com. With a click of your mouse you can learn about the latest products and services offered by some of the industry’s leading product suppliers. Turn to the advertisement on page 65 of this month’s issue of PCT magazine to learn more about this innovative new service.

While you’re visiting our web site, check out some of the other new features of PCT Online. Internet Editor Sydney Work has been working hard to create the most valuable and visually interesting website in the industry ... and we think she’s succeeded. In addition to our new Online Trade Show, the site features late-breaking industry news, Service Technician magazine, Part I and Part II of our recent Fly Control Supplement, the 1998 PCT Commercial Product Guide, Technician-of-the-Year nomination forms, and a new feature called, From The Editor’s Desk, where you can interact directly with our editorial staff. In the very near future, the latest information on the PCT Dialogue Business & Technology Conference, set for Jan. 31 to Feb. 3 at the beautiful Westin Canal Place in New Orleans, will be available online. You’ll be able to register for the conference online, as well as check out the program and some of the sights and sounds of New Orleans well in advance of the conference. So visit our website often. You won’t be disappointed.