Remembering Rick

(this post to remain permanently on top, all newer entries follow below)
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This is a sharing space for any thoughts of, on, about, or dreamed up by Rick Pirko. We welcome all to add something by clicking on any "SHARE MEMORY OR COMMENT"...(see below)
Richard touched many and so he lives on. Following below are a few of the ways he affected those lives and the world around him: tributes, memories, stories, comments, observations, expressions of grief and gratitude, sympathy and encouragement, sorrow and hope... ...And hopefully as time goes by, support for each other in carrying on those principles and lessons that meant so much to Rick...working to preach these "last" best hopes, both the "how's" and the "why's".

This was made on Wordle.net It can be seen in their gallery at (click image)

Best evidence...
Anyone is welcome to contribute any words or photos about or by Rick by clicking on any "SHARE MEMORY OR COMMENT" -- a text box will appear, just type in it, or copy and paste, fill out your name or alias, or your Blogger ID, or be anonymous.
If that proves too technical or troublesome, you may just email it to me, the scribe for this blog, and I will be glad to post it for you.
Email to: studio15828-pirko@yahoo.com
Please share favorite stories, comments, thoughts or anything at all, see above...In his honor and on behalf of his family, and his many communities and friends, thank you all for sharing.

***Ideas for sundials -- constructing, experiences teaching about them, personal designs and personal photos of them especially welcome...**** You can browse 100's of sundial designs around the world by clicking Here

Pictures At An Exhibition

We wanted to do this last October and couldn't and hope to down the road (stay tuned!) here was the idea:
Upon seeing the great extent of pictures Rick had captured, -- intense and varied, of life on the farm, of the skies he loved to be in, and of people performing -- Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition reminded us of a suitable celebration of Rick as part of the memorial service at his planetarium. We would line the hallways of the physics and astronomy department where he worked with as many pictures as physically possible and space music would play while his friends strolled the halls.

That was the same inspiration for the composition Pictures at an Exhibition – A Remembrance of Viktor Hartmann, composed by Modeste Mussorgsky in 1874, and orchestrated by Maurice Ravel in 1922. "One of the most powerful of all creative urges is to memorialize. The results can range from the trivial statues of mounted generals that clutter our parks to the awe of the Pyramids. Yet, perhaps the most powerful creations are those which try to overcome a grievous personal loss by immortalizing the evanescent.
"Modeste Mussorgsky produced his Pictures at an Exhibition to perpetuate the memory of a friend. In the process, he created a monument far more massive and lasting than his subject."1
The piece was inspired by the untimely death of a close companion of Mussorgsky. Victor Hartmann, an architect and occasional painter, died from an aneurysm in 1873. The sudden loss of the artist, aged only 39, shook Mussorgsky along with others in Russia's art world.
Influential critic Vladimir Stasov helped organize an exhibition of over 400 Hartmann works in the Academy of Fine Arts in St Petersburg a year later. Mussorgsky lent works from his personal collection to the exhibit and viewed the show in person. His visit to that show became the most famous gallery stroll of all time and fired by the experience, he composed Pictures at an Exhibition in six weeks. This masterful piano suite illustrates ten of Hartmann's images, with a recurring ``Promenade`` theme to illustrate the viewer's progress from painting to painting.

There wasn't time or resources enough to create this display shortly after Rick's death but hopefully it can be accomplished in the coming year. A coffee-table oriented book of Rick's work is also in the planning stages. Anyone who wishes to donate to the project or be kept up to date on any exhibit via e-mail, drop us an email or use the Donate button.

sources:
1. address: http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics/
title: Classical Notes - Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Classical Classics, Peter Gutmann.mht
2002 by Peter Gutmann
2. address: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pictures_at_an_Exhibition
title: Pictures at an Exhibition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2008
3. address: http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/geoff/prognotes/mussorgsky/pictures.html
title: Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition
1999 by Geoff Kuenning

What use is a planetarium if...

We found this (group) Letter To The Editor in Rick's things :

An Appropriate Mix

What is an appropriate mix for IPS conferences? We must first define the end to which we are working: the accurate informative depiction of the universe in which we live. The accuracy challenge was well stated by Jeanne Bishop (IPS 1988 Richmond, March 1989 Planetarian) and widely supported by all who wrote in response.

However, we seem to quickly divide into separate camps of planetariums vs. astronomy, and entertainment vs. education. Encouraged by the mass media, many of us view learning and recreation as exclusive activities. They do not have to be, as shown by the large numbers of amateur astronomers, bird-watchers and wildlife photographers for whom a knowledge of the natural world forms the core of their recreation. Education should never be placed in a separate column from entertainment.

The marvelous technical innovations and hardware of the planetarium fields are necessary tools, but the best equipped planetarium cannot compete with the multi-million dollar effects of Hollywood. We cannot and must not try to make a show run on its effects or a big-name narrator. To do so would make us only a third-rate imitation of the mass media.

The other side of this ugly coin is the lack of modern science and the total avoidance of controversial subjects. Attitudes like "No one will understand or care" serve only to isolate our community and foster Scientific Elitism. Topics from the mainstream of modern astronomy that are given good coverage in the popular science press are often either badly distorted or altogether ignored in planetarium programming. For example, in the last five years recent advances in cosmology have been featured in Astronomy Magazine, Sky and Telescope, the National Geographic and Scientific American as well as Newsweek, Time, The Wall Street Journal and others.

With this in mind we make a plea for the continued inclusion of pure astronomy in conference schedules. We in the planetarium community have a vehicle to combat scientific illiteracy. A working knowledge of basic, up-to-date astronomy is essential for anyone making presentations to audiences who trust us as authorities.

1989?
John Beaver
Mike DiMuzio
Douglas A. Fowler
Susan Peterson
Richard Pirko

Most importantly -- friendship...

Phil Plante wrote this in the November 2008 The Meterorite, newsletter of the MVAS (Mahoning Valley Astronomical Society):

"During the 1980’s there continued to be an influx of YSU students and planetarium staff into the MVAS. This had all started a decade earlier with Ron Parise, Warren Young and Ed Bishop becoming MVAS members. Keeping with this trend, in March of 1985, Rick had come aboard as a member of the MVAS. By the time summer came around Rick was involved in the first of his many observatory projects. He helped rebuild the roof around the 16” dome when it was removed on July 27th. This was done in order raise the circular tracks by 6 inches to solve a leaky roof problem. For most members this would have been enough volunteer work. But Rick offered more. Along with his workload as a planetarium technician and producer, he took on double duty as the MVAS Treasurer and as the Observatory Director until 1988. Rick also ran the annual Christmas raffle in 1986 and 1987. During the winter of ’86-’87 he also supervised the re-tooling of the 8” focuser and drive; the machine work being done at a YSU machine shop.
During the 1990’s Rick served as master of ceremonies and even as keynote speaker for many of the MVAS-OTAA meetings. He blossomed in the field of photography, especially capturing conjunctions, planetary alignments, solstice photography and eclipses. He had traveled to the snowy landscape of Canada and to the sunny beaches of Baja, Mexico for total solar eclipses. In 1994, he flew into Toledo, OH to be on the centerline for the May 10 annular eclipse. He captured a timed multiple exposure sequence of this eclipse on one frame. He was proud of it and rightly so. It is often displayed in the planetarium. After this eclipse flight, Rick seemed to become increasingly interested in space flight and aviation in general. In April of 1996, he traveled to Russia for a tour of the old Soviet space facilities at Star City. Not long afterwards he received a pilot’s license for gliding. He soon joined the Cleveland Soaring Society. Eventually he’d qualify as a pilot of powered flight.

"In 2001, the MVAS decided to replace the steel 8” building with a wood construction. The first attempt by the membership was a disaster. Upon seeing this, Rick hired a contractor to erect a proper frame onto which members could complete the building as it is today. Rick asked for no compensation, paying for the frame-work out of pocket. In most ways we are indebted to Rick for the building we enjoy today.

"In 2000 and 2001, Rick arranged a flying/ observing outing with the MVAS and the CSS. For a greatly reduced fee, MVAS members could go up in a glider. Later at night the Soaring Society held picnic dinners and MVAS members would set up telescopes to look through.

"For those of us that had the privilege of knowing Rick, we will always remember his quiet smile. His willingness to teach astronomy to anyone so interested. His familiar and comforting planetarium presentations. His dedication to the Planetarium and to the MVAS. And most importantly, Rick’s friendship."

note on photo: Rick addressing the 1999 MVAS-OTAA meeting, reviewing the history
behind the 60th anniversary of MVAS. -- Photo by Bob Andress

Renaissance man

Ernie Conover writes:
He is greatly missed. A great mind and true Renaissance man. Too young to die, but only the good die young.

Knowledge as a way of life

John N Swegan said...
I first met Rick when I hung around his younger brother back in high school. Little did I know how he would affect so many other lives in their quest for knowledge. Knowledge: knowing his family, that is more than just a word, but a way of life. I've seen it in his parents and siblings. The quest for knowledge comes not only from seeking it, but in sharing it and seeing how the knowledge you share is seen through the eyes of others.

When my daughter called me about his death, I was shocked. The last time I had seen him was several years back, at his father's funeral. He was like that rock that was always there, one on which his family bound themselves. Now the rock is gone, but he has made sure that future generations will remember him, his work, and his passions. Nobody ever left his presence without being richer for the experience.

The magical insanity of the natural born lineman...

Robert P. Palermo sends some stories; here is one on October 26:

"1:23 pm, Sunday:
"It's Sunday, the day after the memorial service for Rick that I just attended. I received the news about Rick from my sister Patricia, who still lives in the Girard, Ohio Area and the feeling of the loss of a old great friend had overwhelmed me. For the following week I could do nothing but recount the many years of insanity that Rick and I had shared together and from those times I wanted to share the experiences of those days with Ricks other friends.

"Jim Johnston and I are two of Rick's oldest friends and while over the years our paths had taken us away from each other there were many special and magical times that we shared. I had met Rick thru another mutual friend John Biviano who had asked me to provide a ride for Rick to some high school function. Since in those days I did not drive, my sister was good enough to provide chauffeur services on my behalf. After meeting Rick and spending some time with him I knew that we were going to be friends. Rick had a way of living life with a certain kind of zest and devil may care attitude that was very attractive.

"Rick got me to join up with the Radio Crew in high school which consisted of Jim, John and Rick. The original geek squad as Jim has pointed out in his blog. ( If we knew there was going to be some money in this we would have stuck together. I guess it was case that we were ahead of our time.) The radio crew was responsible for setting up all the PA equipment for the schools for special events, and especially setting up and running the phones between the pressbox and the field for the coaches during the Niles football games. Those duties extended to away games where we brought along our own equipment and set up the vital communications between the pressbox coaches and the field coaches. High school football was rather vicious in those days and phones provided by the other schools during away games many times were tapped by those schools trying to listen in . We took our jobs very seriously and ran our own lines down to the field from the pressbox. Many times this required some ambitious climbing and dangling from precarious positions to get the lines strung and that job fell to Rick who was a natural born lineman.

"It was interesting that I was brought into this group as I knew nothing about electronics or wiring or anything even remotely connected to this field. I had grown up working in my fathers garage learning about cars and things mechanical. However the guys were willing to teach , and I was willing to learn. Jim was the brilliant one and had the unique ability to design almost anything electronic and explain the theory about how things would work. I barely understood some of the words he was using let alone understanding what in the world he said.

"It was Rick who would take Jim's explanations and break it down so that I could understand (something around Sesame Street level) After awhile I could honestly say I understood about 10% of what was being said. My forte' as it were was things mechanical having been blessed with the natural understanding of these things from my father who was a natural born mechanical engineer. Over time my talents and Rick's ended up complimenting each other and the result was some pretty incredible stories over the next 10 years. It is my most fervent desire to post as many of these stories as I can here so that others can share in the experiences that we once lived. Stay Tuned, there's a lot more to come. "
Sincerely, Robert P. Palermo

Also read Practical Joke Part 1
Also read Rick and DPB Incident
Also read Rick's First Laser Light Show
Also read Rick Going Fast, Going Far
Also read The Eclipse

Soldier on the front line

James Randi recorded and sent his spoken personal message to honor Rick on October 25 at the memorial service in the Ward Beecher Planetarium. Many thanks to Mr. Randi (and to Rick's wife, Victoria) for graciously allowing us to also share it here.
If the video does not load or play, try clicking here

Holy Books

elecpenciljim wrote this on his own blog Elecpencil on Saturday, October 25, 2008

Of Holy Books to Rick

"I got up this morning with every intention of going to a memorial at YSU's Planetarium for Rick Pirko. The arthritis in my back, knee and bursitus in my hip had other plans for me. By afternoon I was able to try and speed limp out to the mailbox. I was rewarded with my monthly invite to join AARP and a free copy of, Arthritis Today. Nothing like kicking a guy when he's down and adding insult to injury.

"Since I didn't make it to YSU I'd like to say this about Rick:
I got to know Rick Pirko as a fellow member of the Valley Co-alition of Peace and Justice. I enjoyed talking to Rick while we held signs at Friday afternoon protests against the Iraq war. I remember reading a Letter to the Editor of The Jambar Rick had written. I discussed it with him while protesting, telling him how much I liked what he had written.

"Read Rick's Letter to The Editor of YSU’s The Jambar 2/10/05 here
2/14/06 Letter here
Digging up that letter I note how Rick was sure right about where the Bush economy was headed. I laughed aloud when I read, 'I hoard my Canadian Quarters.'

"I’m Rick’s age and only wish that I had been able to accomplish half as much at Rick did in his lifetime.

"Being a religious skeptic like Rick and hearing the story of him removing bibles from hotel rooms I'm posting this poem (posted here as an article to save space) I wrote some time ago. I hope he would have liked it:

Of Holy Books

"Christians are portraying Moslems who follow their holy book, the Koran as intolerant murderers, criminals and terrorists. Some Christians are saying, atrocities such as the attack on 9/11 can easily be attributed to the prophet Mohammed and the god, Allah. They point out Koran verses that preach hate like the following: 'Don’t associate with those of other faiths.' 'Don’t receive them into you home or even exchange greetings with them.' Others who don’t share your beliefs have an 'evil heart.'

"It gets even more intolerant when you read; 'God destroys those who don’t believe in him.' When the god in this supposed 'Holy Book' isn’t killing someone, which he seems to do on many pages, he is ordering his followers to kill any friends or family that worships a god different than him. He says to kill them in their very own church. He orders, 'Kill all inhabitants of any city where people worship different than you.' There are holy verses that call for the elimination of entire ethnic groups including women, children, animals and even trees. He tells his followers to, hide along the road wait for women and then kidnap, rape and marry them. This god tells his followers you are 'of God' and everyone else is wicked.

"You best believe there’s a lot to fear from this faith when you read, 'Everyone will have to worship the prophet---whether they want to or not.' They place themselves above all laws by the verse, 'A follower cannot be accused of any wrongdoing.' I’ve only scratched the surface of the hate and evil deeds in this so called, 'Holy Book.'

"Knowing that their faith could crumble if it were to under go any free and critical thinking, this prophet tells his followers to avoid philosophy. That just proves that ignorance is bliss.

"Surely this hate-filled book should never be in a library. It should also never be allowed in a school. Banning it is just not enough. All copies of it need to be immediately burned. If I were a politician who espoused 'family values', I’d strike the first match. Clerics of every religion should be calling for a funeral pyre of this unholy book. It’s little wonder that its followers’ fight constant wars and justify them.

"I did extensive research that buried my desk in a pyramid of paper to write this poem. Gathering so much info can get confusing. That’s my excuse because I have just realized, oops, my bad, the aforementioned verses are really from the Bible’s Old and New Testaments, instead of the Koran. All holy books tend to have some type of the hate filled quotes from above in them. Such statements taint any good that can be found in these books. We need to know what’s in our own back yard before we ask our neighbors to clean their back yard. Building fences between our neighbors is surely no way to build a better neighborhood.

"Peace to you Rick."

Tour of the Universe, food great, the company even better

Ted Seman sent this October 25, 2008:

"Rick was a friend who I very much enjoyed seeing and occasionally working with during the many years I knew him. We met when I attended the university as an undergraduate student in the department, so very long ago. I remember numerous ‘tech talk’ discussions we had in the planetarium, where he would show me some current engineering/design work he was involved with at the time. He and I had a common interest in electronics and I had a great deal of respect for what he was able to do as an engineer and technician. I really enjoyed those discussions, as well as a number of collaborations with Rick as I would help make ready a piece of hardware for use in the planetarium.

"I also recall how, on a Friday or Saturday evening, I would take a break from working on some project of my own in a department lab shortly before a 6:00 or 8:00 show and visit Rick in the planetarium workroom, and then stay for a show or presentation he would host. Rick was a great lecturer and producer. I enjoyed the many presentations he gave as well as the content of the programs, for which he was largely responsible. Sometimes we would go out for a bite to eat or coffee after a planetarium show (Inner Circle, Fred's New Life Diner, Denny's... etc.) The food was great and the company even better. Other fond (and fun) memories that come to my mind include the many Halloween ‘Night Lights’ shows. After some of the season’s later shows (when the pumpkins were ripe enough to get up and walk out on their own) we would all haul them to the top of Ward Beecher Hall for the dumpster tossing contest. What a mess it made-- but we had such a great time! (And lest we not forget: turning off streetlights with a laser while we were up there, too!) After one show, we went to Denny's restaurant, with Rick packing some dry ice in his coffee mug. The waitress has a very foggy memory of that cup she served up!! She jumped, and we laughed!! Another fond memory I have is being invited out to the farm for dinner and just walking around your land and talking...

"Aside from his talents, and the good times and memories, I respected Rick for his opinions and views on matters of importance. We saw eye to eye on things like the value of good education, discipline, hard work and common sense. His passing is a great loss to us all, and I will truly miss him. I last saw Rick earlier this year in the planetarium workroom. I had dropped by the department for a visit, and stopped in to see if he was around. Sure enough, he was. We had a nice conversation about the lighting in the planetarium as he displayed new LED panels he had been working with. But time was ticking on and I had to hit the road. My visit ended with a smile, a handshake and a few closing words. Unknown to me then, it was the last time I would see him. Perhaps by some Cosmic Order of things, we will see him again. And maybe then Rick will be able to take us on a tour of the Universe that no planetarium could ever provide. We can only hope...

“In Friendship and with my Deepest Sympathy,”
Ted Seman