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Monday, May 20, 2013
AUDIO OPINION: Endeavour flyover was an opportunity lost
by Isaac Gonzalez, published on September 25, 2012 at 3:52 PM
Storyline: OPINION
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The people of Sacramento proved that they will come together to celebrate a moment in history last week when the space shuttle Endeavour flew overhead on its way to its new home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
It’s too bad that instead of a well-organized festival to commemorate the once-in-a-lifetime event, visitors to downtown Sacramento had to fend for themselves and take their best guess about where and when to look to the skies. The city could have seized the day and done something special; like offer a free parking incentive so that people might stay a little longer and have lunch or go shopping, stay for a parade or festival, or otherwise further explore downtown.
The team at the Forum Podcast lament this missed opportunity in the two-minute clip above. What do you think of our reasoning? Are we right on the money? Or just complaining too much?
More insight and opinions on local affairs can be found on each episode of Forum at www.forumtownsquare.com. New shows each Tuesday and Thursday.
Disclosure:
Isaac Gonzalez is a co-host of the Forum podcast.
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On the other hand, thousands of people were outside and had a great time. No one really knew exactly when it would arrive (it was only about 15 minutes late), but we all knew to look south, didn't we? The second approach was arguably more predictable.
City seemed to do their job of keeping people safe. Parking enforcement visited the crowded parking structure where I was, but only to get people to get people off of the surrounding walls. Other than that, they were actually quite nice and joked with some of the spectators before moving on.
The space shuttle program inspired thousands of us to become teachers, scientists, engineers, explorers and yes, political activists & campaign staffers like myself. To see the shuttle program end without a proper replacement was poor politics, and last week's fly-by reminded those of us who cared that we aren't alone.
Space exploration is what's next in the timeline of humanity. The scientific and philosophical discoveries about our galaxy have opened our eyes to a universe we've never previously imagined. Space travel opens our minds to creativity and advances that affect our daily lives. Without NASA, we would not have developed:
•Tempur material or memory foam, now widely used in mattresses
•Lights that mimic the sun to help people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder
•Flame-retardant fabrics and heat-resistant materials
•Invisalign braces
•Bar coding
We MUST urge Congress to keep pushing for the stars. The future always hinges upon "what's next" decisions, and we can't afford to let this one go by. Thanks, Isaac, for sharing this quick podcast.
Thanks for asking. I've organized 10 clean-up events in Tahoe Park over the past two years. We've had hundreds of people from all over the city come to our events, which I work very hard to keep fun and enjoyable for the whole family. That includes working with the parks deparment and getting permits for street closing. I also have helped organize and volunteer at the TPNA Concert in the Park since I've been a board member. Besides organizing, I very much enjoying volunteering for other groups.