All Entries in the "Memories" Category
An Essay.
All apologies to Audrey who wrote this essay. She originally wrote it for the blog-a-thon, back in December ’06, and unfortunately it fell through the cracks. Thanks go to Joel, though, for finding a home for the essay here, on Celebrating Sagan.
Ten years ago, the world lost a great man, astronomer, and teacher. Last month, Dr. Carl Sagan would have celebrated his 72nd birthday. I often wonder, if he had lived to see today, what he would think about the state of our world. I can only imagine the look of disappointment in his eyes, upon seeing our flimsy world held up by the hands of reckless politicians who attempt to prop up it up with nuclear weapons – the same politicians who have threatened our existence with their negligence, minimizing or flat out ignoring issues of global warming. Where are the necessary CO2 emission standards? Of course, it is far more convenient for our generation to ignore the issue of global warming due to it’s gradual process (just as the evolutionary process of man is) which will affect future generations. By ignoring the growing problem, we are sentencing our children and grandchildren to a grim fate.
Why is it that most people are only willing to give attention to the acute issues of national and/or global security? Is the American public so short-sighted and selfish that we’ll allow our world to crumble, so long as it doesn’t happen within our lifetimes? For those people who question or ignore such unsettling truths, from where, I wonder, does their skepticism originate? Perhaps, just as many do with organized religion, people find comfort in that which is convenient.
Dr. Carl Sagan, a man who was deeply interested in the nature of all things, fought very hard to convey the urgent message to the public concerning our threatened existence, relating to the increasing number of nuclear weapons being produced, and those countries who have ownership over them – including the U.S. Which raises another question: why do we feel so entitled? Why should we, and only we be able to have nuclear weapons? Are we really so sane and trustworthy?
Carl also stressed the importance of our government’s involvement in regulating the number of CO2 emissions into our atmosphere. Without the United States intervention, as we are the leading contributor in this issue, our temperatures will continue to rise in relation to the number of CO2 particles in our atmosphere, unleashing a global disaster.
More than anything, Carl often spoke of the importance of realizing that all human beings are one – born of the stars; one species, one family, and from the cosmic perspective, undivided by countries, political parties, religion, or race.
If we hope to live to see tomorrow so that we will be able to continue to learn more about ourselves, our world, and the infinite mysteries of the universe, as Carl hoped we would, we must come together and realize that there is a more worthy cause we all should be fighting for: the continuing existence of mankind.
We seem to have a purpose after all, and according to Carl, a spectacular one. We are, after all, “a way for the cosmos to know itself.”
Let’s honor him by listening to his message, and come together to take action.
“Our small planet, at this moment, here we face a critical point in history. What we do with our world, right now, will propagate down through the centuries and powerfully affect the destiny of our descendants. It is well within our power to destroy our civilization and perhaps our species as well. If we capitulate to superstition or greed or stupidity, we can plunge our world into a darkness deeper than the time between the collapse of classical civilization and the Italian renaissance. But we are also capable of using our compassion and our intelligence, our technology and our wealth to make an abundant and meaningful life for every inhabitant of this planet. To enhance enormously our understanding of the universe, and to carry us to the stars.”
-Carl Sagan, 1980.
from the series “Cosmos,” (A Journey Through Space and Time.)
Popularity: 4% [?]
Marriage, Sagan, and the Canary Islands
Hi,
This is Panta from Canary Islands, Spain.
Here is my little contribution to your memory, Mr. Sagan.
When I got married I wrote my future wife a text becoming from Cosmos :
‘En la inmensidad del tiempo y la infinitud del tiempo mi alegría es
compartir un lugar y una época contigo’
Thanks for so many specials moments Doc.
I will always have got an special place for you in my heart and mind.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Carl Sagan Gathering article in this week’s Ithaca Times
Larry Klaes wrote an article about the Sagan Gathering for the Ithaca Times this week. Check it out here or just read on below.
A Organizational Voyage
By Larry Klaes
Cornell University professor and world-renowned astronomer and scientist Carl Sagan unquestionably is one of Ithaca’s most well-known former residents, having lived in this town from his arrival to teach at the university in 1968 until his death from myelodysplasia in late 1996.
As a scientist and educator, Sagan brought the wonders of the universe to millions of people through his writings and other works for decades. He also worked tirelessly with his wife, Ann Druyan, the CEO of Cosmos Studios, to support, promote, and debate the most pressing social issues of his time, many of which are still with us today.
When Patrick Fish was in the eighth grade, he watched Sagan’s landmark Cosmos television series on PBS when it premiered in 1980. Fish found Sagan to be an “island of sanity” in his world.
Fish’s sense of wonder and admiration for Sagan only grew during the years, even as his life took him in several different directions. Last January, Fish learned about the blog-a-thon that took place across the Internet, honoring Sagan on Dec. 20, the 10th anniversary of his death. The online celebration inspired the Utica resident to become familiar with his boyhood hero again.
“I read a lot about and by Carl that was online,” said Fish. “I became reacquainted with Sagan and his ideas, such as his studies of the greenhouse effect that makes the planet Venus so hot and its relationship to our understanding of global warming on Earth. I also admired how Sagan used his research into the concept of nuclear winter to play a role in pressuring the United States and Soviet Union to give up on the idea that a thermonuclear attack could be winnable for either side during the Cold War. Sagan was a scientist who did not lose his humane ethic.”
A recent visit to Sagan’s resting place at Lakeview Cemetery, where Fish was struck by the “humbleness” of the late astronomer’s grave marker and several articles about the man resting at the site, led him to begin solidifying the idea of a permanent tribute to Sagan in his longtime residence.
“At first I thought getting this idea rolling would be difficult,” explained Fish. “However, I found only goodwill towards Sagan and his memory in Ithaca.”
Fish’s initial plan involves the upcoming Ithaca Festival Parade on May 31. He plans to have a car-float in the parade that reflects on some of the major themes and events of Sagan’s life.
“My plan is to have a model of the twin Voyager space probes that explored the outer Solar System in the 1970s and 1980s. I would like to have the hubcaps on each of my car’s tires covered with a replica of the golden Interstellar Record placed aboard each Voyager probe,” said Fish. The golden records contain images, messages, and music from humanity to anyone who finds those robot craft drifting through space in the distant future.
Other items for the Sagan parade float include a rendition of the plaque placed aboard two other earlier space probes named Pioneer 10 and 11 and a model of the Cosmos 1 solar sail craft, which did not achieve Earth orbit when its launch rocket failed in 2005.
Fish also hopes to use his parade float for the promotion and growth of the Sagan Appreciation Society (SAS), which he describes as “an ad hoc group of science-minded folk, skeptics, humanists, environmentalists, peaceniks, Sagan fanboys and girls, etc.”
“The participation in the parade will be the first public act of the SAS,” stated Fish. “The warm reaction to the idea of a Sagan parade-float lead to expanding the concept beyond just a parade entry and into a Sagan Gathering that will overlap and hopefully cross-pollinate with the Ithaca Festival. Up until this point, we’ve had no media exposure and no outreach campaign yet, and already we have commitments from as far away as Indiana. But what we need are more Ithaca-area people to get involved in the planning process.”
Fish is also looking for people who knew Carl Sagan who would like to talk and share their stories about Sagan, perhaps as part of a series of panel discussions. “Men like Sagan motivate people. Those who knew him can really energize the public to deal with issues Sagan brought up that still go on today.” Fish, who would ultimately like to see a Carl Sagan statue standing in Ithaca Commons, mirrored one of his mentor’s concerns that have only compounded with time.
“Our culture has become more reliant on science and technology than ever before, but we are understanding it less and less, such as genetically modified foods. Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan brought an artful way for a passionate expression of science. They were definitely in love with science, which not everyone appreciates or understands, but it is critical to the survival of our species and every other species on Earth.”
To participate in the Sagan Appreciation Society and the Ithaca Festival parade float, contact Patrick Fish at this e-mail address: SaganGathering@yahoo.com.
- Larry Klaes
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Sagan Brigade at Ithaca Festival
Pat recently wrote to us to ask for help in putting together a Sagan Brigade for the Ithaca Festival Parade which takes place in early June. The parade form deadline is March 17th, so if your interested in participating please email Pat ASAP at SaganGathering@yahoo.com, or help spread the word. Here’s a bit of what Pat has in mind:
It would be an opportunity for an uninhibited Sagan fellowship, a celebration of the man in the small city he called home. It would be a good opportunity to remind people of Sagan’s continuing impact as well as a lighthearted way to put a public face on secularism, humanism, evolution, freethought, critical thinking, ethical science, skepticism, and yes, non-theism.
Again, email Pat ASAP at SaganGathering@yahoo.com if you’re interested in celebrating Sagan at this summer’s Ithaca Festival.
Popularity: 8% [?]
My son, Sagan. Part Two.
A friend sent me a link to your site. I saw the photo of SmW’s son, Sagan, posted on Feb 14. Our son is named Sagan too!
When camping last year we met another family with a 5 year old named Sagan.
I wonder how many of us are out there? There must be thousands! I am attaching a picture of our Sagan. What a legacy! I hope Carl Sagan would have been proud.
Heather, and son Sagan, born 01/05/03.
Popularity: 8% [?]
My son, Sagan
Heres our contribution to “Celebrating Sagan”… my son Sagan. My husband and I can’t wait to watch Cosmos with our kids and explain to them who this great man was. I get lots of comments on the name and he gives me an opportunity to explain to others the meaning behind it.
- SmW
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Cosmic Calendar
In response to the Cosmic Clock post, Larry Klaes wrote to remind of us of Carl’s Cosmic Calendar:
Popularity: 10% [?]
Three Bedrooms – A Tribute to Carl Sagan
Scott Thompson emailed us the link to his blog-a-thon post, which is a worthwhile read. Here’s a excerpt:
When I was a young teen in 1980 there were three televisions in the house: One was in the small family room, and was typically shared by my parents. Another was in their bedroom – used primarily by my father to watch Kansas City Chiefs football games on crisp fall weekends. In my own inner sanctum – my bedroom, I had a little 13-inch GE black-and-white set, which I mostly used for watching PBS and Star Trek. It was on my little television that I learned about the coming premiere of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos.
Cosmos so intrigued me that I was motivated to leave the electronics and Lego and book-strewn confines of my own bedroom in search of a color television. I knew I needed to see stars and galaxies, nebulae and molecules in vivid color. I persuaded my parents to let me use their bedroom color television to watch the series, no small task given their dubious view of science-fiction, their abhorrence of evolution and general mystification regarding science. I eventually won the argument with assurances of the series’ educational value and reassurance of “non-sinful” content. Every week, I’d find myself plopped on my parents white king-sized comforter, propped-chin-in-hands, waiting for the next astonishing (my favorite Cosmos word) installment to propel my mind far from my pedestrian Ozarks home.
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celebratingsagan
When I was at home with my family in the Christmas Eve I just looked at my library and saw at the billions and billions book and realized that have been passed ten years since Carl Sagan left this world. Then I tought in all the things he taught me in his books, not only to really understand how vast is the space and the importance of the contamination and population growth control but the importance of questioning our thoughts and believes.
Ten years and is obvious that there is a lacking of someone who light the path of humanity from the ignorance and ambitions of power in this planet. In all these years population grew up from5.8 billions to 6.5 billions. The global heating has increased and there are countries where the PIB is less than USD 1000 per year. I could spend more time detailing each of these circumstances and listing much more, but is not my goal right now.
Are we living in a new age of obscurantism? It seems that is necessary a new renaissance of the humanity. But what is the way? Carl has buried a seed in every one who knew his work, and it is time for the new generation to do something for this world which is the only habitable until now that we know.
Well, I just wanted to say thanks Carl.
Leo
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