COSI II: The Wrath of Con
Written by Tim Higgins | | letters@toledofreepress.comFor all of you SciFi geeks out there, no further explanation of this title is necessary as you remember the second of the Star Trek movies, with the return of one of its mostinteresting bad guys, Khan Noonien Singh. Played by Ricardo Montalban , the character in question was a product of genetic engineering gone wrong (you know, a freak of science). In his participation in the original Star Trek series, he was rescued from suspended animation after a failed attempt to conquer his environment (the Earth). Revived, he then tries to take the Enterprise away from Captain Kirk and the crew; but was ultimately foiled by a member of the crew that he has previously conned into joining his revolution. In payment for this further betrayal, he is given yet another chance (thus ending his TV appearance).
In the movie, we are informed that this second chance also fails to fare well for he and his band of followers. Undaunted by these repeated setbacks however, Khan manages to capture the first passing spaceship and once again sets off on a voyage of conquest and revenge. With references to no less than “Moby Dick” (not the last time that this will be used in the Trek movies), Khan is once again foiled by the galant captain and crew of the Enterprise; but not before he destroys a few lives and manages to blow up a significant part of his surroundings.
OK, OK the parallels between this and the Toledo Center of Science and Industry are undeniable. The exception however, is that we don’t yet know what damage will be done when the COSI facility is revived. It will be revived however, for those of you who didn’t know, as the levy to do so (Issue 37), was passed by a fair margin. Taxpayers will now provide funding at the level of about $1,250,000 per year to provide for … well actually we really don’t know do we? The supporters of Issue 37 and COSI managed to reach into the taxpayer wallet without managing to provide any specifics as to what would be done with the money. COSI will be “new”, “different”, and “exciting”; but how it will be any of these things has yet to be determined. Fancy displays and plans were shown at each of the press conferences and rallies, but spokesman for COSI at these events were careful to call these displays as potential. Even now with the levy passed, David Waterman (the COSI board chairman) was non-committal about which of these partners would make the final cut and what they would actually be doing. In truth, even the name COSI may no longer remain.
Not known as well, is the role that the city of Toledo will play in COSI going forward. In the past, Toledo provided the Portside building for a rent of $1 per year. Toledo likewise stood for the utility bills that COSI was unable to cover in a building described as inefficient. Toledo now has its own financial woes, and without the capital improvement budget to fall back on to make up gaps in its own budget, may find it more than difficult to continue its current level of support.
So where does that leave us with &#*^ (the symbols that used be known as COSI), perhaps with one of the greatest cons ever perpetrated on the voters of Toledo. Will the corporate sponsors, so quick to volunteer in a stronger economy, be able to contribute the level of participation that they promised? Will the city of Toledo be forced to cut COSI loose to its own devices because of its own woes? Will the $1.25 million per year be enough to allow COSI to survive? Will science scores in local schools take the upward leap promised by COSI supporters? Will any of the thousands of people who cried out for COSI’s return show up to visit more than once when it has reopened?
There will be those of us out there watching, let me assure you. As the line from another SciFi classic promises, “The truth is out there”.
