Comments on: Two takes on Titusville FL, a space shuttle ghost town http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 19 May 2013 03:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Rider http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160706 Rider Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160706 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq3Yoqf8xOo&feature=related that's the Titusville response video "Things To Do In Titusville." Two things to point out from some who lives near by. First, Titusville has always kind of been the ghetto of the space coast. Second, they may be a bit ahead of everyone but a good portion of Florida is looking exactly the same. Kissimmee has the same ghost town malls and our main street is quickly shirking from 5 blocks of wonderful shops to one block and a ton of empty store fronts. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq3Yoqf8xOo&feature=related

that’s the Titusville response video “Things To Do In Titusville.”

Two things to point out from some who lives near by. First, Titusville has always kind of been the ghetto of the space coast. Second, they may be a bit ahead of everyone but a good portion of Florida is looking exactly the same. Kissimmee has the same ghost town malls and our main street is quickly shirking from 5 blocks of wonderful shops to one block and a ton of empty store fronts.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160711 Antinous / Moderator Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160711 Or the honey badger guy. Also, we have one of those malls in Palm Springs. There's a radio Shack and three nail salons and a whole lot of empty. Even the Christian bookstore closed down. Or the honey badger guy.

Also, we have one of those malls in Palm Springs. There’s a radio Shack and three nail salons and a whole lot of empty. Even the Christian bookstore closed down.

]]> By: Abby http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160748 Abby Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160748 I don't know I hadn't worked out the connection in all these years. My grandmother lived in Titusville when she was young Here's a photo dated 1924: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbyladybug/639697473/ That town sure has seen a lot of strange things. I don’t know I hadn’t worked out the connection in all these years. My grandmother lived in Titusville when she was young Here’s a photo dated 1924: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbyladybug/639697473/

That town sure has seen a lot of strange things.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160515 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160515 I live in Brevard County. Titusville died in 1972. It's been rotting into the ground ever since. The Shuttle program wasn't enough to bring back the Apollo era population levels. Once the Shuttle program starts folding up, without the new jobs the Ares program was going to bring, North Brevard is doomed. I live in Brevard County. Titusville died in 1972. It’s been rotting into the ground ever since. The Shuttle program wasn’t enough to bring back the Apollo era population levels. Once the Shuttle program starts folding up, without the new jobs the Ares program was going to bring, North Brevard is doomed.

]]> By: razen cain http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160521 razen cain Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160521 So endth the lesson on being vegetarian in the deep south. So endth the lesson on being vegetarian in the deep south.

]]> By: Palomino http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160780 Palomino Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160780 Very interesting history. What do you expect of a city whose name was "won" in a domino game? But I think corrections need to be made too. I don't understand how a city of 45,000 can have a real estate tax base of 2.5 billion. Information about Titusville taxes does support the sarcasm behind the film: Titusville has the highest tax rate in the county AND has 55% fewer police than others its size in the state and business are closing and it also looks pretty dumpy, just take a ride using Google Maps. So where is all the tax money going? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titusville,_Florida http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Titusville,+FL&hl=en&ll=28.612178,-80.809765&spn=0.022868,0.038581&sll=33.502259,-112.023638&sspn=0.010861,0.01929&t=h&z=15 Very interesting history. What do you expect of a city whose name was “won” in a domino game?

But I think corrections need to be made too. I don’t understand how a city of 45,000 can have a real estate tax base of 2.5 billion.

Information about Titusville taxes does support the sarcasm behind the film: Titusville has the highest tax rate in the county AND has 55% fewer police than others its size in the state and business are closing and it also looks pretty dumpy, just take a ride using Google Maps. So where is all the tax money going?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titusville,_Florida

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Titusville,+FL&hl=en&ll=28.612178,-80.809765&spn=0.022868,0.038581&sll=33.502259,-112.023638&sspn=0.010861,0.01929&t=h&z=15

]]> By: Bubba http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160526 Bubba Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160526 That second vid was very poignant. Naturally I feel bad for anyone who loses their job but surely the soon to be ex NASA engineer won't have too hard a time finding a job, regardless of his age. I would have thought 'NASA' looks pretty good on any CV and so many companies would scoop those guys up. Still, sad days for all involved. That second vid was very poignant. Naturally I feel bad for anyone who loses their job but surely the soon to be ex NASA engineer won’t have too hard a time finding a job, regardless of his age. I would have thought ‘NASA’ looks pretty good on any CV and so many companies would scoop those guys up. Still, sad days for all involved.

]]> By: MacBookHeir http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160527 MacBookHeir Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160527 To a slightly lesser degree, this is what happened to Downey, CA when Downey's Rockwell NASA plant closed about 10 years ago - the heart of the city basically stopped beating and local stores closed or relocated - the old Rockwell plant has been turned into something called "Downey Studios" (some kind of production facility for films) but the city has yet to recover - this is what happens when a town becomes dependent upon one industry. PS - Downey has built a small space flight museum near where the old NASA plants were located To a slightly lesser degree, this is what happened to Downey, CA when Downey’s Rockwell NASA plant closed about 10 years ago – the heart of the city basically stopped beating and local stores closed or relocated – the old Rockwell plant has been turned into something called “Downey Studios” (some kind of production facility for films) but the city has yet to recover – this is what happens when a town becomes dependent upon one industry. PS – Downey has built a small space flight museum near where the old NASA plants were located

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160533 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160533 I had the pleasure of visiting the Titusville Beef o' Bradys post-launch on Friday and boy was that an experience. First, I was dismissed as a "city f****t" by a pair of gentlemen upon walking in, which was awesome. Then, upon being seated, I was solicited to purchase "Beef's Brew" which was only 99 cents. Man, it was SO awesome how it was cold enough to form ice! And how the ice and the beer foam were combing to make this jell-like light beer substance that floated at the top and tickled my nose with every sip. It was even better when I realized Beef's Brew was left over beer from other tables a la Always Sunny. OH! and the best part is that they had a million TV's and all of them were on Sportscenter and not one on NASA TV because, you know, who cares about the only thing that anyone goes to Titusville for? All sarcasm aside, I hate to dump all over a helpless small town that has been tainted by Mickey D's and Wal-Mart, but it's easy to dismiss Titusville if you have to actually deal with it. I had the pleasure of visiting the Titusville Beef o’ Bradys post-launch on Friday and boy was that an experience. First, I was dismissed as a “city f****t” by a pair of gentlemen upon walking in, which was awesome. Then, upon being seated, I was solicited to purchase “Beef’s Brew” which was only 99 cents. Man, it was SO awesome how it was cold enough to form ice! And how the ice and the beer foam were combing to make this jell-like light beer substance that floated at the top and tickled my nose with every sip. It was even better when I realized Beef’s Brew was left over beer from other tables a la Always Sunny.

OH! and the best part is that they had a million TV’s and all of them were on Sportscenter and not one on NASA TV because, you know, who cares about the only thing that anyone goes to Titusville for?

All sarcasm aside, I hate to dump all over a helpless small town that has been tainted by Mickey D’s and Wal-Mart, but it’s easy to dismiss Titusville if you have to actually deal with it.

]]> By: Benjamin http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160534 Benjamin Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160534 We ate at Dixie Crossroads when we drove down to Titusville to watch STS-131. We liked it. The restaurant was also nice. We ate at Dixie Crossroads when we drove down to Titusville to watch STS-131. We liked it. The restaurant was also nice.

]]> By: yrarbil cilbup http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1161060 yrarbil cilbup Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1161060 Gee how instructive, the cities and towns where the capitalist/fascist space shuttle were connected too are falling down and decaying, while the socialist peoples republic (russia) will be sending people to space for years to come. Where did all the prosperity go, why into the accumulating zeros in the Zurich bank accounts of fascist multinationals. Watch as your community crumbles and becomes more and more like a third world country as fascism slowly reams it out. Gee how instructive, the cities and towns where the capitalist/fascist space shuttle were connected too are falling down and decaying, while the socialist peoples republic (russia) will be sending people to space for years to come.

Where did all the prosperity go, why into the accumulating zeros in the Zurich bank accounts of fascist multinationals. Watch as your community crumbles and becomes more and more like a third world country as fascism slowly reams it out.

]]> By: mtdna http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160551 mtdna Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160551 He sounds like Kenneth the Page. He sounds like Kenneth the Page.

]]> By: mtdna http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160552 mtdna Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160552 Or Bobby Jindal. Or Bobby Jindal.

]]> By: cleclc http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160553 cleclc Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160553 Crossroads is pretty good, nom om om rockshrimp. I grew up and still live in Brevard County. Titusville never was a big city to start with. A majority of the NASA & associated contracting companies employees (Lockheed, Harris, CSR, ITT, etc) work further south towards Melbourne, some commute in from Orlando. It's a bit of an odd atmosphere around here now. There was a big build-up to the last launch, and now that it has passed, it feels like most people are in a holding pattern. Of the dozen or so NASA employees I'm close with, most are already ferrying out resumes to contractors, which is the direction the industry is heading towards. It'll be interesting to see what happens here, but a lot of people have a preconception that the county is going to fail now. Brevard is still the closest beach to Disney, and a major port. As long as the tourists still come... Crossroads is pretty good, nom om om rockshrimp. I grew up and still live in Brevard County. Titusville never was a big city to start with. A majority of the NASA & associated contracting companies employees (Lockheed, Harris, CSR, ITT, etc) work further south towards Melbourne, some commute in from Orlando.

It’s a bit of an odd atmosphere around here now. There was a big build-up to the last launch, and now that it has passed, it feels like most people are in a holding pattern. Of the dozen or so NASA employees I’m close with, most are already ferrying out resumes to contractors, which is the direction the industry is heading towards. It’ll be interesting to see what happens here, but a lot of people have a preconception that the county is going to fail now. Brevard is still the closest beach to Disney, and a major port. As long as the tourists still come…

]]> By: krylon http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160558 krylon Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160558 I went to U. of Miami and dated a girl from Titusville/Rockledge. Visiting there was always a strange experience - an oddly dilapidated city filled with a strange mix of people that was uniquely Florida. Favorite spot in that area by far is the Space Coast Flea Market. There's a guy there who's been selling records from a shack for the past 30 someodd years. We talked about Jimmy Dean for a good hour on a rainy day last year when I somehow found myself in Cocoa again last year in a converted Holiday Inn. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=flea+market+cocoa&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl I went to U. of Miami and dated a girl from Titusville/Rockledge. Visiting there was always a strange experience – an oddly dilapidated city filled with a strange mix of people that was uniquely Florida.

Favorite spot in that area by far is the Space Coast Flea Market. There’s a guy there who’s been selling records from a shack for the past 30 someodd years. We talked about Jimmy Dean for a good hour on a rainy day last year when I somehow found myself in Cocoa again last year in a converted Holiday Inn.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=flea+market+cocoa&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

]]> By: seadigs http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160818 seadigs Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160818 Having graduated from Titusville High School in 1974, my reaction is "wow, it sure has developed"! Having graduated from Titusville High School in 1974, my reaction is “wow, it sure has developed”!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160820 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160820 I just got back from the STS-135 shuttle launch (watched from Titusville), and I was struck at what an embarrassment that town is to the space program. I remember being stuck on route 50 heading back to Orlando and seeing a thrift shop (closed), a check cashing place, 2 pawn shops, and a bail bondsman, right after one another. Yikes. I just got back from the STS-135 shuttle launch (watched from Titusville), and I was struck at what an embarrassment that town is to the space program.

I remember being stuck on route 50 heading back to Orlando and seeing a thrift shop (closed), a check cashing place, 2 pawn shops, and a bail bondsman, right after one another. Yikes.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160568 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160568 I lived in Brevard County, 20 years ago, and worked as a reporter at Florida Today, the Space Coast's largest newspaper. Even then, Titusville wasn't much to speak of - a crappy little city populated by a strange mix of beach bums, ignorant Florida crackers, petty criminals and people whose work supported the (Kennedy) Space Center in some tangential manner. People around those parts say Titusville's heyday left with the Apollo program. It's been hanging on since the 70s, but I think the end of the Shuttle program will also prove to be the town's death knell. I lived in Brevard County, 20 years ago, and worked as a reporter at Florida Today, the Space Coast’s largest newspaper. Even then, Titusville wasn’t much to speak of – a crappy little city populated by a strange mix of beach bums, ignorant Florida crackers, petty criminals and people whose work supported the (Kennedy) Space Center in some tangential manner. People around those parts say Titusville’s heyday left with the Apollo program. It’s been hanging on since the 70s, but I think the end of the Shuttle program will also prove to be the town’s death knell.

]]> By: mccrum http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160570 mccrum Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160570 My hat is off to you, I'm not sure I could have discussed sausage for a quarter of that time. Wait. You're probably talking about the recording artist. Nevermind. My hat is off to you, I’m not sure I could have discussed sausage for a quarter of that time.

Wait. You’re probably talking about the recording artist. Nevermind.

]]> By: VagabondAstronomer http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160577 VagabondAstronomer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160577 "Come, come, last chance to see Crowd the shores and look to the east Towards distant metal towers that won't be used anymore And behold the spectacle that is last of its kind!" The circus cryer calls out to all In analog and with little ones and zeroes Beckoning all, and sure enough, they come Like they've never come before The people at the stores and shops Never seen such a crowd And then wonder where they have been Hiding, perhaps? Certainly disinterested A town whose fate was tied to fortunes Things that were beyond their control Idly wonders what lies ahead After the crowds disappear Those centers of commerce along the highway All are fading now With names like Searstown The Miracle City Mall is all but bones now In the distance, the towers still stand With some soon to be silenced forever Their fate, like that of the town's Tied to things beyond their control Still, some bits of screaming, roaring metal Resplendent cylinders of fuel and fire Will be flung from towers more distant Into the cosmic abyss For now the circus cryer continues his song The people come and watch As a proud legacy slips into history While a nation bickers "Come, come, last chance to see..." “Come, come, last chance to see
Crowd the shores and look to the east
Towards distant metal towers that won’t be used anymore
And behold the spectacle that is last of its kind!”

The circus cryer calls out to all
In analog and with little ones and zeroes
Beckoning all, and sure enough, they come
Like they’ve never come before

The people at the stores and shops
Never seen such a crowd
And then wonder where they have been
Hiding, perhaps? Certainly disinterested

A town whose fate was tied to fortunes
Things that were beyond their control
Idly wonders what lies ahead
After the crowds disappear

Those centers of commerce along the highway
All are fading now
With names like Searstown
The Miracle City Mall is all but bones now

In the distance, the towers still stand
With some soon to be silenced forever
Their fate, like that of the town’s
Tied to things beyond their control

Still, some bits of screaming, roaring metal
Resplendent cylinders of fuel and fire
Will be flung from towers more distant
Into the cosmic abyss

For now the circus cryer continues his song
The people come and watch
As a proud legacy slips into history
While a nation bickers

“Come, come, last chance to see…”

]]> By: seyo http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160590 seyo Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160590 no way I would have ordered the veggie burger there. order of french fries, and a salad. safest way to get through that experience. no way I would have ordered the veggie burger there. order of french fries, and a salad. safest way to get through that experience.

]]> By: davejenk1ns http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160594 davejenk1ns Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160594 So, they had steady jobs (31 years!) at a government payroll rate, and lived next to the ocean? Land was dirt-cheap? Sounds like a pretty good run to me. The others (carpenter, taxi driver) seem to have skills that can be deployed anywhere, not dependent on the government teat of NASA. Tell me where I'm supposed to be sad? The Challenger disaster? Yeah, I was sad, but that was just as sad when I saw it on TeeVee in Salt Lake City. I'm getting confused here-- sad for a dying town, or sad because some astronauts died? This film mixes and jumbles them up. Oh! I get it-- this was a videographer promoting his work! Okay, now I get it. So, they had steady jobs (31 years!) at a government payroll rate, and lived next to the ocean? Land was dirt-cheap? Sounds like a pretty good run to me. The others (carpenter, taxi driver) seem to have skills that can be deployed anywhere, not dependent on the government teat of NASA.

Tell me where I’m supposed to be sad? The Challenger disaster? Yeah, I was sad, but that was just as sad when I saw it on TeeVee in Salt Lake City. I’m getting confused here– sad for a dying town, or sad because some astronauts died? This film mixes and jumbles them up. Oh! I get it– this was a videographer promoting his work! Okay, now I get it.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1164181 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1164181 Satellite Beach (Get it? Space- satellite...) is my hometown, a quiet beachside community 20 or so minutes south of Titusville. After living in that quaint town for some twenty-odd years I moved on to modern civilization. While the town is made up mostly of retired and/or current military personnel and those who make their weapons (Northrup Grumman, Harris, Lockheed Martin), there are scatterings of NASA employees. My grandfather-in-law worked as a rocket scientist (no, really) at NASA for 30 years. He recently retired and we often talk about the future of the small towns surrounding the Cape (Canaveral, that is). As he has pointed out time and again, NASA and space flight will not be disappearing from the Space Coast. Already there are many private contractors lined up preparing to test flight out of the Cape. Yes, some jobs will be lost, though many more are expected to be gained. I'm not sure why many Brevard County residents fear that their (our) county will become a ghost county like the town of Titusville. Any long term resident knows that Titusville was always a hole-in-the-county. As commenter 11 put it Titusville has been and will always remain "a crappy little city populated by a strange mix of beach bums, ignorant Florida crackers, petty criminals and people whose work supported the (Kennedy) Space Center in some tangential manner." Satellite Beach (Get it? Space- satellite…) is my hometown, a quiet beachside community 20 or so minutes south of Titusville. After living in that quaint town for some twenty-odd years I moved on to modern civilization. While the town is made up mostly of retired and/or current military personnel and those who make their weapons (Northrup Grumman, Harris, Lockheed Martin), there are scatterings of NASA employees. My grandfather-in-law worked as a rocket scientist (no, really) at NASA for 30 years. He recently retired and we often talk about the future of the small towns surrounding the Cape (Canaveral, that is). As he has pointed out time and again, NASA and space flight will not be disappearing from the Space Coast. Already there are many private contractors lined up preparing to test flight out of the Cape. Yes, some jobs will be lost, though many more are expected to be gained. I’m not sure why many Brevard County residents fear that their (our) county will become a ghost county like the town of Titusville. Any long term resident knows that Titusville was always a hole-in-the-county. As commenter 11 put it Titusville has been and will always remain “a crappy little city populated by a strange mix of beach bums, ignorant Florida crackers, petty criminals and people whose work supported the (Kennedy) Space Center in some tangential manner.”

]]> By: sam1148 http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160606 sam1148 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160606 We had fun browsing a couple of really funkey second hand shops there quite a few years ago. They had lots of Kitschy things that looked straight out the 60's space age. Big oversize table lamps, boomerang coffee tables, satellite wall clocks..etc. We ended up with some big ceramic ashtrays and 1950's ceramic flamingo--bookshelf, not yard sized. We had fun browsing a couple of really funkey second hand shops there quite a few years ago. They had lots of Kitschy things that looked straight out the 60′s space age. Big oversize table lamps, boomerang coffee tables, satellite wall clocks..etc.
We ended up with some big ceramic ashtrays and 1950′s ceramic flamingo–bookshelf, not yard sized.

]]> By: Patolds http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1161120 Patolds Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1161120 I did the same when I left the univarsity. I did the same when I left the univarsity.

]]> By: Frenchfarmer http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160609 Frenchfarmer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160609 About the veggie burger,check out the use of wood pulp in food. Particularily in vegetarian food. If you are eating only vegetarian but not Organic then avoid wholefoods as all the pesticides are in the skins of potatoes and the husks of cereals and rice. About the veggie burger,check out the use of wood pulp in food.
Particularily in vegetarian food.
If you are eating only vegetarian but not Organic then avoid wholefoods as all the pesticides are in the skins of potatoes and the husks of cereals and rice.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160611 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160611 The superiority conferred upon you by your cynicism is duly noted. All hail. The superiority conferred upon you by your cynicism is duly noted. All hail.

]]> By: VagabondAstronomer http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160613 VagabondAstronomer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160613 Dave, the video aside, it's always sad when a town dive, whether that town lived on a government or corporate teat. Titusville is not really a seaside town; that's Cocoa Beach or Melbourne. Titusville is on the Indian River lagoon system, over fifteen miles inland, and many of its residents worked in support capacities or for the contractors, but most worked for local businesses. I've spent a lot of time either in Titusville or passing through it, and the disintegration of this area over the past two decades has been sobering. Many have known for at least a decade that the shuttle program would be ending. Many have already moved on, but in a state where unemployment is already very high, options are few. For many, Titusville has become an employment vortex of sorts; you make just enough to live on, but not enough to save up and move out, or you're living unemployment check to unemployment check. And for most of the state of Florida, that is rapidly becoming the case. Dave, the video aside, it’s always sad when a town dive, whether that town lived on a government or corporate teat. Titusville is not really a seaside town; that’s Cocoa Beach or Melbourne. Titusville is on the Indian River lagoon system, over fifteen miles inland, and many of its residents worked in support capacities or for the contractors, but most worked for local businesses. I’ve spent a lot of time either in Titusville or passing through it, and the disintegration of this area over the past two decades has been sobering. Many have known for at least a decade that the shuttle program would be ending. Many have already moved on, but in a state where unemployment is already very high, options are few. For many, Titusville has become an employment vortex of sorts; you make just enough to live on, but not enough to save up and move out, or you’re living unemployment check to unemployment check. And for most of the state of Florida, that is rapidly becoming the case.

]]> By: Stefan Jones http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160642 Stefan Jones Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160642 My parents' winter place is south of downtown, near the flea market Krylon mentions. I'll have to forward a link to the video to them. To judge from the couple of times I visited, Titusville is as much a retiree community as a space program community. My folks go on a circuit through the area, visiting thrift store after thrift store. There's a pretty good bakery / cafe downtown. It's hard to think of Titusville as a hopeless ghost town when I think of the OTHER place my parents' live, in Sullivan County, NY. Used to be an entertainment and vacation mecca . . . the "Borscht Belt." Now with many of the hotels closed or moribund the place is a backwater with pockets of ignorance and ingrained poverty. My parents’ winter place is south of downtown, near the flea market Krylon mentions. I’ll have to forward a link to the video to them.

To judge from the couple of times I visited, Titusville is as much a retiree community as a space program community. My folks go on a circuit through the area, visiting thrift store after thrift store. There’s a pretty good bakery / cafe downtown.

It’s hard to think of Titusville as a hopeless ghost town when I think of the OTHER place my parents’ live, in Sullivan County, NY. Used to be an entertainment and vacation mecca . . . the “Borscht Belt.” Now with many of the hotels closed or moribund the place is a backwater with pockets of ignorance and ingrained poverty.

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2011/07/12/two-takes-on-titusvi.html#comment-1160898 Mister44 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1160898 This is the problem when a whole city centers around one industry and nearly every business is connected to it in one way or another. This is why when I left collage I moved to Kansas City instead of the air plane industry dominated Wichita. This is the problem when a whole city centers around one industry and nearly every business is connected to it in one way or another. This is why when I left collage I moved to Kansas City instead of the air plane industry dominated Wichita.

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