Almost 10 years later and there is still a debate about what type of effect to put at Ground Zero. We did have two huge spotlights that projected beams of daylight quality up into the sky. All was well until the migratory season of birds arrived. The light was so bright that birds used it as a navigational point of sunrise. They would fly towards the lights, circle them, drop a little message about being tricked and then fly off only to think a few miles later that they saw sunrise in the distance. And like a tourists trapped on the I-95 cloverleaf, they would retrace their path over and over again. After a while, people begin to complain about exhausted birds falling on them instead of being flipped at them. This prompted the powers-that-be to douse the lights for a few weeks so migrating flocks could continue on their predestined trip southward. (So if you live in Florida and are surprised to hear birds complaining about New York, this could be the reason.)
I propose something different. Instead of a visual effect, how about having the city goes for something auditory. Since New York is well known for its noise (which happens to also be one of birds' navigational directives), why not put two huge columns of home theater system speakers at Ground Zero. But not to broadcast noise. Rather, take in all of the commotion, all of the complaining, the angry yelling, all of the anxiety-producing sirens and alarms, then phase invert all that sound and rebroadcast it through our speakers. What happens is a wonderful cancellation! You end up having a zone of virtual silence – a place where you can calmly gather your thoughts and your senses, an welcomed opportunity to quietly reflect, to rethink all the senseless tragedies that have occurred in our short human history, and maybe put our priorities in a better perspective as we try to live with ourselves and with each other.
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