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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," WE'LL HEAR FROM THE McCAIN INSTITUTE ON THE TWO-YEAR MARK OF THE WAR IN GAZA.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, A NEW AUTOBIOGRAPHY DETAILS A FORMER STATE LAWMAKER'S FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.

>>> AND THE ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER HIGH-TECH PLANETARIUM THAT'S SET TO OPEN.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

TODAY, OCTOBER 7, MARKS TWO YEARS SINCE HAMAS ATTACKED ISRAEL IN THE DEADLIEST DAY FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE SINCE THE HOLOCAUST.

ISRAEL'S MILITARY RESPONSE HAS RESULTED IN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN CASUALTIES.

FOR SOME PERSPECTIVE ON THE PAST TWO YEARS OF THE WAR IN GAZA, WE WELCOME EVELYN FARKAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE McCAIN INSTITUTE.

DR.

FARKAS, GOOD TO HAVE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

TWO YEARS TO THE DAY.

YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, TED.

IT'S A TRAGEDY THAT WE ARE AT THIS TWO YEAR MARK.

WE SHOULDN'T BE HERE AT ALL, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE'S SOME ROOM FOR HOPE.

IT LOOKS LIKE NEGOTIATIONS ARE SERIOUS, AND BOTH SIDES ARE BEING PRESSURED, MEANING THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS BEING PRESSURED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HAMAS IS BEING PRESSURED BY THE GULF STATES AND THE NEIGHBORING STATES, EGYPT AND JORDAN.

SO THE DYNAMIC IS SUCH THAT WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT OPTIMISTIC WHICH MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR.

TED: WHY DID, TWO YEARS AGO, HAMAS COMMIT THIS KIND OF ATTACK?

WHAT DID THEY THINK THEY WOULD ACCOMPLISH?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, MOST ANALYSTS BELIEVE THEY WANTED TO, OF COURSE, DRAW ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, AND TO MAKE THE ARGUMENT FOR A PALESTINIAN STATE, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT WAS A GRUESOME -- I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT WORDS BECAUSE IT WAS AN ABOMINATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, ASSAULT AGAINST INNOCENT ISRAELI PEOPLE.

THE THINGS THAT THEY DID TO WOMEN, TO CHILDREN, LEAVING ASIDE THE TORTURE AND THE KILLING, WHICH WAS BAD ENOUGH, AND THEY ABDUCTED INNOCENT PEOPLE INCLUDING GRANDPARENTS, ELDERLY PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, A MOTHER WITH HER YOUNG CHILDREN WHO UNFORTUNATELY DIED IN CAPTIST AND TOOK THEM INTO HOSTAGE AND, OF COURSE, THERE WERE MANY OTHER ISRAELIS WHO WERE KILLED IN THE FIGHTING THAT OCCURRED FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, FROM HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH.

TED: INDEED, BUT THE MIND-SET IF WE DO THESE THINGS, THE ATROCITIES, WE VIDEOTAPE SOME OF THESE THINGS.

THE REST OF THE WORLD WILL WHAT, JOY US?

>> I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT, TED, EITHER.

IT WAS ODD, BOND THE -- BEYOND THE PALE, THAT WE HAVE SEEN YES, SINCE WORLD WAR II, I DON'T THINK ANYONE IMAGINED THAT THESE TERRORISTS WOULD ACTUALLY DO WHAT THEY DID TO THESE INNOCENT PEOPLE, AND THESE WERE LARGELY PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN A HOPE FOR PEACE.

THEY WERE LARGELY LEFTIST AND LIVING AND KIBBUTZING AND MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS OR GOING TO A MUSIC FESTIVAL.

THEY WERE HARDLY RIGHT-WING MILITANTS THAT WOULD HAVE OPPOSED RIGHTS FOR PALESTINIANS.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE ISRAELI RESPONSE, WHAT DID ISRAEL THINK WOULD HAPPEN WHEN THE MILITARY OFFENSIVE HAS -- THE OLD LINE FROM VIETNAM, TURNING IT INTO A PARKING LOT.

PARTS OF THE GAZA ARE A PARKING LOT RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CLEAN IT UP.

WHAT DID ISRAEL THINK -- DID ISRAEL THINK THE REST OF THE WORLD WOULD JOIN THEM IN ABSOLUTELY ANNIHILATING MUCH OF THE GAZA STRIP?

>> WELL, TED, IF WE SPIN THE CLOCK BACK ALL THE WAY TWO YEARS, IN THE BEGINNING EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD, AND TO THIS DAY EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THAT ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE.

THEY WERE ATTACKED ON THEIR HOME FRONT BY THESE TERRORISTS IN A GRUESOME FASHION.

THEY HAD TO RETALIATE, ELIMINATE THE ONGOING THREAT AND NOT JUST COMING FROM HAMAS, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE PROXIES, BUT COMING FROM HEZBOLLAH ACROSS THE LEBANESE BORDER AND THE HOUTHIS IN YEMEN, A THREAT TO ISRAEL, AND IRAN WAS ALSO AND CONTINUES TO ALSO BE A THREAT TO ISRAEL.

SO THE ISRAELIS WERE ABSOLUTELY -- THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO GO TO WAR, A WAR OF SELF-DEFENSE, THEY HAD INTERNATIONAL LAW ON THEIR SIDE.

PROBLEM WAS AS TIME WENT ON, THE WAY THEY WERE PROSECUTING THIS WAR, BECAME PROBLEMATIC FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND FRANKLY MANY PEOPLE IN THE ISRAELI PUBLIC, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

ONE BECAUSE IT ENDANGERED THE HOSTAGES, WHICH ALL ISRAELIS, THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF ISRAELIS, 70+% BELIEVE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE TO BRING HOME THE HOSTAGES.

THE ONE ENDANGERMENT OF THE HOSTAGES AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED TO INNOCENT CIVILIANS IN GAZA.

THE WAY THE WAR WAS FOUGHT WAS ENDANGERING THEM AND THE MILITARY OVER TIME INCREASINGLY AND EVER MORE LOUDLY SAID HAMAS IS NO LONGER A MILITARY THREAT TO THE ISRAELI STATES.

SO THE THREE FACTORS TOGETHER COMBINED TO MAKE IT LOOK NOW TODAY LIKE YOU MENTIONED THE PARKING LOT.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, IT SEEMS TO ME, CAN WE SAY THAT HAMAS SUCCEEDED IN THE SENSE OF GETTING ATTENTION TO PALESTINIAN STATES AND RIGHTS AND THESE SORTS OF -- THAT CONVERSATION.

DID ISRAEL SUCCEED IN GETTING HAMAS TO DEMILITARIZE, THEY DON'T HAVE MILITARY POWER RIGHT NOW OR VERY, VERY LITTLE.

DID BOTH SIDES SUCCEED AS BOTH SIDES FAILED?

>> YEAH, I THINK YOU PUT IT REALLY WELL.

WELL, I WOULD SAY HAMAS REALLY HAS LOST, AND MAYBE THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE GAINED A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THEIR PLIGHT, BUT FRANKLY, I THINK EVERY PALESTINIAN MOTHER, FATHER, BROTHER, ET CETERA, WHO LOST A LOVED ONE IN GAZA MAY NOT HAVE MADE THE SACRIFICE.

THE HAMAS FIGHTERS DID THIS ON THE BACKS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE, INNOCENT PALESTINIANS, AND THEY HAD NO RIGHT TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

SO I THINK THAT HAMAS IS A LOSENER ALL OF THIS, AND DESERVE TO BE THE LOSER IN ALL OF THIS.

ISRAEL IS OVER ALL A WINNER, STRATEGICALLY, CERTAINLY, ISRAEL WAS ABLE TO TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUCH A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

THEY DID LASH OUT AND ESSENTIALLY ELIMINATE HAMAS, AND NOT JUST HAMAS BUT HEZBOLLAH AS A THREAT TO ISRAEL THROUGH STUNNING ATTACKS THAT THEY WERE USING SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES TO TAKE OUT THE FIGHTERS, USING PAGERS, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEY FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH MISSILE AND AIRSTRIKES, AND THEN STRUCK DIRECTLY AT IRAN, WHICH WAS ALSO DRAMATIC AND UNPRECEDENTED AND, OF COURSE, THE UNITED STATES FOLLOWED IN AFTERWARDS, JUST STRIKING THOSE MILITARY FACILITIES OR THE FACILITIES WHERE THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS WERE MADE.

ISRAEL DID, FRANKLY SPEAKING, ALTER THE GEOSTRATEGIC MAP.

ISRAEL HAS VANQUISHED -- IF NOT VANQUISHED, TREMENDOUSLY WEAKENED FOES.

IRAN IS BACK ON ITS HEELS, IF YOU WILL, BUT ISRAEL HAS A PR PROBLEM BECAUSE, AS YOU SAY, THE WAY THEY PROSECUTED THIS WAR AND THE INABILITY TO SHOW THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD THAT THEY HAVE A PLAN TO BRING THIS TO A PEACEFUL CONCLUSION, HAS HURT ISRAEL.

TED: DOES THAT PR PROBLEM GO AWAY?

DOES A PALESTINIAN STATE BECOME MORE OF A REALITY?

DO ALL OF THESE -- ARE THESE ALL POSSIBLE NOW BECAUSE OF THOSE ACTIONS, THE ACTIONS AGAINST HEZBOLLAH, AGAINST IRAN, AGAINST THE HOUTHIS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS AND U.S.

INVOLVEMENT.

TALK ABOUT U.S.

INVOLVEMENT HERE, HOW IMPORTANT IT HAS BEEN?

>> I THINK, TED, WE SHOULDN'T BE OVERLY OPTIMISTIC.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A RESOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT IN GAZA.

THAT'S VERY, YOU KNOW, NARROWLY DEFINED THING HERE, THAT WE COULD SEE WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PUT FORWARD, THIS 20-POINT PLAN, IS FRANKLY THE PLAN THAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE PUT FORWARD AT THE BEGINNING OF ALL OF THIS, BUT IT REQUIRED THE OUTSIDE ACTORS TO EFFECTIVELY USE THEIR POWER AND INFLUENCE ON THE PLAYERS, AND TO FORCE THEM TO MAKE THE COMPROMISES THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE MADE, BUT ULTIMATELY HAMAS NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY DEMILITARIZED AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A PLAN FOR ISRAEL TO TURN OVER MILITARY CONTROL TO AN INTERIM FORCE AND ULTIMATELY, POLITICAL AND MILITARY CONTROL TO A LEGITIMATE PALESTINIAN FORCE THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS TRAINED, AND THAT POLITICALLY HAS THE SUPPORT AND THE TRUST, AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT, OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND OF ISRAEL.

THAT ALREADY IS HARD ENOUGH.

I'M NOT GOING TO BEGIN TO BE WAXING OPTIMISTIC ABOUT RESOLVING THE BIGGER ISSUE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN -- OR ISRAEL AND PALESTINE WHICH IS TO SAY WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE WEST BANK, WHETHER THERE IS A VIABLE TWO-STATE SOLUTION?

IN THE FUTURE, THERE HAS TO BE, BUT WE'RE A WAYS AWAY FROM THAT RIGHT NOW.

TED: AND SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE A WAYS AWAY FROM THE FIRST STEP OF ENDING THE WAR.

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S PRESIDENT CLINTON OR PRESIDENT CARTER DEALING WITH YASSER ARAFAT AND THE P.L.O.

AND SAYING YES OR NO.

>> THAT WAS CLINTON.

TED: CLINTON SAYING THAT?

>> TALK ABOUT SNATCHING DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY.

TED: YEAH, YEAH.

>> I DO THINK, IN THIS CASE, THE GULF STATES, THE NEIGHBORING STATES, I MEAN, THIS HAS PUT INCREDIBLE PRESSURE ON THEM, IN TERMS OF THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, AND THEY ARE NOW PUSHING HAMAS, YOU KNOW, THE QATARIS HAVE BEEN INTERESTING NOT JUST IN THIS CRISIS BUT SEVERAL OTHER AREAS WHERE THEY'RE NEGOTIATING BEHIND THE SCENES, AND IF THEY REALLY CAN GUARANTEE SOME KIND OF SAFETY FOR THE MILITANTS WHO PUT DOWN THE TERRORISTS, WHO PUT DOWN THEIR WEAPONS, THE HAMAS FIGHTERS, THEN I THINK THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY FOR PROCEEDING.

MUCH HINGES ON THE FIGHTERS DISARMING.

TED: DR.

EVELYN FARKAS, THE McCAIN INSTITUTE, ALWAYS A PLEASURE, GREAT INFORMATION.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

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TED: FORMER STATE LAWMAKER LORENZO SIERRA HAS WRITTEN A NEW BOOK THAT DETAILS HIS BATTLE WITH COVID-19 AND HIS WIFE'S BATTLE WITH CANCER.

BOOK IS TITLED "FIGHT LIKE HELL: LOVE, POLITICS AND THE WILL TO LIVE."

LORENZO SIERRA JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT HIS MEMOIR.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, TED.

TED: LAST TIME WE TALKED, WONDERING HOW YOU WERE DOING.

LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DOING WELL.

>> DOING FANTASTIC.

THE BOOK'S GOING TO BE RELEASED ON OCTOBER 14, THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAY THEY BROUGHT ME HOME FROM THE ICU AND THE NINTH ANNIVERSARY OF RHONDA'S LAST CANCER TREATMENT.

TED: WHAT A DATE.

GOOD FOR YOU AND GOOD FOR YOUR WIFE.

YOU DECIDED TO GO PUBLIC VERY EARLY WITH YUR FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19, AND YOU'RE STILL GOING PUBLIC WITH THAT FIGHT, WHY?

>> AT THE TIME, IT WAS, I REMEMBER THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE, THIS IS A HOAX, JUST THE FLU, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD HOW SERIOUS COVID-19 WAS AT THE TIME.

THERE WASN'T THE VACCINE, AND THAT WAS PART OF IT.

PART OF THE REASON FOR GOING PUBLIC AT THE TIME, AND AT THE TIME, IT REALLY DIDN'T LOOK GOOD FOR ME.

TED: YEAH.

>> THERE WAS A PERIOD WHERE IT TALKED ABOUT IN THE BOOK WHERE, JOHNS HOPKINS CALLED MY WIFE AND SAID WE'VE GOT A PRIEST ON THE FLOOR, WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO ADMINISTER LAST RIGHTS, AND AT THAT POINT, SHE CALLED MY SEAT MATE DIEGO ESPINOZA.

MY WIFE IS BATTLING WITH HER OWN COVID, AND SHE'S FACED WITH THIS EXSUBSTANTIAL QUESTION.

SHE CALLS AND SAYS HE'S A FIGHTER, DO NOT LET THEM DO LAST RIGHTS, AND THEY DIDN'T.

TED: REAL QUICKLY HERE, WHEN DID YOU START FEELING SICK?

WHEN DID YOU KNOW THIS IS MORE THAN JUST SOMETHING ELSE?

>> WELL, IT WAS ABOUT A FULL WEEK, MORE THAN A FULL WEEK BEFORE.

MY WIFE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL FIRST ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE I DID.

SO SHE WENT, AND HER BEING A CANCER SURVIVOR, WE REALLY WERE DREADFULLY AFRAID FOR HER, BECAUSE SHE HAS A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM.

SO WHEN SHE WENT IN, WE'RE JUST ABSOLUTELY PETRIFIED.

SHE TURNS OUT SHE ONLY STAYED FOR A FEW HOURS, THEY SENT HER HOME, BUT WE HAD TO STAY IN D.C.

AND QUARANTINE.

I JUST KEPT GETTING SICKER AND SICKER AND JUST FEELING WORSE AND WORSE, AND THEN ON THAT SUNDAY, DR.

AMISH SHAH, WHO IS ALSO IN THE LEGISLATURE AT THE TIME, EMERGENCY DOCTOR.

TED: YES.

>> AND HE SAYS, YOU DON'T SOUND SO BAD, BUT LET'S GET YOU A PULSE OXIMETER.

TED: UH-OH.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

TED: YOU DO NOW.

>> IT'S A 78.

HE GETS DEATHLY QUIET.

HE GOES I NEED YOU TO GO TO THE ER NOW, WITH ALL SERIOUSNESS.

YOU NEED TO GO TO THE ER NOW, AND YOU MAY GET PUT ON A VENTILATOR.

SO THAT'S WHEN IT REALLY HIT THAT WE WERE IN TROUBLE.

TED: WHEN DID IT REALLY HIT THAT THINGS ARE TURNING FOR THE BETTER?

>> SO I'M IN A COMA AT THIS POINT.

IN THE FIRST 24 HOURS, IT WAS MORE -- IT WAS PRETTY MUCH ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT.

TED: RIGHT.

>> BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED RIGHT IN THERE.

I WAS PUT ONTO A TEST CONVALESCENT PLASMA.

HIGH DOSE OF CONVALESCENT PLASMA.

I WAS IN A PRIORITY, 1 THROUGH 10, 10 IS THE WORST, I WAS 8 IN THE STUDY.

AFTER TWO DOSES I STARTED TO TURN AROUND.

AND THEY TOLD MY WIFE, EXPECT HIM TO BE IN THE -- ON A VENTILATOR FOR WEEKS AND IN THE ICU FOR MONTHS, AND I ENDED UP BEING MIRACULOUS RECOVERY.

I WAS FOUR DAYS ON THE VENTILATOR.

TED: YOU WRITE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF PRAYER, AND YOU WRITE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SCIENCE.

TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.

>> WHEN I INTRODUCED MYSELF WHEN I'M DOING A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT, I SAY I COME BEFORE YOU, A MAN REBORN OF SCIENCE AND PRAYER.

I HAD WORLD CLASS MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WHO WERE TAKING CARE OF ME AT JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL, AND I LITERALLY HAD PRAYER THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, AND I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT IN SOME WAY THAT REALLY, REALLY MATTERED.

I ALWAYS SAY BORN OF SCIENCE AND PRAYER.

TED: YEAH, AND FIGHTING LIKE HELL BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GIVE UP, YOU GOT TO FIGHT, AND THAT'S PART OF YOU, ISN'T IT?

>> RHONDA MADE -- RIGHT BEFORE THEY TOLD ME, THEY CAME INTO THE ROOM, YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUT ON A VENTILATOR, WE HAD A MINUTE TO TALK ON FACETIME, AND I -- SHE SAYS I NEED YOU TO MAKE ME A PROMISE, MIND YOU MY WIFE IS A WIDOW, AND LOOKING AT THE VERY STRONG POSSIBILITY OF HAVING TO BURY A SECOND HUSBAND.

SHE SAYS I NEED YOU TO FIGHT LIKE HELL TO COME BACK TO ME.

I SAID THAT IS A PROMISE I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU, I'M GOING TO FIGHT LIKE HELL TO COME BACK.

AND I REMEMBER RIGHT BEFORE GOING UNDER PRAYING TO ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, EVERY DAY IS A BATTLE AND I WON.

TED: DOES THAT GIVE YOU EXTRA OOMPH?

>> YES, EVERY DAY IS EXTRA OOMPH.

PEOPLE SAY I FOLLOWED YOUR STORY AND I WAS SO GLAD YOU CAME OUT OF IT.

YOU KNOW, I LOST MY DAD, I LOST MY MOM, I LOST ANY NUMBER OF FOLKS, AND IT'S ALWAYS THAT, AND I'M HAPPY THEY'RE TELLING ME THIS, THAT I WAS INSPIRING TO THEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE GUILT THAT I'M HERE AND YOUR LOVED ONE IS NOT.

TED: BEFORE WE GO, ONLY A COUPLE SECONDS LEFT HERE.

WAS IT DIFFICULT TO WRITE THIS?

I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GO BACK INTO THOSE DAYS?

>> ABSOLUTELY WAS.

BUT WE ALL HAVE STORIES, TED, AND THE WORLD DESERVES TO HEAR THEM.

TED: CERTAINLY DESERVE TO HEAR YOURS.

IT'S "FIGHT LIKE HELL: LOVE, POLITICS AND THE WILL TO LIVE," LORENZO SIERRA, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK, ON YOUR MARRIAGE, ON EVERYTHING AND THE EXTRA OOMPH YOU GET EACH DAY.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

.

TED: THE ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER IS SET TO UNVEIL REMODELED PLANETARIUM, CALLED THE DORRANCE DOME, AND PROMISES A HIGH-TECH IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO THE SPHERE IN LAS VEGAS.

JOINING US IS DORRANCE DOME DIRECTOR ALEC WARREN.

WELCOME, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

TED: I'M CALLING IT THE NEWFANGLED PLANETARIUM.

GIVE ME A BETTER DEFINITION OF THE DORRANCE DOME.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT WE'VE DONE BY CREATING THE DORRANCE DOME IS CREATED THE BEST PLANETARIUM SOFTWARE IN THE WORLD WITH THE BEST PRESENTATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD AND PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF SOME OF THE BEST SCIENCE STORYTELLERS ASSEMBLED IN THE WORLD AT THE ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER TO CREATE THE DORRANCE DOME.

THIS THEATER CAN GO ANYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE, INCLUDING UNDER THE OCEAN, INSIDE OF THE HUMAN BODY, WE CAN GO TO THE EDGE OF SPACE, IN REALTIME, IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.

SO REALLY WITH THAT IN MIND, WE REBRANDED FROM THE TRADITIONAL DORANCE PLANETARIUM TO THE DORRANCE DOME, AND BEYOND THAT, THE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S DRIVING THIS THEATER IS 150 TIMES BRIGHTER THAN A TRADITIONAL PLANETARIUM SYSTEM, AND THE RESOLUTION IS ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO HUMAN EYE SIGHT.

SO THERE WILL BE SCENES AND EXPERIENCES THAT REALLY YOUR MIND, YOUR EYE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU'RE LOOKING AT A SCREEN, IT WILL FEEL LIKE YOU'RE LOOKING AT A WINDOW OUT IN THE WORLD.

TED: I READ 9,000 L.E.D.

PANELS, 44 MILLION L.E.D.

LIGHTS, BUT ALL LIKE THEY'RE ALL BENDING.

I CAN SEE IT HERE.

IT'S A 360 THING.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THERE'S A BUILDAROUND APRON AND GOES AROUND THE FLOOR AND BACK BEHIND YOUR HEAD.

TED: YES.

>> IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE WITHIN THE SPACE.

AND YOU MENTIONED OFF-LINE, YOU MENTIONED THE SPHERE AS A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.

TED: YES.

>> THIS IS LIKE THE SPHERE BUT FOR SCIENCE AND EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT, AND I WOULD ACTUALLY ARGUE THAT THE CLARITY OF IMAGE IN OUR THEATER AS WELL AS HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO THE EXPERIENCE MAKES IT A MORE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE THAN WHAT YOU GET AT THE SPHERE.

TED: STILL A PLANETARIUM, YOU CAN GO THERE AND LOOK AT ORION'S BELT AND ALL THE BEAUTIFUL CONSTELLATIONS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

EVERY SINGLE DAY WE'LL DO A LIVE ASTRONOMY TOUR OF ARIZONA, YOU'LL GET THE TRADITIONAL PLANETARY EXPERIENCE AND WE'LL GO WELL BEYOND THAT.

TED: HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO TAKE THE OLD PLANETARIUM FOOTPRINT AND PUT THIS UP?

>> A PROCESS THAT'S TAKEN SEVERAL YEARS, BUT WE ACTUALLY BEGAN CONSTRUCTION IN EARLY 2024, AND NOW HERE WE ARE, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, READY TO OPEN OUR DOORS ON OCTOBER 18.

TED: OCTOBER 18, OKAY.

HOW BEST TO EXPERIENCE THIS?

DO YOU JUST SIT THERE AND LET IT WASH ALL OVER YOU?

WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?

WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE?

>> I WOULD SAY EVERYBODY COULD EXPERIENCE IT IN THEIR OWN WAY, BUT REALLY THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE GOING ONLINE AND PURCHASING A TICKET.

IT'S ONLY $14 PLUS ADMISSION TO ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER, SO UNLIKE AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THE SPHERE OR OTHER IMMERSIVE L.E.D.

THEATERS WHERE TICKETS COULD BE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR A SHOW, THE PRICE OF ADMISSION TO ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER PLUS A LITTLE EXTRA CHARGE.

TED: I GOT TO ASK YOU, ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER, WHERE DO YOU PARK?

[LAUGHTER] >> WHAT'S THE PARKING SITUATION?

>> WE HAVE A PARKING GARAGE IN HERITAGE SQUARE THAT'S AVAILABLE, AND WE HAVE PARKING RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET WE SHARE WITH SEVERAL OTHER LOCATIONS.

TED: DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

TED: I READ YOU WANT TO MAKE IT A STATEWIDE HUB FOR S.T.E.A.M., WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MAKING IT AN IMMERSIVE HUB, WE TALK ABOUT FORMING PARTNERSHIPS WITH INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE STATE.

THAT INCLUDES ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS LOWELL OBSERVATORY, SRP, FOR EXAMPLE.

MANY, MANY SCIENCE ORGANIZATIONS, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY.

OTHER LOCAL UNIVERSITIES WITHIN OUR STATE, AS WELL AS NATIONAL PARKS.

SO OUR VISION FOR PROGRAMMING WITHIN THE DORRANCE DOME GOES WELL BEYOND THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

WE WANT TO BRING THE WORLD TO OUR GUESTS AND LIKEWISE BY CREATING PROGRAMMING, BY CREATING SCIENCE VISUALIZATIONS THAT CAN BE SHARED WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS GLOBALLY.

WE WANT TO BRING ARIZONA TO THE WORLD AS WELL.

THAT'S OUR VISION, REALLY, FOR PROGRAMMING WITHIN THE SPACE.

TED: WHAT ABOUT A VISION FOR THE SCIENCE CENTER.

THIS IS PHASE ONE OF A FIVE-YEAR PLAN?

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT?

>> WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO SIX YEARS OF RENOVATION AND RENEWAL FOR THE ENTIRE ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER.

AND THE DORRANCE DOME IS REALLY THE FIRST STEP IN THAT RENEWAL.

IT RAISES THE LEVEL THAT WE WANT TO REACH.

IT SETS A NEW BAR FOR THE ENTIRE INSTITUTION, AND OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO BE RENOVATING EXHIBITS, AND REALLY BRINGING NEW LIFE INTO THE ENTIRE VISITOR EXPERIENCE.

TED: WHAT WOULD BE PHASE TWO?

>> PHASE TWO, MORE TO COME SOON.

TED: CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW?

>> YES.

TED: ON OCTOBER 18, REAL QUICKLY, WILL WE SEE STARS?

WILL WE SEE THE GRAND CANYON?

MOLECULES?

WHAT WILL WE SEE?

>> YES, AND -- >> KIND OF A BEST OF, RIGHT?

>> ON OCTOBER 18, OUR SCHEDULE IS ONLINE, AND GUESTS CAN PURCHASE TICKETS ON OUR WEBSITE, AZSCIENCE.ORG, WE HAVE ASTRONOMY TOUR ARIZONA, SHOWS PRODUCED BY COSM, THE COMPANY THAT PRODUCES THE L.E.D.

DOME THEATER, AND HAVE A SLATE OF EVENINGTIME PROGRAMS WE'LL DO ON THE 18th AS WELL.

TED: WE'LL LOOK IT UP ONLINE.

ALEC WARREN, DIRECTOR OF ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER.

SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD TEAM.

>> THE PARTY IS JUST GETTING STARTED.

TED: THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.