Short sell: You’ve done it again, intrepid innovator! You’ve reached the end of June and the end of another busy workweek – and as your reward, not merely a well-earned weekend but a shortened holiday week to follow.
But first, a last-Friday-of-the-month to navigate – and a week-in-review innovation newsletter to help lead the way. Off we go!
Bursting in air: The things that unite the States should outweigh the things that divide the States on July 4.
Birthday break: Before we dive in, a quick reminder that Innovate Long Island will be lighting grills and sparklers and all that good stuff next week – so watch for your regularly scheduled Calendar Newsletters on July 1 and July 8, and in between, please celebrate the nation’s 248th birthday responsibly.
No better time to remember that despite the blood-sport politics, cult-like mania and destructive personalities dividing us, we are one indivisible nation, foresworn to liberty and justice for all. Stay safe, Americans … and stay American.
Summer school: Today is June 28 and we begin with some advanced math lessons, starting with Tau Day, which doubles the mathematical value of pi (3.14 x 2 = 6.28) to create the superior circle constant.
Also mathematically sound is Tau Day’s numerical date: 6/28, the only day of the year when the month (6) and the date (28) are different perfect numbers – which, as you know, are positive integers equal to the sum of their positive divisors, excluding the number itself. For instance, 6 has proper divisors of 1, 2 and 3 (1+2+3 = 6). And for the record, 6 and 28 (1+2+4+7+14) are the first two perfect numbers.
Keep on trucking: Also rather perfect is National Food Truck Day, a last-Friday-in-June celebration of the diverse universe of meals on wheels and the hard workers who prepare them.
You say “tomato”: Greatly expanding the diversity of human foodstuffs was New Jersey farmer, soldier and statesman Robert Gibbon Johnson, who famously consumed a tomato on the steps of his local courthouse on June 28, 1820, dispelling the common belief that the bright-red fruits were poisonous. (Never mind that ancient Aztecs were eating tomatoes 1,100 years earlier).
Come blow your horn: Diversifying music was Belgian inventor Antoine-Joseph “Adolphe” Sax, who patented his namesake saxophone on this date in 1846 (although he invented the instrument well in advance).
A notch above: The Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram soars above Franconia Notch in 1938.
Upward mobility: Also reaching new heights was America’s first tram car, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, which began carrying skiers to the 4,200-foot summit of New Hampshire’s Cannon Mountain 86 years ago today.
Reactor factor: Achieving subatomic heights was the first privately owned nuclear reactor built for research purposes, fired up in Chicago by the Illinois Institute of Technology on this date in 1956.
Beam them up: And it was June 28, 1965, when the first commercial telephone conversations transmitted via satellite connected callers in America and Europe.
Intelsat I, known also as Early Bird, was built by the Hughes Aircraft Co. for global telecommunications company COMSAT and launched by NASA into geosynchronous orbit over the Atlantic Ocean two-and-a-half months before it went live.
Roseanne Roseannadanna forever: American actress and comedian Gilda Susan Radner (1946-1989) – an iconic figure of American comedy who earned an Emmy Award as one of “Saturday Night Live’s” seven original “Not Ready for Prime Time” cast members – would be 78 years old today.
The Schwartz is strong with this one: Brooks has spoofed “Star Wars,” and just about everything else, during his legendary eight-decade career.
Also born on June 28 were English King Henry VIII (born Henry Tudor, 1491-1547), known for the English Reformation, indiscriminate executions, warmongering, extravagant spending and multiple marriages; Welsh surgeon Sir Robert Jones (1857-1933), the “Father of Modern Orthopaedic Surgery”; American editor, novelist, playwright, biographer and philanthropist Aaron Edward “A.E.” Hotchner (1917-2020), who co-founded charity company Newman’s Own with actor Paul Newman; South African American business magnate Elon Reeve Musk (born 1971), a true X factor in modern socioeconomics; and French novelist, playwright and screenwriter Florian Zeller (born 1979), no relation to your humble newsletter scribe but a fairly accomplished writer nonetheless.
2,000-year-old man: Not quite, but take a bow anyway, Mel Brooks! The American actor, comedian, filmmaker, songwriter and playwright (born Melvin James Kaminsky, 1926) – who’s added Kennedy Center Honors, a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, a National Medal of Arts and other accolades to his seven-decade-plus EGOT résumé – turns 98 today.
Give the director of “The Producers” your best at editor@innovateli.com, where we’re constantly Blazing (Saddles) new paths, your news tips keep us Young (Frankenstein) and we always have the (Space)balls to publish your calendar events.
About our sponsor: Stony Brook University Economic Development collaborates with regional innovators, supports startups and facilitates early-stage enterprise by leveraging the resources of a SUNY Flagship University and partner Brookhaven National Laboratory. Combining state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, the world-class expertise of 900-plus scientific investigators and best commercialization practices, Economic Development and its partners have the collective imagination and ability to attain exciting new heights for the Long Island innovation economy. Learn more here.
BUT FIRST, THIS
Water cycle: Three Nassau County drinking-water projects are included in a fresh $300 million-plus water-infrastructure funding round approved June 20 by the New York State Environmental Facilities Corp.
Three previously announced Water Infrastructure Improvement grants – $6.8 million for the Jericho Water District, $5 million for the Water Authority of Western Nassau County and $3 million for the Village of Garden City – were greenlighted in the round, which also included low-cost financing for shovel-ready projects essential to improving statewide water and sewer services. Jericho will use its grant to install an oxidation process-treatment system and a granular-activated carbon-treatment system, while the Western Nassau Water Authority will also install a granular-activated carbon-treatment system.
Garden City, meanwhile, plans to construct an advanced oxidation process-treatment system in a village well, improving water quality by removing all traces of nefarious pollutant 1,4-dioxane. “New York State is empowering communities to invest in lifesaving infrastructure improvements and ensure all New Yorkers have access to clean, safe water,” Environmental Facilities Corp. President and CEO Maureen Coleman said in a statement. “[The EFC] strives to provide creative solutions for communities and ensure vital projects are affordable for local ratepayers.”
Sock hop: John’s Crazy Socks co-founder John Cronin can’t wait to see this year’s entries in the company’s annual sock-design contest.
Stockings, with care: One of Long Island’s most benevolent startups is sticking its toes into its 2024 Sock Design Contest.
Melville-based John’s Crazy Socks, enduring creation of father-son duo Mark and John Cronin, is now accepting entries for its wildly popular annual competition, which offers a $1,000 grand prize – and, more importantly, the glory of having winning entries sewn into actual socks and sold alongside other company products, with a percentage of revenues going to charity. Contestants ages 18 and up can complete a simple admission form and submit digital versions of their original designs (no trademarked logos, characters or images, and no prior digital-art experience required) – through Aug. 15.
The contest has become a tradition at John’s Crazy Socks, which has leveraged John’s Down syndrome into a successful business with a progressive social message (most employees have a differing ability) and philanthropic overtones (the circa-2016 company is a longtime supporter of the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society and the Autism Society of America). “Our customers have great ideas for socks,” John noted. “I can’t wait to see the designs you will submit for our contest.”
TOP OF THE SITE
Is anyone here a marine biologist? Actually, yes – meet Farmingdale State College’s new president, slated to succeed John Nader this summer.
Miss us a little less: Those next two Calendar Newsletters we mentioned earlier are for newsletter subscribers only – fortunately, you can ease the sting of Innovate Long Island’s brief summer break with an always easy, always free subscription.
ICYMI
An eight-year study by Stony Brook University scientists has uncovered an alarming link between toxic exposure during recovery and cleanup operations and high incidences of early-onset dementia among 9/11 responders.
BEST OF THE WEST (AND SOMETIMES NORTH/SOUTH)
Innovate LI’s inbox overrunneth with inspirational innovations from all North American corners. This week’s brightest out-of-towners:
From Georgia: Atlanta-based gaming guru Scientific Games partners with global entertainment distributor Fremantle to produce lottery games based on top TV shows.
From Texas: Plano-based aerodrome architect Airport Dimensions adds natural California beauty to San Francisco International Airport’s innovative travelers’ lounge.
From California: Los Angeles-based voice-messaging app Zapshot supercharges popular Roblox platform with “Zapland” themed mini-game.
ON THE MOVE
Reesa Miles
+ Reesa Miles has been hired as a partner at Farmingdale-based Guercio & Guercio. She was a technology counsel at Bortstein Legal Group in Manhattan.
+ Tracey Cullen has been promoted to senior vice president of company operations at Hauppauge-based King Kullen Grocery Co. She was vice president of corporate strategy and initiatives.
+ Robert Valli has been elected to the Port Washington-based Nicholas Center’s Board of Directors. He is the founding partner at Garden City-based Valli Kane & Vagnini.
+ Ida Zambrano has been appointed to the Freeport-based South Shore Guidance Center’s Board of Directors. She is the administrator and public relations executive at Zambrano Architectural Design in Freeport.
+ Kerry Young has been hired as a recruiter in the Restoration and Construction Division at Executive Alliance in Commack. She was an office manager at New York Musician’s Center in Bellmore.
+ Racquel Oden has been elected to the National Life Group’s Board of Directors. She is the head of U.S. Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC USA.
+ Robert Prezant has been appointed president of Farmingdale State College, effective Aug. 14. He is provost and vice president for academic affairs at Southern Connecticut State University.
Like this newsletter? Innovate Long Island newsletter, website and podcast sponsorships are a prime opportunity to reach the inventors, investors, entrepreneurs and executives you need to know (just ask Stony Brook University). Marlene McDonnell can tell you more.
BELOW THE FOLD (Innovation In Spaaaaace Edition)
Life line: Planet Gliese12b is a good candidate for extraterrestrial life.
Showdown: It’s billionaire star wars as Blue Origin targets SpaceX liftoffs.
Splashdown: The kinetic science of safely returning spacecraft to Earth.
Slow down: Promising exoplanets, but no signs of life – at least, not yet.
Hands down: Please continue supporting the amazing institutions that support Innovate Long Island, including Stony Brook University Economic Development, business-development mission control and a stellar example of commercialization done right. Check them out.
