Storm norm: You made it, dear readers – another summer workweek concludes, with many Long Islanders still drying out from yesterday’s torrential rains.
We certainly took a soaking this time, joining the ranks of other deluged regions across the nation (and Europe, too) during the Summer of 2023 – for many, the summer when climate change became real.
Reaganomic comic: Dutch made a funny 39 years ago today.
The joke’s on us: Stop bailing out the basement long enough to start your Friday with National Presidential Joke Day, which might be more amusing without the looming Constitutional crisis. (Though its origins remain humorous, something about Reagan testing his microphone for a 1984 radio address by announcing he’d outlawed Russia and “the bombing begins in five minutes,” all of it naturally transmitted by a hot mic).
The pomegranate/kaolin’s on us: Also show some love today for the estheticians in your life, beautifying stars of the show on National Face Mask Day.
And just try to mask your excitement for National Raspberry Bombe Day (?) and National Bakewell Tart Day (??), both celebrated (???) every Aug. 11.
Count out: Also exciting was the Mesoamerican Long Count, the famous “Mayan Calendar” that didn’t take the world with it when it ended in 2012 – though a few people thought it might when it started ticking on Aug. 11, 3114 BC (give or take).
Tap out: Also running out of steam (off the North Carolina coast) was the disabled passenger ship S.S. Arapahoe, which became the first vessel to use the newly authorized “SOS” distress code 114 years ago today.
Gonna love it in an instant: Tea man Kato refocused on coffee.
Instant gratification: Gaining steam, literally, was Japanese American chemist Satori Kato, who earned a U.S. patent for instant coffee on this date in 1906 (and set up this classic exchange in 1991).
Pack leader: Pre-dating even the circa-1920 National Football League, the Green Bay Packers football club was founded on Aug. 11, 1919.
Put some rings on it: And it was this date in 1989 when the NASA space probe Voyager 2 confirmed scientists’ suspicions by discovering not one but two rings around distant Planet Neptune.
Earthbound observers had long suspected rings around Neptune – now classified as our Solar System’s outermost major planet – since its three closest neighbors (Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter) all have their own ring arcs.
X Factor: Haley collaborated closely with the American minister on “The Autobiography of Malcom X.”
Easy to “Roots” for: American author Alexander Murray Palmer “Alex” Haley (1921-1992) – a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and master interviewer remembered best for the fictional “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” and the nonfictional “Autobiography of Malcom X” – would be 102 years old today.
Also born on Aug. 11 were British physician Richard Mead (1673-1754), a pioneer of preventative medicine; English children’s writer Enid Mary Blyton (1897-1968), a worldwide bestseller since the 1930s; American cartoonist Richard Arthur Allan “Dik” Browne (1917-1989), known best for “Hägar the Horrible” and “Hi and Lois”; American electronics engineer, computer scientist and philanthropist Stephen Wozniak (born 1950), the technology entrepreneur who co-founded Apple Inc.; and Field Medal-winning French mathematician Pierre-Louis Lions (born 1956), who can partially differentiate like nobody’s business.
The four demandments: And take a bow, Terry Gene Bollea! The immortal wrestling champion known worldwide as Hulk Hogan – embodiment of all that was once good about “sports entertainment,” with his relentless positivity about training, praying, eating vitamins and developing self-confidence – turns 70 today.
Wish the Hulkster well at editor@innovateli.com, where your news tips pump up all the little Hulkamaniacs … and whatcha gonna do, brother, when all those calendar events run wild on YOU?!?
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
Carbon copy: This just in from the Stony Brook University Department of Technology and Society: Incorporating carbon-reducing measures will reduce carbon.
That’s the gist of “Global Assessment of the Carbon-Water Tradeoff of Dry Cooling for Thermal Power Generation,” a deep dive into power plant cooling needs (factoring fuel, engine type, energy output and more) researched by SBU Assistant Professor Gang He and friends and published this week by the science journal Nature Water. With up to 50 percent of U.S. freshwater withdrawals (and 40 percent of European withdrawals) going to power-plant cooling, international researchers from Stony Brook to Peking University compared cooling strategies including dry cooling (a common freshwater-heavy tactic), alternative water sourcing (including wastewater) and up-and-coming carbon capture and storage technologies, all under various scenarios (including extreme climate-change conditions).
The big takeaway: None of the approaches will check off enough carbon-emission boxes alone and an “integrated water-carbon management framework” – including “diverse water carbon-mitigation technologies” – is crucial. “(The paper) highlights the importance of considering climate-specific factors and interconnected systems to achieve sustainable energy solutions,” He said.
Street smart: With the new school year starting soon, BusPatrol America is stepping up its safety-education efforts.
Safe, not at home: With the annual Little League World Series in full swing, a Virginia-based technology company has gone to bat for several Long Island youth leagues.
Fresh off hosting May’s School Bus Safety Summit in Great River, BusPatrol America – nationwide distributor of swing-arm, motion-detection and other safety-first school bus technologies – has gifted a fresh $150,000 to dozens of Suffolk County-based Little League organizations as part of an ongoing bus-safety awareness program. The donation adds to the $1 million-plus in 2023 safety investments made by BusPatrol via the Suffolk County School Bus Safety Program, according to the Virginia-based company.
Joined by Long Island Ducks Manager (and New York Mets World Series hero) Wally Backman, Suffolk County Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey got the balls rolling Wednesday, presenting a $2,500 BusPatrol check to the Lindenhurst National Little League at Edward F. Kienle Memorial Field. “This is about protecting these young people standing behind me … when school is in session,” McCaffrey said. “We’re grateful to be able to partner with these little leagues.”
TOP OF THE SITE
People power: As cybercriminals step up their attacks, New York’s ambitious cybersecurity response/prevention plan combines cutting-edge tech and old-fashioned human vigilance.
Learn-a-long: Featuring enlightened and entertaining one-on-ones with the biggest and brightest regional innovators, Spark: The Innovate Long Island Podcast makes you smarter by the minute – imagine how smart you’ll be after 40 minutes! Pick a genius and go!
ICYMI
The Innovate Long Island Debrief hands the microphone to Manufacturing and Technology Resource Consortium Director Jessica Cracchiolo, who’s running Stony Brook University’s workforce-development workhorse straight toward Long Island manufacturers.
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 Illinois: Rosemont-based waste-diversion and recycling leader Lakeshore Recycling Systems modernizes waste management with state-of-the-art material recovery facility.
From Connecticut: New Haven-based online wedding planner Wedding Realm engages couples and vendors with detailed dream-wedding platform.
From New York City: All-in-one “pocket concierge” app The Scene senses vibes, selects venues and guarantees reservations at the hottest restaurants and clubs.
ON THE MOVE
Pepper Bonay-Martin
+ Pepper Bonay-Martin has been elected to the Board of Directors at Freeport-based Book Fairies. She is an educator in the Westbury School District and summer school principal coordinator for Nassau BOCES.
+ Francisco Martinez Ramirez has been hired as an engineer I in the Civil Division at Woodbury-based D&B Engineers and Architects. He was a construction supervisor at Massachusetts-based AGB Construction.
+ Tim Sommer has been promoted to a project engineer at Bohemia-based P.W. Grosser Consulting. He was a staff engineer.
+ Marcela Moran has been appointed assistant superintendent for business and human resources in Valley Stream Union Free School District 30. She was assistant superintendent for human resources.
+ Centerport-based Public Relations Professionals of Long Island has elected its 2023-24 Board of Directors:
- President Theresa Jacobellis is director of communications solutions for Lake Success-based IPRO
- Executive Vice President Janine Logan is vice president of communications and population health for the Hauppauge-based Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State
- First Vice President Lauren DelGuidice is corporate media relations specialist at Melville-based Henry Schein
- Secretary Brook Olivieri is manager of communications, health outreach and research for the Hauppauge-based Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State
- Treasurer Diana Bassett is founder of Bayside-based Diana Bassett Public Relations
- Director Julie Allegretti is marketing manager at Uniondale-based Forchelli Deegan Terrana
- Director Nicole Esan is public relations senior specialist at Melville-based Canon USA
- Director Mark Grossman is the founder of Medford-based Mark Grossman Public Relations
- Director Laura Ordonez is senior marketing specialist at Uniondale-based Rivkin Radler
- Director Hillary Topper is CEO of Wantagh-based HJMT Public Relations and HJMT Media Co.
+ Greg Zucker has been promoted to co-managing partner at Uniondale-based Westerman Ball Ederer Miller Zucker & Sharfstein. He was a partner.
+ Courtney Guiry has been hired as a public relations and digital communications manager at Hauppauge-based Discover Long Island. She was a news anchor and executive producer at Gray Television (WHSV TV-3) in Virginia.
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 (Up And Up Edition)
Go configure: The new iOS 17 relocates the red “end call” button.
Next up: Meet Eris, the dominant new strain piling up COVID hospitalizations.
Hold up: Why you shouldn’t drink that coffee first thing in the morning.
Thumbs up: Or down, as iPhone users brace for a big change.
Looking up: Please continue supporting the upward-trajectory organizations that support Innovate Long Island, including Stony Brook University Economic Development, always ready to help early-stage enterprises rise to meet commercialization challenges. Check them out.
