One down, 51 to go: Welcome to the first Friday of 2024, dear readers, as we look forward to a weekend of holiday-decoration removals (unadorning? de-decorating?) and possibly snow removal (stay tuned).
Whatever your weekend has in store, today is Friday, Jan. 5, and we’re here to wrap up this shortened workweek with a dash of innovative panache. Off we go.
To be continued: The original 1979 “Alien” was a horror/sci-fi classic … but did we really need six more?
Where imagination goes to die: In a world where 2023’s “major motion pictures” included My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, The Expendables 4, John Wick 4, Indiana Jones 5, Scream 6, Transformers 7, Mission: Impossible 7 (Part 1), The Fast and the Furious 10 and Marvel Superhero-a-Rama 33 (!) …and 2024 promises Kung-Fu Panda 4, Beverly Hills Cop 4, Bad Boys 4, Despicable Me 4, Mad Max 5, Ghostbusters 5, Godzilla/Kong/Monsterverse 5 and Alien 7… we pause to honor/lament National Screenwriters Day.
And on behalf of bored-to-death moviegoers around the world, we implore a medium where genius innovators like Fellini, Kurosawa, Bergman, Coppola, Kubrick and Spielberg once delighted and inspired us to recapture its creative spark.
Bird brains: Hollywood may have clipped its own wings, but ornithologists can soar today – it’s National Bird Day, an annual homage to the world’s 10,000 avian species.
And to top it all off, it’s also National Whipped Cream Day, adding something special to your dessert of choice every Jan. 5.
Double take: If you think birds and whipped cream are an odd pairing, consider “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde,” Robert Louis Stevenson’s gripping study of human duality, published on this date in 1886.
Single source: Everyone knows where the oft-imitated Jekyll-and-Hyde formula originated, unlike the ubiquitous sandwich known globally as the hamburger, which has many origin stories – though reliable sources say the word “hamburger” first appeared in Washington State’s Walla Walla Union newspaper on Jan. 5, 1889.
Winging it: Devoted to protecting bird species, the National Audobon Society took flight 119 years ago today.
Fine feathered friends: So why is today, of all days, National Bird Day? Likely because the National Audubon Society – dedicated to the preservation of birds and their natural habitats – was established on this date in 1905.
Keeping us in suspension: In Wednesday’s newsletter, we referenced the start of construction on the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, way back in 1870 … today, we note the beginnings of its famous West Coast counterpart, the Golden Gate Bridge, where construction commenced 91 years ago today.
In Cinecolor! And it was Jan. 5, 1948, when the first full-color newsreel debuted in U.S. theaters.
The roughly six-and-a-half-minute reel – chronicling that year’s Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade and the Rose Bowl college football game – awaits on YouTube, though the headline mislabels the year as 1940. (Historical evidence confirms it was, in fact, 1948).
Innovation royalty: American inventor and business magnate King Camp Gillette (1855-1932) – who created the disposable safety razor and built a retail empire around it – would be 169 years old today.
Manson family: A very rough childhood is partly to blame for Brian Hugh Warner’s twisted alter ego.
Also born on Jan. 5 were English botanist and zoologist Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859), who discovered and categorized North American plant life; English archaeologist Dame Kathleen Kenyon (1906-1978), who pioneered modern archeological methodologies; American actor George Reeves (1914-1959), who was the original “Superman” but wasn’t faster than a speeding bullet (decades later, questions linger about his untimely death); American inventor and industrialist Aaron Lapin (1914-1999), the Reddi-Wip creator dubbed the “whipped cream king” (see National Whipped Cream Day, above); and American actress Diane Keaton (born 1946), an Academy Award-winner and unlikely fashion icon.
Dark side: And take a bow, Brian Hugh Warner! The American musician – known professionally as abused, abusive and generally chaotic heavy metal rocker Marilyn Manson (an intentional mishmash of opposing American icons Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson) – turns 55 today.
Wish the dark and disturbed music man well at editor@innovateli.com, where we accept all comers with open arms – especially when they come bearing news tips and calendar events.
About our sponsor: Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz PLLC is one of the region’s most highly regarded and recognized law firms. Our attorneys are thought leaders, dedicated to achieving success through excellence. With our broad experience in land use, development, litigation, real estate, corporate and environmental law, we have the vision and knowledge to serve our clients and our communities. Please visit sahnward.com.
BUT FIRST, THIS
Gone with the wind: Empire Wind 2 is no more … for now.
Rough seas: Regional offshore wind ambitions have suffered a blow – but there’s still wind in those sails, according to insiders.
Citing rising inflation, supply-chain woes and other concerns, Norwegian energy firm Equinor and British project partner BP have terminated the proposed Empire Wind 2 offshore wind farm and their agreement to sell its 1,260 megawatts of electricity to New York State. Through Empire Wind 1 – an 816-megawatt farm still rising roughly 15 miles south of Jones Beach – and Empire 2, the partners had planned a total of 147 offshore wind turbines, capable of producing a combined 2,076 megawatts of clean electricity.
The Empire 2 termination doesn’t mean another wind farm won’t rise in its place, including an updated version of Equinor/BP’s Empire 2 plan. In a clear reference to a new offshore wind solicitation issued by Albany in November – which among other things allows companies to terminate old contracts and re-offer projects at higher prices reflecting current economic conditions – Equinor issued a statement Wednesday noting the Empire Wind 2 termination “repositions an already mature project to continue development in anticipation of new offtake opportunities.”
Black keys: An ambitious educational effort embraced by one of Long Island’s top museums is (rocking and) rolling into the New Year.
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is tuning up its next TeachRock session, scheduled for Jan. 11 at the Stony Brook hall and stocked with lessons about Black History Month and the legacy of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., all taught through music. Island-based teachers are invited to sign up and enjoy pizza, free admission to LIMEHOF’s popular Billy Joel exhibit and an evening of great tunes and accessible lessons to share with their students, presented by TeachRock Ambassador Stephanie Arnell.
Launched in 2002 by legendary rocker Steven Van Zandt, TeachRock aims to provide free, standards-aligned resources for less-fortunate K-12 music programs – and the Jan. 11 civil rights-themed course is a worthy addition to the evolving LIMEHOF syllabus, according to LIMEHOF Vice Chairman Tom Needham. “The sessions have been a blast, helping teachers bring the love of music into classrooms,” Needham told Innovate Long Island. “It’s all about making learning cool and meaningful for students, and that’s something to celebrate.”
TOP OF THE SITE
Such waste: Northwell Health and Irish innovator Envetec are teaming up to significantly reduce the tons of medical waste shipped out annually by New York State’s largest healthcare provider.
Wise beyond your years: Thanks for sharing this engaging newsletter with your entire innovation team – now share your benevolent wisdom by signing them up for their own always easy, always free subscriptions. Very clever of you!
ICYMI
Environmental concerns abound in the latest Mount Sinai South Nassau Truth in Medicine Poll, as Long Islanders express low regard for regional air and water quality.
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 New York City: Ad-free social network VERO tunes up independent-label artist incubator to help budding musicians build sustainable careers.
From California: Los Angeles-based cyberpunk pioneer GravaStar blends avant-garde design with exceptional performance in professional-grade gaming mice.
From Florida: Fort Myers-based electric-vehicle manufacturer Vivid EV puts the power in EV drivers’ hands with feature-rich control app.
ON THE MOVE
Shalei Simms
+ Shalei Simms has been named dean of the State University of New York at Old Westbury School of Business. She has served as the acting business school dean since summer 2021.
+ The Long Island Business Development Council has elected three new Executive Board members:
- Lisa Mulligan, CEO, Town of Brookhaven IDA and LDC
- John Walser, director, Town of Islip Office of Economic Development
- Brad Hemingway, executive director, Town of Islip Foreign Trade Zone Authority
+ Uniondale-based Forchelli Deegan Terrana has promoted John Comiskey to partner and Raymond Castronovo to counsel. Both are attorneys in the firm’s Construction Practice Group.
+ East Meadow-based Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman has elevated three attorneys to partner:
- Nicole Milone is now a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. She was previously an associate.
- Kathleen Farrell is now a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group. She was previously an associate.
- Noreen Chen is now a partner in the Commercial Lending Practice Group. She was previously of counsel.
+ Jonathan Weiss has joined Uniondale-based Forchelli Deegan Terrana as an associate in the firm’s Tax, Trusts & Estates Practice Group.
+ The Old Westbury College Foundation has elected four new Board of Trustees members:
- Timothy Coners, tax partner at Grassi & Co. in Jericho
- Faroque Khan, founding member of the Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury
- William King Moss III, director of academic affairs at Lawrence High School and president of the Islip Town Branch of the NAACP
- Derek Peterson, founder and CEO of Soter Technologies in Ronkonkoma
+ Marco Silva has been elected partner of Uniondale-based Harris Beach PLLC. He focuses on commercial real estate matters.
+ Susan Pascale has been elected president of the Long Island Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association’s Board of Directors. She is executive vice president and general counsel at B&G Electrical Contractors of New York in North Amityville.
+ Michelle Bloom has been hired as system director of the cardio-oncology program at NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island in Mineola. She was co-director of the cardio-oncology program at Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook.
+ Rohan Howell has been hired as vice president for enrollment management at Farmingdale State College. He was dean of admissions at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx.
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 Sahn Ward). Marlene McDonnell can tell you more.
BELOW THE FOLD (Coffee, Tea Or Me Edition)
I quit: But not all at once, if you know what’s good for you.
Take a sip: How to make your coffee taste better, according to science.
Take a break: No remote work (but plenty of scones) at these Brooklyn tea houses.
Take it slow: Resolving to cut caffeine? Why cold turkey might not be the best idea.
Take no chances: Please continue supporting the amazing firms that support Innovate Long Island, including Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz PLLC, where unparalleled land-use knowledge leads to the best solutions, every time. Check them out.
