Saturday, December 15, 2007

Another nap, another post

Well, Audrey is soundly sleeping (I hope), which gives me some time to write something. So, what's new... what's new....

Well, to start, you can start calling Audrey "Big Sister" cause there's a little one on the way! At this point, Julie is 12-weeks in, so there's still a lot of time - her due date is in late June. I'll have to scan the ultrasound pic so you can see the little guy/gal. It's obviously WAY too soon to tell what the sex of the new baby is, and once again, names are secret... so we'll be holding off on making that announcement.

So, this means that the house is about to get a lot smaller. Our spare bedroom will likely become another nursery. If it's a girl, there's a chance we'll just double up in Audrey's room, but I'm thinking regardless, we're losing the spare bedroom. This also means our plans on staying in our current home for another 5 years or so seems unlikely. So I guess it's time to at least start looking for possible future homes. Now, we haven't really discussed it too much, but I really want to more somewhere more centrally located. In a perfect world, the City schools would be the best in the world... so we could move into the City. But once you get past elementary school, the City schools kindof suck.

I'd really like to be in Brighton, Webster, Penfield, or Pittsford. I personally like Brighton because it's still nice and close to all our favorite City activities, and it's also near lots of good food, Pittsford Wegmans, both I-490 and I-590, and will be WAY more convenient for me - assuming that I'm still driving to Canandaigua for a few more years. In fact, even if I weren't, it's still more convenient.

So, what else is new? Well, business is going well. I picked up a very nice client in Pittsford who has lots of potential. And, they have space there, in case I ever needed any. I started a new business - BiSen Technologies, Inc. with a group of partners. We're commercializing a sensor technology from Infotonics that one of my partners invented while a contract scientist at Infotonics. We were developing it with some pre-seed funding from Cornell/Infotonics. The initial market-segment we're going after is the dairy industry, although there's the potential for the sensor to be used in apple juice/cider. The response from the farming community has been fantastic. In fact, if we had a working system right now, some of these guys would have bought systems right away. So, the big issue now is whether or not we can get a proof of concept, or even a working prototype. We've submitted a Phase I SBIR to the USDA, and this week we submit to another USDA program for a two-year R&D program, so hopefully one of those will pan out. What I really need is about $120K to get to a working prototype for detection of a single organism. In order to detect the array of things we want to, however, we're probably looking at a minimum of $480K and a maximum of $3 million. The $3 million would actually allow us to target two very high priority organisms - cryptosporidium and mycoplasma. If we can do that, then our technology has the potential to take off in the biomedical marketplace. In addition to BiSen, Javelin itself is doing quite well. Infotonics is really starting to pick up speed - and if the state of New York would just reimburse us on a reasonable schedule, we'd be in amazing shape.

So, otherwise, things are going pretty good. Here are some new pictures for your enjoyment... including our Christmas tree!





Sunday, December 09, 2007

Wow, it's been a long time!

And my brother apparently is annoyed every time he comes here and sees the same post time after time. So, here's my best attempt at updating the weblog while Audrey is sleeping and I have a few moments to myself. Julie is also home, but she had to work last night, so she's upstairs sleeping. I'm hoping she's up around 2pm, though, so that we can head over to Mary Maida's open house, and then go get a Christmas tree. I got the space all set up - it's going to be in the dining room, rather than the living room... I just hope it fits. If not, we'll just have to move things around a bit in the living room to make it work.

So, I'm going to write a little on what I've been up to recently, but before I get into that, I'm going to post what most people are probably interested in... baby pics! So, here we go...







OK... and since Blogger only lets you do 5 pics at a time... here's some more!







And last, but not least...




OK... so hopefully people will be happy with the pics.

So, what else is up? Tons of stuff! But unfortunately, uploading all those pics took up so much time that I don't have the time to really say everything. I'm going to really try to do it later tonight after our day is basically done... that way I might even be able to post a couple pics of the new tree. Cheers!

Sunday, August 05, 2007

FINALLY!

Well, I finally reset my password and can now post on my blog again. Why Google decided it made sense to change the way Blogger worked, I really don't know... but it sure was a pain in the ass. I'm also posting the occasional update on my javelin-group.com website blog, and from time to time, add stuff to my Myspace page.

Anyway, I've got TONS of stuff that I'd like to add to the blog - especially pictures of Audrey! It's been months, and she's a little person now! Now, God only knows if anyone still checks my blog, so please leave a comment if you did in fact visit and saw this update. As a taste, here's a pic!

Sunday, April 15, 2007

The Apprentice

I just watched my first episode of this season's The Apprentice. I think I'm glad I don't watch this show. The remaining contestants are supposed to be the top four prospects out of millions of applications to be the next Trump apprentice? OK, ok... I'm sure all the real successful young people are too busy making their own millions than to deal with Trump (damn, did I see Trump Vodka at Whitehouse the other day?!), so the pool of prospective candidates is already limited. But these people are such, uh, douchbags. None of them are likeable, and I wouldn't want to work with any of them.

Having only seen this one example of their collective business genious, maybe I'm missing something. I also don't know their backgrounds - nor do I care to find out. The Asian dude from Seattle is an "internet business owner," WTF does that mean? Are there really still internet businesses out there? The meat-head white guy seemed pretty good, but he's a MEAT-HEAD-WHITE-GUY. I shouldn't be able to describe one of the top business prospects in America as a MEAT HEAD. (Negative, I am a meat popsicle.)

There are two chicks left. One is really annoying, the other struck me as annoying, but quieter. Apparently, in order for women to succeed in business, they cannot just be smart, hard working tacticians. They need to be obnoxious.

So, next week, The Donald will pick one of these four remaining folks to be his ostensible apprentice. I may actually watch what will undoubtedly be a hourlong blame-fest so that the least incompetent will hang on long enough to not be fired. Add lots and lots of commercials and entertainment ensues. I wonder what really becomes of the past winners of this show. Did they get jobs that they kept? Did they go back to their own businesses? Did they love working for Trump, or hate it? Was it really an apprenticeship - where Trump took them under his wing and tought them everything he's learned from a lifetime of whatever the heck it is he's done? Have they become more successful in their business endeavors as a result? Or is this just reality television, where the contestants don't have an interest in following through with the "winning". How many reality marriages have been successful? (Flavor Flav!!)

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Kodak Venture Program

I'm reading a very interesting book on business incubators, and there's a great paragraph in the early history of incubation that goes as follows:

"Kodak established a major corporate venturing program in the early 1980s and attracted over 4000 internal venture proposals. Some 300 of these received seed funding, more than 100 were commercialized as separate units or adopted internally, and only 14 became new businesses, spun into the holding company, Eastman Technologies. By 1990, only one of these was still operating independently as a Kodak subsidiary and in 1989 Kodak announced it was discontinuing new venture activity. "

That really makes me appreciate what my dad had to go through to get DISCUS Electronic Training up and running, and eventually purchased by Kodak. I did a Google search on "Eastman Technologies" and found a fantastic description of the environment that fostered this development:

"Creating the venture capital arm called Eastman Technologies in the mid-80s meant that Kodak generously funded some innovative startup companies, like the one I worked for, Edicon Systems Division. The entrepreneurial design teams for the (dozen? I think--can't remember) venture companies were made up of thinkers, hard workers, scientists, patent-holders, and really brilliant, mostly passionate people. The brainpower and spirit of innovation at Edicon and the other Ventures in the late 80s and early 90s was real. I saw it. I felt it. There was, in truth, a dot-com spirit pre-dot-com, in those days. Ventures were staffed by the brightest and best from in and (more importantly) outside of the company in the beginning. Out-of-the-box (pun intended) thinkers who thought they could make a difference in the world, or at least in the world of technology and digital imaging. 

If Kodak had launched Eastman Technologies ten years later, something would have popped for the old red and yellow box. I am 97-percent sure of that. "

Wow. Exactly what I'd like to see happen again in Rochester, and a big reason why I'm so eager to get the Infotonics Commercialization Center off the ground. Unfortunately, there are forces in play that have little interest in economic development, more more interest in gaining power, influence, and spending taxpayers money (which they have no feelings of responsibility to spend with care.)


Monday, March 26, 2007

Audrey is getting bigger

We had our 4 month checkup today... and she's still in the 95th percentile for length, weight, and head circumference. Yup, she's growing like a weed! Of course, today also meant shots... which weren't particularly appreciated. So, it was also a long day for the little one. Here's some new pics to enjoy!





Thursday, March 22, 2007

Nice When Your Projects Pan Out

Well, one of the many projects I've been working on for the past year or so for Infotonics finally panned out. While I'm getting absolutely no credit, I'll at least be kindof boastful on my own weblog.

This will ultimately result in the creation of a new business incubator in the Rochester region. We're already lining up companies to fill the space, and I'm hoping if we have a dozen companies located here, we can help them grow some significant news jobs. Now if some of the other things I've been working on also pan out, Infotonics itself will have a whole lot more sound financial future.

Here's the story that ran in today's D&C:

$3M grant to expand Infotonics Center

Matched by state, it's expected to result in as many as 200 jobs.

Daniel Wallace
Staff writer


(March 22, 2007) — A number of high-paying jobs could be on the way to the Rochester area, thanks to a $3 million federal grant awarded Wednesday to the Infotonics Center in Canandaigua.

The grant, which was provided by the Economic Development Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce, will help the Canandaigua high-tech center expand its operations by 10 percent.

President and Chief Executive Officer David R. Smith said the expansion could generate as much as $130 million in private investments in the greater Rochester region.

"This expansion is important to our mission of creating high-tech jobs in western New York ... and is a significant investment for us," said the CEO.

According to Smith, the money will be matched by New York state, giving the technology company $6 million to enlarge its 120,000 square-foot facility.

"This grant is a huge boost to the Infotonics Center and Canandaigua," said Rep. Randy Kuhl, R-Hammondsport, who helped secure the grant.

Kuhl said the research efforts in microsystems, photonics, optics and information technology "are things that we only dreamed about a few years ago, and now that research is spinning off into job and revenue-creating businesses right here in our area."

According to a news release from Kuhl's office, the $3 million investment would help renovate the incubator space for startup photonics, information systems and optics businesses. It would also help in the construction of the Infotonics Commercialization Center and in the process could create about 200 jobs for region.

Infotonics helps smaller companies and entrepreneurs explore emerging technologies and new applications.

The Infotonics Center specializes in semiconductor microsystems, which are used to support televisions, inkjet printers and airbag censors.

In addition to the new funding, the Infotonics Center was the recipient of $1 million in defense research funding in the 2007 Defense Appropriations bill and $2 million in the 2006 Defense Appropriations bill.

"This investment will help Canandaigua generate a commercial environment that will attract entrepreneurs, business and capital," U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez said in a statement supporting the project.

DJWALLAC@DemocratandChronicle.com

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Yay! More Baby Pics!

Here's some new baby pics from earlier today. Does she look like she's up for a fight in that one pic?




Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Simon Cowell is Lost

I'm sitting here watching American Idol, and the first male contestant of the night just finished. I thought he was pretty darn good. He joined the military after September 11th, and seems like a really likable guy. Plus his voice was really good. It kindof had a Sting-like quality. Randy and Paula gave their typically banal reaction, though they were positive responses, and then Simon described him as a good karaoke singer. Hmmm... if this guy's karaoke, I'm going to start going to karaoke concerts, cause he was pretty damn good. But I think Simon has lost touch with what it's going to take to win. Apparently he hasn't been watching his own show, cause it has little to do with the best talent, and more to do with who connects with the audience, or who has something "freakish" about them that voters can exploit and force the general public to see week after week.

Simon is apparently under the impression that talent has something to do with winning. This can't be the case. Other than Kelly Clarkson (who is talented - but also a pretty hot chick who undoubtedly won on her looks too), the others are all kindof freakish. Rueben Studdard is the incredibly fat black guy (or incredibly black fat guy?), Fantasia is freakishly, uh freakish, and Taylor Hicks has GREY HAIR and is also really weird. Oh yeah, I forgot about Carrie Underwood, who won in a particularly un-exciting fashion, and is pretty darn forgetable. She also won on her looks. Who was she up against? Some ugly dude? I don't even remember!

So Simon, get a grip. This contest has nothing to do with who is most likely to be a pop star. Or a rock star. Or any kind of star, other than perhaps freak show. None of the current contestants is outwardly freakish - maybe something will show up over the next few weeks. Perhaps "Beatbox dude" will wow us week after week with his beatboxing... which might be weird enough to keep him around forever - getting rid of better singers. I think Simon believes he's still on Pop Idol - but American's like to support weirdos, and I almost guarantee that another weirdo will win this year.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Downtown Housing Developments

There've been a few stories in the local media recently about the boom in downtown housing developments. This is in the wake of such projects as the $15 million Sagamore on East project, the new condos built between Scio Street and The Little Theatre, and a ton of loft apartment projects going on within the inner loop. All really good stuff. And the new projects being planned are also fantastic - the new apartments to be added behind the project around The Little on Charlotte Street, two residential projects in High Falls - one a redo of the last old building down there, and the other a partnership with the Urban League and Kodak. Plus, my personal favorite, re-doing the old bath house building component into housing. In fact, I looked at that property a couple years ago too as a possible office building for a mix of small companies. Capron Place still needs a new buyer, as the original developer apparently went broke, but that will also be a great project across the street from the bath house.

So, I get a little disoriented when I start reading my New York Times Sunday Magazine and I see ads for new apartment buildings down there, with condos STARTING at anywhere from $1,500,000 or $1,950,000 up to $7,000,000. Wow. It makes you realize the nature of the real estate business! Here the debate has been over spending $7,000,000 on buying the Midtown complex from a NYC firm and managing redevelopment locally, which in NYC, $7 million gets you a nice place to live! For examples, check out here and here.

Not to mention, these new apartment buildings are AMAZING. They're basically giant glass towers with amazing views all around. Waterfront locations too. Now, the City of Rochester did this charette thing a few months ago - with one of the more interesting components being a 15 story residential building located on the site of the old parking garage helix. I think it's a fantastic idea - though the design sketch was kindof lame. It was very traditional and old fashioned. I wish we could be a little more forward thinking when it comes to architectural designs in the City - like the Strong Museum - but apparently design risks are one of the risks the community isn't willing to take.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Trader Joe's Too Good for Rochester?

The Rochester D&C did an article recently on the difficulty of locating a grocery store in downtown Rochester. One company they interviewed was Trader Joe's. Apparently, Rochester is not on their radar. Really? I wonder if the success of Wegman's could possibly be our own worst enemy? I'm sure Trader Joe's is aware of Wegman's. And I'm also betting that like almost every other grocery store chain in the nation, they fear Wegman's tremendously. The basic reaction of the crappy grocery store chains is, "Oh shit... Wegman's... we're in trouble." From what I can see, this is because Wegman's is really, really, really good. They don't look at it like they're doing us a favor by providing groceries. They recognize the importance of the customer and treat them extremely well.

But this doesn't address the Trader Joe's (or any other niche grocery chain) not coming to Rochester. Clearly, there is a need for a downtown grocery store. And The Sagamore on East *might* be a good place for it, but god only knows. It would seem, however, that the East End would be a great location for a Grocery in the City. It's strategically located in one of the fastest growing areas of the City - and it's continuing to grow. There's going to be another great development on Charlotte street which will further boost residential numbers in the City. Given all the other new residential in the area, that screams "market opportunity" to me. Especially for a small format, Trader Joe's style grocery chain. Sure, Green Grocer just opened up on South Avenue, but they're not open really long hours, and they're closed entirely on Sundays. If the trend continues, I'm sure something will pop up. I'd love it to be Trader Joe's, but I won't hold my breath.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

BUMBO!

Let me repeat.... BUMBO! This is a big pink plastic chair that kind of molds to Audrey's shape to keep her sitting upright. This kiddo LOVES to be upright. In fact, when she goes from being held over mommy or daddy's shoulder to being held in our arms, her face slowly transforms from happy baby, to concerned baby, to angry baby and eventually to magenta rageful baby.

Anyway, here are some pics of her in her new Bumbo. She'll probably enjoy it more later, cause it was just before bedtime when we tried this out. Enjoy!



Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Monday, February 05, 2007

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Audrey pics!

Wanted to post some new Audrey pictures.... from Christmas and some recent ones done on some black velvet. Who can go wrong with naked baby pics?





Tuesday, January 09, 2007

James Brown? Nope. Hardest Working Man in Showbiz is....

Ron Jeremy. OK, maybe not in 2007. His only film credit 9 days into 2007 is "Homo Erectus," what I'm sure is pure gold! Gold Jeremey! Gold! And come on, NINE days into 2007, that should be nine porno movies, but he's been so busy over his career he can afford to take a break. This is a man who's been in 975 movies from his beginnings in "Coed Teasers" as Dr. Burns (Mr. Burns' brother?) in 1978 until this year's movie where he plays someone named "Oog". And that doesn't include 134 instances of him being a director, 8 writing credits, and about 137 television credits, including this year's fantastic "The Surreal Life: Fame Games". I just watched the first episode, and with these kinds of numbers, Ron is definately A-List. He's worked harder, er, more frequently, than anyone else in showbusiness, except for maybe Mickey Rooney, who was in a much less impressive 305 movies or shorts between 1926 and 2007.