experience in marketing or communications?
Are you a recent grad or an experienced professional with a two-year degree? If you are, the Rochester Business Journal may have an opening for you. RBJ is looking for a full-time employee to assist on many projects such as sales, distribution, promotions and many other things. If you think you may be interested, head over to our REAL jobs section to read more about the position. [Posted 10/22/07]
collapsible cars, near the future?
Well, maybe cars aren’t collapsible yet, but robot cars may be possible. Some of the biggest names in motor vehicles showed off their designs for the future at the Los Angeles Auto Show’s ‘Design Challenge’ contest. These cars, or should I say Robocars, won’t be around until 2057, which is quite a ways away. After looking at some of the designs I am still pondering how I would fit myself and a bag of groceries inside, but maybe in 2057 we will have Willie Wonka’s “Three-Course Dinner Chewing Gum.” Check out the Robocar designs at here. [Posted 10/22/07]
the new REAL is here!!
Grab your copy of the new edition of REAL! REAL can be found on your campus in the career center and other various locations on campus. Also, REAL can be found in these Rochester hotspots. Click here for a list of locations where it is available. [Posted 10/15/07]
how funny do you think you are?
Do you think you have what it takes to create a hilarious video that can earn you some cold hard cash? Well, if you are up for the challenge, grab your video camera and some of your friends and start shooting. However, before you begin, create a user account at break.com first. Break.com is similar to YouTube, but if your video makes their home page, you win some cash. Even if you don’t win, Break.com is a fun community to be a part of and you are always guaranteed a good laugh. So come on, Rochester! Start thinking and make the world laugh. www.brake.com [Posted 10/15/07]
name your price!
For the first time, you can choose how much you want to pay for a CD. Of course you can only do this with Radiohead’s newest CD “In Rainbows.” This is no joke! You are in complete control of what you pay for this album. However, you can’t waltz into the local music store and pick up a copy. Sales of this album are handled exclusively through the Radiohead Web site. Downloads of “In Rainbows” will not start until Oct. 10, but you can pre-order now. Who knows how long this will last? Choosing your own price may not last forever, so pre-order now! Get your copy at here. [Posted 10/8/07]
arg!
We may be late by a few weeks, but it’s always fun to pretend you’re a pirate! Sept. 19 was national Talk Like a Pirate Day. Did you participate? If you did, that’s awesome. And if you didn’t, well, there’s always next year. But in the interim, test your knowledge on pirates and take this fun quiz. [Posted 10/1/07]
snow lovers: it's time to say goodbye
For the past 39 years Rochesterians have gone to shop at Snow Country Sports for all of their snow activities. However, this Oct. 15, Snow Country will be closing its doors. Winters in Rochester haven’t been the snowiest in recent years, which has been the driving force behind the closing of the longtime business. Once a thriving business with three locations, the company has been forced to close its doors. Usually, the snow in Rochester would only lock some people in their homes, while the snow bunnies would be out plowing through the white fluff. It's sad to say the lack of snow is hurting winter wonderland lovers. But, not to worry. The owners of Snow Country plan to take on a new adventure. What this new quest is isn’t exactly clear yet, but real will keep you updated. [Posted 9/26/07]
you’re hired ... in rochester at least
The Rochester-area employment outlook is expected to be strong in the fourth quarter. In fact Rochester is ranked ninth-strongest in the nation; this is according to a Manpower Inc. poll of employer work force plans. So, what does this mean to you? Well, it’s simple. Rochester is one of the places to be when you start your job hunt after graduation. Or if you’re a senior you can always start now! It’s never too early to look for that perfect job. Even if you’re not ready to start work, it never hurts to see what’s out there. Rochester is a great place to live, work and stay after graduation. To find out more about Rochester’s improved employment successes read this: www.rbj.net/fullarticle.cfm?sdid=68835. [Posted 9/17/07]
move over myspace and facebook,
there’s a new player in town
Listen up, all of you 18 and over. A new networking site is being created just for you, and the host of it ... well it’s no one you would expect. Big Hef and his bunnies are bringing you PlayboyU.com. Don’t worry girls; this new site is not intended to be male-dominated. In fact, it’s a non-nude site. PlayboyU.com hopes to bring together user-generated dialogue on topics such as relationships, student life and pop culture. PlayboyU.com is starting off just like facebook did; you have to be a college student. What that basically means is you need an e-mail address ending in .edu. So grab your bowtie and bunny ears and head over to PlayboyU.com to check out just what Hef has up his sleeve now. [Posted 9/10/07]
let the games begin
It’s that time of year again, when Sunday afternoons and Monday nights are filled with football. Granted, it’s only preseason for the NFL. But one of the biggest leagues is just getting started: Fantasy Football. To some it’s a confusing mess of stats and jargon, but to diehard fans it’s almost better than the real thing. Not sure how to get started? Check out this site. If you want to dive in, join a free league at ESPN.com. [Posted 9/4/07]
it’s that time again
Many are cramming stuff back into dorm rooms while others scramble to get last minute schedule changes. What are you doing? The new school year is here, are you ready? Don’t stress, stop and breathe. Nothing has happened yet, at worst your new roommate has his/her stuff all over yours. For now relax and try to set your goals for this semester. If you’re a senior this year then you really need to relax. It’s only fall, so your parents won’t be hounding you to find a job and your own place to live until Christmas break. Stop and savor your last year of college. For the rest of you that are just starting out or heading back for your sophomore or junior year here are a few survival tips that just may help you out. www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/10tips.html [Posted 8/27/07]
rochester made the hottest 25
Eastman School of Music based right here in Rochester is the countries hottest music school according to Newsweek. If you’re interested in making music your fulltime career then go no further, Eastman School of Music has you covered. Check out what Newsweek had to say about one of Rochester’s gems. [Posted 8/20/07]
stop cracking open the books, start clicking your mouse
No more reading out of books, now all you have to do is open an email. That’s right; reading is only a click away. Log on, find the book and submit your email address. You can even choose what day and time you want your book to come to you. Try something new this semester with DailyLit. [Posted 8/20/07]
state veggie
Finally we may have an answer to a question that has been daunting New Yorkers for what seems like a lifetime. What is our official state vegetable? We are now only waiting for approval from the state Assembly to see if Sweet Corn becomes the official vegetable of New York State. There have been some steamy arguments about if Sweet Corn deserves the title of State Veggie. Sen. Martin Connor of Brooklyn made a bold argument that Sweet Corn can not be the State Veggie because it is a grain. The debate lasted long, but in the end the grain notion was shot down. Don’t believe it? Check it out for yourself here. [Posted 8/13/07]
what Simpson are you?
America’s favorite cartoon family hit the big screen last Friday and it is been Simpson mania for weeks. Everything from new toys and gadgets to 7-11s turning into Kwikie Marts, but have you participated in one of the coolest promotions yet? Create your own Simpson character. Make yourself, your friend, or even the weird lady that lives next door. If you are one of the very few that haven’t made your very own Simpson then do it now. http://www.myspace.com/simpsonsmovie. [Posted 8/13/07]
results are in!
About a year ago ROC City Coalition surveyed the youth of Rochester to see what makes us stay and leave. After all of the tallying the results are finally in. Were you a participant in this survey? If so or if not check out to see how your peers feel about Rochester, maybe you will agree. http://www.roccity.org/index.htm. [Posted 8/13/07]
sonnenberg is creeping back!
Tucked away in Canandaigua is beautiful Sonnenberg Gardens Historic Park. In the past years Sonnenberg has struggled financially, but it is finally tiptoeing its way back to the top. The park has always been a popular place for weddings, wines, volunteering, year round events, and of course flowers galore. Summer is almost ending but for Sonnenberg Gardens everything is just beginning. For more information about Sonnenberg Gardens and the year round events log on to www.sonnenberg.org. [Posted 8/6/07]
ugly fun
We'll be there. Will you? Saturday, July 28 is the 18th annual 10 Ugly Men Festival. Starting at 11 a.m., this festival is jam-packed with great music, fun events, delicious food and cold drinks. Tickets cost $30 and proceeds go to three great charities in the Rochester area. It's a great place to go with your friends—and meet new ones! 10 Ugly Men will be at Genesee Valley Park. Park for free at the University of Rochester. Stop by the real booth to play games and take your chance to win some great prizes. For more information, check out the festival web site. [Posted 7/9/07]
what’s your favorite flick?
Can you quote your favorite film word for word? It’s the 10th anniversary of AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies. With a jury of over 1,500 creative leaders a list of the top 100 movie quotes has been created. The decisions were not made on personal preference, the jury had a list of criteria to follow for each nominee. Did your favorite quote make it? View the list now to find out. [Posted 7/1/07]
something for you and your taste buds
More than 20 of Rochester’s finest restaurants will be gathered on the Main Street Bridge the weekend of June 29 to July 1 for the annual Taste of Rochester festival. Not only will there be amazing food but also a wide selection of local wines and brews. To go with your food and drink will be local and national musicians. It all starts Friday, June 29 at 4 p.m. and goes on through the weekend starting at 11 a.m. For more information, check out www.tasteofrochester.net. [Posted 6/22/07]
get down in hip corn hill
For nearly four decades, the Corn Hill neighborhood has welcomed people from all over to browse and buy the creations of more than 450 artists and crafts people from across the country. The Corn Hill Festival is one of the coolest summer events in town. You’ll find more than 50 food vendors and musical entertainment. This year’s festival will be held July 14 and 15. For more information: www.cornhill.org/index.html. [Posted 6/22/07]
tell the city what you think
Have an idea or two on how to improve Rochester? Speak up! Mayor Bob Duffy and the City of Rochester are giving you a chance to let your voice be heard. Spend an evening with Duffy, his senior management team and other elected officials. They want to answer your questions and hear your ideas for making Rochester a better city for young people to live in. Free parking, free food, free networking. The event will be held at School of the Arts, at the corner of University Avenue and Prince Street, at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26. Please RSVP to YoungCityHallOnTheRoad@cityofrochester.gov or 428-6726. [Posted 6/22/07]
music city
The city of Rochester is going all out this summer, bringing more than 60 bands to play at some of the hottest downtown clubs and beautiful city parks. Downtown will be grooving with many different sounds from a variety of artists in June and July. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or BigCitySummerFest.com. [Posted 6/11/07]
no more “I Love New York”
It’s now “I Live New York.” Well, that’s at least the name of the new campaign being presented by New York’s First Lady, Silda Wall Spitzer. The First Lady announced plans for a summit meeting that will look at the reasons many college graduates are leaving New York. The “I Live New York” campaign is being kicked off on Sept. 18, 2007, at SUNY Cortland to discuss the following:
- How do we expand job opportunities, incentives for small-business creation and entrepreneurial growth among our younger generation?
- How do we better connect college students with Upstate employers?
- How can young people participate in and benefit from the revitalization of Upstate’s urban and cultural centers?
- How can we make housing more affordable and sustainable for young families?
- How will connecting young people through volunteering and civic engagement strengthen communities?
So, keep your eyes peeled to see what the State of New York plans to do to keep you here in New York. Find out more about First Lady Spitzer and her “I Live New York” campaign. [Posted 5/29/07]
it's not news—it's fark
Fluff, filler pieces--that what some people call it, but to Drew Curtis, it’s Fark. Founder of the website fark.com, Curtis says, “Fark is what fills space when mass media runs out of news. Fark is supposed to look like news... but it's not news.” Some of today’s interesting stories:
• Man threatens to blow up newspaper office after being denied 35 cents off Cool Whip
• Climber falls 120 feet off cliff, gets rescued because someone was watching him through a telescope three miles away
• “You helped us celebrate our bicentennial in 1796,” Bush said confidently, and in a split second realized his error
Check out all the odd, strange and amusing news stories on www.fark.com. [Posted 5/8/07]
finals? take a hike
Finals week is always stressful. What better way to ease the stress of cramming for exams and finishing up group projects than getting some fresh air? The Rochester area has some great trails for you to discover. Perinton was named one of the Top 10 Trail Towns for its 26 miles of trails that wind through wooded and scenic areas. Trail maps are available online. Nearby Victor also boasts some excellent hiking adventures. Find their maps here. [Posted 4/27/07]
crickets popping up everywhere
In March, Cricket Communications announced a plan to launch service in the Rochester area this summer. Well, it’s true: You’ll see a bright green Cricket sign on Monroe Avenue next to Starbucks at Oxford Street. A quick look at the company’s web site shows it’s hiring for positions here in Rochester. [Posted 4/11/07]
crawl for coffee
If you’ve been wondering what Rochester Young Professionals is all about, check out Rochester Coffee Crawl Monday, March 26. It will be held 7 – 9 p.m. at Earthtones Coffee House, 1217 Bay Road in Webster. There are lots of cafés, coffeehouses and pastry shops in Rochester. This RYP event is a great way to meet other 20-somethings -- with hot drinks and delicious desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. For more information, contact Matt Gaston at matt.gaston@r-y-p.org. [Posted 3/15/07]
Rochester Area Career Expo
Want to find a cool internship or co-op opportunity? Looking for a job? At Rochester Area Career Expo, about 500 college students from 17 area colleges will meet with employers to find out more. RACE, now in its 16th year, is the premier college recruiting event in Rochester. The expo will take place on Wednesday, April 11 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel, 1111 Jefferson Road, in Henrietta. Lunch will be available from noon to 1, and convenient parking is available. [Posted 3/9/07]
new zip for RIT
Rochester Institute of Technology’s incoming president, William Destler, sees big things for the university. It’s already a leader in innovation, but he wants to take it to the next level.
“What excites me is RIT should be the region’s greatest economic asset. It should be a prime producer of people power for the region and the nation. It should be a prime source of ideas for new products and services, a real innovation center unlike anything else in the nation.”
RIT has an extraordinary mix of strengths in science, engineering and business programs, complemented by design arts and imaging science, Destler said. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf adds a diversity dimension unlike any other university.
“RIT has unique assets that combined make it a really extraordinary place and a national treasure,” Destler said.
Destler, who comes from the University of Maryland, will start at RIT this summer. [Posted 3/9/07]
employees love it too
You know you love to shop at Wegmans. But have you ever thought of working there? Wegmans ranks third this year on the Fortune list of the 100 best U.S. companies to work for. The grocery chain ranked first in 2005 and second last year, and it’s still No. 1 among companies employing more than 10,000. The law firm Nixon Peabody LLP was ranked No. 49, and Paychex Inc., a payroll processing firm, came in at No. 70. Two-thirds of the scores are based on what employees think about management, job satisfaction and camaraderie. [Posted 1/11/07]
if you like to eat, you’re in the right place
Real senses a trend, and it’s good news for local foodies: Some of the biggest names in food processing are right here in Greater Rochester. Kraft makes all its Cool Whip and Lunchables in Avon, and Barilla of Italy is opening a huge pasta plant in the same town. Birds Eye Foods is headquartered here, and Frito-Lay has a distribution center in Henrietta. Jell-O was invented in LeRoy, and French’s mustard was made here for years. Other hometown favorites are Genesee beer, Zweigle’s hot dogs, Mott’s applesauce, Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce and Constellation Brands, the biggest wine company in the world. [Posted 1/11/07]
now, if it would just snow…
The 194-foot Liberty Pole downtown is lit up with 3,500 lights, and the malls are decked out for the season. But what is there to do, exactly, in Rochester over the holidays? The Historic High Falls District will be High Victorian Dec. 29 and 30, 5 – 9 p.m. with horsedrawn wagon rides, entertainers and a laser and fireworks display over the falls every half hour starting at 7. On New Year’s Eve, get to the Main Street bridge for the city’s impressive annual fireworks display. Grab a kazoo while you’re there and help set a new Guinness World Record for Largest Kazoo Ensemble. Call 428-6697 for details. [Posted 12/7/06]
photo finish
Hometown photo firm Eastman Kodak Co. is betting motorsports fans might become Kodak fans. Ryan Newman’s No. 12 Dodge Charger will sport the Kodak logo at three major races in the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Kodak also will sponsor Newman’s car in seven NASCAR Busch Series races next year. And it’ll be an associate sponsor of Penske Racing’s IndyCar Series entries driven by two-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves and Sam Hornish Jr., 2006 Indy 500 winner and three-time IndyCar Series champion. [Posted 12/7/06]
reach out
Looking for a way to meet people? Thinking you should help out a little more? RochesterCares volunteers help sort grocery items for local food pantries, play with kids, plant gardens, build houses and more. To get involved, check out the events calendar at Rochester Young Professionals. [Posted 12/7/06]
feels like the first time
You may be too young to remember Foreigner’s heyday at the top of the pop charts. But you can catch the Rochester band’s lead singer, Lou Gramm, belting out the national anthem at the Rochester RazorSharks’ home opener Nov. 16 at Blue Cross Arena. The RazorSharks are defending ABA champions—they’ll raise their banner to the rafters (Mayor Bob Duffy, a former college ball player, will assist) before taking on the Buffalo Silverbacks at 7:05 p.m.
[Posted 11/7/06]
calling all women
More than half of all voters in New York are women. But for the most part, women aren’t making a mark in local politics: Only about 17 percent of county legislature seats outside of New York City are held by women. A report by the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership at the University of Rochester gives Monroe County an unsatisfactory grade, at 17.2 percent in 2006. That’s unchanged from 2002. The substance and style of political work will change for the better when women have at least 35 percent representation, says the center’s director, Nora Bredes. [Posted 11/7/06]
equal rights town
Once the home of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, Rochester has a long history of pushing for equal rights. Now five area companies have been cited for their progressive employee policies. Bausch & Lomb Inc., Eastman Kodak Co., Nixon Peabody LLP and Xerox Corp., all in Monroe County, and Corning Inc. in Steuben County won perfect scores from the Human Rights Campaign’s 2006 Corporate Equality Index. Only 136 organizations nationwide scored 100 percent. They were rated on non-discrimination policies and benefits to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered employees. The city of Rochester and the area’s largest employer, the University of Rochester, offer domestic partner benefits. [Posted 11/7/06]
The second edition of Real magazine, the guide to life in the Rochester area for college graduates, has arrived. Updated and expanded, the new edition has a wealth of articles and features highlighting job prospects at some of Rochester's leading growth companies. And there's an entire section to the area's night life; its music, theater and visual arts; its sports teams and clubs-and much more. Look for copies of Real on campus, or download the PDF version by clicking on the cover image. [Posted 10/20/06]
rochester earns high grade
The Rochester region has been named a “5-Star Business Opportunity Metro” by Expansion Management magazine’s annual mayor’s challenge competition. According to a Rochester Business Journal story this week, the ranking is based on surveys conducted by the magazine’s research department throughout the year that compare communities based on a variety of characteristics important to site selectors, including a college-educated work force, public education, health care costs and government spending. The 5-Star designation is awarded to the top 20 percent of metro areas. [Posted 9/28/06]
oeno-freaks, take note
Napa Valley has nothing on us. A story in the New York Times, titled "New York Uncorked" sings the praises of the Finger Lakes region: "The Finger Lakes in western New York State has always seemed to me the most exciting and legitimate wine region in the East. ... And yet it remains largely ignored by tourists and oeno-freaks alike." Need any better reason to get away from campus or out of the city on the weekend? [Posted 9/24/06]
knowledge is power
Want to know what you should earn in a job -- whether you're applying or already employed in the position? Check out Payscale.com. It has a free online tool that allows you to compare your job profile to the salary and benefits of people here or in other cities with similar skills and experience. [Posted 9/21/06]