The Hot Iron

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Going Postal

I don’t believe there is hope for the United States Postal Service, an oxymoron of a name if there ever was one.  And this is not just me, as the Chicago Sun-Times has reported on the lack of service, delivery and accountability this past weekend.  I will spare you my own mail debacle stories, for now at least.

About the only smart thing the post office has come up with is so-called “forever stamps” where once you buy the stamp, you can use it whenever, and it will be valid at the current rate at that time.  So if you buy a 39-cent stamp the day before the rate increase and use it a week later, you do not need to add additional postage.  After witnessing the insanity at Chicago’s Loop post office on the day of the last stamp price increase last year – where they literally ran out of two-cent stamps – I am actually surprised that the same organization came up with this idea.

This article from spudart.org on the historic stamp price increases has a cool stamp design they should consider for the first forever stamp!

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Vote if It’s Election Day for You

Today is Election Day in Chicago and many other cities around the country.  Winter or spring elections in the U.S. tend to be more for local offices and positions rather than national offices.  If voting is going on in your city, town or other name for where you live, please vote.

As much as people think they do not have a say in whom their elected officials are and what they do, this is the one opportunity to make your voice heard.  With record lows in voter turnout around the country, imagine what would happen if it were record highs instead.  And all of the people, who didn’t vote because they didn’t think their candidate would win, went ahead and voted?

If you are not registered to vote, please let this be a reminder to do so.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

More Than an Olympic Feeling

This past week the language got hot between Chicago and Los Angeles, the American cities vying to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.  Once a decision is made between the two, that city will be competing against cities around the world to be the host.  A decision will be coming in April on the US entry.

Various elements of the plans for the Olympics have already been released.  Most of the Olympic village will be on the South Side of the city, and will feature a “temporary” stadium as the main venue for the games.  Temporary means it will be torn down after the 2 week event.  Other elements will remain, namely the residences that will become housing afterwards.  Other existing venues in the city will be used for the games, including Grant Park as a main party spot and Millennium Park for medal awards.

The notion of temporary structures is not new to the Second City.  Most all of the buildings and landscape of the 1893 Columbian Exposition were designed to be temporary and are gone, with the exception of the rebuild building now housing the Museum of Science and Industry.  Temporary structures is not unique to us, as the stadium from the 1996 Summer Olympics became Turner Field in Atlanta.

I hope this is not completely a case of history repeating itself.  Granted, Chicago is a city that believes it has to continually improve and in some cases reinvent itself, which is part of the reason I live here!  I only hope that in the planning of changes to the city, consideration is made to develop some structures that, long after 2016, are blatant, lasting symbols that the world came to Chicago to compete.  The spirit of the Olympics would build leading up to the event, but those symbols would make it last a lot longer.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Return Hangers to the Dry Cleaners

If you are “ferrously challenged” like I am, which means you can’t iron a garment to save your life, you probably use dry cleaners to get your shirts and other clothes nice and crisp.  Over time, you probably accumulate many wire hangers.  So what do you do with them?  Allow me to make a suggestion – return them to your dry cleaners.

Recently I brought back a whole stack of hangers to the cleaners.  After pulling them out of my garment bag, the owner thanked me profusely, telling me that the cost of hangers has been on the rise.  So as a result, I am keeping their costs down, which will hopefully relate in keeping my costs down.

There’s also the question of recycling hangers that are used for clothing.  When I take a garment off a dry cleaning hanger I do not reuse it, as I prefer to use a more stable hanger.  Thus the hangers I return are, as far as I am concerned, clean.

Is that the case for all hangers?  Am I thinking about this too much?

Friday, February 16, 2007

Beanpot University

Congratulations to the Boston University Mens Hockey Team for winning the 2007 Beanpot Tournament!  As the BU Terriers once again beat their cross-town rivals, the Boston College Eagles, in an overtime win, they continued their dominance in this local tournament of the original four schools that play their games in Boston, including Northeastern University and Harvard.

Of the 55 years of the tournament, BU has won it 28 times.  For those of you who do not follow college hockey or are fans of the Midwest teams, you are probably wondering what the big deal is, especially with a tourney featuring the same teams.  If for any other reason, it is bragging rights, and the continuation of a tradition in an age where traditions tend to fade away.  After missing the last two years, it was great to see my Terriers take the trophy home.

GO BU!

Revolutionary Entrepreneurs

If you travel through New England, you can barely go fifty yards without seeing some historical landmark or marker of where something in the history of the United States took place.  As someone who grew up there, you are almost oblivious to the significance of what happened several hundred years ago.  When I go back to visit, it is almost like I see these for the first time.

Take a look at this historical marker, which is located in the center of Arlington, Massachusetts:

(click on the photo to see a larger image)

The marker reads, “Near this spot Samuel Whittemore, then 80 years old, killed three British soldiers April 19, 1775. He was shot, bayoneted, beaten and left for dead, but recovered and lived to be 90 years of age.”

This event happened as the British were retreating from the famous battles of Lexington and Concord.  Whittemore was a retired British soldier who owned a farm, an entrepreneur in his own right.  No wonder his resiliency.

And as to the distance between historical markers, across the street from this one is another marking the birthplace of Uncle Sam, an entrepreneur in his own right.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

So much for all the other designs

Why is the “power” button on the LodgeNet TV remote control on the bottom of the remote?  Sure, it’s green, but it’s relatively small as compared to the large, round “menu” and “order” buttons at the top of the remote.

Why is the design of the remote control that you find in just about every hotel different that the paradigm of just about every remote control found in your home?  So much for that “home away from home” feeling.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

My Take-Aways from the book Small Giants

This year I have a goal to read one book a month.  Where for some this may not seem like much, it is a big deal for me. I have not been much of a reader in the past, with the exception of trade magazines and technical manuals.  As I finish each book, I will write not a review but my “take-away” or the things that made me go “hmmm” after I put the book down for a final time.

My book for January was Small Giants by Bo Burlingham, editor-at-large at Inc. magazine.  It highlights several companies that are “giants” in their respective industries, but chose to remain at a certain, smaller size, and details their path to this decision.  Some of the companies featured include Anchor Brewing, CLIF Bar and Chicago’s Artists’ Frame Service.

When people talk about growing their business, the discussion starts at getting larger, but it does not tend to stop anyplace.  The companies in this book made a decision to get to a certain size – by the number of staff or services they offer – and are content there.  They do not see themselves being limited by this, and the contrary they feel much better about their businesses and its vitality, and in turn themselves. As I plan to grow my own business, this book has given me a different perspective on what growth is, and insight into some choices I may have to make in the future.  I recommend fellow small business folks to give this book a few hours to read.

Creepy Part 2

With all of the curiocity surrounding the death of Anna Nicole Smith, I visited her personal Web site, annanicole.com, on Friday and all that was there was a black background and the words “Anna Nicole Smith 1967-2007” (as of this writing, it has since been replaced with a photo of her and the dates).

That creeped me out.  Why?  Because I was born in 1967!  It has nothing to do with her age as compared to my own.  It was more to do with the fact that I saw a date range for a death that started with the same year I was born.

However this was not the first time I was creeped out over this.  In 1994, shortly after the death of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain, t-shirts were being worn with his picture, and his name and birth and death years.  Again, 1967 was right in front of me.

Yet another reminder to make the most of our days…

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Gaining from Giving Back

This Saturday, February 10, there will be an amazing concert just outside of Chicago put on by the Sing to Live Community Chorus.  The chorus is made up of people who have been personally affected by breast cancer, whether it was themself or a loved one.  I am proud that my wife is a member of this chorus in honor of her aunt, grandmother and a dear friend, all who had breast cancer.

I am also proud to have an advertisement in the program book for the entire season of three performances.  Do I have the ad because Super Bowl ads are outside of my budget?  Or is it because I believe my phone will be ringing off the hook after each performance?  Though the latter would be nice, it is to show support for an amazing organization that puts on equally amazing performances, and I hope my small contribution will help in their cause.

Community service is a big part of my life.  The experiences I gained from being a member and president of the Boston Jaycees helped shape me greatly, not to mention that is where I met my wife!  Our support of the American Liver Foundation has helped channel the energy and emotions from the loss of my Mom to liver disease over 5 years ago.  I also have several pro bono clients I help in communicating their message on the Internet.

As much as these organizations have benefited from the little bit I give to them, I believe I get back more from them.  And I hope to see you at the Sing to Live concert on Saturday night!