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Tuesday, March 02, 2010
 The next likemind will be Friday, March 19, 2010 in dozens of cities around the world.
In Chicago, it will be at Argo Tea, 140 S Dearborn St. at the corner of Adams and Dearborn Streets in the Loop from 8:00 am to 10:00 am.
I call likemind a gathering of creative-minded people, from various disciplines including Internet, advertising, art, social media, et. al. For more information on likemind, you can read this great article on likemind from the New York Times.
No RSVP is required. You are also welcome to join the likemind Chicago Facebook group.
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Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 03/02/10 at 10:07 AM
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Friday, February 12, 2010
 Have you ever used a talking or spirit board, commonly known as an Ouija board? Did it talk back to you? And by chance did it tell you and your family to move to Afghanistan? Believe it or not, it did for one family, and now their true story is being told in the book OUIJA – For The Record, written by Chicago author D. Lynn Cain.
To accompany her life story, she wanted a Web site to tell about the book, a blog to share stories, and a community forum for people to share their stories about their personal experiences with these boards. My Web consulting firm Dunkirk Systems, LLC and our design partners at Visible Logic, Inc. worked together with Cain to develop this Web site, blog and community at OuijaForTheRecord.com.
This was a great project, as it allowed us to be creative and tell a unique story. Bringing together people to share their experiences about Ouija boards is also a unique opportunity. The site is built on ExpressionEngine, a content management system which allows for the integration of all of the desired functionality of the site and community. Dunkirk has built other community sites with ExpressionEngine, including Active Travels and Lewis and Clark Road Trips. Emily Brackett of Visible Logic did a great job with the design of the site, including a hidden message on the home page – see if you can find it!
As I write this, I am still reading the book and will write my usual takeaways from it when I finish it. This is a unique story, and we learned a lot about it as we were strategizing the site early on. If you have interest in true-life stories, Ouija boards or paranormal activities, OUIJA – For The Record is surely a great read for you.
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Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 02/12/10 at 09:28 AM
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Tuesday, January 05, 2010
 Here’s your opportunity to get a great domain name - SaucyPans.com. I have decided to sell this domain name, and am using Bido.com, the social domain name auction service.
SaucyPans.com is a fun name for a food-related, cooking and/or culinary Web site targeted to those who seek excitement in cooking. It is a play on the descriptive term “sauce pans” and the term “saucy” brings a touch of fun into it.
There is no reserve for the auction of SaucyPans.com, and the opening bid starts at US$28. The auction will be on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 2:00 pm ET, 1:00 pm CT. You must register with Bido to participate in the auction. Even if you’re just interested in watching it, the Bido site has some unique features.
See you at Bido on January 20, and bid early and often on SaucyPans.com!
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Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 01/05/10 at 04:00 AM
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Monday, January 04, 2010
The next likemind will be Friday, January 15, 2010 in dozens of cities around the world.
In Chicago, it will be at Argo Tea, 140 S Dearborn St. at the corner of Adams and Dearborn Streets in the Loop from 8:00 am to 10:00 am.
I call likemind a gathering of creative-minded people, from various disciplines including Internet, advertising, art, social media, et. al. For more information on likemind, you can read this great article on likemind from the New York Times.
No RSVP is required. You are also welcome to join the likemind Chicago Facebook group.
Did you enjoy reading this? You are welcome to subscribe to The Hot Iron by RSS feed or by email.
Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 01/04/10 at 09:57 AM
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
 The 2009 calendar that hung in my office this year featured 12 different houses from around the world. Who knew when I got it for Christmas last year it would be a metaphor for the year it tracked?
2009 has been an interesting year to say the least. For many people, it outright sucked. For others, it presented challenges many have never encountered or even thought of before. As a result, a lot of thought has gone into what did not happen, what was lost, and what money was not made.
As we pop the cork on whatever beverages we will be consuming tonight, we’ll be not only ringing out 2009 but the first decade of the millennium. Looking beyond 2009 at the other 9 years of the decade, there were certainly many more highs than lows, and those are what I am thinking about over that timeline. And in looking back over the last year, I am thankful for what did happen, what was won and gained and the money I did make. When I think of these things, it makes me smile and fortunate for what I was able to accomplish.
In talking to many people, there is a lot of optimism as we look ahead to 2010. There is a renewed confidence that business will not only pick up, but will thrive in the new year. For small businesses, there are still a lot of things outside of our control. But those things be damned!
Happy New Year to all my friends, family and readers! New Year’s Eve also marks the 3rd anniversary of The Hot Iron. Here’s to year some great conversation in year 4!
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Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 12/31/09 at 05:48 PM
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Monday, December 14, 2009
 Here’s your opportunity to get a great domain name - BostonPoint.com. I have decided to sell this domain name, and am using Bido.com, the social domain name auction service.
BostonPoint.com is a great geographic domain name, or commonly referred to as a “geo-domain.” In reference to Boston it can have many uses, and accompanied by the word “point” it can be used for mapping, tourist destinations or any business to highlight.
There is no reserve for the auction of BostonPoint.com, and the opening bud starts at US$28. The auction will be on Wednesday, December 16 at 2:00 pm ET, 1:00 pm CT. You must register with Bido to participate in the auction. Even if you’re just interested in watching it, the Bido site has some unique features.
See you at Bido on December 16, and bid early and often on BostonPoint.com!
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Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 12/14/09 at 11:15 AM
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Thursday, November 26, 2009
To all my friends and family and readers of The Hot Iron in the US and those who celebrate Thanksgiving around the world, may you have a safe and happy holiday, and most importantly - a great turkey! The photo above is of our turkey which, as I write this, is cooking and filling the room with some great smells! As there are plenty of photos out there of cooked turkeys, why not show what the bird looks like before?
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 11/26/09 at 02:27 PM
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Friday, November 13, 2009
 Today “technically” marks the 5 year anniversary of my consulting business, Dunkirk Systems, LLC. I say technically as it is the date of the filing of my incorporation of the business.
Where the true origins of my consultancy go back many, many years, the point where I decided to go on my own is in 2004, and it has been a wild ride from there for sure. On an almost daily basis I learn more about what it means to be in business – everything from operations to money to customer service. I have had the good fortune to work with some great people, from partners and contractors to clients.
So happy birthday Dunkirk, and it’s time to get back to work, as there is much more that lies ahead if we want to make it another 5 years!
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Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 11/13/09 at 02:30 PM
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
The next likemind will be Friday, December 4, 2009 in dozens of cities around the world.
In Chicago, it will be at Argo Tea, 140 S Dearborn St. at the corner of Adams and Dearborn Streets in the Loop from 8:00 am to 10:00 am.
For November and December, likeminds are combined into one with the global holiday schedule.
I call likemind a gathering of creative-minded people, from various disciplines including Internet, advertising, art, social media, et. al. For more information on likemind, you can read this great article on likemind from the New York Times.
No RSVP is required. You are also welcome to join the likemind Chicago Facebook group.
Did you enjoy reading this? You are welcome to subscribe to The Hot Iron by RSS feed or by email.
Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 11/12/09 at 09:14 AM
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Tuesday, November 03, 2009
 The Hot Iron is participating in NaBloPoMo, are you? What, you don’t know what NaBloPoMo is? No worries, as it stands for National Blog Posting Month. The idea is bloggers write a post every day for the entire month of November.
Easy, right? Well, maybe. As many bloggers have other projects or lives to balance with their blogging, it can be a challenge. I have decided to take on this challenge, namely as it fits well with a business goal I have for myself before the end of the year.
Where an idea like NaBloPoMo can be cliché, it can also be a motivator as well. Here’s to a month of wisdom, thoughts and ideas!
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Posted by Mike Maddaloni on 11/03/09 at 10:04 PM
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