I saw a brief Associated Press article on Crain’s Chicago Business’ RSS feed last night that spoke volumes to me. It was about the upcoming sale of the Chicago Cubs by the Tribune Company. As there have been delays in the overall acquisition of the Tribune by billionaire Sam Zell, there have also been delays in the sale of the storied baseball team.

Mark Cuban, the billionaire tech entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has publicly acknowledged he wants to buy the team and that he has submitted an application to Major League Baseball to do so. There are rumors, and this article states it as well, that other baseball team owners may not want Cuban to be one of them, namely due to his highly energetic and outspoken style as an NBA team owner.

Here’s his response to this query:

"I don't do things just for the sake of doing them. It's a passion project, it makes great business sense for me, there's a lot of leverage there. There's so many business applications, so many technology applications I can do in Chicago. There's a lot of opportunities."

Business applications? Technology applications? Awesome!

Mark Cuban’s investment of money, time – even his attention – to the tech and business community in Chicago would be very much welcome addition. Especially in the tech venue, where attention in the US is mostly directed to the Left Coast of the country, Cuban’s investment in the heartland will go well with the rest of us who have done the same.

Business • Technology • (2) Comments • Permalink

With Hanukkah tomorrow, time is limited to get the best gift to someone on short notice. As just about every store and business takes gift certificates or cards, it may be the best gift anyway, especially for the people who are hard to shop for.

GiftCertificates.com offers a wide selection of gift cards, or you can give a general gift card, called a SuperCertificate, which lets the recipient select their own store or merchant. Gift cards and certificates can be given as a tangible item or sent via email. Check their Web site for complete details.

Business • Diversions • (0) Comments • Permalink

In this season of giving, one of the best gifts is to make a donation in the name of someone to a charity. I am fortunate to support several organizations with their Web sites, and one of them is YouthBuild Boston.

The tagline for YouthBuild Boston, located in Dudley Square of Boston's Roxbury neighborhood is “Strengthening Youth, Rebuilding Communities.” They achieve this by training youth in the community in construction and related industries. They also have a technology program that gets computers to people in the community. Their Web site lists complete details on their mission and programs.

You can support YouthBuild Boston with a monetary donation online, donating an item on their wish list or participating in their unique UBuild program. YouthBuild Boston is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. I have been proud to support them throughout the years and recommend others to explore this organization and do the same!

Diversions • Technology • (1) Comments • Permalink

The memory of one pop quiz from my high school days still comes to mind on occasion. It was Spanish class of all things, and one day my teacher hands us a list of names. The names were all leaders – everyone from local, state and national government to the real name of Pope John Paul II. Our task was to name who they were. As I was one of the few in my class who cared about the world around me, I got the best score, missing just one question.

Knowledge of our public officials is important in a democratic society. It’s surely better to know who they are and what they stand for before it’s too late and too late usually means when you want something from government and the person you elected is opposed to it. This is why when fresh out of college I subscribed to the local paper, much to the amusement of my fellow co-workers, all recent grads. That was a few moons ago, and today I get my news just as you are reading this – online.

It is also the role of elected officials to let us know who they are. But what if it is unclear? I live in Chicago’s 42nd Ward, and by visiting the City of Chicago’s Web site and fumbling your way through it (a topic for another time), you can find out the Alderman is Brendan Reilly. Where it is clear there, it is not on his own Web site, especially when you compare it to the one of the former Alderman Burton Natarus, a 30-plus year politician whom Reilly defeated earlier this year.

If you compare the Web sites of Reilly and Natarus, who do you think is the real alderman? Both are Web sites paid for by their campaigns, which is very clear on both sites. That unfortunately is the only thing that is clear. Take a look at both sires and tell me who you think it is! Apparently there is no campaign law about keeping an outdated Web site in place, however the onus would be on the current Alderman to ensure his Web site is even clearer to all who visit. A picture of himself would be nice too.

Maybe Alderman Reilly can buy the Web site from former Alderman Natarus and change a few images? It would be a nice start and a notable improvement. And it would surely help kids in the 42nd Ward with any pop quizzes.

Business • (6) Comments • Permalink

It is with great joy that I announce I have closed the post office mailbox I have had since I started by business. After years of mail being jammed into the box – especially items marked “Do Not Bend” – and slips for packages that could not be located, I have stopped the insanity.

If you are a regular reader of The Hot Iron you know I have my business mailing address at The UPS Store in Chicago’s Loop, which just so happens to be right across the street from the Loop post office where my box was. One day last year after getting frustrated from more damaged mail, I literally saw the light – the illuminated sign of The UPS Store, and I promptly moved my address there. After I submitted several change of address notices – apparently it takes several attempts for a postal employee to process them – all my mail is coming to its new home, as well as UPS, FedEx and all other packages, which are not accepted by the post office.

Recently it was announced Chicago has the worst mail deliver service now 2 years in a row. Around that same time an article in the Chicago Tribune said service has improved, according to an “independent survey” whose source was not cited. Where this is good to hear, in the meantime life and business must go on. I could not bear the loss or damage of any more mail.

Where it appears the common citizen can do little against the behemoth post office, I did what I could do – vote with my wallet.

Business • (1) Comments • Permalink