While perusing the "catchall" folder on my PC, I found this photo - it is of me at the Green Festival in Chicago this past spring. At the booth for Co-Op America, they asked people to write down something they do for the environment and have their picture taken with it. I chose the first thing that came to mind, printing on both sides of a sheet of paper.

Seeing this photo caused me to digress a bit from my daily routine and write down other things I consciously do having a positive impact on the environment. As I scrawled them on my white board, categorized and entered them into my content management system, I realized what I had was a draft of the Dunkirk Systems Environmental Statement. As I am working on content for my Web site, this is a logical statement to add.

In the spirit of blogging, I decided to post the draft here and solicit input. Here goes...

Reduce

• Use PDF documents and digital signatures rather than paper for contracts, invoices, etc.
• Power off computers at night
• Use whiteboard instead of paper
• Use eFax.com, which delivers faxes as PDF documents, instead of a fax machine
• Purchased duplexing laser printer to print on 2 sides of paper
• Minimal inkjet printer use
• For printing draft documents, use low ink and toner settings
• Always carry a compact shopping bag or pack
• Decrease burning of CDs and use Flash or portable hard drives and FTP of Zip files
• If an in-person meeting is required, walk or take public transportation over taxi and driving

Reuse

• Reuse paper – print on both sides or use for scrap
• Reuse packaging – boxes, padded envelopes
• Use reusable UPS envelopes for overnight shipping

Recycle

• Shred all confidential or personalized documents and recycle
• Recycle all other paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, etc.
• Give read books to friends and colleagues
• Recycled dead UPS (uninterruptible power supply) to vendor for credit towards a new one
• Return ink cartridges to Staples for recycling (do not refill ink cartridges due to reliability issues)
• Donate unneeded items to Goodwill

Rebuy

• Buy recycled products
• Seek products with minimal packaging
• Seek out stores and vendors that sell environmentally-friendly products and share my passion for the environment

So what do you think? Did I leave out something obvious? Have a question on something there?

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Whenever one thinks of written word that has stood the test of time over the centuries, religious text or government laws may come to mind. Through the course of reading many of the books I have read and blogged about, I found references to one text in particular, The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli, which intrigued me enough to read it myself. As much as the book itself was interesting was the fact it was published in 1532.

The Prince is written in the form of letters to a person who has newly become a prince. Additional reading of the time period when Machiavelli lived can help explain how princes and religious figures ruled Europe and especially his homeland of Italy. In this political treatise, he gives advice to a prince on how to rule and maintain his rule. As I read this short text, I began to see why many business books quote Machiavelli – many of his recommendations to political leaders almost 500 years ago hold true to business leaders today. His applicable advice is my take away from The Prince.

The one that rang truest to me was his recommendation of not using mercenary forces for the military and to build and maintain a military force of your own. This relates to today not only for the military but for business, namely in the hiring and development of a team of employees rather than working solely with contractors and consultants. His justifications included loyalty, and the fact that mercenaries are more concerned with getting paid than the work they do. Where this latter point is not always the case with hired help, having some “skin in the game” is a good motivator. As I am expanding my own operations, Machiavelli’s thinking is similar to my own.

Other advice from Machiavelli included seeking counsel from others while avoiding flattery but ultimately making the decision yourself, being decisive in your decision making, not seeking to be liked but to be respected and to takes sides in any battles.

If you pick up a copy you will find it has been translated into English from its native Italian and heavily annotated for the benefit of the reader. It is a short but powerful book, and you can glean a hint of sarcasm in Machiavelli’s approach to offering his advice. I recommend The Prince to any leader or would-be leader, as words of so long ago still ring true today.

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This is from The Hot Iron, a journal on business and technology by Mike Maddaloni.

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Whenever I search for a particular domain name, I still cross my fingers hoping it is not already registered. If not, then I register it, whether it is for me or for my clients. If it is already registered, then several steps come into play, from monitoring the domain name for when (or more likely if) it becomes available to the search for alternative names. On occasion there is that certain domain name or names someone wants that is worthy of taking yet another step – trying to purchase it from the current registrar.

Salesforce.com, leader in hosted Web-based applications commonly referred to as “software as a service” did just that, and after a 4-year negotiation they acquired the domain name force.com for an undisclosed price. As Salesforce.com’s business has progressed and changed, the “sales” portion of the name is only a part of their overall offering. The name force.com was ideal, yet already owned by someone – Force Technology of California which was founded by Gordon Force. Not only was the company named “force” but so was the owner! Keeping those facts in mine doesn’t make it surprising it took the length of a presidential term to acquire it.

In an industry like the Internet where multiple seconds can be an eternity, such a wait could be considered not worth the effort. Many times, waiting that long is also not feasible, as the naming and branding of the business may not be able to wait. In such a case, business and life must go on and an alternate domain name or names must be selected. Continuing the pursuit of a domain name, however, is not out of the question.

“Everything is negotiable” is a phrase I remember from many of my college business courses. Though the length of those negotiations may go longer than one would hope, a successful outcome, as with Force.com, makes it all the more sweeter.

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Earlier this year Chicago was all abuzz when the city was designated the US applicant city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. After a head-to-head battle with Los Angeles, the US Olympic committee voted and selected the Windy City to compete against several cities from around the world to host the international event. The final decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be made in 2009.

A rally was held in Chicago the Monday after the decision was made, and then the buzz seemed to die. Other than a few stories about venue locations and the need for the Chicago bid logo to change (it had a torch in it, which violated Olympic branding rules, and the new logo is shown here), there was no news or events surrounding the bid until the recent international boxing event. But other than a parade through the city, unless you were a boxing fan, you probably weren’t involved.

There’s about a year and a half between now and when the IOC makes its choice for the host city. I am sure there are many tasks and activities going on in the background that are not public and do not need to be. Posters with the new logo just started appearing on ad space in the downtown Loop area. But the buzz and excitement of getting such an event, even if it is 9 years away, just isn’t here.

So how can I help get the Games to Chicago? I have blogged about the Olympics before. I also created my own custom return address labels with the logo on them, though I have no idea if that is in violation of some trademark usage rules. I have this feeling that there’s more that the common resident could do, especially with the potential economic impact to the city.

For a city that prides itself on being a center for advertising and marketing, more must be done to engage the people of Chicago in the city’s bid to get the 2016 Olympics. Otherwise, when the few messages that hit the public come out, they may not get the reception they require, let alone stir the soul.

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Today, November 2, domain name powerhouse NameMedia Inc. announced it filed for an initial public offering worth up to US$173 Million. Shares of NameMedia will be listed on the NASDAQ market under the ticker ‘NAME.’ This is big news for the domain name industry, as NameMedia is one of the largest players with BuyDomains as well as recent announcements of their launch of Gardens.com and acquisition of Photo.net.

It is also big news for the Boston area technology market, as NameMedia is located in Waltham, Mass., the home of many technology giants over the years, including Polaroid and Lycos. Waltham for centuries has been a center for pioneering advances in industry, including the Waltham watch, Metz automobile and bicycle, the invention of the microwave oven at Raytheon. In recent decades Waltham and the entire Route 128 corridor that cuts through it was called America’s Technology Highway, only second to the Silicon Valley. After the dot-com bust many biotech firms replaced the offices of tech companies.

Good luck to NameMedia on their IPO filing, the next generation of innovators to line the highway immortalized in “Roadrunner” by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers!

Business • Domain Names • (2) Comments • Permalink