Metaboston

Goodbye to the Three Aces

Harvard locks the doors on local hangout the Three Aces.

Will they have the cash to carry through on whatever plans they had or will the block be shuttered indefinitely as Harvard claims poverty?

Robert Frost, Chicken Farmer

Iconic New England poet Robert Frost supported himself and his family by raising chickens in New Hampshire for a time and began to write stories about them

[I]n 1900, Frost found in raising chickens an occupation that gave him money, time, and a landscape ripe with metaphors for the poems he had begun to write late at night when his wife and children were sleeping.

It's clear from the eleven lively stories Frost published in the trade journals The Eastern Poultryman and Farm-Poultry, from 1903 to 1905, that he was imaginatively engaged by the tragic things that can happen to a chicken. In "Trap Nests," a couple new to chicken farming employ a device "intended to catch and hold the hen until she was willing to purchase freedom at the price of an egg." The trap nests "savor of vivisection and the Inquisition"; the city-bred farmer finds himself taking "a growing satisfaction in ruthlessness, for such, he felt, was life." In another story, a farmer's "first hatches were so exceptionally fine that the gods fell in love with them, and they died young."

Above:  One of Jim Clark's virtual videos of Frost reading "The Road Not Taken"

Free Agent Jungle: Freelancer Community

Sooz is reviving her freelancer community events as Free Agent Jungle with the first event coming up in a couple weeks.

Free Agent Jungle is the reincarnation of my Free Agent Boston project that I ran 1999-2004. Beginning with the lunch on February 19th, we’ll once again be meeting for a networking lunch for Boston area free agents, freelancers and consultants the third Thursday of every month. The upcoming lunch is taking place at Tavern on The Square in Porter Square (Cambridge).

It seems like a good time to for this kind of thing as a lot of people are likely turning to freelance work to increase or replace income.

Too Bad: Out of Town News to Remain News Stand

Some commentators are pleased that the Out of Town News site will continue to be a news stand.  It's too bad that something more relevant or exciting won't be using the space.

A coffee shop or some third space would be better than the nostalgic fantasy of the news stand in an age of ubiquitous information from newspapers and others online.

It seems likely that there will be a similar "crisis" when the next tenant decides to shut down.

Bartering Time: The Time Trade Circle

The Time Trade Circle is a Cambridge and Somerville group that barters time spent on tasks

The Time Trade Circle, serving the Cambridge/Somerville area, is a local bank – but we do not operate on paper money. We keep track of time. When you spend an hour of your time performing a service for somebody else, we credit you with one Time Dollar. You can cash in that Time Dollar on a service provided by another member of our bank. Whether you give a piano lesson, give legal advice, clean up trash in your community, or provide some much-needed company to an elderly citizen, one hour equals one Time Dollar.

One problem that might discourage participation could be the differing values of various tasks being bartered. An hour of legal advice might be more valuable than an hour of dog walking for example although time for time bartering prevents taxation.

The IRS has determined that 1) because an hour is always an hour, regardless of what is offered, 2) because they are backed only by a moral obligation and 3) because they are intended for a charitable purpose, Time Dollars are not taxable.

Despite the issue of differing value this seems like an idea that could become very popular in a recession when you might want to get something done but are concerned about laying out cash.  And it could be very useful for people who are unemployed or don't have as much work as they want.

J. Press to Sell at Urban Outfitters (!)

 

New England preppy clothiers LL Bean and J. Press (!) may soon be selling their wares at Urban Outfitters as part of a new trendiness for American heritage brands.

With their tough, dry-finish tin cloth, worsted wool and traction-tread heels, these clothes are the antithesis of throwaway cheap chic, which makes them particularly attractive when dollars are short. They are nostalgic, playing into an insatiable appetite for all things retro. But they are also a blank canvas for a number of subcultures, including neo-grunge, preppy, hip-hop and surf 'n' skate, whose common value is authenticity.

Neo-grunge was the starting point for Urban Outfitters when it began buying into the Americana trend two years ago, trading $200 premium jeans by Diesel for skinny Levi's and flannel shirts. In the last year the store has added Filson, Red Wing, Bass, Sperry and Patagonia to the mix. This summer, it will introduce Reyn Spooner shirts with a younger, slimmer fit, and possibly some pieces from Pendleton, L.L. Bean and J. Press.

It's interesting to think of a purveyor of suits and bowties like J. Press selling at Urban Outfitters, purveyor of ironic Urkel t-shirts. via the very good A Continuous Lean.  (Image:  J. Press) 

Boston Red Dogs: An Economic Indicator

Hot dog sales in Boston's Financial District as an economic indicator in this article on fear in downtown Boston.

Gabriel Ruiz, who runs Boston Red Dogs, a set of kiosks that sell hot dogs, sodas and Italian sausages on the cusp of the city’s financial district, has never seen such a lacklustre lunchtime rush.

The queues to his stall at lunchtime used to snake around the corner of Washington Street but not lately. “I’ve been on this street for 18 years and this is the first year that I am not sure if I am going to operate in January, February and March,” said Mr Ruiz, who owns four pushcarts in Downtown Crossing and the Boston Common. “I’ve lost a lot of regular customers to job cuts in the area.”

A Lot of Interest in Out-of-Town-News Site

Including from its former owner in what is likely a triumph of sentiment over business.

In 1994, Sheldon Cohen sold Out of Town News, but now he wants it back.

An emotional Cohen told city councilors Monday night that he has been overwhelmed by the national attention the iconic Harvard Square kiosk has received since the current owners decided not to renew their lease, and fears that the newsstand he founded in 1955 could be gone for good.

"To see this being changed breaks my heart," he told the City Council Monday night. "I'm thinking of coming back. This is an opportunity to bring some life back to the square."

Cohen now joins the ranks of several "reputable, established news firms," looking to lease the historic kiosk, according to City Manager Bob Healy.

Right now, there are 11 companies that have formally shown interest in the city-owned space. Potential bidders include Patriot News Inc., Boston Snack Foods/Landmark News Group, Inc., Unofficial Tours LLC, Thorndike Investigations, Inc., Harvard Book Store and Cohen.

It does seem that another news stand in the site will just die a slow death without really adding anything to the Square. Something related to tourism or food seems more likely but it would be interesting to see what the Harvard Book Store would do with it.  Perhaps plant a flag in front of the Coop for all the people who don't realize there is another book store.

Boston Post Mortem: Game Development Year in Review, Dec. 17

Boston Postmortem, the monthly gathering of local game developers will meet on Wednesday, December 17th, from 7pm to 9pm, at Microsoft's Cambridge offices followed by dinner at the Cambridge Brewing Company. 

Our meeting this month will be our "year in review" session. We'll be having three fifteen-minute talks.

• Jen Maclean, Chairwoman of the IGDA and also VP of Business Development at 38 Studios, will be talking about the IGDA's plans for 2009.
  
  
• Jason Schupbach of the MA Office of Business Development, will talk about state gov't initiatives for the video game industry, both now and in the future.
  
  
• The Boston Post Mortem committee will do a year in review session, and we'll be asking attendees for feedback on our meetings and what you'd like to see in the future.

Info on getting there follows:

Harvard: Only a Poor Old University

Boston Daily rightly takes an irreverent look at Harvard's handwringing over their still-enormous multi-multi-multi-billion dollar endowment.

"I guess it would be out of line to point out that 70 percent of a $36.9 billion endowment is still almost $26 billion.

After all, their endowment is now only a few billion below where it was in 2006 (pdf). So the aberration might not be the drop but rather the peak of $39.6 billion the endowment did reach in 2007.

Maybe they should start jettisoning their sports teams and athletic department.  There's got to be some savings there in a decidedly non-essential area.

Travel Writer Rick Steves in Cambridge: Dec. 4th

Travel icon Rick Steves will be speaking in Cambridge on December 4th discussing the subject that made him famous European travel as well as a recent visit to a more unusual locale, Iran.  The Steves approach of seeking less pricey alternatives to mass tourism should be getting renewed interest these days.  Although his image is of a genial average guy, Steves is also a social activist noted for his advocacy of drug policy reform.

Info:
Time:  Thursday, December 4th at 5:00pm
Place: First Parish in Cambridge, Mass. Ave at Church Street, Harvard Square
Accessibility: Wheelchair Access at #1 Church St.
Cost: Free, Ticketed Event, Reservations Recommended.   Reservations: 617-649-5700 x21 or events@gcb.com

Harvard Square: The Windshirt

Does this windshirt really say Harvard Square to you?  The Harvard Square Business Association should try to get their name under control.

Out of Town News is Closing

As this video shows, Harvard Square's Out of Town News is closing.  The newstand near the Harvard T station is suffering from the same decline that newspaper and magazine publishers are.  It seems like there are a lot of people who will be sad to see the change but there must not be all that many people actually buying papers and magazines.  There is one other newstand on the Square and a big selection of magazines in the Coop so there is also probably an oversupply of news dealers at a time when the fortunes of the medium are declining. 

Harvard Business School Prof Advises on Fighting Open Source Competition

Harvard and Stanford Business School professors analyze how companies can compete with free and open source projects.

How can a business compete with a free product? It’s not easy, and it’s more than just a theoretical question. U.S. newspapers are finding it difficult to compete with free news and the commentary of bloggers and other internet sources. And in the software world, the rise of open source products, which are available for free on the internet, is reshaping the technology industry.

One solution: “Divide and conquer,” says Haim Mendelson, the Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers Professor in the Graduate School of Business. Commercial firms, he says, have three levers to gain competitive advantage when they compete with a free product: Timing, product features, and the skillful use of network effects across market segments.

A recent paper on this topic by Mendelson, coauthored with Deishin Lee, PhD ’04, now a faculty member at Harvard Business School, is not a how-to manual for hard-pressed executives. Rather the researchers have built a theoretical model explaining the choices open to commercial firms. “Although open source is the lead example of our work, the principles certainly apply to other businesses, including, for example, the media business,” says Mendelson.

Framingham State Fundraisers: Blah, Blah, Blah

Framingham State College's fundraisers offend alumni by acknowledging that no one reads their letters.  It's funny that the letter which read in part, With the recent economic downturn and loan crisis, it has become even more important for Framingham State College to receive your support. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,"  will get more attention than the typical letters that go right to the trash.  So while the school apologizes they are probably quite happy.

Clinton, MA: Hub of Russian Icons

The Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, MA is the only museum of its kind.  It was founded by non-religious icon collector and plastics entrepreneur Gordon Lankton.

Lankton's international company is called Nypro and it's Clinton's largest employer. He says it took months, and many visits, to set up shop in Russia. On days off he visited monasteries, museums and flea markets. He scored his first Russian Icon for twenty dollars. 45 trips later Lankton decided to build this 2.5 million dollar museum. It's in Clinton for a reason.

LANKTON: I made my money in Clinton and I said I'm going to spend my money in Clinton.

Goodbye to 02138 Magazine

02138 Magazine, the Harvard-centric lifestyle publication, has stopped publishing in the current difficult economy.

New Owner on the Harvard Book Store

In this email, Jeff Mayersohn explains why he thinks the book business still has a future and tries to allay fears about what a change in ownership means to the Harvard Book Store.

So why would a high-tech type like myself enter the book business in the digital age? Simply, because I truly love books. I no more believe that books will be replaced by digital formats than I think that museums will be rendered obsolete by digital renditions of great works of art. And despite rumors to the contrary, bookselling can indeed be profitable. But independent bookselling is more than a business; it's a mission. A great independent bookstore serves as a community center for the exchange of ideas and as a bastion against the homogenization and "dumbing down" of culture. It enhances all our lives.

In the past weeks, the most frequent question asked of me was, "What changes do you plan to make to the store?" My sense is that this question is more often asked out of apprehension than curiosity. The best answer I can give is that I was an enthusiastic customer of the store long before I contemplated buying it. I understand and love what makes Harvard Book Store so special. While we will always look for ways to improve, I firmly believe that the store's dedication to quality literature and customer service must never change.

Exposing Your Genome Through Harvard's Personal Genome Project

A project at Harvard, the Personal Genome Project, is publishing the complete genomes of 10 volunteers including Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker.  The project is experimenting with the consequences of revealing one's genome.

The goal of the project, which hopes to expand to 100,000 participants, is to speed medical research by dispensing with the elaborate precautions traditionally taken to protect the privacy of human subjects. The more genetic information can be made open and publicly available, nearly everyone agrees, the faster research will progress.

In exchange for the decoding of their DNA, participants agree to make it available to all — along with photographs, their disease histories, allergies, medications, ethnic backgrounds and a trove of other traits, called phenotypes, from food preferences to television viewing habits.

Including phenotypes, which most other public genetic databases have avoided in deference to privacy concerns, should allow researchers to more easily discover how genes and traits are linked. Because the “PGP 10,” as they call themselves, agreed to forfeit their privacy, any researcher will have a chance to mine the data, rather than just a small group with clearance.

The project is as much a social experiment as a scientific one. “We don’t yet know the consequences of having one’s genome out in the open,” said George M. Church, a human geneticist at Harvard who is the project’s leader and one of its subjects. “But it’s worth exploring.”

A new federal law prohibits health insurers and employers from discriminating against individuals on the basis of their genetic profile. But any one of the PGP 10 could be denied life insurance, long-term care insurance or disability insurance, with no legal penalty. And no law can bar colleagues from raising an annoyed eyebrow at a PGP participant who, say, indulges in a brownie after disclosing on the Internet that she is genetically predisposed to diabetes.

IBM in Kendall Square

IBM is the latest big company to move into Kendall Square in Cambridge with the development of a social software center joining Google and Microsoft

Porter Square Books vs. Amazon's Kindle

Newish local bookstore Porter Square Books is fighting with a New England publisher over the influence of the Amazon Kindle.

At least one independent bookseller is distressed over The Globe Pequot Press’s decision to release biographies of Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama exclusively as Kindle e-books. Jane Jacobs, buyer at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Mass., contacted her rep at GPP, Mark Carbray, yesterday, telling him the news was “most distressing.” GPP president and publisher Scott Watrous told [Publisher's Weekly] yesterday that he did not think other accounts would react negatively to the plan which called for the bios to be sold via the Kindle about two months before the print edition will be released.

Harvard Book Store's New Owner

 

Frank Kramer reveals he has found the purchaser of the Harvard Book Store in Jeff Mayersohn (scroll down).

Many of our customers may already know Jeff Mayersohn. A graduate of Harvard, a loyal Harvard Book Store customer for over thirty years, and a recently retiree from the tech world, Jeff Mayersohn is the ideal new owner for Harvard Book Store.

I look forward to remaining a prominent member of the Cambridge business community, steering the Cambridge Local First campaign, and working as an industry consultant. I also plan to travel and, when time permits, learn Italian.

In the store, you won't see any major changes. Carole Horne, with whom I have worked for thirty-five years, remains our steadfast General Manager, overseeing the store's stellar management team and bookselling staff. And in order to ensure a smooth transition, I'll continue to act as an advisor to the store.

I welcome members of our community to meet Jeff at a special October Winedown event on Tuesday, October 21st. I hope you'll take this opportunity to meet the newest member of the Harvard Book Store team, and I look forward to seeing many of you around the Square.

Some good business news for a change.

Perspectives on Poverty from MIT's Poverty Action Lab

 

A really interesting Q&A with Esther Duflo, the co-director of MIT's Poverty Action Lab where she responds to some very thoughtful reader questions about the problems of developments.

A Fab Lab for Providence

Providence will get its own Fab Lab to be developed in a collaboration between MIT's Fab Lab project and the Providence arts group AS220

"The nonprofit community arts group AS220 is planning to join a high-profile Massachusetts Institute of Technology initiative that will bring a hands-on high-tech workshop to the city. Backers hope it will become a new center for innovation in Providence.

David Ortiz, AS220’s development director, confirmed today in a brief telephone interview with Providence Business News that plans are underway for the organization to partner with MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms in the creation of a Fab Lab here. The city’s tech community has been buzzing about the idea for months.

The Fab Lab will be part of a $12 million mixed-use development project that AS220 hopes to complete by the summer of 2010. The organization recently took ownership of the facility it is planning to develop: the Mercantile Block, a 50,000-square-foot building on Washington Street next to AS220’s recently refurbished Dreyfus Hotel building

Great to see the Fab Lab initiative spreading in New England as well as overseas. Another example of the maker renaissance trend.

Preserving the Nantucket Shoreline

The battle between summer-residents and year-rounders over the disappearing Sconset beach and whether a fortune should be spent to preserve its quickly eroding shoreline.

"But if the scientists are right, if the sea levels continue to rise incrementally and storms become not only more frequent but also more powerful, maybe the only thing Nantucket property owners can do is allow nature its destiny. Jim O'Connell, a coastal geologist for the Sea Grant program at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, believes that Nantucket's fate is sealed. "I did a lecture out there last year," he says. "I showed aerial and ground photos and talked about what I was seeing and what the data showed. I began with a picture of the open ocean and announced, 'In 8,000 years this will be your island, and until you get to that point, every house is going to enjoy a spectacular ocean view.' I got only a few chuckles."

(Image:  Wikimedia)

Secret History of the One Laptop Per Child Project

Gizmondo has put together a secret history of the Cambridge-based One Laptop Per Child project whose revolutionary project pioneered the way for the ultraportable over the last few years even as the project itself has been criticized.  The article does a good job of pointing out the achievement of the OLPC project in the development of cheap ultraportables even as OLPC has been plagued with internal dissent and management issues.

“At this point, even if the millions of third-world students eventually get laptops, it's unlikely that the XO will be the one they receive. Still, the past two years are definitive proof that Negroponte can take credit for the birth of an entirely new kind of PC.'

Reminder: Ignite Boston 4: Sept. 11 (6pm - 10pm)

A reminder that Ignite Boston 4 is coming up on Thursday (Previously on Metaboston).

Info:
Time:  Thursday, September 11, 6 - 10pm
Location:  Hooley House, 25 Union Street, Boston, MA,

The list of speakers has been announced and Tim O'Reilly will be giving a presentation.

"Speakers:

• Mansour Raad - Disaster Routing Application in 24hours
  

•      Deconstructing the 24 hours to build a re-routing application for the Minneapolis I35 bridge collapse.
• Jon Radoff - Megatrends in Video Gaming
       A presentation on the who, what and where of current videogame market trends.

A Map of Charitable Solicitors (aka "Chuggers") in Davis Square

Limeduck put together a map of chuggers in Davis Square last week.  Good idea and it calls for a constantly updated mobile application.  (Image:  Limeduck)

Boston Community Change: Local Business Loyalty Program

Boston Community Change is a developing loyalty/rebate program for local Boston businesses.  Currently about 200 merchants participate.

"Boston Community Change is a tool to align our daily economic activities with our deepest human values.  When you shop, the program generates money for local businesses and nonprofits and creates a way for citizen consumers to make conscientious decisions about their spending that will affect how money circulates within their community. 

The program is transforming our communities for the better by changing the way we shop, the way we do business, and the way we support the causes we care about.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Every time you use your Boston Community Change card at a participating merchant across Boston's neighborhoods, a portion of each transaction is:

Returned to you as a cash rebate

Donated to a local community based non-profit or school of your choice

Donated to the local Main Streets organization

You can also hear a radio interview with Brian Goodman, the founder of Boston Community Change.

GamerDNA at Boston Postmortem

Jon Radoff of GamerDNA, the Cambridge-based gamer social network, will be speaking in Waltham on Wednesday at Boston Postmortem, the local video game developer meeting.

"I'll be talking about market trends in the game market that we've,been able to observe by integrating data about gameplay across multiple game networks. Example discussion topics will include:

- Rock Band versus Guitar Hero 3 — which is being played more, and why?
- Braid vs. other XBLA titles — real evidence of the word-of-mouth long-tail at work
- What happens to former World of Warcraft players when they try other MMORPGs? (Hint: it's not what you expect)"

Info:
Time: 7pm, Wednesday, September 10
Location: The Skellig, Waltham, MA
Cost: Free (Including free food and drink courtesy of Gamer DNA)

Massachusetts Has an Office in China

Daniel Ding is Massachusetts' man in China.

Massachusetts "has opened a new office in Beijing that will focus on attracting investments from China to Massachusetts, while fostering critical ties with government officials.

Hedge Fund Strategy: Imitate Harvard's Endowment Fund

Hedge funds are seeking to imitate the strategy of successful university endowment funds like Harvard's despite the difficulty and dilution issues for the imitator funds.

"Cue, Switzerland’s Gottex. The Lausanne and London-based hedge fund, which manages about $16bn, is starting a “global multi-asset investment program that will invest in both alternative and traditional investments similar to the successful US ’super endowments’ ” like Harvard:

"The investment program will apply the investment principles of successful US university endowment funds and will allocate an average of 60 per cent or more to alternative assets. The program will be actively managed and will pursue both strategic and tactical investment opportunities across all asset classes: hedge funds, private equity, commodities, long-only equity, fixed income, real estate and other real assets.

Boston Perspective on Declining Lobster Prices

The NYTimes investigates how declining lobster prices are affecting Boston lobstermen and restaurants.

"Bernie Feeney, who traps lobsters out of Boston Harbor, said he knew many lobstermen who had taken second jobs in recent years. Mr. Feeney, who has been a lobsterman since 1978, said he had been doing marine surveying for the last five years to help pay the bills.

“In a year where our fuel costs are almost doubled and bait costs have gone up 50 to 60 percent as a result of fuel,” Mr. Feeney said, “it’s a squeeze from both ends.”

Partly as a result, young people are not going into the lobstering business, he said, adding that the average age of a fisherman in Massachusetts is 59.

“There aren’t many young entrants,” said Mr. Feeney, a past president of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association. “The startup costs of this business are astronomical compared to what they used to be.”

A Guide to Vermont Cheese

Ellen Ecker Ogden has written a new guide to Vermont cheese that helps provide background on the Vermont Cheese Trail.

"The Vermont Cheese Book includes all of the farmers and cheese makers who are members of the Vermont Cheese Council, a trade organization of close to three dozen Vermont cheese makers, whose goal is to advance the production and image of premier cheeses from Vermont.

Following the Vermont Cheese Trail, this book covers each region of Vermont for you to explore the geography, discover the history, and experience the local agriculture, combined with the farm experience. On the cover, our state flower the red clover is symbolic of the diversity of the wild flora that thrives in healthy soil, providing nourishment to the animals, and is ultimately reflected in the taste or terroir of the cheese. 

Another resource for those interested in local food as well as a nice marketing effort for Vermont cheesemakers helping to establish their brand.

Bruce Schneier on the MBTA

The always-interesting security guru Bruce Schneier provides an essay on the lessons of the MIT-MBTA security issue:

"This preference for secrecy comes from confusing a vulnerability with information about that vulnerability. Using secrecy as a security measure is fundamentally fragile. It assumes that the bad guys don't do their own security research. It assumes that no one else will find the same vulnerability. It assumes that information won't leak out even if the research results are suppressed. These assumptions are all incorrect.

The problem isn't the researchers; it's the products themselves. Companies will only design security as good as what their customers know to ask for. Full disclosure helps customers evaluate the security of the products they buy, and educates them in how to ask for better security. ***

In a world of forced secrecy, vendors make inflated claims about their products, vulnerabilities don't get fixed, and customers are no wiser. Security research is stifled, and security technology doesn't improve. The only beneficiaries are the bad guys.

This seems particularly on point because it appears that the MBTA didn't understand the vulnerabilities of the product they had purchased in order to implement the Charlie Card. 

Boston Comics Roundtable and Their First Anthology

Boston comics creators meet weekly in Harvard Square as the Boston Comics Roundtable.  They have their first anthology "Inbound" available now.  Looking forward to checking it out.

"The Boston Comics Roundtable was created in 2006 to unite Boston-based comics creators in the spirit of camaraderie and professional development. This year commences the start of a new publishing initiative to spread the word – Boston is the hot new town for comics!

Ahead of the Curve: Inside Harvard Business School with Philip Broughton

Philip Delves Broughton, a journalist, took his experience at Harvard Business School and turned it into a book when his MBA didn't get him a job.  He seems to have some funny anecdotes.

“Many of his peers, he says, hailed from one of the “three M” backgrounds: Mormons, former military officers, and former McKinsey & Company consultants.

As might be expected students are able to turn financial aid programs to their advantage.

“Mr. Broughton also details a scheme for acquiring “financial aid BMWs”: Upon being accepted at the business school, some students deliberately emptied their bank accounts to buy BMWs for themselves. Since they were not required to list vehicles among assets on their financial aid applications, they often qualified for extra financial aid. “So basically, Harvard buys you a BMW” a classmate informed Mr. Broughton.

You can see him at Harvard Book Store on September 4th.

Busking in Harvard Square: A History

A history of street performing in Harvard Square (and elsewhere in Cambridge)

Neal Gershenfeld and the Fab Lab

Interesting profile of how MIT professor Neal Gershenfeld is trying to increase the ability of people around the world to build things for themselves.

"[A] 48-year-old physicist and MIT professor and the inventor of what he calls the Fab Lab. A Fab Lab (short for fabrication laboratory) is a package of tools designed to make essentially any object.

The kits can include a laser cutter, computer-controlled wood router and a miniature mill for drilling circuit boards, all for around $50,000, including open-source software, batteries and micro-controllers.

Those appliances and materials, Gershenfeld says, are all anyone needs to build whatever he or she can imagine: panels for roofing a house, a simple computer or a better mouse trap. "Basically, the goal is to create a Star Trek-style replicator in 20 years," Gershenfeld says matter-of-factly.

What is especially interesting is that Gershenfeld is also trying to make the process of creating Fab Labs self-sustaining.

InterSystems Tries to Check Microsoft in Cambridge

As Microsoft expands in Cambridge it is running into resistance and litigation from existing firms.

“InterSystems, a longtime occupant in the building at One Memorial Drive in the shadow of MIT, maintains that it, and not Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), has rights to space in the building that Microsoft is planning to use. Also galling to InterSystems is that Microsoft is planning to install a large sign on the outside of the building.

We want to stay in our building," InterSystems' Paul Grabscheid, vice president of strategic planning, told the Boston Globe. "It's very much our home. The idea of coming to work every day under a Microsoft sign is not so appealing to us." InterSystems was founded in 1978 by Phillip "Terry" Ragon and has grown rapidly in recent years and has 22 worldwide offices and assets of more than $220 million.

Rocks in Bread at "When Pigs Fly"?

Interesting that globalization in the form of a traditional Chilean method of raisin production may have been responsible for an incident at the Davis Square "When Pigs Fly" bakery.

"When Pigs Fly bakery owner Andrew Siegel confirmed that when a Massachusetts man bought a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread at the When Pigs Fly store in Davis Square in Somerville, Mass., early last month, he may have gotten a little more than he expected.

The man, identified by Siegel as Michael Snyder of North Reading, Mass., sliced off a piece and began eating it when he heard and felt a crunch. After spitting the bread into his hand, Snyder reportedly found three or four small, rock-like pieces in the half-chewed bread.

"I'm not sure whether they were pebbles or pieces of stem or branch," Siegel said. "I don't even know whether they came from our bread.""

The bakery seems to have been pretty fair offering 3 replacement loaves while the customer seems to have asked for 5!

Cape Martin Johnson Heade Painting Sold for $1 Million

The Martin Johnson Heade painting that a Cape family discovered on their walls was auctioned off for over $1 million, twice its estimate.  (Image of the painting 'Haying on the Marsh' from Eldred's Auction House).

The End of Antiques Row in Cambridge

With the last sale at F.B. Hubley's, the old antiques row between Harvard and Central Squares has also disappeared.

"A lot of people never thought they would see a final sale at the venerable F.B. Hubley Auction Galleries. It did conduct its last sale, however, and the June 4 auction marked the end of an era. It also denoted the end of antiques row, a several-block area in the shadow of Harvard Square that was once filled with dealers and auctioneers. Hubley's was the last to go. Established in 1935 by F.B. Hubley, the gallery has been run since the early 1940s by his son-in-law Robert Cann, who turns 91 in December."I am disconsolate," he said the day before the sale. "It is a very sad day.""

They'll still be continuing their appraisal service.

It's an interesting article about the long history of a store you might have passed by without thinking about it.

Former Harvard Professor Downsized by Former Student

And not that happy about it.

"A certain Harvard professor is tired of babysitting teaching those "post-pubescent children of notables" who can buy and sell him! Especially Jared Kushner, son of real estate developer Charles Kusher—also known as the boy who bought the New York Observer. Professor John H. Summers recalls him as a student—which was not that long ago, as Kushner is 27. The juicy bit? Kushner's Observer takeover resulted in a pay cut for Prof Summers, who did freelance reviews there."

Artifaktori in Davis Square

Amy Berkowitz's new store in Davis Square, Artifaktori, is a collection of hip quirky items brought together by her vision.

"All kinds of treasures in all price ranges appear every day, making for an intriguing mix of objects — from genuine mod watchbands, kitschy chip and dip bowls, mah jongg sets, troll wrapping paper, lamps of all shapes and sizes, and other housewares and ephemera from the past century. Old etiquette books share a shelf with early books on sex education, and a portable typewriter sits next to a laptop from the ’70s.

The vintage clothing and accessories are carefully selected and in excellent condition. Hawaiian muumuus, classic little black dresses, sundresses, Jackie O suits from before she was Jackie O, and purses and clutch bags ranging from prewar to disco era."

Disappearing TV Repair Stores

One of Boston's last TV repair shops is closing, a victim of a throw-away culture and technological acceleration.

"After 40 years at its 68 South St. location, Herb’s TV Service will close its doors forever Aug. 1. The space will be taken over by McCormack & Scanlan Real Estate, which is currently located on Washington Street.

Except for a stint in the armed forces during World War II, “I have worked steady since 1942,” said Herbert Pratt, the repair shop’s proprietor and namesake. Pratt is a JP resident and the owner of the row of storefronts that includes 68 South.

He got his start repairing radios and transitioned to television repair in Roxbury in the late 1940s as that technology took off."

***

”What I will miss is customers running in and leaving smiling, shaking hands all around and saying, ‘Thank you, thank you,’” [Walter, an employee] said."

Their service was very good.  With a declining economy maybe people will be more inclined to repair items like TVs rather than throwing them out.

Harvard Square's Brattle Theatre Fundraiser

The very worthy Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square persists in showing a variety of cool, worthy, classic and unfairly unknown films and they've started a new fundraising drive.

"Last September, we launched the first challenge of this type and were successful in raising OVER our goal of $10,000. Due to last year's success, our anonymous donor has renewed this challenge again!

Help us raise every dollar of this challenge by making a donation or buying a Brattle membership before August 15. This challenge is for a limited time only, so give today! Only donations and memberships sent by August 15 will apply. "

Podcamp Boston 3: July 19-20

PodCamp Boston 3 brings social media, with an emphasis on podcasting, in a welcoming informal and relatively inexpensive ($99) to novices and veterans this weekend.

"How many times have you heard this old saw:

“The best part of a conference is the conversations in the hallway.”

"What if the conference WAS the hallway? That’s the power of PodCamp Boston, the power of community, the power of conversation. The power of putting smart people from every walk of life together for two days to learn, share, and grow their new media skills. 480 people gathering to share their ideas, lessons learned and earned, cutting edge developments, and stories. From blogging to podcasting to Twitter to virtual worlds and more, whether you’re a veteran of new media or just getting started, PodCamp Boston has something for YOU"

Could one good idea change your world? What about a weekend full of them?

PodCamp Boston promises to help you learn, share, and grow your new media skills. If you’ve been wondering how to get more involved in new media and social media, if you’ve thought about starting a blog, podcast, or Twitter presence, PodCamp Boston is for you. If you’re a veteran adventurer of new media, come to share and learn from your peers, and make partnerships & friendships! PodCamp Boston offers something for everyone, no matter where you are on your new media journey."

The conference is being held at the Joseph Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School.

Registration is now $99 with about half going to charity.

Full schedule of presentations. 

"Hooters of Haircutting" to Add to the Beauty of Route 9 in Framingham

This fall, Knockouts will open their first New England location in Framingham.

"Knockouts - a boxing-themed spa and salon for men - offers haircuts, hair coloring and lightener, manicures, pedicures, hair waxing and massages.

Dishing out such pampering? Females in short shorts and form-fitting tops - referred to under copyrighted nomenclature by the company's brass as “Knockouts Girls.''"

Knockouts has encourage some funny commentary with its mix of fussy pampering and determinedly macho imagery (girls! boxing! girls!)

"Now, I don't have a problem with guys getting manicures and massages. And why shouldn't they enjoy their salon experience? But does it strike anyone as a bit weird that to justify signing up for something as supposedly feminine as a manicure, some guys feel the need to go to a place where they can check out their stylist's ass? It seems a little defensive -- "Yeah, sure, I got my chest waxed -- but you should have seen my manicurist's tits!" (Or, to put it another way, "Just because I treated myself to a minifacial does not mean I'm gay.") "

Cicada Jewelry on the Cape

The cicadas that emerged on Cape Cod this summer are now being turned into jewelry by some enterprising teens (video on cicada jewelry begins about 1:20 in).

"Talk about lemonade out of lemons: Katheryn Maloney and Brady Cullinan made jewels out of this summer's cicada swarm.

Yesterday, amid the tents of baked goods and vegetables at the Sandwich Farmers Market at Oakcrest Cove Field off Quaker Meetinghouse Road, their table featured earrings and necklaces made with colored beads, sea glass and dead bugs.

The business partners, both 17, residents of Sandwich and seniors at Sandwich High School, crafted the dainty pieces from the bodies of the insects that have covered areas of the Cape this summer for the first time in 17 years."

For more on cicadas there's Cicada Mania!