Who's leaving mystery meat on Framingham common?

This has been going on too long for me not to blog about it.

Someone has been leaving huge cuts of meat -- and not shabby meat, either, but choice cuts -- on the grass in Framingham's town common.

It happens in the morning and has been going on for six weeks.

Police are totally stumped.

Is it you?

MTV Video of the Day

Michael Jackson MTV Music

All videos, all the time

Just as MTV used to be. Go back to the 80s! www.mtvmusic.com!

The Smiths |MTV Music

Because it's Friday

Props to Brento.

Downtown Crossing: the next Faneuil Hall?

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and business executives are moving to create a special tax on Downtown Crossing business owners to raise millions of dollars a year to pay for streetscape improvements and other upgrades to the gritty shopping district.

City officials and executives are seeking to create what's known as a business improvement district. They said that it will help soften the ambiance of Downtown Crossing, where vacant storefronts mix with million-dollar condominiums, decades-old jewelry stores, and swank new restaurants.

"This is going to be the new retail area of our city, and its best days are still ahead of it," Menino said. "I'm very bullish on this idea. We have some good leadership in place to make it a reality."

.

Another one bites the dust

Two, actually.

Yesterday, attention beaders/scrapbookers/knitters, I found out that Spark Crafts in Porter Square is closing -- for good. Not long ago, maybe a year, they relocated here from Davis Square. To my knowledge, they have had a loyal following. But these are not good times for anyone, and I guess crafting is a luxury.

And today, I found out the Abbey Lounge is closing as well.

.

.

.

Mr. and Miss Jay get a Top Model spinoff!

Jay Manuel and J. Alexander plan their own show.

"Operation Fabulous," if it is picked up by the CW, will follow them as they ride into small towns across the country to advise everyday girls on how to work it in the real world.

Both men began separate careers in fashion long before being recruited by Banks for "Top Model" -- Manuel as a makeup artist and Alexander as a model turned runway walk instructor. On "Operation Fabulous," the pair would do for the plain Jane what "Queer Eye" did for the straight guy.

Say it ain't so: Out of Town News is closing?

Granted, I no longer frequent Harvard Square because it has sucked for at least 10 years now. But this is so...historic!

The Cambridge Chronicle reports that the iconic landmark has not renewed its lease, which is set to expire the end of this month. Construction to "improve" the square has hurt business for years, and the internet seems to have driven the final nail into their newsstand coffin.

Ski-tacular

Just thinking ahead, before the snow falls (in Boston, anyway).

We all know last year's ski season was out of this world. Happily, the resorts put that extra coin into some major improvements.

Find a rundown of the upgrades here, at the Globe's ski preview section.

Expect better snow machines, refurbished base lodges, expanded trail acreage and increased rental options.

There's also a helpful guide to what each resort can offer -- lots of beginner trails? Perfect grooming? Fast lifts? Cheap ticket packages?

I'm there.

Cute gift idea

This could hold a PDA, Blackberry, GPS, digital camera, ipod, Zune, whatever. I love it!

This sounds yum

I'm always a fan of Cesare Casella. Courtesy of Daily Candy, this has a good combo of salad and protein:

Insalata Pontormo

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil1 tbsp.
• mixed fresh herbs (any combination of rosemary, thyme, basil, savory, chives, oregano, and mint)
• 3½ oz. Italian pancetta, sliced and cut into strips
• 6 eggs
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 c. mixed salad greens
• 3 tbsp. Pontormo Dressing (recipe follows)

1. Place olive oil, herbs, and pancetta in large frying pan and cook over medium heat.2. When pancetta is transparent (about 5-7 minutes), beat eggs with salt and pepper and scramble everything in the pan. The eggs shouldn’t be too dry. If they are drying, remove from heat and continue stirring.3. Dress greens with the Pontormo dressing, mix in eggs, and serve immediately. (If you want a bit of crunch, add croutons or serve with crusty bread.)

Pontormo Dressing

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. red wine

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegars and wine. Whisk in salt and pepper, then olive oil.

Birth center's possible demise ignites protest

A proposal to cease all deliveries at the North Shore Birth Center in Beverly - one of only two hospital-affiliated centers statewide that offer natural birth options - has ignited a passionate protest from women across the region.

With a debate and potential vote by Beverly Hospital's board of trustees expected Tuesday morning, women have been picketing the hospital, circulating fliers, writing letters to board members, blogging and organizing on Facebook, where more than 500 members have already signed on to the campaign.

The center's nurse-midwives, operating out of a cozy, homelike bungalow on the grounds of Beverly Hospital, have helped deliver more than 6,000 babies since the facility opened in 1980.

Unlike a hospital setting offering drugs to induce labor and control pain and machines to monitor the process, the center features a Jacuzzi or tub for labor and delivery, holistic approaches to pain management, and a kitchen, living room, garden, and deck encouraging family and friends to gather and participate in the birth.

This is me

Boston Globe: As the number of people carrying smart phones climbs, those with antiquated mobiles are feeling a creeping sense of embarrassment over their late conversion to new technology.

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the number of iPhones, BlackBerries, and other smart phones has nearly tripled in the past year.

"You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of phone they carry," says image consultant Doris Klietmann. "If you have someone with a BlackBerry, you can usually assume they're educated and they either earn a good salary or they have an important job that requires them to be in constant communication."

That's my phone on the right. Except it can't take photos. Time to upgrade you think?