Joel Brown reports the owner of what's left of the once proud Cambridge company has donated tons of Polaroid equipment to MIT, including old SX-70 cameras (yes, people who grew up with those, you are now old):

... The collection includes every make and model of commercially produced Polaroid cameras, and myriad experimental models and prototypes that never made it to the marketplace. Potentially most interesting: sketchpads used by Land, who died in 1991. The museum plans to get Polaroid alums involved in cataloging the collection, and a major exhibit is under discussion. ...

The council today called on city agencies to stop doing business with any companies based in or doing substantial business in Arizona because of its law allowing police to ask people for their papers if they have "reasonable suspicion" they are illegal immigrants.

The resolution (Read here) passed on a voice vote. In practical terms, it asks the mayor's office to look for any investments in or dealings with Arizona companies and then what it would take to sell off those investments or stop doing business with the companies. At-large Councilor Felix Arroyo, a co-sponsor of the resolution, said he does not know if the city actually does have any such dealings.

Arroyo said that as a Latino, he would be subject to a stop in Arizona. Councilor Mike Ross, the other sponsor, said that as the son of a Dachau survivor, he cannot believe a state would pass such a shoddy law. Even with other pressing matters, such as the firefighters contract, he said he was compelled to bring up the issue. "We have to take a moment to address the erosion of basic and fundamental civil rights."

Several councilors blasted "hate radio" and media members for saying the council has no business sticking its nose in Arizona affairs.

"I, for one, will not keep my mouth shut when confronted by injustice or ignorance," at-large Councilor Ayanna Pressley said.

Pressley added the measure does not require complete divestment. "It allows the city's finance people to make morally informed, economically sensible decisions about where taxpayer money should be invested."

"The Boston City Council should not be discussing this issue but a lack of leadership at the federal level (on immigration reform) has forced states and municipalities to pass desperate and misguided laws like the one in Arizona," Ross said.

At-large Councilor John Connolly asked his colleagues to imagine if a law like this had been passed 100 years ago to deal with people speaking with a brogue. He said he could not stand by and do nothing about "the horror of stripping those sacred citizenship rights away" from Latino citizens.

Councilor Charles Yancey (Dorchester), noting a 1984 city ordinance requiring divestment from companies working in South Africa, said he would not be deterred by naysayers to let the country know that "Boston does stand for something, Boston does stand for justice."

After the meeting, Arroyo rejected arguments the council should be dealing with other matters. He said it's not like councilors are ignoring issues; noted the actual hearing took 20 minutes. "I can walk and chew gum at the same time," he said.

Arroyo added he is not looking at the issue as one of immigration reform but as a matter of public policy, specifically how the law makes "racial profiling as public policy."

Iseut profiles Marvin Sealey, who can usually be found walking around, no matter the weather:

... Sometimes, fast, sometimes slow: his distinctive gait is a comfort to me when it's late and dark and I'm feeling a little edgy. He's lived with his family, on Kittredge Park for 41 of his 51 years and the other ten, the family lived on Dorr Street. He estimates he walks 2-3 miles a day but I bet it's more. No type of weather is a deterrent, Marvin says, and I've seen him out in the worst of it. ...

Allston City Limits reports Zocalo on Comm. Ave. is closing.

Ed note: For the 99% of you who don't know what I'm babylonning about.