The Boston Business Journal interviews a top bank honcho, who says there are other ways to expand in the area besides opening new branches - such as installing more ATMs and online.

Wicked Local Arlington reports that Sheriff's deputies closed the Mill Street Brigham's on Friday the 13th after its owner, Deal Metrics LLC of Baltimore, failed to pay rent. The restaurant adjoined the company's now-closed ice cream factory.

Three days earlier, the High Street Brigham's in downtown Boston was closed in a similarly abrupt fashion.

Bloomberg reports the SEC is looking at unusual trading in options of Marlborough-based 3Com in the hours before it announced its takeover by HP.

As first reported here, a Maine shareholder last week filed suit against the acquisition.

Edward Tansey of Maine filed suit today in US District Court in Boston against 3Com, based in Marlborough. He alleges the $2.7-billion deal enriches 3Com executives while failing to adequately compensate shareholders.

His complaint.

After falling far behind other areas during the boom years, Boston has been making up lost ground during the Great Recession. That, at least, according to a new study from the Milken Institute that ranks metropolitan areas by their success at creating and sustaining jobs and economic growth, with a heavy emphasis on technology.

Xconomy reports.

The recent opening of Jerusalem Trading on Poplar Street in Roslindale Square (where that African discount store used to be) ends the giant-ceramics drought that's plagued Roslindale ever since Nancy's on Belgrade Avenue shut down this past spring.

The store looks to carry a complete line of life-size and near-life-size ceramic animals, including a ceramic peacock for only $119.99, and, naturally, snarling ceramic tigers. Also in stock: Ceramic figures of 17th-century European nobility and, of course, ceramic-flower-bedecked ceramic pillars on which to display all your ceramics. Also available: Furniture, which appears to be made of non-ceramic materials, such as wood.

Comcast thinks that its customers won't notice if it increases their monthly service charge by $2, if they call it an "equipment charge" increase rather than a service charge increase. They're increasing their revenue by $358 million per year without taking on any additional costs or providing any additional services. Consumers, fight back!

Please visit http://digg.com/tech_news/Comcast_sneaks_in_rate_increase_as_equipment_charge to read more and help me publicize Comcast's most recent attempt to cheat its customers.

Boston Licensing Board Chairman Daniel Pokaski said today he would oppose a request to extend the hours of a new Chinese take-out place on Harvard Avenue from midnight to 3 a.m. unless he hears support from nearby residents.