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Word of Mouth 7.14.2012

Photo Credit Chrisinplymouth, Via Flickr Creative Commons

 Part 1: Steve Jobs Reincarnated? And the French Nobility in Carpentry

We begin with news from the world of computing…the cult of Steve Jobsis a buzz over remarks made by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak last week at the Entel Technology Conference in Chile. He talked about the innovations being developed at  Apple’s long-time rival Microsoft, even going to so far as to proclaim their new tabletas evidence of Steve Jobs’ reincarnation.

Here to tell us about that tablet, and to explain what Microsoft’s latest moves mean for all of us is computer scientist and serial entrepreneur Rob Fleischman. He’s chief technology officer at Xerocoleand Word of Mouth’s explainer of all things wired. 

And...

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This week a home-building company in Walpole New Hampshire is playing host to 21 carpentry French apprentices, who in two days are building a replica of Thoreau’s Walden Pond Cabin. The exchange program hopes to do more than teach kids how to swing a hammer; It's just one way these builders are working to blend the old and the new. 

Check out Sam's gallery and video from Bensonwood.

Part 2: The City Dark

Ian Cheney is Director of The City Dark, which is available to watch onlineas part of the POV series from PBS. 

Part 3: The Spanking Hypocrisy and Pre-Camp Preening

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"To spank or not to spank” is hardly a new debate, and one that’s received no shortage of coverage across parenting literature… and, while the issue itself tends to publicly place parents in the position of obstinately stating their opinions,statistics showthat when the blinds are closed many who condemn the act perform it as well.  James H. Burnett III,is a writer for the Boston Globe Magazine– He recently wrote about the stubborn persistence, stigma, and hypocrisy of spanking in modern society. 

And...

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It’s that time of year when young people are getting ready for summer camp, which used to mean labeling socks, writing wish lists for care packages, and stocking up on plenty of bug spray. Earlier this month, the New York Times reported on a new trend in camp prep – girls, and even a few boys, as young as twelve years old getting seriously groomed before heading off to summer camp. We’re talking leg waxing, hair straightening…the kind of salon services usually reserved for adults with means, not kids setting off to sleep in platform tents. Jane Roper isn’t exactly thrilled about this notion…she’s author of Eden Lake, a novel based on her fifteen years of experience at summer camp, and recently wrote a reaction to the times piece on her blog Baby Squared, saying that pre-camp preening totally misses the point. 

Part 4: "Hundred Dollar Valentine"

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Blues, folk, and occasional rock and roll troubadour Chris Smitherhas been packing big ideas into 3-minute ditties for decades now. The former New Orleanian has long made New England a home and he’s part of a Woody Guthrietribute at the Green River Festivalin Greenfield Massachusetts this weekend. The official release party for his new album "Hundred Dollar Valentine" is at the  Tupelo Music Hall, next Friday, July 20th

 

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