Film: I don't know much about art, but did see various art related movies, including Pollock, Artesmia (also a play), and now Girl With A Pearl Earring. This final one is based on a popular book, which I did not read. All the same, I enjoyed the film based on this fictional account of the making of a famous Vermeer painting for two reasons: the leads (Scarlett Johansson, who might get a nomination for one of her performances this year, and Colin Firth) were very good and the setting was well portrayed. The whole thing is done in a low key way that worked for me.

Stupidity Defined: "Loop and Cox, member of the Delta Omega Chi fraternity, admitted to snatching and killing the beloved koi, which was donated to the school by a professor in 1995. At the time the fraternity was being filmed for the MTV reality series "Fraternity Life."

It was widely rumored that the fish was barbecued and eaten. Loop and Cox, who had no prior records, reportedly expressed remorse for murdering Midas, who was worth more than $800. "

Conflict of Interest Defined: "Mr. [James] Baker is senior counselor to the Carlyle Group, a global investment company that has done business with the Saudi royal family. He is also a partner in Baker Botts, a Houston law firm whose client list includes Halliburton. Baker Botts has an office in Riyadh and a strategic alliance with another firm in the United Arab Emirates, and it deploys Mr. Baker's name and past government service on its Web site to solicit Middle East business." [NYT editors explaining today how Baker has to distance himself from his old ties to be able to be perform his new Iraqi economic czar duties properly]


Happy Birthday ... Jennifer Connelly.