--House speaker Sal DiMasi has put the Ethics Committee to the task of investigating the alleged threat against Rep. Jennifer Callahan. The words "State House" and "Ethics Committee" sound funny when put together, don't they? [Boston Globe] --If the counter at the gas pump starts moving before gas comes out, you should complain. [WBZ] --A pug who had been doggie-napped in East Boston has been reunited with its owner. If you kidnap a dog......

ROFLCon invaded Cambridge over the weekend, storming MIT's lecture halls and colonizing the bars of Central Square with novelty t-shirts. Bostonist knows that the Internet is always talking to itself, about itself, but it was surreal to be in the room while that was happening. Case in point: this guy sat in front of us during a web comics panel, watching the live webcast and browsing Flickr images of the very talk that he......

--Total commuter hell broke out today with a tractor rollover that blocked the Mass Pike, along with dodginess on the Blue Line that left, according to one individual, "hundreds of people" stranded at the Airport T stop. [WHDH, b0st0n LiveJournal] --Speaking of transportation, an engineering firm has recommended the installation of 900 support anchors in the Ted Williams Tunnel to make up for the fact that some parts of the ceiling can't be inspected.......

Deval Patrick isn't the first person to get into casino-related trouble, though few of us had to be publicly confronted with our regrettable outcomes the way Deval Patrick did. Eager to move past his failed plan to create much needed revenue for the Commonwealth through gaming, Patrick gave a major economic address yesterday at MIT. Patrick's speech (text here, video here) lists $344 million in budget cuts, a several billion dollar infrastructure improvement plan,......

21, the blackjack movie based on the real-life exploits of card-counting MIT students, was No. 1 at the box office this week. We're happy for it in that the movie makes geekiness sexy and thrilling, even if it did jumble up a few Boston landmarks. Another doofy spoof of a movie genre, Superhero Movie, opened at No. 3, which proves no one can resist a fart joke. But we wonder if the studios could just......

--Breaking: A judge decided not to dismiss the case of Star Simpson, the MIT student who wore a lite-brite T-shirt into Logan Airport, causing a ruckus. Her trial will be in May. [AP/Boston Globe] --The number of high-school dropouts in Massachusetts went up this year, from 9,900 students to 11,500 students. And the tune of "Beauty School Dropout" rings in our heads. [WCVB] --Oh, that $2 bag fee for curbside American Airlines check-in service......

--Governor Deval Patrick is so lucky. He's in Miami right now. Meanwhile, the AP is wondering why he's leaving the state so much. [AP/Boston Herald] --Mayor Menino wants a greenway over Storrow Drive. Can't we just work on fixing what's broken? [Boston Globe] --An MBTA driver was trying to cut around traffic in Salem. However, the traffic was stopped because people were waiting for a couple with a baby carriage to cross. No one......

--Fraternity brothers at MIT's Delta Upsilon are saying that Robert Wells, who died over the weekend, fell from his window in an accident. [Boston Globe] --Over at the State Senate, Therese Murray has introduced a health-care reform bill. One point of the bill is to demand that health insurance firms explain themselves when they raise their rates. [Boston Herald] --Massachusetts legislators will discuss a bill officially allowing breast-feeding in public because there are still......

An MIT student died early this morning in what the AP says was an apparent fall from the fifth floor of the Delta Upsilon fraternity house. Robert Wells was a senior from Ballston Spa, New York. He studied in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and played on the football team. In WBZ's online video, a neighbor described the scene: "The body was laying right next to that car with white towels on it,......

Books Susan Choi draws on real-life, high-profile crimes for her literary works. Her last book was American Woman, based on the kidnapping of Patty Hearst, and now she's inspired by her father's real-life experience as a former colleague of the Unabomber in her latest, A Person of Interest. Brookline Booksmith, 7:00 pm, free. Movies Child of the Big City and Daydreams are two silent films from the vanguard of pre-revolution Russian cinema. The former......

Dan Ariely Predictably Irrational Harvard Book Store Monday, February 25, 7:00pm Free Ariely's Official Site Dan Ariely is a MIT economist with big ideas. He has spent his 20 year academic career questioning the assumptions that make classical economics work. Classical economists believe that given the choice, most people behave rationally. That is, most people make decisions that give them pleasure and make their lives easier. But of course we don't actually behave that way.......

Movies The MFA calls Les Saignantes "the first science fiction film to come out of Africa," which should be reason enough to see it. But did we mention that it has won comparisons to Russ Meyer? And that it's about a group of women determined to rid their distopian future world of all men? Cameroon director Jean-Pierre Bekolo wins Bostonist's seal of approval. Remis Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts, 6:00pm (also screening Sunday). $8/$9......

Dark Side of the Moon, Sorta... --The last lunar eclipse for the next 2 years is happening tonight. With binoculars or even the naked eye, the moon will start to look pretty darn red around 9:00 pm EST, as if the green cheese has turned into a port wine spread. The prime time will be between 10pm and 10:30pm. Why not get a better look at an obsevatory? Harvard Observatory, 60 Garden St, Cambridge,......

As it becomes more likely that the use of handheld gadgets while driving will be banned, the Globe tossed out a thought worth debating--if drivers are still allowed to use headsets, will they drive better? Or is the mere act of talking the problem? Noah Bierman talked to an MIT engineer who said, "Conversations are the problem, not the phone." A Virginia Tech researcher added that the act of trying to dial was also distracting.......

In a city packed with top colleges and brilliant thinkers, the word "nerd" is bound to strike a nerve. "Nerd" and "Geek" are commonly considered insults, but many Bostonians have shrugged off the label and are either enjoying success or are on their way to success in scholarly pursuits. So-called nerds live here in a fairly safe haven. But sometimes, nerd contempt bubbles up. Witness the anger against MIT student Star Simpson, who walked into......

--A 19-year-old is accused of killing his social worker, 53-year-old Diruhi S. Mattian, in North Andover last night. The accused is now in the hospital recovering from stab wounds he gave himself. [ http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/02/social_worker_i.html">Boston Globe] --A woman was found murdered in her Medfield home last night. The victim, 47-year-old Margaret Ninos, was a nurse at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She died of head injuries. Police are investigating, and she leaves behind a 7-year-old daughter.......

Star Simpson, the MIT student whose light-up T-shirt caused a panic when she wore it to Logan Airport, appeared in court today. She asked for the charges to be dropped because the shirt was a form of free speech and that she had worn it days before without it causing a problem. Here's the update from the AP/WBZ: Thomas Dwyer Jr., a lawyer for Simpson, said his client didn't think her shirt would scare anyone.......

Let's say you're going to the Celtics-Timberwolves game tonight. If you're like most of the people at Celtics games these days, chances are you weren't there last year. Which is perfectly legal on your part. But there's something you should know. Most of the Timberwolves played here last year, during that long, miserable 06-07 campaign, and several of them - promising, hardworking youngsters for the most part - were sent away to make room for......

Music Kimya Dawson has long been one of those buried indie-rock treasures, at least until the release of Juno. The former member of the Moldy Peaches and avid livejournal diarist contributes a large part of the soundtrack, and stars Ellen Page and Michael Cera cover one of her songs, "Anyone Else But You." In fact, Page suggested that Dawson be on the soundtrack since she felt Juno would be a Moldy Peaches fan. Bostonist......

--16-year-old Carlos Sierra was shot to death in Dorchester last night. At this time, the BPD is still searching for a motive. Police say a gray Honda was spotted leaving the scene. His family told the Globe that he was shot 13 times, and they feel he was targeted. [Boston Herald, Boston Globe] --Eight of 10 women in Massachusetts who are trying to get away from domestic violence can't find a space in shelters because......

--A parking rage incident turned so ugly in Chelsea early this morning that a man was shot in the stomach. The Chelsea police chief said the whole mess started solely because one parked car was "touching" another parked car. And this is what happens when people with anger-management issues have guns. [Boston Globe] --In a drug-related shooting, an innocent 68-year-old man was shot in the back in Roxbury after trying to defend his apartment building......

What moved you to speak out this year? A Lite Brite giving you the finger? The Red Sox? The death of Mr. Butch? As you can see, there aren't many surprises--the Red Sox, MIT student Star Simpson, and L'Affaire Aqua Teen Hunger Force dominated this list. 10. Mr. Lonelyhearts: Tom Brady 9. Live-Blogging Game 4 of the World Series 8. Socket to Me: Star Simpson Follow-Up 7. Breaking: Fake Bomb-Toting MIT Student So Not......

--Part of the Storrow Drive tunnel is closed for repairs. Here's the scoop from the AP: "Through Sunday, officials say one eastbound lane of the tunnel will be closed to traffic from 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Beginning January 2, the work will be shifted to the overnight hours from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m." [Boston Herald] --The Massachusetts State Lottery is considering selling scratch tickets at Dunkin' Donuts. Is nothing sacred? [Boston Globe]......

--Were there enough police out to handle traffic in the major intersections during Thursday's snowstorm? [Blue Mass Group] --Mike Mennonno has a message for those who complained about how the city handled the snow storm: "… why didn't you avoid all this frustration by just seeking out alternative transportation for the day? Yes, you would have had other frustrations to deal with, but they would have been fairly minor in comparison to five or six......

--Only one woman at MIT this year was granted tenure. Uh, you've come a long way, baby? [Boston Globe] --In better news for gender equality, Massachusetts ranks fifth when it comes to the number of women in powerful state government positions. Women make up almost half of Governor Deval Patrick's leadership team. [Boston Herald] --Seven people were injured in a house fire in Brockton yesterday afternoon, including former Brockton city councilor George Papas. [The Enterprise]......

--Deval Patrick boosted the payroll for his own staff by $1.1 million. The Herald is not amused. [Boston Herald] --Speaking of not being amused, Outraged Liberal is appropriately outraged at the Herald for some fuzzy math regarding the news bit mentioned above. [Massachusetts Liberal] --King Downing, an official with the ACLU who specializes in fighting racial profiling, suing the Massachusetts Port Authority and the Massachusetts State Police. He was hassled while leaving the airport, and......

Going to MIT looks mighty glamorous in 21, the movie that was shooting in Cambridge and even shut down the Harvard Bridge at one point. The actors portraying the students have swell angular haircuts, and Spoon is on the soundtrack. Wonder what the movie will do for MIT admissions? Here's the trailer: It's a little odd to see Kevin Spacey as a professor and Kate Bosworth as a student since they played the married Bobby......

COLLISIONtwelve (12) Art Opening Tonight Friday, November 30th MIT Stata Center Balcony Gallery 32 Vassar Street, 3rd Floor Cambridge, MA 6p - 9p / FREE / All Ages COLLISIONcollective is a group of artists from MIT and the surrounding Boston area that explore new technologies through the filters of art. Founded in 2002, their intentions have been to showcase art that incorporates technology, but has since expanded into some of the most innovative and......

Beauty and the Geek: Somerville LARPer Dave surprised everyone this week by revealing his inner dancer on the show's trip to Mexico. Fueled by a lump of salt and some booze from a botched tequila shot, he did a round-off back handspring. His partner, Jasmine, was so impressed that she gave him a kiss. The look on Dave's face was priceless. Getting that kind of attention from a woman, no matter how platonic, made it......

--Masshole victory! The Big Dig tunnels will get wireless antennas! Now drivers can be even more distracted! [Boston Globe] --Wolfe Styke, the MIT student who was stabbed multiple times by an ex, has been released from the hospital. His ex, Wellesley student Anna Tang, will be held in jail until her next court appearance on December 3. [Boston Globe] --A commuter train struck and killed a man walking on the tracks in Lynn yesterday......