Sun Lite for March 3, 2003

Monday, March 3, 2003 | 8:17 a.m.

Luck o' the noodle

Looking forward to chowing down on corned beef and cabbage later this month in honor of St. Patrick's Day? Why not buck tradition this year (while staying in the green spirit of the holiday) and instead opt for a piping-hot bowl of spinach fettuccine? It is, after all, National Noodle Month.

While you've been kissing plastic blarney stones and chugging green beer each March for who knows how long, the folks at the National Pasta Association, a trade organization for U.S. pasta makers and suppliers based in Washington, D.C., have been celebrating the novelty of noodles of all shapes, sizes and flavors.

And speaking of noodles, how about putting yours to good use by answering some of the noodle-trivia questions featured on the association's website, ilovepasta.org:

Superior intellect?

Speaking of eggs and using noodles, the brainiacs with American Mensa recently conducted a completely unscientific online poll (what were they, bored?) to determine their fellow Americans' "favorite Hollywood geniuses." Come on, guys, try picking on someone your own size.

We're guessing the respondents were Mensa members, too and presumably had their noses buried in books for the past several decades. How else can you explain why more than 3,300 of the nearly 9,000 who chimed in gave '80s wunderkind doctor Doogie Howser the nod for TV's buffest brain? Hot on Doogie's heels was the Roy "The Professor" Hinkley Jr. from "Gilligan's Island."

The cast of forensic-specialist characters on CBS' "C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation" outsmarted the hoity-toity "Fraiser" family on NBC (3,000 votes vs. 200), to be named the "smartest cast of characters" on television.

When it came to matching silver-screen wits, it was no contest: Matt Damon's "Good Will Hunting" character took 34 percent of the smart vote, beating Russell Crowe ("A Beautiful Mind"); Jodie Foster ("Contact"); Val Kilmer ("Real Genius"); and Q (presumably they meant actor Desmond Llewelyn) from the James Bond flicks.

Hmm, how cozy

It doesn't take a mental giant to figure out that in times of world turmoil, people crave all that is familiar.

Still, with war in Iraq looming on the horizon, as well as this country's economic uncertainty and the threat of terrorism, we think New York fashion designer Michael Denofrio may be a candidate for genius status.

Denofrio invented The Original Throwb, a polar-fleece jacket that his company cleverly describes as a "security blanket with sleeves." Who doesn't get a little misty-eyed when remembering their favorite childhood blanket? Well-worn, more than a little scruffy and always there when you needed comforting.

The Throwb, which costs $49.95, is available in plaid, patriotic and "love-inspired" designs at throwb.com. Another warm, fuzzy plus: Proceeds from each sale will benefit the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS charity.