And in the midst of all this armchair econophilia, a short, dark and handsome NYU professor with a name like a famous magician captured our hearts.

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Cotran's austere home, Mr. Pellizzoni ordered suede ottomans and handsome dark club chairs from Ralph Lauren. (On average, he says, 80% of the pieces used come from his former employer, for which he gets a commission.) Fuchsia flowers and ornaments such as Chinese ceramic vases and a small sculpture of the Buddha are scattered over the property.

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There's a black plastic accent all around the edges, with the majority of the phone -- the front, "active flip" and keypad -- finished in a handsome shade of dark gray plastic (cream and blue being the other two colors available).

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Fred Weir was still handsome then, his dark hair swept back from a sharp peak in a high-templed forehead, a tall, athletic fellow with a charming grin.

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Here again, the mood is dark, the action is violent and the handsome hero, Johan "JW" Westlund, has problems, shall we say, in the area of morality.

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"He's thoughtful, he's articulate, he's handsome, he doesn't fit any of the stereotypes of the dangerous dark-skinned black male that people see every day on television, " Mr Westen said.

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