See, the thing is, we really liked Special Topics in Calamity Physics. We're suckers for anything remotely The Secret History-ish, we thought it was an impressively well-constructed mystery, and we liked the endearingly amateurish quality lent by Pessl's doodley illustrations. And we truly, honestly think that it's unfair to be prejudiced against writers because they happen to be book hot, Steve Madden ad hot, or college admissions brochure hot (unless they're Ben Kunkel). So today, when we read Meghan O'Rourke's criticism of Pessl's selection to the NYTBR top 10 books of the year, we felt almost like we needed to defend Pessl against O'Rourke.

We were perusing this month's Glamour (Shut up - like you can resist anything with Sandy Bullock on the cover.) and we came across "Glam cam," the feature where readers send in their photos in response to a mag-directed question. Do you see what we see? It's Gawker pal Julia Allison! Congratulations to our favorite extremely attractive sex columnist for continuing to seek out - and get - attention. Glamour is a big step up from AM New York. Now let's see you try to convince Brandon Holley you're a virgin.

• Ron Burkle, Eli Broad, David Geffen, Gannett, that old dude from the insurance company: Seems like everyone wants a piece of Tribune. Eat the Press directs you to all the further reading you might possibly want to do in the subject, which, if you're like us, isn't a whole hell of a lot. But, you know, de gustibus and all that. [ETP]
  

• NB to Jessica Simpson: Might we suggest a new top coat? Some sort of Sally Hansen extra-life type product? [OAN]
• No plans tonight? Go check out Observer founder and editorial director Arthur Carter's sculpture show, and see what's so much more important than his little peach paper. Bring a recorder, and make sure you get tape of Jared Kushner dissing the art. [Salander]
• Oh, this is rich: Are Mark Foley and Eve Ensler all that different? You challenge us so, David Brooks. [TimesSelect]
• Speaking of Foley: JUST KIDDING! IT WAS ALL A BIG JOKE! [Wonkette]
• Actress Sharon Stone, best known for her role in Police Academy 4, is rumored to be canoodling with Jared Leto. We're not sure we buy it, but the mental picture is amusing enough. [LSE]
• Won't someone help Julia Allison have a threesome? If only so she can stop using her Silver Bullet vibrator? [Glamour]
• Vanity Fair defies rumor and, instead of Borat, puts George Clooney on the cover. To be fair, they're both equally ridiculous characters. [FishbowlNY]
• We know that "Britney Spears Loses Custody of Child to 'In Touch' Magazine" is an Onion headline, but we fail to see the parody. [The Onion]

British Glamour editor Jo Elvin was shocked — shocked! — to learn that for an upcoming piece about women who had lost their husbands in Iraq or Afghanistan, a freelancer named Victoria Lambert sent an email to members of Military Families Against the War looking for "photogenic" case studies. The email read:

I mean, theoretically, I have nothing against dating more than one guy at a time, at least in the beginning, I've just never done it. And let's be honest, dating means "sleeping with" and that's just kind of, well, icky.

• After an extended period of darkness, 4-year-old Suri Cruise finally reveals herself to the world as a beautiful Asian-American.
• Katie Couric sashays onto the CBS Evening News, and the world is amazed that vaginas can read.
• And in other kind-of-vagina news, Rosie O'Donnell assumed the position on The View.
• Paris Hilton gets cuffed and it's got nothing to do with a sex tape.
• Cuddly rapper 50 Cent trades in his shiny Lamborghini for a trip to central booking.
• Glamour asserts itself as the most absurdly omnipresent magazine out there with four Today show appearances and a sponsored helicopter service.
• Sumner Redstone cans former prez and CEO Tom Freston, but not without the employees giving a cuddly send-off first.

Earlier: Today on 'Today': Cindi Leive Lives in a Pup Tent in Rock Center

It's Thursday, the third day of this slightly more petite working week, and thus the third day in a row that Glamour EIC Cindi Leive has been on the Today show (it could be the fourth day, for all we know — if anyone out there was masochistic enough to have watched Monday, let us know). Fashion Week starts tomorrow, and Glamour is co-sponsoring helicopter transport for the skinny set, but Leive isn't talking about her Eurotrash chopper or the forthcoming clusterfuck in Bryant Park. No, she's just telling us how to look good in honor of the mag's new Big Book of Dos & Don'ts, which has now been plugged on Today with three "significant" (relatively speaking) fashion segments. We're looking forward to tomorrow's appearance to round out a week of incredible product placement. Some poor flack's jaw must be exhausted.

It's come to our attention that Glamour's fearless dating blogger Alyssa Shelasky, whose job requires her to navigate the single-girl waters based on the results of reader polls, was offended by some of our earlier posts. Let's be clear: we have no ill will towards Alyssa and think her column pic is kind of cute. If we seem "bitter," it's because we don't know where to buy that grey tube top (seriously, the loose fit is so crucial after had a few beers. Bloated!).

Yesterday, former Us Weekly staffer Alyssa Shelasky started her new gig as the poor dating blogger for Glamour magazine's website. Rather than just blog about her romantic adventures, however, Alyssa is journeying down the path to glossy self-exploitation, wherein readers vote on how she should conduct herself and she agrees to heed their advice. Yesterday, 61% of readers told her to call some flirty guy just to tell him that she liked his friend better; as it only could, this resulted in an awkward voicemail message in which Alyssa no doubt sounded like a bit of a dumbass. Good job, Glamour readers!

Earlier, it was revealed with much excitement that former Us Weekly staffer Alyssa Shelasky would be breathing life back into the Sex and the City genre with her blog for Glamour's website. Called "See Alyssa Date," the blog would detail Shelasky's love life and allow readers to help her decide how to handle her romantic endeavors (so basically, if you vote in a poll that Shelasky should give it up on the first date with Mr. Big — or, in her first post, Mr. Big Talker — she will).

Conde Nast's website for Glamour relaunched this month, bringing with it a bunch of corporate-approved, newfangled blogs on fashion, beauty, and — oh yes — sex. Specifically, the sex life of former Us Weekly reporter Alyssa Shelasky, who will do her best Carrie Bradshaw impression with her own Glamour.com blog, "See Alyssa Date." According to Eat the Press, Shelasky will be "sharing the details of her various dating adventures with her readers," who will respond with their comments and, somewhat horrifyingly, an online poll to decide how Alyssa should conduct her love life. Worst of all, Glamour EIC Cindi Leive says that poor Shelasky will have to "take [readers'] counsel seriously."

Last night we bought four of the glossies' September issues, those typically being the most behemoth of the year. Why only four? Because we had to walk a few blocks, and we could only carry four. Once the Bengay kicks in and we can use our biceps again, we'll grab another round of these bitches.

• Lee Gomes doesn't care what all you Chris Anderson cultists think; The Long Tail is full of shit. Inevitable Anderson riposte t/k. [WSJ]
• Mariane Pearl, widow of slain WSJ reporter Daniel Pearl, writes her first column for Glamour. Ann Coulter, 45, immediately calls her a whore. [Glamour]
• Hard-hitting Observer investigation reveals that some firefighters in the "FDNY Calendar of Heroes" come from out of state. [NYO]

We never thought we'd write the following words, but: dear God, are we excited for the September issue of Glamour! And not just because we're looking for 100 looks for under $100, either. WWD reports that Jessica Joffe, the former Observer slave who has risen to Vogue fashionista and indie crooner Ryan Adams' fuckbuddy, not only interviews cover model Emmy Rossum but also leaves her well-heeled mark on the back cover, where her much-anticipated Banana Republic ad will debut.

Carole Radziwill — the ABC news producer who found the strength to spit out a bestselling memoir after her friends John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyne Bessette died in a little-known plane crash and her husband, Anthony Radziwill, died of cancer three weeks later — has a new column in Glamour. For her debut, she sits down with beloved anchor-cum-book-peddler Anderson Cooper and talks about wardrobe choices. It's hardly the stuff of Radziwill's hard news past, but she does manage to get Cooper to reveal how business is conducted around CNN:

Earlier: 'Glamour' Organizes Dutch Death Match

Since we know most of you are globe-trotting fashionistas who will go to great lengths compete for cash prizes, we've got some news for you:

The rather curious blog A Dress A Day directs our attention to a snippet from a 1960 magazine article by Gay Talese, "Vogueland":