Can you believe that it's been a whole decade since Lauryn Hill released her extraordinary The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill album?

Celebrities have access to privileges which we mere mortals cannot begin to fathom. Top-tier designers all but bribe them to appear at functions wearing expensive outfits; private jets are chartered according to their tailor-made international travel plans... Oh, and when they're engaged in an intra-family squabble, The Rich and Famous need not resort to, y'know, exchanging words across the dinner table or spitting venom over the phone. Oh no: as the example of Lindsay Lohan's ever-escalating feud with loopy father Michael attests, celebs can call on global media to help air their dirty laundry in public.

The biggest buzz surrounding the latest cycle (Tyra Banksian for "season") of America's Next Top Model, which premieres this coming Wednesday (September 3) on the CW, has to do with the fact that, for the first time ever, Tyra Banks and her stable of Botoxed boys have chosen a transgendered model as one of the semi-finalists.

Yesterday, the British Museum unveiled artist Marc Quinn's new work, Siren. The piece is a life-sized sculpture of waifish supermodel Kate Moss, Quinn's perennial muse (he once sculpted her in bronze, pretzeled into a yoga pose), cast entirely in solid freakin' gold. At 50 kg (110 pounds and change), it's likely heftier than the gangly clotheshorse.

When the Globe and Mail’s book section went on hiatus a couple weeks ago, it seemed like the last nail in the coffin of book criticism in this country. The Globe claims it’s a temporary break — this Saturday will reveal the truth — but rumours quickly spread that the standalone section, faced with an absence of advertising, was on the chopping block. Hardly a surprise, with papers like The Toronto Star, the National Post and, most recently, the Montreal Gazette shrinking or altogether eliminating their book sections.

Talk about mortifying gaffes: late in the day yesterday, an employee at the Bloomberg financial newswire service pressed the wrong button and sent an obituary for Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs out across the wires. Only problem? Jobs is still very much alive.

Terribly sad news: Just a couple months after she and long-time partner Phyllis Lyon were legally wed (for the second time) in California, legendary lesbian activist Del Martin has passed away at home in San Francisco. She was 87.

Today brings news of several earth-shaking developments in the world of books penned by people who are famous for doing things other than writing.

From the same cracked, campy mind that brought you the viral video phenomenon Celine Dion Is Amazing comes a new extended montage homage to Mariah Carey, the unstoppable diva with a mind-blowing vocal range.

Newsflash: naked bongo ace and placenta tree aficionado Matthew McConaughey's mom is just as creepy and oversharey as her son.