Hank Paulson's attempt to weasel out of an interview with the New York Times looks more comical every day. Now it's emerged that the book he was busy writing is being written by someone else.

[A hot air balloon festival got underway today in Baotou in the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia; image via Getty]

The internet killed hip hop regionalism, explains R.M. Schneiderman. Which made the shit fun!

A reporter exposed his bias, if you know what we mean; a flack was busted for losing his temper and a subscriber was caught five months behind on his reading. The Twitterati reveled in the humanity of imperfection.

We all know that John Hughes died a week ago on the street in Manhattan, but just exactly where did it happen?

The Secret Service detained a man at a Maryland town hall yesterday carrying a sign reading, "'Death To Obama, Death To Michelle And Her Two Stupid Kids." Why don't Republicans at least say, "Don't threaten to kill the president"?

• After 37 years in business—and following several lease extensions—La Goulue on Madison Avenue will close its doors on Aug. 26. The owners say they're still hoping to reopen it somewhere else in the neighborhood. [NYT]
• Further evidence that this is a really tough time for media companies: The New York Times has licensed its name to a new wine club. [Reuters, release]
• Simon Hammerstein is hoping to revive The Box with some new talent. Joey Arias will be taking over hosting duties beginning next month. [P6]
• Like the many critics before him, New York's Adam Platt doesn't go easy on Monkey Bar: "A-list connections can't cover for D-grade cooking." [NYM]

Eater has pulled the restaurant charges from the Madoffs' AmEx records. They weren't horrible tippers.

If you are unfortunate enough to have tastes and budget in clothing similar to mine, you may own several Freshjive shirts. Keep them! The entire Freshjive brand is disappearing. It's going "brandless." Is that even philosophically possible?

Fox News Channel's Major Garrett, expertly using his Wingnut Jedi Mind Tricks, laid a meticulous trap for White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs today about David Axelrod's health care spam.

Is the recession over? Who knows, really, but Vanity Fair has already taken the liberty of having a bartender whip up a special "Is the recession over?" cocktail. Made of blueberries, vodka and crème de cassis, it's designed to be consumed while addressing that very question with friends. Unfortunately, it also takes a full week to make, which means by the time it's ready, the economy may have recovered and already slipped into another recession. So, you know, maybe it would be better to just stick to a beer or whatever? [VF]

Apple quietly told music executives about a special "keynote" event in four weeks, according to All Things D. Hard to see how CEO Steve Jobs avoids this event, after nearly a year in seclusion. Especially after recently rocking with Coldplay.

Were you thinking that what the Hamptons really needed right now was another magazine with party pictures and "inside info" on cool things to do? No? Well, too bad. The Observer reports there's a new kid on the block called The Hampton Spy. Edited by a former Hamptons editor and Hamptons Style contributor, it bills itself as "a digital publication and community." Most exciting of all: Countess LuAnn de Lesseps has already attended one its parties in the flesh. And you can't do much better than that, can you? [NYO]

NYC Prep'sSebastian Oppenheim laughs while his friend Gabriel Aiello puts on a Hitler hat and mustache. What would Rags McTattershanty say?! Also, swastikas. Hilarious.

We got a tip that the people behind Real Housewives of Atlanta, are casting a gay version of the franchise—in New York!. And watch your back, Housewives, the straight boys are coming for you too.

The Way We Live Now: Set Adrift on Memory Bliss. Or that could just be the choppy harbor waters under our new, floating raft home. We bought it with a microloan! Rats! Jesus! We're seasick hobos, now.

Daniel K. Stern (remember him?) sued Rita Cosby (remember her?) for libel back in 2007 over her book about Anna Nicole Smith, and a federal district judge ruled yesterday that much of the suit can go forward.

• The value of Michael Jackson's estate may double by the end of the year thanks to the surge in music sales and all those movie/merch deals. [LAT]
• Bad news for Conan: Repeats of David Letterman's show last week still managed to beat new episodes of the Tonight Show in the ratings. [NYT]
• For the first time, Us Weekly's website attracted more monthly visitors than People.com. Us's footage of Michael Jackson's hair on fire helped. [WWD]
• Bill Bratton, the former police commissioner of LA and, before that, New York City, has landed a book deal with Random House's Broadway Books. [AP]
• Does lots of buzz on Twitter send people to movie theaters and boost box office sales? Not so much, at least according to one poll. [NYT]
• Dr. Dre, Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine, and Hewlett-Packard are teaming up to "save digital music." Good luck with that, guys. [CNET]

In your thrombosis-like Thursday media column: Paul Krugman buys a home, NYT photogs are harassed by crazies, Garrett Graff gets a new job, and men's mag editors speak on abs, and gayness.