George Eliot

Some gentlemen have made an amazing figure in literature by general discontent with the universe as a trap of dulness into which their great souls have fallen by mistake; but the sense of a stupendous self and an insignificant world may have its consolations.

-- “Middlemarch” by George Eliot

Yahoo

Yahoo is not going down without a fight. It just acquired the exclusive right to air "Saturday Night Live" on the Internet. I might be a little interested in that, though I find it is hard to watch shows on the Internet now. My computer time is heavily crowded. Only porn can keep me still behind a computer screen to watch a video for more than a couple of minutes at a time. But it's interesting to see Yahoo sticking in there and fighting to remain part of the the popular Internet culture.

[NYT]

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow Skips Underwear in Sheer Dress at Iron Man 3 Premiere

Is sidebutt the new sideboob? Gwyneth Paltrow revealed a whole lot of skin in an ultra-sheer dress at the Hollywood premiere of Iron Man 3 on Wednesday, Apr. 24.

The 40-year-old actress stepped out on the red carpet of the El Capitan Theatre wearing an Antonio Berardi gown (with apparently nothing underneath) that featured sheer black paneling down each side, offering a side view of her naked posterior. Risking a wardrobe malfunction in more ways than one, Paltrow proudly modeled the dress for photographers and showed off her flawless figure.

Chris Martin's wife and mother of Apple, 8, and Moses, 6, recently bragged about a compliment she received from a friend on her impressive booty -- honed in part by the Tracy Anderson Method. "I said, 'You know, this isn't so bad for 40, right?'" Paltrow recalled to reporters on April 4. "And [my friend] goes, 'It's not so bad for a 22-year-old stripper!'"

-- ONTD

Yeah, well, enjoy it all you can now, because... well, you know. It's going fast.

So Flirty

Trees on skyscrapers?

[T]rees atop buildings have become an architectural crutch, a way to make your building feel sustainable without necessarily being so. And that’s a charitable assessment. Here’s how I really feel—trees on skyscrapers are a distraction from rampant development and deforestation. They’re trees for the rich and no one else. They’re the soma in architecture’s brave new world of “sustainable” development.

In reality, trees on skyscrapers will likely be anything but sustainable. Structures built to support trees need to be over-engineered compared with their abiotic equivalents—trees are heavy, so is dirt (multiply so when wet), and so are watering systems required to keep them alive. If those trees are to have a chance on these windy precipices, their planters had better be deep, which further compounds problems raised in the previous sentence. A skyscraper that’s built to support trees will require more concrete, more steel, more of anything structural. That’s a lot of carbon, not to mention other resources, spent simply hoisting vegetation dozens of stories up, probably more than will ever be recouped in the trees’ lifetimes.

-- Tim De Chant

A sweet idea. Some sort of greenery on all those roofs might still help the air and the environment a little, no? But a world of concrete and glass will not do well either, right?

Internet Comment of the Day

"There's a police helicopter over my house... I may be taking a break from Tumblr for 4 to 6 years."

-- Anonymous

Tila Tequila

It's been a while since we've heard from her. I think she should stick to showing us her tits.

[ONTD]

Garry Wills

Garry Wills is a Catholic who has been controversial in that his conception of Christianity has tended to become more liberal over the years. Now he has a book arguing against the existence of priests: "Why Priests? A Failed Tradition".

John Quinn, a historian and book critic, notes that in Wills's last book, Wills was at least willing to testify that he is devoted to the Virgin Mary and the Rosary, but he closes his book review with this biting statement:

This time all he is willing to say is: “There is one God, and Jesus is one of his prophets, and I am one of his millions of followers.” One wonders what Wills’ Jesuit seminary professors would make of this statement.

I am surprised myself, but perhaps pleasantly so, in seeing this apparent comedown from a supernatural Jesus that walked on the waters and raised the dead, including himself. Maybe it is the only way to save Christianity for the developed world and its well-educated children.

[John F. Quinn, "The Gospel According to Garry" in Crisis Magazine]

Birds

Damn birds! I cannot leave the cat plate on the patio with food during the day. They are always getting in it, feasting.

I wonder what the ducks would think of the cat food. Would it be unhealthy for them? Unhealthier than white bread?

"fire up the grill!"

He's actually going to "fire up the grill!" tonight. I guess it's not just a passing mood. He must feel his virility in it. Not bad for a 70-something. But the headaches!

Panties around the ankle

It's always one of those sexy things for me.

Forever Love

"I am tired of the cult of youth. The cultural rejection of old age, the stigmatization of wrinkles, grey hair, of bodies furrowed by the years. I am fascinated by (….) women who have let time embrace them…."

-- "Forever Love" by Tom Ford

I wish I had that sort of class and maturity, and felt that kind of love.

Very Punk

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has marked as possibly inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. )

Daily Fun

This is the winning entry in the Society of German Nature Photographers‘ annual contest. It’s by Herman Hirsch. This slideshow is a bit of a marvel. There are shots where you marvel at the high-def precision and mastery of the camera; and others that look more like a Monet or an abstract piece of art.

-- Sully's Dish

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