Shows you what I know: back in July, when the Jared Paul Stern payola scandal was still hot, I sniffed at the prospect of his book proposal landing anywhere. But it looks like this eagle has found a nesting place in the form of Touchstone Fireside, a division ofSimon & Schuster for a reported six figures, as Gawker broke yesterday and the New York Observer backs up this morning.

John Brockman brokered the deal, selling the proposal to Touchstone Fireside's publisher, Mark Gompertz. "I thought I'd shake things up a little bit," he said, sounding like his tongue lodged firmly into his cheek. "My life was really dull. I didn't have anyone sniffing through my garbage, so I thought I'd fix that." That said, the likelihood of anyone outside Manhattan (perhaps even midtown) caring a whit about what Stern might reveal is rather minimal, but if S&S has money to burn, so be it...