Newsweek Cuts Back Number of Issues: Will Anyone Notice?

This should probably drive their value down to about 95 cents.

The partners behind Newsweek Daily Beast Company appear to be holding down the flow of red ink this summer by cutting back on the number of Newsweek issues.

This past Monday started a dark week for the newsweekly. It now appears that it will be one of four dark weeks for the summer -- two more than Tina Brown planned.

The original editorial calendar showed only one dark week, surrounding the July 4 weekend.

Staffers now have been told that they will not have to work the week of July 18-22 since no issue will appear on July 25. They also can spend a little extra time at the beach the week of Aug. 15-19, since there will now be no issue on Aug. 22.

This rag continues to hemorrhage ad pages. One wonders what the point is continuing to print.

Through the June 14 issue, Newsweek saw its ad page sales in 2011 fall 23 percent, to 299.03 pages, from 388.15 pages over the same period a year earlier, according to Media Industry Newsletter.

Change is Coming

What to make of this? And what to make of conservatives and the new politics of pot?

Also nice to see Eleanor Clift clinging to a life raft of hope. Newsweek's 37 remaining readers will no doubt be apoplectic.

Via NRO.

Asian Born Muslim Praises Obama For Continuing Bush Plan in Iraq

An Asian born Muslim paraphrasing another allegedly Asian born Muslim, yeah I went there for the cheap shot, but with all of the not so cheap shots most of us average Americans have been taking lately I couldn't resist, in a recent interview Fareed Zakaria says that Obama is getting out of Iraq because he never wanted to be there to start with.

CNN: In light of that conflict, why is Obama proceeding with the withdrawal?

Zakaria: Obama believes this is a war we should never have gotten involved in, that it has been a waste of American resources -- most importantly American lives but also treasure -- and that his job is to minimize the exposure of the United States to this and reduce our commitments so that he can focus America's energy and efforts in other places. And he's been very disciplined about this, very unsentimental about it.

Zakaria who is being interviewed is the editor of Newsweek's International edition, a contributor to Slate, has written for the Washington Post and has his own show on CNN. This is a guy, who when the left get mad at him for not being progressive enough call him a neocon. For those that don't know all of those agencies listed above are about as liberal as you can get.

Obama and Zakaria have several traits in common. Obama likes to read Zakaria's book like "The Post-American World". They both went to Harvard with Zak going to Yale also while Barry went to Columbia.

In truth the groundwork for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq is in keeping with the guidelines set down during the Bush administration and enabled by the surge implemented by General Petraeus, not because of anything Barry O has done. Hell he was handed the keys and the best way to describe his contribution is he didn't mess it up. What is happening right now with the troop withdrawals was crafted years ago and we can simply see the visible signs of that now.

All I am saying is Zakaria is more likely to be a mouthpiece for Obama then he is any sort of critical analyst. We only have Zakaria's retelling of his interview so you can't say this is a direct quote or was even said and may only be what Fareed wishes Obama would say or he is engaging in some heavy mind reading.

An ability reserved for Asian born Muslims.

Besides we all know Barry O is an American born Black Liberation Theology member.

Stupidity on Steroids: Newsweek Nitwit Claims Obama Is More Catholic Than the Pope

It figures it's a Kennedy who authored this bilge. A complete embarrassment exemplifying why nobody reads this magazine any longer.

Seriously, the most radical pro-abortion president ever is somehow more in tune with Catholics than the Pope?

The mind boggles.

Tomorrow Pope Benedict XVI and President Barack Obama meet for the first time, an affair much anticipated and in some circles frowned upon by American Catholics in the wake of Obama's controversial Notre Dame commencement speech in May. Conservatives in the church denounced Obama's appearance as a nod by the premier Catholic university to a conciliatory politics that heralds the start of a slippery moral slope.

In truth, though, Obama's pragmatic approach to divisive policy (his notion that we should acknowledge the good faith underlying opposing viewpoints) and his social-justice agenda reflect the views of American Catholic laity much more closely than those vocal bishops and pro-life activists. When Obama meets the pope tomorrow, they'll politely disagree about reproductive freedoms and homosexuality, but Catholics back home won't care, because they know Obama's on their side. In fact, Obama's agenda is closer to their views than even the pope's.

Read the rest. Mind-blowing stupidity to say the least.

More here.

Old Media Deathwatch: WaPo Profit Plummets 77%

Yesterday it was the San Francisco Chronicle announcing they're clinging to life. Over the weekend the Journal Register Co. filed for bankruptcy followed Monday by Philadelphia's largest newspapers.

Now we get one of the really big boys headed for the abyss.

Please, try and contain your tears.

The Washington Post Co.'s reeling newspaper and magazine divisions stumbled again in the fourth quarter, extending an earnings slump that would have been even more disconcerting if not for the stability of the company's education and cable TV businesses.

The publisher of The Washington Post and Newsweek magazine said Wednesday that it made $18.8 million, or $2.01 per share, during the final three months of last year. That represented a 77 percent drop from net income of $82.9 million, or $8.71 per share, in the same quarter a year earlier.

The results for the last quarter included after-tax charges of more than $82 million to account for the eroding value of the company's newspaper holdings, the upcoming closure of a Maryland printing plant and restructuring costs.

It marked the Washington-based company's ninth consecutive quarter of declining profit.

Revenue rose 3 percent to $1.16 billion.

Washington Post Co. shares fell $7.42, or nearly 2 percent, to $377.57 in Wednesday's afternoon trading.

Like most publishers across the United States, the company's publications have been losing advertising revenue to the Internet for several years. The pain has been exacerbated during the past six months by a devastating recession that has waylaid retailers, banks, auto dealers and builders—traditionally all big buyers of newspaper ads.

Not to mention a relentlessly leftwing slant in their reporting, but let's ignore that 10 ton elephant in the room. The current recession doesn't explain why their profit has declined for nine straight quarters.

'I Just Said I’ve Always Wanted to Sleep With a Man Wth Gray Hair'

I guess outside of Obama signing the Declaration of Socialism bill and A-Rod's press conference it's a slow news day.

What else to explain this earth-shattering news?

Everyone seems to have an opinion about Howard Fineman’s hair lately.

The Newsweek reporter and MSNBC commentator has let his hair go gray, and it’s all anyone can talk about.

Perfect strangers, we hear, go up and talk to him about it. If you Google “Howard Fineman” and “hair,” 30,500 hits pop up. (HF and “intellect” gets 3,680; HF and “politics” gets more than 530,000.)

Fineman has been on TV since the early ’80s, and since then, his hair color has remained pretty much the same: dark brown. Until last June, when he started letting it grow out — finally revealing his age-appropriate gray — and stopped dyeing his hair. Now the result is something like this: gray on the sides but still kind of orangey on top.

This has caused tons of reaction, apparently. And a recent appearance on “Hardball” certainly didn’t help matters. People were e-mailing, “Check out Fineman’s hair!” and “What in the world is going on?”

We’ll tell you. Fineman finally acquiesced to higher forces and stopped dyeing his hair because, as his wife, Amy Nathan, has been overheard telling people, “I just said I’ve always wanted to sleep with a man with gray hair.” (Brilliant.)

I learned at a relatively young age that when the gray starts coming in, don't bother fighting it. Some women dig it. Plus, at least you still have hair.

As for Fineman, I had no idea since I don't read Newsweek or watch the low-rated MSNBC.

Um, I Thought the Wives Were Off Limits?

Well, if your name is Michelle Obama, you cannot be criticized, so rest safe.

If your name is Cindy McCain, you're fair game for a media assault.

It's not as if she got some cushy loan like Kent Conrad or Christopher Dodd, who are granted immunity because they have a D after their names.

Anyway, the children are having orgasms today over this non-story.

Further reaction here.

Maybe Newsweek can make up another poll to show how badly this affect John McCain. Oh, and next time we criticize Michelle Obama, I don't want to hear any whining from the left.

Dubious Newsweek Poll Gives Obama 15-Point Lead

This is so absurd, only a hack outfit like Newsweek could concoct it. Of course, it will garner headline news from the Obamaton media.

Here's all you need to know: They polled 896 people. Guess how many identified Republicans there were?

231.

Democrats had 324 respondents and supposed independents 307.

Ridiculous.

A reputable pollster has it a four-point spread. Gallup has it at two. Who do you suppose is more reliable?

They're also now on a first-name basis with The Messiah.

Barack finally has his bounce. For weeks many political experts and pollsters have been wondering why the race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain had stayed so tight, even after the Illinois senator wrested the nomination from Hillary Clinton. With numbers consistently showing rock-bottom approval ratings for President Bush and a large majority of Americans unhappy with the country's direction, the opposing-party candidate should, in the normal course, have attracted more disaffected voters. Now it looks as if Obama is doing just that. A new NEWSWEEK Poll shows that he has a substantial double-digit lead, 51 percent to 36 percent, over McCain among registered voters nationwide.

Expect orgasms over at MessNBC tonight.

Thanks to Ace and Hot Air for the links.

Fresh Pile of Poop From Newsweek

No, I'm not talking about them hiring some nutroots twerp, rather this nonsense from Fareed Zakaria, who sees something ominous in an alleged drop in tourists visiting the United States.

Every American who has a friend abroad has heard some story about the absurd hassle and humiliation of entering or exiting the United States. But these pale in comparison to the experience of foreigners who commit minor infractions. A tourist from New Zealand, Rick Giles, mistakenly overstayed his visa in America by a few days and found himself summarily arrested for six weeks earlier this fall. Treaty obligations say his country's embassy should have been informed of the arrest, but it wasn't. A German visitor, Valeria Vinnikova, overstayed her visa by a couple of days and tried to remedy the situation—so that she could spend more time with her fiance, the Dartmouth College squash coach. Instead she was handcuffed and had her feet shackled, then was carted off to be imprisoned. She now faces deportation and a 10-year ban on entering the United States.

Of course, apparently none of these innocents are responsible for seeking a visa extension.

And who is Zakaria's source for such information?

(Thanks to AndrewSullivan.com for drawing attention to these.)

Enough said.

Sullivan, naturally, pats himself on the back and notes the above anecdotal stories came from reader comments.

Fareed echoes some of my readers' testimony about the police state atmosphere that tourists and foreign visitors have to confront when entering the US. Tourism has declined markedly in the US these past five years, despite booming elsewhere.

Surely, they've all been verified, no?

Zakaria offers no solution to this alleged crisis and just points to allegations of harassment and anecdotal evidence, of which he offers none.

The administration and Congress say the right things, have passed a few measures to improve matters and keep insisting that the problem has been solved. But the data and loads of anecdotal evidence suggest otherwise. The basic problem remains: no bureaucrat wants to be the person who lets in the next terrorist. As a result, when one spots any irregularity—no matter how minor—the reflex is to stop, question, harass, arrest and deport.

I suppose letting our guard down would be preferable to this mythical police state liberals fret over.

Of course, as Andrew Stuttaford points out at NRO, we're on pace for a record numbers of tourists this year, so if you're a Newsweek print subscriber, you have some fresh birdcage liner.

More from Right Voices.

Newsweek Column: We're Idiots

Robert J Samuelson isn't quite that blunt, but it's rather amusing to see a piece in Newsweek slamming last week's idiotic hitpiece on global warming "denial," which shall forever discredit the author.

Greenhouse Simplicities

If you missed NEWSWEEK's story, here's the gist. A "well-coordinated, well-funded campaign by contrarian scientists, free-market think tanks and industry has created a paralyzing fog of doubt around climate change." This "denial machine" has obstructed action against global warming and is still "running at full throttle." The story's thrust: discredit the "denial machine," and the country can start the serious business of fighting global warming. The story was a wonderful read, marred only by its being fundamentally misleading.

Which is, of course, what we're used to from the mainstream media. They have their opinions, so let's not let inconvenient facts deter us.

Against these real-world pressures, NEWSWEEK's "denial machine" is a peripheral and highly contrived story. NEWSWEEK implied, for example, that ExxonMobil used a think tank to pay academics to criticize global-warming science. Actually, this accusation was long ago discredited, and NEWSWEEK shouldn't have lent it respectability. (The company says it knew nothing of the global-warming grant, which involved issues of climate modeling. And its 2006 contribution to the think tank, the American Enterprise Institute, was small: $240,000 out of a $28 million budget.)

The alleged cabal's influence does not seem impressive. The mainstream media have generally been unsympathetic; they've treated global warming ominously. The first NEWSWEEK cover story in 1988 warned THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT. DANGER: MORE HOT SUMMERS AHEAD. A Time cover in 2006 was more alarmist: BE WORRIED, BE VERY WORRIED. Nor does public opinion seem much swayed. Although polls can be found to illustrate almost anything, the longest-running survey questions show a remarkable consistency. In 1989, Gallup found 63 percent of Americans worried "a great deal" or a "fair amount" about global warming; in 2007, 65 percent did.

I'm surprised after the relentless media indoctrination, and the pitiful slobbering of Al Gore and his discredited movie, that the number isn't much higher.

But the overriding reality seems almost un-American: we simply don't have a solution for this problem. As we debate it, journalists should resist the temptation to portray global warming as a morality tale—as NEWSWEEK did—in which anyone who questions its gravity or proposed solutions may be ridiculed as a fool, a crank or an industry stooge. Dissent is, or should be, the lifeblood of a free society.

Problem is, the intolerant liberals don't care much for dissent. They want to shut us up.

UPDATE: More from Sister Toldjah, Instapundit, NewsBusters, Blue Crab Boulevard, Flopping Aces.

Global Warming "Deniers" a Well-Funded Machine

An absolute joke of a piece from Newsweek.

The Truth About Denial

If you think those who have long challenged the mainstream scientific findings about global warming recognize that the game is over, think again. Yes, 19 million people watched the "Live Earth" concerts last month, titans of corporate America are calling for laws mandating greenhouse cuts, "green" magazines fill newsstands, and the film based on Al Gore's best-selling book, "An Inconvenient Truth," won an Oscar. But outside Hollywood, Manhattan and other habitats of the chattering classes, the denial machine is running at full throttle—and continuing to shape both government policy and public opinion.

I thought two billion people were going to watch Live Earth? Is it possible people are "in denial" because they're not buying the propaganda?

Also, is it possible author Sharon Begley is so stupid to not realize that outside Hollywood, Manhattan, and the chattering classes lie the overwhelming majority of America people who aren't as painfully gullible as her?

The sheer arrogance and condescension of this dreck runs for six pages, so read at your own peril. It's hard to believe Newsweek thinks this passes for journalism, but I guess when your readership is dwindling so rapidly, you'll do anything to sell your "green" magazine.

For more, check out Noel Sheppard at NewsBusters, who rips this nonsense to shreds.