Fortune Unveils McCain’s Campaign Strategy: Terrorism

Taking a cue from Karl Rove’s playbook, John McCain’s senior adviser, Charlie Black, claimed that a terrorist attack on American soil could help the Republican presidential candidate considerably in an interview with Fortune magazine. Black has since apologized for the fear bating comment. The timing couldn’t be better, with that publication readying its double covers that features duel interviews with an energetic Obama looking right at the camera and a tired McCain with green stress wristlet looking away. When the candidates were asked, what is the “gravest long-term threat to the U.S. economy?” McCain, following Black’s lead, touts the threat of terrorism:

“Well, I would think that the absolute gravest threat is the struggle that we’re in against Islamic extremism, which can affect, if they prevail, our very existence. Another successful attack on the United States of America could have devastating consequences.”

Yeah, like getting McCain elected!

‘Counter Terrorist’ Mag Provides Links To Jihadi Websites

If you thought Prisonworld Magazine was a niche publication, wait till you get a load of The Counter Terrorist, billed as “The official journal of the Homeland Security Professional.” Published by Blackwater-like security firm SSI (Security Solutions International), the premiere issue includes a feature written by Henry Morgenstern the president, describing online Jihad (PDF doc) and the role the internet plays in propagating Islamic radicalism. They provide a list of some terror promoting websites—we wouldn’t have known where to look—that doubles as a great resource for the ‘America is the Great Satan’ demographic and counter terrorists alike:
www.m3ark.com/forum
A partially closed forum supportive of global jihad. A vital participant in the distribution of propaganda and weaponry / explosives manufacturing material.
www.hanein.info/vb
A forum supportive of global jihad and of regional insurgents groups. Prominent distributor of jihadi films, including self-produced multimedia.

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Black Is the New Black

“For the July issue of Italian Vogue, Mr. Meisel has photographed only black models. In a reverse of the general pattern of fashion magazines, all the faces are black, and all the feature topics are related to black women in the arts and entertainment. Mr. Meisel was given roughly 100 pages for his pictures. The issue will be on European newsstands next Thursday and in the United States soon after.” |NYT|

Madonna Still Relevant Enough for Korean Market

Even with print-based media properties taking a hit across the boards, UK style magazine Dazed and Confused decided to expand, branching out into the Far East with the hopes that culture starved Korea can provide a new market for the publication. The special new Korean edition (image left) hit newsstands on May 16th with the same Madonna cover the mag ran for their April issue, except they did add the word “Korea” over the masthead and did change some of the cover lines. Most importantly though, it doesn’t matter, with the Madge selling over 80,000 issues. |SlamXHype|

Purple Mag Editor Reveals Dash Snow’s Next Gig: Cross-Dressing

Purple magazine’s founder and editor, Oliver Zahm, appeared in a fashion profile for the New York Times recently where he discussed his desire to look how child molesting film genius Roman Polanski did in the ’70s, an affinity for Ray-Bans, and his plans to “show the beauty and love” of ‘Washed Up‘ artist Dash Snow by dressing him like a girl:

“In the next issue, I have the artist Dash Snow wearing women’s clothes from the fall collections. To see a beautiful man like Dash, who for me is American aristocracy—this is inspiring.”

Truly inspiring indeed!
Photo: Dash Snow at V-magazine party |Logo|

Prisonworld Magazine Looking To Lock Down Advertisers

Good news for brands like Fubu, Cheetos, and Bic pens. Prisonworld Magzine, “the one of a kind magazine for prisoners,” has opened up its pages to advertisers. Although the magazine is specifically tailored for that edgy inmate demographic, it is available to the general public too. Readers looking to correspond with the incarcerated will especially appreciate the mag’s pen pal service. Plus there’s poetry, opinions, and “religious content.” The book boasts impressive distribution too: “Prisonworld Magazine now ships to over 400 institutions, state and federal, in 32 states. ‘Since it is free to the institution’s libraries, we can estimate our readership at approximately 350,000 per month,’ says Rufus Triplett Jr., Editor.’ ” We bet the pass around rate is great too. So for brands looking to get their product in front of the country’s most incarcerated inmates, this publication has got them on lock: “Prisonworld Magazine offers better than competitive rates and an extremely unique target market. With over 2.2 million incarcerated, anyone who advertises in the magazine has a direct link to a community with its own market share.”

Barack Obama Covers Uptown

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is on the cover of the upcoming June issue of UPTOWN magazine, “the only luxury lifestyle publication targeted at Affluent African Americans (AAA).” It’s the first time the mag has gone with an illustrated cover, commissioning artist Alex Ostroy. The Entertainment Issue drops on June 15th, and features director-activist Spike Lee discussing the “Obama Effect,” claiming that a black president isn’t just symbolic, “Do you know how uplifting it’s going to be for people of color to have someone who looks like them be President of the United States? It changes everything, and it’s not just symbolism.” The issue also includes stories about “Bloggers Behind the Web’s Juiciest Stars,” “72 Hours in Tuscany from behind the wheel of a Bentley,” and the perfect travel guide to African American elitism: “an inside look at popular black summer enclaves in Martha’s Vineyard, Sag Harbor and Hilton Head.”

Complex’s Model Miracle: Turning Sunkist Into Water

You’ve heard about the water into wine, but how about Sunkist into water? Complex’s art department pulled off a modern day miracle, transforming the sugary orange liquid into H2O in this image from a photo shoot featuring Battlestar Gallactica geek girl Grace Park (she’s on the cover of their June/July issue). If it were a can of Sprite, 7Up, or even Sierra Mist they could have pulled it off. Plus, orange stained model face is hot. Unfortunately, what might appear to be an innocent enough mistake on the editorial side, can create big headaches on the publishing one. After all, how can ad reps send this almost perfectly product placed photo to brand managers when it’s not the actual product being poured? Awkward!

Chinese Gov’t Leaves ‘Sexy Quake’ Mag In Collapse

While the media—even the slightly irreverent liberal kind—is discussing what poor taste it was for a Chinese travel magazine to publish models posing next to rubble in the wake of one of the worst earthquakes to hit China in recent years, should there not be similar outrage over the the publication being shuttered by the government for “rectification”?: According to the media police, the mag “seriously violated propaganda discipline and went against social morals,” plus it was deemed an “extremely evil social influence.” Oh the horror! After seeing some of the images (above), we actually thought it was actually pretty cutting edge, and considering how heavy handed government intrusion is, the photo shoot represented a nice rumble of creativity, even if slightly morbid. Magazines weren’t the only media outlets punished though: “As part of the official grief, it [China] temporarily pulled entertainment networks off television and closed down cinemas, karaoke bars and other leisure venues.” We’ll take editorial “bad judgment” instead of governmental any day.

No More ‘Mass Appeal’

Gawker confirms that Mass Appeal will publish no more. With the success of sister magazine Missbehave and Colossal Media’s business booming, putting out the former graffiti turned juvenile lifestyle magazine is just too much of a headache. Says publisher Adrian Moeller, “After 12 years of publishing Mass Appeal Magazine we’ve decided to call it quits on the print edition. We’re putting our resources into our faster growing properties, Missbehave Magazine and Colossal Media. We’re in talks to sell Mass Appeal, and it may resume publishing in the future. We’ll continue the website and special event productions.” |Gawker|