Like the New Yorker (which panders with intellectual pornography), I wasn't interested in the pictures or the articles, just the cartoons and the movie reviews.

During the time I spent in the Philippines while in the Navy, I never noticed any aversion to nudity. There was plenty of nudity to be found just about everywhere I went.

Not that that's why I went where I went or anything. Ahem.

Hugh Heffner is, more than anything else, a brilliant businessman. I'm sure that Playboy has done plenty of market research before proceeding with something like this.

The city library in Manchester, New Hampshire had a book that collected many Playboy interviews, and some of them were amazing. They once did a piece on George Lincoln Rockwell, then the head of the American Nazi Party.

Playboy assigned the interview to Alex Haley.

The interview was great, but it was only enhanced by this racist, bigoted Nazi interacting with this highly-educated, highly-intelligent, highly-respected black man.

Apparently Rockwell was impressed with Haley, because the two corresponded for several years afterward. Of course, all of Rockwell's letters addressed Haley as "V.I.N." for "Very Important Nigger..."

And no, the book didn't feature any pictures at all, as I recall...

J.

What's so brilliant about photographing Women without their clothe's off? If Your into exploitation I guess it's logical. Hugh is just a glamorized smut peddler, not a brilliant business Man.

Now, where'd I put that swimsuit special edition? ha ha

With /without?

You say, "Playboy was never on my list of reading materials." Was it ever on your list of, "...flip-through-and-look-at-the-pictures" materials? Enquiring minds want to know!

Playboy does get some of the best short fiction out there. If I find out that Donald E. Westlake is doing a story for them, I'll pick up a copy. I'm just happier reading something that I can hold.

If you just wanted the pictures, hell, they hit the web seconds after the mag is published.

Ramiele Mulaby needs to be the first centerfold.

Jay Tea: Rockwell liked to point out to Haley that his (Haley's) intellect came from his white forefathers. Rockwell was a sick bastard. Might even call him a white Reverend White.

Sure, the Philippines doesn't seem adverse to nudity and general human exploitation but it *tries* to be. Sort of like how there are no prostitutes, only girls that work at bars who don't get paid to go off for "short time" with GI's, the GI pays off her boss for the *missed* work while she's gone. See?

Before I went over there I saw a priest on television blaming it all on the US military, as if we created the problem. I imagine the situation is different now and maybe a little bit less of all that going on since the US is no longer renting the military bases but... I also suspect that it's worse, too.

I hope this isn't considered spam, but I'd like to announce the release of my new cookbook...

No recipes though.

(I'm also considering doing a comic-book, but without all the drawings.)

How well is Playboy doing in Indonesia? Well, their office in Jakarta was immediately attacked by extremists following the debut of the first edition (Muslim extremists, in case you're wondering) and they moved the operation to Bali because of the continuing threats. Anyone who sold the magazine was threatened and anyone who advertised in it was threatened.

Does that answer your question?

jayemay - "Hugh Heffner is, more than anything else, a brilliant businessman. I'm sure that Playboy has done plenty of market research before proceeding with something like this."

Think so? Then one of his marketing gurus should have known both FHM Philippines and Maxim Philippines offer nudity that can be seen in the checkout aisle at the local Handyman Hardware & WalterMart outlets among other places.

synova - "Before I went over there I saw a priest on television blaming it all on the US military, as if we created the problem. I imagine the situation is different now"

One would think so wouldn't one?

Not true in reality, every time the U.S. sends troops for joint terror training ops a small but dedicated group of asshats and a few priests protest them as being the forbearer's of the second coming of Sodom and Gomorrah.

When a cousin went off to college, his room was to be remodeled, so he had to ditch a box of Playboys. As the only younger male cousin around, I got 'em. Lots of great articles, interviews, cartoons, and jokes. Never paid much attention to the food and wine stuff, but wish I had.

Naked women, you say? Yes, I dimly recall a few . . .