Whoever is considering bidding on Forbes, which announced Friday that it is up for sale, must first address two questions: Is revenue growth based on its aggressive branded-content and unpaid-blogger strategies sustainable? If the answer the first question is "yes," why would the owners sell? Hint: If the answer to question #1 is "no," never mind question #2. So where does Forbes get off seeking a sum that would represent a mere $130 million haircut over its 2006 valuation?

Not for no reason, corporate managers are terrified of social media. Dear God, what if someone out there says something false and damaging to the company? Worse yet, what if someone out there says something true and damaging to the company? And worst of all, what if someone inside says something damaging to the company?

Joe, are you not aware that Time Inc.'s legacy, and till now Pearlstine's, has been to maintain an impervious firewall separating business and editorial so as not to corrupt the latter with the former? Well, of course you are -- or you would have seen no need to rationalize this obvious cultural and ethical retreat by alluding to the existential crisis that afflicts you and the rest of journalism: