TMF TML, the anonymous media analyst of alcoholic choice, imagines the next chapter in departing Conde Nast CEO Steve Florio's career: "I parachuted in Tikrit under cover of night. I traveled light, like they taught us in Special Ops: a bottle of water, a triple-blade Swiss Army Knife, and my personal good luck charm, the Derringer my great-grandfather used to kill Stonewall Jackson in the Civil War (a story that still needs to be told).

"And a single cyanide pill. If worse came to worst, the mujahideen would get nothing but a very good looking corpse."
We also had a significant health issues joke lined up for this... [TMFTML]
And, following, Florio's goodbye memo — thanks for a "most-amazing run!"

Steve Florio
01/12/04 03:22 PM
To: Publishers, Editors-in-Chief, CNP 1, CNP 2, CNP 3,
CNP 4, CNP 5, CNP 6, CNP 7, GDC 1
Subject: Announcement

As (many of) you know, I'm celebrating my ten year
anniversary as President & CEO. This milestone amidst
my twenty-five year career at Conde Nast provided me
with an opportunity to reflect and consider the next
chapter of my life.

After the holidays, Si and I discussed how I might
continue to serve as an executive of Advance and yet
take advantage of a lifestyle change I've been wanting
to make. Therefore, Si has asked me to become Vice
Chairman of AMG - and work closely with him on further
developing this business.

Over the past decade, we have grown tremendously and
established ourselves as the pre-eminent magazine
publisher in America. There have been so many
outstanding accomplishments - - and together we can
take great pride in all of them.

As I leave my post as your President and CEO to take
on this new and exciting assignment, as Vice Chairman,
I want to thank each of you for your contributions to
a "most-amazing run!"

I look forward to working with you in my new capacity.