David Haskell, founder of fun indy mag Topic and man-about-town, has just accepted the deputy culture editor job at New York, and sent around the following email to Topic staff: "i've taken a job as deputy culture editor at new york magazine, starting october first. i'm very excited, and looking forward to telling you about it in person as details emerge. meantime, topic's plans for the next few months—finish, print and launch Topic 11: Escape—hold steady, and a december escape party is on the calendar. judging from last night's epic meeting w/ the art department, this issue is going to look fantastic." Escape, indeed!

First was word the The New Leader is closing, then came similar news about Legal Affairs, and now there's the sad plea that David Haskell's Topic magazine, desperate to find funding to print its next issue, sent to all its contributors: