Ace of Spades HQ

February 09, 2011

Did Arianna Huffington Just Short-Sell Her Stock in Obama?
— Ace

Via Instapudit. Roger Simon indulges in some Zsazsaology...

Arianna has read the tea leaves. Progressivism, which was riding the crest of popularity on the election of Obama, is over. It is no longer good for business. And just as the stock market is said to be a leading indicator on business cycles, I submit AriannaÂ’s track record has shown her to be a leading indicator on the zeitgeist. She knows when to get out. Obama, and by extension progressivism, is fini.

Well, maybe. But there's a simpler explanation: She wants money and attention and this was a good opportunity to get both.

How will that deal work out for AOL? Well, the early reports say: Not too good. AOL spent $315 million (hidden surprising news: AOL still had $315 million) on Arianna Huffington's vanity project.

Over the past five days, AOL has declined in stock-based value by almost exactly $315 million.

Posted by: Ace at 12:27 PM | Comments (82)
Post contains 169 words, total size 1 kb.

1 What did five fingers say to the face?

SLAP!

Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Hand at February 09, 2011 12:29 PM (iBaup)

2 oddly enough i commented on this the other day and suddenly when i wanted to use a o l, it had a hissy fit.

Of course it wasn't worth that money so you have to dig deeper and figure out exactly what just went on with that.

Posted by: curious at February 09, 2011 12:31 PM (p302b)

3 Morningstar used to have the New York Times listed as a 5-star - back in about 2004 when I was a member. Needless to say, some people can just get a case of the stupid.

Posted by: Jayne Cobb at February 09, 2011 12:31 PM (AVbdY)

No, she just transfered the Risk to a corporation...

NOW if the meme fails, she's already had her payout... the company takes the hit...

Posted by: Romeo13 at February 09, 2011 12:32 PM (AdK6a)

So gratuitously ticking off half of the American electorate and spending a third of a billion dollars on a website is BAD for business?

Who knew?

Posted by: Lincolntf at February 09, 2011 12:34 PM (xMT+4)

6 AOL should have used Amtrak to jump that shark.

Posted by: t-bird at February 09, 2011 12:34 PM (FcR7P)

7 how much did michelle malkin make when she sold her website? She seems to have sold at just the right time.

Posted by: curious at February 09, 2011 12:34 PM (p302b)

8 C*NT PUNT

Posted by: 2 x 4 signage at February 09, 2011 12:34 PM (dfFbH)

9 AOL's Profits to Earnings Ratios will Rise by 3000%!

Posted by: Barack the Whiz Obama at February 09, 2011 12:37 PM (dfFbH)

>>> Progressivism, which was riding the crest of popularity on the election of Obama, is over.

Just like Conservatism was dead 2 years ago? As much as I would love for that to be true I would dial that back more than just a bit.

Posted by: Roadking at February 09, 2011 12:37 PM (iVGwp)

11 If only this cunt wasn't paid in the ever valuable Aol Online CD market. I still have 20 hoping for an increase in the marker.

Posted by: Mr Pink at February 09, 2011 12:38 PM (kUB03)

12 So, the stock market has initially valued the Huffington Post business at exactly zero dollars, a dollar less than Newsweek.

Posted by: t-bird at February 09, 2011 12:38 PM (FcR7P)

13 I submit AriannaÂ’s track record has shown her to be a leading indicator on the zeitgeist. She knows when to get out. Obama, and by extension progressivism, is fini.

Nah, her investors just wanted their money back and the second they found "the next fool", they took the money and ran.

Posted by: DrewM. at February 09, 2011 12:39 PM (HicGG)

14 What the hell is AOL?

Posted by: Dr Joe Biden at February 09, 2011 12:39 PM (45DBC)

15 I think there is a certain good point - she bailed on conservatism at its peak (at least Congressional peak) and she may be bailing now. But I don't think that if she WASN'T bailing on progressivism, and AOL walked up with $315M that she would go, no thank you. I think that the story here is that Arianna is CLEARLY way smarter than the people at AOL. I was reading something that said oh look, they want to be in the content business now. Really, now? What happened to the Time/Warner/AOL thing? Wasn't that a content play? Yeah, so now they want to buy a property for content. Do they really need $30M annually in revenue that badly? Looks like they did $2.42B in revenue last year. If they counted Huffpo it would be what, $2.45B. For those marginal points, they spent 30% of their cash on hand when they are losing $800M? Seriously?

Posted by: blaster at February 09, 2011 12:40 PM (l5dj7)

16 God how I miss annoying dial tones and minute usage fees of 100 dollars an hour when you go over. Those were the days.

Posted by: Mr Pink at February 09, 2011 12:40 PM (kUB03)

17
Wishful thinking.

Progressivism will go away when:
1. People stop loving free money.
2. People are presented with an alternative.

Posted by: Soothsayer3P0 at February 09, 2011 12:40 PM (uFokq)

So, the stock market has initially valued the Huffington Post business at exactly zero dollars, a dollar less than Newsweek.

So, she more than doubled it's value?!

...maybe I can find a place for her on my staff.

Posted by: Barack Obama at February 09, 2011 12:41 PM (dfFbH)

19
If AOL bought huffpo for $315M, where do you reckon the negotiation began?

I mean, how in the heck did Huffington get them to agree to such a ludicrous figure?

Posted by: Soothsayer3P0 at February 09, 2011 12:42 PM (uFokq)

20 Hey, I know where you can have my worthless shithole site buy another great progressive site for only 215 115 15 1 million.

Posted by: Charles Johnson at February 09, 2011 12:42 PM (mka2b)

No! No! NO! She is a heartfelt progressive. Power to the people!! (and all your money in her pockets while your not paying attention)

Posted by: Hous Bin Pharteen at February 09, 2011 12:42 PM (nRF6+)

22
When I heard the news the other morning, "I heard three-hundred and fifteen..." and I thought "thousand?," and then I heard "Million dollars," and was shocked.

Huffpo is worth closer to $315K than it is to $315M.

Posted by: Soothsayer3P0 at February 09, 2011 12:44 PM (uFokq)

23 Progressivism will go away when:

You have to qualify to vote by paying taxes.

Posted by: Vic at February 09, 2011 12:44 PM (M9Ie6)

I threatened to disrobe and get on the negotiating table, daahling.

Posted by: Arianna at February 09, 2011 12:44 PM (dfFbH)

Arianna Huffington is a brilliant businesswoman with an extraordinary sense of timing Â— first riding the feminist wave to write a best seller accusing Picasso of womanizing, then going conservative to marry a multi-millionaire Republican, and then switching to the liberal/progressive side and founding the most successful new media news and opinion site extant.

Eh sounds like a un-principled whore to me.

Posted by: dananjcon at February 09, 2011 12:47 PM (pr+up)

26
$315M will buy you half-stake in a professional sports team, no?

Wouldn't that be a better investment?

Posted by: Soothsayer3P0 at February 09, 2011 12:47 PM (uFokq)

27 I still don't get this buy-out. Did AOL get stim. funds or something? I thought they were under water as it is.

Posted by: laceyunderalls at February 09, 2011 12:47 PM (pLTLS)

Eh sounds like a un-principled whore to me.

Unscrupulous and shrewd opportunist. If she wasn't so goddammed ugly...

Posted by: Soothsayer3P0 at February 09, 2011 12:48 PM (uFokq)

and founding the most successful new media news and opinion site extant.

Obvious-the author has never heard of the HQ.

Posted by: garrett at February 09, 2011 12:48 PM (dfFbH)

30 I still maintain MoDo and Arianna are the same person.

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 09, 2011 12:49 PM (Q0w+1)

31
She conned a bunch of celebs to write posts for free.

Hhahahaaahahahahahahahahahha!

Posted by: Soothsayer3P0 at February 09, 2011 12:49 PM (uFokq)

32 I'd hit it, and take the money.

Posted by: toby928™ needs a sugar momma at February 09, 2011 12:50 PM (GTbGH)

33 Arianna turned me into a gay newt.

Posted by: nickless the still-banned (99.174.64.43) at February 09, 2011 12:50 PM (qdtoY)

^{Posted by: Waterhouse at February 09, 2011 04:49 PM (Q0w+1)}

Crab People?

Posted by: garrett at February 09, 2011 12:51 PM (dfFbH)

35 Oliver!? Hots cakes are ready! There's plenty for Ed and Mr. Gimble, too.

Posted by: Count de Monet at February 09, 2011 12:51 PM (XBM1t)

36 As a friend who used to work at Morgan Stanley used to say: Don't forget to sell

Posted by: phreshone at February 09, 2011 12:51 PM (T3vCe)

37 Stocks are not a signal of shit anymore. You guys should check out a chart to see how the rise in stocks corresponds with QE.

Posted by: Flapjackmaka at February 09, 2011 12:51 PM (c5RQr)

38
Pajamas Media was on to something, a few years back. Too bad they were pussies.

Posted by: Soothsayer3P0 at February 09, 2011 12:51 PM (uFokq)

39
Zsa Zsa made a better deal than the insufferable prick Keef Olberdork because he wed Al Gork, the typewriter maven of Vietnam fame.

Posted by: Fish the Impaler at February 09, 2011 12:52 PM (ZHsNw)

40 OT: Top story on NRO: The Corner says the total amount of budget cuts in the budget bill will be altered upwards. We shall see.

Posted by: Somebody at February 09, 2011 12:53 PM (sZ+lP)

41 Dahlings, you know the only thing I love more than telling you how to live your lives is lots and lots of money. Now bring me some champagne and a gay billionaire to marry and divorce.

Posted by: Arianna Huffingglue at February 09, 2011 12:54 PM (F+Y9Z)

42
that reminds me...

we haven't had a lot of celebrity deaths in a while

Posted by: I See Dead People at February 09, 2011 12:55 PM (uFokq)

43 I'm starting to look a little saggy again. Bring me some poor children so I can bathe in their virgin blood before I roll naked in all that money.

Posted by: Arianna Huffingglue at February 09, 2011 12:56 PM (F+Y9Z)

44
Miss Arianna Huffingclit is one hot dude.

Posted by: Rosie O'Donnell, Taco Licker at February 09, 2011 12:56 PM (ZHsNw)

45 See Arianna, you can actually go out and earn money and it is a lot less problematic than marrying a rich man gayer than five guys fucking four guys.

Posted by: GT at February 09, 2011 12:57 PM (Vyrg6)

46 A $315 million deal with 95% paid up-front, in cash! No big lockup. No earn-out. Zip.

AOL might as well have just lit it on fire.

Posted by: Andy at February 09, 2011 12:57 PM (5Rurq)

47
Soon-to-be-dead
Martin Sheen (the irony makes me hee-hee)
Russell Johnson (the professor)
Dan Akroyd

Posted by: I See Dead People at February 09, 2011 12:58 PM (uFokq)

48 Stop the presses

Lindsy Lohan is in the news again

Posted by: melvin at February 09, 2011 01:00 PM (3OCZw)

49 I haven't been so happy since I left Hooterville!

Posted by: Arianna Gabor at February 09, 2011 01:01 PM (qdtoY)

50 #24, then I'm screwed. I had enough deductions this year I got back everything I paid in.

Posted by: SGT Dan at February 09, 2011 01:01 PM (HBTr7)

51 the AOL ticker as of this afternoon, annotated http://www.damaverick.com/zenb110.jpg

Posted by: DaMav at February 09, 2011 01:01 PM (QNU76)

52 27
$315M will buy you half-stake in a professional sports team, no?

Wouldn't that be a better investment?

Actually, that buys you 100%, or close to it, of an NBA team depending on the market.

IIRC, the NBA just bought the New Orleans Hornets for roughly that much rather than the owner go bankrupt and cause the kind of issues the Phoenix Coyotes of the NHL have had.

Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Hand at February 09, 2011 01:02 PM (iBaup)

53 Capitalism is a crime.... just like skateboarding

Posted by: Jeff Spicoli at February 09, 2011 01:04 PM (3OCZw)

54 What's wrong with Ackroyd?

Did Arizaza give any of her $18M cut to the people who sere stupid enough to write for her for free?

Posted by: HeatherRadish at February 09, 2011 01:05 PM (ElYV9)

55 How does Ratface continue to get others to write for free when she's sitting on that kind of scratch?

Posted by: spongeworthy at February 09, 2011 01:06 PM (rplL3)

56 I bet Ariana is boffing someone at AOL. Every market analyst I know thinks this is the only logical deal explanation.

AOL is rated a hold by almost everybody on the planet- and that is generous. Unless HuffPo adds porn, this deal is a loser, well, for AOL at least.

Posted by: Marcus at February 09, 2011 01:07 PM (wsLMd)

57 How does Ratface continue to get others to write for free when she's sitting on that kind of scratch?

Ancient Greek secret.

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 09, 2011 01:08 PM (Q0w+1)

58 $315 million is half the amount that Obama has proposed to fix the deficit. Hell, yeah, I'd sell for that much. She must have offered it for a $1 million but they played hardball.

Posted by: t-bird at February 09, 2011 01:09 PM (FcR7P)

59 Gee, that's even better than the GM IPO!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at February 09, 2011 01:09 PM (f9c2L)

60 AOL overpaid for a bunch of screaming, muddled groupthinkers that somehow they thought was a bargain because the word on the street was, and get this, Zsa Zsa underpaid the help.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAAA!

Posted by: ontherocks at February 09, 2011 01:09 PM (HBqDo)

61 It is lefty mentality. Act like you care for the little people while that makes you huge amounts of money. If you would simply step back and THINK about what is going on, WHO is getting rich, you might change your mind.

Posted by: Hous Bin Pharteen at February 09, 2011 01:10 PM (nRF6+)

62
I didn't steal that necklace, I simply forgot and wore it our of the store. It was been returned and there is no need for an indictment, but if charged, my ass kicking attorney will get me out of this trumped up mess.

Posted by: Lindsay Lohan, Innocent Child at February 09, 2011 01:11 PM (ZHsNw)

63 The New World International Order :
one large kung pao chicken w/white rice
one order fried won tons
one small pork lo mein
2 val u rite colas

Posted by: melvin at February 09, 2011 01:12 PM (3OCZw)

64 Arianna isn't a capitalist! She's just speaking truth to rather stupid corporations! And where's my cuuuuuuuuut!!!!

Posted by: Your average HuffPo commenter and freeware journalist at February 09, 2011 01:14 PM (RD7QR)

65 maybe i'm naive but I don't think she stole the necklace. They probably let her borrow it and someone on her staff neglected to return it. That being said, maybe this will save her life"

Posted by: curious at February 09, 2011 01:15 PM (p302b)

66 58 How does Ratface continue to get others to write for free when she's sitting on that kind of scratch? Greek handjobs. And some leftist stupidity, of course, but mostly Greek handjobs.

Posted by: Your average HuffPo commenter and freeware journalist at February 09, 2011 01:17 PM (RD7QR)

67 The New World International Order

You can't have it. Too much fat, salt, and sugar.

Now get me some damn bar-bee-cue. And a Coke.

Posted by: Michelle O at February 09, 2011 01:18 PM (ElYV9)

68 Will AOHELL suddenly become "too big to fail"?

Posted by: Aunt Cranky at February 09, 2011 01:19 PM (Ad2us)

Greek handjobs. And some leftist stupidity, of course, but mostly Greek handjobs.

Greek handjobs? Are those any different than Italian handjobs?

Posted by: Soona at February 09, 2011 01:22 PM (UlzA+)

70
NO Coke ! Pepsi

Posted by: cheese bergerer place at February 09, 2011 01:22 PM (3OCZw)

71 69 Will AOHELL suddenly become "too big to fail"?

"Suddenly" become that big? They were that big back around 2003. I think they had to invent a name for the sizable amount that was written off in one quarter by AOL-TW when they were at their worst.

Posted by: Brandon In Baton Rouge at February 09, 2011 01:23 PM (iBaup)

72
Arianna turned me into a gay newt.

Posted by: nickless the still-banned (99.174.64.43) at February 09, 2011 04:50 PM (qdtoY)

Hopefully you got better.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at February 09, 2011 01:24 PM (TAjuH)

73 What Sheen dies? Martin or Charlie? I confess! I watch 2 1/2 men sometimes. All the show has to do is replace that a-hole and be done with it. There are plenty of people in hollyweird to replace him. Do I have to mail them a big list, or what?

Posted by: Hous Bin Pharteen at February 09, 2011 01:24 PM (nRF6+)

74 20
If AOL bought huffpo for $315M, where do you reckon the negotiation began?

I mean, how in the heck did Huffington get them to agree to such a ludicrous figure?

Posted by: Soothsayer3P0 at February 09, 2011 04:42 PM (uFokq)

Not only that, but to then put her in charge of it and a bunch of their other blogs and sites as well.

Of course these events could make AOL the greatest place ever. All they have to do is fire Huffington and then shut down HuffPo. They could probably get the 315 million in stock back and probably even earn enough to cover the cost as well.

Posted by: buzzion at February 09, 2011 01:42 PM (oVQFe)

75 74 What Sheen dies? Martin or Charlie? I confess! I watch 2 1/2 men sometimes. All the show has to do is replace that a-hole and be done with it. There are plenty of people in hollyweird to replace him. Do I have to mail them a big list, or what?

Posted by: Hous Bin Pharteen at February 09, 2011 05:24 PM (nRF6+)

Why replace him at all? That show should be cancelled. At the very least the name should be changed. It stopped being 2 and a half men long ago, and based on the kids size its more like 3 and a half men.

Posted by: buzzion at February 09, 2011 01:47 PM (oVQFe)

76 So gratuitously ticking off half of the American electorate and spending a third of a billion dollars on a website is BAD for business?
Isn't that Ace's business plan?

Posted by: andycanuck at February 09, 2011 01:48 PM (2rOwc)

77 (hidden surprising news: AOL still had $315 million)

at least AOL had $315 million available credit to buy Huffington Post

...debt is wealth...

Posted by: Plateau Plato at February 09, 2011 02:16 PM (H+LJc)

78 Hey, Russell "The Professor" Johnson had 44 missions in a B-25 in the Pacific during WWII and was a drinking buddy of Audie Murphy after Murphy started making Westerns. He's OK in my book.

And I hope he banged Tina Louise AND Dawn Wells. He earned it.

Posted by: SGT Dan at February 09, 2011 02:38 PM (HBTr7)

79 57 I bet Ariana is boffing someone at AOL. Every market analyst I know thinks this is the only logical deal explanation.

Gah....that's some rough duty right there....Way to take one for the team....there...AOL guy.

Huffington's a whore in every sense of the word. She no more believes the shit that runs out of her mouth than the man in the moon. She's never done an honest day's work in her entire life and she's not about to start now.

Posted by: Portnoy at February 09, 2011 02:51 PM (azgo2)

80 Thank God! My tonsil stones are almost all worn out!

Posted by: Lincolntf at February 09, 2011 05:26 PM (xMT+4)

81 The soft bristles will be gentle enough for your diamonds, but will still get the build up loose so that you can rinse it off. It is important that you rinse your pandora jewelry when you are done cleaning it to make sure you get the excess build up and soap off. After rinsing you will want to use a lint free towel if possible to pat the pandora bracelets dry.

Posted by: pandora at February 10, 2011 12:34 AM (bLPAv)

82 altın Ã§ilek - fx15 - leke kremi - yudali - maurers - ozon yağı

Posted by: ulric at February 14, 2011 12:16 PM (xZ63V)

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