Yesterday, we got our hands on Esquire's augmented reality issue and fired up our Web cam for a test run.

It took us a few minutes to download and install the software from Esquire's Web site, and after it loaded it promptly took over our computer screen. Our cam took a little while to recognize the special augmented reality squares, and we were unsure whether we had to keep holding the magazine in front of the cam during the videos, but the extra content from Robert Downey Jr. and Gillian Jacobs was a nice treat. But, it seemed like Esquire didn't want us to ever leave their augmented reality; when we were ready to quit, the program froze, forcing us to restart our computer to escape.

Although we were curious enough to seek out the issue -- hey, it's our job -- we're wondering how you feel about this special issue. Is it a gimmick or a valuable marketing tool? Will you be picking up the latest issue of Esquire -- or the latest InStyle, which is also trying out augmented reality?

And, if you happen to get one of these magazines, we'd love to hear about your experiences with the new technology. Did your computer crash, too? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Blogger Melissa Lafsky, the latest editor of the blog The Infrastructurist, joined the mediabistro.com Morning Media Menu podcast today, where she chatted with hosts Jason Boog of GalleyCat and AgencySpy's Matt Van Hoven about the site that she described as an "ongoing conversation about how we get around and how we'll get around in the future."

"The joke with infrastructure is that no one pays much attention to it until it breaks down," she said. "And right now we're looking at a pretty existential break down [in] that we rely on certain fuels in order to get us to work in the morning and to get us around period, and these fuels are limited in capacity and will eventually run out. So the larger conversation is what's the future of energy that's going to run this country as well as the rest of the developed world."

After talking about infrastructure in the U.S. and around the world, particularly in China and India, Melissa talked about another one of her gigs, as the "Horror Chick", writing about horror movies for The Awl. Then, Jason asked her for a reaction to Roland Emmerich's latest disaster film, 2012, from a horror and infrastructure point of view. Melissa said she boycotted the film because she hates "apocalypse porn" but she still had something to say about it.

"The point of film is to take you to somewhat dark places," she said. "A movie like this is raw, unbridled apocalypse porn. The premise is so ridiculous I don't even have to tell you...But the point of this movie is just, 'We're going to take Independence Day and make it look like Little Miss Sunshine.' That is probably the conversation that they had in the greenlight producer's office."

You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321.

As People magazine celebrates Johnny Depp as the "Sexiest Man Of The Year" (again), everything is not well in the state of People's publisher Time Inc. The company is still looking to trim $100 million from its budget through layoffs and buyouts, which could include up to 90 editorial positions at Fortune, Sports Illustrated, Time magazine and Money.

According to Keith Kelly in today's New York Post, layoffs at Time are only a hair away, as the publisher should find out today how many people from their titles have stepped forward to accept buyouts.

Kelly already has the name of one high-ranking staff member who is gracefully bowing out of the competition: Fortune managing editor Steve Koepp, who has worked at Time Inc. for 29 years, will be taking one of the buyout offers. Another top Time Inc. editor, Time.com managing editor Josh Tyrangiel, has also removed himself from the staff, by accepting the top editor position at BusinessWeek. Fortune is looking to layoff 40 staffers compared to 12 at Time magazine, Kelly reports. (We're hearing the number at Fortune might actually be closer to 25.)

Time Runs Out For Buyout Volunteers; Layoffs Loom -- New York Post

Previously: First on FBNY: Time Inc. Shutters Custom Pub Fortune Small Business, Time Inc. Layoffs: Sports Illustrated Hit First, More To Come

The Associated Press may be staying mum about the number of staffers laid off yesterday, but more information about how many and who have been cut are starting to surface from various sources.

According to the AP's own report on the layoffs, 38 reporters, editors and photographers covered by the News Media Guild had been let go as of last night, but that number does not include managers and editors working outside the U.S.

Other sources are reporting that four business reporters were cut from the AP, including reporter Dan Lovering from the Pittsburgh bureau, Donna Borak, a reporter in Washington, D.C., and Mike Obel and Alan Higbie out of the New York offices. And The Texas Tribune has news that veteran photographer Harry Cabluck was one of two Texas-based AP photogs laid off yesterday.

Know of anyone else? Send us tips via email or leave a note in the anonymous tip box at right.

Update: The guild has posted a statement on its Web site revealing that 57 employees got the axe during "Black Tuesday," including "33 newspersons, 19 editorial assistants, and five photographers."

AP lays off employees to hit cost-cutting goal --Associated Press

Earlier: Layoffs Underway At The Associated Press?

It's been a busy week for the new Bloomberg LP-owned BusinessWeek. First, there was the appointment of a new editor, Josh Tyrangiel, to succeed Stephen Adler. And now, the layoffs are upon us.

According to reports, Bloomberg is looking to cut about 100 positions from BusinessWeek, or about 25 percent of the magazine's total staff. Some of those layoffs have already reportedly started, with more to come today.

The Wall Street Journal reports that, over the last few weeks, Bloomberg has been asking BusinessWeek editorial staff members to submit "resumes, news clips and 250-word statements about their personal qualifications," to their new bosses. If that info helps to determine who stays and who goes, it sounds like these staffers had to basically reapply in order to keep their jobs.

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Wall Street Journal: Rupert Murdoch and Carlos Slim told a Wall Street Journal conference that they don't regret their investments in newspapers.

BayNewser: YouTube Direct, a new method for news organizations like The Huffington Post, NPR and Politico to manage video submissions by readers, launched today.

New York Times: New York Daily News owner Mortimer B. Zuckerman has invested $150 million into expanding his paper's printing plant in Jersey City.

FishbowlLA: Two artists are turning abandoned newspaper boxes in New York into mini dance parties.

Newsweek's cover story on Sarah Palin -- and the accompanying cover photo -- raised a lot of eyebrows this week, including that of the former Alaskan governor herself on her Facebook page. The cover took a picture of Palin from an old Runner's World and added the headline "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Sarah?" Palin called the cover sexist.

But now Newsweek editor Jon Meacham has responded to the allegations in a statement to The Huffington Post, calling the criticism unwarranted.

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Over the weekend, rumors started swirling about the possible closure of Newsweek-owned Budget Travel. Thankfully, we learned yesterday that the magazine is safe. But we wondered, if the pub was not going out of business, what was the source of the nasty rumors?

Today, Advertising Age's Nat Ives reports that Newsweek "is seeking new equity investors for the title or even an outright sale". Staffers on either side of the sale -- within the magazine or Newsweek or at potential buyers -- could have taken this to mean the pub is close to folding.

Could that be the source of the recent rumors? Know anything? Let us know.

Newsweek Seeks Investors for Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel -- Advertising Age

Earlier: Update:Budget Travel Not Closing

With the mockumentary genre basically dominating television comedies in the last five years ("The Office," "Parks and Recreation," and "Summer Heights High") it's easy to forget the original source of these were British television shows that followed people around their jobs for a year and let you experience life through their eyes. Now Andrew Rossi, a filmmaker who has directed such New York-centric titles as Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven, is hoping to cash in on this earlier phenomenon with a look inside The New York Times' media desk, The New York Observer reports.

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The New York Times reports that police raided the paper's printing plant in Queens this morning as part of a corruption investigation. The offices of The New York Daily News, The New York Post and Spanish-language newspaper El Diario were also searched today.

The raids are part of the Manhattan district attorney's office's investigation into possible corruption within the Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union, which is involved in the delivery of newspapers for the Post, Daily News and El Diario, the Times said.

Police Raid Newspaper Printing Plants --New York Times

Yesterday, we were worried by rumors that there might be a bed bug infestation at Air America's New York offices. But today, the Web site's Really? blog confirms that the media company is in the clear.

Thanks to a visit from a bed bug-sniffing dog named Max, the 6th Avenue offices have been deemed safe and bug-free. What a cute pup!

Bedbug Dog Tells Air America No Bedbugs --Air America

Earlier: Air America Offices Get Checked For Bed Bugs