This reminds me of Snow Crash - the Asherah Virus and all that.

All of these reasons may be partially true, but their biggest problem is that no one reads newspapers anymore.
Many Americans just don't care about news (its too depressing, boring, etc).

Those of us that do care can't get what we want out of American's current newspapers. For instance, I care about international news, not local. And the newspapers in Minneapolis don't carry many international stories.

Of course, I haven't found a decent online paper that does comprehensive international news either.

I saw this about 5 years ago in a high-end sports lifestyle shop in Taichung, Taiwan.

It looks just as cool in person, but I don't know anyone who would look good wearing it.