Paper Crafts (1-year auto-renewal)

This American papercrafting magazine is published every other month and the listed 2011 subscription rate is $19.97.

I'm basically interested in making greeting cards, and this magazine provides lots of inspiration, although it also includes other items crafted from paper, such as gift bags and boxes, and cupcake wrappers and toppers.

I currently subscribe to four papercrafting magazines, and this particular magazine tends to have the most amount of advertising and the least amount of text per issue. Its projects seem to fall into the frilly, girly-girl end of the crafting spectrum (lots of high heels, lace, and artificial flowers).

My favorite magazine is the American bimonthly Cardmaker (CardMakerMagazine.com) which provides a wider range of card patterns, and clearer directions on how to construct them.

Every issue of "Paper Crafts" contains the following sections: "Dear Go-to Gals" answers readers' questions about crafting techniques; "Go-to Sketches" "Go-to Gal Maren Benedict shows how her lovable sketches can be used to create an exciting array of projects for every occasion;" "Moxie Fabs" trends in papercrafting; "Color Play" examples of workable color combinations; "Paper Crafts 101" the January/February 2011 issue features "Get Daring with Decorative Tape;" and "Tips, Tools, & Techniques" the January/February 2011 issue features the Teresa Collins Stampmaker, various ink pads, and box making products.

I have been subscribing to "Paper Crafts" for several years. After reading and subscribing other paper crafting magazines; "Paper Crafts" is still the best on the market. I look forward to receiving the next issue to see what projects I can make, or at least get new ideas for projects.

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i really like the ideas they have in this magazine but i wish there was more in depth information on the creative process.

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I love Paper Crafts Magazine! I look forward to it every other month. The projects are expertly made with great instructions and material lists. The regular issues are typically focused on card-making, however they often have 'special' issues with other themes (home decor, holiday, gift ideas...)

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I have bought this Mag for 2 years now want LOVE it, great to see a lot of my friends published in it.

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New Criterion

Actually, I'm not kidding or overstating my assessment. This is a journal where Western Civilization is defended and glorified ten times a year. So often we hear the phrase "the best and the brightest" but there can be no denying that this absolutely applies to the crew of The New Criterion.

There is no finer mind in America than Roger Kimball's, and, for those of you who are unfamiliar with his books, I'm sure you'll find yourself agreeing with my observation half way through his treatise on the sixties called "The Long March." I like to consider TNC as covering every area of the artistic continuum as it allows novices like myself to become familiar with domains that we would never explore otherwise. Poetry, dance, painting, and opera are all areas that TNC analyzes in depth. It's writers are among the strongest in the Anglosphere. James Panero, Anthony Daniels, Jay Nordlinger, and the incredibly humorous Mark Steyn will provide you with both education and delight. I've been a subscriber since 2001 and plan to keep on the rolls right until death takes me.

A monthly journal (10 issues annually) established almost 25 years ago, THE NEW CRITERION has covered the world of the cultured arts with a keenly critical eye, disposed towards high artistic standards and sound moral judgments. Delightfully un-PC, its critical stance remains unmitigatedly harsh towards the often flaccid and self-satisfied artistic endeavors of "post-modernity" and the sanctimonious aires of radicalized professors blighting the universities. Yet, for all of the (largely justified) editorial spleen, THE NEW CRITERION's virtues are located in the variety of outstanding contributors. In the literary field alone, luminaries such Joseph Epstein, John Simon, Guy Davenport and Christopher Ricks have graced the pages of THE NEW CRITERION ( whose title alludes to, and takes up the mantle of, T.S. Eliot's "CRITERION", 1920-39 ).

There is an admirable aesthetic evident in THE NEW CRITERION's visual layout, unchanged for many years, the cover featuring the journal title with the date and table of contents of the particular issue located directly below. Mercifully, the font used for essays is both pleasing to, and easy on, the eyes.

Based in a bustlingly artistic city (Manhattan), THE NEW CRITERION takes advantage of its location to survey the world of theater, art and music. Particular critics are deployed in the aforementioned "departments", a move that allows one to glean consistency in point of view (agree or disagree as one may). Mark Steyn is often devastatingly funny in his theater reviews (one can easily imagine impresario's cringing at the prospect of his notices) and classical music critic Jay Nordlinger ("New York Chronicle") is admirably forthright in rendering opinions devoid of equivocation. Poetry, from famous and unknown writers, is regularly featured in THE NEW CRITERION (new executive editor, David Yezzi, is a well respected poet and critic). Symposiums on various cultural/political issues, with contributions from learned panelists, are arranged once or twice a year. Book reviews, undertaken by various (commissioned) writers, are reliably informative, often a spur to read more than just the subject under review.

Despite its "conservative" label, most of THE NEW CRITERION's contributors display little of their political beliefs. In fact, many contributors could quite easily be referred to as "liberal", in one or another of the aspects that protean word admits ( such permutations are just as easily applicable to "conservative", lately quite a supple term, readily conducive to metamorphosis according to agenda ). However, the editorial perspectives of Hilton Kramer and Roger Kimball do, lamentably, fit within a general pattern of thought one could label "neo-conservatism", especially as regards their support of the Bush administration and its "war on terror". It pains me to mention this Achilles Heel, especially out of the respect due to Mr. Kimball, whose wide-ranging essays have displayed moral as well as literary acumen. How can an admirer of George Santayana and T.S. Eliot be so blind to the hubristic foolishness ( nay, immorality ) of this foreign policy disaster? When Mr. Kimball (no fan of the Jacobin or Bolshevik revolutions) defends the Bush administration, he endorses ideological premises clearly related to those diabolic social experiments: military adventurism in the name of global democratic revolution ( freeing the world from tyranny; igniting "fire in the minds of men" ). Evidently, Mr. Kimball associates opposition to this war with the counter-cultural movement of the 1960's. While anyone of sense would deplore the excesses of that epoch, it is clear that the problems which have ignited the current conflagration have roots in something more substantial than Ginsberg, Haight-Ashbury and "soixante-huitards". To be fair, THE NEW CRITERION, more than any truly neo-conservative publication, does invite writers (Roger Scruton, RJ Stove, et al) with differing perspectives; this redeems the journal from the monomaniacal, stultifying tendencies exhibited in COMMENTARY or THE WEEKLY STANDARD.

Nevertheless, mistakes and all, THE NEW CRITERION, in terms of sheer quality and comprehensiveness, remains a vital and impassioned advocate of high culture. In doing so, it does honor to the memory of the journal ( and *its* editor ) that inspired it. High criteria indeed.

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If you enjoy politics, TV, newspapers, museums, art & all the gifts of the enlightenment, the open society, and the liberty we generally take for granted, spare no expense & get this magazine (which lacks pictures of any kind in the articles.) 10 issues per year: (Sep Jun). The -oh so sophisticatedpeople who run the universities, blather on networks and scribble away their days ...do not always get it right. Well... I really can't wait for the first week of the month, when a new issue shows up.

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I frustratingly enjoy this journal and have subscribed to it for many years. Any magazine, newspaper or journal that publishes Mark Steyn, when he writes on anything is going to be a presumptively 5 star magazine. Steyn on theatre is an intellectual imaginative "E" ticket ride. But the magazine goes down hill from him. Also, James Bowman's column is consistnently first rate. Jay Nordlinger should be replaced with a better classical music writer. He is formulaic and obtuse, since classical music is a great part of my life, I can only opine that he is weak on music--much better on politics, which he blogs and writes for National Rev. It is unfortunate that The New Criterion does not review movies--an essential part of our society and culture. Steyn would be perfect for this role. He writes on movies for the British magazine (a four star publication) but is limited in the number of films he reviews. I enjoy some of the articles, but find that the subjects sometimes written about, such as Allan Furst, don't deserve the amount of space given to them. Actually, no space should have been devoted to Furst He is a mediocre crime write who is known for his "atmosphere." I believe the N.C. gave 6 or seven pages to an article on him. Why? If you wish to write about crime fiction ( and journals should), why not write on Ruth Rendell, Bill James and Reginald Hill. Several of Rendell's psychological suspense novels are works of high art indeed. James is a maverick crime writer who has the audacity to write well about a world in which the criminals are not all really bad and the police are often meretricious and grimy. Hill is the finest crime fiction writer of our time. His Dalziel/Pascoe series stands head and shoulders above all other similar serieses. Another weak--very weakk-writer is Brooke Allen when he (or she) writes on anything. While Nordlinger can be excused as a critic (the editors lack knowledge on music). there is no excuse for publishing Allen, whose insights etc. are simply lightweight, when not simply wrong. Another subject with which I am familiar is poetry and New C. seems unable to find a decent poetry critic, which is understandable, but publishing William Logan as a critic is an execrable publishing decision. He denigrated Geoffrey Hill and was forced to apologize for his critical malfeasance in a subsequent issue. The New Criterion should be writing insightful and laudatory articles on Hill, not giving Logan space for his wrong, or at least questionable critical judgments on poetry. Other poetry critics are similarly poor. I understand the difficulty of finding a good critic, but years ago the N.C. could have probably landed Fred Chappell, whose poetry criticism is a model for poetry critics. (This leads to another problem: the N. C. is irritatingly "east coast." The South and the West don't seem to exist. There should be a continuing columns ( alternating every other issue) on the culture, politics and artistic output of the South and the West (This problem is shared by other fairly good journals that I read--the Weekly Standard and National Review.) The problem I find with the New C. is that the two editors Kramer and Kimball are painting/sculpture critics, with Kramer having a deservedly high stature. I simply don't think they know good criticism in the areas of music, poetry, and fiction and probably don't care enough to find good critics: especially on poetry and classical music. Another problem is the poor selection of books to review. (the Allan Furst problem). I really don't think there is an excuse for not finding better books to review. Also, the "conservative" bent of the magazine (I am a rabid conservative on most issues, by the way) kept it from publishing articles by writers such as Hugh Kenner or Guy Davenport. If Kramer approached literature the way he does painting, he would publish the best and find the likes of Kenner, Chappell, and Davenport to publish. 7 pages on Furst (and many other authors and topics) and not one lenghty article on Geoffrey Hill--shameful. Why do I read the New Criterion? Despite some major flaws, it does publish Steyn and Bowman consistently and 2/4 articles are readable and 1/6 are good. I think the N.C. finds some good conservative writers on politics. The Art criticism is okay, but I demur here because I find painting, sculpture and architecture to be arts vastly inferior to literaturue and music--an opinion shared by many more people than Kramer and Kimball would acknowledge. It would seem that the good criticism goes to the arts that the editors know something about. I think a regular column on cineman and even (gasp, cough!!!) television is essential for a journal like the New Criterion. By the way, the only magazine/journal that rate s 4 stars in my mind is the British Spectator and selected issues of Commentary; there are simply no 5 star magazines at all. For people reading this, in the interests of full disclosure, I subscribe and read regularly National Review, Spectator, and New Criterion. I read at library Weekly Standard and Commentary and First Things. Anyway, I hope Kramer and Kimball somehow get to read this hastily written commentary that still contains,I believe, some good analysis of the New Criterion; they can ignore me (I am eminently ignorable), but I think my opinions merit at least some notice.

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I've subscribed to The New Criterion for three years. I don't remember how I found out about it, but it has given me more insight and pleasure than any other cultural journal I've subscribed to.

In his small classic, "On Becoming a Novelist", the late John Gardner identified two "masks" found in writing: The bland optimism of "Pollyanna" writing, and equally false "dis-Pollyanna" writing-a bias toward cynicism and iconoclasm, gratuitous use of violence, crude language or bodily images, and uninformed negativity passed off as seriousness. The "dis-Pollynna" school of culture and criticism gets its sham strength from its (ever diminishing) capacity to shock and desensitize. Yawn. Time to disconnect those electrodes and walk out of the nihilist cultural dungeon.

By contrast, TNC is refreshingly free of mindless iconoclasm and smash-and-grab sensationalism. Its regular features cover a wide cultural range: art, music, theater, media, books, fiction, poetry and more. Articles are rational and erudite, yet fully accessible to a wide readership of non-specialists. Reviews of books and cultural events stand on their own merits; one need not read the book or attend the event in question to profit from them. (Often, they serve as excellent introductions to the subject in question.) TNC pays little heed to fads or to the university ghetto; much of yesterday's avant-garde has already become today's intellectual Antiques Road Show.

A subscription to TNC includes on-line access to years of searchable archives of past issues, a huge value. So many archived articles stand the test of time, both in style and substance-a sure sign of their quality and depth of insight.

If you want to encounter our great cultural heritage in well-written articles and features, issue after issue, and enter into an exchange that respects you as an equal even as it enlightens, The New Criterion may well be the journal for you.

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The Nation

The Nation is a great publication that has featured the works of scholarly writers such as Eric Alterman, Barbara Ehrenreich, Noam Chomsky and Norman Mailer. Though the issues addressed and the opinions expressed are often labeled as leftist, this magazine nonetheless contains some very thought-provoking nuances and propositions for a better America that sound intelligent.

Though many are outraged about some of the stances that the editors and contributors of The Nation have taken, their retorts often fall short of being strong, tangible, clearly expressed responses. From what I see and hear, too many discussions from them center around using diatribes and trying with no success to portray or effectively deconstruct the perceived merits and flaws of this work or the like.

It was from reading nonfiction books by Ayn Rand that I was perpetually presented the term straw man, an argument approach that was, according to Rand, used by those of altruistic and socialistic agendas that stripped mankind of its individual freedoms. With The Nation, there are bits and pieces of anecdotal evidence that might oppose any laissez-faire capitalistic themes championed by Rand, but I cannot say that they are mere straw man commentaries.

I concur that the magazine might be somewhat slanted, as are all other publications. But global and domestic complexities, I believe, are abounding at a rate that not even the most sophisticated philosophies or ideologies from years past can focus upon in adequate context. To me, The Nation is one of those rare, bold sources that unequivocally acknowledge this disturbance.

Among the recurring themes in this publication is that in this twenty-first century, despite the technological advances that have come to fruition, our nation and world are as divided as ever and that economic globalization seems to have married or melded the worst elements of opposing political platforms. To many contributors, it was decades ago that very few envisioned that the powerful from the freest of societies would be expanding their businesses and increasing their wealth by overtly banking upon productivity levels from geographical areas where human rights are minimized or obliterated.

In The Nation, very interesting columns and analyses are provided regarding the living conditions that working class Americans are either embracing or enduring. Suggestions are intermittently proposed regarding higher pay, better health care, and improved living standards through government reforms, often where the efforts from hard-working individuals and the private sector fall short.

As a reader, I do not necessarily agree with the views espoused, and the level to which I do so is not what I find to be the value of The Nation. What is priceless about this publication is that regardless of what school you are from or what think tank you highly esteem, it will either perpetually reinforce your cherished ideals or will make you use introspection, perhaps re-examine what you thought were sound resolutions for a progressive society.

While many mainstream publications have been shying away from calling members of the current American government into account for their transgressions from bribery and theft to misinformation and cover-ups of sexual escapades "The Nation" has done its job and reported the facts. For its trouble, many of those who lean the same way as the current administration lambast the magazine as "too liberal" and "naively progressive."

So let's put it this way: If you value truth over lies and think the rights of "the little guy" are just as important as the rights of fat cats, you will like "The Nation." But be warned -"The Nation" is rife with page after thorough page of intense reporters' writings, and even some clever poetry, but only rarely has pictures. Which may be the real reason why right wingers don't like it.

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This publication owes nothing to no one. It tackles complex subjects with the assumption that the reader is intelligent enough to follow the text. It is such a joy to read thoughtful indepth articles about the big story--and all the little stories underneath. I read The Nation when I was young and I am still reading it in my middle age. What a pleasure to hear news without catch phrase or the latest missused hyperpole. I donate to this publication and I would think that anyone who discovers it ( or re-discovers it) would do the same. I am so pleased to be part of The Nation's continuing quest to enlighten and challenge.

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I have been receiving the Nation for several years. I got started during the Bush years when other media sources seemed to be in lockstep, beating the drum for the (Iraq) war. The rise in popularity of Faux News is inversely proportional to the level of intellectual sophistication of its audience. I have subscribed to several progressive publications but they lacked the seriousness and depth provided by the Nation. The Nation is thoughtful, well researched and well written an effective and direct antidote to the reactionary mainstream media. I look forward to receiving it, especially when something newsworthy arises. I particularly appreciate the impressive credentials of the Nation's contributors; because today's issues can be complicated and confusing. Especially since power brokers are less than candid. The Nation is critical of all hypocrisy whether it comes from the left or the right. Even though my budget is very tight this is one item I do not consider to be dispensable. I need to be informed and I trust the Nation to help me reach that goal. Beware! After you start reading the Nation everything else will appear dumbed down!

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Ordering this subscription here (rather than direct) saved a couple of dollars, but it's going to take over 4 months to receive the first issue. As a gift, this is a bit of a failure.

Dirt Rider (1-year auto-renewal)

This is a good magazine with lots of useful articles. It is one of the few motocross magazines that I have seen that is not filled with half naked ladies, which is nice for us, because we have small children that are obsessed with dirt bikes and they like to look at the pictures. Highly recommend if you are looking for a family friendly(ish) dirt bike magazine. There is some adult content, but the photos for the most part are clean.

I had to go online and post this review after several shady marketing ploys Dirt Rider has plaqued me with. I have been an avid dirt bike racer and reader of there magazine for 20+ years and gladly paid even bookshelf prices to read it. Just this year I recieved 2 different DVD's that I DID NOT ask for that told me I had to pay for them if not sent back. The first one I sent back immediately with the paid return envelope and wrote on there to never send me any un requested content again other than the monthly magazine subscription. Several months later I recieved another DVD and promptly returned it without watching it as to not be charged for it like the instructions said. This time I wrote a letter and included it in the envelope saying I was no longer going to subscribe to the magazine due to these practices and to cancel my subscription. Who likes to be hasseled with these kind of tactics or has time for this process. The last straw was when I didnt renew my subscription they kept sending me a renewal bill saying I had asked to renew it when I did not. I finally called them today and believe I spoke with someone from India who said they will make sure that my subscripton was cancelled now and I would recieve nothing further. Tired of these BS marketing tactics. For what it's worth, please stay away from them if you are recieving the same problems as I have.

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If you have a teen that has a dirt bike he will want this magazine! I get this for my teen because he has a dirt bike and it gets him to read!

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A whole bunch of commercials and a couple articles and even less pictures worth looking at.

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great mag. very goo articals. not full of adds whick is great.

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Wine & Spirits

At one time I absolutely adored this magazine. It contained articles that appealed to the wine geek in me. Not like Wine Spectator and their frequent score dropping. In an issue of Wine Spectator I was very interested about their article on the Russian River Valley and sorely disappointed that 50% of the article was in mentioning how great X winery was for making a 90 point this and a 91 point that. So I often turned to the amazing writing in W&S magazine.

In years past the articles were more numerous, the content much more creative and appealing. Now it seems they have run out of ideas. Instead it seems the magazine is becoming more like the Wine Spectator. Year after year it seems certain issues rehash stories from previous years, just with newer writing. I used to enjoy the stories of Rias Baixas, Sherry grown on the various soils, strange SW French wines like Iroulegy (sp?) and Gaillac. An article about grower champagne. Mendocino county wineries. The list goes on and on. But it seems in the interest of attracting subscribers they have gone more to the mainstream (this issue of Napa Cab and this issue of Bordeaux). Granted these are central to the world of wine, but it seems less space is being given to the interesting articles of up and coming wine regions. They still do include some interesting stories (hence the 3 star review), but as the magazine shrinks, so does the content. And the percentage of ads is about the same.

The reason I have a tough time recommending this magazine is that in the last 10 years or so (I began subscribing in the early to mid 2000s) I have noticed the number of pages decrease while the price jumps. It doesn't make much sense. Many other magazines are lowering subscription rates to increase readership and attract more profitable advertisers. I currently subscribe to a half dozen or so magazines, all were under $20 per year for at least 10 issues (Beer Advocate, Nat'l Geographic, Smithsonian, Yoga Journal, Runners World, and an inexplicable subscription to Outside magazine that has been coming for over 4 years... without my ever renewing...). I notice that these magazines have continued to provide strong articles while maintaining their reasonable subscription prices even in these tough times for periodicals.

So if the price ever drops to less than $20, I would recommend this magazine. But with the $29 price for 8 issues, and the lessened content, I find it hard to recommend. Go with Decanter magazine instead. It is the current leader for true wine lovers who don't dwell on scores, but it IS $55 per year (12 issues). Many of their articles are written by Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers. Though it does have a more Eurocentric outlook (not necessarily a bad thing!). If you love buying wines based on the 100 point scale and enjoy very quick and simple articles, or buy for collecting and investing, then the Wine Spectator is a good magazine ($50 for 15 issues). The magazines I mentioned are more expensive, but well worth the content. And I would probably avoid Wine Enthusiast magazine.

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Rotor & Wing

For all of those connected with the Helicopter Industry, this is a must have and a good solid read. The articles are written by people with "Hands On" experience, and from the feedback section and Letters to the Editor, you can see that everyone from Mechanics to Pilots and Military to Civilian read this magazine from Cover to Cover. Entertaining and Informative with no wasted space!

Highlander

I must admit that when I originally subscribed to Highlander I did it just for fun. However After a few Months I found myself meeting New poeple and understanding so much more about my heritage and Enjoyed going to Heritage events. The articles alone are worth the price of this magazine but there is soo much more such as event places and even a place I found that made my kilt! If your Scottish or of Scottish heritage this is a magazine you will never want to be without.

Joe Ferguson II

I was a reader of The Highlander up until 8 to 10 years ago. I stopped suscribing for a forgettable reason. I deemed that it was time to start subscribing again, because I wanted to read about Scotland and its history. The magazine is still wonderful to pick up and spend an evening just reading it from cover to cover. I'm glad I noticed it at Amazon. Joe A. Turner

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I have received the Highlander in the past, but had difficulty re-newing my subscription through Amazon and getting it delivered to the correct address. This time, I just ordered a "new" subscription. I enjoy the articles and photographs.

I have not received the next journal, so I cannot comment on delivery with this current subscription.

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Swedish Press = Nya Svenska Pressen

I bought gift subscriptions of the Scandinavian Press and the Swedish Press for my partner a few years back and have continued to renew the magazines every year. The magazine articles are written in English. The magazines are full of news from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. There is some overlap but it continues to be worthwhile to subscribe to each. Amazon makes it very easy to manage the subscriptions. Pricing is the same from Amazon as it is if you subscribe directly.

We have always lived in the US but she has been getting in touch with her ancestral Viking sub-personality for the last few years. Her Grandparents came to the US from Sweden but I think they were both born in Norway. At any rate even though we've never been (yet), we both read lots of Scandinavian authors, watch Scandinavian movies and cooking shows. It seems like everything is coming up Scandinavian lately. The local watering hole started serving great gravlax. Lillyhammer is on Netflix now. Lagom.

Minnesota Monthly

"Minnesota Monthly" is a very good magazine that focuses, obviously, on life in Minnesota. It has consistently well written and interesting articles on all different facets of Minnesota living, and every issue is worth reading. I am fond of the focus on recreational Minnesota; as an example in the August, 2005 issue there is an issue on Bed and Breakfasts in Minnesota (it has been an annual feature for fourteen years now). The article doesn't just stick close to the Twin Cities, either; it roams the entire state looking for excellent B&Bs. That is the type of feature that makes the magazine worthwhile: it gives readers great ideas of things to do and places to go that can quickly generate enthusiasm for new adventure.

I gave the magazine four stars overall, but I still recommend it highly to any resident of Minnesota. The reason for the one star deduction was simply that occasionally a few of the articles feel monotonous and repetitive on a month-to-month basis, though not overwhelmingly so. The magazine is a bargain, and has paid for itself many times over in ideas it has given me.

Shambhala Sun (1-year auto-renewal)

"Shambhala Sun" has a beautiful lay-out, and is filled with words of wisdom from ancient and contemporary Buddhist thinkers. It features articles and interviews from people like Alice Walker We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Light in a Time of Darkness, Jon Kabat-Zinn Arriving at Your Own Door: 108 Lessons in Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life and many others. One author in particular had an influence on me and how I think about relations and even politics, and that is Jack Kornfield After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path. I used to work as a security guard and had the opportunity to listen to a presentation he gave on "The Roots of Buddhist Psychology" (available from Sounds True audio). He revealed all sorts of counter-productive habits of mind we find ourselves in, or that we've been put in by a very manipulative corporate media Manufacturing Consent Noam Chomsky and the Media. For me, Buddhism isn't just a spiritual practice, but something that can assist in bringing on progressive social change, exemplified by the many Buddhists who are engaged activists. We hear a lot about the Christian Right and its political power, but the Buddhist Left (among other progressive denominations) is quietly revolutionizing how we perceive the world and encouraging kindness, which is a radical proposal in what can be a mean world.

See Turning Wheel magazine for more on Buddhist political action.

Regularly recognized by Utne as one of the best magazines in its field, "Shambhala Sun" will appeal to both serious Buddhist practitioners, and those with a vague interest.

See also:

Buddhism for Mothers: A Calm Approach to Caring for Yourself and Your Children

Discovering Buddhism

Money, Sex, War, Karma: Notes for a Buddhist Revolution

This magazine is great, and I look forward to receiving every 2 months. Great articles, book reviews, authors, stories, etc. Highly recommend for anyone interested in the buddhist or generally mindful path. Gives great insight into multiple traditions as well.

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I have just received my first copy of the Shambhala Sun, and although I am not completely through readying it yet, I am completely in love with this magazine. It is so knowledgeable and has something for everyone. The photography is beautiful and even the advertisements, which do not take up the entire magazine, have a reason to be read. I am more than happy that I chose this magazine and I will be renewing it too. The most important things is that there is something detailed in it about Buddhism and the Dahli Lama that affects you personally and something you did not know that you can learn and live with and apply to your life immediately.

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Named for the mythical (?) and mystical kingdom in the East, Shambhala Publications is known for bringing some of the greatest and sometimes most obscure philosophical writings of Mankind to the attention of the general public. As part of its Dharma mission, the company markets several web portals and periodicals, among which this is the best-known.

SHAMBHALA SUN presents us with some of the best Buddhist writing available today. I have watched this magazine mature into an eminently readable publication as it has shifted its primary focus away from dry scholarly and pedagogical articles written by University Professors of Oriental Studies and obscure Vajrayana mountain hermits to the more immediate concerns of Western Buddhists---like how to maintain your practice in the face of an interaction with an obnoxious sales clerk; or how to be "in the moment" with digestive troubles: "The Sh***y Monk," a recent article, reflects SHAMBHALA SUN's movement away from self-importance.

The scholarly and pedagogical articles still do appear, albeit written with a lighter hand. Information on the neurological changes caused by meditation and information on little-known aspects of Sri Lankan Buddhism no longer cause me to develop glazed eyes and a sudden desire to find the ecstasy in the laundry.

Does SHAMBHALA SUN have shortcomings? Well, in my opinion, a few:

It has become the self-appointed promoter of the emerging "Mindfulness" movement, an academically-sanctioned whitebread-and-jelly form of meditation practice sans spirituality now becoming the new darling of Corporate America.

Like "Green," "Mindfulness" permits companies to appear to be interested in the human concerns of their employees while co-opting workers into accepting even less autonomy. Soon, meditation, or at least sitting on your arse quietly, may become a job pre-requisite for health benefits. But without allowing for a spirit of internal inquiry, it really is just sitting on your arse.

SHAMBHALA SUN is also slick and full of ads and promotions for meditation retreats and other expensive products. I know ad space pays the bills, and I like money as much as any capitalist can, but the nakedly exploitative nature of some of the ads is troubling. Chogyam Trungpa, the founder of Shambhala, wrote a seminal work named CUTTING THROUGH SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM, and I have to wonder what he would think of the Dharma practices of Ford Motor or the "Geshe Lama Gogolak Awareness Retreat of Telluride Colorado (only $10,000 per day, minimum twenty days)."

Having made these objections, I will quickly add that these issues are raised by way of promoting awareness among potential subscribers, not as a critique of the magazine itself. People can and do benefit from Mindfulness training, retreats, and practice aids. SHAMBHALA SUN itself is hardly responsible for the hijacking of meditation practice into the corporate culture. Also, the magazine only runs ads, it doesn't judge them. Thus, insofar as this reviewer goes, none of this costs the SUN a star.

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I have read many different Buddhist magazines over the years, and Shambhala Sun stands out in taking a fresh new look on the traditions. Where many other magazines might talk about meditation basics or a history of a famous person, Shambhala Sun is interviewing Buddhists with tattoos who swear and who bring Buddhism into inner city environments. The same issue had a look at the blogging firestorm that erupted around Tiger Woods, his infidelities, and his statements about Buddhism.

Yes, there are the articles on the Dalai Lama, there are reviews of recent books that touch on the Buddhism world, and there are the typical pages and pages of advertisements. I really wish magazines didn't have to be so densely populated with ads. Do they really need *that* many in order to pay their basic bills?

For me, I'm taking off one point because while many of the articles are interesting, they're more newsy than practical. I do enjoy learning about Buddhism in other parts of the world, but I can do that online fairly easily. I am hoping with the magazine to get more of a direct, helpful way to improve my own practice.

Still, a fairly minor complaint, and if you're keen to learn about the various ways Buddhism is changing and growing as it spreads into untouched nooks and crannies of our world, this magazine is the one which will cover it.

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Accident Reconstruction Journal

A very well written, peer reviewed, professional publication. If you are serious about your work as an accident Reconstructionist, the ARJ is a must. The previous review in which the reviewer gave only one star is unfair due to the fact that he is reviewing Amazon's performance, not the quality of the magazine.

What can I say, this is a must have periodical for traffic collision reconstruction. Every issue is filled with relevant peer articles.

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Actually to give the magazine 1 star is unfair. I have no idea how good the magazine is because I've never received one. I paid and ordered the mag in November of 2009 and STILL have not received it. Amazon has promised to correct the mistake and keeps pushing back the date to the next issue. The most recent promise was July of 2010. Guess what, still no magazine as of July 22nd. They refuse to send me the issues I missed and keep giving me excuses. Do not order ANYTHING from Amazon, they do not care about you and only want your money. This company obviously does not care about the customer at ALL!!

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Primitive Quilts and Projects

I may write a blog on this book, I love it. The Primitive Designs in this book are just too cute and if you are a person who loves old designs you are going to really like this book. I will let you know if and when I started this project. Look for me under WT's Blog......