Yee haw, school has begun. Bring on the extracurricular reading! If you find that the idea of reading a book for fun is just too much to take, try these magazines on for size. They’re guaranteed not to break your budget (or your brain, for that matter.)
2600
Publisher: 2600 Enterprises, Inc.
Release: Quarterly
Online: www.2600.com
Described as “the hacker’s quarterly,” this magazine details the exploits of a pretty interesting group. There’s no telling if it’ll help you prevent the next virus from wiping out all your hard drive Simpsons episodes, but its cornucopia of articles on hackers, programs, and cons will keep you entertained.
A little trivia: the magazine’s title refers to the frequency (2600hz) of a signal that a hacker named Cap’n Crunch discovered could be used to obtain free calls on Southwestern Bell telephones. He made the discovery while using a toy whistle that came with a box of Cap’n Crunch cereal, and happened to emit exactly the right frequency.
Accord
Publisher: The Council of the Magickal Arts
Release: Quarterly (near the Solstices and Equinoxes)
Online: www.magickal-arts.org/accord
Published for Wiccans by Wiccans.this themed magazine is written for Pagans, Wiccans, and anyone else who’s interested in the celebration of good stuff like nature and community (and the occasional goat sacrifice, of course). The Summer 2002 issue’s theme was “Go With the Flow,” some advice that some college students certainly would benefit from taking, and the upcoming issue topic, “Live Well and Prosper,” looks nifty too, with articles on the connection between prosperity and spirituality.
PunkPlanet
Publisher: PunkPlanet (they’re independent people)
Release: Bi-monthly
Online: www.punkplanet.com
This magazine not only has a cool title, but it has insightful articles about politics, music, and culture in general. The independent, outside-the-mainstream opinions are refreshing and include such topics as life on the Left Bank and the future of the music industry.
Raw Vision
Publisher: See above
Release: Quarterly
Online: www.rawvision.com
This magazine has grown by leaps and bounds since its focus, “Outsider Art,” is gaining attention from the most sophisticated of art followers. Based off the 1940s monthly Art Brut, this magazine features those who have “no right” to be artists, and with its ever broadening international base, gives readers access to lesser known artists around the world.
Wallpaper
Publisher: Wallpaper
Release: 10 times a year
Online: www.wallpaper.com
This humble little magazine will help you decide whether to make your next heli-skiing trip to Cortina or to Interlachen, how to furnish your your apartment in Nice, and what champagne to serve as you cruise around the world with your beautiful friends on your sumptuous 52-foot yacht.
Basically, it’s fun to flip through this ridiculous magazine, and fantasize about what you would if you were a jet setter who could actually afford the things they describe in here. There are also interesting essays on beautiful travel locations, and world architecture.