For everything your newspaper does not write about

If you've ever been curious to find out what all that Agent Orange has been doing to people in Southeast Asia, or how the black churches across the country are dealing with the AIDS epidemic, then start reading this mag.
Mother Jones is probably one of the staples of the activist culture in America; each bimonthly issue gives thorough insight on issues that are usually buried deep with in the back pages of most newspapers, if they're ever covered at all. Each issue usually contains three main stories, plus several departments and editorials. In addition, there are usual tidbits of interesting news around the world, such as bans on dangerous chemicals and environmental incidents. There is the "Hellraiser of the month" which gives a short bio on a noteworthy activist.
This magazine is definitely left-wing and the story topics do not hide that fact. However, no matter the slant, the stories are always informative, and insightful. The authors of each story make good effort in trying to balance the quotes and information from all sides of the issue. Most of the writers are contributors, not staff writers, and that gives each issue a sense of identity and uniqueness.
Past articles have touched on many diverse topics; a year ago there was a story about extreme environmentalists burning down a ski resort to prevent the resort from destroying wild lands during the construction of several new slopes - this story covered both the people that supported this rather extreme measure and the people who did not, the people who lost their jobs when the ski resort closed. Several months ago, another issue talked about the effect of abestos mining on a small town; miners would come home covered in the lethal dust, and whole families would die over the years from the resulting damage to their lungs. A story about the relatively extreme measures America is taking to prevent against biological attacks is the cover story for the October issue.
This last example illustrates my one point of contention with this magazine, despite attempts at achieving balance, sometimes the stories can appear quite lop sided. The article gives the false impression that biological weapons are for the most part impossible to use and no one would use them if they worked because they could backfire and kill many of the terrorists. I have read quite of few different works on the subject, and there are plenty of examples of biological weapons that have worked and have caused much suffering. As with anything, it is always wise to seek more than one source of information on any given topic. This is, however,the only time I have caught an unbalanced article in this magazine - an offense most publications are guilty of from time to time.
Mother Jones' new format is a slight evolution of the older version. The most notable difference is the cover. However, all the information inside is just as relevant and intriguing as it has ever been.
This magazine, along with Harper's, Utne Reader, and National Geographic, sits on my coffee table. My friends are always asking to borrow my back issues, and often they don't return them. I remember a longer than expected road trip in Canada where Mother Jones was the primary source of entertainment for myself and four friends.
If you desire to have your finger on the pulse of liberal activism in America, and from many parts of the world, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of this well-written magazine.