Advantages: Enjoyable to read, full colour, inexpensive
Disadvantages: Only available direct from the publishers

...is happening in the world of (mostly British) archaeology at the present time. In it published 6 times a year in a glossy full-colour magazine, and is aimed at the general reader rather than the academic - although it is still classed as essential reading for anyone studying this subject at university. Each issue contains reports of recent excavations, topical news, letters, book reviews and a science diary to keep you up to date and inform you of forthcoming events, digs, seminars and conferences. The nice people who publish CA also have an excellent website and produce an annual listing of all excavations and fieldwork in the UK who require volunteers to work on them. Current Archaeology has been around for 30 years now, and in that time has described over 900 sites and reviewed more than 1200 books - at present, it has a circulation of around... Read review

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Advantages: Helps The Homeless
Disadvantages: A Fair Bit Of Advertising

..., if you should ever find yourself in front of a PC reading this review, sometime in the future when your life is finally sorted, then I would like to dedicate this review to you....." WHAT IS THE BIG ISSUE MAGAZINE? The Big Issue Magazine is a Magazine that covers a wide range of issues within the News and Current affairs sector. It is published weekly and sold exclusively by homeless people or people who can prove that they are on the brink of homelessness. THE BACKGROUND The inspiration behind the Big Issue Magazine came from a Newspaper called "Street News" which is sold by the homeless people of New York. Gordon Roddick, of the Body Shop empire saw this Newspaper being sold in the late 1980's and asked lots of questions about how the vendors benefited from selling this Newspaper. The answers that he received inspired him... Read review

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Advantages: informative and support for those less fortunate
Disadvantages: None

...given the opportunity to regain their dignity by working legitimately. So often, the resources and support allocated to these people are limited leaving them with low confidence which inevitably leads to further problems such as alcohol and drug addiction and the inability to fit comfortably into society. Selling the magazine gives each individual the same sense or responsibility and achievement that we all need to feel. Most of the vendors I buy from are extremely friendly and curteous and genuinely appreciate you stopping for a chat. Not only does The Big Issue help the homeless to regain their rightful status in the community, it is also a brilliant magazine to read - one i look forward to on a weekly basis. It profiles a different vendor each week interviewing them on their views on current events and how selling the magazine... Read review

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Advantages: Extra money for those who need it most and not alot for you to give
Disadvantages: Advertising, the whole debate around unemployment - see below

...that expensive to buy - a darn site less than the usual magazine you will find in shops and has better articles than some of them!The vendor buys the magazine for 60p and sells it on for £1.50 leaving them 90p for there own purposes which is well over 50%. Inspiration: The inspiration for the magazine originally came from the USA where it was noted that people on the street were selling a magazine called 'Street News' by Gordon Roddick of The Body Shop on a visit to New York. With the assistance of The Body Shop International, Roddick and A. John Bird launched The Big Issue in September 1991, initially as a monthly publication in London. The set up: Basically it is set up as a main interview, articles, current news affairs, and entertainment section including snapshot, film, gigs, books, art & theatrem a Last words section including street... Read review

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Advantages: Great Drama
Disadvantages: Too Addictive!

.... But you can also watch the omnibus on BBC1 on Sunday – the times vary, but the collation of all of the previous weeks episodes tends to begin around midday – it is probably a good idea to check in a TV guide. This is great if you miss an episode! Why It’s On… Many of you will never have watched EastEnders, or at least in heavy quantities, and will have this stereotype in your mind that the whole programme is actually about East Endd yobbos beating each other up for half an hour a day. I admit, there is some truth there! But EastEnders is a thought provoking, and also interesting to watch drama. It is meant to deal with important issues, which take place in our modern society of today and then show the viewers how to deal with these problems, should they stumble across them. Characters… I’m just... Read review

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Advantages: Helps the homeless help themselves
Disadvantages: not for everyone's taste

...* in this i am talking about the big issue, scotland * You know who these vendors are, you know where they are but most will not part with that pound to help them. Yes, giving the kids an extra sweet is more important(!) They sell a magazine which is sold cheaply to homeless people to sell for that little big more. Homeless people can buy the magazine at the big issue office for 40p which then is sold for one pound to the customer. This is a profit of 60p for the vendor. Each of the vendors are given an ID badge with a number. If a complaint is lodged against them they are easily identifiable. They are given training of a code of conduct and customer service. Even this basic training is a training of some sort. The big issue was set up in 1991 to give homeless people a chance to make an income. The founding directors... Read review

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Advantages: cuttinge edge factual
Disadvantages: not enough people who buy it read it!

...one of the best if not the best magazine on the town. ive had the priviledge of my letter being printed in the Issue something that i was very proud of and consequently emailed around the world!!! but let me share with you the joyous delight of having bought the Big Issue every week for some time now, its one the the best, most cutting edge, informative, to the point, no sh*t pieces of contemporay literature that does not have a political edge or any connections wiht oragnisations that would censor it. it also allows the homeless to a decent hard working income that gives them something to look forward to , a focus and a mission. a sens of being a human rather than just another statistic on the streets as many people would see them. the Big Issue Foundation also does great work with the homeless in helping them develop extra skills... Read review

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Advantages: Profit goes to homelessness
Disadvantages: None

...The Big Issue is the only thing that our country should be proud of when it comes to Homelessness.It means that homeless people can earn enough money to get themselves together and maybe even find a home and job for themselves. At £1.20 it is the cheapest magazine you can buy, and the low price does not effect it's quality at all.I try and buy the Big Issue every week and and every week i'm suprised to see how well articles are written and how informative the magazine really is.It should be realised that although most people but the Big Issue purely for charity reasons that it should be read because of it's high quality. The Big Issue always includes news stories, wordsearch(where the prizes are good and easily won)info on what's happening in the area, music, cinema, and book reviews,and a whole lot more.There's always a celebrity... Read review

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Advantages: packed with superb songs
Disadvantages: good, but maybe not as good as the first album

...The first thing to remember is that, as good as the first album is, they couldn't bring out something the same as that, so this has got to be different. However, 'Issues' shows considerable progression from the beatifully frayed edges of their blinding debut. Not as heavy, this flirts with melody, and eerieness before exploding. openers, 'Dead' and 'Falling Away From Me' demonstrate this perfectly. Jon Davis and co, lure you gently into a false sense of security through the verses as they build up to the powerful chorus. While 'Korn' was a brutal assault on body and mind, and 'Follow the leader' followed a hip-hop flavour in places, 'Issues' makes a good blend of songs, a little like a Korn compilation, but of brand new songs. There is, as always energy and emotion and the typical Korn lyrical themes. Stand out tracks on the album... Read review

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Advantages: Good quality of writing
Disadvantages: Need to pass by a seller

...is actually very good and makes for an interesting read. Published weekly it is full of interesting articles on world events as well as interviews with celebrities such as actors and pop stars. The fact that it promotes a good cause helps with attracting guest writers and also gives them access to the stars. The feature articles are of a good quality and easy to read, certainly there is something engaging in every issue I have ever bought even if some articles are not of interest to me. There are also some quite serious articles that focus on homeless issues both in this country and abroad and of course the magazine likes to promote the success stories but there is also a strong dose of reality to the content. A number of top companies pay for advertising space as well as some lesser known ones and there is also some charity advertising as well... Read review

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