There’s no question that reading magazines, and for that matter three dimensional books with real paper between soft or hard covers, are essential, starting with the book of books, aka, the Bible. And I say that knowing that many of the greatest biblical passages can be more readily found with a computer search!

Similarly I can’t imagine being the author of a blog or ebooks without making my more permanent mark in the world of magazines like Rodale’s Health and Fitness, which I’m about to submit an article to, or in books like mine – Conquer Prostate Cancer: How Medicine, Faith, Love and Sex Can Renew Your Life. That’s the case even though magazines and books nowadays increasingly have their own websites (mine, for instance, is http://www.ConquerProstateCancer.com), which make updating books quick and easy.

This is doubly true of intimate subject matter like mine which is meant to be shared by men and their wives or partners on a comfy sofa or bed! Doing that with your laptop is possible, but it ain’s the same thing!

If magazines are written FOR their readers benefit, and not as a conduit for advertising, they will survive. It is unfortunate that ad agencies used the threat of ‘web clicks’ as leverage to devalue magazine ad space rates. However, magazines were not at the ready with a solid quantifiable way to ‘count’ reader eyeballs viewing ads.

Bottom line, there is nothing close to the color, clarity, transportability, and durability of a magazine. We’ll see if the marketers can mask these quailities when touting the electro-books.

My 12 year old is on the kindle, computer and watching TV when she’s not playing Wii, but man — she loves her celebrity gossip magazines and her walls are plastered with their posters.

I may be old but I aint’ dead yet!!!!

Maria (from the farm country kitchen!)