5 Incredibly Specific Magazines
Some of you might recall my post on Incredibly Specific Dating Sites. In the same vein, it seems there's a magazine for just about everyone, too. Check out these five I recently discovered, and be sure to share some of your own finds in the comments below. Don't be ashamed if you subscribe to one either! Apparently 17,000 lifting industry professionals around the world fork over £158 per year for the first magazine on the list below.
1. Cranes Today Magazine If you're in the crane business, operate one, or just plain have a love of all contraptions large and lift-y, subscribe to Cranes Today. In it, you'll find stories about international surveys, new products, corporate mergers/acquisitions, new regulations and standards, crane attachments, components and cool ancillary crane equipment. If you're in the mood for one of the most exciting, action-packed YouTube videos you'll ever see, follow this link and scroll to the last one at the bottom.
2. The Chimney Sweep News Calling all chimney sweep wannabes and the people who love them, here's a publication worth every penny of the $99/annual subscription rate. A bi-monthly, The Chimney Sweep News features articles with the following headlines: "Sweeping Hawaii with an Island Boy," "Forensic Corner: Wrong Size/Type Flue Liner," and my personal favorite: "Spread a Consistent Image," By Sooty Bob Daniels (not joking!). Yes, if you've just got a casual curiosity about flues or you're really determined to find out how next year's code changes might affect you, this is the rag for you.
3. Total Arb With article titles like "A TREEmendously Moving Experience," who can argue with the arborist's magazine, Total Arb? Need to know more about chainsaw starter maintenance? Wanna know what's the best new woodchipper on the market? Need the lowdown on what's legal and what's not when it comes to tree hauling? Want to learn a few new rope tricks? Total Arb is for you.
4. The Ukulele Occasional I haven't decided if by occasional they mean, it's only published occasionally or it's for people who only play the ukulele occasionally (and let's face it: who plays the ukulele that often anyway?) Whatever the meaning, this is THE magazine dedicated to all aspects of ukulele culture. "Our goal is to entertain uke enthusiasts with articles, rare photos, reviews and instruction centered around everyone's favorite instrument," goes the copy on their Web site. Here are a couple of my favorite articles so far: An extremely thorough history of the uke's nearly-forgotten stepbrother, the tiple. And the one on how to work with those pesky friction pegs on older ukes. Fascinating stuff! (Honestly. I'm a new subscriber.)
5. Sweep Magazine Don't let the title of this rag fool you. Nope, it's not another one for the occasional chimney sweep, rather a magazine for curlers. With headlines like Alberta, Alberta, Alberta - Why is it the ICE? I think you know what kind of curling I'm talking about. If not, head on over to their Web site and check them out. Now if they'd only come up with magazines for skijoring and shovel racing. What? You don't think they're real winter sports? Check out Ethan Trex's piece on Winter Sports The Olympics Are Missing.