Magazines have some good issues, a lot of so-so issues, and occasionally a really bad issue. Of course, to hear them talk, you'd never know it. You'll never read in one week's Newsweek about what a lousy issue came out the previous week.

Not so here. Starting with Magellan's Log 6, I began doing a column called "Log Log," which was a kind of report card on the stories in each issue. Obviously, we wouldn't publish a piece if we thought it was not good stuff. Equally obviously: there's good stuff, better stuff, and outstanding stuff. The idea behind Log Log was to share with the reader my own assessment of each issue as it moved from concept to reality.

Then it occurred to me that it might also be helpful to the reader, given how large Magellan's Log has become, to have a nutshell rating for each completed issue.

So: the editor's report card for Magellan's Log. Certainly we hope you'll find enough of interest that you'll look at every issue, but in a less than ideal world, few of us have time to do everything we might want to. Maybe the following grade report will help you find items of special worth.

(For the editor's more detailed critques, see the Log Log in many issues, where grades are given on each article.)

Magellan's Log front page