[Xist]

Every Black Friday and Cyber Monday I watch for magazine deals. I usually only care about Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, although the latter seems easier to find than the former, and one year I enjoyed receiving National Geographic. I often do not get around to reading them, I am just so busy looking at cat pictures and arguing with strangers.

Discount Mags normally wants $10 for a year of Popular Science, which is more than I usually pay, and give you the option of paying for up to three years in advance. When I started signing up they asked if I wanted a second year for a slight additional discount (and then if I wanted to lock in those prices), but if you just click on the Black Friday banner on top, it is now $4, but don't get excited.

There are only four issues a year.

That is why I ask if they are dying. I am pretty sure that I used to get twelve issues a year. At least ten for sure.

I guess the cover price is $6 each. I doubt that I would ever pay that, but I feel that a dollar is good.

Popular Mechanics is normally $12 for a year, but that is only 9 issues ($4.66 each), you can order up to four years in advance, and the Black Friday brings that down to $5.75 (63.8¢ each).

I would rather just read them on-line, which you can do for free, but I skimmed the front page, and I am surprised the grammar is correct. It looks like a site thrown together just to show ads, with articles generated by word mills (or dang foreigners from other countries).

However, this looks far more popular and less scientific, and by popular I mean high school popular:

"Three tricks to make your fresh herbs last year-round"
"Skincare 101: The science behind your favorite moisturizers, serums, actives, and more"
What?
"Eight ways to make your Twitter feed less toxic"
"This once-a-month birth control pill unfurls like a star in your stomach"
Not my stomach!
"Gifts for people with a lot of hair"
"Inflatable hot tubs that will make you instantly popular"
"Revamp your home office for $20"
More like feminize your home office for $25.
"Turn your photography skills into a side hustle"
"Purrfect presents for the playful cat in your life"

Is PopSci now a women's magazine? I did not include the science-related articles that I did find, but I did not read them, either.