How often do you think about gentrification? Probably not often, unless it’s happening right around you. I know I don’t. And, even if you are witnessing it firsthand, you might not be against it. You might think that getting rid of those old run-down buildings and cleaning up the place is a good idea. But gentrification isn’t that simple. In most cases, it means that indigenous, usually lower-income, families are uprooted from the neighborhoods that they grew up in so that higher-income folks can come in and get cheap real estate, fix it up, and take the neighborhoods as their own. It’s happening in cities all over the world, but particularly in the U.S. This zine is a compilation of articles from other publications on gentrification that has occurred and is occurring in various cities, including New York, New Orleans, Portland, Chicago, and London. It’s an important and useful publication and it deserves a place in your library.

Skot! did an excellent job putting together this resource explaining gentrification in simpler terms along with the motives behind it. It talks about property values, squatting, Portland, OR, Chicago, stories and comics by Seth Toboccman, San Francisco, Manhattan, Memphis, and so much more! This is 8 years old so some of the information is dated (current developments, areas of panic, etc) but the underlying themes, motives, and processes have not changed. They have only started to develop at a more alarming pace!

More terrific Ghostpine stories. A fine literary mind, Jeff raises the bar for nuanced, writerly storytelling in the fanzine genre. This issue is a collection of excerpts from some "incomplete projects I've been working on (says the intro)": a bildungsroman revisiting the unfocused politics and endearingly vitriolic comrades of his suburban punk youth, and short oral histories concerning nuns, Tennessee transplants, and plastic pumpkins saved from the garbage.

My guess is that Jeff may have been hungry while compiling this issue. Many of the stories reference food in some way: A Mongolian Barbecue, a Denny's booth, a lunch break in high school, and vegetables in peanut sauce, prepared by a lover. That's not to marginalize or pigeonhole his talent because it's still as sharp as ever. You'll read this, then re-read it, especially if you're a fan of short stories with subtle details. If you've never read a Ghost Pine, then you ought to start. Truly on of the zine classics!

This is Kirke's first issue of Giant Steps, and he uses it as a sounding board for his growing frustration at the commodification of punk, and his place in the process of gentrification. There's also a how-to on making a mop, or homemade marker, an interview with stencil artist Chris Stain, and a comic by Aaron Asshat who does the zine Big Hands. And you know what else? He's an incredibly nice person. Pretty cool, eh?

Rob Noxious (The Fall of America) teams up with Shyla Ann to talk about gender roles in extreme depth! They each present half of a zine talking from their own perspective so you get that "flip zine" split format. Tons of issues are discussed such as sex (homosexual and otherwise), pornography, alternatives to tampons/pads, subtle school lessons, polyamory, male intuition, homosexuality and homophobia, confronting sexism, rape in prison, and TONS more. this puppy is huge! 84 pages.

This issue begins with columns on the evils of MySpace, The Down There Health Collective and HPV awareness, a kindergarten teacher's accounts of her students' journal entries, and more. Its packed with photos from the shows you wanted to go to, but if you couldn't make it, you'll feel like you were there after reading awesome interviews with bands Margaret Thatcher, Ultra Dolphins, No Age, and Seasick. This issue is also full of record reviews so you won't be at a loss next time you head to the record store. We know you won't be disappointed by another excellent publication from Give Me Back.

Scott writes a smart, engaging zine about bicycle advocacy, bike culture, public transit issues, and the darkside of car culture. He has a positive, upbeat, yet realistic attitude about showing people the value of riding bicycles and using alternative transit. This issue talks about how cities are built around car culture, information about oil shortages/car inferiority, and local public transit issues affecting us in Portland. Cover by Juliette Torrez.

Go Fuck Yourself is a pro sex, trans friendly DIY sex toy making guide; reusing scraps like inner tubes and everything from restraints to strap-ons to whips, dildos, tit claps and even a detailed instruction of how to make a tit/clit pump from a auto brake bleed kit! lots of instructions and info on safety too. Excellent Resource. Recommended. (Alex Wrekk)

That Gordon Smalls! In one zine he describes (complete with pictures) how he pees in the shower, which involves running the water, waiting until it's warming, peeing from the OUTSIDE and then stepping in, all so he can "save water" and not flush the toilet.

In this episode, Our mustachioed, bespeckled, long haired hero shows us how to steal from expensive chain grocery stores. Except he gets caught and then gets thrown in jail. The rest of this heart breaking comic is Gordon being humiliated and treated like cattle in a cue.

Our clever "anonymous" artist sure knows how to draw! Sometimes subtle, sometimes quite obvious, the humor and "true to life" images are giddily wonderful. Gordon is your everyday kinda guy, observing the world in all it's strange, cynical, and contradictory glory. Look at Ken's comic samples online!

Cristy Road has always brought us breathtaking artwork (some of my favorite) along with literary stories that remind us of the strength and ability of punk youth. This new issue is more of the same with some reflection of Cristy's various homes between Miami and Philadelphia, racism in her communities, the strength of her friends, coming to terms with assault, gender, sexuality, and identity, and much more. The words are powerful, the stories make you feel like anything can be accomplished, and the artwork adds another strong element. Once a true fanzine devoted to Green Day, this zine has now evolved into literary prose devoted to the strengths of our communities.

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Hailing from Columbus, OH, Brian Deller writes short stories about time and place, moving to Columbus from the suburbs on 'natti and how his perspective of these places has changed in 5 years. There are other stories about the intense debate over which fried tofu restaurant in Columbus is the best, going to a hag themed party, getting matching tattoos with his friends, a long build up to making out with a crush, overhearing stories about the Boss while collecting Bruce Springsteen records, and eschewing the kind of changes in aging crust punks they encounter, and discussing the changes that occur in punks when they age through some interactions with his friend Jim. A very gripping, laugh out loud kind of read with solid artwork throughout.

Brian is that guy you know that likes to tell you stories. Not just any stories, but whomping fish tales about the exploits of he and his friends as they use their town as a personal playground. Griot #5 is more of the glorified tales of romance and donuts from previous issues. In #5 he meets Stalin's grandson, discusses Ohio depression, teaches us some little known facts about the potato, and has a fair number of contributors telling their stories as well. Including Bret of Black Cloud zine, who dissects the essence of a prank call.

Some brief history of rivers, dams, water power, water Infrastructure, good house/bad house, breaking the water cycle, cheap salvage water cachment, home water use and reuse, graywater, plumbing basics, wetlands for wastewater treatement, urban watershed restoration, water hyacinth fetish page, build your own petal powered washer. A diy permaculture guide to "harvesting" rainwater, conserving water, and channeling waste water into more functional purposes than just sending it down the drain.

Some people say sooner or later the Bush administration will impose a draft to fight our constant wars. Until that happens, enlistment is purely by choice (although for disenfranchised folk there can be very few avenues to choose). So the government has escalated their recruitment and upped their devious tactics. Although this little book implies a focus on NYC, the information can be applied nationally. Quite frankly, I think every highschool senior should be given a copy. There’s opt out forms in English and Spanish, what the recruiters don’t tell you, a list of action resources, interesting and shocking statistics, two personal stories from soldiers, how to create your own guide and more. Very well laid out with artwork and maps. All proceeds benefit anti-recruitment activism.

Guide to Steel Bikes is super educational and interesting. It's everything you might want to know about the history of steel frames and why they're great. Cool diagrams and explanations of various processes for making steel frames like forging, investment casting, and stamped steel parts. Just tons of clip art depicting different frame types, bottom bracket types, different cranksets and hubs. There's even a short history of the Suntour, a bike you've probably had at one time or maybe you just wondered why they were everywhere. Here's where you'll finally find the answer. Guide to Steel Bikes is cut and paste eye-candy for bike nerds!

A collection from the zine of the same name. provides an informative and fascinating exposure of an aspect of human research that has rarely been looked into: the experiences, goals, and motives of the people who serve as human guinea pigs for the human research establishment. The narrative offers brief glimpses into the world, including some illuminating historical vignettes. Helms is clearly among the more experienced and vocal of thos who voluntarily submit themselves to the kind of research protocols which mark the biomedical enterprise. Great guide for anyone considering dedicating themself as a research subject to "science".

A collectors item from the anti-colonial struggles of the seventies. This text details how the US military and CIA worked with Solider of Fortune magazine and others to send white mercenaries to fight for the Ian Smith regime in Rhodesia. While the nitty gritty details are mainly of historical significance, given the heavy reliance on "contractors" in Iraq and elsewhere, the broad outlines of this work remain relevant today. I'm not sure if it's more hilarious that the CIA would hire white mercenaries or that they would make the effort to publicly criticize such an action simultaneously! From the introduction by Jon Dough: "Although the CIA's mercenary operation for Zimbabwe had failed in the end, the machinery remains as a covert weapon that can be restarted and put to use in new imperialist interventions and wars in the Global South. That's why this investigative report still has useful knowledge for everyone tracking the bloody footprints of the u.s. empire."

I know very little about hacking, but this zine is awesome. For those already hacking or people who are just plain interested in the issues Hack This Zine focuses on not only "how to" but discusses the principles and philosphy of activist hacking. Informative, fasciniating and exciting this issue has: Zen and the art of non-disclosure, cracking video games, how to start a HackBloc, Windows Buffer Overflow stories, how the net was lost etc. etc. Always chocked full of fun stuff! It's comforting to know that the fight isn't just out on the streets but also in this incredible and limitless arena we call the internet. Our zine version has a B&W cover.

I think I'm the 5th person in a row that doesn't know much about hacking, but thinks this zine is amazing. Go figure. What I can tell you is that the content is really well-rounded! There's a time-line of electronic civil disobedience actions and updates about several imprisoned hacktivists. There's talking tech, a section with reviews of alternative internets and the dark side of the PE file format. Another highlight is info on using scanners to listen to inter-yard communication while hopping freight. This is one of the most solid zines out there, and gives us hope, that a better "PC World" is possible. Know what I mean?

This zine was created by the Icarus Project (editors of Navigating the Space Between Brilliance and Madness zine) and the Freedom Center (A Massachusetts mental health advocacy group). It's a guide to the realities of psychiatric drug use, including longterm side effects, how they work, and what they do to your brain. A good resource for anyone considering going on meds. The guide isn't meant to dissuade you from using drugs, but to inform you about possible cons that your doctors may not share with you.

What happens when a child is born as a biological female and continually asserts that it is a boy? What happens to the mother as she tries to explain this situation and why she is supportive of it to family, teachers, peers, students, and neighbors? What happens when the father tries to combat the child's pleas that it is a boy? Find out the answers to these and more in the new issue of "Hatch Mister Sister". A fascinating read for all!

This playful and musical comic follows Han Majazi as Han enters elementary school. Han is a Firloy, neither girl nor boy. Watch as others assume Han is either a girl or a boy and dump the appropriate gender baggage on Han. Will anyone understand Han? Will Han find an accepting friend or have to perform a certain gender to fit in?

Simply put, Adrian Prawns Sinclair has beautifully crafted a great way for little kids and grown-up kids to grasp gender/ transgender issues.

Included are some brief but interesting notes regarding Finnish and other language takes on gender. Illustrations by Sylvie Ls. with additional music by Juls Generic.

"Whoever you are only you know inside. So never let someone else decide. You are who you are and that's nothing to hide." --Tereese the Faerie

One of two cute mini-zines by Christoph of Twenty-eight Pages Lovingly Bound With Twine. "The Heart Star" is the more serious of a story. It's the interesting tale of a girl that dies with a broken heart, and her struggles to find peace.

One of the most entertaining zines I've ever read. #1 covers the Cafe Anarquista in Eugene coupled with some strong fiction stories with underlying political relevance and points. After what seemed like a 2 year hiatus, we got #2! This time it has even more information packed to the gills. It's a cut and paste zine with an anarchist slant. It starts out with a story about smashing a car alarm as a good neighborly act, what a commodity tv is, toying with authority figures in seattle and eugene, COINTELPRO infiltrating activist circles, the hilarious story of him attempting to sell his vote (and a letter in response from the state), and much more! Worth every penny in laughs alone.

A guide to using plants in your environment for their medicinal properties! Cute illustrations from Giovanni Caputo and a generally fun vibe and feel! Includes healing cuts and scrapes, burns, rashes, sunburns, building a first aid kit, gut problems, aches & pains, bugs, bruises, bleeding, parasites, and a list of further reading resources!