On the cover

The cover of Wired magazine has a distinctly busy, digital feel. It gives the impression of impending societal chaos averted only by the use of one large, powerful graphic image. By contrast, Martha Stewart Living has a cool, "still life with money" feel. It's characterized by one large but soothing graphic image -- sometimes a decorated dessert, sometimes Martha.

When the August issue of Wired arrived in my mailbox today, and I saw the cover, I thought "Wow!" This has to be one of the cleverest magazine covers ever. It instantly conveys not only a sense of what's in the issue, but a sense of impact of the wired world now has on the American home.