Popular Science featured a three-dimensional cover in their July issue as the New York Times reported. When viewed through a web-cam the turbines come to life. And these are not just any turbines - these are General Electric turbines, who, if you were not aware, bring good things to life. There are three full pages in the issue that explain just how good life is, thanks to GE. 

The New York Times explains, in the article on Popular Science, that covers of magazines are starting to allow advertising to appear. And they point out how the Popular Science cover blurs the lines - offering a shot of an advertiser's product in exchange for in-book advertising.

I don't have any plans to buy a wind turbine anytime soon but I thought the cover was more fun than a sell out. And remember, the New York Times and the Boston Globe have been selling ads on their front pages for almost a year. I guess when the reporter pointed out that G.E. would pay $370,000 for their in-book ads, in exchange for the cover art she assumed that the reader would understand that Popular Science could be influenced by cover advertising but the New York Times never would.