Indice dei contenuti per March 2019 in Reader's Digest

I’M LYING IN bed reading and again imagining myself as Harry Bosch. Make no mistake; I’d never want to be Harry Bosch. After all, he’s an orphan and a troubled Vietnam vet who toils as a homicide detective on LA’s grittiest streets. Yet as I read, I wish I knew what he knows, or at least had his presence of mind. Bosch is the ruminative, unrelenting star of ex-journalist Michael Connelly’s crime fiction books and, frankly, one of my guides to the moral universe. After reading the umpteen Bosch books we’ve published in Select Editions over time, I see him as the ultimate wounded warrior fighting for redemption—for LA’s down-and-out and for himself. “Everybody counts,” he says, “or nobody counts.” As he quietly struggles to raise a teenage daughter while…

CRUZ GENET, 11, and Anthony Skopick, 10, couldn’t agree. Were the birds out on the ice ducks or geese? There was only one way to find out. So on a chilly January evening last year, the two friends ventured onto the frozen pond near their homes in Frankfort, Illinois, to get a better look. First they tossed a rock onto the ice to test it, Cruz told NBC 5 Chicago. “Then we stepped on it.” Convinced the ice would hold their weight, Anthony took a few steps, then … FOOMP. He crashed through the seemingly frozen surface. “There was no sound, no crack,” he told ABC7 Chicago. “I just fell through instantly.” Cruz rushed to help his panicked friend. FOOMP—the pond swallowed him too. Cruz managed to lift himself out…

SUNLIGHT KILLS GERMS, EVEN INDOORS Researchers from the University of Oregon and Harvard University collected dust from homes in the Eugene, Oregon, area and placed it in rooms exposed to the sun’s visible rays, its ultraviolet light, or no light at all. Ninety days later, the dark rooms had twice as many living bacteria as the sunlit rooms, including bacteria related to respiratory pathogens, while the UV rooms had slightly fewer bacteria than the visible-light ones did. So remember: Going outside can improve health in many ways, but even at home you should let the sun shine in. Psoriasis Treatment May Prevent Heart Attacks In a recent study of 84 patients with psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, those who received treatment with biologic drugs (drugs produced from or containing…

MY ARMY career as a second lieutenant was a baptism by fire. I was assigned to Korea for my first year; returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for around two months; and then deployed to the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Married for only a year and a half, I was missing my wife and baby daughter when I was in-processed to the Fifth Special Forces Group. As a unit on the go in the years before cell phones and Wi-Fi, we had limited opportunities to communicate with loved ones. One night while sitting by myself, I investigated the “Any Soldier” mailbox, a dilapidated cardboard box with letters and packages from Americans. I chose one shoebox-size package. Inside was a bag of stale chocolate-chip cookies. Underneath, I found about 20…

WHEN THE DNA results came back, even Lukis Anderson thought he might have committed the murder. “I drink a lot,” he told public defender Kelley Kulick as they sat in an interview room at the jail in Santa Clara County, California. Sometimes he blacked out, so it was possible he had done something he didn’t remember. “Maybe I did do it.” Kulick shushed him. “Lukis, shut up,” she said. If she was going to keep her new client off death row, he couldn’t go around saying things like that. But she agreed. It looked bad. “Let’s just work through the evidence to really see what happened.” Before he was charged with murder, Anderson had been a 26-year-old homeless alcoholic with a long rap sheet who spent his days hustling for…

YOU CAN TAKE fish oil supplements or eat lots of turmeric. You can invest in a language class, puzzle books, or a few hours of exercise every week. There are countless methods to (allegedly) improve your memory and cognitive functioning—the brain-training and -assessment industry is expected to reach $8 billion by 2022, according to a major market research report. But the cheapest, easiest, and most time-tested way to sharpen your brain is right in front of your face. It’s called reading. The fact that reading is good for your brain isn’t surprising—there’s a reason moms are always on their kids’ cases to turn off the TV and pick up a good book. But there’s something astounding about how such an ordinary activity can improve your brain in so many ways.…

1. odyssey n. ('ah-duh-see) A peculiarity.B long journey.C sea monster. 2. nemesis n. ('neh-muh-sis) A pen name.B memory loss.C archenemy. 3. delphic adj. ('del-fik) A ambiguous.B underground.C greedy. 4. vestal adj. ('veh-stuhl) A springlike.B fierce.C chaste. 5. narcissistic adj. (nar-suh-sih-'stik) A forgetful.B generous.C self-obsessed. 6. mercurial adj. (mer-'kyoor-ee-uhl) A changeable.B famished.C combative. 7. aurora n. (uh-'roh-ruh) A dawn.B hearing.C lions. 8. cornucopia n. (kor-nuh-'koh-pee-uh) A abundance.B madness.C herd. 9. calliope n. (kuh-'ly-uh-pee) A echo.B shooting star.C steam-whistle organ. 10. ambrosial adj. (am-'broh-zhuhl) A delicious.B of the blood.C golden. 11. paean n. ('pee-uhn) A beetle.B song of praise.C kinship. 12. venerate v. ('veh-nuh-rayt) A shine.B hunt.C worship. 13. myrmidon n. ('mer-muh-don) A half dolphin, half man.B loyal follower.C huge crowd. 14. lycanthrope n. ('ly-cuhn-throhp) A sailboat.B werewolf.C wine bottle. 15. plutocracy n. (ploo-'tah-kruh-see) A government by the rich.B remote solar system.C chemical reaction. Mixed-Up Months Though…

Back in the Holiday Spirit Thank you for publishing your past two issues without endless articles on how to avoid holiday stress, get around fighting with your family, and dodge the holiday blues. Thank you for showing that miracles, caring, and goodness are so much more important and lasting.—CAROLE MODLIN Lawrenceburg, Tennessee Real-Life Miracles Reading “The Church That Wouldn’t Burn,” I found it most interesting to learn that there are underground coal veins that continue to burn in Centralia, Pennsylvania. Shortly after I read your story, my sister-in-law told me about other coal veins that have burned at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota since last May. A ranger told her that a separate vein had smoldered for 26 years. Amazing!—GEORGIANN KMAN O’BRYAN Bruce, Wisconsin The Miracle of…

How did you get into blowing conch shells? When we moved here from Nashville 20 years ago, we met an old diver named Captain Scuba at a Mardi Gras parade. He told me you’ve got to blow to give glory to the Creator, so I bought a shell from him that I call Buffett. I’m keeping his tradition alive. Did you use Buffett in the championship? I blew four different shells: one for loudness, one for length, and two others to show the sounds of the different sizes. I’m not that talented in making a variety of sounds. I can just make the sound last quite a while—and quite loud as well. But you’re 71! What’s your secret? Taking a deep breath as if I were going to swim underwater.…

1 THE PATRON saint of Ireland isn’t actually Irish. According to some accounts, St. Patrick’s real name was Maewyn Succat and he was born in what is now Britain (gasp!) around the end of the fourth century. He was kidnapped by Irishmen when he was 16, found religion in captivity, and ultimately became a proselytizing priest. 2 ST. PATRICK did convert many pagans to Christianity, but the story of his driving all the snakes out of Ireland during his 40-day fast on a hilltop is bunk. Biologists think the reason Ireland is snake-free today is that the reptiles never migrated to the island in the first place. The legend of the snakes is probably just a metaphor for St. Patrick’s having driven evil out of Ireland. 3 GREEN WASN’T always…

A driver is struggling to find a parking space. After 45 frustrating minutes, he begins to pray. “Lord,” he says, “I can’t take this any longer. If you open a space up for me, I swear I’ll give up gambling and go to church every Sunday.” Suddenly, the clouds part and the sun shines on an empty parking spot. Without hesitation, the man says, “Never mind, I found one!”—IRISHPOST.COM I want to go back to a time when the worst thing people had to deal with was, apparently, being given lemons. — @THEALEXNEVIL I was on the bus the other day and saw a guy sit down on his glasses. I guess hindsight isn’t 20/20.—ED POLLACK, comedian Joe walks into a bar in Boston and orders three whiskeys. The bartender…

We want to have faith in the products we buy—after all, no one wants to waste money. But when a purchase involves our health, the expectation of quality is paramount. That’s why this annual Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands survey focuses on 35 categories affecting our well-being, from medications and supplements to health devices and food—even what’s best for our pets. Professional guidance is important, of course. But with their rich histories, these are the products consumers have come to trust the most. HEADACHE & PAIN RELIEVER TYLENOL Along with gravity and potato chips, Tylenol is one of history’s great accidental discoveries. In 1886, a pair of German medical students were treating a patient’s intestinal worms (ew) when they mistakenly dosed her with a chemical cocktail that her body metabolized into…

If Leonardo da Vinci were alive today, the Mona Lisa would have been called “IMG-20121020-00463.jpg.”—@SadPeruna Moses was technically the first person to download files to his tablet from the cloud.—@ADDiane My Roomba just went into the corner and knocked over the broom that was leaning there. Dude, chill out. You already got the job.—@burnie If I’m ever feeling down, I just type “Yo are the best” into Google. Then it responds, “I think you mean: You are the best.” And I feel much better.—Jack Barry, COMEDIAN Before you buy that nice jacket online, ask yourself, “Am I willing to delete one extra e-mail every day for the rest of my life?”—@AaronFullerton My computer just gave me an “Error 404” message, which can’t be right because I know I’ve made way…

WE’VE ALL HEARD that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that may actually be true. A study of more than 50,000 adults ages 30 and older found that breakfast eaters were more likely to lose weight than those who didn’t eat a morning meal. Other studies link skipping breakfast with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. But it’s not just when you eat; it’s what you eat. Balancing carbohydrates with protein, fiber, and healthy fats is the key to a satisfying and nutritious breakfast. These tips will help you really rise and shine: 1. Eat even if you’re not hungry. Although you might not feel like eating first thing in the morning, it’s a good idea to get…

1 Clean Cat Hair in a Pinch PETS We love our pets, but removing their fur from every piece of fabric in the house can be a major pain. Try this: Grab a dryer sheet (either new or used will work), and swipe it across whatever piece of furniture or item of clothing you’re trying to clean. The textured cloth will suck the fur right off. 2 Remember More of What You Read LEARNING With so much information available online, it’s easy to pick up a few new facts each day. But how many of them do you remember? If your answer is “not many,” consider converting your Internet browser’s font to Sans Forgetica. This new typeface is just hard enough to read that it prompts your brain to engage…

OBJECTIVE “To secure a position as a front office.” EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Last job: “Drove a toe truck.” Before that: “Worked in the dessert.” And before that: “Oversaw all new corporate accusations.” “Responsibilities included recruiting, interviewing, and executing final candidates.” And before that one: “Watered, groomed, and fed the family dog for years.” SKILLS “Perfectionist with a keen I for details.” “Being bilingual in 3 languages.” “Natural born larder.” REFERENCES “Clare.” COMPENSATION “Current salary: $36,000. Salary desired: $223,000.” INTERESTS “I enjoy cooking Chinese and Italians.” “My three biggest hobbies are cars, racquetball, golf, and reading.” “I like doughnuts, cupcakes, chocolate, and ice cream. Together.” “Honestly, I like doing nothing.” EDUCATION “Graduated in 2911.” —ROBERTHALF.COM, ALMAGRETA.COM, COBURGBANKS.CO.UK, ARCHIVE.FORTUNE.COM…