Table of contents for December 2012 in Reader's Digest

The Digest Dozen You asked for it. We listened. I’m thrilled to announce that starting in January 2013, Reader’s Digest will produce 12 issues a year. That’s right: same subscription, more stories. In an age when most media companies are publishing fewer magazines, we’re publishing more. Why? Because you love your Reader’s Digest. Because you’ve told us that you miss it when a new one doesn’t arrive in your mailbox—or on your e-reader or tablet—every 30 days or so. Because, sincerely, you asked for it. It’s that simple. The amazing dedication of our readers was on my mind as Reader’s Digest celebrated its 90th year of publication. I asked our devoted team of editors to spend their weekends and evenings reading through our archives for “reads of lasting interest” that…

FROM Laughter, The Best Medicine: Holidays On a trip to see Santa, my friend’s young son Danny climbed onto St. Nick’s lap and shared his wish list. Later that day, in another store, there was Santa again. “And what would you like for Christmas?” he asked Danny. Shaking his head, Danny sighed. “You really need to write these things down.” Ruby Popp The contest was simple: Which department in the hospital where I worked as a nurse could create the best Christmas decorations? While they didn’t win first prize, the members of the proctology department did receive high honors with their distinctive sign, “Christmas is a good time to look up old friends.” Pat Ingels Phyllis Diller Last Christmas, my wife, Laura, was counting calories to minimize the inevitable holiday…

• Claire: “I have this theory that Phil purposely installs complicated technology so he has a reason to talk to me like I’m a child.” • Phil: “I’m the cool dad. That’s my thing. I’m hip. I surf the Web. I text: LOL, laugh out loud; OMG, oh my God; WTF, why the face.” • Cameron: “There’s a fish in nature that swims around with babies in its mouth. That fish would look at Mitchell’s relationship with his mother and say, ‘That’s messed up.’” From the book Modern Family: Wit and Wisdom from America’s Favorite Family (Hyperion)…

Comedian Paul Gilmartin has trouble imagining what our soldiers have to deal with in Afghanistan: “Desert combat? I can’t even stand the walk back from the beach to the car.” In Iraq, my sergeant was not happy with the speed with which I was moving MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) from a non–air-conditioned building into an air-conditioned tent. “Hurry up,” he yelled. “The sun’s going to ruin those MREs. Have you ever had a bad MRE?” Moving a pallet, I grunted, “You ever had a good one?” Chris Newton, Orem, Utah I was on KP duty when the sergeant asked me what I did in civilian life. “I was a geologist,” I said. “Perfect,” he said, dropping a bulging sack onto the table. “You’ve got just the right qualifications to…

1 Most Interesting NICKNAME Locals call it Mayberry. Mount Airy, North Carolina, was Andy Griffith’s birthplace and the inspiration for the hit 1960s TV program The Andy Griffith Show. Now companies in town offer tours—in a vintage Mayberry squad car—of Opie’s Candy Store and other hot spots. A museum dedicated to the town’s most famous resident opened in 2009. 2 Most Interesting LEGEND According to lore, a newspaper editor in Polo, Illinois, offered eccentric resident Henry Spickler (right) a new bicycle for an interesting story. Without a cent in his pocket, Spickler set off on two wheels on a 40,000-mile quest through 20 countries, taking odd jobs, like cleaning ditches in Ireland. Called the “local loony,” Spickler published a book about his travels in 1922. 3 Most Interesting SCENIC VIEW…

1 If your cart is vibrating, proceed with caution. Some retailers are adding raised floor tiles and carpet to certain areas because they make you walk more slowly, giving you extra time to check out the goods. Studies show it can boost your spending by up to 8 percent. 2 If you can, skip the shopping cart altogether, or at least carry a smaller basket. Studies show that you buy up to 40 percent more if we double the size of your cart, because you subconsciously want to fill it. 3 When you find what you’re looking for, use a price-comparison app like RedLaser or Google Shopper to see if the same item is cheaper somewhere else. You can also ask the salesperson to call you if the price drops.…

Why a Watch Costs What It Costs SWATCH $50–$150 • Plastic band and watch face • Inexpensive, battery-powered quartz movement • Made to be replaced, not repaired • Automated assembly process reduces number of parts and allows for large-scale production • Special edition designed by Moby VS TAG HEUER $1,000–$3,000+ • Stainless steel or leather band • Intricate movement, wound by motion of wearer’s arm • Handcrafted workings require special assembly and repair • Not easily mass-produced • Celebrity endorsers include Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz Why a Candle Costs What It Costs YANKEE CANDLE $30 • Made in Massachusetts • Petroleum-derived paraffin wax • Produced in mass quantities • Scented with fragrance extracts • Packaged in recyclable glass jars VS DIPTYQUE $90 • Made in France • Natural vegetable…

from the Week For Google employees, even dying comes with perks. Under a policy put in place last year, a surviving spouse or domestic partner of a deceased Google employee will receive 50 percent of the employee’s salary every year for a decade. In addition, the employee’s children will receive $1,000 every month until they turn 19 (or until age 23, if they are full-time students). There’s no tenure requirement for the benefit, so most of the company’s 34,000 employees qualify. Laszlo Bock, Google’s chief people officer, ominously calls the new policy Google’s “death benefits.”…

Timothy O’Keefe, 53, a professor at the University of North Dakota, started the Digest Diet to slim down for his daughter’s nuptials this past summer—and was thrilled to make the bride proud of him on her big day. He weighed in at a slender 198 pounds in June after starting at 248 pounds just four months earlier, and he has lost another 12 pounds since. “I Learned to ‘Eat to Live’” Instead of “living to eat,” Tim now sees food as the energy source he needs for a productive day. The former salt junkie’s cravings for chips have completely vanished. The Digest Diet’s emphasis on healthy, home-cooked meals helped Tim view food as something to savor instead of devour. A favorite mealtime habit: enjoying a glass of red wine (yes,…

LATEST LIGHTING: Hanging Baubles Whether the bulbs are encased in spheres, shades, or Mason jars, suspended-from-the-ceiling lighting is the way to go. And chandeliers are making a comeback. The new breeds feature vintage-looking wrought iron frames. HOT COLOR: Kelly Green This vibrant hue has a yellow base, which helps to brighten up corners without overwhelming the eye. If an entirely green room seems overwhelming, incorporate the shade into your accessories. Green vases and lampshades are unexpectedly modern. NEW NEUTRAL: Purple We know what you’re thinking: Purple is too bold to be a neutral. Well, not this year: According to Benjamin Moore’s Color Pulse 2013, purple is finding its place beside the tried-and-true neutrals gray and white. Try muted gray-purples and soft mauve hues on pillows and throws around the house.…

Before I begin, let me make it clear that I have seen enough evidence (thanks to my children and grandchildren) to believe that Santa lives at the North Pole and swings down to the States every year. Here is a little story about the time I played Santa’s helper. The McGraw Christmases are known in our family as “Robin Originals,” with each year’s decorations more elaborate than those of the year before: lights, garland, and life-size figurines. One year, our son Jay, who was six years old and an only child at the time, asked for a new sound system. “Please bring me a new stereo so I don’t have to listen to my dad’s old music,” he told the mall Santa. Robin and I took note. On Christmas Eve,…

The Kindness of Strangers Every morning in West Tennessee, some down-on-his-luck person finds a freshly baked pound cake on his stoop. Attached, a simple note: “Somebody loves you.” This bit of decency comes courtesy of the Nine Nanas, long-anonymous women devoted to helping the less fortunate. ♦ From his wheelchair, all Patrick Connelly could see at the Blake Shelton concert in Overland Park, Kansas, was a sea of people. Then two strangers hoisted Connelly aloft on their shoulders for over 20 minutes in grueling 100-degree heat, long enough for the disabled man to watch his hero perform. ♦ When a thunderstorm totaled waiter Greg Rubar’s car, two regular customers decided that a 15 percent tip just wouldn’t do. So the couple handed him $5,000 in cash and told him to…

ILLUSTRATIONS BY STEPHEN CAMPBELL At Christmastime, men and women everywhere gather in their churches to wonder anew at the greatest miracle the world has ever known. But the story I like best to recall was not a miracle—not exactly. It happened to a pastor who was very young. His church was very old. Once, long ago, it had flourished. Famous men had preached from its pulpit, prayed before its altar. Rich and poor alike had worshiped there and built it beautifully. Now the good days had passed from the section of town where it stood. But the pastor and his young wife believed in their run-down church. They felt that with paint, hammer, and faith, they could get it in shape. Together they went to work. But late in December,…

Unable to filter out distractions and easily overstimulated, autistic children don’t like noisy environments or group settings. Should they find themselves in such a scenario, they’re liable to bolt. “Usually, when an autistic child wanders off, he or she is on the severe side of the spectrum,” says Lori McIlwain, mother of a 12-year-old autistic boy, Connor, and executive director of the National Autism Association. Connor has run away nine times from school. “Autistic kids can’t tell us ‘Hey, the sunlight is bothering me’ or ‘I saw a pool I want to check out’ or ‘There’s a swing I want to see.’” McIlwain estimates that two in five autistic kids will become lost at some point.…

FROM lettersofnote.com January 1, 2013, marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. One man who took full advantage of his new freedom was Jourdon Anderson, a slave who fled his abusive “Master,” Col. Patrick Anderson, in Tennessee, to settle in Ohio as a free man. Shortly after the Civil War, the colonel beckoned Jourdon back to the failing plantation. Jourdon sent a droll reply in his place. Dayton, Ohio, August 7, 1865 Sir: I got your letter and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long before this…

FROM ProPublica PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN WINTERS "Your husband is dead,” the doctor told Linda Carswell. Jerry Carswell had been admitted to Christus St. Catherine Hospital in Katy, Texas, with kidney stones. The previous night, he’d been talking about basketball and the upcoming presidential election with his son Jordan. The plan was for the 61-year-old to be discharged that morning. Instead, at about 5 a.m., a phlebotomist entered Jerry’s room to draw blood and found him lying across the bottom of his bed, not breathing, mottled and blue, without a pulse. Staffers performed CPR for 25 minutes to no avail. Carswell was pronounced dead at 5:30 a.m. on January 22, 2004. Linda and Jordan rushed to Jerry’s bedside; she shrieked and grabbed her husband’s cold hands, trying in vain to stir…

Robert Gottlieb’s Great Expectations: The Sons and Daughters of Charles Dickens (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $25) is an intimate portrait of the great writer’s ten kids. Turns out Dickens was both the best of dads and the worst of dads: “He was a wonderful father when the children were young—a magical person,” Gottlieb says. “He never stopped trying to do the best for them. But when they reached a certain age, he became less patient.” He sent them off early into the world: Some died young; others led fulfilled lives, yet none met Dickens’s great—and unrealistic—expectations. Gottlieb, who spent three years researching this clan, ended up favoring the same child Dickens did: Katie. “She’s a charmer, and she’s difficult, and she’s perky, and she speaks right up.” For a full…

Adele Everything can have drama if it’s done right. Even a pancake. Julia Child You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness. Jonathan Safran Foer Never worry about what you are escaping from. Reserve your anxieties for what you are escaping to. Michael Chabon The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you. B. B. King The shortest distance between two people is a smile. Victor Borge Success is having to worry about every damn thing in the world, except money. Johnny Cash Only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain. Richard Nixon FINISH THIS SENTENCE: MUSIC IS … … about the only thing left that people…

In Defense of Surgeons (and Patients) This should have been the first secret on your list: Surgeons make extreme sacrifices (“50 Secrets Your Surgeon Won’t Tell You”). They endure several years of rigorous postcollege training, many sleepless shifts, and other extraordinarily difficult conditions. My husband finished his training after having lived at seven mailing addresses and accumulating six figures in debt. As a child, I lived at eight addresses during my father’s training. Few other professions require this type of dedication for such delayed gratification. Rachel Holzer, Miami, Florida I read the October issue cover to cover. It has a great balance and feel to it. Plus, as one reader who is about to have an operation, I found “50 Secrets Your Surgeon Won’t Tell You” totally relevant and very…

Hold the Presses! Writer Stef Willen likes local news. Really local news, like from-her-living-room local, as proved by her post on mcsweeneys.net: News Headlines from My Apartment. • Woman, 32, Goes Back to Bed Just Hours After Waking Up • 30 Mayflies Found Dead in Glass Light Fixture; No Plans to Remove Bodies Anytime Soon • Poll: How Sturdy Is This Stool I’m Standing on to Peer into My Neighbor’s Party? • Syria: Where Exactly Is That Again? It was Black Friday, the morning after Thanksgiving, and the crowd was huge and getting antsy. A small man pushed his way to the front of the line, only to be shoved back. On his second try, he was picked up and thrown to the end of the line. On his third…

The garage called to say that the car we had taken in to be serviced was ready. “Great,” I said. “My wife’s in the bathroom ‘getting beautiful,’ and we’ll be over as soon as she’s finished.” The voice on the other end asked, “Will that be today?” Norman Janssen, Port Orange, Florida The Case of Dumb v. Idiot Anyone can sue anyone else in the United States. Don’t believe us? Here are actual case names that appeared in court. • Robin Hood, et al. v. US Gov. Banking Industry, et al. • United States ex rel. Gerald Mayo v. Satan and His Staff • Batman v. Commissioner • Schmuck v. United States • United States v. 2,507 Live Canary Winged Parakeets From loweringthebar.net While watching the Olympics, my mother turned…

WITH REPORTING BY JAN GOODWIN Gravely injured and disoriented, National Guard Spc. John Gallina squinted into the sun, desperately scanning the sand for a trace of his friend Staff Sgt. Dale Beatty. It was November 15, 2004, a blistering 110-degree day in Bayji, Iraq, a windswept city about 120 miles north of Baghdad. Less than ten minutes earlier, Gallina had taken the wheel of a partially armored Humvee; Beatty rode shotgun, and two other soldiers sat in the back seat. Their mission was to provide security for an engineer unit combing the area for mines. Suddenly, their vehicle launched into the air, floating in a shower of sand and smoke—they had driven over an antitank mine. The blast threw Beatty and the other two soldiers from the truck. Gallina’s helmet…

DO THE DIP 1 Pea “Hummus” Puree 1 cup thawed peas, 2 tbs. tahini, 1 minced garlic clove, and 2 tbs. lemon juice in food processor until smooth. Garnish with peas, olive oil. Whole Living 2 Pimento Cheese Dip Combine ½ lb. grated sharp cheddar, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 (4-oz.) jar drained and diced pimientos, and ½ tsp. horseradish (or hot sauce) in a bowl. designsponge.com 3 Cheeseburger Dip Combine 1 lb. cooked ground hamburger, 1 lb. American or Velveeta cheese, 1 can tomatoes with green chilies, and 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Microwave; top with chopped scallions. recipe.com EASY CHEESY 4 Pistachio-Covered Cheese Log Beat 1 bar cream cheese, 1 cup grated cheddar, 1 tbs. mustard, and 1 tsp. Worcestershire. Refrigerate. Shape into log; roll in chopped toasted pistachios. Chill.…

• I’m not an orthodontist. Don’t ask me to tell your child why she needs to stop sucking her thumb. • Shhhhh, don’t tell … But a few of us are Jewish. • Being Santa can be … complicated. When my daughter was in grade school, the teacher requested a conference to discuss some issues: “She’s under the firm belief that you are Santa Claus.” • I’m not a puppy. So please don’t pet me like one. • It’s hard not to sweat in our heavy wool suits. To make sure we smell nice, some of us sprinkle baby powder in our beards; others use evergreen-scented colognes and sprays. And we’re always sucking on breath mints. • Think your child’s request is over-the-top? I’ve been asked for giraffes, pigs, and…

FROM Cedar Rapids Patch I met Mike Wallace only once, many years ago, but I’d like to think I actually got to know him during the two hours we spoke. Our meeting came on Martha’s Vineyard in July of 1999, one day after John F. Kennedy, Jr., was buried at sea off that same island. I had met Mike there with his son Chris Wallace to interview them for a book I was writing. They are smiling on the cover of that book, Fathers and Sons, looking forever young, even though Mike was 80 at the time. He died on April 7, 2012. He was 93. I saw Chris Wallace in August 2011 at the Iowa straw poll in Ames, and I asked him how his father was doing. “Not…

“Great reads have great potential to spark imagination and absorb a person in another world,” says Raymond A. Mar, associate professor of psychology at York University in Toronto. And these mental-health benefits may even last beyond the final chapter. Empathy Stories provide life-changing perspective, say York University researchers. Getting wrapped up in the lives of characters strengthens your ability to understand others’ feelings. Seeing the world through the eyes of Jane Eyre, for example, may make it easier for you to relate to your sister-in-law’s viewpoint. Connection When you identify with characters in a book, you experience a kind of real-life relationship that can enhance your sense of inclusion, say psychologists at the University at Buffalo. In other words, reading Marley & Me may increase camaraderie with dog owners in…

from cnn.com “I’m not depressed! I hate depressed people.” My doctor laughed at my reaction to her diagnosis, but I was serious. I didn’t want to be in that category. But as she covered a list of symptoms, I couldn’t deny I had nearly every one: loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, crying for no reason, loss of interest in work and hobbies. We reviewed my personal history. I said I assumed all kids were scared of dying, all teenagers struggled with eating issues, everyone had a quarter-life crisis. When I told her my family history of mental illness that included at least one suicide, she threw her pen down as if this years-long mystery were finally solved. “It sounds like your body just doesn’t maintain enough serotonin,” she said matter-of-factly.…

Under doors Place a rolled bath towel under a drafty door. Why? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, decreasing drafts can reduce your energy use by 5 to 30 percent. On the ceiling Reverse the direction of your ceiling fan to push warm air downward. In the basement Clean your furnace filter once a month during the heating season for increased airflow, and consider switching to a permanent filter, which traps around 88 percent of debris. Online Free stuff? Sure! Some states offer energy-saver incentives, like free programmable thermostats and insulation upgrades. Visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (dsireusa.org) for potential deals. In the garage Mount snow tires on a spare set of used wheels. With increased traction, you will have better stopping power. Around…

What if you could reach out and run your hands over your favorite piece of art? It’s a tantalizing thought, one that some museums make a reality by offering “touch tours” to blind and partially sighted patrons. Photographer Matt Ducklo started documenting these hands-on art experiences after finishing a photo project on Seeing Eye dogs. London’s Tate Modern and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art are two institutions that offer touch tours of their sculptures, and Alabama’s Birmingham Museum of Art has tactile reliefs of some of the museum’s finest paintings. Having worked in a darkroom for years, Ducklo says that the inability to see is an intrinsic and fascinating part of his photography. Visit elevenrivington.com to see more of Ducklo’s work.…

FROM sportsonearth.com I WAS IN TOWN visiting a former NFL lineman. Call him Max. The hotel restaurant was closed, so we ate at the bar. During his time in football, Max was hit in the head. A lot. He has since endured nine brain surgeries. He has serious trouble remembering things, as the main character in the movie Memento did. Max and I were both carrying notepads, but for different reasons. There was a game on. Saints–Cardinals. The first contest of the NFL preseason. Max had his back to the television. Once upon a time, he was an avid hunter. He owned a successful business. Today, he’s unemployed. Pretty much broke. Lives in a trailer outside his brother’s house. He probably shouldn’t drive, probably shouldn’t own guns. He gets angry.…

171 million: the approximate number of results when you Google “Christmas cookies” PHOTOGRAPHS BY YUNHEE KIM Martha Stewart’s Gingerbread Men “My mom was a very big cookie baker at Christmas, and I am the direct descendant of that enthusiasm. I’ve made these cookies to eat, to decorate Christmas trees, and to make a gingerbread house. They’re easy to roll out, the dough is fragrant and spicy, and the cookie shapes stay true if they are chilled after cutting and before baking. Frosted, they are charming.” Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (plus chill time) Yields: About 24 cookies 3½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. salt 1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon 1¼ tsp. ground ginger 1¼ tsp. ground allspice ¼ tsp. ground cloves 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,…

FROM Smithsonian PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDREW HETHERINGTON In the past five years, magic—normally deemed fit only for children and tourists in Las Vegas—has become shockingly respectable in the scientific world. Even I—not exactly renowned as a public speaker—have been invited to address conferences on neuroscience and perception. I asked a scientist friend (whose identity I must protect), Why the sudden interest? He replied that those who fund science research find magicians “sexier than lab rats.” I’m all for helping science. But after I share what I know, my neuroscientist friends thank me by showing me eye-tracking and MRI equipment and promising that someday such machinery will help make me a better magician. I have my doubts. Neuroscientists are novices at deception. Magicians have done controlled testing in human perception for thousands…

ADAPTED FROM Reader’s Digest canada It’s shortly after 10 a.m., and The Body—all 237 pounds of him—is in his cubicle, sifting through e-mails. I’m wedged next to his liver, sifting through the metabolic remains of his morning drink: Vitaminwater. It calls itself a “nutrient enhanced” beverage, a nutritious cocktail. Ha! It’s mostly sugar in a bottle, and I love it. It sneaks past the digestive system and lands in the liver, which converts it to fat and sends it straight to me. What a bonanza! It’s a great time for me and my brethren fat cells. After millennia of toeing the line and giving up our stores whenever the muscles and nerves called on us, we’re now taking over. You don’t have to take my word for it. You can…

This summer, the Texas Supreme Court reaffirmed that a deceased person’s next of kin is entitled to possess his body and bury it. Although Linda Carswell has repeatedly asked the attorneys representing the hospitals and pathologist to return Jerry’s heart, the Christus hospital attorneys have refused, saying the heart could become relevant evidence in the case of a retrial. Linda, however, is not giving up—and has even selected a special urn where her husband’s heart can be laid to rest.…

JEANNE MARIE LASKAS Dinner Party Disagreement I got into an argument with a dinner guest. I’d spent hours cooking a meal, and when I served her first, I asked her to begin so that it wouldn’t get cold. She, and thus the others, insisted on waiting until we were all served before diving in. The result: The meal cooled off. She insisted she did the polite thing. I say, polite-schmite—eat the darn dinner while it’s hot. Otherwise, I’m serving cold cuts next time. Who’s right? Heated Host Dear Heated, As justified as you may have been in offering the option, your guests didn’t feel comfortable breaking a common rule of dining etiquette. They get to decide. In other words, your friend wins the argument. Next time, if you need that…

In case you missed it, go to readersdigest.com/recommends. Of Immediate Interest VIRAL VOCAL Italian singer Adriano Celentano speaks English the way an international ear hears it in a bubbly 1972 music video now viral on YouTube. DRINK TOO MUCH? BLAME THE GLASS A new U.K. study found you guzzle beer twice as fast from curvy glasses as you do from straight-sided ones; distortion makes it hard to see how much you take in. BAD DOG! BAD DOG! At dog-shaming.com, pooches pose with funny signs about their canine misdeeds. THE RIGHT WAY TO EAT A TIC TAC Foodbeast.com’s 20-second video taught our editors that a Tic Tac container is designed to gently dispense one mint at a time. Mind-blowing! ODDEST PRODUCT OF THE YEAR? It’s no Wine Yoke (page 169), but…

From the news: Eiliya Maida was sick and tired of the spiderwebs all over his Chico, California, backyard. So he decided to go after them once and for all … with a blowtorch. It worked—he got rid of the spiderwebs. Of course, he almost got rid of his home, too, when the attic caught fire, causing $25,000 worth of damage. Source: chicoer.com That reminds me of a joke: I was visiting my son the other night when I asked if I could borrow a newspaper. “Dad, this is the 21st century,” he said. “I don’t waste money on newspapers. But if you like, you can borrow my iPad.” I can tell you this: That spider never knew what hit him. Adam Joshua Smargon, Newark, Delaware…

I Decline Your Rejection This purported rejection of a rejection slip from an academic has been making the rounds online: “Despite your university’s outstanding qualifications and previous experience rejecting applicants, I find that your rejection does not meet my needs at this time. Therefore, I will assume the position of assistant professor in your department this August. Good luck rejecting future applicants.” While reviewing math symbols with my students, I drew a greater-than (>) and a less-than (<;) sign on the whiteboard. “Does anyone know what these mean?” I asked. A boy raised his hand: “One means fast-forward, and the other means rewind.” Peggy Horachek, Conch Key, Florida Mission Implausible Clientsfromhell.net was established by freelance art directors and graphic designers who have seen the dark side of their customers—and survived.…

Call it a lifesaving twist of fate: One night in February, Danny Manes, 17, and Gary Ramirez, 19, were chatting online about the best way to reach at-risk kids, when they came across a teen’s Facebook status that expressed suicidal feelings. “He was posting apologies and goodbyes on his friends’ walls,” remembers Ramirez. Manes and Ramirez, who live in Pueblo, Colorado, were Facebook friends but had never met. The boys each sent private messages to the troubled teen, who went to Manes’s high school, asking him to reconsider. “We chatted for hours,” says Manes. When the boy typed that he still planned to end his life, Ramirez called the police, who arrived at the boy’s home in time to save him. The next day, the boy texted Ramirez: “If it…

Q: Is that my drink? Which bread plate is mine? A: Think b and d. Curl your thumbs and forefingers in to form the letters b and d. The b side (left) is your bread plate; the d side (right) is your drink. Q: Which side of the plate does the fork go on? A: Think “leFt” equals “Fork”—put it on the left. Q: What about the knife? A: Imagine that the brave knife protects the spoon from the evil fork—place it next to the plate on the right side, blade facing in and on guard. Source: thedailymeal.com…

6,000% Text messages Phone users commonly pay 10 cents per text message, but sending it might cost the carrier only a sixth of a cent. If the same markup applied to a short phone call, the call would cost $120. 4,000% Bottled water A $2 bottle of water costs only about 5 cents to produce. 1,275% Movie theater popcorn Theaters know that viewers will pay more for movie snacks, so they hike up the prices: A bag of popcorn that costs 37 cents to make can easily sell for $5. One Michigan man found the price so outrageous that he’s suing his local theater. 300% Wine at a restaurant Restaurants routinely charge as much as $30 for bottles of wine that retail online for $7 or $8. Check in advance…

Don’t see eye to eye with your crazy uncle or demanding mother-in-law? Read on. Ed Bacon, author of Eight Habits of Love, offers tips for avoiding arguments with close but difficult people. 1 Start with a question. Ask if he or she has the time and inclination to talk about the contentious issue. If the answer is no, wait for another opportunity to address it. If she says yes, start by expressing how much you value your relationship with her. 2 Offer undivided attention. If you ask her open-ended questions, she’ll feel heard and be more inclined to consider what you have to say. It’s also crucial to allow time for her to respond to what you’ve said and to speak without interruption, writes Bacon. 3 Admit mistakes. Acknowledge what…

"My experience with intern disasters is that they seldom occur in July [when medical interns start work]. They tend to happen later, when interns shed their fear, become more confident, and tire of asking for help, not wanting to appear ‘weak’ in the eyes of their seniors. Not recognizing the limits of one’s own knowledge can be a fatal flaw." JOHN HENNING SCHUMANN, MD, DIRECTOR OF A MEDICAL RESIDENCY TRAINING PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, IN THE ATLANTIC…

Emergency Allergy Injection Made Foolproof If a loved one is having a severe anaphylactic allergy attack, you likely won’t have time to learn how to use an epinephrine injector during the event. But the FDA has recently cleared a smart device to talk the user through the process—literally—making it easier for others to help. The Auvi-Q epinephrine injector activates step-by-step voice instructions when you remove its cap. (Instructions are also printed on the device’s side.) The Auvi-Q was developed by twin brothers with life-threatening allergies. It will be available by prescription by the end of the year. Source: Sanofi, Bridgewater, New Jersey, auvi-q.com How Your Teeth Can Restore Hearing Hearing aids amplify sounds, which won’t help if one ear doesn’t transmit sound at all. In contrast, the SoundBite system relies…

Driveway: Snowblower Perfect for areas of heavier snowfall, snowblowers are lightweight and effective. Remember to blow snow with the wind instead of against it to avoid double-duty work. Sidewalk: Snow thrower Ideal for small areas, snow throwers work best with thin layers of powder and are great for curved walkways with tricky corners. If you have back pain, use this tool to avoid heavy lifting. Winter workout: Shovel Get some exercise without the gym fee. One tip: Clear snow off your car first to avoid extra labor.…

Fram Do Aunt Inga’s daily updates about her ten cats annoy you? There’s a word for that: fram, spam e-mail that is sent to you by friends and family. Cornea Gumbo If you click on a website, and your eyes are bombarded with an overdose of flashing buttons, ads, and icons, you are a victim of cornea gumbo. POTATO The next time your dad ends an e-mail with TTYL, tell him that he is a POTATO—a “person over thirty acting twenty-one” online. Threadjack When someone on the mailing list takes the conversation completely off topic, they’ve thread-jacked the e-mail chain. Source: buzzfeed.com…

1 Long-term brain damage from football is well documented. Numerous studies have linked repeated brain injuries to early-onset Alzheimer’s, depression, dementia, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. A recent Neurology study of more than 3,000 former NFL players found that they were three times more likely to die of brain-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s and ALS than the general population. Earlier this year, researchers from the Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas at Dallas found that more than 40 percent of ex-players had dementia and depression. 2 Personal risk factors may play a big role. While all of those with CTE have a history of brain trauma, not all of those who experience brain trauma develop CTE—a sign that certain people are more susceptible. Among factors under consideration: age…

THEY WERE RIGHT. FROM Outside PHOTOGRAPHS BY ERIKA LARSEN A BALL OF FIRE WITH TWINKLING BLUE EYES, ROBERT ARTHUR WOOD JR., A FOUR-FOOT-SIX, 70-POUND EIGHT-YEAR-OLD, GIVES AS GOOD AS HE GETS WHEN HE AND HIS BROTHER, RYAN, A YEAR YOUNGER, SCRAP OVER A TOY. AND YET ROBERT CAN’T TALK, SWIM, SIT STILL FOR A MOVIE, OR USE THE BATHROOM BY HIMSELF. HE HAPPENS TO BE SEVERELY AUTISTIC. Ryan, also autistic but less so, hugs and kisses his brother. Robert is not as affectionate. But like many children with autism, Robert is fearless. As a toddler, he liked to climb on top of the television and the refrigerator. He also likes to wander. At Walmart, Robert’s mother, Barbara Locker, still puts him in the shopping cart. If he’s not held by…

It’s 2 a.m. You’re sitting through a Seinfeld marathon when an infomercial featuring something called a Sticky Buddy comes on. Use it for all your clean-up needs, shouts the pitchman. Pet hair, crumbs, lint—nothing is a match for the Sticky Buddy! You’re tempted. After all, you have a dog. And you drop crumbs on the floor. But wait! We got the sloppiest Reader’s Digest editors to test the Sticky Buddy and other late-night gadgets. To make sure you know which products to 1-800 and which ones to 86, turn the page and read on. 1.0/4.0 Don’t waste your money 2.0/4.0 Works, sort of 3.0/4.0 Do waste your money 4.0/4.0 Overnight delivery! A Better Lint Brush Sticky Buddy $10 + $6.99 S&H 3.5/4.0 What the company says: It’s the “super-sticky lint…

The medical experts on the hit syndicated show The Doctors reveal some simple, sneaky ways to help shrink stubborn fat stores. Sip tea before you eat. A hot cup 20 minutes before a meal may help you consume fewer calories. Even better, a German study found that Chinese white tea reduces growth of new fat cells and breaks down fat in existing cells. Sniff grapefruit. The scent of grapefruit may temporarily raise metabolism and reduce appetite. Try keeping essential oil in your kitchen or at your desk. Eat eggs for breakfast. In one study, people who had two eggs for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight than those who ate an equal-calorie bagel. Also, people who eat protein- and fiber-rich breakfasts have lower levels of hunger hormones later on.…

The subjects in The Life and Love of Cats are by turns feisty, pensive, and slightly otherworldly, while those in Puppyhood: Life-Size Portraits of Puppies at Six Weeks Old are simply awww-inspiring. But cat and dog lovers can agree that these books make purrfect gifts. A big, bold, beautiful book is just the ticket for even the hardest to please on your list. Broadway Musicals (right) offers a front-row seat to delight, chronicling the Great White Way from 1907’s The Merry Widow to the present. Serengeti Spy: Views from a Hidden Camera (below left) is filled with extraordinary images for those who prefer their spectacle au naturel. The Art Book (below right) is worth every penny of its hefty price; this 592-page A-to-Z volume is the art history class you…

Do You Hear What I Hear? Carolers at the doorstep, ice scrapers working overtime, the cat swatting ornaments off the tree—the season is rife with signature sounds. In keeping with the spirit, we offer up this “aural” exam. Answers on next page. 1. carillon (’ker-eh-’lahn) n.—A: Christmas choir. B: trombone blast. C: set of bells. 2. dulcet (’dul-set) adj.—A: monotonous. B: staccato. C: pleasing to the ear. 3. skirl (’skeruhl) v.—A: play a bagpipe. B: change musical keys. C: make a whoosh. 4. stertor (’ster-ter) n.—A: snoring. B: howling. C: whimpering. 5. bombinate (’bahmbeh-nayt) v.—A: pop like a balloon. B: bang on a gong. C: buzz. 6. euphony (’yew-fehnee) n.—A: perfect pitch. B: pleasing or sweet sound. C: solo singing. 7. cacophony (ka-’kawf-oh-nee) n.—A: complete silence. B: audio interruption. C:…