Recently, while perusing an old issue of Reader's Digest, I came across something so unexpected, so shocking, so bizarre that I decided it was up to me to tell the world.

The March 2002 edition of Reader's Digest features a front cover on the upper right-hand corner of which is the face of Bruce Willis. At the very top of the same cover is a red bar featuring a message in white text which reads "Reverse Your Memory Loss." Goody! Let's do that.

Turning to page 101, we can see the headline, which reads, "Total Recall," and beneath, "How to get it — well, most of it — at any age. By Anne Underwood and Russell Watson." Here's something important on the next line. It says, "From Newsweek." So, the story was originally featured in Newsweek, and Reader's Digest decided that it was worthy of making it into their exclusive, clean, and inoffensive pages.

Reading the article, there's nothing majorly out of the ordinary. In fact, there's some good information on the ins and outs of age-related memory loss. On page 102, there's even help with, "mnemonic devices — mental formulas for encoding names, faces and facts."

Ooh! Please let there be an example.

"(For instance,…"

Yes!

"…when you meet someone named Mike Hawk, visualize a hawk speaking into a microphone.)"

…??!!

Mike Hawk

I think it goes without saying that some of us can think up a mnemonic device for the name "Mike Hawk" that doesn't revolve around birds and technology!