Stop me before I renew again!

I don't know why I subscribe to Reader's Digest, it's an amateurish publication that feels more like a newsletter.While its politics are not as transparently and odiously Republican as they used to be, it does feel very churchy. So why do I read it? Maybe it's because it has so many short articles and lately it has included some good advice about health, exercise, finances, etc. Most of it is badly written. I would guess from its articles and advertising, it's pretty much designed for seniors these days. But its staff must be young because many of its jokes are such old chestnuts it's hard to imagine the editors would even include them. Somebody actually got paid for the ancient joke with the punchline, "What time can you get here." Even Henny Youngman retired that years before he died. A recent cartoon was probably the worst I've ever seen in a magazine. Two men are sitting in opposite chairs. One says, "I want to communicate more and you want less." The other responds, "So let's compromise and communicate more or less." This is in a national magazine! They also have a featured called "Ask Laskas" for which they have a disclaimer that reads "Jeanne Marie Laskas is not a shrink, but she does have common sense." Unlike Abby, Laska's advice is never trenchant. This month a couple asked her if they were required to spend the same amount on their son's wedding that they did on their daughter's. Here response in essence, was no, but if you have the money go ahead and help. She never once mentioned that it is the custom for the bride's family to foot the cost. Why am I even writing about this? No good reason. Except it's Saturday and I feel I should write something. Plus this morning I noticed another thing about Reader's Digest that baffles me. The ads. On the back page of the August issue there is an ad for Align probiotics. This is very costly ad space. But it appears that the sponsor, Proctor and Gamble just sent RD a larger ad to be reduced for the RD format. This seems pretty stupid to me since it makes the type promoting the product so small as to be unreadable. I'll bet nobody at Reader's Digest thought to call P & G and suggest that they blow up the type for better readability, ergo more sales. I really should not subscribe to this mediocre publication, but I have found it helpful to know, "25 things your eye doctor won't tell you."