A major sign of change.

Reader's Digest, which for decades had a deserved reputation for being very ultraconservative has changed. While I used to read it only for the humor sections, now I find it interesting because it features monthly articles like "50 Secrets Surgeons Won't Tell You". This series also has included nurses, dentists, Realtors, etc. Sadly the humor has gone way downhill lately, and either the jokes are lame or their editors are so young they don't recognize an ancient joke when they see it. Now it's worth reading for its informational articles, consumer tips,  health advice, and often-impressive visuals. But what surprised and impressed me most about Reader's Digest was a book excerpt in their October issue: What Remains by Nate Berkus. This digested version tells the harrowing story of a couple who vacationed in Sri Lanka and were swept up by the tsunami. Sadly one of the lovers was assumed to have died since his body was never found. This true story was romantic, charming, disturbing and sad. But what was amazing is that it was about two men, and it was written as it would be about any straight couple. This is progress. It would be progress with any magazine, but that it was in Reader's Digest is even better.