I enjoyed “Fact or
Fiction?” but I kept
waiting to read how
everyone thinks
the bald eagle got
its name from the
appearance of being
bald due to its white
head. In fact, the
Celtic word bal means
“white patch.” The bald
eagle got its name
because its head is
white, not bald.
—Ellen voie
Waupaca, WisconsinFact or Fiction?
You list what you call the longest word
in the English language, a technical name
for a protein that is 189,819 letters long.
Actually, the longest word is smiles, because
if you look closely, there is a mile between
the first and last letters.
—David J. Thompson Sebring, FloridaI Am the Food on
Your Plate
I eat avocados like ap-
ples. I saw the benefits
a few years back when
I ate one every day for
90 days. My trigger was
a sad cholesterol level.
At the end of 90 days,
I had my level tested
again. I had dropped
30 points off my
bad cholesterol and
increased my good.
—Joyce nokleby
Benson, MinnesotaHonoring Lola,
at Last
It took me two days
to get through this
story. I’ve never cried
so hard for someone
I don’t know. That story
is seared into my soul
and will never be for-
gotten. Condolences
to the Tizon family.
—Rebecca Vaughn
Mound, MinnesotaAre Surgery
Centers Safe?
I am glad you wrote
about surgical centers.
Our daughter had a
terrible experience
with one in Florida.
She had a mastectomyLETTERS
Notes on the
February issueAs a volunteer Chicago
Greeter, I take visitors
on walking tours to
show off our great city.
I try to give them tidbits
they can take home,
such as the history of
the “Windy City” nick-
name. It was fun to see
that story among your
“Strange but Impossi-
bly True” tales. Thanks
for enhancing my tidbit
repertoire.
—Allan Ayers
Mundelein, Illinois8 april 2019
Reader’s Digest
matthew^cohen