THE TRUTH ABOUT H2O

***FIVE MYTHS ABOUT DRINKING WATER***

Is bottled water better for you than tap? Should you drink vitamin-enriched water or sparkling? Surprisingly, experts say IT DOESN'T MATTER. None of these products are likely to make you any healthier. Here are five more myths about water . . .

MYTH #1.) YOU SHOULD DRINK EIGHT GLASSES OF WATER A DAY. Scientists say there's actually no clear benefit to chugging or sipping water all day. In fact, if you're not thirsty, you don't need to drink anything.

MYTH #2.) WATER HELPS CLEAR OUT TOXINS. Our kidneys DO filter toxins from the bloodstream, but does water improve kidney function? Well, no. If anything, drinking a lot of water tends to REDUCE the kidney's ability to filter toxins.

MYTH #3.) LOTS OF WATER IS GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN. Your body is already 60 percent water, so a few extra glasses a day has a limited effect. Studies suggest that water CAN increase blood flow in the skin, but it probably won't make a big difference.

MYTH #4.) WATER MAKES YOU LOSE WEIGHT. Water IS a helpful tool for dieters. It has no calories, and it makes you feel full even if you haven't eaten. But water's not magical. Other zero-calorie options, like diet soda, will do the same thing.

MYTH #5.) IT'S EASY TO GET DEHYDRATED. Technically, you're dehydrated once you've lost 2 percent of your body weight. So for a 200-pound man, that means losing 4 POUNDS in water. Marathon runners, bikers, and hikers should worry about it. But if you're just going for a stroll in the park, no bottle of water is necessary. (NPR.org)

OCTO-TROUBLE-MAKER

AN OCTOPUS TURNED A WATER-CONTROL VALVE IN ITS TANK AND FLOODED THE ENTIRE AQUARIUM:

On Tuesday, workers at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium in California showed up at work to find the entire facility flooded with three inches of saltwater. At first, aquarium workers thought vandals had broken in overnight and caused the damage . . . until they realized what really happened . . .

Apparently, a female octopus had somehow pried loose a water-control valve that was inside her tank . . . which caused the tank to overfill and dump 200 gallons of saltwater onto the aquarium floor.

According to an aquarium official, the octopus, "found something loose and just pulled on it. They are very smart creatures." (Los Angeles Times / Yahoo News)

(--Check out a picture of the troublemaking octopus . . .)

CATCH OF THE DAY

A BRITISH MAN CAUGHT A 771-POUND FRESHWATER STINGRAY:

Recently, 45-year-old Ian Welch of Aldershot, England (--about 40 miles southwest of London), was in Thailand to help with a fish tagging program . . . when he reeled in a stingray that turned out to be the BIGGEST FRESHWATER FISH ever caught
--Check out the specs on Ian's behemoth catch . . . --The stingray weighed 771 POUNDS. That's 125 pounds heavier than the previous record-holder, a 646-pound catfish caught in 2005 . . . and it's even heavier than a typical silverback gorilla. (!!!)--The stingray was seven-feet long by seven-feet wide . . . plus a ten-foot tail.--It took 13 men a total of 90 minutes to hoist the fish onto the boat.--According to Ian, the stingray, quote, "dragged me across the boat and would have pulled me into [the water] had my colleague not grabbed my trousers. It was like the whole earth had just moved. I knew it was going to be a big one." (Sun)

(--Check out some pictures of Ian and his mammoth catch here . . .)

THAT'S A LOT OF PAPER

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN USES 23.6 ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER EACH YEAR:

So, you've replaced your regular light bulbs with the energy-efficient fluorescent kind, you drive a hybrid car and, of course, you recycle. But if you insist on using "soft" toilet paper, you're still not doing everything you can to save the planet. Why? Because the ingredient which makes toilet paper soft . . . is TREE PULP.

In other words, you can save the planet by using "rough" toilet paper that's produced entirely from recycled fibers. Or you can use "soft" toilet paper . . . and kill trees.

--OTHER TOILET PAPER FACTS:

--Sales of premium "soft" toilet paper increased by as much as 40% last year.

--Cottonelle and Scott get as much as 22% of their tree pulp from Canadian boreal forests . . . where some of the trees are 200 YEARS OLD.

--Toilet paper produced from 100% recycled fibers makes up only 2% of sales for at-home use.

--The pulp from one eucalyptus tree can produce as many as 1,000 rolls of toilet paper.

--Overall, the average American uses 23.6 rolls of toilet paper each year. (New York Times)

ARE YOU READY TO ROCK - FOR CHEAP

AND NOW . . . YOUR "ROCK 'N' ROLL STIMULUS PACKAGE":

REO SPEEDWAGON, STYX, and 38 SPECIAL will be touring together this spring. Officially, it's called "The 2009 Can't Stop Rockin' Tour" . . . but Styx guitarist TOMMY SHAW is describing it as, quote, "a 'rock 'n roll stimulus package."

That's more than just a timely reference . . . cheap tickets, starting as low as $13.50, will be available at most of the venues. And believe it or not, that's NOT where the awesomeness stops. In honor of this tour, REO and Styx are releasing a single . . . TOGETHER. It's called "Can't Stop Rockin'" . . . and it was co-written by REO's KEVIN CRONIN and Styx's TOMMY SHAW.

It'll be available for download sometime in the coming month The tour kicks off on May 13th in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (--You can check out the full itinerary, here . . . http://www.speedwagon.com/tour.php <>

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DEF LEPPARD AND POISON *ARE* TOURING TOGETHER:

Earlier this year, POISON singer BRET MICHAELS announced that he wanted to TOUR with DEF LEPPARD . . . which seemed a little odd, considering the '80s HAIR BAND BEEF that broke out between the two bands last summer.

Well, apparently the hatchet HAS been buried, because the tour is now official. Poison, Def Leppard and CHEAP TRICK will head out on a 40-date summer tour . . . beginning on June 23rd in Camden, New Jersey. (--Here's a full list of dates . . .) http://www.defleppard.com/tour/index.asp <>

THE SIMPSONS IS SET TO SET A RECORD

"THE SIMPSONS" WILL OUTLAST "GUNSMOKE'S" RECORD:

If you didn't know, "The Simpsons" currently SHARES the record for the longest-running primetime entertainment series in history with the classic show, "Gunsmoke". (--"The Simpsons" is now in its 20th season, which matches "Gunsmoke's" run.)

But that's about to change. Fox has just renewed "The Simpsons" for TWO MORE seasons, which means the show will have, at least, a 22-season run. Obviously, that will give "The Simpsons" the record . . . and since "Gunsmoke" went off the air in 1975, there's nothing "Gunsmoke" can do about it. (--That is . . . assuming the CW network isn't planning on bringing it back or something.) Still, "Gunsmoke" aired more EPISODES. Including the 44 new episodes over the next two years, "The Simpsons" will be sitting at 493 episodes. "Gunsmoke" had 635.

YOU MIGHT BE THE ONE

HERE ARE EIGHT QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE FOUND "THE ONE":

On some level, all of us are looking for someone to spend the rest of our lives with . . . even if we won't admit it. But how would you even know if you'd found them? Well, here are EIGHT questions to ask your yourself . . . to help you figure out whether the two of you could go the distance.

#1.) How well would the two of you manage your money?

#2.) How do you feel about starting a family with the person?

#3.) If you got sick, would they take care of you?

#4.) Do you envision growing old together?

#5.) Do either of you think about your exes? And if so, in what way?

#6.) Has your partner ever told you they scared their ex in any way . . . like when they got mad?

#7.) Are you good at problem solving?

#8.) How do you deal with "screwups"? (Yahoo Personals)

(--You can get an in-depth explanation of specifically HOW these questions can help you determine if you've found "The One" here . . .)

http://dating.personals.yahoo.com/singles/relationships/24234/dating-101-how-to-tell-when-youre-ready-to-commit

YOU CAN BEAT THE RECESSION

HERE ARE NINE REASONS WHY THE RECESSION COULD BE GOOD FOR YOUR LOVE LIFE:

The economy stinks right now . . . but I'm still trying to look on the bright side of things. So if you're in a relationship, here are NINE reasons why the recession might actually be GOOD for your love life.

#1.) Since everybody is trying to save money right now, you don't have to shell out cash on expensive dates.

#2.) If you're with someone who just got laid off . . . it means they have more time and energy to pamper you.

#3.) The money you'd save on rent could be just the motivation you need to FINALLY advance your relationship . . . by moving in together.

#4.) Since you don't have money to go out anymore, you're probably going to spend a lot of nights at home . . . just the two of you. Nothing wrong with that.

#5.) The fact that you both got canned means you have time to get to know each other better.

#6.) It's easy to entertain yourself when you have money to burn. But when you don't, you have to get creative. (--Wink wink. . .)

#7.) Chances are you're eating in a lot more these days. Fortunately, cooking is the perfect activity to bring you closer together.

#8.) You can use all your free time to get back in shape . . . together.

#9.) If you're hemorrhaging money to keep your long-distance relationship going, you might realize you'd rather have the money . . . than the relationship. That stinks, but at least you know how you feel now. (CNN)

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HERE ARE FOUR REASONS WHY ONLINE DATING IS RECESSION-PROOF:

In the last six months, major corporations like Lehman Brothers have been forced to close their doors, and others . . . like General Motors and Chrysler . . . probably would have gone under if not for federal bailout funds. But listen to this . . .

According to the "New York Times", the dating website Match.com just had its strongest fourth quarter (--which means a three-month span) . . . in the last SEVEN YEARS. That got me thinking . . . and I've come up with a list of FOUR reasons why online dating is recession-proof.

#1.) No matter how bad the economy gets, single people will NEVER stop looking for ways to get some. In other words, until someone comes up with a better way for singles to have access to thousands of other singles, online dating will continue to be profitable.

#2.) One of the worst parts of a bad first date is that you had to spend money on dinner . . . just to find out that your date is a total freak. But dating online lets you narrow your options for FREE over email, IM and the phone.

#3.) If you're strapped for cash, a quick look at a potential date's online dating profile will help you get an idea if they're a gold-digger. If that's the case, you just move on.

#4.) The whole point of online dating is to make a real connection . . . in order to share your life with another person. And it just so happens that sharing your life . . . and your home and bills . . . with another person is way more cost-effective than living alone. (CNN)

FOR YOUR HEALTH

**FOUR HEALTH TESTS YOU CAN DO AT HOME***

How's your health? Most people assume they're doing fine when they FEEL fine, and get regular check-ups. But even if you see your doctor on a regular basis, some things can slip through the cracks. So here are four general health tests that you can do YOURSELF . . .

#1.) TEST YOUR BALANCE. People with bad balance are much more likely to have their ankles or knees give out. To test yours, stand with your feet heel to toe and your arms at your side. Close your eyes and count to ten. If you wobble, you're off balance.

- Practice standing on one leg. Your balance will improve as the stabilizing muscles in your legs get stronger.

#2.) TEST YOUR EARS. Have a friend stand three feet from you . . . facing the other way . . . then have a conversation. If you miss the ends of words or sentences, get your ears checked. People who listen to music through headphones are much more at risk.

#3.) TEST YOUR LUNGS. Hold a lit candle at arm's length, then open your mouth and try to blow it out without pursing your lips. If you can't do it, you might have a respiratory problem like chronic bronchitis or early-stage asthma.

#4.) TEST YOUR POSTURE. Stand like you normally do, then have someone take a photo of you from the side. Your head should be in line with your shoulders . . . not leaning forward or back . . . and your shoulders should be in line with your ears.

--Bad posture can cause hip and back problems. To improve yours, stand in a doorway, and hold the sides of the door frame at the 9 and 3 o'clock. Lean forward and stretch for several seconds, then put your hands higher on the door frame and repeat the stretch. (Yahoo.com)

TOOTH FAIRY

HOW MUCH SHOULD THE "TOOTH FAIRY" GIVE FOR EACH TOOTH???

When I was a kid, I loved getting money from the tooth fairy. But I noticed that some of my friends got more money from the tooth fairy than I did . . . and some of them got less.

That begs the question: How much SHOULD the tooth fairy give per tooth?

Well, according to a recent survey, more than HALF of all dentists think $1 is an appropriate amount, 16% think $2 is appropriate . . . and 17% think the going rate should be $5 per tooth. (PR Newswire)

So you know, kids have 20 "baby" teeth. At $5 a pop, you'd have to shell out $100.

JEWEL'S NASTY FOOT

JEWEL INJURED HERSELF PRACTICING FOR "DANCING WITH THE STARS" . . . AND SHE MAY HAVE TO QUIT THE SHOW:

"Dancing with the Stars" already has its first injured contestant of the season . . . and the competition hasn't even STARTED yet. Yesterday, JEWEL posted a message on her blog . . . announcing that her knees have been taking a lot of wear-and-tear during the "Dancing" rehearsals. And it's even gotten to the point where she had to shut it down . . . and go to a doctor.

She wrote, "Well, I feel kinda bummed today. I guess I really over did it on the rehearsal front! My knees have been hurting so badly that I finally broke down and talked to [my husband] TY [MURRAY]'S knee doctor yesterday. "He said I have tendonitis in my knees and that I have to start a course of medicine to try and bring the swelling down. Ty warned me I was over doing it, and now he got a big ol' 'I told you so' in. "The worst part is that I can't rehearse for the next couple days. Now I'm just worried I won't even be able to dance! Hopefully these steroids will really do the trick and I can keep bad flare ups at bay in the future."

Later yesterday, she released another statement that sounded more optimistic. She said, "Yes it is true, I've had a minor setback in my training for 'Dancing with the Stars'. But I am dedicated to getting better . . . don't count me out as I am in this for the long run."

(--Earlier this month, Jewel posted a GNARLY picture of the damage all the rehearsing has done to her feet. . . .)

The eighth season of "Dancing with the Stars" will premiere on Monday, March 9th. (--We'll be sure to let you know if Jewel DOES have to quit.)

FUN VIDEOS

CHECK OUT THIS CRAZY FISH WITH A TRANSPARENT HEAD:

In 1939, scientists first discovered the Barreleye fish . . . or the Spookfish, as it's sometimes called . . . which is an unusual deep-sea fish with a TRANSPARENT HEAD. But it wasn't until recently that researchers realized the Barreleye's tube-shaped eyes can be pointed either straight ahead, or directly UPWARD . . . which allows it to see food or prey by looking THROUGH THE TOP OF ITS HEAD. (--Pretty cool, right?) (MSNBC)

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Here's a video that shows how incredible 3-D sidewalk art is made.(Search Terms: crevasse making of 3D street art)

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Can a blender handle snow skis? In this video series called "Will It Blend?", a guy finds out that, yes, it can. (--Note: He starts blending the skis at :37.)

http://www.youtube.com/user/Blendtec
(Search Terms: "Will It Blend?" snow skis global warming)

TAX BREAKS

TAX BREAKS IN PRESIDENT OBAMA'S STIMULUS PLAN WILL SAVE AMERICANS $1,179 ON AVERAGE:

Last week, PRESIDENT OBAMA signed his economic stimulus package into law. But all you really care about is how much money the plan is going to save YOU . . . right? Of course.

Well, according to a nonpartisan research group called the Tax Policy Center, 97% of Americans are eligible for a tax break under Obama's stimulus plan . . . with an average savings of $1,179. (CNN Money)

(--You can get a more in-depth look at just how much money you'll SAVE . . . based on how much money you EARN . . . here . . .)

http://finance.yahoo.com/taxes/article/106626/Your-Share-of-Stimulus-Tax-Breaks

HOW TO BE A GOOD PARENT

***FIVE SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL PARENTS***

Parenting is one of the hardest jobs out there. The hours are long and the sick days are non-existent. Every parent has bad days, but these five secrets of successful parenting can make life with kids a whole lot easier . . .

#1.) TAKE A BREAK. When you have a screaming baby or a teenager with an attitude, it's hard to stay calm. So make sure your child is someplace safe, then take a ten-minute break from the stressful situation. Always protect your own sanity. You won't be a good parent without it.

#2.) SET A TIMER. When your kids are being brats, tell them you'll commit ten or fifteen minutes to helping them . . . but THAT'S IT. Chances are, things will calm down before their time's up, but if not, the dinging of a timer can signal to young kids that it's time to move on.

#3.) GET CREATIVE. As a parent, it's important to experiment and find out what works. Your infant might calm down when you turn on John Mayer. Your teenager might open up to you over a latte at Starbucks. The point is, you won't know until you try.

--Just remember, what works today WON'T necessarily work tomorrow.

#4.) SET EXPECTATIONS. With older kids . . . even 3 and 4-year-olds . . . you might be surprised at what they can accomplish with a little motivation. But be realistic. Your 4-year-old isn't going to play quietly for two hours, but 20 minutes isn't out of the question.

#5.) IMAGINE A PERFECT DAY. Write down what your ideal day as a parent would be. Then think about what needs to happen to get there. Knowing what you want will show you what you can improve on. And many times, little changes can make a BIG difference.(SheKnows.com)

LOVERS QUARRELS

***FOUR COMMON MARRIAGE PROBLEMS . . . AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM***

When you feel like your marriage is strong, it's easy to put other obligations first and take EACH OTHER for granted. So watch out for these four common marriage problems, and you'll stay on track . . .

#1.) BAD-MOUTHING. Venting is fine, but constantly bad-mouthing your better half when you're talking to others can actually CAUSE problems. Your friends will start to think your marriage is a disaster, and you'll forget why you got married in the first place.

--TO FIX THE PROBLEM . . . Put the privacy back in your marriage, and stop sharing EVERY detail with your friends and family.

#2.) AVOIDING FIGHTS. As bad as it is to complain to outsiders, it's just as destructive to suffer in silence. Holding back your true feelings just to avoid confrontation will eventually make you resentful.

--TO FIX THE PROBLEM . . . Simply say what you feel. If you don't talk about something that's bothering you, because you think it's pointless and nothing will change, that ITSELF is a problem.

#3.) FIGHTING OVER YOUR STUFF. If you argue about why she has so many trashy romance novels stacked next to the already-full bookshelf . . . or why he just HAS to keep all six of his ratty old baseball hats . . . you're not alone.

--Picking on each other's possessions is usually another way of saying "I don't like this about you! Why won't you change?"

--TO FIX THE PROBLEM . . . Make concessions. If the stuff is genuinely important to one of you, then the other person should back down. But if it's just a bunch of CRAP, agree to each sell one or two things, then start a fund for something you BOTH want.

#4.) FEELING DISTANT. When you're both busy with work, the kids, and your own interests, you can go days without having a real conversation. But when you eliminate quality time from your marriage, you risk getting too casual about your relationship.

--TO FIX THE PROBLEM . . . Make time. Don't miss your kid's soccer game, but DO share a slice of pizza in the stands. OR, if you zone out in front of the TV every night, turn it off for 20 minutes and play a board game.

--Whatever you do, make sure the little time you have together is QUALITY TIME. (Family Circle Magazine)

MELTED STUFF

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU PUT RANDOM STUFF IN THE MICROWAVE:

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you put common household items . . . like a bar of soap or a string of Christmas lights . . . in the microwave?

Well, we found a website . . . called GreenSock.com . . . where you can watch videos of household items being destroyed in the microwave. (Digg)

(--Take a look here . . .) http://www.greensock.com/portfolio/MicroManiac/index.html

BAND OF GOLD

THE AVERAGE ENGAGEMENT RING COSTS $6,348:

Ladies . . . I know you want the wedding of your dreams . . . but what the wedding industry is doing is downright criminal. Let's crunch some numbers . . .

Yesterday, a website called Brides.com released its annual American Wedding Study. According to the report: The average engagement ring costs $6,348.

--The average cost for the two wedding bands . . . both his and hers . . . is $1,575.

--And the average cost of the wedding itself is $28,082.

If you add up those numbers, it means you can expect to spend just north of $36,000 to get married this year. And that's not even counting the cost of the honeymoon. PR Newswire)

The best deal in town is on the DJ.. Check out www.nazzydjs.com for the best price!!

SINGLE LADIES - GET YOUR DANCE ON!

BEYONCÉ IS HOLDING A "SINGLE LADIES" DANCE CONTEST:

Can you really GET DOWN to BEYONCÉ'S hit, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"??? If so, Beyoncé has just announced a contest that you should know about.

Here's the deal: Fans can submit video of themselves dancing along to her "Single Ladies" routine. The winner will take home $2,500 . . . and their video will be shown during her upcoming world tour.

There is one catch: You can't add ANY of your own choreography. Your performance must mirror the official dance that Beyoncé and her dancers do in the original video.

(--You can check out that video, here . . .)http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1911416434/bclid143947384/bctid1861298211

(--This reminds me of the AWESOME "Saturday Night Live" sketch, where Beyoncé parodied the video with JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE. Here's that video . . .)http://video.aol.com/video-detail/single-ladies-parody-live-saturday-night-live/1601190584

The contest runs from now through NEXT Friday, March 6th. (--For more information . . . including all the contest rules, hit up this link . . .) http://www.beyonceonline.com/us/news/beyoncé-announces-official-single-ladies-dance-video-contest

OSCAR NIGHT RECAP

HEATH LEDGER WON . . . BUT BEN STILLER WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE OSCARS:

I'm going to do you a favor. I'm going to release you. Every year, on a Sunday evening, the Oscars go down. And every year, on the following Monday morning, we act like we care who won what.

The thing is, we almost universally DON'T. And that's OKAY. I know the media makes you think you have to care about this garbage, but YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION. As I said, I release you.

Instead of counting beans, I'm just going to give you the IMPORTANT stuff that happened. And when you subtract HUGH JACKMAN'S song-and-dance numbers, there's not much. What most people probably want to know is, did HEATH LEDGER win Best Supporting Actor? He did. His father, mother and sister accepted the award on behalf of Heath . . . and his daughter MATILDA. Everybody cried.

Here's video . . . http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=f3d59f08-2553-4753-b1d6-39b5fa7929ed

Heath is only the second actor to win posthumously. The first was PETER FINCH, who won Best Actor for "Network" in 1977 . . . two months after his death.

"Slumdog Millionaire" won Best Picture, Best Director and SIX other awards . . . meaning it won eight of the 10 it was nominated for.

In the other major categories, KATE WINSLET won Best Actress, PENELOPE CRUZ won Best Supporting Actress and SEAN PENN won Best Actor for "Milk" . . . the true story of one of the first openly-gay politicians in U.S. history.

THE greatest moment of the night was when BEN STILLER presented an award in character as JOAQUIN PHOENIX from his insane "Letterman" appearance. Check out that chaos here . . .

--And here's the original Joaquin Phoenix / David Letterman debacle . . . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/11/joaquin-phoenixs-bizarre_n_166229.html

One last note . . . and I guess this will matter to some of you: JENNIFER ANISTON presented an award . . . on a night when BRAD PITT and ANGELINA JOLIE were nominated for Best Actor and Actress. The camera even panned to Angelina at one point, and she was laughing at the lame, award show banter between Jennifer and JACK BLACK. (--Jack and Angelina "co-starred", if you recall, in "Kung Fu Panda".) Aniston was also shown in the audience a few times during the night, sitting next to boyfriend JOHN MAYER. (--Check out video of Jennifer and Jack here . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=demKJP8lxqo

FLY IN COMFORT

***FOUR WAYS TO FLY COACH IN COMFORT***

The ever-struggling airlines are slashing services, raising fees, and charging tons of money for things that used to be FREE. So knowing how to get the most for your money is important. Here are four ways to make sure you fly coach in comfort . . .

#1.) CHOOSE YOUR AIRLINE WISELY. JetBlue offers a whopping 34 inches of legroom compared to the standard 31 inches on other airlines. Southwest offers BIGGER seats and doesn't charge for pillows, blankets and in-flight snacks.

#2.) PICK YOUR SEATS CAREFULLY. Most carriers now charge extra for exit row seats, but the extra room is often worth the price. But seats IN FRONT of an exit row only recline a few inches, so avoid them if you have back problems or plan on relaxing.

--If you end up with a middle seat, ask if there are any seats between two people with the same last name. Since they're traveling together, they'll probably give up their aisle or window seat so they can sit next to each other.

#3.) CHECK IN EARLY. You can usually select seats online up to 90 days before departure, but you have another shot at it during check in. Check in online 24 hours before you board and you'll have a better chance at snagging a decent seat.

#4.) SAVE YOUR FREQUENT-FLIER MILES. Instead of using them on a free flight, rack them up until you reach "elite status". It's your golden ticket for upgrades, priority boarding, and free exit row seats.

--Plus, some airlines even waive their CHECKED LUGGAGE fees for "elite" members. (Travel & Leisure)

ATLANTIS FOUND ON THE NET?

Atlantis found on Google Ocean?

Experts say a "grid of streets" spotted on Google Ocean could be the lost city of Atlantis.

The network of criss-cross lines is 620 miles off the coast of north west Africa near the Canary Islands on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The perfect rectangle, around the size of Wales, was noticed on the search giant's underwater exploration tool by an aeronautical engineer who claims it looks like an "aerial map" of a city. Atlantis experts said that the unexplained grid is located at one of the possible sites of the legendary island, reports The Sun.

Greek philosopher Plato described how the city sank beneath the ocean after its residents made a failed effort to conquer Athens around 9000 BC.