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Misha Defonseca's memoir left a sticky trail of lies about escaping Nazis and living with wolves. (It turns out wolf saliva isn't an antiseptic.) Tired of careless fabricators, Slate writes a how-to for aspiring fakers: Keep it vague. Dates are verifiable—"awhile" is not. Watch out for tattling siblings. Revenge can be dirty, especially if you kill them off in your faux memoir (as Margaret Seltzer recently discovered). Check your paper trail. That goes for elementary school registers, which gave away Defonseca's real whereabouts. More »

Americans need a vacation—badly—with fewer than two-thirds of workers using their allotted time last year, reports Forbes . But not everyone's idea of fun is vegging out . Here are top-notch US getaways for those who like active travel: Kapalua Resort, Maui, Hawaii: Golf, bird-watching and a marine-life preserves. Golden Door Resort, Escondido, California: Feel revived at the nation's top stand-alone spa. Walden Country Inn and Stables, Aurora, Ohio: Ride horseback on 32 acres of trails. More »

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but performance isn't. Here are the 11 vehicles Consumer Reports rates the worst in this year's testing: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited: Handles like a tank Hummer H3: Poor visibility, fuel economy Jeep Liberty Sport: Noisy, poor finish, fuel economy Chevrolet Aveo5: Sluggish, poor handling Dodge Nitro SLT: Poor ride, handling, fuel economy More »

Despite rigorous testing, some drugs have side effects that only rear their ugly heads when introduced to the general population. Forbes catalogs some of the weirdest: Anti-smoking drug Chantix can cause insomnia and nightmares. Diet drug Alli can have unforeseen gastrointestinal side-effects; these can be counteracted by eating a low-fat diet , of all things. Mirapex, prescribed for Parkinson's and restless-leg-syndrome patients, can lead to compulsive-eating and gambling urges. More »

After spending thousands of dollars on a handbag, you might not be able to afford anything to put inside it—so choose wisely. Forbes outlines the best in "it" bags: Hermes Kelly Bag, $5,000 and up: Embrace your inner Grace Kelly with the original "it" bag, made famous by the actress in 1956. More »

A good hotel provides comfort; a great hotel ... inspiration? Artists touched up the staid look of these hotels, selected by Budget Travel for their fake-fur tapestry, psychedelic mazes, and speckled French graffiti: The Winston, Amsterdam: This avant-garde hotel once displayed dead leaves; check out the Playnation room's trippy ceiling mural and 3-D robot. The New Majestic, Singapore: This mural-packed pied-a-terre surrounds guests with giant turtles and Mickey Mouse ears. More »

The ever-pricier euro is sending determined travelers east, past the Eiffel Tower, to overlooked treasures like Prague's Old Town Square. Check out cheaper, Eastern European must-sees as recommended by Forbes : Peterhof State Museum-Reserve, St. Petersburg, Russia: These palaces and 18th-century gardens rival those of Versailles. Plitvice Lakes National Park, Plitvice Lakes, Croatia: Nature lovers can camp among 16 lakes, a dozen waterfalls, and 140 species of birds. More »

Stressing out at work can negate the effects of that heart-healthy oatmeal you had for breakfast, Forbes reports. To avoid being that one of every three Americans with cardiovascular disease, adopt these work-day habits: Drink water instead of cola, coffee, or tea. Take the stairs; walk a few blocks at lunch. Stretch your upper back and neck after sitting for a while. Forget the value meal; keep lunch light. More »

Inspiring melodies and tongue-twisting rhymes may issue from their pipes, but for some rockers the sound passes through a terrifying portal. Blender inspects the 10 worst sets of teeth in music, starting with the bottom of the barrel. Pogues frontman Shane McGowan's utterly decomposed dents Amy Winehouse's missing canine Young David Bowie, pre-American makeover Trick Daddy's gold grill; more like precious dentures More »

City streets are tight, and the stop-and-go driving eats up over-priced gas. Then there’s the parking … if you can find it. Forbes says urbanites should consider one of these city-friendly rides: Audi A3: Handles well, loaded with safety features, tiny turning radius Mazda3: Great at dodging potholes, safe MINI Cooper: Easy to park, fuel-efficient, airbags galore More »

Even the presidential candidates who miss out on the White House will feel the effects of their campaigns for years to come. The mad dash to the Oval Office—speeches all day, deadline pressures, cross-country tours—puts tremendous stress on the body. Forbes takes on the low points: Sleep deprivation, leading to memory losses and risky decision-making. Poor diets, causing that waist to grow (Clinton favors ice cream; Obama, French fries). More »

For 10 agonizing minutes, you think you've lost it: You're sweating and dizzy, your heart is racing, and you can't breathe. More than 25% of people experience the complete lack of control of a panic attack. Fight back with these tips from MSNBC: Remind yourself that a panic attack cannot harm you. Tell others what you're experiencing. More »

In the Academy Awards' 80-year history, many classic films, performers, and directors have been robbed of their statues. CNN's Screening Room names the 10 most crushing Oscars that weren't, many of which lost out to—gulp—musicals: 1941: Seminal Citizen Kane loses to sappy How Green Was My Valley 1956: James Dean gets bested by The King and I's Yul Brynner 1958: Vertigo's Hitchcock loses best director to the man behind Gigi More »

Natty British designer Paul Smith outlines his do's and don'ts for the 21st-century gentlemen in a cagey Details interview . Cologne lovers, beware: T-shirts seem easy, but they're a big no-no; go with a collar. A good, bland haircut is better than a failed stylish one. Women first! Don't ignore them in favor of a pal at dinner. Dress for the occasion, but chuck the bow tie if no one else is wearing. More »

Looking to mend a well-trodden heart with a solo adventure? From serene fishing villages to culture-packed cities, several destinations can be just the ticket. For those who prefer to go it alone, IgoUgo readers recommend: Vienna Rio de Janeiro Florence Parque Nacional Volcan Baru, Panama Marseille, France More »

Wealth can present its own obstacles to romantic success. Here are TheStreet.com's dating tips for landing a woman who doesn't just love the money: Lose your PDA/Blackberry/etc. Whatever it is, it's not that important. Focus on the person right in front of you. Do pick up the check—it's only right. She can get the next one. Don't pick up the waitress. For that matter, don't flirt with anyone. Don't spend more than $100 on a first date. No. 2 notwithstanding, avoid indulging in ostentatious spending sprees. More »

Despite several assassination attempts against Fidel Castro, the Cuban president stepped down Tuesday on his own terms. The CIA came up with at least eight sometimes-kooky ways to oust the leader, CNN reports, most of which were not carried out: Chemical attack on the air of his radio station. Cigars treated to cause disorientation or his beard to fall out. More »

Middle-class millionaires are carving out a luxe lifestyle to define their 16.5-million strong group, Forbes reports. And while the $1 million to $10 million stashed in the bank doesn’t make them all that rich, that doesn't put much of a dent in lavish spending habits: Mega-home improvements, to the tune of $150,000 yoga rooms. Haute couture jewelry, complete with 11-carat diamonds. More »

The silver screen has seen countless memorable romances; unfortunately, it has also produced a host of bizarre on-screen hook-ups. Yahoo! Movies runs down the 10 worst: Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte in I Love Trouble The original Bennifer in Gigli Anne Heche and Harrison Ford in Six Days, Seven Nights Kevin Spacey (Bobby Darin) and Kate Bosworth (Sandra Dee) in Beyond the Sea More »

The Internet probably doesn’t need more false information, but some of the recent hoaxes have been so good that ComputerWorld had to recognize them. Here’s their list of best new tomfoolery: GoogleTV made thousands log into GMail over and over and over. Many thought the UFO Haiti video was proof we weren’t alone. More »