Jobs You Can Run Away To

Get a (New) Life
If you have fantasies of picking up, packing up and starting a new life somewhere, then one of these jobs may be a great fit for you. Continue clicking through our gallery to learn the pros and cons about jobs that you can run away to.

Jobs You Can Run Away To

Cruise Ship Jobs

On one level, cruise ship jobs seem amazingly glamorous. After all, employees receive free food, accomodations, medical care, airline tickets and uniforms. They often don't have to pay taxes, get discounted cruise rates for family members, and can travel for free. As many cruise ship job sites point out, passengers pay thousands of dollars per week to see the same sites that employees enjoy for free.

On the other hand, cruise ships can get claustrophobic after a while, and many jobs are far from wonderful. After all, when somebody gets seasick, a cruise ship employee has to clean it up, and chances are that the captain won't be the one wielding the mop. Still, cruise ships offer a dizzying array of jobs, a chance to escape to exotic climes, and a steady income, most of which can be banked. Anchors aweigh!

Jobs You Can Run Away To

The French Foreign Legion

Long the stuff of legend, it's surprisingly easy to join the French Foreign Legion. If you are male non-felon between the ages of 17 and 40 in relatively good physical shape, simply present yourself with a form of identification to one of the 11 information offices in France, go to the recruitment officer, and say "voluntaire pour Legion." If you pass the subsequent physical and mental tests, you won't have to make any decisions for the next five years: the Legion will clothe, feed, and house you, as well as give you a new name and all the medical care that you need.

The next five years will be a whirlwind of education, combat, and almost constant training. You will pick up a lot of French, and will constantly engage in hand-to-hand combat with other members of your unit. In all likelihood, you will also travel: depending on where your unit is stationed, you may get to visit Africa, Asia, South America or Europe. At the end of your five year stint, you can choose to re-enlist or can leave the Legion. As an added benefit, you will qualify for French citizenship.

Jobs You Can Run Away To

Park Rangers

Full-time Park Rangers earn a salary of between $24,000 and $37,000 and often receive free housing, in addition to other benefits. Unfortunately, these jobs are tenured and competition is fierce. In addition to a bachelor's degree in park management, natural history, forestry, or a related major, applicants need extensive experience as seasonal rangers or interns.

On the bright side, there are a variety of seasonal jobs available from the National Park Service. The education and experience required depends on the position, and interested parties can apply at USAJOBS, the US Federal government's job site. While park ranger jobs were cut after 2006, it seems likely that these could be among the first positions to benefit from the US government's stimulus plan.

Jobs You Can Run Away To

Nanny

Salaries for live-in nannies vary wildly, depending upon the area, the family, and the nanny's qualifications. In general, nannies in major cities get $18-20 per hour, while live-in childcare in less costly areas is about half that. Entry-level nannies with high school degrees can expect roughly $400 per week, while experienced, trained nannies can expect $1000 per week or more.

While live-in nannies may not qualify for time-and-a-half overtime wages, they still are legally entitled to time off and other benefits. Many nannies get complete compensation packages, including subsidized health insurance, paid vacations, gym memberships, cell phones, and educational allowances.

Jobs You Can Run Away To

Overseas English Teacher

While many Americans feel qualified to teach some form of English, most overseas language schools are interested in teachers with at least a Bachelor's degree, preferably in a language-related field. However, for those who didn't major in linguistics or English as a second language (ESL) education, training is widely available, both in person and as a correspondence course. Two common programs are teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). Numerous sites offer teaching jobs, but it is wise to consult with friends who have done this before, as school quality varies wildly.

Jobs You Can Run Away To

House Mother

If you're a woman who is over 40 years old who enjoys dealing with adolescents and has experience with running a household, hotel, or small country, this might be the job for you. Basically, a house mother is in charge of the environment of a sorority or fraternity. She deals with the house's staff, plans meals, handles minor disasters, and generally makes sure that her charges' lives run smoothly. Jobs usually include free rent and meals and come with a reasonable salary. Since they are attached to a university, house mother positions may allow you to take advantage of many of the cultural and educational attractions available at your school. Best of all, you get to deal with the wonderful drama of a household full of college girls!

Jobs You Can Run Away To

Ranch Hand

Running away to work on a farm is one of the classic escapist American fantasies. While the dude ranches of the nineteenth century have almost disappeared, there is still a huge livestock industry and plenty of jobs for people with experience in animal husbandry. Depending on the type of ranch, workers can do a wide variety of jobs, including training horses, caring for livestock, taking care of children or young adults, performing general farm work, maintaining corrals, and cooking. While education for this work is generally vocational, some areas will train employees to do the specialized jobs that they require. Depending on the position, the area, the employer, and your level of knowledge, pay and benefits can range wildly. Ranch Work is a good starting place to get a feeling for available jobs, salary possibilities, and benefits involved.

Jobs You Can Run Away To

Camp Counselor

If you sometimes find yourself obsessively watching Meatballs, then camp work might be perfect for you. While salaries vary based on position and experience, you can expect to make a couple of hundred dollars per week, in addition to room, board, and free use of recreational facilities. Positions include lifeguard, counselor, kitchen staff, administrative staff, nursing staff, and maintenance staff, and are available across the country. Added benefits include fresh air, beautiful scenery, and a 50% chance of waking up with your hand in a pot of warm water!

Jobs You Can Run Away To

Migrant Farm Worker

While not quite as bad as The Grapes of Wrath, migrant farm work is tough, and you'll often find yourself in competition with people who are willing to work for next to nothing. On the bright side, however, the world wide opportunities on organic farms network (WWOOF) offers a variety of positions on organic farms around the world. In return for helping with farm work, volunteers receive free food and board. Some farms charge a small organizational fee, but many are free. Best of all, if you've ever wanted to harvest grapes in France, wheat in Italy, or oranges in Israel, this is your chance!

Jobs You Can Run Away To

Celebrity Spinoffs

David Beckham
Surely you know about Beckham's prowess on the soccer field. But did you know this London-born athlete also sells two fragrances called "Instinct" and "Intimately"? A third scent, dubbed "Homme by David Beckham," is currently in development. And these scents bring in some sweet money for the soccer star. In fact, 80% of Beckham's 2011 earnings - which Forbes estimates will total $40 million - come from product endorsements and partnerships. And Beckham isn't done pushing products yet. By year's end, he plans to launch his own underwear and grooming businesses. Not a bad idea -- since the L.A. Galaxy midfielder isn't too shabby looking in a pair of underwear.

Celebrity Spinoffs

Beyoncé Knowles
When Beyoncé sang "Independent Women" and her new hit, "Run the World (Girls)," I guess she really meant it. Despite the fact that her superstar hubby, Jay Z, has some pretty deep pockets, Beyoncé continues to bring home her own bacon - thank you very much - to the tune of $35 million in 2011. Not content with pulling in acting royalties and music-related earnings, Beyoncé keeps her personal cash register ringing courtesy of her Dereon clothing line and endorsement deals with a host of companies ranging from L'Oreal and DirecTV to General Mills. Talk about female empowerment! Plus, Bey is known to be a rare breed among celebs - a frugal kind of gal.

Celebrity Spinoffs

Justin Bieber
My 13-year-old daughter definitely has a bad case of Bieber fever - and so do millions of other teens, tweens and even their moms. All that love has helped the Canadian singer move well beyond the stage to amass a growing business brand. The Bieb has an impressive, if unlikely, mix of products he sells or lends his name to. There's that funky nail polish - with colors like "Baby Blue" - that teenagers especially go crazy over. It's officially called the One Less Lonely Girl nail polish collection for Nicole by OPI, and it's sold exclusively at Walmart, which said that within a few short weeks of its debut, all six of the line's launch colors sold out at more than 3,000 stores across America. The teen sensation also markets a "Someday" fragrance for women as well as a unisex fragrance called "My World." JB has even just inked a merchandising deal with the Middleton family - as in, Prince William's new bride, the former Kate Middleton. The Bieb will be selling piñatas and the "Justin Bieber Party Kit" for the Middleton family's party planning business. Bieber's 2011 earnings? A cool $53 million.

Celebrity Spinoffs

Gisele Bundchen
Since she spends much of her time sporting itty-bitty bikinis and barely-there underwear, perhaps it's no surprise that this year, Gisele will bank mega-bucks - I'm talking $64 million - thanks in large part to lingerie sales. In addition to doing her thing on the catwalk, Gisele has her own skincare line, Sejaa, and lucrative collaborations with Hope lingerie and Ipanema sandals. It must be nice to be a fashion icon, a happily married mom, and the world's top-earning supermodel.

Celebrity Spinoffs

Diddy
The entertainment mogul formerly known as Sean "Puffy" Combs first stormed on the business scene with his Bad Boy record label. Then came his Sean Jean clothing line. But these days, Diddy is probably popping the champagne - or, more likely, the vodka - to celebrate his $475 million net worth and his $35 million in annual earnings. Half of Diddy's yearly pay comes from his deal helping to sell Ciroc vodka. And with Diddy's marketing savvy, Ciroc sales are up dramatically.

Celebrity Spinoffs

Bethenny Frankel
You might think that television viewers would be turned off by seeing a grown woman - 8 months pregnant and squeezed into a wedding dress - peeing into a silver champagne bucket on national TV. Not so for Bethenny Frankel of "The Real Housewives of New York" fame. Her audience loves, loves, loves her willingness to bare it all - and be upfront about her zany life.

A gushing profile on the cover of Forbes has further raised Frankel's profile, especially since the magazine called her the "It" girl of reality TV, crowned her "one of Hollywood's leading entrepreneurs," and asked "Can Bethenny Crack a Billion?" As in, a billion dollars. She's apparently well on her way, having sold her Skinnygirl line of cocktails to Fortune Brands' Beam Global for $100 million. Beyond that, Frankel is a virtual product machine, bringing in $55 million in fiscal 2011 alone on everything from liquor to books.

Celebrity Spinoffs

This tennis pro does well on the court. But off the court, she really aces the competition. Not only is Sharapova the top-grossing female athlete in America, she also happens to make ten times as much from retail partnership deals than she does swinging a racquet. Sharapova is expected to bank $24.2 million in 2011, most of it thanks to Nike, which pays her royalties on her lines of tennis apparel, and Cole Haan, which reports that Sharapova's ballet flat is a top-selling shoe.

While celebrity products can range from the outright fabulous to the utterly ridiculous, what they all have in common is that these stars are strategically using their fame - not to mention the power of the Internet - to reach a wider audience than ever before.

That's just one reason Hollywood A-listers and other bold-faced names aren't just getting rich by selling their own merchandise. Many, like rapper 50 Cent, don't have to actually sell a thing. They can just talk up a product - and do it publicly to their fan base. And the next thing you know...ka-ching! Celebrities can even make money Tweeting about products.

Maria Sharapopva
Clearly, gone are the days when entertainers and athletes only acted, sang or played pro sports for a living. Today, it's all about building a personal brand - and owning or licensing it, of course.

"I think people are going to look at Bethenny Frankel and the amount of money she made and think, 'Whoa, I should be building ownership in companies and brands, too,' " Bob Darwell, a partner at law firm Sheppard Mullin, which represents Frankel, recently told Forbes.

The actress herself was even more blunt in speaking to Forbes: "What's the point of being on TV," Frankel asked, "if you don't have something to sell?"

Celebrity Spinoffs

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

Although it is nearly impossible to get an exact number for the amount of money lost to counterfeit goods each year, sources estimate that businesses lose $225 billion in sales in the United States alone.

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

Shoes:
The relationship between legitimate and counterfeit sales is not fully clear. A Nike employee speaking to The New York Times on the condition of anonymity, said it probably doesn't cut into their profits. The executive considered it "a form of flattery."
(Counterfeit item: top photo, Real item: bottom photo)

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

Jewelry:
Online shopping has made the sale of counterfeit jewelry widespread. According to experts, the easiest way to avoid fake goods is to stay away from "discount" sellers and to buy merchandise directly from the company.
(Counterfeit item: top photo, Real item: bottom photo)

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

iPods:
Even iPods can be faked. Thankfully, it can be easy to spot one if you know what you're looking for. Counterfeits usually have flawed versions of Apple's "clickwheels."
(Counterfeit item: left photo, Real item: right photo)

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

Watches:
Rolex customers can often avoid buying a counterfeit watch by making sure the watch features a hologram-encoded sticker on the caseback. All genuine Rolex watches feature these stickers when they are shipped from the factory.
(Counterfeit item: left photo, Real item: right photo)

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

Handbags:
Handbags are widely counterfeited and it can often be hard to distinguish the real from the fake. When it comes to Louis Vuitton bags, the easiest way spot a fake is to know where you're buying it from. The company's products are sold exclusively in Louis Vuitton stores and through a small number of authorized dealers.
(Counterfeit item: top photo, Real item: bottom photo)

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

Pharmaceuticals:
Although counterfeit drugs present a problem in the US, it's a far bigger issue for other parts of the world. According to the World Health Organization, counterfeit drugs range from less than 1% of drugs in developed countries to over 30% in some developing countries.

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

Cigarettes:
China's counterfeit cigarette industry is growing at an extraordinary pace. According to the Center for Public Integrity, the country now produces 400 billion counterfeit cigarettes each year. That's enough to give each person on the planet two packs of cigarettes.
(Counterfeit item: left photo, Real item: right photo)

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

UGG boots:
Counterfeited UGG boots are easily available online. In an attempt to limit the sales of the fakes, the company provides a "Counterfeit website Look Up" to confirm whether a site is an authorized dealer or not.
(Counterfeit item: left photo, Real item: right photo)

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

NFL Merchandise:
NFL merchandise is one of the most highly counterfeited sports goods, especially around the Super Bowl. To check if it's fake, look for the sticker. All licensed NFL merchandise features a unique hologram indicating the product's authenticity.
(Counterfeit item: top photo, Real item: bottom photo)

Can You Tell the Real from the Fake?

CEO Sex Scandals

In 2002, the man known as "Neutron Jack" fell in love with Suzy Wetlaufer, editor of the Harvard Business Review. The problem was that Welch was married to his wife Jane. His romance with Wetlaufer started when they collaborated on an article together.
It wasn't love at first sight. "When I first met Jack, I was terrified of him," Suzy Welch told 60 Minutes. Wetlaufer was forced to resign from the prestigious publication when word of her dalliance with Welch came out. She asked her bosses to spike her article when her relationship with Welch compromised her journalistic objectivity.
Jane Welch wound up getting her revenge. "When divorce negotiations stretched out, Jane Welch disclosed that Jack was getting sizable retirement perks from GE, including an apartment and the use of a GE jet. Welch agreed to pay $2 million a year for their use," according to USA Today.
The SEC later launched and then closed an investigation into the matter. Jack and Suzy Welch are living happily ever after, writing several books together, including Winning, and they co-host the Web-TV reality show It's Everybody's Business on Microsoft's (MSFT) MSN network.

CEO Sex Scandals

Dov Charney, a Canadian immigrant who dropped out of college in 1990, is living the American dream. Too bad it's turning into a nightmare for some of his employees.
Charney is a world-class weirdo. Among the proclivities he's fessed up to are walking around his office in his underwear. He's also the gift that keeps on giving to employment lawyers. The CEO has confessed to having numerous affairs with female subordinates and has been repeatedly sued for sexual harassment.
Two women claimed in lawsuits that Charney exposed himself to them and masturbated in front of them. In 2005, three American Apparel employees filed suit against Charney for allegedly sexually harassing them at work.
His inability to learn what behavior is acceptable in the workplace and what isn't is breathtaking. For instance, Charney seemed not to understand that women may find the term "slut" offensive, explaining in a court deposition (via Dateline NBC): "You know, there are some of us that love sluts. You know, it's not necessarily - it could be also be an endearing term."

HR World named the lawsuit among the top 20 sexual harassment claims of all time. The Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky case was No. 1.

CEO Sex Scandals

Exactly what Mark Hurd did to lose his job running HP was never fully disclosed. Suffice it to say he crossed a line.
Hurd resigned on August 6th amid allegations that he sexually harassed Jodie Fisher, a former actress and reality-TV personality who worked for HP as a marketing consultant. That claim was settled, and Fisher has denied having a sexual relationship with the married Hurd.
To make matters even more confusing, an HP investigation found Hurd didn't violate the company's sexual harassment policies, although he did submit inaccurate expense reports to cover up his relationship with Fisher. Then why would Hurd bother to cheat his employer if he wasn't doing anything wrong?
"Hurd submitted receipts for expenses ranging from $1,000 to $20,000 over two years, including meals and travel, that should have been labeled as personal and not related to business, said a person familiar with the situation," according to Bloomberg News. What was included in the wining and dining was not immediately clear.
Oracle (ORCL) CEO Larry Elison rushed to Hurd's defense and hired him as co-president. "The HP board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago," the tart-tongued billionaire is quoted as saying.

CEO Sex Scandals

When Harry Stonecipher came out of retirement to head Boeing in 2003, he vowed to employees of the scandal-plagued aerospace company that its new code of conduct would apply to everyone, all 150,000 employees. In March 2005, Stonecipher was forced to resign after he admitted having an affair with a female Boeing executive later identified as Debra Peabody. In fact, Stonecipher and Peabody reportedly met when he signed the pledge. Joan Stonecipher, his wife of 50 years, filed for divorce after her husband's affair became public.
The timing couldn't have been worse. Fifteen months earlier, CEO Phil Condit was forced to resign after two Boeing executives were convicted in a military procurement scandal.

CEO Sex Scandals

In 2007, the UK construction company was rocked by an affair between married CEO John Dodds and Deena Mattar, the company's finance director. The reaction to the scandal was nothing like what would have happened in the US. For one thing, Dodds didn't lose his job, even though the media reaction was scathing after it was revealed that Mattar used Kier Group resources to remodel her home, The Daily Telegraph said.
Dodds retired this year at the age of 64, four years past the company's retirement age. He married Mattar and told the Telegraph he had no regrets. "Not one. It's all turned out exceedingly well," he is quoted as saying.

CEO Sex Scandals

Australia's David Jones is what's called an upmarket retailer - think of Down Under version of Bloomingdale's. At the helm for seven years was CEO Mark McInnes, until a sexual harassment complaint was brought against him by a 25-year-old female employee named Kristy Fraser-Kirk.
McInnes, the complaint said, allegedly made unwanted sexual advances toward her. The executive quickly resigned and fessed up to behavior that "was unbecoming of the high standard expected of a chief executive officer to a female staff member." It was the first time that an Australian CEO resigned because of sexual harassment allegations.
In August, Fraser-Kirk filed a A$37 million sexual harassment lawsuit alleging that the board of David Jones knew that McInnes was a serial harasser and did nothing to stop him. Unflattering stories appeared in the press after the suit, Australia's largest sexual harassment case, was filed. Fraser-Kirk even offered to donate any punitive damage awards she received to charity. The case settled in October for A$850,000 with Fraser-Kirk declaring that she would be unable to keep her earlier promise.

CEO Sex Scandals

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Add to that wealth and computer savvy, and whomever is the object of the jilted woman's rage is in real trouble. Just ask Oracle Co-President Charles Phillips.
In January, YaVaughnie Wilkins decided not to get mad at Phillips after he broke off their eight-and-a-half-year-long relationship to patch things up with his wife. She got even.
Wilkins bought billboard ads in New York, Atlanta and San Francisco with pictures of her and Phillips snuggling, and her proclamation that the tech executive was her "soul mate." She even set up a website (no longer in operation) featuring pictures of her and Phillips.
But the media frenzy died down, and Phillips remains on the job.

CEO Sex Scandals

Lord John Browne was one of the world's most admired businessmen who few knew was a closet homosexual. The head of BP was horrified to learn in 2007 that former lover Jeff Chevalier was trying to sell his story to a tabloid newspaper. He failed to block publication but said in court papers that the two met while exercising, even though the true story was that they met through a gay escort service named Suited and Booted.
Authorities decided not to pursue perjury charges, but Brown was forced to end his 40-year career. In his book Beyond Business, Browne admitted that he was wrong to lie about his relationship with Chevalier. No longer hiding his sexual orientation, Browne is now a senior partner with US private equity firm Riverstone.

CEO Sex Scandals

In 2007, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide (HOT) and CEO Steven J. Heyer parted ways after it was uncovered that he sent "inappropriate and suggestive e-mails and text messages to a female employee," according to ABC News. He also had an "inappropriate physical encounter" with a woman outside a restaurant restroom. Heyer, who reportedly denied everything, was ratted out by an anonymous letter sent to the board of directors.
Still, Heyer was able to rebound. He's currently chairman and CEO of Harry & David Holdings. He's also lead director of Lazard Ltd. and is on the board of Omnicare (OCR).

CEO Sex Scandals

Neighbours From Hell

Chainsaw (Tree) Massacre
AOL User Monkalup Says:
"I was living in a town house and the woman two doors away decided that the tree in my front yard had to go. I was sitting in my living room when I heard the chainsaw and it seemed very close. I looked out the window and there she was, trying to cut down my black olive tree. I went outside to stop her and she started chasing me around the parking lot with the chainsaw buzzing. Fortunately, I scaled a fence she could not, and I got away."

Neighbours From Hell

Should Somebody Tell Her?
AOL User DebStarrett Says:
"I lived in an apartment that faced the back of a neighbor's apartment. The space between the two buildings might have been 20 feet or less. My front door was right across from her bathroom window. Granted the glass was frosted, but I guess no one ever told her (myself included) that frosted glass only 'frosted' the view. Needless to say, my building always had a lot of male visitors at night when the view was 'clear'."

Neighbours From Hell

And Hello to You Too ...
AOL User Purplebeach722 Says:
"Several years ago, my family moved into a trailer park. My husband was being nice and friendly and introduced himself to the woman across the way. The only response he got from her was: 'The way we get along in here is that everybody stays to themselves.' What a welcome to the neighborhood!"

Neighbours From Hell

Spy in the Sky
AOL User Btennesseegirl Says:
"I know of a woman who lives on Elm Street that actually crawls up on the roof of her house and spies on the neighbors with binoculars! If she sees anything she doesn't like she calls City Hall and tries to get the neighbor fined. She has declared war on all of her neighbors and has put her two sons up to giving people the finger. No one on the block can stand her. She is 100% toxic!"

Neighbours From Hell

My Work Here Is Done
AOL User REVIEW 4 U Says:
"For six months my upstairs neighbor, in our co-op apartments, made noise throughout the night: rolling balls across the floor, hammering completely around the floor of his place, throwing chairs and hopping up and down on the uncarpeted floor. After six months he wrote a note to me and the Board that his 'noise experiment was successful,' probably based on the rash notes I left on his answering machine and complaints I left in his mailbox."

Neighbours From Hell

Parking Space Hog
AOL User MumsyWmsy Says:
"This jerk moved in next door last summer. He has an older model, large step van and a pickup truck, neither of which have legal plates. Right away he began to park the truck where I usually park, in front of my building. Not his. So, I started parking across the street. Then he moved (his van) into the space across the street that I had started using since he had 'my' old space. However, he took up two spaces for it, which caused a domino effect causing other neighbors to scramble for parking spaces when they arrived home."

Neighbours From Hell

In-Home Roller Derby
AOL User Inqiron Says:
"I live in a downstairs apartment and my upstairs neighbor has three little girls who spend weekends with him. We dread it because he lets them run amok, no discipline whatsoever. One night we kept hearing this odd crunching noise for hours. We were trying to guess what it could be. Finally it occurred to me ... ROLLER SKATES! By the way, it wasn't hard to confirm this because he also leaves his door wide open so all his loud music and screaming-kid noises float down the stairwell to our place."

Neighbours From Hell

It's (Always) a Party!
AOL User FairlaneSC Says:
"My new nieghbors that moved in not long ago seem to party all the time. They go to the bars at night and bring the bar patrons home with them. Our bedroom window is facing their patio that they party on all night. In the winter they burn in a barrel to keep warm. They also set up tents in their yard for all the drunks to sleep in all summer long. Neither of them work, so they must have inherited a ton of money to live this way!"

Neighbours From Hell

An 'Alarming' Jokester
AOL User Gardenia1999 Says:
"One day I sent my daughter to check the mail and dropped my keys. We went outside to look for them with no luck. One of our neighbors below us was watching us laughing. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but then it started: At any noise that they considered to be loud my van alarm would start sounding. Then they started doing it just for fun so they could see us run out to switch it off. They would stand so they could look out their balcony and watch as we ran out to our car and laugh about it."

Neighbours From Hell

A Surprise Visitor
AOL User ShellzBellz61878 Says:
"At first the only problem was their small child hanging out the window yelling at everyone who passed. Then I was taking a nap with my son and I heard my bedroom door open. I jumped out of bed with a start and realized it was this kid from across the street! I was furious. I took him outside ... and his mom was in her front yard watering the grass and had watched him walk right in my house. When I said that he scared the hell out of me she just told the kid, 'Now, don't do that, hon.'"

Neighbours From Hell

Gadgets That Saved Lives

Call it a stroke of luck, the hands of fate, or a touch from God. No matter what you call it, there's no denying gadgets have helped saved some lives. So keep that gadget close by, folks. You never know when your time is up.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

1) While hiding under a tree during a storm in England, 14-year-old Sophie Frost was struck by lightning. The bolt shot across her body instead of through it, thanks to the iPod headphones hanging from her neck. She suffered only some burns and a fright.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

2) When Hans Jorgen Olsen and his sister ran across a moose in Norway, the 12-year-old didn't panic. Instead, he taunted the moose so his sister could escape, which is a move he learned while playing 'World of Warcraft.'

Gadgets That Saved Lives

3) While mowing his lawn, Ronald Richard was hit in the chest by a stray .45 caliber bullet. The bullet was stopped by the Motorola RAZR clipped onto his chest, which not only saved his life but gave him one hell of a bar story.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

4) After becoming lost while snowboarding, Sebastian Gomez was alone, except for his iPod. When Gomez heard a helicopter buzzing overhead,
he switched it on and waved the glowing screen in the air. Wearing night vision goggles, rescuers spotted the teenager and brought him to safety.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

5) A couple of French tourists got lost on a ski trip in Switzerland. After contacting rescuers via cell phone, the batteries soon died.
Fortunately, the pair had packed their iPods before leaving home. Rescuers flying overhead spotted the lighted screen and saved both folks.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

6) We've determined that a cell phone can stop a bullet, but what about an iPod? When Kevin Garrad of the 3rd Infantry Division was
struck by a bullet in Iraq, his iPod took the blow -- stopping the bullet from piercing his body armor. So, yes.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

7) After blacking out in a swimming pool, a 10-year-old Welsh girl was rescued by lifeguards who saw the potentially fatal events unfolding on a set of underwater cameras that link to a computer system. 10 seconds later, the girl was rescued.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

8) When chef Mark Williams was bitten on the hand by a spider while cleaning his freezer, he turned to his cell phone to help doctors identify the culprit . Williams pinged a picture to Bristol Zoo employees, who identified the arachnid, and doctors treated the bite.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

9) A Croatian man ran over something a little more dangerous than an anthill while mowing his lawn. The unidentified man detonated a hand grenade, but he was saved from harm thanks to his lawn mower. Yet another reason to dislike yard work.

Gadgets That Saved Lives

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Great Gifts: $40 and Under

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Great Gifts: $40 and Under

Organized by occasion, "The Art of Letter-Writing" contains samples of letters you might receive and how best to reply. It helps you learn what to write in invitations and thank-you letters for weddings, birthdays and anniversaries; find out the best ways to write polite but efficient letters of complaint, as well as how to sensitively phrase messages of condolence. Perfect for young couples, brides or anyone in need of a primer on a dying art. Available at Indigo.ca.

Great Gifts: $40 and Under

For a little more than a standard bottle of Bacardi Superior, the Bacardi Gift Set ($35) includes a lime squeezer, bar spoon, muddler, jigger and a martini shaker - in short, everything you need to whip up mojitos, daiquiris and other bartending classics. Available through local liquor stores.

Great Gifts: $40 and Under

One of Toronto's leading chefs and a host on Food Network Canada, Mark McEwan's first cookbook was long-awaited by many. In it he explains how easy it is to make some of his stand-out dishes, like venison stew and other simple rustic fare. This is a go-to cookbook that will be spotted in people's kitchens years from now, well thumbed and sauce-stained.

Great Gifts: $40 and Under

Delicious everyday Indian recipes from the authors of the multi-award-winning bestseller, Vij's Pull up a chair - Meeru and Vikram invite you to dinner. The owners of Vij's and Rangoli restaurants in Vancouver have an all-new follow-up to Vij's, the bestselling cookbook that has won numerous awards, including the Cordon d'Or Gold Ribbon International Cookbook Award. Includes vegetarian dishes that go from stove to plate in less than 45 minutes to seafood, poultry and meat dishes that come together in 20 minutes. For fans of Indian cooking who never thought they could make it themselves. Available at Indigo.ca.

Great Gifts: $40 and Under