Aliera Iheanacho had saved more than 100,000 United Airlines miles, imagining that one day she would redeem them for a luxurious first-class seat with a lie-flat bed. That aspiration is now on hold. This summer’s steep airfare, fueled by surging jet fuel costs, pushed the price of her May trip to China far beyond what she had planned. She briefly considered scrapping her visit to Disneyland in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Instead, Iheanacho drained her mileage account, spending over 60,000 miles for

A day at the beach should be relaxing, but there’s a simple way to prevent seagulls from swooping in and stealing your lunch. You’re basking in the sunshine, breathing in the salty air – unaware that a sharp-eyed opportunist is watching your every move. Out of nowhere, a bird drops from the sky, its wide wings briefly blocking the Sun. Amid frantic flapping and scattered chips, a hefty herring gull snatches your meal straight from your hands. Herring gulls – the classic “seagulls” found in