Here's something you may not know: Exercising doesn't really help you lose weight! Experts say you burn pretty much the same number of calories a day whether you're competing in a marathon or sinking into your couch binge watching Stranger Things on Netflix.

Now, exercise has a number of positive benefits, so we're not telling you to skip the gym. Lack of exercise can lead to chronic inflammation, which leads to most of the diseases linked to aging.

So, keep up that daily exercise routine. But to lose weight, you're a still going to have to eat less.

Think you know Paul McCartney’s solo career pretty well? We bet there’s one album of his you don’t know. That’s because it wasn’t released in America. Or England. Or Japan. Or anywhere except…Russia!

The year was 1987. The Berlin Wall had come down and glasnost was in the air. McCartney had been in a bit of a creative stall. His most recent album, Press to Play, had been released to tepid reviews and weak sales. He recorded a new album with producer Phil Ramone, but didn’t like any of that material.

So, McCartney pulled a bunch of musicians into the studio to record like they did in the old days – with everybody playing at the same time and minimum of overdubs. For material, McCartney chose a bunch of his favorite old-time rock & roll songs. In just 2 days’ time, he had an album full of material.

Originally, McCartney wanted to print the album with a Russian language cover and sleeve and make it seem like it had been smuggled into the UK from Russia. His label was not enthusiastic about that idea. That’s when McCartney flipped the idea on its head and decided to release the album only in Russia.

McCartney named it Снова в СССР, which translates as (what else?) “Back in the USSR.” The album was an instant smash in that country when it was released in the fall of 1988. Soon, copies were genuinely being smuggled into the UK – often with a pretty steep price tag.

Finally, in 1991, McCartney authorized the release of the album worldwide. If you like the early days of the Beatles, when they were regularly including covers of early rock & roll classics with their own compositions, this is a great CD for you to check out. Tell ‘em Ivan sent you!

If you were a kid growing up in the late 1950s and early 60s, odds are good to certain you started your weekday with Captain Kangaroo on CBS. Beginning in 1957, the Captain added a special cartoon feature that quickly became as popular as Bunny Rabbit and Grandfather Clock – the cartoon adventures of Tom Terrific.

Tom Terrific came about because CBS had purchased the Terrytoons cartoon studio a few years earlier. They used the studio’s huge library of theatrical cartoons (featuring Mighty Mouse and Heckle & Jeckle among others) as the backbone of their original Saturday morning line-up. To get even more out of their investment, they put the studio to work creating one of the very first made-for-tv cartoons – and the first to air on a major network.

Animator Gene Deitch created Tom based on an earlier character named Terr’ble Thompson that Deitch had tried to make into a daily comic strip. Simply put, Tom was the self-proclaimed “greatest hero ever” who had the ability to transform himself into virtually anything thanks to his magical “thinking cap,” which looked suspiciously like an upside-down funnel. The hat also enhanced Tom’s intelligence. In fact, without it, he probably would have been held back a grade as he couldn't even figure out that his dog, the Mighty Manfred was lazy beyond belief.

The animation seemed crude at the time. They didn’t even paint Tom & Manfred with solid bodies, letting the backgrounds show through, yet it was still miles ahead of the cheap TV animation that was to follow. Also, the stories and gags were imaginative. All of the voices on the show were handled by veteran voice artist Lionel Wilson, who continued plying his trade right up through providing voices on Courage, the Cowardly Dog (perhaps a distant relation to Manfred).

The episodes ran one a day, usually lasting only a few minutes. On Monday through Thursdays, the episodes ended on a cliffhanger with Friday’s episode providing an ending for that week’s adventure. Tom faced his share of master criminals including Captain Kidney Bean, Isotope Feeny and Sweet Tooth Sam. But his arch enemy was, without a doubt, Crabby Appleton – rotten to the core! In fact, Mssr. Appleton proved so popular he gave his name to a rock band/one hit wonder whose recording of “Go Back” cracked the Billboard Top 40 in 1970.

There were 26 full adventures of Tom Terrific – 13 produced in 1957 with an additional 13 created in 1958. Those episodes continued to rerun into the 1960s until they were finally retired, most likely because all 26 had been filmed in black & white.

Alas, there has never been an authorized home video release of Tom Terrific in any format although in his heyday, he spawned a wealth of merchandise. Tom was ranked at #32 in TV Guide’s list of the 50 Greatest TV Cartoon Characters. Crabby Appleton demanded a recount.

Eye problems, that is. As we age, there are two very common problems with our eyes.

Dry Eye – This problem is amplified by our near constant use of screens (TV and computer). Staring at a screen reduces our blink rate. It’s blinking that KEEPS OUR EYES LUBRICATED. If you spend a great deal of time in front of the computer or consuming video entertainment, you might want to invest in simple, inexpensive artificial tears.

Floaters – This is a more serious problem. As we age, the gel-like substance that coats the back of our eyes can become detached in small amounts. You notice this as the sudden appearance of black spots that move around. While there is no specific treatment, most of the time, this problem is minor. Eventually the floaters settle out of your line of vision. However, should you see new floaters or flashes of light in your field of vision, consult your eye professional immediately for an evaluation.

Did you know a will dosn't have to be a long, complicated process? And you defintely should have one! Dying without one can leave your estate in chaos.

The internet comes to rescure again. You can create your own will at FreeWill - no fee, online will writing service. Other low-cost alternatibves can be...

• LegalZoom ($69-$149)
• Rocket Lawyer ($40/month ,e,bership)
• Quicken WillMaker Plus (Do-it-yourself software $80)

Perhaps a little more care should have been exercised in selecting a name for this LP....

Every get those call s from groups that claim to help your local police or fire fighters? Beware!

Many times, these are groups that have incorprate with names like "Police Benevolent Organization," but they have no connection to your local first responders. Even if they are legit, they may also be professional fund raisers that can take as much as 90% of your money, leaving only 10% to help your local firefighters and police.

If you want to help, experts suggest you call your local police, fire or EMT departments and ask te best way for you to donate..