Most of the rumored differences between Las Vegas strip casinos and local ones are just that. Gambling anywhere is a game of chance, and the casino always has the edge. In Sin City they call it gaming, to make it fit the luxury image.

Whether you invest a quarter into a Native American casino slot machine or toss a hundred dollar chip onto a fancy hotel casino blackjack table, the odds are about the same. Of course, every gambler dreams of the day when a moment of luck will result in a big pay-off. That’s why people keep going to casinos.

There are a few actual and some fantasy differences between the big, fancy Las Vegas Strip resort casinos and the smaller, slightly-seedy small town ones, as well as those on the nation’s Native American reservations.

The question would be much easier to answer if it were: who should not be tipped in Las Vegas? From the moment you step off your flight or drive your car into the glittering city, you’ll encounter people who expect to be tipped.

Always understand the reality. Service employees in Las Vegas, as everywhere else, depend on tips as an important part of their income. In earlier times, they didn’t need to declare them on their income tax reports, but today the IRS takes an estimated percentage of their earnings.

The no-kill Animal Care Center of St. John takes in victims of cruelty, neglect and abuse of the island's dogs and cats. If your upcoming vacation plans include a visit to tropical St. John, give some of your time to help with the center's VolunTourism program.

You can participate in feeding, walking, grooming, training or just cuddling with some of the center’s homeless inhabitants. Shelter officials report that many visitors come to volunteer, and then find they can’t leave without taking a new furry friend home with them. For more info, go to www.stjohnanimalcarecenter.com

How can you keep those evil little bugs from getting at you in the sky? Just ask anyone who has flown from New York to London or similar hours-long air journey while squeezed into a five-across row of sardine-can sized seats. They'll know that Murphy's Law of inevitable germs too often kicks in for the haplessly trapped, formerly healthy flyer.

Worst scenarios: Seated on one side will be an old sneezer with a bad cold and big red nose that could easily guide Santa's sleigh. He'll spend the flight coughing, dripping and spritzing. Of course, he'll turn his head each time he explodes... right into your face.