You know that in today’s world, it’s impossible to skate through this hectic life without the benefit of a good book in which to lose yourself. Although, sadly, you also know that with your crazy schedule, you just don’t have the time. Either work or family takes up every waking hour you have, so how on earth can you stop and enjoy a classic read? Well, believe it or not the answer is rather simple to shop for groomsmen gifts. Audio books online are the key!  Aside from cd audio books or audio books on tape, you can even get a free audio book online. With technology there are also mp3 audio books created for the active ones.

Because sitting down and reading a regular book is out of the question, you should consider audio books online. Just get a downloadable audio book and you’re all set.  While fairly self explanatory, you’d be surprised how many people overlook this entertainment option. All over the Internet, thousands of web sites are available that provide free audio books online, or ones you buy. No matter what your schedule might include, you’d be able to take advantage of listening to a good book at your convenience.

Since these literary works are downloaded directly to your computer you have the ability to listen to them right in your own home. By not having to go out and run to the library or bookstore, this saves you time as well as money. You don’t have to burn any gas and you don’t have to pay any money for late charges for popular groomsmen gifts at the library or taxes on a brand new book. For this simple fact alone, audio books online are a blessing from above. 

If you don’t have the time to relax in your home, and are too busy running around taking care of your business, free online audio book is still an option. As stated before, they are downloaded to your computer. This means that you can burn them onto a CD and take it in the car with you on that long drive to work. Many people have discovered just how available and convenient audio books online really are instead of just using the library audio books.

Depending on what site you’re at and the types of books you are looking for, you may be required to pay a fee to download the material. There are countless free audio books online available to you though. Many are available from sites that require you to pay a yearly fee for membership or others simply offer the books as a courtesy service.

These types of books are perfect because not only do they save you time, money, and sanity, but they are also reusable. Once you buy or find them, you’ll be able to listen to an audio book online to your heart’s content. And because they’re on CD or your computer, you won’t be wasting any shelf space that can go for other things. Huge selection of bridesamaid gifts and great for more literature exposure, audio books online are beneficial to anyone who loves to read.  Another new way to ge one is by buyin used audio books online or from a local book store.

Online, you can see the best audio books on sale or available for download.  You can also rent audio books online if you want.  Get yours today.

Science fiction does not get better then this. Dune is every Science Fiction aficionado’s wet dream.

# 1: Dune (Frank Herbert)
Science fiction does not get better then this. Dune is the wet dream of every sci-fi lovers. Many people claim that science fiction, Dune is the answer, “Lord of the Rings” and I both agree: This is certainly. For more details www.be-a-stargazer.com There are many good science fiction books, but Dune is indeed a giant among giants. It truly is a pinnacle of Science Fiction literary achievement. If you do not see the sand dunes, there is no more time wasted. Reading it now!

# 2: Starship Troopers (Robert Heinlein)
War is beautiful according to Robert Heinlein. This is a fiction novel about the glorification of war. Premise: space marines wearing a special armored fighting vicious alien insects from outside. This is classic “old school” science fiction at it’s best. It’s noisy ride through the galaxy, you won’t want to miss it.

# 3: Andre’s game (Orson Scott Card)
This is one of the corner stones of science fiction and new fiction book that you shouldn’t miss. A critique on society, the story of a boy who refuses to give up, a battle to save the fate of mankind - this science fiction book combines them all into one addictive and compelling mix that shouldn’t be missed.

# 4: The Foundation (Isaac Asimov)
This is undoubtedly on of the finest works of science fiction ever written. If you a fan of science fiction with grandiose and epic storylines, get your hand on this book. A corollary: Foundation is a series for people who love grand and complex ideas. If you are looking for a heavy book, but the concept of thin, this may not be the book for you. The strength of the views put forward by the focus on the story, rather than characterization. Regardless, this is one of those Science Fiction books that you just need to read. You will never think about Science Fiction the same way after reading the Foundation series.

There are many kids story books around so parents have lots of choices. Parents can read with their children or the kids can read on their own. Reading can be a great activity alone or together. Books can be expensive, though, so you might want to find a way to get cheap books such as joining the local libraries or buying from half price stores. Your local library should have lots of kids books to choose from. If they do not, they may be able to borrow from other libraries, even from out of state libraries.

Choosing the right books to start your children off with can be a tough job. You want tochoose suitable books that are also fun to read so that your children will not get bored reading and will want to read more. At your library, you will find books that are age appropriate for your children and books that your children should not read. Some parents just let their children loose in the kids’ section of the library and let them pick out what they want to read. Others prefer to read kids book reviews and only expose their kids to appropriate books. You can find tons of kids’ book reviews online, in newspapers, and in parents’ magazines. Your local library might also have a list of recommended books for children to read.

For babies or toddlers, board books are very good. Board books are usually small books that are made of cardboard. They can withstand rough handling and can withstand being thrown around. You can also clean the pages with ease because many of them are glossy. There are plenty of board books in book stores and they can cost as low as $1 or less. Board books often have colorful pictures and simple stories with few words so that babies and toddlers can get used to the idea of reading even when they cannot read yet.

The maps Yahoo makes are very similar to Google Maps, MSN Virtual Earth and MapQuest. They use satellite maps, road maps and traffic maps to help you get from point A to point B. Drivers can view estimated travel times, as well as how many miles to drive down a particular road. With Yahoo, you can better budget your time so you are never late. You can also avoid irritating traffic build-ups by previewing the traffic, weather and construction conditions before taking off. Since there is such fierce competition to be the best mapping company, you are bound to see a number of new innovations in the years to come.

One benefit of Yahoo Maps is that you can find local information about businesses, restaurants, gas stations, hotels, museums and more by typing in general search terms for your city. You can access this information through the driving directions page or visit directly at www.local.yahoo.com. Yahoo’s Local Search listings mimic the Yellowpages, but combine mapping capabilities, user-generated content and reviews, photos and videos. To search, you just need to know generally what you are looking for and where (for instance: “best pizza in new york city”) and the search engine does the rest. Yahoo automatically shows you other favorite restaurants as rated by other Yahoo members and invites you to add your own reviews.

You may be thinking, “Well Google has business listings too. Why should I look at the maps Yahoo makes for local information?” One distinction you will notice is that most of the real estate on Yahoo is dedicated to business listings, with only a small map. So if you are looking for local directories of businesses, then Yahoo would probably be best, whereas driving directions are more prominent on the maps Google offers. You will also notice that Yahoo Local has more paid ads, which account for the top three listings, as well as a few listings on the bottom of the page. User reviews are provided for each local listing, with a 1 to 5 star rating format to help you choose the best local business to suit your needs. One current problem is that Yahoo sometimes returns non-relevant listings. For instance, if you type “dog bathing service,” you will also get paid listings from animal hospitals, pet food stores and dog walking services. In that respect, Google may give you more targeted listings.

The phrase “Mapping 2.0″ is being thrown around to describe recent innovations in the world of online maps. You will notice many of these functions on the maps Yahoo features. For instance, you can now manipulate maps by dragging, dropping and zooming with your mouse or arrow keys. You can also use a number of widgets to change the map type from street maps to satellite maps to hybrid maps. You can search local businesses based on user-generated reviews, searching by rating if you so desire. You can right-click to set a way-point and get a map to any marker you set on the map. Today many users are creating “mashups” through the Yahoo Maps Developer APIs (using Adobe Flash, Ajax JavaScript or Simple XML format). Yahoo is also incorporating data from Flickr users and www.upcoming.org to add more value to their site.

Remember when you would stop at a gas station to buy a paper map of the city to find out how to get somewhere? Today you can get customized step-by-step directions, weather conditions, traffic data and satellite images for your journey, whether it is ten minutes or ten hours away. You can even avoid highways or tolls, plot a course with several stops and find local business information as well. Maps sure have come a long way, but which service is the most hassle-free and helpful?

First let’s look at simple directions. That is why most of us find driving directions online after all, is it not? If you are worried about road hazards, construction zones and thick traffic, then Yahoo Maps (www.maps.yahoo.com) is good for that function. MapQuest (www.mapquest.com) lets you check boxes to avoid highways and tolls, choose the shortest distance or take the route with the shortest time. The user-friendly, simple nature of this site is also a good perk for someone who wants their directions right away. They also have recently added the drag-and-drop function that Yahoo has had, which helps you navigate around traffic obstructions. If you are walking or jogging, then Ask (www.maps.ask.com) is the only site that lets you plot your pedestrian course. Google Maps (www.maps.google.com) can zoom in for close topographical views of any continent. To sum up, Yahoo is the best site when traffic or construction sites are a concern, while MapQuest provides quick point-A-to-point-B directions.

So what about maps of sightseeing? MapQuest does not offer satellite images currently, although if you have the addresses, you can plot out multiple points on your sightseeing tour to discover an efficient route. Google can show you extremely close-up views all around the world from Nairobi and Lima to Baghdad and Tokyo. Yahoo also takes you right to the heart of the world’s most far-flung continents using a number of sources for its images, although Google and Ask have more display pixels. Conclusively, Google Maps probably has the most comprehensive database of real-world images and the fastest response time for your sightseeing needs. In fact, there are entire websites dedicated to “sightseeing without leaving your living room via Google satellite maps.”

At one time it was presumed that conventional maps would never die, simply due to the fact that you can bring them with you! Yet GPS devices, cell phones and printable driving directions are rapidly changing the world as we know it. Mapping is tying in more social networking functions at a rapid pace and a number of mash up sites have emerged to capitalize on the “map it” popularity. Whether you choose Yahoo, Google, Ask or MapQuest, you will enjoy the benefits of this helpful and free service that has made traveling the globe as easy as breathing.

Reading is one of the greatest past-times known to the human race. Yeah, I’m well aware of how massive that statement is. But, it’s the truth! Imagine for a moment how long reading for pleasure has been around. Do you even know when the very first piece of literature was written? I’m talking fun literature here as well as flower girl jewelry. Something people actually enjoyed reading on their free time. Regardless, this past-time is certainly still in full effect today. As it should be. The day we no longer read for simple pleasure will be a sad one. Now, there is one nuance to the reading game. These days you don’t have to only enjoy your paper books. You can easily read books online as well. Some may even find this more convenient.

It’s phenomenal all the things we no longer have to purchase. Take literature for example. Now, back in high school I would have had to hit up the library or the bookstore to read a text. As we all know, this happens quite often when you’re in school for bridesmaid gifts. There is always some homework assignment to get done that requires research. I have to say that I prefer today’s methods. It’s just so much more convenient to read books online and get the scoop from home. Now just to be clear, there is a limit with this. If you haven’t encountered it yet, you will. Most teachers and professors are not too awful crazy about all your sources and background information coming off the web. The truth is that much of it can be unreliable. Therefore the next time you read books online, you may want to make certain they’re the real deal. Typically if you’re reading a novel for pleasure, it’s totally fine. However, if you’re researching for a paper, things and ring bearer gifts are a little more complicated. I found in college that there are a great many websites purely opinion based. This fails to hold much relevance. You can always ask your teacher or professor if they recommend some legitimate websites.

So, read and good books lately? Maybe you have no time to get over to the local bookstore or library. Don’t fret! You can simply get on your personal computer and read books online. Search any book by title on Google, Yahoo or MSN. My guess is that you’ll find what you’re looking for in no time flat.

We’ve all read stories about the coupon-savvy woman who can feed a family of five on $50 a month. What is her secret? She’s perfected the art of couponing. While I won’t promise that you’ll be able to do quite that well, I do guarantee that if you follow the tips below you will be able to slash dollars from your monthly grocery bill.

Know when NOT to use coupons. When is a coupon not a good deal?Knowing this can be as helpful to you as the online coupon code itself. In most cases, the generic version of what you’re buying is cheaper than the more expensive counterpart even WITH a coupon. You may be asking yourself, “So why even bother? Why not just purchase generics?” You will need to become coupon-savvy in order to recognize when coupons are a good deal and when they’re not. Coupons work best when they’re combined with another deal or are doubled. Carry a small calculator in your purse to help you calculate the price per unit when you’re shopping.

Combine coupons with in store-sales and two-for-ones. I recently bought two boxes of Cheerios cereal. They were on sale at the grocery store for 2 for $3. I also used two $1 off coupons I had, saving an additional $2. My cost per box: only 50 cents. Normally, without the coupon, each box is at least $3. Cool, huh? A lot of grocery stores also offer “in store” coupons. Use your own coupons in addition to these to save even more.

Find a store that will double your coupons. If your town doesn’t have one, it may be worth a short drive to another town to a store that does. If making a special trip, be sure to call in advance to see if the store has restrictions on doubling coupons. Some stores will only double coupons under $.50, some only double coupons on certain days of the week.

Buy the smallest size. Most people are under the impression that you will save more by buying in bulk.When using a voucher, this usually isn’t true. What you will need to consider is the price per ounce. Here is an example of what I mean:

While the price per ounce of the larger size is more economical without the coupon, the smaller size is the better buy with the coupon. Keep a small calculator in your purse or coupon caddy to help calculate the best deal.

Trade coupons with friends and online. Start a coupon group with women in your area. Let them know which items you need coupons for; and offer to trade with them. I have a friend who uses Pampers diapers, so whenever I see a coupon for that item I give it to her. In turn, she looks out for the items I use. To get started, e-mail 5-10 of your “thrifty” friends to see if they’re interested. Have each friend list 10-20 items that she always uses, and print out the lists. Keep the lists handy when you’re clipping coupons, and then pass on the coupons to your friends.

Other coupon sources. Some grocery stores have coupon bins within their store. Look for them near the customer service counter, or in the front of the store. Some libraries also have a coupon swapping bin. If your local library or grocer doesn’t, it doesn’t hurt to suggest it. Coupons are also now available in-store right next to the products themselves from machines sponsored by SmartSource.

Find coupons online. When you think of coupons, chances are you think of the kind that come as inserts in your Sunday paper. With the invent of the internet all sorts of other kinds of coupons are now available. You can download coupons from your computer and print them out. You can even find coupons being sold on eBay.

Organize! Make online coupons easy to file and easy to use. I used to have my coupons clumped together in an envelope in my purse. I could never find the coupons I needed, and I ended up throwing out expired coupons I could have used. I use a large plastic index-card box for my coupons now.I have it divided by categories such as: canned goods, baby products, clothers, cosmetics, foods, cereal, baking, Bed & Bath, books, magazine, dairy, etc. After serious couponing for a few months, you will discover which categories work the best for you.

After a little practice, you can become a coupon queen in your own right.Once you’ve mastered the art of promos, you’ll never hit the grocery store without ‘em.

Set in Afghanistan, from the fall of the monarchy until the collapse of the Taliban regime, and in the San Francisco Bay Area, Khaled Hosseini ’s first novel, The Kite Runner, is a thrilling story about fathers and sons, sin and atonement, injustice and the human yearning for redemption.

It is the story of a young boy, Amir, juggling to establish a closer rapport with his father and coping with memories of a haunting childhood event. Its many themes include ethnic tensions between the Hazara and the Pashtun in Afghanistan, and the immigrant experiences of Amir and his father in the United States.

The Kite Runner is about a complex Middle Eastern culture Americans are supposed to be uninterested, but the book has sold over four million copies in three years. The novel was the number three best seller for 2005 in the United States, according to Nielsen BookScan. The Kite Runner mp3 was also produced as an audio book read by the author himself, and has been adapted into a motion picture of the same name, released in December 2007.

“Probably the passages most resembling my own life are the ones in the US, with Amir and Baba trying to build a new life for themselves,” author Khaled Hosseini says in an interview with Time magazine. “My father and I did work for a while at the flea market and there really are rows of Afghans working there, some of whom I am related to.”

Now the most popular Afghan in the world, Khaled Hosseini has very fond memories of his childhood in Afghanistan largely because his memories, unlike those of the current generation of Afghans, are untainted by the specter of war, landmines, and famine.

Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, where his father worked for the Afghanistan Foreign Ministry. In 1980, they sought political asylum in the United States and made their residence in Fremont, California. He earned his M.D. in 1993 at University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. He practiced medicine until a year and a half after the release of The Kite Runner. Hosseini is currently a Goodwill Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Posted on May 1st, 2009 by Lindsey Harper

Are you an art love? I sure am! However, if there’s one factor about original art that prevents many people from owning it - it’s price. Original art is very expensive to collect.

You’re most likely familiar with live auctions where people bid on art. Those fancy auctions are not necessarily the places where you can get the best prices. But did you know that you can find original art for awe-inspiring prices at an auction site? You don’t have to be rich to collect great original art!

What do I mean by awe-inspiring prices? Buy this original, gallery wrapped and ready to hang Leonid Afremov masterpiece, signed by the artist! The painting is oil on canvas and painted with a palette knife. This beautiful painting has been appraised at $3,500. However, this painting began with only a $1 bid and its current bid is only at $30!

You should know that this online auction ends on May 2, so hurry! I have noticed that the $1 bid original art deals go very, very fast!

Online Auction Original Art

An estate auction incorporated in an auction site is not only a convenient way to save, but one of the best ways to save. You’ll find clear and vivid photos of the original art created to help you make your decision. You’ll also find a detailed description of the art as well as its appraisal value.

Where do you find original art at awe-inspiring prices? Government Auction Network. They point you to the online auction opportunities that will put original art in your hands for less.

If you want to save on vehicles, real estate, computers, jewelry, original art and more, head straight to Government Auction Network. I can help you with any questions you may have. Click on “About Lindsey” then click on “Just Ask Me.”

Government Auction Network - auction site - online auction - estate auction

Millions of people use the maps Google offer, each and every day. While the basic functionality of Google Maps is quite straightforward, you may still desire map help to unlock all of Google’s secrets. After all, recent innovations have added many new features, allowing you to create and share maps, view satellite maps, drag and drop the street maps and search for local businesses. Here are some tips and tricks to help you navigate Google Maps like a pro.

Many people are looking for map help to print or save their directions. The default print option is the step-by-step directions with a tiny map that is barely legible. For you map-mongers, you can get a larger full-size map by canceling out of the print dialog box (in Firefox), at which point a new window will pop up, allowing you to check a box that says “Show original map view.” The preview then changes to a full overview of street maps and driving directions, where you can modify the zoom level on your print window.

When it comes to saving your directions, it may be surprising but you can’t actually just save your driving directions map on the Google map site; you can save place-marks and maps but not the full shebang. Instead, you have to click on and copy the link to the map (on the top right corner of the map that says “Link to this page”). If you save that link as a bookmark or in a Word document, then you will be able to access the exact same set of directions for next time.

Perhaps you don’t realize you need map help but you would like to know about some of the latest Google Maps features. For example, did you know you can get walking, biking and public transit directions, as well as driving instructions? You will see these options in a drop-down list under the “location and destination” window on the left-hand side. You may also want to try the neat “Street View” option, which allows you a 360-degree, real-time, video view of a particular street, like Miami Beach, FL or the Sunset Strip, CA. Just click on the street view button and drag the person icon to the street of your choice. However, be aware that this technology is fairly new so not all streets offer this special vantage point. On the top of the map, you may also click on the satellite maps, the street maps or the traffic pattern views. You may have also heard about a feature called “Latitude” where you can track your friends based on their cell phone proximity. Sure, it sounds a little creepy, but it can be extremely helpful if you have a friend traveling in from far away or if you are waiting on your late spouse to put that roast in the oven. Visit www.google.about.com/od/mapsanddirections/p/latitude_whatis.htm for more information on this new feature.

Travelers often need map help finding notable landmarks. You may not necessarily know the address of the Eiffel Tower, but you can zero in on the location by typing in “Eiffel Tower.” Now say you are in the car driving but you have no idea where you are. You can turn your cell phone into a GPS device using Google Maps for Mobile right on your cell phone. (Check out the video for this on the Google Maps site). You may also want to explore the country of Japan to decide where you would like to visit, just by typing in “Japan.” You can also search for zip codes, airport codes, latitudes and longitudes.