Friday, May 24, 2013

SYNC returns May 30th!

Two FREE audiobook downloads each week.

Teens and other readers of Young Adult Literature will again have the opportunity to listen to bestselling titles and required reading classics this summer. Each week from May 30 - August 15, 2013, SYNC will offer two free audiobook downloads. The audiobook pairings will include a popular young adult (YA) title and a classic that connects with the YA title's theme and is likely to show up on a student's summer reading list.

For example, Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys (Scholastic Audiobooks), the first book in a bestselling series about a group of teenagers searching for the supernatural ley lines, will be paired with the Latino classic of magical realism, Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima (Recorded Books).

I love this!  We were just talking about how many of the 'classics' are either hard to read or not interesting to high school students.   Or, they're just plain not cool.  For the kids who already love to read, it's not such a big deal, but for those who don't think they like reading - this kind of required reading does not inspire in them a love of reading.  If anything, it reinforces the idea that reading is boring and no fun.  Audiobooks are a good way to get non-readers 'reading' by introducing them to the treasures to be found within books.  This pairing of a current popular book with a classic is brilliant.  Listen to the current book, and then 'if you like this, then you'll like that' - it opens them up to trying the classic with an open mind.

At least I think that's how it's supposed to work.  And did I mention the audiobooks are free?

SYNC Titles Summer 2013 

  • May 30 - June 5, 2013
    Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, read by Rebecca Gibel (AudioGO)
    The Tempest by William Shakespeare, read by a Full Cast (AudioGO) 
  • June 6 - June 12, 2013
    The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood, read by Katherine Kellgren (HarperAudio)
    Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, read by Wanda McCaddon (Tantor Audio) 
  • June 13 - June 19, 2013
    The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Will Patton (Scholastic Audiobooks)
    Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, read by Robert Ramirez (Recorded Books) 
  • June 20 - June 26, 2013
    Once by Morris Gleitzman, read by Morris Gleitzman (Bolinda Audio)
    Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr., read by Dion Graham (christianaudio)
  • June 27 - July 3, 2013
    Rotters by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne (Listening Library)
    Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, read by Jim Weiss (Listening Library) 
  • July 4 - July 10, 2013
    Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford, read by Nick Podehl (Brilliance Audio)
    She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, read by a Full Cast (L.A. Theatre Works) 
  •  July 11 - July 17, 2013
    The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann, read by Peter Altschuler (HarperAudio)
    Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, read by Simon Vance (Tantor Audio) 
  • July 18 - July 24, 2013
    Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, read by Erin Moon (Recorded Books)
    Hamlet by William Shakespeare, read by a Full Cast (L.A. Theatre Works) 
  • July 25 - July 31, 2013
    The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, read by Charlie McWade (Scholastic Audiobooks)
    The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain, read by Steve West (Blackstone Audio) 
  • Aug 1 - Aug 7, 2013
    Death Cloud by Andrew Lane, read by Dan Weyman (Macmillan Audio)
    The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, read by Ralph Cosham (Blackstone Audio) 
  • Aug 8 - Aug 14, 2013
    Enchanted by Alethea Kontis, read by Katherine Kellgren (Brilliance Audio)
    Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, read by Miriam Margolyes (Bolinda Audio) 
  • Aug 15 - Aug 21, 2013
    Sold by Patricia McCormick, read by Justine Eyre (Tantor Audio)
    Let Me Stand Alone by Rachel Corrie, read by Tavia Gilbert (Blackstone Audio) 
TEXT syncya to 25827 for alerts on the SYNC title releases or visit Sync to sign up for email alerts so you won't miss any of these great books.
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Monday, April 29, 2013

How to Make Symbols with Your Keyboard

A Control key (marked "Ctrl") on a m...
Ctrl and Alt keys on a modern Windows keyboard
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I just came across this on Facebook, and I'm saving it for later.  And sharing because I thought you might be interested, too. 

± ¢ ☺ ← and those are my test symbols.  It works!  Just hold down the Alt key while you enter the numbers.  It looks like nothing is happening, but as soon as you let go of the Alt key, the symbol appears like magic!  Try it.  You know you want to.

Note: you must be sure the 'NUM LOCK' key is on and use the numeric section of your keyboard, NOT the numbers above your letter keys. 
HOW TO MAKE SYMBOLS WITH KEYBOARD

Alt + 0153..... ™... trademark symbol
Alt + 0169.... ©.... copyright symbol
Alt + 0174..... ®....registered ­ trademark symbol
Alt + 0176 ...°......degree symbol
Alt + 0177 ...±....plus-or ­-minus sign
Alt + 0182 ...¶.....paragr­aph mark
Alt + 0190 ...¾....fractio­n, three-fourths
Alt + 0215 ....×.....multi­plication sign
Alt + 0162...¢....the ­ cent sign
Alt + 0161.....¡..... ­.upside down exclamation point
Alt + 0191.....¿..... ­upside down question mark
Alt + 1.......☺....smiley face
Alt + 2 ......☻.....black smiley face
Alt + 15.....☼.....sun
Alt + 12......♀.....female sign
Alt + 11.....♂......m­ale sign
Alt + 6.......♠.....spade
Alt + 5.......♣...... ­Club
Alt + 3.......♥...... ­Heart
Alt + 4.......♦...... ­Diamond
Alt + 13......♪.....e­ighth note
Alt + 14......♫...... ­beamed eighth note
Alt + 8721.... ∑.... N-ary summation (auto sum)
Alt + 251.....√.....square root check mark
Alt + 8236.....∞..... ­infinity
Alt + 24.......↑..... ­up arrow
Alt + 25......↓...... ­down arrow
Alt + 26.....→.....r­ght arrow
Alt + 27......←.....l­eft arrow
Alt + 18.....↕......u­p/down arrow
Alt + 29......↔...lef­t right arrow
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Get Free Access to Over 700 Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. 1939), the first comic ...
Marvel Comics #1 (Oct. 1939), the first comic from Marvel precursor Timely Comics. Cover art by Frank R. Paul. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Like comics?  Sign up today to get access to the Marvel #1 promotion and more!
  • Over 700 Marvel comics that you can read anywhere—on your computer or compatible mobile device—available for free for a limited time
  • Exclusive comic book offers, special sales, and new release emails
  • Access to over 30,000 digital comics powered by Guided View™ technology
Sign up by 11:59pm ET tonight to receive your promo invite then watch your inbox for your invite.  The invites will begin rolling out April 11, and then you will have 48 hours to choose your FREE Marvel #1 issues! You'll be able to read over 700 Marvel comics for Free from Comixology Digital Comics.
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Monday, March 18, 2013

How to Eat that Chinese Takeout

Who knew this? I saw this on Anderson Cooper this morning, and I couldn't believe nobody ever knew this.  Or why there aren't instruction printed on the Chinese takeout boxes.  (Yeah, the Chinese restaurant owners have probably been laughing all along.)


Of course, if you're sharing Chinese takeout with a group, you'll still need some plates...

I'm actually thinking that it would work fine if you just opened up the one side - turn the open side toward you and eat from that side, and the unopened back will keep everything nicely inside.

Also, what if you don't eat it all?  They tried it on Anderson Cooper, just folded the box back up again, and it went right back together, so any leftovers will be just fine.

Who else is ready to get some Chinese takeout so you can try this?
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Monday, March 4, 2013

Tree People

Tree climbing - Grimpe d'arbre
Tree climbing - Grimpe d'arbre (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This post brought to you by SherrillTree

One of these days I am going to try a zipline and/or a ropes course somewhere among the trees.  They just look like so much fun.  I just need to be in a place that offers something like that with some people who will go with me.  One of these days...

Ever wonder where places like that get their ropes and tree-climbing supplies?  I'm betting a lot of them come from SherrillTree.

Founded and still operating in Greensboro, North Carolina, SherrillTree has been providing tree enthusiasts with good quality gear at reasonable prices since 1960.  Their primary purpose is providing arboricultural products to tree care professionals, but they also offer products for tree-climbing enthusiasts like those ropes and ziplines, as well as safety equipment like these chainsaw chaps

Basically, SherrillTree provides tree gear to tree people. And one of these days, I'd like to be one of those tree people.  Who's with me?
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