Online is not just for watching videos or listening to music. There are several ways to read comic books online, too. Fans can check databases to buy what is missing in their collections, they can preview a free comic book before buying or they can digitally download books for their computer, their iPod/iPhone or their Nintendo DS. The comic book industry is even experimenting with creating DVD-versions of their best comic series, which will offer yet another way to share the stories.
Many fans just want to read comics for free. After all, that’s what the internet and peer-to-peer is all about, right? There are a few databases offering graphic novels for free. Manga comics, like Naruto, Bleach, Love Junkies, Pokemon and Vampire Knight can be found at www.mangafox.com and www.mangavolume.com, for instance. More than three hundred conventional classics from DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Vertigo, Wild Storm and Oni can be found at www.lorencollins.net/freecomic. Fans looking for “Golden Age” comics can find comic book series like “Tales of Horror,” “Out of the Shadows,” “Jumbo Comics,” “Exciting Comics” and “The Perfect Crime” (with characters like Ibis the Invincible and Blue Beetle) at www.comicweb.com/onlinecomics.htm. Other comics from that time period, like “Baffling Mysteries,” “Strange Fantasy,” “Underworld,” “Famous Funnies,” “Forbidden Worlds” or “Whiz Comics” can be viewed at www.goldenagecomics.co.uk. Additionally, for fans of DC comic book characters, the first five issues of each major series are being offered as free PDF downloads at www.ugo.com.
The $1.99 “ComicZeal” program allows iPhone and iPod Touch users to download, convert and read comic books on their portable devices! The program is fast, smooth and versatile, allowing easy resizing. Comic book series can be viewed in “landscape” or “portrait” mode and changing the page is as easy as tapping a button at the bottom of the screen. If the comic reading gets interrupted, “ComicZeal” remembers where the reader last left off. One of the best features is that the program comes with a converter so all comic files can be quickly converted to the resized format.
One more way to read comic books is in “Motion Comics” format, which includes limited movement, music, pans and zooms to bring the story to life. “We want people to see these stories through as many distribution points as possible,” explains Marvel Comic Books. Marvel has teamed up with Stephen King to create “N,” as well as the character “Ultimate Spider-Man.” DC Comics have released “Watchmen” and “Batman Adventures” as Motion Comics. These issues can be purchased for Microsoft Xbox and Verizon VCast! The world of comic book art and story telling is always growing, and it seems the new technology compliments this genre quite well.
As a busy mom and business owner, audiobooks have become one of those modern day conveniences that have added so much joy to my daily life (while they free up some of my precious time).
Here’s why I love audiobooks even more than listening to new music, and why you might want to start an audiobook habit of your own.
1. Audio books help you get monotonous tasks get done. When I have something to do that I dread (repainting the living room, for example) I always treat myself to a brand new audiobook download from audible, where I have a monthly membership that allows me to download two books each month. A fresh new audio book really helps motivate me to do those tasks, large and small, that I simply don’t like. Once you’re into a juicy novel, the time just flies by. The latest version of Amazon’s new wireless reading device will even read to you.
2. They make great use of car time. If you have a long commute, put in a seminar, a language immersion tape, or a motivational download. While listening to music is simply entertainment, by the end of a month or two with audio books you could have learned new vocabulary in a second language, gotten a better understanding of investment strategies, or have simply enjoyed a few wonderful novels.
3. Audiobooks motivate you for exercise. Dedicate an audio book that is particularly suspenseful and intriguing just for the time that you spend on the treadmill or the elliptical. You’ll be dying to get back on the machine tomorrow to find out what happens next.
4. Audiobooks helps keep your kids entertained. If you have a long road trip coming up, get a good fantasy story that you can all listen to together. When kids are listening to an audiobook, they are more likely to be entertained while still looking out the window and enjoying the scenery around them (rather than zoning out with the DVD player.) For the kids, it really helps if you can find a download with a fantastic narrator, so pay special attention to the comments from other readers before you download a book for the entire family.
5. It’s a great way to learn new things. Some people learn best by hearing information. If that’s you, you owe it to yourself to seek out information in spoken form. Even some textbooks are available in an audio format.
6. You can find and share audiobooks at low cost. Look for discounted audiobooks at used bookstores or thrift stores. Check out books on CD at your local library or online.
You can also get select titles free through Project Gutenberg as well as through LibriVox. (A quick google search will give you the direct URLs.)
You can purchase audiobooks individually through various websites, including iTunes and audible. If you find that you are downloading more than one paid audiobook each month, you’ll probably save money by paying for a monthly subscription to an audio download site, such as audible or simplyaudiobooks.
So what do people like almost as much as new music, but more than a game of Trivial Pursuit? Magic! For centuries it has puzzled us, entertained us and kept us spellbound with its apparently impossible or even supernatural tricks. A lot of skill and practice is essential to make a magic trick seem flawless, to make an illusion real, but the best magicians do it with no trouble at all.
As the audience, we know very well that we are being tricked in some way, but that’s part of the fun. Although in the past performers did claim to have supernatural powers, nowadays that’s not the case. Sleight of hand is the usual method for performing magic tricks, and we have fun trying to catch the magician out so that we can work out how the trick was done.
And still the best magicians leave us totally awestruck with their skill, leaving us completely clueless as to how they perform their illusions. The sense of bafflement is as big a part of the performance as seeing the actual magic trick.
But the reality is that learning magic tricks can be tough! It can take a lot of effort to get a trick to appear effortless. And the fact is that performing magic tricks is one thing in life you can’t fake – the audience will definitely catch on when it doesn’t work!
Unfortunately, most books or videos on the subject are filled with theory but not enough actual “real world” magic — the kind that actually entertains people! And, you practically have to be a brain surgeon to figure out the instructions.
The news isn’t all bad, though. There are some magic training books that are worth the money. For example, the author of Learn Easy Magic has collected hundreds of original magic tricks and compiled them into four amazing books!! The instructions are easy to follow, making it easy to build up your repertoire of magic tricks.
Studying to become a magician, even if it’s only to specialise in a few simple magic tricks, is a great way to entertain friends and family, as well as building your own self confidence. Info About Magic Tricks is designed to help you on your journey of discovery.
Find out more about magic tricks by visiting http://infoaboutmagictricks.com
The Stamps of China are soaked in history — from the celebration of Communism to commemorating leaders like Mao Zedong. In any country with two opposing factions and an ever-changing landscape, there’s bound to be a lot of printing errors and recalls, which makes many rare China stamps worth a considerable amount of money. While it was a slow hobby to take shape, there are now over 18 million stamp collectors in China and some very fascinating stamps to obtain.
Overprints of China stamps were common during the early 1900s. An overprint is the addition of text after a stamp has already been printed (usually to raise the price in relation to inflation). Because of the ever-changing economy, some stamps from that time period — such as the Sun Yat-sen — rose in value up into the thousands of dollars.
In November 1952, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication released a set of four stamps to commemorate “the 35th Anniversary of the October Revolution.” The October Revolution (also known as The Bolshevik Revolution) was led by Vladimir Lenin’s Bolshevik party and the workers’ Soviets and eventually overthrew the government, making way for the USSR. The stamps were issued in celebration of the friendship between China and the Soviets. The first stamp had a picture of China’s Mao Zedong with Stalin on the Kremlin tower; the second stamp portrayed Lenin making a speech at the Second Representatives Conference of the Soviet Unions; the third stamp pictured a statue of Stalin standing at the Lenin Canal; the fourth showed Lenin making a speech. In 1997, a set of these stamps was sold at the Spring Auction of Jiade for $55,000 RMB.
One stamp issued from the collection “To Mark the 40th Anniversary of the Establishment of Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base by Chairman Mao” was recently sold at an auction in Shaghai for $1.5 Million RMB (or roughly $199,880 USD). There were originally four stamps issued, including: Chairman Mao and Lin Biao at Tian An Men, Chairman Mao and his party in Jing gang Shan, the quotation “The political power comes from guns,” and another verse by Chairman Mao. The Jianggangshan base become the birthplace of the Chinese Red Army and is often called “the cradle of the Chinese Revolution.”
In addition to the historical significance of these commemorative China stamps, the controversy surrounding the issuance caused an uproar. Production was canceled and specimens were called to be destroyed. Therefore, the Jinggangshan stamps never made it to circulation and only a very small number exist in the hands of private collectors. In September 1968, after the establishment of Cultural Revolution Revolutionary Committees, the Ministry of Posts issued the “All China Is Red” stamp.
The stamp pictured a red ocean, with workers, farmers and soldiers holding “the Quotations of Chairman Mao” and cheering; at the top, a red map of China with golden letters read “All China Is Red.” The stamps were issued in Beijing for half a day before the China Atlas Press discovered that the Xisha and Nansha archipelagoes were mistakenly missing from the map! Due to its extremely limited number, the “All China Is Red” is one of the most famous rare stamps in the world. Ten years ago, a post office sheet of 50 was displayed at the China Philatelic Expo in Guangzhou City and was considered a “national treasure,” valued at over 10,000,000 RMB.
While there is said to be about 18 million stamp collectors in China, there are millions of members in the Chinese Philatelic Society. The government is eager to begin trade with other stamp collectors, so the stamps are readily available worldwide. Ebay has a list of stamps from Asia and China stamps can also be found at the Chinese Philatelic Information site or ChineseStamps.org. Whether you’re looking for dragons or emperors, you’ll find it in China!
Another year, another Oscar ceremony. Most of the awards went according to plan. The British were the big winners on the night, with Slumdog Millionaire scooping, well, nearly everything, and Kate Winslett getting the Oscar at long last. For me though, the thing that disappointed me the most was that Mad Mickey Rourke missed out on the Best Actor Oscar, one he was expected to walk away with. For me though I was really looking forward to seeing Mickey Rourke crazy things up again with yet another slightly insane acceptance speech.
The award eventually went to Sean Penn for his brilliant portrayal of gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Look – I am not saying that Sean Penn wasn’t worthy of the accolade. Far from it – his role was as iconic as it was important. But am I the only one that just loves the crazyness that Mickey brings to the often staged and insincere PR stunt that is the Oscars?
So many of the celebrities on the red carpet turned up, as always, perfectly groomed in sponsored outfits and monotonous black tuxedos. Mickey Rourke, on the other hand, turned up in a messy looking white suit. Of course he also wore his trademark designer sunglasses which have become part of his image in the awards season. Nuttiest of all was Rourke’s “Loki the dead chihuahua” necklace in tribute to his recently deceased pet, which he pointed out to every invterviewer he spoke to!
We were due for another wacky and memorable acceptance speech if Mickey Rourke had got the award. Who knows what he would have come out with on the stage, chihuahua memorial necklace, sunglasses and all? I’ll never forget his previous antics at the Golden Globes awards. And more recently he brought the house down at the Independent Spirit awards the night before the Oscars – see the video above.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some political manouvering going on behind the scenes that prevented Rourke from winning. Mickey himself had predicted he woudldn’t win because he’s pissed off too many hollywood hotshots in the past. “I stupidly said acting wasn’t a job for a real man. I threatened producers, raged at directors, forgot my agent’s name. I really burned my bridges. And a lot of people have long memories,” was the eerily accurate prediction from Mickey Rourke before the awards.
You gotta give it up for the Pennster however, his speech was certainly an interesting one. To begin with his thank-you’s were directed at the Academy, whom he referred to as “commie, homo-loving sons of guns!” Penn then pulled out a small scribbled bit of paper, donned his prescription glasses, and after a few “thank you’s,” proceeded with an impassioned plea for equal rights for gays and against the ban on gay marriages. Not quite as entertaining as Mad Mickey would have been – but better than gushing and thanking his mother for bringing him into this wonderful world.
Meanwhile the Mickey Rourke comeback continues!