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Avid book readers can now “listen”to their books while they are commuting to work or to school! Learning while you are traveling! With the advancement in digital technology,book readers are now downloading their favourite books from popular audio bookstore to their iPods and other MP3 players and it has become the next hottest trend in US and UK.
The audio books industry is the next big thing to watch out for! In UK, over $124 million worth of audio books were sold in 2004 and in Germany, over $120 million in 2005. Experts say that this year the market is expected to rise by 20% in Europe, and audio books seem to be even more popular in the USA.
According to the report from digital trends,research firm iSuppli is predicting that shipments of MP3 players are expected to rise by nearly a factor of four from 2004 to 2009 which means total MP3 player shipments will expand to 132 million units in 2009.
What’s more! According to a recent survey, in the USA a person is driving an average of 1 hour and 13 minutes daily, which means over 440 hours a year for each driver, or 11 full-time work weeks. This is huge! Imagine how many things you could learn during this time by simply having your MP3 player with audio books at hand.
Audio books is going to be the next hottest areas in publishing thanks to their convenience and ease of use
But why are audio versions a convenient way to “read” a book?
Audio books is a fast and convenient way to bring fun and expression in our books. It also help people in the development of hobbies, and enriched their knowledge such as foreign languages and other hobbies. People can remember faster when it is narrated to them.
Audio books will greatly enriching our lives, both personally and professionally.
1) You can listen to an audio book anywhere and everywhere and you can even do other things at the same time. You can listen when driving to and from work, when walking the dog, cycling, working around the house or at the computer, exercising, and so on.
2) If you love reading but don’t have a enough time, It really saves a lot of time especially when you truly want to enrich your knowledge by reading many books but just simply don’t have the time to sit down and read a book. You can listen at home while you are doing your housework, cooking, commuting to and fro from work.
3) Audio books are good for older, ill or recovering people and can be a wonderful gift for someone in a nursing institution. There are inspirational, motivational and spiritual audio books that could keep them positive and motivated about life. A positive mental health has an amazing energy to heal physically.
4) Audio books is a miracle to blind or people with impaired vision and disabled people. Everyone should have the chance to experience to enrich their knowledge and enjoy the wonders of a good book.
The most important skill a child can ever acquire is probably the ability to read and improve their vocabulary and communications when they listen to audio books while following the story in the paper book Audio books has narration and sound effects and can certainly instill your child’s love for reading and expression.
You can select a vast range of audio books from the following categories:
Arts & Drama Biography Business Crime & Thrillers Fiction Foreign Language Study Health & Recreation History Humor Juvenile Misc Radio Shows Religion & Spiritual Self Help TV & Film!
Did you know that audio books are becoming more and more popular each and every day? For
example, in 2004, over $124 million worth of audio books were sold in the UK and $120 million in
Germany in 2005. Experts say that this year the market is expected to rise by 20% in Europe, and
audio books seem to be even more popular in the USA.
But why are people heading with their ears to audio book versions of written works? Here are 5
reasons I believe this trend is set to get bigger and begger.
1) You save time, because you can listen to an audio book anywhere and everywhere, and you can
even do other things at the same time. You can listen when driving to and from work, when walking
the dog, cycling, working around the house or at the computer, exercising, and so on. The
possibilities are endless.
According to a recent survey, in the USA a person is driving an average of 1 hour and 13 minutes
daily, which means over 440 hours a year for each driver, or 11 full-time work weeks. This is huge!
Imagine how many things you could learn during this time by simply having your MP3 player with
audio books at hand.
2) If you love reading but don’t have a enough time, audio books can give you the opportunity to read
many more books than you would otherwise have time for. Audio books are a great way to fill the
“dead” moments we all have in our lives.
3) Audio books are good for older, ill or recovering people and can be a wonderful gift for someone in
a nursing institution. This is a gift they can enjoy time after time.
4) Audio books can be a blessing for blind people, disabled people or people with impaired vision.
Everyone should have the chance to experience and enjoy a book and in many cases, this is the
only way for such persons to do so.
Spoken books can help these people improve their education, help them develope new hobbies and
greatly enrich their life, both personally and professionally.
5) The most important skill a child can ever acquire is probably the ability to read, and audio books
can be easily used to stimulate literacy in children. Books can be listened to by children while
following the story in the paper book. Or they could listen just to gain and improve vocabulary and
communication skills. If you want to instill in your child the love of reading, audio books can be a
excellent start.
There are many more benefits of using audio books, but even these few reasons should be enough
to convince you to enter the exciting world of spoken books.
The days of storing boxes and shelves full of dusty old hard-copies of your all time favorite novels and literature are over;it is time to get with the audio book trend! This is not the day to be left behind or excluded because you are old fashioned or backward in your knowledge and beliefs. When you download audio books, you have the opportunity to learn and grow everyday, with little or no interruption to your normal lifestyle pattern.
This growing audio book trend is obvious when looking at the sales statistics from recent years. In the UK and Germany, over $120 million dollars worth of audio books were sold individually in the years 2004 and 2005. The sales results for the US for 2006 are expected to be at least one fifth higher than the UK and Europe! Considering their short time on the market, this is a phenomenal popularity growth rate, and it will not be surprising if they eventually overtake book sales all together.
Why are audio books growing at such a fast rate in their popularity? There are a number of reasons for you to throw away the old books and convert to audio book format instead. The first and best benefit is definitely the fact that you can listen to audio books anytime and anyplace. It does not matter if your day is filled with errands and housework, you can still improve your mind and inspire your soul by taking time to listen to a good book. Maybe you take the dog for a daily walk or spend time in the gym? Both of these can be used as opportunities to stay up to date on your reading.
In America, statistics show the average person spends over an hour a day driving or on public transport. There are at least 500 hours a year each person could use to learn and stimulate their imaginations instead of being bored and uninspired, waiting to reach their destination. All you need is your MP3 player, which we all know are light weight, compact and convenient to carry anywhere, then download audio books of your choice. Imagine being amid the hustle and bustle of a busy train trip, totally detached from the stress and discomfort around you as you disappear, listening to a book you love?
With an audio book, you do not need to worry about having quiet, private space to read. You can zone out anytime you like by putting in your earphones and closing your eyes. No noise or activity can distract you unless you want it to, and you can choose to look out at some nice scenery or drift off to sleep anytime. Audio books are also fantastic for those times when you are just hanging around the house looking for something to do or waiting for your next favorite television program to begin. You will be amazed, once you start getting into an audio book, how often you will make time to listen, and how quickly it could even replace other less inspiring activities for you.
If you know anyone who spends a lot of time sitting around doing nothing, buy them an audio book you think they would enjoy. You could initiate a whole new world of inspiration and education they never knew was possible. Whether it is a child you know who is advanced for their age and needs extra stimulation or an elderly person who lives alone or in a retirement village, they will love listening to a good audio book.
It is easy to download audio books as they are available over the internet any time of the day or night. If you are lying awake, wishing you had something to do, why not visit a popular downloadable audio book site and find a book that interests you (possibly even something relating to insomnia!). With so many mundane duties to perform every day, you really should consider it a blessing that you can now find the opportunity to enjoy books when you are so busy. Do not keep your head in the sand any longer but download audio books today to start you on your journey of evolution.
Copyright: Helen Wall
Did you know that audio books are becoming more and more popular by each day? For example, in 2004, over $124 million worth of audio books were sold in the UK and $120 million in Germany during 2005. Experts say that this year the market is expected to rise by 20% in Europe, and audio books seem to be even more popular in the USA.
But why are audio versions a convenient way to “read” a book?
1) You save time, because you can listen to an audio book anywhere and everywhere, and you can even do other things at the same time. You can listen when driving to and from work, when walking the dog, cycling, working around the house or at the computer, exercising, and so on. The possibilities are endless.
According to a recent survey, in the USA a person is driving an average of 1 hour and 13 minutes daily, which means over 440 hours a year for each driver, or 11 full-time work weeks. This is huge! Imagine how many things you could learn during this time by simply having your MP3 player with audio books at hand.
2) If you love reading but don’t have a enough time, audio books can give you the opportunity to read many more books that you would otherwise have time for. Audio books are a great way to fill the “dead” moments we all have in our lives.
3) Audio books are good for older, ill or recovering people and can be a wonderful gift for someone in a nursing institution. This is a gift they can remember and enjoy time after time.
4) Audio books can be a blessing for blind people, disabled people or people with impaired vision. Everyone should have the chance to experience and enjoy a book and in many cases, this is the only way for such persons to do it.
Spoken books can help these people improving their education, help them developing new hobbies and habits and greatly enriching their life, both personally and professionally.
5) The most important skill a child can ever acquire is probably the ability to read, and audio books can be easily used to stimulate literacy in children. Books can be listened to by children while following the story in the paper book. Or they could listen just to gain and improve vocabulary and communication skills. If you want to instill in your child the love of reading, audio books can be a excellent start.
There are many more benefits of using audio books, but even these few reasons should be enough to convince you to enter the exciting world of the spoken books.
Janet Rusky is an upcoming author who runs one of the best audio book stores on the internet where 7000 titles divided in hundreds of categories are available for immediate download.
http://www.best-audiobook-store.com
Legalized gambling is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. For most of the industry’s patrons, gambling is merely a fun activity which does not have any serious regularity to it. Four percent of those who become addicted; however, it can be a devastating illness that negatively affects every aspect of their lives.
According to one source, an estimated four percent of the adult population will experience a serious problem with gambling that will result in serious debt, family disruption, job losses, crime or suicide.
Compulsive gambling affects the gamblers, their families, their employers and the community. As the gamblers go through the phases of their addiction, they spend less time with their family and spend more of their family’s money on gambling until their bank accounts are depleted. Then they may steal money from family members. The work environment oftentimes becomes disrupted; there is a lack of focus, projects do not ge finished and time is used to plan the next move to the casino. Some employees go as far as to embezzle money from their employers or engage in other illicit activities to facilitate the next “binge.”
Gambling addiction is a progressive disease. At the outset, it progresses slowly and grows until the victim’s life becomes chaotic and uncontrollable.
Most compulsive gamblers are not able to “kick it” on their own. They require professional help to be able to come to the realization that they have a serious problem.
German author Mareen Mathis tells her story in an autobiographical account of her life. This was a therapeutic assignment given to her by her psychiatrist, after being court ordered to seek treatment.
Ms. Mathis had become so obsessed with playing roulette that she simply had to go to the tables every day. Her addiction resulted in her gambling away her assets as well as her husband’s and eventually embezzling money from her cousin.
Mathis examines what caused the ruinous behavior of a middle-class woman who had grown up enduring the hardships of the Nazi years in Germany by delving back into the past, assessing her familial situation and her own character.
Ms. Mathis and her famliy are swept into World War II under the Hitler dictatorship, she establishes a carpet business which she runs successfully for 20 years. Heavily burned by an ailing mother and disabled husband, she starts venturing out to a local casino to escape the disheartening reality she is faced with every day. As her visits to the casino become more and more frequent, she starts losing control. Soon she is lost in a world of compulsive, obsessive behavior. She keeps her gambling addiction well hidden from others, even those close to her, but at 66, while still active and dynamic, she was “on the verge of a total breakdown”.
Writing about her life has helped her understand why. However, none of this would have been possible without family and professional intervention.
US TV via IPTV delivery for US expats living overseas that provides quality reliable Near HD and HD programming with over 250 channels of live American programming streaming with 2Mbps guaranteed bandwidth to each Customer’s set-top box is here with Habu.TV.
Talking with Mr. Clay Cook, the CEO/Chairman of Vision One Global Communications, a full-service communications provider to the the large contingent of US military and expats living overseas, says “what separates us from the other companies offering similar services is that we are not spliting the signal before or after the cable box. Sure there are also free download sites all over the net, but you often get what you pay for and those free sites are unreliable and questionable quality in the best of times.” He goes on to say that being able to provide the set-top box solution with the Nationphone proprietary network and “one-to-one” signal from provider to subscriber complies not only with the law, but gives the Customer the strongest signal possible and the best viewing experience.”
“We are recieving great response from the expat markets here in Germany, Italy, and the Middle East. The word is out that now we have it…and are live. With over 250 channels of quality US TV programming streamed directly to anywhere in the world utilizing Nationphone’s platform with an actual set-top box solution to your TV and or computer, you can now watch all of your favorite TV shows, dramas, pro-sports, college sports, movies, news, entertainment. Our channel line-up includes: Every HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Netflix, ESPN, FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, BET, MTV, digital music radio with every genre, Sci-FI, Discovery, Disney, History, Nat Geo, and so much more! Add to that a 100 hour DVR/Tivo on every cable box and you can time-shift your favorite shows and watch them at your convenience…all accessed either by our PC soft or set-top box on your TV.”
We asked Mr. Cook what separates your service from the rest of the pack of base cable services being offered in Europe? “Well, simply put, quality and the entire solution”. Legalities are always a major concern; and “with our legal team in New York, we believe that we have met all guidelines and criteria based on current laws on the books covering IPTV. The real difference here is that every Customer is simultaneously subscribed for an actual cable subscription of 250 Ch. from Time Warner cable; so in effect, you are complying with the laws by just “time-shifting” your own cable subscription and watching it elswhere. In the country where the Expat will view the service, the local laws aren’t infringed upon because we are not broadcasting in that country.”
Bandwidth is the main stumbling block that will prevent IPTV service in some areas in the developing world because the signal is carried through your Internet connection. In countries in Europe and the Middle East the bandwidth is “pretty good”, says Clay. “However, in places like Asia and some Eastern Bloc nations, you will need to ensure you have at least 512 kbps reliable connection to be able to view our service”.
“The good news for our expat and military Customer is you can watch before you buy. You can go to our site and click to view free demo. We will send them back the instructions with 2 or 3 hours of viewing so they can see for themselves whether or not their connection will support it.”, says Clay
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Just go to www.Habu.TV and click to schedule a free demo on your PC. You will be surprised at the quality! You can contact Habu.TV at their offices in Japan at 81-98-921-7001.
Watch our YouTube Channel for latest support and sample videos http://www.youtube.com/habutv
Shopping In Germany
Germany has a reputation for craftsmanship and this is reflected in the quality of locally-made goods. Traditional German buys include porcelain, handicrafts, toys, timepieces, beer steins, nutcrackers and cutlery, not to mention Mercedes and BMW cars.
Shopping In Berlin
Berlin has cast off its image as a drab center of intrigue to emerge as a shopping centre for fashion, antiques, furniture and home accessories. The most august shopping locale is Kurfurstendamm (Ku’damm). Most of the city’s premier clothes shops, boutiques and department stores are located on this famous thoroughfare.
A parvenu to the upmarket Berlin shopping scene is the new Friedrichstrasse. It’s a mile long thoroughfare which features a lot of design shops, car shops, coffeehouses (with the inevitable Starbucks) and the Galleries Lafayette. The nearby Unter den Linden features several boutiques, located mainly between Friedrichstrasse and the Brandenburg Gate.
A must-see is a legend from the cold war days, the Kaufhof on Alexander Platz. Once the haunt of communist bigwigs from Moscow and other soviet bloc countries, nowadays it’s just a big old department store.
Kreuzberg with its many shops and flea market is the place to browse junk items, second-hand books, and second-hand clothes. For more offbeat items, the second-hand stores and art boutiques around Hackescher Market are the places to go.
Shopping In Munich
The shopping scene in Munich has revamped recently. Modern Munich is a place where you’ll find celebrated brand names and designer goods alongside traditional Bavarian crafts such as beer steins and Tyrolean hats. Hyper modern shopping malls such as the Fünf Höfe have given the city an edgy modern glitter. However the old die hards such as Beck and delicatessen Dallmayr and Kafer still attract legions of faithful customers.
Munich downtown’s pedestrian zones are the best places for a shopping adventure. The major one is the Kaufingerstrasse, a two-kilometer pedestrian zone running from the railway station to Marienplatz and north to Odeonsplatz. All the chain stores are located here. For a more interesting shopping experience, the streets around the Marienplatz offer some small stores, while the pedestrian zone between Marienplatz and Karlsplatz offer the famous brand name clothing and shoe outlets. For international luxury items, head for Maximilianstrasse. Celebrated local fashion designer Rudolph Moshammer also showcases his creations here.
If you want to escape the Bavarian chill, head for the Olympia Shopping Center in the Northwest of Munich close to the Olympic Stadium. This is Munich’s biggest mall and it features lots of clothes stores, shoe stores, general department stores, drug stores, music shops and food courts.
Schwabing, north of the university is the place to peruse Bavarian antiques. The small shops around the Viktualienmarkt and at Türkenstrasse, Theresienstrasse, and Barerstrasse are very interesting and you may get lucky.
The Sunday flea market at Kunstpark Ost is a great place for second hand bargains.
Most stores in Munich are open from 08:00 – 18:30 from Monday to Friday and from 07:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays.
There is a wide variation of hotels in Germany . Check out the internet for cheap hotels in Berlin or hotels in Munich .
One place often ignored by tourists for no real reason is Germany, a country with a long history and culture with a pleasant countryside mostly untouched by modern development. Try not to remember the Germany of the early and middle twentieth century but look upon it as a nation that has grown strong in adversity and one to be admired on its achievements since then. For visitors looking for something a little different they can’t really go wrong with a German touring vacation as there is little to disappoint in the cities with their impressive architecture and historical connections. Although car rental in Germany isn’t difficult it is invariably less expensive done in advance in the comfort of your own home.
Don’t expect every German to speak English fluently because like France, it is not their second language. Apart from the possible discounts you may lose by not booking your car rental in Germany early it may save any problems when trying to organize it when you arrive. If you intend on doing a great deal of traveling on your trip then I would strongly urge you to plan ahead as it will save time and any possible inconvenience later. As strange as this may sound it does make sense because you may decide that the places you intend to visit are better serviced by trains and coaches.
For example, can you actually afford to rent a car in Germany for the full period you are there? For some drivers, the very thought of driving on the opposite side of the road to what they are comfortable with, fills them with fear and would prefer not to do this. This is a very fundamental point to bear in mind as it could potentially cause problems and stress for the driver who does not feel at home driving on what to him is the wrong side of the road. One solution to this is to ask one of your companions if they wouldn’t mind driving the party instead.
So if you are a lone tourist or your other companions also feel the same way you do then as an option, consider arranging a professional driver for your trip, hired when you arrive at your destination. Don’t forget you will need a driver who can speak English, although they do not have to be fluent, just as long as they can understand what it is you want. The idea is that your vacation is stress free but this simple fact could cause headaches and stress, something you do not want on your vacation. Don’t be daunted by these ‘little obstacles’, just plan ahead and you’re sure to be able to enjoy your vacation in Germany completely with no hassles plus you’ll be somewhat of an expert when it comes to car rental in Germany.
The short and easy answer is “YES”.
In fact anyone who has graduated from high school and has a good grasp of their own language can make a comfortable living as a freelance trainer in Germany.
However, a little prep work is required in order to avert disaster.
Over the years I’ve seen so many people come full of enthusiasm only to leave in tears a few short months later. I can’t guarantee you success but if you follow the 5 guidelines below then your adjustment will be a lot easier.
1. Learn some basic German.
You don’t have to be a fluent speaker but a few months before your trip you should buy a basic phrase book. “Where is the train station?” “How much is this?” etc.
Make sure it has a phonetic pronunciation guide.
It doesn’t matter if your German is terrible at the start, as long as you make the effort to speak the language then most of the natives will try their best to help you.
DO NOT blurt out “Hey dude, where can a guy get himself a mickey dees and a cold bottle of suds in this town?” Although a lot West Germans had a little English in school most of them have forgotten it. How much high school French or Spanish can you remember!?!
2. Brush up your grammar.
Native speakers use complex grammar structures without thinking what they are called.
Now you need to learn the names and when they are used. DON’T PANIC!
Essential Grammar In Use ISBN 3-12-533460-8
This book is the bible for English trainers and it’s written simply and clearly.
GET IT NOW! Read it from cover to cover and do all the exercises.
Remember you are not learning the language, just brushing up.
I remember thinking “wow, so that’s what it’s called when I say that.”
Basically your learning the lingo.
A TOEFL certificate would be a big advantage and you can do the course in the evenings or at weekends. It’s worth the relatively small price you pay.
3. Observe the culture.
Search the net, read German authors and watch German movies.
Learn a little about the German culture.
Germans are a lot more reserved than British or Americans and need a little more time to warm up. Don’t mistake this for unfriendliness. Once you gain their trust you won’t find more loyal friends. Eating on the street can be frowned upon but drinking a bottle of beer on your way home from work isn’t really out of place.
4. Have your papers ready.
The people here are highly organized and for us maybe a little too bureaucratic.
Make sure you have all your relevant education papers, tax info. , social security etc.
You also have to register for a work permit but most schools will help you with this process. Although the authorities are more tolerant with non-German speakers they still expect everything to be done exactly right. If you have to organize your work permit by yourself then try to have a bi-lingual speaker with you.
5. Have a “Plan B”.
Even with the greatest preparation things can sometimes go wrong.
Make sure that you have an open return plane ticket, travel insurance and enough emergency money with you in case things don’t go as planned.
It could be that you get here and the culture shock is too great, maybe you have a skiing mishap on your day off or being an English trainer isn’t all you thought it would be.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Hopefully I haven’t painted too dark a picture. After all I’m married to a German woman and have happily adjusted to life here. Living and working in Germany can be a fantastic experience and totally change your life in a positive way as long as you do a little planning before your trip.
http://getlearn.biz
Learning German in Germany is the best way to dwell into the learning experience. And if you are living in a country where most of the people around you are native speakers of that language, it is natural that you adapt the same in few days. You may consider yourself lucky enough to live in Germany and observe the disciplined life of Germans & their diverse culture. The following are few points to remember based on my personal experience.
Be Restless!
Get the most out of your stay in Germany. In addition to your visit to historical places and ‘beer’ festival, start roaming around the very locals of the place. Interaction with the locals will give you more exposure to the diversity of their language. Sometimes, you may find some pure German words and phrases that are very specific to Germany. Fundamentally it depends on the purpose of you visit. A traveler’s visit helps you to interact more then just a business visit that keeps you busy all the time. But still, Germany is a place of weekends, where you will find every German having beer or dancing in a Salsa bar!
Make Friends!
Once you start interacting with people around you, you might find a good friend. He or she will then help you cover your German learning curve steeply. Visiting public places like bars during weekends is a good idea to meet people more closely and find your self a good friend or a group!
Be Graceful!
Make sure your intention is not wrong or to hurt anyone’ feelings. Whenever one start learning a foreign language he or she misses some ethical details of the lingo, so if that happens to you, don’t forget to apologize and admit! After you develop an adaptable attitude of learning German language in Germany, you will be accepted within the German community to help you absorb more!
Do your homework!
Carry with you a set of those pocket phrase books and dictionary. Make sure you read them, before you step on to the German lands, as you will require at least asking for directions and hiring a taxi phrases. Other useful words and phrases will help you while shopping, buying clothes, and bargaining, buying food and snacks in a restaurant or a bar etc. Reading short stories, comics and the books that allows you to relate with English easily is another good option to learn German.
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