Thursday, August 23, 2007


Monday, August 13, 2007

Slime Recipe Favorites

Slime Recipe Favorites
by: Patricia B. Jensen


IT’S SLIME TIME!!! Experiment with these slime recipe favorites and how to make silly putty for a great kids party activity.

Great for a science party, dinosaur party (make it red for molten lava or green for swamp slime), or Halloween party.

Promotes interest in science and learning or just feeling something slimy like oobleck between your fingers!

EASY SLIME RECIPE #1

2 Cups Water

1/2 Cup Cornstarch

Food Coloring

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cornstarch, then food coloring while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. This makes a messy slime that goes from liquid to solid, and is great fun to play with.

EASY SLIME RECIPE #2

1/4 cup White Glue
1 1/4 cup Water, divided
1 tbsp. Borax - found in the laundry detergent aisle of your grocery store
Food Coloring

Borax is available in the laundry section of your local grocery store. Add 1 tbsp. Borax to one cup of warm water. Stir until completely dissolved.

Make a 50% water 50% white glue solution. Take 1/4 cup of each and mix thoroughly.

In a ziploc bag, add equal parts of the borax solution to equal parts of the glue solution. (Half cup of each will make a cup of slime.)

Add a couple drops of food coloring. Seal bag and knead the mixture.

If slime is too sticky, add a little more borax. If slime is too slippery, add a little more white glue solution.

Variations:

Less rubbery & more transparent slime: Try a 4% solution of polyvinyl alcohol instead of the glue mixture

Different Consistencies: Add shaving cream or baby powder to the mixture.

Glow in the Dark Slime: Add several drops of glow-in-the-dark paint during mixing.

SILLY PUTTY

1 tbsp. White Glue
½ tsp. Epsom Salts
½ tsp. Water

In small cup, put ½ tsp. Epsom salt and ½ tsp water. Stir till salt is all or mostly dissolved. Add one tbsp. Glue to another small cup. Add Epsom salt water to the glue and stir. When putty has formed, experiment with it on waxed paper. Store in Ziploc bag.

GENERAL SLIME HANDLING INFORMATION

Store in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator for maximum life.

A few drops of Lysol can be added to the Slime to minimize formation of mold and extend the lifetime of the Slime.

Wash hands before using slime to minimize mold growth as well.

Keep off carpets and furniture as it can stain.

Borax is toxic in large doses, so keep out of reach of children under 3.

Copyright 2005 Kids Party Paradise. All Rights Reserved.

The 10 Christmas Decoration Tips You Must Know

The 10 Christmas Decoration Tips You Must Know
by: Rosie Fletcher


Decorating for Christmas is one of the best things about the holidays. The twinkling of lights, the sight of a perfectly trimmed tree and a perfectly placed wreath adorning your front door are all gentle reminders of the joyous Christmas season.

When decorating your home, you want the décor to reflect your own personal style while keeping the Christmas tradition always present. A few tips can help make this holiday decorating season even brighter.

Christmas Decoration Tip #1: Lights Out

With each year that passes, Christmas lights tend to burn out at some point. Unless you have a strand that burns with the exception of the troublesome light, it can be a real headache to find the faulty bulb. Consider investing in a light tester, which will check each individual light and detect the one that needs replacing. These can be found with the Christmas supplies at most department stores.

Christmas Decoration Tip #2: Angels Nearby

Whenever possible, decorate your home with angels. They add a touch of peace and tranquility to your home and we all need to know that there are angels watching over us.

Christmas Decoration Tip #3: Be fruity

Prepare a fruit-filled clear glass bowl as a centerpiece for your dining room table. Nothing smells like Christmas as much as an orange or a nice fruit combination.

Decoration Tip #4: Add a personal touch

If you hang Christmas stockings, consider personalizing them with your name, your spouses name and those of your children. These days, even pets have stockings, so don’t forget to add Fido’s name on a stocking. You can easily personalize a traditional stocking using a glitter pen, preferably one that writes in silver or gold. A personalized stocking is a nice idea and a special added touch.

Christmas Decoration Tip #5: Pucker up

Decorate your home with poinsettia and mistletoe, which are both holiday traditions. A nice artificial poinsettia plant will always be beautiful and is easy to take care of - no water required. A mistletoe is always a nice touch and especially if you just need one more reason to smooch.

Christmas Decoration Tip #6: Working with wreaths

Don’t forget to place a beautiful green wreath on the front door of your home. Make sure to add a red bow for a brightening touch! Artificial wreaths will last year after year, but real wreaths do have a wonderful scent. If you want to add wreath’s to the windows in your home, consider purchasing a magnetic wreath hanger. This type of hanger comes in two parts - one goes on the inside of your home and the piece with the hook will go on the outside. These hangers have been around for years, but they are steadily beginning to gain in popularity. The magnets are so strong that they can work through doors and windows, which is ideal for hanging wreaths on the outside of your home without the fuss of a traditional plastic wreath hanger, which drapes across the top of your door.

Christmas Decoration Tip #7: A perfect fit

When choosing a Christmas tree, make sure to measure the preferred location from side to side and from floor to roof. You will want to make sure that perfect tree fits when you bring it home. Artificial trees are easy care, but a real tree requires plenty of water.

Christmas Decoration Tip #8: It’s all about tradition

It’s nice to start a family tradition by decorating your tree on a certain day each year. Perhaps after Thanksgiving dinner, the whole family can spend the evening dressing their home for Santa.

Christmas Decoration Tip #9: Shop smart

Make sure that all electric decorations are UL listed to ensure that they have been tested for quality and safety. Don’t forget to unplug everything before you leave home or go to bed at night.

Christmas Decoration Tip #10: Say Cheese

Always remember to have plenty of film and batteries for the camera. Now that you have the perfect decorations, don’t forget to capture them on film.

How to Give the "Gift of a Lifetime"

How to Give the "Gift of a Lifetime"
by: Van Day


Giving that special someone a special gift can be very difficult. Depending on the situation and occasion, it can be a very tricky thing. You want to do the right thing, but if you’re not careful, it can backfire. As many have found out, you need to give this some considerable thought.

But everyone wants to give the "right" gift. What makes up a great gift?

In my experience, a great gift:

Is truly unique, personal and creative;
Demonstrates to the recipient the thoughtfulness and caring that went into securing the gift;
Evokes emotions from the recipient whenever it is used, seen or thought about; and
Makes the recipient truly feel special.
A great gift doesn't necessarily have to cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to be great. But also understand that getting a gift that is cheap can show how much "you don't care." Before you start to shop and buy, also consider the following:

1. Who is the recipient? Is it your spouse, significant other, sibling, parents, relative, close friends, neighbor or business associate?

2. Next, what is the occasion? Holiday, birthday, anniversary, graduation, wedding, engagement, promotion, a "just because" occasion, or "I-need-to-get-out-of- the-doghouse-occasion?"

3. Be yourself. The gift is from you, so make sure it shows it. But be appropriate, and be sure the gift is something that the recipient will relate to and enjoy.

4. Try to avoid excessiveness. Simple gifts tend to also be very well received.

5. Don't wait until the last minute. It only gives you too little time to get a great gift, and also shows how much you don't care.

Being creative is a fantastic way to ensure getting the right gift. People love it when it's obvious their gift required some imagination and creativity. So as you’re going through the “what do I get them” process, remember that a little bit of creativity, uniqueness and personalization will go a long, long way!

The true measure of a great gift will be seen in the eyes of the recipient when they get it. You’ll know it, you’ll feel it, and you’ll feel great yourself when you’ve given the “Great Gift”!

Baby Budgeting Tips

Baby Budgeting Tips
by: Richard Greenwood



Bringing a baby into the world brings many responsibilities, one of which is the management of your finances. A baby and child will create many changes to your income and expenditures. By getting your finances in order early you can look forward to a bright future through parenthood where finances aren't a cause of stress or worry.

Consolidate & reduce existing debts - It's easy to accrue debts on credit cards, store cards and personal loans. Why not consolidate your existing debts into one place to reduce your monthly interest payments. You can consolidate debt from credit cards using a balance transfer offer such as 0% on balance transfers for 6 months. During these 6 months you should focus on reducing the debt as much as possible.

Make extra home loan repayments - If you have a home loan and are both currently employed you should use your dual incomes to make as many extra repayments on your home loan as you can manage before dropping to one income. Make sure your home loan has a free redraw facility so that you can pull any extra repayments back out at a later date should you need it. Even if you pull most of the money back out after you have the baby you will still of reduced your interest payments in the meantime and further reduced the principle balance.

Check your Health Insurance cover - Having a baby can rack up some big healthcare bills especially is there are any complications. If you don't have private health cover you should consider taking it out in advance of getting pregnant as many funds have a 12 month wait before they pay out for maternity expenses. If you already have health cover, check the policy and ensure maternity cover is included. If not, you may need to upgrade or shop around for another policy.

Protect your income - While an additional expense, it is seriously worth considering income and life insurance should the worse happen. The upbringing of a child create a large financial repsonsibility. You need to be confident that your home loan could be paid off and essential costs such as education and living costs covered in the event that an income is lost or something happens to one of you.

Save for your future - Think about saving for education and other future costs by starting a high interest savings account. Online only savings accounts often have higher interest rates and lower fees than tradtional banks. If you looking for bigger returns with a long term investment then you could look into managed funds or shares.

Think ahead - is your retirement plan working for you - Make sure you have your entire retirement plan in one place to avoid paying multiple account fees. Look for retirement plans with low fees and strong performance results. The thought of your children growing up may seem a long way ahead but you need to get your money working for you now to ensure a good financial position for yourself when they eventually flee the nest.

Try out living on just one income - It can be a shock moving from a dual income household to a single income household when you have a baby. To make things easier why not try and live off one income for a while before the baby is born. The other income can be put towards extra home loan repayments or reducing debt as suggested in the other tips.

Don't spend money when you don't have to - The great thing about having a baby is that friends and family are keen to help out. If you've have friends who have had babies before you why not see if they have toys, clothes or equipment that they don't need anymore. Ebay, online classifieds and your local newspaper are also excellent places to find baby goods second hand. To save money of expensive toys that your baby will soon grow bored of you can use local toy libraries for a small cost.

Babies can save you money as well! - While there may be no shortage of costs around bringing up a child, you'll probably notice you spend less money on entertainment such as going out to restaurants and bars, especially in the first years after having a child. They will provide you with plenty of 'entertainment' and keep you occupied day and night.

Everything You Want to Know About Goose Down Comforters

Everything You Want to Know About Goose Down Comforters
by: Corine Bachmann


Goose Down Comforters are great for the winter time, when you are needing heavy bedding to sleep under and stay warm. For some reason, the goose down comforters are great for this, and will keep you warmer than a regular comforter. You will find that you may not even need anything other than a sheet on your bed when you are using a comforter that is made from goose down on your bed. However, you will want to pay special attention to the way that your comforter should be cleaned.

You will want to read the care instructions that come with your goose down comforter before you go and try to stuff it in the washing machine. Even if the comforter can be machine washed, you will not want to use your home machine. You should make a special trip to your local laundry mat for washing all of your comforters in a washing machine. Doing this will help you from damaging your washing machine, as well as your comforter. Be sure that you read the care label that is attached to the comforter before you do this.

You will find that goose down comforters make great wedding gifts. When you buy a comforter for that new couple, you can be assured that they will love it. Because most comforters that are made with goose down are white, you will not have to worry about not matching the decor of the newlyweds bedroom. Comforters such as this, will need to have a duvet, and the couple will be able to pick out the colors and style of the duvet to match their bedroom. Any new or old couple that receives a comforter made from goose down is bound to love it.

You will find that you can purchase a goose down comforter anywhere that fine comforters are sold. You will need to go to your favorite department store, because your local Wal mart will not carry such a comforter. However, you will not have a problem finding a comforter of goose down in any size that you may need.

If you do not own a goose down comforter, you really should consider purchasing one. You will end up loving it, and you will hate to put it away for storage during the summer months.

Thoughtful Christmas Gifts That Won't Cost A Thing

Thoughtful Christmas Gifts That Won't Cost A Thing
by: Ricky Alberta



We all get caught up in the material excesses of Christmas at some point. We shop for that perfect Christmas gift for that special someone, we wait in long lines, we spend a load of cash, only to find that the best gifts are the ones that don't cost a thing but are filled with thought and joy. These are the true gifts of Christmas. Here are some surefire Christmas gift ideas that won't cost you a cent but are guaranteed to please:

IOU's

These are probably the most thoughtful gifts you can give. Figure out what someone needs or wants, something that's not tangible, and write out an IOU to them on a Christmas card. Some examples:

- Your Mom would love some time alone to relax away from the baby, write an IOU for 2 hours of babysitting.

- You Dad plans to organize the garage, write an IOU for 2 hours of help with sorting out the garage.

- Your elderly neighbor could use a hand with yard work, write them an IOU for 1 hour of yard work on a future weekend.

- Your sister gets migraines a lot, write an IOU to give her some TLC during her next migraine.

- Your nephew is having trouble in math, write an IOU for 2 hours of math tutoring.

- Your friend recently moved so you don't see them anymore, write an IOU for a trip to the park or some other special place.

There are a million different things you can write an IOU for, the only limit is the limit to your imagination.

Pictures & Collages

Relatives love to receive pictures of their family. When you buy school pictures or have any other type of picture taken, you are usually left with some extras. Put the extras together in an old album and give it as a gift. You can also make a collage with your pictures, these are easy to make and thoughtful gifts.

Crafts

There are tons of crafts you can make with stuff just laying around your house. From handmade ornaments to adorned picture frames to home decorations made with pinecones, twigs and branches.

Food

Many people make cookies, candy or some other treat for Christmas. Why not make a little extra and give them as gifts? Some other excellent food gifts that won't break the bank are gift jar recipes, seasoning mixes, hot cocoa and drink mixes, spice rubs, flavored oils, flavored vinegars and pickled fruits and veggies.

Ornaments

Some of the easiest gifts to make are ornaments. Use old greeting cards, AOL cd's, pinecones, foil, candy, pictures, gift wrapping, gift boxes etc. There's a million ways you can make lovely ornaments from things found around your house.

Gift Basket

You can go all out and make a personalized, customized gift basket filled with each of these things. You might have an unused basket around the house, make sure it's clean and fill it with an IOU or two, some cookies or candies, homemade hot cocoa mix, a picture collage and some ornaments.

No matter what you give, put plenty of thought and care into it and your gift will surely mean much more to the recipient than a $200 MP3 player or $50 jeans.

Want A Great Family Dog?

Want A Great Family Dog?
by: Amy Howells


A breed of dog called a Boxer is very family-oriented and they always love to be around people. Treat them as family members. Never underestimate their need for human companionship, which is the most notable trait of this breed.

The Boxer is happiest when it is with people. Its whole pelvis moves when a Boxer wags its tail in delight and exhilaration. It can adapt to any environment as long as it is with people.

They love being with their "families" and don't like to be alone. Include them in your gatherings when company is around.

They love to be your shadow. Boxers are intelligent and are quite capable of participating in many family adventures.

Boxer dogs are like humans and they need lots of love to feel like a part of the family.

Accept them for what they are and give them time to show how loyal they can be. They are very sensitive animals too so never hit them.

Boxers are gentle with children. Boxers love to play and are always ready for a romp or game, "...so make sure you have kids," said one owner.

Introduce the Boxer to the children early, as this will bond the Boxer and child together and help prevent jealousy from either one. You will find the Boxer will be more protective towards that child it grew up with as well.

Some owners found their Boxers love to be around children more than adults.

They are good-natured, accept friendly strangers and will calmly suffer the pokes and prods of children.

Boxers are also accepting toward other family pets.

One owner said: "My girl Boxer is wonderful to my daughter’s little half-rat terrier puppy. She lets the very hyper puppy do whatever to her and they even sleep together."

Pets. The Wild Kind.

Pets. The Wild Kind.
by: David Leonhardt


Just because we moved out to the country a couple years back does NOT mean we want to run a farm. Tending to animals is just not how we want to spend our time. We don't want cows or sheep or chickens. We don't want hogs or ducks. We don't even want a dog or a cat to train.

OK, so my wife says that she wants a cat, but that's only because she knows I won't have anything to do with it. I suspect that if I ever said, "OK, you win. Let's get a cat", she would run screaming down the stairs pulling at her hair and just keep on running... causing damage to the stairway carpet, not to mention the window at the bottom of the staircase.

We don't want a parrot or a rabbit or a hamster or even a mouse.

But when you live in the country, you have pets, whether you like it or not.

The first summer, we were welcomed by Muffet the skunk. Although she never responded to that name, we let her keep it. She just loved our compost heap. In fact, she had a frequent-eater pass at the all-you-can-eat compost buffet.

The second summer we were skunk-free, but this summer we were blessed with a new traveling perfume salesman. We did not name him, but we have determined that he is on a diet. He stays away from the all-you-can-eat compost buffet.

He is also much less intelligent than Muffet. When we see him, we jump and shout and wave our hands to get his attention,. But we usually have to get his attention three or four times before something in his microbe-sized brain clicks in and says, "Wait a minute. That's not the hot dog vendor beckoning me to clean up his leftovers. Maybe I should turn around."

But he is smart enough provide a two-tier burglar deterent. First, he drives them away with his odor. "Peee-ew. Let's go rob the Jensons down the road." Second he digs thousands of tiny pits all over the lawn to trip any burglar foolish enough to try to escape.

And to answer your question, no I did not personally verify the gender of these skunks. But you are free to check if you doubt my word.

This summer, we discovered an exotic spider (See http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net/spider.html ). Painted on its inch-long black back are two bright yellow eyes. Spooky. We even watched it wrap its prey – a small, light brown flying thingy. With amazing speed, the spider scurried from the center of her web toward the helpless victim at least a foot away. Then in a matter of two seconds flat, the spider spun the fly around three or four times, weaving it into a web cocoon like rolling a corpse in a carpet behind Luigi's Fine Finer and Smokes. No gangster could have operated with one tenth the speed.

Just a few hours ago, I was proud to show off a bees nest over a foot tall hanging from a low branch in our One Acre Woods.

"Wow. It's just like in Winnie the Pooh!" That was Little Lady, now 3 years and 3 months old.

"Destroy it. There must be thousands of bees in there!" That was my wife.

The fact is that I have had to destroy four bees nests in the past three weeks, all between the stones in our foundation. I am not keen to drive the bees away from their forest nest and toward the house. In fact, I think I'll post an arrow sign near the house pointing to the forest: "Cheap rent. Spacious hive. Vibrant community."

So far, we've avoided the pets inside the house – we won't discuss the "storm trooper ants incident" or the midnight mouse-trap peanut-butter visits – and we have kept the hogs and sheep at bay (although the chickens sheepishly crawl through the fence and the stray cats like to run hog wild around our land).

No pets, perhaps. But you still have to share your space with skunks and spiders and bees when you live in the country.

Coming soon to a humor column near you: How I adopted 14,673 cluster flies on a Tuesday afternoon....without even breaking into a sweat.

If You Want a Friend, Get a Dog!

If You Want a Friend, Get a Dog!
by: M J Plaster


Carl Icahn, the hostile takeover master who was THE original corporate raider, is often quoted as saying, "In this business, if you want a friend, get a dog!" The rest of us already knew that dog was man's best friend, and with good reason. Dogs as pets date back at least as far as the days of Pompeii, where the remains of a dog stretched out next to a little boy were recovered from the rubble at Pompeii.

We all know that dogs are cute, warm, and cuddly, requiring little more than food, water, shelter and affection to return unwavering devotion. Dogs have earned their rightful place as a family member. In fact, what family portrait is complete without the family canine?

Dogs earned their place of prominence years ago among their blind and deaf owners and in local, state, federal and international law enforcement. Hint: be sure to rid your coat pockets of doggie biscuits the next time you travel, unless you want to be attacked by a drug and bomb-sniffing dog.

A quick glance through the amazing true stories ripped from the headlines below demonstrates that dogs may never fall from their pedestal as man's best friend! While it's true that we must do for dogs what they cannot do for themselves, have a look at the things that dogs have done for us that we could not or did not want to do for ourselves.

Dogs CAN smell cancer

On September 24, 2004, the Associated Press reported that the first scientific experiment to prove what has long been suspected—that dogs can smell cancer—was successful. A dog's sense of smell is far superior to that of a human's: 10,000 to 100,000 times better. The results of the study appeared in the British Medical Journal. The study proved that dogs could indeed smell cancer. What remains to be determined is whether dogs can effectively communicate the presence of cancer. What's most promising is that dogs may well be able to detect the presence of cancer before high-tech medical testing.

Dogs help seniors live longer

In 1999, a study reported in the Journal of American Geriatrics concluded what many have known intuitively and anecdotally for a long time: seniors with pets live longer and fuller lives both physically and mentally. Once again, science proves common sense. Dogs require walking. Active seniors with pets have lower blood pressure, visit their doctors less frequently, require hospitalization less frequently and when they are hospitalized, the duration is shorter. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes have moved almost en masse to allowing visiting pets or housing a resident pet for their residents. The Delta Pet Partner certifies pets to visit nursing homes and hospice facilities. If you have an elderly parent, consider giving the gift of life, a companion dog.

Hostage miniature dog escapes and eludes captors

In 1992, a teeny tiny 11-year-old Pomeranian was reportedly stolen from its home in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The following January, a father/daughter team in Corpus Christie, Texas, saw a van chasing the little dog. The driver abandoned the van and began chasing the dog on foot, but could never catch the dog. Finally, the dog's captor fled the scene, abandoning the dog, an animal perhaps 1/20th the size of its captor. The daughter chased the dog, and the dog willingly jumped in her arms. Since the dog wore tags, the father/daughter team returned the dog to its owners.

What's next? Courier dogs?

Actually, that's old news! In 2001, it was reported that a then five-year-old golden retriever named J.C. delivered its owners' prescriptions from the pharmacy. The pharmacy was located in the same strip mall as the owners' shop in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, and J.C. always accompanied the owners to the pharmacy. The dog began carrying the prescriptions back from these outings. J.C.'s not just any old dog. It was reported that he took instruction well, and when instructed, he ran down to the pharmacy and returned with prescriptions in tow.

Since the beginning of their relationship with humans, dogs have fended for their owners, rescuing them from all sorts of perilous situations. Won't you consider rescuing a dog from the loneliness of life without an owner?

Defensive Driving - What Are The Choices?

Defensive Driving - What Are The Choices?
by: Mark Stone


At some point in our driving years I suspect most all of us have to take defensive driving, whether to get rid of a ticket or maybe to just lower our insurance. For many years you only had one option, traffic school. But times and the options have changed.

Traffic school used to consist of getting up early on a Saturday morning or spending two nights during the week sitting in a classroom, listening to a instructor speak in a monotone voice and watching old 16mm films with 1950’s cars and actors explaining the right and wrong way to drive a car. Although that option is probably available if you look for it, these days defensive driving class has gone high tech.

So what are the choices?

* - Traffic school with a twist: Some of the options you can choose from if you’re looking for an in-class experience is humorous traffic school, traffic school with a meal, juggling and magic defensive driving classes.

* - Online defensive driving: Yes the power of the Internet has fueled the growth of online defensive driving. Taking the course online can have its drawbacks, especially if you don’t have broadband access.

* - DVD or VHS defensive driving: You can rent these at your local video store and now at least one school, is offering customers the ability to order the course online, have it delivered to their door and then keep the dvd or vhs. That’s right, no returns so of course that means no late fees.

So what's right for you? Well, this article can't answer that question but you can. You need to consider your schedule, how quickly your court date is coming, how important taking a class alone or with people is to you and maybe even what it takes to keep your head into it.

With these additional choices, taking defensive driving class should no longer be as big of an inconvenience since with two of the choices you can take them around your schedule and even in your underwear if you want.

Do You Know The Answers To These Audio Book FAQs?

Do You Know The Answers To These Audio Book FAQs?
by: Janet Rusky



Do you know the answers to these audio book FAQs?

Audio books are rising quickly in popularity. More and more people are taking advantage of the modern MP3 techniques and iPods. Yet there are still many questions unanswered in this area. Find out what these are....

Do you know the answers to these audio book FAQs?

In as much as the audio book phenomenon isn't too new, there are still lots of people that don't know certain things about it.

I must confess that I was also ignorant about certain aspects of audio books myself.

During my early days of audio books, I had to ask certain questions and today I hear a lot of people asking the same such questions.

Who knows, you might also have such questions and you really want to find the answers to them.

If yes, then below are some of these questions and their answers:

>>> What is an audio book? An audio book is simply a book in audio format. Instead of receiving a physical hardcover or paperback book that you have to read, you will receive a CD, cassette or MP3 version of the book.

>>> What formats do audio books come in? Audio books come in normal cassette formats, CD formats and MP3 formats which can be played on cassette players, cd players or MP3 players respectively.

>>> What is an MP3 audio book? MP3 is simply a compression technique that makes it possible for reduction to be made to audio books so that they use less space (sometimes as little as 80%) compared to that of cassettes or CDs.

>>> How can MP3 audio books be played? MP3 audio books can be played on any new version of CD players that support the MP3 technology - mostly those that can accept a 4.75 diameter disk.

They an also be played on any PC that has Microsoft's Windows Media Player or other related software.

>>> What is an unabridged audio book? An unabridged audio book is one that was narrated word for word. In such an audio book, nothing was removed from the printed book. It has the exact content with that of the printed book, albeit in audio format.

>>> What is an abridged audio book? An abridged audio book is one that is shortened and doesn't contain the exact word for word narration as the printed book.

>>> What is a dramatized audio book? A dramatized audio book, as the name implies, is a dramatized "play-life" version of the printed book, with usual full cast, music and sound effects.