What?! Free textbooks?!

It's Tuesday and it's time to save some money. As college students, one of our biggest expenses is textbooks. Many students end up spending nearly $1000 on books alone (especially any science major!). And then, when trying to sell them back to the bookstore at the end of the year, they end up getting back less than half of what they originally spent. There is nothing more frusterating than buying a brand new edition of a textbook and then being told at the end of the semester that a new edition has come out and that the teacher will no longer be using the same book. So you're left with a 10 pound, $120 psychology textbook and nothing but anger and remorse for all that money you just lost on a useless book. I know the semester isn't even half way over yet, but it's never too early to start thinking of ways to save money on all your books next semester.

I recently found out about a really exciting Web site. The Freeloadpress Web site allows students to to download e-textbooks online. According to the site:
"Freeload Press, Inc. is liberating the textbook so students from all financial backgrounds can use these important learning tools. Textbooks are too important...for students to go without: That's why we started Freeload Press. We publish and distribute premium textbooks from the best authors in their respective fields. We then deliver our textbooks using an innovative combination of commercial support and direct fulfillment. This allows us to provide the textbook as a free e-book. Print versions are also available for reasonable prices – typically 65% less than competitive textbooks!"

Basically all you have to do to use this service is register, which includes creating a short profile and agreeing to the terms of use. Then all you have to do is complete a survey and you're set to start downloading books for free. Books are downloaded in PDF format. You can see a list of all the textbooks available at this point before you register. Each time you download a book, you have to complete a short survey. According to the Web site, these surveys help keep the service free, and usually take less than 5 minutes to complete. There is also advertising within the pages of the book you download, which helps keep the service free as well.

The site is still in its testing phase, so the books they offer are a bit limited. The majority of books are in the finance, computer application and math fields. So far, only about 100 colleges have decided to use textbooks offered by Freeloadpress. But as the site generates more and more buzz from the publishing industry and universities across the country, more books will undoubtably become available.

This site is definately something to keep your eye on. Be sure to check back when you're deciding on where to buy your books next semester - you never know, that $90 textbook that you could buy at the bookstore might be available for free online.
I also found this cool video about the average college student today. It's pretty interesting, and I can definately relate. Check it out:

Monday Music Update!

Hello Hello and I hope you all had a good week. It's time to start a new one with this hot dose of music and entertainment news. So without further ado, let's see what last week had to offer.

The question that's been on everyone's mind has finally been answered today. That's right, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be playing the Super Bowl Halftime Show this year! I know Prince was amazing, and Tom Petty outdid himself last year, but I'm kind of hoping Brucey brings back the magic of the Janet Jackson show by exposing himself with a tear-away buttflap. Born In The U.S.A indeed!

All you dreamers out there can stop reading right now, because Robert Plant has officially denied rumors of a Led Zeppelin reunion tour. He's been so busy touring with Allison Krauss these past few months (great show btw) that he's decided not to tour at all for at least two years. This will come as a great disappointment to all the people who like to pay hundreds of dollars to see their favorite bands from the 70's sing like they're covering themselves.


And is the new Metallica album, Death Magnetic, too loud? Some metalheads think so. I wonder how much research went into this article. "Hey what do you think of Death Magnetic?"
"Too loud."

And The Great John Lennon's son is quoted as saying his father blew his eardrum out when he was a child in an upcoming Lennon biography. Apparently, Lennon was pretty emotional sometimes. I know I'll pick John Lennon: The Life up when it hits shelves soon.

I was very happy to hear that Frank Zappa's brilliant rock opera, Joe's Garage, has FINALLY been made into a full-on stage extravagana. I. Love. That. Album. Buy it or download it or whatever you have to do. Just listen.

UPDATE FROM LAST WEEK: Travis Barker and DJAM are out of the hospital. Those are some lucky guys.


Well, that's all for now. See you again next week!

Polyvore: Shopping Addiction Anonymous

Fashion bloggers have been obsessed with Polyvore since its creation. The clever site allows users to mix and match clothing and accessories found anywhere on the web to create outfit collages. While browsing the internet, users can "clip to Polyvore" or, more simply, import images into the database. Now every one can be a stylist. Watch out for the next Nina Garcia or Rachel Zoe.

And Polyvore is addictive. You can see what your wardrobe would look like with the addition of, say, Alexander McQueen's $3,000 leather pants from Net-a-Porter. You may have a college-student's budget but on Polyvore you can dream up outfits worthy of a French Vogue editor or at least a post on the Sartorialist.

Polyvore has held contests from brands like Nine West, eBags, and Topshop, so all of those hours "wasted" on the site creating outfits could win you a killer prize.

You should also check out Polyvore's Official Blog. It keeps readers up-to-date on the most popular trends found in Polyvore sets. Currently, the major trend is blouses, but blog topics run the gamut from "How to Dress like an Olsen Twin" to interviews with Polyvore members.

And if you really get interested add the Polyvore Application to your Facebook, so you can share your designs with your friends.

It's All Over

So the New York Yankees 13-year playoff run has come to an end, and so has its tenure at the historic Yankee Stadium. The stadium that has created so many memories and has allowed Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Maris, DiMaggio, Jeter, Rivera and so many other legends to roam the grass and dirt that has stood there for 85 years.

It was a special moment las Sunday night, when Mariano Rivera came into Metallica's, Enter Sandman, Yankee fans new it was almost over. Rivera as he has done so many times in the past, made quick work of the Baltimore Orioles hitters and that was it, Yankee Stadium hosted its last night of baseball.

Shortly after the players shook hands the Yankees met in the infield to salute the fans, where fan favorite and long-time team captian, Derek Jeter spoke. He told fans that the memories of this stadium didn't end when they tore the old ballpark down, but lived in infamy through those who remember them. It wasn't Lou Gehrig's, "Luckiest Man" speech, but it was moving. Jeter will be one of the remaining legends that moves with the Yankees across the street to the new $1.4 billion dollar stadium.

In many ways it's fitting (and by no means does this mean I'm happy the Yankees aren't making the playoffs) that the Yankees are missing the post-season for the first time in 13 years. The Yankees have made history with 26 World Series Championships in that Stadium and so many amazing games, but its time for the fans, players and baseball to move on. The Yankees have new memories and new dynasties to build across the street now. Yankee Stadium left us like a John Wayne in a western, it gave us its time and then rode off into the sunset, no encore needed, its all over.

Temptation at a Glance

I stumbled upon this article today while browsing the web. It's about temptation possibly being a good thing while on a diet. It's an interesting article, however when I saw links on a few of the words in the article, I was disappointed to find that they were merely advertisements mixed in with the news. Distracting.





I looked on youtube.com for a video on temptation and the first one that came up was A Healthy Action Minute. Check out the official website for quick healthy habit tips each week. It's a fast way to learn something new to stay on track!

Another site talking about temptation and how to deal with it explains keeping fruit around to snack on is a healthy alternative. Also, making your own burgers or pizzas is a much healthier choice than going to Burger King or Pizza Hut. There is even a healthy pizza recipe at the bottom to try out! I haven't yet, but it sounds delicious!

Don't wait to lose weight!

Numerous studies have been performed in the past decade proving an intake of 3 or more dairy servings (one serving being 8 oz.) per day is not only a healthy choice, but a weight conscious choice as well! A healthy diet rich in diary to lose weight, but keep your bone mass is probably one of the safest ways to slim down. The United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, provides a pretty complete nutrient profile of around 13,000 different foods to help you compliment the dairy diet.

The fairy new program, 3-a-Day, stresses milk, cheese, and yogurt for stronger bones and a healthier you. Look for the 3-a-Day logo on products in the store to make sure they are REAL dairy products.

The Diary Council of California provides some quick answers about dairy product, including a chart of how much calcium you need at your current age.

Drink up!

Save $$

This weekend I discovered an amazing web site. Okay, so maybe "amazing" is a bit of an exaggeration, but for my nerdy-journalism major self, I think it's pretty fantastic. The Web site is called UWire. Basically the Web site features articles published by college newspapers all around the country. Students just like you and me wrote every article, and they're separated by topics, such as opinion, student life, sports, entertainment, sci/tech and politics. It's pretty cool, you can see what is going on at other colleges and get other college students' opinions on different topics.

I found a cool article written in The Lantern, the student newspaper at Ohio University. What immediately caught my attention, besides the fact that it was written by a college student, was the great tips in the article. The tips in the article were suggested by a personal finance professor, and are all pretty simple to follow. One of the tips the professor suggests is keeping track of everything you spend money on every day in a journal. This would definitely be a good way to see exactly where your cash is going every day, and after continuing the journal for a week, you could then cut down your spending on certain things. For example. if you spend $50 on food in the dining halls each week, try buying groceries instead of eating on campus. In the long run, this will save you money. I think every college should offer a personal finance course for students, it's important to know how to manage all your debt once you graduate.

I also found this video, which gives some helpful money saving tips for college students. Enjoy!








Smart Money Management Tips for New College Students - Click here for more blooper videos

Music!

Hey! I'm James and I'm here to give you the best the Internet has to offer in music news. Music doesn't take the weekend off, so let's get right to it.

The big story of this weekend is that Travis Barker, drummer for the late Blink 182, and DJ AM, real name: Adam Goldstein, were critically injured Saturday when their private jet crashed during takeoff from Columbia, SC. the crash killed four others, but Barker and Goldstein, who are currently in critical but stable condition, are expected to recover from their burns. The cause of the crash is suspected to have been a blown tire during takeoff.
~What's great about all the coverage Billboard gave this story is that only once, at the very end of their initial report, did they bother to mention the duo's band, TRVSDJ-AM. The whole reason they were on the plane in the first place was because of a gig they did in Columbia earlier.

On the plus side, Metallica is finally eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Unfortunately for them, they're up against the Legendary Jeff Beck and Iggy Pop's band, The Stooges. Good luck, Metallica.

And just because I love reggae, here's an excellent New York Times article about an up-and-comer in Jamaica. His name is Stephen McGregor, and if that sounds familiar to you, awesome, because it should. He's the 18 year old son of reggae great Freddie McGregor. It's a great piece and you should READ IT.

And if you want to read something sad: Oasis might cancel the American leg of their world tour after guitarist Noel Gallagher was assaulted on stage by a rabid "fan". I love Oasis and don't care who knows it, so this would suck for me. Anyways, I know you'll want to see the video.


And we'll end on a high note with Josh groban singing a bunch of TV theme songs at the Emmy's.


That's all for this week. See you next Monday.

Bloggers Allowed Access to Fashion Week

Mercedes-Benz Fashion week in New York is over. The fashion blogosphere is abuzz with Spring 2009 trend forecasts even though we haven't had time to incorporate the Fall 2008 trends into our wardrobes yet. And now instead of simply surveying the shows at style.com, the bloggers can receive special press access to the shows in New York.

Inside the Tents collects various feeds, whether it be Twitter, Flickr, or live blogs, from bloggers at fashion week therefore providing collaborative coverage on the event. Other blogs have been updating their readers from fashion week as well. Fashionologie, Fashionista, Face Hunter and Coutorture are a few of the best.

This is only the fourth season that bloggers have been allowed special press access to the fashion shows. Blogs can be see as the alternative to, say, Vogue, Elle or Women's Wear Daily. And fashion blogs are proving to be something worth investing in. According to websiteoutlook.com, Fashionista receives 24,528 page views a day. The blog's networth is $55,501. People are seeking their fashion news outside of the normal confines and the fashion industry needs to see that.

Kelly Cutrone, founder of the public relations firm People's Revolution and fashion show producer, however, set the rules for fashion bloggers in 2007. If you aren't a member of the "real" press, a retail buyer or a celebrity then she thinks you should not be there. And even this season, bloggers feel like they're the lowest on the totem pole.

Well, we'll keep reading the blogs, Cutrone. Today's economy isn't conducive to print magazines, anyway. Embrace new technologies; start a fashion blog.

I Think It's a Little Early....

to be writing about the 'greatness' of the Buffalo Bills. After reading an article in the Sept. 27 issue of The Stylus I have became a little uneasy with some of the claims being made about our local National Football League (NFL) franchise.

Don't get me wrong Buffalo Bills fans have every reason to be excited about the upcoming season, a 2-0 start is something to be proud of. There is nothing wrong wtih excitement either, but making claims without any statistical backup raises some concern. Here are the two passages that caught my eye:

"With quarterback Trent Edwards who can thread the needle, read the defense and show off his overwhelming confidence in his own ability..."

"Let's not the forget about that phenomenon the Bills came across with Marshawn Lynch. Along the same line of greatness, bear in mind the athleticism and simple ability that is Roscoe Parrish."

Once again I don't want these criticisms to be too harsh, Edwards, Lynch and Parrish are all solid NFL players. But none of these players are ready to be crowned NFL greats or 'phenomenon.' There was a phenomenon in last year's NFL rookie class and his name was Adrian Peterson, he won the NFL rushing title and broke the single-game rushing record last season. Marshawn Lynch is going to be a solid ball carrier for a while, but his 3.6 yards per carry this season are far from phenomenal. Now on to Roscoe Parrish, Parrish a fourth-year player out of the University of Miami, is far from great. Parrish has never had over 352 yards receiving in a season in the NFL and has four receiving touchdowns in 44 games as a Buffalo Bill. Parrish has found his niche on special teams as a punt-returner where he has found some success. But not enough success to justify this praise, he has only scored three touchdowns returning punts and kickoffs in his entire career. Although he is a speedy and flashy player, lets be honest from now on and take him for what he is, a poor man's Antwan Randle El.

Last but not least I'd like to address Trent Edwards; who has made giant strides from his performance as a rookie last season. But Bills fans, lets not forget how Edwards performed last season in the inclimate weather at the end of the season that is sure to return to Ralph Wilson Stadium. Edwards led the Bills to three consecutive losses to end the Bills 2007-2008 campaign. In those games Edwards completion percentage plumetted, along with his ability to throw the ball down the field.

The Bills are off to a solid start, but that's it! There wins have come against opponents who are both winless. The Seattle Seahawks lost their four starting receivers and are abismal at running the football, and the Jacksonville Jaguars lost some key free agents including newly acquired Bills defensive tackle Marcus Stroud. So, Bills fans, be excited, but lets wait til the temperature cools down and the tough divisional games roll in before assuming that Buffalo will have a playoff contender this year.

Saving money not so hard

Hi all, Sarah here. I'm here to help you with all your money problems - making it and saving it. Every week I'll canvas the internet, finding articles to help you save your hard earned cash. Personally, money, or lack of money, is the one thing that stresses me out the most. As a college student, I know how difficult it is to save money and still be able to go out and do things.
It's a pretty well known fact that college students have very little money. We have loans upon loans to pay for tuition, living expenses books, etc. Add to that the skyrocketing price of food and gas. And our lifestyle makes it difficult to save any money at all.
But never fear penniless college students! I found an article by Consumer Reports with some simple tips on how to save your money. Find it here.
This article is really informative and the tips are super easy to follow. I had no idea that buying milk at a gas station would be cheaper than some grocery stores. Some of the tips are more difficult for college students to follow, but there are definately tips that will help you in the long run.
Saving money can be easy if you just know some easy to follow, basic tips. Come back every Tuesday for more money saving advice.

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