First thing you need to do is figure out your classes quickly. If you are someone that waits until the last add/drop to pick classes and buy books, you will have a hard time getting a good price for them. The one reason is that, like what you will do in college, you will have to do during the Summer: research.

Get the book info, inlcuding the ISBN number

Look over the 2-3 classes you will be guaranteed to take. Contact your teacher and ask him what books you will use. Better yet, Google your class (with the school name along with it) and find out if anyone posted the type of book used for the last semester. The ISBN number for textbooks are important since they are much easier to find on websites than just going by the name.

Make sure there isn’t a newer / school-restricted edition.

Easier said than done, but make sure a new edition hasn’t come out and see if your school uses a specific type of book (ie: “Abnormal Psychology 4th Edition for Amherst College).

Find books online, and locally

You can find textbooks for sale locally on sites like Boston Criagslist or other college classifieds. There are a lot of colleges in Boston, and there are a lot of avenues to find books. Even using Facebook groups that buy/sell textbooks can have some books you can get for cheap.

Buying textbooks locally is always better: it is cheaper than having it mailed, and in some cases, it could be cheaper than book renting!

The next step is to go online and look for books. Textbooks online can also be cheap, but sometimes the shipping is pretty expensive. There are bargains you can find if you look at sites such as Ebay or Amazon.

The last resort (and sometimes the cheapest) is getting a book rental. Websites like Chegg or Ecampus will have an assortment of textbooks you can rent or buy.

Remember, the closer you get to the first day of college, the harder it will be to find used textbooks. As long as you have a plan going into each semester, you will more likely find the used textbooks you want at lowered cost. Now, you can use that money for those late-night pizzas!

http://twitter.com/KingJames

-Chris Broussard, ESPN

It seems as though it is official, that Lebron James will be wearing the Miami Heat uniform for the 2010-11 season. It was first reported by Ric Bucher that Lebron was flying to Miami, so this 2nd source makes the confirmation all the more likely that Lebron James will be playing alongside Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

There are recent reports about whether this whole situation with the press conference and leaked information is intentionally orchestrated to hype up the NBA, and that Lebron James may not end up with the Miami Heat after all. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated states that a Lebron Miami Heat jersey is not a lock, and that a short-term deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers could be in the works.

This ESPN press conference was orchestrated months in advance, so one must wonder what is exactly at stake for the NBA. You have to consider the fact that the association had to take out a loan during the recession, ratings have not been good, and the ESPN/Disney complex needs to milk their tv contract in the event a lockout kills revenue.

One must wonder how much of the star talent’s brand is being manipulated to give the NBA a boost for ratings so it can at least swim somewhere near the NFL during the Fall.

It has been reported that Lebron James is flying to Miami, according to Ric Bucher of ESPN. This isn’t confirmed; it was tweeted by Dan Lebatard earlier. Lebron James is expected to announce his decision tomorrow in Conenecticut, as well as provide an interview with Michael Wilbon.

UPDATE: Ric Bucher’s tweet on Lebron James taking a plane to Miami tonight (July  7th) was taken down. It is not known whether ESPN reports were false, or whether this information was held back to ensure they can showcase Lebron’s signing tomorrow night on ESPN.

Update part deux: Chris Broussard reports that a source says it is very likely that Lebron signs with the Miami Heat:

“Sources with knowledge of the situation indeed saying LeBron will join Wade and Bosh in Miami, barring a late change of heart”

-Chris Broussard, ESPN

NBC Sports has also questioned the reasoning the Ric Bucher tweet about Lebron taking a plane to Miami

Also see, Lebron James Verified Twitter Page

San Fransisco mayor Gavin Newsom has implemented a ban on all soda vending machines in the city. Instead of that nice cool soft-drink you can buy when the weather heats up, in its place will be vending machines selling juice, soy milk, and other healthy alternatives. The gesture was done to promote a healthier city and curb the obesity crisis, but some people believe there are more fundamental issues at stake to stem bad eating habits.

“By replacing sodas with soy milk or milk or juices you give people more calcium and nutrients,” U.C. San Francisco critical care nutritionist Irma Ishkanian told the San Francisco Weekly.

This only gives students at the University of San Fransisco more of a reason to replace their Pepsi with Natty Ice. Hopefully, there will be enough bottled water to go around for the hangover spike. Damn, plastic bottles and the environment. Mayor Newsom has another problem on his hands.

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Video of fan falling during baseball game