Off the Books Special Search Results

DIY Anthropology: International Obscura Day this Saturday. Go Wild.

Calling all curious minds—scientists, anthropologists, relentless tourists: Saturday, April 9th, is International Obscura Day, the day to "explore hidden treasures in your hometown," or so says Atlas Obscura, a website dedicated to public curiosities and esoterica. If you're the kind of person who appreciates public oddities every day of the year, tomorrow is icing on the cake. Celebrate Obscura Day in one of hundreds of locales—from Los Angeles to Sydney, from Berlin to Manila.

How To: Turn off the Genius feature in Apple iTunes 9 or 10

Had enough of the iTunes "Genius" feature? You can turn it off (or, at the very least, hide it). And this clip will teach you everything you'll need to know. For more information, includind detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to turn off the Genius music recommendation feature in your own installation of iTunes, take a look.

News: Chloroform Surprise

Hi : ) This is version 2 of chloroform surprise (as version 1 submitted was a bit too dangerous) . This time we have a professional anesthesiologist to help anaesthesia. He/She will use a pre tested knock out cocktail that suits each jackass individually, so that this remains safe for everyone in the team!

How To: Tag like a real graffiti artist

Graffiti— do you have the guts to get out there and tag some property? There's a whole lot more than just spray paint involved. To be great, you'll need things like a sketchbook, pencils, pens, markers, spray can tips, latex gloves, legal (or illegal) wall, and most importantly… creativity. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be an urban graffiti artist, follow these steps to become da ’hood’s next da Vinci.

How To: Play hammer-ons and pull-offs on the ukulele

There's no getting around it: if you want to get good at playing the ukulele or any other instrument, you'll need to practice. Fortunately, the Internet is awash in free uke lessons, like this one from Ukulele Live, which make the task not only easy but fun. This clip, in particular, demonstrates how to perform hammer-ons and pull-offs (hammers-on and pulss-off for the highfalutin) on the uke.

How To: Backflip on rollerblades

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to perform back-flips on roller-blades. Before attempting this trick, users should be able to do a back-flip off the wall. For beginners, start by learning how to flip. Once you can flip, try flipping off the wall. Depending if you're right or left handed, run to the wall and push off with that foot. When you can wall back-flips, start trying to do them with roller-blades. Go on a ramp and launch off to the side. Once you can flip off the ramp, start ...

How To: Perform a round-off/back handspring

In this Sports video you will see how to perform a round-off and back handspring. This sweet little girl in this video demonstrates how to do round-off and back handspring. To do this, you got to learn the round-off and back handspring separately. Once you have perfected these two routines, then you can move on to combining both of them to do this full routine. After the short run-up, you need to rise and jump to complete the round-off and then you do the back handspring. After you complete t...

How To: Travel with a cat on an airplane

Super Fly Life brings this traveling video tutorial to teach you how to travel with a cat on an airplane. Traveling and need to fly with your pet kitty? Learn these five travel tips, from cat carriers to travel accessories to supplies, go with style and grace.

How To: Drop off the grid

Got a case of the Mondays? Why not blow off the cubicle life and try dropping out of society? Try living in nature, giving up worldly possessions, squatting, and rambling. Watch this video motivation tutorial and learn how to drop off the grid.

News: This Is the Only iPhone X Cyber Week 2017 Deal We've Found

While Black Friday shoppers found countless deals on all kinds of smartphones, one device was overtly left out of the price cuts — the iPhone X. Walmart was the only store to offer a promotion on the newest Apple device, and even then, it was difficult to find. Cyber Week appears to have repeated recent history, with only one store offering a special on the iPhone X, but it's not Walmart this time.

How To: Catch a Ride with Lyft or Uber Straight from Apple Maps in iOS 11

There's no denying the impact ride sharing apps like Uber and Lyft have made on our lives. With fares that undercut traditional yellow cabs, combined with the fact that your ride is just a tap away, these services have become the primary mode of transportation for many folks in urban areas. Thanks to iOS 11, booking an Uber or Lyft has just become a lot more convenient.

How To: Fall Asleep in Less Than 1 Minute

It can be pretty tough to fall asleep when your brain is thinking nonstop or anxiety has gotten the best of you, and it seems to only get harder when you're lying in bed listening to yourself breathe. Yet paying attention to that breathing may be exactly what you need in order to find a calm, easy entry into a good night's rest.

How To: Use a transistor or N channel MOSFET to turn any device on or off

The transistor is the most basic and important part of electronics, allowing small changes in voltage to turn things on and off. On, off. 0, 1. There's electronics. The grandaddy of them all is the N channel MOSFET, the most important transistor. This video will teach you how the MOSFET works and how to build some example circuits. This video is an absolute must-watch if you are interested in electronics at all.

How To: Create an Acapella track in Audacity

OK, your recording session is done and it went great! Well, except for the guitar. And bass. And drums. Oh, the trumpet was off. Tamborine was "meh", the harmonica was off key, the wood block was off time... you get it. The music was all wrong. BUT, the vocals were great. So, this tutorial shows you how to create an acapella track using the popular audio recording/editing software Audacity. This method is a little different than others out there on the web so check this one out and see how it...

How To: Rig up a TV remote that will turn off the TV when someone sits on the couch

Now here's a prank for the more sophisticated and technologically knowledgeable among you. This video will teach you how to rig up a TV remote and a simple DIY pressure sensor to a couch in such a way that whenever someone sits on it, it will turn the TV on or off depending on what it was before. It's really not that hard, hilarious, and a great way to learn about electronics while you prank you friends.