A Big List of Sites That Teach You How To Do Stuff

Written by Josh Catone / November 28, 2007 / 24 comments

With all due respect to Kevin Smith, the web is no longer only for complaining about movies. In fact, there are a large number of very helpful sites that teach you how to do things. These are do-it-yourself sites, but we're not talking about building a deck or baking a cake -- the web is full of more general interest sites that give quality instruction on all sorts of fun and useful projects. Including, sometimes, how to build a deck or bake a cake.

In this horribly-titled, but hopefully useful round-up we will specifically focus on such general purpose sites that include some sort of rich media instruction (generally video). We also might throw in a tech-focused site or two, since this is after all, a tech-focused blog.

If you know of any instructional sites that are missing from this list, please mention them in the comments below.

• Instructables - "The World's Largest Show and Tell," as the site calls itself, is a community where people can create and share guides that cover a variety of topics from art and crafts to food, technology, and the home. The multi-page guides are well illustrated and users can rate and discuss them.


• SuTree - The recently redesigned SuTree aggregates video tutorials from over 250 sources. Their library includes over 11,000 videos covering just about every topic you can imagine. They republish videos from a bunch of other sites on this list.


• TrickLife - A user generated video tutorial site covering a large number of topics. Their "Computing" section is one of the most active and features a number of great tutorials about how to use various computer programs.


• VideoJug - VideoJug is one of the largest general purpose professionally produced video tutorial sites. They host over 15,000 video tutorials in just about every subject under the sun, including some tongue-in-cheek tutorials like this one: How To Use CSI Techniques To Find Out Who Used Your Coffee Mug. The videos include text as well to make them easier to follow.


• Expert Village - Expert Village calls itself the world's largest video tutorial site, and with nearly 49,000 videos, they might be right. Expert Village produces videos using a network of "experts" in various fields. Anyone can sign up to be an expert and the site contacts those it feels would do well hosting a video tutorial series.


• eHow - eHow is a very large tutorial site covering a wide range of topics. Many of the tutorials were created by their editorial team, though some are user submitted. The presentation of the tutorials isn't very compelling (generally on a single page, broken into steps, without much in the way of rich media to aid instruction), but the site does have a small and growing video tutorial library.


• Household Hacker - A really cool video tutorial blog that instructs on how to achieve a number of "hacks" using common household items (usually these have to do with technology). As an example, the video embedded below demonstrates how to charge and iPod using an onion and some Gatorade (not sure why you'd ever want to do that, but, still pretty neat):

• Make: Podcast - Make Magazine is, in general, one of the coolest DIY magazines out there, instructing each month on a variety of awesome projects. Their online video podcast is a great collection of tutorials on how to do cool things like make a potato cannon or screen print your own t-shirt


• 5min - The "videopedia," as the site calls itself, 5min is another repository of user created video tutorials. Their hook? All the videos must be under 5 minutes in length. This site is great for someone who wants to learn how to do something on a tight schedule.


• ViewDo - Another video tutorial site that relies on user contributions, ViewDo also mixes in some tutorials created in house. ViewDo covers a ton of topic areas, and one of the nice things about the site is that videos can be downloaded to a portable media player (like an iPod or PSP) and watched on the go.


• Sclipo - Sclipo not only encourages people to share their knowledge, but also provides a utility for them to do so via webcam. As on most video sharing sites, users can rate and comment on clips.


• Helpfulvideo - This is a rather strange site that mixes up video tutorials with video classified ads. I'm not really sure where the crossover is, but if you're looking to buy a used car then learn how to change its oil filter, then perhaps this site is for you.


• TeacherTube - TeacherTube is a straight up YouTube clone aimed at providing an outlet for educational videos that I gather can be used by teachers in class. Some of the videos were pretty good, but the site seems really unfocused compared to the rest in this round-up. Then again, what kid wouldn't love Dr. Loopy Discusses the Water Cycle? (Um, don't answer that.)


• Koonji - Offering people-powered guides, in my August review of Koonji I compared the site to Instructables and Squidoo.


• Squidoo - Speaking of Squidoo... While not totally focused on tutorials, Squidoo's lenses are a font of information about all sorts of stuff and often include how-to guides (or links to them!).


• About.com - Who could forget About.com? Not us! Buried in the editorial of About.com are hundreds of tutorials, including a growing amount of video content -- you just have to dig for it sometimes.

Personal Foul- Giving him the business!

Knock - Offs

Burning Salt Water- YEP

My only question would be how much energy is needed to power the radio waves to split the water molecule. To use 1000 Watts to get 100 in hydrogen fuel doesn't make much sense but I suppose if the 1000 watts came from wind solar or biodiesel then every little bit helps I suppose.

Raising The Bar: Manliest Girly Drinks

Written by Frank Movsesian

In most cases, men and mixed drinks just don't… well… mix. However, because we like it when our readers have their bases covered, and because showing your softer side through flavored alcohol is easier than writing a poem, we at Double Viking HQ have gone through the "trouble" of researching which girly drinks are the manliest.

Kyoto Cocktail

Ingredients: 3 oz gin, 1 oz Midori melon liqueur, 1/2 oz dry vermouth, 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice

Why it's girly: By default, all drinks that have Midori in them should be classified as girly simply because any alcoholic beverage that's "neon electric green" negates nearly all manliness.

Why it's manly: Try to pronounce the name of this drink. {waiting for you} Okay, close enough. Now have a few drinks, then pronounce it. "kee-yo-yo...key-toe-mo-yo...key-hoe-cock-balls...k y jelly"

Amaretto Sour

Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur, 1 - 2 splashes sweet and sour mix

Why it's girly: It is probably the most casual drink of all time. Since there's so little alcohol in the drink, it takes way too many to get fucked up.

Why it's manly: They are really easy to make, and since men don't like the word "effort" this is the ideal mixed drink.

White Russian

Ingredients: 2 oz vodka, 1 oz coffee liqueur, light cream

Why it's girly: It has the words "liqueur" and "light cream" in the ingredients. You're probably saying, "But that's what makes it tastes good." And to you I say, "But that's what makes you a girl."

Why it's manly: Because you can order this drink with little to no cream, and it instantly becomes manly. I mean I could just bring up the fact that The Dude from The Big Lebowski orders these religiously, but I won't.

Black Velvet

Ingredients: 5 oz chilled stout, 5 oz chilled Champagne

Why it's girly: Most women can't stand stout. So someone out there, probably a woman, thought of pouring some Champagne into their stout. BRILLIANT! If you're a girl.

Why it's manly: It still has beer in it. Not to mention, if you do the math on this mixed drink, we're talking about 10 oz! Excess = manliness.

Red Headed Slut

Ingredients: 1 oz peach schnapps, 1 oz Jagermeister herbal liqueur, cranberry juice

Why it's girly: It is a very tasty drink that goes down way too smooth. If by the end of the shot you're not gurgling, making the "I can't believe I drank that" face or straight up choking then you my friend are drinking something girly.

Why it's manly: First off, they are shots. Secondly, its probably the best tasting way to get drunk. And last I checked, getting drunk is the end game anyway. They also provide great liquid courage to aid you in your attempts at picking up women at a bar.

Appletini

Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz Smirnoff Green Apple Twist vodka, 1 oz DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker schnapps

Why it's girly: It has a fruit in it's title, so its definitely "fruity." Plus, you could probably ask every single girl you know and they would all say they love the stuff.

Why it's manly: Yes, its a very very girly drink. But let me put it simply for you: J.D. from Scrubs drinks it. 'Nuff said.

Insane Wallpapers

From the man who was contracted to capture the Wallpapers for Windows Vista
Free here

Men vs. Woman

When girls don't put out!!
This was written by a guy ... it's pretty damn smart.
Girls -- Please have a sense of humor!

I never quite figured out why the sexual urge of men and women differ so much. And I never have figured out the whole Venus and Mars thing. I have never figured out why men think with their head and women with their heart.

FOR EXAMPLE:

One evening last week, my girlfriend and I were getting into bed. Well, the passion starts to heat up, and she eventually says, "I don't feel like it, I just want you to hold me."

I said, "WHAT??!! What was that?!"

So she says the words that every boyfriend on the planet dreads to hear...

"You're just not in touch with my emotional needs as a woman enough for me to satisfy your physical needs as a man."

She responded to my puzzled look by saying, "Can't you just love me for who I am and not what I do for you in the bedroom?"

Realizing that nothing was going to happen that night, I went to sleep.

The very next day I opted to take the day off of work to spend time with her. We went out to a nice lunch and then went shopping at a big, big unnamed department store. I walked around with her while she tried on several different very expensive outfits. She couldn't decide which one to take, so I told her we' d just buy them all. She wanted new shoes to compliment her new clothes, so I said, "Lets get a pair for each outfit."

We went on to the jewelry department where she picked out a pair of diamond earrings. Let me tell you... she was so excited. She must have thought I was one wave short of a shipwreck. I started to think she was testing me because she asked for a tennis bracelet when she doesn't even know how to play tennis.

I think I threw her for a loop when I said, "That's fine, honey." She was almost nearing sexual satisfaction from all of the excitement. Smiling with excited anticipation, she finally said, "I think this is all
dear, let's go to the cashier."

I could hardly contain myself when I blurted out, "No honey, I don't feel like it."

Her face just went completely blank as her jaw dropped with a baffled, "WHAT?"

I then said, "Honey! I just want you to HOLD this stuff for a while. You're just not in t ouch with my financial needs as a man enough for me to satisfy your shopping needs as a woman."

And just when she had this look like she was going to kill me, I added, "Why can't you just love me for who I am and not for the things I buy you?"

Apparently I'm not having sex tonight either....but at least that bitch knows I'm smarter than her.


Alright Ladies. Forward this if you agree. Hell, even if you disagree, forward it anyway.

Men, forward this if you have BALLS !!!!

NASA manned Mars mission details emerge

DATE:26/11/07

SOURCE:Flight International

NASA manned Mars mission details emerge

By Rob Coppinger

A 400,000kg (880,000lb) Marship would be assembled in orbit using the Ares V cargo launch vehicle for a 900-day mission to the red planet, according to details that have emerged about NASA's new Constellation programme's manned Mars mission.

The spacecraft would take a "minimal crew" to Mars in six to seven months, with the crew spending up to 550 days on the surface, according to the programme's design reference architecture 5.0, currently in development.

Each of the three to four Ares V rockets used to launch the Marship elements into low Earth orbit would need a 125,000kg payload capacity and use a 10m (32.7ft) fairing.

Crews would be sent every 26 months, will need up to 50,000kg of cargo, use an aerodynamic and powered descent method and the 40min communications delay between Earth and Mars would require autonomy or at least asynchronous operation with mission control.

Notionally launched in February 2031, the first crew's flight would be preceded by the cargo lander and surface habitat being sent in December 2028 and January 2029, respectively using two Ares V launches.

The lander will arrive around October 2029 and the habitat November the same year. Nuclear power is the preferred surface energy source. The crew will arrive in August 2031.

A second mission's habitat and lander will be launched by two Ares Vs in late 2030/early 2031 to reach Mars at the same time as the first crew. In the first quarter of 2033, the second mission's crew will leave Earth to arrive at Mars by December, while the first crew leaves Mars in January 2033 after a 17-month stay, to reach Earth by September.

The details were included in a presentation at "Enabling Exploration: The Lunar Outpost and Beyond", the October meeting of NASA's Lunar exploration analysis group.
It also states, "Conjunction class missions (long-stay) [have] fast inter-planetary transits. Successive missions provide functional overlap of mission assets," referring to the presence of a following mission's habitat and cargo lander being on Mars when its preceding mission's crew are there already.

Flashback: Psychedelic McDonald's Commercial

You may actually get flashbacks from this one. Back in the 60s, I guess McDonald's laced their "special sauce" with LSD. Groovy, baby.

Brilliant 360 Degree Interactive Panoramic Image of Notre-Dame Basilica

This photograph has amazing detail. Press Shift to zoom in, Ctrl to zoom out, and be amazed.

http://teltip.com/qtvr/fullscreen.php?qtvr=ND

INDY 4 - May 2008

Niagara Falls - enough said

Swearing At Work Policy

It has been brought to management's attention that some individuals throughout the company have been using foul language during the course of normal conversation with their co-workers. Due to complaints received from some employees who may be easily offended, this type of language will no longer be tolerated. We do however; realize the critical importance of being able to accurately express your feelings when communicating with co-workers. Therefore, a list of 18 New and Innovative phrases have been provided so that proper exchange of ideas and information can continue in
an effective manner.


1) TRY SAYING:
I think you could use more training.
INSTEAD OF:
You don't know what the f___ you're doing.

2) TRY SAYING:
She's an aggressive go-getter.
INSTEAD OF:
She's a ball-busting b__ch.

3) TRY SAYING:
Perhaps I can work late.
INSTEAD OF:
And when the f___ do you expect me to do this?

4) TRY SAYING:
I'm certain that isn't feasible.
INSTEAD OF:
No f___ing way.

5) TRY SAYING:
Really?
INSTEAD OF:
You've got to be sh__ing me!

6) TRY SAYING:
Perhaps you should check with...
INSTEAD OF:
Tell someone who gives a sh__.

7) TRY SAYING:
I wasn't involved in the project.
INSTEAD OF:
It's not my f____ing problem.

8) TRY SAYING:
That's interesting.
INSTEAD OF:
What the f___ are you talking about?

9) TRY SAYING:
I'm not sure this can be implemented.
INSTEAD OF:
That sh__ won't work.

10) TRY SAYING:
I'll try to fit that in my schedule.
INSTEAD OF:
Why the f___ didn't you tell me sooner?

11) TRY SAYING:
He's not familiar with the issues.
INSTEAD OF:
He's got his head up his a__.

12) TRY SAYING:
Excuse me, sir?
INSTEAD OF:
Eat sh__ and die.

13) TRY SAYING:
So you weren't happy with it?
INSTEAD OF:
Kiss my a__.

14) TRY SAYING:
I'm a bit overloaded at the moment.
INSTEAD OF:
F___ it, I'm on salary.

15) TRY SAYING:
I don't think you understand.
INSTEAD OF:
How many f___ing time do I have to tell you.

16) TRY SAYING:
I love a challenge.
INSTEAD OF:
This job sucks.

17) TRY SAYING:
You want me to take care of that?
INSTEAD OF:
Who the h___ died and made you boss?

18 ) TRY SAYING:
He's somewhat insensitive.
INSTEAD OF:
He's a pr_ck.

The Chicago Spire

Sometimes, things just inspire you.
2000 ft Calatrava designed residence tower- makes the disapproving Trump look like a Donkey!
The Chicago Spire- AMAZING

A medical reason for circumcision??

The company (Intercytex) uses neonatal foreskin to culture skin grafts for wounds and burns. By not using stem cells and using a waste product the company shows promise. The foreskin cells have not yet developed their own anti bodies and therefore will not be rejected by the host. Phase II human testing to begin in 2008.


Intercytex has developed skin grafts using neonatal foreskin. Instead of stem cells, Intercytex uses Neonatal foreskin, a waste product. The foreskin does not yet contain antibodies of their own therefore the grafts will not be rejected by the host.
ICX-SKN comprises allogeneic human dermal fibroblasts set in a natural human collagen matrix, which mimics the structure of skin and is intended as a skin graft replacement. An additional layer of human keratinocytes may be included.

ICX-SKN is designed to be sufficiently durable to provide immediate and long-term closure of acute wounds. It is intended that ICX-SKN will be used by surgeons, plastic surgeons and other specialists in hospitals and clinics as a skin graft for acute wounds, initially in surgical incisions. ICX-SKN will be provided in a sealed sterile, flat, foil pack.

Market opportunity

ICX-SKN is intended to be used as a skin graft employed during elective surgery, especially in connection with skin cancer excisions. It is designed to heal wounds with reduced scarring and a more enhanced aesthetic effect.

ICX-SKN clinical and commercial development

ICX-SKN has completed an open-label Phase I trial in the UK. A full-thickness skin sample was excised from the upper arm of six volunteers and replaced with ICX-SKN. The safety and tolerability of the product were determined at one month from the application of ICX-SKN to the wound area. After 28 days both visual and histological analysis showed that in all volunteers, the ICX-SKN grafts were vascularised and overgrown with the hosts’ own cells, resulting in a fully integrated skin graft that had closed and healed the wound site. An extension of the Phase I trial, which will continue to assess the longer-term benefits of ICX-SKN, is due to start at the end of 2007.

Aura paint by Benjamin Moore- No priming, No stink, one coat

Frogtape= Perfect paint lines - every time

Frog Tape^® is the only masking tape with patented Paint Activated Edge Seal Technology^TM. When latex paint comes into contact with the edges of Frog Tape^®, the Paint Activated Edge Seal Technology^TM creates a micro barrier along the edges of the tape. This barrier helps prevent paint from bleeding under Frog Tape^®, leaving you with crisp clean lines!

Celebrity Star Wars 3

-Darth-Shrek- by mjhaylor



Prince Charles

I think Anthony Hopkins would have made one terrific Yoda



Princess Beia by Koosricardo

CLICK HERE FOR MANY MORE: THERE ARE LIKE A HUNDRED REAL GOOD STUFF