As suddenly as they gained popularity, they were made obsolete by the next big thing - a newfangled system called the Internet. Commodork: Sordid Tales from a BBS Junkie takes its readers on an exciting journey through the BBS era. Through the author's personal tales and adventures, readers will discover more about these amazing times and what it was like to grow up online. With tales of copyfests, BBS parties and random acts of online debauchery, those who were there will find themselves reminiscing, while those who weren't will enjoy learning about life ""before the 'net."" You know, back when we used to modem uphill, both ways in the snow.

    His work is adored by readers—one proclaims him “the greatest sportswriter who has ever walked the planet,” and another recently wrote in to nominate him for president of the United States in 2008—and his peers have recognized his work with two prestigious National Magazine Award nominations. If You Didn’t Bring Jerky, What Did I Just Eat? is the first collection of Heavey’s sidesplitting observations on life as a hardcore (but often hapless) outdoorsman. Whether he’s hunting cougars in the southwest desert, scheming to make his five-year-old daughter fall in love with fishing, or chronicling his father’s slow decline through the lens of the numerous dogs he’s owned over seventy-five years, Heavey is a master at blending humor and pathos—and wide-ranging outdoor enthusiasms that run the gamut from elite to ordinary—into a poignant and potent cocktail. Funny, warmhearted, and supremely entertaining, this book is an uproarious addition to the literature of the outdoors.

    In Quilting with a Modern Slant, Rachel May introduces you to more than 70 modern quilters who have developed their own styles, methods, and aesthetics. Their ideas, their quilts, and their tips, tutorials, and techniques will inspire you to try something new and follow your own creativity wherever it leads.

    Who can speak for Everyman? Who will articulate his love for Xbox 360, for Mama Celeste's frozen pizza, for the cinematic oeuvre of Bruce Willis? Enter Broetry--a stunning debut from a dazzling new literary voice. "Broet Laureate" Brian McGackin goes where no poet has gone before--to Star Wars conventions, to frat parties, to video game tournaments, and beyond. With poems like "Ode to That Girl I Dated for, Like, a Month Sophomore Year" and "My Friends Who Don't Have Student Loans," we follow the Bro from his high school graduation and college experience through a "quarter-life crisis" and beyond.

    Petit is the perfect teacher" in this fascinating, educational volume on knot-tying--an art and science that has held civilization together (The Wall Street Journal).Philippe Petit is known for his astounding feat of daring when, on August 7, 1974, he stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York City. But beyond his balance, courage, and showmanship, there was one thing Petit had to be absolutely certain of--his knots. Without the confidence that his knots would hold, he never would have left the ground. In fact, while most of us don't think about them beyond tying our shoelaces, the humble knot is crucial in countless contexts, from sailing to sports to industrial safety to art, agriculture, and more.In this truly unique book, Petit offers a guide to tying over sixty of his essential knots, with practical sketches illustrating his methods and clear tying instructions. Filled with photos in which special knots were used during spectacular high-wire walks, quirky knot trivia, personal anecdotes, helpful tips, magic tricks, and special tying challenges, Why Knot? will entertain and educate readers of all ages."In reading Philippe's book we are cogently reminded that without the ability to secure a rope, or tether a goat, or make fast the sheets of a galley, much of the civilization that we take for granted would disappear as easily as a slipknot in the hands of a Vegas conjuror." --Sting, musician and activist"His descriptions are clear, he deploys humor frequently and he makes his points with anecdotes that are colorful and memorable. Explaining the purpose and creation of knots and thanks to those flawless drawings Mr. Petit earns perfect marks." --The Wall Street Journal

    This book shows you how to take everyday materials from around the house, flea markets, thrift stores, and hardware stores and turn them into clever and eye-catching hand-made books.

    With plain and simple advice on everything from dusting and swabbing to polishing and vacuuming, best-selling author Donna Smallin shows you how to make the most of your valuable cleaning time. Hundreds of quick tips and practical solutions for every imaginable cleaning situation promise you the sparkling, healthy environment you want for your family.

    No more staring helplessly at rising grocery bills or, too harried for time, shelling out twenty-five bucks for mediocre take-out. The work of two brilliant problem-solvers, Cheap. Fast. Good! cuts through both the budget dilemma and the time dilemma with 275 recipes for great, family-pleasing dishes, most of which take under 25 minutes to prepare and average out to cost less--and usually far less--than $2 a serving. Home Ec simplified Saving money in the kitchen is as simple as one four-letter word: Cook. But cooking to save means cooking food you and your family are going to love--and cooking (and shopping) smart. In dozens of time-and-money-saving tips, techniques, strategies, and solutions, the authors show how to make the right choices again and again. They'll never know you're thrifty Pan-Fried Pork Chops with Pepper Medley Stuffed Peppers with Kielbasa Rice Zesty Chicken Saute Bayou Stew Catfish with Pecan Crust Cinco de Mayo Skillet Quickie Cacciatore Perfect Spinach Pesto Pizza Moroccan Meatballs Over Couscous Salmon Pasta with Tomatoes and Dill ...Even when it's time to s-t-r-e-t-c-h Onion Chopped Steak with Easy Gravy Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs Fall Sausage and Cabbage Saute Ultra-Easy Veggie Quesadillas Pasta e Fagioli My Beef and Barley Soup Ziti Mexi-Cali

    

    Filled with do-it-yourself projects, Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos: A Maker's Guide to Creating Modern Artifacts shows you how to build exquisite, ingenious contraptions on a budget.Learn from Lord Featherstone as he distills his wealth of hard-learned skills, describes how to use the readily available tools of the modern mad scientist, and expounds on the art and philosophy of scavenging unique components and raw materials. The perfect companion for the hobbyist and advanced machinist alike, this inventive volume will guide you through the creation of your very own infernal devices.Get steamed with these provocative projects: Aetheric ray deflector solid brass gogglesCalibrated indicator gaugesFerromagnetic self-scribing automated encyclopedia (or, the Steampunk book drive)High voltage electro-static cannon (or, the lamp gun)Tesla-pod chrono-static insulating field generator (or, the mobile device enclosure)Altitude mask with integrated respiratory augmentationArmoured pith helmetMark I superior replacement arm with integrated Gatling gun attachmentVisit the companion website, www.mhprofessional.com/steampunk, for videos, images, and more bonus content!Make Great Stuff!TAB, an imprint of McGraw-Hill Professional, is a leading publisher of DIY technology books for makers, hackers, and electronics hobbyists.

    Then rev up the sewing machine for fast mends that put the pedal to the metal. Even with a limited budget and not much time to spare, you can create eye-catching repairs with visible mending--35 examples and more than 150 photos make it easy to put your unique mark on everything you mend!

    The truth is that almost everyone has tightness in this area and this tightness twists the core of the body. As a result of too much sitting, driving, running, biking, kicking, heavy lifting, yoga, dance, gymnastics, or stress, a tight hip could be the missing link to enjoying a pain-free life. In Tight Hip, Twisted Core you will: - Discover how this muscle impacts your body from head to toe - Determine if you are one of the millions of people with a tight iliacus muscle and why - Release the tension in the muscle for good - Get your body aligned for pain-free performance - Prevent this muscle from getting tight ever again Based on decades of physical therapy study and clinical practice, this book outlines 3 simple steps to get your hip healthy and your core aligned, helping you to resolve your pain without expensive treatments, surgeries, and medications. “I am astounded by Christine’s ability to clearly articulate this mysterious concept in a way that anyone can understand it. This is a huge discovery in how the hip area works, and how one tight muscle affects the rest of the body. This book will significantly impact the way health care professionals treat the hip from now on.” - Zach

    And who better to teach us how to DIY our lives than the über-crafty editors of BUST, the quirky, raw, and real magazine “for women who have something to get off their chests”? In The BUST DIY Guide to Life, magazine founders Debbie Stoller (of Stitch ’n Bitch fame) and Laurie Henzel have culled more than 250 of the best DIY and craft projects from its 15-year history. Organized by category—beauty and health, fashion, food and entertaining, career, finance, travel, and sex—and written in BUST’s trademark brazen and witty style, this quintessential DIY encyclopedia from the quintessential DIY magazine is eclectic, empowering, hilarious, and downright practical, truly capturing the spirit of women today.Praise for the BUST DIY Guide to Life:“This lifestyle manual will come in handy when you need anything from a headache remedy to a dirt-cheap wedding.” —Entertainment Weekly“Has tips on beauty, fashion, and finance, too, all with attitude. But our dog-eared pages? Decorating, all the way.” -- Los Angeles Times“It’s a rare do-it-yourself book that combines instructions for both homemade pot holders and Tantric sex. But The Bust DIY Guide to Life isn’t your typical how-to manual. The book, by Bust magazine cofounders Laurie Henzel and Debbie Stoller, is an irreverent yet informative guide to much of what life throws your way—removing laundry stains, lubricating a bicycle chain, even planning a wedding on the cheap.” —Akron Beacon Journal "Looking for one source to provide answers on how to do practical things? This is it! A friendly compendium that shows you (with many pictures and diagrams) how to replace a broken zipper, make soap, turn your bell bottoms into straight-leg jeans, how to buy an old house, how to buy a vintage car, how to skateboard and lots more." —The Fresno Bee

    Now, in her much-anticipated first book, embroidery pioneer Jenny Hart brings her sublime designs to everyone. Expanding on the offerings of her Stitch-It Kit, Sublime Stitching offers all the instructions, tips, and hip patterns needed to create hundreds of stylish projects. Perfect for stitchers of all experience levels, this charmingly photographed book includes simple directions and inspiring project ideas for stitching up jeans, handbags, neckties, baby bibs, and more. Best of all are the entirely original, ready-to-use iron-on patterns bound in the back. Jenny has included all sorts of delightful designsfrom cheeky margaritas and maracas to classic teapots and cupcakes. These patterns are easy to remove after using, and a cinch to store in the handy pockets on the inside covers. Believe it or not, each pattern can be used up to nine times. Now that's sublime.

    Whether you’re a writer, a scrapbooker, a political activist, or a postcard collector, let book artist Esther K. Smith be your guide as you discover your inner bookbinder. Using foolproof illustrations and step-by-step instructions, Smith reveals her time-tested techniques in a fun, easy-to-understand way.