The purpose of this article is to de-mystify the tearing of a phone book and show you just how easy it can be. Tearing a phone book in half is something I have wanted to do since before I ever got into grip training but how do you go about ripping a 2" thick hunk of paper? It wasn't until I started talking with Michael Wayne, a good friend of mine and strong 'gripster' in his own regard, that the technique clicked in my head.

Aside from stealing your neighbor's phonebooks before they wake up, there are several reliable sources for phone books that you should check out. Some recycling centers have literally tons of the books and most will tell you that having the books torn in half actually helps them make it easier to recycle. Be sure to recycle the books when you are finished tearing them though. Motels are another great place to get phonebooks. When the new books are delivered, call the local motels and ask them if you can have their old phonebooks.

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How to Make a Felt Donut

That donut in the photograph on the right looks like a delicious donut with lots of calories but it is really just a felt donut. The instructions for how to make one of your own can be found a forum on the Craftster.org website. The instructions include lots of tucking and stitching and stuffing.

Turn the donut right sides out.
Now to sew the donut hole closed....
Turn a couple of tabs in at a time and whip stitch them closed, just like when your done stuffing something and you close the opening. Just tuck, stitch, tuck, stitch... easy as...pie.

Now stuff your donut, I like to use the end of a pen to get my stuffing in good and tight. Now's the time to add potpourri or other smelly stuff if you want your donut to smell yummy. Whip stitch opening closed.

If you scroll through the thread on the Crafster.org forum you can see lots of other felt donuts that were created. We aren't sure why people are making felt donuts but it seems harmless enough. (Via J-Walk)

Posted on November 4, 2005
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How to Make a Dr. Octopus Costume

Rob, the author of the Incredible Stuff I Made website, is offering detailed instructions for making an amazing Dr. Octopus costume.

Unlike my costumes in previous years (fish head, paparazzi, silver wings, California and Jenga), I decided on a unoriginal design. I went as Doctor Octopus, the super-villain foe of Spider Man. I didn't like using an unoriginal costume idea, but damn! It would be so cool to be Dr. Octopus, I couldn't resist!

Dr. Octopus, if you haven't heard of him, is a mad scientist who wields four flexible super-strong metal arms with large, strong pincers.

And of course no Dr. Octopus costume would be complete without a defeated Spider-man hero above its head.

I also thought it would be great to construct a defeated spider-man figure for the arms to be carrying, above his head.

Rob also talks about his participation in a costume contest where he was somehow defeated by a couple dressed as Jose Cuervo and Margarita. He was totally robbed. Tentacled villians get no respect these days. (Via Boing Boing)

Posted on October 15, 2005
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USPS: How to Pack Your Hippo

The United States Postal Service website has a webpage providing information for people who are moving. The webpage includes packing instructions for various household items like appliances, china, furniture, paintings and television sets. It also has the following curious instructions for packing hippos.

You'll need:

1,000-gallon tank per hippo

1,000 gallons of water

Crane

1-pound sedative

Soothing hippo music

2 Aspirin (for you)

How to pack:
1. Fill your tank with 800 gallons of water. Start yesterday. Remember, a medium-sized hippo takes up at least 200 gallons. (Just out of curiosity, why do you have a hippo, anyway?)
2. Apply sedative. Take two Aspirin.
3. Hold it, hold it - put the hippo in the tank, first. Start with soothing hippo music, followed by a large winch and crane.
4. Now go relax in a hot bath before the forklift arrives.

It sounds like the packing instructions writer got a little carried away. Fortunately, USPS does offer this link to a more appropriate page with advice from a veterinarian about moving with pets.

Posted on July 25, 2005
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