Saturday, October 22, 2011

A Circus of Toilet Style!

Consider the fact that an average person visits the toilet 2500 times a year, about six-eight times a day. You spend about three years of your life in the toilet! So, why not make that time a little more interesting with an exciting Novelty Pot? Maybe you can get a few ideas from the following photos!








Friday, October 21, 2011

Attention Campers!

This fabulous camping companion is one of the best ideas I've seen in years! This biodegradable porta-potty is the perfect way to bypass that nasty process of digging a hole to shit in when you're camping. Also, their marketing is adorable!



The Shit Box

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

These Guys Were Up Shit Creek!

This is a story from last week's Star Tribune - I hope these passengers didn't ask for extra hot sauce with their in-flight meal!

Toilet malfunction leaves travelers up in the air

Minnesotans who complained about full toilets on a trans-Atlantic flight say Continental was not exactly gracious about it.
Updated: October 15, 2011 - 7:08 PM

The flight attendants had served dinner, and only about two hours remained on the Continental Airlines nine-hour transatlantic flight when Gail Barnard-Boyum headed for the restroom.
"The toilet was full," recalled Barnard-Boyum, 66, of Peterson, Minn. "You could see the toilet paper. You could see the poop. I couldn't believe it because the smell was so disgusting."
Barnard-Boyum and 13 other Minnesotans were heading home Sept. 14 from Barcelona after a Mediterranean cruise. They discovered that all three toilets in coach class on Flight 121Y were backing up. Some passengers used them anyway. Others refused, and rushed off the plane to find a restroom when it landed in Newark, N.J.
"We were not happy with the experience," said Sharon Sorenson, 68, of St. Michael, Minn. "I am not anxious to fly Continental again."
When contacted by Whistleblower, United/Continental Airlines spokesman Charlie Hobart acknowledged the inconvenience by offering $100 vouchers to affected passengers.
If the toilet malfunction had happened while the plane was stuck on the runway, Continental might have been in violation of federal rules. But there's no similar rule for airplanes with toilet failures in flight.
"To me, it is a bad situation that hasn't been addressed," said Robert Brubaker of the American Restroom Association, a Baltimore-based advocacy group for toilet users.
Of the 14 Minnesotans on the flight, 11 were from Coldwater Creek Townhome Association in St. Michael, including Sharon McDonald, 69, who coordinated the trip. She said if there was an operating toilet, it was in first class, because none of the three in coach were operating. The sister of Barnard-Boyum, she said coach passengers were not allowed to go to the first-class section's toilet.
McDonald said one of the flight attendants told her the problem had happened before and that the toilets may not have been emptied before it took off from Barcelona.
But Hobart, the airline spokesman, said the toilets aboard the flight were properly serviced in Barcelona. All four lavatories on board were "fully functional" but three were filled by the time it landed in Newark, he said. "We understand this was a frustrating experience and it does not reflect what we aim to deliver to our customers," Hobart said.
Carol Menier, 64, said when she called to complain, Continental's representative was "rude" and expressed doubts that the toilets were full and that another passenger was offered a $100 voucher. She eventually got a voucher and said another customer service agent was "really great."
The toilet travail wasn't the first for a Continental transatlantic flight. In 2007, a toilet overflowed on a flight from Amsterdam to Newark, spilling sewage down the aisle, USA Today reported at the time.
Brubaker, of the restroom association, said occasionally he hears of commercial airliners with toilets that do not work. Toilet facilities are required for employees under federal labor regulations, so while flight attendants and pilots can complain to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, passengers have no recourse, he said. He said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which has a mandate to protect public health, should step in.
The Federal Aviation Administration has no jurisdiction over airplane toilets, said Arlene Salac, an agency spokeswoman. She referred Whistleblower to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Bill Mosley, a DOT spokesman, said there's a new consumer rule that requires carriers ensure lavatories are operable during long tarmac delays. But he said, "There is no federal regulation requiring working lavatories aboard aircraft in flight."

Monday, October 17, 2011

God Bless America and its Restroom Association

Check out this extremely informative and resourceful website of the American Restroom Association - "America's advocate for the availability of clean, safe, well-designed public bathrooms."

They have info on the World Toilet Summit and World Toilet Day (November 19th - mark your calendars!).

Here's their full mission statement - these folks know what they're talkin' about:

The American Restroom Association advocates for the availability of clean, safe, well designed public restrooms(1).  
Our scope of our mission includes:
  • Restroom design and technology,
  • Restroom availability and accessibility,
  • Pertinent legislation and regulations, and
  • Documenting the problems faced by people who hesitate to travel or who avoid activities that put them out of range of proper toilet facilities.
Our goals are to 
  • Generate public relations campaigns that result in positive coverage by the press
  • Address regulatory and legislative weakness
  • Act as a health impact clearing house
  • Survey and develop 'Municipal Friendliness Ratings'
  • Communicate with other similar associations around the world
  • Develop suggestions, brochures and suggested designs
  • Serve as clearing house for companies and individuals promoting these products and designs
  • Develop lines of communication with mall and building managers, architects, builders and other groups

OccupyBathroomStalls

There's another kind of sit-in happening at this very moment all over the country, one which also affects 99% of us. This article from thehairpin.com brings up an age-old controversy, one which must be brought into the conversation. Seriously, some of my most stressful minutes have been spent glaring at the girl in line ahead of me at some college town bar bathroom, spending her mental waves telling her she better f-ing hurry up in there or I'm going to lose it as crowds of drunk sorority sisters decide to all go in together and have some kind of fun pee party in there. I'll be honest, I'm not afraid to use the men's room (if it's a single stall), where there is NEVER a line. Why does it take us so long? The sitting down, the wiping, the checking ourselves out in the mirror before reaching for another paper towel to pull open the grimy bathroom door? We're trying to collect some explanations - send us an email and tell us why you think it takes women so much longer to go. Also tell us if you know what "Chtulu" is.
My whole life I have always wanted to know the answer to this question, silly as it may be: Why do women take so long in the bathroom? Are they maybe putting down toilet paper as a protective barrier, doing period-related things, or just enjoying the not-so peaceful moments of time in the ladies' room? Are there scientific studies for this sort of thing? I ask because of recent summer events where there is always broken bathrooms so everyone has to use just one, and the line is always a billion times longer than the guys' line, and I find myself wondering "Why didn't I get up earlier!? I should know by now that it takes at least 10 minutes to get through the line!" I usually try to get the deed done as fast as possible, as public bathrooms at rodeos are awful. But, Lady, why? I must know!
I have no fucking clue! My god, what is with that? I may be biased because I have gotten numerous compliments at bars for how fast I am in the restroom. Seriously, this has happened dozens of times, and my friends are constantly shocked at how fast I excuse myself for the restroom and return to the conversation. So this Lady might not be the right Lady to ask. However, an extremely scientific poll of fellow Ladies tells me that period stuff is one thing and "complicated clothing" is another, though skirts are the easiest thing to pee in and pants really aren't too hard. Are you peeing somewhere where everyone is wearing a romper? A third issue is ladies taking the time to wipe the seat because whoever was before them peed on it. I still have no idea how this happens. Ladies, please, what is it going to take you to stop peeing on the seat?
I can't find any studies about this, but a quick Google search about women and length of pee time actually brings up a fair amount of stuff about men taking longer to pee, so there's that. Related: Is it just me, or does this vaginal diagram on the Female Urination Wikipedia page look like Chtulu?

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Now THAT'S Hospitality!

This photo was submitted to me by one of my oldest friends. Thanks for lookin' out, Sam!

This is the lady's room toilet at Nancy's Restaurant on Oak Bluffs Harbor in Martha's Vineyard. Just a lovely place to have a sunset dinner.



You'll notice that the seat is extra large. Much larger than the toilet bowl itself. This decision was made not for aesthetic appeal, but to accommodate the back sides of the restaurant's larger patrons.

Thank You, Nancy's, for thinking of those who are hindered by a sizable back side.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Famous Dave's, Minnetonka, MN


^^We ordered this. It's called: The Feast. It is f-ing awesome.^^

DAMN this was delicious. I had not been to a Famous Dave's in AGES. Is it the best BBQ around? Not by a landslide, but once in a while it really hits the spot. The Minnetonka branch of this franchise is sizable, and being a BBQ joint, having a poop friendly bathroom is a MUST. This place did not let me down.

First of all, it's marked by an enormous sign that can be seen from almost every corner of the restaurant. This is key. When it comes to spicy BBQ, when that urge hits you, there isn't much time. The bathroom has 3 stalls: 2 standard and 1 handicapped. A restaurant this size, in my opinion, should have at least 4, but I didn't let that knock off points.

The room was decorated with a Pocahontas theme set in a serene forest. Sweet renderings of Native American Princesses dipping their toes in a cool stream with deer lapping at the water near by... It was like having woodland Goddesses watch over you as you piss. The music from the restaurant was piped in, which I always love. It sets the tone, and covers up undesirable sounds.

The toilet was incredibly clean and well stocked with 2 full rolls of TP in the dispenser. The seat was plastic, not ceramic, so it wasn't shockingly cold to sit on like an old industrial toilet often is. Not a drop of pee, or other excrement, could be found on this seat. Also, there was a hook for hanging my purse, which just makes my day every time.

When I was finished and ready to wash up I was thrilled to be met by a completely automated hands free sink area. The faucet, soap, and towel dispenser were all motion activated, saving your clean hands from having to touch anything. This was a bit counter productive, however, because both the stall doors and the bathroom door open in, which requires you to put your hand on the door handle to get out. This is an issue because "less than one third of men and two thirds of women wash their hands with soap after going to the toilet." (British study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) I am not a germaphobe by any means, but I still think about how many unwashed poopy hands must touch a bathroom door in a popular restaurant, or public restroom on a daily basis.

I was also pleased to hear a good review of the men's room upon returning to my table. The urinal is a single flanked by two stalls to provide maximum privacy and eliminate the possibility of a man lacking any kind of urinal etiquette from pissing right next to you. My dinner mate was quoted to have said he "felt safe" because of this set up.

Rating: 8.5/10