Would you find a toilet shaped house???
1/30/09
1/28/09
Make Sure You Don't Miss It!!!
As I have mentioned before, This Old House is filming in Brooklyn right now and the General Contractor is our own Michael Streaman!!! The new season started last week, so be sure to watch! Click here for channel listings and times!
1/26/09
The new season of This Old House has finally started!!! Here is the preview for the show:
Unfortunately the quality of this video isn't the best. But the blue object outside the house is one of our toilets!!!! For a better quality video, you can view it here.
Unfortunately the quality of this video isn't the best. But the blue object outside the house is one of our toilets!!!! For a better quality video, you can view it here.
1/23/09
1/21/09
Inauguration
So as our inauguration discussion comes to an end, I have to ask the most important question of all:
What did you think of Michelle Obama's dress???? This obviously has nothing to do with our industry, but it seems to be all people can talk about.
Happy Hump Day,
Alex
What did you think of Michelle Obama's dress???? This obviously has nothing to do with our industry, but it seems to be all people can talk about.Happy Hump Day,
Alex
1/19/09
Cheer Up!
Do you know what today is? It is Blue Monday. No idea what that is? Here is some information for you.....
Blue Monday is a name given to a date stated, as part of a publicity campaign by Sky Travel (a British company), to be the most depressing day of the year.
This date was published in a press release under the name of Cliff Arnall, at the time a tutor at the Centre for Lifelong Learning, a Further Education centre attached to Cardiff University.
Arnall says the date was calculated by using many factors, including: weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action.
This date typically falls on the Monday of the last full week of January. The date was stated to be January 24 in 2005, January 23 in 2006, January 22 in 2007, January 21 in 2008. In 2009, Blue Monday will fall on January 19.
Now that you know that sad little tid bit, don't you wish you stayed in bed today??? Oh well, tomorrow should be much better!!!!
1/16/09
Countdown to Inauguration
Here is a list of the upcoming Inauguration events, starting in Philadelphia!!!
SATURDAY, JAN. 17
_ President-elect Barack Obama and his family ride the train from Philadelphia to Washington, stopping in Wilmington, Del., for Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family. Train will stop in Baltimore for speech before heading south.
_ BET Honors, an awards ceremony, at the Warner Theater.
_ People's Inaugural Gala Celebration at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
_ Will.i.am "Yes We Did" concert.
_ Concert with Mary J. Blige, Common and Nelly at nightclub Ibiza.
SUNDAY, JAN. 18
_ Obama will kick off inaugural activities with a welcome event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday afternoon. The event begins at 2:30 p.m. Beyonce, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor are among the musicians scheduled to perform.
_ Presidential Inaugural Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Ritz-Carlton.
_ EMILY's List Inaugural Luncheon with scheduled guests including Cabinet appointees Hillary Rodham Clinton and Janet Napolitano, Sens. Kay Hagan and Jeanne Shaheen, and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue.
_ African-American Church Inaugural Ball at the Grand Hyatt Washington.
_ 2009 Latino Inaugural Gala with Marc Anthony at Union Station.
_ Aloha Inaugural Ball, organized by former Obama campaign workers, held at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel at 7:30 p.m.
MONDAY, JAN. 19
_ National Day of Community Service event: To honor Dr. King's legacy, Obama, Biden and their families, joined by Americans across the country, will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, D.C. area.
_ Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball, sponsored by the Texas State Society, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.
_ Green Inaugural Ball at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. Ball hosted by former Vice President Al Gore.
_ Huffington Post preinaugural ball at the Newseum.
_ Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts. Hosted by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, among others.
_ A children's evening concert at the Verizon Center honoring military families. Event hosted by Michelle Obama, who will attend. Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers are among the entertainers.
_ Obama to attend three private dinners to honor former secretary of State Colin Powell, Biden and Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, for their public service. Dinners at the Hilton Washington, National Building Museum and Union Station.
TUESDAY, JAN. 20 (INAUGURATION DAY)
Gates to the Inaugural Ceremony open at 8 a.m. The inaugural festivities are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. They will include:
_ Musical selections of The United States Marine Band, followed by the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.
_ Sen. Dianne Feinstein provides call to order and welcoming remarks.
_ Invocation by the Rev. Rick Warren.
_ Musical selection of Aretha Franklin.
_ Biden will be sworn into office by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
_ Musical selection of John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet).
_ Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts. Scheduled around noon.
_ Obama gives the inaugural address.
_ Poem by Elizabeth Alexander.
_ Benediction by Rev. Joseph E. Lowery.
_ The National Anthem by The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters."
After Obama gives inaugural address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall.
The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.
Later that day, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will host 10 official inaugural balls:
_ Neighborhood Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
_ Obama Home States (Illinois and Hawaii) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
_ Biden Home States (Pennsylvania and Delaware) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
_ Midwest Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
_ Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
_ Western Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
_ Commander in Chief's Ball at the National Building Museum.
_ Southern Inaugural Ball at the National Guard Armory.
_ Eastern Inaugural Ball at Union Station.
_ Youth Inaugural Ball at the Washington Hilton.
Unofficial balls include:
_ Congressional Black Caucus Inaugural Ball at the Capitol Hilton.
_ Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts.
_ Recording Industry Association of America's ball for Feeding America.
_ BET's Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
_ Africa on the Potomac inaugural celebration at Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va.
_ American Music Inaugural Ball at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
_ Inaugural Purple Ball at the Fairmont Hotel.
_ Human Rights Campaign's Equality Ball at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel.
_ Inaugural Peace Ball at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.
_ Impact Film Fund ball.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21
_ The president, vice president and their families will participate in a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.
1/14/09
Fun Inauguration Facts
Here are some fun Inauguration facts that I found online. Enjoy!!
1. The retail network QVC has already sold more than 100,000 items related to Barack Obama's election. - Associated Press
2. Between 1.5 million and 3 million people are expected to attend inauguration ceremonies in Washington, D.C. - The Washington Post
3. The Obamas will attend 10 official Inaugural Balls, one more than President George W. Bush and Laura Bush attended in 2005. - Presidential Inaugural Committee
4. The most popular Inaugural Ball will be the Illinois State Society Ball. Tickets for that party were sold for $1,150 to $6,500. - The Washington Post
5. There will be 5,000 Porta-Potties available on the National Mall and along the Inauguration Parade route on Inauguration Day. That's one for every 300 people. - National Park Service
6. Between 15,000 and 18,000 volunteers will be used to help coordinate and work at the various Inaugural events. - Presidential Inaugural Committee
7. Barack Obama will take the oath of office using the same Bible upon which President Lincoln was sworn in at his first inauguration. - Library of Congress
8. George Washington delivered the shortest Inaugural Address. It was 135 words. - Library of Congress
9. President Herbert Hoover's 1929 Inaugural ceremony was the first recorded by talking newsreel. - Presidential Inaugural Committee
10. President Harry S. Truman's inaugural speech in 1949 was the first to be televised. - Presidential Inaugural Committee
11. The first Inauguration ceremony broadcast on the Internet was President Clinton's second inauguration in 1997. - Clinton Presidential Library
12. President Ronald Reagan's second inaugural in 1985 had to compete with Super Bowl Sunday.
13. In 1969, President Richard Nixon took the oath of office on two Bibles; both family heirlooms. - Presidential Inaugural Committee
1/12/09
Fires
At Least 16 SF Portable Toilet Arsons, Police Say
San Francisco law enforcement officials are still trying to find the person who has set as many as 16 portable toilets ablaze in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood since November.
"No one has seen anyone," fire Lt. Mindy Talmadge said Thursday, adding that both the arson unit and Police Department have been investigating the case.
In early December, the fire department had to warn construction site managers about the fires and asked them to move their toilets away from buildings and trees.
The petroleum-based outhouses, commonly called porta-potties, are highly flammable and can turn into a big puddle of blue goop within minutes, scorching anything in its way, a porta-potty salesman said.
"Catch on fire? No problem. Light up the toilet paper and that'll start it. Boom. They'll be down in five minutes," salesman Cameron Vigil of Far West Sanitation & Storage said.
Vigil, who rents the toilets to sites all over the Bay Area, said his company has lost at least one or two to the Russian Hill fiasco, and typically it will cost a client $800 to $1,000 to replace.
An arsonist has struck at least four times in November, 10 in December and twice this year. Typically the toilets are lit between 1 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. but the fires have also happened at more random times such as Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8:55 p.m.
An arsonist also decided to ring in the New Year shortly after 5 a.m.
Vigil said porta-potty fires are not uncommon but this many in such a concentrated area is unusual.
He said it was a worry when his company was asked to supply the portable toilets for the Chinese New Year events in Chinatown, but it did not stop him from renting.
"I think it's some kid getting his kicks. I don't think it's someone who has a vendetta against portable toilets," he said.
San Francisco law enforcement officials are still trying to find the person who has set as many as 16 portable toilets ablaze in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood since November.
"No one has seen anyone," fire Lt. Mindy Talmadge said Thursday, adding that both the arson unit and Police Department have been investigating the case.
In early December, the fire department had to warn construction site managers about the fires and asked them to move their toilets away from buildings and trees.
The petroleum-based outhouses, commonly called porta-potties, are highly flammable and can turn into a big puddle of blue goop within minutes, scorching anything in its way, a porta-potty salesman said.
"Catch on fire? No problem. Light up the toilet paper and that'll start it. Boom. They'll be down in five minutes," salesman Cameron Vigil of Far West Sanitation & Storage said.
Vigil, who rents the toilets to sites all over the Bay Area, said his company has lost at least one or two to the Russian Hill fiasco, and typically it will cost a client $800 to $1,000 to replace.
An arsonist has struck at least four times in November, 10 in December and twice this year. Typically the toilets are lit between 1 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. but the fires have also happened at more random times such as Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8:55 p.m.
An arsonist also decided to ring in the New Year shortly after 5 a.m.
Vigil said porta-potty fires are not uncommon but this many in such a concentrated area is unusual.
He said it was a worry when his company was asked to supply the portable toilets for the Chinese New Year events in Chinatown, but it did not stop him from renting.
"I think it's some kid getting his kicks. I don't think it's someone who has a vendetta against portable toilets," he said.
1/9/09
The Inauguration
With the Inauguration coming up, almost every news article is dedicated to it. The funny thing about these articles, is that there seems to be a ridiculously strong emphasis on the portable toilets. What you say??? Yes, the portable toilets.
Almost every article states that there won't be nearly enough portable toilets for the crowds. The capital is expecting over a million people and I have heard that around 5000 portable restrooms will be on site. The general rule of thumb is one toilet to every 100 people. As there aren't 10,000 portable toilets available, I would predict very, very long lines.
On top of that, there is the cold weather, lack of hotel rooms, major road closures and ban on food or drink on the mall. That all adds up to me watching from home. How about you??
Almost every article states that there won't be nearly enough portable toilets for the crowds. The capital is expecting over a million people and I have heard that around 5000 portable restrooms will be on site. The general rule of thumb is one toilet to every 100 people. As there aren't 10,000 portable toilets available, I would predict very, very long lines.
On top of that, there is the cold weather, lack of hotel rooms, major road closures and ban on food or drink on the mall. That all adds up to me watching from home. How about you??
1/7/09
Pumper Show
Just a reminder that the pumper show is coming up at the end of February. It will be held in Louisville Kentucky again this year. You have until January 23rd to buy the discounted tickets online. Click here to purchase yours today.
1/5/09
A Royal Flush on TV
The show Chasing Classic Cars (click here) on the Discovery channel follows Wayne Carini, a car expert from Connecticut, as he buys and restores classic cars. I was watching the show last week and he was racing a 1960 Morgan roadster at Limerock. (see pictures below) As the car went around the track, I spotted (drumroll) one of our toilets!!!! I know no one else is excited but I was!
Unfortunately, I couldn't find a clip from the show. But it is on the discovery channel HD, if you happen to catch it.
1/2/09
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