A Royal Flush, Inc.

Open House Photos

2012-02-01T13:48:00.001-05:00

Here are some photos from the Bridgeport Biodiesel Open House:

Vials of Biodiesel for everyone to take home with them.

One of the owners, Debbie Russo, giving her speech

The fantastic turnout we had!

Owner David Butler giving Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, Congressman Jim Himes and CEO of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council Paul Timpanelli samples of biodiesel.

To view the rest of the pictures, be sure to visit Bridgeport Biodiesel’s Facebook Page.

Open House Today!

2012-01-30T08:31:00.000-05:00

Our sister company, Bridgeport Biodiesel, is having an Open House today at 1pm.

We hope you will stop by and find out more about how we make biodiesel out of kitchen grease!

A Holiday We All Can Celebrate!

2012-01-27T14:01:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is National Blueberry Pancake Day! What a great way to start your weekend!!

In honor of this most sacred holiday, here are some great recipes for Blueberry pancakes:

Whole Foods Extraordinary Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Smitten Kitchen's Blueberry Pancakes

The Pioneer Woman’s Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Martha Stewart’s Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

Which ones will you make?

In Memory

2012-01-26T14:11:00.000-05:00

We are mourning the loss of a dear friend today.

Joe Garrett, long time employee of Enviro Express, passed away last night surrounded by his family. Joe will be deeply missed by everyone at A Royal Flush and our thoughts and prayers are with his family today.

Getting Ready for Our Open House

2012-01-25T11:23:00.000-05:00

Our sister company, Bridgeport Biodiesel, is having an Open House on January 30th at 1pm. It will be held at our offices in Bridgeport, CT.

We hope you will stop by and find out more about how we make biodiesel out of kitchen grease! Our new facility will be open to the public for the first time.

You can view the Evite here or visit their Facebook page, if you would like to RSVP.

We hope to see you there!

Super Bowl Portable Toilets

2012-01-23T16:16:00.001-05:00

Are you going to the Super Bowl?

No Post Today

2012-01-20T14:26:00.000-05:00

I am in Cherry Hill at a Fred Pryor Seminar. No surprise here, it is all about Social Media Marketing! I will be back on Monday with lots of information for all of you!

Have a great weekend!

National Popcorn Day

2012-01-18T13:29:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is National Popcorn Day and I just had to share this holiday with all of you! Because who doesn’t love popcorn?

I found a website dedicated just to popcorn (hard to believe) and it has recipes, nutrition information and fun activities for kids. Visit popcorn.org for more information!

Enjoy all the popcorn you can eat!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2012-01-16T14:24:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Did you know that the holiday was established on November 2, 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King. Observed for the first time on January 20, 1986, it is called Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Following President George H. W. Bush's 1992 proclamation, the holiday is observed on the third Monday of January each year, near the time of King's birthday. On January 17, 2000, for the first time, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially observed in all fifty U.S. states.Arizona (1992), New Hampshire (1999) and Utah (2000) were the last three states to recognize the holiday.

How are you spending your day?

Open House

2012-01-13T14:35:00.000-05:00

Our sister company, Bridgeport Biodiesel, is having an Open House on January 30th at 1pm. It will be held at our offices in Bridgeport, CT.

We hope you will stop by and find out more about how we make biodiesel out of kitchen grease!

You can view the evite here if you would like to RSVP.

Do You Tweet?

2012-01-11T10:45:00.001-05:00

If so, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

As of today we FINALLY have over 200 followers! But I am always looking for more. You can view our profile at http://twitter.com/#!/aroyalflush or tweet us at @aroyalflush!

Who is your favorite celebrity on Twitter?

New York City Marathon to Be Shown Live Nationally

2012-01-09T08:28:00.000-05:00

From the New York Times:

The New York City Marathon will be broadcast live and across the nation for the first time in nearly two decades, the most significant feature of a new television deal that is expected to be announced by New York Road Runners as soon as Friday.

As part of a five-year deal, the race will be carried for three and a half hours on ESPN2, which reaches nearly every household with cable or satellite television, and for five hours on WABC, ABC’s affiliate in the New York area. WABC will also broadcast the marathon’s opening ceremony and a half-hour preview show the night before the race, which will be held Nov. 4, and ABC will televise a highlight show a few hours after the race.

The NYC Half Marathon in March and the Fifth Avenue Mile may also be televised.

The Road Runners will receive guaranteed payments from the networks and share any revenue generated by the broadcasts.

The race was last broadcast live and nationally in 1993, the last year ABC televised the event. Since then, the race has been broadcast live in the New York metropolitan area by WPIX and, more recently, by WNBC, an affiliate of NBC, which also produced a highlight show that was shown on tape delay. Universal Sports also showed the race to some cable households.

The Road Runners hope that showing the event live across the country on ESPN will attract more runners and sponsors to the club and the marathon, which is already the largest in the country. The race, which had more than 47,000 entrants last year, is expected to expand to about 55,000 runners in coming years.

The NYC Half is expected to accept 15,000 runners this year, 50 percent more than last year.

“The drama of the marathon plays out best live, and it’s seen around the world and in the city, so there was a gap because it wasn’t seen nationally,” said Mary Wittenberg, the chief executive of the Road Runners. “It’s not just the world’s race, but America’s race.”

The marathon is by far the Road Runners’ biggest moneymaker and an economic engine for the city. About half the entrants come from overseas; many bring their families and friends, who spend tens of thousands of dollars in hotels, restaurants and shops.

As the race has grown in size, it has also become more expensive to run. This year, entrance fees have increased about $60, largely because the New York Police Department has started to charge athletic event organizers to recoup its costs for providing traffic control and security.

In addition to an $11 application fee, members of the Road Runners must pay $216 to enter the race, up from $156 last year. International applicants will pay $347 compared with $281 last year.

Will you be watching?

Mummers Parade

2012-01-06T14:15:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from this year’s Mummer’s Parade:

And some video of the performances:

Did you go to this year’s parade?

Spotted

2012-01-04T12:41:00.000-05:00

At the R100 station in Ardmore, PA:

Thanks Scott!

Closed Today

2012-01-02T10:34:00.000-05:00

Enjoy the last bit of your holiday vacation and we will chat with you all tomorrow!

Happy New Years

2011-12-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

This post is a little early, but this is my last chance to post before we officially ring in 2012!!! It seems like the new millennium was just a couple of years ago. Time sure is flying by!

We hope you all have a safe and happy New Years!

Today in History

2011-12-28T10:18:00.000-05:00

Today, in 1895, the first movie theatre opened in Paris, France in the Musee Grevin, a waxwork museum.

The theatre originally showed a type of animated cartoons, projected on a screen, by Charles-Emile Reynaud.

Closed Today

2011-12-26T11:30:00.000-05:00

We are closed today because of the Christmas holidays. We will see you tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2011-12-23T11:24:00.000-05:00

We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

Donations sought for Tree of Warmth

2011-12-21T10:54:00.000-05:00

From the Connecticut Post:

The eighth annual Tree of Warmth is on display at Town Hall in New Milford.

Donations of children's hats, gloves, mittens and scarves are sought; the items will be hung on the tree by Mayor Pat Murphy's staff.

Goods will later be distributed to local families in need through the Social Services Department.

Donations may be dropped off at the mayor's office Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition, monetary donations are sought for the Community Fuel Bank of New Milford, which assists low- and fixed-income families and seniors in the community.

The assistance provides emergency fuel delivery or continued electric service to safely keep their homes warm during the cold winter months.

Donations may be acknowledged with a name on an ornament to be placed on the tree.

Checks may be made payable to the Community Fuel Bank of New Milford and dropped off at the mayor's office.

For more information, call 860-355-6010.

Happy Chanukah

2011-12-19T09:14:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow night is the start of Chanukah/Hanukkah/Festival of Lights (I wanted to cover all my basis!)

For more information, you should visit the Wikipedia page. They give a great description of the holiday, including the prayers, foods and games.
We wish you all a safe and happy holiday!

Toys for Tots Needs Gifts!

2011-12-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

As Christmas nears, Toys for Tots collections are lagging

By Jeff Gammage

Donations to the city Toys for Tots campaign are down nearly 80 percent, and organizers say they fear thousands of needy children will go without presents on Christmas.

Last year, the operation delivered 113,000 toys. This year it has collected 25,000.

Organizers appealed Tuesday for people to donate a new, unwrapped toy. Toys can be dropped off at any Philadelphia fire station or at one of four Toys R Us stores.

"The toys are not coming in," said Marine Staff Sgt. Marc Palos, in charge of the effort and part of the Third Battalion, 14th Regiment. "We try to get at least one toy to every child that needs it."

Palos said the stagnant economy has hurt people's ability to donate.

Last year at this time, mountains of skateboards, soccer balls, basketballs, dolls, and books filled containers at a processing center in Northeast Philadelphia. This year, the center has moved to 2501 Ford Rd. in Bristol, a warehouse "twice as small and twice as empty," Palos said.

The phone continually rings with requests. Palos tells callers: We don't have any toys to give.

Each of the more than 60 fire stations is a collection point, as are Toys R Us stores on Cottman Avenue, South Third Street, Aramingo Avenue, and Franklin Mills Circle.

Every toy is inventoried, which is how the Marines know how many are collected. Two years ago, the final figure was 93,000.

This year toys are being distributed in Bristol as well as Philadelphia. Registered charities can apply for toys, which the Marines distribute on a first-come, first-served basis.

Locally, this week is supposed to mark the campaign's final push, with delivery set for Tuesday through Dec. 22.

"It's not looking too good," Palos said. "If we continue at this rate, we're not going to get close to what we did last year. And that means the children aren't going to get toys."

If you are interested in donating, you can click here for more information!

Holiday Traditions

2011-12-14T15:16:00.001-05:00

I can not believe I am about to say this, but Christmas is only a week and a 1/2 away. Hanukkah is even closer, starting next week! Where did this year go?

When you mention the holidays, people focus on the typical:

Buying all your gifts
Sending out cards
Spending WAY too much money
Eating too many cookies
Etc…

But my favorite thing about the holidays are family traditions. For my family, I have two favorite traditions. One, the huge ravioli and gnocchi dinner we have on the 24th and two, opening gifts on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day! It is hard to decide which is better. The pasta or the presents??

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Spotted

2011-12-12T10:38:00.000-05:00

At the Statue of Liberty:

Thanks Angel for taking these pictures for us!

Charlie Brown Christmas

2011-12-09T10:09:00.001-05:00

On this day in 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas aired for the first time. It has aired every year since that and has been honored with both an Emmy and Peabody Award.

I hope you get a chance to catch it this holiday season!

A Good Hiding Place?

2011-12-07T13:41:00.000-05:00

Escaped convict caught hiding in port-a-potty near Joliet

By Brian Stanley

A convict being returned to prison escaped by jumping from a moving van Friday afternoon in southwest suburban Lockport — but he was caught late Friday, hiding in a port-a-potty near Joliet.

Cesar Sanchez, 37, was in a transport van being returned from the Cook County Courthouse in Bridgeview to the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill.

Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman Sharyn Elman said Sanchez was able to jump out of the van about 2:15 p.m. while it was near 159th Street and Farrell Road.

Police radio alerts indicate Sanchez injured his leg in the jump but was able to limp away.

Numerous police agencies were alerted to the escape, Elman said.

The search moved from the Lockport area to Rockdale near Joliet later in the afternoon after a local business alerted police that an individual matching Sanchez’ description was seen climbing off a delivery truck, the Will County Sheriff’s office said.

A review of surveillance video confirmed the subject to be Sanchez, and the search focused in the Rockdale area — which is 3 miles southwest of Joliet near I-80 — as of 7 p.m. Friday, the sheriff’s office said.

But at 8:45 p.m., dogs tracked him to a Waste Management facility in Rockdale where at least 300 port-a-potties are stored, officials said at a news conference. He was found hiding in one of the port-a-potties after police used an infrared, heat-sensing technology attached to a helicopter.

Sanchez, who has tattoos on his chest of a heart that says “Leticia” and the Virgin Mary on his right arm, is serving a seven-year sentence that began in 2006 for burglaries in Cook and Kane counties.

He has previously been convicted of burglary, shoplifting, robbery, aggravated battery, motor vehicle theft and unlawful use of a credit card.

Time to Give Back

2011-12-05T14:35:00.000-05:00

Now that December is finally here, so is the cold weather. There are many people who don’t have a good winter coat to get through the cold winter months. And there are many of us, who have too many coats to wear.

So what to do?

ABC, Good Morning America and Burlington Coat Factory are sponsoring the Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Drive- Spreading the warmth coast to coast coat drive.

video platform video management video solutions video player

Just bring your gently worn coats (must have working closures, no rips or stains) to the Customer Service desk at any Burlington Coat Factory Store from now to January 16, 2012 and you will receive 10% off your entire purchase. You give back to get back!

Visit the ABC and Good Morning America site here to find a Burlington Coat Factory Store near you!

Another First for Me!

2011-12-02T14:24:00.000-05:00

I have definitely never seen a portable toilet parade!!

Wee the people: Port-a-potty named for Pelosi

Tea partiers dedicate new thrones to Washington's 'imperial' leaders

By Cheslea Schilling

Enthusiastic tea partiers in Virginia have decided to give "imperial leaders" in Washington a seat of power they believe they truly deserve – a portable toilet throne.

Tea party organizer Karen Miner Hurd told WND her group is expecting between 3,000 and 5,000 people at the upcoming June 26 protest at Chesapeake City Park in Chesapeake, Va. While she is excited about the turnout, Hurd has a predicament: She must raise funds for 30 portable toilets on a shoe-string budget.

"How do you tell people you need money for bathrooms?" she asked. "Does that excite or inspire anybody? Not very much."

So Hurd asked taxpayers to sponsor commodes and name them with their least favorite politicians.

"It started growing, and once people started seeing the list of people who were named, I got more and more requests," she said. "People started to love it."

At a June 16 tea party, the group loaded 10 portable johns into trucks and paraded them through three cities – complete with names of politicians who they believe are trying to flush the nation down the toilet.

The "Don't Flush U.S." campaign was born.

Now she has asked the public to send in their nominations and help sponsor toilets for the next party by sending donations. The following are just a few of the names 34 currently under consideration:

Nancy Pelosi's Throne

McCain, John

U.S. Congress – Our #2 Problem

ACORN john (Always Cr-ppy, Offensive, Rotten, Noxious)

I.R.S. john – Eliminate it!

"Porky Little Projects" john

Royal Pain in the Tax

Office of Tim Geithner's Accountant

Harry Reid's Throne

Eric "toilet paper" Holder

Marxist Government Think Tank

Federal Depository

"The names are of people who have horribly abused taxpayer money or people who have betrayed us. We have some Republicans listed," Hurd said. "Some people like Nancy Waters, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and the Murtha john and the Kerry john were pretty self-evident, we felt."

Hurd said the campaign has chosen not to use references to President Obama.

"We were very careful about that. We don't even mention him remotely," she said. "He is the president, and we respect the office."

The following video is of a similar but smaller parade held on June 12 in Armada. The toilets are taken to tea parties to accommodate thousands of protesters.

And how can politicians avoid having their names plastered on a toilet and paraded through town?

"For those interested in avoiding being on the 'honor' roll on the Don't Flush U.S. site, you can do so by promoting free enterprise, staying within the boundaries of the Constitution, self-limiting your political career by not running for eternal office, avoiding excessive regulation of liberties, exercising good governance, going on a permanent pork-fast, and using common sense," the group's website states.

"Abolishing the I.R.S. and repealing the 16th Amendment will provide permanent immunity from ever being nominated for a throne."

Hurd says she is simply giving taxpayers an outlet for their frustrations with government.

"They are all acting like kings and queens in D.C., and we just thought we would make it official and give them a throne," she said. "Every time you go, you can send a message."

WND readers have been sending information on upcoming tea parties. Tea Party Patriots lists events by state on its website. Most of more than 400 following protests are planned by national organizer Amy Kremer and her Tea Party Patriots team. You can see the list of locations here.

Have you seen the Portable Toilet parade?

Spotted

2011-11-30T14:15:00.001-05:00

In Manhattan:

Thanks Hslu!

Winterization

2011-11-28T13:33:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas only weeks away, it is not hard to believe that the first day of Winter is right around the corner. Winter brings shorter days, chillier temperatures and even worse, SNOW!

Cold weather and freezing temperatures can be a challenge when it comes to temporary and outdoor restroom facilities. Winterizing is important if you want to keep your job site running during the winter months.

So, as the weather outside gets frightful, expect to hear from your A Royal Flush customer service representative about winterizing your site's equipment. They can explain the process, the costs and everything else. When the temperatures drop to the teens in the coming months, you will be glad you did it!

Feel free to contact us at (877) 234-6545 with any questions you may have.

Black Friday

2011-11-25T10:58:00.000-05:00

For some people, this is the best day of the year. Is it that way for you?

The deals are hot, the lines are long and the people are tired. But they say if you want to save a couple of bucks, Black Friday is the way too go.

What is your favorite store to hit on Black Friday?

Do you head for your nearest Target? Or are you in line at Best Buy at 5pm the night before? Or maybe you are like me, at home, on the couch, in your pjs, shopping online?

Either way, this site is great. It lists all the Black Friday Ads, telling you the big deals, the opening times and more. Be sure to check it out!

http://bfads.net/

Happy Shopping!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T12:23:00.000-05:00

Everyone at A Royal Flush wishes you a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

A Good Laugh

2011-11-21T10:50:00.000-05:00

I love this cartoon! It is so true too.

We don’t have any time to enjoy a holiday any longer. Before you know it you are being told to prepare for the next one. The day before Halloween, my local drugstore was filled with Christmas decorations. All those decorations in the store means no discounted candy on November 1st. And that is what is really important!

So in this spirit, I hope you take the time and enjoy Thanksgiving this whole week. You can start worrying about Christmas on Friday!

Today in History

2011-11-18T13:41:00.000-05:00

Today, in 1963, the first push button telephone was put into service by Bell System.

“Though push-button touch-tone phones made their debut to the general public in 1963, the older rotary dial telephone still was common for many years. In the 1970s, the majority of phone users still had rotary phones.

Adoption of the push-button phone was steady, but it took a long time for them to appear in some areas. At first it was primarily businesses that adopted push-button phones. By 1979, the touch-tone phone was gaining popularity,but it wasn't until the 1980s that the majority of customers owned push-button telephones in their homes; by the 1990s, it was the overwhelming majority.”

Can you imagine what life would be like if we still only had push button phones? I definitely wouldn’t be able to answer calls while doing laundry in the basement!

Facebook Love!

2011-11-16T11:44:00.000-05:00

In my quest/obsession with social media, I have turned my attention back to Facebook. We have had a Facebook page for over a year now but maybe all of you don’t know about it.

Why, you ask?

Because we only have about 60 fans on Facebook right now. Even more sad, I think I am related to most of them! So sad….. I feel like a big loser!

So send some love our way by liking us on Facebook. You can view our page here. I update our page all the time with blog posts, videos and event pictures. I am constantly changing it, so I hope you like what you see.

Who do you “like” on Facebook?

Spotted!

2011-11-14T13:33:00.000-05:00

At the New York City Marathon:

Thanks everyone for sending these pictures in!

Happy Veterans Day

2011-11-11T09:07:00.000-05:00

Everyone at A Royal Flush would like to say thank you and pay tribute to all US Military veterans, active duty personnel and reservists. We appreciate all you do!

Spotted

2011-11-09T11:21:00.000-05:00

Our toilets at the Alzheimer’s Walk in Riverside Park, Manhattan. Thanks Sheryl for sending this to us!

Congratulations Runners!

2011-11-07T11:19:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to everyone who ran and finished yesterday’s New York City Marathon. You should be so proud of yourself for this accomplishment.

Sincerely,

Everyone at A Royal Flush, Inc.

It’s Finally Here!

2011-11-04T12:17:00.000-04:00

It’s Marathon weekend in NYC!

Pretty soon, over 47,000 runners will cross the Verrazano bridge at the start of one of the most amazing races I have ever run! The runners will have a gorgeous view up the Hudson river and they may even be able to see the tip of Manhattan or the Statue of Liberty.

From their they will run through Brooklyn, into Queens, over the Queensboro Bridge which will be shaking from the cheers of spectators on First Ave. Then, they will head up First Ave into the Bronx and finish coming down Fifth Ave and into Central Park.

I can honestly say that this race is one to the best races I have ever run. It was an amazing experience and worth every grueling mile. So runners remember to have fun, take in the moments and most of all, be proud of your accomplishments!

Just remember:

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow

Everyone at A Royal Flush, Inc. is rooting for you!

600th Post

2011-11-02T13:22:00.000-04:00

Can you believe this is our 600th post? It is hard to believe I have had that much to say!!

Thanks for reading and here is to 600 more posts!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T11:06:00.000-04:00

Everyone at A Royal Flush wishes you a safe and

SPOOOOOOOKY Halloween!

New York City Marathon History

2011-10-28T11:02:00.000-04:00

As race week is finally upon us, I thought I would share this brief history of the New York City Marathon.

From the NYC Marathon Website:

History of the ING New York City Marathon

Around the world, the word "marathon" evokes images of New York City. Before the New York race began, marathons were modest events run by a few athletes and followed by a few fans interested in the limits of human endurance. New York Road Runners and marathon co-founder Fred Lebow changed that. Today many marathons are huge media events that take over entire cities around the globe. None is as prominent as the ING New York City Marathon, but all city marathons are modeled on it. Modern marathoning owes its start -- and its world-class status -- to New York.

Fred Lebow Statue in Central Park

The first New York City Marathon, though, was a humble affair. In 1970, 127 runners paid the $1 entry fee to NYRR to participate in a 26.2-mile race that looped several times within Central Park. Fifty-five runners crossed the finish line.

When Lebow redrew the course through all five New York boroughs six years later, not everyone could appreciate his vision. But 2,090 runners lined up at the start for the chance to run from Staten Island through Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx to Manhattan. The expanded course attracted two-time Olympic marathon medalist Frank Shorter, along with reporters and television cameras. Thousands of spectators lined the streets and cheered the runners. By reconfiguring the course, Lebow had drawn the city together and attracted recognition around the world.

The New York City Marathon's unique mix of athletics, neighborhood spirit, and international media attention soon attracted the world's best runners to the annual fall race. By the late 1970s, the running boom was exploding and New York was at the center. More than 9,000 people participated in 1978 when Norwegian Grete Waitz set a women's marathon world record, finishing in 2:32:30.

Grete Waitz, a Nine Time NYC Marathon Winner

Several men's and women's records fell in the early years, but the New York race was soon about more than speed. When international sanctions against South African athletes were lifted in 1992, Willie Mtolo chose to run New York. He bested the field and garnered media coverage around the world. When Tegla Loroupe broke the tape at the Central Park finish in 1994, her win proved that African women were on par with the African men in their ability to run the 26.2-mile distance. She did it in New York, and the world took notice. Soon Kenyan women were invited to other major distance races.

In 2000, NYRR added an official wheelchair division to the marathon. Now the ING New York City Marathon has grown to become one of the most competitive wheelchair marathons anywhere in the world, with more than 200 wheelchair and handcycle athletes. In addition, a wide variety of ambulatory athletes with disabilities participate.

While the marathon has always been a focus of community spirit, with more than two million New Yorkers lining the streets to support the runners, that aspect of the race was most apparent in November 2001. Less than two months after the September 11 terrorist attacks, the New York City Marathon became a race of hope and renewal for participants, spectators, and all New Yorkers, and patriotism ran high as the marathon hosted the men's and women's USA Marathon Championships.

New York has continued to lead in race management. In 2002, NYRR created a separate start for the professional women as a way to highlight the most competitive women's field in race history. In 2003, ING became the title sponsor of the race and joined with NYRR to fund grassroots running and fitness programs among the city's youth through the ING Run for Something Better program.

NYRR hosted the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials -- Men's Marathon in Central Park on the same weekend as the ING New York City Marathon 2007. In 2008, the marathon was successfully staged with three wave starts. The 2009 race was the marathon's 40th running and hosted the USA Men's Marathon Championship. In 2010, the marathon expanded its reach to friends, family, and fans with the I'M IN theme. There were more than 45,000 finishers, the most ever.

Forty years after its start, the ING New York City Marathon continues to grow in size and to be the leader among marathons around the world

Can You Imagine?

2011-10-26T10:28:00.000-04:00

Man in Porta-Potty taken for ride on fork lift

From CBS News:

RICHLAND, Wash. - A Hanford worker was taken for a ride in a portable toilet when it was picked up by a fork lift driver who didn't realize it was occupied.

The Tri-City Herald reports the passenger was not injured in a 15-foot move earlier this month across a gravel road. The driver heard the man yelling inside and let him out.

Washington Closure Hanford spokesman Todd Nelson says it's a reminder for workers to follow procedures and double-check.

The fork lift operator had looked at the door and thought the occupancy indicator showed that no one was inside.

If I was the person locked inside, I would have been so mad! What about you?

ESPN Commercial

2011-10-24T10:26:00.001-04:00

I found this ESPN Commercial online and had to share it with you!

Pretty funny, right?

ING New York City Marathon Makes Big Strides

2011-10-21T13:29:00.000-04:00

From Crains New York:

New York Road Runners adds Olympic-style events to build on its $340 million in economic activity and tout the sport.

By Lisa Fickenscher

The Big Apple may not have won its bid to host the 2012 Olympics, but its ING New York City Marathon is fast becoming Olympian in its pageantry.

New York Road Runners, which organizes the 26.2-mile race on the first Sunday of every November, is amping up this year's edition, turning it into a three-day extravaganza.

Two days before the Nov. 6 race, for the first time in the competition's 42-year history, there will be a Parade of Nations ceremony, featuring runners from nearly 50 different countries carrying their flags. NYRR is also establishing a Hall of Fame and will induct its first two members on that Friday. The day's program will include fireworks in Central Park and an international culinary event called Taste of Travel.

The Olympic theme will continue on Nov. 5 with a 3.1-mile race starting near the United Nations and featuring past marathon medalists—including Deena Kastor—as well as Olympic hopefuls.

The initiatives are part of a larger effort by the Road Runners to expand the marquee event into the broadest possible advertisement for the sport, while continuing to transform the race into an economic and fundraising powerhouse.

“We are the annual Super Bowl in New York,” said NYRR Chief Executive Mary Wittenberg.

The marathon generated $340 million in economic activity for the city last year, drawing 2 million spectators and more than 45,000 runners, according to a study that its organizers commissioned earlier this year. At least half of the runners come from abroad, bringing family members with them in many cases, and staying here for an average of six nights.

This year, about 47,000 runners—out of 140,000 applicants—are signed up for the race.

Celebrities line up

The list of notables competing includes former New York Rangers captain Mark Messier; speed skater Apolo Ohno, an Olympic gold medalist; model Christy Turlington Burns; and restaurateur Joe Bastianich.

Even some local politicos are taking up the challenge. Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott will run his first marathon, while the city's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley, will race in his 17th—his fourth in New York.

The new prerace events represent a “significant investment,” said Ms. Wittenberg, who enlisted local celebrity restaurateur Danny Meyer to cater them. “We take the attitude, 'Build it first, and they will come,' “ said Ms. Wittenberg, who would not divulge the expansion's cost.

NYRR hopes to eventually sell the television rights to the Parade of Nations and the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. WNBC holds the broadcast rights to the race.

Ms. Wittenberg is also looking for a permanent home for the Hall of Fame, which would be part of a larger international running center—most likely in Harlem near Central Park.

“That area is a great fit for us, and we hope to have outposts in the other boroughs as well,” she said.

Community outreach is a big focus for the organization, which has running programs at 400 of the city's 1,700 public schools. Ms. Wittenberg is hiring two additional staffers to develop relationships with more schools.

The first inductees to the Hall of Fame are likely to be two legendary runners associated with the marathon: the late Fred Lebow, co-founder of NYRR, and Norwegian star Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the women's competition, who died in April of cancer. Her widower, Jack Waitz, and other family members are running this year's race in her honor.

Charitable fundraising has become a big part of the event in recent years. Last year, 8,000 runners raised $30 million for nearly 200 charities. About $20 million of that went to New York City programs.

New app tracks runners

The race has become a showcase, too, for the latest in social media. This year, NYRR partnered with MapMyRun, a website with a mobile geo-locator app that pinpoints the location of runners, so their family and friends can track their progress over the course. Using this technology, businesses, such as restaurants, can send an alert when a runner is near their location.

Even as NYRR gears up for this year's race, Ms. Wittenberg is looking ahead to next year. ING's 10-year sponsorship contract is up in 2013. The financial services company was the marathon's first title sponsor, but it will likely not be the last.

Reupping with ING or finding a new sponsor will be a major undertaking for the running group. The partnership with ING has provided a positive starting point.

“Our relationship,” said Ms. Wittenberg, “has been a great example of a good partnership.”

Spotted

2011-10-19T13:14:00.000-04:00

At this past weekend’s Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure in Philadelphia!

Spotted

2011-10-17T13:45:00.000-04:00

Not a toilet…..

But a fantastic American Flag hanging on the George Washington Bridge!

***Update***

Someone mentioned that there wasn’t a flag in the picture. It was a little hard to see, so I zoomed in more. Enjoy!

Yuck Yuck Yuck

2011-10-14T13:42:00.000-04:00

With the rain and gloom we have had the last couple of days, it isn’t hard to believe that winter will soon be here. Yuck!

Cold weather and freezing temperatures can be a challenge when it comes to temporary and outdoor restroom facilities. Winterizing is important if you want to keep your job site running during the winter months.

So, as the weather outside gets frightful, expect to hear from your A Royal Flush customer service representative about winterizing your site's equipment.

Feel free to contact us at (877) 234-6545 with any questions you may have.

Odd Facts

2011-10-12T11:35:00.000-04:00

On October 12th, back in 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt officially renamed the executive mansion the White House.

Do you have any fun facts to share with us?

Spotted

2011-10-07T10:18:00.001-04:00

Spotted at last weekend’s Aids Walk in Wilmington, Delaware. Thanks Michele!!!

Don’t forget to send us your pictures!

Spotted….

2011-10-05T13:07:00.001-04:00

I have decided to start a new segment on our blog, called (drumroll) SPOTTED! Real original right?

Basic idea- You see one of our toilets, you take a picture and then you email it to us at sales@aroyalflush.com. We then post it on our blog, giving you and your smart phone kudos for Ansel Adams worthy photography!

Our first picture:

River Dr in Philadelphia

Be sure to snap those photos and send them to us!

Check Us Out On Facebook

2011-10-03T13:55:00.000-04:00

In my quest/obsession with social media, I have turned my attention back to Facebook. We have had a Facebook page for over a year now but maybe all of you don’t know about it.

Why, you ask?

Because only 57 people like us on Facebook. So sad….. I feel like a big loser!

So send some love our way by liking us on Facebook. You can view our page here. I update our page all the time with blog posts, videos and event pictures.

Who do you “like” on Facebook?

Cancellation Policy

2011-09-30T15:18:00.001-04:00

It seems like every single time I look at the forecast, all I see is rain! Per the Weather Channel, “Rain -- it's a four letter word that the Northeast is sick of hearing at this point. The region has been extremely saturated since August. Some cities, including Binghamton, N.Y. and Harrisburg, Pa., had their wettest September on record.”

The worst part about rain is that it cancels or postpones all the great outdoor activities planned each weekend. Since we are looking into another wet and soggy weekend, I thought I would go over our cancellation policy with all of you.

At A Royal Flush, we strongly believe that if a toilet and truck hasn’t left our yard, then you shouldn’t have to pay. With that said, you generally need to call a couple of hours before your delivery to cancel and not be charged. Especially if you are near the edges of our delivery areas!

For example, if you have a Saturday event and the toilets are being delivered on Saturday morning, you will need to cancel by Friday night. If you have a Sunday event and we are delivering that morning, you can call our office on Saturday at 877-234-6545, get the weekend contact number and then call to cancel your delivery. We generally work 7 days a week and we are always available to take your phone call.

If you have caught us in time, we are more than happy to refund your money!

Unfortunately, if the driver is sitting in your driveway, ready to take the toilet off the truck, you are too late. The same goes for a driver out on the road, on their way to your location. Keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to cancel your event.

We hope you understand our policy and we sincerely hope you know we will do our best to work with you. We understand that the weather is unpredictable and you can’t control it.

Thanks again for being loyal A Royal Flush customers! We hope you stay dry this weekend!

Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5k

2011-09-28T15:24:00.001-04:00

Last weekend was the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5k run.

“The sole purpose of our Foundation is to honor the legacy of love given to us by Stephen Siller, FDNY. We do this by paying tribute to his heroic life and death, his 342 FDNY brothers, and all those lost on 9/11, through the annual Tunnel To Towers Run.”

“Steven Siller was a member of FDNY, and was on his way home to Brooklyn following his night shift at the firehouse when the first plane struck the World Trade Center. Upon hearing the news, he turned his vehicle around and tried to get back to the station, but at that point the Battery Tunnel was blocked with traffic. Steven proceeded to abandon his vehicle, strap his gear to his back and run the roughly three-mile distance to reach the WTC. He reached his destination and joined in the efforts to help those in need, only to lose his life later that day when the Towers fell.”

Here are some of the pictures from this year’s race:

Start

Heading into the Tunnel

Finish

This is a great event and if you ever get the chance, you should run it!

Twitter

2011-09-26T13:53:00.000-04:00

Do you tweet?

If so, be sure to follow us! You can view our profile at http://twitter.com/#!/aroyalflush or tweet us at @aroyalflush!

As of today we have 175 followers, but I am dying to get to 200! Following us on Twitter will keep you up to date on upcoming events, specials we are having and of course, more toilet pictures than you can possibly look at!! (Everyone’s favorite, of course!)

Who is your favorite person to follow on Twitter?

First Day of Fall

2011-09-23T14:44:00.000-04:00

After the hot days of summer, I am actually excited for the crisp days of fall.

What is your favorite season?

New York City Marathon

2011-09-21T10:54:00.000-04:00

This article is from July but seeing as we just passed the ten year anniversary of September 11th, I thought I would share this with you.

Ten Years After September 11, Families of Flight 93 Heroes Will Run the ING New York City Marathon in Honor of Their Fallen Family Members

Group will be an official charity partner; other 9/11 charities include Tuesday’s Children and the Nicholas Rossomando 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Fund

New York, July 25, 2011—To mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11, 24 members of the Families of Flight 93 Runners charity will run the ING New York City Marathon 2011 on Sunday, November 6, to remember the heroes of Flight 93 and to raise awareness and funds for the Flight 93 National Memorial site in Shanksville, PA. Families of Flight 93 Runners is one of the marathon’s 209 official charity partners. Two other charity partners this year honor 9/11 victims: Tuesday’s Children and the Nicholas Rossomando 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Fund.

For several members of the Families of Flight 93 Runners, this year’s race will be a return to New York. In 2002, just 14 months after the September 11 attacks, a small group honored their loved ones by running the New York City Marathon wearing shirts emblazoned with "Flight 93 Family Runners: They Never Gave Up and Neither Will We."

"Running in 2002 reinforced my belief in the innate kindness and generosity of humanity," said team spokesperson Kiki Homer, sister of LeRoy W. Homer, Jr., copilot of Flight 93. "The ING New York City Marathon is a positive and moving experience; it inspires us to challenge ourselves and celebrate life. To cross the finish line this year will demonstrate in a powerful and tangible way the strength of collective determination and action, symbolic of the efforts of our loved ones. As our team runs the marathon together in November, I am also hopeful that many will be reminded that they are not alone on their continuous journey of healing from the tragedy of September 11."

Several members of the Families of Flight 93 Runners embarked on their inspirational journey to the Marathon starting line by taking part in the ING New York City Marathon Long Training Run in Central Park last Saturday, July 23. This non-competitive run of distances from six to 20 miles featured pace teams and a field of more than 2,500 runners.

"It is so fitting

Last year, runners raised more than $30 million for official ING New York City Marathon charities.

Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon

2011-09-19T14:44:00.001-04:00

These are pictures from this weekend’s Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon in Philadelphia.

Eakins Oval, In front of the Art Museum

The Finish Line

This is a great fall race that winds through Center City and finishes up on Kelly Drive. There are live bands all along the course and this year Brett Michaels played at the finish line!

Did you run this weekend?

Rachel Ray Comes to Philly

2011-09-16T15:34:00.001-04:00

And our toilets were there!!! You can view the rest of the pictures here and you can catch the show on Monday September 26th.

Are you going to watch?

Touching Tributes

2011-09-14T14:58:00.000-04:00

Not going to lie, I cried when I watched this!

Great beyond the scenes video!

What was your favorite tribute that you watched?

We Will Never Forget

2011-09-09T15:05:00.000-04:00

Randall’s Island

2011-09-07T14:57:00.000-04:00

Over the course of each year we provide portable restrooms for many events held on Randall’s Island. Music festivals, running events, and even the Quidditch World Cup (Any Harry Potter fans?).

For those of you who don’t know, “Randall's Island is situated in the East River in New York City, part of the borough of Manhattan. It is separated from Manhattan island on the west by the river's main channel, from Queens on the east by the Hell Gate, and from the Bronx on the north by the Bronx Kill. It is joined to Wards Island on the south by a landfill, the site of former Little Hell Gate”

Per Wikipedia, “Randall's Island Sports Foundation (RISF) was founded in 1992 as a public-private partnership to work on behalf of Randall's Island Park. The Foundation, in conjunction with City leadership, works to develop sports and recreational facilities, restore its natural environment, reclaim and maintain parkland, and sponsor programs for children. RISF's signature facility on Randall's Island, Icahn Stadium, was opened on April 23, 2005.The Stadium, a world-class track & field facility, is capable of hosting local, regional and national events.

66 fields will be available following redevelopment and will accommodate a greater variety of sports, including football, lacrosse, field hockey, and rugby amongst the sports already played at the Park, soccer, baseball and softball. The project will help satisfy demand for playing fields by the City's youth and adult leagues. The City's total ball field inventory will increase by 5% and Manhattan's inventory will increase by approximately 30%.”

Basically this means that Randall’s Island is a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors while still being in Manhattan!

We had a delivery there yesterday and I thought I would share some of the pictures with you, since it is THAT pretty!

Tents for an upcoming event

Thanks to Irene the grass is looking extremely green!!

Lots of Portable Toilets

Isn’t it pretty? If you have the opportunity to visit, you definitely should! The grass is green, the fields are spacious and the view is just breath taking!

Happy Labor Day

2011-09-05T15:04:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of the Labor Day Parade in New York City in 1882. Slightly different from how we celebrate now!

No matter how you celebrate, we at A Royal Flush hope you have a happy and safe holiday!

Last Chance!

2011-09-02T15:19:00.001-04:00

If you are having an event this weekend, today is your last chance to place an order.

Whether you need a Standard Portable Toilet or something fancier like a VIP Flushing Toilet, call us today to place your order.

(877) 234-6545

YouTube Gems

2011-08-31T14:42:00.001-04:00

I found these videos on YouTube and I just had to share them:

This is a video of the portable toilets at the start of the New York City Marathon. I have no idea what that noise in the background is. The person taping this is either on a skateboard or dragging a stick on the ground….

Runners waiting in the corrals for the start at this year’s New York City Marathon. I like how they have to make all the announcements in about 10 languages. This race is REALLY an international event!

Getting locked into one of our toilets in Central Park. This sounds a little ridiculous to me but this is apparently very common. I found about 100 similar videos!

This has nothing to do with portable toilets or A Royal Flush. I just thought it was pretty funny!

Enjoy!

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-29T15:03:00.001-04:00

She came, she ripped out power and now she is gone!

Hopefully, everyone is ok and hopefully (hint hint) we will all have power back at our homes soon.

This is one of my favorite picture of the storm. Isn’t it crazy?

Down at the shore, they don’t like Irene so much?

But this one is the best! This is one of about 100 of our toilets that got “relocated” during the storm!

Have a good storm picture? Be sure to send it to us at sales@aroyalflush.com!

Plan For Irene…

2011-08-26T13:18:00.000-04:00

I found this online and thought I would share it with all of you. I know next to nothing about weather, but all the news websites are saying the East Coast will be hit hard this weekend! So we should prepare for it!

The storm as of Thursday morning

From the EDIS Company blog:

“Since I am an amateur weather junkie, the unfolding story on Hurricane Irene is almost captivating. But it is a serious threat to our buildings and our homes and not to be taken lightly. So what can we do today and tomorrow to prepare our buildings for this approaching storm?

A roof inspection is a must. Bring a large plastic bag and inspect all your roof drains and remove any loose debris. 8 inches of continual rainfall will strain even a clear and unobstructed roof drain. If there is any unsecured equipment on the roof like a ladder, window washing tools or even a lounge chair (don’t laugh) bring them inside or tie securely with a rope.
Walk around the perimeter of your building/home and note any loose trash cans, loose benches or chairs, cigarette disposal units, portable planters, flags on flag poles, safety cones, temporary signs…get the message? Get them inside or secured.
Inspect your storm water catch basins and remove any debris so those basins are free flowing.

For the best hurricane track I could find to keep you up to date and informed try http://www.hurricanetrack.com/

For the home front FEMA has done a good job with storm guidelines. To read more go to http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/As-Irene-looms-some-hurricane-preparation-tips-2140413.php#ixzz1W2vG2GLq”

It seems that the best plan is to stay informed. Both of the sites listed above will have up to the minute information on the storm’s path. I don’t think you need to move into your basement with canned food, but bringing in your patio furniture seems like a no brainer!

How are you preparing?

Fall Get Married Magazine

2011-08-24T13:26:00.000-04:00

You can see our ad on page 107!!!

Have you seen it?

Additional Items

2011-08-19T14:06:00.001-04:00

Some people think that because we are a portable toilet company, that is the only product that we provide. But that isn’t true! We have a surprisingly large array of products, for all types of events.

We have many restroom trailers in stock. Everything from a 8ft trailer to a 24ft trailer. We also offer trailers in the basic interior and the more luxurious presidential interior. Visit our website to see all the models available.

Hand washing stations are the perfect addition to any type of event. I mean everyone wants to wash their hands, right? We offer these sinks in a standard sink, equipped with room temperature water, or a hot water sink, that heats the water to 110 degrees, to meet health department regulations.

Temporary trash boxes are something that any event needs. For just a couple of dollars, you can keep your job site, yard or venue trash free. With disposable liners, you can use these trash boxes more than once.

These are just some of the items that we offer. Call us today to get more information or visit our website at www.aroyalflush.com

(877) 234-6545

Check Out Our Flickr Page

2011-08-17T14:47:00.001-04:00

As you know I have a (mild) obsession with toilet pictures. I have been collecting pictures from our events for years and I started posting them on Flickr.

I recently updated the page with new pictures (cough from last year’s marathon too) and I wanted to share them with you. You can visit our Flickr page here and see pictures like these:

Runaway Bride?

Hippie on a razor scooter? These are just some of the random photos I found online and just had to share with all of you!

Are you on Flickr?

VIP Flushing Toilets

2011-08-15T15:34:00.001-04:00

When people are planning a outdoor event, like a wedding, and they want something nicer than a standard portable toilet, the first thing they mention is one of our restroom trailers. But there is a comparable option to this, that can save you a little bit of money, that people often forget about.

Meet the VIP Flushing Toilet!

This toilet is a great option for outdoor events. It is totally self contained, unlike the restroom trailers that need a water source and electricity. But like the restroom trailer, the VIP Flushing Toilet has a sink with running water and a toilet that flushes. We stock these toilets with plenty of toilet paper, soap and paper towels, so it can handle any size crowd.

The bonus to these toilets is that that only cost 10% of what a restroom trailer would cost. This makes them a budget friendly item for any size event.

Interested in renting one of these?

Call us at (877) 234-6545 to find out more information or to reserve one for your next event.

Final Days!

2011-08-12T13:11:00.001-04:00

It is hard to believe that we are looking into the final days of summer! I hate to even type that statement. I waited all winter for summer to come and now it is just flying by!

With Labor Day only three weeks away, this is the time to hang out outside. Do you have a party/picnic/festival coming up? Do you need portable restrooms for it?

If so, please contact us! We would love to help you out, with quotes for our services or suggestions on equipment. You can reach us at (877) 234-6545 or sales@aroyalflush.com.

How do you plan to spend your final weeks of summer?

Another “Interesting” Picture

2011-08-10T14:07:00.001-04:00

I found this gem on Flickr and just had to share it with all of you:

This is someone’s private residence and apparently they are a collector of portable toilets. It is a pretty varied collection too. I see a wooden outhouse, the old fiberglass models and newer plastic toilets. Plus they are all on their own trailers, so it is a mobile collection. Even better!

I don’t know what is weirder, the rocket at the end of the driveway or the toilet collection.

Do You Tweet?

2011-08-08T15:20:00.001-04:00

If so, be sure to follow us! You can view our profile at http://twitter.com/#!/aroyalflush or tweet us at @aroyalflush!

As of today we have 172 followers, but I am dying to get to 200! Following us on Twitter will keep you up to date on upcoming events, specials we are having and of course, more toilet pictures than you can possibly look at!! (Everyone’s favorite, of course!)

Who is your favorite person to follow on Twitter?

From the Chicago Bears Training Camp

2011-08-05T09:56:00.000-04:00

This was posted on the Chicago Tribune Blog. He doesn’t even look like he fits inside!

Up in the Air

2011-08-03T15:29:00.000-04:00

This is a great picture I saw online of a portable toilet being craned onto a building in Toronto.

Aren’t you glad your weren’t below it?

America's Best Restroom competition: In search of a royal flush

2011-08-01T15:07:00.000-04:00

From USA Today:

An annual contest to crown the USA's best thrones – and the restroom in which they're ensconced – is under way.

The America's Best Restroom contest, sponsored by Cintas Corp., was conceived of 10 years ago as a publicity-getter (it worked!) for the Cincinnati-based company, which, among other things, provides restroom supplies to businesses.

People on the go nominate their favorite pit stops throughout the year. A panel then narrows the list to 10 nominees and a winner is selected by popular online vote . Voting continues through Sept. 9.

This year's crop of lavish loos ranges from one at a California winery that sports hand-painted Italian-style frescoes and travertine sinks, to a portable john tricked out with a flat-screen TV and sound system that's fit for a president. (In fact, it was used at President Obama's inauguration.)

Over-the-top amenities aren't the only qualifiers, however. The nominees make the list because they're memorable.

"That could be because they're exceptionally clean in a place where you'd least expect it, or their focus is on accommodating families, or they're elegant," says spokeswoman Sabrina Zimring.

"Bottom line, at end of the day, cleanliness is what's really important and it's what leads to customer retention," she says.

You can view this year’s nominees here!

Which is your favorite?

Turning Waste Into Fuel

2011-07-29T10:45:00.001-04:00

Caltech scientist gets 'Reinvent the Toilet Challenge' grant

PASADENA - Caltech environmental scientist and engineer Michael Hoffmann has received a $400,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to build a solar-powered portable toilet that could help solve a major health problem in developing countries.

The grant, announced today at the AfricaSan 3 sanitation and hygiene conference in Rwanda, will be used to complete the initial design, development and testing of the unique sustainable system. Designed for use by up to 500 people per day with minimal maintenance, the sanitation unit will have the added benefit of turning waste into fuel.

Hoffmann's concept, called a "Self-Contained, PV-Powered Domestic Toilet and Wastewater Treatment System," is one of eight projects funded through the foundation's "Reinvent the Toilet Challenge."

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced this grant as part of more than $40 million in new investments launching its Water, Sanitation & Hygiene strategy.

Hoffmann's toilet system could fit inside the typical portable sanitation unit often found at construction sites and recreation areas. Hoever, it uses a photovoltaic or solar panel generating enough energy to power an electrochemical reactor that Hoffmann designed to break down water and human waste material into hydrogen gas.

Hoffmann says that he can build a workable unit for $2,000, but that the cost would come down significantly if the toilets were produced in volume, and he hopes to refine the system and reduce the cost.

A member of the Caltech faculty since 1980, Hoffmann was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. He is the organizing chair of the upcoming International Conference on the Photochemical Conversion and Storage of Solar Energy, which will be held on the Caltech campus at the end of July 2012.

Australian Toilet Accident

2011-07-27T14:56:00.001-04:00

Airman hurt in toilet blast at Rockhampton airport

A MEMBER of the Royal Australian Air Force is being treated for severe burns in a Brisbane hospital after an explosion yesterday morning in a portable toilet at Rockhampton airport.

The RAAF airman lit a smoke in the hired portable toilet and was engulfed in flames as a suspected build-up of methane gas exploded about 9.30am.

He suffered serious burns to his head, face, arms, chest and airways.

He was transferred late yesterday from Rockhampton to Brisbane Hospital.

"There was some sort of explosion in a portaloo. It's believed the man was lighting a cigarette at the time," a Department of Community Safety spokesman said.

Many portable toilets carry a non-smoking warning but smokers often ignore it, mistaking it for a health rather than a fire warning.

Brigadier Bob Brown said the cause of the explosion was unknown and was being investigated.

"Our first priority is the wellbeing of the ADF member and making sure he's receiving the best medical care available," Brig Brown said.

Dozens of personnel from the three military services and US forces are based at Rockhampton regional airport for the Talisman Sabre military exercises, involving about 22,000 American and Australian personnel.

Army helicopters have been moved from the airport after an anti-war protester last week broke through a wire fence and attacked a $40 million Tiger attack helicopter.

Housing Market Increase

2011-07-25T11:47:00.001-04:00

Per the Financial Planner:

Yesterday’s report on June New Housing Starts showed a sharp 15% month-over-month improvement. Although we believe the worst is over for the housing sector, the gain was stronger than underlying fundamentals would suggest.

New housing starts can be very lumpy, and severe weather across much of the U.S. in the months of April and May likely pushed some activity into June.

At 10 AM ET today, we see Existing Home Sales for the month of June. We expect sales to be fairly flat to modestly higher for the month with average selling prices still down about 4% to 6% on a year to year basis (see chart below as sourced from Thomson Baseline).

Year-ago comparisons however, become much easier starting in the month of July. The Federal Government’s homebuyer tax credit program provided a bit of artificial lift to market metrics last year before the program ended on June 30th. In the second half of the year, we estimate that prices and selling rates should be flat to slightly higher on a year to year basis in aggregate.

After more than five years of correction, we see the housing market as in a bottoming process. By a “bottoming process”, we mean that some months may be better or worse than others due to factors such as weather. We do not expect the sector to be much of a contributor to economic growth anytime soon, but importantly, we also don’t expect it to be much of a drag either.

In layman’s terms, “Things are looking up!”

Paul McCartney in NYC

2011-07-22T12:09:00.000-04:00

Paul McCartney rocked Yankee Stadium last week and guess who was there. Not me (I wish) but my toilets!!

Before the Show

During the Show

If you didn’t get to go, here is a review of the show from last week’s New York Times!

Love these pictures! If you have more, please send them our way at sales@aroyalflush.com.

Have a great weekend!

I Think He Must Have Updated His Status Way Too Much!

2011-07-20T14:36:00.000-04:00

Man exceeds Comcast's bandwidth limit, gets banned

By Matt Markovich

SEATTLE -- Andre Vrignaud admits to using a lot of Internet bandwidth. That is until Comcast, his Internet service provider, cut him off for using too much bandwidth. Now he's been banned for one full year from Comcast as a penalty.

His story maybe a sign of things to come as Internet service providers wrestle with customers using more bandwidth to take advantage of the ever increase cloud services being promoted by tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon and Apple.

Vrignaud is not a newbie Internet user. Inside his Montlake neighborhood home, he has multiple Xboxes, Playstations and Wii gaming consoles. He has streaming music devices, and streams Netflix movies on his HDTV. He has multiple computers, roommates with their own digital devices and even a bathroom scale that all connect to the Internet. He also admits to having an open Wi-Fi network that lets anyone connect to the Internet that's within range of his home's Wi-Fi signal.

But he says all those bandwidth-intense devices aren't what got him into trouble with Comcast. It was when he began to take advantage of all the new digital cloud services, which allow him to back up nearly every digital file he has for very little money, that led to the disconnect.

"I never got a call from Comcast. I never got an e-mail. I just got cut off," he said.

For the last eight years, Vrignaud had been a happy customer with Comcast. He says he never had a problem with the standard residential Internet service he was paying nearly $50 a month to receive.

But he recently took advantage of a promotion to upload his entire music collection into Amazon's digital cloud service and another promotion that let him back up his system's hard drive using a service called Carbonite he says got him in trouble with Comcast.

"I was doing what these services are all about, and I got cut off. I exceeded Comcast's 250-gigabyte limit," said Vrignaud.

It wasn't the first time. Months earlier, Comcast turned off his Internet because he had exceeded 250-gigabyte transfer limit policy that Comcast has had in place since 2008. The limit is part of the terms of service every residential Internet customer agrees to in order to get Comcast Internet.

"I'll admit I may be at fault for not following my usage, but Internet service providers are constantly promoting the big download speeds" said Vrignaud. "They are not updating their usage limits reflecting these services available on the Internet."

But what frustrates Vrignaud even more is what he calls Comcast's inflexible policies that prevent him for paying for the extra bandwidth he uses. Comcast is the only cable company that offers high bandwidth Internet to his neighborhood. There are DSL providers, but Vrignaud believes they don't offer the bandwidth that cable provides.

Comcast does offer a business plan that cost more money but there is no limit to the amount of data a user can upload or download. Unfortunately, Vrignaud does not meet the requirements set by Comcast as a business.
"But even if I became a business, I still couldn't get Internet service because I've been banned for a year," said Vrignaud.

Comcast's excessive use policy clearly states: "If you exceed 250 gigabyte again within six months of the first contact, your service will be subject to termination and you will not be eligible for either residential or commercial Internet service for twelve (12) months."

"So I'm caught in a strange limbo," said Vrignaud.

A spokesman for Comcast in Seattle said Vrignaud is not a typical customer.

"More than 99 percent of our customers do not even come close to using 250 gigabyte of data in a month," said Steve Kipp, vice president of communications for Comcast's Washington Region in a written statement.

"Nationwide, our customers' median use is four to six gigabytes a month. We offer online tools, including a bandwidth meter to help customers manage their data usage. And we clearly explain all of our policies on our website and terms of service," said Kipp.

Vrignaud thinks he will be a test case for Comcast. He believes Internet service should be treated like a utility -- the more one uses, the more one pays.

"There's no reason why they need to cut me off completely," said Vrignaud.

Vrignaud is currently looking for an alternative to Comcast. He is also getting Internet service to his home, thanks to a kind neighbor. A Wi-Fi antenna in his window allows him to tap into an Internet signal coming a neighbor's house.

What do you think of this?

I seriously don’t know what I would do without the internet. I would be without clothing, books, music, etc. I am TOTALLY internet dependent!

America’s Cup 2012

2011-07-18T14:48:00.000-04:00

Planning hurdles begin for 2013 America's Cup

By Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The America's Cup is expected to create 8,000 jobs and inject more than $1.4 billion into the region's economy when the world's fastest yachts take to San Francisco Bay in 2013.

But the anticipated 5 million spectators - with 500,000 on "peak" days - will test the Bay Area's transportation network, sanitation systems and the environment during 50 days of racing.

The city also faces myriad challenges in preparing for the race, according to a new 1,400-page draft plan, including remaking much of the city's historic northern waterfront between the Bay Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf. Displaced will be a popular cabaret-style dinner theater, a wine warehouse and dozens of other businesses. Another challenge is providing spectator space along the water in this high-density city.

City officials plan to open up environmentally sensitive parks such as Crissy Field, Fort Mason the city's Marina Green and Aquatic Park to spectators and provide miles of fencing and volunteer staff to protect the habitat from being trampled.

There are plans, too, to erect large-screen television screens in front of City Hall, the city's Union Square and Justin Herman Plaza.

"This is a huge project with many aspects and many stakeholders," said Deb Self, executive director of the nonprofit environmental group San Francisco Baykeeper.

Self's group is part of a coalition of 30 environmental and community organizations giving the city assistance preparing the state-mandated environmental study, which is clearly on a fast track.

Typically, the groups say little until the city releases environmental impact reports on major projects - and then often end up filing lawsuits over environmental concerns.

But Self said the America's Cup is different.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the bay and an opportunity to create buzz," she said.

Officials hope to have final approval by the end of year so work can begin on plans that call for using several piers as racing team bases while setting up an America's Cup center. After the Cup is over, the center is to be converted into a cruise ship terminal, providing a lasting boon to the port economy.

Close to 80 current tenants received eviction notices, including the dinner-theater Teatro ZinZanni. Port officials said they are working with those businesses to find new digs on city property elsewhere. The draft report suggests relocating the theater to one of two locations in the city, including a site near the home of the San Francisco Giants.

Theater representatives didn't return email and phone messages.

The draft report says that regional transportation service should be beefed up to handle the crowds of spectators along the city's bay shoreline. It called for several satellite parking lots so spectators can be shuttled to prime viewing areas along Crissy Field, near the Golden Gate Bridge.

To prepare for the first America's Cup contested so close to land, the draft plan says miles of fences should be erected to protect environmentally sensitive areas, and hundreds of portable toilets will be strategically placed throughout the area.

Other worries include disposal of sewage in the Bay. Environmentalists say too many boaters now plying the bay improperly dispose of their waste, dropping water quality. Even more recreational boaters are expected during racing days.

Will you go see the races?

This Was a Little Shocking

2011-07-15T14:29:00.000-04:00

From the Republic:

MOSCOW, Idaho — Two boys in northern Idaho are accused of setting fire to a portable toilet and causing more than $80,000 in damage after the blaze spread to a nearby school.

Latah County Prosecutor William Thompson Jr. says his office reviewed the case earlier this week and has decided not to file arson charges against the 9-year-old boys in juvenile court. The case will instead be referred to a state juvenile panel for review.

Police say the boys admitted they had set fire to a portable toilet outside a Moscow school last month. Police say the blaze destroyed the toilet and spread to the nearby school kitchen.

Thompson says the boys could still face charges in juvenile court if they don't complete the requirements imposed by the local Youth Accountability Board.

Hmmmm, 9 seems a little young to be destroying things already. What do you think about this?

Article Time!

2011-07-13T15:59:00.001-04:00

This is a great article about our portable toilet supplier, Satellite Industries.

Twin Cities portable-toilet maker flush with orders

By Susan Feyder, Minneapolis Star Tribune

MINNEAPOLIS — This year’s torrent of natural disasters is providing a mini-windfall for Satellite Industries, a Plymouth, Minn., company that claims to be the world’s largest supplier of portable toilets.

Satellite recently sold about 1,000 toilets for use in earthquake-ravaged Japan. Another 1,000 have been sent off this summer to several areas in the U.S. destroyed by tornadoes, fires and floods, including Missouri, Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico and North Dakota.

“We don’t wish this on communities, but these disasters have certainly helped us this year. They’ve given us a sense of purpose,” said CEO Todd Hilde. The surge in demand from areas in crisis has helped offset a sharp decline in demand because its major source of business, the construction industry, has tanked.

“It’s been traumatic,” Hilde said of the drop-off in business from construction-related customers, which traditionally have accounted for about three-fourths of Satellite’s sales.

A recent trip to Satellite’s Plymouth warehouse found little assembly work being done, with shipping-ready portable toilets lined up like wallflowers at a school dance.

The High Tech Deluxe Flush, an upscale model made for outdoor private parties and weddings, has a subtle taupe exterior and features a stainless steel toilet bowl. Some units are wheelchair-accessible with handrails, and others have casters so they can be wheeled in and out of elevators on multi-level building sites. The company has 11 models.

In a different part of the warehouse a lone mechanic worked to install a huge tank, pumps and hoses on a truck. Satellite purchases Ford chassis, retrofits them and sells them for servicing toilets.

Satellite was founded in 1958 by Hilde’s father, Al, who discovered that toilet facilities left something to be desired when he was serving in the U.S. Army. Both Hildes expanded Satellite over the decades. It now does business in more than 80 countries.

The company previously rented out portable toilets it manufactured. In 1988 Satellite sold its rental and servicing operations to focus on designing, making and selling its products to other companies that rent them out. Satellite now has more than 1,000 such customers, approximately 800 of them in the U.S.

One such client is A1 Evans Septic Tank Service in Minot, N.D., which in the past few weeks has bought about 150 toilets from Satellite. The portable toilets are being used by businesses, hospitals, government buildings and checkpoints for the state’s National Guard, which has been called in to help flood recovery efforts in the area.

“This is by far the busiest I’ve ever been,” said Sandon Varty, who has owned A1 Evans for 12 years. He and his crew of about 10 employees recently have been working 12-hour days, seven days a week, delivering and servicing toilets.

Even though the Souris River has crested, the need for the toilets is continuing as some water mains were broken by the floods. “The city is asking people to conserve water, and that creates a need for portable sanitation,” he said.

Varty said North Dakota’s oil industry boom has kept the state’s home and commercial construction businesses humming.

That’s not the case for most of the U.S., which has seen residential and commercial building activity plummet the past four years.

The downturn has been so dramatic, Hilde said, that the recent spate of sales to disaster-struck areas would have been even bigger except his customers in those areas already had plenty of units they weren’t renting to construction businesses. In contrast, Satellite sold about 10,000 portable restrooms to customers in the Gulf of Mexico area after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, before the economic and construction industry meltdown.

Flickr Pictures!!!

2011-07-11T14:13:00.001-04:00

I recently did some searching on Flickr for pictures of our toilets and found these gems:

One of our pump trucks in NYC

This year’s Bike New York Five Boro Bike Ride

A delivery truck in New York

If you see any good pictures, be sure to send them our way! sales@aroyalflush.com

Welcome America

2011-07-08T11:56:00.001-04:00

Here are some pictures from last weekend’s Welcome America Festival in Philadelphia. The final event of the festival was Party on the Parkway, which featured performances by the Roots, Estelle and Earth Wind & Fire.

Both pictures were taken by the Franklin Institute Science Museum.

I believe they were taken on the roof of the Institute, which has an amazing view of Ben Franklin Parkway!

Some videos from the concert

It looks like it was an awesome event. Did any of you go?

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T11:01:00.000-04:00

This is probably one of my favorite holidays! I am so excited to celebrate with friends and family.

We are closed for the holiday today but we will be back in the office tomorrow!

Have a safe and wonderful holiday!!!

Closed on Monday!

2011-07-01T09:45:00.000-04:00

We are closed Monday for the 4th of July holiday!

So if you need anything, today is the day!!!!!!! We still taking last minute orders for the holiday weekend.

Call us at (877) 234-6545

From the UK Telegraph

2011-06-29T11:09:00.000-04:00

Glastonbury 2011: why it won't be back next year

Glastonbury is over for another year and won’t be returning until 2013 thanks to the London Olympics.

By Anita Singh, Showbusiness Editor

Festival organizer Michael Eavis decided to rest the event next year because police resources will be concentrated on the capital.

Portable toilets will also be at a premium, Mr. Eavis explained.

"Avon and Somerset [Force] told us no police officers will be available as they will all be at the Olympics,” he said.

"There will be a huge demand for Portaloo toilets in London, so everyone will push up their prices and I can see it getting very expensive.”

The festival traditionally has a "fallow year" at regular intervals – most recently in 2001 and 2006 – to allow land on the site in Pilton, Somerset to recover.

Initially, organizers had earmarked 2011 for a rest but changed the timing due to the Olympics.

Around 600 police officers oversee the festival every year, but the London Games are expected to require the services of 9,000 officers every day.

Mr. Eavis’s daughter, Emily, who helps to organize the festival, said they had booked this year’s line-up with 2012 in mind.

"Subconsciously, you think about the fact there isn't going to be a festival next year, so you try to get as much in as possible that will represent both years,” she said.

"It's like a big finale. By the time we come back, there'll be a lot of music around. This is like the big sing-off."

U2, Beyonce and Coldplay were among the headline acts.

It is hard to believe there aren’t enough toilets in all of England for these two events!

“Porta-Pervert” Finally Nabbed!

2011-06-27T14:49:00.001-04:00

Colo. portable toilet Peeping Tom nabbed; peeper Luke Chrisco confesses to spying at yoga fest

Luke Chrisco, 30, is accused of hiding in the tank of a portable toilet at a yoga festival in Boulder, Colo., earlier this month.

By Phillip Caulfield, NY Daily News

The Colorado Porta-Pervert has finally come clean.

Luke Chrisco, 30, a lanky local wingnut and aspiring New Age gigolo in Boulder, Colo., admitted he crept into the basin of a portable toilet during a yoga festival earlier this month to spy on women.

"I was…doing a little bit of yoga, and I'm just seeing all these goddesses," Chrisco said during a jailhouse interview with FOX31 Denver. "It seems crazy, but I just felt like I was being blessed by their energy."

The Peeping John admitted to watching several women before getting caught – at one point hopping from an unused toilet to a "busy one" in order to catch more women during private moments.

Chrisco said he's been a serial peeper for years, and insisted that the latest spying session wasn't as stomach turning as it seemed.

"There's bacteria in there, but to me it's just normal...we all have bodily fluids," he told the station. "It seems terrible, but it didn't actually smell that bad or anything.

"I still would have done it even if it smelled a little weird, because where there is muck, there is gold," he said.

Chrisco was stopped in Vail on Thursday for panhandling and was arrested after a cop noticed he matched the description of Boulder's Sani-Jon sneak.

He was nearly collared at the Hanuman Yoga Festival on June 17 after a woman noticed something moving in the toilet and grabbed a security guard.

After allegedly locking himself inside, he suddenly burst out and fled on foot, covered in feces, cops said.

Chrisco told Boulder's Daily Camera that he started spying on women while traveling through Europe several years ago.

He and some friends went to a recreation center in France, where he snuck into the girl's locker room and hid inside a broken vent.

"These chicks started showing up that I never had a chance with," he told the paper. "But I figured at least I can see them change or something. I've come to know how interesting they are."

Cops in Boulder believe he's been watching women in bathrooms all over town, and they have been telling local businesses to check for peepholes.

The Grand Junction, Colo. native also allegedly ran several porn websites out of a hostel he was living in near University of Colorado and advertised his services as a male escort, alternatively using the noms de porn, "Skye Oryan" or "BunnyMan."

But he insisted it was all for love, not money.

"I wanted to start a new goddess religion," he told the Camera. "I always wanted to be a pimp or create a church of porn or a church of tantric, someplace people could be spiritual but also instinctual."

Chrisco told FOX31 that the portable toilet incident was a dumb idea, but he didn't mean any harm.

"I would rather put a gun to my head than scare anyone or hurt anyone," he said.

He faces charges of unlawful sexual contact and criminal invasion of privacy. He was being held on $2,500 bond for both the Boulder and Vail charges.

Get Ready to Eat Your Face Off, Philly!

2011-06-24T14:59:00.001-04:00

This weekend is the annual Taste of Philly at Penns Landing. The Taste of Philly also starts the beginning of Wawa’s Welcome America Festival, Philadelphia’s 4th of July celebration.

Admission to Taste of Philly is free! “You just buy tickets in $1 increments for the food you want to sample; each plate costs a different number of tickets, determined by the restaurant or truck. The least expensive is $1, the most is $5.”

Some of the restaurants that will be there are:

Jamaican Jerk Hut
Steaks on South
Cuba Libre
Sampan
Tiffin
Etc

Plus there will be Food Trucks on location, such as Call Me Cupcake, Sweet Box and King Kabob.

So come out and try everything!

What are you looking forward to trying?

This Is A New One!

2011-06-22T14:57:00.001-04:00

Man hid in toilets tank at festival

A woman discovered a man hiding in a tank below a portable toilet at a Colorado yoga festival

Independent News & Media

A woman who tried to use a portable toilet at a Colorado yoga festival lifted the seat lid - and discovered a man hiding in the tank below.

Boulder police spokeswoman Kim Kobel said the woman told authorities she noticed something moving inside the tank and asked a man to check it out. The man reported seeing someone covered in a tarpaulin inside the tank.

A festival security supervisor said the suspect eventually emerged from the toilet - covered in waste - and slipped away.

Even so, police have not yet had a sniff of the suspect, thought to be in his 20s, who is being sought on charges of criminal attempt to make unlawful sexual contact.

This is a new one to me! Would you hide in a portable toilet, just to get into a festival?

4th of July

2011-06-21T15:42:00.001-04:00

With today being the longest day of the year and the first official day of summer, I am so excited for my favorite season! And nothing says summer more than the 4th of July!

July 4th is a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends. Whether you are doing a backyard BBQ, a picnic in the park or a huge family reunion, we have the right type of equipment for you.

Our most popular toilet is our standard portable toilet. Perfect for picnics in the park or parties in your own backyard.

If you are looking for something a little more upscale, our VIP Flushing Toilet is just the thing. It has a sink with running water and a toilet that flushes with a foot pedal. A perfect way to keep guests comfortable and out of your house!

These items are just some of the equipment we have to offer. Either of these will make a perfect addition to your 4th of July celebrations. You can also see everything else we have for rent by visiting our website at www.aroyalflush.com.

What are your plans for the 4th?

Guess What Came in the Mail?

2011-06-17T11:14:00.001-04:00

This week the Greater Philadelphia 2011 Film & Video Guide came in the mail!

If you are producing/planning/working on a movie in this area, it is a fantastic resource to have! Not only does it list locations and available services, it also has a section about green production practices.

Philadelphia SETS (Setting Entertainment Towards Sustainability) can “lessen your prodcution’s negative impact on the environment” while “improving the work environment inside.”

This guide includes a section on local crews, services and equipment. On page 303, you will find yours truly:

You can find all of the information from this guide by visiting http://film.org. If you are interested in being listed in next year’s guide, you can visit http://film.org/film/greater_philadelphia_filmmakers/upload/2011-Listing-Brochure-and-List.pdf or you can contact the Greater Philadelphia Film Office at mail@film.org.

Did you get this year’s guide?

Vancouver Riots

2011-06-16T13:54:00.001-04:00

From today’s NY Times

By JEFF Z. KLEIN and BOB MACKIN

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Rioting hockey fans clashed with police officers, set vehicles ablaze, smashed windows, looted stores and set several fires in downtown areas here Wednesday night, moments after the Vancouver Canucks lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals to the Boston Bruins.

Hospitals reported eight people treated for stab wounds, according to Alyssa Polinsky, a spokeswoman for Vancouver Coastal Health, the regional hospital authority.

The disturbances started about 8:15 p.m. local time, soon after the game’s conclusion, and lasted about four hours.

At least 10 cars were overturned and set ablaze across the downtown area, and windows were broken and items looted from the Hudson’s Bay Company department store and several other stores in the area.

Officers used pepper spray, tear gas and flash bombs to move thousands of people who had ignored directives to leave immediately.

St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver reported treating about 60 people in its emergency room in a two-hour span for pepper spray and tear gas exposure and other injuries.

Ms. Polinsky said St. Paul’s had treated five people with stab wounds and Vancouver General Hospital had treated three for similar wounds.

Dr. Eric Grafstein, head of emergency at St. Paul’s, said none of the injuries were life-threatening.

Thousands of Vancouver fans had gathered downtown to watch Game 7 on large video screens, as they had been doing throughout the playoffs. But the mood turned when the Canucks lost, 4-0, and fans started throwing bottles at the screens.

“It is extremely disappointing to see the situation in downtown Vancouver turn violent after tonight’s Stanley Cup game,” Mayor Gregor Robertson said in a statement released two hours after the game ended.

“Vancouver is a world-class city, and it is embarrassing and shameful to see the type of violence and disorder we’ve seen tonight,” he added.

“The Vancouver Police and Vancouver Fire Department are doing an exceptional job under challenging circumstances to maintain control of the situation and keep people safe, and emergency crews are working tirelessly to assist those who were injured.”

In a news conference later in the evening outside Rogers Arena, Mr. Robertson blamed “a small group of people intent on breaking the law and smearing the reputation of the city” for the violence.

Mr. Robertson said that the Vancouver Police public safety unit was “fully deployed” and that there were hundreds of officers downtown trying to restore order.

Television images and witnesses indicated that the police used restraint rather than aggressive tactics to control the disorder.

Police units from surrounding municipalities — some from as far away as Abbotsford, some 40 miles to the east — were called in.

CBC’s television coverage shifted quickly from the Bruins’ postgame celebrations at Rogers Arena to the disturbances outside. CBC showed images of young men leaping on police cruisers, trying to shatter their windshields, and hurling debris at police trucks.

Bonfires were lighted on street corners as groups of people, many wearing Canucks jerseys, threw temporary fencing at officers in riot gear. A mounted police squad attempted to regain control among a cluster of federal buildings, while unrest spread to the Granville Mall nightclub zone and the Robson Street shopping district.

Not far from the Sutton Place Hotel, the N.H.L.’s headquarters in Vancouver during the Stanley Cup finals, people were seen running with electronics. A reporter was offered a camera with price tags still on it for purchase.

Service on the SkyTrain, the city’s subway and elevated train service, was disrupted in the immediate aftermath of the game, but outbound service was restored by midnight. Bridges leading into downtown were closed, and bus and commuter ferry service was suspended but restored for outbound service by midnight. Isolated fires were still burning three hours after the rioting started. Thick smoke obscured the scene at a civic parking lot where two police cars were burning. Fire crews eventually arrived to douse the flames.

The disturbances were similar to those that broke out in Vancouver in 1994 when the Canucks lost Game 7 of the finals to the Rangers in New York. One man was seriously injured and more than $1 million in damage was caused in what became known as the 1994 Stanley Cup riot.

In contrast, the mood in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics was peaceful, even though thousands of people were in the streets to celebrate each victory for Canada on its path to the men’s hockey gold medal. The city earned worldwide praise for its good-natured hockey fans and for the restraint of its police force.

“We were just on the world stage during the Olympics, and people were speaking highly of Vancouver,” said Geoff Matthews, 34, who lives downtown. “It’s a great city and country to live in, and to see this, it’s heartbreaking.”

Sensing that unrest was possible Wednesday, the provincial government ordered all liquor stores in downtown Vancouver closed at 4 p.m. local time before Monday’s Game 6 and Wednesday’s Game 7.

B.C. Ambulance Service paramedics and police officials had reported an increase in binge drinking and street fights as the Canucks advanced through the playoffs.

Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and suburban municipal police forces were brought in as reinforcements before the decisive game, and more were called after the riot began.

The City of Vancouver spent $1.3 million on extra policing and the free public viewing areas in a bid to prevent a repeat of the 1994 riot.

“It’s crazy, as soon as the game ended people just started going into the streets,” Mr. Matthews said. “Everybody kept talking about the riot of ’94, and it just kept feeding the fire. Out on the street here, guys were jumping on top of cop cars and they rolled one cop car, they flipped it, rolled it down.”

Some shops had boarded their windows before the game, fearing trouble.

“It’s not the real hockey fans doing this, it’s just mob mentality,” said Tera Tully, another Vancouver resident.

At about 8:15 p.m. Pacific time, fans on Nelson Street started kicking in newspaper bins, climbing atop cars and overturning cars. About 8:45, the police fired tear gas to calm the rowdy crowd. Police officers were seen dragging out-of-control fans into vans.

Inside Rogers Arena, the mood briefly turned ugly during the postgame trophy presentation, although that anger was aimed mostly at N.H.L. Commissioner Gary Bettman, who is widely disliked in Canada for his perceived indifference to the concerns of the league’s Canadian teams.

As Mr. Bettman walked onto the ice on a red carpet to present the Conn Smythe Trophy to Bruins goalie Tim Thomas and the Stanley Cup to Boston’s captain, Zdeno Chara, the commissioner’s voice was drowned out by booing from many of the roughly 10,000 fans who remained. Several drinks were hurled onto the ice near where Mr. Bettman was standing, but none struck him.

Dr. Grafstein, of St. Paul’s Hospital, said that the injuries being treated at his emergency room included fractured ankles and legs, a broken jaw and a collapsed lung, all of which would require surgery. He said that several people were treated for pepper spray and tear gas exposure, and had to be decontaminated in the hospital courtyard before being admitted.

Dr. Grafstein, a hockey fan who, like most people in this city, was riveted by the drama of the Canucks in Game 7, came to the hospital when he saw the images of rioting on television. He also served in the emergency room during the 1994 riot and during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

“The kind of person who is attracted to the Stanley Cup final is slightly different from those attracted to the Olympic spirit,” Dr. Grafstein said. “I wandered around after the gold medal game, and there was such a happy feeling.

“The kind of people who were coming down here tonight, they were just looking for a different kind of fun,” he said.

Stolen Toilets

2011-06-13T15:42:00.001-04:00

From WRCB

Stolen portable toilets leave owner out 30k

By Paul Shahen, Reporter

ATHENS, TN (WRCB) -- A McMinn County business owner is looking for his portable toilettes. Nearly three dozen were stolen from BCS Portables on County Road 442 in Athens.

The owner says he could see someone stealing one or two, but 30? He says this had to be a well thought out plan and they didn't steal them all at once or else he would have noticed.

"They took one here, one here, maybe two, where you couldn't really run an inventory count," said Larry Henry of BCS Portables.

Larry ran inventory last week, that's when he realized 30 portable toilets were missing. He says someone had been slowly but surely bleeding them of hard earned money.

"That's $18,000 to $30,000, that's a chunk of my business right there off my inventory," said Henry.

Larry has insurance but that doesn't make up for everything.

In the meantime, he can't rent out the missing portable toilets, and once insurance handles everything, his premium will go up.

Henry said, "That's a chunk of money; it adds up. If your premiums keep going up, small businesses can't stay in business too long."

The McMinn County Sheriff's Department is working on finding any leads.

To help, Larry is asking the public to watch for any portable toilettes in fields or yards with the BCS label on it, but by this point, he said they may not be noticeable.

"You can buy these, all they'd have to do is change the lettering on the porto-john and rent them out as their own," said Henry.

While he says he understands there's theft in every industry, he says it's just a lot tougher for a small business especially with today's economy.

Larry said, "Some of us want to work hard for what we have, and that's why we have what we have. Some want to take the shortcut to make a dollar. It will generally catch up with them in the long run."

Photos Wanted!

2011-06-10T11:05:00.000-04:00

In my quest to bombard you with photos of our toilets, I spend countless hours searching the internet. (Not really, but it sounds good?)

I am always looking for great pictures of our toilets in fantastic locations. We are constantly delivering toilets to all corners of CT, NY, NJ, PA, etc. So if you see a toilet, feel free to snap a picture and send it to us.

You can email them to sales@aroyalflush.com and I will post them here for everyone to see! So thanks, in advance, for all your help!

Have you seen one of our toilets lately?

Watch Me Tweet!

2011-06-08T10:51:00.000-04:00

Are you on Twitter?

If so, be sure to follow us! You can view our profile at http://twitter.com/#!/aroyalflush or tweet us at @aroyalflush!

As of today we have 157 followers, but I am always looking for more! Following us on Twitter will keep you up to date on upcoming events, specials we are having and of course, more toilet pictures than you can possibly look at!! (Everyone’s favorite, of course!)

Who is your favorite person to follow on Twitter?

A Royal Flush, Inc.

Open House Photos

Open House Today!

A Holiday We All Can Celebrate!

In Memory

Getting Ready for Our Open House

Super Bowl Portable Toilets

No Post Today

National Popcorn Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Open House

Do You Tweet?

New York City Marathon to Be Shown Live Nationally

Mummers Parade

Spotted

Closed Today

Happy New Years

Today in History

Closed Today

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Donations sought for Tree of Warmth

Happy Chanukah

Toys for Tots Needs Gifts!

As Christmas nears, Toys for Tots collections are lagging

Holiday Traditions

Spotted

Charlie Brown Christmas

A Good Hiding Place?

Escaped convict caught hiding in port-a-potty near Joliet

Time to Give Back

Another First for Me!

Wee the people: Port-a-potty named for Pelosi

Tea partiers dedicate new thrones to Washington's 'imperial' leaders

Spotted

Winterization

Black Friday

Happy Thanksgiving

A Good Laugh

Today in History

Facebook Love!

Spotted!

Happy Veterans Day

Spotted

Congratulations Runners!

It’s Finally Here!

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." -Fred Lebow

600th Post

Happy Halloween

New York City Marathon History

History of the ING New York City Marathon

Can You Imagine?

Man in Porta-Potty taken for ride on fork lift

ESPN Commercial

ING New York City Marathon Makes Big Strides

New York Road Runners adds Olympic-style events to build on its $340 million in economic activity and tout the sport.

Celebrities line up

New app tracks runners

Spotted

Spotted

Yuck Yuck Yuck

Odd Facts

Spotted

Spotted….

Check Us Out On Facebook

Cancellation Policy

Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5k

Twitter

First Day of Fall

New York City Marathon

Ten Years After September 11, Families of Flight 93 Heroes Will Run the ING New York City Marathon in Honor of Their Fallen Family Members

Group will be an official charity partner; other 9/11 charities include Tuesday’s Children and the Nicholas Rossomando 9/11 Memorial Scholarship Fund

Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon

Rachel Ray Comes to Philly

Touching Tributes

We Will Never Forget

Randall’s Island

Happy Labor Day

Last Chance!

YouTube Gems

Hurricane Irene

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow