Too Many Jokes!
New Yorkers, You May Be Excused: A Pay Toilet Opens
The New York Times
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/a-pay-toilet-opens-no-need-to-hold-everything/index.html?hp
Few toilets - if any - have ever received the level of government and media fanfare that greeted the new public pay potty that opened today in Madison Square Park. First, the full force of New York City’s newspapers, television and radio were there to tape, record and take notes on the first flushes. Second, the toilet is the product of an on-and-off decades efforts (detailed below) by city officials to, uh, serve the needs of New Yorkers.
...
Officials said the 20 new toilets to be installed will be the first permanent ones in use in the city. The kiosk in Madison Square Park, made of tempered glass and stainless steel, is about the size of a newsstand, with an automatic sliding door that opens when a deposit of 25 cents is made. It will initially be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (bad news for late-night revelers), though those hours may be adjusted.
The toilet itself is made of silvery metal, and more rectangular with curved edges than the familiar oval shape. Flushing, as on an airplane, is done at the press of a button. And men, take note: There is no toilet seat to leave up. There are toilet covers available. Also inside are a sink, a mirror and a hand dryer.
A user has a (generous) 15-minute period of privacy before the doors pop open - with a warning light and alarm going off when there are only three minutes left. In between is an automatic 90-second self-cleaning process, which will be one of the great mysteries of New York going forward, since it happens only when the doors were closed. But the news media was given a behind-the-scenes peek at the process: for one, a sweeping arm sprays disinfectant over the toilet, before it blows heat to dry it. And jets propel about seven gallons of water with disinfectant on the floor, which is not dried, leaving it wet for the next user.
...
____________________________
Within an hour of publication, the article received 40 comments on the NYT website. Likewise, I am overwhelmed. Thank you so much for this mid-day entertainment.
The New York Times
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/a-pay-toilet-opens-no-need-to-hold-everything/index.html?hp
Few toilets - if any - have ever received the level of government and media fanfare that greeted the new public pay potty that opened today in Madison Square Park. First, the full force of New York City’s newspapers, television and radio were there to tape, record and take notes on the first flushes. Second, the toilet is the product of an on-and-off decades efforts (detailed below) by city officials to, uh, serve the needs of New Yorkers.
...
Officials said the 20 new toilets to be installed will be the first permanent ones in use in the city. The kiosk in Madison Square Park, made of tempered glass and stainless steel, is about the size of a newsstand, with an automatic sliding door that opens when a deposit of 25 cents is made. It will initially be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (bad news for late-night revelers), though those hours may be adjusted.
The toilet itself is made of silvery metal, and more rectangular with curved edges than the familiar oval shape. Flushing, as on an airplane, is done at the press of a button. And men, take note: There is no toilet seat to leave up. There are toilet covers available. Also inside are a sink, a mirror and a hand dryer.
A user has a (generous) 15-minute period of privacy before the doors pop open - with a warning light and alarm going off when there are only three minutes left. In between is an automatic 90-second self-cleaning process, which will be one of the great mysteries of New York going forward, since it happens only when the doors were closed. But the news media was given a behind-the-scenes peek at the process: for one, a sweeping arm sprays disinfectant over the toilet, before it blows heat to dry it. And jets propel about seven gallons of water with disinfectant on the floor, which is not dried, leaving it wet for the next user.
...
____________________________
Within an hour of publication, the article received 40 comments on the NYT website. Likewise, I am overwhelmed. Thank you so much for this mid-day entertainment.