All About Participating in the Pottie Project

[catinthefunnyhat]

Keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, and keep your ass on the seat. Riders who ignore these regulations run the risk of being forcefully ejected.

[junglesmacks]

Keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, and keep your ass on the seat. Riders who ignore these regulations run the risk of being forcefully ejected.

I don't think I need to tell you what I first read "ejected" as.

[catinthefunnyhat]

That would lead to an epidemic of squatters and hoverers, n'est-ce pas?


New Burning Man 2012 rumour: The porta-potties are actually glory holes, but only if you hover.

[robbidobbs]

Excellent, excellent! Thank you Box and Cat! These are wonderful ideas. Box - you get a button! And Cat-you get two (2!) signs this year.

Pottie Central is in sewing mode today! I just cranked out x3 half aprons for volunteers. Last year there were some fatalities (coffee and whateverIdontwannaknow). Next up is more buttons! I just LOVE Box's idea and I want to make it happen in abundance.

We're fully staffed for early entry this year - YEAH MOTSKY AND PLOWMAN! Anyone who wants to join us during the event please come by Terminal City in the early (7am) morning. We're on the move all day long, so if you find us just flag us down.
From all of the enthusiastic responses I've seen on ePlaya, this is going to be a FABULOUS year.

Good luck with your projects and enjoy your recompression!
RobbiDobbs clear

[robbidobbs]

Good Morrow Campers!
Pottie Central is in full FUCKING schwing! We are making butt-ins, gathering t-shirts (cripes the cost of cotton has gone up!), and have printed stickers for your butt-cans.
I just want to relay to you, responsible campers, that I will have correct and confirmed information soon regarding pottie etiquette. Mike, the operations manager was THRILLED with the pooetry I sent him for their gig in TN. It truly helps to have the signs on the doors. It's even more helpful to talk to people about pottie-awareness. So keep on spreading the word Campers!

Stay regular,
RobbiDobbs clear

[inthecolumbiagorge]

We found these interior rollers for the toilet paper that let you record a message and when you pull out some toilet paper your recorded message plays. How about something like "PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ANY BODILY FLUIDS OR SOLIDS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN INSIDE THE TOILET!" or "DON'T YOU DARE PEE ON THIS TOILET SEAT!" We need them in every porto and what all could we have them say?

[inthecolumbiagorge]

This is the silly thing. I found it at a second hand store for 2 bucks.

[FIGJAM]

[robbidobbs]

Uh, sure. Feel free.

On with the nooze - live from Pottie Central.
This week's burning question has been the proper, and approved methods of baby-wipe disposal. There's a lot of chit chat on this subject of late. Now I've made a career of telling people to burn their baby-wipes, so you can imagine my WTF surprise on this being questioned. I asked MY BOSS - BM Purchasing Manager HazMatt. He tells me that there's no ecological ban on burning baby-wipes. He's double checking w DA - Playa Restoration Manager and all around expert vis a vis trash and the BLM.

So Campers, so far we're good to go on watching them go WOOF. I'll keep you apprised as news comes in otherwise.

Stay regular,
RobbiDobbs clear

[MyDearFriend]

Uh, sure. Feel free.

On with the nooze - live from Pottie Central.
This week's burning question has been the proper, and approved methods of baby-wipe disposal. There's a lot of chit chat on this subject of late. Now I've made a career of telling people to burn their baby-wipes, so you can imagine my WTF surprise on this being questioned. I asked MY BOSS - BM Purchasing Manager HazMatt. He tells me that there's no ecological ban on burning baby-wipes. He's double checking w DA - Playa Restoration Manager and all around expert vis a vis trash and the BLM.

So Campers, so far we're good to go on watching them go WOOF. I'll keep you apprised as news comes in otherwise.

Stay regular,
RobbiDobbs clear

Absolutely yes! Baby-wipes are made of cellulose (like cigarette filters which also burn clean). Carry used wipes out of the JOTS in a ziplock please, then transfer them to a bag or box to dry before burning. I use a re-purposed burlap coffee sack to collect all my burnables. Do not burn the plastic ziplock.

[robbidobbs]

Thanks MDF!
One of my OMFG moments last year was seeing a chick walk up to the potties with baby-wipe pkg in hand. I of course approached her asking if she had a way to properly dispose of them afterwards. she confidently whipped out a lunch bag! Praise BOB! The whole thing can be burned appropriately!

This year, I'll be bringing out a pkg of lunch bags for those I meet. Opaque and portable. The whole mess - whether it be girl stuff (not the fucking plastic applicators - use OB!) or the baby-wipes can be thrown into the fire.

So thank you, brave camper!

RobbiDobbs clear

[catinthefunnyhat]

Thanks MDF!
One of my OMFG moments last year was seeing a chick walk up to the potties with baby-wipe pkg in hand. I of course approached her asking if she had a way to properly dispose of them afterwards. she confidently whipped out a lunch bag! Praise BOB! The whole thing can be burned appropriately!

This year, I'll be bringing out a pkg of lunch bags for those I meet. Opaque and portable. The whole mess - whether it be girl stuff (not the fucking plastic applicators - use OB!) or the baby-wipes can be thrown into the fire.

So thank you, brave camper!

RobbiDobbs clear

Paper lunch bag! That's brilliant. Thanks for mentioning it!

[AntiM]

Maybe I should resurrect the Moon Bag thread. Opaque make up bag on a long ribbon for hands free access, with supplies and plastic bags to haul away trash. And a tiny flashlight.

I never got the hang of the OBs. I can't imagine the hilarity if I tried to use a diva cup. You'd think at my age I would be past this nonsense, but no.

Someone near Hushville would hang a container of OBs near the hand sanitizer station at the potty bank, a thoughtful gesture, but without bags to take away the used ones, I figured the concept would be more of a MOOP generator. And by the end of the week it was full of dust. Ick.

[catinthefunnyhat]

Maybe I should resurrect the Moon Bag thread. Opaque make up bag on a long ribbon for hands free access, with supplies and plastic bags to haul away trash. And a tiny flashlight.

I never got the hang of the OBs. I can't imagine the hilarity if I tried to use a diva cup. You'd think at my age I would be past this nonsense, but no.

Someone near Hushville would hang a container of OBs near the hand sanitizer station at the potty bank, a thoughtful gesture, but without bags to take away the used ones, I figured the concept would be more of a MOOP generator. And by the end of the week it was full of dust. Ick.

I'll definitely use a moonbag, but I like the idea of stocking it with paper rather than plastic baggies and then being able to burn the whole package once it's dried out. Although... the ziploc is nice for odour-management...

Gross TMI Warning: I never got the hang of applicators. I didn't use tampons for many years, having tried and failed repeatedly. Then one day I was desperate and had no choice, so I removed it from the applicator and inserted it manually. That particular tampon not being designed for applicator-less removal, things got messy and uncomfortable, but it worked. From then on, I've been an OB devotee all the way. Maybe it has to do with the slant of things down there...

[theCryptofishist]

I don't like ob either. Tampax still offers cardboard tubes...

[BoyScoutGirl]

Just to clarify - the official word is that both baby wipes and tampons (excepting any plastic applicator) can be burned?

[ygmir]

Just to clarify - the official word is that both baby wipes and tampons (excepting any plastic applicator) can be burned?

potato gun

[theCryptofishist]

Just to clarify - the official word is that both baby wipes and tampons (excepting any plastic applicator) can be burned?

potato gun

*takes a close look at yggy*

tsk, tsk, I think he's gone "tilt" again... Someone get the smelling salts and cucumbers.

[MyDearFriend]

Just to clarify - the official word is that both baby wipes and tampons (excepting any plastic applicator) can be burned?

potato gun

Yes, and the potato can be burned as well. Yggy seems burnt already, better check his gun...

[Bounce530]

I'm wondering if the banks are going to be shifted around, or added to with the addition of the M and N streets.
Prior years it seems to me that they've always been on the same blocks on the spokes, so I was wondering if they might move the banks up one block towards Esplanade, and then add a whole new bank towards the back of the city on each spoke. Any thought, word from pottie central?

[theCryptofishist]

M and N are only potential streets, to be added only if crowding/population merits. I suspect that they will not get new pottie banks, because they will be added during the event.

[robbidobbs]

Just to clarify - the official word is that both baby wipes and tampons (excepting any plastic applicator) can be burned?

Yes, as long as it's cotton.

Oh, and Cat? the slant is your body. I've been using OB since my first menses. I have never used an applicator, never saw the point. So YMMV - it's just something to get use to.
(being the shit-queen, there's no limit to my TMI)

Gonzo said I start out at TMI and then I get worse.

[Savannah]

Just to clarify - the official word is that both baby wipes and tampons (excepting any plastic applicator) can be burned?

Yes, as long as it's cotton.

Oh, and Cat? the slant is your body. I've been using OB since my first menses. I have never used an applicator, never saw the point. So YMMV - it's just something to get use to.
(being the shit-queen, there's no limit to my TMI)

There are cardboard applicators too, for those who don't want to go without one; I suppose those could be burned.

Gonzo said I start out at TMI and then I get worse.

[motskyroonmatick]

I'm wondering if the banks are going to be shifted around, or added to with the addition of the M and N streets.
Prior years it seems to me that they've always been on the same blocks on the spokes, so I was wondering if they might move the banks up one block towards Esplanade, and then add a whole new bank towards the back of the city on each spoke. Any thought, word from pottie central?

Potty banks are kept several blocks off the esplanade so that the trucks don't have to battle pedestrian gridlock to get to the banks to service them. It's a safety and service frequency thing.

[robbidobbs]

One of my dreads this year is that we'll have about 20% increase in population, which of course will concentrate in the inner rings. This makes driving to get from bank to bank severely problematic. I drive the same route as the USS trucks, and it's NUTS to get through. I had to go out to F and even G street last year to get a clear path, as D & E got solid by Wednesday. Just ask Gonzo, he had to listen to me scream, and I have a PA ferfucksake. He'll probably have to resort to shepherding me thru this year, as I'm expecting the traffic to be the worst yet. Assume dirt storms, kids, it's gorna be ugly.
Just imagine the frustration the USS guys deal with this - and they do it with such grace and style.
Give 'em a beverage when you see them, just for putting up with playa driving.

So please, if you see a work vehicle ANYWHERE in the city, step aside. We're not art cars, we don't have all the time in the world to watch your antics in front of us, nor are we cruising. I'm chasing the sun from the time I wake up until I park at dusk.

Thanks for listening.
RobbiDobbs clear

[BBadger]

I have a question about multi-ply toilet paper: what is the real difference between multi-ply toilet paper and just using multiple sheets of single-play toilet paper? Wouldn't it be effectively the same amount of material? Or is it something like how the plies are bound together, or that the average amount of material usage would be lower?

[motskyroonmatick]

I have a question about multi-ply toilet paper: what is the real difference between multi-ply toilet paper and just using multiple sheets of single-play toilet paper? Wouldn't it be effectively the same amount of material? Or is it something like how the plies are bound together, or that the average amount of material usage would be lower?

It is not a volume question that poses a problem with multi ply toilet paper.

Nearly all multi ply toilet paper contains cotton. That gives it a nice feel but it does not break down quickly and so it plugs up the on site separator that then has to be cleaned by hand by a USS employee in a hazmat suit. The paper that is RV/Septic Safe/porta potty toilet paper does not have cotton it in and breaks down very rapidly in the blue goo. Use as many folds of the port potty paper as you like. It won't have a detrimental effect on the process of getting our shit out of there.

Cotton containing products, trash and baby wipes are the big 3 trouble makers with the potties.

[robbidobbs]

Thanks Motsky.
Yes, cotton or any fiber is bad, as it seizes up the centrifuge during final spin.
Whew! 60,900 poopers this year! That's a 20% increase in effluvium! It's going to be NUTS, so everyone needs to keep on top of spreading the word and watching for baby-wipe packages.

Fuck - I need help.

[wedeliver]

I am sure robbidobbs is busier that that ol' one legged man at an ass kicken contest so I will keep this short. When I moved here, back in '06 robbidobbs you lived up in Klamath falls. We always wanted to conect with you but we move slow and you moved out of town. Do you ever vist Klamath? If so see if we are on your route and stop in and say hi.

ps.
I thought of you a couple months ago when we purchased our first Porta Pottie (from Modoc Sanitation). We bought this unit to set out for our burners who come through here on there way to and from BRC. No rental, cheap to dump when necessary and very convenient!

[robbidobbs]

Howdy WeDeliver!
Sorry to say I don't get to K-Falls anymore. It still has a magnetic field, and I want to visit again someday.
Thanks for helping out with the northern travelers, I'm familiar with the k-falls hospice and you no doubt have super service too. I hope to see you on the Playa!

Love and light,
R.