A detail can be intriguing and yet not fit into the story you are writing. A matter of tone. For instance, this sign, noticed in the men's room on the main floor of the Obama Presidential Center. At first glance, it might seem a harmless bit of virtue signaling — "Look, we are so environmentally conscious we collect rainwater on our roof." A big self-administered pat on the back and nothing more.
No, not "collect." Too ordinary a word. They harvest the rain water. As if it were alfalfa or something. An overly-ornate word, like "curate" when applied to realms other than art.
That would be bad enough. But further context cast it in an even dimmer light. The sign goes on to urge readers not to drink the water, even though it appears, not in the main bathroom, by the sinks, where a person might conceivably drink, but in a toilet stall. The folks behind the Obama Presidential Center are not just bragging about the source of the water, but cautioning you not to drink it. Out of the toilet. Because, apparently, they suspect that otherwise, unless you are fully informed about the situation, you might.
"This is why people hate liberals," I muttered, snapping a few photos.
"This is why people hate liberals," I muttered, snapping a few photos.
Oh for such reasons to hate anyone versus the shit were forced to swallow every day.
ReplyDeletePrecisely. On the one "side," we have folks who use overly-ornate words to give unnecessary warnings. On the other, we have people who lie all the time, about almost everything, using commonplace words that can be understood by all. They have no problem allowing the actual drinking water (and air we breathe) to be polluted if there's money in it for them. And they're willing to destroy our democracy in pursuit of their hate of liberals. What a country.
DeleteI'll just point out that that looks like a stall designed with disabled folks in mind (the whole concept of which would not even exist, were it not for the "virtue-signaling" left). It's not out of the question that a guide dog, or other "emotional support" animal might be in there. Dogs are known for drinking out of toilets. (Granted, the owner might not be able to read the sign, if that were the case, and roof water is not the iffiest thing animals enjoy.)
At least we are self aware enough to recognize our foibles. I wonder if trumpies ever look around and wonder why they are so ridiculed.
ReplyDeleteNo, in my experience, most of them are too far gone.
DeleteNo. Trump doesn't understand "dissent" in any form. He is the person who responds to someone saying "I'm blind" by talking louder.
DeleteFunny!
ReplyDeleteThose of us old enough to have lived with a cistern, know that rainwater is great for washing your hair. It leaves your hair silky-soft. So, add to that sign: Please don't stick your head in our toilet.
ReplyDeleteSo true. I don’t care who they are, or which political party they are in, self virtuous bragging always puts me off.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that they use rainwater like people do in gardens is nice but admonishing people not to drink from a toilet is an insult to any visitors. Whomever gave a go-ahead to this sign isn’t so much a liberal as an idiot.
ReplyDeleteDo we not have to consider other cultures who may not see using it as an issue?
DeleteIf people weren’t so stupid, such signs wouldn’t be necessary. Not that any MAGAt would be caught inside a library but especially not a Presidential library for President Obama.
ReplyDeleteHow does one explain how much they dislike those who who complain about "liberals" without sounding like the inverse of such a person?
ReplyDeleteAs i would tell anyone who complained about not being able to drink the toilet water (or being so highbrow that they would even consider using non pure and potable water to flush human waste, "no, by all means, please go ahead and drink it."
True story that proves there *are* people who need to be told such things. The (now ex) husband of a friend was out drinking with his friends. One of the other guys ate a bleach puck from a urinal and ended up in the hospital. Maybe there should have been a sign telling him not to do it.
ReplyDeleteNever underestimate the stupidity of human beings.
To all of you idiots, please do not eat the big pink mint!
DeleteI don't know... as Louis CK said "... but maybe..."
DeleteI read this and think - that’s great they’re doing that and something I never thought of somewhere doing. Maybe someone will see it and do the same thing for their building. Could I do it for mine? As for the ‘do not drink’ that does seem like overkill, yet I think that every time in the ladies rooms where there is always a sign that says not to put tampons in the toilet. Don’t we all know that? Apparently not…..
ReplyDeleteVirtue.Is it's own reward
ReplyDeleteI'm not nearly as bothered by the word "harvested" as I am by the apparent concern that people might drink out of the toilet. I mean, seriously?
ReplyDeleteParsing every word liberals use is why center-right hates liberals, and uses minor stuff like this to beat us over the head and blame us for all the current grift. I do not consider NS center-right. It's just that this is the stuff they do.
ReplyDeleteIt was a remark said to myself in a toilet stall. I didn't intend it for Talmudic critique. I forget how humorless liberals can be.
Delete"It was a passing remark said to myself in a toilet stall...." Which you followed up on by "snapping a few photos," of which you published two to accompany a blog post about the "issue."
Delete"I forget how humorless liberals can be." I'm treading on very thin ice here, I realize, but that's an inaccurate generalization that Bill Maher or Tucker Carlson would be happy to utter, and have.
You also forget something that you've sometimes acknowledged in the past: That folks can't always tell from the dry written word what is intended to be a topic for discussion and what's just supposed to be a joke.
I think non-potable water has to be labelled as such. I seem to remember signs in washrooms in Canada. They used gray (recycled) water. One washroom had a a large area with sinks surrounded by fully enclosed stalls with full doors. As I was washing my hands, a woman stepped out of a stall. I remember her laughing at my panic. She brushed aside my apology and explained that it was non-gendered washroom. That's how I got past my fear of men dressed as women sneaking into lavatories.
ReplyDeleteDoes the Obama Library allow dogs inside? If so perhaps the sign is directed to their owners.
ReplyDeleteBut people with their phones out in washrooms still creep me out!
ReplyDeletePerhaps the notice was for the benefit of the comfort dogs accompanying bathroom patrons.
ReplyDeleteNope. We don't hate you because you collect rainwater to flush your toilets.
ReplyDeleteIt's because you expect everyone else to at the same time imagining that no one else does.
Forgotten that the millions of gallons used to mix the concrete won't be offset by 2075
Maybe this notice is for owners of service and emotional support animals? Service dogs are supposed to be highly trained. Would that include not drinking from a toilet? Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteI’m pretty sure stuff like this is why people — including liberals, and yourself — are annoyed by liberals. I think the reasons why people who hate liberals hate liberals are pretty much the same reasons that Hitler hated Jews.
ReplyDeleteBecause liberals killed Christ and control the banks? I'm not following you.
DeleteI've seen similar messaging in other bathrooms so I looked it up. According to the IL Plumbing Code, all gray water systems must bear a warning that is displayed prominently. So the bathroom in the Obama Presidential Center is complying with code.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, I enjoyed the photo of Obama's oval office at the top of this post. I'd forgotten what it looked like without the Liberace kitsch.
Many excellent responses here, but I'll push back.
ReplyDeleteThis is a prime example of making lemons out of lemonade. It seems as though you're just looking to find something to bitch about. Instead of the usual "Crane" or "American Standard" to read, you had something different. Instead of "what a treat," you went with "this is so stupid."
The same notice is in the stalls, so they put it by the unials as well.
I've seen this type of notice in another recently constructed building.
And that company (insurance) has never been seen as Democrats, liberals, woke, or anything like that. They did it because it made sense, and they're saving a few bucks—two very un-American things.
So if it was just regular toilet water it Would be safe to drink?
ReplyDeleteYes, the water in toilets is the same that we drink -- comes from the same pipe. Greywater does need to be identified as not sourced from a certified vendor.
DeleteI don't know if this is the best example of why people hate liberals, although there is a certain level of condescension to assume your guests would attempt to use the toilet for refreshment. Where my mind went was to consider why toilets fed with "harvested rainwater" require this notice, but it's self-evident that those fed by city water are obviously off limits for drinking? Waiting for your mailbox to fill up with, "Hey Steinberg, anyone who would go to the Barack HUSSEIN Obummer center must be stupid enough to drink from the toilet, that's why there's a sign" in 3...2...1. Anyway... I had an "I know why people hate liberals" moment last week. Saw a post stating that hospitals shouldn't charge for parking your car after all the other costs patients are incurring to use them. I replied simply that the sentence could have stopped at "Hospitals shouldn't charge" in an attempt to make a clever statement about the universal health care enjoyed by the citizens of civilized nations, but is somehow a bridge too far in the richest country on the planet. A fellow from Scotland took umbrage at my suggestion, stating that hospitals should not only charge, but charge outlandish rates. His axe to grind was making the automobile obsolete and that everyone should walk or bicycle everywhere. I explained my comment to no avail. Others pointed out that while he was from Scotland, it's about the size of South Carolina, and while walkable/bikeable cities are a fine thing, that many Americans would never be able to walk or bike to the nearest hospital. Our Scottish friend remained steadfast, however, righteously doubling down on the idea that the automobile is the source of most societal ills. The idea of the expense of healthcare in the US, the theme of the original post and my reply, lost. I muttered to myself, "THIS is why people hate liberals."
ReplyDeleteDo I have to point out that this wasn't the result of an academic year's worth of study? It was a passing remark said to myself in a toilet stall....
DeletePeople hate liberals because of their notions of how to make the world a better place. Many of these notions spring to mind while they sit on the screen porch of their air conditioned 2000 square. Ft. Home in some leafy suburban Paradise while they prepare for their next trip to Europe opening packages that they ordered on Amazon made in a sweatshop in Vietnam.
ReplyDeleteThey climb into their SUV and drive to the airport.
Why should I have to reduce my carbon footprint?
More thoughts; the sign doesn't say "Don't drink the toilet water", maybe one message is that the rainwater supply is different from the regular water supply.
ReplyDeleteIs gray or rainwater used for bidets?
As a pilot, I frequently (annoyingly?) remind people that the Federal Aviation Regulations are written in blood. Which means every law that says, for instance, you can’t fly your airplane under a bridge to impress your friends, was written after some mope crashed his airplane and killed innocent bystanders while trying to impress his friends by flying under a bridge. Similarly, “don’t use this hairdryer while in the bathtub” was affixed to hairdryers after someone crispified themselves while using one in the bathtub. Not surprisingly (have you SEEN the average person?) the OPC sign’s admonition surely resulted from someone taking a refreshing drink out of a public toilet.
ReplyDeleteAs much as MAGAts might roll their eyes at us, we are only trying to protect them from themselves. After all, who is more likely to drink water from a toilet bowl than a 👍🤡👍 supporter?
Maybe this is why people hate Lawyers, the lawyers made them put this sign up to cover them from any litigation!
ReplyDeleteIt is surprising how stupid people can be. I wonder how many people were hit by hockey pucks until the put up screens behind the goalies. I think there was a child that died from getting hit with a puck. We go to a lot of Milwaukee Admiral games. They always put watch of for pucks on the score board before the game. It is not that unusual for a puck to go over the glass. I got hit by a puck during warmups. Luckily it didn't hit me in the face. It didn't come ofver that fast, as it didn't hurt, but I was not paying attention. These days you don't get paper tickets to much any more but there was legaleze that teams were not resposible if fans get hurt by a foul ball. It is a reason they put up screens. Of course it is not unusual to see liners hit over them. We sit in the loge just off home plate. Good thing the screen goes up high. Although foul balls still get hit over it a few times a game. A batter tried bunting a ball and it went over the screen. A guy sitting behind us caught the ball. You would be surprised how fast a bunted foul ball can be.
DeleteMy wife's cousin worked for a minor-league hockey team, and we were usually able to get seats right behind the glass, directly behind one of the team benches. Once saw a kid of about three get clocked in the face by a puck. They had to carry him out. There were screams and crying, and there was blood. Not easy to forget. That glass is there for a damn good reason. But sometimes, it's not enough.
DeleteHow did he get hit in the face if he was behind the glass?
DeleteDon't want or need signage of any kind in a place where I just go to pee or to dump.
ReplyDeleteYou are quite right, Mr. S.
ReplyDelete