PROTEST - Toilet display for Christmas

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Magistrate won't flush homeowner's rooftop toilet display — yet

The Associated Press

MONACA, Pa. — A magistrate told a man who bolted toilets to the roof of his garage as a protest — and decorated them for Christmas — that they can stay up through the holidays.

Although District Justice Joseph Zupsic decided the rooftop display was a safety hazard, the magistrate said he would allow the toilets to remain in place for 30 days so that Tom Suica can appeal.

Suica installed the 10 commodes to protest a bank's plans to build a parking lot next to his home in the Beaver County town of Monaca.

Barbara Suica did not initially appreciate her husband's protest. But Tom Suica won her over by embellishing the toilets with lights and a Santa Claus cutout, conveying the impression that the jolly old man was being led by a team of toilets instead of reindeer.

"They're decorated now," Barbara Suica said after the Dec. 21 court decision. "I'm not taking down my Christmas decorations."

Lawyer Bob Watson argued that Tom Suica should be allowed to keep the toilets up because they are an expression of free speech. Watson said Suica is using them to express his view that his neighborhood should remain residential.

Suica said his rooftop display was solidly built and intends to appeal. He had George Maravich Jr., a part-time remodeler, testify to the safety of the installation.

Maravich conceded the roof dipped under the toilets, but he said the commodes are solidly bolted to roof beams. He said he jumped up and down on them without causing any damage to the roof.

Monaca officials cited Suica for creating unsanitary and unsafe conditions, alleging that a strong wind could dislodge a toilet and harm children who attend a nearby elementary school.

"When that stuff cracks, it is like razors," code enforcement officer Carmen Cattivera said.

Zupsic ruled that while the toilets are unsafe, they are not unsanitary. He also allowed Suica to maintain an 11-toilet fence he installed in November to begin his protest.

Suica said he sealed the toilets on his garage with duct tape to keep rainwater out and that he periodically empties the ground-level commodes.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

Answers

Boy, I wonder if he'd let me borrow those for a fence in my side yard???? the side with the Sh*tty neighbor!!!!!

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

I know someone [ahem] who has a toilet in their yard used as a planter! Imagine that! :-)

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

Just looking at the picture I'd say keep the toilets and raze the house.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

Oh, and Brooke, you sure know some weird people. ;)

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

It's a garage, not a house. And who on earth would put a toilet on their yard? Yes, weird.

Actually, I had considered putting lights on it but managed to restrain myself.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001



Old Git restrained?

Sounds like one of Carl's threads.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001


Um...we had to haul a toilet off from a relative's house, and now it's in the yard. Does anyone have tips for something that looks good growing out of an outdoor toilet. Git...???

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

Pansies in the winter, begonias in the summer. Find a large pot that fits the bowl, plant in that. Easier to deal with. There are "drainage" holes in the tank, can plant directly in that if you want. Or just put a pot of something on top of the tank cover. Caution: water collecting in toilet bowl may freeze and crack toilet in winter. Drilling in porcelain is difficult unless you have special drill bit. One of these days. . .

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

Around here, toilets left in yards will disappear. The Secret Lawn Police don't approve.

They're also not fond of plastic statues, obscene wire sculptures, or ceramic geese -- a neighbor lost three geese before she got the hint. I would've just chained the thing to something solid if it were that important to me.

I did chain-lock both side and front yard bird feeders to the trees. If nothing else, it keeps the squirrls from knocking them down.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001


Um, meemur, is there a law that specifies ceramic lawn geese as prohibited?

If it doesn't say that the homeowner should call the cops and report them stolen. And also that someone was trespassing on the property. Some people forget to add that to a theft report. It can be important later on if something happens again.

When you refer to the secret lawn police do you mean the homeowners association? We have one in this area, but they do not police our yards. If they did, I would scream about the fact that a single home has ten cars out front all the time, and none of them are parked correctly. It really ticks me off to see people angle parking in an area that only allows for parallel parking, and thus blocking the sidewalk so pedestrians have to walk in the street. Then again, some 'pedestrians' around here don't know what a sidewalk is for...

I'd like to see the animal control people cruise this area for a while to get all these wandering dogs taken care of. Seems I can't walk in my front yard anymore without watching for poop, or the stray dog to come at me from the bushes. I had one dog come running up to me barking one morning. I was so surprised I just barked back. The dog stopped and stared at me, I recovered and threw my hot coffee at it. It went squealing away, and I haven't seen it since. I suppose it's because I bark at my dogs to make them shut up sometimes.

Anyway, I'm off to look for plastic flamingos. I know a certain someone who is now old enough to have them in her yard. LOL

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001



No, Barefoot, the Secret Lawn Police are picky, elderly residents in the neighborhood with a ton of money. They want things to look a certain way, and when they don't they sort of take matters into their own hands or call up their cronies downtown.

I knew about them before I moved in, and I annoy them by not fertiziling and keeping my grass at 1 3/4" (it's often shorter or slightly (2 1/2 "), but other than that, I don't run afoul of them because I don't have the time or money to decorate the yard with anything beyond a pot or two or begonias.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001


You talki' /bout me, by any chance? If so, I'll have you know I've had a pair of pink plastic flamingos for YEARS, way before they were trendy. Why? Because I thought they were funny. They used to peek out of a huge clump of miscanthus sinensis but now perch in a tall shrub of juniperus parentage.

Last year, I wrapped them in greenery and put cheery red bows at their throats. They have white ones now, ya know, for Christmas.

Get the pink ones at archiemcphee.com

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001


From the title, I was afraid this thread was about Git, and it didn't make sense because I thought she had already disappeared that neighbor.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

Actually I was talking about my sister. Since I had a birthday that means she is older too. I always remind her of that. Keeps her from calling me old. LOL

Pity meemur can't get a lawn ornament that has a motion sensor on it so that when something comes near it squirts water [or some kind of liquid] at the motion. LOL

I'm thinking a camel, since they have a habit of spitting. LOL

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001


LOL, Barefoot!

But I'd have to mow around it, though. (:

I am going to put a container (half barrel) of strawberries in the front (full sun out there). If they whine about that, I'll toss the over-ripe berries under their rubber donut seats.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001



Gardenerssupply.com has motion-senstive water-shooters for pests. Don't know if they work for big animals but you could ask.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2001

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