My Inbox is routinely bombarded with press releases from the City of Portland, to the tune of 10 a day. I tend to only post one or two of them that I find either fascinating or useful to Sentinel readers.

Every now and then, though, there will be a banner day where the City's press people churn out a bunch of gems that I can't help but share with the Internets. I've already posted three things from the City today, and I've saved the best for last....the Portland Loo!!!!!

The super-slick toilet (see computerized mock-up at right), a $140,000 pilot project to be installed on Northwest Glisan Street near Fifth Avenue, is designed to minimize safety risks "through reduced privacy, which naturally minimizes comfort and reduces any desire to spend excessive time in there to conduct illicit activities." (let your mind run wild...)

It also utilies CPTED - Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design - to allow police and passerby to more easily monitor the restroom. (OK, is that a sexy way of saying that everyone can see you taking care of business?)

Want to know more about how solar-powered toilets are on the front lines of crime-fighting? (Ah, only in Portland...) Visit http://www.portlandonline.com/?c=26361&a=218467.