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When California started requiring toilets to be available to workers at construction sites in the 1950s, Gump designed a portable toilet in his garage. Those first five plywood privies grew into a multi-million-dollar business providing various temporary portable accommodations at work sites all over southern California, from the basics to air-conditioned "VIP" facilities. Massena "Andy" Gump died August 10 at age 88. From This is True for 8 August 1998 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: Bathroom Readers' Institute List Price: $18.95 Amazon Price: $12.89 Editorial Review: Uncle John's Unsinkable Bathroom Reader is jam-packed with over 500 pages of humor, history, science, pop culture, and more. This all-new 21st edition in this popular series is divided into short, medium, and long sections that explore topics including: Breaking the Mayan Code, Cycads: The Most Ancient Plants on Earth, The History of the Library of Congress, Return to Chernobyl, An Untold Story of WWII: The Fighting 442, The Origin of Lasers, Japanese Scholar Rocks, The Heart of the Andes, The Luniverse, and The Truth About Jumping Beans. With Uncle John?s trademark trivia, obscure facts and figures, forgotten histories, and unknown origins, this book provides readers with hours of fun.  By: Bathroom Readers' Institute List Price: $18.95 Amazon Price: $12.89 Editorial Review: Proving that some things do get better with age, Uncle John's Triumphant 20th Anniversary Bathroom Reader is packed with 600-plus pages of all-new material. Here, fans of ?the John? can find all of their favorites: obscure trivia, strange lawsuits, dumb crooks, origins of everyday things, forgotten history, quotable quotes, dazzling wordplay, and much more. Celebrating two decades of royal reading on the throne, this edition plunges deep into history to reveal the origin of the Golden Rule and the history of boxing; flushes away all the fictions surroundings real-life sea monsters, and cowboys and Indians; and wipes out preconceived notions about how tastebuds work. Other sections dip into such topics as Viewmaster and the 3-D revolution; books by crooks; and the real-life Zorro. Equally suited for quick stopovers or lingering stays, this absorbing anniversary book is sure to entertain and educate readers while eliminating any traces of boredom.  By: Bathroom Readers' Institute List Price: $17.95 Amazon Price: $12.21 Editorial Review: What do Franz Liszt, Louis Armstrong, Woody Guthrie, and Elvis Presley have in common? What?s the story on the birth of the banjo, the electric guitar, and the Stradivarius violin? Why did disco happen? Who are the punk princesses? These are just a few of the questions answered in this lively book. Filled with facts, trivia, and stories about the world?s musicians, instruments, songs, and more, this endlessly diverting "plunge" dips into the history of Motown, muzak, and marching bands; tells the secret stories behind the hits; explores legendary venues like the Grand Ole Opry, the Apollo, and the Fillmore; spots the rarely sighted ?two-hit wonders?; describes the origins of karaoke, rap music, and the cha cha cha. In short, it includes all the music news that?s fit to print is here in a variety of formats ? longer entries for extended sojourns and brief tidbits for shorter stays.  By: Bathroom Readers' Hysterical Society List Price: $17.95 Amazon Price: $12.21 Editorial Review: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Extraordinary Book of Facts combines the most intriguing, enlightening material from nine previous Bathroom Reader favorites into one concise volume. Flush with delightfully useless ? and sometimes even useful ? information about sports, movies, music, politics, American and world history, and much more, the book is the most extensive reference guide in the series to date. Contained within this handy, portable tome are the fascinating narratives, terrific trivia, and easy-to-read lists that fans have come to delight in, as well as quotes, facts, findings, and historical tidbits. Weird and wonderful factoid footers on the bottom of each page are perfect for super-quick trips, while quizzes and puzzles enliven lengthier stays. Arranged for simple and speedy reference, the book is the perfect companion for trivia buffs and knowledge junkies who need a quick, fun read not just ?at the office,? but in airports, waiting rooms, while traveling, or for any other moments that would otherwise be wasted.  By: Bathroom Readers' Institute List Price: $11.99 Amazon Price: $9.59 Editorial Review: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader is a quirky, compulsively readable, and just-plain-fun compendium for the 68 % of Americans who read in the john?and anyone with a wacky sense of humor. Offbeat trivia, riddles, weird-but-true stories. Clueless criminals, like the guy who robbed two gas stations while wearing a court-ordered monitoring device. Strange inventions: electronic underwear that measures your vital signs, calls emergency services if necessary, and is machine-washable! Plus The Bare Facts, Spaced-Out Sports, and gross 18 th-century beverages, such as Cock Ale, a mixture of beer and chicken soup. |
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