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Toilet Web site owner arrested for climbing skyscraper

Muckspreading times

A daredevil dotcommer has risked his life to publicise his Website by scaling a Los Angeles skyscraper.

The climber/nutter halted traffic in downtown LA for three hours yesterday morning as he negotiated the 56-floor building, and trailing a banner for his site.

Unfortunately for 32-year-old Giovanni Lemm, fire fighters hauled him into the building halfway up, and he was promptly arrested for trespassing.

The fact that he now faces a year in the slammer and $20,000 fine hasn't phased the plucky e-entrepreneur - desperate times call for desperate measures.

"I went into this knowing I could be arrested," he said in his interview at the Los Angeles Police Department's Central Division.

"All I can think is that maybe it will bring more people to my Website."

Lemm, sporting a bright orange jumpsuit with his URL on the back, relied on a harness and lever held together with a single bolt for his six-hour escapade. It was wedged into a vertical rail used by window cleaners.

His view of the event, which tied up eight fire engines, 24 fire fighters, and 20 LA cops, was unfortunately not shared on the ground by the authorities.

"He was trusting his life to a piece of metal," Detective James Tiampo told The Los Angeles Times. "He was a danger to himself and a danger to the public."

After all this it would seem cruel not to reward Lemm with a mention of his venture, especially as The Reg loves attention seekers.

Lemm risked his life for a site selling mugs and calendars with pictures of himself sitting on the toilet in various locations. You can find the site at ®

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