Warning: Beware of toilet humor below.
In 2001, Singapore was the proud host of the first World Toilet Summit. This squeaky clean city state fines people who do not flush public loos, and if anyone were so jejune as to void their bladder in a government housing board lift, their act would be captured on close-circuit television, and they will be fined.
But all is not fine in Singapore. Unwilling to sit on its derriere, this city has undergone a restroom renaissance. Creative ideas have been implemented to make toilets a truly enjoyable experience. One shopping center has painted murals inside the toilets of each floor, creating the world of ancient Egypt, the American wild west, a tropical rainforest, and ancient Rome, complete with gladiators. A more conducive environment should help (water) closet paruretics (persons who fear using public toilets).
Beijing is the host for the fourth World Toilet Summit on 19 November 2004, which coincidentally is World Toilet Day. A lot of water must have flowed under the bridge since Singapore. The world’s scatological community is congregating there to push for greater sanitation. This is in China’s interest as it will be hosting the Olympic Games in 2008, and obviously does not want to be chided for having less fragrant loos. To add a bit of imagination, Beijing has built, a beetle-shaped loo in a park. Sadly it is not a dung beetle.
Designs on toilets have not enjoyed any major breakthroughs since Marcel Duchamp’s 1917 urinal displayed in a New York art exhibition. The high tech revolution seems to have bypassed toilets. Minor advances are automatic flushing, dry flushing for airplane toilets, paper relining of toilet seats. The splash-free toilet is still a distant dream. Also a non-stink restroom.
The Singapore government has proclaimed that quality public toilets are the hallmark of a gracious society. And I would add, more business is successfully conducted there than in the boardroom. President Calvin Coolidge hit the nail on the right spot when he said, "The business of America is business."
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
bathroom humor: always funny.
yesterday, while trying to follow a link from another blogcritics post (i think it was the Gray Video thing), i stumbled upon something called the Robo Dump.
now that's bathroom humor!
2 - Eric Olsen
remember this: everybody poops
3 - Victor Plenty
True, Eric, but some poop less than others. Donald Trump, for example, always looks like he really needs to get more fiber in his diet.
Seriously, if having that expression on your face all the time is the price of being rich, give me poverty (and a bran muffin) any day of the week.
4 - Scoota Rey
I only poop once every two or three days.
5 - bhw
My doctor told me once that a normal poop cycle is anywhere from three times a day to once every three days.
Personally, I feel much better when I'm on at least a one-poop-a-day cycle. Purging is good.
6 - Joe
Metamucil: It changed my life.
And if you're under 30, just consider it an investment in your future colo-rectal health.
7 - boomcrashbaby
slow news day?