Sunday, May 15, 2005

Chinese Royal Flush

Sometimes having a state run media can have hilarious results. Welcome to the First World.

China in midst of toilet modernization

This month Shanghai hosted the World Toilet Expo and Forum in hopes of getting advice on how to spruce up its loos.

Lets see, UN Security Council permanent seat, Nuclear Weapons, Booming Economy...Needs help to clean the head.

Finding a toilet has traditionally been simply a matter of following one's nose.

Tucan Sam would be proud.

The city has built thousands of new apartment buildings with modern plumbing, but in many older housing districts, chamber pots are used at night, then toted to the nearest public toilet to be emptied next morning.

Which reminds me, Deadwood comes on tonight.

The exhibition was sponsored by the World Toilet Organization, which represents cleanliness groups in 17 countries and is based in famously tidy Singapore, which fines people who fail to flush public toilets.

This is a side of the WTO I've never seen.

"Our happiness cannot be complete without a proper and pleasant toilet environment."

A good magazine helps too.

Have a nice Sunday all. I'll get back to the serious stuff tomorrow.