Comments on: Waiter, what’s this fly doing… ? http://www.starchamber.com/2003/10/waiter-whats-this-fly-doing.html Ned Gulley's Blog. Resident buzzwords: synthetic biology, ambient displays, swarm robotics, wise crowds. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:22:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Ned http://www.starchamber.com/2003/10/waiter-whats-this-fly-doing.html#comment-356 Ned Sun, 02 Nov 2003 15:56:34 +0000 http://starchamber.com/?p=712#comment-356 I got an email from a Danish read who says that there are faux flies in the Copenhagen bathrooms as well. And he says that Danish brewer Carlsberg takes it up a step: they make urinals with soccer goals and little soccer balls. I believe these are still just pictures, but imagine if you could play an actual foosball-like game... there'd probably be lines for the men's room just like there are for the women's room now. There's a whole industry waiting to be born: sports, musical instruments, painting, all humbly mounted on water closet porcelain. Who will be the first pissoir Renoir? I got an email from a Danish read who says that there are faux flies in the Copenhagen bathrooms as well. And he says that Danish brewer Carlsberg takes it up a step: they make urinals with soccer goals and little soccer balls. I believe these are still just pictures, but imagine if you could play an actual foosball-like game… there’d probably be lines for the men’s room just like there are for the women’s room now. There’s a whole industry waiting to be born: sports, musical instruments, painting, all humbly mounted on water closet porcelain. Who will be the first pissoir Renoir?

]]> By: Mike http://www.starchamber.com/2003/10/waiter-whats-this-fly-doing.html#comment-355 Mike Fri, 31 Oct 2003 22:53:05 +0000 http://starchamber.com/?p=712#comment-355 In the days when urinals were huge shoulder high slabs of porcelain with a gulley at the foot, one British urinal manufacturer had a picture of a bee [apis mellifera] for the user to aim at. This reduced splashback apparently. In the days when urinals were huge shoulder high slabs of porcelain with a gulley at the foot, one British urinal manufacturer had a picture of a bee [apis mellifera] for the user to aim at. This reduced splashback apparently.

]]> By: Francis http://www.starchamber.com/2003/10/waiter-whats-this-fly-doing.html#comment-354 Francis Sun, 26 Oct 2003 21:39:35 +0000 http://starchamber.com/?p=712#comment-354 I swear i read somewhere that the artificial fly was placed in the urinals to keep the floors free of errant urine. That is to say, men will aim for the fly, thereby keeping the urine safe within the confines of the urianl and not all over the floor, wall,neighbor's pant leg,etc. Or maybe they put it there for all the visitors who made the trip to the Melkweg,Bulldog or Happy Family...Imagine their (fright,joy,stupefication) at not being able to dismiss the fly with a well-placed shot! I swear i read somewhere that the artificial fly was placed in the urinals to keep the floors free of errant urine. That is to say, men will aim for the fly, thereby keeping the urine safe within the confines of the urianl and not all over the floor, wall,neighbor’s pant leg,etc.

Or maybe they put it there for all the visitors who made the trip to the Melkweg,Bulldog or Happy Family…Imagine their (fright,joy,stupefication) at not being able to dismiss the fly with a well-placed shot!

]]> By: Randy McCauley http://www.starchamber.com/2003/10/waiter-whats-this-fly-doing.html#comment-353 Randy McCauley Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:36:17 +0000 http://starchamber.com/?p=712#comment-353 You are right on the money. That is the reason-as I was told in Japan-they give a little flush first. Interestingly, the women's toilets (I am told) have a little button that, when pressed, makes a simulated flushing sound. This is to hide the noise that may or may not accompany a toilet visit thereby preserving one's dignity. On a side note, the toilets in the Utano Youth Hostal in West Kyoto have heated seats! That would be a good purchase for anyone. Ciao-Randy You are right on the money. That is the reason-as I was told in Japan-they give a little flush first. Interestingly, the women’s toilets (I am told) have a little button that, when pressed, makes a simulated flushing sound. This is to hide the noise that may or may not accompany a toilet visit thereby preserving one’s dignity. On a side note, the toilets in the Utano Youth Hostal in West Kyoto have heated seats! That would be a good purchase for anyone.

Ciao-Randy

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