Auto Flush Toilets: The Crappiest Invention of All Time?

James Joyner · Wednesday, March 8, 2006 · 4 Comments

TCS editor Nick Schulz has a piece in Slate called “The Crappiest Invention of All Time – Why the auto-flushing toilet must die.” It has far, far more about the intricicies of solid waste disposal than I need early in the morning. And there’s an accompanying audio file!

Update: Adding to the excretory coverage, Slate has William Saletan’s “Driving While Urinating.”

So far, no articles on the subject of snot or boogers. Perhaps aspiring Slatesters should pitch one, stat: I can spot a trend.

FILED UNDER: James Joyner, Science & Technology, driving, Oil

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About James Joyner
James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. Follow James on Twitter.

Comments

Steven Taylor says:

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at 10:18

It is a bit much, shall we say.

And I skipped the audio file, shockingly enough…

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McGehee says:

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at 10:50

I have to admit, I didn’t read very far, but what I did read certainly was … educational.

FWIW, I haven’t encountered very many auto-flushers of the sitdown variety, and I never bothered to wonder why.

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fizzix says:

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at 13:23

I guess he doesn’t know about the black button on the side of the control box that allows for manual flushing. His ranting just demonstrates his ignorance.

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NJ voter says:

Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at 13:34

I totally agree. This obviously is a bad interface design…an observation normally confined to software.

The article is well written and completely accurate. If there is a button on the side for manual flushing, then it needs to be more obvious to the user. Bad interface design is NEVER the user’s fault.

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