[cowtowney]

No sitting down on the job at the China Olympics. What dufus thought this was a good idea? I've used these and they take some getting used to.

[cowtowney]

Should this be under “Breaking News”?

[donna]

How do you keep your clothing clean?

[Old Professer]

Not to mention making them handicapped-accessible.

[twigs]

I have a good friend from Beijing. The first thing she noticed and really liked about the US was the toilet availability. Apparently, China does not provide toilets at historic sites. She was impressed that we could keep our historic sites historic, yet still provide modern toilets. I see that their toilet problem does not end at their historic sites.

[reagan_fanatic]

What happens if you lose your balance?

[WakeUpAndVote]

How big is the hole? What if you miss? You just kick it in? What if that Peking Duck comes back to haunt you and you are not thinking “solid thoughts”?

[Ancesthntr]

Will they have TP? That, to me, is a bigger issue. Also, even if they have it, will it feel like Charmin or the NYT (which is, of course, far more suitable for the job, even if it doesn’t feel right)?

[Rennes Templar]

The more serious problem is they are providing bamboo shoots instead of toilet paper.

[NYFriend]

A friend of mine was in Moscow in maybe ‘93, ‘94, or ‘95, and said that all of the toilets at McDonalds (regular toilets) had footprints all over the seats, because country folk had been through, and didn’t understand what they were supposed to do. You’d have the same problem in China. It would be a mess.

[FrdmLvr]

"I believe the Olympic games will be a great opportunity for us to speed up this transition," Yao said. "I believe the situation will get better and better."

What? Admitting that westernizing China will improve China? Wonder how long it will take before his family receives the bill for the bullet his jailers put in the back of his head.

[dawn53]

LOL, well having spent 6 weeks in China, I will say that squat toilets are a problem. Can’t speak for men, but for women, it’s a major inconvenience...and even though we were in a large city, the only regular toilet I ever saw was the one in our hotel room. Even in the hotel lobby restroom (and this was a 5 star hotel with outrageous rates) the toilets were squat toilets. Many places you had to purchase sheets of tp before you went into the stalls, or carry your own. And in the parks, well there’s no such thing as toilets, just “trenches” that you have to figure out how to straddle. Definitely a bit of culture shock for me.

[jonrick46]

I've experienced “squat toilets” in Tunisia. For toilet paper, you had a tin can and a stick. The cock roaches were coming out of that hole in the concrete floor and running up the walls so thick that you thought they were the wall decor.

I wonder what kind of insects inhabit Beijing? Of course, to them a few cockroaches will be an extra protein snack.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

When I was in Vietnam, it was usual to see the locals squat and take a dump along the roadside. They could squat and keep their feet flat on the ground thereby keeping their pants forward of the droppings. Oh, forget toilet paper, you had better make a clean purge. The locals were thin as rails and had no belly to get in their way. They also had spent many years conditioning their ankles to flex comfortably. Most westerners won’t be able to match the locals in a squat contest. Expect some poop in the pants. Better wonder about wiping. Better off just not going the the Olympics.

[Verloona Ti]

FWIW : Supposedly, squat toilets are why hemorrhoids are (allegedly) unknown in the Third World. Me, I am inclined to wonder if a third worlder would seek medical attention for hemorrhoids, which usually clear up on their own in 2-3 weeks, but anyway....the doctor who came out with the study touting squat toilets as the cure-all for hemorrhoids told his patients (who had that problem) to squat/perch on the edge of the toilet when defecating. He claimed that cured their problems completely, with no recurrences.He thought the use of gravity and the greater use of muscles involved in the squat/perch better for the elimination tract than just sitting down and straining. Just FWIW.

Also FWIW : Supposedly, the most commonly shoplifted item in the USA is Preparation H . No one wants to have the cashier see them purchase *that* item.

[SuziQ]

When our daughter and I were visiting friends in Japan, I just held it, if confronted with a squat toilet. Fortunately, most of the places we went had at least 1 ‘Western’ toilet. The other thing you had to look out for were the toilets for which you had to bring your own T.P. I wondered why, when we were walking around Tokyo, folks would hand out little packets of tissues, as advertising. Then my friend told me about the bring your own toilets, and I made sure to have a couple of packets with me at all times. ;o)

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

[susannah59]

I think I’m convinced I don’t want to visit any third-world countries!

[Palladin]

There will be a rude awakening for many Olympics attendees when they find out that China’s sanitary facilities do not follow the Western model!

[Allegra]

I hate these things. I have used one exactly once and it was because I was in a (two hour long) meeting in a building that had no other options. They were serving chai and they kept refilling my glass.

I hope I never have to do that again.

What are the Chinese thinking? I would have thought that their proposal would have covered things like this and that the Olympic Committee would have insisted on western toilets in their Statement of Work.

[Joe Boucher]

1st time was at O Bs Tavern in Down Town Seoul.
Walked around one of three in the middle of a room and went out and asked my buddies.
Went back in and squatted and a lttle old lady about 70 came in and squatted next to me.
Welcome to Asia, Culture shock.
When I got back to Frisco I got on my hands and knees and kissed the ground and thanked GOD.