Last Minute Shopping?

I was originally going to display three or four of the most unique items from Archie McPhee's web store to give you an example of the true weirdness you can find there (vengeful unicorns, remote controlled hopping yodelling lederhosen, bacon bath soap, inflatable toast). But once I started digging deeper to find just the right ones, I realized there was no way I could stick to just a few. My fellow WUvians needed to see all of the zany craziness that McPhee's has to offer. And how can you resist any company whose motto is "Slightly Less Disappointing Than Other Companies". So if you're in need of a last minute gift idea for the weirdo on your list, this is the place for you.

Inventions of Buckminster Fuller, Part 4: The Dymaxion Bathroom

This was the finishing touch to Fuller's Dymaxion House.
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Water-Saving Shower Curtain

Here in Southern California we're facing water shortages, so Elisabeth Buecher's shower curtain could come in handy. It helps save water because it "slowly inflates around you while you shower. It leaves you only a few minutes to take your shower before trapping you."

She calls her overall philosophy of design the "design of threat and punishment." Sounds kinky.

I have to admit that the idea of installing her shower curtain in the guest bathroom of our house, and not warning guests about it beforehand, is very tempting.

(Warning: One of the images on her page may be slightly NSFW.)

The Bicycle Shower

Combining your workout with a shower could save some time, I suppose. Though I'm not sure if that was the intended purpose of this invention. From the Chicago Tribune, Jan 18, 1903:

Wallypop Toilet Wipes

This must have been what people used back in the days before the invention of toilet paper. You just wipe and then throw the soiled cloth into a bag, ready to be taken out to the laundry. One benefit is that it allows you to wipe with a wet cloth, which gets you a lot cleaner. However, it would seem to me that it's going to substantially increase the amount of laundry you've got to do (since you want to keep the soiled wipes separate from the rest of your laundry). So would they really save you money, or be any better for the environment?

Thanks to Prof. Music for the contribution.

Pit Stop On-Board Urinal

I have a friend who recently decided to become a trucker. She took a training course and got a job, but she said that unless you're willing to break the law and drive more hours than you're supposed to, you don't make any money trucking.

Which, I suppose, is why there's a market for this product: The Pit Stop On-Board Urinal (Warning: the site automatically plays an audio message). From their site:

Urinal Forehead Support

U.S. Patent No. 6,618,419.

Emergency Porta Potty

When disaster strikes, be prepared:


Or take one to the big game so you never have to miss a minute of play! Available for $37 from officezone.com.

Advanced Mission Extender Device

For those times when you're flying a jet fighter and you just gotta go. Instructions:

Insert the male member through the white foam ring. Make sure the cup hose is facing front and to the right. When correctly worn, the foam ring will be snug against the pelvis and the bottom of the cup should not be folded or pinched.

Attach the Cup/Pad hose velcro end to the velcro patch on the front of the undergarment or keep the hose external to each suit except just under the first layer. Dispose of the male cup after your mission.

Related, possibly apocryphal fact: At least three F-16s have been lost due to pilots losing control of their planes while attempting to attach "piddle packs" in mid flight. Source: F-16.net

Color It Clean

So long as we've started a toilet thread, let's all watch "Color It Clean," so that we appreciate the men and women who maintain our public lavatories.



This film reminds me of Barney Gumble's autobiographical entry in the Springfield Film Festival. I could find the clip only in Italian, but that adds a certain frisson to the viewing experience, I think.

All original content in posts is Copyright © 2008 by the author of the post, either Alex Boese ("Alex"), Paul Di Filippo ("Paul"), or Chuck Shepherd ("Chuck"). All rights reserved. The banner illustration at the top of this page is Copyright © 2008 by Rick Altergott.