headlines

some headlines just floor you, some make you smile like a palsied gibbon others just make you weep in pleasure - this one does all three
Toilets 'a forgotten human right'
who would have thought that there was such a thing a world toilet summit, who would have thought that there would be 400 delegates to it!
and who would have thought that the organiser could have come up with this perfect soundbite without 1] a big arsed (excuse the pun) grin on his face or 2] weeks of preparation to get the right wording.
"The entire toilet movement is taking on the world," as said by jack sim.

"The WTO says people feel like they are living in a civilised society if the toilets are clean." (i am not sure if that is the world trade organisation or the world toilet organisation)

even more priceless from mr sim is
""When people come to see the Olympics they need first of all a good toilet," he said.
"And the bigger effect is when they go back, when they go back home their friends will ask them, 'I thought the toilets there are terrible'. And they will say, 'No you're wrong. Nowadays it's fantastic.'"
now as you know i am not an advocate for the olympics in london in 2012 - but i am pretty sure we can provide some good toilets. and now i know why people always seem to be disappointed with me when they tell their holiday stories and i never ask about the toilets - it seems it is one of the things you have to ask....

ironically there is an important point among all of this and that is of course without such things as good sanitation and clean water supply you are always going to be fighting a losing battle with disease.
so this christmas rather than spend money of useless presents why not check out the oxfam website, or the VSO website or anyone of those sites you prefer and see if you can find somewhere you can donate cash for a new water pump, filtration system etc for a third world village etc. you know it will make more sense than getting uncle ernie a new sweater.

oh and by the way friday is world toilet day. for more go here so remember to flush with pride.