...

Friday, May 11, 2007

Holy Flaming Toilets, Batboy!

From our 'News You Can Use' Department-

Japanese Toilet Makers Warn of Flaming Bidets
The Irish Examiner
May 9th, 2007

Japanese toilet makers issued a warning to electric bidet users today, saying at least 105 units have caught fire or sent up smoke...An extensive investigation was ordered by the government after Toto, Japan’s biggest toilet manufacturer, offered to repair 180,000 bidet toilets last month, saying several of them emitted flames in 2006-7 because of faulty wiring.

The Japan Warm Water Bidet Council, which represents nine bidet manufacturers, reported at least 105 cases of incidents involving flaming or smoking bidet toilets, the Trade Ministry said in a statement.

It was not immediately clear whether any injuries were involved.

High-tech toilets fitted with warm water sprayers and dryers are a standard fixture in Japanese homes. Toto’s problematic Z series of bidets also feature a pulsating massage spray, a built-in-the-bowl deodoriser and a lid that opens and closes automatically.

I can count on the fingers of one hand the household appliances which I want to be able to describe as "emitting flames"... Since toilets are not amongst them, I guess it's back to the old style for us-

7 comments:

Mike said...

You just can't beat the simple things sometimes.

Forrest Proper said...

Mike- that's true. Too bad that the Japanese cannot enjoy them without risking getting their asses singed.

Now there's an excuse for missing work...

Cissy Strutt said...

Usually, the worst that can befall you in a dunny is a spider-bite on the arse. Though Shatzi's mother was trapped in one for half an hour when a black snake slithered in and curled up ON her feet.

Forrest Proper said...

Cissy- we have spider problems around here, primarily black widow spiders, which give a nasty bite and seem to love outhouses. Fortunately American snakes aren't in the habit of hanging out there.

Joey Polanski said...

WOW!

I wooda figgerd "hi-tech" in th toilet industry woud be a bit more advancd than warm-watr sprayrs & dryrs.

Jus waitll my WipeMate gets patentd!

Forrest Proper said...

Joey- I'll be gluerd to my tv waiting for the infomercial. I hear that if you can get Slim Whitman to pitch it, you'll sell a million of them.

Anonymous said...

I'm quite comfortable with the porcelain, metal & water model of toilet with no actual flammable components.

In an area where one might find combustible gases, surely this is the wisest option...