2006-01-31

Diapers - is this the 2006 equivalent of a chink in the armour?

It isn't all that long since a gentleman of my acquaintance described a boat trip with 20+ Chinese nationals who were making their way up the Caribbean chain aboard a sailing yacht, more than a decade ago. When he told me that they answered the calls of nature without leaving their seats, I thought he was exaggerating the lengths to which some people will go to avoid losing their place in a crowded transport. Apparently, similar behaviour avoids loss of place, if not of face, on modern trains, too.

Another gentleman, who shall also remain nameless, suggested that the sign of a truly dedicated geek would be a commode in front of the monitor, alleviating the necessity of leaving the screen, even for a few moments, every now and then.

Perhaps adult diapers will catch on, from Silicone Valley to Tin Pan Alley and bathrooms won't be needed for their original purpose any more... On the other hand, perhaps it would be more practical to move the computers into the bathrooms and avoid the mind-boggling logistics involved in the disposal of the potential mega-tonnage of used disposable nappies that results from pursuing this line of thought.

Do excuse me - nature calls...