Obese Aussies Require Sturdier Toilets

[matcom]

<snip>

SYDNEY, Australia --Sturdier toilets may be on their way in Australia to cope with the country's increasingly obese population.

Standards Australia, a nongovernment group that establishes safety and design standards, is considering recommending strengthening loos for larger users, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Obesity levels have been rising for years in Australia.

Standards Australia spokeswoman Kate Evans said the current industry standard for toilet seats is just 100 pounds and that the group is looking to increase it to 330 pounds.

Experts will examine the seats "from the perspective that people are getting bigger," Evans said.

Steve Cummings, a committee member for Standards Australia and head of research and development at toilet maker Caroma Dorf, told Sydney tabloid The Daily Telegraph that toilet seats need to be strengthened for larger Australians.

"If you are going to sit on it, you want it to hold you," he said.

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/03/06/growing_aussies_need_sturdier_toilets?mode=PF

[GOPisEvil]

1. There are never fat Aussies in Foster's commercials...

Adverstisements don't lie, do they? :shrug:

[Orsino]

2. They're all ten feet tall and eat live crocodiles, right?

Cardinal Chunder requires a sturdy throne.

[gollygee]

3. The standard is 100 pounds?

I have family in Australia and have been there several times. They are thinner than Americans on average but there's no way it's acceptable for their industry standard for toilet seats to be to support 100 pounds. That's ridiculous. As if the whole country were made up of Olsen twins.

[blondeatlast]

4. 100 lbs???

I'm a pretty slender woman, but I've fallen off a toilet seat in the past. Obesity had nothing to do with it, however...

I could break an Australian toilet seat? Sheesh! Gotta go with the "obese" Aussies on this one, since I would apparently qualify.

[LeftyMom]

6. That's tiny

I haven't been 100 ;bs since junior high school and I'm not exactly a big woman.

[blondeatlast]

10. Oh, lordy, I'm not THAT small by any means.

I could easily break a "certified" Aussie toilet seat just by sitting on it!

[underpants]

5. Put another bloomin' onion on the barbie mate

Something like that. When we were in Vegas we happened upon an Australian couple at the Outback on the strip (no waiting line). As the guy was leaving the manager said something to him and the Aussie said,"You know your restaurant here is very nice but it has nothing at all in common with Australia" and kept walking.

[Arugula Latte]

7. Hey, Aussies! Our toilets can kick your wussy toilets' butts!

And your corpulent behinds are no match for our fat asses! U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! We're number one !!! :patriot: :bounce: :headbang:

[kmla]

8. Well, after all, gravity is stronger in the southern hemisphere....

so Aussies should weigh more.

Theoretically.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. I haven't been 100 pounds since I could tie my shoes.