Showing posts with label Star Trek. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star Trek. Show all posts

Friday, July 22, 2011

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Toilet Research

American Standard 2829.128.020 Cadet-3 FloWise Round Front Two-Piece Toilet with High Efficiency, White
I can't believe there's nothing better to talk about.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will give over $40 million to research a better toilet for the world use.  Dirty water and improper sanitation are among the world's leaders in death and the Gate's believe that by giving the world a place to poop millions could be saved. [mashable]

I don't want to be harsh... But isn't "Don't shit where you eat" pretty Darwinian at this point?  The strong survive the nasty water while the weak perish?  And even if you save those would have died young, aren't you just then putting pressure on a society that can't get good drinking water to feed more people?  I don't wanna nerd out too much, but isn't this why Starfleet has the prime directive, "Do not interfere with the internal advancement of a civilization"?

I'm bumming myself out.

I think, and this is just from my experience working with the public, Gates money should go toward a better condom.  Or reliable food.  Or better irrigation.  For all I know, they may be doing all that too.  Check out the video and a sketch after the jump.

In a remote village in the desert of someplace.
Foundation Dude: 
Well, this place sucks.  No food, no good water, the land is virtually unusable... 
Native Dude: 
Yeah, but hey, it's not like there's anything better out there.
FD: 
Um, yeah... Hey, you want a toilet?
ND: 
A whoosit?
FD: 
A bowl to crap in.
ND:  
Sure. What do we do when it's full?
FD:  
I dunno... Get a new one?
ND: 
How about a bowl of food instead?  Some medicine?
FD:  
I think somebody else is on that stuff.  So, free crapper?
ND:  
I guess.  Can I have your shoes, too?
FD: 
Um... No.
Scene