MSNBC on the death of a dream in Seattle:
City officials decided to pull the plug on the multimillion-dollar self-cleaning toilet stalls and instead put them on the auction site eBay.
Starting bids are $89,000 apiece.
Neighbors and city-commissioned analysts said the unisex facilities attracted drug users and prostitutes, and were less cost-effective than regular public restrooms. …
The German-made automatic, high-tech toilets were installed in 2004 and have cost the city about $5 million. Each has handsfree washing and drying ability and an emergency button that automatically dials 911.
Given that the city has been flush with bad ideas of late, I’d think the odds must be pretty good.
