GoGirl – So girls can … go

by Annie Scott on

What is this obsession with women being able to pee standing up? Other than the ability to write my name in the snow, I have not really felt like I’m missing out on anything. I have yet to catch any communicable diseases from a toilet seat. And I do actually sit on the toilet seat. There, I said it.

If you’re a hoverer, by the way, check out this story on ABC News and sit your bum down, please. The messes you people leave should be classified as terrorism.

Onto the product: This is the GoGirl. It’s a somewhat updated version of the “pee funnel” we showed you back in 2004. For example, rather than “pee funnel,” they call this a “female urination device” (or an FUD).

The GoGirl is disposable, and comes with tissue and a biodegradable baggie all in the neat little cylinder that fits in your purse or pocket. You can buy one here for $4.99 (you can also buy a t-shirt, cap, or shorts, in case you want the world to know you like to pee standing up).

GoGirl recommends their product for SkiGirl, OutdoorsyGirl, GlobalGirl, MommyGirl, CityGirl, and RoadGirl for varying reasons, but however many of those I may be? I don’t want one.

Largely because it would require me to essentially piddle into my hand. Ew. Warm. Ew.

Photo of the Day (2-4-09)

by Jamie Rhein on

The woman in the photo was sorting rice in Luang Nam Tha, Laos back in February 2008. I would venture to say that the same woman is still sorting rice in this careful, quiet way of doing work that sustains people. This is the type of work that is never quite done, but remains important year after year.

Whenever I have watched women like the one in this photo by Laura Itzokowitz, I am struck by the calming effect that removing bits of grass, twig and stones from rice can have on the world.

If you have a photo to be considered for a Photo of the Day pick, send it our way at Gadling’s Flickr photo pool.

American women found with $471,000 dollars at airport in Jamaica

by Jamie Rhein on

When the officials at the airport in Jamaica found $471,000 on two American women a couple days ago, they took it. See, you’re only allowed to have $10,000 which I would think is ample enough for a rip roaring good time in Jamaica.

So far, according to this AP article, there’s no news on exactly why the women had so much cash. I’m wondering if they cashed out their mutual funds while they had any money left and were hoping to get their hands on some beachfront property. I’ve certainly thought about where I might live in my golden years if the economy continues to head south. Of course, with the money I’ve squirreled away, I might be looking at a shack made of driftwood.

I’m also curious about how much room the money took up in a carry-on? Was the space bigger than the banana plants that were found in the woman’s underwear at the airport in New Zealand a little while back? Also, were they allowed to keep $10,000 each? I doubt that–at least not yet. If not, what are they doing for money in the meantime? Maybe they’re gathering driftwood for a cozy shack.

I bet they’re kicking themselves for whatever they did that got themselves caught.

Photo of the Day (12-17-08)

by Jamie Rhein on

It’s not usual that a person’s handiwork makes Photo of the Day two times in one week. This week Lola Akinmade‘s shot of this woman in Peru caught my attention. How could it not? Isn’t that vivid red gorgeous?

I also love the way the purple of the woman’s shawl pops against it and how the other reds are just enough of a difference to be distinct. This is a perfect example of the principles of a color wheel.

If you have your own examples of popping colors, send them our way at Gadling’s Flickr Photo Pool. One or two could be chosen as a Photo of the Day. Just ask Lola.

Oprah a hit with women in Saudi Arabia

by Jamie Rhein on

Admittedly, I watched Oprah’s talk show when I lived in Singapore. Not often, but sometimes. The room with our TV was the only one with air-conditioning, so that had something to do with it. Still, there was a familiarity in all the advice.

Plus, since the shows were not aired in any particular order, some days Oprah would be thin, other days heavier, and along with her weight shifts were shifts in her hair style and clothing. Because Oprah was on every day, sometimes twice, I assumed it was because she was a big hit with the Singaporean audience.

In Saudi Arabia, women also watch Oprah, and with far more attention than I ever did. Oprah, according to this article in the New York Times, is a bit of a life-line for many Saudi females. The article starts by describing one woman who writes to Oprah Winfrey every month even though Oprah has yet to write back.

Nayla said that Oprah gives her hope and energy, and that Oprah is the only one who understands her. This feeling is echoed with Saudi women of all ages, but particularly with younger women. Part of what the women relate to is Oprah’s own struggles that she has overcome. As women in Saudi Arabia struggle to find their voice and use it, Oprah gives them a sense of how it is done.

The women also relate to Oprah because her style of dress fits Saudi Arabian women’s sensibility and taste. They would probably love Oprah’s closet, the store in Chicago where you can buy Oprah’s old clothes.

As I read the article, besides being interested in this particular Western influence on the Middle East, I wondered if Oprah has read the article yet and thought how terrific it would be if she would visit Nayla and Nayla’s friends–quietly and sincerely. It would not need to be a visit that showed up on TV, but one that would make a fairy tale ending to this story of a cultural mixing. I certainly hope Oprah has written Nayla back by now.

(About the photo: I couldn’t find a Creative Commons photo of a Saudi woman. This woman is from Iran. Yes, I know the difference. Please Don’t Smile, the photographer of this shot has several lovely photographs of women in Iran posted on Flickr.)