Boy's clever invention solves toilet trouble

[Marilyn. 340]

there was a little girl on ellen yesterday who came up with the same invention hmmmm

are you sure it wasn't the same kid?? this kid was on Ellen too...

ODEBOLT, Iowa - Jake Wulf wants to keep the lid on it. The 9-year-old boy flushed out a plan for a foot-activated toilet seat lifter that is called the "Privy Prop," designed to lower and raise the toilet seat.

While her son, who is in the school's Talented and Gifted program, manages assignments with ease, he has one weak spot: remembering to lower the seat after he's done, Beth Wulf said.

"My mom was getting mad at me for forgetting to put the toilet seat down and she was falling in," said Jake, a fourth-grader at Odebolt-Arthur Elementary School.

"He's done this pretty much all his life," his mother said "He's in too big a hurry to take care of that. He's been reminded thousands of times over the years."

It was during a visit to a doctor's office that Jake's idea for the "Privy Prop" began to take shape.

He noticed the lid to a small trash can, which opened and closed with a foot-powered lever. He went home and told his parents that he wanted to design a similar device for the toilet.

He made it for the school's Invention Convention with the help of his dad, Jason, who designs equipment for a living.

"Jake drew it all out and I supervised," Jason Wulf said. "I helped him with the tools to make sure he didn't cut off any fingers."

Jake built plywood base and then cut thin pieces of steel and fashioned a teeter-totter at the bottom. You step on it and the seats raises. You step off and it closes.

Once it was built, he used a dictionary to come up with a name for his contraption. The final choices — "Jake's John Jack" "Privy Prop" and "Privy Proper" — were voted on by his family with "Privy Prop" winning.

It was selected by judges at the Invention Convention to advance to the regional contest in Pocahontas, where it was chosen to be displayed at the Iowa State Fair this past summer.

Beth Wulf suspects that someone who saw the "Privy Prop" at the fair called the Ellen Degeneres show because one of the show's producers contacted the family this fall asking for a tape with a description of her son's invention.

Two weeks later, a producer called and invited Jake and a parent to fly to Hollywood as part of a show featuring young inventors.

The show was taped on Wednesday. It was to air on Friday.

So where does Jake's project go from here?

He said his family has considered seeking a patent for it, but that might cost too much. There's also a chance a national company might catch wind of it after Friday's show.

One thing is for sure, the Wulf family won't try to mass produce it.

Why?

"Because Mom said," Jake said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071106/ap_on_.../odd_privy_prop

clever kid

[maya62 7]

Excuse me, but it isn't just the risk of falling in, or that sitting on ice cold porcelain in the middle of the night is a cardiac event, but usually (due to the poor aim of the same inconsiderate guy(s) who won't put the seat down) THERE ARE ICE COLD PEE DROPS ON THE ICE COLD PORCELAIN. YUCK

That said, we all have to choose our battles carefully, and this one is one I've given up on. I'm outnumbered at our house. But I do like it when my husband and son go OUTSIDE to pee.

[mawilson 2,133]

Are some women really that stupid that they would plonk their arses down on a toilet seat without looking first?

[Marilyn. 340]

it is not taht we are stupid but sometimes we have to go pee in the middle of the night and we are not quite awake and we just sit down without thinking...

[LoriLawless 0]

it is not taht we are stupid but sometimes we have to go pee in the middle of the night and we are not quite awake and we just sit down without thinking...

[mawilson 2,133]

it is not taht we are stupid but sometimes we have to go pee in the middle of the night and we are not quite awake and we just sit down without thinking...

And you keep doing that even after falling in once or twice?

[Marilyn. 340]

it is not taht we are stupid but sometimes we have to go pee in the middle of the night and we are not quite awake and we just sit down without thinking...

And you keep doing that even after falling in once or twice?

umm, who says that we do?? I don't do it anymore because i grew up with brothers and after doing that once or twice you learn to look....

but accidents still do happen, no one is perfect

[LoriLawless 0]

it is not taht we are stupid but sometimes we have to go pee in the middle of the night and we are not quite awake and we just sit down without thinking...

And you keep doing that even after falling in once or twice?

No *slap*

Once is enough!

For me personally, I'm the only one in the house, so don't have a problem with it at the moment.

[Marilyn. 340]

why are girls getting the bum rap here??

how about guys who manage to miss the toilet and pee on the floor??

or guys who don't lift the lid and pee on the seat... eeewwww...

[mawilson 2,133]

how about guys who manage to miss the toilet and pee on the floor??

or guys who don't lift the lid and pee on the seat... eeewwww...

Pretty disgusting, I agree.

I wish there was a better way for us to pee. Like a suction tube or something.

LOL @ bum rap

[almaty 19]

how about guys who manage to miss the toilet and pee on the floor??

or guys who don't lift the lid and pee on the seat... eeewwww...

Pretty disgusting, I agree.

I wish there was a better way for us to pee. Like a suction tube or something.

LOL @ bum rap

that is why i always use the sink .....no mess ..

[Marilyn. 340]

how about guys who manage to miss the toilet and pee on the floor??

or guys who don't lift the lid and pee on the seat... eeewwww...

Pretty disgusting, I agree.

I wish there was a better way for us to pee. Like a suction tube or something.

LOL @ bum rap

that is why i always use the sink .....no mess ..

double eeeewwwww

[Welshcookie 17]

it is not taht we are stupid but sometimes we have to go pee in the middle of the night and we are not quite awake and we just sit down without thinking...

And you keep doing that even after falling in once or twice?

I am like a zombie in the middle of the night...no rational thought...just... need. to. pee. must. sit.

[maya62 7]

it is not taht we are stupid but sometimes we have to go pee in the middle of the night and we are not quite awake and we just sit down without thinking...

And you keep doing that even after falling in once or twice?

I am like a zombie in the middle of the night...no rational thought...just... need. to. pee. must. sit.

Zackly. Sometimes I think I don't even open my eyes at all!

And have you ever had a dream that you were in the bathroom already, but realized just as you were about to let loose, that you were still in bed?

A night light in the bathroom has saved me from the porcelain nightmare... we have one that has a little light detector, so it comes on by itself at night and goes off in the morning. I love it. Also makes hideous bed-hair look not as scary, if you happen to glimpse yourself walking by. Kinda like flattering candle light.

Edited November 9, 2007 by maya62

[venusfire503 54]

I've been putting the lid down for years - first, because of the cats I had, later, because of the kids. Can't put the lid down without putting the seat down! Safety for the kids is most important. Not only that, if things get dropped - toothbrush, etc - (esp possible with wee ones around), it's nice when they don't end up in the water, right? The kids learned at an early age. The ex actually followed along back then, and now my sweetie does too.

See, women - getting cooperation might just be a matter of rephrasing the reason behind the rule.

heehee

Of course, then everyone has something to do - before and after.

haha

venusfire