[cheald]

I'm going to be a little serious here, and suggest that you should actively avoid engaging with anything that might keep you on the toilet longer than necessary to do your business. That position puts a lot of strain on the rectum and anal hemorrhoids, and can exacerbate health problems that tend to go hand-in-hand with desk jobs.

That said, this app is frickin' hilarious.

[babby]

On the other hand, something can be said for 'rushing', pushing too much, generating the problems you mentioned.

[cheald]

Oh, absolutely. The upshot of my comment was "avoid things that put undue stress on your rectal muscles", which includes both straining and spending extended periods sitting on the can.

[oftenwrong]

To take it further, I suggest that everyone use a squatting toilet. If you have to use a western sitting toilet, squat on the rim.

[tomkinstinch]

Absolutely do not stand on the seat. Beyond getting dirty shoes all over the toilet, the asymmetic force during initiation is a great way to break the toilet seat or overcompress the wax seal beneath the toilet (I had an ex-roommate damage my toilet this way). Putting your feet on the rim is a good way to slip and fall. If you want to simulate a squat toilet with a Western fixture, raise up your feet on a step stool. Sit down first then raise your feet. </rant>

[cdjk]

And before anyone thinks about disrupting the step stool market, it's been done:

http://www.squattypotty.com/

Complete with puns.

[oftenwrong]

Sometimes you are in a public place with nothing to use as a platform. Never use the seat, of course, since other people put their butts there, and as you say they can be fragile. I use the rim. I have never slipped or fallen. It is quite secure.

At home I have platforms.

[itomatik]

awesome suggestion about raising your feet! I'll keep that in mind :D

[AznHisoka]

I always joke with my friends when I tell them the girls in Asian countries always have more shapely asses than their Asian-American counterparts. That's because they work out their asses when they need to do their business.

[scott_karana]

How do you do that without getting "residue" on your feet or shoes?

[oftenwrong]

Wipe off the rim before and after if there is anything there. It will also prevent you from slipping.

[prawn]

I actually thought it was going to be a feed reader with a built in timer than discouraged you from sitting around too long...

[supercoder]

Maybe some RSS reader should adopt the name 'Strained Rectum'.

[tlrobinson]

Rectum Straining Syndication?