A waste disposal unit or sink unit in the shape of Margaret Thatcher's head with the mouth wide open ready to receive your bits of scraps.

When you throw your waste into the mouth it churns and chokes, muttering ''sorry'' or other apologetic verbal expressions,then proceeds to get rid of your waste through the plumbing system installed.

The nasal passages of the nose serve as providing hot and cold running water when you twist the ears, washing the mouth out .

You don't have to have the Thatcher model,you could have a whole line of different figure heads,this would be my personal choice and I know exactly what I'd throw down it's waste disposal throat first.
-- skinflaps, Nov 17 2002

she lobs off broomsticks http://www.lasting...._sites/Popas/mt.jpg
orifice seems proportional to outlet shape - needs to be resized [thumbwax, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Halfbakery tops Google's search results for 'garburator'! http://www.google.c...=UTF-8&q=garburator
[General Washington, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

How it will look! http://www.leveritt.com/operando.jpg
[General Washington, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

I used to have a shower head that looked like Richard Nixon, seems like you could do a whole line of political plumbing fixtures.
-- krelnik, Nov 17 2002


As an American, I never knew that much about Marge, other than she seemed to be Madeleine Albright's twin sister somehow. Was she really that bad?
-- RayfordSteele, Nov 18 2002


[ RayfordSteele] Ever heard of the..POLL TAX ..? it led to widespread rioting, also during her reign Coal mining in the UK was destroyed, unemployment more than doubled, Trade Unions were broken and Britain went into its biggest recession since the 1960's. (i fled)

Anyway i think this makes for a useful novel idea.
-- skinflaps, Nov 18 2002


I'm with skinflaps on this one, she was a SHOCKER. But if it hadn't been for her pushing the population so hard, we wouldn't have pushed back so hard. One thing i miss about living in NZ is the civil unrest we used to get involved in. Anyone out there get to any of the "reclaim the streets" parties? Now those were a good day out. can I put an advance order in for the Maggie toilet bowl? I'd really like to thank her, personally, everyday......
-- briandamage, Nov 18 2002


I find it ceaselessly infuriating that I am forced to defend the Thatcher era for the sake of balance. I'm not true blue, but do you ungrateful people recall: exchange controls, British Leyland, the 1976 IMF fiasco, uncontrollable inflation, 'Who rules Britain?', the 365 economists, the PSBR c.1980, etc etc. I didn't think the Halfbakery would be susceptible to kneejerk Thatcher-bashing (try the NME message board), easy as it is. After the 1981 recession the Thatcher government put Britain in a position to benefit from the longest, strongest bullmarket in history. We would not now have such widespread car- and house- ownership figures, yes, even in the old mining areas and in Scotland, if we had maintained a mass state employment economy. What's all this talk about doom?

Having said that, I would loove a Maggie Thatcherator.
-- General Washington, Nov 18 2002


Those unfamiliar with the 'poll tax' (actually it was called the 'community charge'), may wish to know that it was a means of charging for local authority-delivered services (refuse collection, libraries, etc). Under the previous scheme ('domestic rates'), householders (not residents, just householders) were charged on the basis of the rateable value of their house, which was itself determined by an estimate of what it would cost to rent that house. Identical houses in the same area had identical rateable values, so my house, occupied by my wife and my elf, was rated the same as the house next door, occupied by six working adults and five children. Improvements to a house which increased its value would also increase its rateable value, hence the charge. The community charge funded local services by an identical charge on each adult living within the authority. Guess who was opposed to its introduction. It was replaced by 'council tax', which, apart from details, is the same as the old domestic rates.
It will surprise few that I'm with the General here.
-- angel, Nov 18 2002


which one? why?
-- General Washington, Nov 18 2002


Liberals and conservatives love to play the blame game whenever anything happens that anyone doesn't like. Having not lived in Britain my perspective is somewhat limitted, but my impression is that the Tories were really much better for the country as a whole than the Labour party. One major difficulty in judging the soundness of a country is that many types of capital investments tend not to appear on balance sheets. For example, people with medical training represent an extremely important form of capital, and yet they don't show up on any budget reports or balance sheets. If NHS sets doctors' pay below the level required to encourage people into the profession, this key form of capital will be eroded as doctors retire. When a shortage of doctors occurs (as it will, eventually), whoever's around at the time will be blamed even though the shortage was caused by the earlier reductions in doctor pay which may not have occurred under the current office-holders' watch.
-- supercat, Nov 18 2002


Mrs Thatcher kicks banana republic ass.
-- Admiral Hackbar, Nov 18 2002


[bliss] the link is perfect.. [General] thankyou !
-- skinflaps, Nov 18 2002


I was much too young to care about politics back then. But as I seem to recall, those years were pretty lousy for everyone. Not to say that the 70's decade didn't deserve a bit of poetic justice...
-- RayfordSteele, Nov 18 2002


Im a blade. The steel industry in Sheffield was distroyed by this woman.My father didnt work again for 11 years as all the skills he had developed over his working life upto that point were then left on the scrapheap.At one point Sheffield had a 25 percent unemployment rate.This was before the coal industry went. As for the strongest bullmarket.Negitive equity.Got sucked into a dream and couldn't get out. John Major,William Hague and I.D.S.Ha Ha Ha I want the Thatcher waste disposal unit and the toilet. I will get to dance on her grave .
-- sufc, Nov 19 2002


a blue toilet...there's an idea
-- skinflaps, Nov 19 2002


Made of iron.
-- horripilation, Nov 19 2002


//But as I seem to recall, those years were pretty lousy for everyone//
So you were pretty happy with the 'winter of discontent', when domestic refuse went uncollected for ten weeks, icy roads were not gritted, power stations closed down because of strikes, children had no school meals, all courtesy of a militant, over-powerful trade union movement and a Labour government too weak-willed and afraid of losing its meal ticket to do anything about it.
-- angel, Nov 19 2002


//the 'winter of discontent', when domestic refuse went uncollected for ten weeks, icy roads were not gritted, power stations closed down because of strikes, children had no school meals// - those were the days, eh, [angel]. Of course, you tell the kids today about that and they just won't believe you.

Of course that, and the complete decimation of all of Britain's heavy industry, the years of underinvestment in public services, the replacement of society with individualism, all pay testament to the mighty Maggie. If I remember aright, she was massively unpopular just before the Falklands conflict. The self-destruction of the Labour party helped.
-- PeterSilly, Nov 19 2002


Well, the Thatcher government was elected with the largest proportion of the popular vote since the War, and her party retained power for 17 years. A goodly proportion of those who voted the Conservatives out had never really experienced any other government, and probably didn't realise what they were voting for (as we are now seeing). I heard many people saying that they would vote Labour because "someone else should have a chance" at government, probably the most stupid reason possible.
However, this is not really the place to argue further. [skinflaps], feel free to delete my off-topic chatter, but please maintain balance while so doing.
-- angel, Nov 19 2002


angel, as I lived on a farm on the other side of the pond during that period, I was pretty much missing during the winter of discontent. All I'm saying was that the worldwide economy was in shambles. I'm not out to defend the woman, as I don't know a thing about her.
-- RayfordSteele, Nov 19 2002


//I was pretty much missing during the winter of discontent//
You should've been here, it was *fun* (not). Having said which, I'd almost choose to go through it again if it meant another 17 Labour-free years.
-- angel, Nov 19 2002


Thatcher didn't want anybody as good as her so they got Major. Major didn't want anybody as good as him so they got Hague. Hague didn't want anybody as good as him so they got I.D.S. I.D.S. is the best they have got to offer.I pity them. Labour have still got a majority of over 160 after their second election.The Liberals are now a more effective opposition and will proberly have more seats than the Torys after the next election The Torys are finished.The end is in sight.Wish them luck as you wave them goodbye. The picture of how the disposal unit would look is now framed on on my office wall.
-- sufc, Nov 19 2002


I'd normally charge 50 pence and donate it to the General,however Sheffield United fans can have it for free.
-- skinflaps, Nov 19 2002


//Well, the Thatcher government was elected with the largest proportion of the popular vote since the War// - not true, I'm afraid... In the 80's the Tories struggled to get over 43% of the vote. Their best result under Maggie was in 1979 with 47% of the vote. Ted Heath got 48% in 1970, and Harold Wilson got 43.4% in 1970 (better than the Tories in 83, 87 and 92) and lost! Harold Wilson got 48% in 1966, the Tories got over 50% in the late 50s, and Clem Attlee got 46% in 1950.

Never argue with a psephologist!
-- PeterSilly, Nov 20 2002


My source was the Guinness Book of Answers, which is no longer to hand, but I'm happy to accept your figures. My point was that she was obviously not as "massively unpopular" as the unelected trade union leaders who were effectively running the country until then.
-- angel, Nov 20 2002


As a union member for the last 15 years I can tell you that Trade Union leaders are elected and usually in a far more democratic way than most party policical leaders. Unions use a one member one vote system to elect their leaders and always have done as far as im aware. How many political partys can say that. All Tory leaders before william vague were elected by the tory members of Parliment. Labour use an electrol collage consisting of members of the party,members of Parliment and members of the unions. Im not sure how the liberals elect their leader but to say unions are undemocratic is wrong. The winter of discontent only took place because Labour were confronting the unions and standing up to them.If Labour had given into their demands the strikes wouldn't have taken place.I was 9 years old at the time so I dont remember much of it.What I do remember is the shear joy of May 1997. I only found this site by accident on 15/11/02(I followed the wrong link) and I think it is stunning.The idea of cat pinball will stay with me forever. The picture of the waste disposal unit has now got fairy lights around it.I think I should go now and lay down somewhere quite.
-- sufc, Nov 20 2002


[sufc]: My meaning was that Trade Union leaders are not elected by most of the people whose lives they affect. I have no say in the militancy or otherwise of public service unions, but they can, and do, have a profound effect on everyone, as we are now seeing with Andy Gilchrist.
Once again, I find my elf getting dragged into an off-topic, right-versus-left political debate which will never be settled. I would prefer (and I suspect that the site's owner would prefer) that it go no further.
-- angel, Nov 20 2002


Can I have it in John Prescott flavour? As an optional extra, he could punch you as a punishment for cramming your banana peel down his throat (or launching poorly aimed eggs).
-- Parvenu, Nov 20 2002


(angel)I'm new to this, but you started it.I would be very disapointed in myself if I didn't respond to the c**p you came out with.As for the site owner I dont know them or care.You maybe friends and know them better than me or use this site more than me,but if you write things I don't agree with I have every right to challenge what you write and put my own perspective.As for you the Poll Tax was good. For most other people in our country it was bad.I think you need to learn more about what has happened in this country over the last 20 years and not just judge it on how much money you been made or saved. ps.I support the firefighters.
-- sufc, Nov 22 2002


//ps.I support the firefighters// - even when your house catches fire and a decrepid old 1940's style green goddess turns up with some soldiers and water pistols in an attempt to put it out?
-- Parvenu, Nov 23 2002


Yes.Simple fire precaution measures.Designated fire escape routes.Smoke detectors.Unplug electical things not in use.Curcuit breakers on others. Fire resistent carpets,curtains and furniture.Close doors when going to bed.Fire blanket in the kitchen.Fire insurence for house and contents.I live so far from a fire station that after 20 minutes my house would be gutted.
-- sufc, Jan 17 2003


[Parvenu] you see to be forgetting that it was our cr*py right wing labour government that forced the underpaid fire fighters to strike in the 1st place. and when your house is burning down and someone risks their life to drag your ass out, i doubt you would quible if they got a few extra bob in their paycheques. oh...and from a scottish point of view? Our good friend maggie ruined what little industrie was left in the glasgow area, leaving unemployment and poverty in her wake. and this government aint much better.

im voting left...c'moan Big Tommy!!!
-- madcrazydave, Nov 03 2003


oh...and i quite fancy one of those waste disposal thingys. though its kind of ironic that the rubbish is going into her mouth!
-- madcrazydave, Nov 03 2003


madcrazydave: I thought Labour (incl. Tony Blair) was left-wing and that the Tories (incl. Margaret Thatcher) were right wing.
-- supercat, Nov 03 2003


[supercat]: madcrazydave is, I believe referring to Tommy Sheridan, leader of the Scottish Socialist Party, a left-wing party that, for many people in Scotland, has taken on the role of the "real" left-wingers, in opposition to Blair's New Labour. Scotland has a long tradition of bolshy Clydesiders and whatnot keeping the red flag flying high and, I'd say, Blair is widely seen here as having diluted Labour's basic socialist principles so much as to make it laughable to describe his Labour party as left-wing. Without managing to persuade the somewhat-more-reactionary-than-radical, middle-class, middle-brow, Middle-Earth-loving, Middle Englander voters of the Shire, as I like to call it, Labour didn't stand a chance. So it rebranded itself under Blair and his spin doctors, and to a lot of "Old Labour" punters in the People's Democratic Republic of Scotland, they're sell-outs of the worst sort.
-- Guy Fox, Nov 03 2003



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