FARK.com: (6829636) This man invented a better sanitary napkin and changed poor women's lives forever. Period

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		This man invented a better sanitary napkin and changed poor women's lives forever. Period (gizmodo.com)		60
		More: Interesting, sanitary napkins, Fast Company

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SphericalTime

2011-12-19 08:57:28 PM

Hah. I see what he did there.

ArkAngel

2011-12-19 09:09:35 PM

SphericalTime: Hah. I see what he did there.

I guess you get greenlights if your headlines flow like this

unyon

2011-12-19 09:30:34 PM

ArkAngel: SphericalTime: Hah. I see what he did there.

I guess you get greenlights if your headlines flow like this

I dunno, I thought it was a little bloated and cramped.

majestic

2011-12-19 09:37:27 PM

What a douche.

Hassan Ben Sobr

2011-12-19 09:39:25 PM

So he invented string theory-big deal already.

Hector Remarkable

2011-12-19 09:39:44 PM

majestic: What a douche.

We all get that not-so-fresh feeling.

baorao

2011-12-19 09:56:59 PM

TFA: "Fashioning his own menstruating uterus by filling a bladder with goat's blood, Muruganantham went about his life while wearing women's underwear, occasionally squeezing the contraption to test out his latest iteration."

That beats the hell out of a blue liquid Tampax commercial.

zato_ichi

2011-12-19 09:57:16 PM

You ladies have it so much tougher then menses.

itazurakko

2011-12-19 10:10:16 PM

But does this story have wings?

Balchinian

2011-12-19 10:38:48 PM

At least this wasn't one of the typical Gizmodo padded articles.

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm

2011-12-19 10:41:50 PM

At the risk of going full TMI...

Can we get some of these here? Have you seen the prices on sanitary products lately?

/you probably haven't if you're a dude
//so lucky

Dear Jerk

2011-12-19 10:45:25 PM

A true genius. I'll bet he could mop up floor with those suckers in Mensa.

t3knomanser

2011-12-19 10:47:35 PM

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: At the risk of going full TMI...

Several ladies of my acquaintance rave about the Diva Cup. Once you get past the hippie dippy "you can compost your menstruations, if you want!" garbl, they're apparently very convenient and easy to deal with. Not having bled out my dick for three days straight, I can't claim personal knowledge, but those with uteruses seem to like them.

Mugato

2011-12-19 11:01:32 PM

Arunachalam Muruganantham

"That's not a name, it's a bad Scrabble hand."

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm

2011-12-19 11:09:23 PM

Farnn

2011-12-19 11:09:58 PM

God that must have sucked doing product testing.

Trixie212

2011-12-19 11:18:59 PM

Bloody hell...

Vermicious Knids

2011-12-19 11:23:43 PM

First World countries think about much, but a woman's ability to control and conceal her menstruation is a huge factor in being able to get a job and feed your family. In many cultures--including old-school India--menstruating women are viewed as unclean. And that's not even a spiritual figure of speech if you're bleeding like a stuck pig all over the floor. So hats off to this guy.

And P.S. Yes, Diva Cups rule.

Gunther

2011-12-19 11:24:12 PM

From the article the Gizmodo article rips off:

He first tried to get his wife and sisters to test his hand-crafted napkins, but they refused. He tried to get female medical students to wear them and fill out feedback sheets, but no woman wanted to talk to a man about such a taboo topic. His wife, thinking his project was all an excuse to meet younger women, left him. After repeated unsuccessful research attempts, including wearing panties with his do-it-yourself uterus, he eventually hit upon the idea of distributing free napkins to the students and collecting the used ones for study. That was the last straw for his mother. When she encountered a storeroom full of bloody sanitary napkins, she left too.

Ahh, the old "Excuse me miss, I'm a designer of sanitary napkins and I'd like you to try them out" scheme. Always a winner with the ladies, that one.

Vermicious Knids

2011-12-19 11:25:08 PM

Should say: People in First World countries probably don't think about this much...

/Ambien-like typing detected

Pentaxian

2011-12-19 11:30:01 PM

So "Build a better a better mousetrap and the world beats a path to your door". What happens when you design a better sanitary napkin?

t3knomanser

2011-12-19 11:30:31 PM

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: You put it where??... :/

The same place tampons go. Like I said, I'm not speaking from personal experience. Apparently they're like not even having a period.

Vermicious Knids: And P.S. Yes, Diva Cups rule.

Sounds like this person is, though.

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm

2011-12-19 11:33:39 PM

Gunther: From the article the Gizmodo article rips off:

He first tried to get his wife and sisters to test his hand-crafted napkins, but they refused. He tried to get female medical students to wear them and fill out feedback sheets, but no woman wanted to talk to a man about such a taboo topic. His wife, thinking his project was all an excuse to meet younger women, left him. After repeated unsuccessful research attempts, including wearing panties with his do-it-yourself uterus, he eventually hit upon the idea of distributing free napkins to the students and collecting the used ones for study. That was the last straw for his mother. When she encountered a storeroom full of bloody sanitary napkins, she left too.

Ahh, the old "Excuse me miss, I'm a designer of sanitary napkins and I'd like you to try them out" scheme. Always a winner with the ladies, that one.

If he offers them at $0.25 for a pack of eight, I'll listen to whatever he's got to say.

Kar98

2011-12-19 11:44:10 PM

I quit reading after "Indian inventor".

TheSelphie

2011-12-20 12:00:38 AM

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: At the risk of going full TMI...

Can we get some of these here? Have you seen the prices on sanitary products lately?

/you probably haven't if you're a dude
//so lucky

I save some money by getting store brand ones instead of name brands like Always. It is about half the price for very similar quality. The name brand prices are absolutely outrageous. The store brand prices are only somewhat of a rip-off.

BigJake

2011-12-20 12:16:16 AM

Vermicious Knids: In many cultures--including old-school India--menstruating women are viewed as unclean.

that's because they are

namatad

2011-12-20 12:20:06 AM

NotARocketScientist

2011-12-20 12:23:23 AM

FTFA: But he doesn't sell the napkins. He sells the machines, which are funded by NGOs, and not only provide sanitary maxi pads to rural communities, but also jobs.

Makes it possible for whole villages of women to have cheap pads and provides employment.
Deserves the hero tag for this.

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm

2011-12-20 12:23:26 AM

namatad: PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: At the risk of going full TMI...

Can we get some of these here? Have you seen the prices on sanitary products lately?

/you probably haven't if you're a dude
//so lucky

buy a cup??

It's been suggested, but thank you.

K.B.O. Winston

2011-12-20 12:23:59 AM

Trixie212: Bloody hell...

So you've tried theDiva Cup, I take it?

/two words
//overflow
///tampons are better if you have to swap out multiple times per work day

suziequzie

2011-12-20 12:25:25 AM

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: At the risk of going full TMI...

Can we get some of these here? Have you seen the prices on sanitary products lately?

/you probably haven't if you're a dude
//so lucky

What I hate? They are taxed. Like I really have a choice in using these or not - just set them in the same category as kid's shoes or groceries and drop the tax on them.

That and it feels gross. But tampons are worse.

suziequzie

2011-12-20 12:28:24 AM

t3knomanser: PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: You put it where??... :/

The same place tampons go. Like I said, I'm not speaking from personal experience. Apparently they're like not even having a period..

My cramps and bloating would beg to differ...

/yes, I'm bleeding right now
//getting a kick...
///yadda yadda yadda

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm

2011-12-20 12:34:04 AM

suziequzie: PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: At the risk of going full TMI...

Can we get some of these here? Have you seen the prices on sanitary products lately?

/you probably haven't if you're a dude
//so lucky

What I hate? They are taxed. Like I really have a choice in using these or not - just set them in the same category as kid's shoes or groceries and drop the tax on them.

That and it feels gross. But tampons are worse.

I was going to rant about that, but then rationalized it with the thought that it's a non-food and they have to draw the line somewhere.

/toilet paper is taxed too; women shouldn't get to keep all the outrage

suziequzie

2011-12-20 12:43:36 AM

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: suziequzie: PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: At the risk of going full TMI...

Can we get some of these here? Have you seen the prices on sanitary products lately?

/you probably haven't if you're a dude
//so lucky

What I hate? They are taxed. Like I really have a choice in using these or not - just set them in the same category as kid's shoes or groceries and drop the tax on them.

That and it feels gross. But tampons are worse.

I was going to rant about that, but then rationalized it with the thought that it's a non-food and they have to draw the line somewhere.

/toilet paper is taxed too; women shouldn't get to keep all the outrage

I don't think TP should be taxed either. I'm in Canada - they tax our smokes and booze enough that I'm sure that they could cut the TP and feminine hygiene tax without it really hurting them.

namatad

2011-12-20 12:58:54 AM

PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: namatad: PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: At the risk of going full TMI...

Can we get some of these here? Have you seen the prices on sanitary products lately?

/you probably haven't if you're a dude
//so lucky

buy a cup??

It's been suggested, but thank you.

Yah, after reading about the cup... god damn hippies

Britney Spear's Speculum

2011-12-20 01:24:54 AM

pics?

Dare I ask?

Kyoki

2011-12-20 01:41:51 AM

Well I guess this is the thread to meet all the 'I didn't get fertilized this month' farkettes.

How YOU doin'?

/ow!
//quit hitting me!
///seriously, no slashing!

Smeggy Smurf

2011-12-20 01:42:19 AM

Kar98: I quit reading after "Indian inventor".

They invented popcorn. Farking genius

sheilanagig

2011-12-20 02:26:05 AM

t3knomanser: PleaseHamletDon'tHurtEm: At the risk of going full TMI...

Several ladies of my acquaintance rave about the Diva Cup. Once you get past the hippie dippy "you can compost your menstruations, if you want!" garbl, they're apparently very convenient and easy to deal with. Not having bled out my dick for three days straight, I can't claim personal knowledge, but those with uteruses seem to like them.

I can vouch for this. I haven't had to buy disposable products in about two years now. It takes some getting used to, but no more than tampons do. I've never experienced any problems with that thing the other person said about heavy flow and leaking or anything like that. You can empty them discreetly in the ladies room toilet if you're at work. There are instructions for just such possible scenarios in the pamphlet that comes with the cup.

Seriously, guys, try to convince the woman in your life of the wisdom in the Diva cup, and you will never again be sent out to buy tampons or get funny looks from the girl at the checkout in the middle of the night.

sheilanagig

2011-12-20 02:29:58 AM

Oh yeah, and no unspeakable little wrapped up packages in the bathroom wastebasket is kind of nice too. It's a little bit horrible to imagine all of the sodden used tampons in the sewer system or used pads in the landfills. I don't like to think about it too much. It's pretty gross.

Contents Under Pressure

2011-12-20 03:02:00 AM

If you want to bring the population down, educate the women. They will see that they have opportunities to be more than a babby vending machine.

If you want to keep girls in school, provide them with ways to handle their periods and give them bathrooms. Some schools don't even have bathrooms for the girls, so the choice is to get a UTI from holding it all day or get raped in the crapper.

At least this guy is helping them deal with the period thing.

Hero tag for sure.

Smeggy Smurf

2011-12-20 03:02:48 AM

sheilanagig: Oh yeah, and no unspeakable little wrapped up packages in the bathroom wastebasket is kind of nice too. It's a little bit horrible to imagine all of the sodden used tampons in the sewer system or used pads in the landfills. I don't like to think about it too much. It's pretty gross.

Bloody hell woman, that's just gross

skodabunny

2011-12-20 10:50:33 AM

I thought they were called sanitary towels--isn't a napkin something you wipe your lips cleans with?

sheilanagig

2011-12-20 12:21:55 PM

Smeggy Smurf: Bloody hell woman, that's just gross

I just thought a visual of the fate of disposed menstrual products would help to illustrate their impact on our environment.

In the past, women used reusable or natural things for their period. That went on until just about 50 years ago. The "sanitary belt" springs to mind and gives me a shudder. This stuff we use now is no good. It doesn't break down and it means that we're disposing of biohazardous material. A woman spends about a quarter of the time menstruating every single month. Extrapolate that to include all women of reproductive age and it's a lot of women and a lot of product discarded for the landfill.

Kar98

2011-12-20 12:44:47 PM

Smeggy Smurf: Kar98: I quit reading after "Indian inventor".

They invented popcorn. Farking genius

I hate popcorn. And I was talking about tech support Indians, not casino ones.

whenIsayGO

2011-12-20 12:49:02 PM

Every time I'm pissed off about how much menstruation sucks, I'm reminded of something somebody once said, that the whole problem with menstruation is that historically too few women become engineers and inventors, and all the sanitary products were designed by men who at a certain point just don't give enough of a shiat to improve things beyond a certain point.

I mean, I appreciate the lengths this guy went to to try to understand what he was creating, but now that it's the 21st century, I was kinda hoping some enterprising inventrix would come up with something to revolutionize this bullshiat.

mark.jms

2011-12-20 01:12:18 PM

whenIsayGO:

I mean, I appreciate the lengths this guy went to to try to understand what he was creating, but now that it's the 21st century, I was kinda hoping some enterprising inventrix would come up with something to revolutionize this bullshiat.

Yea, you'd think. Can't swing a tampon without hitting a Viagra/Cialis commercial, but billions of women *bleed uncontrollably* once a month and nobody's got something to just turn it the fark off?

If I was a woman I'da burned the damn thing out by now (co-worker had to have some sort of laser thing done). Dunno how my wife puts up with it, and I preemptively feel so sorry for my daughters - 7 years from now, *pow*, ok, you're a "woman", doesn't this suck?

Mammals are dumb.

sheilanagig

2011-12-20 01:25:28 PM

mark.jms: whenIsayGO:

I mean, I appreciate the lengths this guy went to to try to understand what he was creating, but now that it's the 21st century, I was kinda hoping some enterprising inventrix would come up with something to revolutionize this bullshiat.

Yea, you'd think. Can't swing a tampon without hitting a Viagra/Cialis commercial, but billions of women *bleed uncontrollably* once a month and nobody's got something to just turn it the fark off?

If I was a woman I'da burned the damn thing out by now (co-worker had to have some sort of laser thing done). Dunno how my wife puts up with it, and I preemptively feel so sorry for my daughters - 7 years from now, *pow*, ok, you're a "woman", doesn't this suck?

Mammals are dumb.

As far as most men in advertising see it, it's a nuisance that needs to be treated delicately. We might as well be getting diagnosed with hysteria still.

Anyway, if you stop periods and there is no reasonable explanation, like nursing a child, for example, then it could become problematic. For one thing, it's like an update to let you know that you're not pregnant. I'll admit, it's kind of a gross one, but it's useful to indicate that. Take away regular menstruation and a lot of things could be wrong and you'd never know it. The savings in pads and tampons would probably end up shifting to pregnancy tests. The lack of it could result in women not going to the doctor when they should, because they wouldn't notice an illness that would normally be detected by not getting their period until it started to manifest itself in more serious ways.

ritalinchild 54

2011-12-20 01:29:56 PM

/sniffs thread.

//Holds nose and runs!

Kar98

2011-12-20 01:56:27 PM

sheilanagig:

I know somebody who has a tattoo of one...

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