Shelter in need of supplies

Several floor samples of the George Michaels collection will be on display at the concert for tour goers to try out.

Bed, Bath and Beyond says it believes that the Michaels collection will be so successful that there are plans in the work for a follow up collection.

"Currently, we are in negations with Senator Larry Craig," said a spokesman for Bed, Bath and Beyond. "But he wants to design closets only. He's still in denial."

In 2001 the City Council approved importing the toilets from Germany, on the high-tech promise that they would clean themselves like a carwash after each use. At the time, the city was using portable toilets.

After the automated restrooms opened in 2004, their floor-cleaning mechanisms became clogged by trash. Prostitutes and drug users sought cover in them. The Downtown Seattle Association reported that human waste on the streets increased, instead of decreasing, after they opened.

Each restroom was used 85 to 124 times a day. Sewer ratepayers bore the cost, adding $2.59 to the average annual single-family home's bill of $465.