Make it nice for everyone

Without question this study (via) is the best scientific work to date on the question of toilet seat etiquette. I was particularly impressed by the author's perception that men as well as women pay a cost when inappropriately positioned toilet seat incidents occur. My one criticism is that the study failed to model my preferred solution, which is that the seat and the lid both be placed in the down position when the toilet is not in use. Not only does this solution equalize labor, but it also (as Safety Neal has pointed out to me on more than one occasion) prevents particulate fecal matter from being extruded into the air during the flushing process.