Accoring to
Eddie Izzard, a '
turny-dial system' is a
control mechanism for
appliances that, despite having numerous settings, can only really be in two states - low and high. Needless to say, neither of these states is particularly useful.
Showers have such a system, especially the ones in shower blocks on campsites. They can either be very hot, or exceedingly cold - but never comfortably warm. Toasters too have a similar system producing, unless watched carefully, either warm bread or charcoal - never, ever edible toast.
'Turny-dials' lie to us.