Car Culture: Coming and Going

I made the dubious choice of going to Digg

One page this piece:
http://www.howtodothings.com/automotive/how-to-cook-food-on-your-car-engine

You might wonder why you would ever want to cook food on your car engine. I say, why wouldn't you?

It can be a practical solution on long road trips: Now you won't have to eat that crappy fast food. Or it can be something to try just for fun. It's really easy to do. All you need is aluminum foil, a car and some food.

....

Then another link on the same page has this:
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUST5871220071023

TOKYO (Reuters) - If you're stuck in traffic when Mother Nature calls, Japan's Kaneko Sangyo Co. has developed the loo for you.

The manufacturer of plastic car accessories drew back the curtain on Tuesday on its new portable toilet for cars.

The toilet comes with a curtain large enough to conceal users and a plastic bag to collect waste.

"The commode will come in handy during major disasters such as earthquakes or when you are caught in a traffic jam," a company official told reporters, according to Kyodo News.

Japan is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

Drivers stranded by tectonic movements or stuck in tailbacks simply assemble the cardboard toilet bowl, fit a water-absorbent sheet inside and draw round the curtain.

The product is small enough to fit inside a suitcase, the company said.

But prospective customers will have to hang on until November 15, when the firm begins selling the new product online.

Maybe we should reconsider car culture...