Michael, I’m sure the creators of Bob the Cob would be devastated to learn the first thing he brought to my mind:
My great uncle’s farm in Stone Mountain, Ga., which had no indoor plumbing back in the ’50s when we used to visit, had lots of corn cobs but they weren’t used for fuel.
And lest you think that outdoor privies are a thing of the past, think again. Of course, Charmin has replaced corn cobs and Sears catalogs, thank goodness.
At the risk of sounding obsessed with outhouses, I have to say that the most luxurious privy I ever used was at a dacha on the Volga River in the village of Chernopenya in Russia. It was heated, carpeted and had travel posters on the walls. You just didn’t have to waste effort flushing. Now that’s an energy saver.
