We all know that China doesn't exactly have a sterling reputation when it comes to food safety. When a country executes a former State Food and Drug Administration chief for corruption, you can't help but take their food with a grain of salt--and perhaps a lot of antibiotics.

But selling steamed buns made from cardboard softened with caustic soda on the streets of Beijing? Now that's totally disgusting even by their standards.

I find this absolutely outrageous. Everyone knows that siopao (steamed buns) must only be made from the finest cat meat! And no, pronouncing "cardboard" as "catbot" because of a Chinese accent doesn't make it OK!

Then again, maybe cardboard isn't so bad. It's just thick paper, right? You know the square pieces of paper that they stick under your siopao? I've accidentally eaten more than a few of those in my lifetime, and yet I'm still alive.

Besides, cardboard is rich in fiber. It probably won't make your food taste better, but it just might make you poop better. Yay!