A medium sized dustbinful of urine

[swee'pea99]

naming a swimming pool after a recently drowned Prime Minister is probably the epitome of poor taste.

I disagree. I think it displays an excellent sense of humour, all too rare at municipal government level.

 

[jefmcg]

I remember reading that in Bill Bryson's book; astonishing lack of tact.

I know I brought it up, but now I feel the need to defend it. It's a piece of brutalist architecture nestling in a residential suburb (imagine Cheam having a brutalist swimming pool) so presumably a big investment. The local member, who is also the PM dies while it's under construction. It might be tactless, but it would also have felt bad not naming it after him.

What was definitely tactless was apparently on the main ABC evening news the night he disappeared (they never actually found a body), the news anchor had to read with a straight face "the search has come to a dead halt". That is inarguably an example of black humour.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Did you never sniff chlorine at school?

I remember sniffing concentrated acetic acid at school. Two nostrils burning with the smell of fish & chips told me the beaker of colourless liquid definitely wasn't water...

 

[CanucksTraveller]

That's why I don't drink water - fish crap in it.

Ah, you're probably in that medieval mindset like me... drink beer instead of water. Of course the water was so bad in those days, (contaminated with horse urine, cattle slurry, human sewage, dead animals) that they drank beer and beer alone since the brewing process killed off nasties in the water. Although I gather the daily drinking beer (for children, women, everyone) was weak in terms of alcohol content, generally about 1-2%, hence the term "small beer" for something insignificant. The men brewed a stronger version for socialising and leisure. It's a nice thought. Everyone walking around just gently pissed.

 

[mjr]

I remember sniffing concentrated acetic acid at school. Two nostrils burning with the smell of fish & chips told me the beaker of colourless liquid definitely wasn't water...

Yeah, sniff it by wafting it towards you, rather than shove your nose over it and snort!