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discussions and study here at Art Science Research Laboratory
determined what Stinky icons best reflect each item on a 1 to
5 intensity scale. The first task was to identify a set of 5
distinct, common, culturally uniform smells of repulsiveness.
Once the 5 basic smells were selected a consensus was reached
by our group for the placement of the two extremes. A rat-riddled
stench of garbage was viewed as the worst, rated 5 as having
the most palpable yuk factor; the least noxious (rated 1) was
the reek of pungent moldy cheese. We realized that one's nose
hairs twitch only slightly upon opening the fridge to encounter
moldy cheese.
After quickly
evaluating the dead fish with the disgusting fly, rated 4
, the vexing question arose: what was worse as far as provoking
a gag reflex -- a stinky skunk or a smelly shoe? It came down
to a very tight vote with the smelly skunk just nipping out
the smelly gym shoe by one vote. The campers in the group
held sway with their empirical argument that skunk was a uniquely
strong odor not easily washed out, unlike the gym locker sneaker
for which a spray of Lysol provides a quick fix. Pro-skunkians
voted in the Skunk Rated at 3 and the Stinky Shoe at 2, successfully
arguing that the Stinky Skunk rating carries a bonus verbal
connotation, as it describes negative behavior as well.
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