Battling Urine Stench With Strawberry Perfume....
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RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -

Officials in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's tourist mecca, have resorted to strawberry perfume to tame legions of revelers who they say are turning the beach city into a public toilet.

``We´re going to spray it in Rio´s 850 squares and instead of pee there will be strawberries in the air,´´ said Vicente Cantini, president of Rio´s Parks and Gardens Foundation.

Officials have conducted initial tests and applied the U.S.-made perfume, the effect of which is supposed to last six months, around a couple of downtown monuments that are pit stops for beer swillers on their way home from nearby bars.

``It seems to be working, even the tourists are commenting on the lovely smell of strawberries,´´ Cantini said.

City authorities plan to install toilets in many parks and squares by the end of the year, but say the proposed 30-cent charge will probably not deter Rio's 5.4 million people from the easier option of relieving themselves in public.

``There´s no way to stop those party goers, they just look for the first monument, tree or corner to relieve themselves of their beer,´´ Cantini said.

Rio's thousands of homeless and street kids also contribute to the problem, he said.

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Pinhead,Pin-Up at 56,Pinintheneck,Pindead,PinM&M, PinMoney, Pinocchio Pincushion, Pinwheel, Pinochle

Hmmph, there is a way of stopping people urinating in public, well stopping most anyway. Make it an offence and take the people to Court - fine them for creating a public nuisance. Perhaps a problem when it comes to homeless kids, then there ought not be any of them in a perfect world.

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From over the pond....

[This message has been edited by sue943 (edited 06-01-2000).]

I would think that you would still be able to smell the stench of urine under the strawberry odor..but I guess not huh?

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