# Ooo Ooo That Smell... Can't You Smell That Smell. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 24, 2008, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598 "2008-07-24T11:06:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/41 "2008-07-24T15:32:12Z")
The office complex I work in suffers from somewhat unfortunate placement. To the east, there’s a horse pasture. To the west, there’s a cow pasture. Between the buildings on the north-south axis is a pond that sometimes goes stagnant and nasty in the summer. On a good day, either a north or south wind will bring only slightly smoggy air. On a bad day, someone is inevitably going to be downwind of something unpleasant. (Most of us agree that the horse pasture is the least of the evils when the pond is at its worst.) The town I grew up in had a cotton gin, and for a few weeks each fall, the town was covered with drifting bits of wayward cotton fluff and the acrid reek of burning detritus from the gin. That was far preferable to the smell that permeated the riverside neighborhood and occasionally wafted over the town, though. Near the river, logically enough, was a place that sold supplies to commercial fishermen. Those supplies included “cheese”. This is not cheese as you or I know it; this is cheese for catfish, which like to eat rotten crap off the bottom of a river. It’s also referred to as “stinkbait”; the primary component actually is cheese…mixed with slightly rotten pig brains and small bait fish, then allowed to ferment. I understand there’s an additive you can use for the cheese in place of the other ingredients now. Said additive bears the brand name “Liquid ASS”, and I suspect it’s one of those rare cases where the branding understates the product’s qualities. The eye-watering foulness of the reek from that place was astonishing. Fortunately, it was usually confined to the riverfront. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/42 "2008-07-24T15:37:08Z")
I used to live a small city away from a Tropicana plant. Every so often when the wind was right you could smell it. But I often drove past it on my way to another city and always got a good whiff of it. You would think that a plant that makes orange juice would smell nice and orangey, right? Hell no, it was foul. It was like a mixture of burnt orange peel and Satan’s toilet. Puts me off orange juice for a while. In my travels around the state the only thing I ever encountered that smelled worse was Jacksonville. You could _see_ the smell. It figures that no one else had mentioned orange processing plants and in the time I was writing my post someone beat me to it. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Octalcode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Octalcode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octalcode)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/43 "2008-07-24T15:53:28Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] My one time in NYC, when I smelled urine it was going down the stairs for a subway. Dogs had no input. 😉 [/QUOTE] I think you mean to say **output**. ---
**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/44 "2008-07-24T16:10:36Z")
Around Cambridge there are several Necco candy factories with associated yummy scents. Thin Mint day is a good day to be walking by. 🙂 On the other hand, when walking home from Harvard Square I often take a shortcut through the alley behind the Biolabs building, which has a powerful odor of _eau de mouse_ due to the outflow ducts from the forced-air cage ventilation system; a fine mixed bouquet of urine, “musky” (from male mouse pee) and old sweat socks. By virtue of long exposure I kinda like it. The Biolabs’ neighbors, not so much. JRB ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/45 "2008-07-24T16:14:26Z")
[QUOTE=beowulff] There was an episode of “This American Life” where Ira Glass tries to explain to someone from New York why Chicago is so great. He finally says “…and, the bridges smell like Chocolate.” I’d never been to Chicago, and finally got to go for business a few years ago. I went out for a walk one cold, clear morning, and caught a whiff of chocolate in the air. It really is magical. [/QUOTE] Unfortunately, [some people don’t think so](http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/3132). > [@](#): > > The family-run company, which makes chocolate liquor and cocoa butter among other products, was cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for violating clean-air regulations and is now installing equipment that will reduce its emissions – and stop the smell. > > “It’ll start to go away as we put pollution abatement equipment in place,” Vice President Rick Blommer told The Associated Press. > > The demise of the rich smell spilling from the cocoa bean processing plant will be a bitter loss for Chicago, said odor researcher Alan Hirsch, head of the Chicago-based Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation. > > “Chocolate smells put people in a relaxed state,” Hirsch said. “It’s been shown bad odors increase aggression; pleasant ones make people more docile. So you could say the chocolate smell is a real service to Chicago.” > > Smells are a big deal in this city once associated with the stench of slaughtered cows and whose name etymologists say comes from the American Indian words for skunk or onion. > > Within smelling range of the 66-year-old factory, it’s nearly impossible to find anyone who doesn’t rave about the rich, brownie-like aroma. > > “I love it,” said Maria Negron, 48, as she passed by the factory on her way home from work. “Who wouldn’t like the smell of chocolate?” > > At least one person in Chicago apparently doesn’t. > > The EPA said its recent inspection and citation stemmed from a complaint about the plant’s smell and emissions. The agency refused to elaborate. Blommer owners also refused to discuss the complaint. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/46 "2008-07-24T16:26:36Z")
The lyrics in the OP are from the Jacksonville band Lynard Skynard’s song “The Smell”. While the song is ostensibly about the stench of vomit etc. of an alcoholic/drug addict, my school buddies always used to joke that it was about the paper mill plant on the Northside, which, when the wind was right, would bring forth the most gawdawful stench, like what you would get if 1000 ents all decided to fart at once. ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/47 "2008-07-24T16:35:49Z")
[QUOTE=John DiFool] The lyrics in the OP are from the Jacksonville band Lynard Skynard’s song “The Smell”… [/QUOTE] Just showing my age a little bit. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/48 "2008-07-24T16:38:33Z")
Wouldn’t that be called an Entpoot? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/49 "2008-07-24T16:40:42Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] Orange processing plant. Ew. Smells of burnt oranges at some times of the year. [/QUOTE] It’s amazing how bad some foods can smell when being processed. Somewhere between San Francisco and Palm Springs is a sugar factory. The smell of converting sugar beets into table sugar can be horrific. And, around this time of year, the Campbell’s Soup factory on the south side of Sacramento emits a pungent stink of cooked and rotten tomatos. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/50 "2008-07-24T16:49:26Z")
I know it’s summer in Seoul when I catch a whiff of rotting garbage walking down the street. I swear that smell is everywhere. And during monsoon season, right before a typhoon breaks, when the weather is at its hottest and stickiest . . . yeeeech. On the other hand, I love it when I get off the train after work and smell roasted chicken stuffed with rice and garlic. There’s a guy that sells the stuff a few times a week, off the back of his truck. It is awesome stuff. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/51 "2008-07-24T16:55:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **gigi** > > I just got the most nostalgic feeling for NYC now. Must be time to go down. Glad I could help! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/52 "2008-07-24T16:56:57Z")
**HazelNutCoffee** - Reading your name always brings to mind a very positive olfactory experience. Mmmmmmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/53 "2008-07-24T17:08:23Z")
[QUOTE=John DiFool] The lyrics in the OP are from the Jacksonville band Lynard Skynard’s song “The Smell”. While the song is ostensibly about the stench of vomit etc. of an alcoholic/drug addict, my school buddies always used to joke that it was about the paper mill plant on the Northside, which, when the wind was right, would bring forth the most gawdawful stench, like what you would get if 1000 ents all decided to fart at once. [/QUOTE] Did you happen to notice my this comment in my post? > [@](#): > > In my travels around the state the only thing I ever encountered that smelled worse was Jacksonville. You could see the smell. I last visited J’ville in the mid-80’s. I can only imagine it got worse since then. I would guess the locals get used to it. I never understood how paper could smell so bad. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/54 "2008-07-24T17:38:17Z")
I live north of farmland. Let’s just say, you know when they’re fertilizing. I have no AC and I’ve been woken up some nights by my nose trying to crawl into my head to escape. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/55 "2008-07-24T17:44:43Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] Did you happen to notice my this comment in my post? I last visited J’ville in the mid-80’s. I can only imagine it got worse since then. I would guess the locals get used to it. I never understood how paper could smell so bad. [/QUOTE] Oops. I think the plant got closed down, or bought out, recently. But since I don’t live in that part of town anymore and only drive there when going to the airport, I don’t know for sure. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/56 "2008-07-24T18:15:37Z")
[QUOTE=LurkMeister] Unfortunately, [some people don’t think so](http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/3132). [/QUOTE] Yes, I know, that was what the TAL episode was about. It’s such a shame. I guess there’s no pleasing some people. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/57 "2008-07-24T18:36:19Z")
Decatur, Illinois–home of Archer Daniels Midland, world’s largest grain processor. Oy. A constant distinctive smell of “jeez, what IS that smell, some kind of cooking grain?”, nothing you can really identify, but ever-present, and on days when an inversion layer hovers over the city, quite obnoxious. We moved here in 1986, and in those days it was noticeably better on Sundays, but then on Monday mornings it fired up again, plus there was a distinct “burned” overtone to it, quite as if you’d scorched a pot of beans on the stove. After a few years it stopped doing that, so I suppose either they changed their processing schedule or their equipment, or both. On spring and fall days when there’s a brisk thunderstorm followed by a crisp breeze straight out of the west, you actually can’t smell it. However, on those days, you can catch distinct whiffs of somebody’s hog or cattle operation out on Wyckles Road west of town. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/58 "2008-07-24T18:46:08Z")
[QUOTE=Contrary] I lived in Italian Village in Columbus OH and there was a Wonder Bread factory nearby. But they didn’t make bread, they made cinnamon rolls. So people would come see me thinking it was a scary part of town and then they’d smell the cinnamon rolls. MMMMM. [/QUOTE] That’s the Wonder Bread factory I was talking about, but they definitely make bread now. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/59 "2008-07-24T19:06:31Z")
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad] Wouldn’t that be called an Entpoot? [/QUOTE] Ha!! Well played, sir, well played. This post is made of win. ---
**Author:** ![Cowgirl\_Jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598/60 "2008-07-24T19:08:44Z")
I live near a garlic dehydrator and several tomato processing plants. On a good day, I get a craving for spaghetti sauce. On a bad day, the fog traps the chicken farms’ aroma. My man works for Frito-Lay. Our whole house often smells like chips, particularly the laundry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooo-ooo-that-smell-cant-you-smell-that-smell/457598.md?page=4)