[a fool in paradise]

They plan to pour a solution of live bacteria on the floors of Munich's beer tents, in an effort to knock out the inevitable festival smells usually covered up by a fog of cigarette smoke.

They banned the cigarettes. Why not ban the beer as well?

[allmendream]

What is going to cover the smell of the Germans?

[DallasDeb]

I worry about the development and deployment of bacterias for uses such as these. I know it may sound like chicken little, but who know how they can evolve and what they do once evolved. Eventually, the beer will dry up and then what will they eat. Same with the oil-eating bacteria.

[jonno]

...hoping bacteria can make the experience more enjoyable...

What could go wrong with releasing "friendly bacteria?

Shades of "I Am Legend"...

[crazydad]

This post is useless without pictures of German Frualiens!

[mstar]

cigarette smoke is a pretty effective cover for the putrid smells that accompany boozy revelry — think rotting food scraps, stale beer and, of course, the porta-potty zone.

Hey, sign me up for a festival of the putrid smell of rotting food scraps, stale beer, and porta-potty all enclosed in a tent full of drunks just banned from smoking, attempting boozy revelry. Let the good time roll. /s

[The Comedian]

Zyklon-Beer.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I love the smell of stale beer in the morning.

:>O

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks a fool in paradise.

Voters in Bavaria passed a statewide smoking ban in July, and it took effect last month. Oktoberfest gets an exception through 2011, but organizers want to conduct a test run during the festival's 200th anniversary, which starts next week. Its ill effects aside, cigarette smoke is a pretty effective cover for the putrid smells that accompany boozy revelry -- think rotting food scraps, stale beer and, of course, the porta-potty zone. Without a haze of smoke, beer tent organizers fear customers will forgo ordering steins full of the world's best märzen.