Australian city spends $170,000 on... this

[Stryc9]

That's alright, that's really not a lot of money when you compare it to the city of Ballard Washington which is about to spend 3 Million dollars on a park that's 29 feet wide and the length of a city block.

Are the blades of grass going to be coated in gold?

No, it's just a way they can waste that 3 mil they have to spend without improving parts of other parks that the city's team of lawyers have decided are too much of a liability for the public to use. The city HAS to spend all the money on something or else when the next budget comes around they won't get as much as last time. The politics of it is insane but that's the way it is.

 

[Dutch 924]

It looks like a deformed puffin with extremely disturbing breasts hanging off the sides.
Good to know the taxpayer's money is being used to its full potential.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

New enemy type for Half Life 3. Flying Headcrab Whales!

 

[unstabLized]

So it's a Whalelord with 8 flappy tits attached to it?... Worth it. I burst out in laughter every time I glance at it.

Art..

 

[Shamanic Rhythm]

And here I thought Australia was the very seat of conservatism. Now whenever somebody complains about sex in video games being imported into Australia you can retort with, "Dude, we have a giant floating tit whale."

Not pictured: the flower pot falling nearby thinking "not again..."

Congratulations to both of you for making me laugh even harder than when I first saw the tit whale.

 

[soren7550]

Don't the fins (wings?) kind of look like a bundle of giant, hanging boobies?

Yes. Yes, they indeed do. And it is terrifying.

 

[kypsilon]

And here I thought Australia was the very seat of conservatism. Now whenever somebody complains about sex in video games being imported into Australia you can retort with, "Dude, we have a giant floating tit whale."

Not pictured: the flower pot falling nearby thinking "not again..."

Congratulations to both of you for making me laugh even harder than when I first saw the tit whale.

*Tips the hat* Anytime.

martyrdrebel27 has my undying respect for the Douglas Adams reference.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Nintendo did this.

20 years ago

 

[VondeVon]

If it weren't for the penis-boobs, I'd be so proud of living in a country that built a Wind Fish.

Alas.

 

[deserteagleeye]

I thought it was some next-gen Team Rocket themed Hot-air balloon. :/

 

[Galletea]

This kind of stuff happens everywhere. In my town we have a big spade. It's a brewing town (or was once) and is supposed to represent a malt shovel. It looks nothing like a real malt shovel, just a giant garden spade with a beer bottle cut out of the middle you can walk through. A tit whale balloon is at least interesting, but most cities have a budget for things that must be arty, and cannot be spent in any other way.

I don't have a problem with that really. They waste so much money on other stuff, why not something you can at least talk about?

 

[Cheesus Crust]

Remember guys! TRUE ART IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE!!!!

Had a feeling the "True Art" phrase would pop up somewhere.

 

[Syntax Error]

Remember guys! TRUE ART IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE!!!!

Had a feeling the "True Art" phrase would pop up somewhere.

If you spend idle time at work browsing TVTropes, it's inevitable.

 

[mitchell271]

So they made the Wind Fish from Link's Awakening? Yes, that makes perfect sense Canberra government.

 

[mooncalf]

I knew it! This reminded me of Patricia Piccinini when I first saw it. The exhibition of her art which I saw in Adelaide was amazing, so many uncanny creations. Eh considering what it could be spent on... I dunno I'm glad weird stuff exists for us to talk about. :3

 

[stabnex]

Canberra, hear me out. Instead of blowing $170,000 on a new concept of a hot air balloon, why not rent one of the millions of themed, previously existing, ones and send all the extra money to me! So I can spend it on bling of skywhales

 

[Aaron Sylvester]

Must...resist...urge...to...meme-fy....GAH, I can't! Especially since I'm from NZ, you Aussies may make fun of our Maori designs but then you go and make something like that

 

[cojo965]

Don't the fins (wings?) kind of look like a bundle of giant, hanging boobies?

Well. Worse things have been bought. I just cannot name any other ones.

My god they totally do lol.

 

[Psykoma]

I can't top that in sheer wtf-ness, because it's pretty awesome in that respect.

But for the simple sake of wasting money to produce nothing of value, maybe.
The city of Montreal a few years ago wanted to come up with a new informal logo/symbol for the city.

Spoiler

That's what they came up with.
Cost of the design: $487,000. As far as I know that's not even including the cost of actually installing that thing anywhere. 487K just for the design of it...

 

[FreakofNatur]

Looks like someone tapped 4 blue mana and summoned a blue creature.

Needless to say the summoning was botched.