They may be gross, but so is having rotten corpses sitting in the open. By getting rid of those corpses they are doing us a solid, so turkey vultures are cool in my book. The only animal that's profoundly not cool is mosquitos, they're a worthless species.
Microorganisms disintegrate the corpse into foul-smelling goop that is highly infectious and stains anything it touches. I'll take the vulture over that.
Is the pooping on legs to stay cool thing for real?
Doesn't seem like the best strategy to stay cool..
It's a great strategy when you can't sweat. Animals roll in mud to keep the sun off and for evaporative cooling. I forget, but I'm pretty sure kangaroos rub their spit into their fur for the same effect.