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Re:
Thanks, mariss. I thought so too . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 29, 2013 at 1:15 PM
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Good idea.
posted by
mariss9
on May 29, 2013 at 9:09 AM
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Re: look before you leap!
I've heard others, MsJudy, who have mirrored those same sentiments. On the one hand, you may consider them somewhat greedy, because you assume that the extra money is going into their pockets! But when you fully realize and consider the costs of their overhead, including building rent, a part of you can almost understand why they felt compelled to resort to underhandedness. That doesn't make it right; it just sheds a small amount of light on their possible motive . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 27, 2013 at 9:33 AM
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look before you leap!
It is a shame that those establishments have to stoop to underhanded tacktic in order to keep their heads above water in these terrible times! LBJ
posted by
MsJudy
on May 26, 2013 at 11:15 PM
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Re:
I'm sure it was, C C T. In a way I feel I'm doubly lucky. First of all, I'm not really a drinker anyway. An occasional beer or a glass of wine, but never anything "hard," like whisky, vodka, scotch and the like. And secondly, like I wrote, I don't simply consume something someone has just handed me without knowing exactly what it is before hand, whether I'm in a restaurant or in a friend's home. Untrusting? Maybe. Suspicious? Sure, okay. But I've never, ever gotten violently sick and later had to exclaim "What the hell was in that glass?!?"
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 10:10 AM
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Re: JimmyA
Well, what's funny, Sir Wiley, is what people decide to label as "booze!" As I'm sure you know, there are hundreds of alcohol-related drinks with a myriad of ingredients. Although it may have been dishonest to substitute cheaper whisky for "the good stuff," at least it was still alcohol! In the follow-up reports, they discovered that a few of the bars and restaurants were also placing rubbing alcohol or dirty water into those same bottles! Now, you want to talk about dangerous . . . ! 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 10:04 AM
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Re: Haha oops
Oops, Symphony? I don't think anyone who drinks too much of that torpedo propellent will have the time to utter "Oops!"
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:59 AM
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Re:
Thanks, Utah! Now remember, this was an "operation" that took place in New Jersey! I can only imagine that these "discoveries" will probably launch other investigations throughout the country, especially in the bars and restaurants that are franchises, like the TGI Fridays. I have a feeling that, over the next few months, you will be hearing of other similar incidences! And like I wrote, I don't care if I'm labelled "suspicious" or "untrusting." I too want to know exactly what I'm drinking ( or eating, for that matter ) before I consume anything . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:57 AM
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Re: jimmy
Unfortunately you're right, jean. And yes, I have seen those reports too, where a cheaper grade fish is substituted for a more expensive one. I guess the bottom line is, some people just don't have any morals, scruples, or a conscience! Their bottom line is their profits, and the rest of us suffer somewhat as a result! It's a shame . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:52 AM
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Re: beware of places that show you the bottle of wine but don't open it at the
I don't blame you, Kabu. Some of those restaurants may not change the ingredients in the bottle, but I can see them changing bottles in the back room out of sight and unbeknownst to you! And hey, there are far too many "legitimate" restaurants around to even consider going back to a place that may have deceived you so! Can't blame the whole group for the actions of a few . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:48 AM
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Re: Jimmy...
Well that can't be good, Rumor! But, at least they were in a distillery and not in a Navy shipyard! And I'm not sure about starting the day with that kind of bang or blast! I think I'll stick to my regular coffee, thank you very much . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:45 AM
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Re:
That may be true, Against, but this stuff was definitely not moonshine! Dangerous or not, unconventional or not, moonshine is created to be consumed! I wouldn't even think about drinking torpedo propellent for the same reasons I wouldn't even think about drinking bleach, Windex, gasoline, turpentine or motor oil . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:42 AM
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Re: Oh boy...
Actually, Mia, I'm not familiar with that movie at all. But if the plot is even close to this actual scenario, then I can only assume that it was billed as a comedy! And you're absolutely right . . . I believe it may take a certain type of mindset to look at torpedo propellent and think "Bottoms up!" I'm so thankful that I was never one to give in to "peer pressure!" I'm also thankful that I'm not a complete fool either . . . !
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:38 AM
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Re:
Hopefully, FSI, not too deep! We can all only hope that this particular problem isn't as wide-spread as it may appear! But I know one thing . . . after this article came out, I can only assume that the general patronage of these establishments has already begun to decline dramatically . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:33 AM
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Re: Jimmy
Well, Naut, I think I would trust my friends to not knowingly offer me anything they thought could cause major harm, or even death! But in a bar or a restaurant, there's probably a lot of assuming going on, as well as trust! In a follow-up report, they also accused many of these bars and restaurants of not only putting cheaper alcohol into these bottles, but also rubbing alcohol and even, in some cases, dirty water! Now, substituting low-grade alcohol is one thing . . . 
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:31 AM
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Re:
So, lustor, is this a case of life imitating art, or art imitating life? Many of the plot-points in these shows are based on actual events! I can only assume that this particular scenario is probably not unique, or anything new . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:25 AM
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Re:
Hopefully that's true, Dr JPT. The sad part is, a huge percentage of the time, certain deceptions are not discovered until it's too late! Unfortunately, the old saying of "Look! The horses have escaped! Close the barn doors!" usually rings true in a lot of these types of scenarios! One would hope that somebody was "on top" of these situations before they got out of control! I can't help but wonder how many of these bar's and restaurant's "loyal" patrons were swindled before this was all brought to light . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:23 AM
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Re:
Yeah, maybe it is after all, adnohr. And you're probably right . . . a true connoisseur may have picked up on it, and that's what sent the wheels in motion! As for those two torpedo propellent-drinking fools, well, natural selection may have a hand in "weeding out" the undesirables amongst us, but sometimes they do it all on their own . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:18 AM
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Re:
Perhaps, Annicita, perhaps. Actually, I would have to assume that they probably couldn't have lived much longer after drinking that crap to be able to accept those awards! Idiot might be an understatement . . .
posted by
JimmyA
on May 26, 2013 at 9:13 AM
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I suppose it does not say a lot for the best stuff if a difference isn't noticed.
I don't blame you for refusing a freebie, in such suspicious circumstances,
goodness it made me feel ill when I thought of vagabonds drinking methylated spirits.
I have sniffed it once or twice when I was frozen and wet but the smell was horrible.
posted by
C_C_T
on May 25, 2013 at 12:48 PM
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JimmyA
I totally agree and booze like that can be very dangerous pard.
posted by
WileyJohn
on May 25, 2013 at 11:13 AM
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Haha oops
posted by
_Symphony_
on May 25, 2013 at 7:02 AM
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I saw this story on the news, and I was shocked. Like you, I must know what it is before consumption...Good post.
posted by
UtahJay
on May 24, 2013 at 10:30 PM
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jimmy
so glad you declined, but then i would expect you to because you have good sense. it never ceases to amaze me what some people will try and why they would try some of the stuff they do. but i agree with getting what you pay for. here in florida, they did a news story on how resturants will switch fish, one less expensive inplace of a more expensive menu item. its probably happening with alot of different items and all over the country.
posted by
jeansaw
on May 24, 2013 at 7:28 PM
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beware of places that show you the bottle of wine but don't open it at the
table. This is one that happened to me and a group of friends in Sudney once. We sent the bottle back and demanded they open another at the table. Sip Sip...Ah yes much better....oh and we never returned to that restuarant
posted by
Kabu
on May 24, 2013 at 5:25 PM
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Jimmy...
Torpedo juice..yummy..just what we all need first thing in the morning to get the day started off with a bang...or should that be blast?..
..
When I used to work in a well-known distillery here in town (in the insurance dept..no where near the actual products), we'd hear stories of guys who worked in the racks (warehouses) pulling barrels of whisky off their shelves, popping open the bungs on the barrels, and drinking it right out of the barrel!..
..
posted by
Rumor
on May 24, 2013 at 12:54 PM
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By reputation at least, if not by actual practice, it is understood that moonshine is commonly unlabeled. This is due to its home brew nature.
posted by
Against4WindsOn2Flam
on May 24, 2013 at 11:47 AM
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Oh boy...
The restaurants swapping out the "good stuff" doesn't surprise me at all. But who in the world looks at a jar of torpedo propellant and thinks "Hey, lets drink that!"?!?!?!
Not sure if you're familiar with a movie called Idiocracy, but this whole situation reminds me of that movie...
posted by
Mia890
on May 24, 2013 at 10:51 AM
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Like you, I want to be absoloutely certain that what someone is handing me is indeed something that is safe to drink...Reading this about what the restaurant was doing has me wondering just how deep the problem is in New Jersey and in other states.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on May 24, 2013 at 10:08 AM
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Jimmy
I certainly want to see the bottle when I'm offered a drink! It helps if it says 'Lagavulin', 'Dalwhinnie' or 'Glenlivet' on the label, and only if I know the bartender. I do trust my friends, of course...
posted by
Nautikos
on May 24, 2013 at 9:45 AM
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that reminds me of the last episode of Criminal Minds they were injecting etsy into bottles of wine, causing awful deaths
posted by
Lanetay
on May 24, 2013 at 9:10 AM
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I agree totally. Unfortunately without ckecking we do not get what we pay for, what we hear is not what we heard though we understand. Fraud, deceit and manipulations of all kinds are out of hand but not out of OUR control.
posted by
Dr_JPT
on May 24, 2013 at 7:36 AM
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Idiots may be too soft a word for those dudes pedaling torpedo propellent!! I've heard of the premium booze bottle scam, but real connaisseurs would have picked up on it. Maybe a couple of them did, made a complaint, and hence the 'Operation Swill'. LOL - I think that's a great name for it...appropriate.
posted by
adnohr
on May 24, 2013 at 7:06 AM
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oh my goodness....what idiots!!! he and his brother both would be eligible for darwin awards!
posted by
Annicita
on May 24, 2013 at 6:47 AM
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