Just HOW stupid are we?

[Lewisboater]

List of ingredients in " A taste of Thai" fish sauce:

Anchovy Fish
Salt
Sugar
Water(Only natural water-no water added)
Allergen information: contains fish


Just how stupid are we?

[seanz]

Just how stupid are we?

It varies.


Why does the fish sauce have sugar in it?

[Peerie Maa]

List of ingredients in " A taste of Thai" fish sauce:

Anchovy Fish
Salt
Sugar
Water(Only natural water-no water added)
Allergen information: contains fish


Just how stupid are we?

Just as stupid as the insurance industry thinks we are.

It varies.


Why does the fish sauce have sugar in it?

Everything has sugar in it, look at tomato ketchup.

[Paul Pless]

It varies.

Take me for instance, a conservative southerner; therefore pretty effing stupid.

I do take a certain amount of pleasure in my ability to spell 'ignorant' correctly.

[Peerie Maa]

Take me for instance, a conservative southerner; therefore pretty effing stupid.

I do take a certain amount of pleasure in my ability to spell 'ignorant' correctly.

Yep, that nice Mr Gates sells a good spell checker.

[John Smith]

I remember the snack machine at work and all the snacks that said "Fat Free" on their label and how I joked it didnt mean they contained no fat, just that they weren't charging for the fat. A closer read of the labels proved I was correct.

There's been a commercial out for a product that slips under the door and seals it for drafts when closed. They have a door they demonstrate with, but it has a door jam (if that's the right word for where the bottom of the door sits when it is closed) that is unlike any I have ever seen. It would not work on any outside door in my home, but I'm sure people buy it.

As a people, we are not only stupid, but gullible. Commercials are nice to let us know there is a new product out there, but many of them show the product doing what it can't possibly do, and we keep falling for it. I suspect those products that ARE available in stores are more likely to do what is claimed, as returning them is easier.

People also fall, again and again, for "shipping and handling" costs that are obvious excessive.

I'm also reminded of some rather strange signs, like the one on a Pizza Hut: In order to serve you better, this location has closed.

[Garret]

Well, actually - it's not as bad as you are thinking, but in this case it does look silly. However, the requirement is that all products show allergy info. So - this one shows "Allergen information: contains fish". Another product might show "Allergen information: contains peanuts" - even though you might not expect the product to contain them.

So - the requirement is to have a separate line for allergen information - which enables people to quickly scan the label for those 2 words & see if they have to worry - instead of reading through often lengthy ingredient lists.

[Rich Jones]

I remember the snack machine at work and all the snacks that said "Fat Free" on their label and how I joked it didnt mean they contained no fat, just that they weren't charging for the fat. A closer read of the labels proved I was correct.

There's been a commercial out for a product that slips under the door and seals it for drafts when closed. They have a door they demonstrate with, but it has a door jam (if that's the right word for where the bottom of the door sits when it is closed) that is unlike any I have ever seen. It would not work on any outside door in my home, but I'm sure people buy it.

As a people, we are not only stupid, but gullible. Commercials are nice to let us know there is a new product out there, but many of them show the product doing what it can't possibly do, and we keep falling for it. I suspect those products that ARE available in stores are more likely to do what is claimed, as returning them is easier.

People also fall, again and again, for "shipping and handling" costs that are obvious excessive.

I'm also reminded of some rather strange signs, like the one on a Pizza Hut: In order to serve you better, this location has closed.

The term you're looking for is "door saddle". My wife saw one of those commercials and got all excited about it until I told her it wouldn't work except to put scatches in our hardwood floor.

I bought a cup of hot chocolate at Dunkin Donuts yesterday. On the cup in red letters is the statement, "contents are very hot". Duh. But, the lawyers are looking for any gap in which to squeeze in their lawsuits.

[Shang]

Just as stupid as the insurance industry thinks we are.

Everything has sugar in it, look at tomato ketchup.

Nothing to worry about...that isn't sugar, it's Monsanto's high fructose corn syrup.
A real body builder.

[Gerarddm]

Monsanto's corporate motto at times seems to be the opposite of Google's: Just Do Evil.

I can hardly think of a company whose existence is more injurious to society's health.

[Shang]

...I bought a cup of hot chocolate at Dunkin Donuts yesterday. On the cup in red letters is the statement, "contents are very hot". Duh. But, the lawyers are looking for any gap in which to squeeze in their lawsuits.

Whoa there, Richard, we can't blame this one on the lawyers.
Blame it on McDonald's.
Everyone has heard about the coffee-spilling incident at McDonald's in 1992, and we all heard McDonald's story that implied that the woman had deliberately poured the coffee on herself in order to shake down McDonalds.
Not so.
The woman, Stella Liebeck, seventy-nine years old, received second and third-degree burns on her legs and lower body when a cup of nearly boiling McDonald's coffee spilled in her lap. She was hospitalized, and underwent multiple skin-grafts. When she sought $20,000 to pay for her initial medical treatment McDonald's offered her $800 to settle the issue.
The boiling point of water is 212 degrees F., McDonald's coffee was being served at 180 -190 F. And it was learned that McDonald's had hundreds of complaints about hot coffee burns.

I was about to post pictures of Ms. Liebeck's injuries but the photographs are pretty grizzly. If you are curious here's the URL:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...s_coffee-1.jpg

Or Google Stella Liebock and McDonalds.

Is it any wonder that fast food places now post warnings about their hot drinks?

[Durnik]

Monsanto's corporate motto at times seems to be the opposite of Google's: Just Do Evil.

I can hardly think of a company whose existence is more injurious to society's health.

Truly, from GMO's (& suing adjacent organic farmers of wind pollinated crops - who themselves should be the plaintiffs!) to glyphosate (RoundUUp), whose damage is vastly down played & even ignored.. and on our tax dollar, to boot!

enjoy
bobby

[hokiefan]

Bought a cheap pocket knife recently. The warning on the package said, "Caution, knives have sharp edges."

Well, not this one.

Cheers,

Bobby

[Paul Pless]

Truly, from GMO's (& suing adjacent organic farmers of wind pollinated crops - who themselves should be the plaintiffs!) to glyphosate (RoundUUp), whose damage is vastly down played & even ignored.. and on our tax dollar, to boot!

enjoy
bobby

Monsanto actually makes Halliburton look good!

[Old Dryfoot]

Two words, mitigating liability.

[hokiefan]

The coffee spilled? The coffee spilled? I'm sure that's how her lawyer would put it. An English teacher, or any stickler for accuracy, would correct you, and the lawyer, by pointing out that she spilled the coffee. Who is responsible, the person who spilled the coffee, or the coffee itself?

I know the jury found otherwise, but really now...was this case a major turning point beyond which we have taken less and less responsibility for our own actions and mistakes?

Natural water, no water added.

Yes, she spilled the coffee. But McDonalds served the coffee quite a bit hotter than the rest of the industry because they felt that made the flavor better. Over the arguments of their safety people who said the higher temperature significantly increased the risk of serious burns if the coffee was spilled. That is where McDonalds' liability comes from. Since this case they have lowered the temperature in line with the industry.

McDonalds new they were increasing people's risk and did it anyway. That was their mistake.

Cheers,

Bobby

[Captain Intrepid]

Whoa there, Richard, we can't blame this one on the lawyers.
Blame it on McDonald's.
Everyone has heard about the coffee-spilling incident at McDonald's in 1992, and we all heard McDonald's story that implied that the woman had deliberately poured the coffee on herself in order to shake down McDonalds.
Not so.
The woman, Stella Liebeck, seventy-nine years old, received second and third-degree burns on her legs and lower body when a cup of nearly boiling McDonald's coffee spilled in her lap. She was hospitalized, and underwent multiple skin-grafts. When she sought $20,000 to pay for her initial medical treatment McDonald's offered her $800 to settle the issue.
The boiling point of water is 212 degrees F., McDonald's coffee was being served at 180 -190 F. And it was learned that McDonald's had hundreds of complaints about hot coffee burns.

I was about to post pictures of Ms. Liebeck's injuries but the photographs are pretty grizzly. If you are curious here's the URL:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...s_coffee-1.jpg

Or Google Stella Liebock and McDonalds.

Is it any wonder that fast food places now post warnings about their hot drinks?

Keep in mind too that the ideal temperature for brewing coffee is 195-205 degrees F. So coffee should be super hot when it's freshly brewed. It's unfortunate that she spilt the coffee on herself and was injured, but the temperature shouldn't be unexpected.

The main problem was the lack of a first world medical system in the USA.

[Durnik]

Monsanto actually makes Halliburton look good!

Never thought of it that way.. but I can see it.. Just follow their history.. & this is a 'whitewashed' version!

They (both) are seen, world wide, as the two worst companies.. from any aspect except 'making money'.. & that is a perfect example of the sociopathic nature of 'big business'.. We can _always_ get more money.. We can _never_ get another earth.

Thanks!

enjoy
bobby

[Lewisboater]

Well, actually - it's not as bad as you are thinking, but in this case it does look silly. However, the requirement is that all products show allergy info. So - this one shows "Allergen information: contains fish". Another product might show "Allergen information: contains peanuts" - even though you might not expect the product to contain them.

So - the requirement is to have a separate line for allergen information - which enables people to quickly scan the label for those 2 words & see if they have to worry - instead of reading through often lengthy ingredient lists.

Yes...and a tub of Peanuts contains peanuts...come on...the label should be there for stuff that isn't so bloody obvious.
Apparently on one person caught the water thing....

an ingredient: Water (natural water, no water added)
WTF?

[Durnik]

Keep in mind too that the ideal temperature for brewing coffee is 195-205 degrees F. So coffee should be super hot when it's freshly brewed. It's unfortunate that she spilt the coffee on herself and was injured, but the temperature shouldn't be unexpected.

The main problem was the lack of a first world medical system in the USA.

Except for those of us who cold brew it.. Takes longer, but makes a superlative cup of joe! (IMHO) ;-)

However, you are certainly correct in that the "lack of a first world medical system in the USA" did surely exacerbate the situation! An asinine court system which essentially requires a defendant to deny culpability made it worse too, all the way 'round.

enjoy
bobby

Disclaimer: I will 'hot brew' on cold winter mornings like this one - 28F last night.. ;-)

[Nanoose]

The coffee spilled? The coffee spilled? I'm sure that's how her lawyer would put it. An English teacher, or any stickler for accuracy, would correct you, and the lawyer, by pointing out that she spilled the coffee. Who is responsible, the person who spilled the coffee, or the coffee itself?

Perhaps she didn't spill the coffee.
Perhaps the person walking by bumped her tray, which accidentally spilled the coffee.

Sure, the coffee didn't spill itself, but that doesn't automatically mean she spilled the coffee, uh...Judge (?).

[Old Dryfoot]

Yes...and a tub of Peanuts contains peanuts...come on...the label should be there for stuff that isn't so bloody obvious.
Apparently on one person caught the water thing....

an ingredient: Water (natural water, no water added)
WTF?

The "natural water" mentioned is a result of the process involved in producing fish sauce the label is indicating that there is no water added to this process.

[Garret]

Yes...and a tub of Peanuts contains peanuts...come on...the label should be there for stuff that isn't so bloody obvious.
Apparently on one person caught the water thing....

an ingredient: Water (natural water, no water added)
WTF?

And Ben & Jerry's Vanilla Ice cream lists peanuts, as it's made in a factory that processes peanuts (for other flavors). Unfortunately, there are many people who are allergic enough to peanuts where even a trace can send them to the hospital.

I realize that a jar of peanuts having an "Allergen" label that says "Peanuts" seems silly - but they made the law simple: if it contains something you have to say so. This jar of peanuts example makes it look dumb, but if you were allergic to peanuts, wouldn't you appreciate the B&J's one? I, for one, can get behind making labeling requirements simple: if it's got it, you have to say so.

It's still not as stupid as "Warning - hot when in use" on a wood stove.....

PS - Old Dryfoot nailed it on what the water part says.

[RichKrough]

Take me for instance, a conservative southerner; therefore pretty effing stupid.

I do take a certain amount of pleasure in my ability to spell 'ignorant' correctly.

As a liberal southerner ,the last time Ignorant I was evicted!

[Lewisboater]

The "natural water" mentioned is a result of the process involved in producing fish sauce the label is indicating that there is no added water to the process.

Ok...when read in that light... it actually makes sense. Could be worded just a little bit better though.

[Captain Intrepid]

Except for those of us who cold brew it.. Takes longer, but makes a superlative cup of joe! (IMHO) ;-)

However, you are certainly correct in that the "lack of a first world medical system in the USA" did surely exacerbate the situation! An asinine court system which essentially requires a defendant to deny culpability made it worse too, all the way 'round.

enjoy
bobby

Disclaimer: I will 'hot brew' on cold winter mornings like this one - 28F last night.. ;-)

I've always been meaning to try a cold brewing method. I've heard it's a wonderful thing!

[Old Dryfoot]

Ok...when read in that light... it actually makes sense. Could be worded just a little bit better though.

I dare you to pick up a manual or instructions that have been translated from Chinese to English.

[Lewisboater]

Half my tool's manuals are in Chinlish...I'm actually getting a bit better at deciphering them. Only half of them have blood spatters

[pefjr]

a new app for android

[Nanoose]

Ok...when read in that light... it actually makes sense. Could be worded just a little bit better though.

Ok...seems like there we have the answer to our question, eh?

[seanz]

Everything has sugar in it, look at tomato ketchup.

I'll do better than that, I'll look at a bottle of Thai fish sauce and whale oil beef hooked........it's 1% sugar.

[JimD]

It varies.

Good one

[Shang]

,,,In the Liebeck v. McDonalds case, here’s what the media failed to mention: Ms. Liebeck was in the passenger seat of a car, driven by her nephew, who had just accepted food from the drive-thru. They were parked when Ms. Liebeck spilled the hot coffee after struggling to remove the lid. The hot coffee scalded Mr. Liebeck’s groin, thighs, and buttocks and, after going to the hospital, where she remained for eight days, it was determined that there were third-degree burns on six percent of her body and lesser burns over 16%. During her hospital stay, Ms. Liebeck lost 20 pounds (which lowered her weight to 83 pounds) as she underwent multiple skin graft operations. Two more years of treatment and more skin grafting would be necessary. Here are actual pictures of Ms. Liebeck’s injuries as a result of the unnecessarily high temperatures of McDonald’s hot coffee:
http://neufeldlawfirm.com/blog/wp-co...ns-300x213.jpg
http://neufeldlawfirm.com/blog/wp-co...n1-300x231.jpg

http://neufeldlawfirm.com/blog/perso...o-documentary/

[John Smith]

Bought a cheap pocket knife recently. The warning on the package said, "Caution, knives have sharp edges."

Well, not this one.

Cheers,

Bobby

Dull knives are dangerous.

[John Smith]

The coffee spilled? The coffee spilled? I'm sure that's how her lawyer would put it. An English teacher, or any stickler for accuracy, would correct you, and the lawyer, by pointing out that she spilled the coffee. Who is responsible, the person who spilled the coffee, or the coffee itself?

I know the jury found otherwise, but really now...was this case a major turning point beyond which we have taken less and less responsibility for our own actions and mistakes?

Natural water, no water added.

You really need to see the documentary "Hot Coffee" and gete the facts on that lawsuit.

Plus you get to learn about how many contracts you enter these days where you unknowingly waive your right to a jury trial and have to go to arbitration with an arbitrator selected by the company.

The real stupidity here is all the people who believed the false information the media gave them about that lawsuit and failed to simply trust the jury. The stupidity is those people who want to cap lawsuit rewards. This was supposed to lower health insurance premiums in Texas and California. It did just the opposite in both states. When are we going to learn the only ones who gain anything by capping these suits is the insurance companies, and when the injured party needs more medical attention than the cap allows, the taxpayers will pick up the tab?

[Garret]

John, I posted a bit from a Wikipedia article about the accident and subsequent lawsuit just three posts up ^

And take a look at the pics in the links posted (like this one http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f9...s_coffee-1.jpg) & tell me it wasn't a bad injury.

I must admit I used to make fun of the whole thing - until I educated myself a bit. Now I don't.

[Paul Pless]

You really need to see the documentary "Hot Coffee" and gete the facts on that lawsuit.

Why the hell would someone, anyone need to or want to watch a two hour documentary on this case when the facts are available for free via very reputable news and information sources such as NPR or The New York Times and can be completely assimilated in about five minutes.

[John Smith]

Keep in mind too that the ideal temperature for brewing coffee is 195-205 degrees F. So coffee should be super hot when it's freshly brewed. It's unfortunate that she spilt the coffee on herself and was injured, but the temperature shouldn't be unexpected.

The main problem was the lack of a first world medical system in the USA.

Coffee should not be served that hot. My morning coffee comes out of the coffee maker quite hot. Too hot to drink, but not so hot as to give me burns like she got should I spill it on myself.

How many "frivilous" lawsuits do people think get filed per year? How many lawsuits each year even ask for millions? We hear about the large amounts, but they are a very small number of the total lawsuits filed each year, and I think it would be fun for some news team to go around to lawyers and try to file frivilous suits. I doubt many lawyers would take them.

The way the system works is the lawyers take these cases on a contingy. They only get paid if they win, and if it's truly frivilous, they won't win, so they won't take it. "Frivilous lawsuits" is a term made up by the industries that don't want people suing. It successfully plays on our stupidity.

[Paul Pless]

and I think it would be fun for some news team to go around to lawyers and try to file frivilous suits. I doubt many lawyers would take them.

Probably because lawyers are smarter than gotcha journalists. . .

[John Smith]

Why the hell would someone, anyone need to or want to watch a two hour documentary on this case when the facts are available for free via very reputable news and information sources such as NPR or The New York Times and can be completely assimilated in about five minutes.

The documentary is not limited to this case. This is merely where it begins. It covers a family with a child born brain damaged who ran into a lawsuit cap, it goes into the money spent by the corporations to elect judges to rig the courts to decide in their favor. It also covers the 19 year old who was drugged and raped in Iraq and her fight to get a jury trial rather than the arbitration she was contracted to. It covers the increasing number of ways we are, unknowingly, in the very fine print, waving our rights to a trial by jury by simply buying a product.

It shows the lack of cost containment on insurance premiums, both malpractice, and heatlh, that has not happened as a result of states passing tort reform.

The theme of the film is the corporations rigging the game against the middle class. The McDonald's coffee incident was misreported all over the media. Coincidence or plan?

It became the poster case for "frivilous lawsuits" but it really wasn't so frivilous when one has the facts. Look at this thread and see how many don't have the facts yet.

[John Smith]

Probably because lawyers are smarter than gothca journalists. . .

My point is I don't think filing a truly frivilous lawsuit is very easy to do. Sometimes lawsuits that are not so frivilous are hard to file. Most lawyers will talk to you for nothing, but they'll only take the case if they see some merit in it.

[John Smith]

After considerable googling, I found this

Averages

• Personal injury settlement averages are compartmentalized based on the type of case, taking into consideration the factors analyzed in this article. Medical malpractice cases consistently render the most significant settlements in the universe of personal injury cases. The average settlement in a medical malpractice case is about $340,000. Traffic accidents, the most common cause of personal injury cases, have a mid-range settlement average when contrasting personal injury cases overall. The settlement average for all traffic accident cases that occur annually is about $24,000. Slip-and-fall cases tend to have the lowest settlement average at abouty $2,000, which often represents settlements reached for the so-called nuisance value of the claim). If you have suffered a personal injury, you need to understand that the settlement value of your own case depends upon an analysis of the set of facts and circumstances that surround your accident.
  
  

Read more: What Is the Average Personal Injury Settlement? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5108033_av...#ixzz1mDRlNIzj

[John Smith]

Why would I do that? I've made no comment about the injury. The severity of the injury has no bearing on who is, or is not responsible.

It would not have crossed my mind in a million years, that if I had placed a crushable foam cup between my knees and subsequently spilled it on myself why pulling off the lid, that such an act would be anyone's fault other than my own. The idea that the restaurant who made the coffee would be held to blame for that is simply ludicrous in the extreme.

Would it change your mind at all to learn McDonald's had settled (offered to settle this one for $800) hundreds of claims of burnt lips, tongues, etc.? The jury, in point of fact, decided she was 20% liable for the coffee having spilled, but McDonald's was 80% liable because the coffee was so hot as to make the result of the spilling of the coffee a serious injury rather than just an embarassment.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Two words, mitigating liability.

That's it, that's all.

If you ever wonder why bureaucracies are as large as they are, read the above quote again.

[John Smith]

To learn? John, the facts of this case are well known. I posted an article about those facts. Do you really think you're teaching me something I don't know here?

Obviously not.

[Garret]

How many "frivilous" lawsuits do people think get filed per year? How many lawsuits each year even ask for millions? We hear about the large amounts, but they are a very small number of the total lawsuits filed each year, and I think it would be fun for some news team to go around to lawyers and try to file frivilous suits. I doubt many lawyers would take them.

The way the system works is the lawyers take these cases on a contingy. They only get paid if they win, and if it's truly frivilous, they won't win, so they won't take it. "Frivilous lawsuits" is a term made up by the industries that don't want people suing. It successfully plays on our stupidity.

Well... Not so fast. I know someone who defends insurance companies against frivolous/fraudulent suits. You might be surprised how many there are - particularly medical. Thing is, the insurance companies get attorneys who know how to deal with this sort of thing. Some stories I've heard: AOT didn't warn me far enough ahead about the construction - but there were pictures & testimony of over 80 traffic cones removed from the grille & front end of the car. 3 doctor bills for for the exact same amount (something like $38,436.12) with literally 3 or 4 words changed in the 2 page bill description. They go on & on.

Problem is that attorneys will take them on - as they get a big retainer up front that will cover costs & make a few bucks.

[Nicholas Carey]

It varies.


Why does the fish sauce have sugar in it?

Real nước mắm doesn't contain sugar, added water or anything else. It consists solely of cá com (black anchovies) and sea salt, Nothing more, nothing less. Here's the primary ingredient, before becoming nước mắm:



They get layered with salt in a big barrel and fermented for more than a year. Not unlike making sauerkraut. The liquid that gets drained off is the final product.

Red Boat brand, from Vietnam, is the best available in the US at the moment: http://redboatfishsauce.com/



If you can't find Red Boat or another good Vietnamese fish sauce, Squid Brand Fish Sauce from Thailand is a pretty good alternative

[seanz]

Our brand is Golden Boy from Thailand........70% Anchovy Fish, 29% Salt annnnd 1% Sugar.......so it says on the label. Maybe it's a Thai thing?

[Nicholas Carey]

Our brand is Golden Boy from Thailand........70% Anchovy Fish, 29% Salt annnnd 1% Sugar.......so it says on the label. Maybe it's a Thai thing?

I dunno about that. I figure, why should the factory adulterate it with sugar unless they know their product is sub-par?

When I cook with it, I'm perfectly capable of adding sugar on an as- and where-needed basis, thank you very much.

Same thing goes for butter. I'd rather you didn't salt the butter for me, please. I'm perfectly capable of salting food on my own, thanks.

But nước mắm is just the fish sauce. You make a dipping sauce (nước chấm) that does have sugar. The recipes goes something like this (it varies a lot by region, by personal taste and according to what it is to be used for):

Nước Chấm
Vietnamese Table Sauce

• 1 part fish sauce
• 1 part lime juice, rice vinegar or lemon juice.
  You might mix lime juice and rice vinegar to make a more delicate sauce.
• 1 part sugar
• water (1-2 parts -- enough to dissolve the sugar). Some people consider this optional
• (Optional) 1 or more of:
  
  • minced garlic
  • thinly slice scallions
  • shredded carrot
  • shredded diakon
  • thinly sliced chile (serranos)
  • sliced lemongrass

I'm going to crib the directions from this recipe, since that's how I tend to cook:

• Make limeade. Combine the lime juice, sugar and water, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  Taste and as yourself this question: Does this limeade taste good? Adjust the flavors to balance out the sweet and sour.
• Finish with fish sauce. Add the fish sauce and any of the optional ingredients.
  Taste again and adjust the flavors to your liking, balancing out the sour, sweet, salty and spicy. Aim for a bold, forward finish -- perhaps a little stronger than what you'd normally like. This sauce is likely to be used to add final flavor to foods wrapped in lettuce or herbs, which are not salted and therefore need a little lift to heighten the overall eating experience. My mother looks for color to gauge her dipping sauce. When it's a light honey or amber, she knows she's close.
• This sauce may be prepared early in the day and left to sit at room temperature.
  You might want to dial down the garlic and chile if you do this as the sauce will strengthen considerably as it rests.

[Durnik]

I've always been meaning to try a cold brewing method. I've heard it's a wonderful thing!

Tis, but I've noticed that I need to use a quality coffee.. Cheap coffee doesn't taste as good cold brewed.. Could this be another reason Mikkie D's serves it's coffee so hot? To cover up the lack of quality?

Trust me people, until some McDonald's started serving Newman's Own, it was impossible to get _good_ coffee at Mikkie d's. Hot, cheap & fast - yes, good, no.

enjoy
bobby