Oprah today and cruise ship mishaps!

[jakieemma]

I guess smuggling inflammable liquids on planes and cruise ships is still easy to do.

Makes you wonder.

 

I'm not being paranoid...I know they can't catch everything smuggled.

[TravelWorks]

I was not talking about homemade absinthe, I was speaking of absinthe that is available for purchase in the mainstream absinthe market. Heck, you can make anything in your own home that can have quite ill-effects. The absinthe that is available for purchase nowadays is not like the absinthe of long ago. I mean..you could say whiskey could be just as bad if someone makes it that way in their home. There is some pretty potent homemade liquors out there, not exclusive to absinthe. In the article you posted the link to...the person who made the homemade absinthe even writes: "And recently, it has improved (her recipe) to the point where I think it taste pretty close to the "professionally" made stuff, but I think my absithe works a little better ;)." With a wink at the end eluding to the fact that she set out just to do that very thing (make it more potent). Later on, she even mentions she doesn't drink it for taste, she drinks it for the effects..again eluding to the fact that, for her, potency is what matters...so I am sure she made it to be so.

 

You are Right!

Well it is true we don't know whether these guys bought the Absinthe in Europe...(where it is legal in several countries there)...or made it from home...

 

But....It is clear that KICK was important to them too...because even the proffessional grade stuff is 180 proof~ not for your average consumer!

 

It really brings into question their priorities...and choices...

The captain said that the "boys" had been previously reprimanded and warned about their rowdy drinking parties...Other passengers have said the "boys" were to be avoided ~ and their behavior had made others nervous!

 

We know that on one previous occasion George had passed out in their cabin...drinking and playing cards with them. We also know that the Russians are under so much of a microscope right now they aren't saying anything to the public...and Josh...well his lawyer is trying to make it look like George committed Suicide....How convienent!

 

You cannot mix Bad Company...Bad Alcoholic Consumption...and Bad choices...and not get Bad results at some point....OLD MAN CONSEQUENSE always has his pay day...unfortunatly for the groom it was the ultimate price! I hope they find out what happened!

[marktac]

What was BS with OJ is that he got off....

 

He didn't get off...he was found not guilty.

 

That isn't an opinion....it is a statement of fact.

 

The problem with the Smith girl is she is trying to make fact out of fantasy. It will catch up with her.

 

Mark T

[NeptunesGoddess]

Oh yes, no doubt that absinthe has a kick. My response on the whole abisnthe topic was to do with it's "Hallucinagenic" capabilities and the myth that it makes you crazy nowadays. Also, to the comment about it being in the category with illegal drugs so RCCL should counter-sue. I responded in that capacity trying to make clear that it would be very difficult for RCCL to counter-sue on the grounds that absinthe was illegal.

[TravelWorks]

Oh yes, no doubt that absinthe has a kick. My response on the whole abisnthe topic was to do with it's "Hallucinagenic" capabilities and the myth that it makes you crazy nowadays. Also, to the comment about it being in the category with illegal drugs so RCCL should counter-sue. I responded in that capacity trying to make clear that it would be very difficult for RCCL to counter-sue on the grounds that absinthe was illegal.

 

I also wonder what happened with the Rape charges against the Russians...being dropped by Italy.... that happened the 2 days after George disappeared...for which RCCL finally kicked these boys off~

.....It makes you wonder about the laws that apply at sea.

 

I also wonder why they do not have stiffer penalties for lawlessness on board a ship...

?????????????????????????????????????????????

What are the rules of conduct...it seems so grey!

 

I mean if you were on an airplane, and you drank too much...got mouthy and out of control...they would land the plane ~ arrest you, fine you, and ban you from that airlines...Heck you can't even touch there smoke detector with out being prosecuted!!!

 

Why don't the cruise lines make some examples out of a few rowdys that mess up the cruise ships schedules and are causing grief to the other passengers???? People might take more personal responsibility...and watch their behavior.... if they knew their trip could end if they get out of control.....Just a thought!...... Ramble, Ramble, Ramble...mumbling to myself!

[NeptunesGoddess]

Ramble, Ramble, Ramble...mumbling to myself!

 

Haha. Well, cruiseships do threaten such behavior by saying that you could be escorted off the ship. I don't know what the breaking point is, though, for them actually taking action. It took the "russian" boys to be under suspcion of another crime (possible rape) before they were escorted off the ship. I guess drunk and disorderly is more of a grey area.

[caprcorn28]

He didn't get off...he was found not guilty.

 

That isn't an opinion....it is a statement of fact.

 

The problem with the Smith girl is she is trying to make fact out of fantasy. It will catch up with her.

 

Mark T

 

Yeah, I understand the difference between being found "Not Guilty" and "Innocent" - makes no difference ultimately (IMO) because he is out free to roam the streets as he pleases instead of sitting in a cell somewhere.

 

Back to the Smith case...

 

George's body hasn't been found, correct??

[TravelWorks]

Haha. Well, cruiseships do threaten such behavior by saying that you could be escorted off the ship. I don't know what the breaking point is, though, for them actually taking action. It took the "russian" boys to be under suspcion of another crime (possible rape) before they were escorted off the ship. I guess drunk and disorderly is more of a grey area.

 

Good Idea!

Maybe that is a good place for the "Congressional hoopla people" to start at... finding and defineing that breaking point!

It is the grey area that causes people to push the envelope...

 

Can you imagine what Disney would do if they found people sneaking alcohol into their Parks...getting wasted and behaving in this manner...towards their other paying guests...my guess is heads would roll!!! Even at Disney's night clubbing "PLEASURE ISLAND" where every night is New Years Eve....There are police and security every where...making sure everyone behaves themselves!

 

Which leads me to another thought....

ANOTHER QUESTION?????

 

If Jennifer really did assault her husband in the disco that night...Where was security?

[NeptunesGoddess]

George's body hasn't been found, correct??

 

Correct.

[NeptunesGoddess]

Can you imagine what Disney would do if they found people sneaking alcohol into their Parks...getting wasted and behaving in this manner

 

I know exactly what they would do! I am an annual passholder at Disneyland and I have seen it a couple of times. They get an escort right out of the park.

 

Disneyland now searches all bags that come into the park, but I am sure people can still smuggle the stuff in..not to mention they can go out to their cars, drink, and return to the park, drunk. Luckily, it is very rare to see and the occasions I have seen it were New Year's and a Grad nite. It is not a common occurence and I am sure the reason it isn't common is because of their strict policy about it.

[crzndeb]

Call me a skeptic, but I'm still not convinced that George is dead....lots of people fake their deaths and disappear all of the time.

 

Without a body and a whole lot more information from other witnesses(which we may never get), I'll still have doubts.

[NeptunesGoddess]

Call me a skeptic, but I'm still not convinced that George is dead....lots of people fake their deaths and disappear all of the time.

 

Without a body and a whole lot more information from other witnesses(which we may never get), I'll still have doubts.

 

Well, that throws a whole other wrench into the works, doesn't it? I hadn't thought of that. Certainly would explain her lack of genuine tears that some feel she is expressing. Another interesting thing to ponder.

[GoinCruisin]

Call me a skeptic, but I'm still not convinced that George is dead....lots of people fake their deaths and disappear all of the time.

 

Without a body and a whole lot more information from other witnesses(which we may never get), I'll still have doubts.

 

Where do you think they got all the blood from??

[zqvol]

Law enforcement always looks at the spouse long and hard in any case of foul play. Why? Experience has taught them. There may be a trial in this case but I think it will be the state vs. JS. With RCCL only a witness for the prosecution. RCCL will have documentation of everything they did as well as an awful lot of docs. on what the couple did and when. Like bar bills, where, what, how much, etc. They might have some video tape as well.

 

As far as the show is concerned, I think RCCL let themselves be a whipping boy for JS. If there is litigation, they will bring out all the proofs and bury her.

 

Oprahs friend is no reporter, she became involved with one side, even became a spokesperson for JS. That's not reporting, that's yellow journalism. She stunk.

 

 

Could be Scot Peterson is going to get a cellmate. JS sounds like a fertilizer salesperson too.

 

Dan

And what country's law would you suggest using for this trial, and where would you suggest that it be held? Certainly not in the US.

[zqvol]

No surprise there. Neither is Oprah.

 

 

 

It's not supposed to be reporting. The Oprah show is like an editorial in a newspaper. It's goal is not to report that facts and nothing else--it's goal is to state an opinion in an entertaining way.

 

All the same, I agree with you.

 

She stunk.

Oprah is simply entertainment. There for the purpose of the all mighty dollar.

[TravelWorks]

Call me a skeptic, but I'm still not convinced that George is dead....lots of people fake their deaths and disappear all of the time.

 

Without a body and a whole lot more information from other witnesses(which we may never get), I'll still have doubts.

 

Ya Right! SNORT!

...Because he was so sober to pull this off!

and the horrific thud from falling and loss of blood...

That is what you do.... cut youself and jump into shark infested waters...if you want a new life! PaLLLease!

 

Plus....give up inheritance from weathy business owner parents who run financially sound state liquer stores...(which he was gong to take over when they retired) not to mention...wholesale booze....when you are a drinker...and future owner....

 

not to mention... your new beautiful wife and loving mother through all this hoopla...and FBI pratically living in your family room...

 

not to mention missing the rest of the Med Cruise of a lifetime...yes he defineatly wanted to do that all on purpose...

 

WHAT is the Motive to nearly drown yourself...to get what...when he had a life to look forward to???

 

You all watch to much TV or something...

[zqvol]

I know exactly what they would do! I am an annual passholder at Disneyland and I have seen it a couple of times. They get an escort right out of the park.

 

Disneyland now searches all bags that come into the park, but I am sure people can still smuggle the stuff in..not to mention they can go out to their cars, drink, and return to the park, drunk. Luckily, it is very rare to see and the occasions I have seen it were New Year's and a Grad nite. It is not a common occurence and I am sure the reason it isn't common is because of their strict policy about it.

But of course at Epcot a number of the venues sell alcoholic beverages for consumption in the park.

[crzndeb]

Anything is possible....unless any of us were on the cruise with the Smiths, we don't know if or how drunk they were (people can pretend to be drunker than they really are), we don't know if the supposed thud was from a fall (or a pound on a wall) , it's pretty easy to store your own blood (how many of us smuggle booze in various containers, on the ship), we really don't know what was going on in his private life , if fact, nobody knows much at all except what has been speculated and read in the media (Jennifer doesn't remember anything).....And of course we know how accurate the media always is....

 

How many of us thought Elizabeth Smart was dead?? And she was right under their noses the whole time.

 

We probably will never know for sure...just like so many other disappearances. It's not about watching to much TV, it's about hoping that a young man in the prime of his life, didn't meet an untimely death. I guess I'm just the glass half full kinda gal.

[oldvato]

I'm with GoingCrusing. I understand the bride's pain but keeping the ship in port and cancel the cruise for everybody after the ship was cleared. That's asking for too much.

 

I guess if I were in her shoes I would feel the same way, but if I had been a vacationer on that ship, I would have been pretty upset if my vacation had been ruined. I don't mean to sound heartless but I guess anybody would have been disapointed if their vacation had been ruined.

 

As far as paying for her trip back home, I don't know what to think of that. That would have been a nice gesture on the cruise line's part. But I thought that vacationer's insurance would cover that. Anybody know for sure? I guess that going without insurance is a chance one takes.

[TravelWorks]

Anything is possible....unless any of us were on the cruise with the Smiths, we don't know if or how drunk they were (people can pretend to be drunker than they really are), we don't know if the supposed thud was from a fall (or a pound on a wall) , it's pretty easy to store your own blood (how many of us smuggle booze in various containers, on the ship), we really don't know what was going on in his private life , if fact, nobody knows much at all except what has been speculated and read in the media (Jennifer doesn't remember anything).....And of course we know how accurate the media always is....

 

How many of us thought Elizabeth Smart was dead?? And she was right under their noses the whole time.

 

We probably will never know for sure...just like so many other disappearances. It's not about watching to much TV, it's about hoping that a young man in the prime of his life, didn't meet an untimely death. I guess I'm just the glass half full kinda gal.

 

TRUELY!

Sure anything is possible...but this is not very probable. The FBI considers all options.

 

Wouldn't we all like to believe that George was well and dandy...and that princess Diana is still alive too...people still say they see her...(Must be terrible for her sons to have to hear that)

 

They stopped the search for George Smith because the evidence of both Greece and Turkey and of the FBI says he 99.9% met his demise. His bloody hand prints were on the top of that blood stain on that life boat cover...and they have documented by forensics that it was him and his blood and his hand prints that was there...below his cabin. He simply Zigged~ when he should have Zagged...He could have landed onto someone else's balcony had he been able to make that distinction...instead he slipped into the ocean leaving a drag stain of blood and his hand print behind.

 

Jumping off a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean is not a very smart way to start a new life...You could possibly die doing it that way!

And he had been drinking for several nights in a row...and people saw him drinking large amounts that night...you cannot discount that testimony.

 

If you want to Just disappear w/o a trace... one day you walk away from your house and never return...leave your keys and your wallet and your life...buy new clothes..., go south through Mexico and buy a beach house in Belize.....and bring a **** load of cash, and open a new bank account in the Cayman's under a new name.... That is how you do that.

 

(SIDE NOTE: And they didn't believe Elizabeth Smart was dead...they were still searching for her...and putting up signs and ribbons..and making pleas to the media...they never stopped until they found her! They had no evidence of her demise at all...she didn't fall off a ship in the middle of the ocean...her sister heard her get kidnapped. And the authorities as well as the family believed she could still be alive.)

 

CRZNDEB:

I am not trying to be oppositional it is just that the evidence really suggests otherwise...and I have hope to...I Hope that the good mother and father of George Smith will find out what happened to their son....

 

PS

How is all that rain up in my home state of WASHINGTON...I used to live in the historic district of Snohomish for years...and miss it very much! But I don't miss the rain!

[caprcorn28]

Call me a skeptic, but I'm still not convinced that George is dead....lots of people fake their deaths and disappear all of the time.

 

Without a body and a whole lot more information from other witnesses(which we may never get), I'll still have doubts.

 

Well...that is why I was clarifying that we still did not have a body.

 

As per the blood - we all know that head wounds bleed rather profusely when they are not very serious at all. I have worked as a Police Reserve and been in many situations that I have seen a tremendous amount of blood from injuries that weren't from life threatening wounds...Drinking and bleeding...hmmm that is a whole subject I won't go in to....WHO KNOWS what a motive would be...we aren't/weren't George...Maybe all that looks good to us from the outside, wasn't something to look forward to for him...Look at the Runaway Bride...Plenty of family money there...Success...business...sometimes it is too much pressure for some people. We don't know. But - it does still remain a possibility.

 

Ok - so maybe we don't want to Hollywood-ize this (even though it will probably be a network movie at some point), wouldn't it be interesting to have George show up, dazed and confused in some European country, not knowing who he is.....:rolleyes:

[caprcorn28]

If you want to Just disappear w/o a trace... one day you walk away from your house and never return...leave your keys and your wallet and your life...buy new clothes..., go south through Mexico and buy a beach house in Belize.....and bring a **** load of cash, and open a new bank account in the Cayman's under a new name.... That is how you do that.

 

Thought this thru huh??!! :cool: :D LOL

[TravelWorks]

Thought this thru huh??!! :cool: :D LOL

 

CHUCKLE!:p

Hey...you know that whole tax haven thing down there starts sounding pretty good...after awhile!...Plus non-stop diving and snorkeling ...I could live with that!

It is the skin cancer I would get that is holding me back! Oh yeah...and my kids! Darn IT!:)

[zqvol]

TRUELY!

Sure anything is possible...but this is not very probable. The FBI considers all options.

 

Wouldn't we all like to believe that George was well and dandy...and that princess Diana is still alive too...people still say they see her...(Must be terrible for her sons to have to hear that)

 

They stopped the search for George Smith because the evidence of both Greece and Turkey and of the FBI says he 99.9% met his demise. His bloody hand prints were on the top of that blood stain on that life boat cover...and they have documented by forensics that it was him and his blood and his hand prints that was there...below his cabin. He simply Zigged~ when he should have Zagged...He could have landed onto someone else's balcony had he been able to make that distinction...instead he slipped into the ocean leaving a drag stain of blood and his hand print behind.

 

Jumping off a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean is not a very smart way to start a new life...You could possibly die doing it that way!

And he had been drinking for several nights in a row...and people saw him drinking large amounts that night...you cannot discount that testimony.

 

If you want to Just disappear w/o a trace... one day you walk away from your house and never return...leave your keys and your wallet and your life...buy new clothes..., go south through Mexico and buy a beach house in Belize.....and bring a **** load of cash, and open a new bank account in the Cayman's under a new name.... That is how you do that.

 

(SIDE NOTE: And they didn't believe Elizabeth Smart was dead...they were still searching for her...and putting up signs and ribbons..and making pleas to the media...they never stopped until they found her! They had no evidence of her demise at all...she didn't fall off a ship in the middle of the ocean...her sister heard her get kidnapped. And the authorities as well as the family believed she could still be alive.)

 

CRZNDEB:

I am not trying to be oppositional it is just that the evidence really suggests otherwise...and I have hope to...I Hope that the good mother and father of George Smith will find out what happened to their son....

 

PS

How is all that rain up in my home state of WASHINGTON...I used to live in the historic district of Snohomish for years...and miss it very much! But I don't miss the rain!

Have you seen the FBI's reports?

[TravelWorks]

Have you seen the FBI's reports?

 

I am in the travel industry. I book group cruises for families, reunions, corperations...etc on the side from home(no longer go to an office) now since I have a big family... We often hear the rumors because we also love to cruise and we are also in contact with people who work for the cruise companies...I was curious!!! and when this event happened months ago, I googled the events to read about them.

 

This is even before it really hit the presses here in the states, it was big news in Turkey and Greece. That said...when I googled it...at the time there were only two news articles available...and one of them was chalked full of details including like 40 pages of transcripts from the original interviews in Turkey...(they were translated, because of course everything they asked in Turkish was translated to English by a translator...and then their answers were repeated back again to them in their own language). I was shocked..and sat down to read it all...it was creepy. When I finished reading it I also read it to my husband and then called my best friend that same day and read it to her! I wish I had printed it out...but I am pretty cheap and 40 pages of ink and paper...you know! This info has been said to have all been handed over to the FBI.

 

After this thing blew up to a hyped media frenzy here in the states...it wasn't there anymore when I tried to find it again in late November/Early December...so I assumed with the FBI getting involved and trying to keep a lid on everything because of the investigation, well, I figured they must have removed it from the News site...I haven't been able to find it since.

 

And yes there was an alluding in the reports to the hand prints that they saw in the blood...and the streaks...in the report.. and the photos they took of this and gathering of samples for forensic testing...

 

and since he was the only person missing...they were talking in those interviews as if it was already confirmed to be his...

 

but of course I am sure they ran those tests to confirm this, because they have said it was his blood in the tv reports here in the states since that time.....Who else would have been out there sliding around in his blood and leaving hand prints?

 

I don't think the young girls that were staying in the room close enough to come in contact with the blood would have been climbing out on to the life boat and smearing it around...they were the ones who reported finding it first...and took the first pictures of it.

 

I posted some of the responses that I remembered on page 4 of this thread if you want to check it out...

 

"Josh" seemed really defensive to me and he was counter attacking the other boys in response to the Turkish men's questions...but with the repeated interference of his parents telling him what to say that day when The Turkish Authorities were questioning him seemed like very sloppy police work to me! Josh was also the first to admit they had been doing heavy shots of Absinthe in the bar/disco that night.

 

I just think it is wierd...the whole thing...and I feel like I was a bug on the wall when I was reading it...and I don't know where the News man who originally was reporting it got the information...all I know is it isn't on the web anymore! I wish I could tell you more...I wish I had printed it and could scan it to show to everyone...

 

but OPRAH knows way more than she is Saying...and she didn't say anything...even about the Absinthe when Jennifer was pulling her..."maybe I was drugged" routine...Really annoying~ Why didn't Oprah confront those issues or the issues dealing with the "boys"...