Russian state-run liquor store to authenticate vodka with SMS
In a bid to cut down on knockoff vodka -- yeah, "Keepin't real fake, the drunk edition" -- a state-run liquor store in Russia named Rosspirtprom will verify if your booze is legit based on the bottle's serial number. All a conscientious drinker needs to do is text the number on the bottle to a special SMS short code and you'll be hit back with a reply to let you know if your drink of choice is legit or not. Apparently responsible for 40,000 deaths a year, dodgy vodka can be loaded with cologne, antifreeze, and even pure alcohol, and while we don't see the harm in the pure alcohol bit, we assume excessive use could lead to problems.
[Via textually.org]
