Good News for the Lushes!

Test subject showing enhanced, uh, problem solving

Alcohol sharpens the mind, research finds

In findings that will be toasted by pub quiz aficionados, researchers found drinkers got more test questions right and were quicker in delivering the right answers.

It is thought alcohol hinders analytical thinking and allows 'creative' thoughts that might otherwise by stifled to take root, allowing test subjects to come up with more imaginative solutions.

Test subjects showing enhanced, uh, social skills

Psychologists at the University of Illinois set 40 healthy young men a series of brain teasers. They involved being given three words, such as coin, quick and spoon, and coming up with a fourth word that links the three - in this case, silver.

Test subjects showing enhanced appearance.  Except one.

Half the group drank the equivalent of two pints of beer before doing the tests, while the rest carried them out sober.

The drinking group solved nearly 40 per cent more problems than the others, and took an average of 12 seconds compared to the 15.5 seconds needed by sober subjects.

No word on whether the effect holds for women as well, but I have obtained some interesting hints that they are carrying out a test with women in Sweden...

Rose', because she doesn't need to lose too much

And more good news; Drinking red wine can help weight loss:

Needs to lose the 200 lbs on the left....

Scientists have revealed a compound found in red wine can help control obesity.  The substance, called piceatannol, delays the generation of young fat cells and prevents them from growing into mature fat cells.

The compound blocks insulin's ability to activate genes that carry out further stages of fat cell formation. The heart-healthy agent found in the grape-based beverage is also thought to protect the body from heart and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

Time to go try a little weight therapy; a nice old vine zinfandel ought to be just what the doctor ordered.

Wombat-Socho at "The Other McCain included this in two weeks worth of Rule 5 links "Master of Puppets."