the air

Now that St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, I feel this is a great time to bust some of the alcohol myths that everyone seems to follow. I’m a strong believer in educating people about alcohol, so here’s your chance to learn something new and helpful. And remember, please drink responsibly.

Myth 1: Liquor Before Beer

I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve heard my friends warn me that mixing beer with liquor/cocktails is a mistake. And every time I have done that, I have never had a hangover and they always look at me amazed. It never matters whether you drink beer before liquor or liquor before beer. The bottom-line is that you must always watch how much you consume. The more drinks you consume, the more likely you’ll have a hangover. However, “some research does suggest that the body absorbs carbonated drinks, such as a gin and tonic, more quickly than still beverages. It’s also possible that drinking beer over some mixed drinks on an empty stomach might slow your intoxication.”

Myth 2: Drink Responsibly

I don’t understand why people never get this, but excessive drinking is HARMFUL to your health. When your friends tell you that drinking can aid your health, remind them it only does so when you consume alcoholic beverages in moderation. Studies have shown that women who consume one 12 oz. glass of wine a day and men who consume up to 2 12oz. glasses of wine a day can promote healthier bones. If you drink more, you’re setting yourself up for bone loss. The moral is that this St. Patrick’s Day, drink your beverage in moderation.

Myth 3: Cold Coffee & A Cold Shower Help

Whoever said this is just lying right out of their ass. While caffeine could help negate the effects of alcohol, it does not compensate for reaction time. Essentially, alternating a cocktail with coke is not going to keep you alert or even sober you up. What about that cold shower? Alcohol has a bad tendency to act as a depressant. As such, it lowers your body temperature and slows your response time. That’s why you cannot and should not operate any machinery. A cold shower will also reduce your body temperature and if you are drunk, you could go into shock.

How To Sober Up

The person who invents a method to sober up instantly will become one of the richest persons in the world in a matter of minutes. Until then, we have to resort to other remedies. I recommend three different things you could do to alleviate the chances of a hangover. First, when you are done drinking for the night or have had enough, do not drink water. Instead, drink some Gatorade or Powerade. When you drink alcohol, your body loses a variety of nutrients which Gatorade can replenish. Hence, if you go to sleep by having a glass of Gatorade and continue drinking Gatorade when you wake up, you should experience a not-so-bad hangover or none at all. If you don’t have Gatorade/Powerade, eat a banana. One of the nutrients your body loses is potassium and a banana is full of potassium.

Second, eat some food high in protein or carbs. Having food while drinking or before/after drinking can slow the the body’s absorption of alcohol. Try to avoid fatty foods such as McDonald’s or Burger King. Instead, reach for some good chicken or steak if possible. You may also want to try and eat some pasta.

Lastly, if you don’t want a hangover, drink moderately. It is extremely important to know and respect your own limits. Remember, say no when you feel that you can no longer consume any more alcoholic beverages. If your friends encourage you or force you to have more alcohol, maybe you should reconsider them as “friends.” You do not have to drink to have a good time. So enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day parties and drink responsibly.

Source: MSNBC Article

No Comments »

Interestingly, those who drink tend to make 10 to 14 percent more money than those who choose to avoid alcohol. A study conducted by two economists also suggested that those who drank in a social setting earned more than those who drank at home.

Female drinkers earned 14 percent more than non-drinkers, while males who drank earned 10 percent more than their teetotaler counterparts.

At the same time, men who went to a bar at least once a month earned an additional 7 percent on top of the 10 percent drinking premium. But women who engaged in similar behavior did not experience any effect on their earnings.

Numerous colleges are trying hard to curb illegal drinking and raise liquor taxes in the hopes to deter under-age drinking and this bit of news is no doubt going to cause some uproar. I personally do not agree with the drinking age and I have to admit that I agree with the findings because social activities that involve alcohol tend to have more “open” conversations and dialogue than those without any alcohol. It goes without saying that you need to drink in moderation and not be completely wasted. I guess this would be a great time to toast to the study and my future 10-14% increase in wages.

Source: CNN Money

No Comments »

Interestingly, tasting beer is an art form just like tasting wine. Although some would disagree with me, I find that beer is also as fine as wine and comes in various flavors. If you are not aware already, beer is an acquired taste. Often, many people dislike beer when they first try it; however, they will cherish it once they grow accustomed to the taste.

I came across a website that discusses how the true beer connoisseur drinks his/her beer. No matter what anyone says, beer does not taste alike. There are hundreds of different types of beer and each one has its own unique flavor and feel to it. Like wine, there are four general steps to follow:

• Observe the color, clarity, and head retention
• Disturb the beer by swirling it around and have your nose ready to take in the aroma
• Inhale the aromatic scents of the beer since they vary greatly between brands
• Taste the beer by overwhelming your taste buds with the rich texture and feel of the cold beer

I know it sounds absurd, but after following the tips in the post where I obtained the information, you really can taste the difference. I encourage all of you to taste the beer and enjoy its flavor and feeling rather than simply “binging” and getting drunk. Try it out and let me know what you think.

No Comments »

This is another interesting article on MSNBC. According to researchers in the US and Netherlands, moderate drinking (e.g. one to two drinks a day) could reduce their chance of a heart attack. A better way to put it would be:

The study of 11,000 men supports other research that shows small-to-moderate amounts of alcohol can lower the risk of heart disease, by increasing the levels of high density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol, and by making blood less likely to clot.

On the flipside, those who indulge in 3 or more drinks are not quite taking advantage of the benefits of moderate drinking. Regardless, this study only involved men and it is still unclear whether or not women can take advantage of this study.

If you are one of the many who indulge in binge drinking or getting drunk all the time, you may wish to reconsider your position and encourage your mind to pursue moderate drinking. And, as always, if you are under 21 and live in the US, please do not engage in any activity that involves alcohol. The Air says: Fly free, drink responsibly.

Comments Off

This is a classic list and quite amusing. I found this list here. As usual, I have reproduced here for your convenience:

1. If you owe someone money, always pay them back in a bar. Preferably during happy hour
2. Always toast before doing a shot.
3. Whoever buys the shot gets the first chance to offer a toast.
4. Change your toast at least once a month.
5. Buying someone a drink is five times better than a handshake.
6. Buying a strange woman a drink is still cool. Buying all her drinks is dumb.
7. Never borrow more than one cigarette from the same person in one night.
8. When the bartender is slammed, resist the powerful urge to order a slightly-dirty, very-dry, in-and-out, super-chilled half-and-half martini with a lemon twist. Limit orders to beer, straight shots and two-part cocktails.
9. Get the bartender’s attention with eye contact and a smile.
10. Do not make eye contact with the bartender if you do not want a drink.
11. Unacceptable things to say after doing a shot: Great, now I’m going to get drunk. I hate shots. It’s coming back up.
12. Never, ever tell a bartender he made your drink too strong.
13. If he makes it too weak, order a double next time. He’ll get the message.
14. If you offer to buy a woman a drink and she refuses, she does not like you.
15. If you offer to buy a woman a drink and she accepts, she still might not like you.
16. If she buys you a drink, she likes you.
17. If someone offers to buy you a drink, do not upgrade your liquor preference.
18. Always have a corkscrew in your house.
19. If you don’t have a corkscrew, push the cork down into the bottle with a pen.
20. Drink one girly drink in public and you will forever be known as the guy who drinks girly drinks.
21. Our parents were better drinkers than we are.
22. Never talk to someone in the restroom unless you’re doing the same thing—urinating, waiting in line or washing your hands.
23. Girls hang out, apply make-up, and have long talks in the bathroom. Men do not.
24. After your sixth drink, do not look at yourself in the mirror. It will shake your confidence.
25. It is only permissible to shout ‘woo-hoo!’ if you are doing a shot with four or more people.
26. If there is a d.j., you can request a song only once per night. If he doesn’t play it within half an hour, do not approach him again. If he does play it, do not approach him again.
27. Learn how to make a rose out of a bar napkin. You’ll be surprised how well it works.
28. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to drink in a bar. Go to the liquor store.
29. If you owe someone twenty dollars or less, you may pay them back in beer.
30. Never complain about the quality or brand of a free drink.
31. If you have been roommates with someone more than six months, you may drink all their beer, even if it’s hidden, as long as you leave them one.
32. You can have a shot of their hard liquor only if the cap has been cracked and the bottle goes for less than $25.
33. The only thing that tastes better than free liquor is stolen liquor.
34. If you bring Old Milwaukee to a party, you must drink at least two cans before you start drinking the imported beer in the fridge.
35. Learn to appreciate hangovers. If it was all good times every jackass would be doing it.
36. If you ever feel depressed, get out a bartender’s guide and browse through all the drinks you’ve never tried.
37. Try one new drink each week.
38. If you are the bar’s sole customer, you are obliged to make small talk with the bartender until he stops acknowledging you. Then you’re off the hook. The same goes for him.
39. Never tip with coins that have touched you. If your change is $1.50, you can tell the barmaid to keep the change, but once she has handed it to you, you cannot give it back. To a bartender or cocktail waitress, small change has no value.
40. If you have ever told a bartender, “Hey, it all spends the same,” then you are a cheap ass.
41. Anyone on stage or behind a bar is fifty percent better looking.
42. You can tell how hard a drinker someone is by how close they keep their drink to their mouth.
43. A bar is a college, not a nursery. If you spill a beer, clean it up. If you break a glass, wait for a staff member to clean it up, then blame it on someone else.
44. Being drunk is feeling sophisticated without being able to say it.
45. It’s okay to drink alone.
46. After three drinks, you will forget a woman’s name two seconds after she tells you. The rest of the night you will call her “baby” or “darling”.
47. Nothing screams ‘nancy boy’ louder than swirling an oversized brandy snifter.
48. Men don’t drink from straws. Unless you’re doing a Mind or Face Eraser.
49. If you do a shot, finish it. If you don’t plan to finish it, don’t accept it.
50. Never brood in a dance bar. Never dance in a dive bar.
51. Never play more than three songs by the same artist in a row.
52. Your songs will come on as you’re leaving the bar.
53. Never yell out jukebox selections to someone you don’t know.
54. Never lie in a bar. You may, however, grossly exaggerate and lean.
55. If you think you might be slurring a little, then you are slurring a lot. If you think you are slurring a lot, then you are not speaking English.
56. Screaming, “Someone buy me a drink!” has never worked.
57. For every drink, there is a five percent better chance you will get in a fight. There is also a three percent better chance you will lose the fight.
58. Fighting an extremely drunk person when you are sober is hilarious.
59. If you are broke and a friend is “sporting you”, you must laugh at all his jokes and play wingman when he makes his move.
60. If you are broke and a friend is “making sport of you”, you may steal any drink he leaves unattended.
61. Never rest your head on a table or bar top. It is the equivalent of voluntarily putting your head on a chopping block.
62. If you are trading rounds with a friend and he asks if you’re ready for another, always say yes. Once you fall out of sync you will end up buying more drinks than him.
63. If you’re going to hit on a member of the bar staff, make sure you tip well before and after, regardless of her response.
64. The people with the most money are rarely the best tippers.
65. Before you die, single-handedly make one decent martini.
66. Asking a bartender what beers are on tap when the handles are right in front of you is the equivalent of saying, “I’m an idiot.”
67. Never ask a bartender “what’s good tonight?” They do not fly in the scotch fresh from the coast every morning.
68. If there is a line for drinks, get your goddamn drink and step the hell away from the bar.
69. If there is ever any confusion, the fuller beer is yours.
70. The patrons at your local bar are your extended family, your fathers and mothers, your brothers and sisters. Except you get to sleep with these sisters. And if you’re really drunk, the mothers.
71. It’s acceptable, traditional in fact, to disappear during a night of hard drinking. You will appear mysterious and your friends will understand. If they even notice.
72. Never argue your tab at the end of the night. Remember, you’re hammered and they’re sober. It’s akin to a precocious five-year-old arguing the super-string theory with a physicist. 99.9% of the time you’re wrong and either way you’re going to come off as a jackass.
73. If you bring booze to a party, you must drink it or leave it.
74. If you hesitate more than three seconds after the bartender looks at you, you do not deserve a drink.
75. Beer makes you mellow, champagne makes you silly, wine makes you dramatic, tequila makes you felonious.
76. The greatest thing a drunkard can do is buy a round of drinks for a packed bar.
77. Never preface a conversation with a bartender with “I know this is going to be a hassle, but . . .”
78. When you’re in a bar and drunk, your boss is just another guy begging for a fat lip. Unless he’s buying.
79. If you are 86’d, do not return for at least three months. To come back sooner makes it appear no other bar wants you.
80. Anyone with three or more drinks in his hands has the right of way.
81. If you’re going to drink on the job, drink vodka. It’s the no-tell liquor.
82. There’s nothing wrong with drinking before noon. Especially if you’re supposed to be at work.
83. The bar clock moves twice as fast from midnight to last call.
84. A flask engraved with a personal message is one of the best gifts you can ever give. And make sure there’s something in it.
85. On the intimacy scale, sharing a quiet drink is between a handshake and a kiss.
86. You will forget every one of these rules by your fifth drink.

Comments Off