Seems like we’re always hearing about how drinking a glass or two of wine a day is not only a good way to relax but can also promote cardiovascular health. Not a big wine-o? Well, I’ve got some good news for you beer drinkers. It turns out that drinking 1-2 12 oz glasses of beer a day might, in fact, be good for you. You heard me correctly; It’s good for you.

The BBC reports that “A pint of beer may help protect against heart disease more effectively than red wine or spirits.”

I knew that I was doing my body good by coming home after work and kicking a few back. Who needs exercise when you’ve got beer?

An article on Forbes tells us that “[drinking] alcohol, including beer, in moderation raises high-density lipoprotein or HDL, known as good cholesterol, says Dr. R. Curtis Ellison, chief of the section of preventive medicine and epidemiology and professor of medicine and public health at the Boston University School of Medicine. It also appears to have a favorable effect on the lining of blood vessels, making them less likely to form a clot or for a clot to rupture and plug an artery, and may help protect against Type 2 diabetes.”

So, drinking beer raises your good cholesterol levels, has a favorable effect on the lining of blood vessels and apparently is a good source of folate, niacin, magnesium, potassium and niacin? Could it get any better than that?

Actually, it can, and does… sorta.

In a report by the Independent, when compared to wine drinkers, the size of the hippocampus, “the part of the brain involved in memory, spatial tasks and many other functions, was more than 10 percent smaller in those whose tipple was wine than in those who favoured beer.”

The average size hippocampus for beer drinkers is 3.4ml compared to 2.9ml for “spirit” drinkers and 2.8ml for wine-o’s. Of course, those that don’t drink (lame-o’s) at all have an average size of 3.85ml.

So, unless you’re worried about decreasing the size of you hippocampus, drink up. Just don’t go overboard. Drinking too much booze is, of course, bad for you (but good for partying).

Now if they’ll only do some research and prove that eating 1 large pizza a day is every bit as good for you as exercising for 1 hour a day, I’ll be set.

Want to read more about how drinking beer is good for you? Head on over to DrinkingBeer.net and read up.

Rants – I love them and I love people who rant. Lewis Black, Dennis Leary (circa 1994) and my personal favorite Dr. Cox are all stellar ranters who make me laugh and in my opinion (flawed as it is) make sense. And let’s face it – all people rant. All of us are eager to share stories of terrible experiences, be it awful customer service, poor food quality, crappy movie viewings or some other slight to us as consumers.

I consider myself a ranter. I also consider myself someone who recognizes the need to reward instead of just ranting. As someone who has worked with the general public for 6+ years, I am hyper aware of poor customer service and experiences. That being said I also have developed an eye for the opposite. People and places DO go beyond what is expected. And they should be rewarded – if no where else than at least on the Flyer. That may not pay the bills, but as an employee of the public and as a manager of people I can tell you it means a lot to those who receive compliments instead of complaints.

I present to you “You’re Not a Bitch – You’re Bitching”

Where: Starbucks – next to Northwest Arkansas Florist (you know the painted horse)

Who: Brad, LittleBear and Jody

Why: I know it’s cool to hate on Starbucks. I know we have a local coffee shop in town that is really good. I also know that Starbucks is on my way to work. Brad and LittleBear (yes that’s his real name) are ridiculously friendly. I have been in line many times and they remember customer’s names and drinks. They always smile and if someone does not know what a drink is or asks for something by the wrong name they help them out. I have witnessed both of them explaining the difference between a cappuccino and a latte – with no air of cockiness or boredom. Jody is the manager. She has hired and kept a group of people who are consistently pleasant and helpful. So thank you to Jody, Brad and LittleBear for making spending a daily $4 a lot more awesome.