You actually get a point for up to 14 drinks per week, so you can have considerably more than just the 5 halfs of Guiness suggested by the author.

Why are Americans so prudish about this? Enjoy life, for goodness sake!

Cheers,

I wonder if the alcohol point was controlled for the type of alcohol. Were beer and wine considered the same as whisky or vodka?

Beer (especially dark beer like Guinness) and wine contain beneficial phytochemicals in addition to alcohol.

This is not meant to encourage the consumption of non-alcoholic beers or wines; rather, it is to avoid consumption of pissy lite beers with no hops or grain color, and encourage the chasing of shots with porters.

Ah, a man (or woman) after my own heart.

One of my favorite jokes from the English is this one:

Why is American beer like getting laid in a canoe?

They're both F***ing close to water!

-------------

That joke is circa 1884, when I was doing some time there. Thank goodness many excellent American beers have finally shown up.

And, no, they didn't control for the type of drink. There are lots of studies on the longevity benefits of alcohol, some up to 21 drinks a week for a man, 14 for women.

Cheers,

Man, for what it's worth. Here's another US beer joke:

Yank goes into a pub in Manchester and orders Michelob Light. Upon being told that they have no such beverage, he asks for the closest thing they've got. Barman gives him a glass of water.

Making me thirsty, here...

What's the name of that drunk professional golfer? Daily, right? Well, people are surprised how well his health is doing despite all the drinking he does. He says it's because he only drinks beer.

I'd like to claim the same.

There is no doubt that alcoholism extracts a very heavy price in physical and mental health. I wonder if the moderate drinkers are partly benefiting from their state of not being inclined to alcoholism?