BBC: “Coffee ‘may reverse Alzheimer’s’”
Of course, one mustn’t leap to conclusions:
Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said previous research into caffeine had suggested it could delay Alzheimer’s disease and even protect against vascular dementia.
“This research in mice suggests that coffee may actually reverse some element of memory impairment.
“However much more research is needed to determine whether drinking coffee has the same impact in people.
“It is too soon to say whether a cup of coffee is anything more than a pleasant pick me up.”
Note that being “a pleasant pick me up” is, in today’s climate, considered by many to be sufficient grounds for banning it. Recall H. L. Mencken’s definition of “Puritanism”:
The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
(And a final note: “Puritanism” refers to the interpretation carried down in the American political context, and not to the original meaning of the term; many of the original English “Puritans” were quite libertarian.
Allow me to play devil’s advocate with an illustrative exaggeration: imagine a Starbucks on every corner, but instead of selling coffee they sold prostitutes. People could pop in for a quick “Pleasant pick me up” on their lunch break and go back to work refreshed with an extra bounce in their step (if the libertarians end up prevailing I want a cut of whoever opens up this business).
An outright ban on coffee would be ridiculous, but that shouldn’t stop us from a realistic appraisal of how we as a nation consume it.
I fail to see a problem with the scenario.
Corner-store brothels? Sign me right up!