Though research is ongoing, the health benefits of wine are gaining more and more recognition. When consumed in moderation, wine has been shown to have benefits to your heart and, now, perhaps your brain.

Recently, researchers at Columbia have come to that tentative conclusion:

Cognitive tests were performed over the telephone. During the calls, the participants were asked to state the date, day of the week, year, and their location. They were also asked to remember 10 words immediately and after a delay of a few minutes. The subjects were phoned again to retake the test (some subjects got only two, but many got three or more tests), and the difference in performance was recorded. The average follow-up was two years, and during all interviews, alcohol-consumption habits were also noted.

The scientists then measured the change in test scores over time and compared scores for drinkers compared to those who reported never drinking. “All three categories of current drinkers, but not past drinkers”–meaning people who gave up drinking–”had significantly less cognitive decline than never drinkers,” wrote the authors.

We’re not talking about whole bottles in a single sitting, or even drinks consumed through jelly-fish bongs, but “the three categories of drinkers–one drink per month to one drink per week, one drink per week to two drinks per day and more than two drinks per day–scored 0.9, 1.5 and 2.4 points higher on the cognition test, respectively, than nondrinkers.”

An excuse to drink at work? Probably not. But a great excuse to relax on these cool spring evenings with a glass of wine and a loved one? Definitely.

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Are you suffering from trajectile disfunction? Wholly crap, that’s a bad line, and I apologize. But the fact remains, all of us who consider ourselves golfers — from the great ones (like yours truly), to the weekend duffers — are looking for a few more yards on our drives.

Thankfully, Golf Digest has done a lot of the testing work for us. The magazine’s annual “Hot List” has just been issued. From drivers to irons to balls, Golf Digest tries to take the guess work out of the most freaking brutal and difficult, not to mention frustrating, but wonderful game that man has ever created.

Bottom line, why spend money on lessons when you can blame bad shots on equipment?

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My wife and I will be replacing our Grand Cherokee here pretty soon, so we have started test driving vehicles. We have a young one, but I’m not sure that we need three rows of seats, even if they would come in handy from time to time (the in-laws have a minivan, just in case).

Our weekend drives saw tests of the new for 2007 Land Rover LR2 and the Ford Edge. The LR2 had a very premium feel, but for $40k and our family it was just much, much too small. On to the Ford Edge, and I have to say I was extremely impressed. The ride was very smooth and refined, and the cabin was exceedingly quiet at speed. The radio was nice, and my wife loved the vista roof, which is essentially a glass panel that runs the entire length of the vehicle. Of course, the size is a concern. Only 2 rows, and modest storage space in the trunk. Is Ford targeting this CUV at those of us “Married with Children,” or young hipsters and empty nesters?

So I’m putting out the APB. Anyone have one of these? Does anyone have any impressions?

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I’m an action lawyer, located somewhere on the action spectrum between Perry Mason and Chuck Norris (Walker Texas Ranger, Esq., that is). Running, jumping, kicking and brief writing are just a few of my daily activities. Sometimes, my shoes get dirty — it’s just the name of the game. Rockport, thankfully, has addressed that problem by introducing the washable loafer you see above. Not a bad looking pair of wheels if I do say so myself.

Made of real leather, they can be washed in any washing machine, and then line dried. They come in a variety of colors, black, brown, ivory, etc., and would look great with jeans or khakis. Bottom line, these are great looking shoes that just might be the most practical pair of kicks in your wardrobe.

Rockport [Via AskMen]

Noreasters and record setting blizzards aside, it’s spring, which means cookouts. Which means beer.

Take a few minutes to learn a couple things by watching this video. Learning doesn’t have to hurt, gentlemen.

Via Men’s Health

At this point, it’s beyond cliche to note that we are an iPod culture. These little things are big, big business. You might be interested to know that iPod accessories alone are worth almost One Billeeyon Dollars per year. Then again you might not be interested in that. But that’s a whole lotta cheese, for sure.

Roth Audio dives into this fray with its Music Cocoon MC4, the little beauty that you see pictured above. I’m not sure whether those are bottles of fairy dust or molasses, but this thing looks the business.

The Music Cocoon has been designed for use with the lovely Apple iPod (hence the fairly obvious dock on the top of the amplifier), any portable audio device (that’s why there is a 3.5mm socket on the back of the amplifier), any device which outputs audio to a 3.5mm jack (e.g. a laptop), or a CD player (that’ll be why there is a pair of RCA sockets on the back as well).

When using uncompressed files, this amplifier has the ability to allow you to hear things in the music which you have not heard before. It will bring back the excitement of listening for the first time to that new album from your favourite artist, the same anticipation, but, with a curiously smooth and refined playback which you will not have experienced before. Yes. It is that good.

For those of you that simply must have the latest gear, this one’s an eye-catcher. The US distributor for Roth Audio systems such as this one is American Music & Sound. Pretty affordable actually, at $780.

I don’t know whether or not to thank Brickhouse Mobile, but they are clearly providing a service for which a demand exists. Brickhouse is the self-styled “preeminent mobile solution provider for the adult entertainment industry,” and their recent negotiations with Sandee Westgate (ain’t no way I’m linking to her page) have climaxed into their most recent product offering — Sandee branded mobile content.

Sandee has been a busy girl, apparently:

With more than 10,000 erotic images, and a video library 250 titles strong, Sandee Westgate fans will soon be able to enjoy the Smoking Hot Sandee’s Girls and her famous girl-on-girl products on their mobile phones. Original and catalog selections, including ringtones, wallpapers, and videos will be available through applications on authorized carrier decks throughout the U.S. and international markets as well as a Sandee Westgate branded WAP site this Spring.

Should I color you interested?

I just have to wonder how all this is going to work. Let’s say you’re standing in line at the bank and your phone rings. But rather than hearing the Bon Jovi ringtone you usually have, some chick starts banging on about “give it to me, stud,” or “Oh, God, Oh, God.” I don’t know. I’m definitely skeptical. But I just report the facts, people. I’m not going to pass judgment.

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You may notice a recurring theme here on The Sporting Life, and that theme is “Aston Martin is the Balls” (and for a trip down memory lane click here). Aston’s newest contribution to the best looking vehicles on the planet is the DB9S, where the “S” stands for “SCHNIKES!!!”

Cue the specs:

The car is powered by the standard Aston model’s 450bhp 6.0-litre V12 powerplant, linked to the six-speed manual transmission from the DB9 GT. The performance improvements are achieved by changes to the aerodynamics and suspension.

Lightweight door and boot panels are also expected to be used, helping to shave vital tenths of a second off the standard version’s 0-60mph sprint time of five seconds. At an impressive 186mph, the newcomer’s top speed will remain the same as that of the car on which it’s based. Inside, the cabin is tipped to get a makeover in order to make the best of the revised, more driver-focused chassis.

I think the newest Bond drove this car briefly before flipping it about a thousand times, just so he could save a girl. Rookie mistake in my book. Bottom line, as long as Aston keeps making them, we’ll keep posting about them.

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Those of us who have spent any significant time south of the ol’ Mason Dixon line have seen our share of mobile homes. Single-wides and double-wides (a.k.a redneck mansions), even those with built on porches and carports. And by the way, what does it say about your outlook on life when you build a porch onto a mobile home?!? I digress. No longer can we simply dismiss these portable dwelling places as punchlines and tornado food.

Werner Aisslinger thinks you fashion forward, free wheeling, outdoorsy, urban jet setters need the Loftcube. You see, the Loftcube the mobile home for the iPod nation. Simply put, it
s a glass-walled moveable fortress of style.

Aimed at those “who like to be in nature while still enjoying all of the comforts they like,” in the words of company spokesman Christian Friedrich, the pods are designed to be equally at home in the unspoiled wilderness or perched on an urban rooftop.”

These bad boys are between 400 and 550 square feet and will impress all of your friends or none of them, depending on who those friends are.

Have at it jetsetters.

Among other things, I’m a watch guy, so I appreciate rare and expensive timepieces — even if I can’t afford anything that costs more than a buck-o-five. But even I have my limits. $1.1 million for a Vacheron Constantin? Uh, ok. It’s nice and all, but damn. Well, to the list of head-scratchers I would like to introduce a new line of “luxury” watches from Romain Jerome, a Geneva-based watchmaker. Mr. Jerome has created wristwatches made from bits of the Titanic.

“It is very luxurious and very inaccessible,” said Yvan Arpa, chief executive of the three-year-old company that hopes the limited edition watches will attract both collectors and garrulous luxury goods buyers.

Wait, what? Apparently he bought a 3 pound section of the hull from some seller that he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) identify for the sole purpose of making something rich people would buy without compunction. But hang on, what about all those dead people? No worries, mate. Mr. Arpa’s response that “The combination of new and old materials infused the watches with a sense of renewal, instead of representing a reminder of the 1,500 passengers who drowned when the oceanliner met her tragic end off the coast of Newfoundland” makes perfect sense to me.

After all, ’twas capitalism that sailed the ship. You have to give it to them, though. I never would have thought of that.

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