Still More Proof That Darwin was Right

Way back in November of 2010 I wrote a Darwinian post and today I found further proof to the evolutionary process.

It seems that besides the many auto accidents that occur while people talk on their phones while driving there is a new menace to society in texting and walking accidents. The article gives a link to a study from Stony Brook University which indicates that walking and texting not only can be physically dangerous but also can interfere with memory processes .

So next time someone almost bumps into you on the sidewalk while walking and texting don't get upset, it's just survival of the fittest at work, they won't be doing it much longer. Unless the city planners start paying for the padding.

All Edinburgh Cup Final

Well my last post was regarding the Irish so keeping in a Celtic manner I thought I'd post about a momentous occasion that has occurred as a result of Hearts thrilling 2-1 win over Celtic in the Scottish Cup semis just one day after Hibernian defeated Aberdeen by the same score. These two results set up the first all Edinburgh Scottish Cup final since, wait for it............................1896, Hearts 3 Hibernian 1.

That's right the two top teams from Scotland's capital city haven't met in the Cup final for 116 years, in fact Hibs haven't won the damn thing since 1902, which would be more surprising were it not for the fact that The Old Firm, meaning Celtic and Rangers, pretty much own the Cup, and Scottish football in general, with 68 wins. Still it is rather astonishing that Hearts and Hibs haven't met in the Cup final since the 19th century unless you know the history of Edinburgh football and the misery that has befallen Hearts, my team, over the years including losing the 1986 Championship on the last day because Hearts lost 0-2, at home, and Celtic won 5-0 giving Celtic the title on goal differential. In the past decade Hearts have been more known for changing managers, nine in the past five seasons and potential bankruptcy than football and Hibs haven't really won anything of note since 1902 but none of that will matter on May 19th when they face off for the Scottish Cup.

Of course the Scottish FA have immediately stated that despite the availability of Murrayfield, the 67,000 seat National Rugby stadium in Edinburgh, the final will still be contested in Glasgow at Hampden Stadium because..................well just because that's why. Regardless of where it's played it is unlikely that I'll be able to view it live so the best I can hope for is to wake up Saturday morning on the 19th of May to find that the world has not ended, and hopefully that Hearts have won. I will not force family to endure any haggis and due to the infinite wisdom of the BCLDB I won't even be able to enjoy a Scottish beer. Despite a brewing tradition as long as any Scottish beer is absent from BC shelves, though of course we can buy beer from such notable brewing areas as Turkey and Trinidad and Tobago but nary a Wee Heavy to be found.

A Small Sampling of Irish Beer

St. Patrick's day came and went while I was in Mexico, but be not concerned there is a prominent Irish Pub on the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta so the event was likely celebrated there as it is in most non Irish regions, with drunkenness. St. Patrick's day always brings to mind the saying that "God invented alcohol so the Irish couldn't conquer the World" or some such twaddle . Personally I don't believe the Irish have any greater predisposition to alcohol than anyone else, but like most things Irish they do make a big deal about it, there's another old saying that goes "You can always tell an Irishman, you just can't tell him very much" which I think has more accuracy.

Back home I was presented with some St. Patrick's Day largesse by the BCLDB in the recent listing of two Irish beer brands in convenient 500ml cans, Smithwicks Pale Ale and Harp Lager.

Smithwick's is a red ale which is the Irish brewing terminology for Pale Ale and was brewed in Kilkenny from the 1700s, or 1400s or since the earth was formed depending on who you read. In 1965 Guinness purchased the Smithwick's brand and brewery and the beer is now brewed in Dundalk and shipped to Dublin to be bottled there. Smithwick's, along with Harp and Guinness form the Holy Trinity of Irish beer, offering a light lager (Harp), a pale Ale (Smithwick's) and a stout (Guinness) and since all three are brewed and distributed by the giant Diageo company are usually easy to find.

I won't go into great detail about Guinness because I shouldn't have to, if you're over the age of 21 and are not familiar with, and fond of the pork chop in a glass, then just stop reading now. Guinness is one of the ten best beer brewed in the world and as such needs no further kudos, but what of it's poorer cousins?

Smithwick's Superior Irish Ale

Smithwick's is described as a clear beer with rich ruby colour and a creamy head and the 500ml sample I tried was both those things, the problem with Smithwick's is that it's light on hops, essential in Pale Ale for me, and flavour. Smithwick's isn't bad, it's just not as good as it should be, I mean if you've been brewing something for 300+ years I think it should be a better example of its' style than this beer is. Currently widely available in BCLDB stores for $2.25 it's priced alright but is nowhere near as good a Pale Ale as others on the market, Cutthroat Pale Ale for example, so I can't recommend this for anything other than an Irish Theme party .

Harp Lager

Harp Lager was created by Guinness in the 1960s as a chance to capture some of the burgeoning market in Ireland for lighter style beers that had begun in the late 1950s. Harp was originally created in the Guinness brewery in Dundalk and then a consortium of English brewers joined in with Guinness to market the brand in Great Britain, see if there's profit and alcohol involved the English and Irish can get along just fine. Harp is generally viewed as Guinness's Lager and as such has a reasonable product profile.  A "brewed in Canada" variety of Harp has been available off and on over the years but really......why bother ? 

The recent listing of 500ml can of Harp at a reasonable price of $2.25 is a nice bonus for lager drinkers, this beer is better than anything domestic in the lager category I've tasted. The beer is pale gold in colour with nice carbonation, there's a nice grainy malt character to the nose and the flavours are sweet citrus with an edge of the malt. The beer has a surprisingly long finish and is very enjoyable, it reminds me a bit of real Lowenbrau, which is a good thing. I prefer my "light beer" in the pilsner vein, with more hops and less sweetness but the Harp is a nice alternative that I can recommend.

It's nice to see the BCLDB expand their Irish packaged beer listings, now if we could get Murphy's or Beamish in a can I'd be happier but that's not likely to happen anytime soon as Heineken apparently are only interested in marketing the green bottled lager Internationally, which is truly a shame.