Ear to the ground

“Once you get over the vibration between your legs, it’s just not that much fun anymore.”

-A Durango woman commenting on why she’s not going jet-skiing again

Beer Olympics

In the surprising good news department, beer is also apparently good for your body … as long as you’ve been exercising.

The otherTelegraph, London’s beloved daily publication, recently reported findings that a beer after strenuous exercise is actually beneficial to health. “Spanish researchers say beer can help someone who is dehydrated retain liquid better than water,” the paper wrote.

The publication cited a recent study by Prof, Manuel Garzon, of Granada University. Garzon had a group of students do strenuous exercise in temperatures approaching 104ºF.

Afterwards, half were given a pint of beer, while the others received the same volume of water. After dozens of cases and hundreds of bleary eyes, Garzon arrived at his conclusions – bubbles in beer help quench thirst and its carbohydrate content helps to replace lost calories.

Garzon announced the results in Granada beneath a banner that read, “Beer, Sport, Health,” saying those who drank beer experienced “slightly better” hydration.

Juan Antonio Corbalan, a cardiologist who has worked with Spain’s soccer and basketball teams, concurred. He noted that beer had the perfect profile for re-hydration after sport and that he had been prescribing barley to professional athletes for years.

Many of Durango’s not-so-professional “athletes” may be decrying Garzon’s findings as “old news,” but there is a catch. Beer combined with exercise could aid in “rehydration.” However, virtually all scientists agree that beer without heavy exercise leads to only one thing – bloating.

Rhythms Deux

Durangoans have a chance to stuff the stockings with local sounds this year. “Rhythms of Durango, Volume Two,” an eclectic mix of the sounds of downtown, featuring 18 local artists, will be released Nov. 23. A special reception will be held from 4-5 p.m. at the Diamond Belle Saloon.

The promotional CD was produced by the Durango Business Improvement District (BID) as a tool in the ongoing effort to maintain the economic viability of Downtown Durango. Artists featured on the CD include: The Badly Bent, Lacey Black, Lisa Blue, Annie Brooks, Alison Dance, Formula 151, Tim Guidotti, Hounds of Purg, Gigi Love, Jeff Nelson Quartet, Terry Rickard, Daniel Rottenberg, Greg Ryder, Jeff Strahan, Tim Sullivan, Jason Thies, Cheryl White & Tim Birchard, and Sylvia Zurko.

Those artists in town for Thanksgiving will be on hand at the Diamond Belle, with select performances scheduled. The CD will be on sale at the reception and at various downtown businesses in the weeks to follow.