Monday, February 21, 2005

"Russian Scientists Develop Tablet to Prolong Drunkeness"

The headline says it all. Who said that abject national poverty never lead to innovations that benefit all of humankind?

Russian scientists have developed a product that can keep a person drunk,
Britain’s Daily Telegraph wrote.The tablet called RU-21 Red was developed in
Spirit Sciences, a laboratory based in California but with research facilities
in Russia. The same scientists had earlier worked on secret programs for the
Kremlin and had made the famous RU-21 product that cures hangovers.If you take a
tablet you need less alcohol to stay drunk, the scientists were quoted by the
paper as saying. “RU-21 Red prolongs drunkenness and enhances intoxication,” the
company co-founder, Emil Chiabery, born in the ex-Soviet republic of Georgia
said.

Sadly, the four paragraph story managed to make me jump with glee, and only seconds later curse our American bad luck...

“I’m not sure I’m going to market it in the U.S.A. I don’t want it to
become a party drug. We are for responsible drinking,” Chiabery said.

Chiabery you magnificent bastard, don't hold out on me!