Plain pricey

Thumbs down: The price of a pint of Guinness was yet another item we were told was going to rise last week.

Diageo announced its intention to add five cent on to the price of a pint at the beginning of next month, making it the second such increase in under a year. And as if that weren't bad enough, publicans, not wanting to be left out, are almost certain to add at least another five cent and possibly even twice that that on to the price.

Tea total

Thumbs up:Drinking at least three cups of tea a day is as good for you as knocking back glasses and glasses of water and may actually be better for you, the European Journal of Clinical Nutritionhas reported. Contrary to a widely held belief, tea actually rehydrates the body and can also offer protection against heart disease and certain cancers, according to UK nutritionists. The flavonoids in tea are the ingredient promoting health the study has shown.

"Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it," says public health nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton, who, with colleagues at Kings College London, published the claims.

Put down the phone

Weapons and mobile phones were last week named as the world's worst inventions in a survey carried out by a BBC magazine. Guns, explosives, atomic bombs and biological weapons were lumped together as the most disliked items, according to the survey of more than 4,000 people. Ridiculously, mobile phones came second in the BBC Focusmagazine's "worst inventions" poll, beating off stiff competition from nuclear power, the Sinclair C5 and television, which all came joint third in the survey.

Cigarettes, cars and religion were left to battle it out for the minor placings.