Gordon > "As you've mentioned, human consumption of alcohol is analogous to human
consumption of salt. I'm very impressed by your analogy. It's nearly
perfect."

It is a good example.  Another good analogy is Todd's stomach cheese
example.  He's convinced me that hunter gatherers might have periodically
consumed the stuff, finding it in the stomachs of sucklings.  Even if it
could be shown that the mass of pre-neolithic humanity did seek out
stomach cheese and rotten fruit, theoretical propositions both, I'm still
not convinced that it necessarily follows that their periodic consumption
by our ancestors necessarily makes it good for them and us.  Tolerable
perhaps to varying degrees, depending upon the individual and the amount
consumed, but not necessarily ideal fare.