Chinese officials are trying to stamp out bad English found on most street signs and other labels in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics. Mistranslated phrases are a common problem throughout China with many street signs and product labels making little sense. "Chinglish" is often a cause of confusion and embarrassment.

Take a stroll through a Mongolian liquor store and you will find no less than a half dozen separate brands of vodka and beer with the image and name of the nation's favorite historical figure, Ghenghis Khan, applied as endorsement. The same goes for tourist agencies, restaurants, and everyday household products. Mongolia's legislature, however, began debating on Thursday on a new law to regulate the use of the great conqueror's moniker on commercial products in order to prevent the cheapening of Khan's legendary status. In the early 13th century, Ghenghis Khan established an empire and dynasty that would reach as far as Eastern Europe, encompassing present day Russia, China, and much of the Middle East. Efforts to protect the Khan's name, often reviled outside of Mongolia as a symbol of barbarism, demonstrate the pride contemporary Mongolians hold to their legendary past.

Sen. Olympia Snowe has asked that restaurants be banned from calling a certain kind of shellfish lobster as it has taken millions of dollars from Maine fisherman as well as deceived the public. Many restaurants now use the term "Langostino Lobster," which was coined by the US Food and Drug Administration after customers sued a California-based restaurant for marketing lobster but serving langostino. The matter was settles in April without fault to the restaurant but the FDA still found it necessary to make the distinction.

A study may have proved that banning alcohol sales on Sundays saves lives. The Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest in Albuquerque analyzed traffic data before and after New Mexico lifted their ban on alcohol purchasing on Sundays and found a large increase in traffic accident and related deaths after the state lifted the ban.

A new restaurant in New York is serving chocolate pizza, warm double chocolate fondue, and is offering syringes that squirt liquid chocolate into customers' mouths. Chocolate By The Bald Man, owned by Israeli restaurateur Max Brenner, is a chocoholics dream. Patrons can get hot chocolate in oval-shaped cups called "hug mugs. " They can also get coffee in a cup that has a pouch for chocolate.