• Mark Mendez announced his exit form Carnivale yesterday, saying that he wants to open his own place soon. [TOC]
• Drinking pickle juice is a surprisingly quick remedy for exercise-induced muscle cramps, though science is unsure exactly why it works. [NYT]
• New York Senator Chuck Schumer wants to introduce national legislation to curb “honey fraud,” by which Chinese honey importers are attempting to bypass U.S. honey import taxes, hurting the American market. [AP]
• Claiming that servers and bartenders tend to under-report their tip-based income, the IRS has ramped up service-industry audits. [Marketplace/NPR]
• Restaurant analysts are concerned that the low rate of employment among young men is one of the major factors in slowed fast-food sales. [NRN]
• Food stamp programs in at least 39 states leave applicants waiting weeks or months to receive their aid. [AP]
• Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa has suggested that the best way to clean up the Gulf oil spill is by pouring beer on it, and letting “those microscopic things” consume the oil. [VF]
