Hot Dog!

Today is the 4th of July, and that means hot dogs. Two major hot-dog stories are in the news today:

Arch rivals square off at Nathan's hot dog-eating weigh-in

This year's frank fight is a grudge match between Chestnut and six-time Coney champ Takeru Kobayashi of Japan. "It's going to be a good battle this year," said Kobayashi, 31, through an interpreter. "I'm going to bring the belt back."

The two men, dubbed "eating legends" by organizers, have split the past four stomach-stuffin' contests on the Boardwalk. Now it's time to pass the mustard and settle the score.

Elephants easily outeat humans in contest

In the fight of pachyderms vs. people - the pachyderms now have the upper trunk. Three circus elephants scored a decisive victory over three human competitive eaters at a cross-species eating contest Friday, chomping down on 505 hot dog buns in six minutes. The humans forced down only 143 buns in the bout at Brooklyn's Coney Island.