Food for thought

• The 17th-century monk credited with introducing cappuccino to the world has been beatified by the Pope. That wasn't the reason, although some cynics may deem it miraculous that millions of people now happily shell out several bucks for frothy coffee.

• If you who can't stand the taste of broccoli, the winner of a broccoli-eating contest in New Jersey offers this tip to getting it down: Just swallow, don't bother to chew. He consumed 1 pound of the green stuff in 92 seconds.

• China is the cheapest place to buy a Big Mac, according to The Economist's latest Big Mac Index, a tongue-in-cheek way of comparing world currencies using "burgernomics."

• Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA, plans to stirke one more blow for animal rights after she dies. In her will, she instructs that her flesh be barbecued and her skin be used to make leather products, all to draw attention to humanity's poor treatment of animals.