Today, with the help of the National Hot Dog Council (yes, there is such a thing), we are going to learn more than we ever wanted to know about that most quintessential American treat, the hot dog.

Americans consume more than 20,000,000,000 a year. I'll Do The Math for you... that's 70 per person! There is some disagreement about how to categorize doggies. The aforementioned Nat'l Council says they deserve a category of their own, while Merriam-Webster says they are a sandwich. Whatever.

It seems each region of the US has its own defining treatment. We have Coney Island style, Mid-West Style, etc. I think my fave might be a certain Southern region, which puts some cheese in the doggie, wraps it in bacon and then pops it in the fryer till it's crisp. Drool.

And of course there is (again from the Council) ideal Hot Dog Etiquette. Preferably served on paper plates without utensils, there should be no ketsup for diners over 18 years old, no wine pairings and certainly no fresh herbs. Got that?

In bridge, we've got our own etiquette also, don't we? Today we're going to look at how to handle invitations!

All invitational bids ask the same question: "Are you at the top or bottom of your stated point count?" If we are at the top of our count, bid at the next bonus level.

Today however, we are going to see ONLY THE BIDS, NO HANDS. You'll have to decide if the bids are INVITATIONAL (you MAY bid if you have "extra", FORCING (you MUST bid again even if you don't feel well), OR LIMITING (Pard showed his point count and it's up to you).

Friday we'll talk about how to respond to the invitational bids. Ready?