Encouraging your employees to go vegetarian one day a week might not seem like that big of a deal — unless you’re the United States Department of Agriculture, the agency tasked with promoting all agriculture products, including meat. The USDA said a post about “Meatless Monday” on its website was from an internal newsletter that went up without proper clearance. [More]
Food & Personal Care
USDA Upsets Meat Lovers By Posting Internal Memo Pushing “Meatless Mondays” On Its Website
By 7.26.12
CVS Sale Flyer Redefines ‘Slashed’
By 7.26.12
Fair warning from last week’s CVS circular: if you come by to take advantage of this amazing deal on Tide or Gain detergent, there’s a limit. You can only buy three bottles, for a total savings of fifteen cents. [More]
Peet’s Coffee Sells To German Conglomerate For Nearly $1 Billion
By 7.23.12
It’s been rumored for quite some time that California-based Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. was up for sale, and many people have been sipping on their beverages, waiting for the seemingly inevitable announcement that Starbucks would be the buyer. And then comes today’s news that Peet’s has been purchased for $977.6 million, not by Daddy Starbucks, but by German conglomerate Joh. A. Benckiser. [More]
FDA Finally Decides That BPA Doesn’t Belong In Baby Bottles
By 7.17.12
Nearly four months after deciding not to listen to science or common sense and ban the use of controversial chemical bisphenol-A (you may call it BPA around your household) in food packaging, the Food and Drug Administration has decided that we should at least keep BPA out of the mouths of babies. [More]
Passengers Discover Sewing Needles In Turkey Sandwiches On Four Delta Flights
By 7.17.12
Two passengers got a mouthful of something horrifying when they bit into sandwiches served aboard Delta Air Lines flights from Amsterdam to the U.S. this weekend — sewing needles stuck in the meat. The FBI is now investigating the incidents, which involved needles found in sandwiches on four separate flights. [More]
FDA Approves First Pill For Preventing HIV Infections In High-Risk Patients
By 7.16.12
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a major first today, approving Truvada, a drug intended to prevent HIV infections for people at high-risk of contracting it. It’s the first pill approved to reduce the likelihood of getting HIV for people having sex with infected individuals. [More]
Dirty Air Conditioner Filters Could Be Blowing Your Money Away
By 7.16.12 — Updated: 5.2.17
Has anyone else noticed that it’s been pretty hot this summer? As such, your air conditioner is probably getting quite the workout. But it’s important to make sure you’re getting the most out of it as you can so it can do its very best to cool you down instead of just running up your electric bill. That goes for your dehumidifier as well. One easy way to optimize those appliances? Cleaning out your dirty filters. [More]
Shortages Force Paramedics To Use Expired Drugs
By 7.13.12
Many of us have probably popped a pill or two that we knew had passed its expiration date. But when you get medical care from professionals, there is usually the expectation that you’re getting the freshest stuff available. But a conspiracy of conditions has led to some emergency responders stocking their ambulances with out-of-date drugs. [More]
Midwest To Play Guinea Pigs In Test Of Malt-Flavored Mountain Dew
By 7.13.12
Mountain Dew, long treated like the haggard, unemployed cousin of the big brand sodas, is about to try to go up-market with the test of a pricier, malt-flavored variety of the drink called “Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold.” [More]
USDA Declares Natural Disaster Situations In 26 States Hit By Drought
By 7.12.12
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared a state of natural disaster in more than 1,000 counties spread across 26 states, as drought and fires have hit the country hard this season. That covers about a third of all the farmers in the country. [More]
Funeral Home Hopes A Starbucks Pick-Me-Up Will Provide A Nice Break From That Whole Mourning Thing
By 7.12.12 — Updated: 1.4.16
Feeling low over the loss of a loved one? Perhaps a frappuccino will go a little way toward easing your pain or least give you the chance to take your mind off things. A funeral home in South Carolina is going to add a new wing called the “Coffee Corner” which will soon welcome a brand new Starbucks. [More]
Taco Bell Uses Alaska Town’s Love Of The Chain For New Ad Campaign
By 7.11.12
There isn’t an ad agency in the world who could dream up a more perfect real-life setting for a feel-good ad campaign than what went down in Bethel, Alaska. Which is why we’re totally unsurprised that Taco Bell has whipped up a new ad featuring the little town that was tricked by fake news of a getting a Taco Bell, only to have the restaurant airlift in 10,000 Doritos Locos tacos. [More]
What’s The Best Way To Handle The “Hold On, I’m On The Phone” Customer?
By 7.10.12
There is a special type of bad consumer that is the bane of both retail employees and other customers waiting in line — the person who not only blabs away on their phone while waiting in line but also holds things up by refusing to pause their call when they get to the head of the line. So what is the best way to deal with this problem in a way that just won’t slow things down even more? [More]
Pepsi Wants You To Try New Yogurt Flavors Like “Choco Balls”
By 7.9.12
Not enough chocolate balls for you in the yogurt aisle? Pepsi is embarking on a dairy adventure in an attempt to lure health-conscious consumers with a new line of yogurt flavors. Along with traditional flavors like strawberry, blueberry and Greek styles, there will also be “Choco Balls” and “Chocolate Flakes.” One can never get too much chocolate in one’s yogurt, after all. [More]
Maker Of OxyContin Believes Children Are The Future (For Extending Its Patent)
By 7.3.12
The company that makes OxyContin has a good thing going, with lots of free PR from shows like Intervention and Justified and no exact generic equivalent to undercut its market share. But there are dark clouds on the horizon for the OxyContin brand, as its patent is set to expire in April. Now, in a ploy to extend that patent, the Oxy folks are going through the motions of pretending they actually care whether or not children can take the drug safely. [More]
Alaskans Cruelly Denied Of A Taco Bell Rewarded With Truck Flown In Carrying 10,000 Doritos Locos Tacos
By 7.3.12
We just had to update you on the good people up in Bethel, Alaska. Last we heard from them, someone had played an awful, cruel joke on the whole town, leading the citizens to believe a Taco Bell was coming to town when really, it wasn’t. The big ears at Taco Bell were listening to the town’s cries of disappointment, however, and flew in a Doritos Locos taco feast of 10,000 tacos on Sunday to make up for the disappointment. [More]
Sale At CVS Means You Pay Double
By 7.2.12
Shopping at CVS, Ajay noticed this odd sale on a seasonal item (sandals). Okay, it’s fine to charge more for seasonal items during the season when they’re used: that’s basic retail. But there’s something terribly wrong when employees put up a sign doubling the price on a sale item without batting an eye. [More]
Walgreens Will Begin Offering Free HIV Testing In Select Locations
By 6.26.12
Walgreens is launching a new initiative offering free, private HIV testing at a few locations, the company announced today. It’s part of a program the company is working on with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to try and connect more people with HIV with care and resources. [More]
