Newspaper Industry Bright Spot: Smaller Carbon Footprint

On August 28, 2009

KFC Gets Attention Using Chicken for Bread in ‘Double Down’

Can this sandwich possibly have fewer than 600 calories? According to KFC, it does. The new Double Down, which KFC is testing in Rhode Island and Nebraska, uses two pieces of fried chicken instead of bread, with bacon and cheese in between them. I'm not sure how well the product is selling, but it's certainly getting attention. An ad on YouTube received close to 200,000 hits, and a Harvard Business School writer said the Double Down might wind up having "the mother of all viral campaigns." Some initially thought the product was a hoax, but KFC has confirmed that the sandwich is real. The company has also gone out of its way to dispute some outside calorie estimates. The Vancouver...


On August 28, 2009

No One is Losing Stars, InterContinental and Starwood Say

Starwood Hotels & Resorts backtracked from a Bloomberg article where one of its PR executives said the company would be dropping stars and amenities. Instead the comments made were about a  "hypothetical" situation, not reality, Starwood said. It also reported no properties have lost stars. Our expectation is that all Luxury Collection properties maintain a minimum 4-star rating and we are proud that the vast majority of our St. Regis properties operate at a 5-star level. I also received an e-mail from Caroline Counihan, a spokeswoman for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, who said the Bloomberg story "really misrepresented the InterContinental scenario." "The majority of our hotels are still keeping their five-star (or equivalent ratings,)" she wrote. I guess from that statement, some...


On August 28, 2009

IBM Uncovers Green Hypocrisy Amongst Gen Y

You'd think that Generation Y, defined as those who are now between 18-24, would care more about the planet than previous generations. But a new IBM study has found that Gen Yers actually have the worst habits when it comes to wasting water and energy.


On August 28, 2009

From Cat Food to Beer; The 5 Most Unusual, Approved Business Deductions

When the IRS disallows a business deduction, your first appeal is often the US Tax Court. The Tax Court judges are selected specifically for their knowledge of tax laws and they frequently handle very complex issues when it comes to how those laws should be interpreted. Number 5 - Pet Food. You may have heard [...]


On August 28, 2009

Dialysis Provider DaVita Loses Pricing Control

Dialysis provider DaVita posted solid second-quarter financial results, yet chief financial officer Rich Whitney admitted to analysts on the earnings call that Medicare composite rate adjustment provided for in 2009 and 2010 would not be sufficient to compensate for anticipated increases in forward operating costs subject to inflation, such as labor and pharmaceutical supplies. Whitney opined that the dialysis provider would likely continue the trend of steady growth and consistent cash flow going forward. However, it is possible that operating profitability could tumble if the defined scope of new Medicare bundling rules, scheduled to be implemented in 2011, limit coverage for higher-cost cases and cap the utilization of prescribed erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), such as Amgen's Epogen. The company generates approximately...


On August 28, 2009

Generic Threat to Optimer Pharma’s Fidaxomicin Antibiotic

The relative efficacy of Optimer Pharma's investigational antibiotic, fidaxomicin, compared to standard-of-care vancomycin (marketed as Vancocin by drugmaker ViroPharma), remains unclear. Even if Optimer obtains regulatory approval to market fidaxomicin, its commercial success will be limited by the likely appearance of generic vancomycin.


On August 28, 2009

Top 10 Best Business Advice You’ve Ever Gotten

Every career tells a story of opportunities pursued or missed, advice taken or ignored. Advice given at a time when you're receptive can change your entire career ... but only if you're listening. Here's the best of the best business and career advice from over 130 submissions by BNET readers.


On August 28, 2009

KISS, Pearl Jam and Miley Enlist for Wal-Mart/Target Battle of the Bands

Wal-Mart and Target are locked in a battle of the bands, but they’re focusing on different generations. Wal-Mart last week announced that it would be the exclusive retailer for the latest album from popular Baby Boom generation rock act KISS. The album, Sonic Boom, will feature the band's first new material in 11 years, with all distribution in the United States and Canada through Walmart, Walmart.com and Sam’s Club. The album launches Oct. 6. Wal-Mart plans both in-store and online destination sites as part of the promotion for the album launch, and it will offer elements of the very large catalogue of KISS products available, one that has included everything from action figures to apparel. Or course, Wal-Mart has been...


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