NYC judge just ruled on #sodaban, says it's arbitrary and capricious. This is a victory for small business and personal choice in #NYC.

— NYC Beverage Choices (@NYCBevChoices) March 12, 2013

It was doomed to fail, writes the Guardian. Even New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg acknowledged, "When we began this process, we knew we’d face lawsuits." He added, "When you adopt a groundbreaking policy, special interest will sue. That's America."

So the overturning by New York State judge Milton Tingling of Bloomberg's proposed ban on sugary beverages above 16 ounces, which was due to go into effect on Tuesday before being dismissed as "arbitrary" and "capricious" by Tingling, didn't come as a complete surprise.Continue reading...

Volkswagen acquires remaining Porsche stake for nearly $6 billion.

Aetna and California doctors face off over business practices.

Barclays former CEO apologizes in grilling by U.K. lawmakers.

Alibaba clamps down on staff corruption.

Avon introduces his and her fragrances with Jon Bon Jovi's help.

BBC names new director general.

Best Buy makes its stores look sleeker.

Boeing plans new green technologies.Continue reading...

America’s food and beverage makers, in tandem with casual restaurants including Burger King, have stepped up their marketing offensive against federal regulators who are seeking to impose tough new “voluntary” standards about marketing to children.

Industry groups are intensifying their battle on two fronts: extending more effort on self-governing programs to offer more healthy-product options and to soft-pedal their marketing, and punching back harder against the proposal by the Obama administration’s Interagency Working Group (IWG) on marketing food to children.Continue reading...

You seldom hear the word “innovative” used to describe a fast food chain, but there’s really no other way to label some of the things Burger King has attempted in recent years.

First there was the “Subservient Chicken” viral video, which practically invented the form. Afterwards came their “Whopper Virgin” commercials, in which people from remote parts of the world – Thailand, Romania, Greenland – were asked to taste-test the Whopper and the Big Mac (guess which one won?).

Finally, and perhaps their most sensational move yet, was their “Whopper Sacrifice” Facebook campaign, in which users could obtain a free Whopper by “sacrificing” ten of their friends. Facebook quickly pulled the plug, claiming it violated their Privacy Policy, but before they did literally thousands of people were unceremoniously unfriended in favor of a free burger.

And then came beer.Continue reading...