McDonald's (MCD) is terrified about losing an incredibly important audience: adults ages 18 to 32, also known as "millennials."

This age group doesn't care much for the fast food chain. In fact, McDonald's doesn't even crack the top 10 of this group's favorite restaurants. That's according to a company memo obtained by Advertising Age magazine.

That's one reason McDonald's is launching a new product called the McWrap. The chicken wrap sandwich comes in three flavors and will be available next week.

Without the McWrap, McDonald's would lose millennial customers to Subway, the memo said. The company is calling the McWrap the "Subway buster." 

Updated March 26, 1:30 p.m.

Shares of Best Buy (BBY) were rising in Monday morning trading after founder Richard Schulze returned as chairman emeritus and two of his former colleagues agreed to join the board of the consumer electronics retailer, whose fortunes Wall Street analysts are increasingly convinced are getting better.

Schulze earlier tried to take the Richfield, Minn., company private but was unable to attract sufficient financing. He left his post at Best Buy last year after failing to notify the board about an affair CEO Brian Dunn was having with a subordinate.

Schulze, however, has remained a major shareholder, and now he's coming back. As per an existing agreement, he nominated former Chief Executive Brad Anderson and former Chief Operating Officer Al Lenzmeier to the board of directors. Morningstar analyst R.J.Hottovy told Reuters that Schulze's decision is good news and will save the retailer from a huge increase in its debt load that usually comes with a leveraged buyout. 

Dairy Queen is synonymous with summer treats, from soft-serve ice cream to Blizzard frozen desserts. 

But the 73-year-old company -- which is owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) -- wants to lure customers with a "5 Buck Lunch," which it thinks will help it "steal share" from other quick-service restaurants, marketing chief Barry Westrum told Nation's Restaurant News. 

The chain started developing the idea last summer and offered a limited-time offer in the fall. The permanent rollout will offer a $5 menu between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and provide the choice of a Grillburger with cheese, chicken strips or a chili cheese dog, as well as medium fries, a medium soda and a soft-serve sundae. 

Why make the $5 menu a standing offer?

 

Californians might like to think of themselves as being on the cutting edge of American trends, but their state remains woefully isolated when it comes to oil and gas supplies.

The Golden State ranks first in the nation for gasoline consumption, and it has has some of the nation's highest gas taxes. Many of its counties use a more expensive gasoline mixture that creates less smog and other pollutants to meet the state's strict air quality standards.

And while it remains a major oil producer, California has a relatively small number of oil refineries and terminals. Also, only a very limited number of of pipelines bring in refined gas and oil overland from elsewhere in the country. In fact, according to the Los Angeles Times, last year marked the first time that California had to import more than half of its oil (50.7%) from overseas.

 

Lost amid the recent coverage about the frightening rise in reported cases of autism is any discussion of the costs to families -- which can be staggering.

According to data from the Autism Society, the annual cost to society from the illness is $137 billion, greater than the state budget of California and more than twice the market capitalization of General Motors (GM), North America's largest automaker.

No less overwhelming is the cost to individuals and families caring for a person with autism. The Autism Society cites estimates of $3.2 million for the lifetime costs of such care. Behavioral therapies for children can cost $40,000 to $50,000 per year. Caring for an adult with autism in a supported residential setting can cost $50,000 to $100,000 per year. 

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to begin hearing arguments this week on two different cases, one federal and one involving California law, regarding the legality of same-sex marriage. The court's rulings on these cases -- California's Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act -- could have long-term impacts on how Americans deal legally, financially and culturally with gay marriage.

Supporters of same-sex marriage say now is the time to bring this issue up for scrutiny. A number of polls show public support of gay marriage has risen significantly in recent years. Nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized gay marriage. And last week, Colorado joined eight other U.S. states with civil union laws or similar statues for same-sex couples.

But don't overlook the economic impact from all these changes.

 

Traveling with Vice President Joe Biden has its perks.

Just ask the large entourage that went with him on a recent trip to Paris. A blog with the conservative news magazine The Weekly Standard points to a government document showing a $585,000 contract for Biden's stay at the Intercontinental Paris Le Grand hotel.

Biden did spend an evening in Paris in early February, but there are no details in the document about whether this contract is accurate or what the final hotel bill came to. A standard room in the hotel costs about $475 a night, and the royal two-bedroom suite runs about $3,900 a night.

The Weekly Standard also points to another government contract for Biden's London hotel stay in early February. 

The round of tax hikes and program cuts known as the sequester is a mindless, soulless machine whose only purpose is to bulldoze anything standing between it and a balanced budget.

Unless you're a meat inspector. Then it's business as usual.

While nearly a million federal workers will be forced to stay home without pay for as many as 22 days this year, CNNMoney notes that Congress voted Thursday to spare Department of Agriculture's meat inspectors the same fate. Part of the reasoning behind the measure is that USDA inspectors have been lauded as heroes amid the ongoing European horse meat scandal. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the inspectors have some deep-pocketed supporters in the meat industry who aren't afraid to play a game of slaughterhouse politics.