In my experience, every business does some dumb things that come back to haunt them. Long term success depends on how often they do them and how big a blunder they turn out to be. Here are a few of my favorites from Business 2.0:

And don't forget, you only need one kidney.  Bankrupt Northwest Airlines begins laying off thousands of ground workers, but not before giving some of them a handy guide, "101 Ways to Save Money". The advice included dumpster diving ("Don't be shy about pulling something you like out of the trash"), making your own baby food and shredding old newspapers for use as cat litter. Hey, I love frugality, but maybe not the right time to share?

Hope you don't mind a little wear.  After striking a deal to sell Picasso's "The Dream" for a record $139 million, casino owner Steve Wynn decides to show the masterwork to a group of visitors in his Las Vegas office. As he gestures, Wynn hits the painting with his elbow, causing a "distinct ripping sound". Wynn cancels the sale and spends $85,000 to restore the painting.

One venti, triple-shot, extra-hot lawsuit comin' right up.  Starbucks directs baristas in the southeastern United States to email a coupon for a free iced coffee to friends and family members. But email knows no geographic boundaries and, worse, can be printed repeatedly. After the email spreads to every corner of the country and is reproduced en masse, Starbucks yanks the offer, leading disgruntled customer Kelly Coakley to file a $114 million class-action lawsuit.

Ouch.