International Business News Blogs - Offbeat Sack http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/rss/sections/offbeat-sack.rss All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 120 30 http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/rss/sections/offbeat-sack.rss http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090630/photo-highlight-air-force-jet-water-blast.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/6629/20090630/photo-highlight-air-force-jet-water-blast.htm Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:34:05 EDT Billy Mays likely died of heart problems, according to preliminary autopsy results. In a press conference Monday, medical examiner Vernard Adams said Mays “had an enlarged heart, a thickening of the wall of the ventricle which takes blood to the heart.” The TV pitchman died from pulmonary embolism, the autopsy showed. Final results from the autopsy are due in several weeks. May... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090630/billy-mays-probably-died-of-heart-disease.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/6598/20090630/billy-mays-probably-died-of-heart-disease.htm Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:58:55 EDT Kodak on Monday highlighted the iconic image of a refugee Afghan girl, captured for a cover photo of National Geographic in 1985, as it announced it was retiring the Kodachrome film it was shot on.Kodak mentioned the photo and published comments from the photo journalist, Steve McCurry, who said that while the film was extensively used early in his career, he had moved on to other films."In fact,... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090622/afghan-girl-photo-recalled-as-kodak-retires-old-film.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/6206/20090622/afghan-girl-photo-recalled-as-kodak-retires-old-film.htm Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:09:46 EDT The new Calvin Klein ad in Soho of New York City, shows a billboard which features a topless female model kissing one male model and lying on another shirtless man. Some people think the ad is depicting a “threesome.” The New York Daily News has been reporting that passersby of the Soho neighborhood have had negative reactions. Marketing specialist Lisa Marchese says that the ad is “borderline p... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090616/calvin-kleinthreesome-billboard.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/6018/20090616/calvin-kleinthreesome-billboard.htm Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:16:48 EDT The ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ promo for next week revealed that secrets to Danielle Staub’s past could be found in an out-of-print book called “Cop Without a Gun” by New Brunswick native Charles Kipps. NJ.com tracked down a copy, and sure enough, it includes a mug shot of a woman named Beverly Merrill who looks a lot like Danielle Staub. The book is about a former con named Kevin Maher w... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090528/real-housewives-of-new-jersey-danielle-staubmugshot.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/5292/20090528/real-housewives-of-new-jersey-danielle-staubmugshot.htm Thu, 28 May 2009 11:44:00 EDT Know the saying any press is good press? Well Kate Gosselin lives by that because she is set to release her third book. Her third book, Love Is in the Mix: Making Meals into Memories, is due to hit stores Oct. 13, 2009, according to Amazon.com. Despite the success of her previous books about raising a brood of ninety-six kids, some people have already read pieces from her new book and are slammin... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090528/kate-gosselin-to-release-cookbook.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/5287/20090528/kate-gosselin-to-release-cookbook.htm Thu, 28 May 2009 11:30:16 EDT Does Redbull give you wings? There may be a reason. Red Bull has been banned in six states in Germany after a test revealed that the energy drink contained trace amounts of cocaine. The bans of selling Red Bull Cola by retailers in six German states started Friday after in a sample test 0,4 micrograms of cocaine per liter was found. The cocaine levels are not high enough to constitute a health th... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090526/there-is-cocaine-in-redbull.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/5212/20090526/there-is-cocaine-in-redbull.htm Tue, 26 May 2009 09:21:27 EDT So if your name is Casey Ray and you are hanging out behind the Chase Park Plaza hotel in St. Louis waiting for your fiance to get off work, the logical thing to do is look in a dumpster and discover the script for the Twilight sequel. When I opened it up and saw the character names: Charlie, Bella, Edward, I was just like, this can’t possibly be what I know it to be.” Casey, a hairstylist in S... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090513/chick-finds-script-for-twilight-sequel.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/4638/20090513/chick-finds-script-for-twilight-sequel.htm Wed, 13 May 2009 11:30:51 EDT A toddler boy aged 23-months has died of the swine flu in Texas. This child’s death is the first confirmed death of swine flu in the United States. The boy was from Mexico City, he was airlifted two weeks ago to a Houston hospital from the border town of Brownsville, where he had been visiting relatives, officials said. The CDC made this announcement: “We have confirmed the first death in this ... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090430/swine-flu-kills-toddler.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/4092/20090430/swine-flu-kills-toddler.htm Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:54:03 EDT This stuff is awesome. The antidote is a lightweight hydrating lotion for chronically stressed skin. It delivers moisture without feeling heavy or greasy. It goes on with a cooling burst to decongest, detoxify, and stabilize skin, helping it return it to its natural, fresh, and healthy state. With daily use, skin is fortified and protected from the ravages of stress. The cooling effect is great. ... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090429/product-pick-of-the-week-skyn-iceland-antidote.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/4029/20090429/product-pick-of-the-week-skyn-iceland-antidote.htm Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:38:19 EDT Megan McAllister’s is standing by her man Phillip Markoff, the man being charged as the “Craigslist Killer.” “To me and my family, he is a loving and caring person and in the eyes of the law and the constitution, he is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” she said in a statement Monday. “I just can only hope that the criminal justice system will not be overwhelmed and persu... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090428/megan-mcallister-stands-by-craigslist-killer-as-allegations-surface-that-he-solicited-men-too.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/3998/20090428/megan-mcallister-stands-by-craigslist-killer-as-allegations-surface-that-he-solicited-men-too.htm Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:19:06 EDT The August 14 wedding on the Jersey shore between accused Craigslist killer Philip Markoff and his fiancée Megan McAllister has been called off for now, according to the leader of their wedding band. “A family member of Megan’s told me there is no possibility of this wedding taking place this August,” William Forte, founder and keyboardist for the B-Street band, tells People Magazine exclusively... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090427/craigslist-killer-wedding-called-off.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/3925/20090427/craigslist-killer-wedding-called-off.htm Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:02:52 EDT Famed mother of octuplets Nadya Suleman said she will do a documentary series following her babies until they are 18 years old and is also looking to trademark her widely used nickname - Octomom. Suleman, who gave birth to six boys and two girls in Los Angeles on January 26, said she would allow a television crew to film her family six times a year. The series will be made by the British arm... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090415/octomom-planning-reality-show-trademarks-her-name.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/3511/20090415/octomom-planning-reality-show-trademarks-her-name.htm Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:19:54 EDT The votes for Nickelodeons' Kids Choice Awards are still open today previous to the ceremony to be held at 8 p.m. EST at Pauley Pavilion at UCLA. Nickelodeon's 22nd Annual Kids' Choice Awards will feature host Dwayne Johnson and honor kids' favorites from the worlds of film, music, sports and television in a star-studded live telecast. There will be an special award named the "... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090331/kids-choice-awards-votes-open.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/2859/20090331/kids-choice-awards-votes-open.htm Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:10:06 EDT The weather for the second landing of NASA's space shuttle at Kennedy Space Center in Florida was looking more favorable and given the "go," the NASA reported by 1:20 p.m.The first landing was delayed due to weather conditions and the Discovery was sent back around the globe.The Mission Control in NASA ordered the seven astronauts to skip their first landing opportunity at 1:39 p.m. EST until t... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090330/discovery-shuttle-second-landing-hopeful-as-weather-improves.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/2828/20090330/discovery-shuttle-second-landing-hopeful-as-weather-improves.htm Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:58:49 EDT Walt Disney Co. is in negotiations to take an equity stake in Hulu in exchange for providing the video portal with ABC programming. The talks between the two companies are "serious," but a final deal has not been reached, according to two of PaidContent's sources. Hulu has managed to amass traffic in the video-streaming space, second only to YouTube as joint venture of News ... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090328/disney-in-talks-to-join-hulu-as-new-web-strategy.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/2783/20090328/disney-in-talks-to-join-hulu-as-new-web-strategy.htm Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:34:07 EDT U.S. flag flies from crane over Ground Zero site during ceremony commemorating seventh anniversary of September 11 attacks, in New York (Reuters)The building that replaces the World Trade Center towers, destroyed in the September 11 attacks, will no longer be called the "Freedom Tower," as originally planned. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is promoting the place as One ... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090328/freedom-tower-name-dropped-for-new-world-trade-center.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/2780/20090328/freedom-tower-name-dropped-for-new-world-trade-center.htm Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:03:09 EDT Oakland Police funeral. (Photo:Reuters)The four Oakland policemen that died as a result of a violent rampage on March 21 caused by a 26-year old man were honored in a massive funeral Friday.At the funeral, thousands of police officers accompanied the family of their fellow workers, the officers Mark Dunakin, John Hege, Ervin Romans and Daniel Sakai.Among those speaking at the service Friday were G... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090327/oakland-policemen-honored-at-massive-joint-funeral.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/2769/20090327/oakland-policemen-honored-at-massive-joint-funeral.htm Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:54:33 EDT An M.T.A. construction truck knocked over a road sign on the Whitestone Bridge Friday afternoon in the Bronx, hurting two people and causing the bridge to close to vehicle circulation.The two people injured were reportedly the ones inside the truck. Both are in a Queens, New York hospital.The truck belongs to the Alpha Painting and Construction Company, which was hired to paint the bridge's tower... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090327/what-accident-happened-at-whitestone-bridge.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/2768/20090327/what-accident-happened-at-whitestone-bridge.htm Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:53:17 EDT Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox. (Photo:Reuters)21-year-old Amanda Knox a.k.a. "Foxy Knoxy" and former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 24 are back in court in Rome, Italy on Friday, regarding the assassination of the student Meredith Kercher, a crime that earned an unprecedented international coverage. Knox and Sollecito are charged with murdering and sexually assaulting Kerche... http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20090327/foxy-knoxy-trial-hearing-witness-heard-shout.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/blogs/articles/2767/20090327/foxy-knoxy-trial-hearing-witness-heard-shout.htm Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:51:09 EDT