Red Bull's makers claim they're being blackmailed by someone threatening to taint the energy drink with some awful substance.

No, that foreign agent isn't more taurine or an extra backhoe of sugar.

Officials at Red Bull's headquarters in Vienna say extortionists have threatened to dump fecal matter into the energy drink unless they get paid off, according to Reuters. The perpetrators told Red Bull where the compromised cans would end up, but checks of Red Bull supplies at those stores turned up nothing unusual.

The threats have been under investigation since early March, but the motive behind them hasn't been nearly as tough to parse. According to Forbes, Red Bull sales grew 12% in 2011 to $5.6 billion

 

If roasted barley gives Guinness its dark color and nitrogen bubbles give it a frothy head and light texture, what could possibly prevent anyone from making it the pint of choice this St. Patrick's Day?

The swim bladders from fish, which is why vegans and vegetarians probably shouldn't be among those knocking back one of the more than 3 million pints that Guinness parent Diageo (DEO) estimates Americans will consume during the holiday. It's an unpleasant surprise for The Huffington Post and beer lovers who try to avoid brews made with animal products like gelatin, but it's been a part of Guinness' brewing process since the 1800s.

The swim bladders -- commonly known as isinglass -- help a fish swim and remain buoyant in water, but they also help brewers clear floaters and other particles out of their beer.

 

The next time your favorite celebrity mentions some product via Twitter or other social media, she's going to have to let you know if she's being paid for that endorsement.

Twitter's hundreds of millions of users mean one endorsement, made innocently or otherwise, can dramatically boost a product. No wonder, the microblogging service's advertising revenue is expected to reach $540 million next year, according to statistics compiled by the British firm SBW Advertising. Several months ago, MSN Money cited an example of how pop star Justin Beiber's turnaround on Uggs boots -- and his tweet about how he liked them -- may have helped that company's fortunes.

With all that in mind, the Federal Trade Commission just updated its guidelines for mobile and other online advertisers, on how to make those disclosures clear, conspicuous and deception-free.

 

Updated 5:22 p.m. 

A new proposal from the Obama administration would allow U.S. intelligence agencies including the CIA to gain access to Americans' financial data, according to a new report. 

The plan is setting off criticism, with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Republican, calling it an "erosion of constitutional protections."

Under the plan, U.S. intelligence agencies could tap into a massive database that contains financial information on U.S. citizens, with the goal of tracking down terrorist networks and crime syndicates, Reuters reports. 

 

Pop quiz a la "Jeopardy": Despite driving away morning viewers from NBC's "Today," he's in the running to host one of the most durable quiz shows on TV.

If you answered, "Who is Matt Lauer?" you'd be right. 

Lauer is at the top of the list to take over the show from host Alex Trebek, who has emceed "Jeopardy" since the current version returned to the airwaves in 1984, reports the New York Post.

Its fans are already bristling at the idea, with some on Twitter writing that they would be "done watching" if Lauer takes over the venerable quiz show. 

Unfortunately for those fans, Trebek is expected to end his run in 2016, when his contract expires. It's not hard to blame him.

 

Say what you will about George Costanza's fake Human Fund charity from "Seinfeld," but at least it never used veterans as a cover story or ended up being a bottomless war chest for politicians.

The same couldn't be said for Florida's Allied Veterans of the World, which runs a nearly $300 million gambling operation featuring 50 Internet parlors of computerized games. Investigators say it was a scam, and they've charged nearly 60 people with not only diverting money from veterans but spending the take on boats, beachfront condos and exotic cars. Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll (pictured) was among those questioned by investigators and has resigned as a result.

Carroll was the co-owner of a public relations firm, 3 N&JC, that worked for St. Augustine, Fla.-based Allied Veterans.

 

Why is the Twitterverse cackling with delight over Mila Kunis' statement to CNBC that she has "started investing in stocks?"

It seems as though many financial commentators are surprised that anyone who has graced the pages of "Maxim" magazine knows what a stock is, let alone how to buy one. Apparently, the star of "That '70s Show" and "Family Guy" previously had preferred conservative investments, telling the business news channel, "I'm an advocate of like put things in the bank, put it in a CD (a certificate of deposit), be safe."

West Wing Report, among others, questioned whether Kunis' change of heart was a sign of a "market top." That seems a bit ridiculous. Others were critical of CNBC over what they considered to be a ratings stunt by the Comcast-owned (CMCSA) cable channel. 

Step outside your house or apartment and look around. Do you see more people moving out than unpacking or more folks being buried than born? If so, you're living in one of America's many counties that are dying off.

New estimates from the 2012 census released Thursday and reported by The Associated Press found the American population is shifting as local economies weaken and their populations age. The numbers show show that 1,135 of the nation's 3,143 counties are going through "natural decrease," where deaths exceed births. That's up from roughly 880 U.S. counties, or 1 in 4, in 2009. 

So, how can you tell if you're in one of these dying counties? Well, if your home is in a far-flung suburb 45 minutes to an hour from a major city, there's a strong chance your town has watched a 2.1% boom in 2006 turn into a 0.35% decline last year.