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A billionaire financier and investor was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his office in New York City. The death of Thomas H. Lee, 78, was confirmed by his family in a statement released on Thursday. Police discovered Lee's body around 11:10 a.m. at his office on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan - where his business Thomas H. Lee Capital, LLC is located. Lee had a net worth of roughly $2 billion at the time of his death, according to Forbes. Lee was the founder and chairman of Lee Equity and had served as chairman and CEO of Thomas...

It may have a new name, but everything inside the bottle is remaining the same.Bottles of Snapple peach iced tea and Diet Snapple peach iced tea on a store shelf As a teenager, I remember traveling to Italy and seeing that, instead of Diet Coke, grocery stores sold Coca-Cola Light. It's the first time I really thought about this use of "diet" and how, yeah, it's a bit odd. According to CNN, "diet" drinks were born out of the success of Diet Rite which launched in 1958 as an option for people who needed to limit their sugar intake. But...

Company's Outstanding Performance Recognized by Beverage Marketing Corporation and Beverage World Magazine PLANO, Texas, May 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (NYSE: DPS) has received the 2010 Company of the Year award at The Beverage Forum. The honor is awarded by the Beverage Marketing Corporation and Beverage World magazine and recognizes the company's outstanding performance, flavor leadership and innovation. DPS was honored at the annual beverage industry conference in the large company category. "We are proud of our achievements and deeply honored to accept this award," said Larry D. Young, president and chief executive officer of DPS. "As...

An attempt to erect a 16-tonne ice pop in a New York square [Union Square] froze traffic and created a sticky situation for the company behind the stunt. The soft-drink maker Snapple tried to get into the Guinness World Records book by installing the 7½-metre confection in downtown Manhattan on Tuesday. As a construction crane began to haul it upright, a pink tide of kiwi-strawberry-flavoured fluid spread across Union Square. The slush forced pedestrians to flee for higher ground. Firefighters closed off several roads, fearing that vehicles and bicycles could slip. "What was unsettling was that the fluid just kept...

Giant popsicle melts, floods New York square NEW YORK What do you get when you mix a 17-ton popsicle with the hot sun on a summer afternoon? New York City fire crews have the answer. They had to close off a number of streets in downtown Manhattan and get out the fire hoses yesterday to wash away thousands of pounds of sticky goo. It was a promotion by Snapple to build the world's largest popsicle. But, the 25-foot tall frozen confection became a kiwi-strawberry mess that flooded Union Square. According to the New York Post, several bicyclists slid in the...

It's Snapple or nothing for thousands of thirsty students who attend Brooklyn high schools where a new policy bans kids from carrying outside beverages into school. "It's wrong," said Shabana Mohumad, a freshman at Clara Barton High School who saw her sealed water bottle confiscated last week. "It was insulting." Barton students said they are being bullied into drinking Snapple - the only soft drink available in city schools - but education bosses insist that was not their intention. "It didn't even cross my mind," said Gloria Buckery, superintendent for Region 6 in Brooklyn. The policy was meant to reduce...

School officials in south Brooklyn have issued an ultimatum to parched students: Buy your drinks from us or go thirsty.The directive came down this month from the superintendent for Region 6, Gloria Buckery, who ordered district officials to ban students from bringing drinks to school.SNIP Some went so far as to suggest the ban is a ploy to encourage kids to drink Snapple — the official drink of city schools since last year.Under the $40 million deal, which gave Snapple exclusive rights to place vending machines in public schools for five years, schools are to get a 30 percent commission...

NEW YORK (AP) _ As part of his plan to seek corporate partnerships, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that Snapple Beverage Group has won exclusive rights to sell its bottled water and fruit juices in city vending machines. The two-part deal grants immediate rights for the soft-drink maker to sell its products in vending machines in city schools. Beginning next January, Snapple will become the exclusive vendor of iced teas, water and its Yoo-hoo chocolate drink in machines on all city property. Snapple will pay the city $106 million for the rights and agreed to spend $60 million more to...

For the hell of it... I'm conducting a survey. What was your favorite Seinfeld episode? I need a good laugh.