US – Friday, July 30

Arlington graves may be mixed up

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has just gotten quite a bit of company: As many as 6,600 graves at the country’s hallowed Arlington National Cemetery for fallen U.S. service members may be mislabeled, one lawmaker said on Thursday.

COLLEGE DROPOUTS

Political movements are becoming ever more like a match tossed into a room full of dynamite: No matter which stick you are aiming for, chances are a lot of others will fire off, too.

Talking about the ‘C’ word

A drama about a woman diagnosed with terminal cancer doesn’t exactly sound like the most entertaining new series on the fall prime-time slate. But there is more buzz surrounding Showtime’s “The Big C” than perhaps any other series premiering this season, and the incomparable Laura Linney is a major reason why the series is high on critics’ must-see lists.

Rabbis, controversy, and jail time at Chelsea’s wedding

Although facts on the famed Clinton-Mezvinsky wedding, which is rumored to happen this weekend, are tighter than Hillary Clinton’s smile, some details have leaked out. Sources report that groom Marc Mezvinsky has “hurt” his father’s family by not inviting them to the wedding (Ed Mezvinsky pleaded guilty in 2002 to swindling investors out of $10 million.

For Paul Rudd, the decision to star in Jay Roach’s new comedy, “Dinner for Schmucks,” was an easy one. “I thought the script was really funny,” he says. “That was it. It was kind of a no-brainer.” Of course Rudd, who’s built an impressive resume of smart comedies, was just as enamored of the man behind the camera.

Short-term living in Jersey City

Subletting in NYC typically involves some kind of covert transaction. Try to find a budget traveler who hasn’t enjoyed the risk of Craigslist’s lease-free rentals. But thanks to a bill Gov. David Paterson signed into law last Friday, renting an apartment for less than 30 days isn’t kosher. Fortunately, there’s a saving grace for those in search of short-term living: Jersey City.

Jobless claims fall, still high

New claims for unemployment benefits slipped last week, but stayed at a stubbornly high level that underscored the labor market recovery was having trouble gaining traction.

So long, Snuggies. Hello, Acushakti

Could nail mats like the Acushakti be the next Snuggies?

It’s possible, according to a top consumer survey.

Taking a joy ride through Italy

Unless the locals covered you in meatballs and sang “Nessun Dorma” upon arrival, this vacation could hardly be more Italian. For this is a “Vespa vacation” — a two-wheeled tour of the nooks and crannies, the winding back roads and the off-the-beaten-track hidden gems of breathtaking Umbria, a beautiful region located in Central Italy.

It’s so hard to say goodbye

For many job-hopping careerists, smuggling a resignation letter in their bag like a guilty secret, there are few workplace rituals so hard as saying so long.

Published 22:55, July the 1st, 2009

Assets go into trust for family

Michael Jackson’s estate• He left behind an estate that includes part ownership in a Beatles music catalog and his own music company that held rights to some of his music.• He was said to be as much as $500 million in debt when he died, but his assets have been reported to be worth as much as $1 billion. • That value could rise over time if his popularity in death grows, as with other entertainers like Elvis Presley.

Michael Jackson’s estate

• He left behind an estate that includes part ownership in a Beatles music catalog and his own music company that held rights to some of his music.

• He was said to be as much as $500 million in debt when he died, but his assets have been reported to be worth as much as $1 billion.

• That value could rise over time if his popularity in death grows, as with other entertainers like Elvis Presley.

Details of Michael Jackson’s will began to emerge Wednesday with all of his multimillion-dollar estate being placed in a family trust, even as plans for his highly anticipated funeral remained sketchy.

The will, signed in 2002, estimates his estate at that time to be worth in excess of $500 million. In it, Jackson leaves his entire estate to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, which ultimately benefits his three children, mother and unnamed charities.

Jackson’s 79-year-old mother, Katherine Jackson, is nominated to be guardian of Jackson’s children Prince Michael I, 12, Paris Michael Katherine, 11 and Prince Michael II, 7, and if she should be unwilling and unable to be guardian, Jackson nominated his friend, pop star Diana Ross, to be the children’s guardian.

The five-page document said “I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, Deborah Rowe Jackson.”

REUTERS