WASHINGTON – Most government bureaucracies are hobbled by bloat, but in the case of the Department of Defense, the fat and mismanagement have begun to hurt military readiness in the field, according to a government study. On July 7, the Government Accountability Office (search), formerly the General Accounting Office, released …

Jacko|’Knots Landing’ and Maroon 5|’Collateral’ Jacko: Cash Poor, House Hunting in Miami Michael Jackson is returning to Miami’s South Beach this week with his huge entourage and a running meter on skyrocketing expenses. He’s told friends that he wants to buy a house in Miami and will be starting tohunt …

The latest from the Political Grapevine: Most Say Kerry Won First Debate An overnight Gallup poll suggests most Americans thinkJohn Kerry (search)won Thursday night’s debate. What’s more, the poll shows the vast majority of Americans think Kerry expressed himself more clearly during the debates. However, when it comes to many …

It’s a daily dilemma for many Americans — and one that has them feeling like they could eat their hats. It’s that old quandary about what to have for dinner. In these whirlwind times, putting food on the table after a long day doesn’t seem as simple as it used …

Jacko | Ocean’s Twelve | Million Dollar Text Message | Butch Walker | Bruce Springsteen Jacko Fans Jump Ship; Sales in Dumpster Not much good news for the recently swabbed ex-King of Pop. It seems that even Michael Jackson‘s hard-core fans have stopped spending money on him. So far, Jackson’s …

‘The Sweatbox’ | Luther Vandross | President Reagan Disney’s Smoking Gun No One Will Ever See I read with interest the story in yesterday’s New York Times about Disney considering selling Miramax back to the Weinstein brothers. Without Miramax and Steve Jobs‘ Pixar, which has expressed a desire to leave …

NEW YORK – Plunging, tight tees and belly-baring pants aren’t quite right — but neither are boxy Granny dresses, polyester Polos and drab cardigans. With most fashion catering to Britney Spears wannabes or Very Mature Women — the kind living in retirement communities — what’s ababy boomer (search)looking for style …

Hi, I’m Bill O’Reilly. Thanks for watching us tonight. Will the Oscars turn into an anti-Bush bash?That’s the subject of this evening’s “Talking Points Memo.” ABC has installed a five second delay to protect itself against any dubious musings during Sunday’s upcoming Oscar telecast.Some believe that a few winners may …

And now some fresh pickings from the political grapevine: Campaign Coffers Though Howard Dean dropped his bid for the White House last week, he is still urging supporters to donate to his presidential campaign fund … in part to help retire a debt of at least $400,000. In an email …

NEW YORK – Those who think museums are full of dusty paintings, abstract sculptures and cracked old parchments can think again. Visitors to America’s museums these days can join the exhibits by being sworn in as president of the United States in Philadelphia, overhearing buzz aboutNazis (search)in a pre-World War …