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Jun.17
10:06 AM ET
Tuesday, 17 Jun 2008
Trouble For Leona Helmsley's "Trouble"

Leona Helmsley
Leona Helmsley

A New York judge has slashed $10 million from the $12 million the late billionaire Leona Helmsley left her dog, Trouble. Some heirs challenged the pooch's prized inheritance, and the general manager of the hotel where the 9-year-old Maltese lives said $2 million would be enough to pay Trouble's bills for two lifetimes--even in dog years.

Reportedly the manager said Trouble's annual expenses are $190,000. $190,000!! What is that dog eating? Well, apparently "only" $12,000 goes to food (although I assume her food bill's are going up like everyone else's). $100,000 goes to security. Maybe Trouble could be trained to be her own guard dog.

The judge ruled the "Queen of Mean" was "mentally unfit" when she made out the will, and the excess $10 million will now go into a Helmsley charitable trust. The decision was actually made six weeks ago but became public knowledge today. In addition to creating a bit of accounting trouble for Trouble, the judge gave Helmsley's two grandchildren $6 million. They were originally cut out of the will. So that's $3 million a grandkid, versus $2 million for the dog, which must have Helmsley rolling over in her mausoleum. Which is where, by the way, Trouble is to be buried when she goes to doggie heaven.

TANKER NAMED
Well, not really. The pro-Boeing blog has announced a winner in its tongue-in-cheek naming of the Northrop Grumman/EADS tanker for the Air Force: Le Miserable.

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