News In Brief

No doubt, Marin Zdravkov's parents liked the sound of his name when they chose it after his birth in 1964. Or perhaps it was a tribute to a grandfather or favorite uncle. But that was then, and this is now, and a court in Sofia, Bulgaria, has ruled that Zdravkov may legally change the name he has gone by all these years to ... Manchester United. That's a pro soccer team in Britain, right? Yes, it is, and our guy has been a fan since he was 11. It's not known what others in his family think of the idea, but at least he didn't opt for an even less Slavic-sounding team, like, say, the Tottenham Hotspurs.

SORRY TO HAVE DISTURBED YOU

Last week, an item in this space discussed the concern in Marysville, Wash., over a missing police uniform and the possibility that someone up to no good might be using it as a cover to commit crime. Now, in the interest of thoroughness, we must report that the uniform has turned up. It was simply misplaced, not stolen, and the scare is over.

Americans tell survey they'd be thrifty with $1 million

With "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" the hottest TV show around, Americans may be dreaming more than ever about becoming rich. But would-be millionaires don't necessarily want to blow a wad on a luxurious lifestyle, a new survey by the Chicago-based retailer Wards (which is pitching its own millionaire sweepstakes) has found. Of 1,000 people polled nationally, 63 percent said one of the top three ways they'd spend $1 million would be by investing. Paying off debts and donating to charities scored the next highest. The full list of responses and the percentages saying that's how they'd use the money:

Make investments such as stocks, 401K, or CDs 63%

Pay off debts or bills 50%

Make a charitable donation 48%

Buy a bigger home 32%

Travel the globe 30%

Splurge on luxury items such as a yacht or sports car 23%

Take a shopping spree 15%

- Business Wire

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