The King of Pop Michael Jackson has certainly practiced, practiced, and practiced, so it is no surprise that he has made it to Carnegie Hall.

But as a lecturer?

On Feb. 14, Valentine's Day, he and the best-selling author of Kosher Sex, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, will present 'Love, Work, and Parenting: Can You Be a Success in the Bedroom, the Boardroom and the Family Room?' at Carnegie Hall. Jackson and Boteach will present a panel of children's experts and celebrities in a discourse about romantic love, familial devotion and professional dedication. 'Can you really have it all?' is the question Jackson and Boteach will seek to answer.

A week later, Jackson will give a lecture at England's Oxford University, no less.

'Love, Work, and Parenting' will be presented by the Heal the Kids initiative, a new project of Jackson's Heal the World Foundation.

Indicted former District 29 School Board Superintendent Celestine Miller and her also-indicted husband, William Harris, were all aglow as guests on Sunday night, Jan. 28 at the 55th birthday celebration of co-defendant Thomas Kontogiannis.

Sources who were at the big bash at The Garden City Hotel said Miller and Harris were among the more than 300 financially-blessed partygoers who wined and dined, and toasted Kontogiannis throughout the night — showing 'not a care in the world.'

According to Queens prosecutors, the trio have a great deal to worry about. They're facing action on a multiple-count indictment that charges they, along with five others named in the indictment, squeezed $6,345,000 from the school board coffers through an intricate 'scheme to defraud.'

Sources told QConfidential that the party atmosphere was 'light and frivolous,' and that Miller and Harris were 'extremely chummy' with their host — and vice versa.

Not one word on what Kontogiannis received as a gift from his 'chums.'

A Lesson For The Queens Expert

Queens Detective On The Hot Seat

Sources tell QConfidential that Queens' highest-ranked detective was called downtown recently to explain his actions with regard to a high-profile investigation.

It seems that Dep. Chief Joseph Resnick has his mind set on eliminating overtime for borough detectives. It's so set, in fact, that Resnick sent detectives who were working on the murder of a Christ the King High School student home at 1 a.m. on the night of the murder to avoid accruing overtime pay.

Detective bosses and other high-ranking brass at One Police Plaza were more than stunned and angry at the move when they learned that the Queens detectives had solid leads on that first night that may have resulted in the arrest of the person that pulled the trigger.

By sending the detectives home until 4 p.m. the next day, the Queens boss cut some slack for the suspect to split, sources said. He was arrested several days later, after detectives plastered his photo throughout the city and in the media, urging him to surrender.

Another #7 Train With Seoul

It looks like transit planners in South Korea have taken a few tips from emigres to Flushing when naming one of Seoul's newest subway lines.

Late last year, Seoul subway builders completed work on their own '7 Line.'

According to the web publication Life in Korea, a typical day on Seoul's 7 train doesn't differ that much from that of the subway line that services Queens.

Here's how one Korean rider described Seoul's '7 train':

'Subway cars are generally free of garbage and graffiti, although later at night there may be some leftovers from someone drinking too much. Be aware of your surroundings though, especially during rush hours when everyone gets jammed in tightly.'

Subways become extremely crowded during the morning and evening rush hours. Even when not crowded, Koreans madly scramble for the available seats as soon as the car doors open.'

Doesn't sound that different from Queens' 7 train — with one exception.

There's was no word on a Korean version of John Rocker.

Extra! Extra!

No one ever said running the borough that's home to some two million residents would be easy.

For the past decade and a half Beep Claire Shulman has been invited to attend, preside over and moderate about a zillion community engagements, so it's understandable if she might forget about one here or there.

On Jan. 27 the Asian community once again invited Shulman to help them usher in the Year of the Snake as the grand marshal of their annual Lunar New Year Parade in downtown Flushing.

There was only one problem Claire was none the wiser. Either she wasn't properly informed, or she just plum forgot. Nevertheless our fearless leader managed to show up.

So how did she find out about the event and her honorable position in it? According to her Chief Administrative Officer and City Council hopeful Barry Grodenchik, the same way the rest of us did she read it in the newspaper the Trib, we assume.

With the impending term limits, Shulman will soon be stepping down from the position she's held for over a decade and a half. On Jan. 30 she delivered her 15th and final State of the Borough address at the Theater in the Park, which was followed by a rather emotional goodbye.

You can reach us by email at conf@queenspress.com Fax to Conf (718) 357-0972 Or you can reach us by mail: "Confidential" 174-15 Horace Harding Expressway Fresh Meadows, NY 11365

 

Confidentially New York . . .

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