US – Tuesday, February 9
National
Plant blast under investigation
Federal investigators headed to Connecticut yesterday to determine the cause of an explosion at an unfinished power plant that killed at least five workers and hospitalized dozens of others.
 
International
Pressure grows for sanctions
International pressure for new sanctions against Iran grew yesterday after Tehran announced plans to make higher-enriched uranium and add 10 nuclear sites in a year, raising Western fears it wants to develop atom bombs.
 
The Word
Stern: I’d do ‘Idol’ for $100M
Howard Stern took to his radio show yesterday to address the rumors that he’s a possible replacement for Simon Cowell for the next season of “American Idol.” To sum it up? He’s not going for it.
 
New York Arts
Dancing while the skinny lady sings
You’ve heard of the jukebox musical? David Parsons and singers AnnMarie Milazzo and Tyley Ross of the East Village Opera Co. offer a jukebox opera, playing nightly at the Joyce. Eleven Parsons dancers share the stage with Milazzo and Ross, who clutch microphones cranked to 11 and stroll through the action. On the recorded soundtrack, three drummers create a wall of sound so loud you — well, I — want to hide under the seat. Digital video of abstract patterns, natural landscapes and stunning architecture change for each song.
 
Business
‘Free’ ad leads to fraud suit
NEW YORK. A Wisconsin college student is suing credit firm Experian — the brains behind the ubiquitous FreeCreditReport.com jingles — for fraudulent advertising after she inadvertently signed up for a monthly $14.95 monitoring service.
 
My Wellbeing
Let me count the ways ...
‘Tis the season for writing love letters. But that can be a daunting endeavor, especially when you’re not sure where to start. Should you put it in verse, use flowery language, get erotic? As with almost anything in life, the simpler you keep it, the easier (and often better) it will be. It doesn’t sound that romantic, but think of your love letter as a laundry list of the reasons why you adore your sweetheart. It’s kinda like Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet 43: “How do you love your partner? Count the ways!” Here’s how to do it without rhyming or pulling out a thesaurus:
 
Published 13:21, April the 12th, 2009
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Lobbying on Taxes Paid Off for Pfizer, HP, Kansas Study Says

NEW YORK. Pfizer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and other corporations pushing for a one-time tax break on overseas income received a 22,000 percent return on their lobbying expenditures, according to a study by the University of Kansas in Lawrence.

The companies pushed for a temporary tax break to 5.25 percent from 25 percent on overseas profits brought back to the U.S. The money had to be used for specific purposes, including hiring, training and research. New York-based Pfizer brought back $36.9 billion in overseas profits.

The study found that firms saved $220 in U.S. income taxes for every $1 they spent on lobbying for the 2004 measure. It looked at 476 companies that brought back more than $298 billion, including Pfizer and Palo Alto, California-based Hewlett-Packard.

“We should be concerned when a corporation’s most lucrative investment is in lobbying the government for tax benefits,” said Stephen Mazza, associate dean of the university’s law school and one of the study’s authors.

Pfizer and Hewlett-Packard did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In February, lawmakers rejected a new tax break on overseas profits as part of the $787 billion stimulus package. Senate Democrats said the earlier legislation did not create any new jobs. In fact, Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat who chairs the Senate Finance Committee’s investigations subcommittee, reported that Pfizer cut 9,000 jobs.

Bloomberg