US – Tuesday, February 9

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.

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.

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.

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.

‘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.

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 20:29, May the 4th, 2009

I went to Mexico

(and all I got was this darn swine flu)

Is there anything cooler than pandemic paraphernalia? The answer is no; the question, rhetorical.

Eleven days and a thousand patients later, the H1N1 virus has “spread” to the entrepreneurs of marketing, who started to deploy, since last Friday, several items to “remember” the global epidemic known as swine flu.

The Web site www.zazzle.com offers at least two dozen different models of shirts with messages like: “I went to Mexico and all I got was swine flu,” “Pandemic World Tour ’09” or “Swinebusters,” as well as key chains, mugs, hats, ties, aprons.

In some cases the Mexican flag is also invoked, but the symbols of an eagle devouring a snake have been replaced with a pig.

GABRIELA GUITÉRREZ/METRO WORLD NEWS

The February MMMpod features conversation from Ozzy Osbourne. Michael Emerson from "Lost" tells us about his days enjoying punk rock in Boston. We also dig up an old interview from the late great Howard Zinn. We have a song from Delta Spirit and The Soft Pack, who tell us where they got their name.

[Flyers by PaperG]