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:
 
Updated 21:34, May the 28th, 2009
 
Julia Rakoczy is picked up by her father Anthony Rakoczy after returning home in Trevose Pa. on Thursday.Julia Rakoczy is picked up by her father Anthony Rakoczy after returning home in Trevose Pa. on Thursday.
Metro: Joseph Kaczmarek
 

Racial unease arises from kidnapping hoax

BUCKS COUNTY. By the time Bonnie Sweeten's story completely unraveled — and authorities found her and daughter Julie Rakoczy in Orlando, Fla. late Wednesday — the fact that she blamed "two black men" in her elaborate kidnapping hoax went under some people's radar.

But not University of Pennsylvania adjunct professor Chad Dion Lassiter or many other black men, who Lassiter said definitely took notice of another "disturbing" example of black men becoming scapegoats in crimes they didn't commit.

"Where does this blame come from and why does it fall at the feet of black men?" said Lassiter, who is president of The Black Men at Penn and a board member of the city Prisons system. "Some will say, well say she’s troubled and we’ll sweep it under the rug. But we need to keep it front and center."

Black leaders from Philadelphia's NAACP chapter president J. Whyatt Mondesire to Mayor Michael Nutter also expressed their discontent in the last two days with Sweeten's unexplained accusation.

The 38-year-old from Langhorne remained in a Florida jail Thursday night awaiting extradition to a Bucks County prison for charges of identity theft and filing a false report, authorities said. The Bucks County District Attorney's Office did not return calls for additional details.

Lassiter said no matter how the Sweeten case turns out, black men shouldn't be complacent to stereotypes any more.

"Black men in the area need to be discussing it, but not getting angry about it," he said. "We have a moral imperative to show that we’re not rapists, savages. We just tell our truth."

 
 
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MMMpod
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.

 
 
Metro Life Panel