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That completed Costello’s journey of giving everyone what they wanted. The fact that he could do that, and do it as well as he did, shows how important Costello’s music has been, and how much he still has left.
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Fighting in the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City killed 23 Iraqis yesterday, hospital officials said, and the U.S. military reported five troop deaths, as April showed signs of becoming the worst month for U.S. forces in Iraq since September.
At least 11 of the Iraqi deaths occurred when mortar shells landed in residential neighborhoods. Men rushed wounded children to overcrowded emergency rooms in Sadr City hospitals, on foot because of a ban on all vehicular traffic. In some parts of Sadr City, masked militiamen bearing machine guns and grenade launchers remained on the streets.
Officials at local hospitals have put the death toll in the neighborhood at more than 70 since Sunday, but it was not clear if those figures included militia fighters.
Thousands of Sadr City residents have fled for other neighborhoods. Prices in local markets were soaring as supplies dwindled, a result of suppliers' inability to bring in goods. Iraqi and U.S. forces appeared to be penetrating deeper into the neighborhood, one local journalist said.
There were no signs that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was pulling back on his offensive against Shiite militias, which has sparked fighting between Iraqi and U.S. forces and militiamen loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Maliki's deadline for fighters to hand in heavy weapons expired Tuesday, but the latest clashes showed that rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and rockets remained in militia hands.
Baghdad had spent part of yesterday quieter than in recent days, because of a curfew imposed to prevent clashes and protests marking the anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein on April 9, 2003.
Al-Sadr had called for a huge march in Baghdad to mark the anniversary of Hussein's ouster and to protest the U.S. presence and al-Maliki's offensive. The cleric says the offensive, which began March 25 in the southern city of Basra, is targeting his Mahdi Army and is a ploy to cripple his political movement in advance of provincial elections planned for October.
His fighters have risen up against Iraqi and U.S. forces, virtually collapsing a cease-fire that al-Sadr announced last August and that was credited with bringing a sharp drop in violence nationwide.
Although U.S. and Iraqi officials maintain that they are targeting criminal elements or "special groups" that did not abide by al-Sadr's truce, U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker acknowledged yesterday that the Basra offensive had drawn in others.
"A dangerous development in the immediate wake of the Basra operation was what appeared to be a reunification between special groups and JAM," he told lawmakers in Washington, using the acronym for al-Sadr's militia.
Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, gave lawmakers their assessments of the war during two days of hearings in Washington that ended yesterday.
The surge in troop deaths since the Basra offensive has underscored their contention that security gains witnessed in recent months easily could be reversed. At least 30 U.S. troops have died in Iraq since the Basra operation began, most in Baghdad; at least 19 have died in Iraq so far this month, representing the highest daily average since last September.
The deaths announced yesterday brought to at least 4,031 the number of U.S. troops to die in Iraq since the war began in March 2003. Brief military statements said three of the soldiers died in roadside bomb blasts: two in northeastern Baghdad and one east of the city. Two others died of "non-combat" injuries, statements said, giving no other details.
With its eye on Western next-gen gamers, the Japanese publisher pays $15 million for Secret Level.
Sega Holdings of USA announced on Monday that it has purchased independent game studio Secret Level for $15 million.
Last July, Sega announced a next-generation development deal with Secret Level, an arrangement that asked the San Francisco-based shop to "re-create a classic Sega franchise" on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Though the unnamed game in question isn't "Sonic the Hedgehog"--which is being shepherded into the next generation internally--the prospect of a next-gen "Altered Beast" or "Golden Axe" has many players excited.
Prior to its next-gen project, Secret Level was best-known for developing "Karaoke Revolution," "Magic the Gathering: Battlegrounds" and console versions of the military title "America's Army: Rise of a Soldier."
Sega Holdings, the U.S.-based arm of Japan's Sega Sammy Holdings, said the acquisition of Secret Level was part of its push to concentrate on the U.S. and European video game markets.
"We looked long and hard at building an internal studio from scratch but were so impressed with the team at Secret Level and their next-gen technology that we decided to create our internal development infrastructure through a direct acquisition," said Simon Jeffery, Sega of America's president and COO.
The deal comes just more than a year after Sega acquired The Creative Assembly, makers of the highly acclaimed "Total War PC" strategy series and the not-so-highly acclaimed "Spartan: Total Warrior" for consoles. It also comes two weeks after Sega said it will "collaboratively develop" an all-new role-playing game with "NeverWinter Nights 2" developer Obsidian Entertainment for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Tor Thorsen reported for GameSpot.
Tulsa race riot survivor: "Learn how to forgive, but never forget"
SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- A 100-inch, high definition screen projects an intense college basketball game. Massage therapists rub the nervous tensions of men and women away. Scissors skillfully cut men's hair. Two chandeliers adorn the main room, complimented by brick walls and a glass bar that doubles as a retail counter.
Sean Heywood, right, and Kumi Walker own MR., a barbershop and wine bar in San Francisco, California.
This is not your typical barbershop.
And that has always been the vision of owners Kumi Walker and Sean Heywood.
"We are literally trying to create a new version of the country club golf experience. But we're replacing golf with haircuts, and we're putting it in urban environments," says Heywood.
MR. (for mister) is their first business venture. It's an upscale barbershop, wine bar and lounge in the financial district of San Francisco where memberships cost $65 to $250 a month. In addition to the basic services, those who become members benefit from exclusive services like golf putting clinics and human resource workshops.
"We're trying to thrive, not just survive," Heywood said.
MR. takes the cultural aspect of the black barbershop experience and modernizes it, making it a place where businesspeople of all races can network.
The two entrepreneurs are bridging a cultural divide, and also giving back to the community. They offer free lifetime memberships to MR. to those in good standing with a re-entry program called Back on Track.
Among other things, Back on Track offers first-time, low-level criminal offenders GED preparation, tutoring, money-management instruction and job training and placement. And that's where MR. steps in. The membership provides them with one free haircut, trim, and shoeshine monthly.
"We'll take care of their grooming so that they don't have to. And they're ready for all the different jobs that they pursue going forward," Walker says.
Giving back is paramount for the entrepreneurs. And the story of one black business district in Tulsa, Oklahoma, inspires them. It was known as Black Wall Street, and it was destroyed in a race riot and fire 88 years ago.
"All of the businesses that we wanted to create, we wanted to encompass the culture of, if that community still existed today, what it would look like," says Walker, who says he read about the riot six years ago.
Imagine a credit union, a barbershop, a library, and men in freshly pressed suits with top hats sauntering on sidewalks. The melodic sounds of jazz flow into the streets from several nightclubs. A thriving community of black-owned businesses serve their clientele across a 42-block area.
That was the community that existed in the segregated neighborhood of Greenwood from 1830 to 1921.
But on the evening of May 31, 1921, white mobs entered Greenwood with torches and guns. Black residents gathered to protect a young man accused of assaulting a white woman. When the smoke from fires cleared on June 1, more than 1,000 homes, businesses and other institutions were burned or destroyed, according to the report of the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921.
Sound off: What challenges do black entrepreneurs face?
iReport.com: How would you make black America better?
"People came and said, 'Run, they are shooting people,' " says Wess Young, who was 4 then. "We evacuated. They were destroying everything."
The death toll has been debated for years, because many victims were dumped in mass graves. An American Red Cross estimate puts the total at 300, much higher than the 36 reported by local officials.
The riot devastated the social underpinnings of the Greenwood community and leveled a black economic force. Greenwood was rebuilt, but it never recovered.
"It was a really tragic end to thriving businesses. I think we'd be a lot further ahead had that area been able to continue to thrive," says Walker.
Wess Young and his family rebuilt their lives in Tulsa. When asked what he thought America would be like if the Tulsa race riot had not happened, he answers without hesitation, "We would have had a black president before now. ... He has done a good job, but we [blacks are] still in a box."
His advice to people is to let go of the past once they've learned from it.
"Hate will destroy your whole universe -- got to learn how to forgive, but never forget," Young says.
Walker says these stories of black struggle and survival motivate him.
"I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors," he says. "I just want to be as successful as possible so I can turn around and be mentors and sponsors to other people who come after me."
Two recently published reports shed damning light on the high cost of low wages in the fast food industry – an industry dominated by the restaurant giant McDonald’s, which raked-in over $5.4 billion in profits last year.
The reports – Super Sizing Public Costs: How Low Wages at Top Fast-Food Chains Leave Taxpayers Footing the Bill and Fast Food, Poverty Wages: The Public Cost of Low-Wage Jobs in the Fast-Food Industry – argue that low-wages in the fast-food industry cost taxpayers nearly $7 billion annually.
Medicaid and CHIP (the Children’s Health Insurance Program) account for more than half of the $7 billion, at an average of $3.9 billion annually. Additionally, due to low earnings, fast food workers’ families also receive an annual average of $1.04 billion in food stamp benefits and $1.91 billion in Earned Income Tax Credit payments.
The ten largest fast-food companies alone made more than $7.4 billion in profits in 2012 and paid their top executives more than $53 million in compensation.
Low-wage fast-food jobs cost tax-payers the most in California ($717 million), New York ($708 million), Texas ($556 million), Illinois ($368 million), and Florida ($348 million).
According to Super Sizing Public Costs, “McDonald’s represents the most costly fast-food company for tax-payers.” Low wages and lack of benefits at McDonald’s cost tax-payers “$1.2 billion every year in public assistance programs,” according to the report.
YUM! Brands (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, KFC), Subway, Burger King and Wendy’s round-out the top five fast-food companies with workers who rely on public assistance.
The median average wage for fast-food workers is $8.69; an estimated 87 percent of fast-food workers do not receive health benefits. Furthermore, 67 percent of front-line fast-food workers are adults 20 and older; 68 percent are the main earners in their families and more than one-quarter are raising children.
“This business model puts tax-payers on the hook, while rewarding corporate CEO’s,” Jack Temple, a policy analyst for the National Employment Law Project and co-author of Super Sizing Public Costs, said during a conference call with the press on October 15.
The reports come on the heels of a nation-wide wave of fast-food worker strikes; most recently strikes took place in over 60 cities across the nation with thousands of fast-food workers walking off their jobs.
“The CEO of McDonald’s makes more in a day than I make in a year,” Yates added.
Fast-food workers nationally are calling for $15 an-hour in pay and the right to form or join a union without retaliation.
Jacobs also addressed the wave of non-traditional worker organizing taking place in fast-food, retail and other low-wage service sector jobs.
Super Sizing Public Costs: How Low Wages at Top Fast-Food Chains Leave Taxpayers Footing the Bill was published by the National Employment Law Project and Fast Food, Poverty Wages: The Public Cost of Low-Wage Jobs in the Fast-Food Industry was published by the University of California Labor Center.
When Cait and I found out how easy it is to make ravioli–and with such completely impressive and delicious results!–we just had to share this fabulous harvest recipe with you.
This dish is a poem to autumn, filled with sweet, tender butternut squash combined with a touch of honey, fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, and Parmesan, and topped with chopped hazelnuts (or you could substitute walnuts) and brown butter. This would work beautifully for any family feast or romantic, intimate dinner.
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Cut the squash in half through the stem and lay the halves cut side down on the oiled baking sheet. Bake 50-60 minutes, until easily pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Scoop out seeds and fibers and discard, then spoon the flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash squash with a potato-masher until smooth, then add breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, honey, thyme, rosemary, chopped sage, and orange zest. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.
2. Warm the olive oil and nut oil over medium heat in a small frying pan and add hazelnuts or walnuts. Cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes, or until nuts are golden. Transfer nuts to a plate and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan until it turns brown and begins to smoke, 3-4 minutes. Remove immediately from heat, add nutmeg, and set aside.
4. Place a pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Spoon mounds of filling on the sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart (the number of mounds you make will depend on the size of the pasta sheets you use). Lightly mist the mounds with a spray mister filled with water, then place a second pasta sheet over the first, covering the filling mounds, and pressing firmly around the edges and between the mounds to seal. Using a fluted cutting wheel or knife, cut between the rows of ravioli. Repeat with remaining sheets of pasta and filling.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ravioli and cook until tender, 2-3 minutes. To serve, reheat the browned butter. Drain ravioli and place in warmed serving bowl. Toss with butter, sprinkle with hazelnuts and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Garnish with sage leaves and serve immediately.
Inspired by Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration: Autumn, by Joanne Weir (Time-Life Books, 1997).
Every morning on The Style Blog, we celebrate the best footwear weve come across. Now, for your benefit, its all in one place.
Every morning on The Style Blog, we celebrate the best footwear we've come across. Now, for your benefit, it's all in one place.
Walk in these down the boardwalk.
Walk in these when you're feeling sick of summer.
Walk in these to your crucial mid-week meeting.
Walk in these... no, actually, bike in these to work.
Walk in these no matter what you're wearing.
Walk in these before summer's over.
Walk in these to... your car?
Walk in these to get noticed.
Walk in these to the grocery store.
Walk in these to work this morning.
Walk in these the next time you take her out — tonight?
Walk in these wherever you go, because espadrilles are this summer's solution to another scorcher.
Walk in these to your computer, then explore sidmashburn.com, the just-launched online home of the storied Atlanta store.
Walk in these the next time you ditch the office for the mountains.
It may not have been enough to bring out the skis, but Wood River Valley residents woke up with a shock Wednesday to see a snowstorm three days before the start of summer.
Elizabeth Padian, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pocatello, said observers reported snow from Timmerman Hill north through the Wood River and Sawtooth valleys.
Padian said late-June snowstorms are a rarity in the area, but historical records show that a trace of snow is possible on any given day year-round. She said that since the start of record-keeping in 1937, there has been snowfall in the Wood River Valley on several days in late June, as well as in July and August.
Jan Turzian, owner of Sun Valley Garden Center in Bellevue, said a few of her customers told her they lost tomatoes due to the unexpected cold weather. She said plants that were covered were probably all right. She said it’s the cold temperatures more than snow that damages delicate flowers and vegetables.
The Herr brothers, Ed and Nevin, who grow strawberries in Picabo for sale around the Wood River Valley, said their crop was undamaged by the late snow.
“It’s supposed to be 80 degrees from here on out, so I think we’re OK,” Ed Herr said.
The storm was widespread, and was more pronounced farther south in Utah. According to the National Weather Service office in Salt Lake City, snow fell throughout the Wasatch Mountains, including 9 inches at Alta, which is at 8,800 feet elevation.
LOS ANGELES – A lawsuit filed Wednesday against ABC (search) and "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell (search) alleges they conspired to steal the brand and concept of "Million Dollar Idea," a series airing in syndication.
The suit, filed in federal court by Jean Golden and Todd Walker, the creators and hosts of "Million Dollar Idea," (search) follows ABC's announcement in July of a new show of the same name that the network said was created by Cowell.
"From stem to stern, each and every detail of Simon Cowell and ABC's mock 'Million Dollar Idea' is a patent rip-off of Todd and Jean's four-year labor of love," attorney Pierce O'Donnell alleged in a statement Wednesday.
The lawsuit sees to stop ABC from using the name and idea and calls for unspecified damages. O'Donnell predicted they would reach into "the tens of millions of dollars."
A call seeking comment from Cowell was not immediately returned Wednesday.