text:
Payment Heists: A Layered Defense Approach to Fraud Management
In May 2013, US prosecutors unveiled a sophisticated "Ocean's Eleven" type scheme where hackers stole $45 Million by hacking into two credit card processors that processed prepaid card accounts and compromised 17 accounts belonging to two banks.
These Cybercriminals increased the account balances and removed withdrawal limits for these accounts, essentially creating prepaid cards with infinite value. They then transmitted the card account numbers to groups of 'cashers' around the world through carder forums, emails or chat sessions. Then, at a specified time, they disseminated the PIN for each of these accounts to the 'casher' groups, who then made the ATM withdrawals within a 24 hour period.
How did this work?
Based on what is publicly known, the hackers were able to penetrate the systems of these processors, and also gained access to the databases that stored account level information, and authorization rules, such as velocity thresholds or daily limits.
It is possible that they were able to do this by downloading specific malware on to the processors' systems to collect login credentials of people who had access to these databases, and subsequently used these credentials to alter the databases.
To compromise card credentials, the hacker groups could have obtained legitimate cards from the banks involved, and then distributed the magnetic stripe information and the PIN to the carder groups to manufacture duplicate cards. Another possibility is that they collected magnetic stripe information associated with legitimate customers as they had access to the customer databases. A third, more insidious, possibility is that they could have changed the authorization rules in the system so as to not validate the card parameters of the stolen accounts at the time of the transaction, and only needed the account number and the PIN to complete the transaction.
It is interesting to note that they needed to use legitimate PINs associated with the accounts so that they could monitor the withdrawals made by the criminal parties who received them.
The third possibility mentioned above makes chip cards vulnerable as well. For the hackers have modified the logic in the issuers' authorization system, which now allows any card with a magnetic stripe to go through. The presence of a magnetic stripe on any chip card to allow for fallback transactions makes issuers of chip cards vulnerable to this type of attack.
So, what can financial institutions do to thwart such attacks?
Prevention: The first step in thwarting such attacks is preventing an intrusion. This is easier said than done. The attack on RSA and the Mandiant report on cyber espionage show the ease with which sophisticated hackers can enter a system. Authentication controls for employees with access to sensitive information is essential in preventing an intrusion. At a minimum two-factor authentication is necessary to thwart sophisticated malware from compromising employee login credentials. Biometric 3-Factor authentication controls could be used for select employees that access critical data.
Detection: While authentication controls are a necessary first step, a layered defense approach warrants analytical capability to detect an intrusion. Any detection framework should possess the capability to generate real-time or near real-time alerts. What is needed are real-time alerts based on a risk based adaptive authentication process for employees to avoid take-over of these employee accounts even with two factor authentication. Risk based scoring is capable of evaluating each login attempt based on a multitude of parameters, such as, geographic location, IP address, time of day, and device profile to determine the riskiness of a login attempt.
Mitigation: While risk scoring of login attempts is essential in detecting an intrusion, organizations need to have real-time capability in mitigating the threat posed by an intrusion or a rogue employee. For example, in this case, a frequent comparison of hashed archives of authorization rules and customer credit limits with the rules in production may have allowed the processors to block those accounts that were modified. (The fraud alerts that are usually generated when accounts show abnormal activity would not have identified any out of pattern behavior on these customer accounts as the definition of what is abnormal was changed.) Even if they were not successful in preventing an intrusion, they might have been successful in preventing a withdrawal and mitigating the loss.
Integration: It is imperative that fraud groups not focus their fraud detection only on customer account level or transactional activity, but do a comprehensive analysis including employee activity, internal and external network activity on a real-time or near-real-time basis. Most organizations usually have disparate mainframe file systems or databases that store all pertinent information to monitor activity. Organizations need to combine disparate databases or mainframe files, combine structured customer account level and transactional data with unstructured web session logs, emails and network data to monitor abnormal activity effectively.
The future of fraud mitigation relies on this layered defense approach to protect employee accounts, systems, or customer accounts from internal or external threats. Fraudsters will always be creative in the way they attack an institution. It is impossible to determine the next scheme that they will use to steal an institution's assets. It is therefore imperative the organizations embrace this methodology with haste to avoid being the next victim.
Prakash Santhana is a Director at Deloitte's Financial Advisory Services LLP and leader of the Fraud Management Practice.


text:
Princeton University professor Kwame Anthony Appiah, an internationally renowned moral and political philosopher, has been awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama.
The medal honors those whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of and engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand access to important resources in the humanities. Appiah was among eight individuals presented with the award at a White House ceremony Feb. 13.
The medal also was presented to historian and librarian Robert Darnton, the Shelby Cullom Davis '30 Professor of European History Emeritus, who served on the Princeton faculty from 1968 to 2007 before accepting a position at Harvard University.
"Kwame Anthony Appiah is one of Princeton's most luminous scholars and a true citizen of the world," said President Shirley M. Tilghman. "While his cosmopolitan vision and the moral values that inform it have helped to guide the discourse on our campus, his ideas have a global reach, challenging conventional understandings of identity and loyalty and bridging the divisions that they generate. I am delighted that he is being honored with a National Humanities Medal."
Appiah, who has taught at Princeton since 2002, is the Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Philosophy and the University Center for Human Values. He has published widely in philosophy and in African and African American literary and cultural studies.
In the official citation for the award, Appiah was honored as a philosopher "seeking eternal truths in the contemporary world," whose "books and essays within and beyond his academic discipline have shed moral and intellectual light on the individual in an era of globalization and evolving group identities."
Appiah is the author of numerous award-winning books, including, over the last seven years, "The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen," "Experiments in Ethics," "The Ethics of Identity," and "Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers," which has been translated into more than a dozen languages. With Henry Louis Gates Jr. he edited "Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience."
He has also published three novels and is the co-author with his mother of an annotated collection of proverbs from Ashanti, Ghana.
Appiah has held a variety of leadership positions, including serving as president of the PEN American Center, from 2009 to this year, and chairing the boards of the American Council of Learned Societies and the American Philosophical Association. In 2010, Appiah received Princeton's Howard T. Behrman Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities.
Appiah has served on editorial boards with a range of journals, including GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, Philosophical Review, and Ethnic and Racial Studies. He is the current publisher of the transnational intellectual journal Transition, for which he served as editor for many years.
In addition to Appiah and Darnton, two other winners of this year's National Humanities Medal have Princeton ties: musician and scholar Charles Rosen, who earned his A.B. in 1948 and his Ph.D. in 1951 from the University, and medieval historian Teofilo Ruiz, who received his Ph.D. from Princeton in 1974.
The National Humanities Medal, inaugurated in 1997, is sponsored by the National Endowment of the Humanities. More information on the winners can be found on the endowment's website.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tutorials/Programming Haskell/String IO
This is part two in a series of tutorials on programming Haskell. You can get up to speed by reading yesterday's introductory article.
Today we'll look more into the basic tools at our disposal in the Haskell language, in particular, operations for doing I/O and playing with files and strings.
Before we get started, I should clarify a small point raised by yesterday's article. One issue I forgot to mention was that there are slight differences between running Haskell in GHCi, the bytecode interpreter, and compiling it to native code with GHC.
Haskell programs are executed by evaluating the special main
import Data.List
mylength = foldr (const (+1)) 0
main = print (mylength "haskell")
To compile this to native code, we would feed the source file to the compiler:
$ ghc A.hs $ ./a.out 7
For a faster turnaround, we can run the code directly through the bytecode interpreter, GHCi, using the runhaskell program:
$ runhaskell A.hs 7
GHCi, the interactive Haskell environment, is a little bit different.
As it is an interactive system, GHCi must execute your code
sequentially, as you define each line. This is different to normal
Haskell, where the order of definition is irrelevant. GHCi effectively
executes your code inside a do
-block. Therefore you can use the
-notation at the GHCi prompt to define new functions:
$ ghci Prelude> :m + Data.List
Prelude> let mylength = foldr (const (+1)) 0
Prelude> :t mylength mylength :: [a] -> Integer
Prelude> mylength "haskell" 7
For this tutorial I will be developing code in a source file, and either compiling it as above, or loading the source file into GHCi for testing. To load a source file into GHCi, we do:
$ ghci Prelude> :load A.hs
*Main> :t main main :: IO ()
*Main> :t mylength mylength :: [a] -> Integer
*Main> mylength "foo" 3
*Main> main 7
Now, let's get into the code!
As the Camel Book says:
Unless you're using artificial intelligence to model a solipsistic philosopher, your program needs some way to communicate with the outside world.
In yesterday's tutorial, I briefly introduced readFile
, for reading a
string from a file on disk. Let's consider now I/O in more detail.
The most common I/O operations are defined in the System.IO library.
For the most basic stdin/stdout Unix-style programs in Haskell, we can
use the interact
interact :: (String -> String) -> IO ()
This higher-order function takes, as an argument, some function for
processing a string (of type String -> String
). It runs this function
over the standard input stream, printing the result to standard output.
A surprisingly large number of useful programs can be written this way.
For example, we can write the cat unix program as:
main = interact id
Yes, that's it! Let's compile and run this program:
$ ghc -O A.hs
$ cat A.hs | ./a.out main = interact id
How does this work? Firstly, interact
is defined as:
interact f = do s <- getContents
putStr (f s)
So it reads a string from standard input, and writes to standard output the result of applying its argument function to that string.
As for id
, it has the type:
id :: a -> a
is a function of one argument, of any type (the lowercase a
the type means any type can be used in that position, i.e. it is a
polymorphic function, or a generic function in some
other languages). id
takes a value of some type a
, and returns a value of
the same type. There's only one (non-trivial) function of this type:
id a = a
So interact id
will print to the input string to standard output
Let's now write a basic version of the wc program:
main = interact count
count s = show (length s) ++ "\n"
This will print the length of the input string, that is, the number of chars:
$ runhaskell A.hs < A.hs 57
Line oriented I/O
Only a small number of programs operate on unstructured input streams.
It is far more common to treat an input stream as a list of lines. So
let's do that. To break a string up into lines, we'll use the ...
function, defined in the Data.List library:
lines :: String -> [String]
The type, once again, tells the story. lines
takes a string, and
breaks it up into a list of strings, splitting on newlines.
To join a list of strings back into a single string, inserting newlines,
we'd use the ... unlines
unlines :: [String] -> String
There are also similar functions for splitting on words, namely words
and unwords
. Now, an example. To count the number of lines in a file:
main = interact (count . lines)
We can run this as:
$ ghc -O A.hs
$ ./a.out < A.hs 3
Here we reuse the 'count' function from above, by composing it with the lines function.
On composition
This nice code reuse via composition is achieved using the (.)
pronounced "compose". Let's look at how that works. (Feel free to skip
this section, if you want to just get things done).
The (.)
function is just a normal everyday Haskell function, defined as:
(.) f g x = f (g x)
This looks a little like magic (or line noise), but it's pretty easy. The
function simply takes two functions as arguments, along with
another value. It applies the g
function to the value x
, and then
applies f
to the result, returning this final value. The functions may
be of any type. The type of (.)
is actually:
(.) :: (b -> c) -> (a -> b) -> a -> c
which might look a bit hairy, but it essentially specifies what types of arguments make sense to compose. That is, only those where:
f :: b -> c
g :: a -> b
x :: a
can be composed, yielding a new function of type:
(f . g) :: a -> c
The nice thing is that this composition makes sense (and works) for all types a
, b
and c
How does this relate to code reuse? Well, since our count
function is
polymorphic, it works equally well counting the length of a
string, or the length of a list of strings. Our littler wc program is
the epitome of the phrase: "higher order + polymorphic =
reusable". That is, functions which take other functions as
arguments, when combined with functions that work over any type, produce
great reusable "glue". You only need vary the argument function to gain
excellent code reuse (and the strong type checking ensures you can only
reuse code in ways that work).
More on lines
Another little example, let's reverse each line of a file (like the unix rev command):
main = interact (unlines . map reverse . lines)
Which when run, reverses the input lines:
$ ./a.out < B.hs rahC.ataD tropmi ebyaM.ataD tropmi tsiL.ataD tropmi
So we take the input string, split it into lines, and the loop over that
list of lines, reversing each of them, using the map
Finally, once we've reversed each line, we join them back into a single
string with unlines
, and print it out.
The map
function is a fundamental control structure of functional
programming, similar to the foreach keyword in a number of imperative
languages. map
however is just a function on lists, not built-in
syntax, and has the type:
map :: (a -> b) -> [a] -> [b]
That is, it takes some function, and a list, and applies that function
to each element of the list, returning a new list as a result. Since
loops are so common in programming, we'll be using map
a lot.
Just for reference, map
is implemented as:
map _ [] = []
map f (x:xs) = f x : map f xs
File I/O
Operating on stdin/stdout is good for scripts (and this is how tools like sed or perl -p work), but for "real" programs we'll at least need to do some file I/O. The basic operations of files are:
readFile :: FilePath -> IO String
writeFile :: FilePath -> String -> IO ()
takes a file name as an argument, does some I/O, and returns the
file's contents as a string. writeFile
takes a file name, a string,
and does some I/O (writing that string to the file), before returning the
void (or unit) value, ()
We could implement a basic cp program on files, as:
import System.Environment
main = do
[f,g] <- getArgs
s <- readFile f
writeFile g s
Running this program:
$ ghc -O A.hs
$ ./a.out A.hs Z.hs
$ cat Z.hs import System.Environment
main = do [f,g] <- getArgs s <- readFile f writeFile g s
Since we're doing I/O (the type of readFile
and writeFile
enforce this),
the code runs inside a do
-block, using the monadic IO
type. "Using the
IO monad" just means that we wish to use an imperative, sequential order
of evaluation. (As an aside, a wide range of other monads exist, for
programming different program evaluation strategies, such as
Prolog-style backtracking, or continuation-based evaluation. All of
imperative programming is just one subset of possible evaluation
strategies you can use in Haskell, via monads).
In do
-notation, whenever you wish to run an action, for its side
effect, and save the result to a variable, you would write:
v <- action
For example, to run the readFile
action, which has the side effect of
reading a file from disk, we say:
s <- readFile f
Finally, we can use the appendFile
function to append to an existing
File Handles
The most generic interface to files is provided via handles. Sometimes
we need to keep a file open, for multiple reads or writes. To do this we
use the Handle
type, an abstraction much like the underlying system's file
To open up a file, and get its handle, we use:
openFile :: FilePath -> IOMode -> IO Handle
So to open a file for reading only, in GHCi:
Prelude System.IO> h <- openFile "A.hs" ReadMode
{handle: A.hs}
Which returns a handle onto the file "A.hs". We can read a line from this handle:
Prelude System.IO> hGetLine h
"main = do"
To close a handle, and flush the buffer:
hClose :: Handle -> IO ()
Once a handle is closed, we can no longer read from it:
Prelude System.IO> hClose h
Prelude System.IO> hGetLine h
*** Exception: A.hs: hGetLine: illegal operation (handle is closed)
We can also flush explicitly with:
hFlush :: Handle -> IO ()
Other useful operations for reading from handles:
hGetChar :: Handle -> IO Char
hGetLine :: Handle -> IO [Char]
hGetContents :: Handle -> IO [Char]
To write to handles:
hPutChar :: Handle -> Char -> IO ()
hPutStr :: Handle -> [Char] -> IO ()
hPutStrLn :: Handle -> [Char] -> IO ()
hPrint :: Show a => Handle -> a -> IO ()
Some other useful actions:
hSeek :: Handle -> SeekMode -> Integer -> IO ()
hTell :: Handle -> IO Integer
hFileSize :: Handle -> IO Integer
hIsEOF :: Handle -> IO Bool
An example: spell-checking
Here is a small example of combining the Data.Set
and List data structures from yesterday's tutorial, with more I/O
operations. We'll implement a little spell-checker, building the
dictionary in a Set
data type. First, some libraries to import:
import System.Environment
import Control.Monad
import Data.Set
And the complete program:
main = do
[s] <- getArgs
f <- readFile "/usr/share/dict/words"
g <- readFile s
let dict = fromList (lines f)
mapM_ (spell dict) (words g)
spell d w = when (w `notMember` d) (putStrLn w)
Running this program, on its own source, and it reports the following words are not found in the dictionary:
$ ghc -O Spell.hs -o spell
$ ./spell A.hs Data.Char = <- (map toUpper n) = <- getLine 1
Writing the results out
If we wanted to write the results out to a temporary file, we can do so. Let's import a couple of other modules:
import Data.Set
import Data.Maybe
import Text.Printf
import System.IO
import System.Environment
import System.Posix.Temp
Refactoring the main
definition to separate out the reading and writing phases
into their own function, we end up with the core code:
main = do
(f, g) <- readFiles
let dict = fromList (lines f)
errs = mapMaybe (spell dict) (words g)
write errs
spell d w | w `notMember` d = Just w
| otherwise = Nothing
Where reading is now its own function:
readFiles = do
[s] <- getArgs
f <- readFile "/usr/share/dict/words"
g <- readFile s
return (f,g)
And writing errors out to their own file:
write errs = do
(t,h) <- mkstemp "/tmp/spell.XXXXXX"
mapM_ (hPutStrLn h) errs
hClose h
printf "%d spelling errors written to '%s'\n" (length errs) t
Pretty simple! Running this program:
$ ghc --make -O Spell.hs -o myspell [1 of 1] Compiling Main ( Spell.hs, Spell.o ) Linking myspell ...
$ ./myspell Spell.hs 67 spelling errors written to '/tmp/spell.ia8256'
Extension: using SMP parallelism
Finally, just for some bonus fun ... and hold on to your hat 'cause I'm going to go fast ... we'll add some parallelism to the mix.
Haskell was designed from the start to support easy parallelisation, and
since GHC 6.6, multithreaded code will run transparently on multicore
systems using as many cores as you specify. Let's look at how we'd
parallelise our little program to exploit multiple cores. We'll use an
explicit threading model, via Control.Concurrent. You can also make your code implicitly
parallel, using Control.Parallel.Strategies,
but we'll leave that for another tutorial.
Here's the source, for you to ponder. First some imports:
import Data.Set hiding (map)
import Data.Maybe
import Data.Char
import Text.Printf
import System.IO
import System.Environment
import Control.Concurrent
import Control.Monad
The entry point, modified to break the word list into chunks, and then dispatching a chunk to each thread:
main = do
(f, g, n) <- readFiles
let dict = fromList (lines f)
work = chunk n (words g)
run n dict work
chunk :: Int -> [a] -> [[a]]
chunk _ [] = []
chunk n xs = (take n xs) : (chunk n (drop n xs))
The run
function sets up a channel between the main thread and all
children thread (errs
), and prints spelling errors as they arrive on
the channel from the children. It then forks off n
children threads on
each piece of the work list:
run n dict work = do
chan <- newChan
errs <- getChanContents chan -- errors returned back to main thread
mapM_ (forkIO . thread chan dict) (zip [1..n] work)
wait n errs 0
The main thread then just waits on all the threads to finish, printing
any spelling errors they pass up:
wait n xs i = when (i < n) $ case xs of
Nothing : ys -> wait n ys $! i+1
Just s : ys -> putStrLn s >> wait n ys i
Each thread spell-checks its own piece of the work list. If it finds a spelling error, it passes the offending word back over the channel to the main thread.
thread chan dict (me, xs) = do
mapM_ spellit xs
writeChan chan Nothing
spellit w = when (spell dict w) $
writeChan chan . Just $ printf "Thread %d: %-25s" (me::Int) w
The spell
function is simplified a little:
spell d w = w `notMember` d
which we could also write as:
spell = flip notMember
We modify the readFiles phase to take an additional numeric command line argument, specifying the number of threads to run:
readFiles = do
[s,n] <- getArgs
f <- readFile "/usr/share/dict/words"
g <- readFile s
return (f,g, read n)
We compile this with the GHC SMP parallel runtime system:
$ ghc -O --make -threaded Spell.hs -o spell
Now, we can run n worker threads (lightweight Haskell threads), mapped onto m OS threads. Since I'm using a 4-core server, we'll play around with 4 OS threads. First, running everything in a single thread:
$ time ./spell test.txt 1 +RTS -N1 ... Thread 1: week: Thread 1: IO! ./spell test.txt 1 +RTS -N1 99% cpu 2.533 total
Ok, now we change the command line flag to run it with 4 OS threads, to try to utilise all 4 cores:
$ time ./spell 4 +RTS -N4 ... Thread 2: week: Thread 3: IO! ./spell test.txt 4 +RTS -N4 111% cpu 2.335 total
Ok. Good... A little bit faster, uses a little bit more cpu. It turns out however the program is bound currently by the time spent in the main thread building the initial dictionary. Actual searching time is only some 10% of the running time. Nonetheless, it was fairly painless to break up the initial simple program into a parallel version.
If the program running time was extended (as the case for a server), the
parallelism would be a win. Additionally, should we buy more cores for
the server, all we need to is change the +RTS -N argument to the
program, to start utilising these extra cores.
Next week
In upcoming tutorials we'll look more into implicitly parallel programs,
and the use of the new high performance ByteString
data type for string


text:
Service Notice: XF305/XF300 Viewfinder Filter
Thank you for using Canon products.
To the Users of the XF305/XF300 Professional Digital Camcorders
To enhance the visibility of the viewfinder on the XF305 and XF300 professional camcorders, the size of the viewfinder and its built-in loupe have been increased. Increasing the size of the viewfinder and loupe, however, has allowed sunlight to easily enter through the viewfinder, causing incident light to converge on the internal display panel inside the camcorder. In rare cases, where sunlight enters continuously for long periods, the LCD display panel may be damaged.
To help prevent damage to the display panel, we have attached a cautionary label to the viewfinder, bundled a viewfinder cap with the product, and included a leaflet to encourage users to attach the viewfinder cap when not using the viewfinder.
We would like to inform our user that to further prevent damage to the display panel due to incident sunlight, we have decided to attach a filter to the viewfinder.
XF305 Professional Digital Camcorder
XF300 Professional Digital Camcorder
A polarizing filter to absorb external incident light will be added to the viewfinder unit.
After this filter is attached, the image viewed through the viewfinder will appear slightly darker.
User Support
Users with the pre-countermeasure camcorders that are within the scope of support (see "How to Identify Pre-Countermeasure Units" below) should contact a Canon Customer Support Center with the information listed below. After having confirmed the details, we will send the modified viewfinder units to our eligible users free of charge. Users can install the modified viewfinder units by following the instructions at the end of this document.
How to Identify Pre-Countermeasure Units
Camcorders with the following serial numbers are within the scope of support.
The serial number is indicated on the label on the bottom of the camcorder.
The XF305 and XF300 camcorders whose seventh digit in the serial number is 0, 1, or 2 are within the scope of support.
* * *
* * *
0 *
* * *
* * *
* * *
1 *
* * *
* * *
* * *
2 *
* * *
How to Remove and Attach the Viewfinder Unit
1. Slide the RELEASE switch in the direction of the arrow, and remove the original viewfinder unit by sliding it upward.
2. Attach the modified viewfinder unit by sliding it back onto the camcorder unit until it clicks into place.
This information is for residents of the United States and Puerto Rico only. If you do not reside in the USA or Puerto Rico, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region. Please register your XF305/XF300. By registering, we will be able to notify you via email when future updates become available. If you already registered, please ensure you are opted-in to receive the notification.
Thank you,
Customer Support Operations
Canon U.S.A., Inc
Contact Information for Inquiries
Canon Customer Support Center
Phone: 1-800-OK-CANON
Email: email@example.com
Support options and hours of operation: www.usa.canon.com/support


text:
Ted Lilly (3-4, 4.41) vs. Clayton Mortensen (1-2, 2.83).
The NL West has gone Clayton-crazy! The Dodgers have Clayton Kershaw. The Padres have Clayton Richard. The Giants have Clayton Tanner. And the Rockies have Clayton Mortensen, who has never faced the Dodgers before. And you know what that means. Oh, you don't? Okay, it means the Dodger bats might disappear again, as the team seems to have trouble against unfamiliar pitchers. (Familiar pitchers, too, but that's beside the point.) Then again, the Rockies aren't exactly afire, and the Dodgers are on a mini-roll. Are two straight series wins in the offing? Let's find out!


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Oh, Kate Spade. How is it possible for you to create so many adorable and fabulous pieces time after time? Well, you do ... and the Glitterball Gia is no exception. Isn't this glittery pouch just the most fun piece to take to a New Year's Eve party?
And today, one lucky person has the chance to win the Kate Spade Glitterball Gia! This giveaway has a retail value of $98. Here's how to enter.
NOTE: PLEASE ONLY LEAVE ONE COMMENT! Do not leave additional comments about Facebook or Twitter entries or mention them in your one comment -- those are counted separately and you do not need to mention them here. Thanks!
1) Leave a comment below.
Be sure your entry includes your email address or it will be disqualified.
2) Like The Beauty of Life on Facebook and leave a comment on the Facebook post about this giveaway telling me why you want to win this Kate Spade pouch.
If you are already a Facebook fan, be sure to leave a comment for your Facebook entry to count.
3) Follow me on Twitter and tweet: I need the @katespadeny Gia from @BeautyChick101! #beautychick101lovesneutrogena http://tinyurl.com/ble6sjw
Be sure you are following me or your entry will be disqualified.
4) Follow me on Instagram and like my photo of the Kate Spade Glitterball Gia.
You must be following me or your entry will be disqualified.
This giveaway ends on Saturday, December 22 at midnight. One winner will be chosen AT RANDOM on Sunday, December 23. Maximum of FOUR ENTRIES (one for each way listed above). Multiple entries will be disqualified. Giveaway is open to US residents only.


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The pattern is named Laurel and it's from Jared Flood's new book Made in Brooklyn.
(Book found here.)
It truly is a stunning pattern isn't it? I love how all the cables and bobbles twist together and join into the center of the crown.
The knitting of Laurel was fun and kept my interest, but was a bit on the tedious side with all of the cable crosses.
(Can you tell that I took this picture myself?)
If you are interested in knitting this hat, be sure to take a look at this errata page before starting. Also, I would suggest different bobble instructions than those presented in the book.
I found my bobbles to be kind of irregular and puny. I would definitely work them differently if I was to make this again.
I worked this hat out of the suggested yarn Classic Elite Princess in the Milord's Madder colorway. It's such an ideal Autumn color.
(Yarn found here.)
The great news is that I made this hat out of only one skein of the Princess yarn! With some to spare even!
I'm seriously thinking about casting on for the Grove mittens in the same colorway to match!


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On Thursday, 24 students convened at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired in Jacksonville in a day-long regional event, competing against each other and hoping for a spot at the national competition.
The Braille Challenge, a national program of the Braille Institute, is the only academic competition for visually impaired students in the United States and Canada, with divisions for elementary to high-school levels being tested in a variety of reading and writing skills.
Winners in Thursday's competition were: Daniel Bein from Fisher in the apprentice division; Cody Boys from ISVI in the freshman division; Darren Garland from ISVI in the junior varsity Division; Sela Cornell from Wilmette in the sophomore division; and Breanna Carpentier from ISVI in the varsity division.
While these students were the best in their divisions, only the top 60 students among all who participate in regional events will be invited to the national competition in California.
Coordinator and ISVI elementary educator Darla Chambers said 12 ISVI students competed and 12 traveled to the school from around the region.
"The competition is they have speed and accuracy, listening to an audio passage being read and they have to braille it exactly as they hear it," she said. "Then they have proofreading several paragraphs; charts and graphs; reading comprehension and the younger students do spelling in contracted and un-contracted braille."
Braille uses several contractions, for example spelling the word "the" as a single cell. The charts and graphs category asks students to read tactile graphs and answer questions on them.
Chambers said the national competition will be held in the summer, but it will be a few months before all regional events finish and the national top 60 are announced.
The event Thursday marked the second year its has been in Jacksonville.
"The reason I started putting it together, five years ago we took our students to the St. Louis School for the Blind and to Chicago for our students to compete in their braille challenges. And then Chicago disbanded their competition so I wanted to keep it in Illinois, so I decided to start it."
While advancements in technology are helping the visually impaired without requiring proficiency in braille, but literacy is just as important for the blind as it is for everyone else.
"It's worth it, because we want to promote braille and we want to promote literacy among students," Chambers said. "There's more devices they can use now … but you're still going to use braille anytime during your day, so we want to keep students skilled so they can use it any time they need it."
Cody Bozarth can be contacted at 217-245-6121 ext. 233 or on Twitter @JCnews_Cody Jacksonville Journal Courier
Illinois Department of Human ServicesJB Pritzker, Governor · Dulce Quintero, Secretary
IDHS Office Locator
IDHS Help Line 1-800-843-6154 1-866-324-5553 TTY
© 2023 Illinois Department of Human Services


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All State Bank Of Mysore (sbm) branches with MICR Code in Sarabha District - Find MICR Code List
Find MICR Code using the Lists below...
First select your bank, select the state, now select your district and finally select the branch of your bank to find MICR Code. If you need to change any search list term, please use menu or search.
Use the brown circle icons and drop-down menus below to change your bank or location.


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After kneading, set it aside to proof.
Proof until double it size.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Roll the dough into long strip.
Roll the dough around the hotdog.
Another way of doing the bread. Flatten the dough and make 5 cuts on both side.
Bring each cuts into the center of the hotdog.
Set the bread to proof for the second time until double it size. Brush with egg wash and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven until golden brown.
Note : For these bread I used regular flour instead of Whole Wheat.


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Artist Bio
Rosa Scribe was born in the Cree community of Norway House, Manitoba. Rosa is a very soft-spoken and inspirational artist with a quiet strength about her. She speaks volumes through her beautiful and colourful work. Having learned the art of mukluk and moccasin making from her Kokum (grandmother), she has spent the last 25 years perfecting her art. As a teacher a the University College of the North, Rosa works hard hard to ensure that this traditional art form is passed on to future generations and never forgotten.


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Last week was going so well for Arsenal fans. First, their youthful team thrashed North London neighbours, Spurs, in a glorious performance at White Hart Lane, driven forward by an inspirational display from young tyro Jack Wilshere, the poster boy for Arsenal's strategy of developing players from their academy. Then, away from the pitch, the board announced a sparkling set of financial results that confirmed their status as the best-run club in the Premier League.
However, pride comes before a fall and the home defeat against newly promoted West Bromwich Albion brought everyone back to earth with a bang. Here we go again was the refrain, closely followed by the obvious question of why the club does not invest some of this wealth in more experienced players to provide a stronger spine to the dazzling, but fragile, youngsters.
It's certainly not due to lack of funds when you look at Arsenal's results for the year ended 31 May 2010. The headline figures are quite superb with revenue of £380 million (2009 £313 million) and profit before tax of £56 million (2009 £46 million) both setting new record highs for the club. The PBT was up a notable 23%, but after some long-running issues with the taxman were resolved, the profit after tax was bizarrely even higher at £61 million, an incredible 73% higher than the previous year's profit of £35 million.
"We do want his sort"
Impressive stuff, but the "most pleasing aspect of these results" for the chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, was that the returns generated in the property business allowed the club to repay £130 million of bank loans, significantly reducing the net debt from just under £300 million to £136 million, including massive cash balances of £128 million. This means that the property business is now debt-free, so any further sales will generate surplus cash. Given the risks and uncertainty arising from the downturn in the property market, that's a simply stunning achievement.
As chief executive Ivan Gazidis observed, with commendable understatement, these financial results are "very healthy".
To place this into context, only five Premier League clubs (including Arsenal) were profitable last year. In the traditional Big Four, only Manchester United also reported a profit, but this was much lower at £22 million and would have been a large loss without the £80 million they made by selling Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid. Chelsea and Liverpool registered thumping great losses of £47 million and £55 million respectively, but Manchester City made them look like amateurs with their £93 million deficit. Ironically, the closest club to Arsenal's level of profits is the one closest to them geographically, as Tottenham Hotspur made a £33 million profit, though this was also boosted by £57 million profit on player sales (Berbatov and Keane). Indeed, Spurs' more recent half-year results showed an £8 million loss.
I can already hear people complaining that this is an unfair comparison, as Arsenal have benefited from property development, which is true, but it's not quite as meaningful as some may believe. Yes, there was an enormous increase in property revenue from £88 million to £157 million, but this was almost matched by the growth in expenses, so the profit from property "only" increased from £6 million to £11 million. Don't get me wrong, that profit is still better than a kick in the face, but it's a lot smaller than the £45 million football profit. In other words, it's still football that's driving the business (though sometimes it may feel like the other way round).
Having said that, we can now anticipate some hefty windfall gains from property sales in terms of surplus cash, so we can say with some assurance that the club's calculated gamble on its property development strategy has paid off. Nevertheless, it would not be a good idea to become over-reliant on bricks and mortar and Gazidis duly introduced a note of caution, "the profits from property are temporary and we need to make sure that in the longer term costs remain at a level which can be paid from our football revenues."
A very astute comment, given that operating profit for the football business actually fell by a third (£10 million) from £30 million to £20 million. Revenue slightly decreased by £2 million, as a solid increase in television money failed to compensate for lower match day income arising from fewer home games and a reduction in commercial revenue attributed to the "recessionary climate." At the same time, expenses rose £8 million, which was almost entirely due to higher wages.
Fortunately, the football operating profit was boosted by £38 million made on player sales (up from £23 million the year before), though it was then reduced by £14 million of interest payments, giving £45 million pre-tax profit, which was £5 million higher than the previous year.
However, it is clear that the only reason that the football segment increased its profit year-on-year was that £15 million growth in profit on player sales, which is not something that you would expect (or indeed wish) to be repeated every year.
Let's be very clear about this: even without any player sales, football would still be profitable – but only just at £7 million. Hence, the concerns about whether the football revenue will be enough to cover costs in the future, though, as we shall see later, there is one very obvious opportunity for revenue growth, namely commercial revenue.
Of course, most football chairman would give their right arm for such profits. In fact, they've probably been casting an envious eye on Arsenal's ability to make money for many years, given that the last time that Arsenal reported a loss was eight years ago, way back in 2002, while total profits have been rising ever since the move to the Emirates: 2007 £6 million, 2008 £37 million, 2009 £46 million and 2010 £56 million.
Even the relatively low 2007 profit would have been much higher, if it were not for £21 million of exceptional costs incurred to refinance the stadium debt, which was actually a very good move, as it has resulted in a £12 million reduction in annual interest payments ever since. In the last three years alone, Arsenal have produced combined pre-tax profits of £138 million – an astonishing figure in the world of football, which is more accustomed to turning billionaires into millionaires.
Profits from the property business are virtually unchanged since 2005, so the club's profit growth has been very largely driven by tremendous revenue growth on the football side. In fact, this revenue has just about doubled in the last five years from £115 million to £223 million. This is second only to Manchester United among English clubs (£279 million) and placed Arsenal fifth in last year's Deloittes Money League (based on 2008/09 results). Given the flat revenue in 2010, they will remain in that position when the next Money League is published. However, we should acknowledge that revenue has increased this year at both Real Madrid (to £375 million) and Barcelona (to £330 million). Of course, never was the old saying that "revenue is vanity, profit is sanity" more appropriate, as Barcelona's huge turnover did not prevent them from making a gigantic £68 million loss and Real Madrid's £22 million profit was a lot lower than Arsenal's £45 million.
However, as the legendary investor Warren Buffett advised, "a rising tide floats all boats", so it might just be that all football clubs have experienced similar revenue growth. In other words, Arsenal's revenue growth might not be down to their own genius, but just due to the extra money pouring into football. "Up to a point, Lord Copper", as Evelyn Waugh once memorably wrote, given that the big four clubs in England have all significantly increased their revenue in this period. However, the figures do show that Arsenal have outperformed their peers. They have overtaken Chelsea's revenue, even during a period of sustained success for West London's nouveaux riches, widened the difference with Liverpool and slightly closed the gap with Manchester United.
Unlike the vast majority of other clubs, the principal reason for Arsenal's revenue growth is not television, but match day income from the new stadium. This can be clearly seen in 2007, the first season at the Emirates, when there was a step change in this revenue stream from £44 million to £90 million. This doubling of gate receipts has had a massive impact on Arsenal's total revenue and justifies the board's courageous decision to leave Highbury.
With a capacity of just over 60,000, the Emirates can accommodate 22,000 more fans than that famous old ground, which is great for those supporters, not to mention the bean counters, who can enjoy an additional £50 million revenue per season. This is reduced to £30 million after paying the £20 million "mortgage" and clearly the costs of running a bigger operation are higher, but it's still positive financially with each home game generating around £3.5 million. That is mighty impressive, especially when you consider that Manchester United earn only slightly more per match, even though the capacity at Old Trafford is much higher at 76,000.
Of course, that can also be a double-edged sword, as can be seen in 2010, when the match day revenue fell by £6 million from £100 million to £94 million, because five fewer home games were played. This revenue stream is partly dependent on how far the club progresses in various cup competitions, so even though the derided domestic cups might not contribute much TV revenue, they can still make a difference via good old-fashioned gate receipts.
Despite this drop, Arsenal's match day revenue is still the second highest in the Money League with most matches selling out. In fact, the club advises us that there is a 40,000 waiting list for season tickets. However, it is difficult to see how they could significantly increase revenue here, as the ticket prices are already among the highest in Europe. Actually, club management has stated that they do not want to raise the cost of admission, which is backed-up by the fact that prices have only been increased once since the new stadium opened.
No, the best hope here is that Arsenal carry on filling the ground, so that current revenue levels of around £100 million can be maintained. This is partly due to what happens on the pitch, as any continued lack of success in terms of winning trophies might adversely affect demand, especially at the premium level, which contributes the most money, but is also the most fickle.
"The match day experience"
Where money has been growing for football clubs everywhere is, of course, television. Many fans could do without the weekly inanities of Messrs. Keys and Gray, but, in fairness, "he who pays the piper, calls the tune" and there is no doubt that Sky pay a pretty penny for their TV rights.
Arsenal's television revenue increased by 15% from £73 to £85 million in 2010, which was made up of £52 million from the Premier League and £31 million from the Champions League. As a result of finishing third in the Premier League, Arsenal received a higher merit payment, while their facility fees also rose, as they were broadcast live four more times, producing an overall £5 million increase compared to 2009.
The Champions League payout was also higher, even though Arsenal only reached the quarter-finals, as opposed to the semi-finals the previous year. This was due to a number of factors: 2009/10 represented the first year of a new cycle of UEFA broadcasting contracts; additional distribution for the qualifying round; and the weakness of Sterling (Champions League revenue is distributed in Euros). Gazidis has claimed that Arsenal budget so that the club could survive missing a year of Champions league football without selling players, but these figures once again demonstrate the importance of qualification to Europe's top clubs.
To be fair, Arsenal's reliance on TV revenue is much less than most other clubs in the Premier League at 38%. Smaller clubs are almost entirely dependent on this revenue stream, hence their narrow ambition of surviving in the Premier League. Relegation really is unthinkable for clubs like Blackburn and Wigan, where TV money accounts for over 70% of their total turnover.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Spanish giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona, are allowed to negotiate individual television deals, so they earn around £50 million a year more than Arsenal. Of course, given the well-publicised problems with Mediapro, their TV partner, and the pressure from other clubs in Spain to move to a collective agreement (as they have just done in Italy), this may be something of a poisoned chalice, but it certainly gives them a competitive advantage for the time being.
Against that, we know that Arsenal will benefit from an increase in Premier League TV revenue next season, as 2010/11 marks the first season of the new three-year deal, which is much higher following the astonishing increase (more than doubled) in overseas rights. The club estimates that this will mean a 10% boost, which would be worth an additional £6 million, but the increase could be as high as £10 million.
Longer-term, their greatest revenue-generating opportunity may come from new media, especially broadcasting live matches over the internet. Working towards that vision, Arsenal Broadband has entered a partnership with the sports media group MP & Silva to develop broadcast and online products aimed at an international audience. There has been concern that some of this opportunity has been lost, as majority shareholder Stan Kroenke bought 50% of Arsenal Broadband, but Chief Commercial Officer Tom Fox has said that this does not include the live rights, which is where the big bucks would be made.
"Captain Fantastic"
Perhaps the greatest disappointment in the accounts was the £4 million decline in commercial revenue to £44 million, which has long been an area of weakness with revenue lagging way behind the club's English peers. According to the Money League, Arsenal's annual commercial revenue is much lower than the other teams in the Big Four (Manchester United £70 million, Liverpool £68 million and Chelsea £53 million). The comparisons are even worse against the continental European teams (Bayern Munich £136 million, Real Madrid £119 million and Barcelona £96 million).
Little wonder that the club said, "There is no doubt that the areas of commercial activity and sponsorship provide the greatest opportunity for the Group to generate significant incremental revenues in the medium to long term." That's one way of putting it.
Arsenal tied themselves into a long-term deal with Emirates worth a reported £90 million (naming rights until 2021, shirt sponsorship until 2014) in order to provide security for the stadium financing, which made a lot of sense at the time, but recent deals by other clubs highlight the growth opportunity. The amount paid for shirt sponsorship increased this season by £500,000 to £5.5 million, but this pales into insignificance compared to the £20 million Standard Chartered and Aon pay to Liverpool and Manchester United. In fact, five Premier League teams have higher sponsorship deals than Arsenal, even including Spurs, whom nobody would accuse of being the more successful half of North London.
"Ivan Gazidis - you've never had it so good"
The club's seven-year kit deal with Nike has been extended for a further three seasons to 2014 with the supplier exercising an option in the original agreement. The accounts say that this "delivers an improvement in commercial terms", but don't divulge how much it is worth. Given that figures released by Nike and Adidas suggest that only three clubs (Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona) sell more shirts worldwide than Arsenal, the fee paid is almost certainly not enough.
With all the focus on moving to the new stadium, it is clear that commercial opportunities have been put on the back burner, but Ivan Gazidis is well aware of the need for improvement in this area, so he has restructured and strengthened his commercial team to explore new partners and overseas markets. Certainly, they're well versed in marketing speak: witness Tom Fox's recent gem when talking to the BBC, "Putting the basic successful product out on the field is a huge component of our brand." However, it's now time for them to deliver, starting by applying pressure on Emirates to improve the terms of their deal, if they wish to retain the shirt sponsorship. Arsenal are the biggest team in London, playing in the largest city of Europe, so they have been badly under-sold to date.
The club has invested in a number of overseas developments, including opening retail outlets and soccer schools in the Middle East, Far East and the USA, in order to build its brand internationally, but Gazidis has said that there will be no lucrative pre-season tours to America or Asia until the club has a clear strategy for those regions.
Another revenue stream that is often over-looked for football clubs is the profit made on player sales, which has been very important to Arsenal's financials in recent years. This was beautifully explained by Peter Hill-Wood, "profits were boosted by some £38 million from the sales of players who were no longer central to his future plans", in an acidic reference to the transfer of Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure to the ever-generous Manchester City.
"How much did City pay for me?"
This is nothing new under the sun for Arsenal, as they have averaged £25 million profit on player sales every season since they moved to the Emirates, making good money from stars who were past their sell-by date (Vieira, Henry, Toure) or were disruptive influences in the dressing room (Cashley Cole, Greedybayor).
However, I would suggest that Arsenal cannot rely on Wenger producing the proverbial rabbit from the hat every year and this may not even be desirable. Worryingly, the accounts note, "There has been very limited player sale activity during the summer transfer window. As a result, in contrast to each of the previous three years, we do not have a significant profit on disposal of player registrations on the books at this stage of the new financial year. Subject to any transfer activity in the January 2011 window this may impact the final level of profits to be reported for the financial year 2010/11." Let's hope that this does not herald the profitable sale of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona in a few months.
What is clear is that Arsenal, like other football clubs, will have to work harder for revenue growth in the future, as TV cannot be relied upon to continue its vertiginous growth in perpetuity. Tom Fox posed the question, "In five to ten years' time, we are going to have to ask: where are we going to grow our business?"
On the cost side, wages have risen 6% to £111 million, which is partly "driven by the external environment in which we operate where player costs continue to go up" (according to Gazidis), but largely reflects the re-signing of many players on long-term contracts, which represents "the best means of protecting the value of one of our most important assets" (according to Hill-Wood).
Despite the increase, the wage bill is still substantially below Manchester United (£123 million) and Chelsea (£149 million), but in fairness it's considerably more than the payrolls of the chasing pack: Liverpool £90 million, Aston Villa £61 million and Tottenham £59 million. I have excluded Manchester City, as I confidently expect their wage bill to have shot up to around £125 million in their next set of accounts.
Having said that, Arsenal have admitted that "there is strong upward pressure on player wages", so "wage costs for 2010/11 will show a significant increase", as the full impact of revised contracts signed in the last 18 months comes through. Of course, these are not just player salaries, as they also include the strengthening of the executive team, which must come at a price, though theoretically should also increase revenue.
After falling for three years, the wages to turnover ratio has increased (deteriorated) this year to 50%, though this is still very respectable and remains the second best in the Premier League. In fact, only five teams have a ratio below 60%, while six teams are working with a completely unsustainable ratio above 90%.
What does seem very high at Arsenal is the £55 million for "other operating costs", i.e. excluding salaries, depreciation and amortisation, which is actually higher than the total costs at seven Premier League clubs. Unfortunately, the club does not provide much detail for these costs, but they must include items like stadium operating costs, utilities, retail expenses and travel. What we can see is that these costs represent 25% of football turnover, which seems ripe for a spot of judicious cost cutting.
On the other hand, player amortisation, namely the annual cost of writing down the cost of buying new players, is very low at £25 million, barely changed from the year before. As you would expect, it's much higher at those clubs that have pursued success via the cheque book, in fact over twice as much: Barcelona £61 million, Real Madrid £55 million and Chelsea £49 million.
This reflects Arsenal's policy of not venturing too often into the transfer market, even though ample funds are available, which was epitomised by the short list of names purchased this summer: Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux, Laurent Koscielny from Lorient and Sebastien Squillaci from Sevilla.
In fact, the Gunners have consistently spent less than their rivals over the last few years in the transfer market. Since the arrival of Roman Abramovich, Arsenal is the only top club to make money from buying and selling players with a small surplus of £2 million. Although reported transfer fees are notoriously unreliable, it is beyond dispute that other clubs' net spend is significantly higher: Manchester City £341 million, Chelsea £313 million, Liverpool £99 million and Manchester United £46 million (boosted by the amazing Ronaldo profit).
Arsene Wenger has steadfastly refused to endanger Arsenal's financial security by splashing out large sums on over-priced, big name players. For Arsenal to spend not just less, but so much less than these clubs and still challenge for honours is testament to the incredible job that Wenger has done with the funds available.
Equally remarkable are the results from the property side of the business, which generated £157 million of revenue from the sale of 362 apartments at Highbury Square (£134 million) and social housing at Queensland Road (£23 million), leaving the property business debt-free. This represents a remarkable turnaround from a year ago, when the downturn in the property market forced the club to extend the repayment deadline on the bank loan from April to December (at higher rates of interest), to reflect delays in sales completion.
"Chamakh attack"
At the time the books were closed, 570 of the 655 apartments at Highbury Square had been sold, leaving only 85 still available. Gazidis has since informed us that the 600th sale was completed in August with the remainder expected to be sold in the next accounting year. Based on the average price of sales to date of around £400k, that would produce proceeds of £34 million. As the loans have now been paid off, all of this is surplus cash that will be available to spend.
It's a similar story for the club's other property developments ("in-fill" sites at Highbury Square, Hornsey Road, Holloway Road and Market housing at Queensland Road), though it's much more difficult to estimate what these would be worth. In any case, any proceeds here are unlikely to reach completion before 2011/12. This will obviously produce some cash, but let's hope that it's not too much of a distraction for management before the club finally exits the property business.
Following the elimination of the property debt, the club has managed to reduce its gross debt to £263 million, leaving just the long-term bonds that represent the "mortgage" on the Emirates Stadium (£237 million) and the debentures held by supporters (£27 million). Once cash balances of £128 million are deducted, net debt is down to only £136 million, which is a significant reduction from the £298 million the previous year. The club expected the debt to peak in 2008, which it did, but it is now back down to levels last seen in 2004.
This is in stark contrast to the debt held by the other top clubs in the Premier League, which is not only much larger, but continues to rise. A year ago, Manchester United's debt stood at £566 million (gross £716 million), but the accumulating interest on their PIK loans (now at an eye-watering 16.25%) will surely have increased that figure. Similarly, Liverpool's net debt of £351 million has been attracting punitive penalty payments for months.
It is the huge interest payments that wreck the business model of these clubs (£69 million for Manchester United and £40 million for Liverpool), which is considerably higher than the £20 million that Arsenal pay to service their loans (£15 million interest, £5 million capital repayment).
It's not clear whether it would be possible for Arsenal to pay off the outstanding debt early in order to reduce the interest charges, but my guess is that they are in no hurry to do so, as Gazidis has argued that not all debt is bad, "The debt that we're left with is what I would call 'healthy debt' – it's long term, low rates and very affordable for the club." In any case, the accounts clearly state, "Further significant falls in debt are unlikely in the foreseeable future. The stadium finance bonds have a fixed repayment profile over the next 21 years and we currently expect to make repayments of debt in accordance with that profile."
The press release did not fully analyse creditors, so we do not know how much Arsenal owe other football clubs for transfers. As an indicator, last year other creditors included £26 million for such debts. To balance that, the 2009 accounts also included £23 million outstanding payments from other clubs in other debtors, so the net position was negligible.
"Two arguments to spend"
Included within the net debt are astounding cash balances of £128 million, though the club is keen to emphasise the seasonal nature of cash flows, i.e. money taken from season ticket renewals will be used to pay operational expenses over the next few months. Furthermore, the club has to hold £38 million as reserves (£31 million as security for the bonds and £7 million for Queensland Road property development). However, that still leaves £90 million of available cash in the pot.
This begs the obvious question of why has Wenger been so reluctant to spend? There is no doubt that the move to the new stadium limited Arsenal's transfer budget over the past few years, but the financial situation has greatly improved and it is clear that funds are available to buy the players that the team needs. However, there is still a suspicion that the manager would prefer to build rather than buy, so much of the low spending is out of choice. Indeed, Gazidis clarified the club's stance last year, "We believe transfer spending is the last resort. That's a sensible view to have. Re-signing players is a far more efficient system."
Wenger is clearly singing from the same song sheet, as he has reiterated his preference for developing young players to dipping into the transfer market, "If I go out and buy players, then Jack Wilshere doesn't come through." He gave a further insight into his thoughts, when he argued, "The job of a manager is not to spend as much money as possible."
That must be music to the ears of the board, whose chairman again spoke of their "commitment to a financially self-sustaining business model." This is a tricky target at the best of times, but very difficult to maintain when you're competing against billionaires for whom money is no object or clubs who appear to have decided that it does not matter if they don't have any money, opting to build up substantial debt instead. In fact, Gazidis has admitted that the club can't "compete with Manchester City in the transfer market, because those kinds of fees and salaries are unsustainable for any football business."
"Jack the lad"
However, the football world is changing with the advent of the UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations meaning that the era of the big spender may be drawing to an end. Many top clubs, including Chelsea, have already visibly cut back on their spending, while others will need to put their house in order if they wish to compete in Europe. Arsenal will have no problem complying with the new rules, but other clubs will have to adopt a similar model to avoid making losses – unless their accountants and lawyers succeed in locating some convenient loopholes.
That's all very well, but fans of those other clubs can bask in the reflected glory of the silverware that they've won, while Arsenal can only boast of the winning the league of balance sheets (which doesn't actually exist, if you're wondering). Gazidis has stressed that "trophies are our main objective and ambition", but he slightly ruined this determined stance, when he added, "If we can't win trophies, qualifying for the Champions League is the base line."
In fairness, it is an incredible achievement for any team to gain qualification for the Champions League 13 years in a row, as Arsenal have done, especially when battling against the financial constraints imposed when building a new, state-of-the-art stadium. Arsene Wenger deserves many plaudits for the minor miracle he has performed over the last few years: guiding the club through the substantial upheaval of leaving its spiritual home of Highbury for the Emirates; developing a squad of exciting young players; and yet still keeping the team competitive, all the while playing the most attractive football in the country.
"What more can I do?"
However, his reign has been a little like the proverbial "game of two halves", winning three Premier League titles and four FA Cups in his first nine years, followed by no trophies at all in the last five years, which has provoked impatience among some supporters and a growing lack of understanding over the unwillingness to buy world-class players. There is no doubt that he is an outstanding manager, though there is a feeling that he might need to modify his transfer policy and loosen the purse strings to ensure that his legacy is not tarnished.
Swedish legends ABBA managed to capture the fans' feelings quite well in one of their classic hits, "Money, money, money/Must be funny/In the rich man's world", Yes, indeed. Have you heard the one about the football club that made over £60 million profits, but couldn't afford a decent goalkeeper?


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As pretty as this bundle is, and as much as I have enjoyed having it sit right near my sewing machine whilst piecing my Flea Market Fancy Quilt, I really did want to have a little test run (play)!
So, using 16 different colors from my bundle, I have taken the traditional Bear Paw quilt block, re-gigged the placement of the colors without much aforethought, and made a patchwork pillow cover.
The pillow cover is available for purchase in my Etsy Store. SOLD
Enjoy Sunday!
Oakshott Fabrics and Subscribe to Mailing List


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Sunday, February 7, 2010
Vegan Red Lentil Soup
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I try to keep a supply of red lentils in the pantry. They're perfect for making a really quick soup that's hearty and filling but not heavy. Red lentils cook in about 30 minutes and there is a sweetness about them that can't be found in the green or black varieties. The real trick to this particular soup is the quality and flavor of the vegetable stock use to make it. A good commercial variety is fine, but taste carefully for salt. Lentils can be very bland and the minimal spicing used in this recipe demands a well-salted broth. This soup is very nearly a puree. If you prefer more texture, measure an additional cup of lentils and cook them separately in rapidly boiling water until they are just tender. To insure they don't over cook plunge them into cold water. Add them to the soup and heat through just before serving. While the lentils are a saffron red in their raw state they turn a most unattractive shade of mustard as they cook down. I use sweet paprika to make my soup more visually appealing. Not necessary, but nice. I suspect pimenton could also be used but that would produce a deeper and more smokey flavor. This soup is best eaten the day it is made. Like pea soup, it will thicken and will need to be thinned with additional stock or water if it sits. This recipe can be halved for small families or doubled if you are feeding a crowd. Here's the recipe.
Vegan Red Lentil Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 pound red lentils
8 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Optional garnish: 1/2 cup vegan yogurt
1) Heat oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot. When it shimmers, add onions and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, coriander, allspice, paprika and garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
2) Add lentil to pot and stir well to coat with spices. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowl. Garnish with yogurt if using. Yield: 6-8 servings.
You might also enjoy:
Vegan and Red Lentil Flan
Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
Celery Soup
27 comments :
- ♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...
I love lentils in soup and this recipe is very different from the one we make.....nic picture....
- February 7, 2010 at 3:11 PM
- Patricia @ ButterYum said...
What a lovely soup. I've love lentils and have eaten the green, brown, and black varieties, but never red. I'll have to grab them the next time I see them.
ButterYum - February 7, 2010 at 3:34 PM
- Elisa said...
What a yummy recipe. I have only tried the green lentils at home but I believe the indian restaurant I visited served red lentils. As a vegetarian, this soup is a great source of iron.
And nice picture. - February 7, 2010 at 4:08 PM
- Katy ~ said...
Yummm..love the red color. Thank you for the tip about adding paprika. I would have been dismayed at the mustard color (never made lentil soup before).
- February 7, 2010 at 4:45 PM
- Chef Aimee said...
Wow the color of that soup is amazing! I love lentils and love this recipe. I rarely get red lentils, always green, but I think I want to try red!
- February 7, 2010 at 5:04 PM
- La Cuisine d'Helene said...
Vegan soup, I have to try your recipe. Love the color.
- February 7, 2010 at 6:09 PM
- Foodiewife said...
I need to broaden my horizons on lentils. I don't think I've ever worked with red lentils. I like the idea that this is vegan. We have a friend who eats a very restricted diet, so I bet this would please all of us. The aromatics are a perfect combination, and the paprika would be the perfect touch.
Debby - February 7, 2010 at 6:15 PM
- Denise said...
Thanks for stopping by Creative Kitchen & following! I LOVE your blog!! Your photographs are awe inspiring. I especially love the one from your kitchen window. WOW!! Definitely cooking inspiration!
I just recently tried the red lentils last fall. I had always cooked with the green. I like that they cook up a bit faster and fall apart more. The soup I made was like a dahl...very light and refreshing. I was surprised what the lemon juice did for it. - February 7, 2010 at 8:16 PM
- Coleens Recipes said...
Fantastic!! I don't think I've tried red lentils.
- February 7, 2010 at 9:39 PM
- kate said...
wow, look at that, I'm already drooling, great color, looks delicious
- February 7, 2010 at 10:03 PM
- The Muse said...
i find it very intriguing that the best cooks are very concerned about color and presentation..to me that what makes them an artist!
- February 7, 2010 at 11:05 PM
- DailyChef said...
I don't often get this tempted by a vegan recipe. You make it look SO good.
- February 7, 2010 at 11:21 PM
- Glennis said...
Sounds delicious. I adore the French green lentils, but I also like dal, and this sounds like that.
- February 8, 2010 at 12:05 AM
- Deb in Hawaii said...
I love a good red lentil soup and the color is always so pretty. Perfect for a cold night! ;-)
- February 8, 2010 at 3:51 AM
- Alessandra said...
A great vegetarian classic! Thank you!!!!
- February 8, 2010 at 4:10 AM
- Hootin Anni said...
You know how I love to come visit you and read your recipes and all...but today [I've been wanting to post this like....forever, and keep forgetting to do so]....your photography is like viewing a cooking magazine. So very professional looking and all!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog Saturday and leaving such a sweet, sweet comment.
Have a great week ahead. - February 8, 2010 at 6:35 AM
- NKP said...
What striking colour!
Red lentils are so handy to have on hand - I love them for their thickening properties. - February 8, 2010 at 7:31 AM
Lentils in soup..How comforting.
- February 8, 2010 at 8:54 AM
- Southerncook said...
Mary, I have never used Red Lentils before but saw some in Fresh Market the other day. Your post came at a good time and I did not know that they were sweeter than other Lentils. I think I need to try this recipe soon. Thank you for sharing and it looks to be a beautiful soup. Sounds delish too.
Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook - February 8, 2010 at 10:07 AM
- Cathy said...
Lentil soup is one of my favorites, Mary. The spice combination you've used sounds wonderful and the color is so much more appetizing than pea soup green.
- February 8, 2010 at 10:07 AM
I have never used red lentils. I am not sure, I have seen them but I plan to look.
This is a nice hearty winter soup and we love soup. - February 8, 2010 at 11:07 AM
- Zurin said...
Brilliant coloured soup! and red lentils are nice :) pretty picture!
- February 8, 2010 at 11:11 AM
- The Chef In My Head said...
Beautiful color! I just forwarded you recipe to a friend of mine, her husband loves lentils, all kinds and all colors. Have a perfect day ~LeslieMichele
- February 8, 2010 at 11:33 AM
- La Bella Cooks said...
The color of the soup is just gorgeous but I love the cumin and coriander. So warming!
- February 8, 2010 at 12:06 PM
- Melissa and Zack said...
that looks yummy!!
- February 11, 2010 at 9:51 AM
- Unknown said...
amazing soup! I added some carrots and celery to give the soup some extra texture
- January 11, 2011 at 8:02 PM
I just wanted to thank you for this fantastic recipe. I don't even LIKE soup - I found this recipe looking for something to do with a bag of lentils. This soup is so fantastic that I went out and bought more lentils, just to make it again.
- January 18, 2012 at 2:11 PM


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Put on the Eyes of Faith
In the early 1990s, my sister lived in New Zealand and worked for a traveling science roadshow. We talked on the phone rarely. It was too expensive, and the voice delay on overseas phone calls was really frustrating. My sister began sending postcards to keep us current on her exciting adventure. One postcard stands out in my memory from that era. On the front of the postcard, there was a stereogram, a hidden 3-D picture wrapped in a blue-green 2-D design. The instructions on the postcard said to hold the image right up to your nose and slowly pull the picture away from your face. The reader was told to stare through the picture rather than try to focus on the 2-D pattern. "Let your eyes go beyond the obvious image, and you will begin to see the hidden image," the footnote read.
I raised the card to my nose and tried it about ten times. My children figured it out almost immediately.
"I give up. I can't see a thing!" I tossed the card on the table and my son picked it up, imploring me to give it another try.
"You have to let it happen, Mom. Don't look at it. Kind of let your eyes go out of focus. And fight it when your eyes want to look at the design. You'll never see it that way. The picture is deeper. Not here." He rubbed the palm of his hand across the postcard. "It's there." He took his right index finger and pointed down to the postcard in his left hand. When his finger touched the picture, he slid it around the side of the picture, and kept on pointing to an imaginary place beyond.
He handed the card to me, and I took it reluctantly. I wasn't sure what I was doing, but I thought about what my son had said and gave it one last serious effort.
And suddenly, I saw it. Three dolphins. Three 3-D dolphins in a row. It was SO cool.
There are times when the indelible mark of God on the lives of those around us can seem as elusive as the 3-D picture hidden in a stereogram. We don't see Christ in our neighbor. We don't see Christ in the poor. We don't see Christ in the priest.
We just see a rude neighbor. A guy on the side of the road with a sign. A man with foibles like everyone else who sometimes wears a stole.
God tells us to look closer. No, not at the surface. Don't fixate on the outward patterns. You'll never see what lies beneath that way. Jesus is there, and you can see him if you let yourself get past the surface image.
He's there, in the eyes of your neighbor.
He's there, in the eyes of the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, the immigrant.
He's there in the ordained one. A priest forever. Marked with God's indelible imprint.
Sometimes, the pattern on the surface throws us off. We become frustrated by what we see. God tells us to look a little deeper. Give it another try. True identity is sometimes hidden. Cloaked in external trappings.
And if we can begin to see Jesus Christ hidden in the faces around us, maybe we can begin to see Our Lord hidden under the appearance of bread and wine.
Fight it when your eyes want to look at the design. You'll never see Him that way. Christ is deeper. He's there.
No longer bread.
No longer wine.
Soon, the "Year of Faith" will come to an end. It's time to put on the eyes of faith and see Jesus Christ.


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This course is supported by the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power, and is endorsed by the National Fluid Power Association, the leading industry trade group in fluid power.


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Description: 1.) Using imported PU leather, better texture, green no irritating odor, durable wear.2.) Good flexibility, without deformation, waterproof, non-slip, durable wear.3.) Winter does not distort, does not harden, moderate hardness and elastic.4.) Can well prevent snow and mud flows inside the dirty floor, and can effectively protect the carpet. 5.) Very easy to clean, wash with water can easily wash away all the dirt.6.) Stylish design, novel style and beautiful patterns, do not fade.Package: 2 x Front Car Floor Mat2 x Rear Car Floor Mat1 x Bridge Car Floor Mat Shipping Weight: 6.0 kg Washing:* Can be washed, the water temperature at 40 degrees below * Do not chlorine washing, ironing, can not direct exposure to the sun* Not bleach, do not be too vigorously wrung, can naturally dry* After Washed, dried, placed in sealed plastic bag and placed moisture absorption agent Suitable for models:This car floor mats is tailor-made from factory, entirely fit your vehicle.
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The courtship of Hamas between rivals Iran and Qatar has been one of the Middle East's intriguing subplots of the Arab Spring. The bloodshed in Gaza has now sharpened their competition for influence with the Palestinian militant group and the direction it takes in the future.
Qatar has sought to use its vast wealth to win over Hamas with investments and humanitarian aid and encouraging Arab partners to do the same — part of the hyper-rich U.S. allied nation's broader campaign to bring under its wing Islamist movements that have risen to power in the region the past two years. Qatar's influence with Hamas could edge it away from armed action toward diplomacy.
Iran, meanwhile, is invigorating its longtime role as the builder of the rocket arsenal for Hamas' military wing.
For Hamas, there are benefits in both directions — and it's happy to play both sides. During a celebration rally in Gaza City after an Egyptian-mediated cease-fire came into place ending fighting between Israel and Hamas, Gazans wildly waved flags of Qatar, along with those of Egypt and Turkey, in gratitude for those countries' diplomatic support.
At the same time, Hamas' leader-in-exile Khaled Mashaal, who is based out of Qatar, gave a very public thanks to Iran for standing by Gaza with crucial military assistance. Fighters in Gaza also hailed the new reach of their arsenal, with Iranian-designed Fajr-5 rattling Israel by reaching the outskirts of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Visiting the Syrian capital Damascus on Friday, Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani, who is close to the country's supreme leader, promised leaders of Palestinian militant groups that his country would continue to boost "the resistance's capabilities in confronting the Zionist arrogance and aggression," according to Palestinian official Khaled Abdul-Hamid, who attended the meeting.
The reminder of Hamas' reliance on Iran for weapons could help smooth a relationship that has been running through a rough patch because of the civil war in Syria, Iran's top ally.
Embarrassed by the Syrian regime's crackdown on a mainly Sunni Muslim uprising, Hamas leaders based in Damascus for years broke with Syria and left for Qatar and Egypt. Though Iran continued to send weapons to Hamas, the break undermined the "Axis of Resistance" grouping Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas that Iran has assembled in the Arab world.
It's doubtful Iran can fully reclaim its position as the main big brother for Hamas. But Tehran's image is certain to receive some lingering boost in Gaza.
For Hamas, hyper-rich Qatar is a political and economic lifeline, a key part of the militant group's attempts to bolster its ties with the Western-backed Gulf states in efforts gain more international legitimacy. Last month, Qatar's emir became the first head of state to visit the Gaza Strip since Hamas took control five years ago. The Gulf state pledged nearly $500 million in aid and a song called "Thank you, Qatar" played on Gaza radio and TV as the emir was given a hero's welcome.
During the heat of the Gaza battle the past week, Qatar's prime minister gave a blistering dressing down to the Arab League during an emergency meeting, saying Arab nations had to do more to fight Gaza's poverty and isolation than just pass resolutions.
"We can't give hope without delivering," Sheik Hamad Bin Jassem Al Thani told the gathering last week in Cairo.
Two days after his outburst at the Arab League meeting in Cairo, Sheik Hamad suggested that his country would be willing to open dialogue with Israel on a long-term Gaza truce if it leads to lifting the blockade. The Arab Spring, he added, has made Israel feel more vulnerable, but also perhaps more ready to make deals.
"We need to talk with everyone to reach a comprehensive peace," he told CNN on Monday.
For Qatar, the outreach to Gaza also is part of far wider ambitions to become a major policy-shaper in the Middle East. The tiny Gulf nation has emerged as a strong backer of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has risen to power in Tunisia and Egypt after the fall of those countries' autocratic leaders in early 2011.
In February, Qatar brokered talks between Hamas' Mashaal and his longtime rival, internationally backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Qatar has also sought to influence Syria's rebels. This month, it hosted Syrian opposition groups in a breakthrough effort to unite rebel factions under one coalition, which has opened the way for greater international recognition and promises of aid. Qatar had led calls to supply Syrian rebels with heavy weapons to counter air and tank attacks by Bashar Assad's forces. Qatar also was a key backer of the Libyan uprising.
On Thursday, Qatar also invited the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition to appoint its ambassador to the Gulf state, the Qatari news agency reported.
Salman Shaikh, director of The Brookings Doha Center in Qatar, said it's not a matter of "having to go all for Iran or all for Qatar.'
"What Qatar is trying to do is change the reality. They are trying to blaze a trail that will weaken the international isolation of Gaza from the Israeli blockade," he said.
Qatar has so far stopped short of offering any kind of military support for Gaza to avoid a rift with Washington, Israel's most powerful ally.
Iran takes a very different view.
Officials in Tehran boasted this week about its longtime arms support for Hamas militants — part of Iran's bookend strategy to equip anti-Israel factions in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon on Israel's northern border.
Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, the head of the Revolutionary Guard, said Iran supplied fighters in Gaza with the technology to "quickly" produce the Fajr-5 missiles. The statement fits with previous Iranian denials that it is not directly sending missiles to Gaza, but suggests close coordination on construction and movement of supplies, presumably through the smugglers' tunnels linking Gaza and Egypt.
The Gaza fighting, at the least, bought Iran some restored street credibility as its image was battered by its backing for the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
"The war with Israel reminded Hamas that Israel is the main issue not Syria," said Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a professor in politics in Tehran's Allameh University.
But Hamid Reza Shokouhi, editor of Iran's independent Mardomsalari daily, said the bump in Iran's popularity with Gazans could be only "short-term." He questioned whether Iran could sustain its influence in Gaza against the almost unlimited resources of Qatar and its Gulf partners.
Iran's Foreign Ministry and a parliamentary committee have applied for permission to visit Gaza in the coming weeks via the border crossing with Egypt, said Hasan Qashqavi, deputy foreign minister in charge of consular affairs.
Qatar's prime minister said the competition for influence is Gaza only likely to intensify as other nations such as Turkey and Egypt reach out.
"We are not trying to take Hamas from anybody else, from Iran or others," he said in the CNN interview. "Hamas, they have to decide for themselves. I think they are pretty mature to decide for themselves."
Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.