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Creamy Tomato Soup with Spicy Sausage

  • ACTIVE: 25 MIN

Buttermilk gives this hearty tomato soup a creamy tang.

slideshow Warming Soup Recipes

  1. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  2. 4 ounces spicy turkey sausage, casing removed
  3. 1 medium onion, chopped
  4. 1 small garlic clove, sliced
  5. One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
  6. 2 cups chicken stock
  7. 1 bay leaf
  8. 1/2 cup buttermilk
  9. Croutons, for garnish
  1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the sausage and stir to break up the meat. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is cooked through and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and crumble.
  2. Add the onion and garlic to the saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaf, cover and simmer until the tomatoes have softened, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
  3. Transfer the soup to a blender. Add the buttermilk and puree. Return the soup to the saucepan along with the sausage and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat until the sausage has softened, about 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the croutons and serve.
Make Ahead
The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.


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Grape Leaves Stuffed with Pine Nuts and Spice Rice
© Petrina Tinslay

Grape Leaves Stuffed with Pine Nuts and Spiced Rice

  • ACTIVE: 40 MIN
  • SERVINGS: Makes 2 dozen stuffed grape leaves

In Egypt, cooks stuff this spiced rice mixture into all kinds of vegetables, like zucchini.

Slideshow: More Rice Dishes More Rice Dishes

  1. 30 jarred brined grape leaves, drained
  2. 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  3. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  4. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  5. One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
  6. 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  7. 1/2 cup short grain rice
  8. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  9. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  10. 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
  11. 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
  12. Salt
  13. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  1. Soak the grape leaves in a large bowl of warm water for 20 minutes.
  2. In a large skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderate heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
  3. In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until it begins to turn white, 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the bowl with the pine nuts. Stir in the cinnamon, cumin, orange zest and mint and season with salt. Let cool slightly.
  4. Drain the grape leaves and pat dry. Snip off the stems. Spread 4 leaves on a work surface. Form a 1-tablespoon-size log of the rice filling at the stem end. Fold the sides over the filling, then tightly roll up the leaves to form cylinders, tucking in the sides as you go. Repeat with 20 more grape leaves and the remaining filling.
  5. Line a saucepan with 3 grape leaves. Arrange the stuffed grape leaves in the saucepan in 2 layers. Drizzle with the oil. Top with the remaining 3 grape leaves and a small plate. Add enough water to cover the stuffed grape leaves and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender, 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool in the saucepan. Arrange the grape leaves on a platter and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Bloody Caramel Apples from

This week I had the best of intentions to stick to my diet, but I knew in my heart it was going to be four days of eating and drinking that were out of my control. I mean coooommme on! Who can go to Wisconsin on a cheese and spirits tour and stick to the plan? Not me. So I created a new plan: more cheese please. I’ll be posting more about the trip later but if you haven’t experienced real Wisconsin cheese, you haven’t tasted cheese.

Now that I’m slowly emerging from my happy dance cheese trance, I’m craving sweets. Sweets that go with cheese.

Okay I might still be under it’s spell. I’ve never been much of a fan of caramel apples thanks to early memories of store-bought versions that nearly drove me to the dentist to have the hard, waxy caramel extracted from my molars and the tossing of the rest in the garbage.

But my recipe is different in a big way thanks to the combination of sugar and sweetened condensed milk, creating a silky caramel coating that stays soft and supple. And deliciously ‘bloody’. And that’s why you need to give my Bloody Caramel Apples a try. These aren’t hard coated candied apples, but rather ooey, gooey, shiny covered crunchy fruits that will have you eating the whole, darn thing.

Bloody Caramel Apples
Serves: makes 10-12 apples
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons red food coloring, depending on your bloody-ness desires
  • 10-12 medium organic apples
  • 10-12 ice-pop sticks or other holders
  1. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk and salt and continue to stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and a clip-on candy thermometer reads 235°F. Remove from heat and add vanilla and food coloring and stir. Allow to cool to 200°F.
  2. Poke ice-pop sticks or twigs into tops of apples and dip into caramel mixture, rotating to coat. Place on a silicone baking liner or waxed paper until caramel sets.

Artisnal cheese stamps at Chalet Cheese Co-Op

On my trip to Wisconsin I met some amazing food writing talents, editors from national magazines plus some favorite food bloggers. This week I asked some of the bloggers to join in and share their favorite Wisconsin cheese from the tour and a Friday Fave with you.

1. Mackenzie isn’t just a grilled cheese phenom, she’s as real as she is fashionable and walked away with the most style points on the trip thanks to her favorite florals and clear specs that I’m coveting in a big, big way.
Mackenzie’s favorite Wisconsin cheese: Chalet Cheese Co-ops’ Limberger

2. During the week Amanda navigates the social media seas for brands but on the weekends is an avid outdoor enthusiast who craves wool sweaters and dreams of cozying up to evening fires in any one of these idyllic getaways.
Amanda’s favorite Wisconsin cheese: Belgioioso Crescenza-Stracchino

3. On a recent trip to Santa Fe, Ashley discovered she can savor her travel memories thanks to this all-natural room spray literally made in nature in a converted van outfitted with a whiskey still for on-location creation. Her favorite? As a Seattle native, naturally it’s Glacier Cascade.
Ashley’s favorite Wisconsin cheese: Crave Brother’s Mascarpone

4. As a native New Yorker, Sean is thrilled to slurp a People’s Pop and revel in this newly opened park with a bird’s eye view high above the city streets.
Sean’s favorite Wisconsin cheese: Widmer Cheese German Brick

5. Sara thinks there’s a time and a place for a big, comfy t-shirt but knows that a little lace is the key to comfort in style thanks to her favorite cover up created by her oh so fashionable sister.
Sara’s favorite Wisconsin cheese: Belgioioso Ricotta

6. I cut my trip to Wisconsin short in order to get home in time to help my man blow out his candles. Since this is his favorite flavor and she makes it look sooo good, I’ll be taking Annalise’s tips to create the perfect cake in his honor—with extra vanilla ice cream on the side. P.S. honey: Please don’t expect my cake to look as gorgeous as Annalise’s. It will be looking more, umm, ‘rustic’. I’m pretty sure you’ll love it anyway. Happy bday lover!

7. I’m stocking up on holiday party gear and loving all things ikat.

8. Because I ‘m often asked what I’m looking for in good pix for the blog, this reference is a good resource.

9. So many happy recipes from some very talented food bloggers to celebrate this virtual baby shower.

10. And finally, thanks to my talented friends at Skillcrush for featuring me on their blog this week. Have a great weekend cheeseheads. Thanks for reading and please keep in touch.

Subscribe to Foodie Crush and follow me on TwitterFacebook and Pinterest and check out Foodie Crush magazine and Cookie Cravings

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Breaking News on Food and Beverage Processing and PackagingWorldUSEurope

News > Supply Chain

Read more breaking news

Chiquita issues earnings warning over bananas

A price-fixing investigation, an attempt to diversify its business, a 33 per cent cut in orders from Wal-Mart and changes in the European banana regime has led to Chiquita issuing an earnings warning, reports Ahmed ElAmin.

In a regulatory filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) this week thecompany said that Wal-Mart, the US' largest retailer, plans to cut banana orders from Chiquita Brands International by one-third. Chiquita saidthe reduced order from its largest North American customer would knock its US market share down to 33 per cent from 37 per cent. The decline is expected to take effect during the current quarter.

The company blamed cheaper bananas from other competitors as the reason for the decline. The reduced orders from Wal-Mart was one of the factors Chiquita cited when warning investors that it faces a difficult period as it goes ahead with the $855m (€700m) acquisition of Fresh Express.

Chiquita is attempting to diversify away from the banana business by acquiring Fresh Express, which sells packaged lettuce and fresh fruit in the US. After the sale closes fruit will account for 42per cent of Chiquita's global total sales.

The company also warned that changes in the EU banana tariff import system, expected to be implemented in 2006, could adversely affect its European business and overall operating results. Thechange could result in Chiquita's bananas being more expensive that imports from countries exempted from a higher tarrif system.

In October 2004, the European Commission announced that it would propose a tariff on Latin American bananas of €230 per tonne, compared to the current €75 per tonne tariff. The new tariffsystem would not apply to bananas imported from certain countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, putting Chiquita at a disadvantage, the company said.

In 2004, Chiquita sold about 61 million boxes, or 1.1 million tonnes of bananas in Europe, a large majority of which were sold in the EU and are subject to the current tariff of €75 per metric ton. The current €75tariff applies only to bananas imported from Latin America, which is the source of substantially all of the Chiquita's bananas imported into the EU.

In 2001, the European Commission announced it would amend the quota and licensing regime for the importation of bananas into the EU. Under the 2001 agreement, the current EU banana tariff rate quota system is scheduled to be followed by a tariff-only system no later than 2006.

Under the current quota system, import licenses are required to import bananas into the EU within the quota. Each year, a fixed quantity of licenses is allocated to each eligible operator, includingChiquita.

The new tariff system has led nine Latin American governments to apply to the World Trade Organisation for arbitration over the dispute. An arbitration decision is expected by 1 August 2005.

Banana sales accounted for about 60 per cent of Chiquita's net sales in 2003 and 55 per cent in 2004.

EU regulators raided fruit suppliers across Europe last week after Chiquita blamed some of its employees for sharing pricing and volume information with its competitors on the continent and in North America.

In a statement Chiquita said the transfer of the information and other conduct by the unnamed employees may have violated the EU's competition laws and the company's policies. The company said it was cooperating with the European Commission's investigation into price fixing by the food giant. The investigation may expose Chiquita and its rivals to fines if the Commission discovers the information may have resulted in higher prices for consumers.

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The Little Things Still Matter

Food Safety is paramount in foodservice operations, but several large-scale food recalls in the past two years have operators and customers concerned about just how safe our food really is. For operators, the major food safety concern is not recalls, but the little things like proper employee hand washing or accurately monitoring temperatures.

There are many components in a successful foodservice operation: quality food, a variety of options, good customer service, ambiance and financial stability to name a few. None of those matter, however, if the food isn’t safe. And it seems that food safety is important now more than ever as several large-scale food recalls have rocked the nation, leaving consumers questioning how safe their food is.

The answer is not a comforting one, according to a report released in April by the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet). The company, a component of the Centers for Disease Control’s Emerging Infections Program, found that the safety of the nation’s food supply has not improved during the past three years. “None of the Healthy People 2010 targets for reduction in foodborne pathogens were reached in 2008,” the study’s authors wrote in the report. “The lack of recent progress points to gaps in the current food safety system and the need to continue to develop and evaluate food safety practices as food moves from the farm to the table.”

Although the report looked at the food supply as a whole and not specifically at non-commercial operations, important conclusions can still be drawn: Food safety is paramount and not enough is being done to prevent foodborne illnesses.

With that in mind, FSD talked with operators to find out their biggest food safety challenges. We found a vast majority said it’s little things, such as properly washing hands, monitoring temperatures and preventing cross contamination, that were the biggest issues. The good news is these things are all relatively simple to fix. The bad news is getting employees to actually follow proper sanitation guidelines can be difficult to implement and monitor.

Changing employee behavior: “The biggest food safety challenge we have is getting staff to practice what they are taught,” says Phil Arnold, food and nutrition director at 318-bed Thomason Hospital in El Paso, Texas. Arnold says making sure employees follow proper safety and sanitation procedures has been difficult, and he admits he struggles to find ways to make sure his employees make food safety the No. 1 priority. “Like many things in foodservice, you cannot go and say, ‘this is the answer,’” he says. “It’s about doing multiple things at once and making this habitual. It’s a journey; a challenging, long, but necessary journey.”

Arnold says that since his arrival in December 2006, the staff has made great strides in increasing the facility’s safety and sanitation. One of the ways this was accomplished was by increasing accountability. Arnold created a daily HACCP audit that a foodservice manager completes in the morning and afternoon, which he says helps the department stay on top of potential problems. The hospital also has an environmental care committee, which is made of up hospital employees from different departments. The committee does rounds throughout the hospital, including foodservice, looking for any safety issues. Arnold says this is helpful because it gives him an outside perspective. For example, he didn’t think a little carbon buildup on a non-food contact side of sheet pans was a big problem until he saw it through the eyes of someone else who mentioned it looked like the pans hadn’t been properly cleaned.

Another way Arnold has been able to increase food safety is by motivating his employees. “I try to motivate the staff from a pride standpoint, but also from a standpoint of, ‘you’re here to protect the people that you are serving and this is a part of it too,’” he says.

Dan Henroid, director of nutrition and foodservices at the 560-bed UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco, agrees creating a staff culture where food safety is viewed as paramount is key. “There is nothing more important than department culture,” Henroid says. “You have to start from day one and ground one. I use the cliché that your system is only as strong as the weakest member. Every single employee has to have the same food safety concerns. We can’t have a manager out there at all times, so there needs to be a culture among the employees that this is the way we do things.”

To achieve this culture, Henroid says to make things personal. “There is sometimes a feeling in foodservice that they are doing this to protect themselves and not to protect the customers,” he says. “Especially in big institutional kitchens, many employees don’t see their customers. You have to remind them who they are serving and why it’s so important.” So Henroid makes sure back-of-the-house employees spend time working in the front of the house so they can build that personal connection with the customers.


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Cardinal Bank Community Fund Awards Grant to American Red Cross

Cardinal Bank Community Fund Awards Grant to American Red Cross

TYSONS CORNER, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cardinal Bank (Nasdaq: CFNL  ) announced today that the Cardinal Bank Community Fund proudly supported the ongoing relief and continued recovery efforts of the American Red Cross with a $10,000 donation to the Hurricane Sandy Benefit Concert, sponsored by local business Clyde’s Restaurant Group.

(L-R): Katy Adams, Marketing Manager, Clyde's Restaurant Group; Linda Mathes, Chief Executive Office ...

(L-R): Katy Adams, Marketing Manager, Clyde's Restaurant Group; Linda Mathes, Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross in the National Capital Region; and F. Kevin Reynolds, President, Cardinal Bank. (Photo: Cardinal Bank)

Cardinal President F. Kevin Reynolds presented the check to Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross of the National Capital Region, Linda C. Mathes and Clyde’s Marketing Manager, Katy Adams.

“Times of crisis represent opportunities for individuals and businesses to unite for a common cause. It is a privilege to join with Clyde’s to support the critical disaster response services of the American Red Cross.” said F. Kevin Reynolds, President, Cardinal Bank. “We know that the work of the Red Cross, and the relief and recovery efforts after Sandy’s devastation, are far from over.Our grant will lend a helping hand to many families still navigating their paths to recovery after this natural disaster.”

Through its grant program, the Cardinal Bank Community Fund has benefited more than 80 local organizations and service programs since its inception, keeping sight of the Fund’s mission and deep commitment to giving back to the communities where we live, work, and raise our families. Cardinal employees also donate generously of their time to community organizations throughout the region.

About Cardinal Financial Corporation : Cardinal Financial Corporation, a financial holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, serves the Washington Metropolitan region through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Cardinal Bank, with 27 conveniently located banking offices. Cardinal also operates George Mason Mortgage. The Company's stock is traded on NASDAQ (CFNL). For additional information, visit our Web site at or call 703.584.3400.

The Cardinal Bank Community Fund (CBCF), established in 2008, is the philanthropic arm of Cardinal Financial Corporation. The CBCF serves the Greater Washington Metropolitan region and focuses on four fields of interest: healthcare and wellness, children and families, arts and humanities, and educational services. For more information on the Community Fund program, call 703.584.3400.

Cardinal Bank
F. Kevin Reynolds, President

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Virginia

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Fool Video Take: Ahoy, Disney

Last week, the biggest mouse in Burbank, Disney (NYSE: DIS  ) , reported solid earnings. While revenues are flowing in from the international distribution of TV shows, ESPN, theme parks, and movies, the earnings increase was also fueled in part by reduced expenses and the surprise hit film, Wild Hogs.

With the big multimedia companies relying more and more heavily on summer blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, the Motley Fool turns to the infamous pool pirate, Bottomless Pete, for his take on the company.

For more on Disney, check out:

Disney is an active recommendation for Motley Fool Stock Advisor newsletter subscribers. To find out what other superstar stocks are helping the newsletter crush the market, take a free 30-day trial to the service today.

Fool contributor and comedy writer Dan Rubin does not own any shares of Disney. The Fool has a no-nonsense disclosure policy.

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Why I'm Doubling Down on This Risky Stock

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I don't consider myself a high-risk investor. I've never owned a penny stock, I like companies that are industry leaders in emerging businesses, and I'm always on the lookout for a good value. But that doesn't mean I'm not willing to take a risk from time to time when an opportunity presents itself.

It all starts with a story
Usually an investment starts with a good story. I used to tell coworkers who were getting started with investing that if they couldn't tell a compelling story about why they were invested in a company, they shouldn't buy it. But there's a fine line between a good story and a story stock.

Take the recent IPOs of both Tesla Motors (Nasdaq: TSLA  ) and Zipcar (Nasdaq: ZIP  ) in the past year. Neither company is profitable, and neither probably will be for quite some time, but both had wildly successful IPOs. The sales pitch with these companies becomes about the story of what they could be, not about why you own them for what they are today. They're story stocks.

There's a fine line between story and  stock, and that's where my story begins. I started following American Superconductor (Nasdaq: AMSC  ) in 2009, when I was looking for alternative energy investments that could help revolutionize the industry. At the time, the company was just becoming profitable, but it was beginning to become more reality than story.

Over the next two years, I saw the company's profits skyrocket; it entered adjacent markets that seemed like a good idea. After building a large, and profitable, licensing and supply business in wind turbines, the company's namesake superconductor product got a few new contracts, and it added utility-scale inverters to compete with Satcon Technology (Nasdaq: SATC  ) and Power-One (Nasdaq: PWER  ) in the solar business. Finally, I saw enough value in current operations and a bright enough future to jump in. I made a small bet at first, but after the stock fell into the mid-$20 range, I bought more shares and even sold put options.

Later, those options would become my downfall.

When the company revealed that Sinovel, its biggest customer, had rejected an order, and that the company hadn't been paid for past shipments, all hell broke loose. The stock dropped 50% in one day, and I went from a small loss to my worst-ever single day loss.

Now that we're here ...
The story of American Superconductor has changed, and I'll admit I've been wrong about this company so far, but the reduced stock price has also come into play. Sure, I would be more comfortable if I were sitting on a profitable position, but since the stock has tanked, I've been forced to re-evaluate my investment.

I still like the company's product lines overall. The wind business is tough, but management says it still plans on having Sinovel as a customer, and new customers are ramping production with American Superconductor technology. The superconductor cable business is just getting started, and inverters are a wild card. But all the while, I've kept my eye on the balance sheet.

At the end of 2010, cash and marketable securities stood at $242.9 million and debt was nonexistent. Unless the company is mothballed all together, the current $411 million market cap seems pretty low considering the potential. Of course there's the $265 million The Switch acquisition to fund, but assuming the business is worth what American Superconductor paid for it, investors are almost pricing in bankruptcy.

There are big risks. The company's regulatory filing has been delayed, and it's on notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission (not a good thing for any company). But when investors are looking for every reason to sell, I like to ask if there's still a reason to buy. And I think there is.

I've played this game before
This isn't the first time I've liked a company's story, watched the stock tank, and doubled or tripled my investment when I thought it was hitting bottom. In early 2009, gaming stocks with ties to a booming Asian market such as Melco Crown (Nasdaq: MPEL  ) , Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS  ) , and Wynn Resorts took it on the chin because of concerns over their debt loads. The risk was high, but I felt investors couldn't see the full potential in Macau casinos through the market collapse.

I owned shares of LVS at the time, and I heard CEO Sheldon Adelson shouting from the rooftops that his company wouldn't fail, so I doubled down. That paid off over the next two years as Las Vegas Sands recovered what I had lost and much, much more. Maybe it was crazy; maybe it was genius, but it worked. Now American Superconductor is a company I don't see going belly-up. Not yet.

Why I'm staying long
Half (or maybe more) of investing is psychology. The stock market is like a mob that falls in love with an idea and throws it out on a whim. When a company is getting notices from the SEC and isn't talking because accountants are scrambling to figure out what everything is worth, the mob will trample its young to get away. But once fourth-quarter results are released (someday), and we hear what's really going on with Sinovel, I think we'll breathe a sigh of relief.

Have you lost your mind?
Catching a falling knife is nearly impossible, but if you're convinced the market has overreacted, it may be time to take a chance. A couple of weeks ago, I bought long dated call options, or LEAPS, in American Superconductor that could turn my investment around -- or become a further sinkhole for my portfolio. In either case, I know the risks, I'm willing to accept them, and I like my chances.

Am I crazy? You wouldn't be the first to think so, and if you agree or disagree let me know in the comments section below.

Interested in reading more about American Superconductor? Click here to add it to My Watchlist, and My Watchlist will find all of our Foolish analysis on this stock.

Fool contributor Travis Hoium owns shares and call options in American Superconductor, has sold put options in Las Vegas Sands, and owns shares of Melco Crown that are covered with call options. You can follow Travis on Twitter at @FlushDrawFool, check out his personal stock holdings or follow his CAPS picks at TMFFlushDraw.

The Motley Fool owns shares of Power-One. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Zipcar and Melco Crown Entertainment. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Help us keep this a respectfully Foolish area! This is a place for our readers to discuss, debate, and learn more about the Foolish investing topic you read about above. Help us keep it clean and safe. If you believe a comment is abusive or otherwise violates our Fool's Rules, please report it via the Report this Comment Report this Comment icon found on every comment.

  • Report this Comment On June 28, 2011, at 7:26 PM, TARACIE wrote:

    I've invested in AMSC wince early days when it was at $4.00

    I believe.

  • Report this Comment On June 29, 2011, at 12:10 AM, aldousworp wrote:

    I been through this a few times before with AMSC. It goes down. I buy more. It goes even lower. I'm out of dry powder. It goes back up. I wish I had sold something to raise money to buy more when it was near the bottom. I have far more than I should invest in a speculative stock but I don't sell. I went through this once when AMSC was in danger of being delisted. Their auditor issued a statement that they might not have enough cash to fund their burn rate for the year. I think it was 2003 or 2004.

  • Report this Comment On June 29, 2011, at 9:40 AM, iat88 wrote:

    i believe AMSC will overcome it s recent downfall. i have 2 reasons for saying this. Firstly there is a very high volume of insider buying of the stock . This shows the insider s believe in the fundamentals of the company and expect it s stock price to recover.

    Secondly i feel Sinovel s cancellation of their orders might be temporary. They might continue with AMSC as their supplier sooner or later . There is also the possibility of a buyover.

  • Report this Comment On June 29, 2011, at 3:50 PM, kfisch wrote:

    I recently bought AMSC after the Sinovel order cancellation. The fact that the company has strong fundamentals, in particular no debt, made it an attractive buy. The high volume of insider buying of the stock & large blocks bought by institutional investors further reinforce confidence in the company's ability to rebound from the Sinovel set-back. There could be something to the rumors of the AMSC being a take-over candidate seeing as how those in the company are buying so much stock. The stock is certainly priced right for someone to step up to the plate & hit a home run!

  • Report this Comment On June 29, 2011, at 4:48 PM, lslobovia wrote:

    there seems to be only one non-insider buyer who's been taking large amounts all the way down from the mid 20's. I'd be more comfortable if a company officer or 4 would buy now too.

  • Report this Comment On June 30, 2011, at 10:31 AM, picador3 wrote:

    A touch of denial here? Payment troubles with Sinovel started in the June quarter. AMSC made no mention of this but continued to report higher than forecast quarterly results and increase guidance. Then did stock offering in the Fall while indicating all was well. Securiies Fraud? Delay of annual report possibly the result of inability to get postive auditor's report?

    Parties suing the company will likely seek to freeze AMSC's cash to cover possible damage awards. If so acquisition may be aborted with further damages liabilities.

    Firing of Chairman not likely to help company.

    Bankruptcy a very real possibility since company had no earnings outside of Sinovel business.

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Dell's Apple Challenge

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After its unsuccessful line of Dell Streak tablets powered by Google's Android operating system, software giant Dell (Nasdaq: DELL  ) now plans to strike back with a new range of tablets powered by Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT  ) Windows 8 operating system, which are slated to hit the shelves during the later half of this year.

Time to find out what's different this time round.

Increased acceptance of tablets
Tablets are fast becoming a global trendsetter. The tablet has hit the PC hard on its dominant home turf -- the corporate sector -- and this time it really means business. People who have used tablets at home are now using them at work, as evidenced by the sheer volume of companies buying Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL  ) iPads for their employees. According to Forrester Research, businesses will buy a whopping $10 billion worth of iPads this year, a figure likely to shoot up to $16 billion by 2013. Sure, that's a lot of iPads, but what's more important is that it's also all about Apple, which should give you a fair idea of the competition Dell needs to contend with.

Keeping that in mind, is the company's decision to roll out new Windows 8-based tablets a really smart move? I think so, given its firm foothold in the very corporate sector that we're talking about.

How Dell stacks up to Apple
Dell is best known for catering to the business segment through products such as personal computers, servers, and laptops. Its long-standing relationships with corporate consumers make it better placed to understand and customize products for their needs. Apple, in contrast, is more focused on consumer-oriented products that function on different, hard-to-implement systems.

Dell also claims that iPads are known to have many issues concerning security and compatibility with other systems, making it a challenge to deploy them in a complex, multi-gadget, corporate IT environment. Dell, on the other hand, is confident that it would be able to address these issues more effectively, given its proven experience in the corporate IT Infrastructure space.

Having said all that, I think the single most important thing likely to determine Dell's success in the tablet space will be Microsoft's ability to make its new Windows 8 operating system compatible with other systems as well as gain mass acceptability.

And then there are the others
It would be interesting to see how Dell competes with the iPad's immense popularity and sheer brand appeal. But the competition is not just restricted to Apple, as others are also planning to introduce Windows-based tablets targeting business consumers. Take, for instance, Nokia (NYSE: NOK  ) . After being left behind in the smartphone race, the Finnish company also plans to introduce its own tablet, which would run on Windows 8. With this move, Nokia hopes to somewhat reverse the huge losses it has incurred over the past three quarters. Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ  ) , which lost a considerable amount of market share last year in the personal computer space, is also planning a tablet comeback.

The Foolish bottom line
Would Dell's re-entry into the tablet space, powered by Windows 8, really make a great difference? Well, I think Dell stands a good chance to distinguish itself from other tablets in the market, including the iPad, given the former's business-centric appeal. I'm keeping a close track on Dell for the time being, and I think you should, too.

But Dell isn't the only player in the mobile computing space. To find out about the others, you can check out our free report on these three hidden winners of the iPhone, iPad, and Android revolution. Get it while it's still available.

Add Dell to your Watchlist. It's free!

Fool contributor Keki Fatakia holds no shares in any of the companies mentioned in this article. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft, Apple, and Google. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Nokia, creating bull call spread positions in Apple and Microsoft, and writing covered calls on Dell. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.

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  • Report this Comment On March 28, 2012, at 2:32 AM, applefan1 wrote:

    Dell tried to make a competitive iPod product and failed. Dell tried to make a Android tablet product and failed. Dell is just disseminating their typical FUD marketing which is what Microsoft, IBM, and many others have done as a way to market and sell their products. Michael Dell did this when he made his public statement on telling Steve Jobs to go out of business when he went back to Apple. What did Steve Jobs and Apple do? They went from losing money and almost going out of business to becoming the most valuable company in terms of market cap than Dell, HP, MIcrosoft, IBM, etc. by a LONG shot. Poor Michael Dell & Co. They are just jealous and trying to disseminate FUD tactics because that is all they have FEAR. I am going to watch, but i am not going to invest in DELL.

  • Report this Comment On March 28, 2012, at 5:03 PM, applefan1 wrote:

    I think it is funny, even MSNBC uses iPads and a MacbookPro. 4 iPads and a MBP.

  • Report this Comment On March 28, 2012, at 5:05 PM, applefan1 wrote:

    They had only two Windows laptops. Hahaha

  • Report this Comment On March 28, 2012, at 5:06 PM, applefan1 wrote:

    CNNBC instead of MSNBC.

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It's Back to Business for AIG, But Can Investors Forgive and Forget?

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Not sure how many American's will say "no problem, glad to help," after receiving a hearty "thanks" from AIG (NYSE: AIG  ) President and CEO Robert Benmosche today. The $182 billion bailout package AIG received from the U.S. Treasury a little over four years ago still rankles many, and always will. But if Benmosche and AIG have their way, it's time to move on.

Not that it will matter to investors who avoid AIG on principle, but it turns out "we" made a nearly 12.5% return on the deal, after the U.S. Treasury sold its remaining 232 million shares, priced at $32.50. The $7.6 billion proceeds from this last sale of AIG stock, just about ends the government's involvement. The only thing left now is for Treasury to rid itself of warrants for 2.7 million shares, and our hands are clean. Now that it's all said and done, the 12.5% total return on the AIG investment works out to a $22.7 billion gain. Not great for a four-year investment, but it sure beats the alternative.

From Benmosche's mouth, to anyone's ears?
Here's what the AIG CEO had to say: "We are very pleased to repay 100 percent of all that America invested in AIG plus a total combined positive return -- or profit -- of $22.7 billion," Benmosche added, "On behalf of the 62,000 employees of AIG, it is my honor and privilege to thank America for giving us the opportunity to keep our promise to make America whole on its investment in AIG plus a substantial profit. Thank you America. Let's bring on tomorrow."

"Bringing on tomorrow" is a good idea for AIG shareholders, or investors considering the $49 billion insurer. There's a lot going on at AIG, beyond cutting ties with the government. The recent shedding of the majority of its stake in International Lease Finance (ILF) will net $4.23 billion (equal to 80% of ILF), with an option to sell another 10%. But the real value to AIG of the ILF sale to New China Trust is ridding itself of non-core assets. Airplane leasing is a nice business, but AIG is an insurance company, first and foremost.

The impact of Sandy, as AIG announced Dec. 7, will be significant. An estimated $1.3 billion net loss will show up in AIG's Q4 earnings announcement, so don't be surprised to see sequential, quarterly losses -- it happens with losses of Sandy's magnitude. It should be noted the $1.3 billion loss is after AIG receives benefits from its reinsurance policies. The upshot is AIG will cover the expected losses from existing funds, and with over a $100 billion in equity, a billion-three isn't debilitating.

So, now what?
Benmosche and AIG's turnaround team continue to perform, first for the government, and now for the general public. Its strategy is simple; get back to doing what AIG does -- sell, service, and invest the premiums, from its life and property insurance coverage. Of course, the successful implementation of even the most obvious of strategies is where the rubber meets the road, but it's clear AIG is making significant strides.

Investors are finally able to compare and contrast AIG's financial results vs. its competition. The massive tax incentives, which AIG enjoyed earlier in the year, aren't part of the equation any longer. In AIG's most recent quarter, it actually paid $901  million in taxes, compared to receiving a tax benefit of $1.975 billion in Q3 of 2011. Just as significantly, the albatross that was the government's ownership of AIG is (at last!) no longer.

Even with its nearly 44% gain year-to-date, AIG remains one of the best values in the industry. Though AIG's 2.3 times trailing earnings is skewed -- primarily from the aforementioned tax benefits -- its forward P/E is only 9. Measures, including ROA and ROE, blow American Financial Group (NYSE: AFG  ) , Travelers (NYSE: TRV  ) , and Chubb (NYSE: CB  ) out of the water. What AFG, Travelers and Chubb have that AIG lacks are dividends in the 1.5% to 2.5% range. Right now, an investment in AIG is about growth; income may come down the road, but that's not where the opportunity lies.

As with most insurance companies, AIG's results are as much as about its ability to generate investment returns on its portfolio, as it is about premiums and minimizing claims. With that said, a slowly improving economy and consumer confidence, along with a strengthening housing market, all bode well for AIG in 2013.

The sale of ILF, its return to core operations, and relative value to its competitors, are cited by the many analysts that rate AIG a buy right now. Deutsche Bank, Sanford C. Bernstein, and Macquarie have price targets for AIG ranging from $41 to $45 a share. At its current $34 a share, give or take, that's a lot of upside for AIG -- if you're able to forgive and forget.

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Tim has been writing professionally for several years after spending 18 years (Whew! Was it that long?)in both the retail and institutional side of the financial services industry. Tim resides in Portland, Oregon with his three children and the family dog.

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This Oil Play Just Got a Government Stamp of Approval

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Back in 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey gave an official estimate of how much total recoverable oil may be in the Bakken formation of North Dakota and Montana. At about 3.5 billion barrels, many thought it was a bit low. Now, after five years, the USGS has done another assessment and determined that the region will be able to produce more than double that amount.

For those who have followed oil companies in this region, this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. The original assessement did not include some of the deeper formations, and people in the business believe that the 7 billion barrel estimate just released is still a bit conservative. In this video, contributor Tyler Crowe takes a look at how investors should react to the news, and if it changes the investment thesis on Bakken-centric producers like Kodiak Oil & Gas (NYSE: KOG  ) .

Kodiak Oil & Gas is a dynamic growth story -- it offers great opportunities; but with those opportunities come great risks. Before you hitch your horse to this carriage, let us help you with your due diligence. To find out whether Kodiak is currently a buy or a sell, you're invited to check out The Motley Fool's premium research report on the company, which comes with a full year of updates and analysis as key news breaks. To get started simply click here now.

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Where the Money Is: February 3

We check in on lending standards across the country. Join Motley Fool analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson as they discuss the approval of a Bank of America settlement, scout dividend paying stocks, and even share their thoughts on Peyton Manning's legacy.

Are the big banks in too much legal trouble to be safe for investors?
Many investors are terrified about investing in big banking stocks after the crash, but the sector has one notable stand-out. In a sea of mismanaged and dangerous peers, it rises above as "The Only Big Bank Built to Last." You can uncover the top pick that Warren Buffett loves in The Motley Fool's new report. It's free, so click here to access it now.

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text:
Thousands of Jobs Hinge on This Minimum Wage Decision

The Congressional Budget Office recently released a report concerning the effects of a rise in the minimum hourly wage, and it had some good news to share, as well as some not-so-good news.

On the one hand, raising the minimum wage from the current $7.25 per hour to $10.10 would increase income for approximately 16.5 million workers by 2016, and lift about 900,000 out of poverty. Increased earnings would total $31 billion, although not all of that amount would be funneled to low-income households, since not all low-wage workers live in poor households.

On the other hand, it will likely cut the number of people working by quite a lot -- anywhere between a smidge and one million, averaging out to approximately 500,000 workers by 2016.

An alternate scenario
The CBO seems to be comparing two minimum-wage increase scenarios, the one above, and a $9 per hour raise, also envisioned as being fully executed by 2016. This plan would increase the hourly wage in two steps rather than three: one next year, and the final step in 2016. Unlike the $10.10 scenario, which also includes a raise sometime this year, the $9 rate would not be annually adjusted for inflation.

Since the reduced minimum wage hike would affect many fewer workers, the impact would be much less, affecting only 7.6 million workers, compared with the higher rate's 16.5 million. The CBO estimates that the decrease in the number of workers by 2016 would range from a few to 200,000, with an average of 100,000 leaving the work force or being unable to find a job -- quite a difference from the $10.10 strategy.

Which is better?
Assuming one or the other of these two plans will become law, which would be the better choice, both for workers and the economy?

As far as loss of employment goes, the $9 version would supposedly result in only 20% of the total job loss that would be experienced under the $10.10 plan, which increases its attractiveness significantly. In other measures, however, the lower wage level can't match the benefits that could accompany a minimum wage hike to more than $10 per hour.

For example, the change in real income for families whose current income falls below the poverty level will increase by $5 billion under the higher-wage plan, while the alternative would register a change of only $1 billion. For those whose income is now between one and three times the poverty level, the change in real income for the $10.10 scenario would increase by $12 billion, compared to only $3 billion for the $9 per hour plan.

Source: The All-Nite Images.

The combination of a rate hike in 2014, the extra $1.10 per hour, and the indexing to inflation all create a situation that makes the higher-wage scenario more beneficial to low-wage workers. This plan also includes a rise in the minimum cash wage paid to tipped workers -- which still stands at $2.13 per hour, where it has been since 1991. By a series of increases through 2019, the subminimum wage would eventually equal 70% of the $10.10 minimum wage.

While the loss of a possible half-million jobs is still troubling, analysts like Jason Furman, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, don't see that kind of job loss occurring. In a recent post on the White House blog, Furman noted that the CBO's estimates of jobs lost doesn't jibe with the overall expert opinion that a measured rise in the minimum wage will likely have a negligible effect upon employment.

There's no doubt the groundswell of support for an increase in the minimum wage is gaining momentum, with two-thirds of those polledby ABC News and The Washington Post saying they were in favor of such a move, and indicating they did not believe it would increase layoffs.

Unfortunately, congressional support for the concept doesn't seem quite as strong, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has already put off discussion of the matter until late March, at least. As it stands now, President Obama has raised the federal contractor rate to $10.10 by executive order -- while the rest of low-wage working Americans continue to wait.

Don't earn the minimum return
They said it couldn't be done. But David Gardner has proved them wrong time, and time, and time again with stock returns like 926%, 2,239%, and 4,371%. In fact, just recently one of his favorite stocks became a 100-bagger. And he's ready to do it again. You can uncover his scientific approach to crushing the market and his carefully chosen six picks for ultimate growth instantly, because he's making this premium report free for you today. Click here now for access.

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Fresh Ego Kid

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Seen as a selfish and egotistical brand, Fresh Ego Kid is looking to tackle the fashion scene pretty aggressively and this has become evident through their latest designs and styles. If you love your women’s t-shirts, men’s t-shirts, snapbacks and hooded tops, then you should be keeping a close eye on Fresh Ego Kid and you can order from the selection below today with Footasylum.

  • Fresh Ego Kid Reversible Bucket Hat

    Fresh Ego Kid Reversible Bucket Hat £9.99 RRP £39.99


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Tuesday November 26 2013
Pandev: 'Napoli lack belief'

Goran Pandev thinks Napoli “certainly need more belief” after a 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund.

“We played against a great team and knew Dortmund were Finalists last season. I think we had a good performance, but conceded straight away and that made it an uphill struggle,” the Macedonian told Sky Sport Italia.

“Now we have to look forward, keep working and hope it goes better in the next game. I don’t know what we are missing, as we signed players with a lot of experience this summer. Maybe we need to be more determined and believe in ourselves more.

“Unfortunately, Borussia Dortmund can really hurt you on the counter-attack.”

Napoli have suffered a series of heavy defeats in the big matches this season, most of them away from home.

“We certainly need to have more belief, as we are a side with a lot of quality and can play at the highest level.”

Their hopes of qualification now hang by a thread, as Napoli must beat Arsenal by three clear goals, assuming Borussia Dortmund beat Olympique Marseille, who have so far lost every game.

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Sunday, 09 August 2015, 12:00

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Karanka confirms Omeruo return

Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka has confirmed that Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo is returning to the club.

Last Updated: 22/07/14 at 13:18 Post Comment

Kenneth Omeruo: Re-joining Boro

Kenneth Omeruo: Re-joining Boro

The 20-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at The Riverside, and he become an important memeber of Karanka's squad.

Now despite interest from around Europe and the Premier League, Karanka has been able to persuade his old boss Jose Mourinho to send Omeruo back to Boro for a full campaign.

“The most important thing is he is happy to join us. He is the kind of player who is very important on the pitch and off the pitch," said Karanka.

“He’s always ready to train, always ready to have fun, always joking.

"He is a player everybody loves; his team-mates, the staff, the supporters, everybody in the club and the town love him.”

Omeruo is now set to link-up with Boro having spent the summer playing for Nigeria at the World Cup finals.

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You are here:  » Travel News » 2011 » July » Travelers to Ho Chi Minh travel up 10 percent

Travelers to Ho Chi Minh travel up 10 percent

2011-07-26 (GMT + 7)

Despite the global economic downturn, more than 1.8 million travelers to Ho Chi Minh travel over the past seven months, up 10 percent compared to the same period last year.

The city also earned VND10.6 trillion from tourism, up 29.6 percent over the first part of 2010.

The sharp rise in CPI has affected tourism businesses, including air tickets and food and drink services. To cope with the situation, businesses must improve the quality of services, diversify products and offer tours at reasonable prices.

Ho Chi Minh City has implemented measures to develop tourism, created an action plan, promoted and carried out the second phase of the “100 interesting things to do in Ho Chi Minh City” programme and brought tourists to special art performances.

The city has also strengthened cooperation with neighbouring provinces and taken part in the Trade Promotion Organisation for Asia-Pacific Cities.

It has coordinated with Vietnam Airlines and the Tourism Association to promote tourism in key and potential markets including the Republic of Korea, Japan, the US, Russia, Spain, India and ASEAN countries.

Source: VOV

Recent news
Ministry rejects ' Vietnam tourism ' slogan (2011-07-25)
EU funds tourism capacity programme in Vietnam (2011-07-25)
Ho Chi Minh City invests in premium hotels (2011-07-22)
Beaches, islands top destinations of Vietnam tour (2011-07-22)
Vietnam extended visas for foreigners (2011-07-20)
Vietnam travel ranks fourth in Asia (2011-07-20)
More foreign touritst travel to Hanoi (2011-07-20)
Vietnam's travel revenue rises 35 percent in first half (2011-07-19)


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Darren Milburn

Geelong Cats Defender

Darren Milburn a 189cm, 92kg defender made his AFL debut in 1997. He was recruited from Calder U18 and now plays for the Geelong Cats. He was born in 1977.

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Milburn returns for Cats

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Sportal: Milburn joins Crows

Oct 13, 2011 News 0 comments

Dual premiership player Darren Milburn has joined former Geelong team-mate and new Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson at the Crows as an assistant coach.

Milburn retires

Sportal: Milburn retires

Oct 11, 2011 News 0 comments

Geelong veteran Darren Milburn has confirmed his retirement from the AFL after a stellar 15-year career with the Cats.

Milburn rescues Cats

Sportal: Milburn rescues Cats

Mar 25, 2011 News 0 comments

Veteran Darren Milburn has scored a last minute-goal to get Geelong over the line by a point in a thrilling Round 1 arm-wrestle against St Kilda at the MCG on Friday night.

Cats lose Milburn

Sportal: Cats lose Milburn

Mar 31, 2010 News 0 comments

Geelong is expected to be without veteran defender Darren Milburn for up to a fortnight with a hamstring strain.

Milburn to play on

Sportal: Milburn to play on

Sep 27, 2009 News 0 comments

Two-time premiership captain Tom Harley still wants time to decide his future, but Darren Milburn's intention to play on next season has been warmly welcomed by his Geelong team-mates.

Milburn back on board

AFL: Milburn back on board

Sep 27, 2009 News 0 comments

Veteran and dual premiership player Darren Milburn will play on with the Cats in 2010

Harley, Milburn undecided

AFL: Harley, Milburn undecided

Sep 26, 2009 News 0 comments

After Saturday's grand final, Tom Harley and Darren Milburn were more focused on Geelong's triumph than their plans to play on

Dasher keen to play on

AFL: Dasher keen to play on

Sep 25, 2009 News 0 comments

Darren Milburn wants to enter his 14th AFL season in 2010

Familiar faces boost Cats

AFL: Familiar faces boost Cats

Sep 05, 2009 News 0 comments

The constant presence of experienced teammates like Darren Milburn is reassuring for defender Andrew Mackie

Six may return this week

AFL: Six may return this week

Jul 14, 2009 News 0 comments

Coach Mark Thompson says Ablett, Varcoe, Scarlett and Mackie will return while Ling and Milburn are still a chance

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FANTASY LEAGUE Frequently Asked Questions

What is the footytube fantasy league?

The footytube fantasy league will be launched in August 2009, and will see members of the footytube community using their fantasty league transfer budgets to pick and buy players for their ultimate 'dream team' and compete against others for triumph, glory and kudos.

How does it work?

Players are given a transfer budget of £100m to purchase players at the start of the season. They are also awarded an additional transfer money bonus (up to a maxumum of around £50m) based on their fan valuation budget.

You must choose a formation and a minimum of 11 players (DEF, MID, ATT, and one GK). You may also pick an additional 4 subsitute players that can be swapped into your squad at any time before match days.

Unlike other fantasy leagues, the footytube fantasy league allows you to pick players from the top 4 european leagues. You may pick a maximum of 2 players from each club.

When can I buy / sell players?

You can buy players when you first pick your team. After this, you will need to wait for a transfer window to open, which will happen every 6 weeks. During this period you are given 1 week to buy / sell additional players. You can buy/sell a maximum of 3 players.

It says i'm in the red, what does this mean?

If you spent all of your valuation bonus on players and your valuation has since decreased, it is possible that during a transfer window, you may be in 'the red'. To rectify things, you will need to sell one or more of your players to make up the deficit.

If you fail to do this during the transfer window, your lowest priced player/s will be automatically sold and removed from your squad, to make up the funds.

How are points calculated?

Goalkeepers & Defenders:
Clean sheet 5pts.
Concede more than 1 goal in a game -1pt per goal.

Clean sheet 3pts.
Goal assist 5pts.

Goal assist 5pts.

Goal scored 5pts.
Hat trick bonus 5pts.
Yellow card -2pts.
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Points are awarded for starting players and any substitutes i.e. you have player 'A. Defender' who is thrown on with 2 minutes left into a match his team are losing 3-0, that will be -2pts for that player.

What are the rewards?

Peforming well in the fantasy league will increase your fan valuaton, and more importanly, kudos amongst your fellow fans! We wlll also be offering prizes for the best competing teams.

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Jack Danahy

Jack Danahy

2/01/2010 @ 3:00PM

A Security Prescription For 2010

One thing no one can dispute: the importance of a company’s IT security. In the first half of 2009, more than half of all security vulnerabilities disclosed were related to Web applications. With security and compliance concerns growing every day, 2010 looks to be the year that will force organizations to adopt more proactive security strategies.

The good news is that many companies are already moving in this direction. Despite current economic conditions, security software budgets are projected to grow in 2010.

Increased budgets also mean that more decisions must be made. Organizations are under tremendous pressure to spend dollars wisely and achieve real results. While security teams may be overwhelmed by the increasing need to safeguard their information assets, chief executives are thinking of ways to cost-effectively ensure security across organizational, geographic and profit center borders.

When offered new budget dollars and a new security initiative, many executives make the mistake of immediately creating a shopping list, simply focusing their efforts on deciding which products to buy. This is almost always the wrong first step to take.

First, every organization needs to perform a frank self-evaluation. There are, at a minimum, four key steps every C-level executive must initially take to arrive at a strong security strategy.

Identify the motivating factors.

A major mistake many business leaders make is to simply purchase products without first understanding why they are implementing a security strategy. Understanding your organization’s motivation is the first step to quickly arriving at a strategy. If your organization’s security has been breached, your strategy will need to address both the means of protecting against re-infection or re-emergence of remnants from the same exploitation, and a lens into the system that will more quickly identify other similar problems earlier in the cycle. Understanding the reasons why your organization is not secure enough is a good launching point.

There is a different set of steps to be taken if the motivation is derived from corporate, regulatory or board-level interest. If security has become a priority because of a directive and not a disaster, then the outputs will be very different. In this case, the strategy should start with understanding what those groups need from a security strategy. This can range from reporting capabilities to assertions or certification.

Determine what needs to be secured.

A recurring theme in many unsuccessful security programs tends to be incompleteness. For example, a network segment has been left unprotected, a data element has accidentally revealed or a system has been left unpatched. This is commonly the result of a security program that has been conceived in broad terms, and lacks focus on specific areas of concern. The process of better understanding specifically what should be secured is an important one. For many, the initial reaction to figuring out what you are trying to secure is “my networks.” However, other factors may eventually lead you to answer “my data,” “my business,” “my reputation” or “my time.”

Once this knowledge exists, the relationship between improvement of security and the disruption to the organization becomes much more positive. Better security becomes less expensive, less intrusive and more likely to provide the targeted protection that is required. As a result, gaining supporters and champions for your security implementation becomes easier, and also provides clear ways to measure results.

The biggest mistake that is made (and it is made quite frequently) is to over apply a new-found dedication to security. Heavy-handed approaches cause projects to get delayed and budgets to break. A more informed strategy can bring all the security that is needed, without seeking to disrupt all the processes and projects already underway.

Understand the consequences of not acting.

Human nature inclines us to want to do the right thing. People ask advice about security, and endeavor to improve it, because they truly want to be better informed and do a better job. These lofty ambitions, however, can be brought to earth quickly by the practical realities and resistance that security improvement will typically meet. Security is not free, and good security is neither cheap nor convenient.

This collision of aspiration and implementation is made more pronounced by the natural zealotry of security professionals who have witnessed cybersecurity incidents and damages, and therefore advocate security over all other concerns.

It is very important to ask the question “what will happen if we don’t do this right,” because knowing whether it is imperative or just interesting will make all of the difference.

If failure will mean the loss of jobs, revenue and reputation, there will be robust support for the person who wagers a career on creating an effective means of addressing security issues, even if those means are not easy.

A successful approach cannot be found if the goal of better security is tainted with panic about the ever-present, ever-changing, and ever-increasing likelihood of a breach. That overreaction is probably the most debilitating mistake that can be made, and one that will magnify any weakness in the other steps.

Be vigilant–change is constant, and you must be willing to adapt.

The best security plan today will be an out-of-date embarrassment a couple of years from now if it is not designed to monitor the environment that it is meant to serve. For many organizations, this translates directly into a constant watch on the security landscape, looking for new threats, new breaches and new technologies. The most critical area, however, is the understanding of what is going on within the organization’s own walls.

New applications, networks and the internal adoption of new technologies are much more likely to have a negative effect on a security posture than any external catalyst. The creation of new inroads into existing networks, the exposure of previously protected data and the introduction of Internet working applications and businesses, each offer up the opportunity to invalidate the best planned but brittle approach to security.

As areas of security planning are completed, they must be accompanied by the process through which they will be updated as IT evolves.

The Bottom Line

Security is not strictly defined, so it must always be approached from a situational perspective. These four steps are clearly not the most specific, nor the most technical, but they are fundamental and too often completely ignored. Following this prescription as plans are made for 2010 and beyond will help to keep organizations in a healthy balance of security, profit, growth and accessibility.

Jack Danahy is a security executive in the Office of the CTO for IBM Rational software. He is the former chief technology officer and founder of Ounce Labs, which was acquired by IBM in July 2009. He is one of the industry’s most prominent advocates for data privacy and application security. Danahy holds five patents in a variety of security technologies and is a contributor to industry and national security working groups on data privacy, security, cybersecurity and cyber threats. He also writes a blog called Smart Grid Security.

See Also:

The Not-All-Bad Security News

How Security Is Changing

Profiting From The Google Hack

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Special Report
CEO Compensation
04.30.08, 6:00 PM ET

Industry is

Rank Name Company Pay ($mil) 5-Yr Pay ($mil) Shares Owned ($mil) Age Efficiency
424 Steven R Appleton Micron Technology 2.31 7.68 12.6 48 155
465 Tunc Doluca Maxim Integrated Prods 1.33 NA 17.0 51 NA
189 Jerald G Fishman Analog Devices 9.21 66.15 16.0 62 139
6 Nabeel Gareeb MEMC Electronic Mats 79.56 106.06 7.6 43 NA
61 Jen-Hsun Huang Nvidia 24.63 5 43.19 453.2 45 24
143 Scott A McGregor Broadcom 12.41 5 NA 8.2 52 NA
210 Stephen G Newberry Lam Research 8.37 NA 0.0 55 NA
109 Paul S Otellini Intel 16.28 29.19 3 17.0 57 NA
408 Michael R Splinter Applied Materials 2.85 19.57 12.1 57 NA
372 Richard K Templeton Texas Instruments 3.44 50.78 19.0 49 NA
410 Richard P Wallace KLA-Tencor 2.79 5.72 3 0.2 48 NA
402 Hector de J Ruiz Advanced Micro 2.95 29.32 3.0 62 NA

Compensation rank is based on total compensation for latest fiscal year. Total compensation for each chief executive includes the following: salary and bonuses; other compensation, such as vested restricted stock grants, LTIP payouts and perks; and stock gains, the value realized by exercising stock options. Efficiency rank is based on our chief executive's performance/pay score. Ranks are given only to chief executives who have a six-year tenure and six-year compensation history. The most efficient rank is 1 and least efficient is 175. Compensation rank is based on total compensation for latest fiscal year.

Total returns and value of stock owned (including all classes) is based on Apr. 10, 2008 stock price. Compensation percent change is based on combined salary and bonus. Annualized total return during tenure covers the tenure of the executive or from the time of the IPO or available stock history. Relative to market is the ending value of invested in the stock, divided by the ending value of invested in the S&P 500 (a score of 100 = the S&P 500).
NA: Not available or not applicable.
2Four-year total.
3Three-year total.
4Less than 0.01%.
5Prior-year data.
6New chief executive; compensation may be for another executive office.
7Less than ,000.
8Received options or restricted stock in lieu of portion of salary.
9Received options or restricted stock in lieu of portion of bonus.
10Includes shares indirectly held.
Sources: Company SEC Filings; FT Interactive Data and LionShares via FactSet Research Systems; Forbes

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I’m Chairman, North America of Landor Associates, a brand consulting and design firm that specializes in creating agile brands that thrive in today’s disruptive, changing market. I work with some of the most powerful brands in the world, and oversee Landor’s new business efforts in North America. I’m also author of three books, The Edge: 50 Tips from Brands that Lead, BrandDigital, and BrandSimple. I’m interested in general business trends and write about their impact on brands. I’ve worked with corporate and consumer brands in a wide range of industries including: Diageo, FedEx, GE, J&J, the NBA, P&G, and Verizon.

Contact Allen Adamson

The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.

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Apple Might Take a Page out of the LEGO Playbook as It Plans Its Next 'Innovation'

What comes to mind when you hear the brand name LEGO? Perhaps, it brings back memories of the fun you had playing for hours on end with those little plastic interlocking blocks. Or, it might be thoughts of the kids or grandkids with whom you spent hours on end building cities and airports and castles with those little plastic blocks. Maybe it’s thoughts of picking up, or tripping over, all those colorful blocks of plastic after the kids or grandkids have moved on to other activities. As a father, I think of the playing and the, well, helping to pick up. But, as a marketing professional, I think about what a nifty brand LEGO is; a brand which was launched in a small workshop in Denmark in 1932 and has since become the third largest producer of play materials in the world. The brand keeps its edge, not just because the toy makers at the top continue to come up with imaginative iterations of the simple knob-and-tube connecting system on which the product was originally based, but because it stays connected to its founder’s simple guiding principle that “Only the best is good enough,” whether the best refers to the product, or to the care of its millions of young LEGO enthusiasts.

It was while reading a charming news item about the company that I began to think about the Apple brand and how it might take a lesson out of the LEGO playbook as it looks to the future, hopefully a future as a brand that keeps its remarkable edge. You see, kind of like LEGO, which keeps turning out variations on the same plastic block theme, Apple may have come to a point in time where it’s not necessarily the inherent product innovation that will continue to set it apart and out ahead of its competitors, but something else. The thing is, with the announcements of one new technology product after another increasing (3,200 at the most recent Consumer Electronics Show) and, more importantly, the gap between differences in one technology product after another shrinking, my sense is that it’s going to be hard, even for Apple, to keep its lead based on product features, alone. And this is where this charming news item comes in. Let me explain.

Seems there was a plucky seven-year-old boy by the name of Luka who spent his Christmas money on the LEGO Ninjago Ultra Sonic Raider set which included multiple tiny pieces and mini-Ninja warrior figures. Like most plucky seven-year-old boys, this one ignored his father’s admonishment not to take his new Jay ZX figure shopping and, yes, the figure was lost at some point during the outing. At his father’s suggestion Luka wrote to the LEGO people explaining his situation. According to Mike Krumboltz, the author of the news story, the note said, “I am really upset I have lost him. Daddy said to send you an email to see if you will send me another one. I promise not to take him to the shop again if you can.” A short time later Luka received a personal reply from Richard, a LEGO customer service representative, who informed him that he had spoken to Sensei Wu, a master from the Ninjago line who told Richard to tell Luka, “Your father sounds like a very wise man. You must always protect your Ninjago minifigures like the dragons protect the Weapons of Spinjitzu!” Sensei Wu also told the service representative that it was okay to send a replacement because “anyone who saves their Christmas money to buy the Ultrasonic Raider must be a really big Ninjago fan.”

What could have been a customer service request that fell into the black hole of customer service requests, this one was, instead, a Ninja-like example of surprising and delighting the customer. A moment of truth that brought to life the brand’s guiding principle that “only the best is good enough.” While there is a lot of scrutiny about Apple these days – they’ve lost their edge with Siri, the whole Apple Maps issue, the company’s challenge from Google – it may be that people are looking in the wrong place for Apple’s next step forward. It may not be a focus on hardware or software that sets this super-brand apart, but, as you’ve guessed from my set up, a focus on customer service that keeps the brand differentiated in the hearts and minds of consumers in ways that they care about. (And, as that aforementioned marketing guy, I can tell you that keeping a brand relevantly differentiated is critical to its ongoing success.)

Think about this. Technology is becoming a literally and figuratively overwhelming part of our daily lives. We’ve got the phones and the tablets and the computers and the televisions. We’ve got more apps than we know what to do with (what a colleague of mine calls app-athy). We’ve got more passwords than we can remember. And, yes, while the “cloud” is supposed to keep all of this stuff integrated and running smoothly, it’s not all that simple. The promise of seamless technology is there, but it’s not quite the everyday reality we’ve been led to expect. And, when you’ve got a problem, how do you figure out which of the many service providers to call for the answer? We’ve all experienced one company telling us it’s the other guy’s responsibility, or it’s the software, not the hardware, or the connection outside the house, or whatever.

And, this is where I think there might be a sea-changing opportunity for Apple. While phones and tablets are becoming more or less alike in functionality, a little thinner, a tad more pixelated or whatever, maybe the next innovation for Apple is in the arena of customer experience – to take their genius in genius bars and the like to a whole new level. Can you imagine being able to call a genius, the Apple version of a Sensei Wu, at any time, day or night, to help you determine what’s going on with the cables, the connections, the cloud, or anything else that stands in the way of the perfect technology experience? Sure, Apple’s got a mighty big piece of the hardware and software pies, but if they owned the customer service pie, that would be an innovation breakthrough that might be unmatchable by any of the other widget and gadget makers out there.

With all the pressure that is on Apple, and always has been on Apple, to come up with the next mega-breakthrough, I’m not sure it’s going to be that easy anymore. Like LEGO, there are just so many variations on a knob and tube connecting system. And, yes, while the best companies need to continuously improve day in and day out, the five year up the middle moves, as it were, it’s the big plays that put real distance between good brands and great ones. I would like to suggest that innovation in customer service may be the next big play in technology. As LEGO proved in Luka’s case, it’s not about the plastic blocks, per se, that will make him and kids just like him, a loyal fan, but his experience in dealing with the company. Is there a lesson for Apple in LEGO’s playbook? If so, it’s that surprising and delighting customers may not come from differentiations in products quite in the same way it has, especially in the technology arena, but in the ability to go above the ordinary to solve a problem and improve the customer experience.

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