Just this month, we learned that the U.S. dropped to 10th place in the 2012 Global Innovation Index, down from 7th place the year before.

FORBES: An Internal Failure To Innovate Is America's Greatest Global Threat

As a result the U.S. has fallen to 10th place, its lowest rank on the Index of Economic Freedom, since the inception of the Index in 1995, down from fifth place in 2007.

FORBES: To Restore Prosperity, We Must Increase Economic Freedom

According to a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers' Opacity Index, China was determined to be the world's most difficult place to do business.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

Google's official page for Webmasters cryptically notes that Google is "able to place fewer restraints on sites that we crawl for this supplemental index than we do on sites that are crawled for our main index, " a phrase that puzzles most search marketers.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The ray of hope will break through if Morgan Stanley Capital International's popular international stock index is altered, perhaps in early December, to place more weight on the percentage of a firm's shares that are publicly traded.

ECONOMIST: Asia’s rollercoaster rides | The

With a top in place, Walgreen looks to be overbought as suggested by stochastics over 85 and a relative strength index crossing above 73.

FORBES: Drugstore Chains Get That Sinking Feeling

You may want to consider moving to Finland -- the best place in the world to be a mother, according to Save the Children's 14th Mothers' Index.

CNN: Best place in the world to be a mother is...

Select low-cost index funds to represent asset classes, mix those asset classes to your needs, place them in proper accounts for the best tax efficiency, and let the magic of compounding do its thing.

FORBES: Investing Well Is Like Baking An Award-Winning Cake