Senator worried about European financial problems

(AP) ? The leading Republican on the Senate Banking Committee says that if Greece defaults on its debt, it could tilt the United States into another recession.

Republican Sen. Richard Shelby says "we're intertwined with Europe," and America cannot escape economic shocks an ocean away.

Shelby tells MSNBC a critical question is whether Western Europe will "keep sputtering along." And he questions whether Chancellor Angela Merkel can sell German assistance politically at home.

The Alabama senator says that since the U.S. economy is so tightly tied connected to the financial fortunes of Western Europe, "what happens there affects us." He calls Greece "just the tip of the iceberg" of financial instability and that the European debt crisis "is just beginning. It's going to be a slow drift for a long time."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-11-02-Shelby-European%20Finances/id-79fcc0416d3d41668d809ff2015a588a

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UCSB physicists identify room temperature quantum bits in widely used semiconductor

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 2-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Gail Gallessich
gail.g@ia.ucsb.edu
805-893-7220
University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, Calif. A discovery by physicists at UC Santa Barbara may earn silicon carbide a semiconductor commonly used by the electronics industry a role at the center of a new generation of information technologies designed to exploit quantum physics for tasks such as ultrafast computing and nanoscale sensing.

The research team discovered that silicon carbide contains crystal imperfections that can be controlled at a quantum mechanical level. The finding is published this week in the journal Nature.

The research group of David Awschalom, senior author, made the finding. Awschalom is director of UCSB's Center for Spintronics & Quantum Computation, professor of physics, electrical and computer engineering, and the Peter J. Clarke Director of the California NanoSystems Institute.

In conventional semiconductor-based electronic devices, crystal defects are often deemed undesirable because of their tendency to immobilize electrons by "trapping" them at a particular crystal location. However, the UCSB team discovered that electrons that become trapped by certain imperfections in silicon carbide do so in a way that allows their quantum states to be initialized, precisely manipulated, and measured using a combination of light and microwave radiation. This means that each of these defects meets the requirements for use as a quantum bit, or "qubit," which is often described as the quantum mechanical analog of a transistor, since it is the basic unit of a quantum computer.

"We are looking for the beauty and utility in imperfection, rather than struggling to bring about perfect order," said Awschalom, "and to use these defects as the basis for a future quantum technology."

Most crystal imperfections do not possess these properties, which are intimately tied to the atomic structure of a defect and the electronic characteristics of its semiconductor host, explained Awschalom. In fact, before this research, the only system known to possess these same characteristics was a flaw in diamond known as the nitrogen-vacancy center.

The diamond nitrogen-vacancy center is renowned for its ability to function as a qubit at room temperature, while many other quantum states of matter require an extremely cold temperature, near absolute zero. However, this center exists in a material that is difficult to grow and challenging to manufacture into integrated circuits.

In contrast, high-quality crystals of silicon carbide, multiple inches in diameter, are commonly produced for commercial purposes. They can be readily fashioned into a multitude of intricate electronic, optoelectronic, and electromechanical devices. In addition, the defects studied by Awschalom and his group are addressed using infrared light that is close in energy to the light used widely throughout modern telecommunications networks. And while several distinct defect types were studied at a range of temperatures, two of them were capable of room temperature operation, just like the diamond nitrogen-vacancy center.

The combination of these features makes silicon carbide, with its defects, an attractive candidate for future work seeking to integrate quantum mechanical objects with sophisticated electronic and optical circuitry, according to the researchers. This research fits within a wider effort at UCSB to engineer quantum devices by fostering collaboration between the fields of materials science and quantum physics.

While defects in silicon carbide may offer many technologically attractive qualities, an immense number of defects in other semiconductors are still left to be explored.

"Our dream is to make quantum mechanics fully engineerable," said William Koehl, lead author and a graduate student in the Awschalom lab. "Much like a civil engineer is able to design a bridge based on factors such as load capacity and length span, we'd like to see a day when there are quantum engineers who can design a quantum electronic device based on specifications such as degree of quantum entanglement and quality of interaction with the surrounding environment."

###



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?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 2-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Gail Gallessich
gail.g@ia.ucsb.edu
805-893-7220
University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, Calif. A discovery by physicists at UC Santa Barbara may earn silicon carbide a semiconductor commonly used by the electronics industry a role at the center of a new generation of information technologies designed to exploit quantum physics for tasks such as ultrafast computing and nanoscale sensing.

The research team discovered that silicon carbide contains crystal imperfections that can be controlled at a quantum mechanical level. The finding is published this week in the journal Nature.

The research group of David Awschalom, senior author, made the finding. Awschalom is director of UCSB's Center for Spintronics & Quantum Computation, professor of physics, electrical and computer engineering, and the Peter J. Clarke Director of the California NanoSystems Institute.

In conventional semiconductor-based electronic devices, crystal defects are often deemed undesirable because of their tendency to immobilize electrons by "trapping" them at a particular crystal location. However, the UCSB team discovered that electrons that become trapped by certain imperfections in silicon carbide do so in a way that allows their quantum states to be initialized, precisely manipulated, and measured using a combination of light and microwave radiation. This means that each of these defects meets the requirements for use as a quantum bit, or "qubit," which is often described as the quantum mechanical analog of a transistor, since it is the basic unit of a quantum computer.

"We are looking for the beauty and utility in imperfection, rather than struggling to bring about perfect order," said Awschalom, "and to use these defects as the basis for a future quantum technology."

Most crystal imperfections do not possess these properties, which are intimately tied to the atomic structure of a defect and the electronic characteristics of its semiconductor host, explained Awschalom. In fact, before this research, the only system known to possess these same characteristics was a flaw in diamond known as the nitrogen-vacancy center.

The diamond nitrogen-vacancy center is renowned for its ability to function as a qubit at room temperature, while many other quantum states of matter require an extremely cold temperature, near absolute zero. However, this center exists in a material that is difficult to grow and challenging to manufacture into integrated circuits.

In contrast, high-quality crystals of silicon carbide, multiple inches in diameter, are commonly produced for commercial purposes. They can be readily fashioned into a multitude of intricate electronic, optoelectronic, and electromechanical devices. In addition, the defects studied by Awschalom and his group are addressed using infrared light that is close in energy to the light used widely throughout modern telecommunications networks. And while several distinct defect types were studied at a range of temperatures, two of them were capable of room temperature operation, just like the diamond nitrogen-vacancy center.

The combination of these features makes silicon carbide, with its defects, an attractive candidate for future work seeking to integrate quantum mechanical objects with sophisticated electronic and optical circuitry, according to the researchers. This research fits within a wider effort at UCSB to engineer quantum devices by fostering collaboration between the fields of materials science and quantum physics.

While defects in silicon carbide may offer many technologically attractive qualities, an immense number of defects in other semiconductors are still left to be explored.

"Our dream is to make quantum mechanics fully engineerable," said William Koehl, lead author and a graduate student in the Awschalom lab. "Much like a civil engineer is able to design a bridge based on factors such as load capacity and length span, we'd like to see a day when there are quantum engineers who can design a quantum electronic device based on specifications such as degree of quantum entanglement and quality of interaction with the surrounding environment."

###



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/uoc--upi110211.php

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News Corp. told in 2008 its reporters broke law (AP)

LONDON ? A legal adviser to Rupert Murdoch's newspapers warned the company three years ago there was overwhelming evidence that several senior journalists at the News of the World were using illegal methods, according to documents released Tuesday.

The documents bolster claims that high-ranking executives of Murdoch's News Corp. global media empire were aware that phone hacking at the tabloid was more widespread than they let on.

British lawmakers investigating the hacking scandal, which incensed the British public, prompted the arrest of more than a dozen journalists and forced Murdoch to shut down the News of the World, released a copy of the opinion provided to Murdoch's company and attorneys by lawyer Michael Silverleaf in June 2008.

In it, Silverleaf says there is "overwhelming evidence of the involvement of a number of senior ... journalists in the illegal inquiries."

At the time, the newspaper was being sued by soccer players' association chief Gordon Taylor over alleged phone hacking.

Silverleaf wrote in his opinion that News Group Newspapers, publisher of the News of the World and referred to as NGN, should increase its offer for a settlement with Taylor.

Silverleaf said "at least three" journalists appeared to have been "intimately involved" in illegal research into the affairs of Taylor. In addition to spying on Taylor, Silverleaf noted there was "substantial surrounding material" documenting the extent to which reporters tried to gain illegal access to information about other individuals.

"In the light of these facts there is a powerful case that there is (or was) a culture of illegal information access used at NGN in order to produce stories for publication," he wrote.

The newspaper later settled with Taylor out of court for 700,000 pounds ($1.1 million).

Executives at News Corp. insisted until early this year that phone hacking had been the work one rogue reporter. Murdoch shut down the tabloid in July, after evidence emerged that its reporters illegally hacked into the voice mails of celebrities, politicians and even crime victims in search of scoops.

The scandal has forced the resignations off top Murdoch executives in Britain and the U.S., two senior British police officers and Prime Minister David Cameron's communications chief, a former News of the World Editor.

While apologizing for the wrongdoing, Murdoch and his son and heir apparent James have insisted they were not aware of it.

But former News of the World editor Colin Myler and former legal adviser Tom Crone have insisted that James Murdoch was wrong when he claimed in testimony to British lawmakers not to have been aware of a critical piece of evidence suggesting that illegal espionage was far more widespread than was being claimed.

The documents released Tuesday were provided to British parliamentarians by Farrer & Co., a law firm which advised News International executives on a payout to Taylor.

Among the materials were a May 24, 2008, email sent by Crone to Myler and a lawyer which contains a memo drafted ahead of a meeting with James Murdoch.

In it, Crone notes that Taylor had obtained a court order forcing police and Britain's Information Commissioner to release documents including a list of News of the World journalists alongside a list of infringements of data-protection rules, such as illegally tracing the owners of car registration and mobile phone numbers.

"A number of those names are still with us and some of them have moved to prominent positions" within the News of the World and The Sun, Crone wrote, arguing the company should settle with Taylor.

"Our position is very perilous," Crone's memo reads. "This evidence ... is fatal to our case."

James Murdoch, who appeared before the lawmakers' committee in July, has been recalled to give further evidence Nov. 10 about the discrepancies between his testimony and others' recollections.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111101/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_britain_phone_hacking

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'Dancing With The Stars': Rob Kardashian Steps It Up

Ricki Lake earns top score, but Rob and J.R. Martinez aren't far behind.
By Kelley L. Carter


Cheryl Burke and Robert Kardashian
Photo: ABC

There wasn't much scary on Monday night's "Dancing With the Stars."

The reality competition show is down to the last six couples, and nearly everyone stepped up their game on the show's Halloween show. Everyone dressed the part -- some scary, some just plain old fun -- and the judges seemed mostly pleased.

Once again at the top of of the leaderboard were Ricki Lake and Derek Hough, who earned three 9's from the judges. The show also had the celebrities doing a group dance the judges also scored, which was added to their individual scores.

David Arquette and Kym Johnson
Arquette and his partner took on the cha-cha-cha dressed as a magician and a magician's assistant, and the judges found the dance to be, well, magical. "Lots of tricks and lots of treats. You've turned yourself into a dancer here. You need a little bit more rhythm, but overall, well done," said head judge Len Goodman. 24/30

J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff
The war hero has been consistently impressing judges -- and voters, apparently -- with his dance moves. On Monday night, he took on the tango, and the judges for the most part thought the duo captured the tone of the piece and found the dance to be upbeat, precise and sharp. "Another very solid performance. This timing was so hard and you actually lost it a few times. You know it," judge Bruno Tonioli said. 25/30

Nancy Grace and Tristan MacManus
Dressed as a devilish duo, the judges thought their routine was off this week. The big problem was the footwork, they said. "Well we have our good days and we have our not-so-good days. Last week was a good day, this week was not so good. I watched you, and you are having the time of your life, and I give you so much credit for that. But you sort of lost your choreography," judge Carrie Ann Inaba said. 21/30

Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke
The Kardashians took on the tango this week and hoped to make the judges rethink the relative low scores they gave him last week. In the audience to cheer him on was his sister Kourtney, her boyfriend Scott and their son, Mason. (Missing, of course, was his sister Kim Kardashian, who filed for divorce after 72 days of marriage with NBA player Kris Humphries.) As for the performance, the judges thought it was his best dance yet. "I thought you did a terrific job. Your footwork was good; it had the right amount of attack. ... You did a terrific job. And this is a gruesome week, because we've got the team dance coming," Goodman said. 25/30

Ricki Lake and Derek Hough
The former talk-show hostess danced the paso doble (dressed as Little Red Riding Hood), and the judges said that in spite of her nursing an injury, they loved the shapes and twists that she made. "It was like a blizzard of passion and fear! Another incredible performance," Tonioli said. 27/30

Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
The athlete danced the samba, and unlike past weeks, the judges thought that she coped well with what they considered to be a difficult dance. They liked the production and thought she danced as if her life depended on it. "There's a newfound ease with you, and it's beautiful to see," Inaba said. 24/30

All the celebrities also danced a group dance -- Team Tango and Team Paso Doble -- and they got scored by the judges. Team Tango (Grace, Martinez and Arquette) danced to Rihanna's "Disturbia," and the judges thought they didn't do as well when they danced individually as couples, but liked when they danced as a group. 23/30 Team Paso Doble (Lake, Kardashian and Solo) fared much better. They danced to Evanescence's "Wake Me Up Inside," and the judges thought it was powerful, moody and dramatic. 26/30

Who had your favorite dance Monday? Let us know in the comments!

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673508/dancing-with-the-stars-rob-kardashian-ricki-lake.jhtml

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Groups push J&J on baby shampoo chemicals

TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) ? Two chemicals considered harmful to babies remain in Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo sold in the U.S. and some other countries, even though the company already makes versions without them, according to an international coalition of health and environmental groups.

Now the coalition is urging consumers to boycott Johnson & Johnson baby products until the company agrees to remove the chemicals from its baby products sold around the world, including in China and the U.K.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has unsuccessfully been urging the world's largest health care company for 2 1/2 years to remove the trace amounts of potentially cancer-causing chemicals ? dioxane and a substance called quaternium-15 that releases formaldehyde ? from Johnson's Baby Shampoo, one of its signature products.

Johnson & Johnson has said it is reducing or gradually phasing out the chemicals.

"Johnson & Johnson clearly can make safer baby shampoo in all the markets around the world, but it's not doing it," said Lisa Archer, director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

The campaign's new report, "Baby's Tub is Still Toxic," is set to be released Tuesday, when the group was launching the boycott via its Web site, http://www.safecosmetics.org.

The updated report was based on an examination of label ingredients for Johnson & Johnson baby products in 13 countries.

On Monday, the campaign sent Johnson & Johnson a letter, signed by about 25 environmental, medical and other groups representing about 3.5 million people in the U.S. and other countries. It urges the company to publicly commit by Nov. 15 to removing the chemicals from all personal care products worldwide.

In response, Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are safe and approved by regulators in the U.S. and other countries, but that it is gradually phasing them out of its baby products. It said it is also reformulating baby products to reduce the level of dioxane below detectable levels. But it did not say whether it would respond to or meet the campaign's full demands.

The letter, addressed to CEO William Weldon, was signed by groups including the Breast Cancer Fund, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, American Nurses Association, Physicians for Social Responsibility and Green America.

According to the report, obtained by The Associated Press, one of the suspect chemicals, quaternium-15, is a preservative that kills bacteria by releasing formaldehyde. Formaldehyde, used as a disinfectant and embalming fluid, was declared a known human carcinogen this past June by the U.S. National Toxicology Program. Formaldehyde also is a skin, eye and respiratory irritant.

Quaternium-15 is still an ingredient on Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo sold in the U.S., Canada, China, Indonesia and Australia, but the campaign's research this summer found it's not in the same product sold in at least eight other countries, from the U.K. and Denmark to Japan and South Africa.

The second chemical, 1,4-dioxane, is considered a likely carcinogen. It's a byproduct of a process for making chemicals more soluble and gentler on the skin.

The campaign's May 2009 report, called "No More Toxic Tub," stated that studies by an independent laboratory it hired, Analytical Sciences LLC, found that 1,4-dioxane was contained in Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo, Oatmeal Baby Wash, Moisture Care Baby Wash and Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash.

According to the report, the company has since launched a baby shampoo called Johnson's Naturals, sold in the U.S., that does not include 1,4-dioxane. But original Johnson's baby shampoo, which costs about half as much, has not been reformulated for the U.S. market, according to the campaign.

Analytical Sciences tested multiple J&J baby product samples from the U.S. for the first report, finding low levels of the chemicals. After that, according to Archer, consumer groups in South Africa, Sweden and Japan contacted her group to note that quaternium-15 was not being used in products in their countries.

Archer noted that some of the countries where the products did not contain the harsh chemicals had bans on them in personal care products, but others didn't.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-01-US-JandJ-Chemical-Protest/id-960d343ae21e4f5c898e3297fccbc499

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UK Finance Private Mortgage Providers | Webmaster Articles

When we discuss UK Finance there are various classes of UK Finance. One among them is the Private Loan Services. There are numerous firms and institutions that give you personal mortgage services. You have to select the suitable sort of loan in order for you your software for mortgage to be successful. Selecting mistaken type of mortgage would end in an unsuccessful utility and your credit score would come down.

There are several types of private loans available. Unsecured private loans, car loans, secured personal loans, debt consolidation loans, and versatile loans. Getting UK finance in the type of the proper of loan is essential. You probably have property and a good credit you can simply go for the unsecured private loan. A number of the UK finance establishments may require you to be the house proprietor to get the sort of loan even though the mortgage just isn?t secured in opposition to your house. When you?ve got a car you may safe it to get an automotive loan. You may get secured mortgage against your home you probably have a good credit score history. The distinction between the secured loan and the unsecured mortgage in a lot of the cases it the low fee of interest for the mortgage amount. UK finance for debt consolidation can be offered by many establishments and finance companies. This is helpful to consolidate your debts into a single account in order that the amount you pay month-to-month is definitely manageable. There are also versatile loans accessible from some finance companies when you?ve got been rejected a personal mortgage for some reason.

Sainsbury?s Bank is one such establishment that provides several types of loans at 6.1% APR. You can take pleasure in this low rate of interest for those who file your software online via their website. Loads of other benefits can be found when you apply online for such UK finance. You need to use the non-public loans for a brand new car, house improvement or paying your credit card bills. There isn?t any restriction to the way you utilize this money. The choice of approval of your loan is received instantly usually within 24 hours. This lets you plan to additional action. One of the benefits supplied is that you needn?t repay your loan for the primary three months. You loan quantity is transferred directly to your checking account upon approval. Facility to get approval over phone can be available. In that case the loan agreement is sent to your by means of courier and an extra charge is charged for that.

Such loans also have a cost safety scheme in which you?ll pay a little bit extra quantity each month in order that you needn?t pay the monthly amount in the course of time when you find yourself sick or met with an accident. Incidents like that may put you out of substances and you may discover it troublesome to repay the loan during such period. The amount you pay additional every month will come to the rescue beneath such conditions. This scheme known as the fee protection scheme and you can go for such schemes and get benefited out of it. You?ll be able to search internet for many such establishments that give personal mortgage services.

If you would like further facts in relation to credit score range, swing by Harold Reynesherst?s web site directly.

No related posts.

Source: http://webmasterarticles.net/uk-finance-private-mortgage-providers/

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The Best of Personal Finance: What to Look For in Mobile Apps ...

Financial management is like puberty? it exempts no one. Even the richest man in the world can trip into the deepest bowels of poverty should he neglect his finances. ?But even not-so-rich people have more resources at hand, primarily due to web services and mobile apps. ? Ever bought an on-sale item only to end up paying 150 percent of the original price because of overdraft fees or overdue payments? ?It?s a bit easier to avoid such tragedies with personal finance apps that watch out for such things, helping us modify our behavior according to our?budgetary?needs.

The rise of the smartphone has ushered with it the promise of making us all a little smarter, with services like personal finance apps helping us stay on top of things. It makes us more aware of the implications of our every financial move, subliminally countering our compulsive spending behavior. ?If you know it?s bad for you, you?re not going to do it, or at least, think twice before doing so.

A study?conducted by comScore reveals that 32.5 million Americans accessed mobile banking information on their devices at the end of Q2 2011 in June. ?People are becoming more and more aware of the importance of financial management, taking advantage of tools that take on some of the responsibilities on our behalf. ?It?s a great feeling, knowing entire systems are working in the background to do some of our dirty work. ?Offloading certain tasks and aggregating important data with app services can really free us to make better decisions in the long run.

Below are some mobile personal finance apps that may be of great use in managing your finances while on the go. Before you hit that shopping mall, be sure to check out one or two of these apps to avoid spoiling your budget.

Intuit GoPayment is a free app and credit card reader for smartphones and tablets? providing easy and inexpensive way to get paid via credit card. Its credit card processing app runs across a wide variety of phones with internet access and integrates easily with mobile credit card swipers.

Pros: All in all, Intuit GoPayment is secure and easy to use. It?s great for people who just want to accept credit card payments, as well as for those running a business.

Cons: Compared to other personal finance apps, its features are a little constricted.

Mint.com Mobile Apps (iOS, Android)

Allows you to organize all your accounts, obtain financial insight, sync multiple devices, track cash spending, and review finances anywhere. This app logs transactions, and organizes budgets and spending with helpful trend charts. Mint Personal Finance will definitely help you save money.

Pros: Mint works almost autonomously, requiring very little intervention. On the whole, it?s still a cool app that?s nifty, intuitive and free.

Cons: It gives away sensitive financial info to third parties (with permission), and you can?t manually change dates on certain transactions, which may spoil your budget according to Mint graphs.

PageOnce Money & Bills (iOS, Android)

This app automatically organizes and tracks your money from banks, credit cards, bills and investment accounts in a single place. It sends out real-time alerts to remind you of bill due dates and overage charges, as well as prompts you on shady transactions. A recent update lets you pay bills directly from the app.

Pros: Allows you to track your frequent flyer miles, rewards, mobile minutes, text and data usage, simplifying your daily financial transactions.

Cons: It doesn?t have Facebook support, no open platform for third-party apps, and can?t add POP3 e-mail accounts.

Shoeboxed Receipt Tracker ?(iOS, Android)

This app provides an easy way to keep track of receipts and expenses on the go, giving you better insight of your expenditures. It also generates reports anytime, anywhere, with accuracy and fast turnaround.

Pros: The app works with the Shoeboxed mail service?just stuff receipts and business cards in a giant post-paid envelope and Shoeboxed will organize everything for you.

Cons: Unless you join the main service, you?re only allowed to send in a few receipts at a time.

Like many other personal finance apps, Wikinvest does the basics: track, analyze, and manage investments in one place. It gives a clear insight of the inflow and outflow of cash to keep your investments on budget. The app leverages Wikinvest?s proprietary brokerage import technology, boasting simple dashboards and advanced analytics. It designed mainly for users seeking investment advice. ?A recent update brings Wikinvest to iPad users.

Pros: Offers community analysis on company charts, real-time quotes, and fundamental data. As a crowd-sourced wiki, it?s got a lot of articles and details about companies that you want to know about.

Cons: Since it?s a wiki, the information about companies can be edited by anyone, making it vulnerable to spam or erroneous entries. ?But rest assured, the information is typically the same as what you?ll find on Wikia, Google Finance, Yahoo and even Wikipedia.

Conclusion

As you can see, there?s a range of personal finance apps suited for your different needs. ?When it comes to all-around management, Mint is among the most trusted brands and offers a good set of analytics to help you assess and manage all your different types of accounts, from credit cards to investments. ?Pageonce has taken a big leap forward in adding the ability to pay bills directly from the app, centralizing your action-oriented tasks into a single interface. ?Wikinvest is a niche app for investors, and has its benefits in the information it provides so you can make an educated decision.

In a reader survey, over 80% of respondents indicated that user interface was the most important factor in using a personal finance app. ?To that end, Mint still comes out on top, with Pageonce following closely behind. ?Both have been working to improve usability from an interface perspective, especially Mint, which has undergone several updates since being acquired by Intuit. ?Pageonce?similarly?has evolved a great deal over the past two years, with usability on mobile devices as a top priority.

Source: http://siliconangle.com/blog/2011/10/31/the-best-of-personal-finance-what-to-look-for-in-mobile-apps/

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No. 13 Nebraska beats No. 9 Spartans 24-3

Nebraska's Rex Burkhead (22) celebrates a touchdown against Michigan State with teammates Kevin Thomsen, left, Mike Caputo, second right, and Jake Long, right, in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Nebraska's Rex Burkhead (22) celebrates a touchdown against Michigan State with teammates Kevin Thomsen, left, Mike Caputo, second right, and Jake Long, right, in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez (3) is swarmed by Michigan State defenders including Kyler Elsworth, right, in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

Michigan State's Johnny Adams, right, intercepts a pass intended for Nebraska's Kenny Bell in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell, left, runs past Nebraska's Will Compton in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez, right, hands off the ball to running back Rex Burkhead during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan State, in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

(AP) ? Rex Burkhead was flat on his back, writhing in pain and holding his left leg after the 31st of his 35 runs against Michigan State. Nebraska coach Bo Pelini rushed across the field to check on his star running back.

"I saw he was cramping up," Pelini said, "and I was pretty relieved."

After going to the sideline for one play, Burkhead was back on the field running a wheel route and catching the 27-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Martinez that sealed No. 13 Nebraska's 24-3 victory over the ninth-ranked Spartans on Saturday.

"Unless he's on crutches, he's going to be out there," Pelini said. "The guy is a warrior. You can't ask for more than he gives this football team."

What Burkhead gave Nebraska was 130 hard-earned yards rushing and three touchdowns in only Nebraska's second win in 17 games against a top-10 opponent.

More important, the Huskers (7-1, 3-1) moved into a tie with Michigan State (6-2, 3-1) and Michigan for the Big Ten Legends Division lead. The Huskers own the tiebreaker with Michigan State and are yet to play Michigan and Iowa.

Burkhead went over 100 yards for the fifth time in six games. The junior scored at the end of 80- and 89-yard drives in the third quarter that broke the spirit of an MSU team that was coming off the high of last week's incredible finish to its win over Wisconsin.

"What a difference a week makes," MSU coach Mark Dantonio said.

Michigan State could have essentially locked up the division with a victory against its third straight ranked opponent. But quarterback Kirk Cousins, as he has throughout his career, struggled on the road.

After throwing for 290 yards and three TDs at home against Wisconsin, Cousins missed on 12 of his first 16 passes and finished 11 of 27 for 86 yards. He was intercepted on the Spartans' first possession, was nearly picked off three other times and often threw into double coverage.

"We're a much better team than we showed today and we still have a lot of things in front of us to accomplish," Cousins said. "It's important to push on and understand that so much of what happens to us this season is not what happened to us but how we respond. It's important that we respond the right way."

Nebraska's defense, criticized after it allowed 486 yards in a 48-17 loss at Wisconsin on Oct. 1 and leaky in the first half of a 34-27 win over Ohio State the next week, held the Spartans to 187 yards in its best performance of the year.

"I thought our guys were locked in this week," Pelini said. "I'm proud of that group. They saw today what we're capable of doing when they play the right way. That's a pretty good football team we played out there today."

The Huskers led 10-3 at half and put away the game with their two time-consuming drives in the third quarter.

Martinez completed only a shovel pass for no yards and was intercepted on a poorly thrown ball in the first half, but offensive coordinator Tim Beck called on him to throw anyway.

He went 4 for 4 on the series and completed third-down passes to Tim Marlowe and Brandon Kinnie before Burkhead scored from a yard out to make it a two-touchdown lead.

Officials initially ruled Burkhead lost a fumble at the goal line, but the video review showed that the ball crossed the goal line.

After another defensive stop by Nebraska, Martinez led the Huskers on a 12-play series that lasted 5:24 and essentially wrapped up the game. Burkhead carried on eight of the first nine plays and then, two plays after limping off the field with that cramp in his left calf, caught his touchdown pass.

"We were in a rhythm, and I wanted to be out there," Burkhead said.

Burkhead led a rushing attack that finished with 190 yards against a defense that had been allowing 88.9 a game.

"You could tell they were getting winded," Burkhead said, "and our guys were getting to them up front. Things were opening up quicker and easier. The no-huddle tempo wore them down a little bit."

Cousins, who last week became the winningest quarterback in MSU history, struggled from the start and was sacked four times.

"There were plays where there was nothing there, no matter how long the protection lasted," he said. "There were plays where protection broke down where I had something. There were plays where it was a combination. It was a total mix."

Lance Thorrell stepped in front of Cousins' pass for B.J. Cunningham and returned it 26 yards to set up the Huskers at the Spartans' 25. Burkhead scored from the 1 seven plays later.

Cousins couldn't get the Spartans into the end zone after Johnny Adams intercepted Martinez and ran it back to the Nebraska 28. A defensive holding call put the ball inside the 10, but Cousins' end-zone pass to Cunningham was too hot to handle and then Nebraska safety Daimion Stafford dropped a bad throw that could have been run back for a touchdown.

The good news for the Spartans is that their schedule becomes much easier the rest of the way. They play Minnesota at home next, go to Iowa, host Indiana and finish at Northwestern.

Nebraska is starting a rugged stretch of games. After playing Northwestern at home next Saturday, the Huskers have back-to-back road games against Penn State and Michigan, and they finish at home against Iowa.

"We've got to win out," linebacker Will Compton said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-10-29-FBC-T25-Michigan-St-Nebraska/id-68fbc1837dd34acb8d87b093c036a979

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Analyst: Health insurance overhaul law needs a hard look by ...

PORTLAND, Maine ? The head of the Maine Center for Economic Policy said state lawmakers are due for a ?gut check? on the controversial health care law passed during the last session.

Garrett Martin, executive director of the left-leaning think tank, dueled with Joel Allumbaugh, health insurance expert with the right-leaning Maine Heritage Policy Center, Monday in a debate held in Portland at the University of Maine School of Law. In that setting, Martin said legislators will need to summon the political will necessary to reopen the health insurance law and make changes during the upcoming session, in part, to control rates.

Both men said lawmakers and stakeholders should take care to ensure the conversation about how to improve health care access, affordability and insurance is not derailed by partisan politics.

During the forum Monday, Martin revealed skepticism it will be when state lawmakers reconvene in January. He said LD 1333, Maine?s recently passed health insurance overhaul law, needs a hard look.

?The Legislature has a chance to revisit this proposal and improve it,? Martin told a room full of law students and members of the public. ?The question is, will they??

The Legislative Council, made up of party leaders in the House and Senate, met Monday to decide which bills to allow for consideration in the session that begins in January. Several addressed changes to the recently passed health care reform package but not all made it through the council.

Martin and Allumbaugh agreed Monday that major work remains both in-state and nationwide as policymakers tackle rising health care costs, which in turn drive up insurance prices in an economy when many Americans can least afford it.

They disagreed on the impact of LD 1333, however.

?You have to separate our health care challenges with our health insurance industry,? said Allumbaugh, a two-time board president of the Maine Association of Health Underwriters. ?We need to make our health care system affordable and accessible no matter where you live, but [increasing] our insurance regulations are not how we get there.

?I agree that this [law] doesn?t solve the bigger problem,? he said, ?but I disagree in that [I feel] this is a huge step forward in stabilizing the insurance market.?

Martin argued that the law?s elimination of insurance rate reviews and the Advisory Council on Health Systems Development forfeit much of the state?s oversight of health insurance companies, while the highly touted provision allowing Mainers to shop across state lines for insurance is a political ?red herring,? a strong talking point that won?t drive down prices through increased competition as promised.

Martin said that in the upcoming legislative session lawmakers should reinstate the advisory council and rate review process, which he said proved its value when it held Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine to a 5.2 percent rate increase earlier this year in the face of a proposed 9.7 percent rate hike.

He also said the law?s reinsurance program, which uses a monthly $4 fee charged to Mainers with private insurance plans to create a subsidy offsetting the cost of higher-risk clients to the insurance companies, should be extended to small group buyers. Currently, only high-risk individual buyers benefit from the subsidy. Martin also said the Maine Bureau of Insurance should be charged with collecting data on the health insurance law and reporting back to the Legislature.

During the debate, Allumbaugh defended the law, saying previous in-state rate limits restricting insurers from charging their oldest and most rural clients any more than 1.5 times what they charge their youngest and least expensive clients effectively drove away younger, healthier insurance buyers. Instead of keeping costs down for elderly and rural buyers, he said, it drove costs up for younger, urban customers.

The new law allows insurance companies to charge rates three times as expensive for older, higher-risk clients as for younger, lower-risk ones ? and the law includes an additional 1.5 multiplier based on geography and access to medical care. By allowing the gap between highest-risk and lowest-risk customers to grow, lowering prices for younger and healthier buyers, Allumbaugh argued the law promises to attract those buyers back into the pool and help stabilize rates for everyone.

Anthem, the state?s largest health insurance carrier, reports having less than 300 customers between the ages of 18 and 24 in the state of Maine, Allumbaugh said. The company has nearly 1,800 from the same age group in New Hampshire, where rates gaps are less restrictive.

He also lauded the law for provisions creating a tax credit for businesses promoting employee wellness, saying long-term solutions for controlling health care costs ? and by extension, insurance costs ? should create incentives for individuals to reduce hospital trips by living healthier.

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2011/10/31/health/analyst-health-insurance-overhaul-law-needs-a-hard-look-by-legislature/

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Cain defends ad with smoking campaign manager (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain said Sunday that an Internet ad featuring his campaign manager smoking conveyed a message about letting "people be people" and was not intended to suggest that smoking is cool.

The video went viral this month with some 1 million clicks on Cain's campaign website. The ad shows Cain's top adviser, Mark Block, taking a deep drag from a cigarette and slowly exhaling into the camera.

"I'm not a smoker. But I don't have a problem if that's his choice," Cain said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

"So let Herman be Herman. Let Mark be Mark. Let people be people. This wasn't intended to send any subliminal signal whatsoever," the candidate said.

Cain, who was diagnosed with liver and colon cancer in 2006 and has said he's been cancer-free since 2007, was chided about the ad by his interviewer, Bob Schieffer, a bladder cancer survivor.

"Mark Block smokes. That's all that ad says," Cain said. "We weren't trying to say it's cool to smoke. You have a lot of people in this country that smoke. But what I respect about Mark as a smoker ... he never smokes around me or smokes around anyone else. He goes outside."

Cain said the video was meant "to be informative. If they listen to the message where he said America has never seen a candidate like Herman Cain, that was the main point of it. And the bit on the end, we didn't know whether it was going to be funny to some people or whether they were going to ignore it or whatever the case may be."

Cain said he understood the objection and that about 30 percent of the feedback the campaign had received to the video was similar to Schieffer's.

Schieffer pressed Cain to send an anti-smoking message on the show. Cain complied.

"Young people of America, all people, do not smoke. It is hazardous and it's dangerous to your health. Don't smoke. I've never smoked and I have encouraged people not to smoke," he said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111030/ap_on_he_me/us_cain_smoking

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