New toys are looking to capitalize on the high-tech market with unique takes on the iPad and Android devices. YNN’s Adam Balkin filed the following report.

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No matter how cool a new toy is, oftentimes a child would likely still pick up a device like an iPad or iPod Touch if given the choice. So it's no wonder so many developers at the American International Toy Fair are using devices like iPads or iPod Touches as part of their new toys.

Mattel is launching a new line of what it's calling Apptivity Toys, physical toys you hold in your hand that interact somehow with companion apps.

“Every toy is unique and designed for the brand for the game, so whether it's Barbie, where you're unlocking potentially parts of a closet, or Hot Wheels, where it's a challenge or a race or a quest or accumulate points and unlock things,” says Chuck Scothon of Mattel.

Out this fall, they range from about $10 to $20 apiece.

The $50 TeeGee out this summer is a more traditional toy, but where it breaks from tradition, you stick an iPhone or iPod Touch in its back and it becomes the brains of the monkey, so to speak.

“You're able to download age appropriate apps, so as your child gets older, you can evolve the experience for your child and you don't have to buy other toys. You can sing songs with TeeGee, arithmetic, Spanish, English, grammar,” says Christopher Ahn of TeeGee.

Or finally, if it's just the actual tablet or smartphone your kids want but you don't want to give them yours, the Kurio is a fully functioning Android tablet for kids.

The only thing that really makes it different from other Android tablets on the market is that parents can pretty much control every single thing their kids do on it. Parents set up profiles for up to eight users and then each user gets certain rights. For starters, parents can determine what types of websites can be visited.

“We have an online service that will everyday update inappropriate sites for kids and families, and by category, you can determine based on your own value system which categories are appropriate for your child,” says Eric Levin of TechnoSource.

You can also designate which user can access which apps. Kurio is out early summer for about $200.

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Tech Beat: Toy makers give new products longevity through apps

February 17, 2012, 5:44 PM EST

By Maud van Gaal

(Updates to add longevity swap and analyst comments, starting in third paragraph.)

Feb. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Aegon NV, the Dutch owner of U.S. insurer Transamerica Corp., reported a 75 percent decline in fourth-quarter profit on reorganization costs and lower investment returns from equity markets and interest rates.

Net income fell to 79 million euros ($106 million) from 318 million euros a year earlier, the Hague-based insurer said today. The firm had 194 million euros in charges, including 48 million euros related to U.K. insurance policies.

The shares rose as the insurer said it completed a swap with Deutsche Bank AG to protect the firm against the risk of pensioners living longer than expected. Aegon, which makes most of its profit in the U.S., repeated that it aims to increase underlying pretax profit by 7 percent to 10 percent a year on average until 2015 and to post a return on equity of 10 percent to 12 percent.

“It’s positive that longevity risk has been reduced in the Dutch book,” Albert Ploegh, an Amsterdam-based analyst at ING Groep NV, wrote in a note today. “After several insurers had to take charges on the back of increased longevity, Aegon now appears to have tackled this issue.”

Shares of Aegon, whose Pyramid building is a landmark in San Francisco’s financial district, jumped as much as 7 percent in Amsterdam today. They were up 6.3 percent to 3.97 euros at 11:50 a.m. local time, giving the company a market value of 7.6 billion euros. That outpaced the 1.1 percent advance in the 28- company Bloomberg Europe 500 Insurance Index.

No Acquisitions

Aegon doesn’t plan a share buyback or acquisitions at this point, Chief Executive Officer Alex Wynaendts told analysts on a conference call today. He plans to continue a strategy of maintaining a strong capital position as market volatility will likely persist in coming years, even as the “bottom of the euro crisis is probably behind us.”

Profit missed the average estimate of 209 million euros in a Bloomberg survey of 10 analysts. Aegon said today it proposed a 2011 dividend of 10 cents per share, as the company had previously indicated. It would be the company’s first payout since 2008, when it took state aid during the financial crisis.

“The fourth-quarter result was mainly affected by one-off charges which we do not expect to occur in 2012,” Lemer Salah, an Amsterdam-based analyst at SNS Securities, said in a note. “We believe that the company is well positioned to achieve its objectives in the U.S. and Netherlands.”

Longevity Swap

Wynaendts said Aegon may do more transactions like today’s longevity swap, which will see Deutsche Bank protect 12 billion euros, or one-third of the reserves in the Dutch business. “The transaction reduces required capital at an attractive cost,” Aegon said.

The risk of pensioners living longer will be borne by investors rather than Deutsche Bank, the German bank said in a separate statement. It is the first transaction to place such risk wholly in the capital markets, it said.

In 2011, Aegon set aside 82 million euros to cover life- expectancy risks in the Netherlands, Wynaendts said in an interview today. The transaction today helps the insurer increase its capacity on the Dutch pension market.

Aegon’s value of new business, a measure of projected future profitability of new policies, fell 59 percent to 53 million euros in the fourth quarter. That is unsurprising given “the historic low interest rates” in the insurer’s key markets, Wynaendts told reporters on the call.

U.K., Dutch Charges

Underlying pretax profit, which excludes investment swings, fell 23 percent to 346 million euros, almost matching the average estimate of 347 million euros in a Bloomberg survey of 12 analysts. Earnings on this basis fell 17 percent in 2011.

In the Netherlands, Aegon wrote down 75 million euros on its distribution business in anticipation of a ban on commissions in life and pension products starting in 2013, Wynaendts said. The U.K. charges, which were related to fixing administrative errors, exceeded the estimate of Cor Kluis, an analyst at Rabobank International.

“With all these charges for the U.K. taken, the year 2012 should be a normal profit level,” Kluis, based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, said in a note.

Aegon’s profit goals rely on assumptions including a 4.75 percent U.S. 10-year bond yield for 2016, which is more than double the current 2 percent rate.

The U.S. Federal Reserve said last month that it sees “exceptionally low” interest rates through 2014, having previously pledged to refrain from raising borrowing costs until at least the middle of 2013. Insurers suffer from lower long- term interest rates as they hold back returns from bond investments and increase future liabilities.

--With assistance from Martijn van der Starre in Amsterdam and Kevin Crowley in London. Editors: Keith Campbell, Steve Bailey.

To contact the reporter on this story: Maud van Gaal in Amsterdam at mvangaal@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Frank Connelly at fconnelly@bloomberg.net

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Aegon Profit Falls on Charges; Shares Rise on Longevity Swap

Deutsche agrees record longevity swap deal

The swap, announced during Aegon's results this morning, is significant for two reasons - its size, and the fact that Deutsche says it has managed to pass its resulting exposure to longer Dutch life expectancy on to third parties - anonymous financial investors in the capital markets.

These might include other banks, hedge funds, or specialist insurance-linked securities funds, all willing to bet that Aegon's provisions for rising Dutch life expectancy are, in fact, too high. Deutsche is understood to have "packaged" its exposure from the Aegon deal into various kinds of investment products for these institutions to buy.

Usually, when banks and insurers sign longevity deals, they subsequently pass the risk onto reinsurers - firms that specialise in covering insurers. But capacity in this market is limited.

The €12bn swap also contains an irony for Aegon, since the Dutch group had once set out its own plans for entering the related "pensions buyout" market in the UK. Aegon launched a joint venture with Swiss bank UBS in late 2008 to do this, but rethought the plans in June 2010, following a restructuring of its UK life business.

Deutsche, meanwhile, arrived in pensions swaps with a bang in January 2010, signing a £3bn longevity deal with BMW on behalf of its £5bn UK pension fund. It owns a UK insurance subsidiary, Abbey Life, through which these transactions tend to be structured.

Its deal with Aegon today is also one of first large, public longevity swaps to take place outside the UK. Most of those to date have involved UK pension schemes, such as those for BMW, Rolls-Royce and ITV.

In a statement, Clare Hennings, head of structured insurance solutions at Deutsche, said: “We believe this market will continue to grow as insurance companies and pension funds look at new ways to manage their liabilities, while investors seek diversified investment opportunities."

Aegon said this morning that the swap "reduces required capital at an attractive cost of capital", and these deals can be positive for companies' share prices. Figures from City law firm Freshfields, released late last month, suggested companies who reduce financial risks in their pension schemes enjoy an average 2.1% boost to their shares.

Yesterday, the UK defence group BAE Systems reported a £1.5bn write-off related to the deficit in its pension funds, equalling its 2011 pre-tax profits. The loss is a paper one, but gives an indication of what could be a bruising valuation of its £9bn main scheme that is currently underway. If a big deficit is revealed BAE's cash payments could be in line for an increase.

BAE's shares were down 7.8p to 325.2p yesterday, though the market was also disappointed by the firm's poor trading prospects.

Aegon's deal does not affect its pension scheme, but the life-expectancy risk in its annuity book is similar. Its shares were up 0.2% to €3.95 this morning, as of 11.21am GMT.

• Separately, Aegon also said its UK chief executive, who leads the substantial UK operations that the Dutch group inherited from its acquisition of Scottish Equitable in 1994, would be joining its group management board.

Adrian Grace's promotion is a "a reflection of the continued importance our business in the UK represents within our strategic priorities" according to group chief executive Alex Wynaendts.

The rest is here:
Deutsche agrees record longevity swap deal

LONDON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Dutch life insurer Aegon (LSE: AGN.L - news) has struck a 12 billion euro ($15.65 billion) deal with Deutsche Bank (Xetra: 514000 - news) to protect itself against the financial impact of customers living longer than expected, the biggest such transaction in Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURUSD - news) .

Under the deal, Deutsche Bank is taking a fee to cover the cost of unforeseen increases in the lifespan of Aegon customers accounting for 12 billion euros of reserves, about one third of the insurer's Dutch business, the two companies said on Friday.

Deutsche Bank has in turn passed on most of the risk to capital market investors through private bond and swap placements.

Such deals are tipped for strong growth as unexpected increases in pensioner lifespans, fuelled by medical advances and lifestyle changes, inflict potentially crippling extra costs on insurers and pension funds.

"We believe this market will continue to grow as insurance companies and pension funds look at new ways to manage their liabilities while investors seek diversified investment opportunities," said Clare Hennings, Deutsche Bank's head of structured insurance solutions.

In November, Deutsche Bank provided protection from longevity increases on 3 billion pounds ($4.72 billion) of liabilities in British aero engine maker Rolls Royce (LSE: RR.L - news) 's pension fund.

British life insurer Legal & General (LSE: LGEN.L - news) and reinsurer Hannover Re last month agreed a 1 billion pound longevity transfer deal for British glass maker Pilkington's staff pension scheme.

Britain's pension risk transfer market, where companies pay insurers or banks to shoulder some of the investment risk associated with their retirement schemes, reached a record 9 billion pounds last year, according to pension consultants Hyman Robertson.

Separately on Friday, Aegon said it missed fourth-quarter profit estimates after taking several one-off charges and expected the euro zone crisis to continue to affect the economy and financial markets. ($1 = 0.7668 euros) ($1 = 0.6350 British pounds) (Reporting by Myles Neligan; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)

View original post here:
Aegon clinches record longevity protection deal

Prudential Retirement, a unit of Prudential Financial Inc. ( PRU ) has extended its partnership with U.K.-based Rothesay Life, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. ( GS ), as a reinsurance partner for its pension-related longevity risk. The agreement is the first reinsurance transaction for Prudential in 2012.

The transaction is intended to cover pension liability values worth approximately $665 million. The reinsurance contracts secure the retirement benefits of Uniq Plc Pension Scheme members, those who have been insured by Rothsay Life. These contracts will be issued by Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Hartford, CT.

Prudential started providing coverage on longevity risk last year and had provided coverage of approximately $723 million to Rothesay Life and Paternoster. This was the largest longevity transaction announced so far by the company. The company was also chosen by Deutsche Bank ( DB ) as a reinsurance partner to transfer $780 million of longevity risk of Deutsche Bank Rolls-Royce Pension Fund.

Longevity risk is faced by pension or annuity providers. It is an indication that customers may live longer than expected. In such a scenario, providers would be exposed to higher-than-expected payout ratios.

Longevity worries continue to bother pension funds and insurers as medical advancements and healthier lifestyles have led to an increase in the average lifespan. A report by a major reinsurer, Swiss Re, stated that underestimating life expectancy by just one year can increase pension liability burden by approximately 5%.

This trend has made insurance risk transfer very important as longevity de-risking would release the capital locked up in such businesses, thus restoring capital flexibility for businesses, especially in the current tight economic scenario.

Consequently, providers are keen on finding new ways of managing their liabilities or transferring risk. Of late, a growing demand for longevity risk transfer has led to the emergence of other innovative reinsurance agreements like Longevity Swap transactions and Cross-Border risk transfer.

Other factors such as a declining interest rate, greater accounting and regulatory changes and larger-than-expected funding contributions have also increased the risk appetite of pension plan sponsors. There has been a worldwide increase in pension de-risking demand with U.K. emerging as the leading market. The country has approximately $1 trillion in defined-benefit pension scheme liability.

Moreover, Solvency II is also pressurizing European insurers to maintain greater capital levels. Prudential foresees a growing opportunity in this area.

On the other end of the spectrum, Prudential, which runs a significant mortality risk due to its niche presence in the life insurance market, is planning to counter the losses or gains from this risk with gains and losses from longevity risk.

If longevity systemically improves, there would be fewer mortality claims. This would eventually improve profitability and help offset losses in the longevity business. Conversely, if the mortality portfolio shows an increase in the number of deaths, there should be an offsetting profit from longevity risk.

 
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

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PRU Expands Longevity Risk Biz - Analyst Blog

Prudential Retirement, a unit of Prudential Financial Inc. (NYSE:PRU - News) has extended its partnership with U.K.-based Rothesay Life, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS - News), as a reinsurance partner for its pension-related longevity risk. The agreement is the first reinsurance transaction for Prudential in 2012.

The transaction is intended to cover pension liability values worth approximately $665 million. The reinsurance contracts secure the retirement benefits of Uniq Plc Pension Scheme members, those who have been insured by Rothsay Life. These contracts will be issued by Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Hartford, CT.

Prudential started providing coverage on longevity risk last year and had provided coverage of approximately $723 million to Rothesay Life and Paternoster. This was the largest longevity transaction announced so far by the company. The company was also chosen by Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB - News) as a reinsurance partner to transfer $780 million of longevity risk of Deutsche Bank Rolls-Royce Pension Fund.

Longevity risk is faced by pension or annuity providers. It is an indication that customers may live longer than expected. In such a scenario, providers would be exposed to higher-than-expected payout ratios.

Longevity worries continue to bother pension funds and insurers as medical advancements and healthier lifestyles have led to an increase in the average lifespan. A report by a major reinsurer, Swiss Re, stated that underestimating life expectancy by just one year can increase pension liability burden by approximately 5%.

This trend has made insurance risk transfer very important as longevity de-risking would release the capital locked up in such businesses, thus restoring capital flexibility for businesses, especially in the current tight economic scenario.

Consequently, providers are keen on finding new ways of managing their liabilities or transferring risk. Of late, a growing demand for longevity risk transfer has led to the emergence of other innovative reinsurance agreements like Longevity Swap transactions and Cross-Border risk transfer.

Other factors such as a declining interest rate, greater accounting and regulatory changes and larger-than-expected funding contributions have also increased the risk appetite of pension plan sponsors. There has been a worldwide increase in pension de-risking demand with U.K. emerging as the leading market. The country has approximately $1 trillion in defined-benefit pension scheme liability.

Moreover, Solvency II is also pressurizing European insurers to maintain greater capital levels. Prudential foresees a growing opportunity in this area.

On the other end of the spectrum, Prudential, which runs a significant mortality risk due to its niche presence in the life insurance market, is planning to counter the losses or gains from this risk with gains and losses from longevity risk.

If longevity systemically improves, there would be fewer mortality claims. This would eventually improve profitability and help offset losses in the longevity business. Conversely, if the mortality portfolio shows an increase in the number of deaths, there should be an offsetting profit from longevity risk.

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PRU Expands Longevity Risk Biz

Nicklas Lidstrom played in his 1,550th NHL game in Detroit's 4-3 win over Philadelphia on Sunday, all with the Red Wings, which establishes a new NHL record for the most career games with a single team. Next on the list are two other Red Wings. Alex Delvecchio (1,549 games) held the record Lidstrom broke and next is Steve Yzerman at 1,514 games.

- Fabulous week for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in Prince Edward Island. I enjoyed the people and the hockey at all levels.
 
- Can't say the same about the Montreal Canadiens-Toronto Maple Leafs game on Saturday night. Mats Sundin eloquently and passionately urged the crowd to put their support behind a young Leafs team that was trying as hard as it could under the pressure of playing hockey in a place like Toronto. The crowd continued to applaud Sundin and followed his wishes. It was tough to sustain during the embarrassing 5-0 drubbing that followed.
 
- Give Jaroslav Spacek credit for sticking to his guns over comments he made a few months ago. The ex-Canadien, now a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, maintained that Montreal was a fabulous city to play in, but that things had "fallen apart" with the hockey organization while he was there. He reiterated his support of Randy Cunneyworth's abilities and his belief that an anglophone could successfully coach the Canadiens as long as he had the services of an interpreter for the media. Cunneyworth and Kirk Muller, his current head coach in Carolina, are two candidates that Spacek thinks would have fit the bill.
 
- Nicklas Lidstrom played in his 1,550th NHL game in Detroit's 4-3 win over Philadelphia on Sunday, all with the Red Wings, which establishes a new NHL record for the most career games with a single team. Next on the list are two other Red Wings. Alex Delvecchio (1,549 games) held the record Lidstrom broke and next is Steve Yzerman at 1,514 games.
 
- Not only is Evgeni Malkin looking like the Hart Trophy winner, he has also scored at least one goal in each of the Pittsburgh Penguins' last eight home games. Only one other player has accomplished that same feat this year and that is teammate James Neal, who scored in the Penguins' first eight home games of the season. Only once have two players on the same team scored in at least eight consecutive home games in a single season. That was the Boston Bruins in 1970-71, when Phil Esposito scored in 13 consecutive home games and Ken Hodge in eight consecutive home games.
 
- Last year's Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry has five hat tricks in the last two seasons, which is the best mark in the NHL. Unbelievably, Perry never had a three-goal game in his first five seasons. He leads a charging Ducks team that has now been upgraded to an outside chance of making the playoffs in the Western Conference from no chance at all before Bruce Boudreau took over as head coach.
 
- Interesting connection to Perry with the announcement that Mike Comrie has retired after 10 NHL seasons and three hip surgeries. He is only 31. When Comrie had his well-publicized and bitter split with his hometown Edmonton Oilers in the summer of 2003, the Ducks were one logical destination. The stumbling point for the Oilers was that they wanted Comrie to return $250,000 US to the Oilers organization in order to facilitate the trade. He refused and was later dealt to Philadelphia. The player they were to receive from Anaheim? The recently drafted Perry, who was then playing for the OHL's London Knights.
 
- One of the biggest splashes at last year's trade deadline was the Los Angeles Kings' acquisition of Dustin Penner from Edmonton. Head coach Darryl Sutter seemed to reach wits end when he made him a healthy scratch last Saturday against Dallas (a 4-2 Kings' win). On the positive side, two King players recorded their first ever NHL goals in that victory, Dwight King and Jordan Nolan (son of former NHL coach Ted).

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Stellicktricity: Red Wings have record of longevity

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New toys are looking to capitalize on the high-tech market with unique takes on the iPad and Android devices. NY1’s Adam Balkin filed the following report.

No matter how cool a new toy is, oftentimes a child would likely still pick up a device like an iPad or iPod Touch if given the choice. So it's no wonder so many developers at the American International Toy Fair are using devices like iPads or iPod Touches as part of their new toys.

Mattel is launching a new line of what it's calling Apptivity Toys, physical toys you hold in your hand that interact somehow with companion apps.

“Every toy is unique and designed for the brand for the game, so whether it's Barbie, where you're unlocking potentially parts of a closet, or Hot Wheels, where it's a challenge or a race or a quest or accumulate points and unlock things,” says Chuck Scothon of Mattel.

Out this fall, they range from about $10 to $20 apiece.

The $50 TeeGee out this summer is a more traditional toy, but where it breaks from tradition, you stick an iPhone or iPod Touch in its back and it becomes the brains of the monkey, so to speak.

“You're able to download age appropriate apps, so as your child gets older, you can evolve the experience for your child and you don't have to buy other toys. You can sing songs with TeeGee, arithmetic, Spanish, English, grammar,” says Christopher Ahn of TeeGee.

Or finally, if it's just the actual tablet or smartphone your kids want but you don't want to give them yours, the Kurio is a fully functioning Android tablet for kids.

The only thing that really makes it different from other Android tablets on the market is that parents can pretty much control every single thing their kids do on it. Parents set up profiles for up to eight users and then each user gets certain rights. For starters, parents can determine what types of websites can be visited.

“We have an online service that will everyday update inappropriate sites for kids and families, and by category, you can determine based on your own value system which categories are appropriate for your child,” says Eric Levin of TechnoSource.

You can also designate which user can access which apps. Kurio is out early summer for about $200.

Read more from the original source:
Toy Makers Give New Products Longevity Through Apps

NEW YORK & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Fitch notes the latest product offering aimed at the longevity risk protection market, the contingent annuity (CA), is generating controversy. From a ratings perspective, we are concerned with the ultimate risk profile of any CA products, pricing adequacy, questions of transparency, and how the product will be reserved for considering the level of capital required under regulatory capital ratios.

The market for longevity risk protection is enormous and growing rapidly, as underscored by an ongoing shift toward defined contribution pension plans and baby boomers reaching retirement age.

To date, U.S. life insurers have been actively selling variable annuities and other lifetime income annuities that protect against the risk of outliving one's assets. The CA product structures that have been proposed would offer similar lifetime income benefit guarantees but would not require the policyholder to transfer the assets to the insurance company. We are aware of only a handful of U.S. life insurers that have actually sold a CA type product; however, a large number of insurers are looking to potentially enter this market given recent policy statements from the Treasury and Labor departments encouraging lifetime annuities.

We share key concerns voiced by U.S. life insurance companies, regulators, and trade group, including the potential for mispricing that could lead to significant financial problems for the life insurance industry down the road. Due to investment guarantees embedded in variable annuity products, the industry suffered material financial losses in the 2008-2009 financial crisis. We also share concerns that the CA product offering could cannibalize sales of existing annuity products and will not necessarily increase market share.

We do not portend any rating impact over the near term associated with the development of CA offerings and note that there has been very little business written in the new product to date. Over the near term, we will be actively monitoring further developments related to the CA market, including forthcoming recommendations from the subgroup recently formed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to examine this market, and will discuss potential reserve and capital requirements.

Additional information is available on http://www.fitchratings.com

The above article originally appeared as a post on the Fitch Wire credit market commentary page. The original article, which may include hyperlinks to companies and current ratings, can be accessed at http://www.fitchratings.com. All opinions expressed are those of Fitch Ratings.

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: http://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE.

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Fitch: Insurance Longevity Product Raises Questions and Concerns

AgingAdult.org provides people curious to learn more about healthy longevity with scientifically based lifestyle tips and advice to help inspire them to live healthier and happier lives at any age

Palo Alto, CA (PRWEB) February 13, 2012

Home Care Assistance, the leading provider of in-home care for seniors, is proud to announce the launch of AgingAdult.org. Initially conceptualized as a resource for aging adults looking to learn more about healthy longevity, initial response to the website has come from a wide spectrum of age groups. By filling out the form on the website, individuals will automatically receive the downloadable version of the renowned aging book Happy to 102, a popular book that provides practical lifestyle tips and advice for not only living longer, but living well longer. This is a valuable resource for anyone interesting in healthy aging. The book is based on years of research following the inhabitants of the island of Okinawa in Japan, referred to as the best place for aging given that it has the highest life expectancy for men and women over the age of 65, and distills it into accessible lifestyle advice. In addition to being a highly engaging and enjoyable read, Happy to 102 provides guidance on the lifestyle behaviors and psychology that promote quality of life and aging well.

“AgingAdult.org is one of many consumer educational initiatives we are developing to provide education around the types of topics that our clients and the community have voiced an interest in learning more about,” said Kathryn Zakskorn, Public Relations and Marketing Manager of Home Care Assistance. “With an aging population comes an increased desire to learn about healthy longevity and we are excited to be able to provide this information in an accessible way.”

Whether you are a young adult looking to expand your knowledge of healthy longevity, a family caregiver wanting to learn more about aging well so that you can share that information with your loved one or an aging adult hoping to find practical advice to help you make the optimal lifestyle choices to ensure healthy nutrition and exercise, an active mind and a sense of calmness and purpose, AgingAdult.org will be an extremely valuable resource.

“It is profoundly liberating to let go of the belief that your life expectancy is predetermined solely based on genetic factors and instead embrace the view that you are in charge of your own longevity journey through the healthy lifestyle choices you make,” said Shadi Gholizadeh, Business Operations Manager of Home Care Assistance. “Our mission at Home Care Assistance is to change the way the world ages; we believe in empowering people to be proactive and informed when it comes to their health.”

For more information about Home Care Assistance please visit http://www.HomeCareAssistance.com or call 1-866-454-8346.

ABOUT HOME CARE ASSISTANCE

Home Care Assistance is the leading provider of home care for seniors across the United States and Canada. Our mission is to change the way the world ages. We provide older adults with quality care that enables them to live happier, healthier lives at home. Our services are distinguished by the caliber of our caregivers, the responsiveness of our staff and our expertise in Live-In care. We embrace a positive, balanced approach to aging centered on the evolving needs of older adults. A 2012 Franchise500® Company, Home Care Assistance has received numerous industry awards including Entrepreneur’s Fastest-Growing Franchises and Franchise Business Review’s Top 50. For more information about Home Care Assistance, our services and franchise opportunities, visit homecareassistance.com or franchise.homecareassistance.com.

###

Kathryn Zakskorn
Home Care Assistance
650-462-9501
Email Information

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Home Care Assistance Launches AgingAdult.org

NEWARK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Prudential Retirement, a business unit of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU - News), today announced its first longevity reinsurance transaction of 2012.

Under the terms of the transaction, Prudential Retirement will provide reinsurance of longevity risk to Rothesay Life, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The transaction initially covers pension liability values of GBP 423 million, approximately equal to $665 million U.S. dollars.

The reinsurance secures the retirement benefits of almost 20,000 members of the Uniq Plc Pension Scheme, who are insured by Rothesay Life. The reinsurance transaction is particularly significant as it covers the risks of all life annuities held by plan participants, regardless of age or retirement status, and over half the plan participants reinsured have yet to reach retirement.

“We are happy to partner with Rothesay on another innovative Pension Risk Transfer transaction that helps to secure the retirement benefits of Uniq’s members,” said Amy Kessler, senior vice president and head of Prudential’s Longevity Reinsurance business.

“Rothesay Life is pleased to continue its partnership with Prudential,” said Addy Loudiadis, chief executive officer, Rothesay Life. “This latest transaction demonstrates how we can work together to complete an important transaction.”

Reinsurance contracts are issued by Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company (PRIAC), Hartford, CT 06103. PRIAC is not a U.K. Financial Services Authority (FSA) authorized insurer and does not conduct business in the United Kingdom or provide direct insurance to any individual or entity therein. Prudential Financial, Inc. of the United States is not affiliated with Prudential plc, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Rothesay Life is an insurance company established in the U.K. as a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a bank holding company and leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Rothesay Life provides annuity and other longevity products to corporate defined benefit pension plans, tailored to meet the specific needs of corporate sponsors, trustees and pension plan members. Rothesay Life is authorized and regulated by the U.K.’s Financial Services Authority.

Prudential Retirement delivers retirement plan solutions for public, private, and non-profit organizations. Services include state-of-the-art record keeping, administrative services, investment management, comprehensive employee investment education and communications, and trustee services. With over 85 years of retirement experience, Prudential Retirement helps meet the needs of nearly 3.6 million participants and annuitants. Prudential Retirement has $229.5 billion in retirement account values as of December 31, 2011.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU - News), a financial services leader with approximately $901 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2011, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/.

0218717-00001-00

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Prudential Retirement reinsures retirement benefits through transaction with Rothesay Life

America’s Leading Analysts Reveal the Opportunities for Investment and Business Growth in Serving Baby Boomer Consumers at What’s Next Boomer Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Lafayette, California (PRWEB) February 13, 2012

In 2011 the first of the baby boomer generation began turning 65 years old. Near daily stories in the media are generated about the issues, needs, impact, influence and sheer size of the eldest of our population. The growing discourse includes changes to retirement trends, the fact that the 55+ age group is the fastest-growing segment of entrepreneurs, the call to advertisers that they can no longer afford to ignore this audience, and announcements of new outlets catering to these demographics. From aging-in-place technologies to social and mobile media, to the spending power of grandparents, the overall wealth of opportunities in meeting the needs of this mature market is the purpose of the ninth annual What's Next Boomer Business Summit, being held March 28 in Washington, D.C. There the country’s leading analysts, top researchers and executive strategists will gather to introduce new research, products and services, and to present the definitive ways to reach and successfully sell to baby boomers and senior consumers. It is the event to meet the entrepreneurs and brand teams pursuing the baby boomer customer, and learn the marketing strategies that work to reach them.

It opens with a keynote delivered by veteran political strategist Donna Brazile, on ‘Designing a Personalized Business Model for the New Economy’. Jody Holtzman, SVP of Thought Leadership Group at AARP will define and examine the entrepreneurial and market opportunities related to the new Longevity Economy. His keynote will unearth current economic activity related to the demographic phenomenon of people living longer, richer lives and will address areas where the needs and wants of Americans 45 and older are not being met. Also, he will present a new framework for approaching both the societal needs and economic opportunities related to a changing and vital population.

The event tracks will explore trends in the following areas, with agenda highlights:

Often cited as worth the cost of registration alone, the ‘Lunch with the Experts’ is every attendee’s chance for exclusive access to the best analysts, authors, bloggers, and boomer market experts at this summit. The list of table hosts is available at http://boomersummit.com/lunch.html.

The complete list of speakers is available at http://www.boomersummit.com/speakers.html.

"The boomer, senior and caregiver markets are large and growing. The changing economy has created a shift in spending that is becoming the new normal. This conference brings together the most innovative companies and top thought leaders in marketing, innovation and distribution,” Mary Furlong, What’s Next conference producer shared. “These markets are growing as rapidly as the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China. Join us in March to discover the important segments in the longevity economy."

A press conference will take place on March 29 at 11:00 a.m. at the National Press Club. Speakers and sponsors will be making their new research product and service announcements.

Sponsors of What’s Next Boomer Business Summit are, at the platinum level: AARP, UnitedHealthcare and Crew Media; at the gold level: Microsoft, Linkage, Silverado Senior Living, MBO Partners, RLTV and Caring.com; at the silver level: General Mills, Google, GreatCall, Facetime Strategy, The Hartford, SilverRide, GrandCare Systems, Innovate LTC, Independa Inc., Starkey; at the bronze level: ABHOW, Hipcricket, Posit Science, MetLife Mature Market Institute, VibrantNation; refreshment break sponsor is Moving Mavens and Moving Solutions.

Registration, agenda and additional event details available at http://www.boomersummit.com. Registration costs are $275 at early bird rate (extended to February 21), $350 at the advance rate (February 22 to March 26) and $450 on March 27 and onsite.

What’s Next Boomer Business Summit

The ninth Annual What’s Next Boomer Business Summit is produced by Mary Furlong & Associates. What’s Next Boomer Business Summit is affiliated with the American Society on Aging (ASA) Aging in America Conference being held on March 28 to April 1, 2012 in Washington, D.C. Registration and program information is available at http://www.boomersummit.com. Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/2012-Whats-Next-Boomer-Business-Summit. Twitter username is WhatsNextBoomer, and hashtag is #boomersummit. It is produced by Mary Furlong & Associates.

Mary Furlong & Associates

Founded in 2003, Mary Furlong & Associates (MFA) works with companies seeking to capitalize on new business and investment opportunities in the Baby Boomer market. MFA provides business development, financing strategy and integrated marketing solutions to entrepreneurs, corporations and non-profit organizations serving the 50+ market. Mary Furlong, Ed.D., the firm's founder and CEO, has guided the offline and online 40+ market strategies of leading corporations and non-profit organizations for more than 20 years. In 2011, Furlong was honored as one of the top 100 Women of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Furlong is Dean's Executive Professor of Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business, and previously founded SeniorNet and ThirdAge Media. Her latest book, Turning Silver into Gold: How to Profit in the New Boomer Marketplace (FT Press), was published in 2007. More information available at http://www.maryfurlong.com.

###

Michelle Bauer
Mary Furlong & Associates
727-510-2524
Email Information

Original post:
The Longevity Opportunity in the U.S. is Comparable to Emerging BRIC Markets

Concealment Longevity Services Division Repairs Wireless Sites Worldwide

Charleston, SC (PRWEB) February 09, 2012

The first U.S. wireless concealment company, STEALTH® Concealment Solutions, has introduced a new division designed to serve its rapidly maturing industry.

STEALTH® CEO Sean McLernon announced the creation of a new division – Concealment Longevity Services – to complement the company’s 20-year leadership in designing and installing quality concealment systems. “Consumer demand for wireless signals is voracious, and that has driven tremendous growth in the concealment industry,” said McLernon. “In this constant race forward, we find many site owners fail to look over their shoulders at the sites they’ve already installed.”

As a result, McLernon says, many towers and other systems are literally falling apart. And the consequences can be alarming, and dangerous. “We are getting calls weekly to inspect and bid on repairs for concealed sites we didn’t install, and which have apparently never been maintained.”

The most common maintenance problems include loose panels, system debris accumulating around the site, weather-related wear and tear, and lingering problems associated with incomplete installation.

STEALTH’s Concealment Longevity Services are available for sites worldwide. The company has created a self-inspect quiz to help site owners and field reps asses their wireless concealment site. By assessing sites early and often, owners can avoid expensive repairs.

STEALTH® Concealment Solutions was founded in 1992, and was the first U.S. company to engineer and construct antenna concealments for the wireless industry. The company has full manufacturing capability on both U.S. coasts, as well as a nationwide sales network. From church towers and flagpoles to cacti and trees, STEALTH® has experience making every type of concealment and excels at finding solutions for difficult jobs. The company’s proprietary STEALTH® Skin technology allows signals to pass through the concealment with minimal loss. Today, STEALTH® spearheads more than 750 concealment projects nationwide per year for all wireless carriers.

In 2000, STEALTH® won the “Best Design/Multi-Tenant Site Excellence in Business Awards” at the Tower Technology Summit, and was selected to design chimney concealment for the International CTIA Wireless trade show’s Wireless Home in 2005. Additionally, STEALTH® was named one of Charleston’s “Emerging 10” companies by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce in 2001, as well as being featured in publications like RCR Wireless News, TIME Magazine, Los Angeles Times and CBS.

For more information, visit http://www.stealthsite.com or call 800-755-0689.

# # #

Colleen Troy
TOUCHPOINT COMMUNICATIONS
843-296-2033
Email Information

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Is Your Wireless Concealment at Risk? STEALTH® Concealment Solutions Launches Maintenance Division

In 1937, Joe Luecke called up a girl from high school to ask her if she wanted to come watch him play basketball. She said she couldn’t because her mother was making her go to church.

“My older sister said, ‘Hey, I know a girl who was next to my locker, Violet Anderson, and she’s pretty nice. Why don’t you give her a call?’” Joe said. “I asked, ‘How do you know her?’ and she said, ‘Everybody knows Violet Anderson.’”

Violet agreed to the date and went down to Kankakee to see Joe play. Seventy-five years later, the two are still together.

As the couple entered their 70th wedding anniversary party on Feb. 7 at the Carmelite Carefree Village in Darien, they were undoubtedly the talk of the room. At age 93, their happiness shone through, and they mirrored the roles of a President and First Lady in how they dressed and carried themselves.

Growing up in the Chicagoland area, Joe and Violet dated for five years before getting married because during the Great Depression, no one could afford to.

Joe worked 72 hours a week for 21 cents an hour. Six months later, Montgomery Ward opened, hiring him at 50 cents an hour.

“I thought, man, I’m going to own the country,” he said.

In 1942, the two got married, and because money was so tight, they had to basically go on a double date with another couple for their honeymoon so they could save money on gas.

Heading south, Joe and Violet realized they couldn’t get a hotel because an Elks National Convention in town had all the rooms booked, but Joe’s sister slipped the keys to her place in his pocket without him knowing.

“She already knew it was going to be all booked down there but didn’t tell him,” said their son, Brad Luecke of Downers Grove. “She made him go from hotel to hotel to hotel to try and find a spot to go to, and you know, it’s your honeymoon. ... Eventually they stayed at his sister’s place.”

The honeymoon ended with them in Hot Springs, Ark.

Years into their marriage, Joe opened his own pattern shop and Violet did all the bookkeeping for it, but the two retired early and moved to Florida in 1972.

Over the course of 70 years of marriage, there are millions of little things forgotten, but it’s the priceless moments that stand out for the couple, like their children being born, countless traveling (including 14 trips to Australia) and racking up an enormous bar tab.

While at a country club in Florida, Joe hit a hole-in-one. To celebrate, normally the club picks up the bar tab with its insurance.

“We ran around in the housing development and knocked on the doors of all our friends to come down and have a drink,” Violet said. “Everyone showed up and had a drink, but the insurance didn’t cover it. We had to pay the whole bill.”

To some, Valentine’s Day, this Tuesday, has lost its luster over the years. The fact that half of all marriages end in divorce isn’t helping the holiday’s cause, either.

But for the 50-plus people watching Joe and Violet Luecke toast to their milestone — telling stories of their love the way giddy schoolkids would — the romantic feelings surrounding the week might be different.

Everyone wants to know the secret to a lasting marriage. For Joe, it’s a basic formula.

“The first thing you have to do is find a girl,” he said. “Second, she has to be pretty. Third she has to be smart and fourth, she has to be very agreeable."

Continued here:
Darien couple celebrates longevity, romance after 75 years

Washington, Feb 10 (ANI): Previous scientific research on resveratrol, a constituent of red wine and other vegetable products, has revealed that in high doses, it may increase longevity of life and reduce metabolic diseases of aging.

But, a new study in mice has argued that crediting only resveratrol for a specific effect on health could be misleading.

More than two decades ago, particularly through publicity related to the so-called "French Paradox," the public became aware of the potential reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease from the moderate consumption of red wine, and the media focused on a single constituent in red wine, resveratrol, as being the "key" factor.

Even though it is known that resveratrol is only one of hundreds of phenolic compounds in wine, many of which have been shown to have beneficial effects on vascular function, and that alcohol itself (present in wine, beer or spirits) also provides considerable protection against heart disease.

Still, there has remained considerable attention paid to resveratrol, and extensive scientific research on resveratrol and related substances have shown that, in high doses, they may increase longevity of life and reduce metabolic diseases of aging.

In general, reviewers thought that this was a very well-done study. Their concerns related to the dose used in these experiments; while the levels of resveratrol and like compounds might be accessible with pharmaceutical doses, the suggestion that similar levels could be connected with wine consumption is misleading.

Further, in humans, resveratrol in the diet will interact with many other chemicals to achieve an effect, as whole plant extracts consist of many active and inactive micronutrients that may play a role in health and disease.

To ascribe a specific effect on health from one chemical found in wine or other plant products could be misleading.

Still, the reviewers believed that this paper was an important contribution to our knowledge about the mechanisms by which resveratrol and other chemicals may play a role in cardiovascular and other diseases.

Such knowledge could help develop approaches for the prevention and treatment of human disease and for increasing the longevity of a healthy life. (ANI)

Here is the original post:
Red wine alone may not be the elixir of life, finds new study

DETROIT (AP) -- Dave Dombrowski is showing no sign of buyer's remorse.

The Tigers' general manager spoke Tuesday as part of a Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association luncheon, expressing confidence new first baseman Prince Fielder can stay productive through most if not all of his expensive nine-year contract.

Detroit signed the hefty slugger to a $214 million deal last month. Dombrowski acknowledges the risk but points out that the hefty slugger is only 27.

"The prime of your career is what, through 32, 33?" Dombrowski said. "That's seven of the nine years already, and my gut reaction is that this guy will continue to swing the bat. How his body will look in nine years or seven years, I really don't know. He is a heavy-set guy but he's also become more aware of trying to keep himself in the best shape he possibly can."

The Tigers acquired Fielder to help them try to defend their AL Central title after designated hitter Victor Martinez went down with a severe left knee injury. Fielder and Miguel Cabrera should form a potent middle of the batting order, but the move did create some complications. Detroit is set to shift Cabrera from first base to third to make room for Fielder.

"There's very few guys that are Gold Glovers and are batting champions and All-Stars from an offensive perspective. They're called Hall of Famers - and even some Hall of Famers have had some shortcomings of one area or another," Dombrowski said. "We think Miguel will be adequate at third base from a defensive perspective. I don't mean to say he's going to be a Gold Glover. ... He's got good hands, he's got a strong arm, he wants to play there and he'll work very hard at it."

With the two power hitters both slated to play the field, the Tigers don't have anyone lined up to be an everyday DH. For now, they're not inclined to put Cabrera or Fielder there with too much regularity.

Martinez made the transition to DH last season, but not everyone is comfortable in such a specialized role.

"Usually when players are younger, they want to play. They want to be out there," Dombrowski said. "They want their juices flowing."

With spring training a couple weeks away, perhaps the biggest unanswered question for Detroit is who will be the No. 5 starter. Dombrowski mentioned a half-dozen in-house candidates to replace Brad Penny - including Jacob Turner, Drew Smyly, Andy Oliver, Casey Crosby, Duane Below and Adam Wilk.

Dombrowski acknowledged that the 20-year-old Turner appears to have impressive potential, but none of the pitchers he listed have proven they can perform consistently well at the big league level.

"I'm not really sure if he's ready or not, and I don't know that we'll know that until we get down there and see him perform and see some of those other guys perform," Dombrowski said.

Turner allowed 12 earned runs in 12 2-3 innings with the Tigers last year, although his performance wasn't much different from what another Detroit pitching prospect went through back in 2005.

Justin Verlander allowed nine earned runs in 11 1-3 innings that year. In 2006, he won AL Rookie of the Year honors in his first full season.

"When they get a cup of coffee here and they're not quite ready at that time, it's going so fast," Dombrowski said. "All of a sudden in the wintertime, they digest that, they come back, and they pitch very well."

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Read the original here:
Tigers' Dombrowski believes in Prince's longevity

DETROIT (AP)—Dave Dombrowski is showing no sign of buyer’s remorse.

The Tigers’ general manager spoke Tuesday as part of a Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association luncheon, expressing confidence new first baseman Prince Fielder can stay productive through most if not all of his expensive nine-year contract.

Detroit signed the hefty slugger to a $214 million deal last month. Dombrowski acknowledges the risk but points out that the hefty slugger is only 27.

“The prime of your career is what, through 32, 33?” Dombrowski said. “That’s seven of the nine years already, and my gut reaction is that this guy will continue to swing the bat. How his body will look in nine years or seven years, I really don’t know. He is a heavy-set guy but he’s also become more aware of trying to keep himself in the best shape he possibly can.”

The Tigers acquired Fielder to help them try to defend their AL Central title after designated hitter Victor Martinez went down with a severe left knee injury. Fielder and Miguel Cabrera should form a potent middle of the batting order, but the move did create some complications. Detroit is set to shift Cabrera from first base to third to make room for Fielder.

“There’s very few guys that are Gold Glovers and are batting champions and All-Stars from an offensive perspective. They’re called Hall of Famers—and even some Hall of Famers have had some shortcomings of one area or another,” Dombrowski said. “We think Miguel will be adequate at third base from a defensive perspective. I don’t mean to say he’s going to be a Gold Glover. … He’s got good hands, he’s got a strong arm, he wants to play there and he’ll work very hard at it.”

With the two power hitters both slated to play the field, the Tigers don’t have anyone lined up to be an everyday DH. For now, they’re not inclined to put Cabrera or Fielder there with too much regularity.

Martinez made the transition to DH last season, but not everyone is comfortable in such a specialized role.

“Usually when players are younger, they want to play. They want to be out there,” Dombrowski said. “They want their juices flowing.”

With spring training a couple weeks away, perhaps the biggest unanswered question for Detroit is who will be the No. 5 starter. Dombrowski mentioned a half-dozen in-house candidates to replace Brad Penny—including Jacob Turner, Drew Smyly, Andy Oliver, Casey Crosby, Duane Below and Adam Wilk.

Dombrowski acknowledged that the 20-year-old Turner appears to have impressive potential, but none of the pitchers he listed have proven they can perform consistently well at the big league level.

“I’m not really sure if he’s ready or not, and I don’t know that we’ll know that until we get down there and see him perform and see some of those other guys perform,” Dombrowski said.

Turner allowed 12 earned runs in 12 2-3 innings with the Tigers last year, although his performance wasn’t much different from what another Detroit pitching prospect went through back in 2005.

Justin Verlander allowed nine earned runs in 11 1-3 innings that year. In 2006, he won AL Rookie of the Year honors in his first full season.

“When they get a cup of coffee here and they’re not quite ready at that time, it’s going so fast,” Dombrowski said. “All of a sudden in the wintertime, they digest that, they come back, and they pitch very well.”

More:
Dombrowski confident in Fielder's longevity

DETROIT (AP) -- Dave Dombrowski is showing no sign of buyer's remorse.

The Tigers' general manager spoke Tuesday as part of a Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association luncheon, expressing confidence new first baseman Prince Fielder can stay productive through most if not all of his expensive nine-year contract.

Detroit signed the hefty slugger to a $214 million deal last month. Dombrowski acknowledges the risk but points out that the hefty slugger is only 27.

"The prime of your career is what, through 32, 33?" Dombrowski said. "That's seven of the nine years already, and my gut reaction is that this guy will continue to swing the bat. How his body will look in nine years or seven years, I really don't know. He is a heavy-set guy but he's also become more aware of trying to keep himself in the best shape he possibly can."

The Tigers acquired Fielder to help them try to defend their AL Central title after designated hitter Victor Martinez went down with a severe left knee injury. Fielder and Miguel Cabrera should form a potent middle of the batting order, but the move did create some complications. Detroit is set to shift Cabrera from first base to third to make room for Fielder.

"There's very few guys that are Gold Glovers and are batting champions and All-Stars from an offensive perspective. They're called Hall of Famers - and even some Hall of Famers have had some shortcomings of one area or another," Dombrowski said. "We think Miguel will be adequate at third base from a defensive perspective. I don't mean to say he's going to be a Gold Glover. ... He's got good hands, he's got a strong arm, he wants to play there and he'll work very hard at it."

With the two power hitters both slated to play the field, the Tigers don't have anyone lined up to be an everyday DH. For now, they're not inclined to put Cabrera or Fielder there with too much regularity.

Martinez made the transition to DH last season, but not everyone is comfortable in such a specialized role.

"Usually when players are younger, they want to play. They want to be out there," Dombrowski said. "They want their juices flowing."

With spring training a couple weeks away, perhaps the biggest unanswered question for Detroit is who will be the No. 5 starter. Dombrowski mentioned a half-dozen in-house candidates to replace Brad Penny - including Jacob Turner, Drew Smyly, Andy Oliver, Casey Crosby, Duane Below and Adam Wilk.

Dombrowski acknowledged that the 20-year-old Turner appears to have impressive potential, but none of the pitchers he listed have proven they can perform consistently well at the big league level.

"I'm not really sure if he's ready or not, and I don't know that we'll know that until we get down there and see him perform and see some of those other guys perform," Dombrowski said.

Turner allowed 12 earned runs in 12 2-3 innings with the Tigers last year, although his performance wasn't much different from what another Detroit pitching prospect went through back in 2005.

Justin Verlander allowed nine earned runs in 11 1-3 innings that year. In 2006, he won AL Rookie of the Year honors in his first full season.

"When they get a cup of coffee here and they're not quite ready at that time, it's going so fast," Dombrowski said. "All of a sudden in the wintertime, they digest that, they come back, and they pitch very well."

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Tigers' Dombrowski confident in Fielder's longevity

07-10-2011 20:58 Support my brotha MahaNomi: indiegogo.com http://www.JasonWrobel.com

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J-Wro Video Blog: Longevity Updates

03-06-2011 11:13 The astrophysicist wants to shift the focus from avoiding death to living a full life.

Visit link:
Neil deGrasse Tyson on Living and Longevity - Video