Romney would raise eligibility age for Medicare

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, addresses the Detroit Economic Club at Ford Field in Detroit, Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, addresses the Detroit Economic Club at Ford Field in Detroit, Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks to the Detroit Economic Club at Ford Field in Detroit, Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, addresses the Detroit Economic Club at Ford Field in Detroit, Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney hugs his sister Lynn Keenan after speaking to the Detroit Economic Club at Ford Field in Detroit, Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A rolling billboard truck drives around Ford Field in Detroit as protestors march where Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivered a speech to the Detroit Economic Club, in Detroit Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/The Detroit News, Daniel Mears) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT

DETROIT (AP) ? Four days before critical primary elections, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney outlined a far-reaching plan Friday to gradually delay Americans' eligibility for Medicare as well as Social Security.

Romney said the shift, as people live longer, is needed to steer the giant benefit programs toward economic sustainability.

Speaking to the Detroit Economic Club ? in cavernous Ford Field, where the Detroit Lions football team plays ? he also made a play for primary election support in Michigan, which votes on Tuesday along with Arizona.

Romney said previous steps to toughen government emission standards had "provided a benefit to some of the foreign automakers" at the expense of American companies. He said future changes should be worked out cooperatively between government and industry.

Campaigning in the city where he was born, Romney described himself as "a car guy" who has a Ford Mustang and a Chevy pickup and whose wife, Ann, drives "a couple of Cadillacs." Aides said they were model year 2007 and 2010 SRX vehicles, one each registered in Massachusetts and California.

Romney said his proposals for Medicare and Social Security would begin in 2022, meaning no current or near-retirees would be affected. He also said he favors adjustments to curtail the growth of future benefits for the relatively well-to-do, so "lower-income seniors would receive the most generous benefits." He had described his Social Security proposals previously.

The two programs provide retirement and health care benefits to tens of millions of older Americans.

Beginning in 2022, Romney said, "We will gradually increase the Medicare eligibility age by one month each year. In the long run, the eligibility ages for both programs will be indexed to longevity so that they increase only as fast as life expectancy."

Under current law, the age for collecting full Social Security benefits is gradually rising from 65 to 67. Medicare is available at age 65. In both cases, the age is set in law, and Romney's suggestion that it be tied automatically to increases in the life expectancy of Americans would mark a major change.

He spoke in the run-up to a pair of primaries that mark his latest tests as he tries to break free of Rick Santorum and his other persistent but underfunded rivals in the presidential race.

He is widely expected to win Arizona. Neither he nor his rivals is airing television ads in the state, a reliable sign that all sides view it as a closed case.

Although public and private polls in Michigan show Romney has erased much or all of an earlier deficit, he still faces a stiff challenge from Santorum in the state, where the disparity in television advertising is not as overwhelmingly in Romney's favor has it has been elsewhere.

It is an unwritten rule of Michigan politics that presidential candidates appear before the Detroit Economic Club. Santorum addressed the group several days ago, and officials familiar with the details said Newt Gingrich's camp had been in discussions for an appearance as late as last week. A spokesman for the former House speaker did not respond to a request for comment.

Romney's commitment caused a spike in interest, and as a result, the former governor spoke in the huge stadium. He stood on a makeshift stage set up on the 35-yard line, with his audience on the stadium floor ringed by thousands of empty stadium seats. Goalpost uprights were visible above the black draping that served as his backdrop. United Auto Workers protested outside.

He spoke as Santorum intensified his effort to score an upset on what amounts to Romney's political home field.

The former Pennsylvania senator often stresses social issues in his campaign appearances. But public opinion polls consistently show the voters care most about the economy, and Santorum's campaign announced that later in the day, he would unveil an "economic freedom agenda" that he hoped to enact in his first 100 days in office.

By contrast, Romney rarely strays from economic issues as he presses his case that as a former businessman he is best equipped to help restore an economy still recovering from the worst recession in decades.

"I not only think I have the best chance. I think I have the only chance" of defeating Obama, Romney told his midday audience, although he quickly added with a nervous-sounding laugh, "Maybe I'm overstating it a bit."

While aides earlier had touted the speech as a major economic address, Romney seemed to pre-empt himself earlier in the week when he called for across-the-board income tax cuts of 20 percent to help the economy grow and begin creating jobs in large numbers.

He repeated that proposal, along with his calls to cut the corporate income tax rate and abolish the estate tax.

On Medicare, Romney also supports changing the program to give beneficiaries a choice between the traditional setup and one in which the government provides them with a monthly payment that can be used to purchase private coverage.

"With these commonsense changes, we will have fixed our balance sheet," Romney said. "Instead of $62 trillion in unfunded commitments hanging over America's future, we'll have a balance sheet that is actually in balance."

In all there are 30 Republican National Convention delegates at stake in Michigan next week, 29 in Arizona.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-02-24-Romney/id-b322f829487744cdacc249f602642ca7

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Finding Information about Prostate Cancer Signs

The facts about cancer have been widely known by the people. However, it is quite often that the people are not really familiar with the cancer signs including the prostate cancer warning signs. ?

In fact, the signs are very great for the people to make sure that they have the capability to overcome the cancer before it attacks them. That is why it is very great for you to find the information which is related to the cancer. ?

Well, it is necessary so you can be more aware whenever something strange happens to you. Once you face it, you can have immediate medical treatments to make sure that it will not be worse.

Source: http://www.luckypineapple.com/daily-health-news/finding-information-about-prostate-cancer-signs/

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Are mobile bar codes changing the way consumers shop? - Mobile ...

Mobile bar codes are increasingly gaining momentum and companies such as Toys R Us and Glamour are placing them on billboards and walls ? providing consumers another way to shop their favorite products.

Although the technology is still emerging, it certainly has the opportunity to change the way consumers shop. Brands and marketers are beginning to see the potential of mobile bar codes and are using them in their marketing strategies.

?The immediacy of being able to purchase something you see advertised in a magazine or other out-of-home signage allows consumers to conveniently purchase the product on-the-spot, without having to search or step foot into a store,? said Nicole Skogg, CEO of SpyderLynk, New York .

?We believe that the use of mobile bar codes overall, especially mcommerce-enabled bar codes, will continue to grow as consumers become more familiar with the technology,? she said. ?Adoption rates will also continue to grow as marketers think more strategically about the use of bar codes and become more focused on delivering value.

?Well-executed, mobile bar codes drive consumer consideration and help position a brand as relevant and enticing. Poorly executed mobile bar codes, at best, serve to frustrate consumers and, at worst, are ignored all together.?

On the go shopping
Last year, Toys R Us rolled out a virtual store that let consumers scan QR codes featured on billboards and shop the company?s 2011 Hot Toy List.

On-the-go commuters and travelers in the New York metro area were encouraged to take part in the initiative. The billboards were located in John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and nearly 40 NJ Transit Stations feature the showcased items (see story).

Most recently, Glamour unveiled its Apothecary Wall that features products from Unilever and Juicy Couture.

The Apothecary Wall has SpyderLynk Snaptags next to each product. Users are encouraged to download Glamour?s Friends & Fans iPhone app to scan the mobile bar code and buy the featured product right then and there.

?Placement is critical to success in adoption rates,? Ms. Skogg said. ?One of our key messages to our clients is that the placement of a mobile bar code will drive usage.

?Engaged media such as magazines, email, online and street teams at events will drive higher response rates than passive media such as event displays and out-of-home signage like a billboard ? which is typically passed by rather than viewed from a closer proximity while standing still, making it difficult for consumers to engage,? she said. ?There are much more creative ways to deploy bar codes with the Apothecary Wall being an excellent example.

?Glamour?s innovative use of the Apothecary Wall allowed them to extend the reach of the magazine, while making it fun for consumers to shop on-the-spot. By recreating a shopping isle with a 2D design, the Apothecary Wall was intuitive, approachable and easy for consumers to interact with.?

Mobile sophistication
There is an increase in the sophistication of mobile bar codes and their implementation compared to last year.

Brands and marketers are incorporating mobile bar codes across their entire marketing mix.

This comprehensive approach to mobile is giving marketers the ability to model, segment and better target consumers.

Mobile commerce-enabled mobile bar codes give retailers the opportunity to extend the reach of their bricks-and-mortar retail outlets.

?We are beginning to see mobile bar codes have an impact on the retail experience however, there is still much consumer education and awareness needed for mobile bar codes to really change the way consumers shop,? said Laura Marriott, CEO of NeoMedia Technologies, Boulder, CO.

?Many major global brands and retailers, such as Calvin Klein, McDonalds, Macy?s and Target, have helped to increase this awareness by taking advantage of the ability mobile bar codes provide to bring engagement and interactivity to a consumer?s experience with a brand,? she said.

?By simply scanning the mobile bar code, consumers can instantly access an unlimited amount of data on the brand and product of interest ? from product information and reviews to special offers ? but further integration with a brand or retailer?s existing loyalty, CRM or couponing implementations will also help to drive consumer uptake.?

According to Ms. Marriott, mobile bar codes provide an easy, instant means to connect with the brand.

?I believe we will see significant uptake of these services,? Ms. Marriott said. ?Mobile bar codes still have a bit of the newness factor and are fun to engage with, which definitely also helps to drive interactions.

?And making the shopping experience even more accessible to consumers via mobile bar codes, is definitely a winning combination,? she said. ?We do expect to see these types of initiatives becoming more commonplace in the next year, which will help consumers become more comfortable with using their mobile to scan and buy on the go.

?In 2012 we should expect to see a rise in mobile bar code scanning implementations resulting in greater consumer participation, expanded loyalty initiatives and an overall enhanced consumer experience when in-store ? much more than a simple resolution to a Web URL.? Coupled with this, we expect to see hardware solutions in retail support mobile bar code scanning on a much wider basis in 2012.?

Mobile bar codes make shoppers more intelligent wherever they may be.

Consumers access more relevant content based on what their specific interests.

Additionally, with mobile bar codes shoppers can now access product reviews and price comparisons via their mobile device. This allows them to make more informed decisions on the spot when making a purchase.

?We do see some customers getting more comfortable buying products on their mobile devices, but we are not at the mass adoption level yet,? said Mike Wehrs, CEO of Scanbuy, New York. ?Thousands of people made purchases through our app over the holidays as they were scanning UPC codes from products, but there are many ways for retailers to harness that activity.

?Virtual shops are a growing phenomenon which can really enable someone to buy from anywhere,? he said.

Final Take
Rimma Kats is staff reporter on Mobile Commerce, New York

Rimma Kats is staff reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily and Mobile Marketer. Reach her at rimma@mobilemarketer.com.

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Tags: Laura Marriott, Mike Wehrs, mobile, mobile commerce, mobile marketing, NeoMedia Technologies Inc., Nicole Skogg, Scanbuy, Spyderlynk

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Source: http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/2012/02/23/are-mobile-bar-codes-changing-the-way-consumers-shop

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MMORPG Videos - Cisco Unified Communications Manager ...

www.trcnetworks.com With Cisco Unified Communications Manager, you get an enterprise-class IP communications processing system for up to 40000 users, and even 80000 users with a ?mega cluster.? In addition to traditional telephony features, it provides advanced capabilities, such as video, mobility, presence, preference, and full-featured conferencing services. This powerful call processing solution can help: Extend video capabilities to your employees through a single, unified communications infrastructure from the desktop to TelePresence rooms. Simplify voice systems with unified communications to cut costs and dramatically streamline provisioning and maintenance. Build productivity with comprehensive unified communications to help workers communicate and work more effectively. Enable mobility with embedded unified mobility software capabilities to keep workers productive wherever they are, with any content type, on any device, providing a rich and consistent experience. Improve collaboration: Click to begin an IM session, initiate a phone call, or easily start a video-conferencing call. Improve flexibility with a choice of deployment models: public cloud, private cloud, on-premises, remote, or hybrid. Cisco Unified Communications Manager creates a unified workspace that supports a full range of communications features and applications. This solution is highly: Scalable: Support up to 40000 users with each Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster. Distributable: Get ?

Source: http://www.bigforkalums.com/?p=2090

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Source: http://mmorpgvideos.bnews.bg/2012/02/22/cisco-unified-communications-manager-callmanager-for-your/

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Officials ponder next step after loss of redevelopment tools

via San Bernardino Sun

With the elimination of redevelopment agencies - the preeminent financing tool for local economic development in California - Inland Empire officials are just beginning to discuss how to make do without them.

"We'll be looking into the next generation of economic development tools," said Michael, who will meet with the group this week. "The purpose of the task force will be to explore recommendations to the Legislature that would be essential not only for local government but for the state of California to remain economically viable."

Redevelopment agencies, through the use of property tax increment revenue, were able to buy land and float bonds for major projects without having to ask voter permission to do so. The tax increment refers to additional taxes generated by a redevelopment-related project.

With these agencies, local officials in partnership with developers were able to finance major projects such as Victoria Gardens, Ontario Mills, some of the rehabilitation of the historic Fox Theatre in Pomona, regional storm drains, and affordable housing for the poor and seniors throughout the Inland Empire.

Michael said it was time to move forward on the path ahead.

"Continuing to argue with one another, filing litigation and challenging one another on the decision is in the past," Michael said. "Let's move forward and look for a new day. We're all here to make sure the state of California remains the Golden State and we have to?move forward in a positive manner to make sure we have the tools for economic development, infrastructure, housing, and for job creation. Those are the four critical elements we've lost."

Jim Kennedy, executive director of the California Redevelopment Association, and other experts said it will be tougher for successor agencies to raise money for projects.

"I know a number of cities have given serious thought to doing what they can with their own resources, not be beholden to the state for authority, and come up with creative ideas on their own, whether it's the use of their own general fund revenues, or a variety of financing districts that they have the authority to create," Kennedy said. "I think it's going to end up having people start giving a lot of serious consideration to tools that have been there a long time and not utilized as pervasively because they're not as effective. In the absence of RDAs, they rise on the feasibility list."

Rancho Cucamonga City Manager John Gillison said the idea is to re-establish a financing tool similar to the original tax increment funding mechanism in place for redevelopment since the 1950s, but there are no real specifics yet on how that might work.

"The conversation on what might take its place is at the very beginning phase," Gillison said. "It has to be statewide. Cities don't have other options. We can't do it on our own. It has to be authorized in the law."

In San Bernardino, redevelopment will be folded into city responsibilities, according to Jim Mulvihill, a redevelopment agency expert and professor of geography and environmental studies at Cal State San Bernardino. Mulvihill expects this to be the case throughout the state, with California cities creating new departments to handle the function of economic redevelopment.

"Ultimately, I just see the present economic development organizations being folded into being a department of city government," Mulvihill said. "Cities like San Bernardino are always going to need to be able to sell the city to developers, to get jobs and to promotes sales tax."

Redevelopment essentially took over a lot of the functions that cities provided anyway, Mulvihill said.

"The catch is that redevelopment had the tax increment," Mulvihill said. "They had a free hand to take all the additional taxes generated by these businesses to reinvest in their activities, whereas now, they're not going to have that."

Policymakers throughout the state aren't the only ones having to shift gears in the wake of the elimination of redevelopment agencies. The major project for political science professor Jason Neidleman's class has been for students to go to city hall and learn what they can about redevelopment agencies.

Now he must change his syllabus to ask students to find out what they can about how city managers will make do without them.

"You hear a lot of stories about California redevelopment agencies being abused to advance the agenda of the downtown elite, but more often than not, CRAs are used for their expressed purpose, which is to address blight, serve underrepresented communities, and maybe, more importantly than anything else, provide affordable housing in regions where there isn't enough."

Gov. Jerry Brown and the majority Democrats in Sacramento decided to do away with the state's redevelopment agencies this year in order to divert property tax funds to schools and public services as the state faces major budget shortfalls.

Local officials have derided the decision because issues of borrowed money and remaining revenue for existing projects remain unresolved. Regional leaders say they now lose the ability to finance major development projects, attract businesses and create jobs.

Proposed legislation in Sacramento seeks to retain remaining funds for affordable housing.
Assemblywoman Norma Torres, D-Chino, expects the proposed legislation, from Assembly Speaker John P rez, and Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, to be heard through the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development sometime within the next month.

Both pieces of legislation, SB 654 and AB 1585, would allow $1.4 billion remaining in tax revenue, set aside for low and moderate income housing, to be used toward such projects.

Torres said she's receptive to the plan.

Ed Starr, Montclair city manager, said AB 1585 goes further than 654, in that it helps successor agencies to the former redevelopment agencies take care of existing contracts. Starr said the legislation would have to be passed as an urgency ordinance, with action needed soon before contract disputes and financing become more of an issue.

SB 986, which was recently introduced by state Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, also aims to close up unresolved bond issues. Under the law that shuts down redevelopment agencies, officials said they might have to be forced to write off money spent, and return borrowed money, which puts existing projects at risk.

Such projects in Rancho Cucamonga include an I-15 interchange project at Base Line Road, widening of Foothill Boulevard and storm drain work.

"Unfortunately, when the governor decided to end redevelopment, it was very disruptive and frankly you create a whole bunch more problems than what you're trying to solve," Dutton said. "My bill would provide clarity and would provide the ability to complete projects in the works, without litigation."

Reach Neilvia email, call him at 909-483-9356, or find him on Twitter@InlandGov.

Read more:http://www.sbsun.com/ci_19998785#ixzz1mwR0XROX

Source: http://takeactionca.blogspot.com/2012/02/officials-ponder-next-step-after-loss.html

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Hard Hitter Home Based Business Tips Revealed | New Blog Tips

If you have just started network marketing or you?ve been in the business for some time, you could be thinking that there are a few things you might be doing a bit easier or quicker, and may even be wondering about whether there are some ways of network marketing you are not even aware of. You know, those super secret insider ?network marketing tips? you?ve been hearing about.

Everyone likes to get useful data whatever they do! Here are 1 or 2 proved network marketing tips to help you get even more successful.

Network Marketing Tips

Treat your business like a business. Your network marketing business is a business, not a spare time interest. If you remember why you started your network marketing efforts in the first place, it was doubtless to earn additional money and potentially you wished to hand over your day job and become a full time internet marketer. After several months of toiling along without a real results, you may be just doing it half-heartedly and now only when you?re in the ?right mood?.

Remember the reasons why you started net marketing and note down your list of goals. Stick it somewhere where you can see it all of the time as a reminder.

Set your working hours. Whether or not it?s an hour each night and one or two hours at the weekend, write that down too. Treat your business more like a job than a spare time pursuit and be dedicated. Especially in the beginning. At the beginning most of your results will be produced by you. Ask? Would I would like to hire me to work in my business?

Join network marketing forums and spend 1 or 2 minutes every day reading the numerous tips and helpful info you will find on good forums. When you?ve learned a few things, share your ideas and become involved continually. You?ll be astounded what quantity of other tips you may pick up in a good forum. But don?t waste all night ; just spend say 20 minutes each morning or evening. It?s easy to lose lots of time on forums, and you ought to be working!

Be knowledgeable and passionate about the product you are promoting. The more that you know the better. It?s impossible to get some other person positive about a product if you are not yourself.

The last two tips above are part of teaching yourself. Learn from your upline ? they should be your mentors, and in turn become a trustworthy leader for your downline, they ought to be energised and electrified by you in turn.

Proven Network Marketing Tips

Never be scared to ask for help. Once you have established goals, they make it a point to find someone that is already manufacturing the results you?re looking for. Ask for advice. Ask about their systems. Ask for proved network marketing tips to get you moving. Success leaves clues. Find the clues!

Want to learn key success factors for your home business and earn 100% commissions? Tips on key success factors here.

Source: http://newblogtips.com/index.php/2012/02/hard-hitter-home-based-business-tips-revealed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hard-hitter-home-based-business-tips-revealed

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Eating Fewer Calories May Lower Risk of Asthma, Other Diseases (LiveScience.com)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]LiveScience.com - VANCOUVER — People with asthma may one day receive an unconventional prescription for their condition: eat less.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/diseases/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20120220/sc_livescience/eatingfewercaloriesmaylowerriskofasthmaotherdiseases

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