One year after its introduction to the South African public, “Rape-aXe,” a spiked, tampon-like device designed to protect women against rape, continues to stir international controversy.

The device, invented by South African doctor Sonnete Ehlers, works by hooking onto a rapist’s penis upon penetration. Once “tagged,” assaulters must have the device surgically removed before they can urinate or move comfortably. Ideally, this allows authorities the opportunity to identify and prosecute them.

Rape-aXe does not pierce the skin or draw blood, which prevents the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, Ehlers says on the product’s website.

The idea was born approximately 40 years ago when a rape victim told Ehlers, “I wish that I had teeth down there,” CNN reported in 2010.

“Men have been using their bodies as weapons since the beginning of time,” Ehlers said. “It’s time for women to do the same.”

The Rape-aXe was originally designed to combat sexual violence in South Africa, a nation where 28 percent of men have admitted to committing rape and 16.9 percent of the adult population is HIV positive, Human Rights Watch reported.

“There is great support for this in South Africa because violent and incredibly dangerous sex crimes happen at such high rates that its necessity is unquestionable,” said Wendy Murphy, a professor of sexual violence at the New England School of Law in Boston.

The U.S. also has a high incidence of rape, but since it usually happens behind closed doors by an acquaintance or in the form of date rape, the media has not had serious discussions about Rape-aXe’s place in the U.S., Murphy said.

Critics of Rape-aXe consider it barbaric, and worry that it could encourage women to use it against innocent men and make rapists more violent.

Forensic gynecologist Theodore Harriton believes that Rape-aXe devices would be ineffective in preventing rape in the U.S. and that the device would place additional burdens on rape victims.

“I think it would cause more problems in the United States than it would solve,” Harriton said. “It certainly would encourage more violence, and rapists may file suit for their injuries.”

He said avoiding high-risk situations, such as blind dates and dark alleys, is a safer and more effective way for women to prevent rape.

In the U.S., approximately one in five women are sexually assaulted at least once during their lives, but less than 2 percent of the accused rapists serve jail time, according to Michi Fu, a psychology professor who specializes in sex abuse treatment at Alliant International University.

“The Rape-aXe could decrease our high vaginal rape rates because attackers would know the consequences in advance,”
Fu said. “But the problem is that it won’t stop them from engaging in forced oral and anal sex.”

While the U.S. does not currently have laws that ban the use and sale of Rape-aXe devices, they are not available in American stores and cannot be purchased online, Murphy said.

“All women should absolutely have access to this,” she said. “If a woman feels she needs an anti-rape condom to protect herself against rape, she’s constitutionally entitled to it.”

Murphy attributes Rape-aXe’s lack of marketing in the U.S. to cultural misunderstandings about the product and rape in general.

“Mainstream America doesn’t embrace anti-rape condoms because, unlike South Africa, we don’t have a collective understanding of how prevalent rape is,” she said. “And we are light-years behind where we should be.”

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Home » Health and Fitness , Science and Health » Biting back against rape

Wednesday

Commit to be Fit: 6-7 p.m. Feb. 22, NCIM, 3100 Theodore St., Joliet, lower level. Free. This lecture features four presenters, each with different medical backgrounds and perspectives, who will discuss ways to optimize your nutrition. Personalized fitness formulas will be discussed, as well as energy-boosting herbs. Refreshments will be provided. Reservations are appreciated. For more information, call 815-330-3102 or email socialmedia@thencim.com

Wednesday
and Friday

Power circuit: 7 to 8 a.m. Wednesday and Friday at Challenge Fitness, 2021 S. Lawrence Ave., Lockport. The class is for people 14 and older and includes circuits designed to combine cardio and strength training for a full-body workout. Fee is $75. For more information. Visit http://www.lockportpark.org or call 815-838-3621, ext. 0.

Friday

CPR for the healthcare provider: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at Morris Hospital, 150 W. High St. Intended for licensed and certified healthcare professionals, this course teaches the skills of CPR for victims of all ages, use of an automated external defibrillator and relief of foreign-body airway obstruction. The cost is $65. Register at http://www.morrishospital.org or call 815-942-2932, ext. 7361 or 7362.

Sunday deadline

Arthritis exercise program: 10:45-11:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 28-April 5 at The Oaks Recreation and Fitness Center, 10847 LaPorte Road, Mokena. The class is designed for individuals of all ages with varying degrees of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases so they can exercise to improve strength and mobility. The program consists of endurance and range-of-motion exercises to strengthen muscle and joints. Registration deadline is Feb. 26. Fee is $61, and nonresidents will pay an additional fee. Call 708-390-2401 or go to http://www.mokenapark.com to register online.

Feb. 27

Community blood drive: 3-7:30 p.m. Feb. 27, Knights of Columbus Good Shepherd Council #5573 and the Ladies Auxiliary are sponsoring a blood drive in the St. Mary Immaculate Parish Cana Hall, 15629 S. Route 59, Plainfield. To make an appointment, call 815-729-3733 or 815-436-2651 or email flavellt@att.net. Donors will receive a Heartland Blood Center long-sleeve, heather gray T-shirt.

Mammogram party: 5:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. Mammogram parties are a fun way to gather with friends, get a manicure and get a life-saving mammogram. For more information or to register, call Health Connections at 815-725-9438.

Freedom from smoking program: 6-7:30 p.m. Mondays for seven weeks starting Feb. 27 at Crete Public Library, 1177 N. Main St., Crete. Sponsored by the Will County Health Department. Space is limited. A $25 registration fee covers program materials. To register, visit the Tobacco Control and Prevention page at http://www.willcountyhealth.org or call 815-727-8769.

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Health programs and classes set in Will and Grundy counties

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Retirement Market - Video

HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TheStreet) -- One would believe that the "foundation of retirement" is Social Security or a pension. Some may say it is the three-legged stool of Social Security, pension and savings. The reality is that the foundation of retirement is the same for all financial planning regardless of where you are in life: "What you think about money will determine everything you do with and for money." I have been in the financial advice business for 33 years, and for the first 15 of those years I was frustrated. I seemed to always give good advice, but I was getting mixed results. One person was aggressive on tax deductions, the other conservative. One person was an aggressive investor, the other conservative. One bought all the insurance they could get their hands on, the other never bought it. Neither was right or wrong. They were just acting out of what they thought and believed. As financial advisers we need to listen to our clients to understand what is driving them and their belief systems. Only by doing this can we be truly successful in working for them. For someone to get their "foundation" right requires a massive shift away from some universally accepted beliefs. The king of all beliefs is that money is powerful. Unfortunately, there is no basis to that common belief. Tell a trillion dollars to go do something really powerful and you know what? Nothing will happen. We must understand that money is an inanimate object that has no power. Money can buy a house, but it will never make it a home. Money can get you a child, but it will never make you a great parent. Steve Jobs was worth many billions, but he still died. The same will happen to Warren Buffett and Bill Gates and any other very wealthy person. Money cannot keep us from the grave. Real power lies in relationships, and the No. 1 destroyer of relationships is money. Money is a very useful tool and too little of it is not healthy. But statistics show that when a family reaches $75,000 in annual income there is little change in the overall family level of satisfaction. The United States peaked in its citizens' level of contentment back in the 1950s and we have been declining ever since despite our vast growth in national wealth. Why have so many wealthy civilizations collapsed? I think you will find the answer in the deceitfulness of wealth. Money is no more powerful than the ancient idols that have been worshipped throughout history. As you head into retirement it is very important to set your feet upon a solid foundation so that you find fulfillment in retirement and leave behind a legacy. A legacy is the dreams, hopes, inspiration, and aspiration you leave behind to the next generation. >To submit a news tip, email: tips@thestreet.com.

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Foundation of a Happy Retirement Isn't Money

(MoneyWatch) 

When you're planning for retirement, your future self doesn't stand a chance battling your current self. That's the powerful message of an excellent video hosted by the Financial Security Project at Boston College. Let me show you what I mean.

Spend for today or save for tomorrow? Your present self is happy when you spend and unhappy when you save.

Take Social Security as early as possible to get the money now or delay it to let it grow? Your current self gives you a high five for taking it now!

In retirement, draw down your 401(k) retirement savings at a much faster rate than 4 percent to pay for the things you want? No worries, says your current self. Somehow it will all work out.

Can your future self ever win? It's not even here today to defend itself! The short answer is nope -- not unless you take special steps now to help your future self.

Daniel Goldstein, the noted psychologist in the above-mentioned video, suggests that you use "commitment devices," or schemes, that your rational, planning future self puts in place. These schemes force you to take care of your future self. Good examples of retirement planning commitment devices include:

-- Saving more with automatic payroll savings and auto escalation with 401(k) plans.
-- Throwing away credit cards that enable you to spend too much.
-- In retirement, using managed payout funds and immediate annuities that send you a monthly paycheck from your retirement savings, so that paycheck lasts for life.

Goldstein goes on to encourage you to imagine your future self being happy and financially secure and asks if you can find the discipline to take steps today to make that future self happy and secure. In a fascinating paper, Goldstein describes experiments where subjects "interacted" with their future self by seeing pictures of themselves that had been "aged." During these experiments, the future self smiled if their present self saved more for retirement and frowned if they saved less. Subjects report that they were more likely to plan for their future if they could see and interact with their future selves.

If you're not faint-hearted, try one of the online software programs that will age a photo of your face. I tried the iPad app AgingBooth, which added 30-plus years to my face. The first few photos of me that were aged were kind of scary, but were also deeply moving. I tried several photos until I found an older "me" that I liked. The exercise made me want to be sure that the older me is OK and doing well -- not only financially but with my physical health as well.

The retirement savings menu: A visual take on how much you should save
What a marshmallow experiment can teach you about retirement
IRA and 401(k) retirement drawdown: Don't die broke!

Unbeknownst to my wife, I ran the program on a photo of her, too. It made me compassionate for both of us. I know that our shared experience will only deepen as we age and that we'll take care of each other as we get older. I have no real worries because I know we'll be committed to make it all work out.

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto contributor JJRD

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Retirement tips: Here's how to save more now

Eligibility for retirement benefits begins at different ages. Your age also plays a role in what you need to do to avoid retirement account penalties. Here are important ages to factor into your retirement plans:

[See The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012.]

Age 21. Employees can generally first join a 401(k) plan at age 21. Plan sponsors are allowed to exclude employees younger than 21 from 401(k) plans, and many companies do. A recent IRS survey of 1,200 401(k) plan sponsors found that 64 percent require employees to be at least 21 before they can participate in the 401(k) plan. And 61 percent of companies that offer a 401(k) match require employees to be at least age 21 to qualify. "If you can start saving this early, it can make a tremendous difference because you have the growth in your investments accumulating for more years," says Joe Tomlinson, a certified financial planner and founder of Tomlinson Financial Planning in Greenville, Maine.

Age 50. Beginning at age 50, you can defer paying income tax on more of your retirement savings in a 401(k) or IRA. The contribution limit for 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan is $22,500 for people age 50 and older in 2012, $5,500 more than younger people can deposit in these accounts. Older workers can also tuck away $1,000 more than their younger counterparts in a traditional or Roth IRA.

Age 55. Retirees who leave their job during the calendar year that they turn 55 or later can take 401(k), but not IRA, withdrawals without having to pay the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty. Qualified public safety retirees can begin penalty-free withdrawals if they separate from service the year they turn 50 or later. "If you separate from your employer at 55 or later, you can take a lump-sum payment from your 401(k) and there is not penalty," says Erin Botsford, CEO of The Botsford Group in Frisco, Texas, and author of The Big Retirement Risk: Running Out of Money Before You Run Out of Time. "But you cannot roll that 401(k) into an IRA and take a lump sum out without penalty."

[See 401(k) and IRA Changes Coming in 2012.]

Age 59½. The 10 percent early withdrawal penalty on IRA withdrawals ends at age 59½. However, you are not required to take distributions until after you reach age 70½.

Age 62. Workers become eligible to sign up for Social Security benefits at age 62. However, your payout will be reduced if you begin payments at this age. For example, a baby boomer born in 1950 who signs up at age 62 will get 25 percent less per month that he would have gotten if he had waited until age 66 to claim. A worker eligible for a $1,000 monthly benefit at age 66 would get just $750 monthly at age 62. Also, people this age who work and receive Social Security benefits at the same time could have their payments temporarily withheld if they earn above certain annual limits.

Age 65. Medicare eligibility begins at age 65. The initial enrollment period starts three months before the month you reach age 65 and ends three months after your birthday. It's a good idea to sign up right away because Medicare Part B premiums will increase by 10 percent for each 12-month period you were eligible for benefits but did not enroll. If you or your spouse is covered by a group health plan based on your current employment, you should sign up within eight months of leaving the job or health plan to avoid the higher premiums.

Age 66. Baby boomers born between 1943 and 1954 qualify for the full amount of Social Security they have earned at age 66. For those born between 1955 and 1959, the full retirement age gradually increases from 66 and two months to 66 and 10 months. Once you reach your full retirement age, you will also be able to work and claim Social Security payments at the same time without having any of your payment withheld.

Age 67. The Social Security full retirement age is higher for younger workers. Eligibility for unreduced Social Security payments for workers born in 1960 or later begins at age 67.

Age 70. Social Security payments continue to grow by 8 percent per year for each year you delay claiming up until age 70. "The longer you can postpone it up until age 70, the better, especially if you have longevity in your family," says Botsford. Your spouse could also benefit if you delay claiming Social Security. "If someone waits until age 70, when they pass away, their spouse will be able to continue that higher benefit for the remainder of their life," says Tomlinson. After age 70, there is no additional benefit to delaying Social Security payments.

[See How to Finance Life Until 100.]

Age 70½. Withdrawals from 401(k)s and IRAs become required after age 70½. If you don't withdraw the correct amount, you will be required to pay a 50 percent excise tax on the amount that should have been taken out. The first distribution is due by April 1 of the year after you turn 70½. After that, annual withdrawals will be required by December 31 each year. If you delay your first withdrawal until April, you will need to take two distributions in the same year. "If you delay taking that first one, you are bunching up two years' worth of distributions into one tax year and you are going to have to be comfortable with whatever the tax impact of that is going to be," says Gerald Wernette, director of retirement plan services at Rehmann in Farmington Hills, Mich. In some cases, two distributions in the same year could push you into a higher tax bracket.

Twitter: @aiming2retire

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10 Important Ages for Retirement Planning

In a recent column, I asked you to complete a retirement checklist to create a big-picture strategy. The next step is determining your needs. You may find that your needs and your actual savings don't come together in a nice package. In that case, knowing there is a gap will help you better prepare.

[See top-ranked ETFs by category ranked by U.S. News Best ETFs.]

Since there are so many variables, turning your needs into your savings number can be complicated. There are online calculators, and retirement planning professionals should be able to help. Some things to consider as you work toward your number are:

Lifestyle. Do you plan to maintain your current lifestyle? Retire more frugally? Take on new expenses? Oftentimes, financial advisers figure monthly retirement needs in terms of current monthly income. However, your income replacement need could be 70 percent or 105 percent of your current income.

Long-term care. Do you have long-term care insurance? If not, decide whether to budget for long-term care.

Retirement age. Earlier retirement means fewer earning years and more spending years.

Living situation. If you plan to live in a home with a paid-off mortgage, budget for home repairs, updates, and insurance. Renters, ensure your budget includes monthly rental payments forevermore.

Transportation. If you'll own a car, you'll need to pay for gas, upkeep, and insurance--and you may want to purchase new cars periodically during retirement.

Gifting. Do you plan to give your children monetary gifts?

Employment. Do you plan to work as a consultant or start a new business? Maybe you'd like to have a part-time job during retirement. Account for any income you plan to have.

Inflation. The average inflation rate has historically been about 3.4 percent per year.

Health care. Your retirement age and employment situation will alter your health insurance options. Even if you'll immediately qualify for Medicare, you'll still need money to pay for care within that program as it currently stands.

Post-retirement investing philosophy. Think about your risk tolerance during retirement. Your post-retirement investing plan may revolve around wealth preservation, or you may prefer to put your money to work, investing some portion in asset classes with more risk.

[See Using Brokerage Windows to Expand Your 401(k) diversification]

Social Security. Under the current structure of Social Security, how much income do you anticipate receiving? Do you believe Social Security will pay at that rate when the time comes? There are differing opinions about the future of Social Security. To be safe, some retirement planners assume they'll receive no Social Security income.

Spousal/partner income. Remember to account for your spouse or partner's employer-sponsored retirement plan or IRA income.

Other income. Don't forget pensions, annuities, inheritance, and other investments. Consider when you'll receive them and in what form.

Filling in the gap

Once you determine how much money you'll likely need to live the retirement lifestyle you prefer, calculate how much money you're currently on track to have at retirement. This number is based on your current and future rate of saving with your ongoing investing style. Remember that it's wise to gradually move toward a more conservative allocation as you near retirement.

[See Preparing for the Ultimate Vacation]

If your goal is higher than your actual expected savings, you have a gap.

There are online gap analysis tools to help, but filling the gap means making financial changes. If you're on track to earn less money that you'll need, you can:

--Save more money now. To increase your current retirement contributions, you may need to change your current lifestyle: Spend less so you can afford to contribute more, or earn more by changing your employment situation.

-- Change your investing strategy to be more aggressive. However, people who already have a suitable, well-planned investing strategy in place should not invest at an uncomfortably aggressive level.

--Postpone retirement in order to put more money into a retirement account and spend less money from that account.

--Change your retirement goals and expectations. If you're unwilling or unable to make enough changes to fill the gap between your expected retirement account balance and your desired retirement account balance, something has to give. You'll need to have a less expensive retirement. Perhaps you'll need to travel less and forgo financial gifts to your children. You could work during retirement and take up fewer hobbies. Many Boomers are choosing to work longer and retire later.

Everyone contributing to an employer-sponsored retirement plan has taken a step in the right direction. But anyone serious about retirement readiness has to dig into the numbers.

Scott Holsopple is the president and CEO of Smart401k, offering easy-to-use, cost-effective 401(k) advice and solutions for the everyday investor. His advice has been featured on various news outlets, including FOX Business, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. Keep tabs on Scott on Twitter and Facebook.

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Saving for a Comfortable Retirement

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Villanova University has canceled a workshop on personal narrative by a gay performance artist, saying his shows aren’t in keeping with its Catholic values.

Artist Tim Miller, once dubbed the “patron saint of the gay performance world” by the Los Angeles Times, said he was scheduled to lead the five-day workshop for students in April but the university abruptly scrapped it on Sunday. He said his workshops focus on personal narrative and the students guide the direction they take but topics often include issues such as faith, sexuality, self and truth.

Miller said he thinks his being gay played into Villanova’s decision to cancel.

“The thing that they worry about, I think, is that I am a gay person,” he said. “Being a gay person with political opinions.”

Miller said on Tuesday he has done similar workshops at Chicago’s DePaul University, the nation’s largest Catholic university, and other schools. He said Villanova, a Catholic private university with about 10,000 students just outside Philadelphia, did not tell him why it was canceling his workshop.

“This is not my first time at the dance,” Miller said, noting the cancellation came after blog postings that were critical about him. “It’s clearly homophobia and panic.”

In a statement, Villanova said it had concerns that Miller’s workshops “were not in keeping with our Catholic and Augustinian values and mission.”

“Therefore, Villanova has decided not to host Mr. Miller on our campus,” the statement said. “Villanova University is an open and inclusive community and in no way does this singular decision change that.”

A spokesman said the university would not answer questions beyond the statement on Tuesday.

Miller gained notoriety in 1990 when he and three others had grants vetoed by the National Endowment for the Arts. His work is frequently provocative, and he has been arrested in the past for demonstrating for AIDS research funding. He said some of his performances have featured nudity but there has been no nudity for about a decade.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Villanova Cancels Gay Artist’s Show, Cites ‘Catholic Values’ As Reason

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Published: 2/21/2012 - Updated: 45 minutes ago

Last of three parts

BY IGNAZIO MESSINA
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Dashing Pacific Group Chairman Yuan Xiaohong in November spent 14 hours in the air, hit the ground at Detroit Metro, and made her way to Toledo. The first order of business was to see “Mamma” and “Papa.”

It was actually Norman and Ora Bell — the parents of Toledo Mayor Mike Bell — whom the Chinese business executive wanted to spend time with before doing anything else, including checking out her multimillion-dollar real estate investments along the Maumee River.

“She loves my parents,” Mr. Bell said.

The mayor describes her as family-loving, outgoing, and a successful woman. But among her subordinates in China, Ms. Yuan has a harsher reputation — more like that of an “Iron Lady,” as one of her employees called her. And then there is her Dashing Pacific partner, Wu Kin Hung. He also has a reputation in China. He has flown under the radar in China but is known to be a successful businessman who got his start using his ties to the ruling Chinese Communist Party to become a governmental bureaucrat in the coastal Chinese city of Shenzhen.

A message from the Publisher and Editor In Chief

Months before the Marina District deal was closed, during Mr. Bell’s second trip to China in May, he and Ms. Yuan were constantly together. As the mayor and Regional Growth Partnership Chief Executive Dean Monske arrived at the Beijing airport for a flight to Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, they found Ms. Yuan and translator/deal broker Simon Guo waiting to join them on the flight

It was during that two-hour flight that Ms. Yuan sat next to the mayor and agreed to reoffer Dashing Pacific’s $3.8 million bid to buy 69 acres of Marina District property. That was after having withdrawn from the deal over a flap with Toledo City Council.

Mr. Bell says interactions with Ms. Yuan — such as the nine days he spent in China, much of it with her in May — are all the proof he needs that she and Mr. Wu are good partners for the city of Toledo.

“I look at them as some of my best friends of international origin,” the mayor said.

Background check

From the beginning, when Mr. Bell announced this newfound relationship, he said he was not going to dig into the Chinese investors’ backgrounds the way former mayors had done for previous Marina District developers, and he said he was unconcerned where their money came from.

READ MORE: Toledo's China Connection

A China-based company hired by The Blade to look into the investors’ backgrounds discovered intriguing information about Ms. Yuan and Mr. Wu.

Investigators said Ms. Yuan, like many successful business leaders in China, used her connections with government officials to win contracts for the information technology company she runs. Her most prominent business deal is an information system integration project in Inner Mongolia, not property or land development like Mr. Wu.

Over the past year, Ms. Yuan, an Inner Mongolia native and Shenzhen business executive, developed close ties with Mr. Bell and was quick to close a major land purchase with the city of Toledo.

The owner of the investigating firm hired by The Blade, whom the newspaper has decided not to identify because of concerns about government retaliation, said parts of Ms. Yuan’s background were shrouded in mystery.

“Our work on Yuan is … still ongoing,” he wrote in an email from China before the month-long investigation was complete. “We ran into some unexpected obstacles.”

"In our impression, her personal identifiers on the incorporation records of her Inner Mongolian company … were found to be [altered],” he wrote. “Her photo and [curriculum vitae] were erased altogether; her address and ID numbers were retouched … significant sections of her original ID card were blotted out.”

Ms. Yuan told The Blade that she had “no idea” why there were problems with the records. The Blade sent copies of the documents to Ms. Yuan through American intermediaries, but the newspaper did not get a response.

Ms. Yuan, who also uses the Cantonese spelling “Siu Hung Yuen” for her name, is a Hong Kong citizen living and doing business in the nearby city of Shenzhen.

According to the records of Dashing Pacific Group Ltd., Mr. Wu and Ms. Yuan’s Hong Kong-incorporated business owns The Docks and the Marina District land. Her contact address is a complex in Shenzhen comprising seaside villas and apartments — reportedly one of the most luxurious projects in the coastal city.

On the move

Ms. Yuan’s English-language biography that was provided by the city of Toledo states that she graduated in the early 1980s from China University of Ethnic Studies in Beijing. That school is likely Minzu University of China since the Chinese name of Minzu translates as “Central Ethnic University” or “Central Nationalities University.” A well-respected university, it was previously known as Central University for Nationalities in English but adopted the present English name in 2008.

The biography also stated that she started her career as a staff member with the government of Hohhot, a city in Inner Mongolia with about 2.5 million people, and that she was “sent to work in Hong Kong to be responsible promoting Inner Mongolia.”

During an interview with The Blade by telephone from China, Ms. Yuan said through a translator: “I wasn’t sent by the Inner Mongolian government to Hong Kong. It was by chance that I had an opportunity when the government was undergoing reform. Many government workers themselves resigned. I was one of those. So I went there on my own. Wasn’t sent by the government.”

During that period in Chinese history, following Deng Xiaoping’s program of economic liberalization, capital began flowing into China to develop natural resources and build up cities in the 1980s and 1990s.

According to her biography, Ms. Yuan in 1994 left her position with the Inner Mongolian government for the Hong Kong offices of Guangdong Telecommunication Engineering Corp., which is actually Guangdong Information & Engineering Co. Ltd., but apparently was translated incorrectly for the English biography.

According to its Web site, the company originally was fairly small, and its business was limited to equipment maintenance and printing.

By the time Ms. Yuan joined the company in 1994, it had expanded into computing systems installation and systems integration with several major domestic and foreign clients. It now partners with companies such as Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, and Huawei, according to its Web site.

Ms. Yuan eventually moved to the firm’s Inner Mongolia office, and according to the Inner Mongolia government business registrar, she is still the company’s legal representative.

During her interview with The Blade, Ms. Yuan confirmed that she is in charge of the Inner Mongolia office, adding that it is “an engineering firm. It involves office automation and such.”

A subordinate of Ms. Yuan’s at the company in Inner Mongolia confirmed that Ms. Yuan runs the company, which has about 30 people. The subordinate said Ms. Yuan actually owns the branch office, despite its affiliation with the head Guangdong Information & Engineering.

According to the brief English biography, Ms. Yuan was involved with “development projects” at several major institutions in Inner Mongolia, including the Inner Mongolia Museum, the Inner Mongolia Court House, the Inner Mongolia Opera House, and the Inner Mongolia Cultural & Art Centre.

The investigative firm said Ms. Yuan was “evidently referring” to system integration projects at Guangdong Information & Engineering, not property development.

Getting contracts

The Inner Mongolia Museum is listed on the firm’s Web site as a system integration project, as is the Ordos Culture and Art Activity Centre.

An employee of Ms. Yuan told The Blade’s investigators that all of Guangdong Information & Engineering projects in Inner Mongolia are with government offices or state-owned enterprises and that Ms. Yuan uses her personal government connections to win contracts.

The employee, whom The Blade has decided not to identify, also said Ms. Yuan “always wins the projects that she wants.”

Ms. Yuan told The Blade that is not accurate.

“It’s neither accurate nor fair to say that. In fact, in China these days, bidding has been very fair. Every time we submit a bid, it’s been fairly done,” she said through translators. “Actually many times, we didn’t win the bids. It’s not like we won every single bid. We are a very reasonable and very fair competitor.”

A complex system

Jeffrey N. Wasserstrom, a professor of history at the University of California, Irvine, editor of the Journal of Asian Studies, and author of China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know, said winning government contracts in China is facilitated by close government contacts.

“I think the complexity about Chinese business dealings is, in part, the mixture of government control and free enterprise,” Mr. Wasserstrom said. “It has always been complicated ... even when there is a relatively private enterprise deal going on, you have to have some kind of government connection to make it work.”

David Yen, a professor at Miami University’s Farmer School of Business and director of the Oxford, Ohio, school’s China business program, said the Chinese government still controls many major industries and heavily regulates others, so connections in government can be a requirement for a successful contractor.

Mr. Yen also said engaging in the culture of “guanxi,” or relationships, is essential for Chinese business.

‘Self-motivated’

Ms. Yuan’s employee said her ability to win government contracts was uncanny.

“Yuan always tells us to mind our own business and not to worry about bidding,” the employee said.

The employee described Ms. Yuan as a woman in her mid-50s who is “extremely self-motivated,” lives for her career, that most people would consider her an “Iron Lady,” a perfectionist, very strict with her subordinates, and that many of her subordinates are afraid of her.

Among the company’s projects are Ordos Vocational School, an 11 million Chinese yuan renminbi ($1.7 million) project; the Mongol Middle School, a 22 million Chinese yuan renminbi ($3.49 million) project; the Party School of the Communist Party Committee Ordos Municipal Committee, a 30 million Chinese yuan renminbi ($4.76 million) project; Ordos No. 1 Middle School, a lighting systems integration project including 11 subsystems worth 43 million Chinese yuan renminbi ($6.8 million), and design only of the Inner Mongolia Public Resource Trading Centre, a lighting project involving computer networks, LED screens, and digital conferencing worth 27 million Chinese yuan renminbi ($4.28 million).

Ms. Yuan’s employee also said Guangdong Information & Engineering had just won another project to do systems integration for two of three sections of the Yanhuang Highway, for which the building costs will be an estimated 70 million Chinese yuan renminbi ($11.1 million).

The work could have included providing electronic services for infrastructure such as toll booths and other service stations.

The incorporation records of Guangdong Information & Engineering — the sole company confirmed to have Ms. Yuan as its legal representative — should include extensive personal information on a company’s legal representative in the form of a resume and supporting identifying documents, such as copies of identification cards, the report said.

“However, the records of [Guangdong Information & Engineering] Hohhot were very partial and fragmented,” the investigator’s report stated. “Financial data, which may have given indications of the company’s customers for potential further inquiries was not available at all, and we could not even find a real confirmation of the company’s shareholders and directors.”

Records not found

Ms. Yuan told The Blade and listed in her biography that she is the leader of a company called “Guangzhou Green Environment Construction Materials Corp.” that develops mortar, insulation, and fire-proofing materials primarily sold in mainland China. Blade investigators in China could not find the existence of such a company in the English-language public domain. Neither the Blade nor its investigative company could find a Chinese company by any obvious translation of that name.

In China, the leader of a company usually serves as its “legal representative,” the person who is listed with the company’s name in government records.

The Blade investigators found no records in Guangzhou for any companies with a legal representative named Yuan Xiaohong or with her Hong Kong identification number.

Ms. Yuan also said she has experience developing property in Shenzhen. The month-long investigation found no record in public documents of any projects affiliated with her.

Ms. Yuan’s subordinate in Inner Mongolia said Ms. Yuan had been active in real estate for only four years.

In Hong Kong, Ms. Yuan registered Dashing Pacific Group Ltd. with her Hong Kong ID number, and there were no other companies registered with that number. But there are several companies registered to a Yuan Xiaohong with a People’s Republic of China passport or no identification at all.

Among them is Ipolex Technologies Ltd., registered to a Yuan Xiaohong without an ID. It operates an information technology business in Shenzhen.

There is also a company named Sunmaxx International Inc. Ltd., which was registered with a People’s Republic of China identification. My Decker Capital Asset Management Ltd. and a related fund both have a director named Yuan Xiaohong with a People’s Republic of China passport, but the company’s Web site does not list Ms. Yuan among its principals.

“We sought out sources with direct knowledge of Wu Kin Hung or Yuan Xiaohong, mainly people affiliated with their companies,” the investigator’s report found. “We found very few people who knew either Wu or Yuan. Neither of them is a high-profile property developer.”

The mayor’s stance

Mr. Bell said there is nothing nefarious about the desire to operate without a lot of attention.

“She is just a little bit more close to the vest,” he said. “She is probably no different than any one of the businesswomen in this country. I think they are acting normal. The only difference is when they speak through their native tongue you have to work through a translator.”

The mayor said domestic investors are sometimes more troublesome.

“When they come here, especially with the level of their financial means, they are very unassuming,” he said. “No arrogance, straight up. I get more resistance from U.S. business people who have means, who act in a much more arrogant way when they approach us and try to talk to us than these business people from China who probably have ten times as much means, but they are acting in a way that is very sociable and in a way that makes you want to do business with them.”

Contact Ignazio Messina at: imessina@theblade.com or 419-724-6171.

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STORY:20120220076 Dashing Pacific's Yuan a success http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2012/02/21/Dashing-Pacifics-Yuan-succeeded-in-tech-field-1.html -1

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Dashing Pacific's Yuan a success

NEWPORT BEACH, CA--(Marketwire -02/21/12)- NVISION Laser Eye Centers' CEO Todd Cooper announced today the appointment of James Pereyra to Vice President of Business Development.

"We are thrilled that James has joined NVISION Laser Eye Centers. His experience in developing strategic partnerships, acquisitions and business integration will be instrumental in supporting the strategic initiatives to drive our growth," said Cooper.

Prior to joining NVISION, Pereyra was head of the Personal Care division at Solta Medical, a global leader in the aesthetic medical device industry. While at Solta Medical, he spearheaded the company's entry into the personal care market by establishing strategic partnerships with leading retailers and global consumer product companies.

Prior to joining Solta Medical, Pereyra was Chief Marketing Officer at CLRS Technology, a pioneer in the home-use medical device industry. In 2010, he played a key role in positioning the company for its eventual purchase by Solta Medical.

Before joining CLRS Technology, Pereyra served as CEO, Chairman, and Co-Founder at Fenix Cosmetics from 1999 to 2007. During his tenure, Fenix Cosmetics experienced explosive growth and was profiled by national print and television media outlets. Pereyra successfully orchestrated the sale of the company in 2004 and remained in place as CEO until 2007.

Pereyra received his MBA from the University of Southern California, and also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of California at Los Angeles. He is an advisory board member at the Chief Marketing Officer Council.

About NVISION Laser Eye Centers

NVISION Laser Eye Centers has ten locations throughout Southern California from San Diego to San Luis Obispo. NVISION Laser Eye Centers is the first provider in California to offer LASIK eye surgery with the Swiss-engineered Ziemer Femto LDVD Crystal Line™ Laser -- the highest level of laser vision correction available today. NVISION is also the first provider in California to offer the bladeless, computer-controlled LenSx laser, unquestionably the most technologically advanced option for refractive cataract patients.

With more than 1,300 eye doctors who refer their patients and trust their own eyes to NVISION surgeons, NVISION Laser Eye Centers is the Eye Doctors' #1 Choice, and serves the counties of San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Ventura and San Bernardino.

For more information, visit http://www.NVISIONCenters.com or call 1-877-91NVISION (1-877-916-8474).

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NVISION Laser Eye Centers Hires New VP of Business Development