Marie Heitmeyer blog

Western DIY outlets retreat in China

At a near-empty B&Q home improvement outlet in Beijing, much of the foot traffic is due to the location of a public toilet next to the entrance -- not the store's patio furniture or circular saws.

It's a sign of how foreign "do-it-yourself" big-box chains have struggled to attract customers in China, where homeowners have little experience in renovating apartments and prefer to pay low-wage decorators to do it for them.

"Do-it-yourself is not popular in China," Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group, told AFP.

"The feeling in China is that if you do it yourself that means you are a peasant -- not the sturdy, manly image DIY chains have crafted in the US."

Despite China's booming property sales and a home-improvement market growing 15 percent a year and worth $100 billion in 2009, such chains have been forced to pare back operations in China -- or leave the country altogether.

UK-based B&Q, whose website describes it as "the market leader in China," entered the Chinese market in 1999, but in 2009 abruptly closed 22 of its 63 stores.

Meanwhile US giant Home Depot, which entered China in 2006, has shuttered nearly half its outlets, leaving it with just seven.

The latest casualty of the tough Chinese home-decorating market is French construction group Saint-Gobain, which said this month it had closed all of its La Maison building material stores.

Analysts said overseas executives mistakenly assumed they could replicate the Western big-box model in China, where many people are renovating for the first time and have little experience using power tools.

"A lot of apartments in China are concrete boxes and have to be decorated from scratch -- very few homeowners know how to do that themselves," Zhou Wei, chief financial officer of advertising agency Charm Communications, told AFP.

These foreign retailers have also stocked products such as garden hoses, picnic tables and barbecues -- poor sellers in a country where people live largely in apartments with no balconies.

Rein said that on some of the few DIY items that do sell in China, both B&Q and Home Depot priced themselves out of the local market by charging much more than Chinese competitors.

In the Beijing B&Q store, bored sales assistants far outnumbered customers. An employee said this was normal for a weekday but it was busier at the weekends -- thanks to the smelly public toilet.

One of the shop's few customers, a man surnamed Ding, said he wanted to buy "impornt items" like pipe fittings for an apartment he was renovating, as he believed they would be better quality at a foreign outlet, albeit more expensive.

For everything else, he said he would get an interior designer to buy at Chinese stores where prices would be cheaper.

Home Depot spokesman Ron DeFeo admitted the company had made mistakes since entering the Chinese market more than four years ago and had since "learned a lot".

"Our stores were modelled after the US market and its DIY format, but China is more of a DIFM (do-it-for-me) market," DeFeo told AFP.

Another problem, according to Saint-Gobain spokesman Nicolas Nie, is that more and more homes sold in major cities such as Shanghai were already decorated, reducing the "prospect to serve individual customers".

B&Q did not respond to AFP requests for comment.

Foreign home-improvement stores are not alone in their struggle to find the right formula for consumers in the country of more than 1.3 billion people.

US toy maker Mattel this month shut the world's first and only Barbie concept store in Shanghai, while US consumer electronics giant Best Buy abruptly closed its self-branded stores last month.

Analysts said some overseas companies have been left in the dust by Chinese rivals who have opened more outlets across the country, secured better locations and enjoy stronger bargaining power with local manufacturers.

But some firms such as Swedish furniture giant Ikea appear to have found the right mix -- it plans to more than double its number of stores in China from the current eight by 2015.

Zhou said Ikea had adapted to the local market by giving novice home decorators examples in its stores of living room, bedroom and kitchen styles suited to Chinese apartments.

J.Pollock Forecasts Continued Pressures for “Streamlined Regulation”

Streamlined ratemaking could fundamentally rewrite the regulatory compact,” warns Jeff Pollock, president of J.Pollock, Inc.“Without proper protections and oversight, regulated utilities can raise rates even though they are not experiencing higher per-unit costs.Consumers need to make sure that such mechanisms, if appropriate, use proper ratemaking practices and do not force consumers to bear risks that have traditionally been born by regulated utilities.”

Under traditional ratemaking, a utility cannot adjust rates without filing an application to the state regulatory commission or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and going through evidentiary hearings. Depending on the jurisdiction, the time and expense of a general rate case may be extensive, with the entire process taking from nine months to well over a year.This time is known as “regulatory lag” and is part of the “regulatory compact” that ensures utility rates are just and reasonable for customers while providing the utility an opportunity to earn a reasonable return.Utilities are proposing to alter the regulatory compact to reduce regulatory lag, by implementing riders to allow recovery of costs without the need for rate cases.

“We believe riders should never replace full rate cases if regulation is to provide a proper surrogate for competition,” explains Pollock. “This ratemaking strategy means a utility has no incentive to minimize costs and every incentive to maximize shareholder profits.Prudence and reasonableness must continue to be prerequisites to cost recovery. Fewer rate cases could limit the opportunities for such reviews.”

J.Pollock advises consumers on a wide range of energy issues, assists clients to manage risk and finds solutions to energy problems.The firm is independent, with extensive experience and expertise in energy procurement, supply and market analysis, regulatory issues, expert testimony, and seminars.

About J.Pollock, Incorporated

J.Pollock, Incorporated assists clients to procure and manage energy in both regulated and competitive markets.J.Pollock has offices in St. Louis, Missouri and Austin and Houston, Texas. Clients include commercial, industrial, and institutional energy consumers.The J.Pollock team also advises clients on energy and regulatory issues.J.Pollock is a registered aggregator in the State of Texas (Certificate No. 80051).For further information contact jpi(at)jpollockinc(dot)com.

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Judy GoodmanLents and Associates314-968-3060Email Information

Another injury rocks 'Spider-Man' Broadway musical

Is this the curse of the Spider-Woman?

T.V. Carpio, who stepped in to replace another actress injured in Broadway's "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," has now herself been sidelined after an accident on stage.

Producers of the $65 million musical said Tuesday that Carpio was hurt March 16 during a battle scene with an actor. Details on her injury were not immediately available.

Carpio plays an evil spider woman called Arachne, one of the handful of large roles in the complicated, stunt-heavy production. She will be out of the show for the next two weeks and will be replaced by America Olivo.

Carpio was elevated from a smaller role when her predecessor, Natalie Mendoza, pulled out after she suffered a concussion in December when she was hit in the head offstage by rope.

The 29-year-old actress had understudied several roles, including Arachne and Mary Jane, since joining the show in 2007 and was a natural choice when Mendoza left. Arachne had six songs and dominates the second act, appearing as a goddess of all spider powers who wants Mary Jane's boyfriend Peter Parker for herself.

The show, which features original songs by U2's Bono and The Edge, is the most expensive in Broadway history but it is also proving to be among the most troubled.

Producers earlier this month announced that Tony Award-winning director Julie Taymor would no longer direct the show, and a new creative team was brought in to change and polish the musical, which has also been plagued with a series of injuries to cast members and aerial stunt mishaps. Its opening has been delayed for a sixth time, to June 14.

Carpio's biggest moment until the Spider-Man musical was appearing as the cheerleader Prudence who sings a rendition of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in "Across the Universe," a Taymor movie set to the music of The Beatles. She also appears in the current film "Limitless" with Bradley Cooper.

During an interview in February, Carpio insisted that she felt safe in the show — almost too safe. She said she was a trained trapeze artist who loves amusement park rides and squealed with delight at the memory of repeatedly plunging from the top of the Las Vegas Stratosphere.

"Here I have four strings attached to me at any given time. Each one of those cables I think can carry 9,000 pounds," she said. "So when people ask me am I scared, no."

When it opens — if it does, that is — "Spider-Man" will have set a record for becoming the first musical with more than 100 preview performances. For comparison, among musicals currently on Broadway, "Wicked" had 25 previews, "American Idiot" had 26 and "The Lion King" had 33. All benefited from out-of-town tryouts before coming to Broadway.

The "Spider-Man" show is unusual in that it has been built specifically for the 1,928-seat Foxwoods Theatre on 42nd Street, meaning a traditional tryout outside New York to fix glitches and smooth out problems wasn't possible.

Producers have asked for patience as they try to finish their acrobatic take on the Marvel comic book hero, which includes new characters and villains grafted onto the traditional story, along with dozens of aerial stunts performed over the audience's head.

By early February, most theater critics from Variety to the Los Angeles Times had had enough and decided to weigh in, a violation of the established agreement by critics to wait for opening night. They unleashed mostly savage pans, with The New York Times saying the show may rank among the worst shows in Broadway history.

Most of the reviewers cited the show's unprecedented string of delays and the fact that producers hadn't discounted tickets yet during the preview period, meaning theatergoers were paying up to $300 for a single seat to a show that wasn't finished.

The musical continues to enjoy a near sold-out run, though some discounted tickets have begun appearing. So far, it has had more than 113 performances, which translates into more than 217,000 tickets sold for a show that despite being open in previews for more than three months is clearly far from finished.

The Situation to appear in D.C.

s disastrous Trump Roast stand-up act, “Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is coming to D.C., and perhaps he’ll even talk politics.

The Situation, who delivered a heavily booed performance at last week’s Comedy Central event for conservative billionaire Donald Trump, is not the first “Jersey Shore” cast member to venture to the nation’s capital. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi traveled to the District earlier this year for the Washington Auto Show. Jenni “JWoww” Farley and Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio of “Jersey Shore” have also made appearances in D.C.

At this year’s Trump Roast, The Situation took numerous jabs at Trump, who many believe will campaign for a 2012 Republican presidency.

“People that hatin’ on [Trump] because [he]is always firing people, but it’s kind of okay because he completely let himself go anyway,” The Situation said during Trump Roast, inciting jeers and hoots from an an unamused crowd. “You know what, Donald? You got the tan, you got the laundry down, but you gotta hit the gym porkchop…But Donald, I like how you roll. I’ve seen pictures of your house, everything in your house is gold. Who the f— decorated your house, Flava Flav’s dentist? I’ll say this, though. Your wife is hot.”

Will The Situation be more popular at Friday’s event than he was at Trump Roast? Time will tell. The Situationon March 25 from 9pm to 3 am, and tickets are on sale for $20.

Read more stories from The Daily Caller

Top 10 superfoods for spring

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I’m the first to admit that the term “” gets thrown around a lot in media and marketing, but that doesn’t mean we should turn our backs on the bursting-with-nourishment, lovely, potent, and delicious foods that fall under the moniker. Especially when these foods are known to lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, and, while we’re at it, put you in a better mood.

Although some people have run rampant with the term and have made a mint by promoting the “miraculous! fountain-of-youth! death-defying!” benefits of superfoods, I hope that there won’t be a backlash against good, old-fashioned, super nutrient-exuberant food.

As I’ve said before, I’m a crusader for most edibles in their pure forms -- and the majority of them are superfoods in my book. There are few whole foods from the plant world that don’t have some health-boosting element to brag about -- so how to decide what to eat?

That’s why I like to think about (and eat) superfoods by season. Sure pumpkin is an A-plus superfood, but I like to save that for fall when it’s fresh and local, and look towards new fruit and tender green things this time of year. It’s a way to be connected to the planet’s cycle and decrease food miles, while giving your body a diversity of nutrients throughout the year to maximize its potential. And, to me at least, spring produce just tastes its amazing best in, yes, the spring! Funny how that works.

1. ArtichokesStudies have shown that artichokes contain a very high amount of antioxidants in the form of phytonutrients. A study undertaken by the USDA ranked artichokes as the number one fresh vegetable in antioxidant count. Among the most powerful phytonutrients are cynarin and silymarin, which have strong positive effects on the liver -- any coincidence that artichokes have been reputed to help in the cure of liver diseases, liver cancer, and to cure hangovers?

One large artichoke contains only 25 calories, no fat, 170 milligrams of potassium, and is a good source of vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and has 6 grams of dietary fiber -- 25 percent of the daily recommended amount.

How to prepare an artichoke? .

2. AsparagusAccording to the National Cancer Institute, asparagus is the food highest in glutathione, an important anti-carcinogen. It is also rich in two cancer-blocking vitamins (A and C) as well as the mineral selenium. These three nutrients have been singled out in several studies as fearsome cancer fighters.

A 5-ounce serving (only 20 calories) provides 60 percent of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Asparagus is also an excellent source of potassium, fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6, and is one of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.

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3. AvocadoThey’re rich, they’re buttery, they’re delicious, and they have about 30 grams of fat per fruit. Ouch. But that’s no reason not to love an avocado. Nutritionists have back-pedaled on their gentle warnings about avocados after finding that most of the fat in an avocado is monounsaturated -- the happy fat that actually lowers cholesterol levels. Yay! Let’s have an avocado party!

A study published in the Archives of Medical Research found that the 45 volunteers who ate avocados every day for a week experienced an average 17 percent drop in total blood cholesterol. As well, their levels of LDL (“bad fat”) and triglycerides, both associated with heart disease, went down. Their HDL (“good fat”) levels, which tend to lower the risk of heart disease, increased.

Avocados are rich in beta-sitosterol, a natural substance shown to significantly lower blood cholesterol levels. In a review article published in the December 1999 issue of the American Journal of Medicine, researchers pointed out that beta-sitosterol was shown to reduce cholesterol in 16 human studies.

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4. BlueberriesJam-packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, blueberries are also high in potassium and vitamin C. Recent research has found that additional components of blueberries may play an important role in preventing and fighting cancer. The results of one study suggest a wide array of potential cancer fighting benefits related to wild blueberry consumption.

Blueberries also have anthocyanin pigments, which may have the ability to halt cancer in the critical stages of promotion and proliferation. A 2005 study published in the Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology indicated that, in isolated cells, the tannins found in blueberries are very active at lowering a protein that plays a role in the metastasis of cancer.

In addition to helping prevent and fight cancer, the compounds in blueberries are believed to help against Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, eye disease, and urinary tract infections. See? Super.

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5. Fava Beans (aka Broad Beans)Mmmm. Spring in a pod -- I adore fava beans, even if they are a little work. OK, a lot of work, but so worth it! Not only are the big, fat, creamy beans scrumptious, but fava beans are particularly high in fiber (85 percent of the RDV), and also high in iron (30 percent of a day’s requirement). They contain no cholesterol and are low in fat.

Fava beans are also noted to contain L-dopa, which is used as a drug for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, as with most whole grains, consumption of fava beans can help reduce risks associated with heart disease.

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6. Fresh FigsFresh figs put the "va va voom" in fruit -- the tender but toothsome skin gives way to a soft and sticky center, dotted with delicately popping seeds, the perfumed and honeyed flesh -- you get the picture. In my humble opinion, figs are quite an experience. And beyond their drop-dead flavor is their profusion of life-boosting qualities.

Figs have the highest overall mineral content of all common fruits. With their standout source of potassium, figs may help to control blood pressure. Figs are high in calcium. And as fate would have it, their potassium may reduce the amount of calcium lost as a result of high-salt diets. Figs are also a good source of iron, vitamin B6, and the trace mineral manganese.

The fruit also has tremendous amounts of fiber, more than any other dried or fresh fruit. Insoluble fiber protects against colon and breast cancer -- soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol, and figs provide both. (Which also makes them a mild laxative, just so you know.) They also are a good source of flavonoids and polyphenols.

Recipes:

Try figs quartered, stuffed with goat cheese, drizzled with honey, and topped with sea salt and black pepper.

7. LeeksLeeks look like cartoonishly big green onions, with a wonderfully sweet and subtle onion flavor. When braised or slowly sauteed, they melt into a sweet and creamy concoction that is hard not to love.

And they are workhorses in the health department as well. Like garlic, onions, scallions, chives and shallots -- all from the Allium family -- leeks can help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens. Leeks contain sulfur compounds that may protect against heart disease and some cancers, they can help the liver eliminate toxins and carcinogens.

Regular consumption of Allium vegetables (as little as two or more times a week -- although I could certainly eat them every meal) is associated with a reduced risk of prostate and colon cancer.

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8. Oregeno and Other Fresh HerbsI love fresh oregano, especially if salty Mediterranean flavors -- capers, olives, roasted peppers -- are involved. Yum. And superfood-y too!

When researchers at the University of Oslo, Norway, analyzed 1,113 foods to identify those foods richest in total antioxidants, of the 50 foods highest in antioxidants, 13 were herbs and spices. One study found that oregano had 42 times more antioxidants than apples.

You might find that parsley is an excellent source of beta carotene, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin (essential for preventing macular degeneration), vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Or try cilantro. In research studies, cilantro's remarkable components have shown the potential to help promote detoxification, reduce high blood sugar and lower levels of cholesterol.

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9. SpinachSpinach, good old spinach. Spinach is an excellent source of folate -- the B vitamin that helps to prevent birth defects, heart disease, dementia, and colon cancer (the third most common cause of cancer in women). People who eat at least one serving of greens, including spinach, each week are 20 percent less likely to develop colon cancer, according to Italian research.

Another compound in spinach, lutein, fights against macular degeneration, which causes age-related vision loss -- in fact, including at least two servings of spinach a week in your diet halves the odds of macular degeneration (a leading cause of blindness), according to the the National Eye Institute. Eating cooked spinach more than twice a week cuts the need for cataract eye surgery in men by half, according to new Harvard University research.

And in a large-scale Harvard study, spinach singled out as most protective against stroke! Finally, because of it’s high in vitamin K, spinach also helps build stronger bones -- lowering the risk of hip fracture from osteoporosis as much as 30 percent, suggests a joint Harvard-Tufts study. Popeye was on to something.

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10. StrawberriesAserving of eight medium strawberries provides 140 percent of the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C, 12 percent of our RDA for fiber, 6 percent of our RDA for folate, 210 mg of potassium, and is also high in vitamins K, B2, B5 and B6, copper, magnesium, and omega-fatty acids. In addition, strawberries contain anthocyanin, which has been used for studies in preventing initiation of cancers. Strawberries contain a unique phenolic group, ellagotannins, which are effective in preventing initiation of esophageal cancer.

With more antioxidant punch than most other fruits, berries in general strengthen tissue defenses against oxidation and inflammation, which are underlying factors in most age-related diseases. For example, substances in blueberries help with short-term memory loss associated with aging. All berries help lower risk for breast, oral, and colon cancers in women. With a wealth of phytochemicals like ellagic acid, adding strawberries to the diet lowers tumor risk by up to 58 percent.

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