The Weekly Journal May 27- June 2 2020

Wednesday, May 27- June 2, 2020 - // no. 057

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

NUC CONTINUES EXPANSION PLANS P6 UPR MED STUDENTS TACKLE COVID-19 NEWS P7

>Courtesy of Porsche

MORE SMALL BUSINESSES REOPENING P8

WORKING FOR A REBOUND IN CAR SALES Auto industry focuses on Internet presence, zero percent loans

A Rosario Fajardo

SURPRISING HISTORY OF SOAP P14

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

uto sales in Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland hit record lows in April and the industry is now focused on a rebound in the summer months, as the global economy reopens after the coronavirus lockdowns.

The situation is particularly important for the car industry in Puerto Rico, which has been battered by multiple blows: the island’s decadelong economic depression, Hurricane Maria’s devastation in

Sept. 2017, the January earthquakes that hit the south, and now the coronavirus pandemic.

April dealt a hard blow to local car sales, which reported a massive drop of 96.2 percent in new-car sales.

April ended with a total of 280 units sold, in contrast to sales of the same month last year of 7,352, which represents a decrease of 96.2 percent, according to the United Group of Automobile Importers (GUIA by its Spanish acronym), an independent nonprofit that represents Puerto GO TO PAGE 4

The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, May 27 2020 >

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/ Wednesday, May 27, 2020

A WEEK IN REVIEW PUERTO RICO REOPENS MORE BUSINESSES, BEACHES WITH NEW RULES Puerto Rico is cautiously reopening beaches, restaurants, churches, hair salons, shopping malls and retail stores under strict new rules as it emerges from a twomonth lockdown that stifled business activity on an island already beset with economic woes. Safety protocols remain in place, such as social distancing and wearing masks. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

P.R. LABOR DEPARTMENT DISBURSES $165M IN UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS The Puerto Rico Labor Department announced it has disbursed more than $165 million for 55,000 people who requested the new federal unemployment benefit. Applicants received the minimum compensation of $66 weekly, plus the federal supplemental aid of $600 a week, retroactive from April 4. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

Powered BY El Vocero de Puerto Rico, 1064 Ave Ponce de León 2nd floor San Juan, PR Postal Address: PO Box 15074, San Juan, PR 00902

BUSY ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON PREDICTED FOR 2020 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts 13 to 19 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which six to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including three to six major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher).

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. >Courtesy of NOAA

President Salvador Hasbún shasbun@elvocero.com

Human Resources Director Arlene Rolón, PHR arolon@elvocero.com

Multi-Platform Digital Director Stephanie Gómez Álvarez sgomez@elvocero.com

Comptroller Félix A. Rosa frosa@elvocero.com

Traffic Director Ilia M. Pérez Centeno iperez@elvocero.com

Multi-Platform Graphic Director Héctor L. Vázquez hvazquez@elvocero.com

Production Director Eligio Dekony edekony@elvocero.com

Editorial Director Juan Miguel Muñiz Guzmán jmuniz@elvocero.com

Assistant Editor/ Reporter Rosario Fajardo rfajardo@wjournal.com

Phone: 787-622-2300, 787-721-2300 Customer Service: 787-622-7480

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Rico’s auto industry.

With these latest results, there has been a drop of 43.2 percent in new-car sales in Puerto Rico so far in 2020.

Car sales in the U.S. mainland also saw a big decrease in April. Just 633,260 new cars and trucks were sold nationwide in April, eclipsing the previous low of 655,000 in Jan. 2009 during the Great Recession, according to Edmunds, a company that analyzes the U.S. auto industry.

Compared with April 2019, Edmunds reported that the numbers in the U.S. represent a year-overyear drop of 53 percent.

The major contributing factors for the auto industry’s woes are twofold, according to Edmunds. With the economy under lockdowns, many car dealerships have been unable to operate as normal, along with many other sectors. At the same time, the fallout from massive job losses, primarily in the private sector, have also dampened sales.

“Amid spiking unemployment and a volatile business climate, car shoppers have understandably been reluctant to take on new financial obligations. Fleet sales, meanwhile, have cratered due to the predictable reduction in rentalcar demand, depriving automakers of another reliable revenue stream,” said Josh Sadlier, director of content strategy at Edmunds.

April was the worst month in the history of auto sales in Puerto Rico, affirmed GUIA President Ricardo M. García, noting that showrooms have been closed for more than two months, since the lockdown began in mid-March.

“In order to recover these million-dollar losses and volumes from previous years, it will take years, unless there is an immediate intervention by government to inject relief to consumers and to the more than 30,000 Puerto Rican families that

>Source: GUIA

make up and live on this industry,” García said.

“For unprecedented times, we need to take calculated, strategic and ‘out of the box’ measures that will take us on the road to recovery. Time continues to pass and the scenario becomes more complicated,” he added, saying that he continues to call on government support.

GUIA noted that its brands have customer service areas or call centers that provide consultation and assistance services to consumers.

In addition, many dealers’ service centers have been open Monday through Friday. These centers are accepting customers with prior appointments, one at a time, and taking precautionary and social distancing measures.

Luxury Brands Revamp Web Presence

As the coronavirus crisis upended the auto industry, the Internet has increasingly become a focus of attracting consumers. Before the pandemic, only about 1 percent of U.S. vehicle

Porsche accelerates its e-commerce strategy with the launch of a new pre-owned vehicle search platform. >Courtesy

sales were made online, which totaled $1.1 trillion in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The percentage was expected to continue growing in the coming years, with a projected annual growth of around 7 percent.

Around 50 percent of consumers were already reporting that they were willing to purchase a new vehicle entirely online, according to the Digital Commerce 360 Online Vehicle Shopper 2019 Survey. With the new normal forced upon us by the coronavirus, these numbers are now expected to increase.

To help spur sales, luxury brand Porsche has announced that it is fast-tracking its e-commerce strategy to meet growing customer demand for digital access. In the latest step, Porsche Cars North America has launched its new pre-owned and Certified Pre-Owned vehicle search platform, Porsche Finder.

With the launch of the new platform, Porsche said it is streamlining and enhancing the customer’s ability to connect from home with one of the 192 U.S. Porsche dealerships and quickly find precisely the vehicle they’re looking for. The new platform includes optimized search filters for model and generation, vehicle equipment and packages, pricing options, dealer inventory search without Zip code, in addition to an expanded selection of interior and exterior vehicle colors.

“Now is the time to put our foot on the accelerator to make the Porsche digital experience as stellar as our cars,” said Klaus Zellmer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America.

“Providing seamless access to our products is a top priority in our existing e-commerce strategy, with the goal of creating a one-stop shop for new and pre-owned vehicle search and purchase, which will follow down the road. For now, the new Porsche Finder platform for pre-owned vehicles will enhance the customer experience and greatly benefit our dealer partners.”

The porscheusa.com website that hosts Porsche Finder has been optimized to enable search on mobile and tablet devices, as consumer data shows that over 50 percent of users conduct vehicle searches on a mobile device, the company said.

Meanwhile, Acura will reveal the completely new second-generation Acura TLX sport sedan digitally

/ Wednesday, May 27, 2020

might look up a bit for the industry,” said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds’ executive director of insights.

“We’re optimistic that sales could improve after the record lows we saw in April, but there’s still a layer of uncertainty around whether consumers will really show up en masse to shop given the severe effect that the pandemic has had on personal finances and the economy,” she said.

Their tips to research and buy a car safely from home include: • Do your research online first.

• Establish your budget and shop around for financing.

• Get a trade-in appraisal and do research for comparisons.

• Get price quotes from different dealerships.

• Check out your local dealership’s inventory online to determine if they have your vehicle in stock. Due to the pandemic and shutdowns, some Acura will reveal the completely new second-generation Acura TLX sport sedan digitally on May 28. >Courtesy

In fact, Before the pandemic, only about 1 percent of U.S. vehicle sales were made online, which totaled $1.1 trillion in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The percentage was expected to continue growing in the coming years, with a projected annual growth of around 7 percent.

on Thursday, May 28. The company is touting the new TLX will be the quickest, best-handling and most well-appointed sport sedan in Acura history, with the Type S being the model’s performance pinnacle. The new TLX will make its public debut in a short film viewable at acura.com/2021-TLX.

Zero Percent Loans

Other auto brands are focusing on zero percent loans for “secure” customers.

BMW authorized dealers are offering zero percent interest, a bonus of up to $5,000 and no payments for the first three months, for qualified shoppers. Toyota authorized dealers are offering various bonuses, along with “free gasoline” for one year and “free maintenance” for life. Chrysler authorized dealers are offering up to $4,000 in discount, up to $250 in gasoline at Puma stations, “free maintenance” for two years and highway assistance for three years or up to 36,000 miles.

These are just some of the offers that car dealers are hoping to tempt buyers with.

“We’re seeing far more generous incentives and deals out there than we typically would for [the recent] Memorial Day weekend, and since more consumers might be looking at vehicles for summer road trips instead of airline travel, things

>Courtesy

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selections might be limited in terms of options and colors.

• Call, text or email the dealership to ask if they’re offering contactless test drives. Many are willing to drive vehicles to local shoppers’ homes for test drives while following social distancing measures such as wearing masks and sanitizing the vehicle fully before and after test drives.

• See what paperwork can be completed online, and whether home delivery is an option.

“If you know you’re in a financially stable enough position to purchase a new vehicle, and you aren’t super picky, now is a really good time to consider buying. Safety is obviously top of mind in the current situation, but the great news is that the entire car buying process can essentially be completed online and from the comfort of your own home,” said Ivan Drury, Edmunds’ senior manager of insights.

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NUC University has more than 20,000 students in Puerto Rico and Florida. >Courtesy

National University College

Expands Academic Programs, Rebrands

Institution adds more degrees and extends its reach in the mainland U.S.

A Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

s Puerto Rico reopens multiple sectors to boost an economy that has spiraled downward due to COVID-19 emergency measures, some businesses are in the process of reinventing themselves and even expanding their operations. Such is the case of National University College (NUC), a local private university system with campuses islandwide.

NUC President Michael W. Bennett, who assumed his position in January, explained that the academic institution will be rebranded as NUC University.

According to Bennett, the name change aims to reflect NUC’s “highest possible degree of recognition as a university institution in Puerto Rico.” Moreover, he said that the rebranding effort responds to its growth objective and commitment to quality education, as established in its 2015-2020 Strategic Plan.

“In this historical moment we are experiencing, our students — despite difficult circumstances — have continued pursuing their studies and wish to complete their degrees to contribute to the island.

The resilience and commitment that our students, professors and administrative staff have shown during this emergency are what inspire us day by day to continue our mission as an academic institution, to help thousands of people achieve their academic goals despite any adversity. They

encourage us to continue growing and offering programs concerning the health industry. Of its personalized service to all our students which is 20,000 students, 41.7 percent are enrolled in why we are happy to announce that we will now Nursing, Dental Assistant and Pharmacy Technician be NUC University,” Bennett said, adding that the programs. Other popular programs are Beauty, rebranding process began several years ago. such as Styling, Barbershop and Nail Technology; “As an institution, we are always innovating, and Culinary Arts, like Local and International focused on the academic offerings Cuisines, Bartending and Bakery with the highest labor demand and Pastry. in the island so that our students NUC also has a Continuing can quickly join the workforce,” he Education Division and an online said. division with the highest number The university has more in Puerto Rico of students who A spokesperson than 20,000 students in Puerto take virtual lessons. The latter for NUC told THE Rico and the U.S. mainland and uses Canvas, a platform that WEEKLY JOURNAL has 15 campuses, including adapts to different difficulty that the institution nine campuses in the state of teaching levels, from basic high also plans to open Florida, and 13 IBC Technical school courses to advanced three more campuses Division Centers with various Master’s lessons. in Florida, aiming to short programs. NUC offers With new programs underway, increase its presence certifications, associate degrees the administration expects that in the U.S. mainland and Bachelor’s and Master’s the institution will receive broader market while degrees online, on-campus and recognition beyond its certificate reaching more Latino hybrid models. programs. populations.

The institution will expand In addition, new academic its offerings in August with new offerings for NUC were recently educational programs: three approved: graduate certificates Bachelor degrees in Business Administration in provided by the Postsecondary Institutions Board Finance, Project Management and Social Media (JIP by its Spanish acronym) and the Middle States Marketing; a Private Detective with Bodyguard Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), which diploma; and three graduate certificates in the administration predicts will benefit graduates Accounting, Online Education and Management and who wish to specialize in some area of study Education Leadership. without the need to pursue a full Master’s degree.

A spokesperson for NUC told THE WEEKLY “Our mission is to provide the quality training JOURNAL that the institution also plans to open and technical skills necessary at any of the three more campuses in Florida, aiming to increase educational levels we offer for the development of its presence in the U.S. mainland market while professionals who contribute to the island’s growth, reaching more Latino populations. all of which are important to Puerto Rico,” Bennett The private academic entity is known for its said.

In fact,

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Puerto Rico Med Students Create Page for Reliable, Accessible COVID-19 Info ‘Covid-PR’ fights fake news and takes on other health concerns

A Giovanna Garofalo

ggarofalo@wjournalpr.com

@giopgarofalo

t a time when the majority of the population is following stay-at-home orders with uninterrupted Internet access, the alarmingly fast proliferation of “fake news” and misinformation on social media represents a health risk, as some people forego social distancing and health protocols aimed at curtailing the spread of COVID-19.

In a bid to counter this threat, a group of Puerto Rican medical students created a Facebook account dedicated to providing accurate information about the coronavirus from reliable sources in a language that is accessible to locals.

The Facebook page Covid-PR (@infocovidpr) debuted in April, less than one month after the local administration confirmed the first three cases of the virus on the island. The concept was designed by third-year students from the University of Puerto Rico’s Medical Sciences Campus: Sandra Ríos Meléndez, Daniel Goyco Vera, Sofía Muns Aponte, Clariliz Munet Colón, Virginia Rojas Nieves, Neyshia Rodríguez Robles, Paulette Urrutia Villamil, Carolina Fuentes Sánchez, Cristian Rosa Carrasquillo and Nestor Flores Buonomo.

“We noticed that there was a lot of false information getting shared on WhatsApp and Facebook, and what this created was a bit of panic that led people to do things incorrectly. Apart from that, we also noticed that there was a lot of information that was only available in English, and perhaps it was harder for Puerto Ricans to access this,” Goyco told THE WEEKLY JOURNAL. Munet added that some official sources or reputable health entities along the likes of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization (WHO) often either

“Covid-PR” on Facebook provides information from reliable sources, using simple text with visual backup. >Courtesy

contain Spanish articles that are less detailed than their English counterparts or use words and phrases that aren’t commonplace in the Puerto Rican dialect.

With this in mind, the students make sure to collect information from a variety of reputable entities to be as detailed as possible, while using easy-to-read language, and often supporting the text with a visual guide for smooth data processing.

We noticed that there was a lot of false information getting shared on WhatsApp and Facebook, and what this created was a bit of panic that led people to do things incorrectly.

-Daniel Goyco Vera

Rodríguez noted that when they fact-check false or misleading information they explain why that narrative is inaccurate, citing their sources.

One notorious example of erroneous allegations that can have hazardous repercussions is a public Facebook post that falsely explains that surgical

masks should be used in one of two ways: with the blue side facing outward if the person wearing it is sick, or the white side facing outward if the person does not carry the virus.

“That is incorrect because every layer of the mask has a specific purpose and by wearing it inside out it is not doing the function for which it was made; you’re wearing something wrong and it’s not going to protect you. This is very important to correct because if a person sees that post and doesn’t take the time to check if it was true, they will put the mask on incorrectly and they could get infected,” Rojas said. In this particular example, they cited the Food and Drug Administration and Dr. Seto Wing Hong from the WHO. In addition to coronavirus-related news and information, the page managers have also stressed the importance of other health aspects, such as staying active under lockdown and providing tips from experts on managing mental health concerns, like depression or anxiety. The students, however, warn that CovidPR is designed as a reliable source and not as a replacement for medical treatment.

Another important topic for them is the issue of domestic violence, as experts warn that lockdown orders have worsened abusive home environments.

“Everyone is saying ‘stay home,’ but households aren’t safe for everyone. It was very important to us to discuss domestic and gender-based violence; to empower women, giving them numbers they can call (787-722-2977),” Fuentes said.

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Survey: Some 60 Percent of Small Businesses Forced to Close Temporarily

Private sector welcomes latest reopening announcement

G Rosario Fajardo

rfajardo@wjournalpr.com

@RosarioWJournal

ov. Wanda Vazquez’s announcement that more economic sectors would open up, starting May 26, was welcome news for the business community, as a recent survey showed that some 60 percent of small businesses have had to close temporarily due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“This is a balance between human life, economic development and job creation. This is just the beginning. We have to learn to live with this new reality,” said Adolfo González, president of the Shopping Centers Association.

He said shopping malls have already developed protocols on social distancing and the use of masks, to ensure a successful reopening.

“Our industry has an impact on the economy of $10 billion annually and represents 130,000 jobs. We are still quantifying losses from shopping centers, but wage losses until May 25 amount to $431 million in direct and indirect [jobs], and $270 million in revenue losses for the Treasury from tax collections,” he added.

The restaurant industry is also looking forward to reopening more fully, although many establishments will close for good, according to Ramón Leal, a former president of the Restaurants Association.

About 23 percent of the 4,000 restaurants in Puerto Rico will opt to remain closed despite government permission to reopen, he indicated.

“This is a good start that will allow us to give confidence to our employees and diners and gradually increase our operational capacity to recover the sector,” he said.

As reported by THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, the governor has announced a near-total reopening of the island’s social and economic sectors, which will allow restricted operations for shopping centers, restaurants, beauty salons, barbershops and churches. Retail establishments can reopen at 50

The Mall of San Juan >Archive

percent capacity and restaurants at 25 percent, with safety protocols in place.

Survey Results Show the Private Sector’s Pain The survey, by Colmena66, of 625 of small and mid-size businesses around the island found that nearly 400 were forced to close temporarily after the lockdown that began in mid-March, while slightly more than 100 were only partially opened.

An estimated 51 percent said they have had to forego paying some company debts, 32 percent had to reduce employee hours or staff numbers, and 30 percent were still evaluating their options to keep the businesses going.

The businesses that were surveyed include professional services firms, retail establishments, restaurants and hotels, and agriculture businesses.

The overwhelming majority were microbusinesses of no more than five people; another 13 percent had six to 10 employees. The businesses surveyed are located in 72 of the island’s 78 municipalities.

Among other data findings of the survey, Colmena66 highlighted the following as the most revealing: 86 percent of those surveyed do not have a contingency fund for unforeseen situations; 61 percent said their company could only stay open one month with the capital they currently have available; and 52 percent said they would need between $1,000 and $10,000 to resume operations. In addition, 76 percent said they needed help creating a risk mitigation plan for COVID-19, compared to 67 percent who expressed the same sentiment after the January earthquakes.

Plaza Las Américas >Archive

The survey, which began on March 20 and continued for five weeks, does not include information on whether these businesses applied for the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program to help with the coronavirus crisis, and if so, if they were approved.

Colmena66 is a program of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust.

“Colmena66 has dedicated its efforts in helping over 6,800 entrepreneurs and business owners to start and grow their businesses, connecting them with the right resources at the right time. The experience of Hurricane Maria has allowed us to develop a proven formula to help entrepreneurs during disasters,” said Denisse Rodriguez Colón, executive director of Colmena66.

“Usually, these entrepreneurs feel alone and overwhelmed with many questions, and in our Resource Network they can find the support and reliable tools they need to keep moving forward,” she added.

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Francisco Rodríguez-Castro Birling Capital

T

Two Different Islands: Public Sector v. Private Sector

hey have made us believe that we Puerto Ricans were a race unified by its sense of purpose, by its rich culture, by its traditions, by its respect for others — after all, we are one single country, we share the same land, we all have similar dreams, apart from facing the same problems and challenges.

I used to think that the private sector’s strength was also the public sector’s strength, which is why it was every Puerto Rican’s responsibility to work in unison to improve Puerto Rico.

Since 2013, when the government of Puerto Rico chose the easiest route and decided not to honor the constitution by preferring to default on the $69 billion consolidated debt, that was the day we segregated into two different islands, inhabited by people from the public and private sectors, respectively. The simple reason: the government chose to dishonor the constitution to continue paying government wages and pensions.

These differences have become deeper and more pronounced over the years, especially after the lockdown enacted by Gov. Wanda Vázquez. Initially, it was a good idea. Now, it has become the worst possible nightmare for the private sector. Let’s see how people live on the islands in the public sector vs. the private sector.

can’t comply with their functions and services to the public.

• Critical essential services — such as unemployment benefits, the government’s health care, Nutritional Assistance programs like SNAP in school lunchrooms — are not available or are scarcely functional.

• The government has been unable to provide for the needs of its citizens.

The government and all political leadership don’t acknowledge that these luxuries and comfortable lifestyles that it provides to public employees are paid with the revenue it collects from taxes and other obligations imposed by the government to the private sector.

Life on the Private Sector Island:

• The private sector employs 80

percent of Puerto Rico’s workforce, with more than 650,000 workers and a payroll that exceeds $30.2 billion a year.

• The private sector works hand in hand with communities and nonprofits, which together add up $40 billion or 83 percent of the economy’s total income.

• Currently, employees in the private sector have presented 240,996 new unemployment claims, or 37 percent of the total workforce in the private sector, which — according to the numbers by the Labor Department — tallied 654,224.

• Most economists affirm that the total number of jobless individuals is over 359,000, or 55 percent of the private sector’s total workforce.

• Workers in the private sector not only lost their jobs; soon they will lose their health insurance and any other benefit.

• Thousands of companies face insolvency with more than two months closed without any revenue; bankruptcies will quadruple.

• Puerto Rico’s hospitals have lost $202 million in 60 days, with losses that continue to grow at a daily rate of $3.5 million per day. Over 30 hospitals could dramatically reduce operations.

• The only components of the sector that have been allowed to operate marginally are supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants with takeout or delivery services, and workshops by appointment.

• Car sales plummeted 96 percent in April 2020.

• Banks are sure to take a huge hit due to increased delinquencies on loans, including commercial, auto, mortgage, personal, credit cards, among others.

The private sector island faces insolvency, bankruptcies, irrecoverable losses, high unemployment, hunger and possible loss of lives if our hospitals begin to close. In short, misery and poverty are distributed on the island of the private sector.

— Editor’s note: This is an edited version of a column that was originally published in El Vocero of Puerto Rico.

Life on the Public Sector Island: • 201,900 government employees are quarantined in their homes; only essential agencies are working.

• They all receive their payrolls on the 15th and 30th day each month; 70 percent of them without working a single hour.

• Each one collects vacation days and sick leave.

• They receive free or highly subsidized health insurance.

• Most agencies are closed, so they

A woman arrives at the P.R. Labor Department to file an unemployment claim. >Josian E. Bruno Gómez

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Puerto Rico. As people fly less and families look to stay close to home, destinations that are domestic, look Licensed Architect and Entrepreneur more feasible. Beyond the traditional places like Old San Juan and El Yunque, the island has incredibly unique and diverse destinations that we all need to visit.

Vacation rentals: As traditional hotels turn and operate as lodges and the local vacation rentals rent out for two or four weeks, the local lodging offerings will provide a much more secure environment for families This is an excellent opportunity for he negative shortand will also help control the spread Puerto Rico.

As a U.S. island beach term economic destination, Puerto Rico’s shortest flight of the virus. These options help both global impact of the hotel owners as well as the local rental coronavirus pandemic from the mainland U.S., is two and a market. half hours in contrast to Honolulu’s six. on the tourism Nevertheless, as we are pressed International trips: International air industry has been to decide how to reopen the industry travel could be risky because of the devastating. Now, as safely and redesign an economic potential long distances, exposure and the world begins to slowly reopen and recovery plan for the island, several potentially recapture their lost tourism different government virus protocol things will have to be implemented: requirements. A serious concern is industry, it is imperative to rethink Limit ports of entry: As an island, that if there is no COVID-19 vaccine and reassess how and to where we all Puerto Rico has a clear advantage available, there might be a second travel. This process could potentially combating this pandemic. Controlling wave of this global virus. Puerto Rico be beneficial to Puerto Rico, as some the amount of ports of entry and is a U.S. domestic travel destination tourism locations may be more implementing biological barriers, that does not require you to have a affected than others. including testing, will help minimize passport. No one wants to be trapped Short air travel: As air travel starts the spread and give travelers a unique in an international destination if all up again and destinations begin to sense of comfort during their visit. travel is banned or canceled to the U.S. reopen, most people do not feel Digitize: Develop online reservations Travel local: Look within! There comfortable traveling on long flights. with specific entry times that can are excellent local tourism options in

Ricardo Álvarez-Díaz

Welcome Back to Puerto Rico

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Teresita Fuentes CPA

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Revenue Code to exclude income effectively connected with the active conduct of a trade or business in a U.S. possession from tax, which otherwise would be considered global intangible low taxed income (GILTI). This simple change requires a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) to meet certain criteria related with active business requirement to avoid abuses, but simple enough to provide a desperately needed boost to new investment.

Basically, the bill effectively concern with the need and shortage of positions the territories to fill a medical supplies, and has instructed manufacturing gap that addresses the agencies to move to U.S. sources when need for U.S.-made goods, while at the possible. Members of Congress have same time fostering high-paying skilled introduced several bills that stress jobs in the territories. this very point. Washington is focusing H.R. 6648 not only makes sense, it is on manufacturing reshoring, and the prudent and reasonable approach rightly so. The United States needs to to the immediate challenges faced ensure that it is prepared to face local, by U.S. territories, while also offering national and global emergencies like the talent and resources we have to the one we are facing. serve our great nation. If Plaskett’s However, let’s be clear, a write-off bill is approved, it could represent a of investment property or credits for significant revival to the economies of operating in a depressed zone won’t U.S. territories. lure enough companies to make a Election year politicking aside, dent in our economy. While immediate some will argue that manufacturing write-offs of investment property are companies don’t provide enough convenient, they are not enticing. jobs or that the taxes collected don’t Revisiting GILTI rules applicable to CFCs offset the benefits they are given. on the other hand, is the path the U.S. The reality is that the economic must follow to reach its goal. trickle-down effect is such that Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett they justify the very existence of (D-USVI) recently introduced H.R. 6648, small businesses throughout the The Territorial Economic Recovery Act. island. These manufacturers require The bill aims to ensure the economic services from local companies from recovery of U.S. territories during car dealerships to food distributors, uncertain times. logistics, laboratories and private The bill amends the U.S. Internal security companies to name a few.

The Search for Manufacturing Reshoring

irst things first — let me make this point abundantly clear — I have always favored statehood for Puerto Rico and I believe the island should be a state.

Puerto Ricans deserve adequate benefits, voting representation in Congress and should vote for the President.

With that said, I vehemently oppose efforts by any group, lobbyist or political leader to strike or derail incentives for Puerto Rico, sheltering their argument in the ransacked shack that implies that supporting statehood is inconsistent with supporting tax incentives for the island. That makes as much sense as getting rid of your old car because it’s too beat up, before saving for a down payment on a new ride. You’re going to end up walking, Genius!

Our government must try to understand Washington and listen to the happenings inside the beltway. The Trump administration has expressed

handle crowd control. New apps where potential travelers and visitors can book any activity without having to stand in line will help the overall experience and improve word-ofmouth.

Follow the rules: As local government restrictions begin to loosen, we all have a responsibility to help the tourism industry by continuing to publicly observe important rules, like social distancing, the use of shields and masks etc. These measures work both as a potential sickness prevention as well as to minimize anxiety.

Spread the news: We have one of the lowest death rates in the U.S. for COVID-19. Puerto Rico’s location, its warm tropical climate, and the quickness with which the island went into lockdown are important bits of information that need to be part of any communication piece as we seek to reopen our tourism industry.

As more and more people begin to feel comfortable and crave travel away from home, Puerto Rico has a unique opportunity to step up and redefine travel and tourism during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Let us not waste an opportunity to conceptualize a new travel experience for all to follow.

Better yet, ask the mayors where some of these manufacturers operate, what they would do if they were to lose this presence.

A recent article in The Hill, titled “Puerto Rico is shovel-ready for the COVID-19 recovery” highlights Puerto Rico’s need for incentives and ties it to the need for strengthening the production of medical supplies in the U.S. The article describes federal incentives during Operation Bootstrap and the evolution of the island’s economy. Puerto Rico has endured a lot, but it retains talent, infrastructure and vast experience in manufacturing.

If our leaders want to sell the idea that some miraculous solution will be born in Washington, we are in trouble.

Business development and industry on the island must be nurtured, and our leaders know that. The status debate, the considerations before Congress and the legitimate debate of our future have a place and time. It’s OK to have that debate. However, we cannot continue to sacrifice generations of young Puerto Ricans to push the misconceived notion that improving conditions under our current status and ensuring Puerto Rican quality of life now, is inconsistent with petitioning a different political future. If this notion were correct, how do they explain the rum cover over, maritime cabotage laws and other federal laws that address the island differently?

Our young generations need us.

Let’s step up our game and show them the respect they deserve. The question is if our leaders are willing to foster that economic growth now.

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< The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, May 27 2020

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A masked scientist at the Arecibo Observatory who was recently tracking a “masked” asteroid. >Courtesy of the Arecibo Observatory

The Basics of Wearing Masks

in the New COVID-19 Age

and nose, or if you put it down to your chin. Once you put it a mask on, leave it in place.

Oh vey, that is so hard! So, I wondered, “Are there risks associated with wearing a face mask?

Like not being able to breath?”

1. I have learned that there is a false sense Hallee Patterson of security in wearing masks. They are not 100 percent protective. Social distancing is more important than the mask, as is frequent hand asks have become de washing. However, it is mandatory to wear masks rigueur in our daily lives, in public places. in this new coronavirus 2. The mask should be snugly worn around your age. In addition to the face but not too tight. To become comfortable with important health issues the mask, wear it around the house for a while. of wearing them in public 3.

Once a mask becomes wet, it is no longer spaces, masks swiftly are useful and should be changed immediately. becoming a new fashion statement. Designers and 4.

Face products: If you have dry skin, it’s best homemakers are coming up with new designs to to put on moisturizer before wearing a mask. For cover our noses and mouths. Will the face mask oily skin, you may want to avoid wearing a liquid become what hats were in the 1940s? foundation as that can clog your pores and cause As reported by The Associated Press: The your skin to break out.

If the foundation rubs off Centers for Disease Control has urged people to on your mask, decreased air filtration will make use washable cloth coverings to ensure there are it harder to breathe.

Regardless, people have enough surgical and N95 masks for medical workers. reported difficulty breathing when wearing masks.

Public health experts recommend wearing a mask 5.

Men with beards: You don’t need to shave made from cotton fabric, such as T-shirts, or scarves your beard to wear a mask properly.

However, it and bandannas, when you are outside and unable to would be wise to trim it. maintain social distancing from others.

6. Ear chafing: There are three ways to help with The World Health Organization (WHO) also this issue: recommends we wear masks and wants us to be A. Use headbands with buttons and attach the more mindful of hygiene and social distancing to help prevent contagion. WHO explains that wearing elastic loops around the buttons.

B. Use S-ring hooks, centered at the back of your masks is not effective if you move it off your mouth

The new ‘essential’ accessory for today’s times

M

head, and attach the elastic hoops to them.

C. Place a piece of folded tissue between the strap and your ears for cushion.

7. When wearing masks with eyeglasses, it is recommended to wash your glasses with dish soap, as this stops the glasses from filming.

Ways to test your cloth mask for safety:

• The Water test: Test if your mask is safe by loading it with water. If the mask is effective, water should not be able to seep through.

• The Light Transmission test: Hold the mask over light. Only minimal light should be able to pass through.

• Blow Test: If you can blow out a lighter or candle while wearing a mask, chances are, your mask is definitely fake.

How to care for masks:

• Store it in a dry and cool place away from sunlight and moisture to avoid fungus from breeding.

• Masks made of fabric can be washed in regular laundry using hot water. Try non-scented detergent.

• After washing cloth masks, tumble dry on high settings.

• You can also hand wash cloth masks using hot soapy water. Scrub the mask clean for at least 20 seconds.

• Disposable surgical masks must be thrown away after one use.

>Carlos Rivera Giusti

/ Wednesday, May 27, 2020

/ Wednesday, May 27, 2020

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Design Ideas for Your Office at Home Comfort and functionality are important elements

I

Yaira Solís Escudero

ysolis@elvocero.com

@yairasolis

dentifying a special corner to work or study from home is part of the new reality for many of us that came with the coronavirus pandemic. To comfortably spend up to eight hours every day at your home office, it is crucial to create a warm and cozy

space.

Interior designer Gisella Díaz talked to THE WEEKLY JOURNAL and recommended setting up your home office in an area that is separate from the family fuss, such as the busy kitchen and dining areas. Like any office, the one you will have at home must have a comfortable desk and chair.

“A 30-inch by 60-inch desk can provide you with enough space to work comfortably. But a person who works alone on a computer — and doesn’t need a lot of space for papers — could get a smaller desk. That desk could be accompanied by a filing drawer, if necessary.

They must also consider additional tables, such as one for drawing or for opening a roll of plans, if these are essential work instruments,” explained Díaz.

A good chair with wheels should be included in your work area at home. If this isn’t the case, try to have an ergonomic chair to help with your posture. Consider the dimensions of your body and use a comfortable chair. Adding a bookcase to the area would be useful to organize your materials and work documents.

“If you don’t have enough space, you could set up a tall table around the corner or in one side of the room, allowing you to have reference books at hand without sacrificing unavailable space or space that is needed for other things,” added Díaz.

As for the color that should predominate your working area, she recommends choosing the one that makes you feel comfortable and focused.

“I like to recommend light tones for walls because they offer luminosity to the space.

This doesn’t mean they’re boring because you can integrate the color with additional décor.

>Courtesy

>Courtesy

A chalkboard-painted wall could be the right choice, since it imparts informality to the place while serving as a calendar or memo board, to keep you organized and motivated. A wall with a mural of the world map or scenes from your favorite city would give a contemporary twist to a classic office or library decoration,” said Díaz.

If your home doesn’t have a library and you are looking to create a work space, the decorator recommends selecting an office area rich in natural lighting. You can also control the stream of natural lighting with the help of a curtain or placing your desk by a window. At the same time, consider complementing the natural source of light with artificial lighting, but avoid harsh fluorescent light bulbs.

“Lamps must provide the amount of light necessary to work without straining your eyes.

In addition to this, the color and heat of the light bulb are factors that you must take into account when choosing artificial lighting. Nobody can work comfortably under a light bulb that emits a lot of heat,” added Díaz.

You can also incorporate the décor of your choice like wall shelves, family photos and fun desk accessories, as well as flowers and house plants to purify the area, provide warmth and make you feel content.

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>Courtesy

/ Wednesday, May 27, 2020

The Dirty History of Soap From ancient Mesopotamia to modern times

W

“

Judith Ridner, Mississippi State University

ash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.”

That’s what the Centers for Disease Control has advised all Americans to do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during this pandemic.

It’s common-sense advice. The surfactants found in soap lift germs from the skin, and water then washes them away. Soap is inexpensive and ubiquitous; it’s a consumer product found in every

household across the country.

Yet few people know the long and dirty history of making soap, the product we all rely on to clean our skin. I’m a historian who focuses on material culture in much of my research. As I started digging into what’s known about soap’s use in the past, I was surprised to discover its messy origins.

Gross Ingredients To Clean Things Up

Ancient Mesopotamians were first to produce a kind of soap by cooking fatty acids — like the fat rendered from a slaughtered cow, sheep or goat — together with water and an alkaline like lye, a caustic substance derived from wood ashes. The result was a greasy and smelly goop that lifted away dirt.

An early mention of soap comes in Roman scholar Pliny the Elder’s book “Naturalis Historia” from A.D. 77. He described soap as a pomade made of tallow — typically derived from beef fat — and ashes that the Gauls, particularly the men,

In fact, Today’s commercially manufactured soaps are highly specialized, lab-engineered products. Synthesized animal fats and plant-based oils and bases are combined with chemical additives, including moisturizers, conditioners, lathering agents, colors and scents, to make soaps more appealing to the senses.

applied to their hair to give it “a reddish tint.”

Ancient people used these early soaps to clean wool or cotton fibers before weaving them into cloth, rather than for human hygiene. Not even the

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/ Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Greeks and Romans, who pioneered running water and public baths, used soap to clean their bodies.

Instead, men and women immersed themselves in water baths and then smeared their bodies with scented olive oils. They used a metal or reed scraper called a strigil to remove any remaining oil or grime.

By the Middle Ages, new vegetable-oil-based soaps, which were hailed for their mildness and purity and smelled good, had come into use as luxury items among Europe’s most privileged classes. The first of these, Aleppo soap, a green, olive-oil-based bar soap infused with aromatic laurel oil, was produced in Syria and brought to Europe by Christian crusaders and traders.

French, Italian, Spanish and eventually English versions soon followed. Of these, Jabon de Castilla, or Castile soap, named for the region of central Spain where it was produced, was the best known.

The white, olive-oil-based bar soap was a wildly popular toiletry item among European royals.

Castile soap became a generic term for any hard soap of this type.

The settlement of the American colonies coincided with an age (1500s-1700s) when most Europeans, whether privileged or poor, had turned away from regular bathing out of fear that water actually spread disease. Colonists used soap primarily for domestic cleaning, and soapmaking was part of the seasonal domestic routine overseen by women.

As one Connecticut woman described it in 1775, women stored fat from butchering, grease from cooking and wood ashes over the winter months.

In the spring, they made lye from the ashes and then boiled it with fat and grease in a giant kettle.

This produced a soft soap that women used to wash the linen shifts that colonists wore as undergarments.

In the new nation, the founding of soap manufactories like New York-based Colgate, founded in 1807, or the Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble (P&G), founded in 1837, increased the scale of soap production but did little to alter its ingredients or use. Middle-class Americans had resumed water bathing, but still shunned soap.

Soap-making remained an extension of the tallow trade that was closely allied with candle making. Soap itself was for laundry. At the first P&G factory, laborers used large caldrons to boil down fat collected from homes, hotels and butchers to make the candles and soap they sold.

From Cleaning Objects To Cleaning Bodies The Civil War was the watershed. Thanks to reformers who touted regular washing with water and soap as a sanitary measure to aid the Union war effort, bathing for personal hygiene caught on. Demand for inexpensive toilet soaps increased dramatically among the masses.

Companies began to develop and market a variety of new products to consumers. In 1879, P&G introduced Ivory soap, one of the first perfumed toilet soaps in the U.S.B.J. Johnson Soap Company of Milwaukee followed with their own palm-and-olive-oil-based Palmolive soap in 1898.

It was the world’s best-selling soap by the early 1900s.

Soap chemistry also began to change, paving the way for the modern era. At P&G, decades of laboratory experiments with imported coconut and palm oil, and then with domestically produced cottonseed oil, led to the discovery of hydrogenated fats in 1909. These solid, vegetable-based fats revolutionized soap by making its manufacture less dependent on animal byproducts. Shortages of fats and oils for soap

>Courtesy

>Courtesy

during World Wars I and II also led to the discovery of synthetic detergents as a “superior” substitute for fat-based laundry soaps, household cleaners and shampoos.

Today’s commercially manufactured soaps are highly specialized, lab-engineered products.

Synthesized animal fats and plant-based oils and bases are combined with chemical additives, including moisturizers, conditioners, lathering agents, colors and scents, to make soaps more appealing to the senses. But they cannot fully mask its mostly foul ingredients, including shower gels’ petroleum-based contents.

As a 1947 history of P&G observed: “Soap is a desperately ordinary substance to us.” As unremarkable as it is during normal times, soap has risen to prominence during this pandemic.

— The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.