The Weekly Journal - Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Wednesday, November 30-December 6, 2022 - // no. 188

Black Friday was business as usual P6 Marketing: the future is in the senses P7 Twitter becoming more unreliable P10

Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

www.theweeklyjournal.com

Plan to include migrant workers in

Puerto Rico’s reconstruction still in place

Thousands of immigrants could legalize their immigration status

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Efraín Montalbán Ríos, & Juan A. Hernández, The Weekly Journal

Word of the year: “Gaslighting” P13

t a time when the administration is initiating the island’s reconstruction projects, the Associated General Contractors of America – Puerto Rico Chapter (AGC-PR) still continues its lobbying with the White House for the approval of a program that would allow thousands of resident immigrants be included in the island’s workforce.

Under the ‘Significant Public Benefit Parole Program’

more than 20,000 workers living in Puerto Rico since November 2020, who are qualified and available to work in the reconstruction projects, but whose immigration status is undefined, could be added to the local workforce.

Currently, there is an allocation of $55 billion in federal funds for reconstruction (only in construction work), for which at least 50,000 additional workers will be needed to complete the investment in a 10-year period, or at a rate of $5 billion annually. According to data provided by the GO TO PAGE 4

The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, November 30, 2022 >

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Una de estas al día te mantiene saludable

Una de estas también

Un estilo de vida activo y saludable comienza con la revista Bienestar. Disponible en edición impresa y versión digital.

Bienestar es una publicación mensual de EL Vocero de Puerto Rico. • Bienestar P.O. Box 15074, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902 • Tel: 787-622-2300 • wwwelvocero.com/revistas/bienestar

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/ Wednesday, November 30, 2022

a week in review Cuatro, A Musical, is back for two nights only After an outstanding premiere, the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture (ICP, for its Spanish acronym) announced the return of Cuatro, A Musical. The stellar cast includes actors Magali Carrasquillo, Aidita Encarnación, Michelle Brava and Miguel Difoot, among others. Cuatro, A Musical tells the story of four Puerto Ricans from the diaspora whose paths cross when their flight back to the island is delayed for four hours. Stranded at the airport — between conversations over coffee, unexpected encounters, and strong emotions— life will put them to the test and together they will discover that the important thing is not the destination but the journey. Written and directed Miguel Rosa López, the musical returns to the stage for just two performances on December 3 and 4 at the Francisco Arriví Theater in Santurce.

Bacardí at the Feria de Cataño

Nissan Z makes it to the Top Three for 2023 Car of the Year The Nissan Z is one of the three finalists at the top of the list ‘2023 Car of the Year for North America’s awards. Those selected are benchmarks in their segments based on various factors that include innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value. The Nissan Z represents the ultimate expression of emotion and the legacy of more than 50 years captivating a global base of sports car fans. The new Z has a fresh and elegant exterior design, with a silhouette that communicates respect for its lineage through its long hood and a lower back position. The winner of this award will be selected on January 11, 2023, by a jury of 50 prominent independent automotive journalists from the U.S. and Canada.

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

The Feria de Cataño, returns this Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4, after a 14-year break. The show begins at noon on Saturday with musicians, artisans, and the best of local gastronomy.

First in the musical lineup is Julio César Sanabria, followed by the participations of Los Pleneros de la Cresta, Luis Vázquez. The musical party continues through Sunday, with the long-awaited troubadour competition and shows from the groups Areyto, Moncho Rivera, Algarete, Plenéalo and La Secta. Millie Quezada will close the program. “Puerto Ricans missed this tradition and in the Municipality of Cataño we have put all the effort to return to one of the most beloved and crowded festivals on the whole island” said Cataño Mayor Julio Alicea Vasallo.

President Salvador Hasbún shasbun@elvocero.com

VP of Accounting Félix A. Rosa frosa@elvocero.com

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

Vp of Marketing and Business Operations Michelle Pérez Miperez@elvocero.com

VP of Production Eligio Dekony edekony@elvocero.com

VP of Editorial Content Juan Miguel Muñiz Guzmán jmuniz@elvocero.com

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

Phone: 787-622-2300, 787-721-2300

Multi-Plataform Digital Director Rafelli González Cotto rgonzalez@elvocero.com

Customer Service: 787-622-7480

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Pardo added that, since would be beneficiaries currently live and work in Puerto Rico, they would not represent a burden for the government ACG-PR, the construction industry has just over because they already have a place to live and 30,000 employees. would have a source of income.

ACG-PR president Eduardo Pardo pointed their “Using these people is not an additional burden lobbying is “for people who are already living to our infrastructure. here [Puerto Rico],” Bringing in people from and can demonstrate abroad would be more so, to give them first, difficult because of the the opportunity to lack of housing. It would enter into the formal be difficult finding economy and, second, where you are going the opportunity to house the people to legitimize their you are bringing,” immigration status.

Pardo said while According to ACGacknowledging that the PR calculations, the focus will be mainly average number of on the Dominican construction workers community in Puerto required for every Rico. million dollars in Eduardo Pardo, ACG-PR president The largest group of reconstruction projects immigrants in Puerto is 8.81 employees.

Rico is made up by Pardo stressed the Dominican community. According to the that, if the number of workers required for Dominican Consulate in Puerto Rico, there are the reconstruction projects is not reached, the some 225,000 Dominican immigrants residing deadline for completing the reconstruction and modernization of the infrastructure will be delayed in the island, of which 60,000 have obtained the American citizenship. by an additional four years, for a total of 14 years.

Also, some 100,000 are legal The benefits of the Parole program are offered residents. If the Consulate’s for, but not limited to, humanitarian reasons, calculations are correct, there law enforcement and national security reasons, are 165,000 eligible migrants or foreign or national policy considerations. If for the Parole program. approved, this would the first time the program is As part of the In order for the Significant used for reconstruction purposes.

Using these people is not an additional burden to our infrastructure. Bringing in people from abroad would be more difficult because of the lack of housing.

In fact,

measures directed at increasing the construction workforce in the island, the government increased the minimum wage for skilled and nonskilled workers.

Repairing of the bridge over Cano Martín Pena on John F. Kennedy Avenue (PR-2) on Dec. 2021. San Juan, PR. >The Weekly Journal

Construction of the new bridge over Río Blanco in Naguabo.

Naguabo, PR. >Nahira Montcourt / The Weekly Journal

Public Benefit Parole Program to be approved, a permit granted by President Biden is required, to allow people living in an American jurisdiction with an undefined immigration status to become part of the formal economy.

Pardo further explained that, although there is the H2-B visa, which provides for the bringing of foreign labor, “it is not functional for the construction industry, due to the magnitude, urgency and extent of the need that Puerto Rico has for its reconstruction.

He added that H2-B visas must be obtained more than six months in advance of need, a process not coinciding with construction bidding procedures.

Secretary of the Department of Labor and Human Resources (DTRH, for its Spanish acronym), Gabriel Maldonado, is not surprised by the slowness of the process in Washington, since such authorization would be an exception to what has been granted to migrants from other countries.

“It is not surprising that something like this takes time to materialize because of its magnitude and impact. This would be the first time that it would be given a twist to tie it to the need to have the necessary workforce to carry out the reconstruction after a major disaster,”

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Puerto Rico’s reconstruction and the thousands of millions of dollars destined for that purpose depend greatly on the existence of enough labor…

Gabriel Maldonado, Dept. of Labor Secretary

Maldonado said.

The official emphasized that his agency will prioritize impacting the one and a half million Puerto Rican residents who are out of the labor force.

“There are always initiatives that attend to the Puerto Rican worker which, for me, is always a priority. Of course, with such a broad reconstruction process, we know we need to hire local workers, as well as having to import labor from abroad,” Maldonado acknowledged.

As part of the measures directed at increasing the construction workforce in the island, the government increased the minimum wage for skilled and non-skilled workers to $15 and $11 per hour, respectively.

In a press release distributed earlier this week the DTRH announced it will be sponsoring a forum directed at construction industry employers on

how to bring and hire temporary foreign workers to the U.S. and its territories for non-agricultural work.

“Puerto Rico’s reconstruction and the thousands of millions of dollars destined for that purpose depend greatly on the existence of enough labor to culminate the different construction projects… Therefore, we are advising employers in the construction sector on the process of how to acquire H-2B Visas for foreign workers and comply with applicable laws and regulations,” said Maldonado.

Department of State Secretary Omar Marrero said on his part, “the goal of this event is to provide additional tools to local contractors so they can hire the necessary labor to execute the If the Dominican reconstruction projects” A new building under construction Consulate’s In the meantime, Central with the use of tower crane. calculations are Office for Recuperation, correct, there are fact, only 33 of said unspecified Reconstruction and Resilience 165,000 Dominican projects are under construction.

(COR3) director Manuel A. migrants in Puerto The investment on those Laboy reported a total of Rico eligible for the projects has a reported total of 232 unspecified projects Parole program. $172 million. from the Puerto Rico Electric Regarding completed Power Authority (PREPA), the projects, 43 have been reported Puerto Rico Aqueduct and with an approximate value of Sewer Authority (PRASA), the $37 million.

Department of Education and some projects The balance confirms mayor reconstruction of the Public Housing Administration are in the projects are still in the pipeline with no apparent “execution phase,” which does not necessarily deadline set yet. mean they are under construction. As a matter of

Huge metal mesh assembled with steel rebar rods to be used as columns in construction.

In fact,

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/ Wednesday, November 30, 2022

A Black Friday without crowds and lines

Retailers refer to the event as a regular day

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Efraín Montalbán Ríos, The Weekly Journal

lack Friday sales doesn’t seem to include large crowds or endless lines anymore. The event, which has become a cultural shopping experience for Puerto Ricans, seems to have had a change of pace.

The newly appointed secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO, for its Spanish acronym), Hiram Torres Montalvo, assured Monday that Black Friday sales went smoothly throughout island businesses.

“Compared to the last few years, it was more crowded, because we don’t have any restrictions due to the pandemic, nor we have any problems with crowds. So, we saw a lot of consumers and a lot of enthusiasm”, Torres Montalvo said.

This year, DACO had 150 inspectors . They file a complaint. The calls were about complaints visited large and small businesses throughout the against the stores, and not violations of DACO island, responded to complaints on social networks regulations. and answered calls.

“So far, we’ve found only one violation s related Although Torres Montalvo highlighted the to signage issues, which has nothing to do with increase of in-store consumers, he pointed out Black Friday specials sales or shoppers. So, that it was not the same influx of customers as basically, it was an isolated incident and it is the a decade ago. He argued this was due to the only one that has been reported to us at this time,” increase of online purchases.

Torres Montalvo said Monday.

“Stores have been quite busy.

The Secretary estimated this Obviously, one has to compare year’s sale exceed those of last the whole thing against how it year’s Black Friday, and that 60used to be like 10 years ago, inch and 70-inch TV sets were when these digital platforms for the most sought-after items.

The DACO Secretary online purchases did not exist…

Figures from Sensormatic estimated this year’s Ten years ago you couldn’t Solutions, confirm that in the sale exceed those buy a 60-inch TV and have it U.S., traffic in retail stores for the of last year’s Black delivered to your doorstep. That last year dropped 28.3% during Friday, and that 60option is available now,” Torres Black Friday, compared to the inch and 70-inch TV Montalvo pointed out. levels registered in 2019, before sets were the most In addition to visiting large the pandemic. Meanwhile, sought-after items. retail store chains, the agency when compared with 2020 and also emphasized on small and 2021, in terms of the level of medium-sized businesses. “We consumption, brick and mortar wanted to change the dynamics stores increased 47.5%. for this year’s visits, and we went and visited small businesses,” he stressed.

Another Day of Shopping United Retailers Center (CUD, for its Spanish acronym) president Lourdes Aponte characterized No Major Irregularities customer movement Saturday as “a normal Torres Montalvo mentioned the agency shopping day.” received dozens of phone calls in which the “Yes, there was a flow of people visiting the immediate mediation policy was implemented, different stores throughout the island, but nothing and agreements were reached without the need to

In fact,

Yes, there was a flow of people visiting the different stores throughout the island, but nothing impressive. It was another day of shopping.

Lourdes Aponte, president United Retailers Center

impressive. It was another day of shopping where the consumer could find a variety of prices and special offers”, added Aponte, who considers Black Friday has become a cultural event.

She highlighted that many people took advantage of sales that started before Black Friday, so they opted to travel or book hotels around the island during this holiday weekend.

“Since it is a long weekend, you cannot ignore the fact that many people decided to enjoy some ‘paradores’ or travel abroad. That, in a certain way, caused customer flow to remain normal,” Aponte argued.

The president of retailers projected that there will some growth in sales when compared to last year, and recognized DACO’s the efforts of inspecting the country’s businesses.

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/ Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Using the five senses in marketing is a must

consumers’ attention spans, but it is possible to circumvent the issues caused by the lack of it.

By tapping into the three other senses, brands can access more opportunities to engage with customers. And that’s exactly what multi-sensory marketing is about — increasing engagement in Zoe Landi Fontana, The Weekly Journal innovative ways.

The daily environment is becoming more techou probably won’t make it to the enabled, requiring brands to follow suit or risk end of this article. Not because becoming part of the 90% of business failures that it’s boring per se, but because occur due to poor marketing. This ‘fifth paradigm’ nothing holds your attention for of marketing, as Rajamannar calls it, involves all more than eight seconds. senses. It allows brands to provide large amounts From 2000 to 2022, average of information through immersive experiences attention span has decreased that create brand awareness in an organic way. from 12 seconds to eight seconds Multi-sensory marketing creates — the same as a goldfish’s. Throw limitless possibilities for brands. in the fact that consumers are For example, Mastercard has bombarded with over 10,000 opened restaurants in Brazil, New messages per day and it’s easy to York, and Rome. These restaurants, The daily understand why. while heavily branded with environment As consumers, we get sucked Mastercard Priceless imagery, are is becoming more into the currents of constantly top-rated. A delicious dinner with tech-enabled, changing trends. As creators or great service forges a connection requiring brands to marketers, we need to decide in the client’s mind between the follow suit or risk how to adapt to and influence concept of high-quality and the becoming part of them. “Advertising as we know it is Mastercard product. the 90% of business dying,” said Raj Rajamannar, Chief failures that Trust And Purpose Marketing and Communications occur due to poor A growing trust deficit is another Officer and President, Healthcare influential factor that affects Business, Mastercard. “Traditional consumer behavior. The Edelman ways of telling stories are Trust Barometer, a measure based changing.” on the results of an annual survey of over 36,000 According to Rajamannar, 99% of marketing is respondents in 28 countries, reported that twobased on sight and sound. Touch, taste, and smell thirds of people don’t trust brands. are still on the table for creating an unforgettable Consumers trust brands that act with experience for customers. It’s difficult to increase

The industry looks much different from the Mad Men era of lore

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In fact,

People are willing to pay more for products from brands that they trust.

Raj Rajamannar, President, Healthcare Business, Mastercard

transparency and integrity, employ ethical practices, and those that are driven by purpose.

In fact, according to Rajamannar, purpose driven companies outperform others by 42%.

“People are willing to pay more for products from brands that they trust,” explained Rajamannar. In times of uncertainty, such as during the height of COVID-19, brands need to act sensitively and show their support.

One way Mastercard did this was by collaborating with Waze and grocery chain Carrefour. Virtually everyone was afraid to go out because of the risk of contamination, but unfortunately grocery delivery was not available to everyone. With every trip to the grocery store, people were putting themselves at risk of infection.

To combat this, the Waze app notified users of nearby grocery stores with low traffic, allowing them to shop with peace of mind. Through the collaboration, Mastercard helped to protect consumers while increasing revenue during what would normally be low hours. “When there is economic uncertainty, don’t sell, serve. Play the long game and profits will follow,” Rajamannar said.

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2 Fed officials favor keeping key rate at peak through 2023

when it next meets in mid-December. Though that would represent a reduction in the size of its rate hikes, Fed officials have stressed that they expect to keep their key rate at a historically high level well into the future.

Because the Fed’s benchmark rate influences many consumer and business loans, its aggressive Christopher Rugaber –The Associated Press series of hikes have made most loans throughout the economy sharply more expensive. That has ASHINGTON — Two been particularly true of mortgage rates, which Federal Reserve officials have risen dramatically over the past year and have said Monday that they severely crimped home sales. favor raising the Fed’s On Wednesday, Powell is scheduled to address key rate to roughly 5% or the Fed’s policies and their effects on the job market more and keeping it at its in a speech in Washington. peak through next year — In an interview with Marketwatch, Bullard longer than many on Wall Street have expected. suggested that the speed of the Fed’s rate hikes isn’t John Williams, president of as important as the ultimate the Federal Reserve Bank of New level of its benchmark rate, York, who is among a core group which he said could exceed the of officials around Chair Jerome 5% that financial markets have Powell, said in a speech to the priced in.

Economic Club of New York that “Markets are underpricing the the central bank has “more work risk that the (Fed) will have to be Financial markets to do” to reduce inflation closer more aggressive rather than less have projected that to its 2% target. aggressive in order to contain the Fed will have to And James Bullard, president the very substantial inflation reverse course and of the St. Louis Fed, suggested that we have,” Bullard said. start cutting rates by that financial markets are The central bank, he added, next September. underestimating the likelihood will likely have to keep its the Fed will have to be more benchmark rate above 5% all aggressive in its fight against through 2023 and into 2024. He the worst inflation bout in four also reiterated his view that the decades.

Fed should be prepared to raise The Fed has raised its benchmark short-term that rate to the “lower end” of a range between 5% rate six times this year, to a range of 3.75% to 4%, and 7%. with each of the last four hikes being a historically By contrast, financial markets have projected that large three-quarters of a point. The central bank is the Fed will have to reverse course and start cutting expected to raise rates by an additional half-point rates by next September, presumably in response

Financial markets could be underestimating the Fed’s aggressiveness

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In fact,

Markets are underpricing the risk that the (Fed) will have to be more aggressive rather than less aggressive in order to contain the very substantial inflation that we have.

James Bullard, president St. Louis Fed

to a recession that many economists expect will occur next year.

Williams suggested that there are some positive signs that inflation is easing, noting falling prices for lumber, oil, and other commodities. Supply chains are also loosening, he said: A measure of supply chain snarls maintained by the New York Fed has declined by three-quarters from its pandemic peak.

Yet the job market has stayed stronger than he expected, Williams said, with the unemployment rate, at 3.7%, still near a half-century low.

“That argues that we’ll need to have a somewhat higher path for interest rates” than the Fed projected in September, Williams said. At that time, the officials forecast that their benchmark rate would reach a range of 4.5% to 4.75% by early next year.

He said he now expects the unemployment rate to rise to 4.5% to 5% by the end of next year, with inflation falling to 3% to 3.5% by then.

At that level, inflation would still exceed the Fed’s target of 2%, thereby extending its inflation fight into 2024, Williams said.

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Empty streets, cranes: the city built for Qatar’s World Cup

Questions are raising about how much use the infrastructure will get after the event

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Suman Naishadham – The Associated Press

USAIL, Qatar — Less than a month before it was set to host the World Cup final, Lusail City was oddly quiet.

Wide empty streets, idle lobbies and construction cranes are everywhere in the sleek district 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the capital, A municipal worker walks in a street in Lusail downtown, Qatar,. >AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin Doha, built to accommodate World Cup fans and hundreds of thousands of host nation Qatar’s residents.

Plans for Lusail City had been around since 2005 But with soccer’s biggest event underway, the but construction was fast-tracked after Qatar won empty futuristic city is raising questions about the rights to host the World Cup five years later. how much use the infrastructure Qatar built for Backed by Qatar’s $450 billion sovereign wealth the event will get after more than a million soccer fund, the city was designed to be compact and fans leave the small Gulf Arab nation after the pedestrian friendly and is connected by Doha’s tournament. new metro and a light rail.

Elias Garcia, a 50-year old business owner from Fahad Al Jahamri, who manages projects at San Francisco, visited Lusail City from Doha with Qatari Diar, the real estate company behind the a friend on a day when there city that’s backed by Qatar’s Elias Garcia, wasn’t a soccer game in the Investment Authority, has called business owner visiting Qatar city’s bowl-shaped, golden Lusail City a self-contained stadium. “extension of Doha.”

“We came to check it out but Officials have also said the mall while cashiers talked among themselves. At a there’s not much here,” Garcia city is part of broader plans that building downtown housing the Ministry of Culture said, looking up at a huge Officials have also natural gas-rich Qatar has to and other government offices, a security guard crescent-shaped skyscraper said the city is part build its knowledge economy said almost everyone had left by 11 a.m. behind him designed to look of broader plans — an admission of the type of “Even on the metro, if you go on a day when like the curved swords on that natural gas-rich white-collar professionals the there’s not a match, there are like five to 10 people Qatar’s national emblem.

Qatar has to build its country hopes to attract to the on it besides you,” Garcia said.

Across the street, a building knowledge economy. city long-term.

On the man-made Al Maha Island, a crowd of site was concealed by a low But reaching its goal of World Cup fans and locals lounged at an upscale fence illustrated with desert housing 400,000 people in beach club, pulling on shisha tobacco pipes and scenes. “Everything looks like Lusail City could be tough in dipping into a swimming pool. it’s under construction,” Garcia a country where only 300,000 Timothe Burt-Riley directed workers at an art said. “It’s just empty lots with little walls they put up people are citizens, and many of the 2.9 million gallery opening later that night. The French gallery to make you think it’s up and running.” residents are poor migrants who live in camps, not director said Lusail City – or at least Al Maha Island Driving north from Doha, Lusail City’s glittering luxury towers. with its amusement park, high-end boutiques, skyline and marina are hard to miss. Pastel-colored Even during the World Cup, Lusail City is restaurants and lounges, would be a place where towers that look like crates stacked on each other noticeably quieter than Doha, itself the site of jawlocals come to meet. rise from the desert. Wide avenues give way to dropping amounts of construction over the past “This is a totally man-made island,” Burt-Riley zigzagging buildings, glass domes and clusters of decade in preparation for the event. said, “it’s pretty crazy what they can do.” neoclassical housing blocks. It’s unclear if anyone At the Place Vendome, a luxury mall named He said Qatar could find a way to make use lives in them. Most are advertised as luxury hotels, for the grand Parisian square, many stores are of the infrastructure it’s built for the World apartments or commercial office space. Cranes not yet open. A few tourists snapped pictures of Cup, including seven new soccer stadiums, but hang above many buildings.

Lusail City’s skyline on a recent afternoon from the admitted, “it might take time.”

Even on the metro, if you go on a day when there’s not a match, there are like five to 10 people on it besides you.

In fact,

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// Wednesday, Wednesday,September November 8, 30,2021 2022

Eduardo Hilera, Hilera, M.P.S. M.P.S. Eduardo

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Emergency Management Managementand andHomeland HomelandSecurity SecurityExpert Expert Emergency

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Responding to Emergencies The Storms of Septemberamid Twitter Chaos is a Disaster

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he season— he Atlantic news ofhurricane chaos at Twitter, the one that Puerto including theimpacts laying off of Rico—runs June 1 toand thousands from of employees November 30. The the resignations ofpeak, hundreds however, from of others,occurs is cause for midconcern September to instability mid-October, to many. The of the which has alreadygiant started, communications will folks. have The hurricanes in our and a negative impact permanently on the world recorded of social media memories all made landfall in September. Hugo on communications.

September 1988; Hortensia on September Athletes, 19, influencers, politicians, and state 10, 1996; Georges on September 1998; andmedia Maria and local governments turn to21, their social on September 20, 2017.everything There is a from clear business trend here. accounts to announce Abraham said: “Ifmatters I only had one decisions to Lincoln time-sensitive such ashour to chop down a tree, I would spend 45issues minutes emergencies and other important that need sharpening my axe.” to the audiences that follow to be communicated Applying Honest Abe’s wise logic to hurricane them. season, should everything Newswe and mediado sources havepossible always to get ready before a disaster. From the time when required subscriptions. it takes to getused ready a little creativity, logic ourAllgrandparents toispay to receive their and a few bucks.

Being prepared makes our newspaper membership and when printed communities more resilient. magazines required a subscription, news sources The most basic management still require some emergency sort of payment in order to concept is planning.

Emergency managers receive a full version of a newspaper piece.agree that the first 72 hours after a disaster are crucial— Therefore, social media platforms have become it takes that long for help from first responders one of the most important sources of up-to-theto reachinformation. those in need.

In the spirit of planning, minute While information may be below is a checklist of the steps we can all take fragmented, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to be prepared those 72 hours.that It doesn’t provide a quick for source offirst information involve sophisticated equipment, just a few provides for awareness in a crazy world. things weThe canWashington do by ourselves.

D.C. Metro Rail, Amtrak, the

In the last decade enormous fires have torn through California, mass shootings have terrorized the United States, earthquakes have shaken parts of the country, and hurricanes have made it hard for all of us to sleep peacefully. One of the most useful tools in ensuring that information reached the most vulnerable populations, essential emergency management and law enforcement authorities, were social media platforms.

Now, that has changed. The platform that allowed information-sharing now is allowing hate groups and controversial groups and organizations to provide twisted views of “reality.” The result is confusion and chaos. Twitter once confirmed legit accounts with a blue checkmark. The checkmark was a sign of legitimacy. Now the checkmark is a sign of membership. The checkmark went from proof of validity to a sign of sponsorship. This is dangerous.

Twitter once served as a platform for the initial reports of important events. Emergencies have been first reported through the platform on countless occasions. The platform substituted a

Damage from Hurricane Maria in Sept. 2017 >Carlos Rivera Giusti, Archive

First Aid Kit—Most of us have first aid products but may not keep them all in the same place.

NYPD and others to be specific, and thousands of Look through your home Inspect Your Home—Look local and state governments, and store them all together. around your home at doors, cell phone carriers and independent journalists throughout the globe The Red Cross and others windows, potentially hazardous to be more provide recommendations of objects, andgeneral, anythingall rely on these platforms to communicate minute news. From a train specific items to have, such as easily repairable. last Address derailing, you to a find cell coverage outage, people on bandages, topical antibiotics Therely hurricanes whatever and can fix the information shared through these platforms. and ice packs. permanently recorded immediately.

Look for loose Bottom line, unreliable social media means in our one memories doors, exposed windows, and Emergency Phone Numbers— thing—emergency a serious made landfall in non-tempered glassmanagers windows are or in for all Modern times have made us challenge.

September. Hugo panels. Fix or secure everything drift away from it, but use pen on September 19, you can. and paper and write down your 1988; Hortensia on most important contacts. If your Prepare Your Car—If you own a September 10, 1996; phone dies, this could come in car, keep the tank full. Set a Georges on September very handy. This list will also reminder on your phone. In an 21, 1998; and Maria on serve as a reminder of the folks emergency, a full tank of gas will September 20, 2017. you should keep in touch with get you wherever you need to There is a clear trend during the emergency. go. In addition, identify a safe here. spot where you can park your Cash at Hand—Electronic car. payment platforms, ATMS and banks can go out of service.

Medication—If you or your Keep enough money on hand to pay for basics family take medications, make sure you have a full following the disaster. week’s supply.

In fact,

The platform that allowed information-sharing now is allowing hate groups and controversial groups and organizations to provide twisted views of ‘reality.

9-1-1 call of sorts without the need to speak out loud. Twitter allowed a broader conversation that allowed others to provide veracity to stories. It raised a red flag to authorities and news outlets about breaking stories.

While Twitter has most certainly been used in the past to spread lies and create panic, it has also given many a platform to voice necessary messaging.

Now, however, Twitter is at risk of becoming a platform for hate, inaccurate reports, and disorderly communications.

Ultimately, in a world where our reality is communicated on social media platforms that are at times plagued by questionable messaging from even more questionable sources, it is dangerous to see that the very leaders of the platforms that should be striving for accuracy and fairness in their messaging are now the very source of confusion and chaos.

This irresponsibility in the face of the disasters and emergencies that we face on a daily basis should concern all of us.

Water—Keep enough drinking water to keep your family hydrated for 72 hours. In addition, keep containers full of tap water for basic household needs.

Food—Cook what you can and use perishables first.

Make sure to keep non-perishable food as well.

Electronics Charging Routine—Make a list of all your electronics and keep them charged. Keep back-up and disposable batteries handy as well.

However, the single most important electronic device is the flashlight. Keep it handy.

Tool Kit—Just like your first aid kit, make sure your tools are organized and accessible. An all-in-one tool kit, like many retailers carry, is a good idea to keep handy.

Stay Tuned—Identify and follow your preferred news sources. Make sure they’re reliable and frequently updated. In addition, pick up a basic battery-powered radio.

Stay Calm—You have done the important work of getting ready. Now, the most important part is to remain calm, during and after the storm.

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Friday, December 9th, 2022 | 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight en / at

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MIusic by Milly Quezada.

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For information of sponsorships or to buy your tickets, please send message to mperez@mapr.org or call at 787 977-4449/787 376-4317.

Vestimenta cóctel | negro y dorado.

Dress code: Cocktail | Black and Gold.

Promotions lead to newly appointed Partners!

Helder Cruz Audit Partner

Omar Mues Tax Partner

Ángel Rivera Audit Partner

Silvia Bonet Audit Partner

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Effective November 1st, 2022, Silvia Bonet, Helder Cruz, Omar Mues, and Ángel Rivera were promoted to Partners at Kevane Grant Thornton.

We are proud to announce the promotions of these partners, who have been excelling in the industry for many years. They bring all their years of experience and knowledge in the assurance and tax departments to strengthen the Firm’s capability to best serve our clients.

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< The Weekly Journal > Wednesday, November 30, 2022

viernes, 9 de diciembre de 2022 de 7:00 pm a 12 medianoche

12

/ Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Handlers pull the Smokey Bear balloon down Sixth Avenue during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, in New York. >AP Photo/Jeenah Moon

The Tom Turkey float leads the way down Central Park West during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, in New York. >AP Photo/Jeenah Moon

High-flying balloon characters star in Thanksgiving parade The event helped usher in the holiday season

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Bobby Caina Calvan – The Associated Press

EW YORK (AP) — Throngs of spectators lined the streets of New York on Thursday as colorful, high-flying balloons helped usher in the holiday season during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The annual tradition, which dates back nearly a century, packed streets as a procession of giant inflatables and floats streamed for more than 40 blocks from Central Park to Herald Square.

Children balanced atop metal barricades and hung from scaffolding to watch the balloons amid mostly sunny skies and a slight breeze.

“Blue, Blue. There’s Blue,” yelled Divyam Kumar, 6, as his father helped balance him and his 4-yearold brother Aanu Aryan on a metal rail.

The youngster was referring to the star of the animated show “Blue’s Clues” — not to be confused with the international cartoon sensation Bluey, an Australian cattle pup making her parade debut.

Bluey’s balloon towered as tall as a four-story building and stretched as wide as seven taxi cabs.

Stuart, the one-eyed Minion, was also there to thrill the crowd.

Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland and Flula Borg. Jimmy But it was Snoopy that especially caught the eye Fallon & The Roots were on a float celebrating of Brenner Chenenko, 8, even more so than the Central Park. more contemporary pups.

President Biden and Jill Biden called into “It’s one of the classics,” said the youngster the parade, as he did last year. Biden thanked from Rochester, New York, who lined the parade firefighters, police officers and route with his father Nate and first responders, saying, “They grandfather John Wopperer. never take a break.”

It was the first time the father They thanked the troops and and son had seen the parade Biden said he would be reaching in person. Wopperer last saw This year’s out to speak to some Thursday. a parade live three years ago, parade featured 16 Asked about their plans for the before the pandemic sidelined giant balloons, 28 day in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the event for a year. floats, 40 novelty the Bidens said it would involve Snoopy, dressed as an and heritage family, and some time spent astronaut, was followed by inflatables, 12 locally, thanking first responders. another old-time favorite, Papa marching bands, In Plymouth, Massachusetts, Smurf.

10 performance the English settlement founded This year’s parade featured groups, 700 clowns by the Pilgrims who arrived on 16 giant balloons, 28 floats, 40 and one Santa the Mayflower, two annual events novelty and heritage inflatables, Claus. were being held to embrace “all 12 marching bands, 10 aspects” of the holiday, town performance groups, 700 clowns and one Santa Claus. officials said.

Costumed participants The procession of characters were re-enacting their annual Thanksgiving Day were joined by singer Paula Abdul, in her first “Pilgrim Progress” procession, representing the parade appearance; indie pop band Fitz and the 51 survivors of that first brutal winter of 1621 — Tantrums; boy band Big Time Rush; “Blue’s Clues although Thursday’s crew had better conditions, & You!” host Josh Dela Cruz; singer Gloria Estefan; with sunny skies and temperatures in the 40s. gospel singer Kirk Franklin; actor Mario Lopez; There also was a “National Day of Mourning” reggae star Ziggy Marley; and Miss America 2022 honoring indigenous ancestors and protesting Emma Broyles. against racism and oppression. “We are not Singers Joss Stone, Jordin Sparks and Betty Who vanquishing, We are not conquered, We are as were also part of the festivities, as were the stars strong as ever,” a sign behind the speakers read. of Peacock’s “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin” —

In fact,

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/ Wednesday, November 30, 2022

‘Gaslighting’ is MerriamWebster’s word of the year for 2022 It was a word looked up frequently every single day of the year Leanne Italie – The Associated Press

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EW YORK — “Gaslighting” — behavior that’s mind manipulating, grossly misleading, downright deceitful — is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year.

Lookups for the word on merriam-webster.com increased 1,740% in 2022 over the year before. But something else happened. There wasn’t a single event that drove significant spikes in curiosity, as it usually goes with the chosen word of the year.

The gaslighting was pervasive.

“It’s a word that has risen so quickly in the English language, and especially in the last four years, that it actually came as a surprise to me and to many of us,” said Peter Sokolowski, MerriamWebster’s editor at large, in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press ahead of Monday’s unveiling.

“It was a word looked up frequently every single day of the year,” he said.

There were deepfakes and the dark web. There were deep states and fake news. And there was a whole lot of trolling.

Merriam-Webster’s top definition for gaslighting is the psychological manipulation of a person, usually over an extended period of time, that “causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator.”

More broadly, the dictionary defines the word thusly: “The act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s own advantage.”

Gaslighting is a heinous tool frequently used by abusers in relationships — and by politicians and other newsmakers. It can happen between romantic partners, within a broader family unit and among friends. It can be a corporate tactic, or a way to mislead the public. There’s also “medical gaslighting,” when a health care professional dismisses a patient’s symptoms or illness as “all in your head.”

Despite its relatively recent prominence — including “Gaslighter,” The Chicks’ 2020 album

In fact, Gaslighting is a heinous tool frequently used by abusers in relationships — and by politicians and other newsmakers.

Gas lamps illuminate St. Louis’ Gaslight Square on April 2, 1962. “Gaslighting” — mind manipulating, grossly misleading, downright deceitful — is Merriam-Webster’s word of 2022. (AP Photo/JMH, File)

featuring the rousingly angry titular single — the word was brought to life more than 80 years ago with “Gas Light,” a 1938 play by Patrick Hamilton.

It birthed two film adaptations in the 1940s.

One, George Cukor’s “Gaslight” in 1944, starred Ingrid Bergman as Paula Alquist and Charles Boyer as Gregory Anton. The two marry after a whirlwind romance and Gregory turns out to be a champion gaslighter. Among other instances, he insists her complaints over the constant dimming of their London townhouse’s gaslights is a figment of her troubled mind. It wasn’t.

The death of Angela Lansbury in October drove some interest in lookups of the word, Sokolowski said. She played Nancy Oliver, a young maid hired

by Gregory and told not to bother his “high-strung” wife.

The term gaslighting was later used by mental health practitioners to clinically describe a form of prolonged coercive control in abusive relationships.

“There is this implication of an intentional deception,” Sokolowski said. “And once one is aware of that deception, it’s not just a straightforward lie, as in, you know, I didn’t eat the cookies in the cookie jar. It’s something that has a little bit more devious quality to it. It has possibly an idea of strategy or a long-term plan.”

Merriam-Webster, which logs 100 million pageviews a month on its site, chooses its word of

It’s a word that has risen so quickly in the English language, and especially in the last four years, that it actually came as a surprise to me and to many of us.

Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large

the year based solely on data. Sokolowski and his team weed out evergreen words most commonly looked up to gauge which word received a significant bump over the year before.

They don’t slice and dice why people look up words, which can be anything from quick spelling and definition checks to some sort of attempt at inspiration or motivation. Some of the droves who looked up “gaslighting” this year might have wanted to know, simply, if it’s one or two words, or whether it’s hyphenated.

“Gaslighting,” Sokolowski said, spent all of 2022 in the top 50 words looked up on merriamwebster.com to earn top dog word of the year status. Last year’s pick was “vaccine.”

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/ Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Museums’ daring feat brings major Ukraine art show to Spain The exhibit features some 70 works mostly from the Kyiv gallery, and the country’s theater, music and cinema museum

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Ciarán Giles – The Associated Press

ADRID (AP) — Against a backdrop of Russian bombardments, border closures and a nail-biting 3,500-kilometer (2,150mile) truck journey across Europe, Spain’s ThyssenBornemisza National Museum has teamed up with the National Art Museum of Ukraine to secretly bring dozens of 20th century Ukrainian avantgarde artworks to Madrid for a unique exhibition and a show of support for the war-torn country.

“In The Eye Of The Hurricane. Modernism in Ukraine 1900-1930s,” opened to the public Tuesday, featuring some 70 works mostly from the Kyiv gallery and the country’s theater, music and appropriated by Russia over the last decades,” said cinema museum. It will run until next April.

Thyssen-Bornemisza, a daughter of the late DutchThe show constitutes the first time that such a born industrialist and baron whose collection large body of modern art has left formed the basis of the Madrid Ukraine. The circumstances under gallery when it opened in 1992. which it has been organized make An international art exhibition it a feat of cultural defiance. of this type would normally take “This is super important for us several years to organize. This as a way to protect our heritage, one, with the blessing of Ukraine The central that we managed to take the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, concept [of the works out of the war zone,” came together in a matter of exhibit] was to says Katia Denysova, one of the months. counter Russia’s exhibition’s curators.

Getting the paintings to Madrid narrative that The show is the brainchild was the stuff of wartime drama.

Ukraine doesn’t of Swiss-born art collector and After months of preparations, rightfully exist and activist Francesca Thyssenthe works were packed into that its art is really Bornemisza, founder of the two trucks in the early hours Russian.

Museums for Ukraine support of Tuesday, Nov. 15, just hours network, and her friend, Ukrainian before Russia unleashed a wave of art historian and curator attacks on the Ukraine capital and Konstantin Akinsha. They came key national infrastructure targets. up with the idea following Russia’s invasion of its Organizers had not been banking on Russia neighbor last February. attacking that day, saying the attacks normally The central concept was to counter Russia’s occur on Mondays. But with a military escort, the narrative that Ukraine doesn’t rightfully exist and trucks left the city safely. that its art is really Russian.

On their way west, however, they had to pass “We wanted to act as a protector of these works through the city of Lviv, which also came under that are extremely unique and rare, but also to do surprise attack. They eventually made it to the it by celebrating the value of Ukraine’s immense Polish border early Wednesday but it was closed legacy that has been completely forgotten and following the landing of a stray Russian-made

In fact,

missile just inside Poland that initially triggered fears of a major escalation of the war.

Eventually the border reopened, and the convoy sped to Madrid where it arrived Sunday, Nov. 20.

The paintings, ranging from figurative art to futurism and constructivism, stem from an exceedingly turbulent period for Ukraine, with collapsing empires, world war, revolutions and the war of independence before the eventual creation of Soviet Ukraine. The show includes works by Mykhailo Boichuk, Davyd Burliuk, Vadym Meller, Kostiantyn Yeleva and Vasyl Yermilov.

“We know what happens when Russians occupy territories and get hold of the museums. They loot everything,” said Denysova, referring to the fate of the art museum in Kherson, a southern Ukraine city which Kremlin forces occupied for eight months until Ukrainian forces recaptured it earlier this month.

In a video message for the inauguration, Zelenskyy said terrible times had returned to Ukraine but there was hope.

“At this exhibition you can see Ukrainian art, which was also created in terrible times,” said Zelenskyy.

“Terror tried to rule then as it does now. But just like in the 20th century, humanity must win and just like then, culture must win,” he added.

In April, the show will move to Cologne, Germany, where it will be on display until September.

15

/ Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Fidelity Charitable launches NFT raffle amid crypto downturn But the meltdown of Terra – a stablecoin– brought down a series of major cryptocurrency businesses.

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Thalia Beaty – The Associated Press

EW YORK — Fidelity Charitable is getting into NFTs, the digital images that are registered on the blockchain, despite a torrent of bad news from the adjacent world of cryptocurrencies.

The nation’s largest grantmaker sponsored a raffle that ended Tuesday, where participants can claim one of the NFTs, which stands for nonfungible token, and 50 will win $1,000 to donate through a donor advised fund at Fidelity.

“The reason we’re doing this is we really believe there’s a whole new generation of givers and philanthropists out there,” said Amy Pirozzolo, head of donor engagement for Fidelity Charitable.

“We want to be where they are and the channels they use and the formats they use and further encourage their generosity.”

Around 16% of Americans say they invested in cryptocurrencies, according to a poll from Pew Research Center last year. The demographic most likely to invest were men between the ages of 18 and 29, with 43% reporting that they had invested.

The blockchain is the technology that underlies the trading of cryptocurrencies, but it can also record the ownership of digital items like images, videos or Tweets. Fidelity said that 50,000 different wallets, potentially representing that many individuals, have already registered to create an

NFT and potentially win the money to donate.

Contributions in cryptocurrency to donor advised funds at Fidelity exploded last year, growing from the equivalent of $28 million in 2020 to $331 million in 2021, Fidelity has said.

Speaking of the NFT project, Jacob Pruitt, president of Fidelity Charitable, said, “I think it’ll be Jacob Pruitt, president of a unique way to engage with next gen investors.

Fidelity Charitable It’s another way that I think Fidelity is innovating and leaning into a new space.” which facilitates cryptocurrency to nonprofits, Donor advised funds allow donors to claim a including Christian ministries, observed that many tax credit for charitable donations, but do not people giving cryptocurrencies are making major require them to give those funds away within any gifts and that often those happen in the last quarter specific timeframe. Organizations that host DAFs, of the year. That means it’s too early to say how the like Fidelity Charitable, also handle more complex cryptocurrency market’s fluctuations may impact donations, which includes exchanging the assets donations this year. He said he doesn’t see people for cash and producing receipts for donating cryptocurrencies as that donors for tax purposes. different from other donors.

“Many of the nonprofits either can’t “They just have a different asset take on these assets or they have to to give and they’re going to give the hire outside counsel or people to staff most appreciated asset they can,” Around 16% to do it,” Pirozzolo said.

Lawrence said. of Americans say One reason for the jump in Of the more than 1.5 million they invested in cryptocurrency donations is that nonprofits registered with the cryptocurrencies, until recently, their value had Internal Revenue Service in the according to a poll appreciated significantly. The U.S., Lawrence estimated that only from Pew Research cryptocurrency market saw a huge four or five thousand could receive Center last year. boom in 2021 with the price of cryptocurrency donations directly.

Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency, “That’s a huge market that still rising to an all-time high of around doesn’t,” he said. He also has $68,000 in November last year. observed that many giving large But the meltdown of Terra — a stablecoin, donations in cryptocurrency (they facilitated or a type of cryptocurrency that tries to peg its one donation of $10 million in cryptocurrency value to an asset like the U.S. dollar — in May assets) are the same types of people who give brought down a series of major cryptocurrency large donations in general, and not necessarily businesses. Then, earlier this month, one of the the younger demographics that are more likely to largest cryptocurrency exchanges, FTX and related invest in cryptocurrency. entities, suddenly filed for bankruptcy leaving both “Many of the largest gifts we’ve processed American and international users unable to access have been from an older demographic who have assets they held on the exchange. a tradition of giving large gifts in multiple asset James Lawrence, co-founder and CEO of Engiven, classes,” he said.

I think it’ll be a unique way to engage with next gen investors.

In fact,

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