fortune--2020-07-11--Photos of a sort-of socially distanced summer at the Jersey Shore

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The salty sea breeze blows through the air; excited screams echo as the roller coaster drops; the warm, sugary scent of funnel cake lingers on the boardwalk. Summer is here at the shore, but with a few modifications to follow CDC guidelines. Photographer Gabby Jones set out to the Jersey Shore during the Fourth of July weekend, finding some large differences between towns as the state’s reopening was in full swing.
Since July 2, outdoor amusement parks, outdoor waterparks, playgrounds, and libraries have been allowed to reopen. But with big crowds flocking to the shore to the enjoy the holiday weekend, some towns did better than others to enforce social distancing rules, Jones tells Fortune.
“Towns which were an hour driving distance from each other felt like polar opposites,” Jones, a New Jersey native, says.
Many beach towns along the coast are figuring out what the new normal will be when customers return. While Ocean City officials handed out goody bags to families wearing masks, Jones described the vast majority of visitors at Wildwood not wearing masks at all. But she did see roller coaster riders following social distancing rules for seating.
“Some people wore masks. The vast majority are not. It’s just how it is, and it’s people’s attitudes,” Jones says.
Atlantic City opened its casinos limiting occupancy to 25% capacity and requiring all staff and visitors to wear masks. By July 16, all table games will have Plexiglas or glass barriers installed between the dealer or game operator and guests.
Her images aren’t just about masks. Jones grew up going to the Jersey Shore for summer vacations and felt drawn to document what vacationing there looks like in today’s world.
“When people act surprised or act like it’s not a problem and just go ahead with everything, I hope people can come to terms and realize that it is a problem and it does matter,” she says. “If people are already set in their ways, I don’t know how much these images will change their mind. But if anything, maybe it’s just reinforcing what a lot of us already know and are aware of just on a larger scale.”
Scroll below to see Gabby Jones’ images. Check out her Instagram here.
Vacationers at Playland’s Castaway Cove in Ocean City, N.J., on July 2, 2020. Gabby Jones—Redux
Beachgoers in Cape May, N.J., on July 4, 2020. Gabby Jones—Redux
A lone rider on the Musik Express attraction in Seaside Heights, N.J., on July 2, 2020. Gabby Jones—Redux
An employee sanitizes rides at Playland’s Castaway Cove in Ocean City, N.J., on July 2, 2020. Gabby Jones—Redux
Children ride their bikes along the boardwalk where many game huts are still shut down in Wildwood, N.J., on July 4, 2020. Gabby Jones—Redux
Vacationers, not wearing masks nor social distancing, buy food at the boardwalk in Wildwood, N.J., on July 4, 2020. Gabby Jones—Redux
Ridegoers wait in line, not following social distancing guidelines, at Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, N.J., on July 4, 2020. Gabby Jones—Redux


fortune--2020-07-12--Why does Wall Street fear a Democrat in the White House? The data just doesn’t add up

It ’ s not your imagination—the pandemic has thoroughly upended our relationship to time

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In just about every presidential election cycle, Wall Street goes through a series of contortions to debate which scenario is better for your stock portfolio: A Republican in the White House? Or a Democrat?
The consensus is almost always the same: the Grand Old Party.
Sure enough, when Donald Trump won in November 2016, investors greeted it as a risk-on event. Stocks soared on the hopes (eventually realized) of a cut to the corporate tax rate and looser regulation. The dollar and interest rates climbed too, on the assumption (never realized) of a boost to infrastructure spending. The rally became known as the “Trump Trade.”
With four months to go before Election Day, a majority of pollsters, betting sites, and a chorus of Wall Street honchos are now forecasting that Washington, D.C., will be awash in blue come January.
The State of the 2020 Race:
▶ RCP poll average: BIDEN +8.7%.
▶ PredictIt: BIDEN 61%.
▶ Superforecasting: Dems POTUS 71%.
▶ The Economist EV forecast: BIDEN 89%.
▶ 62% of fund managers expect a Biden win vs. 70% Trump in January — James Pethokoukis (@JimPethokoukis) July 8, 2020
But the script sounds a bit different this time around. Nobody’s really freaking out about the prospect of a Joe Biden presidency as the odds improve in his favor. JPMorgan says it might even be good for stocks. UBS concurs.
Yes, a Democrat in the White House is more likely to result in a hike of the corporate tax rate and tighter regulatory oversight of health care, finance, and energy sectors, but that’s no reason to bail on these stocks, the analysts say.
Besides, history doesn’t bear out the theory that the Democrats are bad for business, or for stocks.
Going back to President William McKinley (a Republican, for those keeping score), the blue-chip Dow Jones industrial average has typically performed better in the years when a Democrat holds the presidency. According to LPL Research, blue chips had their best run in the Roaring Twenties under Calvin Coolidge (Republican), but the next three top performers, on a total return basis, were Democrats: Bill Clinton, Franklin Roosevelt, and Barack Obama. The Dow’s performance under Trump is 30.3%, worse than the George H.W. Bush years, but better than the Gerald Ford presidency. The worst years for Dow stocks were during the presidencies of Republicans Herbert Hoover, George W. Bush, and Richard Nixon.
Source: LPL Research.
Now let’s take a look at GDP. A reminder: Stock market performance is not to be confused ever with economic growth. (Exhibit A: the current bull market run during the worst recession in anybody’s memory).
And here, with GDP, Democrat Presidents have historically done a better job delivering on their promise to grow the economy, which usually bodes well for the benchmark S&P 500. This table via LPL Research breaks out the track record of Democrats vs. Republicans going back to 1950. A Democrat in the White House and a Democrat Congress has, on average, grown the economy 4% per annum.
Source: LPL Research
According to a growing number of markets pundits, the best scenario of all is a divided Washington, with one party holding the executive branch and the opposition (or a split) holding the legislative.
And if you go back to the history books, it would be a power scenario in which there was a Democratic President and the Republicans holding at least one chamber of Congress. For stocks, the best power-sharing scenario of modern times is Republicans with a lock on Congress and a Democrat in the White House. Going back to 1950, the average annual return on the S&P 500 under such a scenario—Democrat President + Republican-controlled Congress—has been 18.3% since 1950 (see chart).
If you’re a buy-and-hold investor, you shouldn’t fear a Biden presidency. But you’d be justified in hoping the Blue Wave never materializes.


fortune--2020-07-12--It’s not your imagination—the pandemic has thoroughly upended our relationship to time

Why does Wall Street fear a Democrat in the White House ?
The data just doesn ’ t add up

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In 1909, the French daily Le Figaro carried on the front page “The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism,” a rousing essay by the radical Italian philosopher and technophile, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. In it, Marinetti championed the rise of technology and mechanized transport to usher in an age of innovation, an enduring concept.
If there is an antithesis to futurism it might be presentism, a kind of stuck-in-neutral worldview. Few academics have written more about presentist thinking than François Hartog. The French historian has spent decades studying time, and how, in our fast-paced world, it increasingly appears to stand still—and how that phenomenon, in turn, messes with our ability to make sense of our shared past and the collective challenges we face in the future.
In his 2015 book, Regimes of Historicity: Presentism and Experiences of Time, Hartog wrote about the phenomenon of living in a presentist age. It’s not a flattering description of our modern times. Think short-termism, but only shorter. The presentism that Hartog fleshed out in his writing is a cynical worldview devoid of vision.
Presentism, Hartog explains, is “the sense that only the present exists, a present characterized at once by the tyranny of the instant and by the treadmill of an unending now.”
The treadmill of an unending now may sound abstract—that is, until you consider the plight of, say, your nephew, a recent college graduate with a mountain of debt and few job prospects. His future is too painful to think about. Or maybe it rings a bell as you tune into the arguments of climate change denialists who reject the need to act now to save the planet down the road. Or, maybe you can hear that treadmill grinding in your head in this age of social distancing and stay-at-home orders. Who hasn’t patched into a Zoom call with scruffy colleagues only to wonder, what day is it, anyhow? (Could a COVID-inspired remake of Groundhog Day be in the works?)
Hartog is quick to point out that this idea of presentism doesn’t explain all of modern life’s conundrums. It also doesn’t debunk every argument that, in the face of enormous existential challenges, it’s best to stick with the status-quo. But he did have some timely observations about our shared experience of life in the time of coronavirus, and how we are living in a truly unprecedented age.
The French historian, François Hartog, in Paris. March, 2019. Photo Credit: Didier Goupy—Courtesy of Francois Hartog. Didier Goupy—Courtesy of Francois Hartog
The following Q&A has been edited for brevity.
Fortune: What’s your view of our life under lockdown? Many adults juggle work from home with home-schooling the kids. For many of us, it’s warped time.
Hartog: Yes. With lockdown, people suddenly find themselves locked in a suspended time, a time that is always the same. It’s a kind of confinement. The days are passing, but time seems to have stopped. But because of computers, a person can be present everywhere in a click. Therefore, the digital world, I think, is fundamentally presentist. It’s instant and simultaneous. For those excluded from this [digital] world, it’s different, of course. But in recent months, when hundreds of millions of people were able to log in and connect, it was transformative. In doing so, we came to embrace our new digital condition. Our digital condition is a drastic change from our human condition… We were able to travel around the world without leaving our room. We could take part in aperitifs on WhatsApp with our friends, or listen to a concert. We could follow every moment, happening everywhere. We could see everything, feel everything, be present at everything. Only our physical presence was missing.
Fortune: The pandemic also forced some of us to reflect upon our relationship with the planet.
Hartog: Even before the pandemic, you had some people denouncing short-termism—the way our society was increasingly centered around instant gratification. A good example of that was the movement around slow—slow food, slow everything, the need to slow down. There were people who embraced frugal living. They moved out of the city, and into the countryside. It’s a real trend.
Fortune: In your research, you must have come across historical events that are similar to what we are facing in COVID-19.
Hartog: What we are facing here is something unprecedented. This is a very serious health crisis. Pandemics and health crises of this nature are as old as humanity… But with COVID, this pandemic stems from humanity’s deteriorating relationship with nature. We have reduced dramatically the earth’s biodiversity. What is completely new today is that humanity has become a geological force unto itself. This is what’s meant by the Anthropocene… And, thanks to COVID, we have rediscovered that we are just one species, and not necessarily the strongest one. This virus, in a way, could suppress the human species as we know it—that is, if we do nothing. This makes it unprecedented. It puts our whole view of the modern world—our vision of progress, our mastery over nature—in doubt.
Fortune: So, you’re seeing humanity at a kind of crossroads?
Hartog: Yes. At the beginning of the pandemic, the impression was that science had a prominent role, and that scientific message was sticking with the public. That’s also because governments were relying so much on scientific advice. But very quickly doubts entered the discussion. Part of this is because of the way the media set up the discussion. In France, what we saw on talk shows, on TV, were health experts. One says this. The other says that. People discovered very quickly that science cannot be so affirmative in its statements and conclusions. A lot of times the answer was, ‘We don’t know.’ … That’s extremely exhausting for people. This idea that you have to live with uncertainty is very, very difficult. It generates anxiety. And, so, when science didn’t have a permanent and definitive take on the problem, people lost trust. Naturally, conspiracy theories emerge: ‘The virus was made in a lab. The government is lying to us.’ These theories are getting a lot of attention on the streets, at least in France.
Fortune: Do you think the public’s faith in science and expertise will recover?
Hartog: I don’t know. If the epidemic fades away, probably, yes. If there is a second wave—that would be terrible. It will also sow great doubts in medical experts. The same can be said of the government. They are in an impossible position. In France, there has long been suspicions and opposition against the government. This predates the pandemic.
Fortune: Faith in government institutions is crumbling everywhere.
Hartog: Politics these days is nothing if not presentist. Trump is the best example of this, and his Tweets are the best signal of that. He represents the zero-degree of politics. The nature of Twitter is to put you in a loop—someone says something, you reply, and then a few minutes later, it has lost all its meaning. And now all politicians are using Twitter for their communications. And that can distort not only the present, but the instant—particularly, if in the very next instant, the message is totally different. In that case, you are no longer obliged to remember what was said just three minutes earlier. In this kind of politics, it’s all about, first, reaction, and then emotion. And, of course, you have no space for any kind of reflection or analysis. You cannot take any distance to assess. You have to be on the spot, every minute.
Fortune: Do you really see a danger in being “always on”?
Hartog: I think the danger is great. Particularly for democracy. Our political system in the West is based upon representation. That means decisions take time. Democracy needs time. If you advocate instant decisions, instant Democracy, you ruin totally this system. You ruin Democracy… With presentism, there are the victors, and the vanquished. The vanquished would be those who have nothing but the present in their lives. They live from one day to the next. They have no perspective of any kind. Many young people who cannot find jobs are in this position. The other emblematic figure is the migrant. The migrant is defined by his condition. That means, in a way, he is totally stuck in a present without any possibility of escaping. I see this figure as emblematic of our presentist moment. He sees no future.
Fortune: Will your next book reflect upon our shared coronavirus experience, and how it may or may not influence our relationship with time?
Hartog: My next book is called Chronos: The West’s Struggle with Time. It was supposed to come out in May. But it’s been postponed because of the crisis. It will now come out in October. It’s not a history of time, but it takes the long view on the question of our understanding of time from the Christian world up to the Anthropocene—this present crisis included.


fortune--2020-07-13--How the U.S. economy is doing in 8 charts

The best things I ’ ve bought during quarantine so far

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The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta projects that GDP dropped a record –35.2% in the second quarter. Put simply: No event in American history has wrecked the U.S. economy faster than the pandemic-driven recession, or pancession for short.
But even before we get that official GDP number, the economy might already be turning the corner. The unemployment rate shot up from a 50-year low of 3.5% in February to a staggering 14.7% in April, but has since fallen two consecutive months coming in at 11.1% in June.
That has some economists saying the recession is technically over and we’ve moved into recovery or growth.
To give Fortune readers a better understanding of where the economy is and where it’s heading, we rounded up eight charts of economic data we’ve been tracking throughout the crisis:
Permanent job losses
The number of unemployed Americans topped 23.1 million in April, far above the peak of 15.4 million during the 2007–09 Great Recession years. But we’re already seeing people get rehired. Between April and June the number of unemployed Americans fell 5.3 million to 17.8 million.
However, the number of “permanently” unemployed Americans rose from 2 million in April to 2.9 million in June. That’s a sign that employers are converting some of their furloughs into layoffs—something that could impede the recovery.
“Last month permanent job losses rose…People who said, ‘I lost my job and it’s gone and it isn’t coming back,’” said Claudia Sahm, director of macroeconomic policy at the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. As that number rises, the window to put the economy back on the tracks will narrow, she said.
Employment in hospitality and leisure industries
Businesses with any connections to tourism, dining, or public events got hammered at the onset of the crisis. The number of U.S. leisure and hospitality jobs is down 41% year over year in May, from 16.5 million in May 2019 to 9.8 million now. It is hands down America’s hardest-hit industry.
Back in the spring, New York State was the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S., with the most COVID-19 deaths at over 32,000. It has also seen the biggest decline in leisure and hospitality jobs. Between May 2019 and May 2020, the number of leisure and hospitality jobs in New York fell from 961,000 to 364,100, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Hospitals, dental offices, and salons are all bringing back workers as states ease shutdowns. That is driving unemployment lower. But it will get harder to keep that recovery pace if leisure and hospitality don’t start bringing back employees too.
Consumer spending
Consumer spending dropped –6.6% and –12.6% in March and April, respectively. But it then jumped a record 8.2% in May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
That is great news for an economy that is largely powered by consumers. However, it has a long way to go to reach pre-coronavirus levels. And remember, all those PPP loans, stimulus checks, and the $600 extra federal unemployment checks are soon set to expire unless Congress reaches a consensus on extending more help.
Initial unemployment claims
In the week ended March 14, a total of 282,000 Americans filed initial unemployment claims. The outbreak of the pandemic swelled that number to a staggering 6.9 million just two weeks later.
Since then we’ve since seen initial weekly unemployment claims fall for 14 consecutive weeks, with 1.3 million filed in the week ended July 4. But it still means 15 straight weeks with claims topping 1 million—something that had never occurred in a week before March 2020.
Americans receiving unemployment benefits
The total number of Americans currently receiving unemployment benefits—called “continued claims”—came in at 18.1 million in the week ended June 27, according to data published Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor. And state unemployment rolls are down 6.8 million from their 24.9 million peak on May 9.
This points to employers rehiring staff. And it pushes back at the economic theory that the generous extra $600 in unemployment benefits would discourage jobless Americans from returning to work.
State-by-state unemployment rate
The economic fallout of the pandemic has hit some regions harder than others. In Nevada, where tourism has been battered, the unemployment rate sits at 25.3%—just under the 25.6% U.S. jobless rate during the Great Depression.
Just behind Nevada is Hawaii (22.6%), Michigan (21.2%), Rhode Island (16.3%), Massachusetts (16.3%), and California (16.3%).
The good news? The jobless rate fell in 35 states in May, including in Nevada where it fell from its 28.2% April peak. The rate was flat in three states, and rose slightly in 12 more.
Racial unemployment gap
The unemployment rate in June among white workers was 10.1%, compared with 13.8% for Asian workers, 14.5% for Hispanic workers, and 15.4% among Black workers. The economic impact of the pandemic has absolutely been uneven.
But this disparity also highlights the fact that the job market has always been unequal for Black Americans.
The pandemic’s 11.1% unemployment rate for white workers is just below the average unemployment rate for Black workers since 1972 of 11.4%. During that period the white unemployment rate topped double digits just three times—all since onset of the 2020 pandemic. For Black workers that occurred a staggering 405 times.
Manufacturing
The Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) came in at 52.6% in June, up from 43.1% in May and 41.5% in April. A PMI below 50% signals a contracting manufacturing sector. So that means U.S. manufacturers are growing again.
The contraction in manufacturing in 2020 was both more mild and quicker than what the industry experienced from 2008 to 2010.
What does all this mean?
“The economy has improved from a few weeks ago,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. He argues the recession is over, however, we could double dip. “We may have reopened too fast and reinvigorated the virus. The economy is starting to suck some wind again.”


fortune--2020-07-12--The best things I’ve bought during quarantine so far

How the U.S. economy is doing in 8 charts

Our mission to help you navigate the new normal is fueled by subscribers. To enjoy unlimited access to our journalism, subscribe today.
With non-essential brick-and-mortar stores shut down for months on end, many of us have taken stock of our retail habits. Some have been intentional about saving, either in an effort to have less stuff or for financial reasons as the economy has taken a hit. Others have coped by ordering items that help us adapt to new ways of working and entertaining ourselves inside our own dwellings.
And while I wouldn’t normally describe myself as a retail therapy type of person, the “Order Confirmed” emails in my inbox over the last four months would paint a different picture. (I bought four blazers.)
From the perfect work-from-home pants to patio furniture, here’s what I didn’t send back.
A modest work-from-home setup
Photo-Illustration by Fortune
In March, I was one of those people who thought the quarantine life would only last for a few weeks. It quickly became apparent that I was wrong, and months of hunching over a laptop wasn’t working. Relying on Wirecutter as my guide (as always), I bought an adjustable laptop stand ($55), along with a wireless keyboard ($60) and mouse ($39). The laptop stand makes positioning the screen down really simple, so you can hit those angles for video calls.
Dress for the job you have
True Body Triangle Convertible Strap Bra, $44
I’m not sure what’s so revolting about wearing a bra with an underwire while at home, but the stay-at-home orders seemed like a great time to try a bra I’ve been eyeing on Instagram ads for awhile. The comfort is a given, but the support is truly there, as well. I’ve recommended these to nearly every woman in my life.
A New Day Women’s Easy Tank Top, $8
An inexpensive treasure from Target, these tanks are my go-to for Zoom calls—and the softness can’t be beat. I now own these in four colors. Don’t delay: They are selling out quick.
Lululemon On The Fly 7/8 Pant, $98
I’ve been eyeing the effortless chic of others’ travel clothes for years, so I decided to finally head to the mecca: Lululemon. I originally invested in these as a go-to airplane pant, but they double as the perfect work-from-home pant. I wear these at least three times a week. They are light enough to be still be comfortable during the hot summer days.
Sweet relief
Photo-Illustration by Fortune
Mebak Massager Gun, $130
While I did transition to a chiropractor that didn’t require a public transit journey, my weekly massage and spinal alignment sessions are a thing of the past. Long days working from home—along with the stress of a global pandemic—has turned my hip, neck, and shoulder muscles into rock. This massage gun isn’t a perfect solution, but it provides enough relief to go weeks in between doctor visits.
At-home workouts
All In Motion Premium Fitness Mat, $30
My efforts to obtain proper workout gear were about as successful as my ability to grab a grocery delivery slot—not very. I gave up on hand weights after trying for a few months, but I was able to lock in an extremely comfortable yoga mat from Target. This 15-millimeter thick mat has made my Peloton strength classes, which I stream from my Apple TV, a lot easier on the joints.
Cooling off
LG Smart Window Air Conditioner, $310
My partner and I are both working from our apartment with no end in sight, and when summer hit, we realized we needed an A/C unit in every room. This WiFi capable LG unit has gone in our living room and has quickly proved its worth. On my way back from a bike ride, I can turn it on so the apartment has cooled a bit before returning home.
Aunting from afar
Courtesy of Rachel Schallom
JOYIN Inflatable Yard Sprinkler
Instead of throwing water balloons and eating popsicles with my nieces and nephew this summer, I’m reading books over FaceTime and considering buying a $300 video game console so I can visit my niece’s island on Animal Crossing.
As an aunt, it’s my duty to gift ridiculous things, so this summer, they received giant water toys for playing in the backyard. These 4 foot tall watermelon ($27) and unicorn ($22) sprinklers were a hit.
Skin care
Photo-Illustration by Fortune
If we’re looking on the bright side of stay-at-home orders, the quarantine has been a fantastic opportunity to build some routines without distractions. I only wear makeup when I have meetings with external stakeholders or am moderating a virtual panel, and so I have doubled down on my goal of a more regular skin care routine.
Adding to a stable of favorites including Tatcha’s deep cleanse exfoliating cleanser ($38) and Olehenriksen’s banana bright eye creme ($39), I sought out new types of products. I dove into the world of serums with Olehenriksen’s banana bright vitamin C serum ($65) and the Honest Company’s honestly pure retinol serum ($28), and I added Laneige’s eye sleeping mask ($34) to my nightly routine.
Eye care
Fortune‘s office closed in March while I was traveling, so I didn’t have a chance to pick up things from my desk before my work-from-home stretch began. I love my Felix Gray blue light blocking glasses, but I didn’t want to spend $100 on something I already owned. I tried a cheaper pair from Amazon, but they just weren’t doing the trick.
Enter Eye Just. I was a bit skeptical at first, but the blue light blocking screen protector for my iPhone ($35) works. My eyes feel less tired at the end of the day, and my headaches aren’t as frequent. It works so well, I added a screen protector to my Macbook ($56), as well. Now the protection is there constantly—no need to remember to wear glasses.
Fresh air
By Midwestern standards, I have an ugly, unfinished slab of concrete outside my apartment that faces a major street. By New York City standards, I have glorious outdoor space.
A summer without rooftop bars and patios meant waiting for my landlord to finish the patio was no longer viable. First, with input from some friends, I purchased a Char-Broil grill ($280) for easy dinners.
Then came the patio set. It was really difficult to find patio furniture that was in stock and available for delivery this spring as so many were also investing in their home spaces. I set up alerts on several options, and when this four-piece West Park set ($700) restocked at Home Depot, I jumped on the opportunity. I like that it’s part of a bigger collection, so I can add matching pieces in the future.


fortune--2020-07-12--How HBO’s ‘Perry Mason’ brought its vintage, yet fresh look together

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Perry Mason is a familiar name to longtime TV viewers, but HBO’s Perry Mason miniseries, starring Matthew Rhys as the titular character, is something different. Though it fully embraces its roots and early 1930s setting, it’s also a series designed for audiences today with a gritty plot and elaborate production values.
It’s a world that came together on-screen thanks to meticulous research and a solid collaborative effort involving the cast and crew, according to production designer John P. Goldsmith and costume designer Emma Potter.
“You’re always on a sliding scale between what’s historically accurate and cinematically interesting,” Goldsmith tells Fortune, adding that for on-location shoots, his team would look for places in Los Angeles that had the “bones that were around in 1932,” while stripping out modern elements and adding in historical details, like specific wallpapers, to fit the show.
“You’re always sort of finding a middle ground, which is interesting visually, and as close or in the spirit of what was historically accurate,” he says.
Shea Whigham (left) and Matthew Rhys in HBO’s “Perry Mason.” Merrick Morton—HBO
Transforming locations involved a varied amount of effort. While shooting streetscapes and exterior settings, the crew “tried to focus largely on what’s happening above street level, which is perfect as is,” Goldsmith says. But at street level, the production team would have to make sure to change everything from streetlights and stop signs to mailboxes and awnings.
“For interiors, like a bungalow in a kitchen, we would change out the appliances so that they were correct for the period,” he continues. “In a couple of kitchens, we put down linoleum floors that we had printed from patterns we developed ourselves from historic patterns.”
While coming up with costumes, Potter looked at paintings—particularly watercolors—done in Los Angeles during the ’30s, which helped determine the color palette and textures seen on-screen. She also looked at a mix of documentary photography, newspapers, and film studio portraits of that period.
In addition to establishing the setting, the clothing on the series helped highlight aspects of characters’ personalities or circumstances.
“So many of those characters have that kind of one side that people see, and then this other side that was hidden,” Potter says. This is especially applicable to the character of Sister Alice (Tatiana Maslany), an evangelical preacher who sports very specific types of gowns while onstage. Potter also had a real-life evangelical figure to draw inspiration from: Sister Aimee Semple McPherson.
“I remember reading this note that said that she had often had her stage gowns made by people who designed costumes for the movies,” Potter says. “And that really inspired this idea of wanting to have these kind of luxurious or figure-hugging fluid gowns that she wore.”
From left: Gayle Rankin, Tatiana Maslany, and Lili Taylor in HBO’s “Perry Mason.” Maslany’s Sister Alice wears more pearlescent attire when she’s working her preacher persona. Merrick Morton—HBO
But offstage, Sister Alice gives off a different persona, dressed in softer colors and small floral-print patterns.
“I think of her and [her mother] Birdy as characters that sit a little more in the late 1920s than they do in, say, 1931 or ’32, which is where I would put a character like Della,” says Potter, adding that Alice’s day-to-day style isn’t due to a lack of money or resources, but more a reflection of her mother’s influence. “Her mom is still kind of controlling her, and that’s something that the show starts to explore.”
Goldsmith—who looked at movies like Chinatown and Paths of Glory for artistic inspiration—also relied on archival photographs for his work, which included creating crime scenes on the show. A researcher in his department also helped add authenticity, sometimes reaching out to people like a history professor at the University of Southern California for additional information.
“Like, we might have a question: What kind of glass is in windshields in late-1920s automobiles? Was it safety glass or the kind of glass that was popcorn when it broke? What did manhole covers look like in the street in 1932?” he says.
Rhys as Perry Mason. The production team researched everything from the glass in vintage car windows to crime scene photographs, while giving the familiar story new life. Merrick Morton—HBO
The set decorator and prop master were a huge help in finding period-appropriate props—like older cameras seen on-screen—but there were times when they had to manufacture what was needed for a scene, Goldsmith says. Costuming worked somewhat similarly—Potter and her team found some vintage pieces, including jewelry, but also created custom items.
“I know that I loved and responded to being able to find vintage pieces that still worked, still looked good enough, and were in strong enough quality to be able to use,” says Potter, adding that she supplemented items when she couldn’t find the right color or shape she was seeking.
“For characters like Mason, I think everything except some of the ties was custom made, because he doesn’t really have very many clothes,” Potter says. “But we always started with vintage pieces, so that Matthew and I could look at the shapes and the fit and the wear of the garments…before we built from there.”
Potter gave the same attention to costumes for everyone—from principal players to extras—who appeared on-screen. This applied to big shoots that included 400 to 500 background characters as well, she says.
“You don’t know who’s going to be sitting next to Della in the audience,” she says of one particular church scene. “We wanted to pay as much attention to everybody and give it the right amount of texture.”
The production as a whole was a big job. Goldsmith estimates that there were ultimately 130 to 140 locations, with 26 stage builds—some of which, like the courtroom, Mason’s house, the morgue, and the jail—were massive.
Stephen Root in HBO’s “Perry Mason.” Approximately 130 to 140 locations were used while filming, according to the series production designer. Merrick Morton—HBO
He says the church interior, built inside a former Methodist church that has since been “stripped and modernized” for use as an event space, was one of the most challenging builds. His team had to put down the wood flooring, build the stage, and bring in items like the organ, a cross, banners, and bleachers.
For real-life inspiration, Goldsmith looked to evangelist Billy Sunday, “sort of the precursor to Billy Graham,” and the “raw industrial” spaces he had put up for his preaching while traveling from town to town. The props used by Sister Alice for preaching in the church were—just like on the costume side—also inspired by McPherson.
Ultimately, even with the various challenges brought about by large sets and crowd scenes, both Goldsmith and Potter enjoyed what they did for Perry Mason, crediting their teams and cooperation between different groups for bringing the final product together.
“I also personally get very excited about period work,” Goldsmith says, emphasizing how “exciting” it was to re-create Los Angeles during this particular period.
“There’s the Depression, there’s Prohibition, there’s the Olympics, there are racial dynamics, there’s modernism, which is quickly approaching—like the way life had been up till then was changing…and World War II isn’t that far ahead,” he notes.
“All of that was immensely interesting,” he says. “I just loved this work.”
Perry Mason is currently airing on HBO Sunday nights at 9 p.m.


fortune--2020-07-12--Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts: ‘Police violence is gun violence’

Eight years ago, Shannon Watts responded to a crisis—the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School—by founding the Moms Demand Action movement against gun violence.
Now, her movement counts several hundred thousand members as it responds to the United States’ two most pressing crises: the coronavirus and the fight for racial justice. Gun safety is at the center of both those battles, particularly activism against police brutality. “Police violence is gun violence,” says Watts.
Watts spoke to Fortune about the surge in gun purchases during lockdowns, the path to reopening schools safety, and the longstanding connection between the fight for racial justice and the battle against gun violence. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Fortune: How has the coronavirus crisis affected the movement against gun violence?
Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts: We know that the gun lobby exploits tragedy and national disaster to juice gun sales. We’ve seen them do this all the way back to Hurricane Katrina. Of course, they did it again when the coronavirus crisis hit. We’ve seen a historic number of gun sales over the spring—at least twice as many as were sold in the same time period as last year. We’re also seeing an increase in domestic gun violence, in unintentional shootings, in gun suicides. The reverberations of the gun lobby’s actions will be with us for months and years after the COVID crisis is over.
If you look at the NRA’s Twitter feeds and materials they put out, they have a variety of marketing tools they use where they talk about natural disasters and chaos and how the only thing that will protect you is a gun. It’s very much: the government, the police—they can’t and won’t protect you and you can only protect yourself. There’s a lot of messaging around the need, particularly, to protect yourself from looters. The conversations we’ve been having as a country over the last few months—not just COVID but also police brutality—the NRA has perverted it and made it feed into their narrative that every American needs a gun to protect themselves.
Every country is experiencing the coronavirus crisis. In the midst of it, only America is giving civilians easy access to arsenals and ammunition.
You mentioned domestic gun violence. We’ve heard a lot about the increased risks of domestic violence while families are quarantined together—how does gun violence play into that?
We know that women are isolated with their abusers. We believe there’s a 20% increase in calls to domestic violence hotlines. We expect to see an increase in domestic gun violence. We’ve been working to secure more funding for domestic violence and suicide hotlines in the stimulus packages. It’s incredibly important that domestic abuse victims have help—that they have easy access to help just like, sadly, their abusers have easy access to guns.
There was already a strong connection between the movement against police violence and the movement against gun violence; some “Mothers of the Movement” like Rep. Lucy McBath have devoted their efforts to the broader gun violence prevention movement. How has the recent movement for racial justice affected the movement against gun violence?
Police violence is gun violence and that’s why our movement must be responsive as well. We’re partnering with leaders and organizations who are experts against policing. We’re committed to working with them to address white supremacy and racism at its roots. We are seeing an appetite among lawmakers to push through anti-police brutality legislation.
The movement against gun violence and the movement against police brutality have both been led, in large part, by young people. Do you see similarities between the two?
These up-and-coming generations are more diverse than our nation has ever seen. They’re clearly committed to recreating the country in a way that is more just and equitable. We’ve seen that in gun violence prevention and now we’re seeing it in anti-police brutality.
This is also a women-led movement. Women, and particularly suburban women, who help decide the midterm elections support this issue. The key voting blocs going into November are young people, Black Americans, and women in the suburbs (and the suburbs have become much more diverse since 2010).
When protests against the death of George Floyd and systemic racism started, were you worried about the potential for gun violence at these large gatherings?
Something we have seen, and is truly frightening, is we’re seeing armed insurrectionists show up across the country to silence opposition and threaten the lives of lawmakers—like in Michigan. It was a logical concern that would happen during these protests as well. Every nation struggles with viruses and with racism, but only America gives agitators easy access to arsenals and ammunition. These shooting tragedies are preventable, they’re senseless, but they’re uniquely American. When people show up to protests with guns, and are having a heated back-and-forth—it’s a uniquely American issue where somehow the Second Amendment is being allowed to supersede the First Amendment.
As schools work on plans to reopen—and parents and teachers expect to face a school year unlike any other—what are your concerns related to safety in schools?
If schools open back up in the fall, given the huge influx of gun sales this spring, many of which were sold to new gun owners, I’m very concerned about whether guns are being securely stored in gun owners’ homes.
Even before this crisis 4.6 million American children lived in homes with unsecured guns. We don’t know what that number is now, but I would assume it’s gone up. We know most school shooters get their guns from their homes because they’re unsecured. The best way to address gun violence in schools is before it occurs. I’m really concerned about the fall and what the implication of this increase in gun sales will be for our schools and our communities at large.
Last month, an image went viral of a white couple, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, pointing their guns at peaceful protesters. What did that image say to you?
The idea that you would need to come out of your house and threaten protesters with an AR-15 and a hand gun, clearly brandishing weapons—and it also was pretty clear they didn’t have much gun safety training—it again became a partisan discussion, with pundits on Fox News defending them as righteous. If you were protester walking by the McCloskeys’ house and winding your way to the mayor’s home, it would be terrifying to be held at gunpoint. Yet, no charges have been brought against them. That is not responsible gun ownership. The way they were behaving was the antithesis of a responsible gun owner.
When you’re talking about gun owners, 80% of them in America support stronger gun laws; even 74% of the NRA’s own members do. The McCloskeys represent a small minority of gun extremists. I’m really hopeful all of the gun extremism we’ve seen over the last few months will get the vocal majority of Americans out to the polls to vote the right way on this issue.
We saw it in 2018, again in 2019 in Virginia, and we’re using that same playbook going into November of 2020. We’re spending at least $60 million: $8 million in Texas, $5 million in Arizona, and $5 million in North Carolina so far. That’s because we know Americans, including gun owners, support stronger gun laws and restoring the responsibilities that go along with gun rights.
Looking ahead to November, what are you seeing? Which candidates are you excited about in the anti-gun violence movement?
There are so many gun sense candidates out there who are running on issue of gun safety—making this a priority, a policy platform. That’s a sea change in American politics. Not too long ago, guns was considered the third rail of American politics. Now it’s not just something that candidates no longer run from—they’re actually running on it. We know that it’s getting Americans out to the polls. We need to elect Joe Biden, who we’ve endorsed as a gun sense candidate. We need to flip the Senate. We need to hold the House—including positions like our own former spokeswoman at Moms Demand Action, Rep. Lucy McBath. We also have to keep flipping the makeup of state legislatures. We flipped seven in 2018 and hope to flip more in 2020.
We thought we’d be ringing physical doorbells right now, but we’re still ringing digital doorbells. But our movement was made for this moment. Moms Demand Action was started as a Facebook page. We haven’t missed a beat. We are confident going into November, but certainly not taking anything for granted.


fortune--2020-07-12--How soap operas are filming love scenes amid the coronavirus pandemic

Hollywood’s technical expertise can awe us with monsters and imaginary worlds. But is it capable of delivering a simple screen kiss during a pandemic marked by masks and social distancing?
Yes, according to the soap opera producer who is making that happen with a strategic approach to romance. “The Bold and the Beautiful,” in the vanguard of TV series that have resumed taping after an industry-wide shutdown in March, is relying on health advisers and coronavirus safeguards to bring cast and crew together.
There’s also ingenuity involved, which includes employing actors’ real-life partners as smooching stand-ins and, for more limited purposes, using a mannequin to eliminate the risk of breaching a co-star’s infection safety zone.
“We feel almost like television pioneers all these years later because we’re the first ones out, blazing new ways of producing the shows with the current safety standards, and we’re getting the job done. It’s very exciting,” said Bradley Bell, executive producer of CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful,” which debuted in 1987 and is at roughly 8,300 episodes and counting.
Denise Richards, who plays Shauna Fulton, said she was excited to be back at work and pleased with the protective measures in place for the soap opera that, true to form, includes “a lot of love scenes.”
When “The Bold and the Beautiful” scripts written pre-coronavirus were reviewed in preparation for the new normal of production, the clinches initially were dropped. That was the cue for Hollywood creativity.
The solution: A carefully remote actor recites lines as their on-camera scene partner responds in a “low, intimate voice” and engages in “beautiful, yearning eye contact” with an off-camera doll, Bell said.
“But the fact is they’re all alone on the stage, making television magic,” he said, with dramatic flair.
This 2018 image released by CBS shows Jason Thompson, left, and Amelia Heinle in a scene from the daytime series “The Young and the Restless.” The series is scheduled to go back into production next week after halting due to the coronavirus epidemic. Cliff Lipson—CBS via AP
One of the stand-ins is a mannequin relegated to the prop room some 15 years ago after starring in a cemetery scene about the faked death of character Taylor Hayes (Hunter Tylo). The other is a life-sized doll with no known TV credits.
But what about the payoff, the embrace and heart-stopping lip-lock? That’s where actors’ partners come in, which recently included cast member Katrina Bowden’s husband, musician Ben Jorgensen.
When Bowden’s Flo Fulton (daughter to Richard’s Shauna) is kidnapped and chained to a radiator, it’s co-star Darin Brooks, as Wyatt Spencer, who comes to the rescue.
“It really called for a big embrace and a kiss,” Bell said. “So once she was freed, we stopped tape, Katrina’s husband came in and they finished the scene. We see the back of his head, and I think it’s very convincing it’s really Darin.”
Richards was looking forward to taping a love scene with her husband, Aaron Phypers, standing in for co-star Thorsten Kaye’s character, Ridge Forrester.
“The Bold and the Beautiful,” which had never before halted production, remains among the TV and movie outliers in getting back to work.
The industry’s reboot has been “gradual and cautious” since state and local bans were lifted in June, the Los Angeles film office for location shooting, said Wednesday. The office, FilmLA, has tallied about 14 permit applications daily since its June 19 reopening, about 20% of what would be received in a typical period.
Among the other network serials, CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” plans to resume production next week, NBC’s “Days of our Lives” is targeting September, and ABC’s “General Hospital” has yet to announce a date. Prime-time shows also are in limbo, including those intended for the fall season. In the UK, the soap “Emmerdale” resumed filming last month.
The “learning curve” is steep, said Ken Corday, executive producer of “Days of our Lives,” which has been airing since 1965 and has efficiency down pat. When the shutdown occurred, the serial had enough banked new episodes to air through October.
Before the pandemic, “we were producing eight, one-hour episodes a week. That’s basically 40 or 50 scenes a day,” Corday said. “That’s going to be basically impossible to reopen, so to speak, at that pace. We’re going to have to be more careful. So will there be five shows a week, or more? Yet to be determined.”
It will certainly cost more, he said. Preventing the disease’s spread is labor and time intensive, as “The Bold and the Beautiful” is demonstrating.
Cast and crew are tested weekly for coronavirus, with temperatures taken daily when they arrive at the studio and again on the set. They answer health screening questions and are given a mask and sometimes a face shield, along with a small bin for scripts, water and hair and makeup brushes to be kept from contact with others.
A designated coronavirus coordinator is tasked with overseeing the production, including keeping people safely separated, masks or not. An initial testing glitch, which resulted in a high rate of inconclusive results, forced a production pause and revised procedures.
So far, all cast and crew have tested negative, Bell said.
Reel Health, which launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to serve the entertainment industry, hires medically trained workers to monitor sets and enforce protocols developed by a company epidemiologist and in accordance with industry and government standards, said Mario Ramirez, president and CEO.
“You need to be able to make sure that everyone entering the site, first and foremost, is healthy,” and that safeguards can keep a production running, Ramirez said.
Finding ways to put romance on the screen is inevitable and necessary, said Alicia Rodis, a veteran intimacy coordinator who helped the actors guild develop guidelines for taping scenes of romance and simulated sex.
“At the end of the day, intimacy isn’t going anywhere. Physical intimacy is a part of the human experience,” Rodis said. “And we’re going to have to find a way to be able to continue to tell these stories, even in extraordinary circumstances.”


fortune--2020-07-12--What company leaders can learn from J.K. Rowling’s missteps on gender

On June 6, J.K. Rowling tweeted out an article headlined, “Opinion: Creating a more equal post-COVID-19 world for people who menstruate,” along with her now infamous comment: “‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
As the founder of Reimagine Gender, an organization dedicated to helping people and organizations understand gender, I was disappointed by the tweet, which trivialized the experiences of people (including several I know) who menstruate but don’t identify as women. But what came next disappointed me even more.
Upon receiving feedback and criticism from fans, celebrities, and advocacy groups, Rowling didn’t appear to take the time to stop and acknowledge that they were trying to communicate something important about their lives. Instead, she chose to double down on her views of gender and dismissed their experience. In doing so, Rowling diminished her influence as a leader, especially among millennial and Gen Z audiences whose views about gender are increasingly expansive.
I’ve spent years working with companies to help them navigate issues related to gender, and Rowling’s response struck a chord. Despite being well intentioned, many senior leaders share some of Rowling’s misperceptions about trans, nonbinary, and other gender-expansive people. Others assume it’s a fad, or falsely equate gender with sexual orientation, as Rowling has.
At the same time, with a broader cultural reimagining of gender underway and growing emphasis on diversity, we’re seeing more companies strive to adopt a more gender-inclusive lens. From MasterCard’s True Name to Mattel’s gender-inclusive doll line, companies are thinking beyond the binary because they know this better reflects the experiences of their employees and customers.
In order to be meaningful and effective, though, these types of actions must be paired with a strong understanding of gender and a commitment to learning. This is where business leaders have an opportunity to learn from Rowling’s mistakes.
Many of us, likely Rowling included, were raised in a culture that revolved around the gender binary. Adopting more expansive understandings of gender can feel like a leap. We all have blind spots and biases. There is nothing wrong with that; we can only know what we have experienced or been helped to understand through our relationships with others. We can’t control our blind spots, but we can commit to addressing them.
The changing conversation around gender isn’t a fad. These issues aren’t simply going to fade away if you ignore them. Despite the implication Rowling gave by signing a recent open letter in Harper’s about the need to avoid “ideological conformity,” gender isn’t a political or ideological issue. It’s simply part of the diverse human experience. The time is now to commit to our own education so that we can authentically address these topics at our organizations.
When I advise companies, I start by talking with them about what gender is and isn’t. This guide is a helpful primer, one that I encourage all leaders to read. One of the most powerful ways to expand your understanding of gender is to listen to your customers and employees, and read the stories of those whose experiences with gender are different than your own. We’re all enriched when learning about experiences different than our own.
I’m willing to bet that the majority of your employees have experienced encounters with gender norms or stereotypes in the workplace that have impeded their ability to succeed or show up as their full selves. While the degree to which people are impacted and the ways they may be impeded vary, everyone is affected by perceptions and constructions of their gender. Look for these examples, and be conscious of how limited views of gender have shaped your work life.
Most of all—and this is where Rowling truly misstepped—try to avoid the human tendency to double down and defend when you’re confronted with stories or information that you don’t understand. Truth is, you’re probably missing something, and you’re being given an opportunity to understand some part of the human experience that you haven’t yet had access to. Listening doesn’t necessitate agreement; it simply communicates an interest in understanding another’s experience or perspective.
When companies change a policy or a product to appear more gender inclusive, but don’t actually take the time to understand the why first, mistakes happen. I’ve seen this firsthand. Recently, a company announced it would offer updated gender options in customer profiles, including male, female, and nonbinary. The problem here is that “male” and “female” are sex designations, while the company should have used gender identities (“man,” “woman,” and “nonbinary”); this misstep—one that many companies make—has the potential to alienate customers when the initial intent was inclusion. Another company missed out on potential sales by marketing a product specifically to women when in fact it was something that people of all genders could use.
Leadership of course brings a level of responsibility and influence—that’s true in a corporate context as well as other societal and cultural contexts. J.K. Rowlng has a lot of power in her influence to both heal and harm, and it’s unfortunate that she used her platform to invalidate the experiences of so many.
As a business leader, your employees and customers don’t expect you to know everything—but they do expect you to listen to others’ experiences and acknowledge what you don’t know. Businesses that want to lead in the future must learn from Rowling’s missteps and commit to deepening their understanding of gender so they can effectively and authentically navigate this new reality.
Lisa Kenney, co-founder and CEO of Reimagine Gender, is a featured speaker at conferences and a consultant to organizations on the changing understandings of gender and the implications this has for families, social institutions, and corporations.


fortune--2020-07-13--Why China’s new sanctions single out Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio

On the COVID-19 front , the U.S. has had a massive leadership failure

China said on Monday it will sanction two U.S. senators in response to U.S. sanctions on Chinese officials, whom the U.S. government claims are involved in human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region.
Beijing’s decision targets Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), as well as Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.); Sam Brownback, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom; and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, of which Rubio and Smith are a part.
The announcement came three days after the U.S. sanctioned four Chinese officials for their involvement in alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, where U.S. officials and human rights groups say the Chinese government has detained as many as 1 million ethnic Uyghur people in political “reeducation” camps.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the sanctions would come into effect on Monday, but did not specify what the sanctions were, Bloomberg reported. Hua listed the four officials but did not say why they specifically were being named. According to ABC News, the U.S. officials will be banned from traveling to China.
The Chinese officials targeted by U.S. sanctions include high-ranking Communist Party official Chen Quanguo, who is the Xinjiang party secretary and one of the 25 members of China’s powerful ruling Politburo committee. The sanctions were the first time the U.S. has applied the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to officials from China.
“Xinjiang affairs are entirely China’s internal affairs. The U.S. has no right and is in no position to intervene,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on July 10. Zhao said China planned “to take reciprocal measures” against the U.S. sanctions on the four Chinese officials.
China’s foreign ministry has consistently denounced and vowed retaliation for U.S. congressional measures relating to Xinjiang, classifying such measures as foreign interference.
The ministry has a similar attitude toward U.S. involvement in issues relating to Tibet, an autonomous region of China where U.S. officials and activists say the Chinese government suppresses religious freedoms and curbs rights, and to Hong Kong, a specially administered region of China. The U.S. says a new security law imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing infringes on the region’s promised autonomy from the mainland.
The four U.S. officials named in China’s sanctions are all outspoken critics of China’s government. The three lawmakers have spearheaded bills and resolutions related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Tibet—hot-button topics for the Chinese government—that target Chinese government officials for sanctions or condemnation.
In May, Cruz introduced three separate China-related bills, including one that called for sanctions on Chinese officials who allegedly helped censor coronavirus-related information coming out of China. Cruz called China “the single most dangerous geopolitical threat that America faces now and through the next century.”
Cruz also cosponsored the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which aims to sanction “foreign individuals and entities that materially contribute to China’s failure to preserve Hong Kong’s autonomy.”
In January 2019, Rubio sponsored the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act; in September, he led the Tibetan Policy and Support Act in the Senate; in June 2019, he introduced the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in November.
Smith cosponsored a bill introduced at the end of June that would give Hong Kong residents a refugee status “of special humanitarian concern.” Smith also cosponsored the Tibet act that Rubio led, and other similar legislation.
Brownback, who heads the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom, often writes on Twitter about religious freedom issues in Tibet and Xinjiang and is vocal in his criticism of Chinese government action in those areas.
Both the U.S. and Chinese sanctions are considered largely symbolic, as officials on both sides are likely to have little financial or legal exposure to the other country or plans to travel there.


fortune--2020-07-13--The founder of wellness startup Muniq on prioritizing public health concerns over diet trends

This is an installment of Startup Year One, a special series of interviews with founders about the major lessons they have learned in the immediate aftermath of their businesses’ first year of operation.
Health and wellness have always been an integral part of Marc Washington’s life, both personally and professionally.
Prior to founding his own business, he spent most of the past two decades working in executive positions across a range of successful health, wellness, and fitness companies. His career started at the Wonderful Company, a multibillion-dollar enterprise that owns multiple food and beverage brands, including Fiji Water and POM Wonderful. After nine years there, Washington served as president and chief operating officer of Beachbody, a nutrition and fitness company; and he served as CEO of Irwin Naturals, a supplements maker and leading producer of soft-gel herbal formulas sold in over 90,000 retail outlets.
Fortune recently spoke with Washington about his new company, prebiotic wellness brand Muniq, to learn more about the startup’s first year in business, the lessons learned, the hurdles overcome, and plans for the next year.
The following interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
Marc Washington, founder of Muniq. Photography courtesy of Muniq
Fortune: The wellness industry is hotter than ever, but it’s also crowded. What inspired the launch of Muniq? What makes it stand apart?
Washington: My little sister, Monica, inspired me to launch Muniq. To describe Monica, she was full of personality, warm, inviting, colorful, unique, and hilarious—even inappropriately so at times! Unfortunately, like so many, Monica struggled with various aspects of her health, including her weight, diabetes, and blood pressure. She tragically passed away due to complications during childbirth five years ago. Monica is my inspiration for why I created Muniq: to help others dealing with similar health issues like she did, by empowering them to take back control of their lives. I always wished Monica had better solutions to manage her health. Helping others truly transform their health and lives is my tribute to Monica’s legacy.
Although there are a plethora of products, services, and brands in the wellness space, I actually don’t think of our space as being “crowded,” at least not in the traditional space. There is an insatiable (and growing) demand, desire, and even urgent consumer need for effective solutions that can enable people to live healthier lives. Consider the magnitude of serious underlying health conditions that affect so many of us (such as obesity, diabetes, heart health).
For example, nearly 10% of U.S. adults are living with diabetes, and another 35% are pre-diabetic. That means that nearly half of the U.S. adult population have elevated blood sugar levels and declining insulin sensitivity. So despite the plethora of health and wellness options available, we have not as an industry or society been successful in addressing these major public health epidemics. So I would argue there’s never been more of a need for more effective health and wellness solutions to help address these health challenges.
Which leads me to how Muniq stands apart from other wellness solutions. I created Muniq to help people address these prevalent underlying conditions and regain control of their health and lives. We leverage the best of science by following an evidence-based approach to product development more typically seen in biotech and therapeutics. This is how we create such transformative and effective products that are proven through scientific research to transform your health in a targeted way, and our solutions work through your gut microbiome which has been proven to be the control center for your health.
Although we have a strong scientific foundation, Muniq is an intensely consumer-driven brand exemplified by solutions that are not just effective, but are also convenient, approachable, and even enjoyable. I believe our unique approach to transforming health by addressing critical health conditions, with solutions that work through your gut, in a way that consumers can easily incorporate into their everyday lives, is how we will have a lasting impact on public health.
Our first line of breakthrough products are balanced nutritional shakes powered by resistant starch, a unique class of prebiotic fiber, designed to promote gut health, balance blood sugar, and satisfy your hunger. Very few products on the market include much (if any) resistant scratch, which has the power to be a game-changer for many individuals looking to take control of their health.
Muniq is a line of nutritional shakes formulated with natural prebiotic resistant starch fibers to promote a healthy gut microbiome. Courtesy of Muniq
What were some of the biggest hurdles you faced in the past year? What surprised you the most?
Looking back over the past year, one of our most significant challenges was actually self-inflicted by me! Within one month after launching the company, we had successfully developed a working prototype of our balanced nutritional resistant starch shake. Our head of research and development—a Ph.D. and nutrition scientist—was elated after creating a product that we knew would deliver the targeted functional benefits in such a short period, and he believed we were close to “launch-ready.”
However, I set an almost unreasonably high bar for our shake. Functional effectiveness was a necessary, but not sufficient condition. In addition to delivering on the promise of transformative health benefits, our shake needed to be decadent and delicious—even more so than any external benchmarks that didn’t provide the same functional benefits—and to top it off, it had to contain zero sugar. I felt it was critical for our shake to be convenient, smooth, and enjoyable so that consumers would want to incorporate it into their everyday routines and benefit from the longer-term transformative effects. So we spent the next year working diligently with our sensory and flavor expert partners and conducted rounds of consumer sensory testing to optimize the sensory profile of our shake, while not sacrificing the functional health benefits.
The coronavirus pandemic has also certainly been another significant hurdle to face, as we officially launched Muniq in the midst of this. One of the biggest challenges of launching a new brand during the pandemic has been figuring out how to break through all the noise, as the noise level is extremely high. More importantly, this pandemic has had such a devastating impact on so many people, especially Black and brown communities, who already suffer from vast disparities in health outcomes and socioeconomic status. We aspire to be a solution to help so many people regain control of their health, especially those who need it the most, which include minority communities. The pandemic has made it even more difficult for those who need the most help to readily access the needed medical care and solutions to help improve their health outcomes.
Despite these challenges, I’ve been surprised and inspired by the resiliency of our initial customers, many of whom have chosen to prioritize and invest in their health despite the various challenges presented by the current environment and the newness of our brand. Our customers have expressed how empowered they feel in taking steps to stay in control of their health and mitigate the heightened risk associated with their conditions, which is more important now than ever.
Among the health benefits Muniq touts for its shakes: blood sugar regulation and improved insulin sensitivity, immunity, digestive health, and appetite control. Courtesy of Muniq
What kind of feedback have you received from your customers? Was there anywhere you found you needed to make adjustments?
I’m so glad you asked this question. One aspect of my career in health and wellness that I am most appreciative of is helping people fine-tune their health, and then witnessing the indescribable impact that can have on their health, and more significantly on their quality of life. Positively impacting someone’s life by increasing their hope and happiness is like the ultimate high for me, and this is what inspires me and keeps me excited about what I do every day.
It’s very early days for my business as we just launched Muniq recently. However, I’ve already been blown away by some of the incredibly encouraging feedback we’ve been receiving from our early customers. The initial reaction from customers is usually along the lines of “I cannot believe this shake is so healthy for me and has zero sugar, because it’s absolutely delicious!” This is such an important aspect of our product, as I believe that the biggest hurdle keeping people from sticking with healthier decisions is that they usually aren’t easy or enjoyable. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your taste buds to make healthy choices. Creating enjoyable and effective products is the path to helping people make healthy changes that last.
Another common theme we have been hearing is how filling our shakes are. Most consumers are happy to report that Muniq shakes keep them feeling full for four-plus hours, which helps them avoid cravings and unhealthy food decisions.
What is most exciting is that we’re already receiving anecdotal feedback from customers about the promising improvements they are already seeing in balancing their blood sugar levels, which is the primary functional benefit of Muniq shakes. What’s great about Muniq shakes is that the functional benefits are quantifiable based on measurement of blood sugar levels. The benefits of most nutrition and supplements are typically measured based on a feeling or belief system. The early feedback we’ve gotten from consumers has confirmed what we know from research and internal testing that we conducted prior to launch. However, it’s incredibly uplifting to hear from our customers about the progress they’re making in achieving their health goals with the help of our product.
Fortunately, we haven’t needed to make adjustments to our product offering. We have taken proactive steps in advising customers to start slow when introducing Muniq shakes into their diet in order to help their gut adapt to the efficacious dosage of resistant starch prebiotic fibers in each shake.
Over the past few weeks, there has been a much stronger and more concerted effort on social media to encourage consumers to support Black-owned businesses. At the same time, there is the worry that while this might offer a much-needed sales bump during an economic downturn, non-Black consumers will not commit to this effort in the long term. What can other members of the business community do to amplify and sustain support for Black-owned businesses?
This is a topic of great importance to me, especially as a founder and CEO of a Black-owned health and wellness business. I appreciate the broad public denouncements of racism and social injustices, the acknowledgements of the structural inequalities that exist in our society, and the expressions of support for the Black community and Black businesses.
However, so much more is necessary than words in order to address the systemic disparities and inequalities that persist in our society and business community today. What matters significantly more than well wishes and well-intended posts, are intentional efforts and commitments to action that will last beyond the current news cycle. I am concerned that so many that have made expressions of support will recede back to business-as-usual in the near future without making any actual changes.
One step that I think is important for all of us is to conduct a cultural audit of our companies to shine the light on any racial biases (even if unintentional) in our business practices, processes, organizations, suppliers and partners, boards, etc. Conducting a comprehensive audit can provide awareness and clarity about where your company “really” stands in the areas of diversity and active support of the Black business community. This can help provide helpful direction on the most effective and tangible steps your organization can take to make progress.
I also believe it’s important to commit to intentional actions based on results of your company’s cultural audit including setting measurable goals with specific targets. Assuming your organization was sincere in its social media posts supporting Black communities and businesses, then it’s important to walk the talk by taking specific actions that will have lasting impact.
I don’t believe companies necessarily need to overhaul their entire mission and corporate priorities to have a positive impact. Even taking small but meaningful steps can lead to positive change, such as establishing a target for diversifying your supplier base with Black businesses. Only through intentional action can we create lasting impact that will help move us in a direction toward a more equitable business community and society.
As the pandemic goes on, consumers’ purchasing habits and practices are going to change. Will Muniq need to adjust its business plan for the immediate future?
I’ve never been more driven to help people regain control of their health than I am right now. The pandemic has increased the urgency and desire for consumers to be more proactive in managing their health, especially those suffering from prevalent underlying conditions, who face heightened risks.
For example, people who are living with diabetes are experiencing higher hospitalization rates and mortality rates from the coronavirus. I am particularly passionate about addressing the vast disparities in health outcomes for minorities and Black communities, who are disproportionately impacted by underlying conditions, which is a critical step toward achieving greater equality in our society. So the pandemic has only amplified my company’s purpose and reinforced our mission going forward.
From a channel standpoint, our business plan has always been focused on launching as a direct-to-consumer brand in order to establish deep and meaningful relationships with our customers. We also are focused on providing educational resources and tools to help people manage their health through our content and website.
Certainly some consumer habits will adjust over time as the impact of the pandemic recedes. However, I believe many of the effects of this pandemic will persist over time, in particular as it relates to health and wellness. I anticipate consumers will generally continue following a more proactive and intentional approach to managing their health going forward. Given all of this, I do not anticipate material changes in the business plan for Muniq in the near term. The prevalent health conditions we are targeting (including blood sugar challenges and insulin resistance) were incredibly prevalent issues prior to the pandemic, and will continue to remain a priority for so many even after the pandemic subsides.
While Muniq benefits a broad range of consumers and has been adopted by the health-conscious, those in the diabetic community find it particularly beneficial as they are at greater risk of complications from COVID-19. Courtesy of Muniq
At the same time, how does a shutdown of this nature affect the future of the business, from product development to raising capital?
Despite facing some difficulties during the pandemic, our business has not been impacted nearly as much as so many others during this shutdown. We were able to shift relatively seamlessly to working remotely, which I realize is a privilege that many do not have. Although I greatly miss the face-to-face interactions with my team working in the office, there is no doubt that remote working arrangements will remain significantly more common as compared to before the shutdown, as many businesses and employees have figured out ways to remain productive without being physically present.
As a DTC health and wellness business, we haven’t faced the steep declines experienced by many businesses whose demand has dropped dramatically due to their specific industry sector or dependence on physical retail channels. I do believe that the change we’ve seen in consumers transitioning to digital commerce during this shutdown will largely remain in place even post-pandemic.
As essential nutrition businesses, our supply chain partners have mostly operated without significant disruption during this period. However, we are continuously managing our supply chain in order to avoid potential future disruptions due to the extended shutdown.
This shutdown is having a significant impact on innovation and product development cycles, though. Many product innovation cycles have been extended, deferred, or outright canceled in the wake of the shutdown. As an example, we work with clinical research professionals and scientists who previously had clinical studies underway, many of which will need to be completely restarted post-shutdown in order to obtain “clean” results, despite many of them having been in process for years. In addition, many companies have been forced to cut R&D budgets in order to conserve cash during this critical time, which also negatively impacts the pace of innovation.
Looking beyond the post-pandemic era—which could be anywhere from a year to a few years from now—how do you plan to grow Muniq and what do you want the business to look like five years from now?
I created Muniq as a platform brand that creates solutions to transform your health through your gut microbiome. Our initial products are focused on improving gut health and blood sugar control. We are already actively developing future product platforms that target other prevalent health conditions which can also be significantly improved through your gut.
My vision for Muniq in five years is that we will offer consumers a suite of products that are targeted to address a range of health conditions, offered in a personalized way for a consumer based on his or her individual needs. Our products will share a common theme of transforming your health through your gut. Scientific research has shown that your gut is the control center for your health, affecting the function of almost every system in your body. I anticipate continued breakthroughs from ongoing emerging research around the gut microbiome will enable new methods to effectively modulate human health through your gut. This will enable Muniq to remain at the forefront of transforming health and addressing critical conditions.
Although we are currently focused on building our digitally native business through direct-to-consumer channels at present, in five years, I anticipate we will have expanded into an omnichannel business to provide consumers multiple ways to access our life-changing products.


fortune--2020-07-13--On the COVID-19 front, the U.S. has had a massive leadership failure

Why China ’ s new sanctions single out Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio

This is the web version of CEO Daily. To get it delivered to your inbox, sign up here.
Good morning.
The notion of a trade-off between opening the economy and protecting public health has always been a false one. But in the U.S., we are now seeing proof of that in spades. Many of the states that rushed to reopen are now reporting exponential growth in new COVID-19 cases–and the inevitable, but lagging, increase in deaths as well. That will either lead them to shut down again, or, more likely, create massive uncertainty that continues to depress travel, bars, restaurants, retail shopping, school reopening, and more. For the economy, that may not lead to a second downturn, but more likely a very slow upturn, as Fortune’s Anne Sraders explains here.
When the history of the pandemic is written, the U.S. rightly will get credit for the unprecedented scope and speed of its economic policy response, but blame for the massive failure of its health care response. One small data point: As of this morning, it’s been nine days since I was tested for COVID, and still no results. (No symptoms either, fortunately.) That undercuts any notion that we can defeat the virus through testing and tracing. As Anthony Fauci said recently: “If you are going to do contact tracing and the test comes back in five to seven days, you might as well not do contact tracing, because it is already too late.”
Lots of folks can share that blame. I’d put the commercial testing services–Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp–high on my list, for their recent delays. They’ve had months to ramp up for this moment.
But at the end of day, as every CEO understands, it is leadership that matters most. The U.S. has had a massive failure on that front.
News below.
Alan Murray
@alansmurray
alan.murray@fortune.com
TOP NEWS
China sanctions
China is placing sanctions on several high-profile U.S. officials, including Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. The move is retaliation for U.S. sanctions against certain Communist Party officials, announced last week as punishment for human rights abuses in Xinjiang province. In both cases, the sanctions are mostly symbolic, as their targets have little exposure to the other country. Fortune
TikTok CEO
White House trade advisor Peter Navarro has branded TikTok's new American CEO a "puppet" for fronting the Chinese-owned social media service. Kevin Mayer, a former Disney executive, was hired by TikTok parent ByteDance earlier this year. The Trump administration is considering banning both TikTok and WeChat, which is also a Chinese product. CNBC
Ads and BLM
Target and other big advertisers have been telling major news publishers that they don't want their ads appearing next to stories about the Black Lives Matter movement—including stories referencing police-brutality victims such as George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The advertisers say this is because they want to respect the sensitivity of the issue, and don't want to look like they are exploiting tragedy. The publishers say they are being punished for covering important news. Wall Street Journal
Trump mask
President Trump has for the first time worn a mask in public, while visiting a military hospital. Trump, who not long ago insisted he did not think he would wear the protective garment—reportedly because it would make him appear preoccupied with health rather than reopening the economy—said Saturday: "I've never been against masks but I do believe they have a time and a place." BBC
AROUND THE WATER COOLER
Indian payments
Remember Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's disastrous attempt in late 2016 to encourage a shift to digital commerce (among other things) by suddenly invalidating most of the country's high-value currency notes? That didn't work—but it seems COVID-19 is now pushing people in India to pay bills and buy their groceries online. Fortune
South African lockdown
South Africa is un-relaxing some of its lockdown measures, as COVID-19 case numbers are dramatically increasing. A partial curfew is being re-introduced, alcohol sales are once again banned, and the wearing of masks in public spaces is now mandatory. President Cyril Ramaphosa: "A number of people have taken to organizing parties, having drinking sprees and walking in crowded spaces without masks. It is concerning that many are downplaying the seriousness of this virus." Daily Maverick
Audit problems
The big auditors need to fix their internal culture, writes Karthik Ramanna, a business professor at the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government, for Fortune in the wake of the Wirecard scandal: "To have gone back to Wirecard to chase after more evidence on cash balances would have been unpleasant for the auditors—it suggests to the client that the auditor does not trust them. And to be so aggressive with clients is anathema, even for partners in the firms. Not surprisingly, the juniors also learn how to sing in this choir." Fortune
Rowling lessons
Gender consultant Lisa Kenney writes for Fortune about the lessons companies can learn from the storm around author J.K. Rowling's opinions on the subject: "Many of us, likely Rowling included, were raised in a culture that revolved around the gender binary. Adopting more expansive understandings of gender can feel like a leap. We all have blind spots and biases. There is nothing wrong with that; we can only know what we have experienced or been helped to understand through our relationships with others. We can’t control our blind spots, but we can commit to addressing them." Fortune
This edition of CEO Daily was edited by David Meyer.


fortune--2020-07-13--New survey on Hong Kong security law shows business has concerns—but isn’t taking action

The new national security law in Hong Kong is worrying the city’s business community.
Seventy-six percent of respondents in a new survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong say they are either “extremely concerned” or “somewhat” concerned about the new national security law that Beijing imposed on the region on June 30. Roughly half of the 183 survey respondents are American companies with operations in Hong Kong, while 35% are headquartered in Hong Kong, and the rest are other international firms.
The national security law was first publicly released as it went into effect and provides Beijing with sweeping powers to tackle four specific crimes: terrorism, subversion, secession, and collusion with foreign powers. Of the respondents, 56% said that the details of the law were “more stringent” than they had expected when Beijing first announced the legislation in late May.
Anxious as it may be, Hong Kong’s business community is not yet taking concrete actions in response to the law, such as lodging coordinated business opposition to the measures or moving operations or employees out of the city. For now, businesses seem willing to sit tight and see how Beijing implements the legislation.
Top concerns
The most widely held worry about the law—cited by 65% of respondents who could identify multiple concerns—is the ambiguity of the law’s scope and how it will be implemented.
“The legislation is extremely broad and could be used for anything at all,” one anonymous respondent told the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), expounding on their multiple-choice response. “Almost anything could be construed as a threat to ‘national security,’ and any discussions, talks with foreign people could be construed as collusion with foreign powers.”
The second-most cited concern is that the law will erode the independence of Hong Kong’s judiciary system, which forms the backbone of the city’s freewheeling financial markets. One respondent said Hong Kong’s courts will be powerless to stop national security law enforcers from arbitrarily targeting foreign businesses.
Forty-one percent of respondents said they were worried that the law may jeopardize their data security. That apprehension is shared by foreign tech firms such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter that decided to temporarily suspend data sharing with the Hong Kong government last week amid new rules outlining how the law will be enforced.
Still, 11% of respondents indicated they were “not concerned at all” about the law. “My attitude is that I have no intention of violating the law,” one of the respondents said. “Therefore, I have no concern about it.”
Taking flight?
Such worries seem to be leading the business community to conclude that the law will irrevocably change Hong Kong’s status as an international financial center by driving the city closer to mainland China and farther from foreign investors.
Forty-nine percent of respondents said they expected the national security law to negatively impact their business, because of uncertainty over how Beijing will enforce the law, the increased difficultly in attracting foreign talent to the city, and a talent drain if Hong Kong residents emigrate to other countries.
“I believe international firms will slowly leave the city for other headquarter cities in Asia,” one respondent said. “Maybe it takes 20 years, but Hong Kong will become another Chinese city.”
Fifty-one percent of respondents said the law will either be positive for their businesses or not have an effect on their business at all.
Hong Kong will be better off, one respondent said, because the law “accelerates the integration of Hong Kong into [mainland China’s] economy.”
Despite business’s negative perception of the law and its gloomy forecast for Hong Kong, few respondents indicated they were taking any direct or meaningful action as a result.
Sixty-five percent of respondents said they do not have any plans to move capital, assets, or business operations from the city, while another 30% said they would only consider moving business away from Hong Kong in the “medium to long term.” Only 5% said they will be moving business away from the city in the “short” run.
All the same, businesses do appear to be preparing for the worst. Fifty-two percent of respondents said they have contingency plans in place—or are preparing new ones—to leave the city if the situation worsens.
But for now, the majority of these businesses aren’t taking any drastic measures. When presented with a list of options that included reducing or increasing trade and investments in the city, 68% of businesses said they will “wait and see” how Beijing decides to implement the law.
“The law is still ambiguous in many ways,” one respondent told the AmCham. “We have to see where the red lines are in coming months [and] perhaps years.”


fortune--2020-07-13--China to sanction Rubio and Cruz in retaliation for U.S. legislation over Xinjiang

China announced sanctions against U.S. officials including Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, in a largely symbolic retaliation over legislation intended to punish Beijing for its treatment of ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said “sanctions” against the four officials would begin Monday, without elaborating. Hua listed Rubio and Cruz—both Republicans and high-profile critics of China—as targets of the unspecified measures, in addition to Sam Brownback, Representative Chris Smith and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.
The moves come three days after the U.S. sanctioned a top member of China’s ruling Communist Party and three other officials over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, located in the country’s far west. Beijing has repeatedly vowed retaliation over U.S. actions intended to support residents of Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, accusing Washington of inappropriately interfering in China’s internal affairs.
The sanctioned individuals include Chen Quanguo, the Xinjiang party secretary who sits on the 25-member Politburo, as well as Zhu Hailun, party secretary of the Xinjiang Political and Legal Committee, and the current and former directors of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau, the Treasury Department said Thursday.
Both the U.S. moves and Chinese response were largely symbolic, since both groups of officials were unlikely to have much financial or legal exposure to each other’s countries.
The U.S. decision marked the first time the U.S. has sanctioned a sitting Chinese official under the 2016 Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which gives the U.S. broad authority to impose human-rights sanctions on foreign officials. Senior administration officials had been pushing for the sanctions for months but had been stymied by President Donald Trump, who fretted that they would complicate his U.S.-China trade deal.