#early 2000s avon naturals

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Avon Naturals Strawberries and Cream Hand and Body Cream

1996-2004

Found on Ebay, user cindy9139

[wyrmfedgrave]

Pics:

1 & 2. Modern AI images which need a little more time rendering the Hoary Olde Scribbler.

3. The real Ani-maniac? I mean he's wielding the dark magic of the Mad Arab's dreaded Necronomicon!!

4 & 5. Covers to 2 collections of Love- craft's best stories & early short tales.

1914: Output.

Intro: "Ad Criticos" is a collection, taken from HPL's letters, of 4 satirical poems.

These had been sent to the Argosy magazine during the 'Jackson War', which started in 1913.

It's mostly good natured ribbing but, with Howard, you get a lot of history & name dropping!

Work: Right after mentioning Jackson, Lovecraft focuses on the "Ingenious Russell, I forgive (your) slur, since... such clever lines... occur with true Pierian¹ heat inflamed."

John Russell will be mentioned more than anybody else - always showing HPL's high opinion of this 'enemy' writer.

Now, Howard defends his use of old English words.

"My store of knowledge (I) might parade (yet) my words are not beyond reach."

Then, we dive into English history.

"In Charles the 2nd's² vulgar age, the gross Wycherley³ & Dryden⁴ soiled the stage."

Most of the 2nd 'Book' touches upon a lot of Greek mythology.

But, by its end, Lovecraft's favorite southern Civil War soldier⁵ is turned into a deathless martyr - or some- thing like that.

"Louder bawl the... Boeotian⁶ band, Acid quills, fresh... from Cupid's⁷ wing, At me the Myrmidons⁸ of Venus⁹ sling... Amazons¹⁰ in... fury charge!

Book 3 starts with 1 mythological mention, before dropping some poetic names!!

"Beat their wings in Heliconian¹¹ song."

Quickly followed by "Russell, like Butler¹²... schools the times." And, "Points with logic's art, At... Avon's Bard¹³."

HPL then mentions himself, twice - in roundabout ways.

"Were I the Hudibras¹⁴ of our age."

And, "(Oh!) Heavenly Muse¹⁵, your latest pupil see(s), Verse modeled after Pope's¹⁶ (& mine)!!"

This section ends with "Sense, like Browning's¹⁷... a bit obscure. Detested Lovecraft... fierce."

Book 4 starts with poetic nitpicking.

"In true trochaic¹⁸ rage the bard begins, When - Lo! - An odd iambus¹⁹ intervenes."

It all ends with the person who has a decision to make.

"(And) soon a dactyl²⁰ swells the shapeless swarm²¹... When scribes... contend, The Editor alone the fray can end."

Best John Russell mention, "Well turned lines, with... venom writ, counts my failings to display his wit."

Best Howard mention, "The crusty bachelor will rant no more..."

Criticism: Phillip Ellis stated, "(This) is (HPL's) 1st genuine example of his (poetic) ability... (Very few) of his earlier (attempts) have (much) merit."

"Ad Criticos" is of reasonable length... to more fully develop the satire in the (work's) subject... The 4 pieces... combine to create a (poem) that lessens the impact of "On Whitman" & "Providence in 2000 AD."

Sadly, "Ad Criticos" has received little other critical attention - mostly from S.T. Joshi.

Notes:

1. Pierian means of or pertaining to the Muses, Goddesses of Divine Inspiration.

The word comes from the Mt. Pierus area, in Macedonia - homeland of Alexander the Great!

The Muses were worshipped there, because of a spring that granted drinkers literary & artistic skills!

2. This "Merry Monarch" was King of Great Britain & Ireland. His political savvy guided his nation thru religious unrest, the Black Death & more.

His soldiers took New Amsterdam from the Dutch & called it NYC.

But, the Great Plague hit England, killing over 60,000 people.

It was Charles that granted Carolina & R.I. their colonial charters.

3. William Wycherley was a poet & playwright known for his comedies "Country Wife" & "Plain Dealer" which are full of wit, humor & good spirits.

"Wife" reflected aristocratic & anti- Puritan sentiments. It's also full of explicit sexual jokes!

"Dealer" was actually condemned for its obscenities!! But, poets John Dry- den & John Dennis praised it highly."

Wycherley had no title or wealth yet, he ended up sharing King Charles 2's mistresses!!

4. John Dryden was an English poet, literary critic, translator & playwright.

He was England's 1st Poet Laureate & dominated satiric literature during the late 1600s.

5. This was "Stonewall" Jackson, who - in HPL's estimation - "died a hero²³ in (a) glorious cause²⁴."

A man who's "lost, but (is of a) death- less fame. (Such) that lesser men should (not) bear his name!"

6. Of or about the Greek region of Boeotia, whose capital was Thebes - now Thiva.

Thebes was politically strong but, had few good harbors. Still, they're 1 of the oldest inhabited cities on Earth!

The Athenians called these folk "dull & stupid!" Yet, these major rivals ended teamed up against the invading Phillip the 2nd.

In the end, the father of Alexander the Great beat both nations. And, Phillip's son would later destroy Thebes...

7. Cupid was the Roman God of sexual love, affection & erotic desire. This cherubic boy was son of Mercury, messenger God & Venus, Goddess of love.

Anyone (even other Gods) who was shot by 1 of his arrows, would be filled with uncontrollable desire!!

8. Now, any "follower of a powerful person." Especially, an unscrupulous & unquestioning lackey.

They were descendants of Zeus, King of the Greek Gods & Eurymedusa, a seduced by Zeus - in the 'disguise' of an ant!!

They lived in Thessaly, Greece & their leader was Achilles, the great warrior of the Trojan War!

9. Venus, Roman Goddess of love. Also, the bringer of prosperity & good fortune.

She's an ancestor of the Romans, thru Aeneas, her Trojan son by Anchises.

Weird Shit: Venus was born of 'sea foam!' A 'substance' that originated from when Cronus castrated Uranus & threw his dad's penis into the sea!!

10. Amazons were a nation of fierce warrior women that supposedly lived Northeast of Greece, in the Black Sea area.

They were daughters of Ares, the Greek God of War & Harmonia, a demigoddess.

These ladies thought that marriage was a slave sentence! Yet, they mated once a year with the neighboring Gargareans.

Weird Bit: Then, their worst fear came true! The Amazons & Scythians inter- married, founding the Sauromations!!

11. Heliconian means of or pertaining to Mt. Helicon, Greece - which was home to Apollo & the Muses.

12. Samuel Butler was an English poet, critic & satirist who wrote the utopian novel of "Erewhon", "The Way of All Flesh" & "Hudibras", a long satirical poem.

"Hudibras's" story reminds readers of Edmund Spencer's "Faerie Queen" & is thought to be a deliberate imitation!

13. Avon's Bard - Come on folks, who can forget William Shakespeare's nick- name?!! Stratford-on-Aven was this poet/playwright's birthplace!

But, there's a "Bard of Avon" children's book for ages 7+. It contains words that Shakespeare made up!

Like: leap frog, tongue tied & laughing stock, etc...

In the U.K., Shakespeare is better known as "the Swan of Avon."

14. Hudibras is a 'vigorous' satiric poem, written in a mock heroic style.

Its simple plot has the knight named Hudibras being regularly defeated - by women.

So, he comes to the conclusion that women are superior to men...

This 'unique' name is taken straight out of Spencer's "Faerie Queen" - where it's spelled Huddibras.

15. A Muse is one out of nine Greek Goddesses of expressive inspiration.

They were daughters of Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory & Zeus, King of mack daddies!!

16. Alexander Pope was an English poet, satirist, translator & essayist.

Known for "Rape of the Lock", "The Dunciad" & "Essay on Criticism."

Supported himself with subscription fees for his translations of Homer's works.

17. Robert Browning was an English poet & playwright of the Victorian Era.

He created the Pied Piper but, is best known for his dramatic monologues & psychological 'portraits.'

Browning's best work is the 12-book series "The Ring & the Book", the story of a Roman murder trial.

This writer believed that all women should fight for their freedoms - even if they should die for them...

18. Ad Criticos is Latin for "To the Critics." In Spanish, they have the related meanings of "Abusers" or "Scoffers."

Heh.

19. Trochaic, in poetry, is a "falling" rhythm made up of 1 stressed syllable, followed by 1 unstressed sound that's cascading down.

20. Iambus, in poesy, is 1 weak sound followed by 1 strong syllable that's rising up in timbre.

21. Dactyl, in poetry, is 1 strong sound followed by 2 unstressed syllables.

The name is from the Greek Dactyloi, a male race (unholy Amazons?) that's associated with the Great Mother Earth.

22. This "shapeless swarm" wouldn't happen to be shoggoths - would they?!!

Probably not.

But, I find it interesting that these words will soon bear a newer, more Lovecraftian meaning...

23. I don't think so, dude.

"Stonewall" was shot by his own troops!!

He had his left arm amputated & it was buried separately from the rest of his body!

Then, eight days later, "Stonewall" died of a combination of three things: shock, a chest injury & pneumonia.

His last words were "Let's cross the river & rest under the trees..."

"Stonewall's" deathbed was a farm office some 30 miles from his own battlefield troops.

I'd hardly call that heroic...

24. To keep people in slavery is never any sort of 'glorious' cause. Otherwise, the whites wouldn't mind being slaves themselves...

And, the hogwash about "state's rights" is a later excuse.

Southerners knew they'd not make as much money without their unpayed workers...

As is usual, greed runs the world.

[insanityclause]

“I’m a meat and two veg kinda fella,” says Kenneth Branagh. “I love my fish and chips, and my English breakfast, and I like my football and horse racing – my dad loved the horses.” His tastes, he admits, such as his signature dessert recipe for melted Mars bar over vanilla ice cream, were formed in his working-class childhood.

For the past four decades, this son of a joiner from Belfast has been living cheek by jowl with that other great scion of the lower classes – William Shakespeare. Ever since Branagh became a stage and film star playing Henry V in the Eighties, he’s been directing Shakespeare’s works, adapting them, playing many of his great characters. Now, at 58, he is assuming the bald pate, sharp nose and very pointed beard of the playwright himself, in the self-directed All Is True.

It’s an unexpectedly moving portrait. Branagh’s Will is entering his 50s, and retiring from London to Stratford-upon-Avon, where he had long owned a house, and where at 18, he had married Anne Hathaway, a 26-year-old already pregnant with their child. It’s 1613, the Globe Theatre has burned down, and the playwright is still grieving the death of his only son, Hamnet, many years earlier.

“For me, it was a sort of time travel,” says Branagh, whose enduring boyishness hides the fact that he is eight years older than the Shakespeare we meet in the film. (The playwright died in 1616, at the age of 52.) Branagh’s Shakespeare is stiff of bearing; Branagh isn’t. He’s playful while having his photograph taken in the London hotel where we meet, and his comfortable clothes – knitwear – mirror a softness in his tone and manner. It masks a seriousness that shows itself often when he speaks.

After all these years exploring Shakespeare’s work, does the think he has a feel for the man? “I have a sense of preoccupations that repeat themselves,” he says. “They came together when I played Leontes in The Winter’s Tale a couple of years ago, because it did feel like a play from a man at the end of his professional life, maybe in the evening of his life – there was such a longing in it for this lost child, such an ache for the reunification of a family, that it seemed to add up with all sorts of longings in the plays, even in the comedies.”

The grief for Hamnet in All Is True is so acute that, set against the way Will yearns for a male heir, and his complicated relationship with his daughters, Susanna and Judith (Hamnet’s twin), it makes you wonder whether Branagh has been contemplating his own mortality. Does he wish that he had had children?

“Didn’t happen,” he shrugs. “It doesn’t seem to me to be valuable to be wishing and hoping for things that don’t appear to have been on your dance card. I go with what we have. I start with, are you healthy, do you have some family, do you have some friends? Anything north of that’s terrific.”

Since 2003, Branagh has been married to art director Lindsay Brunnock. Before that, of course, he was married to Emma Thompson – a celebrity coupling that was so ubiquitous between 1989 and 1994 that they were referred to simply as “Ken and Em”. They acted in a series of Branagh’s films together, such as the history-repeats-itself thriller Dead Again (1991), the rather precious paean to privilege, Peter’s Friends (1992), and a very winning Much Ado About Nothing (1993), before the partnership ended with Branagh’s affair with Helena Bonham Carter. Does he think he and Thompson will ever work together again? “I don’t know,” he says. Would he like to? “She’s a terrific talent, so who knows?”

Branagh is clearly not keen to talk about his personal life, however much of it is already in the public arena. Yet so little is known of Shakespeare’s life that All Is True must make a series of guesses to fill the void. (The script is written by Ben Elton, who has already treated the subject as comedy in Upstart Crow.) But the element most likely to raise eyebrows is the casting of Judi Dench as Hathaway. Dench is 84. It’s very unusual to cast a woman 26 years older than her leading man, isn’t it? “Is she 26 years [older]?” says Branagh, surprised. “Really?” I nod – does he think audiences will balk at that?

“I don’t think so. I was aware that for the past 100 years of cinema that age gap has usually been the other way round. If it felt it was going to kill the story, I would have been terrified; for some maybe it will, but for me, not at all. She’s unique and to have that chance with one of the greatest living actors, the age thing didn’t come into it.”

Is it an example of “age-blind casting”? “Yeah, I guess so. She was the right person for the role.” The film seems to suggest that Hathaway and Shakespeare reunite sexually, too. I wonder if, as a director, he considered having a physical scene between them? “No, it didn’t seem appropriate for this. I wouldn’t have balked at it if it had seemed right, very much not.”

He also shares a seven-minute scene with Ian McKellen, who plays the Earl of Southampton, to whom Shakespeare famously dedicated two poems. It evolves into a duel between heavyweight Shakespeareans when both recite Sonnet 29 (“When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes”). “I practised for that scene as I’ve never practised before,” Branagh admits, explaining that he went to see McKellen perform as Lear last year, and rehearsed with him backstage. “I found that pretty intimidating… You’ve got to be up pretty early in the morning to keep up with Dench, but with him…”

It’s one of the pivotal moments of the film, which clearly suggests that the Bard was in love with a man. Is that an unavoidable conclusion from the Sonnets, four-fifths of which are addressed to a “fair youth”? “I think it’s certainly unavoidable not to consider it very strongly,” Branagh says. Is there room for doubt that Shakespeare preferred men? He laughs. He’s weighing his words carefully. “I think it’s a strong possibility.”

Branagh does this a lot, studiedly avoiding sound-bites. Asked if he believes Shakespeare was indeed the author of the plays, he decides: “The other theories are brilliant speculations, but there has been no winning piece of evidence. In the current state of knowledge, I would follow the man from Stratford.”

Branagh’s family moved from Belfast to Reading to escape the Troubles when he was nine. As a boy from the sticks, who arrived at Rada in the late Seventies, then went on to act, direct and try his hand as a playwright, had he wanted to actually be Shakespeare?

It’s impossible to imagine it, he says. He just felt “so at home and happy telling stories in the theatre to a live audience, the itinerant nature of it. Those that were ahead of me – whether it was Shakespeare or actors of the past or directors – I was inspired by them.”

Branagh’s career began in a blaze of glory. But while his stage reputation continued to grow, in film at least there was a mid-period lull. His Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1995) was panned; his run of big-screen Shakespeare adaptations stuttered with the widely derided song-and-dance version of Love’s Labour’s Lost (2000), and even when he returned with a striking As You Like It (2006) set in 19th-century Japan, around the same time as The Magic Flute (2006) and Sleuth (2007), all three “received a pretty rough time”, he says. Yet he’s sanguine about criticism. “Sometimes people don’t like ’em. It’s as simple as that. I put the same feeling into all of them.”

He has always had a phenomenal approach to work that seems to border on mania. Since he was 29, he has been using meditation to ensure that he doesn’t yo-yo between frantic activity – “I wouldn’t characterise it as manic, but I would say, yes, extremely hectic at times” – and its corresponding depressive state.

“I knew I had to work quite hard at all those things that would try to allow you some peace amid the noise and haste. I like to read about spiritual matters and I’ve developed the meditation since then to try to find the way to turn down the noise. When the engine’s revving really high, I think you have to be careful.”

A decade ago, Branagh made the decision to leave the West End production of Hamlet he had been about to direct, starring Jude Law, to take up the reins of Thor (2011) for Marvel. It was a change of direction that opened the door to a new phase in his career, as a director of blockbuster movies. He won’t accept the charge that comic-book films have killed grown-up cinema – “Well I’ve just made a grown-up film, I’d say” – and mounts a strong defence.

“In the best hands you get stories that involve spectacle and, in some cases, depth or wit or creative imagination that allows for a really cinematic experience, they provide stories that make you want to go to the pictures. They ain’t killing grown-up movies.”

His hit 2015 Cinderella, starring Lily James and Richard Madden, will be followed this summer by a lavish Disney adaptation of Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer’s 2001 novel about a boy genius who discovers the fairy world beneath our feet. Blockbusters bring their own set of pressures. Does he fear that if Artemis Fowl bombs, that avenue closes? “No, it doesn’t feel that way, although perhaps it is that way,” Branagh says. “I think if it felt like that it would be quite hard to do the work, but I’ve certainly been in situations where if a movie doesn’t work you’re really aware of the cold winds that blow around you for a while. It’s a commercial business and these are big investments.”

What would he do if an invitation to take on the Bond franchise came his way? “I have absolutely no idea,” he says. “I have Artemis Fowl to finish and I hope we get to make Death on the Nile [the second of his Agatha Christie adaptations, after Murder on the Orient Express, in which he stars as Poirot] towards the end of the year. Ask me the Bond question a picture or so from now.” He leans back.

“I should be so lucky.”

There will be a preview screening of 'All is True' followed by a Q&A with Kenneth Branagh at VUE cinema in Leicester Square on Wednesday 6th February, from 6.30pm.

Tickets are £20 for non-subscribers and £10 for subscribers.

[anniesarthistoryblog]

Week #6 Land and Site-specific  Art

This week we looked at three very different site-specific installations by:

1. Ai Wei Wei- Sunflower Seeds

2. Andy Goldsworthy- Snowballs in Summer (2000)

3. Alexander Calder- Lobster Trap and Fishtail (1939)

Our task was to find another piece of #site-specific or #landart and write about it.

My choice for this task was to look at the Bristol artist Richard Long, who has prodigiously been creating art in respoonse to his experiences in nature since the 1960′s. As a long term admirer of Andy Goldsworthy I hadn’t known much about Long’s work until researching this blog post and can see now how much of an influence on Goldsworthy he was.

The first work that struck me was an early piece called ‘Line Made by Walking’ (1967) and is simply a photograph of a line made in long grass after the artist repeatedly walked bakcwards and forwards along it. At first glance it is merely a photograph of worn down grass, but then you consider the deliberate perpendicular angle used to take the photograph, the ‘performance art’ element of creating the line in the London park, and how this may have been perceived by observers. Transforming a regular patch of grass into his own personal canvas , I think that the artist has invited the observer to reflect on the marks they leave on their environment, and how much they take it for granted.

Long is the only artist to be shortlisted four times for the prestigious Turner prize eventually wining in 1989 for ‘White Water Line’ made by pouring white pigment directly onto the floor of the gallery- and I love this quote from the artist made seven years previously:

‘A walk marks time with an accumulation of footsteps. It defines the form of the land. Walking the roads and paths is to trace a portrait of the country. I have become interested in using a walk to express original ideas about the land, art and walking itself.’ Richard Long, Words after fact, 1982

(image source https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/turner-prize-retrospective-1984-2006/turner-prize-retrospective-2)

A second piece I have chosen by Long is just one of many he made using mud as paint, taking from it’s natural environment and placing it into a gallery context therefore connecting the two spaces. ‘River Avon Mud Circle’ (1982) was created using mud taken from the artist’s home town of Bristol and transported to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, where it was ‘painted’ directly onto the wall by the artist using his body as the ‘brush’. Long created several other works using handprints annd mud which were clearly identifiable as hands, but in this piece he has smeared and smudged the prints leaving his own unique mark. There is a theme to many of Long’s works- he confines a range of materials into perfect neat circles, and this piece is one of contrasts- the chaotic, multilayered and textured mud marks are all still held in a perfect circle.

The method of creating this work makes it very site-specific, and whilst the pieces are only transient in nature (they mostly get removed or painted over when the exhibition ends), the photographs remain as a permanent record. Using this primitive technique, reminiscent of early human cave paintings, Long is commenting once again on how we leave our marks on the world.

[randomtowns]

25 Worst, Rebutted

Continuing the list from the previous post. In that previous post, I found most of the towns on the USA Today list to be not deserving of their place. There seemed to be a particular bias against Georgia. Others were expected, and others were obvious given their statistics. All of these trends continue for the top 25 worst places to live as follows. Let’s get started with more Georgia bashing...

Avon Park, FL Been there? No

Avon Lake is one of a string of towns along US 98 south of Orlando. It features several housing developments from the 1950s, where unchecked land speculation created networks of streets plotted in otherwise undesirable stretches of land, offering housing sites with little or no infrastructure just on their location in Florida. Coastal Florida is one thing, but its inland is another entirely. It’s an agricultural region, with cattle ranching and timber vital regional industries. That sort of industry often creates what exists here: a large community of poor with just a few in the wealthy ownership classes. The article points to Avon Park's nearly 20% unemployment rate, and that 1/3 of its residents are below the national poverty line. Its also adjacent to a bombing range that bears its name.

Lawrenceville, GA Been there? Yes

Lawrenceville is a bit of a microcosm of how the Atlanta suburbs, particularly in Gwinnett County, have changed in the past 20 years. It developed as a bedroom community for the city early on, with its easy access to freeways, but gradually saw an influx of African-Americans and Latinos, changing the dynamic of the area and bringing down housing values. Lawrenceville now has a poverty rate of over 21%, and the article likely zeroes in on the town due to its higher cost of living being so close to Atlanta, and it has one of the highest median home values for any town on the list.

Winton, CA Been there? No

Winton is a small, unincorporated town located on the railroad tracks between Merced and Turlock. Like many towns in the region, it’s majority Latino (71%) and is focused on agriculture. The article points to its high 20% unemployment rate and its staggering 24% poverty rate. Looking on StreetView, it looks like a nice enough town, with well-kept middle-class homes and no real signs of blight. Even its downtown area looks pretty healthy. I couldn’t find much info on why Winton has such poor numbers, so it would be interesting to talk to people to find out what’s going on here.

Phelan, CA Been there? Yes

Yes, there had to be at least one town from this region on this list. Maybe I’m just not getting it, but the High Desert region north of San Bernardino, anchored by Victorville, has always seemed like such an awful place to live. Phelan is a network of unzoned neighborhoods etched into the desert, centered on a couple of strip malls north of Highway 138. Phelan’s median home price is the highest on the list, at over $200,000. It’s too close to the Inland Empire to reap the benefits of cheap desert land. People come out to buy acreage and to not live on top of one another. But there are few services, as pointed out by the article, and it’s still a poor area, with an 18% poverty rate.

Robstown, TX Been there? No

Robstown is a small town just outside Corpus Christi. Robstown is 93% Hispanic, most of them poor, as it has a 41% poverty rate, one of the highest on this list. Robstown has several colonias on its fringes. Colonias are federally-recognized neighborhoods, usually in incorporated areas, where housing is substandard and infrastructure, such as clean water, is lacking. Robstown is also reported as having a crime issue, something that was disputed formally by city officials, which seems to have caused the mention of it to be removed, but its ranking mostly unchanged.

Douglas, AZ Been there? Yes

Aw, Douglas... It’s an isolated border community in Cochise County. Yes, it’s a dumpy town with a lot of abandonment. And the article points out that it’s poor, with a 29% poverty rate. Douglas was an important mining and railroad town through much of the 20th century. In the later part of the last and into this century, the community saw an economic boom from the Border Patrol and the influx of retirees. But this is waning, and the town is estimated to have lost 8% of its population in 2018. Douglas’ fortunes may have changed.

Buenaventura Lakes, FL Been there? No

A large neighborhood south of Orlando and east of Disney World that has been lumped into its own CDP. The area looks nice enough, with sweeping suburban streets lined with middle-class homes, several parks and even a library branch. But the article points out the tough realities: the median income here is well below the national rate while its proximity to Orlando means its cost of living in relatively high. The article points to a lack of supermarket access, but I counted two on the north side of the community and two to its south, including a Publix. This may seem like the town is undeserving, but the crime rate here is also 49% higher than the national average. The neighborhood is heavily Hispanic, with 44% reporting Puerto Rican heritage and 69% reporting speaking a language other than English in the home. This is not the first time we’ll see the Orlando area on here.

Chaparral, NM Been there? Yes

I remember reading about Chaparral years ago. The author had heard about the community, and drove through it, noting the menacing looks he received from people and the run-down nature of the community. It’s a small community etched into the Chihuahuan Desert north of El Paso, just over the state line. Its proximity to Fort Bliss likely means it’s largely reliant on it for employment. And its straddling of both state and county lines means that services are likely lacking, particularly police protection. But the article points to a sobering fact: the poverty rate here is over 43%, the highest on the list and making it one of the poorest places in the country.

Immokalee, FL Been there? No

Unlike its neighbor, Lehigh Acres, who also makes an appearance on this list, Immokalee is an agricultural community established as a railroad town in the 19th century. Immokalee has continued to grow as local tomato farming has flourished, but the town remains horribly poor, with a poverty rate of 42%, which makes it potentially the poorest town in Florida. The population is just 3% white, with the majority (70%) being Hispanic. This is made more ironic by the location of Ave Maria, a newer, very wealthy, Catholic planned community, started by the founder of Domino’s Pizza, just a few miles south of Immokalee. The town additionally sits adjacent to Seminole tribal lands, and they’ve put in a casino on the south side of town.

Lancaster, SC Been there? No

We had to have at least one South Carolina town on the list. Lancaster sits between Charlotte and Columbia, well east of Interstate 77. Andrew Jackson, the controversial president more associated with Tennessee, was born here. With a university campus and a number of historic sites, it seems like Lancaster would be okay, but it is horribly poor. The article lists a 34% poverty rate, a 15% unemployment rate, and points out that half of the town’s residents live on less than $31,000 per year.

Micco, FL Been there? No

Coastal Florida on the list? The article seems to hit Micco on its opioid death rate. The income levels are somewhat misleading as it’s largely a retiree community, with a median age of 69, and mostly composed of mobile home communities, including the massive Barefoot Bay development at the CDP’s northern edge. Most of the community is a few unrelated neighborhoods, with its commercial core along Highway 1. Brevard County in general is known to suck, but I’m not sure that Micco should be singled out as the suckiest.

Berea, SC Been there? Yes

Located just northwest of Greenville, Berea seems like any suburban area, with a mix of middle-class and mobile homes. The article mainly hammers on the 25% poverty rate, and with a reasonable median home price, that does potentially cause issues. In driving through (I believe this is the location of the Walgreens where the cashier seemed horrified that I was buying condoms), I recall it being a little run-down, but not particularly poor. But there may be more going on here than what’s in the numbers or what can be seen from the roads.

Laurinburg, NC Been there? No

Laurinburg sits near the South Carolina state line about 50 miles southwest of Fayetteville. Despite being an education center, with the Laurinburg Institute preparatory school and St. Andrews University located within town, the article points out that the town is flush with poverty. Over 1/3 of its residents are below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate sits at 14%. Additionally, the town has had a long streak of stagnated growth, growing less than 1% between 2000 and 2010, and losing an estimated 5% of its population between 2010 and 2018. The town seems to have crime issues as well, with above-average rates. Until 2019, the town regularly appeared on “most dangerous towns” lists for North Carolina.

Beverly Hills, FL Been there? No

Beverly Hills is a small CDP of mostly a namesake neighborhood located about 90 minutes north of Tampa, between Highways 19 and 41. The crime rate is slightly elevated, the unemployment rate is above average, and the poverty rate is very high, at 28%. Looking at the median home value plus a general StreetView scan, I think this has to do with the late 2000s real estate crash hitting this isolated exurb particularly hard, and it’s just had a slow but steady comeback. Low home values are going to inevitably attract lower-income people, and lower-income people often mean elevated crime rates. This doesn’t seem to be a particularly bad town though, especially when you consider how generally awful this mess of sprawl that oozes north from Tampa is in terms of quality of life. So I don’t know why this area was singled out. Residents seem to agree, as an article published in response to this in a local paper printed incensed responses from local officials and a valid general criticism of these lists.

Silver Springs Shores, FL Been there? No

Located just outside Ocala, the CDP is mainly a neighborhood. The article again points out high unemployment and a poverty rate also above 28%. And I think the same is happening here: a hard crash in home values and a slow recovery has depressed the community, resulting in elevated crime (making recovery harder) and a lower income rate. On StreetView, it’s easy to see that there are still a number of abandoned homes in the area, with others appearing run-down or not maintained. Again though, it’s a little unfair to single out a downtrodden neighborhood in a crappy part of Florida, so I don’t know that this needs to have its place in the search engine dynamic ruined by this appearance.

Shady Hills, FL Been there? No

The article may just be trying to prove my point about the rural counties north of Tampa being particularly crappy. Unlike nearby Beverly Hills though, I think this one is a little more deserving. There are A LOT of abandoned and dilapidated homes in this area. A lack of zoning and sensible development has left the area all over the place in terms of what’s around, but it’s mostly small houses and mobile homes. The article doesn’t like its elevated poverty rate (ironically well below that of both Beverly Hills and Silver Springs Shores) or lack of services, and points out a slightly elevated drug death rate. I don’t know that anyone is going to be upset about its place here unless they are trying to sell local property.

La Homa, TX Been there? No

Let’s get off the Deep South’s back and go back to bashing poor sections of Texas. 38% poverty and 14% unemployment are striking without the context of the region. La Homa is a CDP on the western edge of the Rio Grande Valley’s urban area. It’s pretty much all colonias (see Robstown above), but appears to mostly have running water, trash collection, and paved roads. The population is over 97% Hispanic. If you’re familiar with this region, then none of this will be particularly surprising. The Valley is a tremendously poor region of mostly recent immigrants and first-generation citizens. Services are few, economic opportunities fewer, and it’s a pretty depressing place to live, it seems.

Conyers, GA Been there? Yes

Conyers is a majority-black suburb of Atlanta and the county seat of Rockdale County. Its place on the list mostly seems to be due to its poverty rate, at 30%, and it’s slightly elevated median home price, which means that it’s likely a large portion of residents are spending way too much on rent. In fact, the article also points out that the homeownership rate in Conyers is just 28%. It’s a small, middle-class bedroom community, but it also has a sizable retail district with its place on Interstate 20. It doesn’t seem particularly poor or particularly bad for Georgia. In fact, its location among pine-covered hills is attractive. However, it does have a crime problem, with a rate more than double the national average, but mostly elevated by its property crime rate.

Golden Valley, AZ Been there? Yes

This is a rough area. Like a few other communities on this list, Golden Valley is less town more than a lot of roads laid out haphazardly across the empty desert and parceled out. You can build pretty much what you want and live how you want out here, in this community 90 minutes or so from Las Vegas and just west of Kingman. Driving the back roads is a little scary due to the area’s reputation as a meth production hub. There’s good people out there, of course, but there are also people who would kill you for your shoes. The article mainly knocks it on its unemployment and poverty rates, and points out its isolation. And it is really is isolated. There are a couple of gas stations and other businesses along Highway 68, which bisects the CDP, but residents are entirely reliant on Kingman.

Poinciana, FL Been there? No

I’ve never been to Poinciana (it’s out there), but I’m familiar with it. It’s the largest community on this list, at over 67,000 people, but it’s still an unincorporated CDP of subdivisions etched out into the swamplands south of Orlando. And what a distance to Orlando: it’s a minimum 1-hour drive into town, on roads that are constantly plagued with traffic. But I mainly know Poinciana for its place as the poster child of the late 2000s housing crash in Florida. A small retirement community up to that point, Poinciana was heavily developed just before the crash, with most construction being large houses. The values plummeted, and people left when their underwater mortgages were foreclosed on. The homes were resold to poorer, mostly non-white residents, while the wealthier found homes in areas closer in. But the article points to the area’s lack of services as its main issue. For almost 70,000 residents, there is a Walmart, a Publix, and a small Latino-focused supermarket, surrounding by just a few restaurants along a single strip of roadway. This puts residents at the northern end of the community at a minimum of 5 miles from any sort of retail businesses. To make things worse, the main route north out of Poinciana is a two-lane toll road.

Irondale, GA Been there? No

Irondale is a far-flung Atlanta suburb, along US 41 just south of Jonesboro. It has a high poverty rate, at 26%, but the article focuses on its violent crime rate, which is significantly higher than the national average. The median home value is likely statistically offset by a huge mobile home park included as part of the CDP, but the home values appear to decreasing as the area becomes less desirable and its distance from Atlanta more of an issue.

Beecher, MI Been there? No

Anyone familiar with Michigan is probably surprised to see that this is the state’s only appearance on this list. But leave it to Flint. It’s not quite Flint: Beecher is a CDP just north of Flint and outside the city limits. However, it’s pretty much suburban Flint. Many of the long-abandoned homes have been demolished, but what’s left are overgrown, empty plots next to small and dilapidated homes. There are well-maintained houses and pretty lawns, but there are also unpaved streets. The article points to its crippling unemployment rate of 23%, one of the highest on the list, and that that rate has been sustained and likely resulted in the 38% poverty rate. But past the terrible weather, the perpetually dismal economy and having to say you’re from Flint, Beecher’s crime rate is at least close to the national average.

Fair Oaks, GA Been there? Yes

The list wasn’t quite done with suburban Atlanta, and finishes its trashing of the region by rounding out each side of the city with a shot at one of its small northern CDP suburbs. Fair Oaks sits directly across the road from Dobbins Air Force Base, stuck between the cities of Smyrna and Marietta. Many of the homes were built before the base, and the base only worked to depress their values. Restrictions on flights over the community have been periodically negotiated, but the small sizes of the homes and its location in the heart of Cobb County has brought in a large number of poorer Latino and African-American residents. With a 32% poverty rate and an excessive crime rate 38% above the national average, only its relatively close proximity to freeways and much wealthier areas to the east make it seem like it has hope still.

Donaldsonville, LA Been there? No

In Louisiana, being a majority African-American town is not a good sign. Not because there’s anything wrong with the people, but it means that racism is going to keep a lot of people away. Historically, it shows that not many people want to live there, especially when it’s a town of this size. Donaldsonville is poor. A 39% poverty rate places it as the poorest place in Louisiana. It’s struggled economically. An industrial and river town, historically, the town has seen little if any benefit from the energy production to the south partially due to the highway configuration, which routes traffic well around the town to use the nearby Sunshine Bridge. Though it’s located along the famous River Road, Louisiana Highway 1, Donaldsonville is too far from the plantations and on the wrong side of the river to be viable as a stop, with its portion taken up by heavy industry, including the nearby ammonia plant.

Yazoo City, MS Been there? No

And you thought that there was just going to be that one little entry from the Mississippi Delta? No, the authors continue their bashing of the South by pointing to the oddly-named town’s embarrassing numbers: 20% unemployment, and a 42% poverty rate. Plus, they point out maybe the worst statistic: 20% of resident households live on an income of $10,000 or less per year. Like most of the area, Yazoo is majority African-American. Well away from the Mississippi River, it doesn’t seem to reap much benefit from its location beyond the typical Mississippi involvement in timber. The downtown area is mostly abandoned, with boarded-up shops, made all the more sad by music perpetually piped in on outdoor speakers. With its Amtrak station and Delta location, Yazoo has attempted to make good on the region’s Blues tourism. But it seems like the generational poverty so famous here is going to stick around for a few more generations, unless someone can offer a dramatic solution.

[ladystylestores]

Road Trip Through the Scottish Highlands

Scotland, UK is a breathtakingly beautiful country that can make you feel like you’ve taken a step back in time with the vastness of its untouched lands and the old style buildings you’ll see in the towns.

The best way I think in which to see it all is a road trip to the Highlands.

So, grab your snacks and buckle your seats for the ultimate road trip adventure.

  The Ultimate Scottish Road Trip

Preparing Your Road Trip 

Route: Edinburgh to Inverness Distance: 318 km Driving Time: Around 5 hours Length for Trip: 2-3 Days

  Road Trip Highlights:

Fun, windy roads, in great condition most of the way

Epic views on every corner with plenty of designated places to park and take some great shots

Fresh seafood if you’re feeling hungry

The friendliest locals around to help you if you get lost

  Renting a Vehicle

After years of collecting Aeroplan points, I was able to cash mine in with a one week car rental at Avis for 25,500 points. Yippee! For those of you who are still struggling to get those points, you can find cheap options on Skyscanner. Often if you want to rent for 3-6 days, it’s cheaper to just ask for a one week rental. My favorite rental companies are Avis and Enterprise.

  Tips:

Many credit cards often offer car insurance for rentals so check if your’s provides this option to avoid insurance fees at the rental office which can often cost you more then the rental itself!

You will need an international drivers permit to rent vehicles abroad. Getting a permit is very easy in most places. In Canada you can visit your local CAA and apply for $25.

If you are a Canadian renting a vehicle in the UK, you do not need to get an international driver’s permit and will only need to show your local driver’s license.

  Tunes for the Road

To make your road trip even better, make a Scottish playlist. Some great tunes for driving include:     •    Highlander’s Farewell by Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas     •    Johnny Tarr by Gaelic Storm     •    Hug air a’Bhonaid Mhois by Julie Fowlis     •    Hinba by Lau     •    The Cruel Sister by Old Blind Dogs     •    Celtic Pipes & Drums by Peatbog Faeries & Folk Police     •    Lough Erne’s Shore by Old Blind Dogs     •    Shooglenifty by McConnells Rant

  The Route

Road Trip – Scottish Highlands – Day 1

Start in Edinburgh and spend at least a day there before hitting the road.

  Fishers Leith

As soon as we arrived in Edinburgh, we headed straight to Fishers for a seafood lunch. Scotland’s seafood is so good, a large majority of it is actually shipped to Spain. We ordered some oysters, mussels, calamari which were all fresh and delicious. If you go Monday-Friday between 12:00-6:00 PM you can get a great deal with their set menu of 2 courses for £15 or 3 courses for £18.

  Old Town

Next on our stop was to head into old town to walk off our great meal. Old town is an architecture enthusiast’s dream with every building having its own unique look and dates back to the medieval times. Make sure to look out for the Castle of Edinburgh and the Royal Mile.

  Beer Sampling

As we strolled through old town, we popped into a few pubs to sample the local beers. Try the Fraoch which is a Heather Ale (Leann Fraoch) that’s been brewed in Scotland since 2000 B.C. Also try the Tennent’s Lager which is the local’s choice in pubs.

  Ghost Tour

When it got to the evening, we booked a free ghost tour with CityExplorers. Our guide was Max who somehow managed to turn stories of murderers, dungeons and witch hunts into a walking comedy skit which was a lot of fun.

  Road Trip – Scottish Highlands – Day 2

A Scottish Breakfast

The next day we started our morning at The Abbey, which is a proper Scottish pub offering a great breakfast starting at £4.95 and an unimaginable selection of whiskey (if you’re up for some early drinking). I went with the Scottish breakfast which includes egg, haggis, sausage, bacon, black pudding, white pudding, hash brown, tomato beans and toast. It was my first time trying haggis, and it  wasn’t’t bad at all!

In case you don’t know, haggis is made from sheep’s stomach and is stuffed with liver, heart and lungs of the sheep. Despite the name and what it’s made of, I would eat haggis again.

  Arthur’s Seat

After breakfast we headed to Arthur’s seat which is around a 30 minute hike to the top of a hill,and over looks the entire city for some fantastic views.

Unfortunately, as soon as we started hike it started raining…hard. On the positive side, there were very few tourists and those we did encounter were retreating down because the rain was making it difficult to hike up.

By that point we saw it more of a challenge against mother nature to make it up to the top and pressed on. By the time we reached the top, not a single person was there and we had the entire spot all to ourselves.

After hearing stories from the ghost tour the night before about people hiking to the top of Arthur’s seat and then falling off, it felt very eery to be there on our own. Not to mention being surrounded by fog, mist, and then getting hailed on (in the middle of summer) which is when we decided it was time to go!

  Tips

Arthur’s seat is located in Holyrood Park which is a great place to cycle in or have a walk around.

It’s also close to Holyrood Palace, which was the home for Mary Queen of Scott’s and is the official residence for the royal family when visiting Scotland.

Tickets for admission into the palace cost £12.50/adult.

If you don’t have much time, it might be worth just taking a drive around the road that circles the entire park and hill. The ride is no longer than 10-15 minutes and you can get some great views and spots for scenic pictures.

After conquering the hike up Arthur’s seat, it was time to hit the road to Inverness.

  The Cairngorms National Park

Our first stop on the road was to the Cairngorms National Park which is the largest national park in the UK. The park itself contains the ancient Caledonian forest which has almost been wiped out from all of Scotland. 

You can find many species of animals there including red squirrels and even wildcats. There are many different paths to go on for hikes, a couple estates to visit, Balmoral Castle and a steam train ride around the park. 

  Tips

We were short on time to catch a train ride but the Strathspey Railway runs a return trip from Aviemore through the heart of the Scottish Highlands which costs £14.25 for a 90 minute adventure.

If you are feeling like getting in touch with your nature side, you can find some great wild camping spots in the park.

  A Hidden Beach

Just as you exit the Cairngorms National Park on the A86, there is a beautiful sandy beach where you can stop for a picnic lunch, do some fishing or even spend the night camping if you can brave the midges! The beach is located on Loch Laggan in between Quad Bike Tours and  Ardverikie Estate, you’ll be able to see the beach through the trees as your drive by with a designated parking spot to stop at.

  Tip

Every encounter we had with Scottish locals they would always bring up “the midges”. They are similar to mosquitos but much smaller and will drive you crazy in the wild if you don’t have repellent on.

Apparently, the best form of repellent recommended by the locals is wearing Avon Skin So Soft. In truth we were fairly lucky considering the horror stories we heard about them, but we came prepared with repellant just in case, and you probably should too.

  Road Trip – Scottish Highlands – Day 3 

Glengarry Viewpoint

All along the road to Inverness you will find parking spots which are great to catch some epic views. As soon as you pass the sandy beach you will encounter three castle like buildings. Stop at Glengarry Viewpoint (about 1 hour after passing the hidden sandy beach) where you can stand on a rock and catch views of the entire landscape. Funny enough, one of the lochs is actually shaped like Scotland.

  Invermoriston Waterfalls

Next, head to the tiny town of Invermoriston and leave your car at the local parking lot. Cross the street and follow the sounds of running water. This will take you to a waterfall for some great shots.

  Searching for Nessie and Urquhart Castle

Head back to your car and make your way to Urquhart Castle which overlooks Loch ness for your chance to find Nessie. This is the site of an ancient ruined castle, one of the largest in Scotland which was built in the 13th and 16th centuries. Tickets to visit cost £9 per adult. Although we didn’t’t find the mythical sea monster we were able to catch the sun setting from the castle.

  Inverness

This is the final destination for the road trip and is about a 30 minute drive from the Urquhart castle. For the best views of the city, head up to Inverness castle.

  Exploring More in The Highlands

Your trip doesn’t need to end once you’ve reached Inverness. In the Highlands there are many things to see and do.

  Dolphin Watching

Unfortunately, we didn’t’t get the chance to personally catch views of the dolphins ourselves but if you head to Chancery Point along the loch of Moray Firth you will have a good chance of seeing them there.

  Glen Ord Distillery

You can’t visit Scotland without some Scotch tasting. Take a visit to Glen Ord Distillery which offers tours and tastings. We went on the most basic tour which cost £6 and includes a tasting of a 12 year old whiskey.  Interesting enough, this distillery only sells their scotch in South East Asia and is not available anywhere else, including the UK.

  Golf

Did you know that the modern game of golf was invented by the Scotts? There are a few courses around including Torvean Golf Club, Inverness Golf Club and Fairways Loch ness Golf Course.

  Watching the Indigenous Scottish Game of Shinty

An ancient game said to predate Christianity, shinty is a team sport that Highlanders play and was previously used to help train boys for warfare. Catch a game with local Highland teams.

  Continuing Your Road Trip

If you feel up for seeing more of Scotland, I recommend continuing your road trip through to the Isle of Skye. Skye is well known for its beautiful, unique landscape and best explored on a wild camping road trip.

  Travel tip shared by Jenn amapforkandcork.com

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[lostsoulspress]

Jonathan’s Note: Among the many things in the path of Florence, the tropical storm that battered North Carolina in September, were coal ash dumps. A lot of folks don’t know what those are, or why they are cause for concern. So I’m running this long excerpt from River of Lost Souls: The Science, Politics, and Greed Behind the Gold King Mine Disaster to shine some light on the issue of coal combustion waste. 

To drive west out of Farmington is to travel through the borderland, where the northeastern edge of the Navajo Nation melds with the non-Indian world. It’s a cultural and economic mishmash. Here’s a sex store next to a plumbing supply shop across the highway from a sprawling automobile burial ground not far from a Mennonite church. Justalaundry, Zia Liquors, Family Dollar, and numerous little booths or shacks where Diné sell kneel down bread or tamales or piñon nuts to passersby. And the “quick cash” joints that have sprouted like weeds in Gallup, Farmington, and other reservation border towns, preying on the poor, the desperate, and the “unbanked” with their thousand-percent interest loans. It’s just an update of the exploitative pawn shops of yore. “It’s a border town, and tribes around it constitute economic colonies,” John Redhouse, who grew up in Farmington, told me, adding that things haven’t improved that much since the 1970s.

Trailers perched on cinder blocks, tires on a roof. An old man in a recliner, sipping a tumbler of warm whiskey, selling his junk. Down in the lush Jewett Valley a sign pointing to an old metal building reads: “RABBITS GOATS CHICKS AVON AT DOUBLEWIDE.” Just up the road, the Original Sweetmeat Inc., aka “Mutton Lover’s Heaven,” a slaughterhouse and butcher shop, sits alongside the highway and the Shumway Arroyo.

A few miles north looms the San Juan Generating Station, built in 1973 in the arroyo. Eight miles away, on the Navajo side of the river, sits the older, larger Four Corners Power Plant.

The Original Sweetmeats is owned and run by Raymond “Squeak” Hunt, a tall, gruff man prone to muttering inscrutable aphorisms, who deals mostly with mutton, or sheep (as opposed to lamb), and sells to a mostly Diné clientele. “You may think I’m one hard, mean son-of-a-bitch,” Hunt told me when I first met him in 2002, as he unloaded a trailer full of sheep, bound for slaughter. “But it hurts me every time I kill one of these animals.”

I wasn’t there for the sheep, though. I was visiting because Hunt is surely the most stubborn—if unlikely—thorn in the corporate side of Public Service Company of New Mexico, the operators of San Juan Generating Station and the supplier of electricity to the entire state. That doesn’t make him unique; hundreds of activists have agitated against the air pollution from the two coal plants’ smokestacks over the decades. But Hunt was one of the most ferocious fighters against a rarely noticed form of pollution spilling out of the plants: the slag, ash, and dust left over from burning coal, otherwise known as coal combustion waste.

Hunt has lived here, along the banks of the Shumway Arroyo, for much of his life. Prior to 1973 the upper reaches of the Shumway contained water only after rains. Once the arroyo reaches the San Juan River Valley near Hunt’s place, however, irrigation return and groundwater resulted in the arroyo’s transformation to a perennial stream. The stream was a source for both domestic and livestock water for early settlers of the Jewett Valley, including Hunt’s family.

When construction began on the large, mine-mouth, coal-burning power plant a few miles upstream alongside the arroyo, the arroyo changed. Coal power plants require vast amounts of water to function, and when SJGS went on-line in 1973, the plant dumped its wastewater and just about everything else into the Shumway. From that time on, the previously dry arroyo became a perennial stream from the plant to the river. Downstream users in Waterflow, in the meantime, continued to drink out of wells fed by the arroyo’s flows and their livestock kept drinking straight out of the stream.

Like the slightly larger Four Corners Power Plant, which was constructed a decade earlier, San Juan Generating Station’s smokestacks were subject to virtually no regulation. During its first decades of operation, Four Corners became notorious for the black plume of smoke—hundreds of tons of sulfur dioxide and fly ash each day—that it sent into the region’s previously crystal clear skies. One account says that one plant produced more smog than New York City. With the addition of SJGS, the air quality in the region deteriorated, vistas were cut short by smog, and the one thing that remained visible from far away were the plumes emitted by the stacks.

It did not take long for citizen groups from around the region to protest the deterioration in the quality of their air. General citizen pressure and lawsuits forced the 1977 Clean Air Act to include a policy preventing the degradation of air quality. In 1978, San Juan Generating Station installed controls to reduce smokestack emissions and Four Corners followed in 1980. Air pollution from the plants was significantly reduced. Other pollution was not.

When coal is burned the carbon reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide. But coal is a lot more than just carbon. It’s got sulfur in it, which becomes sulfur dioxide during combustion, the main cause of acid rain. It contains a host of other elements, most notably arsenic, mercury, and selenium, some of which waft from the stack as smoke and particulates. Most end up as solid waste of one form or another. Each year, power plants in the United States collectively kick out enough of this stuff to fill a train of coal cars stretching from Manhattan to Los Angeles and back three times. It’s stored in lagoons next to power plants, buried in old coal mines, and sometimes piled up in the open. It is the largest waste stream of most power plants, and a study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that people exposed to it had a much higher than average risk of getting cancer.

“Anybody who knows anything about coal ash chemistry knows that when you burn coal, what you have leftover is dramatically different from what you had originally,” Jeff Stant, a geologist with the Clean Air Task Force, told me back in 2002. Coal ash can contain seventeen metals. Some, like mercury or arsenic, are already toxic, others become more so during combustion.

Because every pound of pollution kept out of the air ends up in the solid waste stream, the pollution control methods in the stacks only made the problem on the ground worse. The solid waste consists of fine and dusty fly ash; a gravelly, gray material called bottom ash; and the relatively benign glassy clinkers or boiler slag. The stack scrubbers that pull sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide out of the smoke create perhaps the most malignant material, called scrubber sludge. All of that was typically piled up near the plant, where it could blow into the air, or get washed into an arroyo, or leach into the ground. In San Juan Generating Station’s case, the stuff was dumped right into or near Shumway Arroyo—an echo of the hardrock mining tailings that had been similarly dumped for decades one hundred miles upstream.

In the early 1980s, people who lived along the Shumway Arroyo and drank from wells began getting sick. Hunt suffered from muscle spasms, lost sixty pounds, and had a cornucopia of other problems. “I looked like a POW after World War II,” he said. His wife and kids got sick; his neighbors, too.

Though Hunt’s illness was never definitively traced to a specific cause, he and other activists are pretty sure some of the stuff in coal combustion waste made it into his water. Around the time Hunt got sick, researchers found extraordinarily high levels of selenium—which tends to be highly concentrated in coal combustion waste—in the Shumway Arroyo. His symptoms match those of selenium poisoning. His illness may have also come from ingesting too much lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, or sulfates, all of which are commonly concentrated in coal combustion waste.

Whatever the poison, it soon became clear that the water was tainted. Those who were sick sued the Public Service Company of New Mexico, which operates the plant; the company never admitted fault, but ultimately settled with the affected families. It also tightened up its waste disposal, becoming one of the first power plants in the nation to go to a zero discharge permit, which means it can’t release any water onto the land. After a lot of legal wrangling, Hunt settled, too.

Hunt, however, remains convinced that the power plant continues to sully the water in the arroyo. He says that water leaks from retention ponds, coal-washing, and dust-control spraying, and even if it’s clean, it picks up and remobilizes contaminants in the sediments of the arroyo, left by the dumping in the 1970s and ’80s. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, 1,400 of Hunt’s sheep, all of which had drunk from the Shumway Arroyo, got sick and died or had to be killed. Hunt blamed Public Service Company of New Mexico, or PNM, the state’s biggest electricity provider. The utility said negligence on Hunt’s part killed the sheep, with the help of minerals occurring naturally in the arroyo and the water. The utility and Hunt have been at loggerheads for years in very public ways. On their way home from work every day, the power plant’s employees have no choice but to see a giant billboard erected by Hunt on his property, bashing both PNM and New Mexico’s environmental regulators. A smaller sign above the big billboard reads: “WAKE UP you bunch of NUTS we ALL live DOWNSTREAM.”

Hunt’s fight isn’t limited to his own situation, though. He’s also worked to shine a light on the coal combustion waste issue in general. Despite the magnitude of the waste stream, and its potentially deleterious effects on human and environmental health, coal combustion waste disposal is regulated much like normal landfills are. The EPA has for decades worked on new rules, implementing some, letting others fall by the wayside.

“I hope you have a cast-iron stomach,” said Hunt as we walked over to the little stand by the road where a Diné couple was selling, along with jewelry, bowls of extremely hot chili and kneel down bread. The lamb sandwiches inside looked good at first, but after a tour of the slaughterhouse and witnessing a sheep get stunned, decapitated, and dressed, I opted for the chili. We sat in a shady spot next to the parking lot and watched a steady stream of customers go into the butcher shop and haul out racks of lamb and mutton, chops, and something a Diné man called b’chee, little strips of meat or fat wrapped up in sheep intestines that Hunt’s wife prepared.

After eating, as the afternoon clouds moved in along with a stiff breeze, we climbed into Hunt’s truck and he drove us to the south side of the river, toward Four Corners Power Plant. We followed a dirt road skirting Morgan Lake, in the shadow of the soot-stained smokestacks of the plant. Each year about nine billion gallons of water are brought up from the San Juan River to form this reservoir, then it’s circulated through the plant to cool the massive generators and for other purposes. The hot water is discharged back into the reservoir, so Lake Morgan is warm and steamy, even in winter, making it a popular, if surreal, windsurfing and fishing spot.

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When early provisions of the 1970 Clean Air Act first were being implemented in the early 1970s, the smokestacks looming over Lake Morgan kicked out more than four thousand pounds of mercury each year, along with thousands of pounds of selenium and copper and hundreds more pounds of lead, arsenic, and cadmium, not to mention sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants. Thanks to federal air pollution regulations, and to activists who push the government to enforce those rules, emissions have decreased considerably over the years. Now, with only two of five units still in operation, the plant puts out about 150 pounds of mercury and 520 pounds of selenium each year, along with varying quantities of other toxic metals. Most of these pollutants are then deposited in the surrounding water, on the land, and on homes. For years, rain and snow falling on Mesa Verde National Park—its backside visible from the shores of Morgan Lake—have contained some of the highest levels of mercury in the nation, and elevated levels have even been found on Molas Pass, just south of Silverton. The mercury is then taken up by bacteria in lakes and rivers, which convert it to highly toxic methylmercury, which then enters the food chain. Mercury messes with fishes’ brains, and even at relatively low concentrations can impair bird and fish reproduction and health. It’s not so good for people, either.

We continued out into the desert toward the Chaco River and the Hogback, and as we came over a rise an incongruous scene unfolded before us: a flat-topped, uniformly shaped mesa, its dusty soil gray and smooth, with eerie-looking deep-orange water pools on its surface. Nothing was growing there. I wondered if maybe it was this that I needed a strong stomach for, not the chili.

We were looking at the Four Corners Power Plant’s dump, made up of ash impoundment piles, decant water, and evaporation ponds, containing some forty years’ worth of accumulated coal combustion waste—tens of millions of tons of it—from three of the plant’s five generators. At the time, Four Corners was burning about 8.5 million tons of coal each year, some 3.3 million tons of which were leftover as coal combustion waste, dumped both here and back into the nearby mine. A trio of unlined sludge-disposal ponds sat less than five hundred yards from the Chaco River, which empties into the San Juan River a few miles away. Two miles upstream is the Hogback Outlier, a Chacoan-era pueblo. A crescent-shaped structure known as a herradura—a piece of AWUF associated with Chacoan roads—sits atop the Hogback nearby.

Darker clouds headed our way and the wind kicked up, whipping the fine, gray ash and dust off the top of the piles and into the air, reducing visibility to thirty feet or so. When the dust cleared we saw a sign stuck into the base of one of the piles. It read: “No Trash Dumping. Walk in Beauty.”

For people who worry about coal combustion waste and the way it’s regulated, this place is Exhibit A. “My first thought when I saw this,” Lisa Evans, an attorney for Earthjustice, told me, “was, this can’t be the United States.”

Like the Shumway Arroyo which runs past Hunt’s home, the Chaco River downstream from this complex of ponds and piles has contained extremely high levels of selenium, as does the groundwater beneath the ponds. When ingested, selenium can adversely affect reproduction in fish, birds, and mammals. Fish along this stretch of the San Juan River often contain elevated levels of mercury, lead, selenium, and copper. In 1992 a U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologist surveyed fish downstream on the San Juan River from the Four Corners Power Plant to Mexican Hat and found that a majority of them had lesions, damaged livers, deformities, or other signs of disease. While the culprit appeared to be bacteria, the particular strains need the fish to be otherwise impaired, by contaminants, for example, in order to invade.

When I returned to Hunt’s place in 2007, he gave me the same tour. Nothing had changed, but the spokesman for the plant’s operator, Arizona Public Service, assured me that they were no longer dumping their coal ash in the piles Hunt and I toured, and that the company planned to clean up the nasty piles and ponds and replace them with lined impoundments. Since then, the piles have been covered, and the old ponds removed. Dumping continues here, but under more controlled conditions. Ash is also dumped back into the nearby coal mine, which has been owned by a Navajo Nation-owned company since the end of 2013. This alleviates some of the problems associated with dumping, but doesn’t solve all of them, critics say. Chemicals can still leach into groundwater (though it’s less likely here, where it’s so arid), and unless the ash is covered, it can still blow around in the air, settling on nearby homes.

Arizona Public Service, which is owned by Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, sells electricity to nearly 1.2 million people across Arizona. The corporation raked in over $400 million in profit in 2015. At the same time, it lobbied hard to change state rules on net metering, which determine how much the utility must compensate homeowners for electricity generated by rooftop solar panels. They’ve managed to chip away at the incentives, thus discouraging people from installing their own panels and generating a bit of their own electricity.

As we drove back around the plant, seemingly to provoke the security guards, Hunt treated me to another rhetorical geode. “It’s just like asking Patty Hearst’s mother what happened…all you get is a bunch of excuses,” he said. “These are some nasty sons-a-bitches. It’s all about profit. They don’t care about anything or anyone, they just care about their profits.” As crude as the delivery might have been, it was hard to refute the concept.

When we arrived back at Original Sweetmeats, the after-work rush was on. We hung back by the truck and watched. It was late afternoon. The cottonwoods cast long shadows on the ground. “If I’m lucky, one day I’ll die of a heart attack,” Hunt said.

After a pause, he perked up to tell me about the petroglyphs that are pecked into the sandstone cliff band that runs up and down the San Juan for miles. I looked out at the valley, sliced up by the four-lane highway and the big transmission towers, and wondered why the Pueblo people would leave such a place, and I tried to imagine what the first Diné people, coming from the North, out of the cold mountains and across the parched high desert, thought when they came upon the silty river and the trees and the willows on its banks. It must have felt like home.

Up on the desert on either side of the valley, the plants chugged on, each burning twenty thousand tons of coal per day. They’ve brought jobs and industry to a once-impoverished and undeveloped place and keep the people in faraway cities cool in the unforgiving summer heat. They each send millions of dollars of property taxes and royalties to various governments. They also spew out thousands of tons of toxic waste each year. Power is not free.

An old pickup truck pulled into the parking lot, several cages holding roosters in the back. A large man tumbled out, wearing safety glasses and a dirty jumpsuit, his face spattered with some kind of black soot: a power plant employee, selling his chickens after work.

“Five dollars for the little ones,” he told a man and wife who were inspecting the birds. Then he turned to Hunt and me and told us about how he can no longer smell anything after years at the plant, and about how his friend who lived nearby had to clean his television screen daily to wipe away the buildup of fly ash.

“I won’t make it to sixty, I can guarantee that,” he said, matter-of-factly. His wife sat in the cab of the pickup, smiling and quiet.

The haze seemed to be getting thicker in the west, the sun taking on an orange glow. Under my breath, to no one in particular, I said, “Looks like it will be a nice sunset tonight.”

***

Want to read the rest of the book? Get a copy of River of Lost Souls.

“(Thompson) combines science, law, metallurgy, water pollution, bar fights and the occasional murder into one of the best books written about the Southwest in years.”

— Andrew Gulliford, historian and writer, in The Gulch magazine. 

"This can't be the United States": An excerpt from River of Lost Souls #coal #pollution #waste Jonathan's Note: Among the many things in the path of Florence, the tropical storm that battered North Carolina in September, were coal ash dumps.

[rosiemotene]

For centuries, artists, actors, singers ​, ​and performers have been subjected to all forms of exploitation​n. When I hear of a story of how Oxford University Press Southern Africa has used an image of an artist without his permission and have capitalized​ from the use of the image, I had to share the journey and see how we can assist him.

I met Vaneshran Arumugam whilst studying at Wits University, where we both studied Dramatic art. After graduation Vaneshran went onto to excel is his studies and career, both on the continent​ and globally​​.

Who is Vaneshran Arumugam?

Vaneshran is an independent artist and advocate for the role of the Arts in social justice through Storytelling in its many formats. Alongside achieving degrees  from Wits, UCT and Columbia University to the Masters level Vaneshran has created and played various characters that have enjoyed great success with audiences of all ages and cultural backgrounds across South Africa, being well known for his television roles in SOS, Suburban Bliss, Scandal and Streaks.  His work in television during South Africa’s early democracy until now has meant challenging boundaries and demanding more space for black and marginalised artists to play lead roles, to co-write and to produce and so that even those very categories may be interrogated. Through his work with this philosophy, which included building a theatre and community venue in District Six, he was awarded a Ford Fellowship and afforded a unique MA study at major institutions. Some of Vaneshran’s traditional theatre roles include  Hamlet, which he has played twice in noteworthy productions at the Wits theatre in 1999  and in 2006 for the Royal Shakespeare Company under the direction of Dame Janet Suzman, for their Complete Works Festival. Vaneshran’s work as a practitioner and researcher in the field of Consciousness and Performance earned him a Fulbright Scholarship in 2013, which based him at St Francis College in New York City, developing his own curriculum and teaching and performing at various institutions across Manhattan, including designing and facilitating an experiential arts programme for learners with Special Needs through the Hungerford Institute. In 2011 Vaneshran presented his work at the World Conference of Consciousness in Performance, Theatre, Literature and the Arts at Lincoln University in the United Kingdom in collaboration with writer and educator, Professor Kriben Pillay from the University of Kwazulu Natal.

The facts: This is what he had to say:

In 2016 I was informed by a cousin teaching high school English that I was on the cover of the Othello textbook they (and the entire province) were using. I went online and found that indeed I was on the cover of that textbook and also a study guide published by Oxford University Press Southern Africa. The production was a major project of my MA output in 2008 and was directed by my supervisor, Geoff Hyland, and staged (semi professionally) at the Baxter theatre. A photographer, a ​personal friend to Geoff, was asked to take some photos for us during our final rehearsals. No waivers were ever signed and the photos were not for any use but our own as cast and crew who were all students of mine and Geoff’s in undergrad Drama at UCT. I immediately wrote to Oxford University Press to inform them that they couldn’t possibly have permission for the use of the photo because no waiver was ever signed. 

A few years before I was approached by Bedford St Martins (USA) to please give permission for the use of my image on their newest edition of the well-respected Bedford Shakespeare. They were unable to go into print without my permission and went to some lengths to procure it, offering me an apologetic token sum and begged that I consider the educational value of the volume. I naturally accepted their offer and the great respect they were affording my portrayal of Hamlet (from the 2006 play that we performed at Stratford upon Avon for the RSC Complete Works festival). So I had some idea of what might be expected from publishers wanting to use my face in character on their books…or so I thought.

When I wrote to Oxford University Press Southern Africa​ and stated my case their response was that they would have to verify the matter and that they would take it very seriously. I then received a call from their CEO who offered to meet to discuss. I met with Steve Cilliers where I discovered that their books with my portrayal of Othello on the cover had been in print for 7 years already and had run through 14 impressions​ and that they had bought the image from a stock library (and I never signed any waiver for that to even be possible). In an email correspondence that followed between Cilliers and myself I made a calculation based on the token that Bedford paid for my image (with my permission) and arrived at a figure which I then proposed we could reduce to a fraction thereof if Oxford University Press Southern Africa were to publicly remedy the situation by acknowledging my contribution to education materials and perhaps enter into an engagement around education and Shakespeare. This offer was refused and I was formally asked do sign a standard waiver to the rights to my image with the attached remuneration of R 2000. I refused and warned that I would not be letting the matter go, although I would need proper support to apply pressure to have them rectify the situation. Oxford University Press Southern Africa came to the end of the 7/8 year run of that cover shortly after that and no remuneration was ever paid nor any permission ever given…although the books are still in circulation. I believe they were distributed all over SADC region, and possibly farther afield.

In the case of Cambridge University Press and Hamlet, I only found out last year that they have been using an image of me playing Hamlet ( the very same image that Bedford had used) since 2014, on the cover of their textbooks In countries like Tasmania and Australia and who knows where else, since I have not made any contact with them or their representatives. I can confirm that I never gave any permissions for any photographs to be used outside of publicity for the staging of our play at the RSC festival and the Bedford St Martin’s needing my permission to go into print confirms this. Cambridge University Press has made no attempt to contact me about this and i have been advised that they too obtained the rights to the photo from a stock library. 

My argument is that I was a working actor, deriving my livelihood from my image, well before either of these huge corporate entities decided to use the respective images to no doubt earn lots of monies in territories where my face garnered their publications good access…ie brown territories in the global South.  But no attempt was made to pay my life work any regard or respect because somehow the photos found their way into stock libraries. Could the same have happened if I were white or famous? How is the Baxter Theatre responsible, since they were the producing entity of both plays concerned. And if the law protects these corporations from literally making money on the back of my hard work (it takes a lot of it to not only play Shakespeare’s two most demanding roles but then to do it at the level and the critical success I have managed -collaboratively- is no mean feat). They would not have and did not use a poor, uninteresting or visually boring portrayal of the roles to adorn their covers. And yet I was neither made aware that they were doing so, or ever asked for my permission as a fairly well known Black Actor to do so. And yet I am told the burden of proof is on me to show an injustice. When I have spent years since these plays (and their earning hundreds of thousands of multiple currencies through those very same years) struggling to find equitable employment ands an actor and often being confronted with denied opportunity for the colour of my skin or straightness of my hair, or the bizarre concept that as a black actor I have had enough of the limelight.  I worked and studied at mine and my family’s own expense to be in a position to have played those parts and yet parties removed from the concern of my livelihood or my children’s get to barter with my image and my work therein for their own enrichment while I get nothing. And ” I should be happy that I was chosen to be on their cover at all”…something is rotten here! 

Too many artists that I have known and worked with are being disrespected in similar or worse manners for this to be simply ignored. I have buried friends who might have died in better conditions had they gotten a modicum of what they deserved instead of what is deemed fit for us as “blacks” or artists or “black artists”.

And I have a history of fighting for what is right been at risk to my own well being…It’s part of why I am even an artist at all, and makes me the kind of artist I am. 

Vaneshran has acted alongisde many celebrated and revered artiosts, such as Dr. Jon kani from South Africa.

More on Vaneshran. His philanthropy:

In line with his profession and desire to give back to society,  Vaneshran has also lent his time as a TV celebrity to worthy causes as a public speaker and activist for such organisations as POWA (People opposing Women Abuse), Masimanyane Women’s Support Centre, Ashoka Innovators for the Public, The Men’s March. Vaneshran was a founder member and trustee of The Turning Point Foundation, an organisation born out of teaching and training Performing Arts in Pollsmoor Prison and provides a platform for creating access and training in the Performing Arts to create social change and justice. This in addition to being inducted into the prestigious Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program Alumni Association, which is also an agency for social justice; and of whose Western Cape chapter, Vaneshran was Chairperson until the end of 2012. Vaneshran finds deep reward in those contributions and collaborations that occur on the fringes of the performing Arts and creative industries, conceiving of interventions such as the Robben Island Bible Project, which  tells the unique, true South African story of Shakespeare on Robben island; a specific smuggled copy being shared among our most iconic personalities: Mandela, Kathrada, Sisulu and the like, and the story of Sunny Venkatratnam, former political prisoner and the man who owns this book that has been so significant.  The project brought together artists from various disciplines, teachers and students, and engaged collaboratively with different organisations, public institutions and city structures to create an immersive and layered experience of Story and History – and embodied well the principles of creativity, collaboration, relevance and excellence which have become hallmarks of Vaneshran’s work.

What else can Vaneshran do? Presenting, Compèring and Programme directing Directing (stage and camera) Creative Writing (screen/scriptwriting  and poetry) Music (guitar incl.  multiple instruments and vocal styles) Visual Arts (drawing, graphics, painting) Facilitation, Teaching, ​and Training (incl. Performance and Voice) Sound and Lighting Languages and Accents Self Defence and Martial Arts  (various disciplines) Meditation (various traditions) Yoga Stunt and fight choreography for stage and screen Basic stunt driving Horse riding Basic weapons training, Fencing Sports and fitness: Football, tennis, squash, frisbee, athletics, boxing, volleyball

What languages does he speak? English, Afrikaans, German, conversant in isiXhosa. Have performed in Hindi, Portuguese, French German, Zulu, Tswana and other languages

How do we stop other institutions such as Oxford, form exploring him and other artists?

Contact information for writing or castings, contact vaneshran6face@gmail.com. ​

Oxford University Press Southern Africa exploits actor. For centuries, artists, actors, singers ​, ​and performers have been subjected to all forms of exploitation​n. When I hear of a story of how Oxford University Press Southern Africa has used an image of an artist without his permission and have capitalized​ from the use of the image, I had to share the journey and see how we can assist him.

[mlmcompanies]

Skincare products are hugely popular. The skincare market is currently valued at $134.5 billion, and it’s expected to hit $180 billion by 2024. (1)

Smooth, healthy skin is central to maintaining your appearance and confidence…even more so now that natural beauty and natural makeup looks are trending. The right products can turn dull, blemished, or sagging skin into a fresh, bright, clear face. But with a market so vast, how do you know which products work best?

Part 1 ranks this year’s 11 best skincare products in order, and part 2 will go over how they work and answer some FAQs.

11. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Dry Skin

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Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Dry Skin has gained something of a cult following for both its affordability and effectiveness for both men and women with dry and/or sensitive skin.

Colloidal oatmeal is the main ingredient in their formula, which is just oatmeal grind into a very fine powder. Oatmeal baths are recommended for a wide range of skincare purposes, from exfoliation and evening skin tone to decreasing inflammation and irritation or treating bug bites and skin conditions like psoriasis. It’s particularly effective on dry skin due to the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids it contains. (2)

Consistent use over time will build extremely soft skin, however, you’ll notice immediately after applying it for the first time that your skin feels relieved and fully hydrated but not greasy. This lotion is fragrance-free and has a light, non-oily feel so it’s ideal for sensitive skin.

10. Forever Living Aloe Heat Lotion

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Forever Living’s Aloe Heat Lotion is a hot/cold lotion that’s pH-balanced. Their unique formula is designed to feel like an in-home massage. It’s recommended for use after a workout, athletic activity, hike, or long day to soothe and relax your muscles.

The main ingredient is obviously aloe vera, which has long been used for a variety of soothing purposes such as sunburn relief. However, aloe’s healing abilities are more than skin deep. Studies have shown that the plant’s juice can immediately reduce inflammation after an injury, heal wounds, prevent bruising, and even reduce pain from arthritis. (3) (4)

The lotion also incorporates heating agents to warm and loosen the muscles. Studies show that applying heat to muscles combined with hydration is the most effective way to relieve stiffness, soreness, and pain. (5)

This product is gluten free, fragrance-free, and cruelty-free.

9. Avon Anew Clinical Dual Eyelift

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This product has taken Avon’s loyal followers by storm and gained them some new ones thanks to its innovative dual cream/gel system. The cream is applied under the eye while the gel is applied to the eyelid and brow bone to fight signs of aging in the entire area around the eye.

Caffeine plays a big role in this product’s effectiveness. This ingredient is proven to increase blood circulation and reduce inflammation when applied topically, so it’s fantastic for smoothing sagging, wrinkled under eyes and getting rid of puffy eyelids. It works by thickening the top layer of the skin, giving it a lifted and youthful appearance. (6)

The cream/gel produces results in just one week using polymers, which temporarily firm skin. Meanwhile, the glucosamine has long-term anti-inflammatory and smoothing effects and shea butter provides hydration.

8. Baebody Retinol Moisturizer Cream for Face and Eye Area

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Baebody went Amazon viral this year, and this is easily one of their most popular products. This retinol moisturizer provides deep hydration coupled with anti-aging ingredients that both firm and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Retinol, the primary ingredient, is often hailed as skincare miracle by dermatologists, and it’s one of the most powerful skincare products available over-the-counter. Essentially a form of vitamin A, retinol blocks free radicals from damaging your skin cells while building collagen, a crucial protein that acts as a filler and lifter for your skin. (7)

This product also incorporates several antioxidants, which also stop cell damage. In particular, it contains a healthy dose of vitamin E, which is arguably the most important antioxidant when it comes to healthy skin. (8)

The Baebody formula is all natural, 71% organic, and cruelty-free. It contains no fillers, parabens, or artificial fragrances.

7. Mary Kay TimeWise Firming Eye Cream

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Mary Kay’s TimeWise product line is an easy favorite, and first among them is their Firming Eye Cream.

The skin beneath the eyes is particularly fragile and dry. Mary Kay’s TimeWise Firming Eye Cream is an extra thick cream that specifically targets this dryness, infusing your under eyes with deep hydration from aloe leaf extract, one of the most healing plants, especially for repairing aging skin. (9)

In order to improve firmness, brighten, and smooth the skin around the eyes, this cream uses an ophthalmologist-tested formula that’s comprised of botanical extracts. The active ingredient here is a collagen-enhancing peptide duo, which boosts collagen production. This is almost immediately effective, as the number one cause of wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots is a decline in collagen production.

6. Mary Kay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

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A Mary Kay classic, this product is not just your regular old makeup remover.

First of all, it’s oil-free. This is important because a lot of the oils found in cosmetic products can actually trap bacteria and dead skin cells in your pores. In this case, washing your face actually makes it dirtier.

This makeup remover is also one of the best on the market for sensitive skin. It’s been clinically tested for skin irritants and allergens and contains no ingredients that can harm the eyes. Also, because it removes all types of makeup so quickly and effectively, the process of removing your makeup with this cleanser is gentle and easy, preventing you from rubbing your skin to the point of irritation.

You won’t end up with black under eye circles, red skin, or oily pores after using this lightweight, effective makeup remover.

5. Younique Royalty Divine Daily Moisturizer

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Part of their royalty skincare line, this face cream is an all-purpose moisturizer meant for all types of skin.

The main ingredient is squalane oil, which is actually already a natural component of the human skin. However, as your skin becomes dry over time due to aging or weather, it loses many of its natural oils.

While most oils found in cosmetic moisturizers are polyunsaturated oils, making them unstable, easy to spoil, and more harmful than helpful to your skin, Younique’s moisturizer replaces your skin’s oils with a naturally-occurring, safe, 100% stable oil. In fact, squalane oil is even more safe for your skin than coconut oil. (10)

This product does not contain SPF, so it will not protect your skin from sun damage.

4. Nu Skin Epoch Glacial Marine Mud

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Nu Skin’s Epoch Glacial Marine Mud is all over YouTube with beauty bloggers showing off before and afters of how much this renewing mask can actually improve your skin. The answer? A lot.

Packed with over 50 beneficial minerals and trace elements, this mud mask exfoliates dead skin, removes toxins and bacteria from your pores, and rejuvenates damaged or aging skin. It relies heavily on sea botanicals such as sea salt and a special breed of red algae.

Sea salt is a powerful exfoliant with anti-bacterial properties. Studies have shown that it creates a thicker barrier on your skin to protect from toxins while greatly improving elasticity. (11) Algae is even more powerful. Skin damage is caused by oxidation, and algae prevents oxidation. (12) It’s also packed with nutrients and great for hydrating dry skin.

3. Lilyana Naturals Rose & Pomegranate Face Cream Moisturizer

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Lilyana Naturals are organic and delicate, great for people with allergies or sensitive skin. Their Rose and Pomegranate Face Cream Moisturizer hydrates skin, but it also has anti-aging properties. It’s safe for use on all skin types, whether oily, dry, or combination.

Herbal ingredients are the star in this cream, which features medicinal plants like aloe vera, rose, coconut oil, and orange extract as well as vitamin C and vitamin E.

Aloe vera and coconut oil have long been touted as highly effective skincare ingredients, both for moisturizing and for healing and renewing skin. Both have anti-bacterial properties as well, and coconut oil can kill a range of skin infections from acne to cellulitis and athlete’s foot. (13)

Rose is also becoming a popular hydrating ingredient for its ability to clarify and balance skin tone. Its low pH of 5.5 soothes skin, reduces irritation, and makes rose a natural toner.

2. Rodan + Fields Redefine Regimen

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If Proactiv was one of the most effective skincare regimens of the early 2000s, Rodan + Fields’s skincare regimens are the most effective in 2018. That comes as no surprise, since they were created by the same dermatologists.

They have several different skincare lines, but the Redefine line specifically targets lines, pores, and loss of firmness. It’s a three-step process that starts with a cleansing mask, then a pore minimizing toner, and finally a reparative moisturizer – one for the evening, and another one for the morning.

The cleansing mask is a kaolin clay mask that exfoliates gently while absorbing oils. The toner incorporates polyhydroxy acid, which is a powerhouse anti-aging ingredient, especially when it comes to tightening skin and minimizing pores. It’s also safe for clinically sensitive skin. (14)

Finally, the morning moisturizer incorporates 30 SPF to protect your skin from sun damage. It contains clinically tested peptides which help boost your skin’s collagen production, making you appear younger. The overnight moisturizer is heavier and uses hyaluronic acid and glycerin to fight wrinkles and improve elasticity while you sleep.

1. Jeunesse Instantly Ageless

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This “facelift in a box” from Jeunesse has blown up on social media and YouTube, and if you’ve seen one of the before and after videos, you probably know why. The results are pretty incredible, even for people with severe skin conditions.

The package comes with dozens of little single-use vials filled with a formula that you use daily under your eyes or on your entire face. It corrects sagging skin, puffiness, wrinkles, and enlarged pores. Results are almost immediate – it takes 2 minutes to see the difference, and the effect lasts up to 9 hours.

Jeunesse has achieved this by incorporating ingredients that are considered by many dermatologists to be a kind of “natural botox.” The key ingredient here is argireline, which is a naturally occurring peptide that causes your skin to produce high levels of collagen. It effectively blocks neurotransmitters from signaling to your facial muscles, so they stop contracting and your skin tightens. A recent study on argireline shows that it causes a 30% reduction in wrinkles. (15)

Additionally, sodium silicate is used in the formula to adjust your skin’s pH levels, minimizing pores and tightening skin similar to the way a toner does.

There’s really nothing else on the market like Instantly Ageless.

Part 2: Why should you use skincare products? What are their benefits and side effects?

Healthy skin can make a world of difference for both your appearance and confidence levels. It can also reduce your reliance on cosmetic products designed to cover blemishes and wrinkles, which often clog your pores and make your skin worse in the end.

Skincare products for both your body and face have a huge number of benefits. Let’s break some of them down, and then talk about possible side effects.

Benefits of skincare products

Different skincare products target different problem areas and skin conditions.

Cleansers and masks clean out your pores, ridding your skin of toxins and bacteria and fighting acne and blackheads. Exfoliators are a type of cleanser that incorporates small pieces of slightly abrasive materials such as almonds, sea salt, sugar, or oatmeal, which scrub the skin on a deeper level to remove dead skin cells and completely unclogging your pores.

Toners are sometimes used after cleansing, especially on the face. These products can be made using natural or synthetic ingredients that are slightly acidic. Their lower pH level balances your skin, evening your complexion and shrinking your pores. Toners are important because most of the products we put on our skin have a high pH level and throw our skin’s pH off balance, causing redness and acne.

Moisturizers are hugely beneficial for all skin types. A good lotion can protect sensitive skin and soften it while evening skin tone and re-hydrating skin. Even if you don’t have naturally dry skin, moisturizing your body after showing is important because hot water and soap both strip your skin of its natural oils.

People with oily skin and acne often stay away from facial moisturizers, but actually, excess oil production is usually triggered by dry skin. When your skin isn’t properly moisturized, sometimes it will overcompensate by producing too much oil. Keeping your face hydrated will rebalance that. Just make sure you use a high-quality moisturizer that’s good for your skin type.

Some skincare lines target more serious skin conditions, such as moderate to severe acne, rosacea, and eczema. Some are over-the-counter while others are prescription only.

Anti-aging products are some of the most popular in skincare, and not just for old folks. In fact, it’s often recommended that you start using them in your 20s as a preventative measure. (16) Starting early on will protect your skin and keep it youthful, so when you are older, you’ll have fewer wrinkles and more elasticity.

Most anti-aging products help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while lifting and tightening the skin and providing deep hydration, as the skin tends to lose even more moisture with age. Many also target discoloration and tone issue, such as dark under eye circles and age spots.

Using a daily skincare product with SPF, whether it’s in your moisturizer or makeup, is one of the best ways to protect against signs of aging. Sun damage is the number one cause of most signs of aging, including wrinkles, age spots, thin skin, and sagging or loose skin.

Side effects of skincare products

While there are no serious side effects of skincare products, it’s important to choose wisely, as some products can end up exacerbating the very problem they aim to solve.

Low-quality skincare products that use harmful chemicals tend to produce results in the short-run while stripping your skin of its natural oils and protective layers, clogging your pores, and irritating your skin so that, after a while, your skin will actually appear worse. They can also disrupt your skin’s pH levels and your body’s hormone levels.

This is especially important when selecting facial skincare products as the skin on our faces is particularly sensitive and prone to damage.

Harmful ingredients and chemicals to avoid in skincare products include parabens, synthetic colors, fragrances, sulfates, preservatives such as formaldehyde, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA),  and PEGs (polyethylene glycol).

Recommended dosage

Usage depends on the product. It’s important not to overuse cleansers and soaps as they strip our skin of its natural oils. Acne products containing strong ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are highly effective but should be applied sparingly, as these ingredients can be harsh on the skin.

Skincare products FAQ

What are the best natural products for your skin? There are many herbal and natural ingredients that can benefit your skin. Some of the most effective include coconut oil, aloe vera, tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, avocado, seaweed, rose, and mud that’s high in minerals and sulfur.

Why is it better to use natural products? There are some synthetic ingredients that don’t harm the skin, but many of them strip your skin of its protectants and clog your pores. Fillers, artificial colors, fragrances, and preservatives serve to make your product last longer and smell better, but they don’t benefit your skin and can in fact harm it.

How do I hydrate my skin overnight? A moisturizer meant for night use is ideal for making sure your skin stays hydrated while you sleep. Night moisturizers are typically heavier. You can also consider using a humidifier.

What is organic skincare? Organic skin products are derived from naturally occurring ingredients such as plants, fruits, herbs, seeds, and natural oils. They are grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other potentially harmful chemicals.

How do you keep your skin moisturized? Washing your skin in lukewarm water instead of hot water can prevent it from stripping your skin of its natural oils. Always moisturize your skin after showering, especially if in hot water, and after using any type of cleanser or soap. Make sure you stay properly hydrated by drinking enough water. If you live in a dry climate, consider using a humidifier.

Can I use coconut oil as a moisturizer on my face? Coconut oil can be a very effective moisturizer as well as an anti-bacterial. However, if you’re prone to acne or oily skin, you may want to consider a moisturizer that’s specifically designed for your skin type.

Why do I have so many clogged pores? All kinds of products and particles in your environment can clog your skin, from oil and dirt to random debris and even your own dead skin cells. Clogged pores can lead to inflamed skin, blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. Hormonal conditions can also inflame the skin and clog the pores.

How do I get a clear face? Implementing a daily skincare regimen that works for your skin type is crucial. Don’t ever pop your pimples, and try not to touch your face in general as your hands can transfer bacteria to your pores. Use water-based products, wash your face twice a day, and be disciplined about moisturizing regularly.

Summary

Proper skincare can completely turn your skin around. It can also maintain healthy skin and prevent signs of aging, acne, and other skin conditions.

There are plenty of options out there for skincare products for all skin types. The most important things is to do your research and select products that contain natural, beneficial ingredients that prevent rather than cause skin damage.

For MLMCompanies.org #1 skincare product recommendation, click here.

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Avon Naturals Chamomile Foam Bath

2000

Found on Ebay, user starwarsace

[antionetterparker]

Rankings: Best skincare products of 2018

Skincare products are hugely popular. The skincare market is currently valued at $134.5 billion, and it’s expected to hit $180 billion by 2024. (1)

Smooth, healthy skin is central to maintaining your appearance and confidence…even more so now that natural beauty and natural makeup looks are trending. The right products can turn dull, blemished, or sagging skin into a fresh, bright, clear face. But with a market so vast, how do you know which products work best?

Part 1 ranks this year’s 11 best skincare products in order, and part 2 will go over how they work and answer some FAQs.

11. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Dry Skin

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Dry Skin has gained something of a cult following for both its affordability and effectiveness for both men and women with dry and/or sensitive skin.

Colloidal oatmeal is the main ingredient in their formula, which is just oatmeal grind into a very fine powder. Oatmeal baths are recommended for a wide range of skincare purposes, from exfoliation and evening skin tone to decreasing inflammation and irritation or treating bug bites and skin conditions like psoriasis. It’s particularly effective on dry skin due to the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids it contains. (2)

Consistent use over time will build extremely soft skin, however, you’ll notice immediately after applying it for the first time that your skin feels relieved and fully hydrated but not greasy. This lotion is fragrance-free and has a light, non-oily feel so it’s ideal for sensitive skin.

10. Forever Living Aloe Heat Lotion

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Forever Living’s Aloe Heat Lotion is a hot/cold lotion that’s pH-balanced. Their unique formula is designed to feel like an in-home massage. It’s recommended for use after a workout, athletic activity, hike, or long day to soothe and relax your muscles.

The main ingredient is obviously aloe vera, which has long been used for a variety of soothing purposes such as sunburn relief. However, aloe’s healing abilities are more than skin deep. Studies have shown that the plant’s juice can immediately reduce inflammation after an injury, heal wounds, prevent bruising, and even reduce pain from arthritis. (3) (4)

The lotion also incorporates heating agents to warm and loosen the muscles. Studies show that applying heat to muscles combined with hydration is the most effective way to relieve stiffness, soreness, and pain. (5)

This product is gluten free, fragrance-free, and cruelty-free.

9. Avon Anew Clinical Dual Eyelift

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

This product has taken Avon’s loyal followers by storm and gained them some new ones thanks to its innovative dual cream/gel system. The cream is applied under the eye while the gel is applied to the eyelid and brow bone to fight signs of aging in the entire area around the eye.

Caffeine plays a big role in this product’s effectiveness. This ingredient is proven to increase blood circulation and reduce inflammation when applied topically, so it’s fantastic for smoothing sagging, wrinkled under eyes and getting rid of puffy eyelids. It works by thickening the top layer of the skin, giving it a lifted and youthful appearance. (6)

The cream/gel produces results in just one week using polymers, which temporarily firm skin. Meanwhile, the glucosamine has long-term anti-inflammatory and smoothing effects and shea butter provides hydration.

8. Baebody Retinol Moisturizer Cream for Face and Eye Area

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Baebody went Amazon viral this year, and this is easily one of their most popular products. This retinol moisturizer provides deep hydration coupled with anti-aging ingredients that both firm and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Retinol, the primary ingredient, is often hailed as skincare miracle by dermatologists, and it’s one of the most powerful skincare products available over-the-counter. Essentially a form of vitamin A, retinol blocks free radicals from damaging your skin cells while building collagen, a crucial protein that acts as a filler and lifter for your skin. (7)

This product also incorporates several antioxidants, which also stop cell damage. In particular, it contains a healthy dose of vitamin E, which is arguably the most important antioxidant when it comes to healthy skin. (8)

The Baebody formula is all natural, 71% organic, and cruelty-free. It contains no fillers, parabens, or artificial fragrances.

7. Mary Kay TimeWise Firming Eye Cream

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Mary Kay’s TimeWise product line is an easy favorite, and first among them is their Firming Eye Cream.

The skin beneath the eyes is particularly fragile and dry. Mary Kay’s TimeWise Firming Eye Cream is an extra thick cream that specifically targets this dryness, infusing your under eyes with deep hydration from aloe leaf extract, one of the most healing plants, especially for repairing aging skin. (9)

In order to improve firmness, brighten, and smooth the skin around the eyes, this cream uses an ophthalmologist-tested formula that’s comprised of botanical extracts. The active ingredient here is a collagen-enhancing peptide duo, which boosts collagen production. This is almost immediately effective, as the number one cause of wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots is a decline in collagen production.

6. Mary Kay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

A Mary Kay classic, this product is not just your regular old makeup remover.

First of all, it’s oil-free. This is important because a lot of the oils found in cosmetic products can actually trap bacteria and dead skin cells in your pores. In this case, washing your face actually makes it dirtier.

This makeup remover is also one of the best on the market for sensitive skin. It’s been clinically tested for skin irritants and allergens and contains no ingredients that can harm the eyes. Also, because it removes all types of makeup so quickly and effectively, the process of removing your makeup with this cleanser is gentle and easy, preventing you from rubbing your skin to the point of irritation.

You won’t end up with black under eye circles, red skin, or oily pores after using this lightweight, effective makeup remover.

5. Younique Royalty Divine Daily Moisturizer

Click here for the lowest price

Part of their royalty skincare line, this face cream is an all-purpose moisturizer meant for all types of skin.

The main ingredient is squalane oil, which is actually already a natural component of the human skin. However, as your skin becomes dry over time due to aging or weather, it loses many of its natural oils.

While most oils found in cosmetic moisturizers are polyunsaturated oils, making them unstable, easy to spoil, and more harmful than helpful to your skin, Younique’s moisturizer replaces your skin’s oils with a naturally-occurring, safe, 100% stable oil. In fact, squalane oil is even more safe for your skin than coconut oil. (10)

This product does not contain SPF, so it will not protect your skin from sun damage.

4. Nu Skin Epoch Glacial Marine Mud

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Nu Skin’s Epoch Glacial Marine Mud is all over YouTube with beauty bloggers showing off before and afters of how much this renewing mask can actually improve your skin. The answer? A lot.

Packed with over 50 beneficial minerals and trace elements, this mud mask exfoliates dead skin, removes toxins and bacteria from your pores, and rejuvenates damaged or aging skin. It relies heavily on sea botanicals such as sea salt and a special breed of red algae.

Sea salt is a powerful exfoliant with anti-bacterial properties. Studies have shown that it creates a thicker barrier on your skin to protect from toxins while greatly improving elasticity. (11) Algae is even more powerful. Skin damage is caused by oxidation, and algae prevents oxidation. (12) It’s also packed with nutrients and great for hydrating dry skin.

3. Lilyana Naturals Rose & Pomegranate Face Cream Moisturizer

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Lilyana Naturals are organic and delicate, great for people with allergies or sensitive skin. Their Rose and Pomegranate Face Cream Moisturizer hydrates skin, but it also has anti-aging properties. It’s safe for use on all skin types, whether oily, dry, or combination.

Herbal ingredients are the star in this cream, which features medicinal plants like aloe vera, rose, coconut oil, and orange extract as well as vitamin C and vitamin E.

Aloe vera and coconut oil have long been touted as highly effective skincare ingredients, both for moisturizing and for healing and renewing skin. Both have anti-bacterial properties as well, and coconut oil can kill a range of skin infections from acne to cellulitis and athlete’s foot. (13)

Rose is also becoming a popular hydrating ingredient for its ability to clarify and balance skin tone. Its low pH of 5.5 soothes skin, reduces irritation, and makes rose a natural toner.

2. Rodan + Fields Redefine Regimen

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

If Proactiv was one of the most effective skincare regimens of the early 2000s, Rodan + Fields’s skincare regimens are the most effective in 2018. That comes as no surprise, since they were created by the same dermatologists.

They have several different skincare lines, but the Redefine line specifically targets lines, pores, and loss of firmness. It’s a three-step process that starts with a cleansing mask, then a pore minimizing toner, and finally a reparative moisturizer – one for the evening, and another one for the morning.

The cleansing mask is a kaolin clay mask that exfoliates gently while absorbing oils. The toner incorporates polyhydroxy acid, which is a powerhouse anti-aging ingredient, especially when it comes to tightening skin and minimizing pores. It’s also safe for clinically sensitive skin. (14)

Finally, the morning moisturizer incorporates 30 SPF to protect your skin from sun damage. It contains clinically tested peptides which help boost your skin’s collagen production, making you appear younger. The overnight moisturizer is heavier and uses hyaluronic acid and glycerin to fight wrinkles and improve elasticity while you sleep.

1. Jeunesse Instantly Ageless

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

This “facelift in a box” from Jeunesse has blown up on social media and YouTube, and if you’ve seen one of the before and after videos, you probably know why. The results are pretty incredible, even for people with severe skin conditions.

The package comes with dozens of little single-use vials filled with a formula that you use daily under your eyes or on your entire face. It corrects sagging skin, puffiness, wrinkles, and enlarged pores. Results are almost immediate – it takes 2 minutes to see the difference, and the effect lasts up to 9 hours.

Jeunesse has achieved this by incorporating ingredients that are considered by many dermatologists to be a kind of “natural botox.” The key ingredient here is argireline, which is a naturally occurring peptide that causes your skin to produce high levels of collagen. It effectively blocks neurotransmitters from signaling to your facial muscles, so they stop contracting and your skin tightens. A recent study on argireline shows that it causes a 30% reduction in wrinkles. (15)

Additionally, sodium silicate is used in the formula to adjust your skin’s pH levels, minimizing pores and tightening skin similar to the way a toner does.

There’s really nothing else on the market like Instantly Ageless.

Part 2: Why should you use skincare products? What are their benefits and side effects?

Healthy skin can make a world of difference for both your appearance and confidence levels. It can also reduce your reliance on cosmetic products designed to cover blemishes and wrinkles, which often clog your pores and make your skin worse in the end.

Skincare products for both your body and face have a huge number of benefits. Let’s break some of them down, and then talk about possible side effects.

Benefits of skincare products

Different skincare products target different problem areas and skin conditions.

Cleansers and masks clean out your pores, ridding your skin of toxins and bacteria and fighting acne and blackheads. Exfoliators are a type of cleanser that incorporates small pieces of slightly abrasive materials such as almonds, sea salt, sugar, or oatmeal, which scrub the skin on a deeper level to remove dead skin cells and completely unclogging your pores.

Toners are sometimes used after cleansing, especially on the face. These products can be made using natural or synthetic ingredients that are slightly acidic. Their lower pH level balances your skin, evening your complexion and shrinking your pores. Toners are important because most of the products we put on our skin have a high pH level and throw our skin’s pH off balance, causing redness and acne.

Moisturizers are hugely beneficial for all skin types. A good lotion can protect sensitive skin and soften it while evening skin tone and re-hydrating skin. Even if you don’t have naturally dry skin, moisturizing your body after showing is important because hot water and soap both strip your skin of its natural oils.

People with oily skin and acne often stay away from facial moisturizers, but actually, excess oil production is usually triggered by dry skin. When your skin isn’t properly moisturized, sometimes it will overcompensate by producing too much oil. Keeping your face hydrated will rebalance that. Just make sure you use a high-quality moisturizer that’s good for your skin type.

Some skincare lines target more serious skin conditions, such as moderate to severe acne, rosacea, and eczema. Some are over-the-counter while others are prescription only.

Anti-aging products are some of the most popular in skincare, and not just for old folks. In fact, it’s often recommended that you start using them in your 20s as a preventative measure. (16) Starting early on will protect your skin and keep it youthful, so when you are older, you’ll have fewer wrinkles and more elasticity.

Most anti-aging products help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines while lifting and tightening the skin and providing deep hydration, as the skin tends to lose even more moisture with age. Many also target discoloration and tone issue, such as dark under eye circles and age spots.

Using a daily skincare product with SPF, whether it’s in your moisturizer or makeup, is one of the best ways to protect against signs of aging. Sun damage is the number one cause of most signs of aging, including wrinkles, age spots, thin skin, and sagging or loose skin.

Side effects of skincare products

While there are no serious side effects of skincare products, it’s important to choose wisely, as some products can end up exacerbating the very problem they aim to solve.

Low-quality skincare products that use harmful chemicals tend to produce results in the short-run while stripping your skin of its natural oils and protective layers, clogging your pores, and irritating your skin so that, after a while, your skin will actually appear worse. They can also disrupt your skin’s pH levels and your body’s hormone levels.

This is especially important when selecting facial skincare products as the skin on our faces is particularly sensitive and prone to damage.

Harmful ingredients and chemicals to avoid in skincare products include parabens, synthetic colors, fragrances, sulfates, preservatives such as formaldehyde, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA),  and PEGs (polyethylene glycol).

Recommended dosage

Usage depends on the product. It’s important not to overuse cleansers and soaps as they strip our skin of its natural oils. Acne products containing strong ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are highly effective but should be applied sparingly, as these ingredients can be harsh on the skin.

Skincare products FAQ

What are the best natural products for your skin? There are many herbal and natural ingredients that can benefit your skin. Some of the most effective include coconut oil, aloe vera, tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, avocado, seaweed, rose, and mud that’s high in minerals and sulfur.

Why is it better to use natural products? There are some synthetic ingredients that don’t harm the skin, but many of them strip your skin of its protectants and clog your pores. Fillers, artificial colors, fragrances, and preservatives serve to make your product last longer and smell better, but they don’t benefit your skin and can in fact harm it.

How do I hydrate my skin overnight? A moisturizer meant for night use is ideal for making sure your skin stays hydrated while you sleep. Night moisturizers are typically heavier. You can also consider using a humidifier.

What is organic skincare? Organic skin products are derived from naturally occurring ingredients such as plants, fruits, herbs, seeds, and natural oils. They are grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other potentially harmful chemicals.

How do you keep your skin moisturized? Washing your skin in lukewarm water instead of hot water can prevent it from stripping your skin of its natural oils. Always moisturize your skin after showering, especially if in hot water, and after using any type of cleanser or soap. Make sure you stay properly hydrated by drinking enough water. If you live in a dry climate, consider using a humidifier.

Can I use coconut oil as a moisturizer on my face? Coconut oil can be a very effective moisturizer as well as an anti-bacterial. However, if you’re prone to acne or oily skin, you may want to consider a moisturizer that’s specifically designed for your skin type.

Why do I have so many clogged pores? All kinds of products and particles in your environment can clog your skin, from oil and dirt to random debris and even your own dead skin cells. Clogged pores can lead to inflamed skin, blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. Hormonal conditions can also inflame the skin and clog the pores.

How do I get a clear face? Implementing a daily skincare regimen that works for your skin type is crucial. Don’t ever pop your pimples, and try not to touch your face in general as your hands can transfer bacteria to your pores. Use water-based products, wash your face twice a day, and be disciplined about moisturizing regularly.

Summary

Proper skincare can completely turn your skin around. It can also maintain healthy skin and prevent signs of aging, acne, and other skin conditions.

There are plenty of options out there for skincare products for all skin types. The most important things is to do your research and select products that contain natural, beneficial ingredients that prevent rather than cause skin damage.

For MLMCompanies.org #1 skincare product recommendation, click here.

via https://mlmcompanies.org/skincare-products/

[dalepwithchari]

Lessons from cybersecurity exits

Buy some great High Tech products from WithCharity.org #All Profits go to Charity

Mahendra Ramsinghani Contributor

Mahendra Ramsinghani is the founder of Secure Octane, a Silicon Valley-based cybersecurity seed fund.

More posts by this contributor

Is Symantec getting ready to buy Splunk?

Can the security community grow up?

To: ceo@cybersecuritystartup.com

Subject: Lessons from cybersecurity exits

Dear F0und3r:

What a month this has been for cybersecurity! One unicorn IPO and two nice acquisitions – Zscaler’s great debut on wall street,  a $300 million acquisition of Evident.io by Palo Alto Networks and a $350 million acquisition of Phantom Cyber by Splunk has gotten all of us excited.

Word on the street is that in each of those exits, the founders took home ~30% to 40% of the proceeds. Which is not bad for ~ 4 /5 years of work. They can finally afford to buy two bedroom homes in Silicon Valley.

Evident.IO Investment Rounds and Return estimates

Date

Select Investors

Round Size

Pre

Post

Dilution

Estimated Returns / Multiple of Invested Capital

Sep 2013

True Ventures

$1.5m

$5.25m

$6.75 m

22%

44X

Nov 2014

Bain Capital

$9.8 m

$18.1m

$28.0 m

35%

10.7X

Apr 2016

Venrock

$15.7 m

$35.0 m

$50.7 m

30%

6X

Feb 2017

GV

$22.0 m

$73.6 m

$95.5

23%

3.1X

My math is not that good but looks like even some VCs made a decent return. Back of the envelope scribbles indicate that True Ventures scored an estimated ~44X multiple on its seed investment. Others like Bain snagged a ~10X on the A round investment and Venrock which led the Series B round took home ~6X.

We see a similar pattern with Phantom Cyber, which got acquired by Splunk for $350 million. A little bird told me that they had booking in the range of $10 million. But before we all get too self-congratulatory, lets ask – why did these companies sell at $300 million to $350 million when everyone in the valley wants to ride a unicorn? Clearly, funds like GV, Bain and Kleiner could have fueled more rounds to make unicorns out of Evident.io and Phantom Cyber.

Phantom Cyber Investment Rounds and Return estimates

Date

Select Investors

Round Size

Pre

Post

Dilution

Estimated Returns / Multiple of Invested Capital

April 2015

Foundation Capital

$2.7m

$8.3 m

$11.04 m

14.50%

31.7

Sep 2015

Blackstone

$6.5m

$26.7 m

$33.2 m

15.90%

10.5

Jan 2017

KPCB

$13.5m

$83.0 m

$96.5 m

13.90%

3.6

(Data Source: Pitchbook)

Some of the board members might have peeked at the exit data gathered by the hardworking analysts at Momentum Cyber, a cybersecurity advisory firm. Look at security exit trends from 2010-2017. You might notice that ~68% of security exits were below $100 million. And as much as 85% of exits occur below $300 million.

Agreed that there are very few exceptional security CEO’s like Jay Chaudhry who grew up in a Himalayan village, and led ZScaler to an IPO. This was Jay’s fifth startup and he kept over 25.5% of the proceeds, with another 28.3% owned by his trust. TPG Growth owned less than 10%. After all, he himself funded a substantial part of the company (which raised a total of $110 million).  But not everyone is as driven, successful and it’s ok to sell if the exit numbers are meaningful. Remember what that bard of avon once said:

For I must tell you friendly in your ear,

Sell when you can; you are not for all markets.

(Shakespeare, As you Like It, Act 3, Scene V)

(68% of security exits occur below $100 million. M & A Data from 2010-2017. Source: Momentum Cyber)

My friend Dino Boukouris, a director at Momentum Cyber, offers some sage advice to all founders who are smitten by unicorns. “Before a founder raises their next round, I would reflect on the market’s ability to purchase companies. The exit data says it all. As you raise more capital, your exit value goes up, timing gets stretched and the number of buyers who can afford you drops.” Dino has a point, you see. As we inflate valuations, your work, my dear CEO, becomes much harder.

If you don’t believe Dino, let’s look at another recent exit, PhishMe, which was acquired by a private equity consortium for $400 million. That’s a nice number, correct? At the first look, you’ll notice that the dilution and financial return patterns are similar to that of Phantom. Except that PhishMe took 7 years and consumed $58 million of capital, while Phantom took 3 years and consumed $22.7 million. Timing and capital efficiency matter as much as exit value. It’s not just the exit value ~ but how long and how much. Back to my man, Dino who will gently remind you that for the 175 M & A transactions in 2017, the median value was $68 milion. Read that last sentence again — very slowly. $68 million. Ouch!

PhishMe Investment Rounds

Date

Round size

Select Investors

Pre-money Valuation

Post

Dilution

Returns / Multiple of Invested Capital

July 2012

$2.5m

Paladin

$10 m

12.5 m

12.20%

32.0

March 2015

$13 m

Paladin

$61 m

$74 m

13 %

5.4

July 2016

$42.5 m

Bessemer

$155 m

197 m

21%

2.0

(Data Source: Pitchbook)

Two years ago  in Cockroaches versus Unicorns – The Golden Age of Cybersecurity Startups cybersecurity founders were urged to avoid the unicorn hubris. A lot of bystanders, your ego included, will cheer you as you get higher valuations. But aren’t we all rational human beings, always making data based decisions?

Marc Andreessen will remind you that his best friend, Jim Barksdale, once said “If we have data, let’s look at data. If all we have are opinions, let’s go with mine.”   Since 2012, my VC friends have funded 1242 cybersecurity companies, investing a whopping $17.8bn. But chief information security officers say that they don’t need 1242 security products. One exhausted CISO told me they get fifteen to seventeen cold calls a day. They hide away from LinkedIn, being bombarded relentlessly.

Enrique Salem (former CEO of Symantec) and Noah Carr, both with Bain Capital are celebrating the successful sale of Evident.io. They pointed out that the founders — Tim Prendergast and Justin Lundy had lived the public cloud security problem in their previous lives at Adobe. “Such deep domain expertise allowed them to gain credibility in the market. It’s not easy to earn the trust of their customers. But given their strong engineering team, they were able to build an “easy to deploy” solution that could scale to customers with 1000s of AWS / Azure accounts. Customers were more willing to be reference-able, given this aligned relationship.”

(Source: Momentum Cyber)

You, my dear CEO, should take a page from that playbook. Because Jake Flomenberg, Partner at Accel Partners says, “CISOs are suffering from indigestion. They are looking to rationalize toolsets and add very selectively. New layer X for new threat vector Y is an increasingly tough sell.” According to Cack Wilhelm Partner at Accomplice, “Security analysts have alert fatigue, and CISOs have vendor fatigue.”  You are one of those possibly, wouldn’t you agree?

Besides indigestion and fatigue, the CISO roles have become demanding. William Lin, Principal at Trident Capital Cyber, a $300m fund pointed out that “the role of CISO has bifurcated into managing risk akin to an auditor and at the same time, managing complex engineering and technology environments.”  So naturally, they are managing their time more cautiously and not looking forward to meeting one more startup.

Erik Bloch, Director of Security Products at SalesForce says that while he keeps an open mind and is willing to look at innovative startups, it takes him weeks to arrange calls with the right people, and months to scope a POC. And let’s not forget the mountain of paperworks and legal agreements. “It’s great to say you have a Fortune 100 as an early customer, but just be warned that it’ll be a long, hard road to get there, so plan appropriately” he pointed out.

So, my dear founder, as the road gets harder, funding slows down. Look at 2017 —  despite all those big hacks, Series A funding dropped by 25% in 2017. Clearly, many of our seed funded companies are not delivering those Fortune 100 POC milestones. And are unable to raise a Series A.  Weep, if we must, but let us remind ourselves that out point solutions are not that impressive to the CISOs.

All the founders I know are trying to raise a formulaic $8m Series A on $40m pre. But not every startup that wants 8 on 40 deserves it. Revenues and growth rate, those quaint metrics matter more than ever. And some investors look for the quality of your customers.  Aaron Jacobson of NEA, a multi-billion dollar venture fund says, ”A key value driver is a thought-leader CISO as a customer. This is often a good indicator of value creation.“

Stage

Expected Revenue Run Rate

Estd. Round Size

Angel

None

Up to $2m

Series A

$1.5m to $3 m

$5m to $8m

Early VC

$5 m to $8 m

$15m to $25m

Late Stage VC

$6m to $10m

$30m to $50m

When markets get crowded and all startups sound the same, investors seek quality, or move to later stages.  They like to see well proven companies, that have solved a lot of basic problems. And eliminated riskier stumbling blocks. Like product-market fit, pricing and go-to-market issues. Naturally, the later stage valuations are rising faster. Money is chasing quality, growth and returns.

Median Post-Money Valuation by stage for cybersecurity companies (Source: Pitchbook)

The security IPOs offer a sobering view. This is a long journey, not for the faint of heart. Okta moved fast, consumed ~4X more capital as compared to Sailpoint and delivered great returns.

Company

Year Founded

Years to IPO

Total Capital raised prior to IPO

Revenues (2017)

Post Money of last round prior to IPO

Market Cap at IPO

ZScaler

2008

10

$180m

$176 m

$1.05 bn

$3.6 bn

Okta

2009

8

$231 m

$160 m

$1.18 bn

$2.1 bn

Forescout

2000

17

$159 m

$220 m

$1.0 bn

$806 mn

SailPoint

2004

13

$54.7 m

$186 m

N/A

$1.1 bn

Security IPOs (Source: Momentum Cyber, Pitchbook)

Innovating with go-to-market strategies

In the near term,  the big challenge for you, dear security founder, is selling in an over crowded market. If I were you, I’d remember that innovation should not be restricted to merely technology, but can extend into sales and marketing. We lack creativity when it comes to marketing – ask Kelly Shortridge of Security ScoreCard. She should get some kind of BlackHat award for developing this godforsaken Infosec Startup Bingo. If you find any startup vendor that uses all these words, and wins this bingo, please DM me ~ I will promptly shave my head in shame. We got here because we do not possess simple marketing muscles. We copy each other while our customers roll their eyes when we pitch them.

Sid Trivedi of Omidyar Technology Ventures wants to work with the developer focussed startups. He says, “Look at companies like Auth0. The sales efficiency on developer-focused platforms is tremendous. You can go to a CISO, CIO or CTO and point out that X number of developers are paying to use my technology. Here are their names, why don’t you talk to them? And then, let’s discuss an enterprise license for the full company?” That approach works like magic. Overwhelming majority of the software IPOs like Twilio, Mulesoft, SendGrid are developer platforms.”

If you go top-down in a hurry, you can crash and burn. I am aware of an impatient security vendor who used executive level pressure at a Fortune 50 company. They kicked their way into the POC. And got kicked out by the infosec team. The furios infosec team destroyed the vendor in a technical assessment. I was told that the product was functional but the vendor’s impatience and political gymnastics killed the deal. Let us not forget simple truth: many times CISOs turn to their subordinates for advice and decision-making, so don’t just sell to the top. Nor ignore the rest of the people in the room.

With more noise, the buyers freeze. Margins shrink. Revenues and growth slows down. Which means it’s harder to get to your milestones before your next round. Running out of cash is not fun. Nor is a down round, layoffs and such. So while this is easier said than done, please raise less and do more. And maybe, just maybe, you can keep 40% of a $350 million exit.

If you have questions or existential dilemmas, you can always find me, chatting with a friendly VC in South Park.  Or I’m always around in a trusted secure world of Signal.

Stay safe at that annual security stampede called RSA.

Kindly,

Mahendra

PS: Let’s not forget to express our gratitude to those analysts at Momentum Cyber and Pitchbook for painstakingly tracking every investment, analyzing and presenting meaningful data. They help us look at the forest, and make our journey easier. Send them a thank-you tweet, some wine, chocolates, flowers or home-baked cookies.

[Read More …]

Lessons from cybersecurity exits

[eddiejpoplar]

The Man Who Trains F1 Stars

Rob Wilson looks at the stopwatch on his trusty Nokia 6210 cellphone. “I think a 1:50.4 deserves a cigarette,” he says as he delivers a warm and congratulatory pat to my shoulder. “It’s been a great morning.” I drop him off beside a decommissioned Boeing 747 tinged a bluey green by unidentified vegetation and then drive gently to the end of the runway to cool the brakes before looping around to collect him. “Right,” he says as he drops back into the passenger seat of our humble 198-horsepower Vauxhall Astra hatchback. “Let’s get lunch. Then I’ll set another target lap, and we’ll go again.”

And that’s how it goes. Wilson consumes maybe another 10 Marlboro Reds over the course of the afternoon as he chips away at my driving technique and I chip away at my lap time. This place—the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in rural Leicestershire, England—is his second home, and it’s here that the great and the good of Formula 1, IndyCar, DTM, the FIA World Endurance Championship, World Rally Championship, and countless other professional racing series come to hone their craft under his tutelage. Yes, in a Vauxhall Astra.

Kimi Räikkönen. Juan Pablo Montoya. Valtteri Bottas. Marco Andretti. Petter Solberg. Whatever name pops into your head, chances are the pro driver has been to this former USAF base and been coached by Rob Wilson in a humble family car. Sometimes they’re a tenth quicker than he is but not often. He doesn’t advertise. There’s no website full of inspiring nonsense to build his business. If you want to employ Wilson, you need to know someone with his number. Fortunately, everybody in high-level motorsports has his number. “I used to travel to go to them,” he says. “But then they banned smoking on planes.”

So how exactly do you become the driving Yoda to the stars? The guy that every F1 team goes to when they want to polish a young talent or to just help an experienced racer through a sticky patch? It started for Wilson, as you’d expect, with a racing career. He left his native New Zealand as quickly as he could and competed in the U.K. in Formula Ford and then Formula 3. He was quick, too, and was lined up for an F1 drive in 1981 at Spa with Tyrrell until Michele Alboreto turned up a few days before with a big check, which ousted him from the seat. Money talks, and the F1 dream was over. Wilson then raced for many years in the U.S. in sports cars, NASCAR, Indy Lights, and anything he could get his hands on.

Coach and veteran pro driver Rob Wilson has helped the top names in racing improve their times. At an airfield in Leicestershire, England, he teaches his unconventional methods in lightweight Vauxhall Astra hatchbacks— and goes through many sets of tires.

His eureka moment came as he stood beside Stowe corner at Silverstone in the late ’80s—his broken Bowman F3 car next to him—with nothing much to do. So he started watching and then timing as Rickard Rydell and Gary Brabham pounded around. Brabham was incredibly early on the throttle and looked and sounded fast, but Rydell was quicker. Wilson worked out why and gave his solution to Brabham. Sure enough, those times improved. Suddenly Wilson was a driver coach, and in those early days he used Goodwood as his base. He carried on racing well into the 2000s, but his real gift was apparent: He made the best even better.

“Traditionally you find the limit of adhesion and feel like you’re going fast on that geometrically perfect line. But you know what? You’re not going forward that much.”

Bruntingthorpe looks as pretty as an old airfield can today under sunshine and threatened by dramatic, brooding storm clouds, but it’s still a million miles from the shiny, volatile, carbon-fiber and cash-soaked world of top-level racing. Wilson, you might imagine, is similarly detached from the F1 or IndyCar circuses. He’s a New Zealander, 65 years old, powerfully built with a fearsome appetite for nicotine. If you met him at a bar and asked him what he did, you’d scarcely believe a word. His stories, which he doesn’t give up lightly or embellish, are almost unbelievable. Today he’s coaching me. Last week? F1 rookie Lance Stroll, who’d been struggling for form but didn’t look so out of his depth in the last couple races. “He’s been here a lot,” Wilson says. “Couldn’t be nicer. I didn’t expect that.”

More stories later. First, why he uses the Astra hatchback. “It’s perfect. Truly,” he insists. “Tough and with a good chassis but also quiet and comfortable so we can communicate easily. And when you make a mistake in this car, you feel it for a long time. We can be talking about what went wrong while you’re still paying the price.” Wilson has three Astras supplied by Vauxhall, General Motors’ former bread and butter marque in the U.K. (now owned by French auto giant Groupe PSA). He gets through a set of tires a day and a set of brakes per week, and he keeps each car for about 5,000 miles. My car for the day has a Michelin front left tire, a Bridgestone rear left, something called a Sunny SN3970 front right, and an Avon rear right. “The circuit mostly goes right, anyway,” he grins.

So that’s the equipment. What about the technique? “Everything is the most important thing in the world,” Wilson says with a smile over a mug of tea in the cafe adjacent to the airfield before we get started. “The first most important thing in the world is the rate you move your body. It creates the initial weight transfer. So when we are coming up to a corner, I’ll say, ‘Turn left.’ We want to turn left, but we don’t mean a turn of a certain size. We just mean a turn of the tiniest, tiniest amount. You can’t even see it.” This is the foundation of Wilson’s obsession with maximizing a car’s potential by managing weight transfer: Introduce a subtle, almost imperceptible amount of lock and then manipulate the car to the apex more assertively.

Wilson’s driver training is a hands-on experience, quite literally. He likes to teach in the Vauxhall economy car because “when you make a mistake in this car, you feel it for a long time.”

He’ll also often talk about a “flat car.” The physics concept behind it is obvious: the less steering angle, the greater the acceleration. To achieve this you begin each turn with that miniscule weight transfer then progressively steer to the apex. In the middle of the turn—where there’s the least amount of penalty for tire scrub—quickly introduce a bit more lock than seems natural to shorten the corner and then actively straighten the car to the exit. “It’s about altering our values,” Wilson explains. “Traditionally you find the limit of adhesion and feel like you’re going fast on that geometrically perfect line. But you know what? You’re not going forward that much. And that’s bad, actually. I want you to be offended when you feel tire scrub.”

This introduction to Wilson’s techniques goes on for maybe an hour. We discuss shortening corners, braking lightly for a fraction before really applying force to ensure the rears are responding before the nose dives and the rear raises up, trying to match wheel speed and car speed momentarily in the braking phase, and how all this feeds into a race scenario by putting less stress on the equipment. “Shortening the corner reduces tire degradation,” he says. “So in the middle of the corner there’s a bit more lock, a higher peak, but for the next 10 car lengths there’s less load. It’s like putting your hand on a red-hot stove for a millionth of a second. You won’t burn. If the stove is half as hot but you put your hand on for a few seconds, guess what happens.”

It sounds simple. Then Wilson demonstrates personally on his unique circuit, drawn out by the airfield’s natural turns and a few cones to add a crucial chicane and a slow switchback. “Monaco’s Lowes hairpin,” he calls it. The running commentary is enlightening. Probably. I just can’t get over the speed and efficiency. He’s smooth with the car at times then sometimes more assertive, and his lines don’t trace the long arcs of a classicist. Watching the dramatic “corner shortening” is really remarkable. The car doesn’t gracefully blend out of the turns to the circuit’s edge on the limit of adhesion. Rather, he literally steers it out there in a straight line, and you feel the rate of acceleration climb the instant he’s removed the exaggerated midcorner steering input. It’s bordering on phenomenal, and my nerves skyrocket. This guy has coached Nigel Mansell. Now I have to show him my silky skills? Punch me now.

Fortunately the teacher is patient and remains calm even if I barrel into a turn way too fast, the tires scrub wide, and my exit is a mess of wheelspin. Most importantly, you feel he wants you to be better and gets great satisfaction when you get things right. To be honest the first few laps are ugly, probably worse than if I drove my own “natural” way. But slowly it starts to click—the lovely feeling of the car responding accurately because of that initial steering input, the extra lock midcorner allowing you to quickly get the car straight and drive out to the exit, the gentle and then assertive braking that seems to keep the car more level and more stable on corner entry. The time tumbles away. That 1:50.4 is just 0.8 second off his target lap.

After lunch he blitzes me with a new target: 1:47.8. On these tires that’s a good lap, he says. On four Michelins maybe we’d get down to 1:47.2 or even a high 1:46. The roast-beef lunch at the local pub has slowed me down, though. I do a 1:50.6, then whack a cone, then another. It feels like it’s going the wrong way. But it clicks again on the last couple of laps. My hairpin is close to perfect, I negotiate the esses with Wilson’s line (avoiding the curbs and straightening each section), and my braking and steering techniques improve so the last two corners are much sweeter.

The result is 1.48.7 despite one mistake coming onto the crucial back straight. “Fantastic. You have the speed,” he says flatteringly. “It’s not about making you faster. It’s about making you do the right things. Now you can see the progression … how you could get to a low 1:47. You’re on the road from being somebody who can drive a race car to a racing driver. There’s a difference.”

“Some of the Indy teams have what they call the ‘Rob Matrix’ in new telemetry programs,” he tells me between long drags on his beloved Marlboros.

I’m elated and leave full of anecdotes and advice. Rob Wilson is a fascinating guy, and the truly amazing thing is, in a digital world of telemetry, his techniques have become even more important. He looks at what’s between the telemetry traces shown on computer screens and is now working with engineers from BMW’s DTM team, Porsche’s WEC guys, and pretty much every F1 team to help them understand what those squiggly lines can’t show them. “Now [that the engineers have been here], they can feel this stuff and apply that knowledge to what they’re seeing on the telemetry,” he confirms. “All of them are [now] trying to measure that first 5 percent, the rate of weight transfer. Some of the Indy teams have what they call the ‘Rob Matrix’ in new telemetry programs,” he tells me between long drags on his beloved Marlboros.

I can’t leave without asking him who he thinks is the best of the best. “I love Kimi,” he says. “He’s maybe the one guy I’m biased toward.” Wilson spent a lot of time with Räikkönen in his early days and has huge affection for him. OK, so who’s second? “I never coached Mansell until after he’d won the F1 title and just before he started racing in the U.S. But when I did, I couldn’t believe his finesse, his understanding of the surface. Totally at odds with his reputation for being a real beast in the car.” And third? “Everybody’s third, Jethro. That’s the point. Everybody’s third.”

The post The Man Who Trains F1 Stars appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

from Performance Junk Blogger 6 http://ift.tt/2GdQZxF via IFTTT

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Avon Naturals Vanilla Mini Body Lotion

1996-2004

Found on Ebay, user warnine

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Avon Naturals Kiwi with Yarrow Shampoo

1996-2004

Found on Mercari, user Mxmj

[y2kbeautyandother2000sstuff]

Avon Naturals Cucumber Melon Restoring Anti Bacterial Hand Gel

2007

Found on Ebay, user hometownhits