Daily Archives: June 1, 2022

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Alan Hubbard: Welcome to Saudi-on-sea - land of sun, sand and sportswashing - Insidethegames.biz

Mid South Extrusion, which produces polyethylene film for food packaging and other consumer and industrial uses, is investing $4.9 million to add a 12th production line at its manufacturing facility in Monroe. The company will retain 170 jobs and create eight direct new jobs, and LED estimates the project will result in 16 indirect jobs, for a total of 24 new jobs in Ouachita Parish.

The additional line will allow the company to meet the growing demand for polyethylene film, the thin, lightweight plastic sheeting that is used to seal and protect a wide variety of packaged industrial and consumer products. The new, state-of-the-art production line is a direct response to the growing demand for food packaging, and comes on the heels of the Global Food Safety Initiatives certification of the companys Food Safety Management systems.

I applaud Mid Souths investment in the growth of its team and its facility, which will increase economic activity in the Northeast Region of the state, Gov. John Bel Edwards said. Mid Souths role in the food packaging supply chain illustrates the importance of Louisianas contribution in this sector. Food production remains critical in the United States and beyond, and it is reliant on packaging. This investment contributes to these important national and global interests.

Installation is expected to be complete and the new production line commercially operational by the end of 2022.

Along with increasing our production capacity, this investment allows us to continue to target new markets and capitalize on our momentum in the food packaging sector, said Mark Kent Anderson, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Mid South. We love our state and community, and knowing that we have the support of our local and state officials makes reinvestment and growth in Louisiana an easy decision. Plastics is an industry that is in high demand due to the industrys commitment to growth, innovation and sustainability. Mid South Extrusion is looking forward to our continued growth in Monroe for many years to come.

Since it was established in 1986, Mid South Extrusion has steadily expanded its operation from a 17,000 square-foot facility with four employees to a 215,000 square-foot site with nearly 200 employees. The company serves a wide array of sectors, including agriculture, consumer products, e-commerce, food and beverage, and industrial applications.

Mid-South Extrusion is an integral part of the economic development in the City of Monroe, Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis said. They provide hundreds of jobs for our people, and this expansion is a reflection of their investment in employees, and an investment in our community. Their growth demonstrates the opportunity for businesses to thrive in Monroe.

To secure Mid Souths investment in Monroe, the State of Louisiana provided the company with a competitive incentive package that includes $170,000 from the states Retention and Modernization Program. The company is also expected to participate in the states Enterprise Zone and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

We are proud to have Mid South Extrusion as part of our existing industry base, as well as our community, North Louisiana Economic Partnership President and CEO Justyn Dixon said. This decision to increase their footprint in North Louisiana emphasizes the areas dedicated workforce and strategic location.

Continued here:

Mid South Extrusion Invests $4.9 Million to Expand Production Capacity at Monroe Facility | Office of Governor John Bel Edwards - Governor John Bel...

The Louisville Zoo's baby boom is still booming as it is announcing the birth of a total of seven new babies.Three Canadian lynx kittens were born on May 19 to mom Matilda and dad Sitka in addition to four Bennetts wallaby joeys that were also recently born.The zoo said that Matilda will care for her kittens in a nest box during their first few weeks and that guests will be able to see the box. Visitors will be able to see the kittens moving about the Americas' exhibit toward the end of June.We do not know the gender of the kittens yet as that is not discovered until their first exam which will happen when they are close to six weeks old. This is to avoid disrupting Matildas bonding time with her kittens.As for the wallaby joeys, they will take some more lucky timing to see for a bit since wallabies spend a lot of time in their mom's pouch or, less frequently, in the yard. You can see in the photo one of them peeking out.One of the joeys, a male, is being taken care of off-exhibit due to an early departure from the moms pouch, thus requiring additional attention.The gender of the other three wallabies will be known when they emerge from their "pouch life". You can follow the growth of these new babies at the zoo's website here, which includes recent newborns Emmy the harbor seal and the zebra filly. You can also follow the expected arrival of the giraffe baby that the zoo is expecting.

The Louisville Zoo's baby boom is still booming as it is announcing the birth of a total of seven new babies.

Three Canadian lynx kittens were born on May 19 to mom Matilda and dad Sitka in addition to four Bennetts wallaby joeys that were also recently born.

The zoo said that Matilda will care for her kittens in a nest box during their first few weeks and that guests will be able to see the box.

Visitors will be able to see the kittens moving about the Americas' exhibit toward the end of June.

We do not know the gender of the kittens yet as that is not discovered until their first exam which will happen when they are close to six weeks old. This is to avoid disrupting Matildas bonding time with her kittens.

As for the wallaby joeys, they will take some more lucky timing to see for a bit since wallabies spend a lot of time in their mom's pouch or, less frequently, in the yard.

You can see in the photo one of them peeking out.

One of the joeys, a male, is being taken care of off-exhibit due to an early departure from the moms pouch, thus requiring additional attention.

The gender of the other three wallabies will be known when they emerge from their "pouch life".

You can follow the growth of these new babies at the zoo's website here, which includes recent newborns Emmy the harbor seal and the zebra filly.

You can also follow the expected arrival of the giraffe baby that the zoo is expecting.

The rest is here:

Baby boom continues at Louisville Zoo with arrival of lynx kittens and wallaby joeys - WLKY Louisville

Dear Dr. Vinny,

What's the shelf life of a box of wine?

P.M., San Antonio, Texas

Dear P.M.,

Good question, as there definitely is a shelf-life for boxed wines. There is a bag inside the box that holds the wine, and it cleverly collapses as wine is consumed, limiting the wines exposure to oxygen. That means that once you open the seal and start pouring the wine, youshould be able to enjoy it for at least a few more weeks (as opposed to a few days with an open bottle) before you notice that the wine is fading. In both cases, storing an open container of wine in a fridge will extend its life.

That bag is typically made of polyethlene, which is a very safe plastic to use, but its not as impermeable as glass, and over time, the microscopic amounts of oxygen passing through will cause the wine tolose its freshness. If you look at the box, somewhere on it (perhaps on the bottom) will be a best-bydate, usually about a year from the date it was packaged.

Given all of this, the wines inside the box arent meant for long-term aging. But there are some terrific wines in boxes. When we review boxed wines, we review them in blind tastings alongside their bottled peers, and we find plenty of wines to recommend.

Dr. Vinny

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What's the shelf life of a box of wine? - Wine Spectator

Even learners in affluent schools lost around two-thirds of a school year.(Pixabay photo)

When a state of disaster was declared in South Africa in 2020 in response to the COVID pandemic, a hard lockdown was instituted and schools were shut. This was followed by varying periods of lockdowns, school closure and rotational timetables to maintain social distancing across different grades.

Administrative data show that children in South Africa missed at least three-quarters of a year of school in the past two school years. This reduced their opportunities to learn and allowed more time to forget what they had learnt.

To measure the effect of time out of school on learning, we analysed the test performance of almost a quarter of a million learners at the end of 2021, comparing them to performance in 2019.

We found that the time out of school left public school learners in South Africa about a year behind previous cohorts.

Earlier studies on learning losses in South Africa, mainly in poor schools and with relatively small samples, found similar results. Our study used data from the Western Cape provinces Systemic Test, which tests all public school pupils in grades 3, 6 and 9. None of the countrys other eight provinces tests learners on such an extensive scale so the Western Capes data is the best opportunity to measure learning loss.

Because we measured learning losses in both rich and poor schools and in three grades across primary and secondary schools, we can generalise with some confidence to the whole country and to all grades.

The findings are important for all those with an interest in education, from government officials to teachers and parents. These tests were conducted in both mathematics and language, which form the foundation for learning in most other subjects, both in school and beyond.

The Western Cape Systemic Test system has been in place for two decades. Every year almost all public school learners are tested in mathematics and language in grades 3, 6 and 9. The pandemic prevented testing in 2020. We analysed the 2019 and 2021 tests. Most questions were exactly the same in both years to allow valid comparison. We analysed only the common questions.

The figure below shows average learner performance and learning losses between 2019 and 2021. The arrows reflect large learning losses in all six tests, but much larger losses in mathematics than in language, consistent with international experience.

In language, the biggest learning loss was in grade 6. Most South African learners are taught all subjects in their home language in the first three years of schooling. From grade 4, they switch to being taught in English in all subjects except their home language. Even in 2019, schools where there was a language transition from isiXhosa (one of the home languages used in Western Cape schools) to English performed weakly, but in 2021 they also experienced larger learning losses. The pandemic may have made this difficult language transition even more difficult.

Moreover, the language problems may also have affected grade 6 mathematics performance, because language is key to understanding other subjects.

As expected, learning losses were on average smaller in schools serving the richest communities. But even learners in these affluent schools lost around two-thirds of a school year. The Western Cape has a higher proportion of rich public schools than other provinces. There are more learners in the Western Cape who attend well resourced schools and with higher levels of parent education compared to other provinces. Thus learning losses may be even larger in poorer provinces.

Losses were smallest in grade 9 language in fact, rich schools experienced almost no learning losses in these tests. The reason may be that language at this level is less dependent on school-based learning. Or it may be because the common test items we could analyse contained less writing.

In all the tests, girls significantly outperformed boys, except in grade 9 mathematics in 2019. But because grade 9 boys experienced greater learning losses in mathematics, their earlier performance advantage disappeared in 2021.

What does this mean for South Africas performance on international tests?

South Africa generally performs poorly on international tests in both mathematics and reading. Many South African learners dont even reach the low international benchmarks that are regarded as a bare minimum that should be achieved. If learning losses in the Western Cape were applied to the whole country, many more learners would fail to reach the low international benchmarks.

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science study of 2019 found that 63% of all South African grade 5 children performed below the low international benchmark in mathematics. This may now rise to around 76%.

For reading, the proportion of grade 5 pupils who score below the low international benchmark in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2016 reading tests would rise from 80% to about 88%.

Younger learners can catch up over their school career. But teachers now have an even more difficult task to cover the curriculum for each grade, and to fill some gaps in understanding from previous grades. This is especially true for a subject such as mathematics.

Two policy areas require special attention.

The schooling system needs to find more time for maths, to overcome the accumulated deficit from the COVID years. For instance, grade 9 learners who have fallen a year behind in mathematics need to catch up a full year before the matric examinations (grade 12, the final year of secondary school). This requires them to learn as much in three years as previous cohorts learned in four.

In language, the big challenge is to ensure that reading is mastered by the end of the foundation phase the third year of schooling and to ease the subsequent language transition. Weak reading skills and an inadequate English vocabulary can inhibit all further learning for the majority of learners who have to make this language transition.

Servaas van der Berg, Professor of Economics and South African Research Chair in the Economics of Social Policy, Stellenbosch University and Chris van Wyk, Researcher, Stellenbosch University

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

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Moker Front Crank Seal Wear Sleeve Installer for Ford 6.0 - Sleeve Driver Tool with OEM Sleeve and Seal,Without Special Tools Required,Compatible with...

Edgemesh joins TAG's registry of known and trusted players in the digital ad ecosystem and the organization's Anti-Fraud Working Group

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. , June 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Edgemesh, provider of the AI platform that delivers the fastest online web experience, today announced the company has been verified by the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG), an advertising industry self-regulatory organization aimed at fighting criminal activity and strengthening brand safety in digital advertising.

This announcement comes on the heels of Edgemesh's May 2022 announcement of its new Ad Protect solution, a major feature upgrade to its Edgemesh Server product. Ad Protect identifies and protects brands against ad fraud and click fraud at the infrastructure-level dramatically reducing retailers' advertising budget losses due to ad fraud. Ad Protect works at the infrastructure-level to examine user activity and requests to determine the legitimacy of the interaction with the brand's website. The solution monitors every request, header, SSL certificates, the speed with which the visitor moves from page to page, and even the browser "fingerprint" to provide a highly effective way to detect malice and prevent ad fraud.

By becoming TAG-Registered, Edgemesh joins other verified organizations in supporting the growth of a transparent digital advertising supply chain.

"Ad fraud and click fraud are growing worse every year, posing significant problemsfor retailers - especially in the U.S where it's expected to account for 35% of the ad losses in 2022, which is equivalent to about $23 billion," said Jake Loveless, CEO, Edgemesh. "As an e-commerce acceleration platform, we saw the theft of ad spend occurring across our customer base, with losses adding up to about $11,000 per customer on a daily basis. Being verified by TAG and joining its Anti-Fraud Working Group further affirms our commitment to doing all we can to help our customers fight back against schemes by bad actors to steal ad dollars."

TAG Working Groups develop and maintain the certification standards for each of TAG's certification programs, as well as the fraud, threat-sharing, and brand safety tools. Bringing together thought leaders from across the industry, these working groups ensure that TAG stays on the cutting edge of digital advertising best practice and ahead of criminal enterprises.

Edgemesh will join the Anti-Fraud Working Group, which works to combat the negative impact of fraudulent bot-generated, non-human traffic by working with TAG to develop and enhance anti-fraud standards, protocols and tools for all types of entities in the supply chain. The group reviews all of TAG's anti-fraud standards and tools on an annual basis and updates them to ensure they remain on the cutting edge of industry best practice.

TAG launched its Certified Against Fraud Program in 2016 to combat invalid traffic in the digital advertising supply chain. Companies that are shown to abide by the Certified Against Fraud Guidelines receive the Certified Against Fraud Seal and use the seal to publicly communicate their commitment to combating fraud.

About the Trustworthy Accountability Group

The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) is the global certification programme designed to fight against criminal activity and protect brand safety in the digital advertising industry. TAG advances its mission of eliminating fraudulent traffic, facilitating the sharing of threat intelligence, and promoting brand safety by connecting industry leaders, analyzing threats, and sharing best practices worldwide. The 700+ member TAG community includes the world's largest and most influential brands, agencies, publishers, and ad tech providers. For more information on TAG, please visittagtoday.net.

About Edgemesh

At Edgemesh (@edgemeshinc), speed matters. Edgemesh is a global web acceleration company that empowers e-commerce brands to deliver faster, more streamlined websites for the optimal user experience. With just one line of code, Edgemesh's AI-based platform enables ecommerce brands to accelerate their websites up to 50 percent, resulting in increased conversion rates of 20% or more. Customers include Lenovo, Dr. Squatch, Kitsch, Easystandard, Kos and more. The company is based in Laguna Beach, CA. For more information, please visithttps://edgemesh.com/.

Media ContactsMarket Street Group for EdgemeshLori Scribner+1 (619) 993-1784[emailprotected]

SOURCE Edgemesh

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Edgemesh Receives Verification from the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) - PR Newswire

ANCHORAGE The race began, fittingly, in the spring season known here as breakup.

As sheets of ice cracked into pieces across the rivers, melting snow exposed the gravel and dust on roads, and preparations began for hunting and fishing, dozens of congressional campaigns were springing to life with barely a few days of planning. Candidates held solemn conversations with their families, advisers hastily secured website domains and the endorsements and donations began flooding in.

The unexpected death in March of Representative Don Young, the Republican who represented Alaskas sole congressional district for nearly half a century, has given rise to a crowded and raucous race to succeed him. No fewer than four dozen Alaskans political veterans, gadflies, and even a man legally named Santa Claus are running to succeed Mr. Young as the lone representative in the House for the states 734,000 people.

The list of candidates is sprawling. It includes former Gov. Sarah Palin, who is endorsed by former President Donald J. Trump; Nick Begich III, whose grandfather held the seat before Mr. Young; four Alaska Natives, including one, Tara Sweeney, who served in the Trump administration; Jeff Lowenfels, a retired lawyer and a prolific local gardening columnist; and Mr. Claus, a portly, bearded North Pole councilman and socialist.

Thats a lot of people to do research on and figure out, said Morgan Johnson, 25, as her black cat, Edgar, prowled across the counter of her plant shop in Juneau. I get stuck on one persons Instagram for an hour now I have to do that for 48 people.

Further complicating the picture, four separate elections in five months will determine Mr. Youngs successor. First, the throng of candidates will compete in a primary contest on June 11. The top four finishers will then advance in August to a special election to complete the remainder of Mr. Youngs term. That same August day, the candidates who choose to do so will compete in yet another primary to determine which four advance to the general election. And finally in November, voters will choose a winner to be sworn in in January 2023.

The sheer volume of candidates owes in part to a new electoral system in Alaska, which opens primaries to all comers, regardless of political affiliation. Under the rules, voters can choose one candidate, and the four who draw the most votes then compete in a runoff of sorts, in which voters then rank their choices. The preferences are counted until someone secures a majority.

State officials and advocacy groups are rushing to pull off the rapid-fire contests and ensure that voters understand how the new rules work.

Were compressing everything that usually is done in about seven months in 90 days, said Gail Fenumiai, Alaskas director of elections, who said her team would mail and process more than 586,000 ballots. Theres a significant amount of work involved.

State officials decided to hold the special election by mail, in part because there was not enough time for the necessary hiring and training of more than 2,000 new election workers, as well as testing and sending election equipment across the state. A ballot was carefully designed to fit all the names on one side of paper, with the first ones sent out less than six weeks after Mr. Young died.

Candidates have also had little time to build a campaign that stands out or crisscross a mountainous state where villages and towns are often accessible only by plane or ferry.

When youre vying for a limited set of first-round votes, you have to figure out how to put yourself forward in a way that people will hear it and resonate with it, said Christopher Constant, an Anchorage assemblyman and Democrat who announced his intent to challenge Mr. Young in February.

The broad field has roiled the close-knit political circles here, pitting longtime colleagues and friends against one another.

This seat has been held for 49 years by one guy, and people are just hungry to have a different voice in Congress, and they think that they can add to it, said John Coghill, a former state senator who is among the candidates.

It has also cracked the door open for a series of history-making bids, including four candidates who would be the first Alaska Native to represent a state where more than 15 percent of the population identifies as Indigenous.

It is long past time that an Indigenous person was sent to D.C. to work on behalf of Alaska, Mary Peltola, a Democrat who spent a decade in the state Legislature and is Yupik, said in an interview in Anchorage.

Ms. Peltola is among the candidates who have gone to great lengths to highlight a personal connection or appreciation for Mr. Young.

The fiercest competition is inside the Republican Party, where younger conservatives who had waited their entire lives in Mr. Youngs shadow are contending for the mantle of his successor. The filing deadline was on April 1, two weeks after Mr. Young died, meaning that candidates had to decide whether to run before funeral services for the congressman had concluded.

It stunned the entire state, and then having to figure out what this new reality was going to look like and what processes were in front of Alaskans with respect to this vacancy its been exhausting, said Ms. Sweeney, a co-chair of Mr. Youngs campaign and now a candidate for his seat.

Ms. Sweeney, who is Inupiaq and the first Alaska Native woman to serve as assistant secretary for Indian Affairs, has emerged as a leading contender for Republicans, with top Alaska Native-owned corporations banding together to back her campaign.

Mr. Begich, a conservative whose grandfather of the same name held the seat as a Democrat until his disappearance in a plane crash in 1972, angered many in Mr. Youngs inner circle by jumping into the race in October as a challenger, dangling what they saw as insinuations that the congressman was too old.

The chosen candidate of the state Republican Party, Mr. Begich has disavowed the $1 trillion infrastructure bill Mr. Young proudly championed and the congressmans penchant for earmarking federal dollars for Alaska.

For too long, the formula in Alaska has been to sacrifice the good of the nation for the good of the state, and I dont think that thats a formula that we need to be practicing going forward, Mr. Begich said in an interview.

Mr. Youngs allies have gravitated toward less conservative candidates.

Those include Ms. Sweeney and Josh Revak, a state senator and an Iraq war veteran who secured a coveted endorsement from Mr. Youngs widow, Anne.

It was a really difficult choice, but if he believed in me and others believe in me, that I have the heart and the work ethic and the experience to do the job, then Ill walk through fire to do it, Mr. Revak, wearing an ivory bolo tie with the Alaska Senate seal and his Purple Heart pin, said after a recent fund-raiser at an Anchorage home.

Ms. Palins late entry into the race and Mr. Trumps near-immediate endorsement of her has further scrambled the political picture. As a former governor and vice-presidential candidate, Ms. Palin, whose campaign did not respond to requests for an interview, easily has the strongest name recognition in the field of candidates.

Why are these midterms so important? This years races could tip the balance of power in Congress to Republicans, hobbling President Bidens agenda for the second half of his term. They will also test former President Donald J. Trumps role as a G.O.P. kingmaker. Heres what to know:

What are the midterm elections? Midterms take place two years after a presidential election, at the midpoint of a presidential term hence the name. This year, a lot of seats are up for grabs, including all 435 House seats, 35 of the 100 Senate seats and 36 of 50 governorships.

What do the midterms mean for Biden? With slim majorities in Congress, Democrats have struggled to pass Mr. Bidens agenda. Republican control of the House or Senate would make the presidents legislative goals a near-impossibility.

What are the races to watch? Only a handful of seats will determine if Democrats maintain control of the House over Republicans, and a single state could shift power in the 50-50 Senate. Here are 10 races to watch in the Houseand Senate, as well as several key governors contests.

When are the key races taking place? The primary gauntletis already underway. Closely watched racesin Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia wereheld in May, with more taking place through the summer. Primaries run until September before the general election on Nov. 8.

Go deeper. What is redistrictingand how does it affect the midterm elections? How does polling work? How do you register to vote? Weve got more answers to your pressing midterm questions here.

But she has also become a frequent target for candidates in both parties, as her rivals seek to weaponize her visibility in national headlines, stoke the lingering discontent in the state about her abrupt decision to leave the governors mansion in 2009 and woo the thousands of voters who have moved to Alaska since.

At a recent event at an airplane hangar in Juneau, Mr. Begich jumped at the opportunity to poke fun at Ms. Palin.

I take it youre not going to be on the The Masked Singer, one woman remarked to him, as the dozens of people gathered chuckled.

I dont have a pink bear costume, Mr. Begich replied, referring to Ms. Palins 2020 appearance on the reality show.

Most observers here believe that Mr. Youngs seat is likely to remain in Republican hands given the states conservative slant, but the new ranked-choice system, which tends to advantage candidates in the center, could upend the conventional wisdom.

It could, for instance, help Al Gross, an independent who unsuccessfully challenged Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican, in 2020. Mr. Gross gained both national attention and some local derision with a viral campaign ad that dubbed him Alaskas own bear doctor.

Certainly this campaign is not about bears, and it is about Alaska, Mr. Gross, a former orthopedic surgeon, said in an interview.

Unlike in 2020, when the Senate Democratic campaign arm endorsed him, he vowed to rebuff financial support from any major political party and said he planned to join the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group, should he win.

The Alaska Democratic Party has taken aim at him, calling Mr. Gross a proven loser.

Republicans have also unleashed a torrent of Christmas-themed attacks against Mr. Claus, a sign that there is at least some concern that the combination of his name recognition and his professed affinity for Bernie Sanders could help him prevail in a ranked-choice election. (Mr. Claus, who changed his name nearly two decades ago, often wears red robes of the monks order of which he is a member and plans to join the Congressional Cannabis Caucus if elected.)

Whoever winds up in this special for that term, for the remainder of Don Youngs term, should be concentrating on representing all Alaskans then and there, not running for additional time in office and not spending time raising money or campaigning, Mr. Claus said, adding that he was seeking only to finish Mr. Youngs term this year.

Citing concerns about the pandemic, Mr. Claus said he was limiting his in-person campaigning and soliciting electoral support virtually from his perch as a North Pole councilman.

But, he added, Im taking it seriously.

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In Alaska, the Race to Succeed Don Young Is Raucous and Crowded - The New York Times

TAKE better care of your hair.

Licensed hairstylist Sabrina Shick posted a video revealing the drugstore products you can use and which you should avoid.

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First, Shick said to avoid the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths No Haircut Cream Leave-In Conditioner which costs about $6.

This product claims to seal and repair damaged, split ends, but the hairstylist says otherwise.

"Split ends can not be 'mended,'" she said.

"They need to be cut off."

The next product Shick said 'no' to is the $7 Pantene Nutrient Blends Miracle Moisture Boost Rose Water Shampoo for Dry Hair.

This shampoo claims that it's "sulfate-free" and will help hydrate your dry damaged hair.

On the other hand, the hair expert disagreed.

"All of these 'sulfate-free' drugstore products do not have sulfates, but they're loaded with sodiums instead which dry the f*** out of your hair."

In addition to this, she suggested avoiding any Pantene products.

Speaking of TREsemm products, the stylist said "please no."

"I'd literally use battery acid before TREsemm."

The stylist even feels the same about using aussie products.

Shick approves of the $10 Hask Argan Oil Repairing Shampoo + Conditioner.

"YES, YES," SHE SAID.

"HASK is an underappreciated queen."

This shampoo and conditioner set is great for "all hair types, color-safe, gluten-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free, and cruelty-free."

Another 'yes' from Shick is the $10 SheaMoisture Curl and Shine Coconut Shampoo for Curly Hair Coconut and Hibiscus.

"YES O. M. G. YES," she said.

"SheaMoisture is affordable and uses high-quality ingredients."

Shick also recommended that curly-haired viewers use this line as she said it's "great for my curly people."

A big 'no' on her list was the Shimmer Lights purple shampoo which costs about $10.

"Worst purple shampoo out there," she said.

Instead, she suggested using the Fanola No Yellow Shampoo for just about $9.

"Smells great but no," she said.

Shick claims that Herbal Essences hair products are also full of hidden sulfates and parabens.

Another 'yes' on her list was the Hairitage Outta My Hair Gentle Daily Moisturizing Shampoo with Jojoba Oil.

Not only is it vegan and cruelty-free, but for just under $9 it will "cleanse hair of impurities and excess oils without stripping it."

"We love an all-natural queen," said Shick.

She approves of the $17 WOW Skin Science Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo to help with thinning hair, hair loss, and even dandruff.

The hairstylist urges viewers to use the $3 Hask Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioner Packettes.

"Do not sleep on these hair masks," she said.

"Use them once a week."

Another licensed hairdresser said: "The reason [these products] feel so good is because they're coating your hair with silicone."

"The silicone makes it appear shiny and healthy but over time causes more fall out and dryness."

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Im a hairstylist the cheap and popular drugstore products I rate & which ruin your hair, including one f... - The US Sun

As warmer weather kicks in, big-batch cocktails can help to make gatherings delicious and easy. Whether under the stars, seated poolside, or happily gathered around the table on a patio, backyard bartenders can relax when entertaining outdoors.

Chill. Pour. Cheers.

Made in advance, big-batch drinks are served from a large, chilly pitcher. Depending on the ingredients, most of the work can be accomplished hours or even days in advance. So, theres no last-minute shaking in a cocktail shaker. No trying to remember ingredients and proportions. No stress.

Along with a chilled big-batch pitcher, I like to make an easy-access tray with glasses and a filled ice bucket. I often use stemless wine glasses or smallish Old-Fashioned glasses, keeping serving size on the moderate side. No supersizing at my house; I want guests to remember dinner.

My table display includes non-alcoholic choices as well. Some chilled sparkling water and fresh juice are a must. And if I have several guests that prefer non-alcoholic cocktails, I like to make an adapted version of cookbook author Maggie Hoffmans big-batch Blaylocks.

To make them, up to two hours in advance combine 4 1/2 cups fresh pink grapefruit juice and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice in a 2-quart pitcher. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey syrup made in a 2:1 ratio (combine 1 1/4 cups honey and 3/4 warm cup water in saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until blended, do not boil cool.) To serve, pour halfway up in tall, ice-filled glasses. Top off with sparkling water.

Boulevardiers origin dates to Paris in the 1920s. American expat Erskine Gwynne is credited with inventing the tasty concoction, dubbing it with a name that honors those that frequent Parisian boulevards. The cocktail can be thought of as either a bittersweet Manhattan variation or a whiskey Negroni (you can think of the Negroni as a Boulevardier variation, because Boulevardiers appeared in print long before the Negroni).

According to Americas Test Kitchens book How to Cocktail, the cocktail originally called for equal parts bourbon or rye, Campari, and sweet vermouth. But when they put their version together, they reasoned that a smaller ratio of Campari allowed the drink to walk a fine line between bitter and sweet, while maintaining a rich lushness. And they point out that because water is added to the mix, no ice is needed. The water ensures the perfect amount of dilution.

Yield: 8 cocktails

12 ounces rye or bourbon

8 ounces Campari

8 ounces sweet vermouth

8 ounces water

Garnish: 8 orange twists, see cooks notes

Cooks notes: To make a citrus twist, use a paring knife or a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler to remove a long, wide strip of peel. Try not to take too much white pith along with the colored portion of peel.

1. Combine rye, Campari, vermouth, and water in a serving pitcher or large container. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.

2. Stir to recombine, then serve in chilled cocktail glasses, garnishing each cocktail with an orange twist. Big batch Boulevardiers may be refrigerated for up to 1 month, well-sealed.

Source: How to Cocktail by Americas Test Kitchen (Americas Test Kitchen, $24.99)

Sangria, with its ancient roots in Spain, has become a party drink mainstay around the globe. The folks at Americas Test Kitchen, after much experimentation, decided that they preferred a simple formula. They tested versions with untold collections of fruit and settled on this classic red wine rendition that incorporates simple citrus just oranges and lemons.

For white-wine based Sangria, they preferred the addition of apples or pears. For a ros-based version they suggest two cups of mixed fresh berries. Recipes for these variations appear at the end of the Classic Sangria recipe.

Yield: 12 cocktails

2 (750-ml) bottles fruity red wine, such as Merlot

4 ounces orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

4 ounces simple syrup, see cooks notes

3 oranges (2 sliced thin, 1 juiced to yield 4 ounces)

2 lemons, sliced thin

For serving: ice

Cooks notes: To make simple syrup, combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 5 ounces warm tap water in a bowl. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Cool completely, about 10 minutes, before transferring to an airtight container. You can also buy simple syrup in many supermarkets in the liquor department.

1. Combine all ingredients (except ice) in serving pitcher or large container. Cover and refrigerate until flavors meld and mixture is well chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

2. Stir Sangria to recombine, then serve in chilled wine glasses half-filled with ice, garnishing individual portions with macerated fruit.

Variations:

White Wine Sangria: Substitute a fruity white wine, such as riesling for the red wine, brandy for the orange liqueur, 8 ounces apple juice for the orange juice, and 2 apples or pears thinly sliced for the orange and lemon slices.

Ros Sangria: Substitute a ros wine for red wine, Elderflower liqueur for the orange liqueur, 8 ounces pomegranate juice for orange juice, and 2 cups of mixed berries for the orange and lemon slices.

Source: How To Cocktail from Americas Test Kitchen (Americas Test Kitchen, $24.99)

In Maggie Hoffmans book, Batch Cocktails (Ten Speed Press, $19.99), she offers the formula for big-batch Birds Again cocktails, a tangy pour that teams sauvignon blanc and an herbal dry vermouth with basil, simple syrup, rose water and fresh lime juice. The author points out that it is a bright and refreshing mix that is a low-proof easy drinker.

She suggests that a good way to use up leftover dry vermouth on a hot day is to combine a few ounces of it in a tall ice-filled glass with twice as much tonic and a lemon wedge.

Yield: About 13 servings

15 fresh basil leaves, torn in half

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1:1) simple syrup; see cooks notes

1 1/4 teaspoons rose water; see cooks notes

2 1/4 cups chilled sauvignon blanc

2 1/4 cups chilled dry Vermouth, such as Dolin

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Ice

Garnish: 13 fresh basil leaves

Optional garnish: Freshly ground black pepper

Cooks notes: This version of simple syrup is made in 1:1 ratio. Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup very hot water in a resealable container, such as a mason jar; stir to dissolve sugar. When cool, seal and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Rose water is a flavored water made by steeping rose petals in water. It is sold at supermarkets with large liquor sections, large wine stores, and online.

1. Up to two hours before serving, place basil leaves, simple syrup, and rose water in a 2-quart pitcher. Tap basil gently with a muddler or long wooden spoon, just enough to coax the flavor out; dont pulverize it. Pour in chilled sauvignon blanc, chilled vermouth, and lime juice. Stir well to combine. If not serving immediately, seal well, covering with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

2. To serve, stir mixture well. Pour mixture into ice-filled wine glasses or rocks glasses and garnish each with a basil leaf. If desired, top with a little freshly ground black pepper.

Source: Batch Cocktails by Maggie Hoffman (Ten Speed Press, $19.99)

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Recipes: If youre having a summer party, make these cocktails by the pitcher - OCRegister