Tag: red

Red Tulips in Bloom 2017

Red tulips, 2017,Toronto,Canada. photo by Don Tai

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bezeqint.net Content Spammer: Research, Ban

bezeqint.net content spammed me, so naturally I researched them. They are very smart, these Israelis, and employ a variety of anti-bot software techniques, in order to evade identification. Hats off to them for deploying these tactics. I hope they keep up the good work.

Observation:
bzq-80-17-106.red.bezeqint.net 82.80.17.106

Pattern:
This ISP employs 3 patterns, inter-dispersed within their Ip ranges. You need to differentiate between these three or you will ban the incorrect IP range.

red: reverse first 3 octets, add 4th
red, static.dcenter: straight 4 octets
cablep, red: host name has 3 octets, special number for first octet

Research:
bzq-112-168-31-210.red.bezeqint.net 31.168.112.210
bzq-137-168-31-233.red.bezeqint.net 31.168.137.233
bzq-200-168-31-84.red.bezeqint.net 31.168.200.84
bzq-208-168-31-96.red.bezeqint.net 31.168.208.96
bzq-224-168-31-106.red.bezeqint.net 31.168.224.106
bzq-230-168-31-194.red.bezeqint.net 31.168.230.194
bzq-236-168-31-236.red.bezeqint.net 31.168.236.236
bzq-241-168-31-208.red.bezeqint.net 31.168.241.208

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Rose Monday Carnival in Germany, but why the Clowns?

I am not German nor live in Germany, but this looks like so much fun. Why they have papier-mache heads of people dressed in clown is unknown to me. If you happen to know please tell me.

As is the German carnival tradition, individual Schwellkoppe (“swollen heads”) or larger-than-life-heads made from papier-mache march with bands in between the floats.

These clowns all look pretty creepy. Who do they mock? Local politicians and businessmen? The three in the front all have the same metal emblem around their necks. What is this?

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Listerine Agent Cool Blue is Ineffective

It is not too often that I feel a North American “off the shelf” health product in Canada is fraudulent. Bending the truth, some may be, but for true lying through your teeth, snake oil-type fraud, no, I have come across few. At a recent trip to my dentist with my little weed I discussed diagnostic aids with my dentist. If there were only some way I could highlight his bad technique I could help him brush better. I recalled in my youth some red tablets that you can chew. My dentist said these “disclosing tablets” are still available, and still used on kids. Newer disclosing solutions were now available from drug stores, much easier to use and fun for kids. I found Listerine Agent Cool Blue at Pharmaplus for $5.50CAD, “tints plaque for better brushing” it says right on the bottle, in glacier mint. I have found this solution to be not only ineffective, but fraudulent. It does not tint sufficiently to actually allow you to see plaque. For helping me improve my son’s brushing technique it is useless. Please do not purchase this product, as it is useless for highlighting plaque.

Listerine, made by Johnston & Johnston Inc. are a reputable brand and company, so I was surprised at the fraudulent nature of their claim. Note that packaging and claims on the bottle in Canada are different from the USA. On the back of the bottle it claims:

“LISTERINE AGENT COOL BLUE Plaque Detecting Rinse is effective in highlighting plaque to improve tooth brushing effectiveness in children.” CANADIAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION

Directions: Children age 6 years and older: Rinse twice daily before brushing showing you where to brush!

While the solution lightly tints the teeth and mouth, it insufficiently tints plaque and food buildup so that you see no difference between teeth that have no buildup and teeth that need to be brushed. If one looks incredibly hard with a magnifying glass, at the right angle of light I can see a shading difference between clean and dirty surfaces of the teeth, but I can do this without the solution as well. After two mouthfuls of rinse the tint is gone, or so light as to be indiscernible.

Listerine Agent Cool Blue does not tint sufficiently to identify plaque. It is totally ineffective and fraudulent as a dental diagnostic tool.

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Calling All Bees to Toronto, Canada!

Tasty pollen available to all bee friends, from a white tulip

Spring is finally here. I invite all bees to visit my garden for a very tasty good time. There is so much colour in the garden, which washes into the house, giving some rooms a fantastic pink hue. All photos taken today at 14:45.

On the negative side so many people have come down with allergies. Noses and eyes are itchy. People are stuffed up. This is nature’s way of reproducing. Still, what would spring be without renewal, growth and an uplifting shot of colour.

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Female Cochineal Beetle and your Food

Interesting. Here’s an organic additive that creates deep and rich reds for your food or cosmetics. Ground up female cochineal beetles. I’ll be looking for these 5mm critters the next time I go shopping and begin reading packaging ingredients.

___Yes, the ingredient is called cochineal, carmine (carminic acid), or E120. Because beetles are insects it is not considered kosher, halal, or vegetarian. Some people can have allergic reactions to it, as was televised by “60 Minutes”. Yes, this kid almost died of anaphylactic shock. I’m always amazed at what is put into our food that we don’t know about. As usual, Canadian labeling laws do not give you any indication of its origins. While I do not have an aversion to eating bugs (they make a great supplemental protein source), I know most other people do. Cochineal can also be used as organic ant repellent.

___It is interesting that “60 Minutes” omitted to tell us of the long history of this dye and its stellar safety record. There was much sensationalism in the story, as if this was a new additive used by evil food manufacturers to poison us all. So much for unbiased reporting.

Female cochineal are flat, wingless, 5mm long, oval shaped scale insects. Dried and crushed they make an all natural, deep red dye for food and cosmetics

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