Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => Bee News => Topic started by: Beeboy on May 16, 2014, 03:51:18 pm
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http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/05/16/the-government-is-breeding-a-super-honeybee-really/
Anyone seen this? I'm not a big Obama fan, but I'm glad he's doing this.
Speaking of super bee my bro drove one way to fast back in the 60's & 70's. 8)
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If they improve on the Pol-Line, their latest release I'll be a buyer. I love the Pol-Lines. Hardy, productive with medium winter clusters who don't eat you out of house and home. Biggest problem, still need to treat them, although they do demonstrate some degree of varroa resistance.
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I like the "bee cam" link. That's a cool shot of that bee hive. I wonder what cherry blossom honey tastes like?
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40,000 hives on a roof of the usda building, I don't believe, maybe 4,000 or 400.
Ken
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I like the "bee cam" link. That's a cool shot of that bee hive. I wonder what cherry blossom honey tastes like?
It tastes like dandelion as the bees work them in the morning and the tree bloom in the afternoon. The dandelion taste is stronger and over powers the tree blossoms.
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40,000 hives on a roof of the usda building, I don't believe, maybe 4,000 or 400.
Ken
I was thinking the same thing.
Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk
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Seeking 71 million to do something thats already been done, or at least VERY well started.. You suppose Mrs. Spivak asked for 71 million? Or ANY of the other folks who have developed resistant bees? There ARE survivors out there being proliferated, there are developed strains of resistant bees. Why do we need to spend another 71 million to do whats already been done?
I only see this costing more money and producing nothing. WHY go to the trouble and expense when 40 to 50% of beekeepers continue to buy generic non resistant bees? If they had said 71 million to continue development of started strains, I would be less upset about it. If that 71 million went to almost ANY other group, I would be hopeful of the results.. as it stands, it will take our govt 69 million to research the subject and come up with a plan. A plan thats already been drawn up and executed. THEN we will hear about how it WOULD have worked if they could have gotten more funding...
Sorry... I don't like being pessimistic, but What little faith I had in the govt faded 30 years ago, and has yet to be restored.
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Seeking 71 million to do something thats already been done, or at least VERY well started.. You suppose Mrs. Spivak asked for 71 million? Or ANY of the other folks who have developed resistant bees? There ARE survivors out there being proliferated, there are developed strains of resistant bees. Why do we need to spend another 71 million to do whats already been done?
I only see this costing more money and producing nothing. WHY go to the trouble and expense when 40 to 50% of beekeepers continue to buy generic non resistant bees? If they had said 71 million to continue development of started strains, I would be less upset about it. If that 71 million went to almost ANY other group, I would be hopeful of the results.. as it stands, it will take our govt 69 million to research the subject and come up with a plan. A plan thats already been drawn up and executed. THEN we will hear about how it WOULD have worked if they could have gotten more funding...
Sorry... I don't like being pessimistic, but What little faith I had in the govt faded 30 years ago, and has yet to be restored.
Yes, it is the government. A poorly run one at that.
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Speaking of super bee my bro drove one way to fast back in the 60's & 70's. 8)
I had chargers and road runners. ;)
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I'm not even American and that story makes me mad. 100% with Scott on that one. If they simply gave 1 million dollars to every university department already working on the project, they'd get more results and save about 50 million dollars at the same time.
I think the author meant 40 000 bees (in one hive) rather than 40 000 bee hives.
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How about the USDA VSH Queens. These are bees with Varroa sensitive Hygenic behavior that the USDA is making available for introduction into various climate zones. This year, in Colorado at least, they are conducting tesst on survivability of open mated hybrids of the VSH trait queens to see how they perform on mite resistance and hygienic behavior as well as climate survival. Many local beekeepers are getting involved by hosting colonies queened with these girls and recording observations of their performance.
Alfred
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How about the USDA VSH Queens. These are bees with Varroa sensitive Hygenic behavior that the USDA is making available for introduction into various climate zones. This year, in Colorado at least, they are conducting tesst on survivability of open mated hybrids of the VSH trait queens to see how they perform on mite resistance and hygienic behavior as well as climate survival. Many local beekeepers are getting involved by hosting colonies queened with these girls and recording observations of their performance.
Alfred
That sounds more like something I could have hope for Alfred. An already in progress improvement and testing in the real world..
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I'm in agreement with Scott on this one also. A way to late and grossly over budget. There are already a dozen projects under way that have had some of the most brilliant scientists, researchers, and beekeepers, working on this for the last 20 years. They have sequenced the bees Genome so they can read the protein for the genetic markers for hygienic behavior. Long survivor mite resistance bee stock has been imported from Russia to add to the genetic stock available.
It is much to late for them to get in the game now. They are riding on the media hype that has been reported over the last few years and are trying to cash in on it.
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If they'd give me a few, I'd try them out.
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They declared war on poverty......
They declared war on drugs.....
If they would just declare war on the honey bee :laugh:
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It seems some here > know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing! I would suspect that the million dollar number will get spread around and there will be a lot of bee labs including Marla Spivak's lab (seems she is planning on getting on getting a new honey house.....don't know where that money came from????) that will receive funding.
and thank you Alfred for pointing out at least one of the more noticeable benefits of government financed research.
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From what I read the money is not going to be spread around. If I thought even half of that money was going to people who would use it to further the research I wouldnt be bugged by it nearly as much. IF the money does get spread around, will enough of it go to any one place to make a difference? Show me that it will be spread out, to whom, and how much and I might be quite a lot less pessimistic!!
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well..... you can almost be assured of failure if you simply spend insufficient funds to get the job done. it is really amazing how that 'fact of life' works in so many places... government, big business or any personal enterprise. the larger problem in regards to this money is that once it is funneled into the university system about 50% will be immediately lopped off to pay for administration.... those raised wood paneled offices and the two martini lunch and all expense paid working vacations to europe for the administrators and their family do not come without a price tag attached. and of course this 'larger problem' is really about you the tax payer and your unwillingness to pay for public education and basic research. a total failure in society's capacity to look past some small personal tax paid to the larger good promoted by the use of these funds.
and to put a different spin on this number.... here at Texas A&M where I am currently employed at the bee lab (very part time and very poor paying... so if you are looking for a really bad employment opportunity I am always looking for someone to replace my efforts there) the administration (largely appointed political types and all C- students just like the governor that appointed them) now has the large idea that to make this cow college a world class institution all you need do is build a bigger football stadium and have a winning football team. currently according to my sources thru the civil engineering program the cost of 'renovating' the old stadium will be about $1 Billion dollars. a large public relation campaign is now going strong to convince students and tax payers that this added cost (notice I have not included either operational cost or upkeep cost to the above figure) will not be reflected in the student's fees at the university... year right! or as we some times say in Texas.... don't go peeing in my boot and then try to convince me it is raining.
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well..... you can almost be assured of failure if you simply spend insufficient funds to get the job done. it is really amazing how that 'fact of life' works in so many places... government, big business or any personal enterprise. the larger problem in regards to this money is that once it is funneled into the university system about 50% will be immediately lopped off to pay for administration.... those raised wood paneled offices and the two martini lunch and all expense paid working vacations to europe for the administrators and their family do not come without a price tag attached. and of course this 'larger problem' is really about you the tax payer and your unwillingness to pay for public education and basic research. a total failure in society's capacity to look past some small personal tax paid to the larger good promoted by the use of these funds.
and to put a different spin on this number.... here at Texas A&M where I am currently employed at the bee lab (very part time and very poor paying... so if you are looking for a really bad employment opportunity I am always looking for someone to replace my efforts there) the administration (largely appointed political types and all C- students just like the governor that appointed them) now has the large idea that to make this cow college a world class institution all you need do is build a bigger football stadium and have a winning football team. currently according to my sources thru the civil engineering program the cost of 'renovating' the old stadium will be about $1 Billion dollars. a large public relation campaign is now going strong to convince students and tax payers that this added cost (notice I have not included either operational cost or upkeep cost to the above figure) will not be reflected in the student's fees at the university... year right! or as we some times say in Texas.... don't go peeing in my boot and then try to convince me it is raining.
C:-) Yeah, we all know that the government has no raised wood paneled offices, or take expensive lunches, or go on expensive vacations several times a year. Nope. Never been done. Not by this administration or any before it. Not even a smidgen of waste in our government!
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C:-) Yeah, we all know that the government has no raised wood paneled offices, or take expensive lunches, or go on expensive vacations several times a year. Nope. Never been done. Not by this administration or any before it. Not even a smidgen of waste in our government!
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You forgot about the $350 haircut that's never needed prior to such trips... You know, the one I pay $15 (including the $5 tip) at my barber for.
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Hey maybe we go to the same guy. He changed his price 10 years ago all the way up to$10. I give him a $5 tip.
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Hey maybe we go to the same guy. He changed his price 10 years ago all the way up to$10. I give him a $5 tip.
I dunno about that... I think the travel expenses would be killing at least one of us for that tot be the case :laugh:
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Hey maybe we go to the same guy. He changed his price 10 years ago all the way up to$10. I give him a $5 tip.
I dunno about that... I think the travel expenses would be killing at least one of us for that tot be the case :laugh:
Start a study about barbers, & you can probably get the government to pay for your travel at least!
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I would suggest there is waste everywhere and imho any system is subject to being gamed by employess or management < the current better idea of paying corporate managers six and seven figure salaries and then bragging about it in public should inform folks that this corruption is wide spread and actually accepted by many... actually may be seem by some as a mark of distinction. and as far as what I can see in my own life's experience government gets no automatic pass when it come to waste and abuse. much of this 'gaming' the system (government, academic, business) appears to be simple cronyism since the individuals who command these high salaries or obtains these no tax perks really never got the job based purely on their resume or qualification.... this suggest to me that society values more who you know than what you know..... or that knowledge and learning are once again discounted and devalued. which I guess is why some folks are so attracted to political figures who by all appearance and what ever evidence you can ring out of their resume's should inform everyone quite clearly that they are either intellectually lazy or IDIOTS or perhaps both.
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I agree with you 100% this time Tech. I do believe there is a difference between Govt and big business. Big business has the right to pay whoever they want what ever they want.. THEY make their money. Our Govt gets its money from the people of this country. They DO NOT have the right to do with it as they please, though they appear to think that they do.
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well to correct you perception here a wee bit LazyBkpr business may or may not make that money, but this money does not belong to either the board of directors or management. at the end of the process it belongs to the stock holders. at one time LazyBkpr there was a business ethics that management looked after first the stock holders, secondly their customers and thirdly their employees. now management (which appears to be an insider's game) screws all of these to pad their own pockets. net effect is you the consumer get the opportunity to purchase pick up trucks that cost $50000 and fuel that cost $4/gallon.
given the scale of the two enterprises (government vs business) there is with out a doubt (at least in my own small mind) much more corruption in business than you will ever discover in government.
most peoples basic problem when it comes to these kinds of problems is to start with the proper question.... can this problem (whatever problem) be resolved by private enterprise (ie business small or large) or does the problem require the resources and focus of society to get to some kind of resolution or solution. you have to be totally blind to the realities of life if you are a TRUE BELIEVER that private enterprise will resolves all the problems of mankind.
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When you have two totally "out yonder" entities like big business ad government, "many times the same folks", I don't understand how anyone can come to bat for either. Both are completely corrupt.
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When you have two totally "out yonder" entities like big business ad government, "many times the same folks", I don't understand how anyone can come to bat for either. Both are completely corrupt.
Well said!
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I dont have any false beliefs I am aware of... Nothing can resolve the problems of mankind, because mankind creates his own problems. Give man a perfect life he will figure out some way to make it more difficult. Marriage for instance..... ;D
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Politicians seem to have forgot that they work for US, not US working for them. 8) When it first started they served for love of country Now it's for love of Money. I wonder how dedicated they would be if they were put on minimum wag without a automatic raise each year. :o This is Not the America i grew up in and loved, just to much greed and people wanting power over others anymore. :sad:. Sorry for the rant, but politicians pee me off. >:( Jack
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As intended originally it was not a lifelong profession and the money compensated was a small amount compared to what a man normally made. Give Anyone the power to give themselves a raise and what do you think will happen?
I am with you Jack.. thankfully I can love my country while feeling quite the opposite toward the Govt.
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I know I kind of fell into the shallow end of this pool for a moment, and that I'm also a newbie/pee-on here... But do we really want this forum to turn into a politically-fueled discussion board? I believe the initial topic/discussion of this thread was great, and I certainly have my own political beliefs about how things should be handled, I'm just wondering if we, as a group, want to go down this endless, ugly road.
P.S.: Believe you me, I could certainly put my two cents into this... I'm holdin' back.
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When it first started they served for love of country Now it's for love of Money.
I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. Ben Franklin got into government so he could get the printing contracts.
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"I'm also a newbie/pee-on here... But do we really want this forum to turn into a politically-fueled discussion board? I believe the initial topic/discussion of this thread was great, and I certainly have my own political beliefs about how things should be handled, I'm just wondering if we, as a group, want to go down this endless, ugly road.
P.S.: Believe you me, I could certainly put my two cents into this... I'm holdin' back."
capn, first, no one here is a peon.....second, sometimes threads go astray. good point about the topic of discussion. general comments that are made, great. keep it respectful to one another, and not zero in on any specific individual or party. what we don't want to see is a politically charged discussion/contest/bashing that winds up pissing members off, if it does the thread gets locked and it goes away, and personally none of us in admin/mods like to be thread police. we aren't kindergartners here.
so now back to the topic of discussion. ;D
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I know I kind of fell into the shallow end of this pool for a moment, and that I'm also a newbie/pee-on here... But do we really want this forum to turn into a politically-fueled discussion board? I believe the initial topic/discussion of this thread was great, and I certainly have my own political beliefs about how things should be handled, I'm just wondering if we, as a group, want to go down this endless, ugly road.
P.S.: Believe you me, I could certainly put my two cents into this... I'm holdin' back.
I think it would be great to have a certain part if the forum dedicated to politics, where members can take the gloves off and let it fly. If any members don't want to partake of it, then don't go there, because that's what you'll find. I realize that I am only one member, and I may be the only member on here that would like to see something like this, but it can be fun and informative. Another sports forum I used to hang out on did this and it was a lot of fun, and seriously, it is an opportunity to hear the other side of the story, and get a different perspective. There has to be some rules of conduct for such a place, but it is a doable thing. I wish the boss around here would let us do it.
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hehe, this thread is about as far as I go. Im not a dedicated member of any party but live and love my way of life, and believe it is being taken away, one piece at a time.. so the willingness to get very violent is already there, and a forum is not the place for it because when I get wound up the wife is the one who pays for it with me pacing about for hours... I would have no disagreement with a specific place for it, because as you said, I just wouldnt go there ;D
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thanks scott for your reply to beeboy's question. i tend to agree.
beeboy~
"I think it would be great to have a certain part if the forum dedicated to politics, where members can take the gloves off and let it fly. If any members don't want to partake of it, then don't go there, because that's what you'll find. I realize that I am only one member, and I may be the only member on here that would like to see something like this, but it can be fun and informative. Another sports forum I used to hang out on did this and it was a lot of fun, and seriously, it is an opportunity to hear the other side of the story, and get a different perspective. There has to be some rules of conduct for such a place, but it is a doable thing. I wish the boss around here would let us do it. "
perhaps iddee will address your question beeboy.
i will speak as an individual member of the forum, and not as a moderator.....i don't visit a beekeeping forum to discuss politics or to take the gloves off and let it fly. i am here to enjoy, learn, talk bees and help others to do the same, bees, not politics, or any other hot button. that's not why i am here, and i don't have time for it. avoid, or don't go there? it's not why we are here, and we are an international bee forum. we have members in canada and across the pond, not sure these members care to read the let it fly opinions of american politics. it really has no place here, and i would say as an individual member, go somewhere else if that's what your looking for. that's just my opinion as an individual member.
as a moderator? i can say this, i have had and have the privilege of working with a great team to be a part of and help build this forum from it's start to what it is; collective minds, volunteering a great deal of time, from all walks of life who have and continue to make decisions collectively.......and a 'boss' who is purely interested in passing along his knowledge of the craft of keeping bees and encouraging others to do so in a very welcoming, friendly atmosphere. all of us, admins/mods are on the same page in that regard, and that's what makes this forum what it is and different than others.
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an iddee snip...
'When you have two totally "out yonder" entities like big business ad government, "many times the same folks", I don't understand how anyone can come to bat for either. Both are completely corrupt.'
tecumseh...
great sentence iddee. we are absolutely in agreement here. < I have long though (via my own education and work experience) that any number of of current problems are about scale or size of enterprises.
as some here know there is very little in political thinking that iddee and I share. on the other hand we rarely disagree about beekeeping. invariable in the political threads on most forums many get over awed by the differences and no longer can see the common ground. I pity the poor moderators that must ride over those kinds of discussion and invariable they also seem to breed moderators that cannot get beyond their own person bias. imho this is not good chemistry for good people to people interactions.
and kind of back to topic > the total money 'to breed a better bee' is really petty cash in todays thinking. Actually we should have spent this money decades ago when varroa first arrived and long before most, if not all, the commercial beekeeper polluted their hives by the increasingly frequent use of insecticide to combat this problem. I am not damming the commercial folks here in that at the time their options were very limited and I do believe that survival is a strong driving force in anything that lives.
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I appreciate all the feed back on this, and you guys are probably showing a lot more wisdom in the matter than I am. This is an awesome forum, and some of you guys were a part of building it, so your opinion carries a lot in my books. I get and understand all the reasoning behind why you guys feel this way.
Now let's get back to beekeeping!
8)
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the total money 'to breed a better bee' is really petty cash in todays thinking. Actually we should have spent this money decades ago when varroa first arrived and long before most, if not all, the commercial beekeeper polluted their hives by the increasingly frequent use of insecticide to combat this problem. I am not damming the commercial folks here in that at the time their options were very limited and I do believe that survival is a strong driving force in anything that lives.
Well said!
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I go to several forums. Each is set up differently. We left politics out of this one strictly for those who wanted a forum without it. Here's a true story.... I left one forum because of a political argument with a fellow. ""Not tec'' He followed me. After I started this forum, he came here. He is one of our #1 members. Him and I have never had a cross word to the other since we both left the political forum. I would like to keep it that way.
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Here's a true story.... I left one forum because of a political argument with a fellow.
I don't know about that. My experience has taught me that, more often than not, when someone precedes something with "This really happened, "True story", etc, they're full of it! :laugh:
I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend. ~ Thomas Jefferson