From: Peter L Borst <[log in to unmask]>

>So far as being hard on anyone, I work in a research lab at a major university and if you can't defend your work, it's DOA. I do it every day. 

well peter, we've had many of these discussions over the last several years.  at this point, i'd be happy to let this thread die...but it seems to be continuing as it started out...an attack on my work in a public forum, and for better or worse, i feel the need to respond and defend myself.

first of all, as far as i can tell, you haven't read the book.  by no means do you need to read it, by no means do i care if you read it...but just as it's difficult to discuss a study that one has not read, asking me do "defend my work" from someone that hasn't read it is absurd.  by no means is it "the perfect beekeeping book" (i don't know what is), but it is certainly the book i wish i'd had when starting out.

second of all, you seem to have implied that you would still be giving lectures on "chemical free beekeeping" if you could have made it work yourself.  so, if something is working for me on my scale, is working for the larger honey producers we work with (and who's product, produced without treatments pays our and their bills), should i not be writing about it and talking about it?  ...or should it be taboo if it doesn't work for peter borst?

most importantly, however, were your comments directed towards me yesterday:

"But what I object to the most is an anti-science, anti-business, anti-foreign rabid xenophobia."

...are you prepared to defend these statements?  are you prepared to apologize for making baseless accusations?  are you going to at least explain why you felt justified in making these accusations on a public forum?  are you just going to pretend you never said any such thing?

>Some folks blithely point to high levels of miticides and say "there's your problem"

peter, i have no idea what "your problem" is, but high levels of miticides are certainly _a_ problem for most beekeepers.

deknow

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