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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
James Fischer <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 17 Apr 2018 14:13:06 -0400
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There is BS on all online platforms, just as there is BS in any gathering of
beekeepers greater than zero.

It should be clear to even the casual observer that the more frequently
someone posts online, the less time they have to work bees.
So, the problem all online forums face is the inverse relationship between
authoritative information and frequency of posting.
Most forums make the error of equating frequency of posting with quality of
the information and the authority of the poster.
In the real world, higher quantity nearly always implies compromises on
quality of the product.

I've toyed a few times with a "Do The Math" plug-in for browsers and email
clients that would parse the text, look for keywords, and do the math on the
fly for the reader, as this would help to keep the reader from being
misinformed, but this is likely the exact sort of elitism of which we (the
usual suspects here) stand accused.

The whole idea of learning about "the basics" of beekeeping online or from a
book seems comical, given the number of old guys willing to mentor in
exchange for some heavy lifting.  It also seems farce to look to "experts"
for even the simplest of "ag-extension-agent" materials, as despite several
decades, we still don't even have a sure-fire solution for varroa.  But
people so desperately want to learn via Facebook, YouTube, Instagram - they
hope to "graze" among information sources and pick and choose their own
order of learning, which annoys the heck out of people who spend
considerable time and effort trying to "design" the optimal educational
experience.  But, as I have often intoned "Talking and Writing About
Beekeeping is Like Dancing About Architecture". 

So, what precipitates out of the mix  is endless speculation and interim
approaches, and at best, an asymptotic approach to what we might call
"truth".
It was  Pooh who famously said the only absolutely irrefutable thing ever
said - "You never can tell with bees."

I literally keep my bees on actual Ivory Towers, so I cannot refute
accusations of "elitism", but my bees are no different, my pine needles burn
no slower, and my honey no sweeter for it.  

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