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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
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Sat, 5 May 2012 10:24:52 -0600
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 > Excellent point, Allen.  In some areas, propolis is gathered mainly from
 > single species of plants (e.g. the green propolis in Brazil from
 > Baccharis).  So no reason to assume that bees couldn't be gathering a
 > propolis that is toxic to humans

Thanks, Randy.  With apologies to those who would love everything to be 
cut and dried and simple, the world out there is not like that a l t of 
the time.

Some may be tiring of my campaign to remind readers of the fact that 
much of what we read is based on observations which for many reasons may 
not be representative of all or even most situations or populations, or 
even scrupulously made.

Moreover, those observations, scrupulous and objective or not so 
scrupulous -- often as not are filtered, averaged and analyzed 
statistically, a process that can discount or discard the anomalies.  
Oftentimes, the anomalies are more interesting than the study itself.

As it happens, these sorts of papers and articles are useful for an 
overview, but if you are one of the anomalies or in anomalous 
circumstances, then the overview is not all that helpful and may even 
prevent seeing the tree directly in our path for the forest view that is 
thrust on us by a blizzard of media 'discoveries'.

As it happens, we are all unique (just like everyone else) and our 
experience may, with some probability, fit the mean, but just as likely 
we are on one of the tails, and maybe a long way out and on the wrong 
(unlucky) tail.

A one-in-one-thousand chance of an adverse drug reaction may sound 
reassuring, and it is to your doctor, but if you are that one who 
experiences a catastrophic reaction, all the stats or averages in the 
work are little consolation.  Additionally many of the adverse drug 
reactions are not to be found in the drug monograph, but can be found 
only by a web search where a forum of users discuss, quite credibly and 
in significant numbers, their own unfortunate discoveries of side 
effects not reported in the clinical studies.

Let's not get rocked to sleep by the authoritative-sounding reports we 
examine here often.  Let's compare the claims to our own experience.

Recently we have been discussing N20.  Juanse says it works for him to 
eliminate drifting back when splitting and details how he satisfied 
himself that it works.   Bob Hack confirmed that as well 
http://www.bobhack.net/index.html#nabble-td4905259

The scientific studies claim there is no memory effect and I read a 
study that convinced me.  I have the supplies but am holding off using it.

So, there is a discrepancy between these experiences.  IMO, this is 
where the _real_ science starts.

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