I take it that we are pretty well in agreement, then, Bill.

Thanks for sketching in more detail regarding the timeframe, politics, etc.

Nutrition is an interesting topic, since, as in beekeeping, money and 
politics steer the research and determine which questions we will ask and 
those we will not.

As was pointed out here a short while ago, if we ask the wrong questions, 
the answers do not matter.

An amazing phenomenon, seen in organisations (and by extension, society at 
large) is that the members of any organisation seldom see (or acknowledge, 
at least) any problem they cannot *profitably* solve with some certainty, or 
any problem that is not likely to be accepted and acknowledged by their 
superiors.  To do so would be too dangerous to the organisation or their own 
tenure.  The members do, however find lots of problems of the sort that will 
keep them (and their favourite associates) gainfully occupied for a long 
time, whether those problems are of any real importance or not, and whether 
the underlying assumptions are even valid.

As a result, much of our research appears to me to be looking in the wrong 
direction entirely.  However, the appearance of fact, based on limited, 
flawed, incomplete, and/or sometimes simply bogus studies satisfy the 
masses, telling them often what they want to believe, and what makes money 
for the Machine, not what they need to know, or what might throw sand in the 
gears. And the media finish the job.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this is necessarily and universally 
a Bad Thing.  It's been good to me--so far.

But we shouldn't kid ourselves, most of what we 'know' about everything is 
wrong, or just part of the story.

The epidemic of obesity and diabetes is here, and the culprits are right 
under our noses, except we are not allowed to see them.  The Internet is 
changing that.  Similarly, beekeeping has been rushing down some wrong 
roads.  Can we manage to start from first principles and re-invent our 
craft?

Some are trying, and whether they are right or wrong at this point in their 
efforts, I salute them!

Let's dare to ask the right questions.

allen

-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and  other info ---