>That is a very ugly character assassination directed at some our core bee
researchers.

It expands from there.  Here is a post from today on the UrbanBeeSF (San
Francisco) page, submitted by someone ecstatic after having read the
article:

I'm so proud in this moment. I can die happy. The poison industry players
in the honeybee world have been outed as the criminals they are. If only it
wasn't legal to destroy for greed and power. Please share far and wide. Lee
nailed it. The only things missing are the 'Thought Leaders' Randy Oliver
and academics like Eric Mussen. Both have disciples and followers who do
the poison industry's work for them by controlling the narrative in UC
Davis, influential Beekeeping Associations and thus amongst beekeepers. The
tobacco, sugar and oil industries are envious at how the poison industry
has abused its power by operating in plain sight as good guys in our food
system. Otherwise, this nails it.

There you have it from an urban San Francisco beekeeper who must feel that
they fully understand biology, toxicology,ecology, beekeeping, and the
agricultural industry that feeds her/him.  Those of us who objectively
review every scientific study and come to conclusions different from the
author must be hit men for the chemical industry.

One ugly fact that shakes the "neonics are the cause of insect decline"
hypothesis is that in neonic-free areas across the world (including my own
county), insect and wildlife species are disappearing just the same as they
are where neonics are applied, to my great dismay.  While certainly not
harmless by any means, putting all the blame on any pesticide distracts us
from addressing overall human impact upon our ecosystems.
-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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