There are two relevant book reviews in Sunday's New York Times. The first reviews Irreligion: A mathematician explains why the argument for God just don't add up by John Allen Paulos (you can read the first chapter here).

John Allen Paulos is a mathematician who teaches at Temple University and also a talented popularizer. In previous books he has trained his mathematical eye on humor, the stock market and what he reads in the newspaper. Now he has taken on God. Paulos is not a credulous man. He sees things, he tells us, in the cold light of logic and probability. (His stock market book told how he was suckered into losing a bundle on WorldCom stock, but never mind.) In “Irreligion,” Paulos intends to expose the “inherent illogic” of arguments for the existence of God. He finds these supposed proofs to be, by and large, a load of tripe.

The review gives examples of some of the arguments for the existence of God. But ultimately it boils down to this:

Paulos concedes that, just as arguments for God’s existence are logically inconclusive, so too are arguments against God’s existence. That means that you can either believe or disbelieve without being convicted of stark irrationality. Similarly, Paulos’s fellow mathematicians can either believe that they are communing with a Platonic realm of perfect mathematical entities, or they can believe that they are playing a meaningless game with symbols on paper. Most mathematicians appear to be in the former camp. Is it wrong of them to hold this unexamined and (arguably) groundless faith if it helps them flourish in their mathematical lives?

Read the full review here.

The other review is of a new biography of Copernicus, titled Copernicus' Secret: How the Scientific Revolution began by Jack Repcheck.

Jack Repcheck’s new biography, “Copernicus’ Secret,” at last brings the astronomer to life in a way that past efforts have not quite achieved. He paints the sites in a particularly vivid fashion, evoking, for example, provincial Frombork, where “the streets were narrow, the cottages small and nondescript, and the entire place smelled of fish.” And he gives a clear account of the political and administrative structures of the cathedral chapter where Copernicus was a senior figure. He describes how the Teutonic knights originally moved into this Prussian area after the Crusades and how at the time of Copernicus their territory almost completely surrounded the Warmian diocese, which owed its loyalty to the Jagiellonian kings in Krakow. Copernicus owed his position to his uncle Lucas Watzenrode, a member of a patrician merchant family and bishop from 1489 to 1512. Once a canon, Copernicus was rarely in want of money.

Repcheck concentrates on the last 12 years of the astronomer’s life, when a story fraught with personal tensions moves to its climax. Will Copernicus’s precious manuscript see the light of public scrutiny, or will it simply languish? Johannes Dantiscus, the erudite, scheming, social-climbing poet and diplomat who was elected bishop in 1537, is determined to stanch the inroads of the Protestant movement and to bring his errant canons fully into line. He is convinced that Copernicus is one of three canons living openly with a mistress. When the Protestant Rheticus arrives into the profoundly hostile Catholic territory, can he persuade Copernicus that he won’t be hooted off the stage if and when his treatise is finally printed?

Scientific revolution aside, you are wondering if Copernicus really had a mistress or not. Well...he had a "housekeeper". Yes, Copernicus should have come up with a better excuse. It seems that this one didn't fly even in the 16th century.

When in the 1850s the Polish scholar Jan Baranowski discovered Copernicus’s letter to the previous bishop apologizing for lodging a woman overnight, he suppressed it, not wishing to taint his hero with the slightest whiff of scandal. And subsequent scholars, examining letters in which Copernicus later promised to dismiss his female housekeeper (and then postponed his action), took the astronomer at his word, assuming she was only a housekeeper and that was all there was to the story. But Repcheck, relying on additional third-party correspondence, concludes that she was indeed a mistress. Perhaps he is right. In any event, it does make Copernicus appear more human, more real.

And what about the big unanswered questions concerning Copernicus and the scientific revolution. For those, we'll have to wait for another biography:

These are not, however, the central questions of the intellectual history of the astronomical revolution. Instead, we want to know where, when and why Copernicus’s insight into a heliocentric cosmology took place. Was he significantly influenced by Islamic astronomy? How important were direct observations in formulating the new picture? Was Copernicus simply building a model, or did he believe in the physical reality of the heliocentric arrangement? Did he hesitate at all over the possible theological reaction to his removing the Earth from the center of the cosmos? Repcheck has little to say about these questions or about more technical astronomical issues. He never makes it clear whether Copernicus’s “secret” is his mistress or his book. Still, no other biography of which I am aware treats the life of this scientific giant more vividly than this one.

Read the full review here.
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A play about Darwin was on stage in New York last month. Now, there is a new play about the excommunication of the 17th century Jewish philosopher, Spinoza. The play is titled, New Jerusalem: The Interrogation of Baruch de Spinoza at Talmud Torah Congregation: Amsterdam, July 27, 1656 - (great - now you know the full story just from the sub-title).

As that daunting subtitle suggests and students of philosophy will know, the play is based on actual events. Spinoza, a Portuguese Jew living in Amsterdam, was a brilliant scholar whose inquiries led him into territory that made trouble for his fellow Jews, who were graciously tolerated if not wholly welcomed into Dutch society.

The play opens with the brief for the prosecution from Abraham van Valkenburgh (David Garrison), a civic leader who is alarmed at rumors that the well-liked young man is spreading poisonous thought through the city. “He is a threat to the piety and morals of this entire city, and he and his ideas must be stopped,” he importantly intones. “The city’s regents send you this message: Abide by our laws, adhere to the regulations governing your community or face the consequences.”

Mr. Ives lays out the mechanics and the consequences of Spinoza’s interrogation in a debate among van Valkenburgh; the city’s chief rabbi, Saul Levi Mortera (Richard Easton), Spinoza’s teacher and mentor; and Gaspar Rodrigues Ben Israel (Fyvush Finkel), a “parnas” of the temple congregation, or member of the committee that will pass judgment on the case. At stake is possible excommunication from the religious fold, and indeed all social contact with the city’s Jewish establishment.

And of course, here is the reason for the interrogation:

What exactly is Spinoza accused of? Oh, just general atheism and heretical questioning of key tenets of Judaism and Christianity. But before presenting the interrogations as a battle of ideas between Spinoza and his accusers, Mr. Ives gives us a snapshot portrait of the philosopher as a young man.

Idling at a tavern with a friend, Simon de Vries (Michael Izquierdo), the young Spinoza, who is played as a gentle-hearted genius by the engaging Jeremy Strong, speaks of his interest in things eternal and things mathematical, and the connections between the two. Later, exchanging confidences with a music teacher, Clara Van den Enden (Natalia Payne), to whom he is romantically devoted, he dismisses as “entertaining stories” many of the biblical tales she holds dear. “Nature, which is to say God, cannot depart from its own laws,” he explains in a friendly tone, as if speaking of simple sums.

Check out the full review here, and here is more information about the play.
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Here is another article about Mike Huckabee's vagueness about evolution and the teaching of creationism: The Huckster's Artful Dodging on Evolution (tip from Jaime Davila)

During Huckabee’s tenure as Governor, evolution education in Arkansas languished in an environment of general hostility and insufficiency. Two anti-evolution bills were introduced in the state’s House of Representatives; textbooks in the Beebe, Arkansas public high school carried disclaimer stickers denigrating evolution; the state’s science curriculum earned a grade of “D” overall and an abysmal “zero” for its treatment of evolution; a creationist “museum” enjoyed state-funded advertising; and evolution was systematically and broadly squeezed out of schools and other educational institutions across the state. Huckabee did nothing to deter any of this – in fact, some of his public statements might indicate his tacit support.

And yes, it is important for a leader of a country (any country) to accept the cornerstone of modern biology and be aware of science and its methodology:

Contrasting starkly with the New York mayor’s recognition of the importance of evolution to public science education, Huckabee has adopted a deplorably dismissive line of response when asked about his adherence to creationism saying, “I’m not sure what in the world that has to do with being president of the United States.” However, a nonpartisan coalition, which includes 11 Nobel laureates and the editors-in-chief of Science and Nature among its impressive list of signatories, believes that such issues have a great deal to do with the office of the chief executive. In fact, they are calling for a debate between presidential candidates on science and technology. John Rennie, editor-in-chief of Scientific American and a member of the coalition’s steering committee, explained, “Matters of science and technology underpin every important issue affecting the future of the United States. It’s crucial for the nation’s welfare that our next president be someone with an understanding of vital science, a willingness to listen to scientific counsel, and a capacity for solid, critical thinking.”

Ok...and what does Huckabee really think about evolution/creationism debate? Here is a 2004 exchange between Huckabee and a student that shed more light on his views on evolution:

In 2004, a concerned student from Arkansas confronted then-Governor Huckabee about the teaching of evolution on a local PBS television station:

Student: Many schools in Arkansas are failing to teach students about evolution according to the educational standards of our state. Since it is against these standards to teach creationism, how would you go about helping our state educate students more sufficiently for this?
Huckabee: Are you saying some students are not getting exposure to the various theories of creation?
Student (stunned): No, of evol … well, of evolution specifically. It’s a biological study that should be educated [taught], but is generally not.
Moderator: Schools are dodging Darwinism? Is that what you … ?
Student: Yes.
Huckabee: I’m not familiar that they’re dodging it. Maybe they are. But I think schools also ought to be fair to all views. Because, frankly, Darwinism is not an established scientific fact. It is a theory of evolution, that’s why it’s called the theory of evolution.

Huckabee’s claimed ignorance that schools were failing to teach evolution properly is quite curious given a previous exchange with another young Arkansan on an earlier installment of the same PBS program only one year before:

Student: Goal 2.04 of the Biology Benchmark Goals published by the Arkansas Department of Education in May of 2002 indicates that students should examine the development of the theory of biological evolution. Yet many students in Arkansas that I have met … have not been exposed to this idea. What do you believe is the appropriate role of the state in mandating the curriculum of a given course?
Huckabee: I think that the state ought to give students exposure to all points of view. And I would hope that that would be all points of view and not only evolution. I think that they also should be given exposure to the theories not only of evolution but to the basis of those who believe in creationism....

Read the full article here and an earlier post on this topic.
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From 10 Hours a Week, $10 Million a Year From the article: "For anyone inclined to daydream about a Web business that would all but run itself, two other details may be of interest: Mr. Frind operates the business out of his apartment in Vancouver, British Columbia, and he says he has net profits of about $10 million a year. Given his site’s profitable advertising mix and independently verified
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I realized I hadn't shared my 08 goals...after posting the process I used to define them...

You can review them below, and don't hesitate to probe, prompt, or push me me on them!



Sorry they're so tough to read. I couldn't figure out how to include them as an attachment and not lose all the formatting!

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Splurge-quil:

January's "new and different" took me down to Washington, DC where I spent the day at a "Hip Tranquil Chick" yoga retreat. Anyone who knows me knows that this was DEFINITELY knew and different for me...

More on the experience tomorrow

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Hello Folks!  Beekeepers around the country are busy getting equipment ready, and I spoke with one beekeeper in Georgia and he reports that out of 7,000 hives he only lost 3! Sheri and I are praying that our 40 hives are wintering well, but we won't know until February and March how many many have perished. A 20% loss is common and up to a 50% loss would not be a shock to us because we captures many swarms and removed some hives from structures late in the year, and they didn't really have too much time to build up for winter. We'll see.


Here in Illinois we have received lots of rain, and much warmer weather the last few weeks. Warmer weather puts my hives that are short on winter stores at greater risk of starvation. Why? Because when it warms up, they eat more. I moved some of my hives into a less windy area, and what I thought was high and dry ground, but look at this! Some of my bees just joined the Navy and have gone to sea. Normally in Illinois we don't have flooding in January, we have snow!








Should We Medicate Our Hives?



Currently, I am healthy. I do not take any medication (other than a couple of gulps of honey a day) because there is no need to. I am not taking preventative medicine, nor am I taking any antibiotics just in case. Well, that's how I look at my bees. Why would I medicate a healthy colony?

The pat answer you'll see in bee books and probably what you'll learn from other beekeepers is to dump Terramycin, Tylan or Fumagilin-B in your hives as a preventive measure. Here's the theory that I disagree with. Dump Terramycin in the hive prevents American Foul Brood. Actually, in my opinion, if AFB is present, Terramycin treatment will only mask the disease. Once the treatment is stopped, the disease will explode. There is no treatment for AFB. Terramycin does not destroy AFB. Nothing does. Most states require that the hives bee burned and buried when AFB is found. And, this sort of treatment has probably led to a strain of AFB that is resistant to antibiotics. Even with humans, too much antibiotics can actually weaken our immune system, not to mention the destruction of good bacteria.


AFB is best kept out of the hive by changing old comb out and replacing it with new foundation every 2 or 3 years. Keep your hive clean on the inside. Remove clumps of old burr comb and propolis. If you suspect you have AFB, call your state inspector and find out for certain. Do not treat just in case. Remember, there is no treatment for AFB. It is a deadly disease that spreads, so drastic measures must be taken and that means burning the hive and putting it under ground. The spores of AFB can live 50 years in old comb and resurface. This is why you never want to buy used equipment!

Nosema is a disease that can be treated with Fumagilin-B. The drug does not kill the disease, but it can keep it from growing. There is certainly good merit to treat for Nosema if there has been a positive identification of the disease. Otherwise, forget it and stop worrying! In most states it is free to send a few dead bees to your Dept of Ag, and request to see if disease is present.

In my opinion many of the medications being given to the colony are being absorbed into the wax. Eventually, the toxicity level within the comb becomes alarming to both humans and the bees who must live and raise their young on such wax.

You'll have to make your own decision but weigh everything out carefully. By all means, PLEASE follow directions if you do choose to medicate. Some applications are confusing, so be sure you mix your medicines correctly. And, follow the labels regarding how long you have to wait after treatment before you can place honey supers on your hives.

I was buying honey from a beekeeper and thought I was getting pure honey. However, I found out that he was leaving harsh chemicals in his honey supers! If we are going to keep bees we must be responsible.

I like telling my customers that we do not use chemicals in our hives. Everyone appreciates that! I am certain that it makes more work for me and costs me the loss of some hives. But, to me, it is the right choice not to medicine on bees that are not sick.

What About Mites?

In 2006 we battled mites and lost a few hives because of the mites. However, this year, no mite problem to speak of. It was great! We use a natural treatment for mites and that is the powder sugar drop. One of my past teachings addresses this. It is very important to use screen bottom boards on your hives. Mites fall through and find it hard to get back in. There are many medications that beekeepers use to combat mites and many if not all of them have some effect upon the hive.

Hey, if you have some questions that you'd like me to answer in these lessons, email me at david@honeybeesonline.com I'd love to address your questions about beekeeping.

We take a lot of phone calls every day from beekeepers around the country and we'd welcome your call too. Feel free to give us a call between 9am - 5pm Central Time. 217-427-2678 and if you haven't ordered your supplies, well get to it! We are swamped with hive orders, so please don't wait until March or April and want your hives yesterday. Once you place your order, it takes us about 15 days before we can ship. And that will be 21 days in March, so order in advance of a great beekeeping year.

I just thought of something. Why not tell a friend about beekeeping. Introduce someone to these lessons and encourage them to join the hobby with you! We need more beekeepers!!

See you next time, and remember,
BEE-Have Yourself!

David & Sheri Burns
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This was the first talk at the Beyond Belief 2 conference, held this past November. The theme of the conference was Enlightenment 2.0, and so this talk starts off the conference nicely by reviewing the original enlightenment - dubbed at the conference as Enlightenment 1.0 (though there were other talks that mentioned enlightenment 0.5 in China, and also a version with Epicurus and the Pre-Socratics). Darrin McMahon, Professor of history at Florida State University, does a fantastic overview of the Enlightenment, and his talk is titled, Does the enlightenment need an upgrade?


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My dad is visiting and I consider him expert in all things.

Ava marched him down to the pond this morning, to see the "otter" (what I called a beaver) and what my dad thought was a muskrat.

A couple of hours later, we walked the 40 yards back down to the pond to say hi to the otter/beaver/muskrat...and as we watched the thing dart to and fro, I could see the wheels turning in my expert dad's head.

"Hmmm..." he said, "it's definitely not a beaver" (Darn) "...and it looks too big to be a muskrat."

After a second, he looked at me and said, "Otter, maybe?"

That little Ava was right all along. We laughed all the way home.

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Splurge:

Finally, someone else's splurge to report: Pete bought a Led Zeppelin CD from this site for $7.

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I may only be cleaning my dishwasher, but I'll be dressed like I'm going to the moon. It's that gross. And I'll be following these tips, unless others have better to pass along.

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Ava and I caught a quick glimpse of some kind of mammal swimming across a small pond near our house. She spotted it before I did, "Swimming," she said, "see it!?" Just as it disappeared.

I asked her what she thought it could've been. I wasn't really expecting a response, but out of her little mouth, "Hmmmm, Otter, maybe?"

Otter? Otter? Where on earth had she ever heard of an otter before?

(Turns out, it was a beaver...building a dam in that very little pond.)

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Tonight's Splurge:

Cornbread and honey. Mmmmm.

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This past Sunday, New York Times had a book review of The Adventures of Amir Hamza. Unless you are from South Asia, there is a good chance that you may not have heard of this before. But this is Iliad/Odyssey meet Lord of the Rings in a medieval Persianized world of the Indian subcontinent! (really)

There is a fascinating history of how this tale has been told for the past few hundred years. But I was first introduced to to it via an Urdu version of these adventures written/translated for young adults by Maqbool Jahangir. It has 10 parts (~200 pages each) and it is written in a style that once you start reading it, its hard to put it down. Yes, it includes giants, jinns, fairies, sea voyages, romances, and battles - all linked to Amir Hamza and two of his trusted friends. In fact, I got into the habit of reading books through this series and my siblings (and now their kids) had the same experience. I absolutely loved this epic and I still have these books with me. However, I read the young-adults version, and now a new translation of the adult version of Hamzanama has just been published and it is this that has been reviewed in the Times.

But wait...there is more to it: the adult version of the epic was first told pictorially in the Mogul court of the 16th century! Some of these paintings were displayed for the first time at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. in 2001:

On display was a single work of art: a painted manuscript of the “Hamzanama,” a spectacular illustrated book commissioned by the sympathetic and notably tolerant Mughal emperor Akbar (1542-1605). To the delight of art historians, the Sackler brought together the long-dispersed pages of what is probably the most ambitious single artistic undertaking ever produced by the atelier of an Islamic court: no fewer than 1,400 huge illustrations were commissioned. More than anything else, it was the project that created the Mughal painting style, and in the illustrations one can see two artistic worlds — that of Hindu India and of Persianate Islamic Central Asia — fusing to create something new and distinctively Mughal.

This is incredible - the Moghul painting style came out as a result of this epic! More on the story below, but here are some of the paintings (and check out the exhibition website The Adventures of Hamza that has more paintings with excellent descriptions).

In this painting, Zambur, a spy, brings a maid named Mahiya to town on a donkey.

Battle scene with an 'ayyar', probably Khaja Umar the master spy and friend of Amir Hamza, being lifted into the sky, illustrated page from the Emperor Akbar's manuscript of the Hamza Nama, Mughal, c.1570

Arghan Dev Brings the Chest of Armour to Hamza, c.1557-1572

Here is more about the Hamzanama:

The “Hamzanama” was once the most popular oral epic of the Indo-Islamic world. “The Adventures of Amir Hamza” is the “Iliad” and Odyssey” of medieval Persia, a rollicking, magic-filled heroic saga. Born as early as the ninth century, it grew through oral transmission to include material gathered from the wider culture-compost of the pre-Islamic Middle East. So popular was the story that it soon spread across the Muslim world, absorbing folk tales as it went; before long it was translated into Arabic, Turkish, Georgian, Malay and even Indonesian languages. It took particular hold in India, where it absorbed endless myths and legends and was regularly performed in public spaces in the great Mughal cities. At fairs and at festivals, on the steps of the Jama Masjid in Delhi or in the Qissa Khawani Bazaar, the “street of the storytellers” in Peshawar, the professional storyteller, or dastango, would perform nightlong recitations from memory; some of these could go on for seven or eight hours with only a short break.

Alas - I did not hear this story from a dastango. But it is still cool to imagine how it would be like listening to an epic from a master story teller from memory - probably while drinking tea (and smoking hukkah in the older times).

“The Adventures of Amir Hamza” collected a great miscellany of fireside yarns and shaggy-dog stories that over time had gathered around the travels of its protagonist, the historical uncle of the Prophet Muhammad. Any factual backbone the story might once have had was through the centuries overtaken by innumerable subplots and a cast of dragons, giants, jinns, simurgh, sorcerers, princesses and, if not flying carpets, then at least flying urns, the preferred mode of travel for the tale’s magicians.

Across the Persian-speaking world, from Tabriz to Hyderabad, people gathered around the dastango as he told story after story of the chivalrous Hamza and the beautiful Chinese-Persian princess he longs for, of the wise and prophetic vizier Buzurjmehr and of the just emperor Naushervan. Then there were Hamza’s enemies: the ungrateful villain Bakhtak, whose life Hamza spares, only for Bakhtak to work unceasingly for the hero’s demise; and the cruel necromancer, giant and archfiend Zumurrud Shah. In its fullest form, the tale grew to contain an astounding number of stories, which would take several weeks of all-night storytelling to complete; the fullest printed version, the last volume of which was finally published in 1917, filled no fewer than 46 volumes, averaging a thousand pages each.

This would be roughly 46,000 pages!! Yes, I read a seriously abridged version. This new translation is about 1000 pages, but looks wonderful:

Although a fraction of the size of the 46-volume edition, this unabridged translated version still weighs in at an impressively heavy 948 pages. Even in translation, “The Adventures of Amir Hamza” is a wonder and a revelation — a classic of epic literature in an interpretation so fluent that it is a pleasure to sit down and lose oneself in it. The story line itself is endlessly diverting and inventive, and the prose of the translation is beautifully rendered.

Yay! And this is what makes it really fascinating:

Moreover, the book gives a unique insight into a lost Indo-Islamic courtly world. For although “The Adventures of Amir Hamza” was originally a Persian production set in the Middle East, the Urdu version shows how far the story was reimagined into an Indian context in the course of many years of subcontinental retelling. Though the original Mesopotamian place names survive, the world depicted is not that of early Islamic Iraq, but of 18th-century late Mughal India, with its love of gardens, its obsession with poetic wordplay and its extreme refinement in food, dress and manners. Many of the characters have Hindi names; they make oaths like “as Ram is my witness”; and they ride on elephants with jeweled howdahs. To read “The Adventures of Amir Hamza” is to come as close as is now possible to the world of the Mughal campfire — those night gatherings of soldiers, sufis, musicians and hangers-on that one sees illustrated in Mughal miniatures, a storyteller beginning his tale in a clearing of a forest as the embers of the blaze glow red and the eager faces crowd around.

Read the full review here, and here is the author's website. If you like epics, this would be perfect summer reading.
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It's January 8th and I ran in shorts this morning! We almost left Ava's coat at the library! I just looked at the thermometer and it reads 66 degrees at 1pm! I love the different seasons, but this little bit of springtime in wintertime has definitely added a little bounce in everyone's step around here.

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I had an experience at the library this morning that was reminiscent of high school. Ava and I went to a "sing-along with Jessica" for 1-3 year olds that required parent participation. Well-rehearsed in our "popular kids songs", Ava and I lined up with the rest of the 3-plus dozen moms, dads, and tots to clap our hands and stomp our feet.

Only some parents refused to participate. Three moms in particular sat cross-legged, chatting on the floor despite Jessica's too-polite request that they all stand up (or at least sing for crying out loud)! They looked at her as though it was the last thing they would ever do and carried on with their conversation--their 3 and 4-year olds in their laps.

It was pretty disrespectful and I could sense Jessica was a little embarrassed at their cruel reaction (clearly visible to all of us) to her kind (and apparently courageous) request...but I hope that the participation from the rest of us "Old MacDonald Had A Farm" enthusiasts made up for it.

If you're attending a parent participation sing-a-long that you had to register for (that is, knew exactly what you were getting yourself and your kids into) don't you think its reasonable to expect that you at least, well, sing-a-long? And maybe not make another adult who is volunteering to entertain your kids for 30 minutes feel like dirt even if you're NOT going to sing-a-long? Especially when most parents are working really hard to demonstrate respect and kindness in hopes that our children will always do the same.

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Signed and Sealed Splurge:

Last night I wrote two old-fashioned letters to two old friends (old as in how long we've been friends, not in age). It's been a long time since I'd done that and even though my hand did cramp (that would NEVER have been the case 10 years ago) it was a splurge I'll do again very soon. Maybe even tonight.

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Do people get more anxious when they become less religious? A recent study has analyzed levels of anxiety among people who have changed their religious habits over their lifetime:

According to Temple University’s Joanna Maselko, Sc.D., women who had stopped being religiously active were more than three times more likely to have suffered generalized anxiety and alcohol abuse/dependence than women who reported always having been active.

“One’s lifetime pattern of religious service attendance can be related to psychiatric illness,” said Maselko, an assistant professor of public health and co-author of the study, which appears in the January issue of Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

Not to sound too anxious here, but what about men?

Conversely, men who stopped being religiously active were less likely to suffer major depression when compared to men who had always been religiously active.

Phew...that was a close call. Anxiety getting back to normal levels.

Maselko offers one possible explanation for the gender differences in the relationship between religious activity and mental health.

“Women are simply more integrated into the social networks of their religious communities. When they stop attending religious services, they lose access to that network and all its potential benefits. Men may not be as integrated into the religious community in the first place and so may not suffer the negative consequences of leaving,” Maselko said.

They probably should be able to check this hypothesis by looking at other social indicators. Of course this will also depend on what kind of religion and what kind of community etc. It would also be good to see if the anxiety level also goes down for people becoming more religious later in life.

The study expands on previous research in the field by analyzing the relationship between mental health — anxiety, depression and alcohol dependence or abuse — and spirituality using current and past levels, said Maselko, who conducted the research when she was at Harvard University.

In the study sample, comprising 718 adults, a majority of men and women changed their level of religious activity between childhood and adulthood, which was critical information for the researchers.

“A person’s current level of spirituality is only part of the story. We can only get a better understanding of the relationship between health and spirituality by knowing a person’s lifetime religious history,” Maselko said.

Read the full story here.
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Check out the information-swap that new-to-me Steph Modo is coordinating!

By signing up, you'll trade your organizing strategies and gain some others!

The Top Three Areas I Need Help Organizing:

• My MIND and its priorities. I have so many things that I'm staying on top of and thinking about staying on top of that I give short shrift to most of them! I need to find a way to organize my thinking so that I give due diligence to thoughts and plans that are important to my family, my values, and me...and can see I am making progress toward them. (Do you think there's a strategy for this?)
  

• My TIME. Related to the Mind need, above. I've gotten way better at this since using my OrganizeME planner from LobotoME, so I'll really be on track once I get MIND situated.
  

• My DESK: I've got most everything I need at an arms length, but I also have lots of paper (ugh) and record keeping for my business. My husband is great at keeping the file cabinet organized...but I'd love to hear about the tricks and products that others can't live without to keep their life clean and simple!

A Kozy Splurge:

I rediscovered Kozy Shack Rice Pudding this weekend. The 1/2 cup serving size is (surprisingly) almost an over-size...and it's got protein, reasonably low sugar count, no fat, and all natural ingredients. YUM.

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The Vatican astronomers are moving out of Papal palace at Castel Gondolfo. Are they being "kicked out" or are they being moved to better facilities? Well...you can choose your own story about that. Here is a version that supports the eviction theory:

The Pope has given the Vatican's Jesuit astronomers their marching orders, banishing them and their infernal instruments from his summer palace and billeting them in a disused convent instead.

The astronomers' eviction from the Castel Gandolfo has been put down to Benedict XVI's need for more space to receive visiting diplomats, according to The Independent.

According to the paper, the Jesuits who run the observatory are putting a brave face on their enforced removal, with the observatory's director Father Jose Funes, insisting: "It is not a downgrading of science in the Vatican."

However, observers will no doubt see this as a negative move in the Church's relationship with science, which dates back to that other troublesome astronomer, Galileo, and beyond. Benedict has been accused of looking to turn the clock back on his predecessor's embrace of science, to the extent of apparently endorsing intelligent design.

And here is a version that says that the move is meant to be an upgrade:

After more than half a century based at the papal palace in Castel Gandolfo, the Vatican’s astronomers will be moving to bigger, more modern facilities.

The astronomers’ new offices and residences still will be located on the grounds of the papal summer residence in the hill town of Castel Gandolfo, about 15 miles south of Rome, but they will be in a completely renovated convent nestled in the papal gardens.

“This is going to be a great improvement” for carrying out the astronomers’ work and studies and the new residences “will be a whole lot more comfortable,” said U.S. Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno.

From the information we have, I would side with the latter story. There is no reason yet to believe that the Pope has grown tired of astronomers and has kicked them out. The astronomical facilities at the Vatican are indeed old and so I can totally see them improving on those. Plus, significant astronomy for the Vatican happens in Arizona where they have research grade telescopes. If funding for those starts to shrink, then certainly we can start asking more questions (also see an earlier post about an astronomy conference sponsored by the Vatican Observatory).

Another issue is connected to the evolution/intelligent design debate. While Vatican astronomers have been quite vocal in support of evolution, there have been speculations that Pope Benedict has some sympathy for the theory of Intelligent Design. Well...so far he has not come out in its support. So until he does, I see no reason to give credence to rumors about another science versus religion clash in the Catholic Church.

If you have more information about the relocation of astronomers, let me know. This coming March, as part of Hampshire College lecture series on Science & Religion, we will be hosting the Director Emeritus of the Vatican Observatory, George V. Coyne, S.J., and I hope we will be able to learn more about these issues.
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This is from an interview after his Iowa victory. Huckabee is one of the three Republican presidential candidates who had expressed doubts about evolution. Well, here at least he is technically not saying anything wrong. Its just that our standards have gotten so low that we take any lack of hostility towards science, especially evolution, as a victory. The bit about evolution/creationism is roughly 2 and a half minutes into the interview.


And just for giggles, here is Ann Coulter on Huckabee's views on evolution (this is from couple of weeks back):

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I had an anxious heart this morning and I couldn't identify the source, which only created more anxiety because I felt powerless to do anything.

So I did nothing.

That's right. I sat very still and very quiet for as long as it took for nothing to fill my mind (about 10 minutes) and "what to do" followed closely behind.

I've always been a good pray-er, not such a good meditate-er...and the two are NOT mutually exclusive (that is, you can meditate and be praying, but you can pray and not be meditating).

So, I'm going to add nothing to my morning routine. Anxious or not, I think I could stand a few more "what to do's" from O Lord, my God.

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Today I was playing basketball with Ava and I made my first shot, to which she responded, "Hooray, yeah Mommy!" My second shot wasn't even close, but that little angel turned to me as sweetly and sincerely as anyone ever has and said, "Almost, mommy!"

I just imagine the sweetfairy sprinkling bits of glittery dust on those little minds and in those full-of-love hearts as they sleep away, trying to make sense of the rest of us.

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Happy Birthday Melissa!

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Splurge On

I found our favorite book used for $3.99 today. We've been borrowing it from the library for so long, I thought it time to make it our own. Besides, I am pretty sure it was written for Ava. :)

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I was pretty excited by this find today, a Periodic Table of Cleaning. It's amazing how motivating (and freeing????) rules and a little direction can be. Kind of makes me miss the days of Dr. Pelosi and chemistry!

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In step with the spend thrift approach to life I'm taking these days, this article gives some tips on where to look for little savings everywhere from groceries to mortgages.

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Splurge-and-Seek

One hour of uninterrupted time on the floor playing peek-a-boo and "find me" with my favorite little girl.

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Well, I wasn't sure at first about addressing bee stings. Books and bee keeping videos barely skim the surface when addressing bee stings. So I decide that I would give you the facts and some of the experiences I have had with bee stings.

Ouch! Probably one of the biggest obstacles that discourages people from keeping bees is that bees can sting! Many people are afraid of honey bees, and some people are scared to death of them. So, in this lesson, I want to talk frankly with you about bee stings. I want to give you the honest truth about bee stings, and how to avoid most stings. And, I want to bolster your confidence so that even if you do get stung, it ain't that big-a deal!

First, I'm not referring to Africanized bees in this lesson. I'm speaking mainly from the experience I have had with Italian bees. We sell and recommend Italian honey bees because they are very calm and good honey producers. So keep in mind that this lesson does not apply to Africanized bees.

When I first started keeping bees in 1994 it wasn't that I was scared of being stung, but I just didn't want to be stung. But to be honest, back then as a new beekeeper I had a fear that I would make a wrong move, and suddenly 60,000 bees would all sting me at the same time. That never happened. Most of my stings have been what I call, clumsy stings--stings you get from being clumsy in the hive. So, I'll share some important tips on working the bees to cut down on stings.

Does it hurt to be stung? YES, and though you can develop a resistance toward the bee venom, I don't think you can ever ignore the pain of a bee sting. To me, it does not hurt as much as a wasp or a yellow jacket, and certainly nothing like a bumble bee. How bad the pain is felt is determined by where on your body you are stung. There are some tender spots that really hurt, like the temple on the head, or any where on the face or head for that matter. I really don't notice the pain as much when I get stung on the fingers, arms, legs or back.

No matter how long you keep bees and how often you get stung, it hurts. The pain reminds me of getting a wood splinter. It's that kind of pain. But, it doesn't hurt all that long. For me, it hurts the most for about 1 minute, then the pain comes and goes until it is over, usually within 5 minutes.

I sting myself! That's right. To stay more immune from the venom I usually sting myself several times a week--that is if I don't naturally take a few while working my hives. It's my own personal opinion, but I believe bee venom from honey bee stings has made me a much healthier person.

Whenever I have a stiff join or what seems to be arthritis, I'll sting myself in that area. In a day or so, I'm cured! Call me crazy but I love bees so much, I even don't mind being stung. To sting myself, I catch a few bees, place them in a jar with air holes, and place the jar in the refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes. This slows the bee down allowing me to grasp her by the wings and hold her in anticipation of her warming up. Then, once she is warm and active, I placer her on the spot and slightly back her up holding her by her wings. It doesn't take long and the stinger is in.

Many MS and patients with certain forms of arthritis have found bee venom therapy to work well.

On days when I'm in the yards working my bees, I don't have time to think about getting stung. In fact, when I am stung, I am surprised, because I'm so engrossed in the work at hand. I believe that's why I'm not stung all that much. Because I approach the hive with confidence rather than fear. Just like my hound dogs, I believe my bees know me. They are use to me. They are very smart. They sense me walking up to their hive. They seem to be able to understand what I am doing. My bees can read me and I've learned to read them.

Can you avoid all bee stings? Maybe, I'm not sure. I suppose if you wear a complete bee suit and you don't have any holes, and you wear gloves, you could possibly never be stung. But, remember, as a beekeeper stings are probably going to be part of the territory. Below is a video of my son who helps me work our bees. He always dresses in full gear every time. He never works bees unless he is wearing thick gloves, boots and has every gap taped. But, as you can notice in the video, he is not gentle in working bees. Notice how he throws down the hive tool and bangs the sifting screen on the hive. If you're going to work hives like that, fast and aggressively, you'd better dress the way he does.

Okay, here's the confidence building part. Don't let a tiny little stinger keep you from enjoying such a wonderful hobby or sideline business! Beekeeping is a blast. The stinger on a honey bee is very small, measuring only 1.5 mm. Keep in mind that once a bee stings you, she cannot sting you again, and she dies. So it is a last resort for a bee to sting. Cowboy-up and don't be afraid to take an occasional sting. It is much more painful for me to pick raspberries than to work my hives. Learn to be calm and steady when you are stung. Don't jump, scream, run or drop everything in your hands.

What to do when you are stung?

Remain calm, scrape out the stinger, puff some smoke near the area where you were stung, back away from the hive for a couple of minutes and then get back on the horse! The reason you want to scrape off the stinger is to reduce the amount of venom that is injected. Most people pinch the stinger and then pull it out. But, by pinching the stinger you pinch the venom pouch, releasing the full dose of venom. But, if you scrape the stinger out with a credit card or your hive tool, you lessen the venom dose, thus the reaction to the sting is minimized as well.

The reason you puff some smoke around the area where you were stung is because a sting can alert other bees to sting. I've only had this happen one time, where one sting resulted in several bees stinging the same spot, my ankle. That's the day I learned not to wear black socks when working hives.

Mostly I get one sting, and none of the other bees seem to care. But, the smoke can reduce the alarm odor that is given off with a sting. It's good to step back a few feet from the hive for a minute or two, not so much to let the bees settle down, but so that you can settle your nerves and see that everything is okay and return to work the bees with confidence, or to assess if it's a bad time to work your bees.

When you are stung, you must immediately assess if the weather is the cause. Listen! Do not work your bees on cloudy, cool or very windy days. Working bees prior to a storm coming in always invites a sting.

So let's go through some things to help reduce stings:

1) Choose a good day. A good day is warm, very sunny, high pressure or barometric on the rise, and not real windy.

2) Choose a good time. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Working bees prior to 10 a.m. or after 2 p.m. invites stings simply because there are more bees at home. Between 10 and 2, the foragers are out, the hive is smaller and you can better manipulate your hive.

3) No perfume, hairspray or heavy soap smell. If you get all prettied-up to work your hive, it could turn ugly. But, bad body odor can also draw some stings. So, be clean, but don't over do it.

4) Never wear dark clothing! Bees sting dark areas. They resist white. Wear white, especially socks if you do not wear boots.

5) Do not swat at a bee that is buzzing around your head. Swatting will NOT make a bee go away. It has the opposite effect. She will become much more aggressive if you swat at her and she will pursue you if you run. Bees can fly up to 18 mph. Can you out run a bee? No. So, be still, and wait and see if she will go away. Usually a guard bee is the first to buzz your face, making a louder than normal buzzing sound to intimidate you. It works too! But, no matter how loud she buzzes, the stinger is the same size and doesn't hurt any more or any less so do not fall for the buzzing intimidation. Be still and see if she will get tired and retreat. I've worked several hours in a bee yard with the same bee buzzing my face. She never did anything more than "got in my face" but my veil held her at bay and I ignored her and finished my work. DON'T SWAT!!! I know it is a natural reaction, but DON'T DO IT! Got it? You cannot swat at honeybees!!

6) Avoid sweating or breathing heavily onto the bees. Don't hold your breath. Breath normally, just avoid breathing close up on a frame. On hot and humid days, lean over slightly to the side of a hive so that if you sweat, it will not fall onto the bees.

7) Bees are most calm during a nectar flow. However, I don't like to interrupt the hive operation during a strong nectar flow because this could reduce my honey production. But, they are the most calm when the flow is on. By flow, I am referring to a time when several floral sources are producing an abundance of nectar.

8) Always use a smoker! You MUST smoke your hive. Smoke the hive, but be gentle and don't over smoke them. A little smoke goes a long way to calm a hive. Do not work your bees without smoking them! Untreated burlap makes good smoker fuel. I use pine needles and mulch as my smoker fuel.

9) Calm and gentle movements. No sudden movements and by all means don't drop a frame or a hive tool on the bees. Bees can't hear, but they are very sensitive to vibrations. If you do drop something or tip a hive over, back away slowly, stand still if you are not being pursued heavily, smoke and try to get things back together once the bees have calmed down. It happens to the best of us.

10) Always wear a hat and veil. You may not care about being stung below your head, but you cannot risk being stung in the face or eye. Wear a hat and veil or you will regret it. And if you want to avoid being stung, wear protective gear and duct tape all clothing gaps.

What's the difference between a normal reaction and a life threatening reaction.

Some people say they are allergic to bees because they turn red, itch and swell. Everyone does! Only those who have built up an immunity don't swell and itch. By the end of the season, I don't turn red or swell anymore. But after the winter is over, I swell, itch and turn red where I am stung until my immunity is restored. The swelling can travel. If I am stung on my arm, the swelling usually travels several inches in one direction from the sting point. This is a normal reaction. The itching will stop, after three days the swelling will start to go down. It can take up to one week for the swelling to be completely gone. This does NOT mean you have a life threatening allergic reaction to honey bees. It means your body reacted in a normal way to the bee venom. A fellow was helping me work my hives without a veil and he was stung on the lip. His lip got huge! It was cloudy, we had no smoke and he had no veil...go figure. So don't panic when the swelling starts. It is normal and it will eventually go down. But do remember, if you are stung on your hand, remove your rings immediately in preparation of the swelling.

A life threatening reaction is when your body goes into what is called Anaphylactic Shock. Few people react in this way to a honey bee sting, but it must be taken seriously and immediate medical attention must be administered. Those who react in this way can have breathing difficulties as well as other systemic issues. It can be resolved quickly by medical professionals. But timing is critical.

But for the rest of us who are not allergic to a bee sting, when we get stung, it hurts for a few minutes, turns red, swells up and itches for a few days. That's normal. This is why as beekeepers we select gentle bees. That's why I recommend the honey bee known as the Italian bee.

I'm asked that if a certain amount of bees were to sting at the same time, could that large dose of venom cause death. Well, I've heard that drinking too much water at one time can kill you. However, research has shown that an average person weighing 160 pounds could receive 1500 stings at one time and live. The most I have ever been stung at one time is 12, far short of the 2,000 stings that could kill me.

Drones, the male bee, doesn't sting because they do not have a stinger. You can really impress your friends at your next backyard cookout by catching a drone and pretending that it is a worker bee and put it inside your mouth. Open up and let it fly out. Your friends won't know that it's a stinger-less drone. But before you try that trick...uh...be sure you've got a drone!

People often ask me how many times I get stung. It really isn't all that much. I often work my bees without a shirt and no gloves because summer is hot. The package bees that we sell are very gentle. I know bees and I know how to read them and how to determine the best day to work them. As a result, I am rarely stung given the amount of hours I work bees.

On occasion, a hive can turn mean. An aggressive queen can raise aggressive daughters. Small critters bothering the hive at night can make the bees mean in the day time.

They were up all night trying to chase away a skunk. You'd be mean too after a night like that. And for those of you in the deep south, you want to be sure your bees do not have an Africanized trait.

When a hive becomes too aggressive to enjoy, it's time to requeen with a calm, gentle Italian queen. After 4 weeks, all the bees will be from your new queen's stock and things should be noticeably calmer. Don't put up with a mean hive. Requeen at once so that you can enjoy beekeeping.

So, don't be afraid. Be sure that you do not have a life threatening allergic reaction toward honey bee venom. If you don't, then use the tips above to limit stings and enjoy keeping bees. When you are stung, take it like a trooper and stay calm and get back in there and enjoy beekeeping.

Thanks for joining me today for another lesson in beekeeping. When spring rolls around, you'll be an expert!! It's cold here in Illinois and the bees are in tight clusters in their hives. But it won't be long until we'll be out there putting in the pollen patties. So, keep reading, get your bees and equipment ordered and get ready for a great 2008 beekeeping year!!

And as always,

Bee-Have yourselves!

David & Sheri Burns

Long Lane Honey Bee Farms

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then check out his new TV ad (tip from Cosmic Variance). Hmm...this must be a coincidence that the footage is only about one religion...
Yikes!! (and yes, this is a real ad...it is the front piece at Giuliani's official website)


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This is part of a conference Beyond Belief: Enlightenment 2.0, which was held this past November. It is a fascinating conference (this is actually the second one in the series - the first was in 2006) and all of the lectures are available on line with high quality sound and good video (you can also buy a DVD of the event and support The Science Network). It is a good way to spend 20 hours of your life with some of the most prominent names in the field and to a second order, get an experience of actually being at the conference (minus the coffee and the food). I have gone through the lectures and in the coming weeks, I will be posting on the blog some of those directly related to science & religion.

Here is a TV interview with philosopher Daniel Dennett at the end of the conference. He is the author of, among other books, Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon and Darwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life. The most interesting part is about belief in belief (in God), but there is also a good discussion about consciousness, evolution of brain, and in the Q&A, about animal intelligence. Enjoy!

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I am not sure I can legitimately claim this as my accomplishment...but I'm going to anyway (and we're only one day into the New Year):

Tonight I fixed a stir fry of the following (note: vegetables were frozen; there was a time when I would've fixed them fresh, but not in this present life):

• tofu
• snow peas
• green beans
• broccoli
• shiitake mushrooms
• yellow peppers
• red peppers
• orange peppers
• cashews
• baby corn

and served it over a bed of brown basmati rice.

Here's what my nearly 21-month old daughter had to say about it (I have to confess that I sprinkled feta cheese over hers to enhance the enticement factor, but I don't think I needed to) and I swear I did NOT script this:



The other thing you must know about my daughter is that she is fascinated with the camera and will be patient just long enough for me to snap the picture...but the flash will no sooner go off before she says, "Pictures, see 'em?" You can see in the video that she is just waiting for that moment.

And a few more "snaps" to enjoy...

No Splurge Today

Unless you count me getting ready to go put in a movie when there are a million other things I need to be doing as a splurge. So tell me, what are YOU splurging on so far this year?

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Saudi Arabia is catching up to modern times: it is now extending its control on speech to the blogosphere. A popular blogger is currently being detained by the government for violating "non-security laws":

An outspoken Saudi blogger is being held for “purposes of interrogation,” the Saudi Interior Ministry confirmed on Tuesday.

Gen. Mansour al-Turki, an Interior Ministry spokesman reached by telephone, said that the blogger, Fouah al-Farhan, was “being questioned about specific violations of non-security laws.” Mr. Farhan’s blog, which discusses social issues, had become one of the most widely read in Saudi Arabia.

Fouad-al-Farhan suspected this action from the government and left this message for a friend two weeks prior to the arrest:

“I was told that there is an official order from a high-ranking official in the Ministry of the Interior to investigate me,” read the letter, which is now posted in English and Arabic on Mr. Farhan’s blog.

Since his arrest, friends of Mr. Farhan have continued to blog on his behalf under a banner that reads “Free Fouad” and features his picture. The blog’s Web address is www.alfarhan.org.

“The issue that caused all of this is because I wrote about the political prisoners here in Saudi Arabia, and they think I’m running an online campaign promoting their issue,” the letter continued, noting that Mr. Farhan had been asked to sign a statement of apology.

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to do that,” Mr. Farhan wrote. “An apology for what? Apologizing because I said the government is a liar when they accused those guys to be supporting terrorism?”

He is the first Saudi blogger to be arrested...arhh...I mean "detained for interrogation":

The Interior Ministry would not say specifically why Mr. Farhan had been arrested.

“The violation is not a security matter,” General Turki said. “He is not being jailed. He is being questioned, and I don’t believe he will remain in detention long. They will get the information that they need from him and then they will let him go.”

There you go. He is not in jail for the last two weeks - he is simply in detention, probably enjoying his time. Saudi government comes under so much criticism for human right abuses, muzzling free speech, lack of any decent rights for women, whereas in reality, it cares for its citizens and keeps them in comfy detention centers.

In some ways, Saudi government is justifiably scared of blogs and other such avenues. It has survived by ruthlessly silencing any kind of dissent. Now bloggers from Saudi Arabia are connecting to the world outside and they are not only providing information about life in the Kingdom, but also giving us a human face behind it. Lets hope international pressure keep Saudi censors at bay and they release Fouad-al-Farhan soon.

See the full story here. I'm not sure how effective are online petitions, but here is a link to Free Fouad-al-Farhan petition.
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A nice video on creating a niche business:This same mentality can apply to building a web brand.
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I've given myself until Friday to get down my goals for 2008 and beyond. As soon as I finish up with this post, I'm going to sit down with something hot to drink, a big clean surface to write on, lots of blank pages, and plenty of different colored pencils or pens to write with.

You can find the process I'm going to use to get those goals down here. I adapted it from one I created for use with clients in order to assess the health of their business, their services, and their productivity. This morning on a New Year's run, it occurred to me (duh) to formalize it a little and use it for my own life. I thought I'd share it with you. Just take note, I'll probably be coming back with some improvements and enhancements once I use it for this purpose...(and some graphics for organizing the information).

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Finally, lots of change is very overwhelming. I recently gave some advice to a personal client who was very overwhelmed with all of the changes that she needed to make in her personal life, professional life, and physical/fitness life. She wasn't exercising at all and found no time to think clearly about what she needed to change or how to go about it.

The advice that I gave her was this: keep doing everything the same for the next month-- same work schedule, same eating schedule, same socialization schedule. EXCEPT she had to introduce one new thing...she had to make it to the gym or go out for a walk or run three days per week for at least 45 minutes.

At the end of one month, we would see how she was feeling and what insights or inclinations she had experienced in that one month. I am willing to bet that once she introduces some exercise for her body and her mind, the sequence for the next change will fall into place. After one month, we'll devise a plan for the next change. Change doesn't have to happen at one time...just having the awareness that it is needed is a bigger step than you think. Often, little changes pave the way for bigger changes. I discovered years ago that small steps turn into bigger steps turn into strides.

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Splurge Savvy:

I did a fair amount of shopping online for the holidays. The New Year always brings with it a resolve to spend and store LESS. In the event, however, that you do need to make a splurge, be sure to visit www.retailmenot.com, which is updated daily with current discount codes at many of your favorite online stores!

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My wife Sheri and I extend a Happy New Year to you and your family from Long Lane Honey Bee Farms. I hope you enjoyed 2007 and are looking forward to a wonderful 2008. I appreciate the many e-mails I have receive from those of you who enjoy these bee lessons. And, thank you SO MUCH for inviting your friends to check them out too!

One thing that I have discovered is that we must learn to enjoy life, be good to others, reduce our stress and have something positive to look forward to and give back. My family encourages me and gives me joy. And our church family is encouraging to us. And as weird as this may sound, my bees give me a lot of joy! The more hives I have, the more stress is relieved. And to be honest with you my bees give me something to look forward to each year. I believe that if we stay busy, learn a hobby like beekeeping and keeping our minds on positive things, we are all around better off--at least I am.

So friend, for 2008, approach it with a positive attitude, hopeful for the best of things and perhaps keeping bees can make 2008 an even more enjoyable year for you.

I promised to share about the different types of honey bees in today's lesson.

Honey bees are not the same as bumble bees, wasps and yellow jackets. The scientific name for the honey bee that we have in America is Apis Mellifera. Apis Mellifera is actually one of eight species of honey bees. Apis Mellifera actually means "honey carrying bee". This is slightly incorrect in that a honey bee carries nectar not honey, but the name still stands.

Stay with me on this; I don't want to lose you. Apis Mellifera is a species of honey bee but within that species there are races. My favorite is the Italian honey bee, known as Apis Mellifera Ligustica, known to beekeepers as the Italian honey bee. This is the bee that most of us enjoy keeping the most. Then we have Apis Mellifera Carnica known as a Carniolan honey bee. Another popular honey bee is Apis Mellifera Caucasca, known as the Caucasian honey bee. These different races are unique because they were introduced into America from specific geographical regions from other parts of the world which gives them each unique characteristics.

Another species of honey bee that makes the press is Apis Mellifera Scutellata, the Africanized bee, imported into America from Brazil in the 1950s.

Now that we know about the Italian, Carniolan and Caucasian honey bee, let's look at other honey bees. Some have crossed these races of bees or have selected certain traits and have produced hybrid honey bees from within a species. This has given us Cordovans, Buckfast, Russian, Starline, Minnesota Hygenic and many other honey bees that have been bred for specific traits.

Which Honey Bee Is Best?

It is a matter of opinion, and my opinion is the Italian. But, let me give you some commonly accepted traits of each species and the common hybrids. Before I do, let me say that these claims of trait specific races and hybrids are claims. Certainly selected breeding has produced unique characteristics and I'm sure someone scientifically measured the results, but results can vary.

Russian bees, known for their resistance to mites, can die of mite infestations. Italians that are known for not swarming as much, can still swarm alot. Carniolan that are known for their rapid spring build up can fail and for some reason not build up fast in the spring. But again, let me give you what is commonly credited to the difference honey bees.

Italian- Apis Mellifera Ligustica

GOOD TRAITS: Very gentle, good brood pattern, isn't so prone to swarm as much, great honey producer, light on excess propolis and makes nice looking white comb honey. A great bee for someone new to beekeeping. POOR TRAITS: Can drift between hives and not find their home. Are prone to rob other hives during a dearth. A dearth is a lull in nectar flow.

Caucasian- Apis Mellifera Caucasca

GOOD TRAITS: They have a long proboscis or tongue. So they can work certain flowers other honey bees cannot. Very gentle. POOR TRAITS: They don't build up very fast in the spring and are very heavy on propolis, making the hive very sticky to work. Can rob more.

Carniolan- Apis Mellifera Carnica

GOOD TRAITS: Explosive spring build up, are not so prone to rob, are very, very gentle, and good comb producers. POOR TRAITS: Explosive build up means more swarms. Honey production is less than the Italian bee.

Russian- Hybrid

A product of the U.S. Dept. Of Agriculture's Honey Bee Breeding Genetics, and Physiology Lab of Baton Rouge, Louisiana by importing this bee from the Primorski region of the Sea of Japan because it had survived mites for 150 years. It is not a species but a hybrid.

GOOD TRAITS: Bred to be more resistant to mites and more winter Hardy. POOR TRAITS: Produces lots of propolis, always seems to have swarm cells in the hive, and moderate honey producer.

Buckfast- Hybrid

A product of Brother Adam (1898-1996). He spent his entire life perfecting the Buckfast honey bee hybrid. He claimed to have eaten a teaspoon of honey a day and in case you don't want to do the math, he lived to be 98!

GOOD TRAITS: Strong resistance to tracheal mites and good hygienic behavior.

POOR TRAITS: Can be defensive.

Minnesota Hygienic- Hybrid

A result of the work of Dr. Marla Spivak of the University of Minnesota. A few months ago, my wife and I traveled to a queen rearing conference in Ohio where Gary Reuter was one of the main speakers. Gary is a Research Technician at the University of Minnesota working with Dr. Marla Spivak. Dr. Spivak and her team were able to produce a trait within breeder queens, a trait where the bees are able to reduce disease by being exceptionally hygienic.

GOOD TRAITS: Good honey producers and more able to resist American Foul Brood disease. POOR TRAITS: Those mostly common to the Italian bee since this is an Italian bee.

Many other beekeepers and breeders have their special line of queens that they are breeding, making claims, that to them, are very true and founded. But to be honest, there is always the flip side. To gain a positive characteristic may mean you gain two negative characteristics.

In my opinion, beginning beekeepers should begin with an Italian bee. Then, as your apiary expands, you can experiment with a different bee, and see how it goes.

I've tried many different races, and have gone back to the Italian bee. My Russians were too aggressive, didn't make enough honey, and swarmed WAY TOO OFTEN.

Bee-Have yourself!

David & Sheri Burns

Long Lane Honey Bee Farms

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