People and Bees: A Natural Partnership

In current events, a half-million honey bees were killed in a vandalism spree that occurred at a beekeeper's enterprise in Sioux City, Iowa.  This incredible number might amount to around 14 bee hives at certain times of the year; but, because we're in winter, the damage could be more horrifying.

The winter bee hive naturally drops in population by about 30,000 bees each year, which  means that vandals in this case may have been responsible for the killings of what would be equal to approximately 100 productive bee hives. Shamefully, this amount of damage reflects only one aspect of the immediate violation and cumulative effect of the loss.

Short Primer on Bees

Bees are a productive, regenerative, necessity of our food chain on Earth-- when people aren't in their way. Bees "pollinate 80 percent of our flowering crops, which constitute one-third of everything we eat".

Bees' lives are short, relatively. Worker bees get about 40 days, during warm high-productivity summer months, to do their jobs, whereas a queen bee has a comparatively-long lifespan of 3-5 years. There is one  queen per hive.

Born sporadically in their hives, each bee has a first duty of cleaning their "cell". As the young bees age, their responsibilities change several times.

The Beekeeper

Beekeepers, aka apiarists, are a type of farmer. They provide edible and usable products (honey, beeswax) to communities through the work of their bees, either as a primary beekeeping commerce or as secondary commerce to another primary product or service goal of beekeeping.

Some beekeepers run a service of hive provision, to clientele in need of seasonal pollination of their crops and farms. This latter exercise has become necessary in the production of food crops that must feed an exponentially increasing number of people, as well as in the maintenance of floral industry crops.

Photo by Michael Gäbler

People and Bees

Some of us may see only a few bees throughout our entire lives, while others may be lucky enough to have a natural hive nearby. Bees may be frequently seen buzzing around wildflowers and gardens during temperate months, their fruitful existence possibly unrealized by them.

Bees can be pests, under either livable or problematic circumstances. Another service of professional beekeeping is to remove hives ethically . . . keeping bees safe and healthy during transit to new locations where they may be left to survive in nature's way, or supported and productive via farming.

Photo by Bob Peterson via Flickr

The relationship between humans and bees has long been one of great service to people, yet over time has become strained for bees. It's well worth our time (as a determining factor of outcome) to share our awareness of this industrious, pollinating creature-- a species that must be in production constantly to keep itself alive, then produces so much more for our benefit.

REF:

"File:Honey Bee on Willow Catkin (5419305106).jpg." Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 18 Dec 2017, 17:28 UTC. 30 Dec 2017, 21:43 <https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Honey_Bee_on_Willow_Catkin_(5419305106).jpg&oldid=272863936>. 

FURTHER READING:

Beekeeping New Year Resolutions via HoneybeeSuite
Top 60 Beekeeping Blogs via Feedspot
Learn about colony collapse and pollination crisis via PLOS

Quotes, Communication, Politics & Propaganda: How words and stories affect us

Fake quote?

Words have a way with us. Our chats are often misconstrued, and we're in general danger of words being fabricated into webs of propaganda intended to stir emotion and direct reactions. Our most fantastical displays of this human behavior are prominent in governmental, workplace and family politics.

Nuances of communication have always been important . . . critical, under certain circumstances. Yet, in our 'advanced' age of vetting and recordings, we still grapple with fake news and word of mouth (overrated) that flies at us from every direction. Such a problem with fake news propaganda has developed that the entirety of our media is suffering a form of association fallacy.

Via guilt-by-association and exacerbated by the claims of a sitting president, The Media battles itself for the trust of its subjects. Where media fails, people are left with a responsibility to set the record straight-- difficult or impossible as that may be. Take the following quote, for example:

There’s a plot in this country to enslave every man, woman, and child. Before I leave this high and noble office, I intend to expose this plot. - President John F. Kennedy, 7 days before his assassination 

It seems real. It feels like a statement that man could have penned, knowing what we do about the kind of equanimous morality he espoused. In fact, it seldom occurs to us who were (or, would have been) followers of his politics that we should question the veracity of this quote. The sentiment of the quote appears to be generally in line with the political awareness and responsibility to our nation that people grew to expect from John F. Kennedy, of the democratically-inclined Kennedy family dynasty.

But, while the quote is an example of idealistic equanimity in itself, so is the responsibility of vetting it! It doesn't matter which slice of political pie we prefer. What matters, is that it's a supposed quote from a specific person used to bolster not only the idealistic nature of equanimity but also to bolster a feeling of dread in those who read it.

Is there a foundation that would support that fear? Maybe. Beyond that, is the claim true? This should be our most sought-after answer.

Greater than espousing the need for equanimity is the responsibility of exposing a damaging lie when it occurs. In this example, what could have been an innocuous statement by any of a number of politicians (or, no statement at all) ends up being a dishonest, indirect dismantling of the processes of a democratic society . . . no more or less than a lie told in furtherance of a plot to win a party battle-- aka, propaganda.

Ultimately, it's likely that JFK never said it. It's at least as likely that he didn't as that he did. The only thing we know for sure, is that we don't know. The only thing we know, is that it's not verifiable, and as such shouldn't be recirculated as truth or has a JFK quote. Unfortunately, this known, dated meme's deconstruction bears repeating.

* * * 

If you know of a quote that has been attributed incorrectly yet still sees wide distribution, let everyone know about it in comments.

Writing on, and Finding, Restrooms and Bath Facilities: an English vocabulary study

The effect of realism in any story is supported by the use of the same vocabulary as applies in scenarios that unfold in life, in such scenes at the locations of their 'origin' thus regionally unique in dialect as well as vocabulary.

Along this line, one could say that the quickest way to a bathroom might be obscured when we use terms unfamiliar to those with whom we communicate need of toilet facilities. This is because the vocabulary of a region or social group may differ from our expectations, to a greater degree than we might expect. 

Shower - a basic need

Over time, many euphemistic terms for such places where we relieve ourselves have come, gone and come again to regular usage. They vary according to local dialect and class distinction. One example, as told by an American seeking a "restroom" while visiting a museum in the United Kingdom:

Many years ago in a museum in the UK I asked a guard for directions to the "restroom". He said "There's no place here for you to lay down, sir."

We see here that, while traveling, we may need to provide some specificity with our query, or risk be taken differently than intended. But then, visits with familiars and some business scenarios present a greater need to be polite first . . . and knowledgeable. Hence, the common expectation to undertake some type of education in the local language(s) or culture(s) associated with a job.

The way we refer to common rooms, like restrooms, varies, as in the quote above. Traditional American English would often designate "washrooms" in areas where travelers could find a faucet, at least, whereas "bathroom" is commonly heard across the states today. A bathroom is traditionally distinct from a restroom,  where one might find only chairs (or other lounge furniture). Yet, commonly in American English we refer specifically to public restrooms when all we expect is toilets and a sink to wash our hands. We then add "shower room" when in need of that extended washroom facility. English-speaking Canadians today can find "washrooms" listed on maps, which include toilets.

Again, when a need for clarity arises . . . say, a shower is needed. . . then "washroom" doesn't necessarily convey that need. Still, in editing for an audience, where the establishment of scene is paramount, "washroom" may be the best term for the type of room or clean-up needed.

Depending on a number of factors, language should fit a scene; otherwise, it could be off-the-mark enough to trigger irrelevant questions in observers, possibly distracting them from the place they need to be.

 ***

In comments, tell us how you refer to a room fitting the traditional American English usage of "washroom":

washroom - a room with sinks (washbasins, traditionally), toilets, and sometimes other wash facilities

Find more information about the linguistics of basic facilities via links below.

REF:

Contributors. "The difference between restrooms and washrooms". Diffen. 2 Dec. 2017. https://www.diffen.com/difference/Restroom_vs_Washroom

"Bathroom" in different languages. Indifferent Languages. https://www.indifferentlanguages.com/words/bathroom 

Contributors. 'How to say "Where is the bathroom" in several different languages'. Wikihow. 3 Dec. 2017. https://www.wikihow.com/Say-%22Where-Is-the-Bathroom%22-in-Several-Different-Languages