Bees

Discussion in 'The Green Patch' started by permacamo, Apr 4, 2014.


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  1. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Your choice.

    I'm done.
     
  2. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Actually that is not what I am talking about.

    A long article follows, but the short hand is called Cause and Effect.

    Many on the Academic Campus like the BUZZ word of Critical Thinking or what an old timer just calls knowledge from living and applying that knowledge to daily life.

    YMMV

    Critical Thinking as Defined by the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, 1987
    A statement by Michael Scriven & Richard Paul, presented at the 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform, Summer 1987.
    Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.
    It entails the examination of those structures or elements of thought implicit in all reasoning: purpose, problem, or question-at-issue; assumptions; concepts; empirical grounding; reasoning leading to conclusions; implications and consequences; objections from alternative viewpoints; and frame of reference. Critical thinking — in being responsive to variable subject matter, issues, and purposes — is incorporated in a family of interwoven modes of thinking, among them: scientific thinking, mathematical thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, economic thinking, moral thinking, and philosophical thinking.
    Critical thinking can be seen as having two components: 1) a set of information and belief generating and processing skills, and 2) the habit, based on intellectual commitment, of using those skills to guide behavior. It is thus to be contrasted with: 1) the mere acquisition and retention of information alone, because it involves a particular way in which information is sought and treated; 2) the mere possession of a set of skills, because it involves the continual use of them; and 3) the mere use of those skills ("as an exercise") without acceptance of their results.
    Critical thinking varies according to the motivation underlying it. When grounded in selfish motives, it is often manifested in the skillful manipulation of ideas in service of one’s own, or one's groups’, vested interest. As such it is typically intellectually flawed, however pragmatically successful it might be. When grounded in fairmindedness and intellectual integrity, it is typically of a higher order intellectually, though subject to the charge of "idealism" by those habituated to its selfish use.
    Critical thinking of any kind is never universal in any individual; everyone is subject to episodes of undisciplined or irrational thought. Its quality is therefore typically a matter of degree and dependent on, among other things, the quality and depth of experience in a given domain of thinking or with respect to a particular class of questions. No one is a critical thinker through-and-through, but only to such-and-such a degree, with such-and-such insights and blind spots, subject to such-and-such tendencies towards self-delusion. For this reason, the development of critical thinking skills and dispositions is a life-long endeavor.

    Another Brief Conceptualization of Critical Thinking
    Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. People who think critically consistently attempt to live rationally, reasonably, empathically. They are keenly aware of the inherently flawed nature of human thinking when left unchecked. They strive to diminish the power of their egocentric and sociocentric tendencies. They use the intellectual tools that critical thinking offers – concepts and principles that enable them to analyze, assess, and improve thinking. They work diligently to develop the intellectual virtues of intellectual integrity, intellectual humility, intellectual civility, intellectual empathy, intellectual sense of justice and confidence in reason. They realize that no matter how skilled they are as thinkers, they can always improve their reasoning abilities and they will at times fall prey to mistakes in reasoning, human irrationality, prejudices, biases, distortions, uncritically accepted social rules and taboos, self-interest, and vested interest. They strive to improve the world in whatever ways they can and contribute to a more rational, civilized society. At the same time, they recognize the complexities often inherent in doing so. They avoid thinking simplistically about complicated issues and strive to appropriately consider the rights and needs of relevant others. They recognize the complexities in developing as thinkers, and commit themselves to life-long practice toward self-improvement. They embody the Socratic principle: The unexamined life is not worth living , because they realize that many unexamined lives together result in an uncritical, unjust, dangerous world. ~ Linda Elder, September, 2007
    Why Critical Thinking?
    The Problem Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or down-right prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.
    A Definition Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and
    imposing intellectual standards upon them.
    The Result A well cultivated critical thinker:
    • raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely;
    • gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards;
    • thinks openmindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and
    • communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.
    Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.
    (Taken from Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools, Foundation for Critical Thinking Press, 2008)
    Critical Thinking Defined by Edward Glaser
    In a seminal study on critical thinking and education in 1941, Edward Glaser defines critical thinking as follows “The ability to think critically, as conceived in this volume, involves three things: ( 1 ) an attitude of being disposed to consider in a thoughtful way the problems and subjects that come within the range of one's experiences, (2) knowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning, and (3) some skill in applying those methods. Critical thinking calls for a persistent effort to examine any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the evidence that supports it and the further conclusions to which it tends. It also generally requires ability to recognize problems, to find workable means for meeting those problems, to gather and marshal pertinent information, to recognize unstated assumptions and values, to comprehend and use language with accuracy, clarity, and discrimination, to interpret data, to appraise evidence and evaluate arguments, to recognize the existence (or non-existence) of logical relationships between propositions, to draw warranted conclusions and generalizations, to put to test the conclusions and generalizations at which one arrives, to reconstruct one's patterns of beliefs on the basis of wider experience, and to render accurate judgments about specific things and qualities in everyday life.
    (Edward M. Glaser, An Experiment in the Development of Critical Thinking, Teacher’s College, Columbia University, 1941)
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2014
  3. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    Awww... it was mildly interesting watching you dance the masochism tango. :)
     
  4. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    I just wondered what skewed comment would come up next. After she tripped on her own statements I could see nothing really interesting came up and it was time to stop wasting bandwidth.
     
  5. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    It is essentially important to grasp the concept of critical thinking, but not absolutely necessary. A point can be made with or without full understanding of the meaning, and an argument can be just as valid without proper structure, albeit flawed. There are some problems I have found with "critical thinking", too. The first problem as I see it, is college students in general. The place they first learn and study critical thinking is also a new realm to them, full of all kinds of distractions to keep their young minds preoccupied. Simply put, an average college student does not have too much experience beyond a high school mentality, and it isn't until later when they can begin to apply critical thinking to everyday life. I am certain however, in their defense, if granted an egregious amount of time to study they could possibly formulate a well balanced and logical argument. Of course, this will require access to Google, Wikipedia, and a few dozen other websites (like the Survival Monkey), created by an older generation who actually have experience and possess knowledge once obtained from books and hard labor and practice. But, I digress...

    Another problem I have with critical thinking is the idea or notion of utilizing "good facts" as opposed to actual facts. There are many cases of this I could use, but I will stick with a very simple example. An actual fact would be to point out how corrupt the FDA really is, and its incompetence or gross neglect for the health and welfare of the people in this country. A "good fact" would be for the uneducated to assume the FDA, as part of the Federal Government, must be doing its job properly just as it always has. An actual fact would be to point out how many countries use GMO crops, and how many make it illegal to grow and even consume them. A "good fact" would be to refer to point one and trust government because the FDA reports do not claim there is any harm to be found with GMO foods. Do you see a pattern here? Critical thinking, argument structure, utilizing facts, all of it is based on criteria which is flawed because the very core philosophy of most people is flawed.

    Regardless, critical thinking as defined by Edward Glaser is spot on the money. I do believe it is important to possess critical thinking skills. But, people suck. Just saying.
     
  6. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    Well, if you can't/wont understand the difference between a brood box and a honey supper, then we should wrap it up.
     
  7. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    I've created a thread on critical thinking because it's so important it deserves it's own thread. Critical Thinking
     
  8. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Ah well, I'll ponder a bit more on the subject and some day we may agree.
     
    Brokor likes this.
  9. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Least we get to far apart. Critical Thinking is the academic Buzz word whilst in the real world it is the much used often abused "Common Sense" phrase that has been around long before 1941.

    The again Airtime may not agree with either of the above since Mentor and Masochism are as differnt as CT and Common Sense are alike.
     
  10. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    Mentor and masochist are completely different but one can unwittingly transition from the former to the later when the student actively refuses to recognize and rejects all of the mentor's wisdom and the mentor fruitlessly continues. I didn't want to go there though I do commend your effort as you exceeded my patience.
    AT
     
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  11. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Bees 6
    Research in the world of beekeepers has provided many insights into the Frame v Non Frame hive types.

    The most informative was a site in Australia and that Bee Forum provided the inner workings of the Australian Government and indicated a reason the non frame design has what is defined as “Bars” dividing the sections, any sections. Information extracted from another source in South America confirmed the same reason why all sections have “Bars”.

    This is best defined as Government infestation into the world of all beekeepers. Both areas as well as the US inspect bee hives and the best way to be able to do this is to have a way to move each section to check for AFB (American Foul Brood) Bee Research : American Foulbrood Disease.

    Brood may be found in any section of the hive, Queens often move beyond the section they first started in for a number of reasons. The first reason is a full brood chamber, two or more queens laying in the hive or an older Queen that has been forced from the main brood chamber by a younger more active Queen.

    Thus we see the legal requirement to inspect hives and as a way to stop the spread of AFB and other diseases. The inspections are not common to the homeowner or small beekeeper.

    It is the belief on 3 continents, this from reviewing several blogs and forums, that the flat bars are added to the frameless hive bodies instead of the rods to circumvent the rules of the inspectors. Some may assume that the bees will form comb in a vertical manner that mimics the bars of frame hives. Such is not the case and is apparent in Bees 5. Australia is in the process of reviewing their codes on Bee Hives and may soon allow only Frame Hives. These to allow full inspection of all hive sections.

    Framed hives provide the needed access and also allow the beekeeper to remove the honey without destroying wax comb. Removing wax comb slows the production of honey storage and also destroys stored pollen. Both needed for a winter over and a way to start and feed the spring crop of new brood.

    As shown in Bees 5 a wandering comb decreases the number of bees that can be raised and increases the death rate in the winter over time of a thriving bee hive. An inspection of the blog pictures indicates that the hive simply ran out of stored honey and was unable to keep the queen and the hive warm until spring time. The increased size of the hive body increased the need for more heat and the death of the hive. I have experienced the same conditions in framed hives but to a known reason of starting too late in the season or of receiving “gifted” hives that were robbed too late in the season.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2014
    Airtime and kellory like this.
  12. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Well, I at least learned some new things in this thread. Thank you Gentlemen. Much obliged.
     
  13. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    And yet, since the legal requirement to inspect hive has been in place, bee diseases have increased, not decreased. Almost as though the constant opening of hives stresses the bees and makes them more likely to die than less. I don't know of a study testing this hypothesis but it's the foundation of the natural bee keeping movement.

    I'm certainly surprised to see more government regulation touted on a site such as this.
     
  14. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Bees 7
    Reporting what is happening in a certain industry does not mean the practice is being condoned by the writer.
    Decades of insecticides use in general is the cause for bee decline and the ill health of the hives.
    Don’t shoot the messenger because you are unhappy with the facts.
     
  15. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    I'm sorry if I misunderstood your intention. It seemed to me that you were using the governments requirement for movable frames as another reason to use those types of hives.
     
  16. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    Bees 8
    I will suggest that you spend a few years building a survivable hive. In this the "catching" of swarms is the most risky and counterproductive for the neophyte beekeeper. Swarms are the product of a crowded hive and are a pretty week group with an often unproven queen.

    You need to be a part of the hive and to do this you must be able to view, up close, the workings of a hive.

    This internet attitude that opening the hives on a monthly basis causes infestation is just unaware neebeies making a reason why hives fail. Bees move massive amounts of air in and out of the hive daily. Beekeepers, especially homestead types, only open the hives on the best, warm sunny days and they do this without disturbing the hive to excess. Bees also import disease into the hives on their thousands of daily trips while seeking nectar and pollen. This nectar must then be evaporated by the bees to cure into honey. This action is a natural one for the bees as they keep the humidity in the hive at a level to prevent mold etc. but it does require them to bring in outside air to dry the hive.

    Wild bees live in very, as a rule, small compact groups. One hollow tree hive is seldom larger than a two bodied framed hive. This is about the size you want to start working with since it is what nature sees as a workable system. When successful with a double bodied hive then you can add a small super and extract, in whatever manner you decide, the honey in only that section after the honey is cured and capped by the bees. You will understand when this happens by having observed your bees needs for a winter over supply of the products they worked so hard to harvest.

    In your climate I suggest that you find a method to insulate your hives in the winter. Honey is what they must burn in their bodies to heat the hive and to keep the Queen alive. Just as a non insulated stick house in the north is costly and foolhardy so too is a unprotected WHITE wood box for bees. Bees can cool a hive much easier than they can heat a hive with costly stored honey. Run out of honey too soon and they die. Keeping bees may at time require the feeding of sugar water to replace a low supply of honey. To know when to do this you must be aware of how the hive works. This requires opening it on a regular basis, just as you check your ground animals so too must you inspect your winged ones.

    The most successful wild hives I have found and moved are those inside the walls of a house.
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2014
    kellory likes this.
  17. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    Warre advises against this. He said that if a hive is too well insulated they wont go into a semi-hibernation and this will cause them to consume more honey than an uninsulated hive.

    My hives are 2" thick pine & they are under a roof.

    Perone thinks the honey and wax are all the insulation they need.
     
  18. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

    You forget I have I a perone hive. It is BLACK! These hives are charred with a blow torch instead of painting them.
     
  19. cjsloane

    cjsloane Monkey

  20. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    on Bees 9

    Timing is every thing. Insulate after the first snow fall and remove when spring hits. Under a roof is even worse for even in cold sunny days they will receive little thermal input.

    Perone does not know where you live and wax is not an insulator, honey, as long as it last is a heat sink not an insulator.
    Perone is no beekeeper. Black will overheat in your area. Perone used a roof because of the wet climate, all year long.

    Insulators prevent heat or cold transfer, this takes a large mass aka tree trunk or dead air space in small spaces.

    You need to go back and review where Perone started and why he did what he did.

    BTW, don't ever plan on moving a perone unless you have a fork truck.
     
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