Collapse in bee population seems to be explained.

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

http://www.globalanimal.org/2010/12/20/wikileaks-says-epa-is-a-buzz-kill-for-bee-colonies/26984/

This is one of many similiar articles, originating from wikileaks(which I believe has been shut down due to the military themed documents that found there way onto the site). I haven't seen anything about it here, and seeing as we have a half dozen "See, there's this girl..." threads everyday, I think this warrants some attention.

The jist is that the US government has been knowingly endorsing a pesticide which kills bees, a pesticide which is banned in much of western Europe including Germany...where it's made(by a company called Bayer, a company that sponsored Mengele's Auschwitz atrocities, sold HIV infected blood-factor medicines that killed thousands, and has had many other contraversies to it's name).

Given how instrumental bees are to agriculture(a third of America's food supply is dependant on them) you'd think this would be bigger news.

Escapist, your thoughts?

 

[Nocta-Aeterna]

Well, that would explain quite something, but I guess it kinda flew under the radar what with all the military leaks.

 

[TimeLord]

The Bees didn't disappear.



They just went home.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

The Bees didn't disappear.



They just went home.

Well, that's a theory of sorts...life immitating art.

 

[manythings]

Might I add bees pollinate the GOOD third of food. The rest is root vegetables and such but imagine a world without fruit...

Bayer have also been busy sterilizing portions of south america with their pesticides. This would be well within the range of Monsato and it's efforts to control the food supply of the US.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I can't say I'm too surprised.
Bayer is the same company that invented Heroin. It was to help people get off of Morphine addiction. Of course, those people ended up getting addicted to Heroin.
They probably invented Methadone too.
It's a real "power to the people/screw the bottom line" company aren't they?

It's amazing how many companies make products that ultimately destroy their customers. It's not just for tobacco anymore.

 

[Booze Zombie]

I'd say "we tamper with that we don't understand", but we know every fucking detail and just don't care.

 

[Salem_Wolf]

Interesting, but somehow I doubt the US Government is THAT stupid as to purposely kill the bee population because, let's face it, we all need to eat.

...unless it's a massive conspiracy to make the USA rely more on fast food and fatten us up so we become dependent on doing what they say! CONSPIRACY!

But no, there's always someone saying the Government is involved in something, the fact you're only now finding this article astounds me. I'm not surprised this was found a few days after the whole "bee collapse" thing. I have no idea what to believe, but if this is true I'm moving to another country. Might do that anyway...

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Huh. This is the same Bayer that discovered aspirin and heroin?

Anyway, I'm not so sure. Seems a bit conspiracy theory to me.

I can't say I'm too surprised.
Bayer is the same company that invented Heroin. It was to help people get off of Morphine addiction. Of course, those people ended up getting addicted to Heroin.
They probably invented Methadone too.
It's a real "power to the people/screw the bottom line" company aren't they?

It's amazing how many companies make products that ultimately destroy their customers. It's not just for tobacco anymore.

I thought heroin was originall sold a a cough medicine? Anyway I think I personally owe Bayer something as they are the company that make my girlfriend's birth control pill from the NHS.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Interesting, but somehow I doubt the US Government is THAT stupid as to purposely kill the bee population because, let's face it, we all need to eat.

...unless it's a massive conspiracy to make the USA rely more on fast food and fatten us up so we become dependent on doing what they say! CONSPIRACY!

But no, there's always someone saying the Government is involved in something, the fact you're only now finding this article astounds me. I'm not surprised this was found a few days after the whole "bee collapse" thing. I have no idea what to believe, but if this is true I'm moving to another country. Might do that anyway...

France put a provisional ban on the pesticide immediately.

I doubt this is about apathy from your government, it's almost certainly about money.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

Interesting, but somehow I doubt the US Government is THAT stupid as to purposely kill the bee population because, let's face it, we all need to eat.

...unless it's a massive conspiracy to make the USA rely more on fast food and fatten us up so we become dependent on doing what they say! CONSPIRACY!

But no, there's always someone saying the Government is involved in something, the fact you're only now finding this article astounds me. I'm not surprised this was found a few days after the whole "bee collapse" thing. I have no idea what to believe, but if this is true I'm moving to another country. Might do that anyway...

The EPA is part of the government, so there clearly is federal involvement.

It's not that Bayer said "Hey, EPA. We have this pesticide that works pretty well but kills bees, how about it?"

The pesticide was given a provisional trial by the EPA despite the EPA scientists having a great deal of trepidation about it. They were basically given the go ahead but told that they had to do their own research and turn it in within a year(which quickly got extended to within a 3-4 year period), it's unsurprising that Bayer refused to find fault with their own product(as I understand it, the research they turned in was shoddy to say the least).

Another Bayer pesticide was banned early last year under very similiar circumstances, namely that it was a "threat to honeybees".

It's not "conspiracy theory" stuff, Bayer do genuinly suck(look them up), and evidently the EPA are fairly incompetent, and willing to ignore their own scientists.

 

[Xojins]

Sorry, I had to. I'm honestly not surprised by anything I read on wikileaks anymore because of how much ridiculous stuff has already been posted.

 

[Erana]

I coulda sworn it was a combination of a virus and fungus that would double-team bees and make them go nuts, flying away from their hive? I read an article involving bee autopsies and everything! D:

Now, SHP, explain the birds dying en masse around the world.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

I coulda sworn it was a combination of a virus and fungus that would double-team bees and make them go nuts, flying away from their hive? I read an article involving bee autopsies and everything! D:

Now, SHP, explain the birds dying en masse around the world.

They're dying of broken hearts because they miss the bees?

I'm not saying that it's the sole contributor, I'm pretty sure that the article mentions the fungus itself. Anything that is damaging to the bees, is ruining their chances by lowering the effectiveness of their immune systems.

My title was poor, I know this...I've only made 2 threads thus far and neither have been successful. The real meat of the discussion(at least in my mind)was about the easy-going attitude the EPA seem to have regarding the issue. I would have thought they would be more concerned, and impose higher standards.

 

[PeePantz]

http://www.globalanimal.org/2010/12/20/wikileaks-says-epa-is-a-buzz-kill-for-bee-colonies/26984/

This is one of many similiar articles, originating from wikileaks(which I believe has been shut down due to the military themed documents that found there way onto the site). I haven't seen anything about it here, and seeing as we have a half dozen "See, there's this girl..." threads everyday, I think this warrants some attention.

The jist is that the US government has been knowingly endorsing a pesticide which kills bees, a pesticide which is banned in much of western Europe including Germany...where it's made(by a company called Bayer, a company that sponsored Mengele's Auschwitz atrocities, sold HIV infected blood-factor medicines that killed thousands, and has had many other contraversies to it's name).

Given how instrumental bees are to agriculture(a third of America's food supply is dependant on them) you'd think this would be bigger news.

Escapist, your thoughts?

I personally enjoy bees as an insect and I absolutely love honey. The disappearance of bees has always troubled me, and I thank you for letting this community in on the potential reason. I personally feel that someone has a collection of bee suits much like 101 Dalmatians.