I wanted to keep bees on a suburban lot in South Carolina, but it was "illegal" under the regulations of the homeowners' association -- which had all actually been written by the developer and turned over to the 'association' as a de facto constitution. I was already involved in a fight with the same developer about his desire to build two houses on a area of isolated wetlands that were preserved as a 'conservation easement', precisely because of his initial development -- but they had been preserved by the Army Corps of Engineers (ironically) in their (often misguided or malicious) efforts to manage the nation's waterways and this federal power to protect 'isolated wetlands' in such a way had been promptly repealed by the Bush administration... leading to a sort of development boom in the South Carolina Lowcountry, since much of the previously protected wetlands were now governed only by state regulations (and most states had no such regulations since the activity had been in the domain of the Corps of Engineers).

Anyway, it seemed a more important fight; to save that small boggy & impenetrable patch of swamp magnolias, pines, gums, and even invasive species (Bradford Pears, and Tree of Heaven especially, but also lots of lawn grass and garden plants), since neighbors used one corner (which had been "accidentally" razed) as a dumping area for yard waste. And so I saved the little "less than an acre", from the developer who wanted to sell two more homes in a neighborhood where we already lived on lots the size of postage stamps. And also saved it from the crowd in the homeowners association meetings who wanted a "pool and/or clubhouse" on the forested land. I saved it, and so I still heard birds singing, and woodpeckers pecking. And, I had lots of bees, birds, butterflies, lizards, and snakes, and worms, and mice, and moles, etc. (because they still had a bit of the wild from whence to come) and I received plenty of fines and threats for my suburban permaculture experiment (one "neighbor" actually climbed on his roof to see what was in the jungle behind my fence, instead of merely asking and enjoying the tour that I loved to give to anyone who would let me), that was quite a spectacle... but as for the honey, someone else was reaping that reward. And I felt I didn't have the energy for the hives, much less the fight that would ensue once the hives were discovered. The thought of hives gave me hives, heh, pun fun. Yet the idea came to me again, when considering an 'urban ecovillage' in Buenos Aires, and the prospects for hives in urban areas. It seemed to me that the tree-lined streets and gardens full of flowers and citruses would provide a comfortable habitat, and the bees would be as integral and natural addition as they were in my suburban garden. However, when my own (usually entirely supportive) wife looked at me as if concerned for my mental health after I suggested the idea of intentionally bringing entire hives of bees into an urban apartment tower, I knew that it would likely be as difficult of a battle here as anywhere. (Especially considering that she's a "mental health" advocate, who has done a great deal of work to get people OUT of mental institutions.)

Yet, a small collective of underground apiculturists in New York City are teaming up and forming a powerful lobby that has already succeeded in introducing legislation to overturn the city's ban on bee-keeping. They're showing that the idea is not only viable, but that it enriches the local environment (and economy) in more ways than most people seemed to anticipate. It's hardly just for the honey. Click on through to read this very interesting article that has everything from direct action anarchist apiculture to ecopsychology...  (continued...)

"Science transcends mere politics. As recent history demonstrates, scientists are as willing to work for a Tojo, a Hitler, or a Stalin as for the free nations of the West." - Ed Abbey

Quite a few web sources that I browse had decided to republish the results of a small, but interesting, psychological research project that was conducted recently. The basic premise of the whole project was that accompanying a verbal request with a light touch on the arm will produce a greater number of 'positive' responses to the request than if it were unaccompanied by the tactile element. Their results confirmed the hypothesis when statistically significant margins showed that a light touch on the arm was effective at producing a 'yes' in situations that would most likely have otherwise produced a 'no'. (continued...)

In the last couple of weeks it seemed like I was seeing one horrific murder-suicide story after another. (And I wasn't looking for them.) There were several instances of decapitation, and not in Iraq or Indonesia, but in the 'developed world'... the leading economies of the 'developed world'. In Japan a boy walked into a police station carrying his mother's severed head and a couple of similar intra-familial murders in the US ended in a less passive form of 'suicide' than that of surrendering to the state -- individuals in two different cases actually attempted to remove their own heads after killing their parent[s]. The one in California who made his attempt with a circular saw wasn't quite successful (he succeeded in killing himself, but his head didn't roll across the floor), but a determined German fellow proved that a chainsaw can do the job. And just before removing his head so clamorously, he stabbed his father to death. (continued...)

Architectural relics and modern structures show that we may not be much different than our ancestors.

ARCHEOLOGISTS recently discovered what appears to be the other half of Stonehenge, illuminating what they believe is a much larger Neolithic complex than has long been envisioned. What is coming to the surface seems strangely familiar. Looking closely at Stonehenge and other Neolithic sites, we find the formative patterns of our modern world. (continued...)

I had been doing a bit of reading about the 'hidden history' of Mother's Day (so much of the history we uncritically accept is a horribly skewed and blatantly propagandized version of what actually occurred), but I browsed my way to this very interesting article that summarizes some of the recent science regarding the physiological and psychological changes that accompany pregnancy and childbirth. And not just in women, but also men. (continued...)