For some time the bee population has been declining. This is likely due to many causes. However, in the past few years the decline of honeybees started becoming precipitous with entire colonies merely disappearing rapidly. Most people don't realize how alarming this is. But when you consider that a third of our food supply is dependent on insect pollination, and the vast majority of that pollination is thanks to honeybees, it means about one third of our food supply is at risk. Add to this the fact that fisheries are also collapsing (I recently heard that 90% are in decline, though outright collapse is occurring in some 50% of them) and you have some serious food shortages looming.

This is not exaggeration. This is based on current scientific data.

One of the most worrisome aspect of Colony Collapse Disorder was that no one could find a cause for it. It was frustrating not even knowing what the primary threat to our food supply was.

But now scientists ins Spain have found at least one cause and have been able to treat it. From Ars Technica:
 more this way»

I cannot get enough of Sarah Palin's cluelessness. I swear, it's just magic to me how she is lost in the happy-go-luckiness of her ignorance. Especially since she had just previously pardoned a frigging turkey at the same poultry farm.

As commenter teoleftfeet said over at Metafilter, "There's something very very surreal about government leaders sparing the life of a being and then ignoring the slaughter of others. Very very surreal."

Ignorance is indeed bliss. 

Yet what's really over the top and had me literally rolling on the floor with tears streaming down my face was that the guy in the background comes back to do the unspeakable behind her all over again.

That's what we call chutzpah.

Iowa Farmers Union Lobby Day & Press Conference
When: Mon, Mar 17, 22:00 – Tue, Mar 18, 04:00
Where: North Rotunda area of the State Capitol in Des Moines.

Iowa Farmers Union members & supporters will talk with legislators & their staff about top legislative priorities for 2008 including local control, market access, & local ownership of renewable energy projects. For more information contact Leigh Adcock at 515-232-4082 email: leigh_adcock_at_prairienet.net

Sustainable Mini-Farming Workshop, Willits, California.
February 29-March 2

The weekend workshop will consist of lectures, discussion, and demonstration on soil preparation, sustainable soil fertility, fertilization, compost, compost crops, efficient resource use, crops for full nutrition, and crops for income. Contact: Margo Royer-Miller, Ecology Action, margoroyer-miller@growbiointensive.org, (707) 459-0150.