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A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five.
Groucho Marx (1895-1977)

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008
High 3°C  Low -9°C
Normals: Max: -2°C Min: -13°C
Sunrise 0829  Sunset 1623
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

I found out what happened during the freeze.  The hard  disk file for Ubuntu 8.04 expanded to the point of overflow and that was what caused the freeze.  Later, the Checkdisk run blew away that file and killed that installation.  Too bad, that was my favourite,  I mostly liked it because it had a cool leather desktop background.  8.10 is actually the latest stable version.

Today, I took our ashes (we burn coal) and played with ubuntu

Thursday, December 11th, 2008
High -1°C  Low -7°C
Normals: Max: -2°C Min: -14°C
Sunrise 0830  Sunset 1623
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

Top 20 List of the Best Geek Quotes, Sayings and Phrases: For all the geeks out there, do you know someone who tried to teach themselves how to read Barcode? Here is a list of Geek quotes, sayings and phrases.

Mathematics V.2.1.2: What’s new in this update

Friday, December 12th, 2008
High -7°C  Low -22°C
Normals: Max: -2°C Min: -14°C
Sunrise 0830  Sunset 1623
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

Here comes the snow and cold weather.  We're having the usual suspects over for supper and have been watching the weather.  There are storms and blowing snow forecast for Southern Alberta, but we may escape.

Saturday, December 13th, 2008
High 19°C  Low -29°C
Normals: Max: -2°C Min: -14°C
Sunrise 0830  Sunset 1623
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

Currently minus 22°C (-8.3°F) at 8:57 AM.  Winter is here. We have some snow, now, but not enough for the snowmobile.   

Today: Periods of light snow. Blowing snow at times early this morning. Wind north 30 km/h gusting to 50. High minus 19. Wind chill minus 33.
Tonight: Cloudy. Low minus 29.
Sunday: Clearing in the morning. High minus 24.
Monday: Sunny. Low minus 29. High minus 21.
Tuesday: Sunny. Low minus 25. High minus 13.
Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud with 60 percent chance of flurries. Low minus 16. High minus 12.

Paid some bills today.  I use Quickbooks and the file had gotten corrupted.  Recovering was a huge job, but I'm about done.  I just have to remember to run the verification utility and back up daily.

I notice there is some good discussion on BEE-L lately.  I'm staying out of there, though.

Sunday, December 14th, 2008
High -24°C  Low -30°C
Normals: Max: -2°C Min: -14°C
Sunrise 0830  Sunset 1623
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

Low of minus thirty, says the forecast.  It is now minus thirty-one.

Chris and I ordered new hard drives for our computers today, and an enclosure to allow transferring the image and then using the old drive as a USB drive.  I think we'll use DriveImage, a free utility to do the transfer.  I looked around the web and there are quite a few free transfer and partitioning software offerings.

The old drive on my machine is a 120 GB 5400 SATA drive that shows an actual 104 GB.  I ordered a Hitachi Travelstar 7K320 320GB 2.5" Mobile Hard Drive - 7200, 16MB, a Vantec NST-285S2-BK NexStar SX 2.5" External Hard Drive Enclosure - USB 2.0 SATA-300  and a Patriot Xporter XT Boost 8GB USB Flash Drive - 150x Performance

TigerDirect delivers for $1.99.  For the US, just change the ".ca" in any URL to ".com" and you get the same item on the US site.

Monday, December 15th, 2008
High -22°C  Low -27°C
Normals: Max: -3°C Min: -14°C
Sunrise 0834  Sunset 1623
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

Today is a more pleasant-looking day.  I have to go to Calgary some day to get my passport renewed.  Could this be the day?  I wonder if the car will start.  I never plug it in any more, and it is cold out there.

   *    *    *    *    *    *    *   

Just when you think it might be safe to go back on BEE-L, the rudeness begins again.  The owner/moderator just does not recognise rudeness when it comes along (He apparently reads this diary, and had to ask what was rude, then make a rude comment in my direction.  I thought we had agreed not to talk about it,).

Personally, I'm, starting my one-month counter over again.  Jan15th at the earliest before I post on BEE-L.  Join me on the HoneyBeeWorld List, where such shenanigans are not acceptable.

We'll see if the rudeness affects the stream of contributions.  It has -- immensely IMO -- over the devolution of BEE-L from being the bee list populated by professionals and academics to just another list, dominated largely by amateurs.  Nobody who hopes to continue a career in research dares touch it, barring a few independents,  Nonetheless, people do read it and when I contribute, I sometimes get feedback from the "stars".

There is a set of people who find an abusive style and attitude acceptable, even normal and entertaining.  Interestingly the concentration seems to be in New England and parts of Britain.  I know even a little of such behaviour scares off many, or even most prudent prospective participants, but apparently does not bother the current crop too much.  It is hard to tell because -- myself and a very few others excepted -- nobody writes to say they are giving up or will stay lurking where they are safe .  Notably absent, on what is supposed to be the premier list, however, are the extension people and the researchers.

   *    *    *    *    *    *    *   

I am also starting to figure this out. I have always suspected that the problem is cultural, since the offenders and the owner of the list are from specific regions and a specific culture.  New Yorkers, along with Parisians are known for rudeness.  BEE-L is hosted in New York State, but not the City, so the penny did not drop until now.  My friend never understands what I find outrageous, but finds my humorous and subtle observations in response to be out-of-bounds.  Now I have it figured out, I guess.

I don't have trouble with bluntness in personal relations.  I'm not known for tact either.  However, to my mind, in public discourse and debate, there are rules that let all of us get along.  Maybe I'll list them all here soon.  For a start, addressing individuals personally, then confronting them about an idea -- to me -- is taboo.  The best result can be accomplished by simply addressing the idea and leaving the persons out of it. (to be continued...)

One thing that focussed my thought years ago was an observation by a friend who teaches social work.  He pointed out that people's behaviour in any situation will show what they are really there for.  As often as not, that behaviour will show that the person may have other motives than those that appear on the surface.  This is particularly true with the relationship between abusers and the abused.  If a abused person keeps returning to a situation where he or she is likely to become a victim and there is no real need to return, then it is typically assumed by abusers that the person is actually seeking abuse.  That is a deep subject, and not something to get into here right now.  I looked for links, but all the info I saw seems to be about domestic abuse, which is not unrelated, but which is a different topic.

I am not entirely satisfied with what I have written above, since it touches on quite a few areas each of which is a large and difficult topic, but it is my opinion as best I can express it, and will have to do for now.

   *    *    *    *    *    *    *   

Nope.  The car would not start.  Nothing.  Went to start the 4X4 and it started -- eventually, but needed a little help from the charger.  It does not get driven much and I haven't charged it for six months or so.  I got it going and, with it, I boosted the Merc. 

The Merc started right away.  These newer computerised, fuel-injected cars are marvellously quick starters compared to carbureted vehicles like the old 4X4 which require some cranking and pumping to get going, then needs to warm up before shifting into gear.

I checked and the Merc battery is entirely flat, even after running for 15 minutes.  No surprise, really, since I have noticed a little lag when turning the key lately, and the battery must be 8 years old or more.  So, I'm off to Three Hills to get a battery.

Three Hills is a nice prairie town.  I have lived around here for 40 years now.  When I found rural Alberta, I thought I'd "died and went to heaven". 

   *    *    *    *    *    *    *   

I watched Lars and the Real Girl tonight.  My daughter, Jean, recommended it and Zip sent us the DVD, so, rather reluctantly, I sat down, thinking it would be awful.  Actually it was a charming and wortrhwhile movie, and very unusual. ZipRating

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008
High -11°C  Low -19°C
Normals: Max: -3°C Min: -14°C
Sunrise 0834  Sunset 1624
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

We've warmed up today.  Minus 12 at 9 AM.  I have the battery to install, and the Christmas tree to bring in. 

I went to buy a tree yesterday and found all the large ones were gone.  Apparently there are fewer tree lots this year, and only one in Three Hills.  All the best trees were gone within days of arrival, back on November 25. Actually, we should be growing our own, come to think of it.  We have the space.

I slept in today, so decided to install the battery into the Merc and blow some snow.  We're having our Christmas Party on Sunday, with skating, Ski-joring and more, so I need to have the driveway and the pond clear by then.

We noticed the other day that the patch job on the quonset has not held.  Here is a close-up (right).  Too bad, but the tape simply does not work in cold weather.  Maybe if it had a season to set in the heat, but it didn't.

I cleared the drive and part of the pond before I ran out of gas.  Guess what?  I looked and found I have none on hand, so, rather than drive 30 miles round-trip to get a few gallons, I'll get some when I go to town next.  I need some for the snowmobile, too, and I like to have some extra on hand, just in case.  Living in the country, one has to keep stocks of essentials on hand.

I hope my recent comments about New York aren't taken personally, BTW.  I have many good friends in New York State and have enjoyed myself there immensely.  I have just noticed that there does seem to be a subset that enjoys being abusive.  Seems volume on BEE-L has dropped off again.  Is it due to the tone, or just one of those things?

   *    *    *    *    *    *    *   

Movie night again,  This time it was Monsieur Ibrahim -- another beautiful, non-violent, non-mainstream movie about nice people.  Five stars again.  I give five stars to any movie I don't give up on halfway through.  ZipRating

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008
High -15°C  Low -26°C
Normals: Max: -3°C Min: -14°C
Sunrise 0834  Sunset 1624
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

The forecast says high of -15, but it is currently -11.  Go figure.

I had decided that today has to be the day to go to Calgary.  When I got up around seven and turned on the radio, I heard that traffic there is a mess, and though no more of it, but when dawn came a while later and I looked out, I could see why.  We have serious blowing snow.  My snow clearing from yesterday has drifted right back in.  I think I'll sit tight.

Anyone looking closely will see that my camera has developed a dark spot dead-centre in the picture.  I cleaned the lens, but that did not fix it.  I may have to take it apart -- or replace it.

I see that the cold weather will continue into the weekend.  Does not sound good for our party on Sunday, unless things change.  Around here, we could have a Chinook.  I've seen the temperature go up from minus forty to plus 50 in an hour.  Of course it went right back down after the Chinook blew out a few hours later.

I went to town and stocked up on groceries, and got gas for the blower.

Thursday, December 18th, 2008
High -18°C  Low -25°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -15°C
Sunrise 0836  Sunset 1624
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

More cold weather.  I headed for Calgary around eleven, but after a few miles, and seeing there was blowing snow, decided to turn back. 

It turned out I was tired, too, and seem to be fighting a low-grade flu, so I slept an hour, then went out and blew the snow off the ice and driveway.

The forecasts indicate very cold, but sunny weather the day of our party.  That won't stop us from doing some skating, but may cut things a bit short.

Friday, December 19th, 2008
High -20°C  Low -26°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -15°C
Sunrise 0837  Sunset 1624
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

It's Friday, and the Christmas holidays begin.  We know that Jean, Chris & Mckenzie will be coming, but don't know when.

I've been needing to go to Calgary to renew my passport, since it expires in May.  Some countries require that passports have at least six months remaining to allow entry, and I am thinking I'll be going to the Caribbean sometime this winter for some sailing.  However it takes two weeks to get the passport back, and I may wish to go to one of the US meetings by air in early January, and if I have no passport, that won't work.  At this point, Jan 2nd is two weeks away, and the time in between has a lot of holiday time.  Hmmm.

I watched The Jane Austen Book Club tonite.  It was a good chick flick.

Saturday, December 20th, 2008
High -22°C  Low -34°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -15°C
Sunrise 0837  Sunset 1625
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

Wind chill warning in effect.

Today Day: Sunny. Wind up to 15 km/h. High minus 22. Extreme wind chill minus 40 this morning.
           Night: Clear. Low minus 34.
Sunday Sunny. Wind up to 15 km/h. High minus 22. Wind chill minus 35.
Monday Cloudy with 60 percent chance of flurries. Low minus 24. High minus 21.
Tuesday Sunny. Low minus 30. High minus 18.
Wednesday A mix of sun and cloud. Low minus 29. High minus 17.

Sunday, December 21st, 2008
High -22°C  Low -32°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -15°C
Sunrise 0837  Sunset 1626
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

We had our Christmas party. Although we did a little tobogganing, nobody was eager to go skating.  Jean & Chris stayed over. We had a good visit.

Chris & I had ordered some parts, but they were not here yet.  We're looking forward to doing computer upgrades.

Monday, December 22nd, 2008
High -18°C  Low -28°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -15°C
Sunrise 0838  Sunset 1626
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

We slept in and had a late breakfast, then the Orams headed home. 

I spent the day doing housekeeping and book work.
 

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
High -18°C  Low -28°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -15°C
Sunrise 0838  Sunset 1626
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

A cold, gloomy day for the most part.  We went to Three Hills for groceries and a few other items.

I've been following BEE-L, but not contributing.  Seems that manners and moderating  have improved, but that has been the pattern in the past.  There was one rude retort recently, calling someone's statement "BS".  The writer has cleaned up his act a lot, but still does things like this once in a while.  There is another writer who seems to have a medical or psychiatric condition which causes a predictable pattern of brilliant posts, followed by deliberate and sly abuse, an uproar, nastiness on and off list, then a repetition of the process.  BEE-L has not been DEE-L lately, so I am assuming that either the moderation has prevailed or that the Small Cell fanatics have taken their kit elsewhere.  For those who confuse issues, let me state that I do not totally reject small cell, but that I dislike and avoid evangelism and 'panaceas'.  I also do not appreciate having each and every post on any topic receive more or less the same incoherently written and very vague advice.

At any rate, the better tone and management has drawn some more people out of the woodwork.  If the list can manage to keep from passing through insults, rude remarks and low quality comments, maybe, just maybe some of the more qualified people will join in again.  

There is a droll bumper sticker/slogan that goes like this: "People who think they know it all really annoy those of us who do".  Of course it is tongue in cheek, and has to do with humility, and -- of course -- nobody anyone would like to talk to does know it all, but having a bunch of amateurs constantly guessing about things does not encourage participation by those who really have studied the matter and would like to discuss with their peers, or at least an appreciative audience.  There are a few exceptions.  I won't name names, but there are several who are consistently on topic, well informed, and consistently constructive and few others who come close.  There are others who are just there to chat, show off, or raise Hell now and then, and a vast majority who read the list and never say anything.

Wednesday, December 24th, 2008
High -10°C  Low -24°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -15°C
Sunrise 0838  Sunset 1626
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

I cleaned off the rink again, since we had quite a bit of drifting.  The blower makes the job quite easy, and having electric start makes it possible to start the unit in minus twenty weather.

Orams came mid-afternoon, and Mckenzie went skating, with her mother holding her up.  Then we had Christmas supper, with turkey, etc., opened presents European-style, watched a movie (Back to the Future) and called it a day.

Thursday, December 25th, 2008
High -14°C  Low -23°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -16°C
Sunrise 0839  Sunset 1628
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

Christmas Day!  We are all up and getting ready to head out for a day of skiing at Nakiska, leaving at ten AM.

We got there at 12:30, right on time for an afternoon ticket and put in a bout 6,000 feet of vertical on well-groomed slopes.  Christmas is typically not a busy day on the slopes.

Jean an I are -- or were -- ski instructors, with many years of skiing under our belts, so we have a lot of fun cruising on the open slopes and the steeps when we don't have to worry about unpredictable skiers below.  Chris is pretty good, too and manages to keep up.

We were home for supper at 6:45.

Friday, December 26th, 2008
High -13°C  Low -24°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -16°C
Sunrise 0840  Sunset 1628
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

We were thinking of going back to the mountains, but the weather is still cold and everyone seemed happy to kick around home.  I dragged out the snowmobile, but it seems to be frozen up, so it went into the warm shop.  The 4X4 was happy to start, though, and we did some ski-joring and tobogganing around the fields.
 

Saturday, December 27th, 2008
High -4°C  Low -13°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -16°C
Sunrise 0840  Sunset 1629
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

Jean, Chris & Mckenzie were up at 6:30 and off to COP for two hours of early morning skiing in Calgary.  I demurred, not wanting to drive to Calgary and back.  They had to go anyhow to spend the day with Chris' sister and family.
 

Sunday, December 28th, 2008
High -8°C  Low -17°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -16°C
Sunrise 0840  Sunset 1630
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

The days are getting longer by a minute or so each day.  We can expect that it will get colder for a while yet, though. The forecast is for more snow today, as well.

Monday, December 29th, 2008
High -8°C  Low -15°C
Normals: Max: -4°C Min: -16°C
Sunrise 0840  Sunset 1630
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

We met Jean , Chris & Mckenzie in Red Deer for lunch, then they went to Chapters to buy books with their Christmas gift cards.  I went to Best Buy and London Drugs to look at cameras and things.  I used to go shopping -- mostly looking -- regularly, but have fallen out of the habit.  I discovered Internet Radios for the first time.  They look fascinating, but the reviews are mixed.  I also looked at external hard drives and see that a terabyte external is down to $150, with a 2.5 external 320 gig at $99.  I don't know if I need more storage, having just changed the drive on my main computer, but was sorely tempted.

I also was very tempted by an 8.9" Acer notebook computer.  It is a tiny, but very usable machine, with one GB and a 160 GB HD!, all for $399.  I need another computer like a hole in the head, but, for travelling... (Review) (Review)

I've been following BEE-L, but the talk is mostly about drone removal as a method of varroa control -- strictly a hobbyist or sideliner technique IMO, at least in the regions where I operate.  Manners are reasonably good there, and the formatting is improved, but I see there are a still a few slow learners, and some who post just to say nothing.  IMO, a list like BEE-L should suppress chatty replies and try to encourage more formal, structured and reasoned articles.  Nonetheless, I would say it is head and shoulders above what it has been, and I see a few more people are contributing.  Maybe, just maybe, BEE-L will make it over the bar and become the quality, managed list it should always have been.  I still plan to wait another two weeks before contributing.  Usually, according to the cycles I've observed in the past, someone will go off their meds within any given 30 day span.  I'm ignoring the recent "BS" comment for now, but it is an indicator to me that the moderation is not very stringent in terms of catching and thwarting disruptive and destructive behaviour.

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
High -12°C  Low -19°C
Normals: Max: -5°C Min: -16°C
Sunrise 0840  Sunset 1632
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

We have more snow and colder temperatures again. 

I see that there is a good article mentioned on BEE-L about adulterated, smuggled and misrepresented honey

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
High -5°C  Low -27°C
Normals: Max: -5°C Min: -16°C
Sunrise 0840  Sunset 1633
Decembers past: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999
Honey Bee World Forum |  HoneyBeeWorld List | Diary Home

New Years Eve. The weather continues cold, and is predicted to get colder for the next few days.  If we are going skiing, today would be the day.  Canyon at Red Deer would be the target.

El & I went to Jean & Chris' for the evening and stayed over.  Chris & I played with our computers, Jean, Ellen & McKenzie watched movies and played with the Wii