The Chat Thread (Read OP)

[Aexodus]

About 3/4 arable crops need insect pollination. So yeah the bees are helpful.

[Commissar Caligula_]

We need more votes for 2018's two Picture of the Year competitions. There's good submissions for both.
POTY 2018
GPOTY 2018

[Flinn]

About 3/4 arable crops need insect pollination. So yeah the bees are helpful.

As someone who's having his own vineyard, I can tell that bees are vital, not just helpful. I'm blessed because I live in a countryside area, and because there are actually 2 different beekeepers in my village. Plus bees are really not aggressive, for instance when we harvest grapes in October we are literally swarmed by hundreds of them: they are everywhere around you, in your hairs, they cover your hands, they cover the tools you use (not to say the crates) but in more than 25 years I never had 1 sting

[Diamat]

I don't understand why anyone would want to destroy a bee hive. As Flinn said, they're not aggressive. Wasps are a different story though. Besides, wasps and hornets tend to kill bees. So let us defend the bees! Kill all wasps and hornets!

[Flinn]

From what I've understood, it's a collateral damage; bees have a weak social structure, because they depend on the Queen to survive, therefore they are vulnerable if the Queen got killed or even only puzzled by pesticides. The issue is probably that they should be more careful when using pesticides.. while I agree with Mayer that in certain areas pesticides are essential, I've witnessed myself their abuse: for instance in my area there's no need to use them, both because pest is a non-issue and because production is very limited and mostly for home usage, still people is using them like if it was water.. every once in a while someone even dies because of intoxication from prolonged use of pesticides, especially with olive trees ..

[Ishan]

Bees\Wasps are fine and all but if they come in my home; then it's war!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Mayer]

Plus bees are really not aggressive, for instance when we harvest grapes in October we are literally swarmed by hundreds of them: they are everywhere around you, in your hairs, they cover your hands, they cover the tools you use (not to say the crates) but in more than 25 years I never had 1 sting

European honey bees have been bred for generations to be docile, you wouldn't be able to do the same with aggressive african bees when you want to avoid a hospital visit.
Plus the european honey bee is far from being endangered, it's rare wild bees who are getting extinct, because they are overspecialised to a ecological niche(e.g. requiring a specific flower which only grows in plains)

[Diamat]

Let the weak perish. That includes pandas.

[AqD]

and birds!

[Diamat]

Someone is really testing his boundaries.

[Sar1n]

Sounds like someone needs to invest in a good shotgun and copious amount of buckshot....

[AqD]

Someone is really testing his boundaries.

Humans have no boundaries.

[Sir Adrian]

I see you've never lived near seagulls.

[Mayer]

Raven and Crows can beat dogs and human children in a intelligence test. I'd be more worried that these descendants of dinosaurs will evolve back on top of the food chain, than that they perish.

[Diamat]

Indeed, we are currently experimenting with genetic manipulation, turning birds back into dinosaurs by extracting certain genes. FEAR.

[Lуra]

Seagulls are slowly learning how to consistently kill and eat pigeons here. Cool stuff. A dead pigeon almost fell on me the other day.

Always fear the birds.

[Diamat]

For birds, the beach is like Paris is for humans.

[PikeStance]

The birds and bees (and panda). Education. I had a new one today. teaching ELL or ESL students is never dull. Today, I asked a student when they plan on turning in their assessment. She says the day after yesterday.

[Niles Crane]

Ugh, 15 years on this forum as of yesterday. That's longer than half the membership has been alive.

[Diamat]

Ugh, 15 years on this forum as of yesterday. That's longer than half the membership has been alive.

It's crazy to think that we are already that old. For sake, I'm debating politics with people who weren't even born when 9/11 happened.