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Managing Varroa Mites in Honey Bee Colonies
Honey bee health remains a primary focus of researchers in response to high annual losses of commercial colonies in the United States and Canada. Although not fully understood, high colony mortalities stem from multiple factors that include the parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman, viruses vectored to bees by varroa mites, pesticide exposure, residues of agrochemicals in hives, and poor nutrition. Varroa mites and the viruses they vector are currently viewed as the primary killers of honey bees worldwide.
The acaricides used to control varroa mites are an additional threat when sequestered as chemical residues in combs. Chemicals placed in colonies contaminate hive products (beeswax) and may cause sublethal effects on individual bees that reduce overall colony health. Using miticides also results in mite populations with genetic resistance to these chemicals. For these reasons, chemicals to control varroa mites should be used minimally. Integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that slow the growth of mite populations and reduce the need for miticides are key to minimizing chemical use. This publication provides an overview of the biology of varroa mites and IPM approaches that can be used to manage varroa mite populations.
Basic Biology of the Varroa Mite
The varroa mite is the most serious pest of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) throughout the world. This mite was first described on the Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana F.) from Java, Indonesia, in 1904. The mite was originally called Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans, but research published in 2000 indicated that more than one species of varroa mites existed. It turns out that V. jacobsoni usually does not kill or damage colonies of the Western honey bee, and V. destructor is the species causing most harm to bees. The first reports of varroa mites attacking Western honey bees were in the early 1960s in Asia.
The varroa mite has since become established on every continent, including Australia. Varroa mites spread between continents via commercial transport of bees by beekeepers and by swarms that fly long distances or hitch rides on ships, airplanes, and trucks. Varroa mites move within infected regions by the same transport mechanisms. Within apiaries, varroa mites move with drifting bees, or they hitch rides on robber bees that attack hives weakened by mite parasitism.
Adult female varroa mites are oval and flat, about 1.1 millimeter long and 1.5 millimeter wide. They are tan to reddish-brown and can be seen easily with the unaided eye (Figure 1). Male mites are considerably smaller and are a light tan color. Male mites are not usually seen outside brood cells.
Varroa mites reproduce within brood cells, where they feed upon the developing bee pupae to obtain nourishment for egg production (Figure 2). Mite offspring also feed on the host pupa to obtain nourishment for growth and development. When colonies of bees are raising drone brood, varroa mites prefer to invade drone brood about nine times more than worker brood. This is significant because the development time of drones is a few days longer than workers (24 and 21 days, respectively). The mites can produce more adult daughters when in drone brood, and mite populations can grow faster than when a colony only has worker brood.
- Adult female mite invades brood cell about 15–18 hours before brood cell is capped.
- The mite lays first egg (male) about 30–35 hours after invading cell.
- The mite lays three to four eggs (female) at about 30-hour intervals.
- Each offspring progresses through two nymph stages before becoming an adult.
- The male mite becomes an adult before his sisters.
- The first daughter matures to adulthood and mates several times with her brother.
- The second daughter reaches adulthood and mates with brother. The oldest daughter continues to darken.
- The bee pupa expands wings and about a day later emerges from the brood cell.
- The mother mite and one to two adult daughters leave a worker brood cell with the emerging bee. Each of these mites lives on adult bees for about a week before invading a new brood cell to reproduce.
Adult bees serve as intermediate hosts when there is no brood available. Varroa mites attach to adult bees between the abdominal segments or between body regions (head, thorax, and abdomen), making them difficult to detect. These are also places from which they can easily feed on the fat body tissues of the adult bee.
Adult female mites invade brood cells that contain 5-day-old worker larvae, and the adult bees cap these brood cells shortly afterward. Each mite lays up to four or five eggs at approximately 30-hour intervals. The first egg usually develops into a male, and the later ones into females. The development of offspring proceeds from egg to six-legged larva (within the egg envelope) to eight-legged protonymph to deutonymph, and finally to a sexually mature adult mite in 5½ days (female) to 6½ days (male) (Figure 3).
The larvae and protonymphs of male and female mites look identical, but the deutonymphs and adults are easy to differentiate. The females are oval in shape, while the males are more triangular. Mites shed their cuticles when molting into the next nymphal stage. However, only the shed cuticles from the last molt (deutonymph into adult mite) are easily seen in brood cells. Young adult mites mate in the capped cells. Adult males and all immature mites die after the host bee emerges from the brood cell (when nest bees clean the cells). Young adult daughters and the mother mite exit the brood cell with the emerging host, and they eventually transfer to other passing bees. A mite enters another brood cell in about 7 days during periods when brood is available. However, varroa mites may survive more than 100 days when no brood is available, such as during the winter months.
Adult bees growing from a mite-infested brood cell suffer from loss of body fat and are often underweight. Their lifespans may be greatly reduced, and the most severe damage occurs when mites vector harmful viruses to the bees. Although many viruses can be vectored, it seems that a particularly virulent form of the honey bee deformed wing virus (DWV) kills most colonies. The degree of damage from direct feeding by the mites depends on the number of mites parasitizing each bee larva. One or two invading mites will produce enough offspring to decrease the vitality of the emerging bee. Higher numbers of varroa mites per cell result in malformations like shortened abdomens, misshapen wings, and deformed legs or even death. Normal colony functions become disrupted when young bees that normally progress through a series of age-related tasks are lost prematurely from the bee population.
Eventually, the mite population increases to economically damaging levels, and the colony weakens and begins to exhibit symptoms of a condition known as parasitic mite syndrome (PMS). The basic symptoms are a very weak colony with brood combs having a poor capped brood pattern and sick larvae showing a yellow or brown color caused by viral diseases (Figure 4). Colonies exhibiting PMS usually cannot be saved.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Varroa Mites
IPM is a method of dealing with pests and parasites that differs from the application of chemical treatments on a regular schedule. It is based on the realization that one cannot chemically eradicate pests or parasites but must continually manage their populations. IPM (Figure 5) involves mixing different tactics (genetic/cultural methods, mechanical/physical methods, and chemical treatments) and knowing critical times in the life cycles of the target organisms that make them vulnerable to control methods. Chemicals are only applied when pest populations are above an action or economic threshold, rather than on a timed schedule. The reduced use of chemicals to control varroa mites limits possible contamination of hive products and delays the development of resistance to the chemical by the mites. It also reduces the exposure of the bees to potentially harmful chemicals. This is especially significant because most of the miticides used to kill varroa mites are known to have some negative health consequences for honey bees.
Sampling for Varroa Mites
A key component of IPM is that decisions to use chemicals for controlling pests are based on sampling (monitoring and identification) the pest population and only treating when a critical threshold has been reached. Generally, the action threshold reflects a population of mites that if not treated could quickly grow to damaging levels that cause economic injury to your hive. The decision on whether or not to apply a chemical is based on thresholds derived from sampling the pest population. In beekeeping, this is not as easy as in row crops, but it is still possible.
The economic threshold for varroa mite populations in colonies with 25,000–34,000 bees is in the range of 3,172–4,261 total mites in August for the southern United States (Delaplane and Hood, 1999). This range corresponds to 9–18 phoretic mites found on a sample of 300 adult bees, which is a mite load of 3–6 percent. Most beekeepers prefer to use the 3 percent end of the range as the action threshold. Migratory beekeepers may need to use a lower threshold because there is a lot of movement of mites between holding yards and among apiaries from different commercial beekeepers at pollination sites. Additionally, research suggests that some viruses vectored by varroa mites are becoming more virulent through time. More research is needed to determine the best minimal thresholds for a variety of beekeeping practices. Until new thresholds are established, it might be prudent to intervene when the total mite load in a colony is 2,000–2,500 mites, which is a population only weeks from a currently accepted economic threshold (Table 1).
Time of year |
Total mite population |
Mites on adult bees1 |
Beekeeper action2 |
summer |
500 mites |
0.5–0.7% |
Wait; 9–12 weeks for mite population to reach threshold |
summer |
1,000 mites |
1.0–1.3% |
Wait; 6–8 weeks for mite population to reach threshold |
summer |
2,000 mites |
2.0–2.7% |
Treat with miticide; 2–3 weeks for mite population to reach threshold |
autumn |
≥ 2,500 mites |
2.4–3.3% |
Treat with miticide; 1–2 weeks for mite population to reach threshold |
anytime |
≥ 3,700 mites |
3.6–5.1% |
Treat with miticide; 1–2 weeks for mite population to reach threshold or at threshold |
1Range given for colony population equal to 24,000–34,000 adult bees.
2Range based on mite population growth rates during typical non-drought seasons in the southern United States.
The mite population is distributed among the adult bees and the capped brood within a colony. Although there is considerable variation, typically one-third of the mite population resides on adult bees and two-thirds are in capped brood. This distribution assumes that brood production is normal and has not been interrupted by the loss of a queen. This assumed distribution is probably less accurate when drone production is highest in early spring, but it provides a reasonable basis for interpreting the different sampling methods to be described below.
In Table 1, the assumed economic or action threshold is 3,700 mites (the midpoint of the range of 3,172–4,261 mites). The mite load on adult bees was calculated by assuming one-third of all mites were on bees (in a bee population of 24,000–34,000 adults). The time to reach 3,700 mites was estimated using exponential growth rates measured for mite populations in a typical spring–summer season (not during hot and dry periods associated with drought) in the southern United States.
Sampling Mites on Adult Bees
The most convenient methods of sampling varroa mites involve estimating the prevalence of mites on adult bees. The prevalence is often described as a percentage. For example, a 3 percent mite load means that there were three adult mites counted for every 100 bees. Most beekeepers prefer not to kill bees during sampling, but people with many colonies might find it more efficient to collect samples from many colonies at once and measure the mite loads at a more convenient time later. The most commonly used nondestructive sampling method is the powdered sugar shake. This method is much less accurate in high humidity conditions when the powdered sugar tends to clump. The clumped sugar is less likely to dislodge mites, and the method will underestimate the mite load on adult bees. The destructive method involves washing samples of dead bees with alcohol or a soapy water mixture. This method is much more accurate than the sugar shake.
Sugar Shake Method
The powdered sugar roll or sugar shake supposedly provides a means for estimating the mite load without killing the adult bees that are sampled. However, research by Dr. Jennifer Tsuruda at the University of Tennessee (personal communication) showed that sugar-coated bees die or are removed from the hive shortly after they are re-introduced into their hive. The method hinges on the ability of dusts with small particle size to dislodge the adult mites from the bodies of the adult bees. The small particles of 10x confectioners sugar create a barrier between the bodies of bees and the specially modified feet of the mites, which are like small suction cups.
The first step is to make a jar for sampling adult bees. A wide-mouthed quart- or pint-sized canning jar works nicely. The trick is to replace the solid dome of the canning jar with a circular piece of 8-by-8 wire mesh cut to fit the jar. The mesh is held in place with the ring normally used to secure the canning dome lid. When bees are rolled and coated in the sugar, the mites' feet eventually contact the powder and they lose their grip. The sugar can then be poured onto a sheet of wax paper, and the falling mites can be counted. If it is windy, sprinkle the sugar onto a heavy-duty white paper plate that won't blow away.
To sample a colony, it is best to locate the queen and make sure she does not accidentally end up in the sampled bees. Varroa mites reside on younger bees within the broodnest. Choose two combs with capped and/or uncapped brood from the brood chamber and gently shake the adhering bees from the two combs into an empty box (a cardboard nuc box works well). Mix the bees and then place 400 bees (½ cup) into the sampling jar.
Secure the mesh wire with the canning ring and add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar through the mesh onto the bees. Mix the bees and sugar to thoroughly coat all of the bees. Wait about 2–3 minutes before turning the jar upside-down and shaking the sugar from the jar onto the wax paper or paper plate. Continue shaking the bees for a minute or so to dislodge all of the mites. You may want to repeat this process to make sure all mites are dislodged from the bees.
The mites will appear as small, brown, oval flecks in the powdered sugar. Sometimes movement of their legs makes them easier to see. If you have trouble seeing the mites, a small amount of water can be added to dissolve the sugar and reveal the mites. To estimate the mite load, count the total number of mites dropped from the sample, divide by the total number of bees that were sampled, and multiply by 100. For example, if you sampled 400 bees and found 20 mites: (20 ÷ 400) x 100 = 5%.
Alcohol Wash
The alcohol wash is similar to the sugar shake except that the adult bees are killed before measuring the mite load. Bees are taken from two combs of capped brood as in the previous section, and 400 worker bees are put into a jar or into a Ziploc bag, which is then sealed. Jars or bags should be labeled to identify each colony being sampled, and samples can be stored on ice during transport from an apiary.
Samples in Ziploc bags can be frozen if washing will be done at a later date. When you are ready to wash frozen samples, transfer the bees from the Ziploc bags into canning jars and add 70 percent ethanol to completely cover the bees. Be sure to examine the Ziploc bags for any mites and transfer them into the jars with the bees.
If bee samples are collected in canning jars while in the field, 70 percent ethanol can be added to them immediately, especially if they are to be washed on the following day or so. The alcohol should completely cover the adult bees. Secure the solid dome lid onto each jar with the ring. Washing works best if the bees have soaked in the alcohol for at least a day.
Shake the bees vigorously for several minutes before pouring them through a filter made of 8-by-8 wire mesh placed over a catch reservoir. The mesh will retain the bees while the ethanol and mites pass into the reservoir (Figure 6). If the reservoir is white, the mites will show up well for counting. After counting the first wash of mites, decant the ethanol from the sample and discard the mites. Wash the sample of bees again. Several washes may be needed to dislodge all mites. The mite load is found as in the previous section by dividing the total number of mites by the total number of bees that were sampled and multiplying by 100.
If you do not have access to ethanol, a soapy water solution can be used to wash the mites from the bees. Add 1–2 milliliters (15–30 drops) liquid dish detergent to 500 milliliters (about 1 pint) of water to make the washing solution. Agitate the bees in the detergent solution for several minutes before filtering. This method is more efficient if you use mechanical shakers for several hours.
Using Mite Drop to the Floor as Indicator of Mite Population
The increased popularity of screen floors in hives as a non-chemical control method for varroa mites (see below) offers a fairly passive and relatively non-disruptive method for sampling colonies. The method is based on the phenomenon that the number of varroa mites falling to the floor correlates to the mite population within the colony. Specifically, the degree of "mite drop" reflects the total mite population—mites in brood cells and on adult bees. Presumably, adult female mites fall from worker bees regularly, and dead adult mites are removed from brood cells and dropped to the floor by nest-cleaning bees. The sugar shake or alcohol wash only estimates the mite load on the adult bees.
The basic procedure is to insert a piece of cardboard covered with adhesive beneath the screened floor of the hive. The 8-by-8 screen mesh allows mites to fall through to the adhesive on the sticky board but prevents the bees from contacting the sampling surface. The adhesive may be a thin layer of non-stick cooking spray or petroleum jelly applied to the board. Many commercial screened bottom boards are made with a groove to which a sticky board can be easily inserted from behind the hive. The commercial sticky boards usually come with a sampling grid to make counting the mites easier. Sticky boards can also be made from white cardboard and cut to fit the typical bottom board.
Leave the sticky board in place for 3 days, and then count the number of dead mites. The daily "mite drop" is estimated by dividing the total mites by the number of days for the sampling period. The economic thresholds estimated for using this technique vary widely from region to region. However, a reasonably conservative threshold for late summer in Mississippi would be a daily mite drop greater than 40–50 mites per day.
Making Apiary-Level Treatment Decisions
Practical sampling plans have been developed that beekeepers can use to make treatment decisions for whole apiaries based on samples from a few colonies (Lee et al. 2010). Commercial beekeepers needing to make apiary-level treatment decisions do not have the time or resources to sample every colony they own, which could be hundreds to thousands of colonies. Although sampling schemes were developed to make apiary-level treatment decisions, a beekeeper cannot make a decision about treating all apiaries based on the sampling decision made for one apiary. This is because the mite loads can vary significantly between apiaries within a single commercial operation.
The basic procedure for apiary-level decisions involves averaging the adult bee mite loads taken from a subset of colonies within the apiary—each colony is sampled by an alcohol wash of 300-400 bees (as above). The average mite density of these samples will reflect the average mite load of the entire apiary. If the average mite load exceeds the action threshold, treat the entire apiary with chemicals to control varroa mites.
The number of colonies sampled in an apiary depends on the number of colonies within the apiary. The colonies sampled should be chosen at random and should include the entire geographical range of the apiary (not just concentrated in one area). For example, apiary-level treatment decisions can be made for apiaries with more than 20 colonies by sampling no more than eight colonies with a reasonable level of precision. This means that a beekeeper samples eight different colonies in an apiary of 25 colonies, and only samples eight colonies in another apiary of 60 colonies. The researchers that developed the schemes did recommend fewer samples for smaller apiaries (Table 2).
# colonies in apiary |
# sampled |
>20 |
8 |
20 |
6 |
10 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
Nonchemical Methods for Slowing Growth of Mite Populations
Various nonchemical methods can be used to reduce the growth of mite populations in colonies of honey bees. For example, immigration of mites between apiaries can be limited if the distance between apiaries is increased from 1–2 miles to several miles. Similarly, the distance between colonies within an apiary can be increased from a few feet to 20 feet or more to reduce the drift of varroa mites among colonies. Placing colonies in irregular groups rather than straight rows will also reduce the drift of bees and mites between colonies.
Beekeeping practices may need to be changed to avoid enhancing mite populations. For example, beekeepers commonly combine weakened colonies with stronger ones to save the hive equipment (for example, to keep combs from being damaged by larvae of the small hive beetle). This practice may actually transfer varroa mites and viral diseases to the stronger colony. Evaluate your beekeeping routines and decide if any procedures need modification to avoid inadvertently worsening the varroa mite problem within the apiary.
Other strategies to combat varroa mites include using dusts such as powdered sugar to remove mites from all adult bees in a colony, and purposely creating a break in brood production by caging queen honey bees. Although these methods may be useful under some conditions, they are relatively cumbersome to implement and may have limited effectiveness. The following nonchemical methods are popularly used by beekeepers or have been found to control varroa mite populations by multiple researchers.
Trapping Mites in Drone Brood
The following methods take advantage of the natural preference that varroa mites have for drone brood over worker brood. They prefer drone brood about nine times more than worker brood, and because of the longer development time for drones (24 days) versus workers (21 days), each female mite can produce more mature daughters from drone brood. The strategy is to encourage drone production during periods of the year when colonies typically raise large numbers of drones, such as the spring and early autumn.
The crux of the methods is to allow mites to invade combs containing drone larvae and to then remove the mite-infested drone brood after it is capped and before any adult drones emerge. This point is critical—allowing drones to emerge with varroa mites will increase the resident mite population at a rate much faster than if there were no drone brood. Several researchers have shown mite populations in October to be five to 10 times lower in colonies subjected to drone trapping than in control colonies, and in many cases, the mite populations remained well below the economic or action threshold, and colonies did not need a chemical treatment.
Method 1: Cutting sections of combs that bees rebuild with drone-sized cells.
This method has been popular in Europe for many years. To use the method, combs must be built from wax foundation that is not wire-reinforced or backed by plastic sheets. In the early spring, a narrow section of comb is cut away from the bottom of an already drawn comb. During honey flows, bees tend to rebuild these areas with drone-sized cells (Figure 7). Once built, the queen will lay eggs in the section of drone comb, and varroa mites will invade the drone larvae before the adult bees cap them. Cut away the mite-infested drone brood using a hive tool within 3 weeks after the first drone cells are capped. Destroy the removed strip of drone brood by burning it or placing it into a sealed trash bag. Reinsert the comb into the broodnest, and if the honey flow is strong, two to three cycles of drone trapping can be completed in the spring months.
Method 2: Using commercial drone combs.
Several beekeeping supply companies now sell plastic drone foundation. Sometimes these combs are colored green so that it is easy to find the drone comb when examining a hive. It is best to have at least four drawn drone combs available per colony that you want to treat using this method. Install two of these drawn combs into the active broodnest of a colony in the spring when colony growth is high. It is best to put these combs just inside the last comb of worker brood on either side of the broodnest (Figure 8).
The queen will lay eggs in one or both of the drone combs during periods of major growth in the spring. Varroa mites will invade many of these drones' cells (perhaps hundreds of them), and the bees will eventually cap the cells. As in the previous method, the important action is to remove capped drone brood before any adult drones emerge from their brood cells. Therefore, it is best to insert and remove the drone combs on a 3-week cycle to stay within the 24 days drones need to develop from egg to adult. The second set of drone combs are installed when the first mite-infested set of combs are removed. This continual supply of empty drone comb will maximize the number of mites that will ultimately be removed from the nest. These mite-infested combs should be frozen for five to seven days to make sure that the brood and mites in the combs are frozen solid. It is not advisable to give the dead drone brood to strong colonies for cleaning out the comb because of the possibility of viruses being transmitted into the colony as hygienic bees eat the dead pupae. As an alternative, fire ants (or other ants) can be encouraged to clean out the combs before reusing them in a hive.
Using Screen Floors
Some research has shown a reduction in varroa mite populations when screened bottom boards are used instead of solid wooden floors in hives. For several studies, the degree of mite reduction was modest: colonies with screened floors had 10–15 percent lower mite populations than did those with solid floors after a couple of months of testing. However, not every study has shown differences between the two types of floors. When differences are found between screened and solid floors, it is not clear if the mites are dropping through the screened floor, or if changes in colony ventilation somehow influence the growth of the mite population. Most researchers agree that screened floors probably do not harm colonies. Screened floors may actually help control other pests such as the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) by allowing debris that may be attractive to the beetles to fall out of the colony. Additionally, screened floors provide a simple means for sampling for varroa mites by inserting sticky boards (see above).
Using Mite-Resistant Bee Stock
Researchers and bee breeders continue to develop honey bees that resist diseases and parasites. Although much more needs to be done in this area of bee genetics, some honey bees with useful resistance to varroa mites have been developed. Selection for disease resistance can be more difficult than selection of other colony-level traits, such as honey production or defense behavior, because it is difficult to monitor for disease pathogens or pest populations. However, new molecular diagnostic techniques that measure DNA, RNA, and proteins may soon allow the direct selection of genes or genetic markers associated with the genes that control disease resistance in honey bees. Several types of honey bees are currently available from commercial sources. Although varroa resistance in all of these types of bees is not sufficient (if no other IPM techniques are used) to eliminate the need for miticides, research has shown a significant reduction in the number of treatments needed to control mites when varroa-resistant stocks of bees are used in stationary apiaries and migratory beekeeping operations.
Minnesota Hygienic Stock or Stocks Selected for General Hygiene
Many bee breeders select for high nest cleaning or hygienic behavior. Research in the 1940s and 1950s by Walter Rothenbuhler at the Ohio State University indicated that stocks of bees expressing high hygienic behavior had significant resistance to American foulbrood. Dr. Marla Spivak at the University of Minnesota extended this initial work and selected for high general hygiene from existing commercial Italian stocks (Boecking and Spivak 1999). Her selection methods involved using liquid nitrogen to freeze circular sections of capped brood and returning them to bee colonies. Highly hygienic colonies remove more than 90 percent of the freeze-killed bee pupae within 24 hours, while less hygienic colonies remove considerable fewer of the freeze-killed pupae. Bees selected for high rates of removal became known as Minnesota hygienic stock. Research has shown that these bees are significantly resistant to American foulbrood (bacterial disease), chalkbrood (fungal disease), and varroa mites.
ARS Russian Honey Bees
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agriculture Research Service honey bee breeding, genetics, and physiology laboratory in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, produced a stock of varroa-resistant honey bees that were originally derived from several hundred queen honey bees that were imported from the Primorsky region of far-eastern Russia (Rinderer et al. 2010). It is believed that the original stock represents a population of Western honey bees that probably had the longest exposure to varroa mites because this is an area where the Eastern honey bee (original host of varroa mites) and our Western honey bee have coexisted for about 150 years. The researchers have gone through many generations of selection, and the bees have significant resistance to varroa mites. The stock is currently being sold as ARS Russian Honey Bees by the Russian Queen Breeders Association (http://www.russianbreeder.org/).
Bees Expressing the Varroa Sensitive Hygiene Trait
USDA–ARS researchers produced a second type of varroa-resistant honey bee by selecting for colonies that did not grow mite populations as fast as unselected control stocks. After several years of selection, lines of honey bees were produced in which growth of mite populations were very low, and in the most highly selected lines, mite populations actually decreased over time.
After many years of research, it was discovered that the mechanism of resistance in these bees was varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) (Rinderer et al. 2010). Adult bees in the resistant colonies can smell mite-infested pupae. When they discover them, the bees uncap the brood cells, remove the mite-infested pupa and discard it from the nest (Figure 9). Although this procedure kills the host bee, it also effectively interrupts the reproductive cycle of the adult female mite. Several of these interruptions will severely reduce the lifetime reproductive output of targeted varroa mites.
Although VSH is a type of nest-cleaning behavior, it is genetically distinct from general hygiene produced by selecting for the ability to remove freeze-killed brood (see above). Recent tests showed that VSH bees were very good at removing freeze-killed brood and mite-infested pupae, whereas Minnesota hygienic bees were very good at removing freeze-killed brood but much poorer at removing mite-infested pupae from brood cells.
Many commercial suppliers of VSH breeder queens can now be found with an internet search. VSH breeder queens are purebred for the VSH trait. These breeder queens are used to produce daughter queens that are outcrossed to drones from unrelated and nonresistant stocks. There are many commercial queen producers who sell these outcrossed VSH queens for use in standard production colonies (check the advertisements in the bee journals).
Overview of Chemical Treatments
Even when nonchemical methods and resistant stocks of honey bees are used, there may eventually come a time when varroa mite populations exceed the treatment threshold in colonies. When this happens, chemical miticides become the last line of defense. Always think of using chemicals in hives as the last resort. The reasoning is fairly simple. Many of the chemicals used to control varroa mites can have negative health impacts on honey bees (Table 3).
Product |
Active ingredient |
Mode of action |
Formulation |
Health effects on bees |
Residue time in combs |
Apistan |
tau-fluvalinate |
poisons voltage-gated sodium ion channels in nerves |
impregnated strips |
yes |
years |
CheckMite+ |
coumaphos |
poisons the enzyme acetyl-cholinesterase in nerves |
impregnated strips |
yes |
years |
Apivar |
amitraz |
binds to octopamine receptors in nerves |
impregnated strips |
yes |
short |
Api Life Var |
thymol |
binds receptors in nerves |
solid wafer |
yes |
short |
Apiguard |
thymol |
binds GABA receptors in nerves |
slow-release gel |
yes |
short |
Mite Away Quick Strips |
formic acid |
strong acid that disrupts electron transport in mitochondria of cells |
soaked onto pads that release fumes |
yes |
short |
Formic Pro |
formic acid |
strong acid that disrupts electron transport in mitochondria of cells |
soaked onto pads that release fumes |
yes |
short |
HopGuard II |
beta acids from hops |
unknown |
impregnated strips |
unknown |
short |
Api-Bioxal |
oxalic acid |
strong acid that disrupts electron transport in mitochondria of cells |
used as a dribble in syrup or as a fumigant |
yes |
short |
In addition, many of these chemicals contaminate combs, and over time, these hive residues could impact colony health. Some of the chemicals remain in combs as residues for years, while others break down in weeks to months. Additionally, mite populations can become genetically resistant to chemicals. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you use chemicals only when the mite population reaches the action threshold, and that you rotate different chemicals every couple of years to slow the development of resistance.
The following guidelines are essential for providing the best protection to honey bees when you use chemicals to control mites:
- Only use chemical treatments when mite populations reach or exceed the economic or treatment threshold.
- Only use chemicals that are legally registered (Section 18 or Section 3) with the Environmental Protection Agency to control varroa mites.
- Always follow the label instructions for each miticide, which includes the proper use of personal protective equipment during the application process and proper disposal of materials after the treatment period.
- Under no circumstances should experimental, homemade, or nonregistered chemicals be applied to hives to control varroa mites (or any other hive disease or pest). This practice is illegal and may result in death of the bee colony, contamination of honey and wax, and severe harm to the beekeeper.
- Rotate miticides every couple of years to slow the development of genetic resistance to any one chemical. It is also a good strategy to use different chemicals within the same year if chemical treatments are warranted in the spring and autumn.
It is important to consider the timing of chemical treatments. Do not apply chemical treatments during honey flows to avoid contamination of honey. The exceptions are Mite Away Quick Strips, Formic Pro, Api-Bioxal, and HopGuard II, which can be legally used during a honey flow. Additionally, do not use chemicals in a colony that is producing winter bees because this could affect the ability of the colony to survive the winter. Also, avoid high varroa mite populations and viral loads during winter bee production to keep the winter bees as healthy as possible. Organic acids (oxalic acid and formic acid) work best when colonies no longer have capped brood, which is typically November into December (Figure 10).
Beekeepers in Mississippi should sample their colonies at least twice a year—once in late February and again in July. Many of the chemical treatments consist of impregnated strips that are inserted into the broodnest for 40–50 days to kill mites. These two sampling periods occur well enough in advance of major honey production or of winter bee production to allow the use of chemical treatments without overlapping with these two important periods of the annual cycle of a colony of bees.
Although there is no published action or economic threshold for February in our area, it is highly recommended that beekeepers sample their colonies at this time. Although mite populations are likely low (many varroa mites die during the winter), the period of most rapid honey bee colony growth occurs in March to May. Populations of varroa mites grow fastest when brood production is highest in the colony.
Treat colonies if the mite load on adult bees exceeds 1 percent in February and if you do not intend to use nonchemical methods to slow the growth of mite populations. That level represents about 500–600 mites in a colony of 15,000–20,000 bees. This level is not damaging, but if left unchecked, the mite population will likely reach the economic threshold within 10 weeks, which will be at the beginning of the major honey flow. Avoid chemical treatment after a February sampling if you intend to use drone trapping methods during March to May (highly recommended).
Finally, consider sampling after a chemical treatment (especially in the spring) to make sure the treatment worked. Various populations of mites have become genetically resistant to chemicals, so they can no longer be killed by these miticides. Some populations have become resistant to more than one chemical. These chemically resistant mites can drift from beekeeper to beekeeper. Rather than trust that a chemical treatment worked, it is best to sample. If the mite load has not been lowered, use a different chemical to control them. The chosen chemical should have a different mode of action than the original chemical.
Boecking, O. and M. Spivak. 1999. Behavioral defenses of honey bees against Varroa jacobsoni Oud. Apidologie. 30: 141-158.
Delaplane, K. and M. Hood. 1999. Economic threshold for Varroa jacobsoni Oud. In the southeastern USA. Apidologie 30: 383-395.
Honey Bee Health Coalition. 2022. Tools for Varroa management: A Guide for Effective Varroa Sampling & Control, 8th Edition, The Keystone Policy Center, 37 pages.
Lee, K. V., R. D. Moon, E. C. Burkness, W. D. Hutchison, and M. Spivak. 2010. Practical sampling for Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in Apis mellfera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies and apiaries. Journal of Economic Entomology. 103 (4): 1039-1050.
Rinderer, T. E., J. W. Harris, G. J. Hunt, and L. I. de Guzman. 2010. Breeding for resistance to Varroa destructor in North America. Apidologie. 41 (3): 409-424.
The information given here is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products, trade names, or suppliers are made with the understanding that no endorsement is implied and that no discrimination against other products or suppliers is intended.
Publication 2826 (POD-08-23)
By Jeff Harris, PhD, Associate Extension/Research Professor, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Audrey B. Sheridan, Extension/Research Associate II, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, and Joseph A. MacGown, Research Technician/Scientific Illustrator, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology.
The Mississippi State University Extension Service is working to ensure all web content is accessible to all users. If you need assistance accessing any of our content, please email the webteam or call 662-325-2262.


text:
Question: "Who is the desired of all nations (Haggai 2:7)?"
In Haggai 2:7 the Lord says, "I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory." The King James Version uses the phrase "the desire of all nations." Who or what is this object of desire?
Because of the KJV translation, many have taken this verse as a reference to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. This interpretation is given wider circulation every Christmas season in the carol "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing." One line of that song states, "Come, Desire of Nations, come! Fix in us Thy humble home." The "Desire of Nations" in Charles Wesley's hymn is clearly speaking of Jesus as Messiah.
However, the Hebrew word
is a collective singular, meaning the idea expressed is plural. The better translation is "desired" or "what is desired." Haggai 2:8 provides the parallel that identifies these desired objects: "'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty." The desired objects are most likely earthly treasures, not the coming Messiah.
Other translations render the Hebrew word as "the wealth" (NASB, CEB), "the precious things" (ASV), "the treasure" (NRSV), and "the treasures" (ESV, CEV). The idea is that the riches of all nations will be brought to the temple in Jerusalem.
Haggai 2:9 says, "The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former." The former glory refers to that of Solomon's temple, which was an opulent structure. Haggai predicts a temple that will be even more glorious than Solomon's: the latter glory would be greater due to the wealth of the nations pouring in.
When will this happen? The beginning of verse 7 helps identify this future occasion. The Lord says it will happen when He "shakes all nations"; that is, after a time of judgment on the world. God has shaken nations in the past (Psalm 99:1; Isaiah 64:2; Habakkuk 3:6), and He will do so again when Jesus Christ returns to the earth (Joel 3:16; Matthew 24:30).
Hebrews 12:26 cites Haggai 2:7, followed by an explanation that, after this "shaking," believers will receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. This is a clear reference to the future millennial kingdom that Jesus will establish when He returns at the end of seven years of tribulation. Therefore, this portion of Haggai's prediction is yet unfulfilled.
Some interpreters suggest that the text may concern both the Messiah and earthly riches. In the end, what is desired of the nations will come: a Savior, the Messiah, and tribute will be paid to Him during His millennial reign.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
2007/06, June Photofictional, A Daily Blog Posting By Bryan Costales
Classic duality of purpose: police or fire
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Unusually warm that day in San Francisco.
Officer McBryan walking off duty down the Lyon Street
steps. The year was 1960, so he wore slacks and a short sleeved
dress shirt. His pistol, a snub-nosed 38, was obvious in his
shoulder holster because he carried his coat over his arm.
His shiny black leather shoes felt hot.
McBryan paused and looked out over the city glowing warmly under too blue a sky. In the corner of his eye he caught motion faintly dressed in stripes. He turned to watch. A man in a bathrobe ran down the street waving his arms and yelling, "Cheated. Cheated." McBryan hurried downstairs and met the man next to a combination police phone and fire call box, one of the few in the City, located on a landing by he steps. He asked, "What's the problem?" The man bent over, out of breath from running. McBryan noticed the man's thinning gray hair and thought sadly of his own thinning hair. McBryan noticed the man reeked of pipe tobacco and booze. "Fire," muttered the man, somewhat breathless. "I set fire to my cheating wife." McBryan didn't hesitate. In one move he pulled his keys from his pocket, unlocked the police call box, and with the other hand broke the glass and pulled the fire lever down on the other side. He cut his knuckle when he broke the glass. "This is officer McBryan of district 15 off duty, reporting a fire and possible murder at Lyon and," he looked around to find the name of the cross street and paused when he noticed the man in the striped pajamas laughing. Officer McBryan said into the phone, "Wait, don't send anyone yet. Hold on a minute while I check this out." The man noticed McBryan's look. He stopped laughing and turned to run. McBryan dropped the phone and leaped. He grabbed the man by the robe's collar. It felt like silk. "Why'd you laugh?" he demanded. "When you pulled the fire alarm I realized what I said." The man squirmed nervously. "What I meant was I really turned my wife on, like fire, so she would never want to cheat." McBryan retired in 1985, and to this day loves to tell this story in taverns. He tells this story so often, in fact, his friends no longer like to hear it, but humor him just the same. (2007) Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California • Photo posted Monday, June 12, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070612.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Reflection on Street lights
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Street lights reflect on what a rainy day it is
Some believe a world exists apart from our own in reflections. Like ghosts, the images in reflections are often blurred or distorted and seem unreal. When viewed overhead, the world hangs upside down above us. When viewed straight on, left and right are reversed. And when viewed below, the the world hangs feet first from the soles of our feet. Some look at puddles and only see the puddle. Rain and gray skies can make such a person blue. Lacking in imagination, a puddle is just a wet place to be avoided and part of the landscape on a rainy day. Others look into puddles and see the reflections there. Despite the rain, such people understand the beauty in the world and the magic it holds for those willing to see. The other worlds that lie behind the reflecting boundary. The other people there that look back at us and wonder why we are looking at them. (2007) San Francisco, California • Photo posted Saturday, June 2, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070602.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Fuzzy thinking
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Inside of a bar at night
Ever been drinking in a bar, and had your attention drawn to an odd bowl of something on the counter? At that moment, the rest of the world fuzzes out and your entire world becomes that bowl. Because this is France, the bowl probably does not contain pretzles or nuts or any other of the salty tricks intended to get you to drink more. Nor does it appear a bowl of anything that anyone would want to snack on. Sadly, we left that place without ever finding out what was in the bowl. (2007) Carcassone, France, E.U. • Photo posted Sunday, May 3, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070603.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Locks and locks
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A rarely seen 130 lock
With scissors you can cut off a lock of hair and use that hair to voodoo another, or scare away the competition. With skill you can lock in a good job and become a working stiff for the rest of your life, unless as a wrestler. With strength you can put a hammer lock on another wrestler and wonder what will happen if you let go. With a boat you can travel up or down a lock on your tour of a fine canal, at least in your mind while you hold onto that wrestler. With the right hardware you can lock the gate to your garden, as here on the border of Trebes, France. With the wrong exercise you can lock up a muscle and hobble around your garden wishing for a bench. With bad canned food you get lock jaw so always strive to eat fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grain. Naturally you eat the ones you raised in the garden you protected from wrestlers with the lock on your gate. (2007) Trebes, France, E.U. • Photo posted Monday, May 4, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070604.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Life inside a glass of beer
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The point of view from which a story is told determines how
the reader interprets it. In the Stan Freeberg audio play
"United States Of America" Columbus discovered Indians
on the beach. But an Indian said to Columbus, "No. We discover you on
beach here. It's all how you look at it."
The beer glass was so worried about the people inside that it fell over to spill them out. A sacrifice of its precious beer, it knew, but worth dumping because of the two lives it saved. Only after the two escaped did it wonder how it came to be self aware. Trapped in the glass of beer, the woman screamed, "Help. Help. I will tire and drown." She dog paddled trying to keep her head above beer and paid no attention to the idiot who got her into this mess. A man approached a woman in a bar. He felt like a bad joke when he asked her, "Would you like to join me in a beer?" But the joke was on him when he and the woman suddenly found themselves swimming in a huge glass of beer. One god nudged the other and said, "Let's have some fun. See that guy down there. What say I grant him whatever wish he next utters?" Look at the picture again. How does it feel to be inside a glass of beer that may be kinder than you? Now pretend you're outside the glass peering in. What might you want to say to a glass of beer if, that is, you believed it would listen? (2007) Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, California • Photo posted Tuesday, May 5, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070605.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Young ball leaves home to join the circus
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A big, bold basketball
married a pretty little soccer ball.
Over the years the couple had three children.
football was the oldest and already on his way to
a sports scholarship at Cal. A graceful
tether ball was second
oldest and just knew she would marry and spend her days
hanging around the house.
The playball was the youngest and both parents worried about his future. Unlike his brother and sister, the playball was not a ready fit for any clear vocation. One night the playball heard his folks arguing about his birth. "None of my family ever had stars!" yelled his father. "Well none of my family ever had stripes," countered his mother. The argument ran late into the night and by the time the playball fell asleep that night he was in tears. Before dawn the next morning, the playball snuck out the back door and headed down the street away from home, and toward what? He couldn't say. Passing the sporting goods store he found a poster on a phone pole that advertised a circus in the next town. That's it, he suddenly realized, a circus! Then aloud he declared, "I belong in the circus." The playball rolled like the wind all the way home. He burst through the front door and found his father rocking nervously. "Dad," he yelled. "Where were you?" his mother asked as she came into the room. "I found a poster and it showed a circus and I now know I belong in a circus." His father bounced once, a big bounce. "By jove," he said. "I should have seen it. Yes. Yes, you're right. With those stars and stripes you belong in a circus." "Hmmm," his mother seem less sure. "Well, okay. I supposed that's better than your uncle, spending all day in a tiger's cage. I mean what kind of job is that for a ball?" (2007) Trebes, France, E.U. • Photo posted June 6, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070606.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
F-line trolley sidelined for a while
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runs from the Castro to Fisherman's Wharf on
surface track. These trolleys are
restored classic trolleys
from all over the world. A ride on one of these beauties
is like stepping pleasantly back in time. It is too bad
there are too few of them for reliable service.
There are no pictures of the E-line. That line was built to run from the Caltrain Station at 4th and King to Fisherman's Wharf complimenting the F-line. The E-line was constructed then never used. The T-line runs from Sunnydale at the south end of Third Street to the Castro past the Caltrain Station. This line is fraught with breakdowns and is deemed by locals as less reliable than the 15-line bus which it replaced. Fourth and King now has two trolly stations. The original on King Street and a new one on Fouth Street. The original (right next to the train station) has a sign on it that says "Closed except during commute hours." I somehow fail to see any master plan at work here. (2007) Embarcadero at Mission, San Francisco, California • Photo posted Thursday, May 7, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070607.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
A small statue of mother and child
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Email from Dr. Carter arrived recently that held the claim:
Thought I'd fix your photo up a little, so that it would look more
"realistic" .
Below you can see the image he supplied that he claims improves
upon the above image.
Alan Detrich caused a scandle at the Toledo Blade when it was discovered that he had been routinely photoshopping his news images. Yet art photographers feel that photoshopping is desireable and a usual means to improve images. We feel that the original image should be presented as-taken. But in the interest of debate offer alternatives. Below is a similar interpretation as Dr. Carter's above but produced using software that comes free with Nikon cameras. As a final note, ovserve that the Nikon software can also convert a fisheye image into a panaorama shot, which we show below. In closing, what should be marveled at, rather than debated, is the varied and cool interpretations that can be derived from a single fish-eye shot. George Jansen Friday 8 June 2007 Email from Dr. Carter arrived recently that held the claim: Thought I'd fix your photo up a little, so that it would look more "realistic." Below you can see the image he supplied that he claims improves upon the above image. I like the fisheye best. Dr. William Carter Monday 11 June 2007 On your blog, you wrote: "In closing, what should be marveled at, rather than debated, is the varied and cool interpretations that can be derived from a single fish-eye shot." I couldn't agree more, with the proviso that it be understood that a lens is simply a tool; one of many tools used along the path to some visual objective. But, you also wrote: "We feel that the original image should be presented as-taken."That seems to me an odd, if not disingenuous, notion --unless you consider your camera a toy, in which case there is no point to this discussion. Or are you following some Dadaistic tradition of the illogical and absurd, exchanging control of the final image for chance, inconsistency, and surprise? "As-taken" by what? Your camera manipulates the numbers its Sony CMOS generates. Its on-board computers probably set the gamma and exposure for you. Your camera recalculates those numbers into some kind of digital JPEG or RAW file format which can again be translated into some quasi-depiction of a scene. There is no objective "as-taken" "original image" anywhere in the process. If you prefer "snapshots" to taking the time to refine those numbers into a more personalized or representational image, that's fine. But, I hardly see your position as a point of art, esthetic, or cause célèbres. It might even be construed as hubris masking laziness and ineptitude. But, I suspect, it's most likely venial bullshit Film is substantially the same process as digital. Here, the darkroom replaces the computer. Instead of algorithms, your tools are mostly time, temperature, and chemicals. You can opt to have "Speedy Print" decide the end product, or you can control and refine the development to meet your personal preferences. At Brooks (Institute of Photography) the mantra was to "expose for the shadows, and develop for the highlights." But, that's not even a starting point. You must first decide how you want the final result to look. Back in the 70's, I had a discussion with our mutual friend Suzie Shaw about the relative amounts of metol vs. hydroquinone we chose to use in developing film and prints. Suzie shot much of her work using a funky single element lens taped to a tube stuck on the front of her camera... something akin to a Lensbaby. Although not strictly representational, Suzie knew what she wanted, and exactly how to achieve it... She knew her shit. Examples of her work have hung in New York's Museum of Modern Art. I think the point I want to make is this: At best, a photograph may be representational art. But though it may appear realistic, there can be nothing "real" about a photograph. A photograph is a combination of the photographer's skill, sensitivity of vision, and opportunity. One can create opportunity. One can develop skill and sensitivity. A competent photographer will define the objective and control the process. Yet, when you say "We feel that the original image should be presented as-taken," you proffer that there exists such a thing as an "original image," something with which I don't agree. Nor do I accept, in that context, "as-taken" to have any meaning at all. Bryan Costales Tuesday 26 June 2007 William Carter said in part, But, you also wrote:"We feel that the original image should be presented as-taken."That seems to me an odd, if not disingenuous, notion --unless you consider your camera a toy, in which case there is no point to this discussion. Or are you following some Dadaistic tradition of the illogical and absurd, exchanging control of the final image for chance, inconsistency, and surprise? Curiously unprofessional the way William (a Brooks attendee) chose to focus on two words of an essay (the "as-taken") and base all his conclusions on those two words out of two hundred. A friendly suggestion would have worked much better to convince me to change those two words into, perhaps "as presented." Had he chosen, that is, to be civil rather than insulting. (2007) Musée du Louvre, Paris, France, E.U. • Photo posted Friday, May 8, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070608.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
The "Learning Wall", Artist Keith Sklar copyright 1989 Sklar
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The artist Keith Sklar
created this mural on a huge wall facing the street. He has also been shown in many
We should be proud to have such art on public display in San Francisco.
It is a shame that it is beginning to show signs of damage due to graffiti.
A sign of how some governments "get it" and some don't, is the littering of the landscape with art. The suburbs are often public art starved, while the cities often overflow with a wealth of art. And, surely, nowhere better shows this than the cities and countryside of Europe. (2007) Gough at Hayes, San Francisco, California • Photo posted Sunday, June 10, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070610.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Amgen Tour of California
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Stunt riders await a turn to ride stunts
Stunt bicycle riders are a very strange breed. They always seem too large for the tiny bikes they ride. yet that is the point. With small bicycles many tricks are possible. Notice the pegs that stick out form the center of the front and rear wheels. These are stood on to lift rear or front wheels off the ground. Also note that the front fork is straight which eliminates the castor effect. This requires strength to keep the bike riding straight, but allows the front handle bars to spin and the front wheel to travel in either orientation. For an example of such bikes in action, visit this youtube video. I am sure you will agree that stunt bicycle riders are a very strange breed indeed. (2007) Embarcadaro, San Francisco, California • Photo posted Friday, June 1, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070601.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Vertical Growth
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Many recommend vertical growth as the means to counter the scourge of suburban sprawl. The SOMA (South Of MArket) area of San Francisco hosts several new residential high rises illustrative of this goal. Each is 50 or more stories high and represents 200 or more new homes. That is 200 or more homes in the same footprint that, in the suburbs, would contain roughly 4 single-family homes with yards. Suburban sprawl is a serious problem that adversely impacts the environment. But suburban sprawl is minor when compared to cemeteries. Not only can they never be multi-story, but they are also always single use. Pere Lachaise in Paris is one example of a densely packed urban cemetery. Like all cemeteries, it was originally beyond the edge of the city but is now enclosed by the city . It is now surrounded by five-story buildings, but in the next half century it may become surrounded by fifty story buildings. As population pressure increases so will the need for more parks and open space. Will Pere Lachaise someday be moved again to be outside the city? Compared to most U.S cemeteries, Pere Lachaise is a palatial . park indeed. U.S. military cemeteries are probably the worst. Instead of dealing with the dead as once human, the military lines up graves with impersonal military precision thousands of uniform headstones all standing at attention. Never, it feels, at ease in the parklike setting in which they have surely earned a rest. END © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070613.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Garden-like field for sale
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One means to owning a park is to just purchase some parklike land, like that in the picture, and use it yourself. By excluding the public you have created a private park. If you were to do this in the center of town you might become resented. Imagine buying a vacant lot, surrounding it with a high fence, planting trees and lawn, installing a picnic table and barbecue, and voila you have created a private park. This is not at all far fetched. Every day people buy single-family homes and put a fence around the back yard. Each such back yard is a private park. Sure that sounds selfish, but it is actually worse. Consider a square mile of land with 100 single-family homes on it. A person on one corner would never want to walk two miles to the opposite corner to buy groceries. Neither would someone who lived in the middle want to walk one mile to any corner to buy groceries. In fact, a grocery store anywhere in the square mile would only attract 10% of the homes to walk to it. Everyone else will drive. And we all agree that needless driving harms the environment. Now lets examine four square miles of land arranged in a square. At the corner where each meets build four high rise residences, one on each corner. Each high rise would hold 100 residences, with commercial space at street level. A grocery store at this corner would have 400 homes within easy walking distance. In fact, such a concentration of homes would attract all sorts of services: pharmacies, dry cleaners, flower shops, cafes, and other commercial offerings. Such a corner would be the perfect stop for any public transportation system. And all the unused space in the four square miles could become public parks and open space. The unenlightened possession of private parks is one more symptom of suburban sprawl. END © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070614.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Blue mouse expects spring to arrive soon
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Little Joey's dad had carved him a top, not a fancy one because his dad was unskilled and kind of dumb and died that previous winter. But Joey loved that top because his dad had made it. Every afternoon after school Joey would sit in the shade on the sidewalk and spin his top. The top was not the kind that spun with string, instead it was the kind that Joey had to spin with his fingers. Older kids would ride by on bicycles and skate boards. Each time an older kid passed, Joey would grab the top and hold it close to his chest until the threat to his top had passed. But that afternoon was too hot and Joey felt slow. A frisbee wisked in from the side and, before Joey could move, struck the top and sent it tumbling. Joey jumped up. He saw his top spin over the edge of the sidewalk and disappear down the storm drain. Joey wailed. He stood on the sidewalk both hands clutched hard at his side, and wailed. His mother ran outside and picked him up. Her heart broke for him when she heard what had happened to his top and she too felt helpless for his loss. Harv was tall and skinny and had been out of work for months. He came home that hot afternoon with eggs. "Here," he said, and handed the carton to his wife. Harv poured himself a tall glass of tap water and watched his wife open the carton and saw her frown. "You idiot," she said and held the open carton out for him to see. "Somebody put a wooden egg in here." Harv swallowed wrong and coughed. His wife pulled out he wooden egg and hefted it. "How many times have I told you? A dozen? A hundred times? You always feel the eggs to see if any are broken. If you'd done that you wouldn't have been fooled." "You think all I have time for is to shop for you," said Harv and immediately regretted it. "You pig," said his wife. She threw the egg at his head. Harv ducked and the wooden egg went flying out the window into the hot sunlight. Harv looked out the window and watched the egg tumble across grass and down a storm drain. Harv shrugged. Sammy had turned twenty-one the day before and was hung over. He struggled to fix the carburetor on his motorcycle. The garage was hot and one piece seemed stuck which frustrated Sammy. He picked up a pair of channel locks and tried to muscle the piece open. With a lurch the piece jerked free. Sammy set down the channel locks and spun the top off with his fingers. When it came free a slim spring leaped from the opening and flew across the garage. Sammy watched the spring stop and quiver at the top lip of the driveway. Sammy listened to the first of the afternoon thunder as it rattled down the alley. Sammy took a step toward the spring and saw the spring start to roll. It rolled quickly down the drive and fell straight into a storm drain. Sammy walked out and stood on the drain. He looked down, his shoulders slumped, and shook his head sadly. Then it started to rain. The next morning was crisp and cool. Old Mr. Gill liked the beach best after a storm because it meant the best things could be found. That morning he'd already found a wooden top, the old fashioned kind that spun with fingers. Later he found a wooden egg and just beyond that a slim silver spring. Mr. Gill was an artist of sorts and displayed his art in a window of his house near the board walk. He painted the top blue and the egg pink and rigged them together on the spring. The following Saturday, little Joey was walking with his mother near the beach. They stopped to look in a window full of art objects. Joey saw a blue mouse suspended by a spring. "My top," he yelled. "The mouse's head is my top." "I don't think it is," his mother said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "It is too.", said Joey. "And, boy, I'm really happy it's a mouse now. I like the mouse. It looks happy and cute." Old Mr. Gill watched through the window as mother and boy walked away. He felt happy too. He saw the smile his mouse given that little boy. Mr. Gill smiled too. (2007) Carcassonne, France • Photo posted June 15, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070615.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Shadow's futile attempt
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Wonderful indeed to have a helpless shadow that lays among the bird poop and shell scraps, unable to pick up even a piece of rope. Next time you notice your shadow, thank it. Your shadow does always what you cannot. Your shadow is drowned by puddles, stepped on by strangers, evaporated when you enter a store to shop, and mangled unrecognizably on cloudy days. No other part of you suffers such abuse so stoically. Have you ever heard a shadow complain? Even once? No. Your shadow is your friend but will never demand your friendship. When a spy shadows you, that spy moves so carefully he will never be noticed. Just like your actual shadow that too moves in a way you'll never notice. When was the last time you noticed your shadow. In winter, of course, because it is so long. In summer, no, because it is just a blot under your feet. Step outside the next time the sun shines and say howdy to that inseperable buddy of yours. You'll be happy you did. Wave and your shadow will always wave back, but smile and it can never smile back. END © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070616.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Mom shoots kid pointing at fish
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The mobile phone is becoming the ubiquitous camera.
It is almost impossible to travel anywhere these days
without finding dozens of people snapping away with
cell phone cameras. Fortunately, the resolution of phone
cameras are low so they are little threat to professionals.
But their quality can only improve
and someday, the
heavy SLR will become a quaint footnote in history.
And if that were not enough, the mobile phone is becoming the ubiquitous video camera too. In the future, will you pay $US 20 to attend the latest feature movie, entirely shot using cell phones? (2007) California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco • Photo posted June 17, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070617.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
The actual tide hut
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The Sacramento River, and other rivers, feed the San Francisco Bay
complex of bays, wetlands, and estuaries. The outward flow of
river water through the Golden Gate and into the ocean
is immense. But as immense as that
flow is, the opposite flow of a rising tide is even stronger.
When the ocean rises in response to gravitational pulls, the difference
in levels causes the ocean to try to fill the bay. When the salty
cold ocean water collides with the warmer fresh river water huge
upwellings occur on the bay, sometimes tens of meters across.
These upwellings look like flat circles of calm in the middle
of a choppy bay.
When we think "tide hut," we don't envision a massive collision of forces. Instead we picture gentle waves climbing slowly a little higher on a hot tropical beach as the afternoon sun sets. Once I visited a reservoir in the middle and flat part of the country. The visit was during drought years so the water level was low. My reaction to seeing that reservoir was wrongly to announce, "The tide is out." People who live near an ocean live with tides. The ebb and flow of tides become a part of their being. Tides parallel the phases of he moon. Those that live inland all life long never are so blessed. They only know the rhythms of land, annual events like spring thaw, and daily events like dawn. A particular bird may sing at 4:00 p.m. each afternoon, or a fire station may sound its siren at noon each day, but those events are not the same. A plus tide is frighteningly exciting as waves lap too high and booming spray sends rainbows into the sky. A minus tide is awe inspiring and reveals things almost forever hidden like shipwrecks and sea stars. Tide pools teem with life when the tide recedes and exposes pockets of sea water brimming with life in abandoned holes in rocks. Seals will settle on rocks just below the water and later appear to have circus-like . balanced on stones above the water, merely because the tide recedes. The tides, in short, are magical. (2007) Bay Model, Sausalito, California • Photo posted June 18, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070618.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Roots admire grass-like hair
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The roots that line the Canal Du Midi can be very attractive,
yet serve an important purpose. By tangling with the roots
of neighboring trees, they form a strongly woven mesh that
holds the shore together. Where trees are absent, because
of the presence of a town or a river crossing, the roots are
replaced by stone or concrete. The shore must be held together against
the eroding effects of boat wakes, especially the wakes caused by
drunken youths that motor too fast down the canal.
In the same manner, grass hold the dirt of a hill together, not because grass is strong, but because the roots of grass create a strong tangle. Clear cutting of trees for lumber, or the removal of topsoil due to strip mining for minerals, damages downhill-side streams and rivers because the dirt lacks vegetation to hold it in place. Dirt and industrial waste wash downstream. Farmers use crops to hold the land together. But aisles between rows are used for irrigation and tractor runs which allow some dirt to escape. After the crop is harvested, the waste is plowed under exposing more dirt. Agricultural runoff into rivers clouds the water. San Francisco bay is filled by the Sacramento river, so it is cloudy, just like the river that feeds it. The Bay is so cloudy, in fact, that its murky water extends almost a hundred miles out to sea. It extends so far that clear water is not found until one reaches Monterey. The lack of a tangle of roots has consequences found, sometimes, miles away from that lack. (2007) Canal du Midi, Franc • Photo posted June 19, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070619.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Drain under outdoor shower near swim area
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Too close is ugly but can be beautiful. Imagine a country
stream, bubbling, and gurgling under flowering trees on
a warm afternoon. Now get down on your hands and knees
and look at the banks of that creek. Strangely ugly
crawly things exist there. Look closer and see scaly
lichen and limp moss. Now pull out your handy magnifying
glass and look again. "My god," you think, bugs have hairs.
Walk through a lovely town or a dramatic city and marvel at the beauty there. Walk by a swim area by a lake and wonder about the outdoor shower. Now get on your knees and look at the drain. Too close, perhaps yes. But interesting and strangely not repulsive. Try this exercise in your own town. Go for a walk and let your eyes be drawn to something pretty. Now move close and look over that pretty thing in detail. Note the rust, or cracks, or worn places, or pigeon poo, or candy wrapper. Does the ugly of the detail abrogate the beauty of the whole? The Japanese possess a concept called wabi or wabi san. It means the one flaw that creates perfection. A flawless vase is not perfect. To be perfect it needs a flaw (a weakness). The vase with a crack in its face is perfect. A shower by a lake has crud in its drain so it is perfect. A skilled teacher smokes a pipe at home, so is flawed, and is therefore perfect. Imagine changing your own mind-set, bending your thoughts around another way and living in a world where flawless is imperfect and only the flawed can be perfect. With your new wold view, will you keep that old thing you had earlier decided to discard? Will you appreciate that movie anew despite that one bad performance? Will you accept that some people get in your way while most don't and find beauty in the exceptions? Why, you might ask me, do I photograph garbage, weeds, dead animals, and drains? Perhaps it is because I find beauty in places you do not. Is your inability to see that beauty the flaw that makes you perfect? (2007) Hyde Park's Serpentine, London, England • Photo posted June 20, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070620.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Pier 26 highlighted by wires under bridge
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One wants get a shot of the bridge with a warehouse underneath.
But, drat, those pesky wires are in the way.
Person-A composes the shot with no regard to the wires, because person-A uses photoshop at home and knows how effortless it is to remove wires from any shot. To person-A the wires are at least invisible and at worst a nuisance. Person-B moves his camera under the wires to exclude them from the shot, and shoots using a wide angle or fisheye lens. Person-B has photoshop at home and plans to normalize the wide-angle shot so that distortion is removed and so that the shot will appear as if it was taken from across the street (where the wires would have appeared). Person-C too moves across the street and under the wires to shoot the shot, this time as a series of shots, using a normal lens. Person C has "stitching" software for photoshop and will combine the many shots into a single shot. The effect will appear as if the shot were taken from across the street. Person-D moves under the wires and attaches a bellows to the lens. The bellows flatten the image so that it appears to have been taken from straight on. But bellows are expensive so person-D returns home and uses photoshop instead. I see the wires and realize they could appear to outline the name of the pier. I shoot the shot with the wires included. But, alas, because I posted it without removing wires I will be faulted by person-A through person-D In fact, some might call it a "snapshot." This morning, on the way to the train, I saw a photo on the cover of a newspaper rag. I thought to myself, "I could make that shot better." In that instant I realized that to change that picture after it was published would be to alter reality. Like our current Whitehouse, I would have the power to go back in time and change what was done, into what (I believed) should have been done. So I thought to myself, "That's just plain wrong." And caught the train and wrote this instead. (2006) Bay Bridge, San Francisco, California • Photo posted June 21, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070621.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
A pair with mushroom to grow
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One mushroom was talking to another mushroom in a relativistic
way. "I love the snappy look that needle gives to your cap," he said.
"Thanks," whispered the second with a blush. "And I like the way the green grass sets off your beige." A worker ant happened to be strolling by just then and heard thunder far above that sounded like speech. "Oh giants," he yelled up to the mushrooms. "Oh powerful mushroom shaped clouds towering over me, please let this lowly, humble one know what you say." "Did you hear something," said the first mushroom to the second. The worker ant heard the thunder again and that roar sounded impersonal and distant. Disappointed, the ant walked away. After a while the ant came upon a guard ant and said, "I talked to god." "Get lost," said the guard ant. "If you talked to god, what did god say?" "God told me that worker ants should get more food than guard ants." The guard ant accused the worker of heresy and ate him. One mushroom said to another nearby mushroom, "Do you hear thunder?" A strangely appendaged flying animal swept in from the sky and yanked the two mushrooms from the soil. The two mushrooms screamed but their screams were unheard by the uncaring gods that had harvested them. The father grinds the mushrooms into a powder and burns the powder in a pipe so that his son may become a man. The son breaths in the smoke and his eyes glaze. "I hear god," he says. Outside, a Inquisitor overhears the boy. He calls soldiers of the church to his side and they break down the door. "Heresy," declares the Inquisitor. The father fights to save his son but is slain. The son does not witness his father's death because he is too busy trying to be heard by god. The pipe is knocked from the boy's hand and sails out the door. Unburned inside it remain a few still-alive spores. The boy would have been dead a year when new mushrooms grew where the pipe fell. The wife of the Inquisitor picked mushrooms and cooked them into dinner for her husband. She did not know they were toxic. The looked just like the native non-toxic sort she was used to. The Inquisitor died a horrible, painful death. Through his ordeal he prayed to his god, prayed over and over. The mushrooms caused him to hallucinate, and in his visions he witnessed god. God appeared as a huge impersonal cloud of fiery smoke in the shape of a mushroom. The roar was so loud it became clear that god could not possibly ever hear him, could not possibly have ever heard him. The Inquisitor was buried in a pine coffin and, from the grass over his grave, the following year sprouted two mushrooms. One mushroom talked to the other in a relativistic way. "I love the snappy look that needle gives to your cap," he said. (2007) Coastal Trail, San Francisco, California • Photo posted June 22, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070622.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Jawbreakers laying in wait for unwary jaws
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Jawbreakers, known as Gobstoppers in Europe, are a hard round candy
that a kid can suck on for hours.
Steve considered himself wise when he reached age fifty. He'd managed, or so he thought, to try most everything by then. He'd smoked, tobacco and pot, drank all sorts of bad things, used drugs, and tried his hand at crime. On his birthday he woke up at ten in the morning, alone as usual, and headed to IHOP for a birthday breakfast. He almost ordered the Grand Slam, then remembered that was a Dennys meal, so ordered waffles instead. After breakfast he let his belt out a notch and walked to Pier 39 to see if the magic store was open. A week earlier he had ordered the needle through the balloon trick and wanted to see if it had arrived. The store was busy so he waited and killed time by looking for new things in the glass case. A box with a large gum ball in it caught his eye. "What's this," he asked and pointed. "That? Oh, that's a magic jawbreaker. We got it in yesterday and haven't had one spare minute to learn about it yet." Steve smelled a rare opportunity. "I'll take it," he said and smiled. He thought he would be the first to learn a new trick and that thought pleased him. The owner quoted him a surprisingly high amount, so Steve charged it to a credit card and left, carrying the never-before-learned trick in a bag. At home he read the instructions printed in tiny letters on a thin strip of paper. "Do your normal tricks, then step backstage. Put the jawbreaker in your mouth and suck on it. Move out front again and act like a child. You will be convincing. Go backstage again and remove the jawbreaker. Finish your act as an adult." Steve popped the jawbreaker into his mouth and sucked. The room changed size which made him dizzy. His clothes were suddenly many sizes too big. He looked at his hands and they were tiny. The effect was too weird for him so he spit out the jawbreaker and put it back in the box. Just as suddenly his clothes fit again. Now Steve was not an imaginative man. He puzzled for an hour how he could use the jawbreaker to make money. He sifted through everything he'd ever tried and settled on a scam he'd once read about that needed a kid. He spent the rest of the afternoon buying kids clothes at Goodwill. Old clothes, he figured, would make the kid look poor. That night he was ready. He sucked on the jawbreaker and dressed in kids clothing. He headed downstairs and out onto the sidewalk. A Chinese gang stopped him at the corner and Steve realized he was too small to fight. One of the gang kids shoved him hard onto his back. The jawbreaker lodged in his throat. Steve feared he would choke so, instead, he swallowed the jawbreaker. The Chinese kids started to kick him but he was saved when a police car drove by. Steve sat with his back against the wall of the corner store and wondered. He swallowed the jawbreaker and didn't know what that meant. "Will I be a kid forever?" he muttered. "Or will I one day get old again, unexpectedly?" The kid Steve started to cry. (2007) Pier 39, San Francisco, California • Photo posted June 23, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070623.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Big wheels and GE motors power the cable cars
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Huge wheels and powerful motors are required to pull cable
cars up and down the hills of San Francisco. Each cable is
roughly 2 inches (5 cm.) in diameter and made of steel. A one-foot
long piece on display felt like it weighed thirty pounds.
Imagine how much weight the whole system weighs and how much
work those wheels perform daily.
One man's job . is to watch the wheels as they spin. He watches and waits for flaws in the cables to become evident. The gestalt is one of endless smooth movement like a river without ripples. The slightest change will bring an immediate reaction from the watcher. An automobile accident causes metal to drop down the cable slot. The cable is nicked. A shiny place where there should be none flashes by the eyes of the watcher. A cable car, while still gripped to the cable, is hit from the side by a truck whose driver ran a red light. The smooth movement of one of the wheels is interrupted by an unexpected hesitation. The watcher notices. You wonder why in the 21st century, a man must still sit in a chair watching an endless cable? The cable system is not precise. It wanders all over the city from downtown to the bay at Fisherman's wharf, and from the base of California Street by the Ferry Building over the hill to Van Vess Avenue. Each cable makes turns and crosses other cables. The system is in constant motion, constantly being grabbed and released by cable cars full of passengers. It is a fluid system, stretching and giving yet strong and holding. Changes in such a system are not digital. Only the human gestalt will work to monitor a system like like that of San Francisco's cable cars. Next time you ride, think of that lone man watching out for your safety. (2007) San Francisco, California • Photo posted June 25, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070625.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Huge rusty chain rests
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Big links, especially huge rusty links, can be symbolic of
aging friendships. No matter how corroded or roughly coated
they become they still hold fast. A hot torch
might cut those massive links, any such cut would take
a long time to happen and could never go unnoticed.
But. Some focus not on the chain but on the holes in the chain. They notice that no matter how tightly the links hold, there will always be a few molecules of space between them. They find fault in the chain, not because it is weak, but because the character of the air between the links appears wrong. Gradually such chains grow apart, no longer touching, but forever balanced apart. Some strike the chain to hear its tone. If the tone is too high or too low, or if is unharmonic, they will fault the chain rather than the method used to obtain the tone. Outsiders wonder why anyone would test a friendship by striking it. Some dislike rust. They will buff down to metal and repaint the chain. They discredit the chain because it had a natural coating. They like the chain better in blue or red or any color other than the original. Friendship for them is all about appearance. Some feel they own the chain. The stronger the chain the more they wish to destroy it rather than share it. The chain is a thing of itself and cannot be owned. This dichotomy will forever be, within them, the tension. Some find the chain too heavy. They replace the chain with a fiberglass replica. The fake chain breaks too easily, and ends up discarded in a dumpster. Children find the pieces and wonder what they might have been. The children never realize they hold in their hands the pieces of a broken friendship. (2007) Hyde Street Pier, San Francisco, California • Photo posted June 25, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070626.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
New years eve downtown
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Originally, this photo was taken with the idea that it would
appear under the
category. Later, when processing, discarding, and categorizing
images, it was clear that the streetlights pictured were not the point
of this photo. One option was to put this photo under night shots, but
that required creation of a new category, and we shoot so rarely
at night that creating a new category did not seem the correct thing to do
at the time.
This shot was taken on new years eve which suggested one category, but it was also taken as part of a wedding reception which suggested another category. But when all the dust settled, it found a home in the "Spokane," Washington category. Some photo sites use a different approach. All photos are dumped into a database and keywords or tags assigned to each. To get to any photograph requires crafting the correct search, and there is no guaranty that a given search will yield the same results two different times. Our category approach allows a given photo to be found repeatedly no matter how many photos are added, and no matter how categories evolve over time. It requires more up front effort but, thus far, that effort has been sufficiently useful to be retained. (2006) Post Street, Spokane, Washington • Photo posted June 27, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070627.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
British flag in, where else? San Francisco
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When Americans fly their flag it can represent
a wide range of motives. Perhaps
it flies in support for the war, in support for our
fire fighters, or in support for the president. But it, almost
certainly, does not fly in support of taxation.
When an American sees a British flag, a vacuum forms where an idea might have occurred. A bit of something slowly leaks in like a lost puppy whining at the edge of thought. Perhaps that vacation long ago, or that box of crisps a relation sent, or the American version of English muffins on sale two for one in Safeway. A French flag is unrecognized by most Americans unless flown in context, such as above a French restaurant. When recognized, most Americans think of mustard and cheese. Californians muse about inferior French wine. Some confuse the French in french fries or french toast with the French of France. When Americans see a foreign flag, they almost always remember travel or associate the flag with products. It is only the American flag they treat differently. But this has not always been so. During war, for example, such as the war with Japan, the foreign flag did, for a time, represent a country to hate. Long after the war, that same flag resumes its former role as a reminder of travel or products. So here's to the British flag, hung outside a San Francisco window, to marmalade, and fish and chips, and warm beer, long may it wave. (2007) San Francisco, California • Photo posted June 28, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070628.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Eroded concrete thought to reveal a map
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People see all sorts of things in clouds.
Imagine lying on your back on a blanket spread over newly
mowed grass, hands behind your head watching fluffy clouds.
"A bus," you announce, then chuckle. "With ears."
"No," your companion counters. "A French bulldog crouched because he is tired." We each see what has meaning to ourself. Just like the random patterns in concrete shown in today's photo. One sees a map of islands. Another sees a bride tossing multiple bouquets. A similar effect happens in email. One may perceive an insult while another perceives a compliment. Mention the need to wear a hat to a bald man and he may find offense. But mention a hat to someone with hair and he may find it a compliment. Whether with clouds, concrete, or writing, one's own ego will always try to interpret the ambiguous. So, when presenting to another, always try to tailor your presentation uniquely to the other. By knowing and addressing your audience you avoid ambiguity and thereby avoid misinterpretation. Try it yourself. next time pause before you hit send. Reread what your wrote. Pretend you are the recipient and read it as the recipient would. Try to misinterpret what was said, read into it what was not meant. Then go back and rephrase your email to say what you intend. You'll be happy you took the time to review. Now that you know how to write email go find yourself an old blanket and some freshly mowed lawn. (2006) Mountain View, California • Photo posted June 29, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070629.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
Bridge dated 1893 crosses to the island
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We all learned when young that retailers will price goods
a penny or two under an even dollar so that we will "feel"
that an item is cheaper than it really is. Visit any
large or discount store and look at the prices. Is there
any reason other than trickery to price an item at
$2.98 rather than $3.00? For the average shopper,
the $2.98 seems more like $2.00 than like $3.00.
The same effect is evident with dates too. Look at the date on this bridge. Doesn't this bridge seem far older having been built in 1893 then another bridge that may have been built in 1900. Isn't it like saying one was built in the 1800's and the other in the 1900's? But they were actually built within 7 years of each other. In our system of feet and inches, a man six feet tall is vastly taller than a man five feet eleven inches. The emotional difference between those two heights is more that the difference between six foot and six foot one inch. The six-foot man is tall, the five-foot, eleven-inch man is short. Does the same thing happen in metric? Is a 180 cm man tall and a 179 cm man short? Or is this strictly an American phenomenon? All the American sports require a winner. There is always one winner and a loser and the difference between them is infinite. Internationally, soccer is the most popular sport. In soccer it is possible and not surprising for a game to end in a tie. In the Sates we are preoccupied with lines. Above is good, below is bad. Consider the poverty line and that to be below it means you are poor. A millionaire is rich, a $199,999-aire is not. The winner of the best actor Oscar is vastly (not slightly) better than the nominees. Imagine a world in which all baseball games ended after nine innings whether or not there was a winner. Imagine a world in which the honor is to be nominated, and there follows no vote to spoil the honor. Imagine time measured in days rather than years or centuries. Imagine a $2 world in which a bridge was built without care for when. (2007) Stow Lake, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco • Photo posted June 30, 2007 • © 2007 Bryan Costales #BP20070630.jpg Add a comment or report a mistake |
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Created for: The Sims 4 Creator Terms of Use
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- Teen-Elder
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Email Us The FTD® Forever Remembered™ Cremation Adornment
S5327"Crafted with a fresh, bold floral mix, our Forever Remembered™ Cremation Adornment is a stunning display of sympathy and remembrance. This tabletop arrangement is comprised of iris, delphinium and hydrangea to celebrate the beautiful life of the one who has passed. It holds an urn or framed photograph in the center of a ring of gorgeous flowers. - Details: o Adornment is approximately 17""H x 24""W o Urn shown is not included"
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