On the Possibilities and Problems of Groups

...st goal is “connectivity.” People can connect to feed the homeless, rescue animals or plant trees. Unfortunately, people can also connect to promote racism and hate, something the internet has made worse. I wish I had an easy set of points on how to form positive, long lasting and effective groups or just how to be a better member of a group. I don’t. But, as in most worthwhile tasks, perhaps the answer is to take things one step at a time. We, in...

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The Unintended Consequences of Water Conservation

...access TV show. Who cares if you pull the water? Never mind that insects, animals and people call those landscapes home. Two ways out of this: a focus on long term solutions in our civic discourse and instilling a love of plants (we could call it horticultural literacy) in the next generation. Both are tall orders. In the meantime, I recommend reading Hodel and Pittenger’s paper. They are, perhaps, more enamored of the lawn than I but their call...

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Saturday Tweets: Hello 2019

....twitter.com/SfWJ4E4m7q — Laura Goodfellow 🚌🏃🏼‍♀️ (@transitrunner) January 2, 2019 #UCDavis‘ @JamieLPeyton continues success with innovation burn care for animals. https://t.co/0vGIzPC3V3 — UC Davis Vet Med (@ucdavisvetmed) January 2, 2019...

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Boozing Bees

...down of combs by heat, or the upturning of the hive by wind or mischievous animals or human beings. In this same issue, there’s an article about an attempt to reconcile the need to spray fruit trees with pesticide and the impact of those chemicals on bees. Another talk at the conference by Dr. May Berenbaum of Cornell, that I was only able to hear part of, looked at the history of the use of pesticides. Honeybees are a complex organism and their i...

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On Moldy Jam

...jelly having surface mold growth. Mycotoxins are known to cause cancer in animals; their effects on humans are still being researched. Because of possible mold contamination, paraffin or wax seals are no longer recommended for any sweet spread, including jellies. To prevent growth of molds and loss of good flavor or color, fill products hot into sterile Mason jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace, seal with self-sealing lids, and process 5 minutes in...

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