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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Bees at Last, Bees at Last. Great God Almighty, Bees at Last! |
| 2011-08-25 |
| Here's a clever and judicious use of the open space that is required around a busy airport like Chicago's O'Hare: An apiary. That's a Bee Farm for those of you who don't know. There are now 1.5 million bees living in beehives in this open space. The beehives are tended mainly by carefully screened former convicts. The felons work for Sweet Beginnings, an enterprise that employs them as beekeepers, landscapers and food processors. Ooooo-Kay. Sounds like a Honey of a Job. Kinda takes the sting out of being an ex-con. The Daily Herald has a quote from the CEO of Sweet Beginnings that I found encouraging: "Bees don't distinguish between weeds and flowers," Palms Barber said. "They see it all as a source of food and turn whatever they draw from into something sweet and good. That's what we do with these men and women. There is good in them as well." Since the land that's used for beekeeping is in what's called the runway protection zone, it can't be developed. The open space was already vegetated with plants that attract bees. So the bees get a good home, the felons have a chance to learn meaningful skills while being employed. In the current economy who knows how many beekeepers we'll need? If they're smart, other airports across the country will replicate this model. |
| Posted by:Deacon Blues |
| #7 Ex-Cons Air-side. I can't seeing any problems with that... |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2011-08-25 15:55 |
| #6 Meanwhile, here's a salute to the 95 year old man stung by 600 bees, and still alive. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-08-25 15:51 |
| #5 I know an old lady who swallowed a fly? spider, bird, cat, dog ... [refrain]But I don't know why, she swallowed the fly. Perhaps she'll die. I know an old lady who swallowed a horse. She's dead, of course. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2011-08-25 15:10 |
| #4 What did the old lady swallow to get rid of the bee? |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2011-08-25 14:56 |
| #3 Hilarious full circle for bee fanciers. Considering how "mainstream journalism" missed the Wright Brothers first flight, and "Gleanings in Bee Culture" had the scoop in reporting it, it's fitting bees should take up lots of space around flight operations. If "journalists" missed the story of the millenium, why should expect any more of them today? Now, if DARPA could just deploy one of the various bee-inspired devices they've been working on we'd really be making progress. |
| Posted by: Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2011-08-25 12:57 |
| #2 Bees don't distinguish between weeds and flowers ?????????????? |
| Posted by: gr(o)mgoru 2011-08-25 12:24 |
| #1 The beehives are tended mainly by carefully screened former convicts. Doing the jobs that law abiding citizens won't do. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2011-08-25 12:23 |