America lost about a third of its managed honeybee colonies from October 2009 to April 2010. The little-understood event is called colony collapse disorder.

In 2010 Vancouver resident Jon Betz, associated with the Portland nonprofit film production and distribution company Collective Eye Inc. produced ‘Queen of the Sun.’ Among the beekeepers featured were Jacqueline Freeman and Sara Mapelli.

In this opening highlight from the film Mapelli used a queen-bee pheromone to attract 12,000 honey bees, the second time she’s done a honeybee dance. The artist admits to being stung six times while covered in bees to film ‘Queen of the Sun’, although she wasn’t stung at all in her first dance.

Mapelli describes dancing with bees as “magical.”

“It’s a duet,” she said. “We’re working together. It’s a really amazing, meditative experience.” Learn more about Queen of the Sun project on their website. information viaThe Columbian

Daily French Roast

Anne is reading …

New articles on honey bees

Are Pesticides Behind Massive Bee Collapse?Discovery 1-11-12

Einstein was right - honey bee collapse threatens global food securityThe Telegraph 2-6-12

Collapsing Honey Bee Colonies: Blame The Parasites?NPR 1-7-12

Honeybee problem nearing a ‘critical point’ The Guardian 1-13-12

More DFR Komen News

A few social media types are complaining that the liberal media just won’t let go of the Komen defunding of Planned Parenthood’s breast cancer screenings, and then changing course at the end of last week.

(Please be advised that Komen is denying that this story, launched by LifeNews.com is true. We will know more in the morning.) That’s because we’re just getting started with Komen, now that we know the organization quietly cancelled $12 million in research funding last November, dollars contributed by vast numbers of Americans walking for the cure who embrace stem cell research. Very quietly Komen blowed to social conservatives pressure and big-time leaning by America’s Catholic bishops, cancelling all breast cancer research grants that used embryonic stem cell research.

America’s top universities like John Hopkins were hit by the change in Komen policy. Let me be clear that AOC’s position is that Komen can donate funds however they wish. But corporate and individual supporters of Komen should be fully informed that Komen no longer supports cutting-edge, breast cancer research. Critics of Komen have long criticized that only about 20% of funds raised really goes for research. And now the amount will drop even further, if Komen refuses to fund the best scientists.

When TIME magazine writes Planned Parenthood vs Komen: New Win in the Culture War,yes this IS what social-media engine looks like and we’re just getting warmed up with Komen. The digging on behalf of women with breast cancer is just beginning, because we don’t like what we see so far.

More Komen-related articles

The Politics of Absolutely Everything Gail Collins for NYT

How a GOP Win Could Spell the End of Reproductive Health for Global Women Michelle Goldberg for Daily Beast

Surprises in Komen-Planned Parenthood dustup: How cancer screening is done and who pays for itThe Washington Post

Komen Also Stops Funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research CentersLifeNews.com

Catholic Bishop Drops Komen Support Over Planned Parenthood Ties LifeNews.com 7/13/11