Breaking Story!!! Honey Bee Down

Who'll be Rescuing our little Buddies:

The Silence of the BeesFEATURE ARTICLE - March 19, 2007 by Hannah Nordhaus

Scanning electron microscope image of a bee loaded with pollen. DARWIN DALE/PHOTO RESEARCHERS INC.
The perilous existence of a migratory beekeeper amid a great bee die-off
By the time John Miller realized just how many of his bees were dying, the almonds were in bloom and there was nothing to be done. It was February 2005, and the hives should have been singing with activity, plump brown honeybees working doggedly to carry pollen from blossom to blossom. Instead they were wandering in drunken circles at the base of the hive doors, wingless, desiccated, sluggish, blasé. Miller is accustomed to death on a large scale. “The insect kingdom enjoys little cell repair,” he will often remind you. Even when things are going well, a hive can lose 1,000 bees a day. But the extent of his losses that winter defied even his insect-borne realism. In a matter of weeks, Miller lost almost half of his 13,000 hives — around 300 million bees. ....

for more from Hannah Nordhaus --

Go To: http://www.hcn.org/servlets/hcn.Article?article_id=16891&gclid=CLfDxNTf_4wCFRsJQAodA13h4g

Honey Bee Die-off Alarms Beekeepers, Crop Growers And Researchers
Source:Penn State/College Of Agricultural Sciences
Date:April 23, 2007
More on:Agriculture and Food, Food, Exotic Species, Invasive Species, New Species, Insects and Butterflies
Science Daily — An alarming die-off of honey bees has beekeepers fighting for commercial survival and crop growers wondering whether bees will be available to pollinate their crops this spring and summer. Researchers are scrambling to find answers to what's causing an affliction recently named Colony Collapse Disorder, which has decimated commercial beekeeping operations in Pennsylvania and across the country.

Initial studies of dying colonies revealed a large number of disease organisms present, with no one disease being identified as the culprit, vanEngelsdorp explains. Ongoing case studies and surveys of beekeepers experiencing CCD have found a few common management factors, but no common environmental agents or chemicals have been identified.

Date: January 29, 2007 Genes May Tell A Lot About The Secret Lives Of Bees
More on: Computational Biology, Food, Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, Agriculture and Food, Insects and Butterflies
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070125115707.htm
Science Daily — Despite the fact that bees are one of the most beneficial insects in the world, much of their behavior remains a mystery -- even to the apiculturists who tend them. To better understand such fundamental processes as reproduction, and cope with problems such as bee mites and diseases, scientists are at work on a state-of-the-art genomics resource.

One of the databases, called "BeeBase" and funded by NIH, is a dedicated analysis-and-display environment for the honey bee genome that's headed by scientists at Texas A&M University. BeeBase also gives users the genome sequences for two key honey bee pathogens, Paenibacillus larvae and Ascosphaera apis--both genomic projects led by ARS.Honey beespollinate about 130 fruit, vegetable, nut, ornamental and fiber crops in the United States and contribute approximately $15 billion annually to the national economy through improved crop yields and product quality.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by USDA/Agricultural Research Service.

Bibliography -- See: also

The Biology of the Honeybee, Apis Mellifera

http://plantphys.info/plants_human/bees/bees.html

Honey Bee Die-off Alarms Beekeepers
Larry O'Hanlon, Discovery News @ http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/02/05/bees_ani_02.html?category=travel&guid=20070205144500

And for us writers:

Passport Schmassport... IT is not just gov.Debacles

Hurry up and Wait! And what do Passports have in common with iPhones?

June 25, 2007
U.S. Passport System Comes Up Short
By Larry Barrett
The State Department's backlog in handling passport applications provides CIOs with a chilling reminder on what could go wrong if they fail to ramp up both systems and staff ahead of record-breaking demand.

http://www.cioinsight.com/article2/0,1540,2150728,00.asp

Despite having almost two years to prepare for a predictable onslaught of new passport applications this summer, the U.S. State Department and its information processing systems are now so backlogged that Congress is cracking the whip on the behalf of irate travelers who are waiting and waiting and waiting for their passports.

Tell us what you think: mailto:editors@cioinsight-ziffdavis.com


The debacle, which began in April 2005 when the Homeland Security and State departments instituted new travel regulations requiring Americans flying to nearby countries such as Canada, Mexico and those in the Caribbean to carry a passport, provides CIOs with a chilling reminder of just how wrong things can go if your organization isn't able to ramp up both its systems and its staff ahead of anticipated, record—breaking demand.


What used to take between four and six weeks is now taking three or four or sometimes even five months, leaving travelers angry, stressed out and uncertain if they'll receive their passports in time for their vacations.

In a letter last week, no less than 56 senators lambasted the State Department's woeful performance and called on Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to intercede now before any more travelers are inconvenienced.

"People are angry and frustrated," says Rick Webster, a lobbyist for the Travel
Industry Association of America. "Companies have to respond to shareholders. The
government has to respond to constituents. [The State Department] anticipated
the demand but they guessed far too low. It shouldn't have come to this."

State Department analysts say the agency originally predicted about 15 million passport applications this year, up from 12 million in 2005. Then the figure was revised to 16 million. Now, they're expecting upwards of 17.5 million or more.
Despite hiring an additional 130 passport workers and expanding the number of locations that accept applications from 7,500 to 9,500 this year, the frustrating delays continue and will likely continue though the fall.

Chief Information Officer, CIO
Could something like this happen in the private sector ahead of a new product release or perhaps a new compliance or regulation deadline?

"A good CIO would have the lead members of his or her team interview key internal clients or constituents so the IT department has the clearest possible understanding of the business situation," says Henry Harteveldt, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc. "Technology is the enabler, and can do almost anything, provided the people who are responsible for the managing that technology have the clear insight from those who run the business side of the enterprise."

For the State Department and the passport processing sites, the situation was further complicated when it turned to the private sector for help. Citicorp, which processes the passport fees for the agency, hired an additional 400 workers to an existing staff of 800 to help clear the backlog.

However, a State Department spokeswoman told the Los Angeles Times that once the new hires were trained and began processing the fees, all that paperwork was sent over in enormous batches, further swamping the overwhelmed passport processors.
Citicorp officials were not available for comment.

"On the corporate side, there are efficiencies and incentives built into the process to avoid something like this from happening," Webster says. "In government there's only accountability to the citizens."

Also, unlike a Sarbanes—Oxley deadline or a new product release, the government had the luxury of relaxing the new travel requirements it had created for itself. That's not how it works in the private sector.

One company that's about to experience a similar deluge in demand, AT&T, announced Thursday that it had hired an additional 2,000 temporary workers to meet what's expected to be frenzied demand for Apple Inc.'s iPhone on June 29.

A FAQ on what the iPhone has and what it lacks By David Pogue
Published: June 27, 2007 ...With its new iPhone, Apple pulled off two masterful feats: creating the machine and creating the buzz around it. But just how much of a phone, iPod and Internet machine is this thing?... http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/27/technology/ptiphone28.php

As the only carrier to provide service for the iPhone when it debuts, AT&T's sales staff received a total of 100,000 hours of training to sell and support the device, according to spokesman Mark Siegel.

However, Siegel told Baseline the company would not discuss how much of the training and additional resources were allocated for updating or improving order processing and customers service systems.

And while the State Department desperately struggles to catch up with the millions of applications it's processing this year, travel analysts say the worst may be yet to come. In 2009, Americans traveling by land and sea—in addition to air travel—to nearby countries will also have to carry a valid passport, adding another 26 million applications to the pile.

"The State Department got caught because the normal turnaround time is six weeks," Harteveldt says. "They should have known that human nature being what it is; people generally wait until the last minute to do things."

Dear Readers:
My friends at Ziff-Davis are some of the most helpful business partners a small to medium Mom2Pop like ours could have!!! Don't hesitate to look at what they offer the IT world, er, that would be Everyone! PD

Tell us what you think: mailto:editors@cioinsight-ziffdavis.com

1943 Pinky Lee

Oh my Stars and GAyrters!

Television as we see it today had to start with someone: Pinky Lee (May 2, 1907 – April 3, 1993, born Pincus Leff), was a male American Burlesque comic and host of a children's television show, The Pinky Lee Show in the early 1950s.
Lee worked as comic of the "baggy pants" variety on stage, becoming an expert at the slapstick, comic dancing and rapid-fire jokes of the burlesque style, into the 1940s. His signature costume was a loud plaid suit with baggy checkered pants and an undersized hat; he was also easily recognized by his trademark lisp and his high-energy antics.
In 1950, he had his own primetime variety television show, the Pinky Lee Show, featuring vaudevillians and burlesque comics.
In 1951 and 1952 he starred with Vivian Blaine in a 15-minute sitcom called "Those Two" (the short format was not uncommon in early television).
The second Pinky Lee Show, an afternoon children's program that spawned later imitators such as Pee-Wee's Playhouse, preceded the popular Howdy Doody Show. He opened each show with his trademark theme song and laugh, part of which went, "Yoo Hoo, It's me, my

name is Pinky Lee, with my checkered hat and my checkered coat, and my silly laugh like a billy goat...!" It ran from 1954 to 1956, when it was cancelled (Lee collapsed on camera in 1955 due to an infection, and the show, which continued without him, did not return for the Fall 1956 season).
In 1957, Lee hosted The Gumby Show, the original appearance of that "claymation" character...

Geeeez! >>phd

I wish everyone to Enjoy our time... Scary and wondrous as it is

You are lifted up highly in our esteem and you have
proven again why you will always be called PALIKAR !

The Capotosto Family

Richard Capotosto
Zeeland, Michigan

:Thanks Ric, and bairn, I can always count on your faith. PD

It is Done

Graduates, Friends and Family...
Saturday, July 14, 2007 My Graduation Ceremony will be available
ANYTIME AFTER
8:00 AM CDT and viewable for 30 days from this date.

Please note that this does not mean you must attend at
8:00 AM CDT, only that this time will be your earliest
opportunity to view your Graduation Ceremony.

I will forward this email to guests who I would like to include in my great day.

Commencement Speaker:

Christine Comaford-Lynch

Chat Receptions:
Please join in a Reception and Live Chat on
Saturday, July 14, 2007 at 11:00 AM CDT.

This will be an opportunity to chat with
classmates and Colorado Tech Online faculty and staff.

The live chat will be available for 30 minutes.
You will also have a chance, while participating in the Live Chat,
to have a Private Chat Reception with family and friends.

Instructions to Attend:

Students need to go to the web address below and enter both
your Virtual Campus user name and your Virtual Campus
password. Your Ceremony will be available ANYTIME
AFTER 8:00 AM CDT and available via archive for 30 days.

Inviting Guests:
Guests can go to the web address below and type in their first
and last name, then the guest password: bsba720076
http://graduation.ctuonline.edu?KTedPi8VxxY1
(Or copy and paste the URL into the address bar.)

For all Attendees:
If not already installed, upon entering the ceremony you will be asked to
install a Flash program that is required to successfully view the graduation

Why a Pig in a Cow, anyhow?

Friends, Romans, countrymen, truth is stranger than fiction:

On the menu in the past era of Roman Peace -- Pax Romana -- Romans would stuff a chicken with a duck, a goose with the stuffed chicken --and stuff a Pig with the three nested fowls.

Then what? Of course the Pig was stuffed in a Cow. This was cooked over the pit, and well, there you have the link that connects MooPig with the days of Jesus.

It's called Barbecue! >>pd

1946: G.O. -- Please Don't say Orwellian

Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903[1][2] – 21 January 1950), better known by the pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist.

Dear Writers: Honestly, to where did I arrive after all those hours of learning English? The present age of dying metaphors, and pretentious diction of acronyms and style was predicted by George Orwell, in 1946. Broadcaster: BBC 2 George Orwell: A Life in Pictures
Distributor: BBC Worldwide
Completion Date: 2003

George Orwell, 1903 - 1950
(excerpt)...Dying metaphors. A newly invented metaphor assists thought by evoking a visual image, while on the other hand a metaphor which is technically "dead" (e.g. iron resolution ) has in effect reverted to being an ordinary word and can generally be used without loss of vividness. But in between these two classes there is a huge dump of worn-out metaphors which have lost all evocative power and are merely used because they save people the trouble of inventing phrases for themselves.

Examples are: bring the changes on, take up the cudgel for, toe the line, ride roughshod over, stand shoulder to shoulder with, play into the hands of, no axe to grind, grist to the mill, fishing in troubled waters, on the order of the day, Achilles' heel, swan song, hotbed .

Many of these are used without knowledge of their meaning (what is a "rift," for instance?), and incompatible metaphors are frequently mixed, a sure sign that the writer is not interested in what he is saying. Some metaphors now current have been twisted out of their original meaning withouth those who use them even being aware of the fact. For example, toe the line is sometimes written as tow the line .

Another example is the hammer and the anvil , now always used with the implication that the anvil gets the worst of it. In real life it is always the anvil that breaks the hammer, never the other way about: a writer who stopped to think what he was saying would avoid perverting the original phrase.


Operators or verbal false limbs. These save the trouble of picking out appropriate verbs and nouns, and at the same time pad each sentence with extra syllables which give it an appearance of symmetry. Characteristic phrases are render inoperative, militate against, make contact with, be subjected to, give rise to, give grounds for, have the effect of, play a leading part (role) in, make itself felt, take effect, exhibit a tendency to, serve the purpose of, etc.,etc .

The keynote is the elimination of simple verbs. Instead of being a single word, such as break, stop, spoil, mend, kill , a verb becomes a phrase , made up of a noun or adjective tacked on to some general-purpose verb such as prove, serve, form, play, render . In addition, the passive voice is wherever possible used in preference to the active, and noun constructions are used instead of gerunds (by examination of instead of by examining ).

The range of verbs is further cut down by means of the -ize and de- formations, and the banal statements are given an appearance of profundity by means of the not un- formation. Simple conjunctions and prepositions are replaced by such phrases as with respect to, having regard to, the fact that, by dint of, in view of, in the interests of, on the hypothesis that ; and the ends of sentences are saved by anticlimax by such resounding commonplaces as greatly to be desired, cannot be left out of account, a development to be expected in the near future, deserving of serious consideration, brought to a satisfactory conclusion , and so on and so forth.


Pretentious diction. Words like phenomenon, element, individual (as noun), objective, categorical, effective, virtual, basic, primary, promote, constitute, exhibit, exploit, utilize, eliminate, liquidate , are used to dress up a simple statement and give an aire of scientific impartiality to biased judgements.

Adjectives like epoch-making, epic, historic, unforgettable, triumphant, age-old, inevitable, inexorable, veritable , are used to dignify the sordid process of international politics, while writing that aims at glorifying war usually takes on an archaic color, its characteristic words being: realm, throne, chariot, mailed fist, trident, sword, shield, buckler, banner, jackboot, clarion . Foreign words and expressions such as cul de sac, ancien reacutgime, deus ex machina, mutatis mutandis, status quo, gleichschaltung, weltanschauung , are used to give an air of culture and elegance.

Except for the useful abbreviations i.e., e.g. , and etc. , there is no real need for any of the hundreds of foreign phrases now current in the English language. Bad writers, and especially scientific, political, and sociological writers, are nearly always haunted by the notion that Latin or Greek words are grander than Saxon ones, and unnecessary words like expedite, ameliorate, predict, extraneous, deracinated, clandestine, subaqueous , and hundreds of others constantly gain ground from their Anglo-Saxon numbers.

The jargon peculiar to Marxist writing (hyena, hangman, cannibal, petty bourgeois, these gentry, lackey, flunkey, mad dog, White Guard , etc.) consists largely of words translated from Russian, German, or French; but the normal way of coining a new word is to use Latin or Greek root with the appropriate affix and, where necessary, the size formation.

It is often easier to make up words of this kind (deregionalize, impermissible, extramarital, non-fragmentary and so forth) than to think up the English words that will cover one's meaning. The result, in general, is an increase in slovenliness and vagueness!

Probably it is better to put off using words as long as possible and get one's meaning as clear as one can through pictures and sensations. Afterward one can choose -- not simply accept -- the phrases that will best cover the meaning, and then switch round and decide what impressions one's words are likely to mak on another person. This last effort of the mind cuts out all stale or mixed images, all prefabricated phrases, needless repetitions, and humbug and vagueness generally. But one can often be in doubt about the effect of a word or a phrase, and one needs rules that one can rely on when instinct fails. I think the following rules will cover most cases:

• Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.


• Never us a long word where a short one will do.


• If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.


• Never use the passive where you can use the active.


• Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.


• Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Politics and the English Language, George Orwell
1946
http://www.resort.com/~prime8/Orwell/patee.html

G.O.'s Conclusion: "One cannot change this all in a moment, but one can at least change one's own habits, and from time to time one can even, if one jeers loudly enough, send some worn-out and useless phrase -- some jackboot, Achilles' heel, hotbed, melting pot, acid test, veritable inferno, or other lump of verbal refuse -- into the dustbin, where it belongs." Yes I have a recycle bin on my desktop! >>PD

SCM and the Plastic Fork

Quality and Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management-Definition
Author: Jacob (Joey) Anslum
June 15, 2007

Supply Chain Management is the process of monitoring, controlling, and the overall management of a process from the raw material until the finished product is delivered to the customer. As you can imagine there are many steps involved in a manufacturing process if you back track to the origin of product’s basic building blocks; especially if you consider the number of raw materials alone that goes into even the seemingly simple manufacturing of a plastic fork. If you wanted to produce such an item and happened to have a manufacturing facility that could accommodate its production you would still need to procure plastimers, hardeners, dyes, etc. You need to know where these agents can be purchased, lead times, if there is adequate supplies to keep your facility running, transportation to get it to the facility, storage once it arrived, storage for the finished product, buyers, transportation to the buyers, and probably a few more steps that aren’t mentioned. You need to establish a “supply chain” consisting of all of these entities. (Chopra & Meindl, 2007)

Supply Chain Management means putting all of these resources together in order to meet the needs of the customer. In my business supply chains are a way of life. We have certain segments of the supply chain that are managed internally by our own employees in different departments and others in which we use external labor and expertise provided by third party suppliers. Regardless if the supply chain segment is internal or external the objective is always to same, get the finished product to the customer. One of the primary benefits of a supply chain is ensuring there are no gaps in the chain that will cause interruptions to the process. Contracts are often sought out with suppliers, transporters, etc. to provide a specific capacity of services to further ensure there is no break in the chain. As the saying goes, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Supply chain management helps to ensure there are no weak links and all carry their loads.
JacobAnslum lives and writes in NW Houston. He travesl internationally representing his company. He recently returned from European tour of suppliers and customers.
Reference:
Chopra, S. & Meindl, P. (2007). Supply Chain Management. Strategy, planning, & operation.
(3rd ed). Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey


Re: Plastic fork Jones by Patrick.Darnell on 6/15/2007
Hi Joey:
Now you've done it. Since we have been group mates, you probably know to stop reading right now. Also you, Professor McLaughlin, if you are getting tired of my 'random abstractions,' you might want to stop here. Thank you.

For the rest of you: I have never thought of plastic forks as analogy for process improvement. Had you? What a heavy concept for convergence of supply chains. First off: The plastic fork is not Grandma's antique silver dinnerware, it is a copy of that institutional symbol. Let me continue.


In the context of PHase 3 conducting process improvement analysis -- we first define SCM. Joey aptly says: "monitor, control, and manage raw material to finished product." He tempted me by saying even if: In this case it is a plastic fork. (paraphrased)

Additionally, our course materials suggest: "Process capability measures the ability of a process to consistently meet external customer requirements." The resources also say, "Variability of Processes is due to results of external measurements varying from one market survey to the next." Process Variance is naturally occurring due to cost, quality, flow times and flow rates... all contexts that depend on supply chain alignment. Really good stuff.


Thus, when Joey said plastic forks, I interpreted that as "Hey, plastic forks even have a process." Personally I have always been agog of plastic ware in correlation to outdoor activities. Therefore I agree with Mr. Anslum's analogous corollary, and his identification of a baseline. Everyone needs a baseline to begin one's study.
"So what customer-driven process variance is possible with plastic forks?" I ask happy-heartedly.


Plastic forks, it turns out, have been re-tooled for modern green business. Eureka! And with that I submit compliance has met its lowest rung on the ladder to compliance with oil-free industry. A process that uses Polylactic acid "aka PLA" to manufacture re-duplication of the original plastic duplication of Grandma's original silver dinnerware -- "The fork I used that day and the cups used to serve beer and soda were made from a plastic resin, polylactic acid, aka PLA, a material most often made from corn but also using other plant starches including potatoes and wheat." (DeBare, Ilana, 2007)


-and- "Excellent Packaging & Supply, a small Richmond company started by King and Levine, is carving out a niche as a distributor of compost-able and biodegradable food service products.


They sell dinner plates and coffee cups made from sugar cane residue. Drinking straws and take-out boxes made from corn starch. And Spudware -- forks, spoons and knives that feel like high-quality plastic but are actually made from a biodegradable blend of potato starch and soy oil" (DeBare, Ilana , Chronicle Staff Writer, Sunday, January 7, 2007, RIDDING WORLD OF PLASTIC FORKS)


Well that covers who, what, when, where and how. I am, probably like you, getting an uneasy feeling about "ridding the earth of plastic forks." I have that brain clogging, numbness that wants to ponder "Why?"


Shoutwire.com Article: Survive in The Woods With A Plastic Fork And Some Lint
"Well, here you are lost in the bush again. How did you get there? Beats me. Too bad you didn’t bring a survival kit or some gear. After a quick inventory, you have managed to find a plastic fork and a ball of lint from inside your pockets. You’re screwed, but it could be worse. You could have nothing at all.
... http://www.shoutwire.com/comments/73814/Survive_in_The_Woods_With_A_Plastic_Fork_And_Some_Lint
You build a shelter and a fire.... Alright, so you now have shelter and a fire. But what about your plastic fork? Surely there is some use for it, right? Of course there is. Hopefully you’ve caught a few episodes of Oz, because this is going to require some prison ingenuity."Grab your plastic fork and head over to your new fire pit. Look around and find yourself a small, dry stick that you can use as a “match”.

Light that bad boy on fire. Got it? OK. Now begin gently heating the handle of the fork. It’s important to heat the fork very gently because the plastic will start to burn if it gets too hot. When the plastic begins to soften, gently form the handle into a blade shape using your thumb and index finger. Take your time and do a good job. Once you have the fork formed into the desired blade shape, allow the plastic to cool for a while.

Now the final step. Find yourself a big rock. Not just any rock will do. It needs to be the smoothest rock that you can find. Once you’ve picked your rock, you can begin the process of sharpening your plastic fork. Just sharpen it as you would any other knife. Once you’re done, you’ll have the next best thing to a real knife. Hey, if it works in prison, it can work in the woods too. Now go shank some wildlife." (shoutwire, nd)


--Heck, I don't have a plastic fork, I only have my Spudware-- WWGMD? [...what would grandma do...] Well I could distill it into Vodka! Yay, I'm saved!


(source to anecdote mislaid, retrieved from internet yesterday) http://www.shoutwire.com/comments/73814/Survive_in_The_Woods_With_A_Plastic_Fork_And_Some_Lint


Ps. I graduate in ten days; these are my last ever Discussion boards, and I am happy.

Pat,
You've done it again! I am smiling ear to ear! Thanks!
Courtney P.

Justice Texas Style

“Theories have four stages of acceptance: i) this is worthless nonsense; ii) this is an interesting, but perverse, point of view; iii) this is true, but quite unimportant; iv) I always said so.”
— J.B.S. Haldane, 1963

http://www.newenergytimes.com/news/2007/NET21.htm

5. Death of Cold Fusion Opponent Albert Cotton Under InvestigationBy Steven Krivit

Officials are investigating the death of Texas A&M chemistry professor Frank Albert Cotton on February 21, 2007.Officer Fred Kindell of the Brazos County Sheriff's Department told New Energy Times on March 16 that the department has an open investigation into Cotton's death. Kindell refused to answer further questions.Cotton, a distinguished professor of chemistry at Texas A&M University, is known to the New Energy Times community for a vicious but failed campaign in 1994 to revoke cold fusion pioneer John O'Mara Bockris’ distinguished professor title. Cotton objected to cold fusion research by Bockris, also a Texas A&M professor.

According to a 1994 letter from some of Cotton’s colleagues in the chemistry department, Cotton was coercive, intimidating and a threat to academic freedom.Lane Stephenson of Texas A&M University Relations told New Energy Times on March 16 that he believed Cotton's death was the result of old age. Stephenson said he was unaware that the county was investigating the death.The Bryan-College Station Eagle reported the death of Cotton, whom it called "a distinguished professor of chemistry at Texas A&M University and one of the most honored faculty members in Aggieland history."

Chemical & Engineering News reported on February 26 that Cotton, a "world-renowned inorganic chemist, died from complications stemming from a head injury he suffered from a fall in October."

A former Texas A&M staff member reported to New Energy Times a rumor circulating at the university about Cotton’s death. "In the chemistry department at Texas A&M, it seems to be hush hush about Cotton's death,” the ex-employee said. “The staff is not allowed to discuss it.

“Cotton was at home and had pneumonia. He lived out in the country about 40 miles from town. He told his wife he was going for a walk and would be back at such-and-such time. The time came and went, so they went to look for him.

“It is said that he died from pneumonia, but when they found him, he was on his back, and his face was all smashed up. They said it was because of his falling as he was dying, but [because of] the degree to which his face was scratched and marked up, it seems to be a beating.”The former staff member said, “Texas A&M has had no memorial service for him."