I know this topic has gone from hot to warm to hot to cool, but I need to say a few word here publicly....
BeeBiz - John F. Kennedy made a major German language blunder in his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech in Berlin, Germany. The story goes that he should have said "Ich bin Berliner" ("I am a citizen of Berlin"), and that "Ich bin ein Berliner" really means "I am a jelly doughnut." (A "Berliner" is in fact a type of jelly doughnut made in Berlin.) Keep this OFTEN NOTED speech blunder in mine when dealing in an INTERNATIONAL FORUM.
I strongly suggest if you have a problem with another member, done the following: inform them privately that you find their words offensive and also let the forum moderators know or me privately that you were offended by something said. I know it is NOT easy to feel slapped in the face and not slap back, but whether you agree or not - THAT is exactly what you should do.
If his reply was offensive, it could have AND WOULD HAVE been removed immediately. You did not choose this option, so you entered into a battle of words willingly. And frankly, the more Finsky replies, the deeper his foot goes into his mouth, every time when an issue turns confrontational! His word usage and frankness (a definite cultural thing Finsky claims - I honestly don't know) differs greatly than how most people approach an issue. Being from a RED STATE (Conservative red - that's a good red) you have obvious traits that differ from Finsky. A southern Gentleman (and call me a stereo-typist if you want) should be insulted, unless of course he understood Finsky's meaning which started this melee.
I understand where you are coming from BeeBiz, my brother died at 21 from respiratory failure after a totally debilitating life of Cerebral Palsy - he couldn't walk, talk or feed himself, but his mind was as sharp as mine and yours. I KNOW the frustration he felt and how it can effect the "length of your fuse" when dealing with anyone who seems to be baiting you - whether they are or not. I just ask you now, to cool your jets a bit and FINSKY I ask you the same.
FINSKY - as cute as you Sniper Kitty may be, put it back in it's cage and keep your boxing gloves in their case where they belong.
I have been aware of Finsky's "use" of English for a very long time, you are not disclosing anything that we all don't already know - FEW PEOPLE in the forum have come to bat for him as I have and occasionally I hear it from the masses, but I need a membership willing to accept people NOT ONLY for who they are, but from "where" they have been shaped and molded. If you can not accept "that" different cultures need to respect each other, then this forum is NOT a place to be.
A quick note on the Afro-style comment. I understood what Finsky meant. If he had said Irish Style, Italian style or any other style, would you have reacted the same way? His reply was not racist, it was factual to a method of netting honey from comb.
I pride anyone using English as a second language, but when you add it to Finlandian culture which (if we use Finsky as an example) uses worlds to debate issues without the "use of respect and consideration" as much of the world expects in a sentence, then reading Finsky's replies might be like chewing "a mouth full of aluminum foil" with a "mouth full of fillings".
Think of him as an UNPOLISHED ROCK, all jagged and pointy, yet toss him in the tumbler for a while (a very long while) a beautiful gem appears. You have the right to assume I'm nuts on that, but I'm telling you as I see it. That may explain to many of you WHY he has been around as long as he has, I'm a true belief in a persons potential, not their appearance and I give everyone here that same courtesy. BLATANT ATTACKS get you booted on the spot, but that is another issue all together.
Sadly, we never get to see the polished stone that Finsky could be - I've known that and accept him as an example of what English would be WITHOUT all the POMP and CIRCUMSTANCE we commonly speak. Finsky is what he is, love him or hate him - there are VERY FEW people neutral on him.
So BeeBiz, I leave you with an old TQM (Total Quality Management) saying, you can't change them, you can only change you. I'm not asking you to be stepped on by him or anyone else here, just don't do what our government (lately) loves to do, that is "spread democracy and diplomacy to the world" we don't do that here, we keep bees here.
Again, if there is a problem post, we can make it go away, or (and I rarely use this word EDIT the content down. I have a language filter and I believe IT is enough of a control method in these forums. The rest is up to the membership and how well they conduct themselves. That is why in MOST FORUMS members can not edit their own text, I set it up that way as an insurance policy - be sure you type is what you mean, because once it is posted it is there for everyone to see until edited or delete by the moderators.
Behave, both of you - these long letters give me a headache. And lastly, as I read the replies here, I see an informal poll concerning how different members feel about Finsky - the forum is NOT where members are discussed openly, it only baits more of the same peeing contests that will not be tolerated.
Now.... shallow and medium supers do seem like a better way to go. Cost wise, it is more costly to have a 5ft tall hive made of shallows compared to the cost of deeps - more supers, more frames, etc., even when the cost of parts are cheaper per part, you need more quantity. But the weight difference could be the difference of saving your spine or crippling yourself more.
I know from what I have read that money is a serious concern, I would hope that local club support could help you out - your bee yard could even be a club project, in that case YOU get the benefits of having the bees, yet the cost could be offset and assistance might be available. I hope you find the answers you are looking for, surely someone could extract frames for you, I can't imagine a club without members willing to help out.
We have probes circling the moons of Saturn taking high resolution images showing that liquid water is spouting up from below the surface and freezing into crystals, forming ice volcanoes and adding crystals to the planets rings - SURELY there has to be a way for you to keep bees with having to suffer.