You believe Google had something to do with the unrest in Egypt? I believe that it's been coming for quite awhile. I believe that his age and job point to the fact that he belongs to a higher economic status and more than average intelligence.

The despotism in Egypt probably had more to do with causing disaffection by the lack of good public education, health care and social services in giving rise to this uprising.

Google has something to do with everything.

Well, given the amount of data they collect and store, they know everything about everything.

Seriously, the populace will revolt when it has been deprived and mistreated often enough for long enough.

We in the Western world may have our gripes about our governments and stuff we don't like, but we don't know just how fortunate we are, compared to those who live under despotic rule and/or dictatorships.

Hopefully the US [and Australia, Britain] will mind its own business this time and not involve itself in the domestic affairs of others.... particularly this time because it is in the Arab world.  The Arab nations would see it as being profit motivated and not appreciate the intervention, despite how well intentioned it was professed to be.

Regardless, it is time for Mubarak to go.  Shoot, I'm 58 and can remember that he was in power when I was a kid.... so by now he's gotta be too senile to hold down any position of responsibility.

Interesting.  The NYT told me Global Warming was responsible for it.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2011/02/07/paul-krugman-blames-egypt-crisis-global-warming

That's funny, my local rag is blaming subliminal messages on Egyptian radio saying that Hosni Mubarak is an alien from a distant planet who is considering converting to the Church of Scientology.

Obviously the locals don't like it and prefer that he converted to Hare Krishna.

As they do in too many other places/situations on Earth[space is next].... that's why Google gets away with a whole load of illegal shit [hacking into peoples unsecured wi-fi, etc] you and I would be imprisoned for.

Is that a recent article or an old one from about 30- 40 years ago?  The reason I ask is that I read something about 40 something years ago on the subject.  Back then the article was saying that average/everyday Egyptians were worse off than many in poor African nations... that Egypt's wealth was being horded by a very small minority.  Sad, isn't it, that nothing has changed in nearly half a century.

Yeah, it took the peasants of Britain and Europe a couple of centuries to stand up to the landed gentry and feudal lords. Sadly, though, the replacement rulers in these countries are no better than their predecessors... and are just as despotic and greedy after a short time in power.

I know that I won't live to see it, but maybe one day mans inhumanity to man will end.  Well here's hoping.

Not all crop destruction is as a result of inclement weather conditions.  I recently saw a thing on TV where farmers were plowing their crops back into the ground, rather than sell them to supermarket chains at below [their] costs.  Yup, Woolworths here in Oz is slashing prices paid to farmers, then jacking up prices on fresh produce 400 - 500%, citing floods and cyclone damage for the increases.

Prior to the floods and cyclone Yasi, bananas were around $2.95 per kg.... post flood, anywhere up to $15.00 per kg.... yet the growers are being paid less for their produce.  One group of farmers preferred to bulldoze their crops than allow the supermarket chains gouge consumers while paying considerably less for the goods

Why not sell it elsewhere?  Because they are under contract and cannot sell to other wholesalers or retailers... not even beside the road.  Now there's something that we used to see all the time... roadside fruit and veg stalls.   Not any more, most growers are forbidden by their contracts, or the big supermarket chains lobbied local government to outlaw them under new rezoning laws

So no, food shortages are not just the result of bad weather.... corporate greed must bear some responsibility.

Trouble is, when the major retailers won't even pay what it cost to plant/cultivate, it hardly makes it worth bothering.  Many once viable farms world-wide have gone to the wall because of the greed of corporate thugs who practically forced them into bankruptcy rather than pay fair prices for produce.

I have a brother-in-law down in Tassie who was forced to quit being a food supplier because Woolworths refused to pay any more than 29 cents per kilo for his lamb, yet they were selling it for $14.99 per kilo.  Now he just caters to family and close friends, while his income is supplemented by hunters who pay to hunt on his land.   A neighbour shut up shop for pretty much the same reason, and now his income comes from guests who pay for bed and breakfast type accommodation in his 150 year old farmhouse.

Both these farmers were major food contributors to the nation in their hey-day, but alas they are no more... along with thousands more who can no longer afford to operate.

As for plowing it under, if I was being offered less than a pittance while the supermarket was making major profits by selling it at 500% or greater markup, I'd be inclined to plow it in... or wait 'til it was absolutely putrid and rotten before tipping it on their doorsteps.