How's that 'hope and change' going in "Arab Spring" Egypt?

The "arts", that are a big part of the tourist-draw in Egypt, are suffering under the Egyptian hope and change...

A once-prominent Egyptian belly dancer said she has decided to stop dancing, saying Islamists have destroyed art and creativity in Egypt.

“Artists are sitting at home because Islamists destroyed art and creativity,” 70-year-old Nagwa Fouad told Al-Masry Al-Youm. “Perhaps I should look for work in Turkey.”

She said production for her new television series has stopped because of lack of funding.

“Production houses are going bankrupt,” she said. “And people only watch the news on the daily clashes.”

[...]

However, not to worry ... Culture prevails through adversity. The ‘Harlem Shake’ is on the rise in Egypt.

Well, as Obama's 'sequestration' is threatening to make the most selectively painful cuts in order to make the American people squeal like a pig, the shipment of highly sophisticated and expensive taxpayer-built American war machines and millions (and possibly billions) in additional funding will proceed to Egypt as planned.

Meanwhile, as Passover approaches, a locust plague has descended on Egypt, threatening agriculture...

As if we hadn't already seen enough Biblical events this year, a plague of over 30 million locusts swarmed over Egypt's cities and farms just three weeks before Passover begins. But put your apocalyptic fears to rest. This happens every year as part of the locusts' natural migration pattern, though this year's swarm is especially large. That doesn't mean Egyptians aren't freaked the heck out by millions of nasty bugs buzzing through the air at all hours of day and night, possibly descending upon the agriculture fields where they're known to destroy entire crops, just like in the actual Passover story.

The crops are so far safe, Egyptian officials assured the public. As the plague made its way from the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia at the end of last week and this weekend, though, Egyptian Agricultural Minister Salah Abdel Moamen explained the situation to the country in a calmly worded statement. "The current inspection teams at areas targeted by locusts did not witness swarms damaging a single inch of crop," said Moamen. He added that the locusts are "sexually immature and do not depend on plants for energy since they mainly rely on fat stores."

That said, these plages can be unpredictable. Egyptian officials didn't expect the plague to pass by the country's capital, until Sunday when the locusts unexpectedly arrived in Cairo. The government denied reports that the locusts had started devastating crops as well as a report from United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) that the Ministry of Agriculture cleared 11,000 hectares of land in an attempt to save the harvest. When they get hungry, a one-ton hoard of locusts can eat the same amount of food in one day as 2,500 humans, according to the UN. Egypt knows this too. Less than a decade ago, a plague of locusts nearly 40 miles wide swept over Egypt damaging crops at the majority of the country's farms. That's a picture of it, to the right.

Conflicting reports aside, Moamen insists that the government has everything under control. [...]

Well, maybe they can shoot them down with some of those kick-ass American F-16s.

By the way, recall back during the dawn of "The Arab Spring" in Cairo, Egypt the video where some claimed they viewed an apocalyptic horseman riding through the rioting crowd (roughly @ 1:23). Some said it was The Fourth Horseman (because of its green color). Eh. If you're going to factor in such things more likely it was The Third Horseman, who brings famine.

And here's a thought ... During this Obama 'sequester', and his insisting on going through with granting Egypt millions and millions in US money and war machinery, should this locust swarming result in a major loss of crops we had better not hear from the White House how we now have to send Egypt millions/billions in food and aid.

Meanwhile, nuttin' but L.O.V.E. for Secretary of State John Kerry-Heinz in Egypt. He is making great progress in Obama's Muslim Brotherhood-supporting name with the newly liberated Egyptians...

(HT: Weasel Zippers for the photos)

Kerry’s visit to Egypt did not go smoothly as protesters turned out to denounce Obama and Kerry’s support for the Islamist regime of Morsi.

Protesters held a banner reading, “They shook hands stained with the blood of children.” Others burned and stomped on photos of Kerry. They denounced American interference in Egyptian affairs and claimed that the alliance between the US and the Muslim Brotherhood is the true ruling regime in Egypt. And a simpler banned said, “Go to hell.”

[...]

In this new age of enlightenment the Islamic tolerance continues to thrive in Egypt as well.

I'm thinking that Pale Horseman just might be bringing it up the rear.