Bon Lemon Revue - Egypt Update and Yummy Crackers

-Photo courtesy of The Atlantic-

All righty... after trying to figure out how to make a cute little movie out of the video I shot for The Bon Lemon Revue, I fear the news will be old if I don't just type it out. Thanks goodness I am in the process of converting to a Mac which is sure to have some snappy video editing program. (I am a bit tech challenged.) Video Bon Lemon Revue... coming soon!

Egypt
In a nutshell, President Mubarak stepped down (through the VP) on Friday. The protesters were super excited, as this was their main goal, but they had some further demands. In line with their demands, the military has since dissolved the parliament and suspended the constitution until legitimate elections can be held. (Probably 6 months.) The "caretaker cabinet" Mubarak created back in January will remain in an administrative role until the elections take place. The military has said they will abide by the peace treaties with Israel, which was a big concern for many interests worldwide.

This is a big win for democracy. The authoritarian dictator is out. The other politicians elected in rigged elections are out. But who is in? That remains the BIG question. What is next? Stay tuned for more on the (hopefully) video Revue.

Cocktail Talk: "That Mubarak was a nut ball dictator." "Did you know the whole revolution started on Facebook?" "I'm so glad they are keeping the peace with Israel. That could get nasty. Like Lindsay Lohan in rehab nasty."

Ines Rosales
I am obsessed with these crackers. Obsessed. They are the perfect combination of sweet, savory, crunchy, mmmmm. I like the blue package which is sweet olive oil. They are made in Spain. Of course they are delicious! Try them. You won't regret it.



Photo courtesy of www.foodonfifth.com

The Bon Lemon Revue (Almost): The Middle East

My video camera is set to arrive today. Yay! Soon, The Bon Lemon Revue will start giving you well edited news to keep you savvy. Thank you to www.vanns.com (a Missoula company) for having such a great deal on an affordable video camera made just for bloggers. And it is pink :)



Even though we don't have our video camera yet, with all of the turmoil in the Middle East, we wanted to keep you savvy. So here is a little, written preview of The Bon Lemon Revue. Enjoy.

Protests in Egypt

The US and Iran are not friends. The US's BFF in The Middle East is Egypt. Most Middle Eastern (and Northern African) countries are run by variations of authoritarian governments. (One dude tells everyone what to do and they do it. If they do not, things get nasty.) The US has to maintain friendships with the right people to protect their interests in The Middle East. Egypt has been our most important friend. (The US has limited options, because many countries are friends with Iran. Remember: Iran and the US don't play nice.)

Right now, Egyptian people are protesting their government. There have been protests before, but none this large and none simultaneous with protests in other parts of The Middle East. The protesters want President Mubarak to leave. He has been in office for three decades and people are sick of of the widespread poverty and corrupt government associated with his tenure.

The Egyptian government has said (for now) it won't machine gun or bulldoze the protesters, but any offers for regime change have been weak and unsatisfactory. The US hasn't said much, because they are caught between a rock and a hard place. Mubarak is the US's friend and they want to remain friends with Egypt, because it is the largest, and arguably most stable, country in The Middle East. But Mubarak is a dictator and as champions of democracy, the US can't publicly support rigged elections and self-serving administrations.

The biggest problem in Egypt is the lack of viable alternatives. The most organized opposition to Mubarak is the Muslim Brotherhood, which is not known for being a democracy oriented organization. (It's links to violence and terrorism are debatable.) So if the protesters succeed and Mubarak and his entourage leave, then what?

That remains to be seen. We'll keep you savvy.

Cocktail Convo: "Aren't those protests in Egypt crazy?" - "Mubarak looks like he is on his way out." - "But the Muslim Brotherhood isn't a great alternative." - "I wonder what this is doing to my oil, commodities, ______ stock."

-----

The Bon Lemon Revue is not CNN, Fox News, BBC, or Al Jazeera. We do not have a team of reporters and fact checkers dedicated to ensuring the accuracy of this information. Because of our abbreviated format, we can not give you every explanation and detail. We aim to bring you well edited news and information in a format that is easy and quick to read and understand. Let us know if we misspeak. We welcome your comments. 2011. All rights reserved.

Egypt

Authoritarian rule doesn't work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Czslbh_Bnw