First algae, are locusts next?

Doomsayers over at Slate examine the myriad of potential disasters that could derail the Beijing Olympics, calling it the "Summer Olympics Disaster Guide". Pollution (no surprise here) and visa restrictions rank the highest with a 90% possibility while the unrest in Tibet and algae plaguing Qingdao’s waters come in a close second. But for us, the threat of a locust invasion entering Beijing from Duolun County in Inner Mongolia is hair-raising. According to local officials, cooler temperatures and drier conditions in May have delayed locust hatchings. "The directive," he said, is to prevent the locusts from taking flight, prevent them from entering Beijing and prevent them from destroying everything along their path."