Since discussion of media bias, etc., etc. has been done to death on the forums, I'm posting my rant here.

This week, the Oriental Institute has been priviledged (and I'm not being sarcastic) to host a visit by Donny George Youkhanna
(General Director for Research with the Iraq State Board of Antiquities, Baghdad) who is a very gracious and wonderful man. At a graduate student lunch Thursday, he and McGuire Gibson, our resident Mesopotamian archaeologist, along with some of the other faculty got onto the topic of media coverage of the looting of the main Iraqi Museum in Baghdad. What I found out was absolutely disgusting.
I am not sure how many of you followed the news coverage of the looting, but to summarize, first the media was screaming bloody murder along with all the rest of us about the immense quantities of materials looted or destroyed. A few weeks later, they were informing the public that hardly anything had been taken at all and that all of the so-called experts were liberal anti-war alarmists who hadn't the faintest idea what they were talking about and then the subject was relegated to the briefest of appearances on news tickers.
As it turns out, the media statement that hardly anything was taken comes from a conveniently edited interview with Donny George himself in which he stated (forgive me, but I can't quote exactly) something to the effect of: "Around 41 objects were taken from the galleries [of the Iraqi Museum, Baghdad]..." The sound byte was cut off there. What Donny George went on to say, however, was something to the effect of: "... many, many more objects, the number of which we are currently trying to establish, were taken from storage vaults in the Museum."
Bastards. What the media has also failed to point out is that the Iraqi Museum in Baghdad is only one of many Iraqi museums which house antiquities along with other objects of cultural value. There are several regional museums.
In addition, Nightline also apparently had fun with editing and spliced together several different interviews with McGuire Gibson to make him look like a completly moronic alarmist who claimed that "170,000 objects were stolen in the looting" when in fact it was only 41. Mac can't remember the exact context in which he said 170,000 objects, but he thinks it may have been a reference to his estimate of the contents of the vaults at the Iraqi Museum.
Rat fuckers.
Neither man is intending any lawsuits, etc - why bother? Besides, Donny George had enough trouble getting a visa this time around, God knows what will happen next time he wants to visit the US.

I received the following email at work today. Make of it what you will - it just made me laugh...
If you feel the need to contact him, I suggest that you tell him that your spy satellites are better than his, and that's how you knew how to get in touch with him...   

Dr. Granville Earl Love ll
>                                       The good side of Geo. Magisterial
>
>Granville Earl Lovell
>Sept. 30, 2003
>P.O. Box 397
>Zion Il, 60099
>847-274-5954
>
> GeoBible@msn.com
>       GeoBible@yahoo.com       I am
>going to the Media or News papers today. This is your last chance to
>get the scoop but, I am sure you are too late . I have E-mailed over
>three thousand hours to all of you and you have ignored my emails
>about the biggest story the world could ever hear.
>
>I seem to have discovered the key to all things that exist, there is
>not a day that goes by that I do not discover even more things that
>the world does not know. I know this sounds like quite a large
>statement but, you have not heard nothing yet.
>My discoveries that others do not know include most everything that exist.
>Human /Animal body from bone to brain to skin, Plant life, Elements,
>Soil, Rocks, Meteorites, Creation, History of Earth, Mysteries of
>the Earth, Bible, Egypt, Pyramids as well as explaining them.
>I not only can explain them I have truck loads of proof which I will
>be taking today to launch this good news. I may not share this news
>with but one news group? because no one has bothered to look into
>the biggest news ever.
>I also do Satellite imaging better than anyone on Earth, even the
>military, They should have looked into my claims. I can tell you
>about all ancient life on Earth as well as about life on other
>planets. You will be able to see for yourself, You will
>not need degrees in anything to see that what I have is very real.
>I also have ancient stone models of flying vehicles and much other
>things. I have so much information that it will change all the
>world, and move our knowledge light years ahead.
>I have been reluctant as to who should know first, or should I have
>auctions for some of the Art or Stone figures and or knowledge I
>have, Or should I write about something the world should know about
>right now. I know Many, Many, Many, Many, Too Many, things the world
>needs to know now.
>Right now I am involved in re mapping the Earth and oceans like you
>would not believe, with better information. Would the world like to
>know more about earthquakes? Volcanoes, all the elements ? I can
>produce proof about the workings of the Earth and more.  NASA is
>another that does not return my emails, I can prove to them that I
>know things they should know about Mars, Moon, Sun, and all the
>Universe and space travel.
>Sure this sounds crazy but! it is very true!.
>I do not know any other way to tell you and get your attention. I
>have nothing to gain by making false claims, or wasting your time. I
>do not expect to get any publicity unless I can prove with very
>little effort that what I have is real. You will not have to get any
>professionals to look at a model of a vehicle in rocks or stone that
>have great detail to prove to you that you are right, I am sure you
>will see that it is very true. I have not carved it into the stone
>as you will see. I also have art that should be priceless to any
>collector.
>Another thing, This system of things we call Earth and all in and
>around it has a way that it has been recording pictures and events
>since the beginning of time, I have been able to retrieve many of
>these as you will see. I have a way of revealing Very nice pictures
>or people places and events since the beginning of time. I never
>have enough time to stay with one discovery because there are too
>many, I can't wait to see what is next.  I am working on a device to
>retrieve the photos without so much work as well as many other
>experiments, and never enough time, I sure could use some help with
>these discoveries. All the world should be involved . You may think
>these are a lot of claims but! there is much more.
>By the way, I think I can locate someone that has been buried in a
>field or woods etc, I am not sure if I could locate someone that was
>just buried? or how long they would have to be in the ground for me
>to find them. I could prove this very easy if you have known photos
>of areas where searches were done before digging to see if I can
>show you. I am sure I can locate treasures, objects  all over the
>Earth as well. I have some locations I want to look into soon. I can
>tell you much more about all ancient ruins than anyone on Earth.
>Egypt is a great starting point, I can prove with out a doubt that I
>can explain Most or all things in Egypt. People only think they know
>about Egypt and the pyramids, They are so very wrong.
>There is so much also about the Bible I can prove right before
>everyone's eyes. NO ONE will be able to make an argument that I am
>wrong. They will be very anxious to get to the research as well. I
>would think I have enough on going to keep a Television show going
>all the time showing new discoveries. It is so amazing.
>Please I an not boasting just trying to get through to you but! I am
>sure you are too late for the scoop.
>I am sending this letter to many others as well.
>Thanks.
>
>Granville Earl Lovell
>GeoBible@msn.com
>cell ph. 847-274-5954
>

Well, I am now officially through 3 days of classes. I believe that I can schedule in time for a full night's sleep sometime in the middle of October and then not again until the term ends. Our history of the Ancient Near East professor has a patch over one eye - that took major amounts of self-control in class. ("Arr, me mateys, we'll be discussin' Mesopotamia, the cursed scurvy curs this quarter...) Someone wants to get him a stuffed parrot for Christmas. Apparently, he hasn't caught on to the concept of a 10 week quarter yet either - our reading list is hellacious. And while much of it is on e-reserve, whoever scanned the pages was on some seriously bad crack so lines are missing their ends, pages are cut off so the first or last few lines of text are gone. Add to that the reading list for my Predynastic class which is only slightly less hellacious. I also have a page and half of translating to do for each Middle Egyptian class (that's more than it sounds like, trust me...). And our freakin' required seminar is insane - we don't get a real grade (Pass/Fail) but we have a massive amount of reading to do along with getting our 2 Year Papers ready. We have to turn in our introduction at the end of this quarter and the next 2 sections over the course of the next quarter. This will encourage me to actually get it done, but man... Add to that the fact that the departmental rules have changed and our paper is due at the end of the Winter Quarter instead of 2 weeks into the Spring Quarter. Arghh!!!! At least I can enjoy my break. I am also auditing a class that will be ever so interesting, but also requires massive amounts of reading. Oh, and I need to study German so I can pass the damned reading exam. And work 15 hours a week. No sleep for me! Oreo is already starting the "If I drop my tennis ball directly onto your pile of books and papers while you translate, you'll play with me" strategy combined with the "If I go to sleep directly on top or your pile of books and papers while you translate, you'll pet me, or at least yell at me, and that's sort of like talking" strategy.
I've also decided that in the near future I need to write a paper, hopefully co-authored by Tom, entitled "Why the Fuck Did So Many People Think It Was a Good Idea to Bury Infants in Pots under Their Houses?"
I had a brief moment of panic on Monday afternoon when I discovered I had been shorted my $1000 stipend by the Bursar's Office. It turns out that we get stipend checks from our Dean - how I was supposed to know that is beyond me.
So that's my news. If I had time, I would count my existing gray hairs to see how many more appear by the end of this school year. We'll see.

I have officially returned to Chicago, at the last minute, as usual, since classes begin tomorrow. Specifically, tomorrow at 8:30 AM, which, as you all know, is far, far too early for this little ferret, especially for this little ferret to be translating Middle Egyptian. (*Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy* "Professor aren't we ever going to read anything about a ferret, huh huh huh?????" Yep, there's a way to get excused from class....) Also tomorrow I will do battle with everyone else needing a refund check from the Bursar and everyone needing books for courses that somehow never seem to have book orders placed on time/at all. The rampant ferrret shall be victorious! Or I will dance on their pitiful heads! (Has everyone picked up on the sleep deprivation yet? That's a damn long drive from StarkVegas.)
I have also come to the conclusion that despite my lack of a life insurance policy, I'm worth more dead than alive - perhaps I should start a PayPal account for donations - "Adopt a Pet Archaeologist: I'll babble endlessly about small bits of ancient garbage and dance gleefully at the sight of ruins. Only $9.95/month. (Bull whip and fedora package an additional $5.95.)"
Oh, wait a second - I own my car now. Wait, no...loans. Yep, Tom should kill me and have done with it, it would be cheaper in the long run, even with the legal fees and prison term. Oh well - at least, so far as I know, the Federal Government hasn't been repossessing brains from people who default on their educational loans. Or have they.............