Who is in charge of Mali? Also, so much going on!

By CIPCA, taken from a book that appears to have been written by Xavier Albó

I apologize for being a bit absent recently: I am under a mountain of visa paperwork, prior obligations that need to be wrapped up, and, really, a very awesome paper on Andean solstice events that is due in just a few days (ARGH!). Thus my razor-sharp commentary (HA) will have to wait for a little while!

And, heck, I even had things to say. I got a copy of last week's New York Observer and it came with a huge, multi-page insert from some antiquities dealership about how great an investment antiquities are. There was a glorious, bullet-pointed list of the need for "scientific authentication" where they slyly slid in that an auction house or dealer will take no responsibility for an object that they sell you, implying that they were talking about "authenticity" but also (of course) lumping in illegality.

It was going to be great, I was going to scan it and show you folks...but apparently I tossed it in the recycle bin so no dice. Sleep soundly knowing that it will be compost in someone's garden.

Coup in Mali?

In other news there appears to have been a coup in Mali today/yesterday. Maybe. Can anyone comment on the security situation there? Can anyone comment on why every Malian male seems to be named Amadou? Information coming out of Mali seems to be limited. I guess I need to scour some French-language news sources. This just feels like a surprise, bottom-drop-out situation...the kind if thing that leads to a, ahem, bad day at the national museum in Bamako.

Anyhow, I would still really like to hear from anyone doing anything interesting via email. Coming out of the dark tunnel that was the PhD I feel like I have let the "developing contacts" thing slide. Lets be academic friends!