Dig Daily News - 16.7.2007

Tourist sits on sifter causing great distress; Calls rise to develop comprehensive plan to eradicate phenomenon

Beit Guvrin, Israel: "It's madness, it's like... it's absolutely insane...insane... you know, people are sitting on the sifters and its like... it's an epidemic". These are the words a senior member used to describe the growing tendency of visitors to use sifters as seats while waiting in the shades above the caves. The senior member expressed his belief that a consistent stationing of the sifters on the supporting polls of the shades rather than on the ground would lead to dramatic reduction in sifter-sitting activity. "I cannot express the importance of this" said the member reiterating the fact that the issue has been placed as the greatest strategic threat to the dig since June 13th when it surpassed that of people sitting on turned-over buckets, a threat many believe is now under control.

However many are saying this is too little too late and are calling for a comprehensive plan to combat the plague. Dovish members have suggested providing seats in the shades. An act they say will move visitors away from the sifters and allow sight people to devote more time to more important work such as brushing rocks. However Hawkish members dismiss the idea, some going so far as to calling it 'appeasement' and demand instead a stronger hand against visitors.

Regardless of whatever measures are eventually taken many believe the issue has already cast somewhat of a shadow on the staff. The site people manager was unavailable for comment due to work placing him in the gas station all day.