MORE ON THE OXYRHYNCHUS PAPYRI: The Independent has revived the old story of the variant reading 616 for the Number of the Beast in a Revelation manuscript from Oxyrhynchus, presenting it as a new discovery. The variant has been know for a long time, although the Oxyryhnchus papyrus was only published in 2000. The treatment in the Independent is lame: it neglects to explain why there are two readings (gematria variant-spellings of "Nero Caesar" -- not Caligula -- in Hebrew letters) and tries to be cute by interviewing a satanist high priest about the variant. But at least the got the title "Revelation" right.

(Via Rogue Classicism.)

I wish the Oxford people would publish a press release that corrects all the inaccurate information being spread around by the news media. "Further information" is now being promised "shortly" on their website.

UPDATE: Mark Goodacre comments.