the pope's media circus

ok, so i feel quite sad for the pontiff, who cannot recuperate in teh hospital from a bad cold without katie couric interviewing assorted cardinals, physicians, gardeners about his condition.....the discussion at work today went something like this....'why is the pope always such an old man.....if they would just have a younger man in the position, they wouldn't have this problem....'........sounds logical....younger guy....but that is exactly how popes are chosen...the eldest guy standing when the old pope dies usually gets to be the new pope.....even if he is nearing the twilight of his life........and these guys don't retire from the job that they waited a lifetime to obtain.....they stick it out til their own dying day.......and who could blame them......they get to read all the cool galileo stuff tucked in the vault....for all i know they get to wear christ's wedding ring when nobody is watching........i am sure they get to know really outrageous secrets........until they either die, or somebody poisons them.......it used to happen like that and i have a hard time believing that the italians have changed all that much in the past 2000 years...........ah well......so here is hoping that the pontiff recovers, checks out of his private hospital suite.....and heads back to work at the vatican...and cheats the media out of an exclusive...'pontiff perishes' story....at least this time........