Straight up Pope

This doesn't really belong at my new space, so I bring to you the obsession of this blog: THE POPE

Pope says bone fragments found in St Paul's tomb

ROME, June 28, 2009 (Reuters) — Pope Benedict announced on Sunday that fragments of bone from the first or second century had been found in a tomb in the Basilica of St Paul in Rome, which he said confirmed the belief that it housed the apostle's remains.

Pope Benedict XVI is helped by aides during the Vespri's ceremony at the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls in Rome June 28, 2008 REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

"This seems to confirm the unanimous and undisputed tradition that these are the mortal remains on the Apostle Paul," the pontiff said at St Paul's-Outside-the-Walls, on the eve of the Feasts of St Peter and St Paul celebrated on Monday.

Peter and Paul are revered by Christians as the greatest early missionaries. Converting on the road to Damascus following a blinding vision of Jesus, Paul took the Gospel to pagan Greeks and Romans and met his martyrdom in Rome in about AD 65.

Christian tradition had it that St Paul was buried together with St Peter in a catacomb on the Via Appia, before being moved to the basilica erected in his honor. For centuries it was believed that his remains were buried beneath the altar.

But it was not until a stone sarcophagus was discovered there in 2006 that Vaticanarcheologists could apply scientific research to the religious tradition.

The first results come during the "Pauline Year," when the Roman Catholic church has been celebrating the second millennium of the birth of the "Apostle of the Gentiles."

Pope Benedict gave details of the discovery, saying a tiny hole had been drilled in the sarcophaguus to permit inspection of the interior, revealing "traces of a precious linen cloth, purple in color, laminated with pure gold, and a blue colored textile with filaments of linen."

"It also revealed the presence of grains of red incense and traces of protein and limestone. There were also tiny fragments of bone, which, when subjected to Carbon 14 tests by experts, turned out to belong to someone who lived in the first or second century," said the pope.

FRESCOED IMAGE

The discovery of the bone fragments coincided with news that Vatican archaeologists had discovered what they believe is the oldest image in existence of St Paul, dating from the late 4th century, on the walls of catacomb beneath Rome.

Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano, revealing the find on Sunday, published a picture of a frescoed image of the face of a man with a pointed black beard on a red background, inside a bright yellow halo. The high forehead is furrowed.

Experts of the Ponitifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology made the discovery on June 19 in the Catacomb of Santa Tecla in Rome and described it as the "oldest icon in history dedicated to the cult of the Apostle," according to the Vatican newspaper.

Early Christians in Rome buried their dead in catacombs dug into the soft rock under the city and decorated the underground walls with devotional images, often in the Pompeian style.

And now for something completely Different:

Spokane residents smuggle suds over green brands

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS, Associated Press Writer Nicholas K. Geranios, Associated Press Writer – Sat Mar 28, 1:49 am ET

SPOKANE, Wash. – The quest for squeaky-clean dishes has turned some law-abiding people in Spokane into dishwater-detergent smugglers. They are bringing Cascade or Electrasol in from out of state because the eco-friendly varieties required under Washington state law don't work as well. Spokane County became the launch pad last July for the nation's strictest ban on dishwasher detergent made with phosphates, a measure aimed at reducing water pollution. The ban will be expanded statewide in July 2010, the same time similar laws take effect in several other states. [Now this is a black market I could get into!]

But it's not easy to get sparkling dishes when you go green. [When you go green, everything becomes harder...]

Many people were shocked to find that products like Seventh Generation, Ecover and Trader Joe's left their dishes encrusted with food, smeared with grease and too gross to use without rewashing them by hand. The culprit was hard water, which is mineral-rich and resistant to soap.

As a result, there has been a quiet rush of Spokane-area shoppers heading east on Interstate 90 into Idaho in search of old-school suds. [Shady looking ladies line the sides of the streets attempting to make money on the black market.]

Real estate agent Patti Marcotte of Spokane stocks up on detergent at a Costco in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and doesn't care who knows it.

"Yes, I am a smuggler," she said. "I'm taking my chances because dirty dishes I cannot live with."

(In truth, the ban applies to the sale of phosphate detergent — not its use or possession — so Marcotte is not in any legal trouble.) [This is more or less how everything is. It's not illegal if you buy it, it's illegal for someone to sell it.]

Marcotte said she tried every green brand in her dishwasher and found none would remove grease and pieces of food. Everybody she knows buys dishwasher detergent in Idaho, she said.

Supporters of the ban acknowledge it is not very popular.

"I'm not hearing a lot of positive feedback," conceded Shannon Brattebo of the Washington Lake Protection Association, a prime mover of the ban. "I think people are driving to Idaho." [Awww, I think we hurt her feelings... Someone should give her a hug.]

Steve Marcy, manager of the Costco in Coeur d'Alene, about 10 miles east of the Washington state line, estimated that sales of dishwasher detergent in his store have increased 10 percent. He knows where the customers are coming from.

"I'll joke with them and ask if they are from Spokane," Marcy said. "They say, `Oh yeah.'"

Shoppers can still buy phosphate detergents in Washington state by venturing outside Spokane County, but Idaho is more convenient to many Spokane residents. [There is something weird going on with the sentence: "but idaho is more convenient to many Spokane residents." I think they should find a word to replace convenient. There is nothing convenient about Idaho.]

Phosphates — the main cleaning agent in many detergents and household cleaners — break down grease and remove stains. However, the chemicals are difficult to remove in wastewater treatment plants and often wind up in rivers and lakes, where they promote the growth of algae. And algae gobble up oxygen in the water that fish need to survive. [Wait, there are lakes in Spokane?]

While traditional detergents are up to 9 percent phosphate, those sold in Spokane County can contain no more than 0.5 percent. [And those sold in Spokane City can contain no more than 0.0031 percent.]

The Washington Lake Protection Association has launched a campaign to encourage people to give the environmentally friendly brands a fair chance. The group suggests consumers experiment with different brands or install water softeners to help the green detergents work better. [Just give them a chance... Fairness for the Dishsoap! Leave no soap behind! Equal Rights for Non-Phosphate detergent! "Just because some detergents don't have as many phosphates doesn't make them any worse, honey, it just makes them different."]

"Clean lakes and clean dishes do not have to be mutually exclusive," said association president-elect Jacob McCann. [Pretty sure there is a song: I want it all.]

Phosphates have been banned in laundry detergent nationally since 1993. Washington was the first state where the Legislature passed a similar ban against dishwasher detergents, in 2006. The ban is being phased in, starting with Spokane County.

"It's nice to be on the cutting edge," Spokane resident Ken Beck, an opponent of the ban, said sarcastically.

Among other states that have banned or are banning phosphates in dishwasher detergent are Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York. A bill on Capitol Hill would impose a nationwide ban. [Darn, my states in that list. Guess I'll be on the blackmarket in 2010 in search of phosphates.]

The Soap and Detergent Association, which represents manufacturers, initially fought the bans. But as the movement gained strength across the country, the association asked legislatures to delay bans until July 2010 to allow for a uniform rollout of products.[Wait, there's a Soap and Detergent Association? Man, I should start the Wooden Pencil Association then get government grants to give number 3 pencils a fair chance at fame.]

The industry has been working to develop better low-phosphate detergents, said Dennis Griesing, vice president of the manufacturers group.

"This is an irrevocable, nationwide commitment on the industry's part," he said.

For his part, Beck has taken to washing his dishes on his machine's pots-and-pans cycle, which takes longer and uses five gallons more water. Beck wonders if that isn't as tough on the environment as phosphates.

"How much is this really costing us?" Beck said. "Aren't we transferring the environmental consequences to something else?"[This Beck, he seems a decent fellow, I'd hate to kill him.]

You ask: "But where is the Pope in all of this? The Pope has better things to do: Bring Indulgences back!

National Treasure IRL:

Museum finds "secret" message in Lincoln's watch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A gold watch owned by Abraham Lincoln bears a message marking the start of the U.S. Civil War, but the president never knew of the "secret" inscription uncovered on Tuesday at the National Museum of American History.

The engraving, by watchmaker Jonathan Dillon, is dated April 13, 1861, and reads in part: "Fort Sumpter was attacked by the rebels" and "thank God we have a government." [Talk about a guy with really small handwriting.]

The museum said it agreed to open the watch to find out if the message really was there after it was contacted by the watchmaker's great-great-grandson, Doug Stiles of Waukegan, Illinois. [Doug Stiles is one of many aliases the man we all know as Benjamin Gates goes by.]

The American Civil War began when Confederate troops opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, on April 12, 1861. [I love how they have to put these in here for the people who don't know. I suppose it is Reuters.]

Forty-five years later, Dillon the watchmaker told The New York Times that he was repairing Lincoln's watch when he heard that the first shots of the Civil War had been fired. [Isn't this news story a bit late for something that happened in 1906?]

Dillon said he unscrewed the dial of the watch and used a sharp instrument to mark the historic day on the president's watch. He told the newspaper that, as far as he knew, no one had ever seen the inscription. [The watchmaker did.

Ahem...
Watchmaker, Watchmaker,
Make me a watch.
Cook up a clock,
Tick up a tock,
Watchmaker, Watchmaker,
Look through your gears,
And make me a perfect watch.

Watchmaker, Watchmaker,

Ok ok, I'll stop.]

"Lincoln never knew of the message he carried in his pocket," Brent Glass, director of the National Museum of American History said in a statement. "It's a personal side of history about an ordinary watchman being inspired to record something for posterity." [What? That's so disappointing... It just said what he already knew. He knew the information the message wrote. I was really hoping it would be something like, "Don't go to the theatre, our agents have uncovered a plot." That would have been SUPER cool. 'Course, if that was the case, it wouldn't just be in the Reuters: Oddly Enough section. It would be all over the cover of Conspiracy Today.]

Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States in November 1860. In the lead up to the Civil War, South Carolina and six other states seceded from the Union before Lincoln's inauguration in March 1861. [George Washington crossed the Delaware, Achilles was dipped in magic soup by his mother, and the Pope is the religious head of the Catholic church.]

(Reporting by JoAnne Allen; Editing by Patricia Zengerle)

When you wish upon a star...

Makes no difference who you are... (unless of course, you're Russian.) Then you can wish all the wishes you want...

MOSCOW (AP) - If you're inclined to believe Igor Panarin, and the Kremlin wouldn't mind if you did, then President Barack Obama will order martial law this year, the U.S. will split into six rump-states before 2011, and Russia and China will become the backbones of a new world order. [Wait a minute... haven't I already read this book?]

Panarin might be easy to ignore but for the fact that he is a dean at the Foreign Ministry's school for future diplomats and a regular on Russia's state-guided TV channels. And his predictions fit into the anti-American story line of the Kremlin leadership. [I missed something, are they easy to ignore or aren't they? Because I'm having a pretty easy time ignoring them...]

"There is a high probability that the collapse of the United States will occur by 2010," Panarin told dozens of students, professors and diplomats Tuesday at the Diplomatic Academy—a lecture the ministry pointedly invited The Associated Press and other foreign media to attend. [But how's that possible when the world already ended in 2007?]

The prediction from Panarin, a former spokesman for Russia's Federal Space Agency and reportedly an ex-KGB analyst, meshes with the negative view of the U.S. that has been flowing from the Kremlin[Cute little fella ain't he?] in recent years, in particular from Vladimir Putin.

Putin, the former president who is now prime minister [Is very, how you say, interesting.], has likened the United States to Nazi Germany's Third Reich and blames Washington for the global financial crisis that has pounded the Russian economy. [Gadin's Law! Gadwin's Law!]

Panarin didn't give many specifics on what underlies his analysis, mostly citing newspapers, magazines and other open sources. 

He also noted he had been predicting the demise of the world's wealthiest country for more than a decade now. [I coulda told you that we would meet our demise eventually. No nation lasts forever. Good general statements there, Panarin.]

But he said the recent economic turmoil in the U.S. and other "social and cultural phenomena" led him to nail down a specific timeframe for "The End"—when the United States will break up into six autonomous regions and Alaska will revert to Russian control. [I'm laughing... This is just too good. It's totally steriotypical Russia in the movies. "Ve vill conquor vorld. Give Alaska bak!"]

Panarin argued that Americans are in moral decline, saying their great psychological stress is evident from school shootings, the size of the prison population and the number of gay men. [I'd point out: This, and this. As for the number of gay men, they'll all be gone in a generation.]

Turning to economic woes, he cited the slide in major stock indexes, the decline in U.S. gross domestic product and Washington's bailout of banking giant Citigroup as evidence that American dominance of global markets has collapsed.

"I was there recently and things are far from good," he said. "What's happened is the collapse of the American dream."

Panarin insisted he didn't wish for a U.S. collapse, but he predicted Russia and China would emerge from the economic turmoil stronger and said the two nations should work together, even to create a new currency to replace the U.S. dollar. [I'll give him one thing: the man's got ambition.]

Asked for comment on how the Foreign Ministry views Panarin's theories, a spokesman said all questions had to be submitted in writing and no answers were likely. [Dem Fightin' words...]

It wasn't clear how persuasive the 20-minute lecture was. One instructor asked Panarin whether his predictions more accurately describe Russia, which is undergoing its worst economic crisis in a decade as well as a demographic collapse that has led some scholars to predict the country's demise. ["But... But... That's the United States' fault... not ours."]

Panarin dismissed that idea: "The collapse of Russia will not occur." [So there.]

But Alexei Malashenko, a scholar-in-residence at the Carnegie Moscow Center who did not attend the lecture, sided with the skeptical instructor, saying Russia is the country that is on the verge of disintegration.

"I can't imagine at all how the United States could ever fall apart," Malashenko told the AP. [I tend to agree, I don't see us falling apart anytime soon. I do, however, see some changes on the horizon, some reformations, some economic upturns. The main reason I don't see this happening anytime soon is because the world is so depentend on the US that they would try hard not to let the US fall.]

In closing, I'd just like to mention that the Pope says that "All nations are bound to fall at some point, but the nation of God is eternal. Oh, and I did cut these words out of the story: "before Wednesday" I'll let you decide where they fit in.

Michael Jackson, Comeback King:

This article doesn't even need to be read. Here's what you need to know:

1. Michael Jackson is 50.
2. Michael Jackson is planning a comeback.
3. He didn't do so well in London in 2006.
4. The pope has his doubts.
5. Prince did it.
6. "Thriller" is the top selling album of all time (750 Million copies sold).

LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - U.S. pop star Michael Jackson is
expected to announce a series of comeback concerts on Thursday. [That would be today...]

The 50-year-old, still viewed as "The King of Pop" by his
fans, has lived the life of a virtual recluse since his
acquittal of child abuse charges at a 2005 trial.

Jackson's last album of new material was "Invincible",
released in 2001, and his position as one of pop music's biggest
acts has been increasingly overshadowed by bizarre behaviour, a
changing appearance and questions over his health.

Organisers have not disclosed details of the comeback, but
Billboard magazine reported that Jackson's Las Vegas-style
"residency" at London's 20,000-capacity O2 arena would kick off
in July.

The first 10 dates have been booked, and the length of the
run would depend on demand for tickets, Billboard added.

Jackson is expected to be at a press conference later on
Thursday to confirm the dates.

Even before a single concert has been confirmed, there is
widespread scepticism that Jackson is capable of playing a
potentially lengthy series of gigs.

British bookmaker William Hill has offered odds that Jackson
would not turn up for a run of concerts.

Jackson is one of the biggest musical acts of all time, with
an estimated 750 million albums sold. "Thriller", released in
1982, is the best selling album ever.

If he can pull it off, the string of concerts at a single
venue would be both lucrative and less demanding than a
full-fledged tour.
But if the comeback fails to materialise, or is regarded as
a flop, Jackson would find it harder than ever to resurrect a
career that has lain lifeless for so long.

Jackson performed in London at the World Music Awards in
2006, but the much-hyped return was described by critics as a
shambles after he sang, in a broken voice, just a few lines of
his charity single "We Are The World".

Fellow performer Prince gave his profile a major boost with
a successful 21-night stay at the O2 in 2007 which amassed a
reported $22 million, and Britney Spears is due top appear there
in June.

Jackson began his musical career with his siblings in the
Motown group the Jackson 5 and went on release a string of hit
solo albums.

["Think they can do it?"
-"It'll take a miracle."]

I for one don't think anything will come of this. Oh, in other news, I just received some cookies in the mail. Thanks to whoever sent them! They were delicious! If anyone else wants to send me cookies the address is:

Cookie Monster
#4 Sesame St.
Unemployed, Greenland

"Thou shalt not text..."

Many Italian clerics have given their backing to Monsignor Cocchi's appeal

The archbishop of the Italian city of Modena wants young Catholics to give up text messaging, social networking websites and computer games for Lent.

Monsignor Benito Cocchi said foregoing the activities would help them "cleanse themselves from the virtual world and get back into touch with themselves",

The average Italian sends 50 texts a month from their mobiles, the second highest rate in Europe, behind the UK. [I'm pretty sure there are many Americans who average 50 a day.]

Other Italian bishops have given their backing to the appeal.

In Trento, Archbishop Luigi Bressan [Gotta love Italian names.] has meanwhile suggested people use Lent to embrace recycling. Venice's bishop has said worshippers might want to give up mineral water and drink only tap water. [Oh the tragity! Only tap water!?]

Father Gianni Fazzini [YES!] of the Venice diocese told the newspaper, La Repubblica: "If people renounce things individually, it can produce a collective change.

"It's a reaction to the economic crisis: in changing our consumer habits we can also meet our responsibility as Christians to safeguard God's Creation," he added.

Pope Benedict XVI warned in January that people who spent too much time in front of their computers risked isolation and depression. [They also cause cancer, kidney failture, heart failure, gas pump explosions, and more.]

Lent, which for most Christian congregations runs from Ash Wednesday to Easter, commemorates the 40 days that Jesus is said to have spent fasting in the desert and rejecting the temptations of Satan before beginning his ministry.