The Pope is leaving, the Pope is leaving....

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

As a non-Catholic, I'm not disposed to always accept everything a Pope does or says.
But this Pope and this his visit to the US have truly impressed me... in very good way.

I agree, he's said some good stuff, but if it truly represented RC Church policy, then excommunicate wouldn't be in the dictionary... or at least noted as archaic.

My only real negative this weekend was in the ridiculous non-justified, over-reaction
of the US Secret Service and all the enforcement entities which now have, in effect,
set a minimum basis for future visits of any/all important leaders
Can you imagine next budget requests bases on their expenditures this year...

I believe that shit was already in place, and not just for heads of state. It's damned if you do, damned if you don't, for security guys. You know they'd be up shits creek without a job, or a recommendation, if some whacko offed the Pope while in the US. They think worst case scenario all the time. The overlap/duplication of the FBI, NSA, CIA, Secret Service, and various police departments, is a huge waste, though.

[tw]

Most of that security is routine. It is just that this case also included a fear of a million people AND that the local gossip needed stories to report for 1.5 hours every weekday. What else did they have to talk about? The Eagles?

[xoxoxoBruce]

When I got back in town Saturday night I flipped on the TV. CBS = Pope coverage. ABC = Pope coverage. NBC = Boxing.

[elSicomoro]

Horrified Pope Calls Philadelphia Humanity’s Greatest Sin Against God: http://www.theonion.com/article/horr...s-greate-51398

Seriously though, sounds like Philly was a gracious host for His Holiness...but of course they were. There is a reason Philadelphia is the City of Brotherly Love...even if they cheer potential paralysis on the football field and boo Santa Claus.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Most of the throng was from out of town, many far out of town.

I think he seems to be a pretty cool guy, although I don't think he'll get far in swaying the bureaucracy that controls the organization. He's like the President of the US, he'll get fawned over, and yessed to death, but has limited power to actually change things.

I did find the gushing of the local media rather barf provoking. Just tell me how this is fucking up traffic, closing businesses, and not how the holy spirit has descended over the city, healing the sick, giving boners to old men, making everyone warm and fuzzy.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

NBC = Boxing.

Couple of fucking awesome fights!!!!

Duhaupas (spelling?) took a beating like I ain't seen since Holmes-Cobb. That's one Frenchman that did not run.