John Paul II or Arafat: Who Will Go First?
Place your bets now. I saw Arafat on TV the other night, and he looked like he was already dead. Aides are now denying reports that he suffered a heart attack last week. Undoubtedly the famous delegator has taken steps to ensure an orderly transfer of power in the PA.
As always, the smart money's on Cardinal Arinze should His Holiness win the race.
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Arinze? Wrong again, Cavanaugh! The smart money's always on the less-obvious choice, and therefore in this case on Wilfred Fox Napier from South Africa.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/04/04/1017206240995.html
You heard it here first.
--Mark
You guys should try reading and responding to each other's posts more often (like National Review's The Corner). Or you should each have a separate blog (like The Nation and Mother Jones). The former style feels like eavesdropping in a discussion among friends, the latter style feels like a conversation between the reader and the blogger, since the blogger has more continuity of subject and style between posts. What's going on here now feels being in a room with a bunch of people shouting things at each other, with everyone wearing earplugs and blindfolds. I really enjoy Reason, but this blog just isn't doing it.
What?? Talk louder!!
Let's hope the mass-murdering terrorist scum bastard bites it first. Preferably at the end of an air to ground missle.
I'm cool with the H&R format. Sometimes I can't figure out why some post was made. But one guy's pointless ramblings is another guy's soapbox.
Put me down for $1.00 on the infallible father. BTW seems to me both these guys could be dead already and just propped up for public display ala "weekend at Bernies"
Yeah, the Pope has definitely got a Weekend at Bernies thing going on.
Meanwhile, Arafat is undead, sucking the life out of all he touches so his unholy existence can continue for yet another day.
I'd bet on the Pope officially kicking it first though.
According to an unconfirmed report in Guysen Israel News, it was Arafat.
ARAFAT SERAIT MORT !!!!
Hopefully that little terrorist gnome will meet his maker first. The pope has been a valiant soldier of God who, when the time unfortunately comes, will have earned the sleep of the just and righteous. Pax vobiscum, Holy Father.
"Let's hope the mass-murdering terrorist scum bastard bites it first."
So what about Arafat?
The Pope will pass first. Having served the Catholic Church extremely well. His replacement will be a disappointment.
Israel will one day agree to deal with Arafat, shortly thereafter a Palestinian will assassinate him.
Palestinians will then blame the Israelis. The conflict will proceed to escalate.
Deron,
The analogous situation in Ireland resulted in a civil war, rather than another round with Britain.
Hi joe,
What's the analogous situation in Ireland?
Michael Collins as Arafat, the Partition agreement as the upcoming deal with the Israelis, the Irish Civil War as the upcoming Palestinian Civil War.
JJB, that's a terrible thing to say, but I laughed anyway....
My money's on Keith Richards, whom I suspect is already dead but just doesn't have the good sense to keel over and be done with it.
If Arafat dies first, can the pope take his Nobel peace prize?
(I know he may get one soon anyway, for opposing the removal of the Bathist regime in Iraq)
"I know he may get one soon anyway, for opposing the removal of the Bathist regime in Iraq"
He shouldn't get one for trying and failing, regardless of how you feel about the Iraq invasion. Researchers don't all get Nobels in their respective fields unless they actually produce the result they were seeking.
I wouldn't be upset if he got one for his role in helping Solidarnosce and in working w/Reagan to unravel the Soviet Empire, though.
Matthew Cromer,
Are you threatening President Bush? Heimatsicherheits jackboots are on their way to escort you to preventive detention.
I'm pretty sure Arinze's an Ibo from Nigeria. And from the impression I've gotten from all the TV appearances I've seen, he fits the Ibo stereotype perfectly: an anal-retentive, Type A authoritarian workaholic.
Papal odds From sportsinteraction.com-
Thursday, October 9
WHO WILL BE THE NEXT POPE? Time: 19:00
Price
Dionigi Tettamanzi(Ital) 2.00
Jaime Lucas Ortega Y Alamino(Cuba) 4.50
Francis Arinze(Nigeria) 7.00
Giovanni Battista Re 8.00
Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini(Ital) 11.00
Giacomo Biffi(Ital) 11.00
Count Christoph Von Schoenborn(Aust) 13.00
Cardinal Dario Castrillion Hoyos(Colum) 13.00
Price
Jorge Mario Bergoglio 13.00
Claudio Hummes 15.00
Miloslav Vlk(Czech Rep) 17.00
Jean-Marie Lustiger(Fra) 17.00
Godfried Daneels(Belg) 21.00
Norberto Rivera Carrera(Mex) 21.00
Joseph Ratzinger(Ger) 21.00
Bush = terrorist?
you could at least be original with your material
Maybe Israel will take them both out.