[NYer]

'This man is worth following.'

The cardinals failed to select a new pope yesterday during their first round of voting -- evident by the black smoke that rose from a chimney above the Sistine Chapel

NBC began their nightly news yesterday by commenting that "..... in an age of instant communication, the Cardinals will advise the world of their decisions by smoke signals .." The look of frustration on the faces of these journalists is priceless.

Whoever is selected pontiff, one of his most important jobs will be to boost the comparatively small number of men studying for the priesthood -- 113,000 worldwide at last count.

Selective reporting, as usual. In Africa, the seminaries are bulging with seminarians and the JPII effect has begun to strike the US seminaries as well, which are now attracting devout young mem.

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[Desdemona]

NBC began their nightly news yesterday by commenting that "..... in an age of instant communication, the Cardinals will advise the world of their decisions by smoke signals .." The look of frustration on the faces of these journalists is priceless.

Priceless indeed. Truthfully, it's very funny to watch people used to access wherever they want to go grind their teeth at all the secrecy and closed doors of the Conclave. This is how it's been done for a whole lot longer than they've been around.