The Next Pope - My Top Three Picks

In the Bible poverty is a scandalous condition inimical to human dignity and therefore contrary to the will of God.
Gustavo Gutierrez, A Theology Of Liberation, p. 165

The Oracle of Ottawa was mildly shocked at the news of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI as it rolled past the bottom off my screen on the news crawler while I was checking the market open. It was in no way the feeling of utter dejection that the Oracle of Ottawa felt at his election! And I remember the occasion very clearly. The inside power of Opus Dei had a lot to do with this screw-up. At the time I felt it was all going to be a total fail, and history has proven me correct.

Of course the world bookmakers have already opened book on the next Pontiff. But what are the qualities that the Oracle of Ottawa and all the world want in the next Pope? It has to be someone of the political left, and it has to be someone that understands that the social contracts of the world are under constant attack. It has to be someone that understands that the Roman Catholic Church is only as big and powerful as its members. With all that in mind the Oracle of Ottawa will share his picks for the next Pope. I will start with my third choice, ending with my favorite last.

Cardinal Francis Arinze

 For my third choice, the Oracle of Ottawa has to go with the book-makers favorite at 3-1 odds. And that gentleman is Cardinal Francis Arinze,of Nigeria. He is a strapping, good looking man but alas he is 80 years old at the time of this writing.... Hugely respected, but in tight with the right wing that made him. At the end of the day, not a chance.

Cardinal Luis Tagle - The Prince...

 My second choice is Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. Aged 55! And now presently the Archbishop of Manila and Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Deeply involved in many social issues, and being from the Philippines, the Oracle of Ottawa has heard there are quite a few of those presently outstanding in his patch. This guy seems to have the iron and the spine of a real Italian Prince. And he is sharp as hell (or rather heck), in that it is recorded that he could recite the complete Rosary at the age of three years. No doubt a good choice, but guys like this scare the hell out of the Oracle of Ottawa!

For the Oracle of Ottawa's first choice a small disclaimer must first be stated in that all this data and biographies are in earnest. The Oracle of Ottawa is not having the dear reader on, and that the Oracle of Ottawa takes this issue seriously. It is just that my favorite choice, not even the Oracle of Ottawa could make this up! 

Cardinal Reinhard Marx (seriously...)

The Oracle of Ottawa's first choice for the next Pope is Cardinal Reinhard Marx  (59 years old), former Bishop of Trier, Germany, really! Like the Oracle of Ottawa said, you can't make this up! And pardon me but there is a warm resemblance to Karl Marx, which really makes the Oracle of Ottawa wonder could he be even distantly related? And the good Cardinal has written a book recently (2008) entitled "Das Kapital: A Plea For Man" !! The good Cardinal truly believes that capitalism and the messes it creates requires a "fundamental social debate" Amen to that Your Eminence!! Now if you are a clever Catholic punter, the Oracle of Ottawa is sure that you could get the good Cardinal at around 500-1 at your local bookmaker, and the more the Oracle digs on Cardinal Reinhard Marx the more he is very impressed. This is the Pope the whole world really, really needs. And right now, if not sooner!! 

This is the Pope the Holy Roman Catholic Church  and the whole world needs. Now, Right freaking NOW!!

How about this Google?

The tool, as we have seen, is not exterminated by the machine.

Karl Marx, Das Kapital, Buch I, Chapter 15 Section II, p. 422

Preamble:
When you first read this passage in Das Kapital you automatically think wrench, crowbar etc. Upon the second reading you realize Marx was a German and there is probably more then one meaning to what he was trying to get across. If you check your Oxford English dictionary the third meaning of tool is; "a person used or exploited by another." I am convinced Marx was speaking about managers! Karl had a lot to say about the birth of the manager class in Das Kapital. His insight and vision were right on the money. This man also saw the coming of what is known today as TNC's  or trans national corporations and the endless screw ups that the credit system would  take us in and through. (See Volume III for this..) He saw how the banking system would appear at first to serve then enslave the very people it was intended to serve. Sound familiar? Not bad for a stateless refugee with nothing but a library card....

Economy:
This is an idea pitch to Google. New from Google; What is the world thinking about now? In cooperation with Wikipedia (arms length of course.. don't be evil...) find out the top requested  100 articles in the last hour, the top 1000 articles by page view yesterday, last month, last year (rolling 12 months) and the top 1000 articles Year To Date.. There is a ton of priceless information in this.. It is just that Wikipedia for some reason can't seem to make this work all the time. They are having problems..partly money and partly ideology. I will say it right out loud; there is an internal war at Wikipedia caused by its incredible Myth Busting powers  and the destruction of the" USA rules the world" paradigm. There appear to be those that would rather suppress the truth and preserve the old myth.. For example; who is the most popular economist by page view requests on Wikipedia? Did you say Adam Smith? I would. But you would be wrong! Adam Smith gets about 60,000 hits a month while Karl Marx gets over 225,000! It is astounding that ole Marx is the number one dude. He also is usually in the top 1000 articles. Last updated early 2009!  Google could for a very small price provide the required hardware and funds, I figure no more then 7 figures annually, the users could get there page view stats capability back and Google could make even more money by showing good will and the resulting media coverage and HITS!! on the main page... Another example; what is the number 1 article right now on Wikipedia? Answer: Lady Gaga. But the Beatles are close behind at number 37 and they haven't played together in decades! So how good is Lady Gaga really?.... 

Media:
Did you see the CBC National News on Thursday last? Excellent television! The political panel segment was awesome! The excrement hit the fan....While discussing the last issue of the Macleans  cover story about corruption in Quebec it all just went nuts! The best clip yet, watch it on Retro-bites on You-Tube! They also discussed the new book coming out soon called Harperland! Inside the present day Conservative Party. Now I figured it was bad but from what is in the advanced proofs it is much worse then even the Oracleofottawa thought. So that is pretty bad. There seem to be some serious Axis 3 and 4 issues if you follow my my drift...
Now a little Shop And Tell. On Friday I go to one of my favorite Chapters outlets (Canada's National Bookstore?) and ask when I could get a copy of Harperland? I am sorry sir we have no book by that name coming soon! Your kidding me right? Header Whats Her Name isn't going to let me read this book either!?
Well screw it. I'll get mine from Jeff at Amazon .com! And send a copy of Mein Kampf with that...... yes I know you will... Good Man you are!

(The Orcaleofottawa would like to welcome the new readers from Spain....)