QuickSnarks

So much idiocy, so little time! Homo sapiens, my foot.

• Religion in the news: I am happy to report that while a lifelong agnostic, I am in fact aware the Pope is Catholic. Moreover, it does not disturb me in the least that said Pope is chosen as the Church sees fit, even though this does not include input from polls, focus groups, and/or media analysis. Don't like Official Church Policy on women, gays, or protecting those who molest little boys? Can't blame you. So DON'T JOIN THE CHURCH. Wasn't that easy? In return, I would be pleased to see the Catholic Church follow the Golden Rule and stop flippin' telling the world what to do! You get to tell CATHOLICS what to do. See how it works? We don't get to pick your Pope, you don't get to run our lives.
• Media stupidity: It would really help if the media weren't such enablers. Why this sudden fascination with the College of Cardinals? I'm fairly sure there were a few other important stories. Like mass murder in Sudan (not stopped by UN), revelations of Bad Behavior concerning the Oil for Food program (effectively concealed by UN), Lebanese demands for democracy and Syrian withdrawal (UN nowhere to be seen), and, oh yes, ANOTHER killing field found in Iraq. We think the total number of Iraquis slaughtered by Saddam may be up to 500,000, just from the mass graves found so far. But no, that isn't news. (The UN didn't stop Saddam killing either. Notice a pattern here?)
• If, like me, you enjoy causing trouble for the America is Evil crowd, here's some ammo. Really nice essay pointing out things that most Americans take for granted. It's good to remind ourselves that in other countries, being poor means being skinny. And I vividly remember the shock on a visiting Frenchman's face when informed the waitress serving him was studying law ... and could be a judge some day. Not in his world, evidently.