the pope died not so long ago. bong said it would be exciting to have a conclave of cardinals happen in our lifetimes.

i reminded him that conclaves occur more frequently than coronations in europe, because popes tend to ascend the pontifical throne at a fairly advanced age.

so he'll probably have about 2 more bouts of excitement before he dies.

and then the world will see a curious medieval ritual re-enacted again, of the election of a new pope. pontiff on pontiff, popes following each other in almost unbroken succession (after factoring in the schisms) for millenia.

***

the end of history and the last man is not a bad book. unfortunately very abstract; i have a gut distrust of those Grand Schemes For Human History And Human Future. but then again he is no ideologue. though he is fairly obsessed with hegel, who provides the ideological framework for the book. (though he comes up with different conclusions)

and i bought another book, while out yesterday, the shield of achilles by philip bobbitt. i should do this less often, until i get enough money to feed myself. hm.

am trying very hard to keep brain from degenerating but unfortunately it is an uphill task as i scrabble for some foothold or handhold and scrabble scrabble roll sadflkhgawrhiwvh bleargh splat.