Apropos of nothing but given it hasn’t happened in 600 years, you wouldn’t want to miss it. From Bloomie:
Pope Benedict XVI, saying he no longer has the strength to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, will resign from the papacy at the end of the month, the first such abdication in almost 600 years.
“After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,” he said today in an address to senior church officials in Rome.
It has flooded my facebook, twitter, news sites, it’s probably front page of the newspapers. I don’t think anyone will be missing it lol. Here I was thinking I could escape to MB to read the business/finance news without seeing it…
Reckon he’s off before he is named in a drugs and gambling scandal…
He was only in it for the pension.
Not quite but a scandal nonetheless?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z77gMOnVYIc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTIorwtJbhE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Dr Bob, THANK YOU, my thoughts exactly.
Tony Abbott for Pope. He is relatively young and fit
Whaaaat?
1) He’s not related to the Borgia family, though any relation to the Obeids might be acceptable.
2) A declaration of infallibility might look a little suspect in view of past performance
3) He’ll be far too soft on heretics – though promising to scrap Fair Work Australia and get on with prosecuting a few could go some way to help
Ok.. How about Pastor Danny?
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2013/s3688054.htm
DANIEL NALLIAH: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!
AUDIENCE: Oi, oi, oi!
He has the support of Viscount Monckton ( and a few old, white boomers, from quick glance at the audience)
Dear Benedict,
Further to your decision to retire from the service in three week time. First we would like to thank you for your lifetime of work in support of the catholic church and its value.
Secondly we note that as you have provided the organisation only three weeks notice we will be forced recoup an additional one weeks notice from your retirement payout.
Currently you will be paid
Accrued Long Service Leave
Any unused sick leave
All accrued holiday leave
You will not be paid out for a positive flexitime balance. Please note that all share bonuses will be paid at the appropriate juncture in the future under the financial accountability (Catholic Church) Act 1243.
Your superannuation advice will be provided seperately from this by our superannuation provider.
We ask that you ensure that all work related equipment you currently have in your possession, including laptops, office stationary, workplace specific clothing or organisational artworks be returned to corporate services.
We thank you once again for your contribution to the organisation and wish you well with your future endeavours. Should you wish at any point we would be happy to provide a work related reference in support of any further career opportunities you may wish to pursue.
Yours sincerely
Papal Corporate and Management Services
Rome
2013
Very funny.
I understand he shall be spending his remaining days at Castel Gandolfo, in which case, after paragraph 6 of your letter words along the lines of the following may be needed:
“Your severance package includes full living expenses at Castel Gandolfo. The Fringe Benefits Tax implications require your immediate attention, we suggest your nominated tax professional be engaged on this matter at your earliest convenience.”
Being the Church of the Poor and Compassionate, the ever increasing work-load to service the poor, is now astronomical.
Indeed,wonder if you watched abc 4 corners last night.
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2013/02/06/3684714.htm,
worth a look IMHO
A timely sequel to the classic 2007 “Mortgage Meltdown”
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20070917/subprime/default.htm
FFS, BFD.
Well actually, maybe not – with Queen Beatrix of Netherlands resigning, maybe we’ll see Queen Elizabeth do the same, skip Charles and go straight to Prince William?
At least it will give the gossip mags something to write about for all the change/impact it has on our lives…
Speaking of cult leaders, in other news of relevance to the whole human race, one has been spotted with either a HTC or iPhone. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2273664/Is-Kim-Jong-Un-using-iPhone-North-Korean-leader-spotted-mystery-smartphone.html?
Big George for Pope.
I’ve got him at 66/1
http://montrealradioguy.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/grumpy-baby.jpg
Naw, not a chance in Pell!!
Very good, still giggling.
Talking about superannuation and matters holy, what about Abbott’s “quantum evil” proposal to take away the recently instituted 15% rebate on super contributions for the working poor who previously got no super tax discount, while at the same time defending the 30% tax exemptions on contributions for high income earners under $300,000 (and, of course, no withdrawal tax on super millionaires)?
Abbott obviously took the sport option and skipped on the Gospel of the Poor elective at his Jesuit secondary school.
He’s got nothing on the American right.
They’ll be praising Jesus then less than 5 minutes later be cheering when someone says a person without insurance should be left to die.
Did you watch 4corners last night? Bloody disgusting to say the least!
Catch it here
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/?WT.svl=services#/view/30857
Careful. I raised this subject the other day ant in return received a rant about middle class welfare being deserved and it was a lefty plot to remove it. Yeah, I know.
I didn’t understand it either.
Let’s focus first on UPPER class welfare for the ruling classes, shall we? Their standard “divide and rule” crapola that has us all arguing about “lower class” vs “middle class” welfare is getting very old.
To wit, let’s just fix the scandal of Oz politicians and public service bureaucrats world-walloping salaries, defined benefit “for life” superannuation schemes, travel allowances, free offices, etc etc etc.
See what we can save there. Then and only then should we start looking at those other “inequities”.
Tried that brother. Got ranted at for having a go at those who are doing the hard yards for the country.
Can’t get a win here…
Part of the issue there fellas is essentially that those controlling public discourse keep holding up the prospect of middle class welfare being looked at (negatively) with a view to getting those uber indebted types (the bulk of the – particularly older – population) to voice their righteous indignation.
That way nobody ever gets around to looking at some of the insane perks and upper class welfare (lets start with negative gearing and the education system then look at tax minimisation and super) there can be found.
But the longer sheer denial is practised the more likely it is that enough punters will have an ‘its time’ kind of moment – if those punters are in debt to their eyeballs then they can probably be quietened down, but somewhere along the line, something in the setup will give.
It’s clear he’s retiring so he can spend more time with the children.
Aaah brilliant comment, laughed so much….and I got a cousin who is a priest…bugger the PC brigade I say
“bugger the PC brigade”
Pun intended?
I’ve read in more than one place he quit to get away from the scandal.