You guys had Schiavo's feeding tube, Europe has the Pope's death

[pnutchuck]

I don't know how much media coverage the Pope is getting in the US but, it is nonstop here in Paris. And I MEAN non-stop. I haven't seen one second of any other news since the Pope's people announced he had septiscemia.

I really feel like this is very lopsided considering 10% of France's population is Muslim. I've been feeling a bit priviledged living here, thinking I was getting informative, unbiased media coverage. Wrong, it's as if the President had been shot, this is the only news that matters.

I guess for the first time (ever) I'm going to have to turn to the US media for my news!

Anyone know how long the usual grieving period is?

[Bronco69]

1. I think the grieving period is nine days.

And then another 15-20 days to elect a new Pope.

[pnutchuck]

3. Good thing I'm coming home on Tues!

I'm not Catholic and I feel like I'm being converted. Every little Catholic related piece they can run, they are; from catechism, to the history of the pope, to the history of the catholic church, fall of communism, every Catholic they can find to cry on camera, every expert trying to guess who's next, every EU and US officials' response, Catholics throwing wakes on the Champs Elysses are being covered, rock bands dedicating their music to the pope, actors' responses regarding the pope, and the list goes on and on....

I'd have thought they'd run out of things to cover by now, but they just fill in between segments with the people holding candles outside of the Vatican. This is just torture......

[Bronco69]

5. Here's what I don't understand about people who are mourning

the death of the Pope. Please don't think I am being disrespectful, because I'm not. I'm just using logic.

JPII was 84 years old. He lived his entire life for this moment! Isn't the whole idea of being religious, and in this case devoutly religious, to one day meet God? Well, he is getting what he lived his entire life for! Why the sadness? Shouldn't people be celebrating? I just don't get it. I would put this opinion in a post by itself, but I have things to do today and I don't have time to type responses in a flame war. :-)

[imenja]

6. have you ever had anyone close to you die?

A grandparent, mother, or father? Did you think, oh well they're with God now, I'm off to the movies?

I myself don't feel a level of personal grief, but I understand that many others do.

[pnutchuck]

7. Agreed, but does it HAVE to be so public for sooooo long?

I didn't even think the public, or the media had this long of an attention span to be honest.

[NashVegas]

8. Where Were You When Princess Diana Died?

All she did was attend a few charity functions and smile. And dress very well.

That was nothing.

This guy made decisions that affected hundreds of millions.

[pnutchuck]

9. I remember her death, but didn't have time to watch the news

because I was too busy going to school and working 2 jobs. And when I watched the news, I don't remember it being non f*ing stop. I'm serious, here in Paris, ALL the news channels have been covering this without once interrupting with even a brief summary of todays events. I even sent a complaint to the BBC...

[NashVegas]

10. It Was Wall-to-Wall

from the death until the funeral.

It was nuts.

I like that graphic in your sig, by the way.

[pnutchuck]

13. Thanks it's one of my paintings, oil on canvas

here's another fun one...

[NashVegas]

20. Wow.

That's great.

And it's one more proof to my theory that the Bush administration has done more to inspire real human expression, aka, bona fide art, than anything I can remember since Nixon.

My brain hates the BFEE but my inner anarchist ...

[Bronco69]

11. "This guy made decisions that affected hundreds of millions."

Yes, yes he did. And now he has gone on to his final reward. Good for him! He lived his life as righteously and faithfully as he could. He believed that by living that way, when he passed away he would get to go be with God. Well, guess what? He is getting what he lived his entire life for. That is not a bad thing.

[imenja]

14. we're closing on 24 hours now

I don't consider that very long. But I don't worry about it because I simply don't watch the TV coverage unless there is a particular program I want to see.

[Bronco69]

12. Yes, as a matter of fact my dad died on January 22.

But I can't say he lived every waking moment talking about and wanting to be with God. I suppose if there is a God and a Heaven he would want to be there, but it wasn't something he dwelt on every day. That's my point. The Pope lived for this moment! God bless him and be with him.

[imenja]

2. 24/7 here

and thank goodness it's knocked Schiavo off the airways. I was going to destroy the next television I saw with that nonsense all over it.

[pnutchuck]

4. Yeah, Schiavo just got the latest, but not continuous coverage

because there were more important things to be covered around the world. It is obvious nothing is more important than the Pope... And I'd hoped this world was beginning to embrace ALL religions. I guess I should have known better by the way the media handled Al Sistani (spelling) one of the most revered Islamic leaders.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. Oh, yeah? But, we got Michael Jackson on the bench.

[pnutchuck]

16. Nope, I get that too on French E

the reinactments are dubbed in French though, so I'm spared having to fully comprehend the fiasco.

[Joe the Revelator]

17. You do realize the the death of a pope is kind of a big deal, right?

Its not like Joe Blow died and the MSM decided to give it wall to wall coverage. The pope dying is pretty big news.

[kineneb]

18. I seem to remember when John 23 died it was a big deal, too.

The Pope is a traditional figure in the life of Europe and much of the Christian world. So when one dies, it is a Big Thing. The interest dates back to the days before the Reformation, when Papal politics were connected to the rise and fall of "secular" political dynesties. (See the Borgias, Medici, Hohenzollern, etc.)

[jonnyblitz]

19. nonstop in the US also. nt

[Dude_CalmDown]

21. I don't get it - was anyone shocked by the pope's death?

It's not like he got a bullet to his head or something.