Given the size of the Catholic community across the globe, I’d say it makes more sense than comparing it to the King of Tonga. The fact there’s the added mystery around the succession, I’d say that makes for a pretty great news story.
I’m eagerly awaiting the chance to make a “Holy smoke!” joke.
FWIW, I predict a conservative from Africa.
Catholicism is growing in Africa, so it’s a way to show people there you care about them, and it continues the fat pope/skinny pope thing, especially with how many Catholics weren’t happy with Francis’ progressive tendencies.
Yikes! When I read that headline, I immediately assumed it was from The Onion. But nooooo…
Thus far the star of the show is the bird that from time to time hops on the chimney.
Are all of the 130+ Cardinals eligible to vote on the ballot? Can one or more declare at the start that they want to be taken off the ballot? Can a Cardinal who is elected Pope decline being elected?
Of the 252 appointed cardinals only 135 are qualified electors per current rules (The others are overage or otherwise disqualified) but you can select any one on the first ballot as I understand it. They don’t even have to nominate a cardinal, strictly speaking, but it has been centuries since that has happened.
And yes, the electee has to explicitly accept election.
I’m busy, so I’d appreciate it if they could announce any decision (or lack of decision) by giving a little bit of warning with the ESPN NFL draft chime. And while we’re at it, I’d like all coverage to start with the NBA on NBC theme from the 90s.
Is that the one that had the line about the “thrill of victory, the agony of defeat”? Very appropriate.
No, that’s ABC’s Wide World of Sports.
Do you mean “since that hasn’t happened”. I thought the most recent pope was a cardinal when he was elected.
Right. Since it hasn’t been one of them. (1378 to be precise).
C c c c c c conclave! Make me the pope and I’m gonna BLESS it!
There is no ballot as in names written down. A cardinal can write down the name of any 18+ year old Catholic man in good standing with the Church. And there have been cardinals that have asked to not be elected and a couple have been elected anyways. I believe the last one was Cardinal Luciani who became Pope John Paul I
Q: Where’s the best place online to keep up with minute-by-minute Conclave news?
Well, if picking nits, I DID say “If appointed for life…” 
I readily acknowledge I made no effort to check the rules on the various monarchies. Just thought it pretty silly to suggest that his role as head of state played any significant part in
Actually got me minimally curious enough to look up that it has an area of 121 acres and a population of 882.
Well, that seems somewhat different that it’s significance as a sovereign state.
But I’ll stop this likely hijack. I didn’t understand why so many Americans give a shit about the English royal family either.
The Stuarts? Or did you mean the British royal family?
I don’t understand why so many Americans give a shit about football, too, but there you have it. To each their own. 
It’s a monarchy. The monarch can have the position as long as they want, including until death. There’s nothing in the law that says they must abdicate, it’s just tradition. And I’ll stop the hijack here, too; I’m just proud of these weird little historical details regarding my newly adopted country.
black smoke.
on to tomorrow.