The Grammys suck! Discuss. There's gonna be a new pope! And he might be a Canadian! Let the betting begin (all in good fun, of course)!

Simply Left Behind: A big deal for Catholics, but pretty damn curious.

The Duck of Minerva: What political science says about papal elections. (Other than that they're awesome, of course.)

The Confluence: Get ready for more uncompromising patriarchal authoritarianism.

All of which takes me back to my early blogging days of Spring 2005, when, fascinated by the whole thing (as a non- and often anti-Catholic), I wrote a lot about the election that brought us Pope Benedict XVI, including The Conclave: Day Two and Habemus papam: How did Ratzinger win? And now here we go again.

Round-up by Michael J.W. Stickings of The Reaction (@mjwstickings). I'll be here all week.

Send tips to mbru AT crooksandliars DOT com.