Pope resigns: some pop popeology

The new leadership approach for professional associations for lawyers or scholars has become having the former, present, and future presidents interact and pass on knowledge to each other. Certainly Benedict will have a say on who will occupy his chair. He can also offer advice; two heads are better than one, right? But why did this happen? Not old age or infirmity. John Paul 2, the last pope was even more frail. Doing the bidding of some powerful secret society? Maybe. The Vatican is most worried about Europe, and Benedict could not figure out a strategy to turn around its fortunes there. Now Europe's current crisis offers an opportunity for the Vatican, but not under Benedict. A twitter account was a puny start. The Vatican possesses much more Virtual capacity and resources than that. The Catholic god and associated saints are perfect icons for a postmodern age of transmission flows. But the physical church is becoming quite burdensome. Its various, ongoing scandals are sapping the strength of the organization. The Vatican can succeed by turning the various parishes into franchises. Take a page from new capitalism: turn them into 'contractors' and thereby release Vatican responsibility for their misconduct.