420 - 4:20 - 4/20

Today the new German Pope gave his first Mass.. The first Mass by the first German Pope in 1,000 years... on April 20th... Which by coincidence happens to be Adolf Hitler's birthday. Uhhh, does anyone else find this a wee bit ironic?! Thanks... I knew you guys would.

"Here I am... Rock you like a hurricane.."

To add to the surreal nature of this date, Umlaut friend and professional educator Salome submitted this insight into the wacky world of today's teenagers:

"you know what else today is? 4/20. here's what that means: apparently, most people smoke pot at 4:20 in the afternoon, so on 4/20 (the date) kids everywhere get high and go to school. yes, really. sheeska. don't they have anything better to do? and apparently the highlight of the day is to get high on 4/20 at 4:20."

Ahh! 420 at 4:20 on 4/20.. Geddit?! Stoners... High Times has plenty more wacky 420 Trivia. This one is for Lori Acid King:

"420s are routinely slipped into popular movies and television shows. In Fast Times at Ridgemont High the score of the football game was 42-0."

And soon the world will love you Sweet Leaf...

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ADDENDUM

Umlaut sent New Pope an e-mail:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Scorpions 4-Ever
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2005 22:58:14 -0700
From: umlaut5@gmail.com
Reply-To: umlaut5@gmail.com
To: benedictxvi@vatican.va

Dear Pope Benedict -

Zhere's no von like zouuuuu!!!!

Best regards.

--------

According to The Vatican's web site, New Pope's e-mail address is:

benedictxvi@vatican.va

I bet he's a closet Scorpions fan from way back... His fave Scorps song is probably 'Dynamite'... I can imagine him using it to get psyched up for a Mass.

"Kick your ass to Heaven, with Rock 'N Roll tonight!"

Scorpions - Oakland Stadium - July 1982 (Pic by Umlaut)

Errr.... P'raps New Pope no wricky the Lock 'N Loll after all.. In his book The Spirit of the Liturgy, New Pope (aka Pope Benedict XVI..formerly Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) wrote:

""Rock"... is the expression of the elemental passions, and at rock festivals it assumes a sometimes cultic character, a form of worship, in fact, in opposition to Christian worship."

Translation for non-Christians: Rock Music is EVIL.

It's a lovedrive on wheels of fire.

For more insight into where New Pope is coming from, click HERE.

Find The Pope In The Pizza *

(* = Kudos to the readers who know this reference...)

"Would you like to see The Pope on the end of a rope? Do you think he's a fool?"

Black Sabbath always said it best.

One of Umlaut's early publishing influences was the legendary S.F. Metal fanzine Metal Mania.. From 1981-87, MM was published by the equally legendary S.F. Rock personae Ron Quintana and it was THE sounding board for the S.F. Metal Scene. Umlaut cut his teeth with Metal Mania taking photos and writing reviews / articles. Good times.

The Old School out there will remember back in 1982 when Karol Jozef Wojtyla (aka The Pope) was supposed to tour the U.S.. Metal Mania was there to cover that most METAL of events.

Metal Mania - Issue #2 - Late 1981

However, I think The Pope cancelled the tour because he was shot in an assasination attempt. Am I right on this? Help me out here.

The Pope did finally make it to S.F. in 1987 when he drew SRO crowds of around 86,000 to Candlestick Park.. and that year the Giants made it to the NLCS! Dog be praised.

"Sanfranciscorocksthankyouandgoodnightyoucrazymuthafuckers!!"

Take me down to Vatican City where the grass is green and the boys are pretty.

"On and on, south of Heaven....." - Slayer

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ADDENDUM:

Uhh... Okay...... Satan laughing holds his nose.. Oh Lord, yeah.

Vatican: John Paul II Was Not Embalmed
By MARTA FALCONI, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, April 5, 2005

(04-05) 10:26 PDT VATICAN CITY, (AP) --

Departing from tradition, Pope John Paul II was not embalmed, only "prepared" for viewing by hundreds of thousands of mourners, the Vatican said Tuesday.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls did not elaborate on the procedure, but an embalmer in Rome said it appeared John Paul's remains were only touched up with cosmetics.

Massimo Signoracci, whose family embalmed three other popes, said he could not be certain what had been done without examining the body.

Signoracci said even a light embalming is necessary for a body that is exposed for several days.

John Paul died on Saturday, and his remains were put on public view late Monday on an open platform in St. Peter's Basilica. He will be buried Friday.

Historically, organs were removed to make embalming more durable. Relics of 22 popes — from Sixtus V, who died in 1590, to Leo XIII, who died in 1903 — are kept in Rome's St. Anastasio and Vincent Church, near the Trevi fountain.

Pope Pius X, who reigned from 1903 to 1914, abolished the custom of removing organs.

Embalming usually consists of draining the blood and other bodily fluids and intravenously injecting formaldehyde and other preserving liquids.

Signoracci said his family had embalmed the remains of John XXIII in 1963, and of Paul VI and John Paul I, who both died in 1978.

Paul VI was only lightly embalmed before his body was placed before the public during Rome's hot summer. But after two days the skin and fingernails began losing their color.

John XXIII's body, by contrast, was in excellent condition when it was exhumed from the cramped grotto under the basilica in 2001 — 38 years after his death — and moved to the main floor following his beatification.

John Paul II, who expressed a will to be buried underground, will be placed in John XXIII's vacant tomb.