Pope vote prompts Ratzinger eBay selling bonanza

THE SMOKEY ELECTION, hours ago, of a German Cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger, to lead the Catholic Church - despite some earlier predictions of a bad outlook for him - was received with joy by millions of catholics worldwide.

Ratzinger became the first Pope of the post-Globalization world. And the first Pope election in the Internet Age.

"Pope Ratzinger" items on eBay, minutes after the Pope's new name was known.

So, for the first time ever after a papal election, dozens of items referring to his new Holiness instantly popped up on eBay, the world's leading auctions web site, the minute the Pope's new name was announced,

Items range from books, simple photographs, to fridge magnets (!), to a handsigned photograph that is currently selling for over a hundred dollars. What really strikes me is the speed of some of those sellers. Some of the auctions for "Pope Ratzinger" items end this same day, which probably means that sellers had the items already photographed, the description already typed up, and the entries ready to publish and eBay forms pre-filled, and probably were waiting with their cursor over the "submit" button, waiting for the new Pope's name confirmation while watching live TV from the Vatican. Simply amazing!. There's some very creative people who put their best effort in making a quick buck, I conclude.

Elsewhere, Webland was abuzz with discussions of cardinal Ratzinger's strong defence of Catholic orthodoxy or his brief membership of the Hitler Youth movement or, indeed, his wartime service with a German army anti-aircraft unit (as reported in a Australian paper)< it seems it nicknames include: "the Enforcer", "the Panzer Cardinal" and "God's rottweiler".

the outcome of the election was zapped to the internet audience on the Vatican's official web page, whose front page was quickly updated to read "Habemvs Papam - Benedictvm XVI" (latin for "We've got a Pope", followed by the Pope's new chosen official name).

Since touching religious subjects is often akin to trying to stiring a hornets' nest, I will conclude this report, and leave all manner of speculation up to your good selves.

In the meantime, you can get a listing of eBay items with the words "Pope Ratzinger" by clicking here.µ