Scott Alexander humorously profiles potential papal candidates from an atheist's perspective, focusing on their quirky aspects rather than theological positions. Longer summary

Scott Alexander humorously analyzes potential papal candidates from an atheist's perspective, focusing on their hilarity rather than their theological positions. He provides brief profiles of several cardinals, highlighting quirky facts, quotes, and potential scandals. The post includes funny images replacing the cardinals' faces with celebrities who have similar names. Scott expresses his desire for a progressive pope while acknowledging it's unlikely, and settles for hoping the new pope will at least be entertaining. He also touches on the difficulty of understanding the distinctions between liberal, moderate, and conservative cardinals from an outsider's perspective. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander humorously explores the potential for arbitrage in papal betting markets, noting legal and religious obstacles, while highlighting some curious odds and betting options. Longer summary

Scott Alexander humorously discusses the potential for arbitrage in papal candidate betting markets, particularly on PaddyPower.com. He notes that such betting is illegal in the US and condemned by the Catholic Church. The post explores various betting options, including the possibility of the next Pope being black and the choice of papal name. Scott points out some seemingly exploitable odds but ultimately concludes that practical and legal constraints make it difficult to actually profit from these opportunities. Shorter summary