A real class act
Over at UPI they are really a classy bunch - Feature: dead pope will not be hammered. Sheesh! This is apparently in reference to:

As soon as the pope dies, the Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church -- a senior Vatican cardinal -- takes over. Usually referred to by the Italian title of 'Camerlengo' (chamberlain), he is the official who must ascertain that the pope is dead.

As recently as 40 years ago, the Camerlengo did this by tapping the pope's head three times with a small hammer and shouting his family name close to his ear, but that colorful ritual is not mentioned in the 1996 revisions made by Pope John Paul II to streamline the process ...

The whole article seems to be background on the procedures for selecting a new pope since John Paul II is in ill health. But they seem to be rushing things a tad:

There's a bit of a cliffhanger here. If the pope dies before Oct. 16, the number of cardinal-electors (cardinals who have not reached the age of 80) will number 109. That is the date when the pope is scheduled to hold his consistory, the solemn papal ceremony in St. Peter's that actually creates the new cardinals he named last week.

I wonder if the pope will accomodate UPI's news deadline?