Americans capitalizing on the Pope mania market

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Pope John Paul II's visit to the United States is still a few months away, but he's already got American entrepreneurs in a frenzy.

Pope paraphernalia is beginning to fill the shelves of American stores. Some samples of the merchandise include: T-shirts, one of the hottest selling features a canine beer mascot in papal hat and robe and reads "The Original Vatican Animal." Another memento is a lawn sprinkler ? the water squirts out of a plastic "Pope's hands" and the marketing slogan is "Let Us Spray". A Florida businessman has proposed a flavoured ice bar sculpted to the Pope's likeness, call the Popesicle. And finally, a company called Popepourri Ltd. is marketing a plastic gold painted ring with red lips attached. "When you kiss it," says the owner of the business, "it'll kiss you back."