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Resuming Its Annual PR Mission, NORAD Tracks Santa Claus (cnn.com)
An anonymous reader quotes CNN:
The U.S. military command that is charged with protecting the airspace for North America is on alert this Christmas weekend for a man with a white beard and a red suit. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is tracking a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer around the world as it heads for U.S. airspace Sunday night. The public can access NORAD's official Santa Tracker to watch Santa Claus' voyage... [NOTE: The site will request access to your physical location before revealing Santa's whereabouts...]
The public can also call 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) and speak live with NORAD trackers. People stuck in the car on the way to Grandmother's house, and with an OnStar subscription, can access the tracker by hitting their OnStar button... Marine Col. Bob Brodie of the 601st Air Operations Center said fighter jets will "fly along (Santa's) wing" in a "close escort," and that the center will "monitor him with our satellites and even have infrared trackers to follow Rudolph."
CNN reports NORAD first began tracking Santa in 1955 when a Sears ad misprinted the telephone number for children to call for updates on Mr. Claus's progress. "On December 24, 1955, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup was on duty, and instead of hanging up on countless children that night, Shoup checked the radar and updated the eager children on jolly old Saint Nick's location." But Gizmodo reports a different origin story: that one child had simply dialed the number incorrectly (in November), and weeks later that gave NORAD the idea for "one of the most successful military PR campaigns of the last century."
This year fifteen of the children's calls to NORAD were remotely answered by President Trump and first lady Melania.
The public can also call 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) and speak live with NORAD trackers. People stuck in the car on the way to Grandmother's house, and with an OnStar subscription, can access the tracker by hitting their OnStar button... Marine Col. Bob Brodie of the 601st Air Operations Center said fighter jets will "fly along (Santa's) wing" in a "close escort," and that the center will "monitor him with our satellites and even have infrared trackers to follow Rudolph."
CNN reports NORAD first began tracking Santa in 1955 when a Sears ad misprinted the telephone number for children to call for updates on Mr. Claus's progress. "On December 24, 1955, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup was on duty, and instead of hanging up on countless children that night, Shoup checked the radar and updated the eager children on jolly old Saint Nick's location." But Gizmodo reports a different origin story: that one child had simply dialed the number incorrectly (in November), and weeks later that gave NORAD the idea for "one of the most successful military PR campaigns of the last century."
This year fifteen of the children's calls to NORAD were remotely answered by President Trump and first lady Melania.
Happy jeebus day to you too, buddy! I canâ(TM)t wait to drink his blood and eat his body at midnight tonight!
Breaking News: North Korea just shot Santa down with a missile.
Table-ized A.I.
This year fifteen of the children's calls to NORAD were remotely answered by President Trump and first lady Melania.
Granted, I do think Trump has a toddler's mindset, but if we're going to let him deal with a bunch of whiny brats, why isn't he talking to Congress instead?
Another fun fact: Santa freezes time on December 1st, and he and his helpers - all being immortal - take their sweet time making the toys for Hasbro, Nintendo, etc. They then unfreeze time on December 2nd, kick back with whiskey, refreeze time on December 24th, and then take their sweet time breaking into your house, delivering presents, and touching your stuff and you. A fair bargain for free gifts, and no contrivances of relativity needed. Merry Santamas!!