The Story of NORAD and the Santa Tracker

A family tradition in my youth was worshiping at a Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and driving around nearby neighborhoods with wonderful holiday light displays while listening for NORAD reports on Santa Claus' whereabouts.  As a jaded grown-up, I presumed that these reports were performance shtick on a long media night.  Little did I know that the reports were real and that a typo and the good cheer of an Air Force colonel brought joy to the world.

During the 1950s, America was engaged in a Cold War with the Soviet Union which threatened to become hot at any moment. School children of the era was raised to be prepared to duck and cover at any given moment due to a sneak nuclear attack from the enemy.  Soon, Sputnik's successful launch made watching the skies even more important.

In Colorado Springs,Colorado at  the Continental Air Defense Command    a.k.a. CONAD (the predecessor to the North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD), there was a red telephone on the commander's desk which had a secret telephone number known only by a four star General at the Pentagon, which would have been used to convey news of an enemy aerial attack.

However, in December 1955, the CONAD commander's red phone rang and the voice on the other line was a little voice which asked "Is this really Santa Claus".  At first the Colonel was upset at what he thought was a crank call, but when he heard crying, the straight laced Colonel changed his demeanor.  The CONAD commander ho-ho-hoed and asked the caller if he had been a good boy.  Afterwards, the Santa Colonel asked to speak to his mother.

It seems that a copy for a Sears Roebuck newspaper ad had a misprint, so "Santa's private phone" number not connecting to Toyland but was actually the secret military number for what is now NORAD. Colonel Shoup delegated a few airman to act like Santa Claus for kiddie red phone callers.

Col. Shoup's daughter,  Terri Van Keuren, recounted: "It got to be a big joke at the command center. You know, 'The old man's really flipped his lid this time. We're answering Santa calls".  So much so, on Christmas Eve 1955, airmen modified the big glass board used to track air flights and included a drawing of a sleigh and eight reindeer coming from the North Pole.

When Col. Shoup saw this modified big board, he exclaimed: "What is this?".  His subordinates apologized and insisted that they were just making a a joke.  Shoup pondered the predicament for a bit and then telephoned a radio station with the message: "This is the Commander at the Combat Air Center, and we have an unidentified flying object.  Why, it looks like a sled.".  Hence the tradition began.

Now kids can call 1-877 HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to talk to NORAD staff about Santa's exact location.  The internet tracker for the big man in red began in 1998 with the SantaCam.  At noradsanta.org, people can view the SantaCams from around the world as well as understand NORAD's main mission. Last year, "Operation Feel" had F-18 fighter jets escorting Santa and his sleigh, which led CNN reporters questioning if the US military had taken possession of Santa Claus.  Of course, these reporters failed to report on "Operation Noble Eagle" with the Royal Canadian Air Force escorts over their territory or how these videos infuse some of NORAD's primary mission to girls and boys along with the spirit of the season.






Colonel Shoup died in 2009.  But even in his 90s, Shoup proudly carried a briefcase which he treated like had top secret information that contained letters thanking him for having a good sense of humor in allowing NORAD to track Santa.



h/t: NPR
      NORADSanta.org 

[This piece was originally published on DCBarroco.blogspot.com]

Molly Hemingway on the Biden White House Press

 Is it any surprise that the Biden White House Communication staff have requested that the press submit questions before the daily pressers? What a wonderful way to avoid addressing tough subjects.

Even with that prescreening advantage, it is remarkable how often Biden Chief Spokesperson Jen Psaki has to "Circle back."

H/T  Molly Hemingway

Warren Buffet on Fear and Investing

The  New York Stock Exchange dropped 7% at the start of trading over continued fears over coronovirus, combined with investors reacting to a glut of crude oil causing benchmark prices to tank.

At the District of Calamity, there is more confidence in political prognostication rather than inklings on investments or immunology. However, with some cognitive (rather than social) distancing, this is not the bubonic plague and America's health system is not medieval medicine.  Moreover, media seems to be pushing a crisis, presumably for ratings and as another avenue to imperil the current Administration.

Thus it is prudent to take into account the wisdom of Warren Buffet, the Wizard of Omaha, on fear and investing.

How Hannity Was Hanoi-ed (sic) at VietNam Summit

Fox News political commentator Sean Hannity traveled halfway around the globe to cover President Trump's second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the VietNam Summit.  But had Hannity not improvised, he would not have made it to his live spot on time.  

Hannity found himself stuck in Hanoi traffic on the way to the studio for his US prime time show.  To avoid being an on camera no show, Hannity hopped aboard a scooter to make it to the set on time. 

Larry King on the News

Thomas Sowell on Emotions and Facts

On Turgid Constitutional Ignorance

In the alluvia of analysis and opinions which followed President Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, NBC New's Katy Tur attempted to ask an insightful question.

Aside from the liberal assumption embedded in the inquiry, Tur operated with an egregious error.  The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia in 1787 not 1776. It seems that Little Katy did not grow up watching Schoolhouse Rock.



Maybe she should review the lesson as she might learn something.  

That simple mistake really costs her credibility.  So often we are inclined to impart wisdom on the pundits who pontificate on television.  If they get a basic civics fact wrong, why should we listen to them?

Although Katy Tur was awarded the 2017 Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism, I think it's  Unbelievable (sic).  That may be the title of her book with her year covering Donald Trump, but now I know better how to analyze her reportage: Progressive, propagandistic, polemic and nescient. 

Nate Silver on the Singapore Summit

On Roseanne and The Great Revolt

Coastal Elites are still trying to reconcile in their minds how Donald John Trump became the 45th President of the United States.  They were convicted that First Lady Senator Obama Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton would break the glass ceiling and be ushered into the Oval Office.  After all, she was pitted against a boorish Manhattan mogul who was a political novice and was alienated from key segments of his current political party. 

That unshakable arrogance makes the HBO excerpts  of Obama Administration point player Ben Rhodes on Election Night 2016 all the more delightful to those who chant "Drain the Swamp". In the aftermath of the election upset, Democrats pushed a Russian collusion conceit which managed to have a Special Counsel named but who garnered up scant evidence of a Russian nexus to Trump's campaign.

The mainstream media which became progressive provocateurs broadcast a bevy of anti-Trump material, gorgonizing anyone who supported President Trump as being a racist, sexist homophobic xenophobe instead of investigating how Mr. Trump was able to break the supposed Blue Wall for Democrats in the Upper Midwest. 

Salena Zito and Brad Todd's recent bestseller "The Great Revolt" (2018) examined seven groups of unlikely voters for a populist titularly Republican candidate.  Many of those groups, like "Red Blooded and Blue Collar", "Rough Rebounders" and "Perotistas" were either born and bred Democrats or previously unreliable voters.  During the promotional campaign for "The Great Revolt", Ms. Zito pointed to the resurgence of the Roseanne Show to illustrate how "The Forgotten Man" was gaining prominence in the body politic despite the barrage of anti-Trump sentiment on the airways.

When the Rosanne show was revived as a mid season replacement, it garnered 22 million viewers, in part because it portrayed Trump supporters as having reasons for their sentiments rather than a knee jerk condemnation of their politically incorrect heresy. 

Recently, Rosanne Barr tweeted a crude crack against Obama confidant Valerie Jarrett.  Despite Roseanne Barr offering a quick social media apology, the Roseanne Show was cancelled by by ABC Entertainment and the eleven seasons of reruns were pulled off Hulu and TVLand.  

Some Trump supporters saw nothing wrong with the controversial comparison, noting that Rosanne Barr has a history of making questionable quips. Conservatives have pointed out the numerous cases of hypocrisy that progressives say untoward things against their enemies and there are no consequences.  

MSNBC's Chris Hayes may have unwittingly revealed the progressive playbook by too overtly suggesting that Roseanne reflected the reputation of Trump voters as being racist, sexist, homophobic xenophobes.  But it was Todd Starnes who noted that ABC can't stomach Trump supporters. 

It is dubious that ABC will suffer from an acute boycott by incensed Rosanne viewers.  But their parent company Disney's stock sunk  2.3% on the news of the cancellation.  It may well be that the Rosanne Show is picked up by another outlet, as Fox Television is bringing back  back the ratings winning Tim Allen comedy  "Last Man Standing" which appeals to a conservative audience.  


There are other indications that the steamrolling of "Fly Over Country" values does not always work.  Despite the onslaught of publicity for Black Lives Matter and the Take The Knee campaigns, the NFL instituted a new policy that prohibits player protests on the field during the National Anthem.  Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones claims that Donald Trump told him "You can't win... this one lifts me" on the Take the Knee controversy.  That leads you to believe that Trump's popularity triumphs, rather than understanding that patriotic, non-politically correct American values are the crux of the ratings decline. 

Democrats and elites have positioned themselves to be progressive polemicists, thinking that their political prescriptions are inevitable in its ascent. Seeing the collapse in CNN's ratings and the incredible erosion of Democrat favorability in generic congressional polling ought to shake them of their smugness. 

The Strange Case of Tommy Robinson

Last week, British new media journalist Tommy Robinson (ne Stephen Lennon) was taken into custody and summarily sentenced to 13 months in prison while he was live streaming outside of the Leeds Crown Court.





There is considerable confusion about the matter.  Robinson has a history of being a soccer hooligan who became active in nationalist politics, with an animus against radical Islam. Robinson's arrest was while he covered a Muslim rape gang which groomed its child victims.

Because Tommy Robinson was weary of Islamic influence in the UK, it is easy to leap to the conclusion that a police state is trying to shut down a dissenting voice from elite internationalists.  It may well be that Robinson was taken in on suspended sentence for contempt of court regarding coverage of a gang rape case in 2017 that was escalated by being in a scuffle with police.  Robinson fears that his 13 month sentence will effectively be a death sentence due to Muslim gangs in prison.

Robinson's arrest seems kind of reminiscent of what happened to the LA videographer in the wake of the Benghazi attack in 2012.  Use trumped up charges on a small fry to politically placate.

What should be truly disturbing to all freedom lovers is the injunction that the judge, Geoffrey Mason QC, ordered an Orwellian media blackout, enjoining the British press from reporting on it until after the conclusion of the child grooming case.

[C] Judge Geoffrey Mason watching Tommy Robinson arrest, Leeds Crown Court

Several European Parliament Members have called Robinson a political prisoner and demanded his release. It is puzzling that the public can not be informed of someone who has been convicted of a crime. Are Star Chambers back in style in England again? In the past, the Star Chamber supposedly took on prominent people.  Is it now to enforce political correctness or PC dhimmitude?

Sarah Huckabee Sanders on MS-13

Mike Huckabee on Inquiring Minds

Revealing Quips on Abortion at the White House Correspondents' Dinner

[L] Michelle Wolfe [R] Sarah Huckabee Sanders WHCD 2018

During the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, the headliner entertainer Michelle Wolf offered what was supposed to be a comedy routine.  Many have focused on the mean spirited ad hominem attacks on Trump White House Spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders.  However, what was truly revealing was Ms. Wolf’s barbs about abortion.

Although she claimed to only be a comedienne making jokes, much of Wolf’s  material was pointedly partisan, mostly aimed at those on the right.  Since it has become televised, the White House Correspondents Dinner (a.k.a. “Nerd Prom”) has devolved into a mean spirited roast.  As elites have attempted to delegitimize the duly elected Trump Administration since even before he took office, the mainstream media (with few exceptions) has embraced the modus operendi of “The Resistance” and politicized everything as well as mainstreaming progressive politics

Ms. Wolf  claimed that she did not want President Trump impeached because it would mean Vice President Mike Pence would take over.  This opposition seem born from Mr. Pence’s deep pro-life position.  Wolf’s joke about abortion was grotesque but fascinating because the premise and framing of her presumed bon mot reveal the lies of the pro-choice movement.

America had been propagandized that the left wanted abortion to the “Safe, legal and rare”. Sure.  

So what about: “Don’t know it until you try it – and when you try it really knock it.”?  Obviously a crude play on words.  What was more revealing was Michelle Wolf’s admission: “You know, you really have to get that baby out of there.”    Isn’t abortion supposed to be about unviable fetuses, or lumps of tissues?  These callous comments reveal that progressives feel so comfortable with abortion that they don’t mind admitting that it is infanticide during rubber chicken dinner jokes.

The latter half of Wolf’s un-“funny” about abortion seemed ill targeted.  Wolf seemed to justify abortion if it was for your secret mistresses.  Mike Pence is an evangelical Christian who rightfully has a reputation of being a Boy Scout.  



  If there is one thing that a Philosophy of Humor class inculcated was that in order to be funny, humor must have an element of truth to it but approach it from an unexpected angle to catch an audience by surprise.  With that in mind, enquiring minds want to know if this was a contrast to Mr. Pence’s straight as an arrow reputation, or is she insinuating that he is a hypocrite and has sex on the side and paid to cover it up.   It may be more likely that Wolf forgot who she was insulting and wanted to impugn the elephant not in the room, President Trump and his messy personal life.

That being said, it is interesting that a roomful of elites were not scandalized about killing human life as they ate their desserts. Apparently, joking about abortion is just another laugh line for them.  To be fair, a few voices in the media have registered protest about how the White House Correspondents' Dinner has confirmed the caricatures of the media made by Trump supporters.  But on the whole, the press corps has rallied around the banner of the First Amendment and speaking truth to power.


One of the reasons that the left has fought so hard against legislative attempts to mandate ultrasounds before abortion is because many mothers to be see an unborn child in the x-ray and might change their minds about terminating their pregnancy.  At the very least, an ultrasound impeaches the lies that they tell themselves to justify termination as part of “Women’s Reproductive Health”. 

Michelle’s Wolf’s jokes about abortion have served as cultural ultrasound.  Humorists often push the envelope to get a laugh and her routine about abortion certainly looked about those lines.  But the way she framed it revealed the truth about terminating a pregnancy.  The left now seems to embrace joking about killing a baby with laughs.  Perhaps such a comedic routine might have been edgily acceptable during a stand up set at a late night comedy club.  But Michelle Wolf’s venue was as the hired help of Nerd Prom, elite swamp dwellering jo-whore-nalists (sic) celebrating themselves wrapped around the First Amendment. Is it any wonder that President Trump chose not to attend?

Of course the First Amendment gave Ms Wolf to say whatever she liked, no matter how offensive. However, that does not mean that it is immune from critique and criticism.  The White House Correspondents’ Association extended an invite to Michelle Wolf so they certainly knew her shtick.  The lack of verbal reproach or walking away from the abortion “joke” speaks volumes about the attitude of elites. 

Polling has shown that approximately half of the country is pro-life.  Hundreds of thousands gather each year on the National Mall in the middle of January under the March for Life Banner to protest Roe v. Wade (1973).  Pro-Lifers have a reputation for being one issue voters.  Now that the left has dropped their veil about pretending that abortion is not about killing babies, we will see if the silent majority will embrace the practice like our media "betters"  or if there will be marked push-back.

Reconsidering the White House Correspondents' Dinner

Denouncing the Nerve of Russia Poisoning

Trump Administration UN Ambassador Nikki Haley denounced the assassination attempt on  a Russian double agent living in England at the UN Security Council.  Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found slumped over in Salsibury city center on March 4th and they remain in critical condition.  Haley noted that this episode was a defining moment and "The credibility of this [Security] Council will not survive if we fail to hold Russia accountable." 


 The March 4th attack in Salsibury used Novichok ("Newcomer" in Russian), a military grade nerve agent which was manufactured in secret in the Soviet Union during the 1970s and 1980s.  A-230, one of the chemicals in Novichok, is five to eight times more lethal than VX gas. This toxic assassination attempt on foreign soil exposed dozens of citizens and 200 first responders to deadly chemicals.  Still, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin deflects from responsibility for the attack. 



British Prime Minister Teresa May opined: "Either this was a direct action by the Russian State against our country or the Russian government lost control of a potentially catastrophically damaging nerve agent and allowed it to get in the hands of others."   The British Government expelled 23 Russian diplomats and suspended high level contacts.  In addition, there is talk that the UK may organize an official boycott of the Sochi World Cup competition this June.  Putin is mulling over retaliatory actions against the UK. 

Although the British have not invoked the "All For One, One For All" Article V Clause of NATO, there has been a rare joint statement between President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Teresa May which concluded that there was no plausible alternative explanation explanation to Russian responsibility to the Salsibury attack and Russia's non response to the British legitimate request for an explanation further underlines the responsibility.  The communique noted that the use of chemical weapons is a breach of international law and an assault on UK sovereignty.


During one of the 2012 Presidential debates, President Barack Obama mocked Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) for thinking that Russia was the premiere world threat and joked "The 1980s are now calling to get their their foreign policy back." The Salisbury chemical attack impeaches Obama's caustic quip.  Sadly, the mainstream media today is more focused on over-exposing Stormy Daniels strip tease of her truth of a Trump affair a dozen years ago than covering a serious international incident which actually involves Vladimir Putin. 

Update 03/26/2018  The Trump Administration expelled 60 Russian diplomats, including 12 from the United Nations.

Stephen Hawking on Knowledge

 Pearls of wisdom from "Dr. Sheldon Cooper's" (Jim Parson)   Fun with Words friend. 

  

 For all those feeling a bit sketchy about this brief history of time, let the Bare Naked Ladies fill things in ...

      

Nancy Pelosi Tries to Drag Out the Vote With Ru Paul

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi chose to be a guest judge on Ru Paul's Drag Race All Stars. Her brief message was to "Get Out The Vote".   That is really some niche marketing for the mid-terms!





Of course, Democrats will argue that they are hyping up the hustings for the youth vote, especially those who are inclined to watch programming on VH1.  But it is hard to sell Pelosi as being hip and happening as the former Speaker of the House continually has trouble remembering exactly who currently inhabits the White House. 

Democrats allies in the mainstream media have been pushing a narrative about a "Blue Wave" in the 2018 off year elections which will sweep progressives back into power.  If that is so inevitable then it makes one wonder why Democrat leaders would need to go on Ru Paul's show, which focuses on transvestites.  


While such outreach may satisfy progressive whims, it alienates blue collar traditional values voters, the demographic which was decisive in electing President Donald Trump.  Then again, progressive elements of the Democrat Party have made Blue Dogs an endangered species. That impetus complicates Democrats gaining control of the Senate (and may well cost West Virginia  Senator Joe Manchin his seat). And it is dubious if suburban voters will be ginned up to for eight months to get to the polls over a pandering appearance as a drag race judge. 

It is highly unlikely that  Pelosi's shout out to drag queens  will motive young voters to get out to the polls in November.  But those who are scandalized by pandering to the fringes will long remember Pelosi trying to drag out the vote.

House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes: "The media is dead"

Mika Brzezinski on Talking About Gun Control Immediately After the Florida School Shooting

Less than a day after the Parkland Florida School Massacre, in which at least 17 people were killed, MSNBC Anchor Mika Brezinski was insistent about having constructive talk about solutions.  Considering the midtown Manhattan mores of the mainstream media, this mean venting about gun control. Brzezinski threatened to unbook any guests on the Morning Joe who wanted to defer this constructive talk to either wait for confirmed details or out of respect for the victims' families. 

It is natural as members of the media cover this travesty live, they will opine supposed "answers" to make sense of the mire.On Fox News, conservative Sean Hannity got on his hobby horse for his entire hour in prime time to push for all schools to hire armed veterans for school security. For cash strapped districts, a guest suggested having federalized security, like the TSA.  The morning after the Parkland School Shooting, Salem Radio's centrist Republican Hugh Hewitt wondered why there was not a "No Buy List" for mentally troubled individuals. While that touches on the mental health aspect, it raises issues about an over expansive no-buy list, as Obamacare barred many Veterans diagnosed with PTSD from exercising their Second Amendment rights.

Although there are many indications that the shooter had a troubled teen with many mental illness markers, inevitably the knee jerk reaction for this so called "constructive talk"  will be a gun grab or advocating measures like a better background check (which have already been instituted).

Just as reality shows are somewhat scripted, Morning Joe is positioned to proffer reliable perspectives. Mika's booking benchmark shows how progressive will not let a good crisis to go to waste to grab guns.

NBC Shame Faced for Parade of Ignorance Displayed During Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

The 23rd Winter Olympiad in Pyeongchang, South Korea had a reoccurring theme of Peace, as was evident from the Opening Ceremonies.  It was well known that athletes from North and South Korea would march as a unified team into Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium.  

One of the draws for casual sports fans to watch the Olympics is the Opening Ceremonies. The pageantry of the Opening Ceremonies, as expressed through artistic expression as well as thematic choice sets the mood for the Olympic Games.  Afterwards, there is the Parade of Nations, when all of the competitors gather in a gesture of unity and good will.  During this long march of nations, television viewers often have to endure commentary from NBC announcers to add color and context to the visuals.  Often this dialogue is pap or seems scripted.

However, when the Japanese team made their debut at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, NBC Asia correspondent Joshua Cooper Ramos offered an incredible generalization.  Ramos claimed that Koreans looked with admiration to Japan as an important example of cultural, economic and technological transformation.




Several hours after uttering this insensitive and insulting insinuation, NBC Sports issued a hasty apology.

NBC paid $967 million for broadcast rights for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and it would seem that they did not want to insult their hosts.

With that in mind, one wonders why NBC keeps pushing North Korean propaganda while covering the Winter Olympics.  No doubt that a unified Korean team marching during the Parade of Nations was a big story.  It epitomizes the international aspiration of brotherhood and exemplifies the Pyeongchang Game's theme of Peace.  

[Front Center] Vice President Mike Pence [Back Center] Kim Yo Jung, sister of DPRK dictator Kim Jun Un

It is understandable that an Olympic broadcaster would want to capitalize on controversy by showing how close Vice President Mike Pence was seated to North Korean Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong during the Opening Ceremonies.




The coverage of the North Korea cheerleaders during the womens' hockey game between Korea and Switzerland does raise eyebrows.  It was a cute featurette to have a piece about the some of the 200 woman squad of  the North Korean "Army of Beauty" cheerleaders leading chants during the 0-8 rout of Korea.  Some say that the synchronized chants of the North Korea Beauty Cheerleaders stole the show. But what what telling is what they chanted and how they performed.  These NPDK cheerleaders chanted "Unity" waving "neutral" flags of a unified Korea. After each goal by their opponent, they chanted: "Cheer up!".  Perhaps that exemplifies a cultural trait.  


What has been shown but little explored are instances in which the female Beauty Squad use big heads of a Korean man.  Hmm.  Who could this be?  


It is dubious that it was an everyman Korean.  The Big Head looks rather like an idealized image of North Korea dictator Kim Jong Un. What does it say about the consequences of  "Unity".  Is that something that all Koreans also believe?

UPDATE 02/12/2018  BBC News quotes Korean media that the DPRK Army of Beauties cheerleaders were holding up big heads of Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un (the first of the Hermit Kingdom's Juche post World War II dictators).  Yet the South Korean Unification Ministry insists that the cheerleaders were just holding up cut outs of "a good looking man".