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The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . The tradition continues regardless of government shutdowns, such as the one in 2018 , and this year . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. The origin story is Hollywood-esque It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Is the origin story humbug? Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” A rare addition to Santa’s story NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada —- known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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Whether you’re after a big ticket tech item for under the tree this year, or a just looking for a stocking stuffer for a gadget-obsessed loved one, here are some of our favourite bits of kit that could make for great presents. Gadgets and smart home Clockwise from top: Blink Outdoor 4, Adventures with Interactive LEGO Peach, Google TV Streamer, Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses. Google TV Streamer There are now heaps of options for updating a TV with new smarts via a set-top box or HDMI stick, but Google’s latest could just be the best value out there (assuming you’re not already wedded to the Amazon or Apple ecosystems). At around $150 it has all the major apps covered in up to 4K, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, it connects to Matter and Thread smart home devices to keep your tech co-ordinated, and the remote is practically unlosable since you can ask Google to make it ring (or press a button on the Streamer). Blink Outdoor 4 As far as security cameras go, Blink’s aren’t super powerful or sophisticated. But they work well and are comparatively cheap. The Blink Outdoor 4, which is $150 but currently going for much less, is great for viewing live on your phone and alerting you when it detects motion. You do need to pay a $50 yearly subscription for it to record clips, but you have the option of backing them up automatically to a USB drive so you won’t lose the clips if you unsubscribe. Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses A regular pair of glasses that also contain a camera, microphones, earbuds and buttons, these specs let you take photos and videos, listen to music, answer calls and even stream your point of view, all while leaving your phone in your pocket. You can also talk to the built-in AI to send messages or ask about what you’re looking at. They start at around $450 (it will be extra if you need prescription lenses put in). Adventures with Interactive LEGO Peach / Mario / Luigi I’ve been hesitant to embrace Lego sets that have a bunch of tech and batteries and screens, especially for kids, as regular plastic bricks remain such an engaging toy for unstructured play. But the Lego Mario sets – where you build courses and then run through them with a battery-powered character that reacts to your creations – have proven it can be done right. There are loads of sets that add obstacles and enemies, but any of the three starter sets for this year (going for around $65 each) would be a perfect place to start. Cleaning and fitness From left: Garmin Fenix 8; Dyson WashG1; TP-Link Tapo RV30 Robot Vacuum & Mop; Xiaomi Smart Band 9. Dyson WashG1 At first glance a mop might not sound like the most exciting Christmas gift, but this one has had a decidedly hi-tech upgrade thanks to Dyson. The $849 WashG1 is easy to set up – and far more convenient than readying a bucket and mop – and removes both liquid and dry debris before smartly self-cleaning on its charging dock.US stock market forecast: Will S&P 500, Dow Jones, Nasdaq continue positive trend?
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OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will not support a Liberal plan to give Canadians a GST holiday and $250 unless the government expands eligibility for the cheques, saying the rebate leaves out “the most vulnerable.” The Liberals announced a plan last week to cut the federal sales tax on a raft of items like toys and restaurant meals for two months, and to give $250 to more than 18.7 million Canadians in the spring. Speaking after a Canadian Labour Congress event in Ottawa, Singh says he’s open to passing the GST legislation, but the rebate needs to include seniors, students, people who are on disability benefits and those who were not able to work last year. Singh says he initially supported the idea because he thought the rebate cheques would go to anyone who earned under $150,000 last year. But the so-called working Canadians rebate will be sent to those who had an income, leaving out people Singh says need the help. The government intends to include the measures in the fall economic statement, which has not yet been introduced in the House of Commons. The proposed GST holiday would begin in mid-December, lasting for two months. It would remove the GST on prepared foods at grocery stores, some alcoholic drinks, children’s clothes and toys, Christmas trees, restaurant meals, books, video games and physical newspapers. A privilege debate has held up all government business in the House since late September, with the Conservatives pledging to continue a filibuster until the government hands over unredacted documents related to misspending at a green technology fund. The NDP said last week they had agreed to pause the privilege debate in order to pass the legislation to usher in the GST holiday. Singh said Tuesday that unless there are changes to the proposed legislation, he will not support pausing the debate. The Bloc Québécois is also pushing for the rebates to be sent to seniors and retirees.Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on Matt Gaetz withdrawing from attorney general consideration on ‘Your World.’ "I’ll be seeing you in all the old familiar places," goes the song by crooner Billie Holiday. Those who toil in Congress certainly saw a lot of old friends in the old familiar places at the U.S. Capitol recently. First, there was Vice President-elect and Sen. JD Vance , R-Ohio. Vance hasn’t even been a senator for two years. Yet he’s now bound for the vice presidency at age 40. He’ll be the youngest vice president since John Breckenridge worked alongside President James Buchanan in 1857. SPRINT TO CONFIRM TRUMP NOMINEES KICKS OFF IN JANUARY But Vance hasn’t been spotted at the Capitol much since President-elect Trump drafted him as his running mate in July. Vance was at the Capitol in June for votes. Gone for Fourth of July. Then selected as running mate. Then nowhere near the Capitol for the August recess. Vance only dipped into the Capitol for a doctor’s appointment with the attending physician to Congress in September. Then there was the election. Vance didn’t parachute back to Capitol Hill right away. But he did come back last week for votes – and primarily to shuttle Mr. Trump’s cabinet nominees through a series of meetings with senators. Vance facilitated sessions between senators and defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth in his office in the Russell Senate Office Building. Other meetings were in the Strom Thurmond Room in the Senate wing of the Capitol for former Rep. and former attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. At one point, Vance also took a strange diversion to the secure suite of rooms on the House side of the Capitol used by the House Intelligence Committee. It was never clear why Vance went there, who he met with or what was discussed. Vice President-elect JD Vance, R-Ohio, left, with embattled ex-Congressman Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., last week on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) A scrum of reporters tried to track Vance’s whereabouts when he and his entourage disappeared from the Strom Thurmond Room. But the press corps stumbled upon someone else: former Trump Chief of Staff and former Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. "I’m just leading a tour, guys," said Meadows when asked if he was there to talk with Vance or work on the transition. "This is just a private visit." OHIO CONGRESSMAN VYING TO REPLACE JD VANCE IN THE SENATE SAYS TRUMP'S AGENDA MUST BE PRIORITY ON 'DAY ONE' But Vance was soon back in the Strom Thurmond Room to talk with Gaetz. Gaetz resigned from Congress after the President-elect tapped him as his first attorney general candidate. The Florida Republican abruptly resigned from the House the next day. Vance escorted Gaetz into the Senate wing of the Capitol last week for individual forums with members of the Judiciary Committee. After his conclaves with senators, an ebullient Gaetz left the Capitol – departing via the House side. Gaetz, left, abruptly forfeited his congressional seat as soon as he was named as President Trump's pick to head the Department of Justice. In hindsight, this resignation appears to have been in haste. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) "Senators have been giving me a lot of good advice. I'm looking forward to a hearing. Folks have been very supportive. They've been saying we're going to get a fair process. So it's a great day of momentum for the Trump-Vance administration," said Gaetz. "We're going to tackle fentanyl. We’re going to ensure that we don't have the DoJ involved in censorship any more. And make sure that we get the country back on track." Gaetz withdrew from consideration 18 hours later. Gaetz announced that his nomination "was unfairly becoming a distraction." He added that "there is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle." GAETZ-GATE: NAVIGATING THE PRESIDENT-ELECT'S MOST BAFFLING CABINET PICK Colleague Alexis McAdams reported that Gaetz reached the conclusion on his own. Gaetz’s resignation letter to the House made it clear that he did "not intend" to serve in the new Congress starting in January – even though he just won re-election. So now Gaetz is a former congressman. He won’t be Attorney General and he’s a former nominee. And he won’t be a future congressman. Given the ex-congressman's current career trajectory, Gaetz's future presence on Capitol Hill will likely be limited, to say the least. (Reuters) So, chalk down Gaetz as someone who probably won’t materialize around the Capitol often in the future. Until he wants to. After all, former members are always allowed back into the building. After Gaetz bowed out of the attorney general slot, I ran over to the Senate where I followed Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to the Hart Senate Office Building, and persuaded Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., to chat with reporters by the Senate Carriage Entrance. Once back inside, a man stood in a first floor hallway near the Brumidi Corridors, checking his phone. No one else paid him any attention. I’m not even sure other reporters had any idea who the man was. HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE PLANS TO DISCUSS PROBE INTO GAETZ AFTER RESIGNATION FROM CONGRESS "Glad you aren’t around here any more on a day like this?" I asked. The man chuckled and nodded in agreement. It was former Sen. David Vitter, R-La. Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram ran into former Sen. David Vitter, R-La., on Capitol Hill recently, shortly after Matt Gaetz bowed out of contention for the AG slot. Vitter seemed content with the fact that he no longer had an obligation to report there for work on days like that. (AP Photo) But another former member also graced the Capitol that same day. Mostly to hector House Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Miss., and his preparation of a report on the conduct of Gaetz. "I said, ‘f--k it. I’ll come,’" said former Rep. George Santos , R-N.Y. And there he was. THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO POTENTIALLY RELEASING THE ETHICS COMMITTEE REPORT ON GAETZ The House expelled Santos nearly a year ago, for, well, having less credibility as to who he was than Milli Vanilli. "I’m completely, completely unrestrained from talking to you guys," said Santos to the press corps. Santos was looking for Guest, the author of the House Ethics Committee report which ultimately led to the expulsion of the New York Republican. Former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was also at the Capitol in the aftermath of Gaetz's resignation. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Santos became just the sixth member ever expelled from the House. But as an expelled member, your status around the Capitol is the same as a former lawmaker who resigned, retired or lost. You are a former member. That means Santos has access to the Capitol complex. It’s a loophole that House members said they would fix after they booted Santos – but never did. "If he runs away from me, I'll go stand in front of his office and scream at him through his door," said Santos of Guest. "Have you been in touch with Gaetz at all?" asked one reporter. FORMER REP. GEORGE SANTOS PLEADS GUILTY IN FEDERAL WIRE FRAUD, ID THEFT CASE "No. No. He's busy. He's lobbying the Senate, which he should," replied Santos. Note this was the same day Gaetz was at the Capitol meeting with senators – but just hours before he withdrew his nomination for attorney general. "What do you think of Trump's other nominees so far?" asked a reporter. Santos, who lauded the President-elect's Cabinet picks when asked, has said he's not been in contact with Gaetz as of late. ( Win McNamee/Getty Images) "Great. It's fantastic. It's transformative. It's a proverbial wrecking ball to the swamp. And they're dealing with an existential crisis. And they're grappling for their lives because the American people have served them with a existential crisis and a mandate with Donald Trump ," said Santos. "Is it fair to say you have an ax to grind as he was the one who led the charge against you?" asked a reporter of Santos about Guest. "Do you remember that my ethics report was incomplete and that there was a footnote that said we do not recommend any kind of punishment because it's not a complete report. And yet he still went and filed an expulsion resolution of errors full of misleading information that basically contradicted what was in the report?" retorted Santos. "So he's full of sh-t." THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO GAETZ'S STATUS IN THE HOUSE AND THE ETHICS COMMITTEE REPORT Reporters then pivoted to whether the House Ethics Committee should publish its report on Gaetz – even though he’s a former member. "He’s not scared," replied Santos. "I don't blame him." "Do you plan to request a pardon?" asked another reporter. Santos claims he doesn't "intend," nor is he "entertaining," talks of a potential pardon. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) "That's not a conversation I've had. I don't intend on that conversation," said Santos. "I am not entertaining that conversation." Santos also told his audience that he did "not plan on running for office again." Which means Santos may continue to surface at the Capitol, unabated, despite the ignominy of his expulsion. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Vance will certainly return to the Capitol periodically as Vice President to preside over the Senate and potentially break ties. But Gaetz, Meadows, Vitter, Santos and soon, Vance, all have the same status. They’re former members. And that means they can return to the Capitol any time they want. Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
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