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The following is a transcript of her conversations. OPERATOR: We have Max. MRS. OBAMA: Hello, this is the First Lady, Michelle Obama, with NORAD, tracking Santa. How can I help you? MAX: Hi. MRS. OBAMA: Hi. What's your name? MAX: Max. MRS. OBAMA: Hi, Max. How old are you? MAX: Eight. MRS. OBAMA: Eight? Okay, well, this is the First Lady. And I'm helping them track Santa tonight, so how can I help you? You want to know where Santa is? [the rest of the transcript, if you can stomach it, is at the link]

You're on my naughty list this year

What a year it has been. If 2010 is remembered for anything it will be the fact that America started off on January 1st with President Obama and by Christmas we ended up with President Reagan. Or at least that is what the White House wants us to believe. You doubt that this is the message from the White House? Consider the following: 1) President Obama got the US Senate to ratify an awful arms control agreement with Russia called START by claiming that President Reagan would have supported it. Of course, President Reagan believed in negotiating from a position...

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while...

He's a lost Claus. A politically correct West Village YMCA has fired Ol' St. Nick in favor of Frosty. Kids who once thrilled at sitting on Santa's lap at the 14th Street McBurney YMCA's wildly popular annual holiday luncheon will now suffer the icy embrace of a talking snowman and his sidekick, an anonymous penguin, at today's event. Forget about bringing a list or checking it twice -- Frosty doesn't take gift requests, and doesn't care if you're naughty or nice. YMCA officials, who say they are in the midst of "rebranding" the Young Men's Christian Association to "The Y,"...

Dear Uncle Warren, When I was at school, there used to be an annual picture taken of all the pupils. Since there were quite a lot of us, the remarkable technology employed (at least it seemed remarkable at the time) was that of a still camera that panned from one end of the assembly, which stood in a curved formation, to the other. This produced a long, thin, photograph. On several occasions, I recall, some young prankster, once his image had been captured at one end of the line, would attempt to sprint behind the wall of boys and install...

From time to time, an event occurs that makes people believe in Christmas miracles. Ed and Lynn Silliman's miracle came a few weeks ago. The Sheppton, Schuylkill County couple's 5-year-old daughter, Delaney, walked for the first time on her own after receiving a special gift from Santa Claus, according to her mom. Delaney has developmental disabilities that make it hard for her to talk or walk more than a few steps by herself. But like most kids her age, Delaney loves visiting with Santa. Last year, Lynn took Delaney to Country Folk, a shop in Nescopeck where Santa was scheduled...

During the 19th century, improvements in various printing technologies, including lithography, chromolithography, and the rotary press, ushered in an era of popular art. Currier & Ives (and others) produced inexpensive prints; L. Prang & Co. (and more) sold Christmas cards; periodicals such as Harper's New Monthly Magazine included drawings by Thomas Nast and others. Because they were mass-produced by the standards of the time, many of these works have survived to the present day, giving us a kind of window on the past -- images of Christmastime in the 1800s.

Welcome to NORAD Tracks Santa

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Police said a man dressed in a full Santa Claus suit robbed a Hermitage bank Tuesday morning. The robbery occurred just after 10 a.m. at SunTrust Bank on Old Hickory Boulevard, just north of Lebanon Road. The thief, described as a white male between 6 feet and 6 feet 4 inches tall, was dressed as Kris Kringle and armed with a 9-millimeter handgun, said police. Witnesses said when two bank managers tried to get him to remove his sunglasses, that's when they said he pulled out the weapon and demanded money. "It was a little unbelievable. He...

WHAT WOULD Santa drink? Listen, kids, contrary to the tales Mom and Dad told you, Father Christmas did not get that round belly and red nose from gulping down glasses of skim milk. Not to destroy your innocent visions of sugar plums and candy canes, but when it comes to treats on a long winter's night, if it's all the same to you, Santa Claus would rather have a beer. Sacrilege, you say? The very symbol of childhood innocence guzzling alcohol? What's next, Frosty the Snowman doing Jell-O shots? In fact, from the very beginning, Santa Claus was a man...

Found this on a web site I frequent.

All Proceeds Donated To Local Charities The Katy Holiday Fun Festival was established in 2008 for the purpose of providing an exciting community based holiday event in the Katy area, to take place during an exciting time of the year, and to creating a venue to raise donations for local charities. All proceeds will go to assist non-profit organizations and local families who are in need of cash, clothing, food, toys and gifts for the holiday’s and much more.

The Congress of the United States of America is consigning you, your children, and your children's progeny to slavery. Maybe it's the Scottish strain in my DNA, but I've been concerned about the national debt since before it breached the $1 trillion mark. That was way back in 1982. So it's heartening to see folks finally getting concerned about this issue. Debt matters. From the installation of America's first government in 1789, it took 193 years to rack up that initial 13-digit debt. To put such an ungodly bar tab in context, here are some key debt benchmarks. Each benchmark...

Trying to rain on Jolly St.Nick? The United States Post Office will not be forwarding letters to Santa at the North Pole this year. Other programs and private efforts go on, but some are questioning why the USPS is unwilling to forward letters to the North Poll where volunteers – not employees – respond to the kids with letters including sought-after North Pole postmarks on the letter.

www.catholicnewsagency.com German diocese creates ‘Santa-free zone’ Related articles: Santa ClausAdvent Christmas Tree BlessingHail to Thee, True BodyChristmas Tree Speyer, Germany, Nov 11, 2009 / 05:09 pm (CNA).- In an effort to encourage people to replace the commercialization of the Christmas season with a true devotion to Advent, Christmas and the “true Santa Claus,” several groups within the German Diocese of Speyer have initiated a “Santa-free campaign.” The Federation of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ) of Speyer has partnered with other organizations to champion the cause of St. Nicholas of Myra, a friend and helper of children and those in trouble....

Well I must say, I had a great time reading the comments, critiques and insults that came in after my last post with its modest attempt to define "atheism". In particular, many self-described atheists took umbrage to my claim that atheism is denial of the proposition that God exists. (Apparently my smarmy attitude was also ripe for verbal assault.) One of my most spirited opponents drew comparisons between belief in God and unicorns as he/she asked: "do you believe in unicorns? Can you disprove the existence of unicorns?" The idea, presumably, is that belief in unicorns and God are equivalent....

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? "VIRGINIA O'HANLON. "115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET." VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, VIRGINIA, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe...

At least in this case study from Absurd Britannia, the backtracking began almost immediately. "Mother told to take down her Christmas lights... in case they offend her non-Christian neighbours," from the Daily Mail, December 16 (thanks to James): A woman has spoken of how she was told to remove her Christmas lights by a housing association worker - in case they offended her non-Christian neighbours. Dorothy Glenn decorates her home in South Shields with hundreds of festive lights every year, including a giant tree and a 4ft Santa Claus. But she was left stunned this year when a South Tyneside...