Santa's check flight...
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Santa's check flight...
Santa Claus, like all pilots, gets regular visits from the Civil Aviation Authority, and it was shortly before Christmas when the CAA examiner arrived.
In preparation, Santa had the elves wash the sled and bathe all the reindeer. Santa got his logbook out and made sure all his paperwork was in order.
The examiner walked slowly around the sled. He check the reindeer harnesses, the landing gear, and Rudolf's nose. He painstakingly reviewed Santa's weight and balance calculations for the sled's enormous payload.
Finally, they were ready for the checkride. Santa got in and fastened his seatbelt and shoulder harness and checked the compass. Then the examiner hopped in carrying, to Santa's surprise, a shotgun.
"What's that for?" asked Santa incredulously.
The examiner winked and said, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but you're gonna lose an engine on takeoff."
In preparation, Santa had the elves wash the sled and bathe all the reindeer. Santa got his logbook out and made sure all his paperwork was in order.
The examiner walked slowly around the sled. He check the reindeer harnesses, the landing gear, and Rudolf's nose. He painstakingly reviewed Santa's weight and balance calculations for the sled's enormous payload.
Finally, they were ready for the checkride. Santa got in and fastened his seatbelt and shoulder harness and checked the compass. Then the examiner hopped in carrying, to Santa's surprise, a shotgun.
"What's that for?" asked Santa incredulously.
The examiner winked and said, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but you're gonna lose an engine on takeoff."
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This one is so old, I'm surprised Santa has any reindeer left by now.
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Just thought I'd post this as an aside.
Stephen Fry would approve.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year;
male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.
Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.
Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a female.
If in doubt BANG OUT.
Stephen Fry would approve.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year;
male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.
Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.
Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a female.
If in doubt BANG OUT.
Well, just to throw more fire on this....
It's not 'Blitzen'...
The original names, in the original poem by Henry Livingston reads:
"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem"
Yep, Dunder and Blixem...
http://iment.com/maida////familytree...s/reindeer.htm
just in case you doubted it...
It's not 'Blitzen'...
The original names, in the original poem by Henry Livingston reads:
"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem"
Yep, Dunder and Blixem...
http://iment.com/maida////familytree...s/reindeer.htm
just in case you doubted it...
The Analog Kid
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Well, just to throw more fire on this....
It's not 'Blitzen'...
The original names, in the original poem by Henry Livingston reads:
"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem"
Yep, Dunder and Blixem...
http://iment.com/maida////familytree...s/reindeer.htm
just in case you doubted it...
It's not 'Blitzen'...
The original names, in the original poem by Henry Livingston reads:
"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem"
Yep, Dunder and Blixem...
http://iment.com/maida////familytree...s/reindeer.htm
just in case you doubted it...
"The story with which Father Thomas had frequently regaled his friends was about Henry's authorship of the poem. The names of the reindeer, Father Thomas had said, were those of the horses in Henry's stable! <SNIP> Henry's Day Book was no help because when thinking about the horses as sources of debt or credit, Henry used descriptions rather than names.
Feb 28 '75 Gave my black horse to John Van Kleeck for a pied Mare and �6 to boot. If I dislike her I am to return her.
But we're not giving up the search for more information."
John van Kleeck seems highly likely to be a Dutch name. And Blixem? Dutch for lightning, just like Blitzen is the German.
Cheers,
Rich.
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