The Search for Santa
by Claudine Zap
The Obama family faces yet another first this holiday season: their first Christmas in the White House. The people want to know what they’ll do and where they’ll be. One-day searches on Yahoo! show that lookups on “obama christmas” grew 100% in the last day. Queries on “obama christmas card” and “obama christmas eve” were also popular. Here, a rundown of what to expect from the first family.
Tradition: He said, she said
Cross Obama off your Christmas list. According to the president, the first couple agreed a few years back not to exchange Yuletide gifts. But this just in: In a separate interview, the first lady acknowledged that the president is getting “sports stuff” under the tree. If someone didn’t get someone a present, there may be one very desperate last-minute shopper at the mall. Although the Obama daughters’ wish-lists haven’t been made public, Obama told the Tom Joyner Morning Show that Malia and Sasha don’t want much, but like iPods, video games and books. Santa, take note. What Obama really wants can’t be bought: He said he’d just like hugs.
A very western White House
Let’s face it: Even the leader of the free world needs a break once in awhile. Obama may feel more entitled than most, with his push on health care, his management of the war in Afghanistan, and his work to fight an economic downturn. Bush sought salvation clearing brush in his Texas ranch. Reagan headed to horse country in Santa Barbara. The current president goes really far west to his native Hawaii.
Though the president says his vacation is on hold until the health care vote in the Senate is put to rest, the family hopes to spend at least some time in the island paradise. The first lady told Oprah Winfrey about her family’s plans: “You know, we’re going to spend the holidays in Hawaii as we always do and with probably the same friends and family that we always see, and the girls look forward to that.”
The presidential rental
If the Obama family returns to the oceanside suburban retreat where they spent a winter holiday last year, it will be in a multimillion dollar Kailua manse. The property is at the base of the Koolau mountains with Kailua Beach out back, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The five-bedroom home is about a half-hour drive from Honolulu. Sounds like a pretty good perscription for relaxation to us.
by Claudine Zap
Christmas Eve is a busy day for one Santa Claus of the North Pole. But just leaving out cookies and milk and hoping that St. Nick will make it to your house is so last century. This year, with the help of social-networking tools and GPS, you can track Santa’s movements throughout the night, from your mobile phone, your computer, or your car.
Normally, NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) is the U.S.-Canadian military organization that watches over the air and water for security threats. But on Christmas Eve, the command center switches to Santa mode, and operation Santa Tracker is in full force. The live tracker incorporates radar, satellites, “Santa Cams,” and yes, even fighter jets, to follow Father Christmas on his goodwill gift-giving tour.
Last year, the Colorado Springs command center needed 100 phones and 25 computers to handle almost 70,000 calls and 6,000 emails from some 200 countries who wanted to know when Santa would make it to their town.
And if Yahoo! searches are any indication, NORAD may need more than that this Christmas Eve. Queries have soared 240% for “santa tracker norad” in the last day alone. Lookups have also increased on “santa trackers,” “live santa tracker,” and “norad santa tracker games.”
NORAD has a partnership with Google Maps, which incorporated Santa’s path on its map software, as well as on Google Earth. (Last year the tech company mistakenly placed Toronto on the U.S. side of the border. But that has since been corrected — international crisis averted.)
This year, the vehicle-navigation company OnStar is on board with GPS tracking, so drivers with the in-car GPS can keep an eye on Santa’s trip while en route to Grandma’s house. The NORAD Santa Tracker will also be up on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube. Don’t say Santa doesn’t keep up with the times.
by Vera H-C Chan
Our picks from the day’s hottest searches.
- Aston Martin (+759%). James Bond has dibs—the One-77 supercar is being tested, and reported is breaking records and “predictions” with speeds up to 220 mph.
- Tavern on the Green (+896). Come New Year’s Day, this Central Park institution shuts its doors. The closure of the once massively-profitable restaurant inspires much analysis into the powerful LeRoy family, who had owned the place since 1976.
- The Crazies (+638%). The final poster’s out for the 2010 remake of the 1983 George Romero horror about bio-weapons contaminating a small town’s waters. The movie opens Feb. 26—catch the trailer here.
- Alaina Reed Hall (+292%). Best known as Olivia Robinson on “Sesame Street,” the actress died Dec. 17 of breast cancer. News—and searches—of her death just started circulating this week.
- Susan Powell (+74%). The Utah woman disappeared Dec. 7. Police are investigating a recent car rental by her husband Josh (dubbed a “person of interest“) which shows “several hundred” miles. Josh Powell unexpectedly attended a candlelight vigil organized by his wife’s parents in their Washington hometown.
