Some Yule Tide Trivia..
Santa Claus, brought to you, by Coco-Cola
The modern image of Santa Claus as the jolly man in the red suit was introduced into American culture in 1931. Artist Haddon Sundblom illustrated him that way for a widely-circulated campaign for Coca-Cola.
St Nicholas was a real person back in the year 270 in what is now Turkey. He gave coins and treats to children, leaving them in their shoes. The dutch kept the tradition alive, and called him Sinterklaas, In 1773, a New York newspaper first called him Santa Claus. The flying sleigh and reindeer were from Clement Moore's 1822 poem, "A visit from St Nicholas"
On a more somber note..
I just read that gun sales are up nearly 25% in December over last year. Christmas presents? Really? Why have we become such a fear driven, paranoid society?
The second amendment guarantees us the right to bear arms, yeah, I get it, although I cannot imagine Jefferson and Madison seeing how we have evolved not wanting to change that amendment in some form or another. The NRA and gun lobby will make damn sure that never happens, no matter how many lives are lost.
Guns kept in a home are far more likely to be used in an accidental shooting, suicide attempt or criminal activity than to be used in self defense. Over 100,000 people each year are shot in this country, with over 30,000 dying. With more and more guns out there, it is inevitable that every one of us will be directly or indirectly affected by gun violence sooner or later, and with guns being sold at a record pace, most likely sooner.
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