Niclas Gustavsson

Alexander and I called NORAD’s Santa Tracker today. You can hear the call here: santatracker.mp3

You can find information about NORAD’s Santa Tracking here.

Have a safe and happy Christmas.

It is with mixed feelings I congratulate Swedish Astronaut Fuglesang on his mission aboard Discovery. I know it is silly, but with his flight my boyhood dream of being the first Swede in space is killed for good. Could I have been? Not likely, but I have always set the goals a bit high and as long as there is a sliver of a chance I am game.

But all boyhood dreams aside. I think Sweden should be very proud of his work and I am sure he will be hail like the hero he is. You know, when we send machines into space, they may bring us back pictures and other measurements, but they cannot take our dreams and hopes along for the ride like a human being can. Everyone old enough to have seen the first moon landing on TV all say “we went to the moon”, we don’t say “they went”. No we went dammit and that might be one of the only times we are truly all brothers and sisters. Long Live Human Space Flight!

Ok it is time to once again talk about why Americans should be proud of what we have. You noticed I said we? Last week I had the privilege of touring the White House in all its Christmas glory and I was beaming with pride. The ability to walk down the same hallways as Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan to name a few, is something that many may not think much of. I do however. Why you ask? Because those Presidents are all part of my journey which ultimately led me to the White house. Lincoln preserved the dream of the United States. Roosevelt saved Europe in WWII and Reagan, well he sure sold me on the Shining City On The Hill and I always loved him for it. So as I stood there in the power center of planet earth I was once again reminded that it is truly a Government By The People. And where else can you find that more clearly shown, then in a bright white house in the middle of the shining city on the hill.

I have some friends in Alaska and they are right now digging out from 63″ of new snow and they are expecting another 24″ over the weekend. Now I don’t want to hear anyone from around there complaining that we we get a few inches now and then. This is hard core and life still goes on like normal.

take a look at some of the pictures here: Experiencing Alaska