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Quis custodiet the custard?
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This Virus consists of two parts: Part one tries to get financial information, especially credit card data, from a random victim's internet transactions. As soon as enough information for plundering the account is collected, the second part seeks out another random 'victim' at a site which allows the
formulation of 'wish lists', e.g. amazon, plunders the account it has hacked into and fulfills the wishes on the list.
A more sophisticated version could go into 'Robin Hood' mode and check the accounts of both people involved so it only takes from the rich and gives to the poor.
St Nicklaus of Myra
http://www.hknet.org.nz/StNicklaus.html
[UnaBubba, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]
The Cokelore of Santa Claus
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/santa.asp
We're all right... and wrong. [UnaBubba, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]
More on St Nicholas (Nicklaus)
http://www.stnichol....org/Brix?pageID=38
[UnaBubba]
Mexican version of Santa Claus
http://www.inside-m....com/reyesoscar.htm
The Three Wizard Kings day is the closest translation I can come up with. My sisters and I were lucky enough to get presents from Santa Claus AND the Wizard Kings. I don't know how fair that is. [UnaBubba, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]
Mexican version of Santa Claus
http://www.inside-m....com/reyesoscar.htm
The Three Wizard Kings day is the closest translation I can come up with. My sisters and I were lucky enough to get presents from Santa Claus AND the Wizard Kings. I don't know how fair that is. [Pericles, Oct 04 2004]
[link]
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According to the UL, Santa Claus has only been red since about 1934, when Coca-Cola used him for a marketing campaign. In fact, he became sanitised and started to wear red clothing in the mid -1800s. Prior to that he was blue or green, and often assumed the guise of a woodsman back when he was known as St. Nicklaus. Something of a hodepodge, Santa Claus has his roots in St Nicklaus, Woden, Thor, and earlier traditions of gift-giving at the winter solstice. |
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He only had one reindeer until around 60-70 years ago. |
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The red suit with white trimmings and the floppy hat was created by Thomas Nast in 1863, modelled on the traditional garb of an Eastern Orthodox bishop, which is what St. Nicholas was. Nothing to do with Coca Cola. |
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And St. Nicholas got to be a saint for redistributing his own wealth, not other people's. Robin Hood never made it to canonization, let alone beatification, but I think that would be a much more suitable eponym. |
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Thanks, [DC]. I was unaware of that. I have heard the Coke story a few times. Was Nast part of what became Conde Nast? Coca-Cola went a long way towards popularising the image. Until about 1850 he was a dwarf, or elfish figure. |
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The Coke thing is part of an urban legend. Though true that Coke used the character quite a lot, it was simply co-opting the earlier efforts of Moore, Nast and others. Nast got there late, too. He got to wear red about 20 years prior to Nast's drawings. |
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Thor, the god of presents? Interesting. |
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Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of children too, which accounts for him filling their stockings. In germany, well south germany, the presents are brought by the Christkindl or christ child although he/she/it looks like a fairy or cherub. Saint Nicholaus brings round sweeties and things ( or leaves them in shoes left outside the door) on his saints day, (6th December) but is seen walking around for a while afterwards doing the same. He wears a red bishop's robe. Rather worryingly, he is often accompanied by an anti-santa figure called Knecht Ruprecht (also the german name for Santa's Little Helper in The Simpsons) who wears a grey robe and carries a sack and a stick for beating and carrying off naughty children. |
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A bit more of an incentive for being good than adults telling you half-heartedly "you'll only get soot and coal if you're bad". |
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...so maybe we should invent a Knecht Ruprecht virus that finds out who instigated the Santa Claus virus, finds out where they live and then sends a mercenary round to hit them with a stick. |
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I don't know if i'll be able to trust what comes out of your mouth anymore UnaBubba |
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That still puts me ahead of you, I'd guess. |
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Although the mexican kids raised in rich families get presents from Santa Claus, our unique tradition is to celebrate the "Reyes Magos" day (see link). |
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The tradition is taken from the three wise men who traveled to Betlehem to give newborn jesus Christ three symbolic presents. So, each mexican kid is supposed to find three presents under the christmas tree on january 6. Obviously, it's understood that most kids' parents can't afford the presents (let alone ONE present) so poor children usually get symbolic and meaningful things made by their parents or older relatives, such as wooden toys, corn pastries or dolls made of fabric. |
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um, i think the idea is fun. but it
could definately go too far. |
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