HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: callahan@biffvm.cs.jhu.edu (Paul Callahan)
Subject: Authentic Santa sacks
Organization: Johns Hopkins Computer Science Department, Baltimore, MD
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 20:50:46 GMT

The Hopkins Gazette has a story about the "Adopt-A-Family" program for giving
gifts to needy families.  One line struck me: 

    Noting that "it didn't seem appropriate to send the gifts out in great
    big trash bags," Peregoff has even arranged for the presents to be bundled
    in *authentic* Santa sacks. [emphasis mine]

So where does one get these authentic Santa sacks?  I don't want a 
reproduction, mind you, even if it's very good.  I demand the real McCoy!

--
Paul Callahan
callahan@cs.jhu.edu
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: rslade@fraser.sfu.ca (Robert Slade)
Subject: Re: Gloves of the Exalted One
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 21:02:13 GMT

In article <1992Dec15.192553.20610@b15.ingr.com> reagan@fedsrus.b15.ingr.com writes:

>I took our child to see one of his imitators at the mall and he was wearing
>white!  I have also seen him represented with green and even brown gloves. 
>Please help with this most distressing problem.

I have done very extensive research on this subject.  The research
protocol consisted of walking out to the stairwell, where an image of
Santa has hung for the past 16 years, since it was first "Crayola"ed
by my daughter.  The gloves are definitely green.  Bright green.

(This is somewhat of a family joke.  The daughter in question has
complained about the prominence of this particular Santa, for reasons
of colouring.  It is, however, the most jolly Santa that any of us
have ever seen, so it stays.)

Regarding Santa on the net: try telnetting to cyberstore.ca (and
following the directions for text mode the first time on).  You will
have to get the emulator (available online) and perhaps register
(CyberStore is a commercial system, and I don't know how much the
"guest" login covers).  This may also be suitable as the proof
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: drake+@cs.cmu.edu (Drake)
Subject: Re: Can you please change the name?
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 03:41:36 GMT

>First of all, the name was way too close to saTaNism for me.
>My first reaction was to freak and wonder what the heck was going on.
>Of course when I read a couple of the articles I finally realized my mistake.

And then there were those of us who were disappointed...
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: rslade@fraser.sfu.ca (Robert Slade)
Subject: My Christmas Tree (which is *much* better than CHRISTMA EXEC ... )
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 19:36:10 GMT

          \|/
         --*--
          /|\
           ^   
          ^^*  
         ^#^^^ 
        ^^^&^^^     
       ^%^^^^*^^       MERRY
      ^^^^-^^^^[^    
     ^^*^^^^/^^^^^     CHRISTMAS
    ^*^^^&^^^^0^^^^   
   ^^^+^^^^X^^^^^^^&     
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^    
          ^^^  
          ^^^  
  """""""""""""""""""
 
 

Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: callahan@biffvm.cs.jhu.edu (Paul Callahan)
Subject: Re: Santa vs. Satan, the debate lingers on
Organization: Johns Hopkins Computer Science Department, Baltimore, MD
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 15:33:28 GMT

bohrer@banach.mcc.com (Bill Bohrer) writes:

>Be "nice" however we define it or you will get a sock full of switches
>and lumps of coal while your sibs get candy and treats, for sucking up
>during the right time of year, or at least being clever enough not to
>get caught.

Yeah.  So many people conveniently neglect the down side of Santa.
When I first heard Paul Tsongas's campaign slogan: "He's not Santa Claus,"
I formed a bizarre mental image of Santa becoming president, and saying
"Well I AM Santa Claus!  You've all been NAUGHTY children and I'm cutting
your entitlements."

--
Paul Callahan
callahan@cs.jhu.edu
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: fred@pamphlet.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Fred Eichelman)
Subject: Why I hate Santa.
Organization: Bellcore
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 17:37:59 GMT

First of all,

This is my perception of the modern, American version of Santa:
  - he comes around only once a year
  - he keeps a list of who is naughty and nice
  - he distributes gifts to the nice, and coals and switches
      to the naughty THEORETICALLY, but in practice, he always
      gives gifts to everyone, in proportion to how affluent
      their parents are, very rarely considering the morality
      of the children.

Therefore I fault Santa for 1) neglecting justice, and even promoting
injustice,  2) being superficially involved in the children that he
supposedly loves, and lastly, even though I applaud him for the claim
that he keeps track of just behavior (naughty or nice), he seems to
be a relativistic universalist because everyone almost always gets
gifts (I am assuming that the reason he still gives gifts is because 
the person is NOT as bad as the person next door. Therefore they 
qualify as 'nice' and thereby receives gifts.)

I want Santa to enforce justice, being continually involved with the
children that he supposedly loves, and most importantly, to be
merciful to those like myself who have been naughty, but hate 
it now and are trying not to be naughty.

An interesting aside, the modern day American verion of God is
a lot like Santa:
  - he (or she) isn't really involed. You don't know if G-d is
    a he or she or even the Deity's name because he/she/they are
    not around
  - he/she/they keep track of what we do, both good and bad
  - but in the end, we all go to paradise/heaven/receive gifts,
    because, at the very least, we are not as bad as all that.

Santa and the American G-d are cosmic Sugar-Daddies, -- yuck!  

fred
-- 
Fred Eichelman
                    electronic : fred@ctt.bellcore.com
   Location:        telephonic : (908)699-2757
                    physical   : RRC 1H218
                organizational : Knowledge-based Systems Development, 25956
                                 Bell Communications Research

Xref: sparky alt.religion.santaism:60 alt.atheism:24068 talk.religion.misc:24316
From: jmunch@hertz.elee.calpoly.edu (John Munch)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism,alt.atheism,talk.religion.misc,poly.club.atheists
Subject: Rebellion against Santa?
Date: 21 Dec 92 02:27:11 GMT
Organization: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

It never ceases to amaze me why people have such cold hearts, as to
continue to deny their belief in Santa. I'm sure you all know what I
mean. We've all heard of malcontents, who seek to destroy their
spiritual relationship with Santa. Why deny it? Santa is the one true 
light in our world. My call is to all of you who remain strong in
Santa. We have to reach out to those less fortunate than us, who don't
know Santa in their hearts, and help to guide them into proper thinking.
We have to use any means necessary to win this glorious battle for truth,
and Santa. Thank you fellow Santaists.

                     -Yours in Santa,
                         John David Munch
___________________________________________________________________________
| And Santa Claus said unto Rudolph, "Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" |
|                                                                         |
| ObSanta:                                                                |
|  Q: What is the holiest perception of a cat on the beach?               |
|                                                          A: Sandy Claws |
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: jmkerrig@vela.acs.oakland.edu (KERRIGAN JOHN M)
Subject: Re: Santa vs. Satan... (Sorry Ann)
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 09:35:04 GMT

>[stuff deleted]
>>Merry Christmas!!!
>>
>
>Hear Hear!!!
>
>And on that note, I request that this group accept the challenge of
>converting it's first non-believer into the fold.  I have a friend who
>laughs and ridicules me for actually taking the time to read the articles
>in this newsgroup.  He actually claims that there is no Santa Claus and
>anyone who would spend time reading articles discussing him is an idiot! 
>
>I have already given him the original posting to this group to read (Yes
>Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus) and he even laughed at that!
>
>Would anyone who has proof (or even good arguments) as to the existence of
>Santa Claus please e-mail him with the same at mkaziz@vela.acs.oakland.edu.
>
>Even if you don't have positive proof, perhaps you can simply explain to
>him why it would be a bad idea not to believe in Santa.
>
>Thanks for helping me in this most important work.
>Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
>
>-- 
STOP!!!!!!

I tried my best to get this guy to see the error of his ways and get into
the spirit of Santa and Christmas, and I am afraid I have caused some of
you some trouble, especially you Ann (I don't know your e-mail address, or
I would have sent you a direct apology).

He has been randomly choosing mail from Santaists, and bouncing it to
approximately 30 people around the world.  Apparantly these people are
writing back to the original mailer with lots of weird questions (not to
mention filling up their e-mail).

Do not send this man any more e-mail, if anyone deserves to have a rotten
humbug Christmas, it is him.  Incidentally, anyone who knows Santa's
e-mail address, please make sure to remove mkaziz from any further lists.

Again, Ann I am truly sorry for any problems this may have caused you. 
You did absolutely nothing wrong in using the e-mailer (he sent me a copy
of your letter this is how I found out).

I hope you still can have a Merry Christmas!!! :)


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**        John Kerrigan        a.k.a.  jmkerrig@vela.acs.oakland.edu        **
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: eng10255@nusunix1.nus.sg (LAM SOO YUAN)
Subject: Re: santanism
Organization: National University of Singapore
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 03:43:21 GMT

ha HA HA... ...
VERY FUNNY...
From: rrobinso@mizar.usc.edu (Rebecca Robinson)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
Subject: Santaism
Date: 16 Dec 1992 23:45:16 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: mizar.usc.edu
Keywords: Santa Claus

Whether or not a person believes in Santa Claus or suffered from a poor, 
deprived childhood, or just thinks it's all a scam, one cannot deny the
historical fact following the myth of Santa Claus (just as most, if not all
myths are originated from historical fact, usually too blurred in the distant
past) of a member of the clergy in a church by the name of Nicholas who was
generous to the poor children of the town, who later became sainted for this
generous action.  In many, if not most, European (religious) traditions, there
is a Saint Nicholas:  Germany, France, Britain (of course), Poland, Czecho-
slovakia, Italy, and others.  Also, in many other cultures, there is often
a figure of generosity similar to Santa. 

Having a role model of giving, no matter how ridiculous he/she/it may look,
is something that can be looked upon as being positive.  I know I need an
example.  Probably others do, too.

I will be unable to comment any more on this echo, but I just wanted to defend
my views once more.

Merry Christmas!  Feliz Navidad!  S khoroshum Rodzhestvom!  Happy Hannukah!
Happy Winter Solstice Day (etc. ad nauseum).



Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: eng10255@nusunix1.nus.sg (LAM SOO YUAN)
Subject: Re: 29
Organization: National University of Singapore
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 09:00:23 GMT

LING SIEW WEE (eng10205@nusunix1.nus.sg) wrote:
: Great, now we are claiming that Santa exist. What's next to insult our dear
: intelligence? Maybe this alt.religion.santaism is just another
: smoke-screen for Satanism. Why hide Satanism behind our dear child-hood
: fantasy? Satan, are you a coward that you have to resort to use a
: fantasia to gain popularity? 
: 
: 				Coward you.
: 
: 
: Wilfred Ling
	
Just want to say that Santa is a imaginary figure (sorry kids...) dreamt up
by some bored person who had nothing better to do centuries ago.  Over the
years, due to the advancement of the technology, people have become more
liable to believe in such fairytale-like fantasy (I wonder why?  Perhaps
it is a form of escape?)
That is the reason why people to this day, still persists in `believing'
in the existance of such a `kind soul' who goes around giving people
things because they have been good throughout the year.  
In conclusion, what I want to say is that, this thing has nothing to do
with Satan (except for the slight similarity in name) and thus you
should not conclude that Satan is a coward.  Contrary to that, the
figure of Santa is of no value to Satan, don't you think?

Lucifer... ...
From: pauls@css.itd.umich.edu (Paul Southworth)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
Subject: Re: Gloves of the Exalted One
Date: 15 Dec 1992 22:23:48 GMT
Organization: University of Michigan ITD Consulting and Support Services
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: stimpy.css.itd.umich.edu
Originator: news@stimpy.css.itd.umich.edu

In article <1992Dec15.192553.20610@b15.ingr.com> reagan@fedsrus.b15.ingr.com writes:
>	I have noticed lately that the idols and imitators of our most revered
>S. Claus cannot agree upon what color his gloves are.  I have always thought
>they should be black, but many idols and decorations have him with red gloves. 
>I took our child to see one of his imitators at the mall and he was wearing
>white!  I have also seen him represented with green and even brown gloves. 

Here are a couple of possibilities:

1. Santa poses for photographs and paintings with his nice fur-trimmed
   mitts, and they might be a variety of tasteful Christmas colors.
   Green, red, or even white mightbe applicable.  But for a night of 
   crawling up and down chimneys, why should the old fellow sully his
   dress suit.  He probably has another set of work gloves for the job.

2. After a full night's work going up and down maybe two or three billion
   chimneys on Christmas eve, one would expect the gloves to be black.
   If you catch him before he goes on duty, the gloves might be something
   else altogether.

Respectfully,

Paul
From: cfury@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (Chris Fury)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
Subject: Re: Santa vs. Satan, the debate lingers on
Date: 15 Dec 92 20:09:16 GMT
Organization: Virginia Tech Computer Science Dept, Blacksburg, VA

gtapolow@nyx.cs.du.edu (Greg Tapolow) writes:


>Gosh, they both have beards...Wait I have a beard....I like snow...
>	Oh no. I must be satan/santa

>Boy, this is really gonna screw up my weekend...

Hey! So do I... Holy Bat-Beards, we're omniscient!!!! :)

>THE ABOVE NONSENSICAL DRIVEL BROUGHT TO YOU BY

>Greg
>	(Not a division of hallmark)
>--
>Begining my quest for the ultimate (working)    Greg A. Tapolow
>sig						gtapolow@nyx.cs.du.edu
>all rights turned left				probably at albequerque


Christopher B. Fury        | "...reality was once a primative method of crowd  
cfury@csugrad.cs.vt.edu    |  control that got out of hand" - Jane Wagner
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: bohrer@banach.mcc.com (Bill Bohrer)
Subject: Re: Santa vs. Satan, the debate lingers on
Organization: MCC, Austin, TX
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 01:58:07 GMT


>I lived in Germany several years ago and learned the German tradition of Saint
>Nicholas, how he was a bishop in the church and provided gifts of food for 
>many of the poor children in the town in which he lived.
>
>I think that this is a beautiful tradition, and it is, in part, at the root of
>the tradition of Santa Claus.  Santa, whether a physical entity or just the
>embodiment of "the spirit of giving", is not a vice.  It would seem to me that
>the spirit of giving and the spirit of Christmas can be taught to children 
>using something to which they can easily relate, without having so many 
>Scrooges put down such wonderful ideas.
>

I certainly take my religious leads from a culture currently embroiled
in continuing assaults against foreigners by local gangs of neo-nazi
youths, the government's advice being "well stay away from those
hooligans".

While I don't dispute Saint Nicholas may have been a wonderful fellow,
the holiday as celebrated has little that I recognize as providing for
the poor.



Be "nice" however we define it or you will get a sock full of switches
and lumps of coal while your sibs get candy and treats, for sucking up
during the right time of year, or at least being clever enough not to
get caught.

This is the beautiful German tradition *I* was taught


=William Gerhard Bohrer

-- 

Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: dart@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Dartanyan the Witchling)
Subject: Re: Santa vs. Satan, the debate lingers on
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 18:53:26 GMT

In article <1992Dec14.121123.18247@news.cs.indiana.edu> "Mike Clemens" <mclemens@blueberry.ucs.indiana.edu> writes:
>Santa is an anagram of Satan. Coincidence? *You* be the judge. On the next
>... Geraldo!

I'll bring the tossing-chairs!!  >;>

>SEASON'S GREETINGS...(bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha...)

Shouldn't that read, "bwo ho ho ho ho ho ho..."?

--
dart

Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: an1196@anon.penet.fi
Subject: Santa as a tool to opress the masses (was Re: Santa vs. Satan, the debate lingers on)
X-Anonymously-To: alt.religion.santaism
Organization: Anonymous contact service
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 20:58:44 GMT


In article <1gkurvINNc2o@terminator.rs.itd.umich.edu> pauls@css.itd.umich.edu (Paul Southworth) writes:
>In article <1992Dec15.153328.20635@blaze.cs.jhu.edu> callahan@biffvm.cs.jhu.edu (Paul Callahan) writes:
>>Yeah.  So many people conveniently neglect the down side of Santa.
>
>Phooey.  I am always naughty and I get lots of nice presents.  You have
>to remember that Santa is a softie.
>

Phooey shmooey.  That just proves another of my points, like why the
fat guy is nice to YOU but treated ME like yesterday's breakfast.

Seemed to me it was the rich brats with nice parents that got all the
good stuff, the whole Santa hoax was just another way of proving to us
that were pissed all over as kids that we DESERVED to be pissed all
over.

Humbug!

=Bill 8>p



*DISCLAIMER*::  This group was de-activated at my site, inews wouldn't
let me post to it, hence the post through the anon server.

bohrer@mcc.com

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Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: elascurn@daimi.aau.dk (Lars R{der Clausen)
Subject: Re: you never see them Blah, blAh, bLaH
Organization: DAIMI: Computer Science Department, Aarhus University, Denmark
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 13:54:11 GMT

sherw@ocf.berkeley.edu (Gregory Sherwin) writes:

>In article <Dec15.163703.5627@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU> rey@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Troy Lovata) writes:
>>	Just what we need, insinuations that Rush Limbaugh is Santa
>>	in disguise. Yeah, it was his naturally jolly, kind, caring,

>Personally, my first reaction to that posting was in the vein of the Santa
>vs. Satan discussion - that "MY GOD!  IT'S TRUE!" - I have never seen
>Santa or Satan together in the same photograph.

>Of course i haven't seen Satan and Rush Limbaugh in the same photograph
>either, which poses equally interesting thoughts.

Who has ever seen GOD and Satan together on the same photograph? Or
Einstein and me?

EOT

>greg

-Lars
-- 
The most dreaded comment:
   This only works because...
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: bacchus@bnr.ca (Mark Bacchus)
Subject: Santa's Fax Machine
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Norcross, GA
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 18:00:35 GMT

For those of you who still haven't mailed your letter to Santa
this year, there's still hope!  Santa has set up a fax machine
to receive those last minute wish lists.  Send your requests to:

	(904) 488-HOHO
	(904) 488-4646

Santa will respond with a return fax and a card by mail.
Merry Christmas!!!

-- 
Mark Bacchus
bacchus@bnr.ca
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: an3148@anon.penet.fi (Scrooge)
Subject: Re: Santa as a tool to opress the masses 
X-Anonymously-To: alt.religion.santaism
Organization: Anonymous contact service
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 04:38:45 GMT

The whole Santa concept is a dangerous weapon in the hands of abusive
parents, is/was my point.  In the hands of normal people, it's merely
a coercive effort to get the kiddies to act nice, not from any
altruistic motives, in 'the spirit of giving' or any other such
notions as expressed by various religious conglomerates, but from a
motive of GREED, for crying out loud.

In article <1gm665INNlh4@terminator.rs.itd.umich.edu> pauls@css.itd.umich.edu (Paul Southworth) writes:
	
	[stuff about Santa being a softie, my reply that he's only
	 soft on some people, for others he was not so nice.
         Odd how Santa was nice to kids from nice families, hmm?]

>
>Very funny.  Maybe you have a somewhat exaggerated idea of what I meant.
>
>When I say "nice presents" I don't mean the Super Nintendo-of-death with
>the 27" screen and full VR kit, or a couple of BMWs.  
>
>Let's see, last Christmas I got, ah hmmm, I got a T shirt, a subscription to
>Guns & Ammo, and two books.  I consider those to be nice presents.  I didn't
>expect or want anything particularly grander than that.
>
>This Christmas I'm getting a plane ticket to fly back to Oregon and see
>my parents.  Probably nothing else, though it's possible I might get
>a hundred bucks if it happens to be available.  
>
>Is that average?  Seems pretty average to me.  And I have nothing against
>Santa, and I won't shoot any reindeer.
>

Now now, I wasn't accusing YOU of being a "rich brat" or anything,
though this time of year makes me rather testy, and I can admit it may
easily have been interpreted as my intent.  Mea Culpa, and a round of
apologies if it sounded like that.  I'm too crabby to make smileys.

Now on MY side, *I* wasn't merely carping about "gee I never got that
PONY I begged for, I'll be in therapy longer than Richard Lewis, that
cheap bastard long-haired fat poseur"

We're talking more the Oliver Twist "shut-up and eat your gruel we
don't HAVE to do ANYTHING for you ungrateful-to-be-alive little
wretches" type o' Christmas.



The original poster who started this thread irked me; it sounded like
she was chiding us for not sharing her warm and cuddly Santa
fantasies.  I notice her absence from the subsequent discussion.
Hard to find out you're favorite fanatasy was some other person's
torment I guess.

Oops.  Someone want to create "alt.bitter" for me?

Humbug HUMBUG!

=Bill 

Rant 'n Rave, it's more exhilarating than Rock 'n Roll

(bohrer@mcc.com, same disclaimer about my site not recognizing this
group, not clear howcome I can read it?)
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Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism
From: callahan@biffvm.cs.jhu.edu (Paul Callahan)
Subject: Re: Why I hate Santa.
Organization: Johns Hopkins Computer Science Department, Baltimore, MD
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 19:23:58 GMT

fred@pamphlet.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Fred Eichelman) writes:

>Santa and the American G-d are cosmic Sugar-Daddies, -- yuck!  
                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is the best alt.overlords appellation I've ever seen.  I suggest you  
send in your application before someone else snatches it up.  (I, by the way,
have absolutely nothing to do with the dweebs on that newsgroup). 

--
Paul Callahan
callahan@cs.jhu.edu
Newsgroups: alt.religion.santaism