It was the morning of Christmas, the 25th December 2001.
The snow storm had subsided to a tame, drifting snow. It was as if some giant had decorated the town like a cupcake, with cold, white snow as icing.
Despite unwilling to give up the snug of the blankets and beds, hunger compelled you to wake up and have breakfast. One by one, you washed up and gathered at the small dining table in the living room.
Your breakfast: leftover pizzas from last night's dinner. Although that would not be the ideal breakfast you would like to have on a Christmas morning, hunger made you shoved the pizzas into your mouth instead of complaining.
Saving grace: the pizzas had been microwaved till lukewarm and plenty of hot cocoa. And a plate of sizzling, greasy bacon.
As you wolfed down your breakfast, you watched the 10 AM News.
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Santa’s Elves Sighted?Police have yet to explain the rash of phone calls last night reporting Christmas Eve prowlers. A spokesman for the police department has dismissed the entire thing as a well organised prank.
“We received several reports last night claiming that ‘Santa’s Elves’ were moving through the city and climbing onto rooftops. Obviously some folks had a little too much holiday cheer last night.”
Police officials plan no further investigation.
(
Jack: "Huh... burglars?")
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Postal Carrier Found DeadA U.S. postal carrier was stabbed to death yesterday evening as he was finishing his Christmas Eve deliveries.
Clayton W. Roberts, 45, of [
Jack's town], was
pronounced dead on the scene, according to the [
Jack's town] coroner’s office.
Roberts, who had worked out of the River District post office for nine years, had already finished delivering the mail on one of his two routes, U.S. Postal Inspector Andrew Richards said.
Roberts’ van, clearly marked as a U.S. Postal Service vehicle, was parked next to a strip of trees near Independence Square. Richards said Roberts was standing next to the driver’s side door, which was open, and had his back to the wooded area. He said there was no indication that Smith had been robbed.
（
Jack: "Oww... not Clayton Roberts... He had such pride over his punctuality... Always reach my house at 5:18 pm. On the dot.")
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Lunar Eclipse on SundayAstronomers are looking forward to the Penumbral eclipse set to occur this Sunday, December 30. This will be the last of five eclipses this year.
The beginning of the penumbral phase visible in North America, Central America, South America except the eastern coast, Greenland, extreme northwestern Europe, northeast Asia, Arctic, most of New Zealand, North Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, eastern Philippine Sea, and Coral Sea; the end visible in North America except eastern coast, Greenland, Arctic, northern part of Central America, Asia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, the North Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean except southeastern part, and eastern portion of the Indian Ocean.
Unlike the more familiar partial or total lunar eclipse, the moon will not actually disappear from view. It will gradually grow darker during the
eclipse, taking on an orange/red hue. The eclipse will last a little over two hours.
The [
Jack's town] Planetarium reminds everyone that lunar eclipses are completely safe to view and pose no risk to eyesight.
(
Jack: "Oh so cool! I shall not miss it!")
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By the time you finished breakfast, so did the news.
Jack: "So how was your night? Hopefully not too cramped up. Oh! Last night, I dreamt myself teamed up with Captain Ninja Star and foiled Nyan Cat's evil master plan of world domination by making people addicted to cats!
So what sweet dreams you had last night?"
