1960

St Nicholas is known by many names around the world, the celebration might be slightly different depending on which country you are in but they all involve the giving of gifts in celebration of the generosity of St Nicholas. Christmas starts on the night of December 5th-6th, Nikolaustag, St. Nicholas Day, children leave their shoes or boots outside the front door. That night, Santa Claus, Nikolaus, visits and fills them with chocolates, oranges and nuts if they’ve been good. Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; “Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!” As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack. His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle, But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

I am sorry that you think so, it was just a question in response to your claim that man is the reason that people suffer. Suffering is the result of evolution or poor design which ever you choose to believe in.

How does man cause the suffering of someone infected with Ebola? no one chooses to become infected, man didn't create the virus but man is trying to alleviate the suffering caused by this virus which either evolved or was created by God.

That is precisely who Sinterklaas is.

The Irony is that a Christian trainee vicar is claiming that the spirit of Saint Nicholas, a Christian bishop from the fourth century is not real.

You are in no position to guarantee anything, the policy is to report it and continue with the journey so that the other passengers are not inconvenienced, the non fare payer might then be met by an inspector and an officer from the safer travel police team and a fine issued.

The bus driver continues taking the other passengers to their destinations because their needs far out way the needs of the bus company to get a fare from one passenger.

Most people will never be in a situation that gives them a choice of staying put or getting off a bus with their child so that someone else can get on, so we will never know what most people would do. Most people on the buses I have used do not get up to allow someone else to sit. Most people will commit more selfish acts in their lives than selfless acts. Asking someone to move isn't violence but throwing them off when they refuse most definitely is violence.

I agree that the parent in the OP was selfish, most people are selfish and will rarely if ever commit a selfless act. I couldn't however condone an act of violence against a child or anyone else for that matter just for being selfish, to throw a child off a bus just because the parent is selfish is far worse than the original selfish act.

Given that you have no idea if its ever happened or ever likley to happen your point is moot. The point is that there will always be situations that mean someone not already on the bus will have to wait for the next bus.

Moving isn't a problem as long as there is somewhere else on the bus to move to, moving off the bus to let someone else on is and should never be required or enforced.

They aren't all designed to fold and a stuck folding mechanism would make it unsuitable for folding but not dangerous for the child. ---------- Post added 13-12-2014 at 23:01 ---------- Thankfully the law would allow me to finish my journey without having to keep getting on and off the bus, without such a sensible ruling it would be too risky too even start the journey.

So if the space is vacant I would be allowed to start my 13 mile journey with my second hand unfoldable pram and baby, and if someone in a wheelchair wants to get on the bus after a mile I would be expected to get off and wait an hour for the next bus which may or may not have a vacant space for my pram. Assuming its vacant I would be allowed to continue my journey, but again if after a mile someone in a wheelchair wants to get on I would have to get off and wait another hour even if their next bus was only a ten minute wait. Before the end of the my journey which I might not get the chance to finish in the day, you think giving priory to someone that could just wait another ten minutes for their next bus is more important than allowing me to finish my journey.

That would solve the problem but it would also cause the bus company to loose money because the majority of the time the space wouldn't be occupied. Taking some seats out would be a better solution, but then people would be complaining about not having a seat to sit on.

Of cause it can, all seats are full, the storage for push chairs is full, all available standing places are full, the wheelchair/pushchair space is occupied by a pushchair and child. No one can get on the bus unless someone gets off because the bus is full. Now someone in a wheelchair wants to get on, there is nowhere on the bus for the pushchair and child to move to. But they might need it because of a lifestyle choice, and not all parents choose to be in the situation they find themselves.