Santa Claus Meets Einstein: 
     SO MANY HOMES, SO LITTLE TIME. SANTA'S CHRISTMAS EVE TASK Of GETTING A
PRESENT TO EVERY CHILD IN THE WORLD IS CERTAINLY MAGICAL . . .   OR AT LEAST A
TECHNOLOGICAL MARVEL.  LARRY SILVERBERG IS AN AEROSPACE ENGINEER AT NORTH
CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY AND HE SAYS SANTA MIGHT JUST BE MAKING USE OF THE
PHYSICS OF GENERAL RELATIVITY.  EARLY IN THIS CENTURY, EINSTEIN REALIZED THAT SPACE
AND TIME ARE CONNECTED. 

     Silverberg: " we perceive space and time as being independent quatinties when
in fact they're not. . . and a good example is if santa were travelling around the earth ast
say a tenth of a percent slower than the speed of light than if he orbitted the earth for . .
.one day, everyone else would have aged roughly one month."

     OF COURSE, SANTA NEEDS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT, HE WANTS THE WORLD TO
EXPERIENCE ONLY A SINGLE DAY FOR ONE OF HIS MONTHS.   THIS WAY HE COULD TAKE
HIS TIME GETTING PRESENTS TO ALL THE CHILDREN, WHILE THEY PERCEIVE ONLY ONE NIGHT
TO HAVE PAST.  SILVERBERG SAYS THAT SANTA MAY HAVE LEARNED HOW TO CONTROL
RELATIVITY BETTER THAN WE CAN.
     
     Silverberg: "perhaps ifyou have control over space and time then you might be
able to create something that would kind of give you a reverse effect."

     IF SANTA CAN EXPLOIT THE LAWS OF RELATIVITY TO THIS DEGREE, HE CAN CHANGE
SHAPES AS WELL AS TIME. 

     Silverberg: "when an object moves very fast . . .the object will shorten, . . .so you
can control the shape of the body. "    

     AND CHANGING SHAPE IS PRETTY IMPORTANT WHEN A RATHER FAT SANTA IS
TRYING TO SQUEEZE DOWN A THIN CHIMNEY. SO DOES ALL THIS NEED FOR AN ULTRAFAST
VEHICLE DESTROY THE MYTH OF THE REINDEER?

     "No actually, a sleigh would actually be fine. . . you put some jet packs on the
riendeer and you're off and running."

(Sfx: jingle bells turning into rocket blasting off)