Sector 2 Rocks It

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Hello my fellow Elves!

Instead of posting the numbers for us from last week I’m going to ask you a favor: in the comments below, those of you who are brave enough, try to guess what our total number of tracker elf reports will be after this week. Go ahead, give it your best shot.

The numbers are important. But how important are they? After all, what are we really doing here?

We’re helping Santa to do his job better. So, instead of focusing a ton on numbers I want us to focus on doing OUR jobs better so that Santa can do his job better. So, let’s talk first about the instructions I have for you this week:

  1. Let finish up the roof reports this week. Do as many roofs as you can around you. Click here to go to the report form.
  2. If you haven’t done a chimney inspection yet, this is the week to do it!  Click here.
  3. Santa says he wants weather updates. Click here to send one in.
  4. How about a ground report? Let’s do one. Click here.

Message from Santa for Sector 2:
Thank you, Sector 2, for another week of excellence in Asia and the Middle East. One thing I am coming to really appreciate in Sector 2 is the complete nature you have in doing your reports. I am quite impressed! While the number of reports are still not super great the QUALITY of your reports are exceptional. For the next few weeks I am hoping we can increase the number of reports we are getting, especially in the countries of South Korea, Thailand, India and Oman. I know that seems random, but Sector 2 is HUGE and I need as many reports as I can get for various reasons from all areas. But I especially need them from this country. I have not asked for a lot of elf recruiting activities overall this year and that’s because I feel the reports are more important than the number of elves. But if there is one sector that needs more elves it is Sector 2 and this is because the area is just so big. We especially need elves in Russia! So if you know anyone there, please talk to them for me if possible. Thank you for your good work! — Santa

Sector 2 Improves

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Hello my Elf Friends of Sector 2,

Last week was productive for us. Here are the numbers:

North Pole Tracker Elves: 1024
Freelance Tracker Elves: 216,774
Total Tracker Elves: 217,798

North Pole Tracker Elf Reports: 4,608
Freelance Tracker Elf Report: 802,064
Total Tracker Elf Reports: 806,672

As you can see, we really saw some eye-popping improvement over the previous week, especially with the reports. You seemed to really take Santa’s feedback to heart. I greatly appreciate your efforts to improve reporting.

Note from Santa for this week:
WOW, Sector 2. Home run! Last week was fabulous. Can you do it again? This is how we are going to get the job done for Christmas. There is more work to do in Sector 2 than any other sector. This is due to your large size and also to the growing number of believers we have in Asia and the Middle East. If we can keep this up I will have my best trip ever through that part of the world. This week we should really work on roof reports, if the weather allows. And remember – no getting on ladders or on roof tops for this. You need to work from the ground when you do this report. The roof report is pretty critical because I need to know if a roof is safe to land on. I much prefer to land on a rooftop than on the ground. Staying on the roof is just faster all around. I can get in and out of the sleigh faster, in and out of a house faster and from one house to the next faster. There are many different kinds of roofs in Sector 2 and obviously I cannot land on all of them. Your reports will help me to know which ones I can use. — Santa

Instructions for this week:

  1. We need a local Christmas report from all areas. Please see this link.
  2. Photo reports of rooftops, chimneys and years are most helpful if you have time to take pictures. Please see this link.
  3. A ground report is needed from all major cities. Please see this link.
  4. Weather reports are getting more important. Please see this link.

Thank you for all your efforts, elves.

Biggest Week of the Year So Far

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Greetings Elves!

I am pleased to report that last week saw a huge increase in the number of new elves and new reports tallied in North Pole Flight Command.

This is not entirely a surprise. The week of Thanksgiving usually sees a big increase in interest in tracking Santa for Santa. So many people out there, for whatever reason, decide the week of Thanksgiving that they want to become elves. We give them that chance.

The big questions to be answered are: What kind of elves will they be? Will their reports really help Santa? Can they get enough training behind them in time to really know how to file a quality report?

The answers to those questions only come in the weeks ahead. For now, here are the numbers:

North Pole Tracker Elves: 117,620
Freelance Tracker Elves: 13,639,943

Total Elves Tracking Santa for Santa = 13,757,563

As you can tell, the vast number of new elves are freelance elves. That has a huge bearing over the quality of reports we are seeing in Flight Command. I have met with each elf supervisor to discuss this issue. Most elf supervisors are thrilled to have so many new elves but most are also frustrated because the report data they are receiving is not good.

In fact, elf supervisors have decided to start “culling” elves while in season – meaning they will dismiss those elves who either submit sub-standard reports or no reports at all. They just don’t have time for people who want to be elves in name only. I’m sure they will address this individually in their reports this week.

Elf Moe also reports a number of issues monitoring the Elf Community on SantaTrackers.net. This is not surprising, just disappointing. Knowing and living by the Elf Code is new for many elves and we’re trying to give as many elves a chance as we can.

As far as reports go this week, it was very productive:

Reports from North Pole Tracker Elves: 106,251,961
Reports from Freelance Tracker Elves: 176,824,740

Total Reports from Tracker Elves Worldwide = 283,086,701

This new tally shows that we are 28% to goal, roughly, so far. This is an acceptable performance.

In Flight Command we are grappling with organizing all this information and making it useful for Santa. We are gratified to have new information about places we had nothing on before. It is exciting to see this. Santa has not yet seen some of this information but we have meetings set up with him soon to start presenting it to him.

Elves, keep up the good work. Please focus on your Elf Supervisor. They will tell you what is more important to work on this week.

Elf Roger Star

Chat with Santa

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Chat with Santa Claus this Sunday in North Pole Chat at SantaUpdate.com.

This event has been posted at SantaUpdate.com for about a week now but I wanted to make note of it here as well. Santa has very limited availability this year due to all of his travels before Christmas so we want to make sure everyone is aware of this event.

We have already received many questions for Santa via the other website. If you cannot make this scheduled event for Sunday, please leave your question for Santa in the comments below. We will try to get as many of them answered as we possibly can.

Chat with Santa

Celebrate the Elf Parade

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The Thanksgiving Day Elf Parade is a tradition celebrated by elves everywhere – including you! (We hope)

Just as we did last year, we are encouraging tracker elves everywhere to join in the festivities of Thanksgiving by sharing photos of themselves in their elf outfit, of their home tracking center, of their decorated trikes, bikes, scooters, long boards or other vehicular transport of choice, or even of themselves in front of their Christmas tree. You can either post them to the Elf Wall or share them via the form below.

We will collect images from this site and from SantaUpdate.com to share with everyone later.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Sector 2 Weekly Update

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Greetings, Elves of Sector 2.

As this report shows, for the very first time, we are as a sector SMALLEST in number but LARGEST in size. That means the contributions of each one of you is mighty important. Here are the numbers:

North Pole Tracker Elves: 964
Freelance Tracker Elves: 105,774
Total Tracker Elves: 106,738

From all of those elves scattered from the east coast of Asia the to western borders of the Middle East, we have received so far the following reports:

North Pole Tracker Elf Reports: 3,374
Freelance Tracker Elf Report: 296,167
Total Tracker Elf Reports: 299,541

Our sector report goal for 2022 is 6.5 million total reports.

As you can see, we have quite a hill to climb.

Note from Santa for this week:
Trackers of Sector 2, thank you. I see your many efforts. One of the many metrics followed closely by Elf Clif is your report rate, which presently sits at 2.8. We need to get that number up. The higher it goes, the more information I have on my flight. Now, I know it’s early and your area is HUGE. But I need more information from Sector 2 than any other part of the world. There are billions of people in this sector and getting to them all is a real challenge. I don’t want to miss anyone. So your information is vital. Please do your best to send in more reports as directed by your elf supervisor. Thanks and have a great week. – Santa

Instructions – please send in the follow reports for this week if you can:

Also please note. We’re low on elves. There just not enough elves to cover all the big areas of our Sector. Do you know anyone who wants to be an elf? Send them here to SantaTrackers.net. We need more elves. Sector 2 is depending on you.

Thanks, Elves. Have a great week!

 

Tracker Elf Conference Survey

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A tracker elf conference is held every December. This has been the tradition of the past five years. Key elves from Flight Command and even Santa himself take the time to discuss tracking Santa for Santa and what is needed in that particular year.

The Elf Supervisors are thinking of doing the Tracker Elf Conference a little differently this year. They are asking, in advance of scheduling this event, for your questions, comments and needs BEFORE the Conference.

How and when the Tracker Elf Conference will be held is yet to be announced. But we can proceed in getting your input right away.

We are asking all elves to provide the following information so we can make the Tracker Elf Conference more useful for you. You can fill this form out as many times as you like so that all of your questions can be considered:

Tell Us What Kind of Conference Format You Would Like
Elf Supervisors are considering a new format for the Tracker Elf Conference this year. Your feedback on this question is very important
The Conference has been held on weekends in the past. What is your preferred day?
Which weekend in December would work best for you?

Elf Chat Scheduled

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Elf Chat this week welcomes Elf Crash Murphy on Saturday, November 5th at 6pm EST on SantaTrackers.net.

Elf Crash Murphy serves as Santa’s eye-in-the-sky reporter. For more than a decade he has followed Santa on Christmas Eve and reported his activities during the Tracking Santa Around the World Show on Kringle Radio. Elf Crash has been instrumental in the development of the Santa Tracker program at the North Pole and works year round in the Elf Community at SantaTrackers.net. He is co-host of the Santa Tracker Podcast as well as the North Pole Podcast with Elf Frank Myrrh.

The chat this week will focus on Santa tracker elf questions for the upcoming tracker season.

If you cannot make the chat we encourage posting your questions for Crash below and we will make sure he answers them during the chat.

Elf Chat

Improvements Seen in Elf Reports

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I have reviewed the progress so far in each Sector. I have met with each Elf Supervisor. I am pleased to report that thanks to change initiated by Santa after last Christmas that we find ourselves way ahead of last year in terms of information we have and the preparations we are making for Santa’s flight around the world.

We are doing this with fewer elves but with greater reporting.

So far, freelance elves outnumber North Pole elves by a factor of 12 to 1. That is why we have seen such a rapid increase in reports in the past four weeks. Freelance elves, which are the only new elves we are allowing this year, have started joining us, as they do every year, in massive numbers in every sector.

Even though most of them are new and relying on Elf University for their training the quality of reports coming from freelancers is vastly improved over a year ago. We are seeing very good results in every sector so far. On the whole, freelance elves have sent in 84% more reports with an average quality score of 5 (on a scale of 10). The number of reports per elf so far received from the freelance ranks is about 3.1.

But the real progress is being shown among experienced North Pole elves. Those elves have sent in a whopping 231% more reports and their quality score is over 8 (on the same scale of 10). The average number of reports from our North Pole elves is 7.3.

I can tell you now, based on these early reports, it has to be a big goal after this Christmas to turn more freelance elves into North Pole elves.

Each Sector Elf Supervisor reports they are working with many candidates. None of them will make it before Christmas, but several have the opportunity to be invited into the Elf Community in the New Year if they keep up the work they are doing now.

Quality remains our watchword. If you put forth good information in your reports you WILL advance in your elf career. It’s as simple as that.

We are only in the tens of millions of reports Santa says that he wants. The target this year is 1 billion reports. We are just getting started.

But for where we are at right now, as we near the end of October, things are going very, very well.

What will November and early December look like for trackers?

Just follow the lead of your Elf Supervisor.

All of this is happening just as Santa said it would.

Thank you for your efforts.

Elf Roger Star

 

Questions from Students and Teachers

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Santa Trackers Podcast
Santa Tracker Podcast
Questions from Students and Teachers
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Questions from students and teachers are featured in the newest episode of the Santa Trackers Podcast. I have been talking with school teachers from around the world for several months and answering their questions – well, most of their questions.

This episode features questions Elf Crash Murphy answers – and that’s because he follows Santa on Christmas Eve to report news of Santa’s flight on Kringle Radio. As expected, Crash’s experience proves very useful in answering some very tough questions.

I have more questions – but we’re saving those for an episode that will be appearing soon as part of the North Pole Podcast at SantaUpdate.com.

Do you have questions? Don’t be afraid to message them to me here on SantaTrackers.net or in the comments below. Your question might get featured on a podcast!

Elf Trixie

Elf Moe Makes an Announcement

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Elf Chat on Sunday, October 2nd, featured Elf Moe, who’s usual role is that of standards enforcement here on SantaTrackers.net. He also has served as a backup to Elf Max on administrative duties. In this important chat Elf Moe discusses with Elf Ernest the current situation with Elf Max, who has been ill these past several months.

Elf Max is on medical leave at this time, meaning other elves will be here on SantaTrackers.net to help out for a while. Here is the recap of the chat:

Elf MoeMoe here!  Reporting for duty
Elf ErnestHello, Moe. Sparse crowd today!
Elf UlanHello, Elf Moe!
Elf ErnestDidn’t you tell anyone there was a chat today?
Elf MoeHi Ulan!
Elf ErnestMoe…
Elf MoeOk, Ernest…ready
Elf ErnestWe’re going to be recording today’s chat folks
Elf ErnestWe have something of an announcement to make
Elf UlanOkay
Elf ErnestDo you want to do this, Moe?
Elf MoeYes, I got it.
Elf MoeSome of you have sent me messages in recent weeks regard the notable absence of Elf Max.
Elf MoeWe will address this as carefully as we can, to protect his privacy and to secure his standing.
Elf MoeSeveral months ago Elf Max got very ill. He spent some time in the hospital. He visited with his doctors and received some tough news about his condition and treatment options.
Elf MoeHe felt it best to submit his resignation and Santa rejected it. But, as is necessary, Elf Max has been unable to attend to his elf duties.
Elf UlanI’m sorry to hear that. I worried him
Elf MoeI want to make clear that Max is doing well. He’s had some serious treatment and still has more to go.
Elf MoeHe stops in now and then when he can.
Elf MoeBut he has not been able to do all that he wants to do.
Elf MoeIn recent weeks, several of us have been receiving training to help cover for Max while he is out.
Elf MoeIt is anticipated that Elf Max will be only working now and then between now and next summer. Santa has approved his leave and he will be back when his health permits in his usual position.
Elf MoeWe owe Max a great deal.
Elf MoeWhile he is out, I will be working as the primary contact here at SantaTrackers.net
Elf MoeOthers will also be stepping up to help out, notably, Elves Harold Starr, Frank Myrrh, and Crash Murphy. Elf Ernest will also be around more to lend a hand.
Elf MoeWe are no substitute for Elf Max and we all still have our own usual duties to perform.
Elf MoeWe just want all tracker elves to understand.
Elf MoeThe focus in the coming 12 weeks should be on your elf supervisor anyway. The rest of us will be handling site support and the posting of news as required. We will, of course, try to answer your questions if you would please direct them to one of us instead of Max.
Elf ErnestThanks, Moe. Great job.
Elf ErnestIs there news to share today for SantaTrackers?
Elf MoeThat’s really about it. The hard news will be handled by Elf Harold and Elf Trixie, mostly. I’ll handle site updates. We are working on a chat schedule with various elves for the next few months.
Elf ErnestOk, very good then. Are there any questions for Elf Moe today?
Elf MoeLooks like a short and sweet chat today, Ernest
Elf ErnestWell, hold on a sec, I have a few questions sent to me
Elf MoeReally? Ok, fire away
Elf UlanThank you, Elf Moe. Does Elf Max need a surgery?
Elf ErnestRegarding the moderation of new elves, how is that affecting things for tracking Santa this year?
Elf MoeElf Ulan, I’m not aware entirely of Elf Max’s medical situation. I just have heard it is serious. I understand he is on a treatment plan, which I think means medications. He has very regular doctors appointments. But I haven’t heard of any surgeries, no.
Elf MoeErnest, the new plan put in place to have new elf applicants work as freelance elves for 90 days means there will be NO new elves joining the elf community before Santa launches this year
Elf MoeThat is good news for the community
Elf ErnestYes, it seems rather peaceful
Elf MoeYes, we are getting many new signups but reporting from freelance elves seems challenged.
Elf ErnestWhen do you anticipate new elves in the community?
Elf MoeNot until next year. We have many freelancers working towards their qualifications. I think that means our new elves here will be strong once they qualify
Elf UlanOkay, I hope he will be going to feel better soon
Elf ErnestHow do you think the reporting is going this year so far?
Elf MoeThat is more of a question from Elf Roger. However, I can tell you that I was in a meeting this week where that was discussed and they seem to be happy with it so far
Elf ErnestSo that number of reports is not LOW?
Elf MoeNo, in fact, they are thrilled with it. And the quality of reports are MUCH MUCH better
Elf ErnestWow, that’s really good news.
Elf MoeYes, I think if Elf Max would have been here that news would have been shared earlier and better. I promise I’ll get better at sharing that kind of information.
Elf ErnestThank you, Elf Ulan, for thinking of Elf Max. I’m hoping he might feel well enough soon to join us for a chat some time
Elf MoeYes, we all pray for Elf Max.
Elf ErnestMoe, a question has been sent in regarding what elf supervisors will be asking of elves this year. Can you speak to that?
Elf MoeYes, I can. I attended that meeting too.
Elf MoeThe Elf Supervisors right now are not asking for a lot. But come November the requests will pick up a little. They are wanting information as it is needed, not dumped all at one time.
Elf ErnestWhat will Christmas Eve look like for tracker elves?
Elf UlanYes, I pray for him. And he can get anytime our community update too.
Elf MoeSanta and Roger actually met with the Elf Supervisors to discuss that. It will be a little different on December 22nd, 23rd and 24th…but it will still be busy for all tracker elves out there
Elf MoeElf Ulan – Elf Max does check in via his iPad all the time. Santa has got him on work restriction so he isn’t supposed to do things but he still allows him access to see what people are doing and saying. Sometimes Max gets bored and he calls me to do stuff
Elf ErnestSo trackers should still anticipate being needed on December 22nd, 23rd and 24th?
Elf MoeYes, most definitely.
Elf ErnestWill there be a tracker elf conference this year to talk about that?
Elf MoeYes, there will be. But we aren’t ready to announce it. Santa has some ideas about the right date.
Elf UlanOh, that’s good. I feel relieved that he can check it^^
Elf ErnestOk, we will wait for that news.
Elf MoeYes, for Elf Max it’s a tough time. But he WILL be tracking Santa like the rest of us on December 22nd-24th.
Elf ErnestOk, Moe. That’s great. And it’s all I have for now. Any last questions for Moe?
Elf MoeSorry, I’m not the best chatter. Looking back this chat seems a little depressing.
Elf ErnestOh no! You’re fine Moe
Elf ErnestThis wasn’t easy to talk about. Please don’t feel bad. You did a great job.
Elf MoeWell, thanks.
Elf UlanWill you often come to our community in the future?
Elf MoeI promise we’ll get Elf Crash or someone in here to chat real soon.
Elf MoeYes, Elf Ulan. I will be around as much as I can
Elf ErnestI look forward to it, Moe. Thanks again!
Elf MoeThanks everyone!

Test Flights Fail in Hurricane

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North Pole Flight Command just posted a stunning update: the test flights of Santa’s sleigh have failed during purposeful test flights into Hurricane Ian. Evidently Flight Command saw the catastrophic storm as an unusual opportunity and sent the test flights right into the path of the hurricane.

It didn’t go well.

Another version of the sleigh – Version 5 now, I think it is – had already been ordered and will be sent to somewhere in the southeast of the United States tomorrow. I’m told that this new version will test further over the next couple of days to “take advantage of the unsettled weather” before it will transition to Sector 2, where it will basically begin the flight testing routine over.

I have been reminded that this kind of thing is normal and nothing to worry about with more than 85 days remaining until Santa’s launch.

How have the reports been flowing from Sector 5 during this test run of the sleigh? Elf Pinky says the reports have been VERY strong and they have some real possibilities of actual photos of the sleigh in flight. She needs to confirm them before sharing but I’m convinced that one of our tracker elves actually did capture it. (Although Pinky did get LOTS and LOTS of photos of Jupiter this week, which was prominent in the night skies, that some thought was a sleigh).

What can trackers in Sector 2 anticipate as the test flights shift to their area?

I’m told night flights are the first order of business. That means sleigh visibility will be better.

Will the flights shift to further big weather events like new hurricanes? North Pole Flight Command says to bet on it. This is one of the more serious efforts in testing the sleigh and there could be a lot of storm chasing over the next two months. That is part of the reason why your weather reports are so important.

Some are writing in expressing great concern about Santa’s sleigh.

Many are concerned at the North Pole, too.

But I would just emphasize, once again, that Santa and the lead elves who head up the test flight project are not worried about Santa’s sleigh. There is plenty of time to work out the issues and some of what you’re reading here in the news is “normal” – it just doesn’t get shared much on a site like SantaUpdate.com. As elves, you should be able to handle tough news. So we share it here and hope that you will keep it “between us”, as other elves, rather than taking your concerns to the world on social media.

Elves don’t panic, okay?