Thinking with Intellect.

Today's Tids Issue 3,748

For the Innocent December 7, 1941:

Never forget. It seems though that too many don’t know what they should never forget. People think that the world was always today. Yet it is yesterdays that allow us to understand where tomorrows may be. So, the savage attack on the innocent of Peral harbor is always with me. The quite Sunday morning with church bells heralding, The roar from beyond the mountains, strange that quiet morn. Then the scourge, bombs flying indiscriminately as soldiers, sailors, wives and children ran not knowing where it might be safe. Looking to the blackened skies like swarms of locusts, fear in their eyes. Sailors on lolling ships thinking about waking from their berths, now never waking at all. The cruelty within humans does not just cease with time. It just morphs.

Nothing really ever changes, we just wear different clothes, and communicate with changing technology. John Adams saw what we see continuing today: “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the states of facts and evidence.” Hmmmm.

There are lots if new and creative recipes for Christmas cookies that pervade our food and entertainment information this time of year. But, all I need is simple, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread dipped in dark chocolate.

The Question:

Ok, what do you think are the favorite Christmas Cookies?

The Headlines:

--Violent Earthquake Kills Over A Hundred In Indonesia.

--America Prays And Remembers Pearl Harbor.

--Markets Hanging Together; AMD Stock Soars On Rumor Of Intel Inerest.

--Time Names It’s Person Of The Year – Donald Trump.

--Trump Speech: Prez Elect Reiterates Theme, Peace Through Strength; Vows Never To Use Military To Topple Governments, Only For “Vital National Security.”

--Michelle Obama Speaks: “We’re Ready To Work With The Next Administration…Because That’s What’s Best For Tis Country.”; First Lady Stands By Her Campaign Criticisms Of Trump.

--ISIS Launches Counter Attack In Mosul.

--Sears On The Brink Of Collapse After Dozens Of KMart Stores Are Closed; Executives Flee.

--Trump Picking Up Votes After Wisconsin Recount.

--Chip And Joanna Gains Learn About Dangers Of Celebrity; Attacked Because Of Their Church; Sued For One Million Over Property Rights.

With all of the credit card and smartphone transfer spending becoming the new norm at stores, you have to figure that the Salvation Army kettles are not as full as they have been in the past. Maybe they need Apple Pay too! But for now, I guess the best solution is to set aside change for them beforehand.

Trump, “the jobs President”, should think twice before taking aim at Boeing. The big plane manufacturer, which sells every third plane to China, has been one of the Country’s most stable and well-paying employers for a long time. Think, Donald, think!

In response to my Tid yesterday about God’s shortcomings with respect to the ability of humans to easily wash their entire back, a writer observed, “But he gave us Eve!” And of course, ladies, vice-versa. That’s the beauty of God’s thinking, always find ways to bring us together. Sometimes we just don’t see it.

Chris Dunn at last has found his shooting eye.

I think that The Voice has some pretty good singers going into the finals. I thought Ali, a talented and pleasant young woman would have made it and been a good addition In reality though, she could be a little screechy at times. But I liked her and would have been happy. Not surprisingly, some tweeters are calling the omission racism and the final four the choice of “boring white men”. I guess, unfortunately, that’s life these days.

I was really mad this morning reading the headline that our City council had voted to ban plastic bags. Fortunately, I do all of my shopping in Middletown. Stop & Shop’s loss will be Shaw’s gain. I personally like the convenience of plastic bags, especially the ability to carry multiple bags on the different fingers. And after using them, I don’t walk out and dump them in the ocean. But what scares me most, is what will they ban next. Cheetos! Aaaaaaargh!

My daughter went to her High School reunion last weekend where she saw her former across the aisle schoolmate, conservative talk show host and very funny Laura Ingraham. My daughter said to her, “I guess you got more out of Civics class than I did.” She laughed. But Laura had a grand old time in her old hometown of Glastonbury, as it seems many celebs and public figures do at there reunions when they get beyond the pressures their roles. Laura came from a regular old family in a regular old neighborhood. And she is proud of it.

I am proud to be a boring white man.

With all of these public cameras everywhere, I imagine it is getting tougher to be an effective assassin, hitman.

I see where Google is one of Americas largest consumers of electricity, which is mainly used to maintain America’s photographs and You Tube antics. Scratch your head a while on that one.

I wouldn’t have been surprised if Time Magazine had as their Person of the Year – Jill Stein. Maybe Noble will give her the Peace Prize.

“White Nationalists” are becoming annoying.

By the way, with all of the apparent innovation, innovation experts say that inventions that improve real productivity and the health of mankind has been on the decline since the mid 1950’s. What we have are more applications developed off of former inventions in electronics and medicine. Real new breakthroughs are at a minimum. This is hard to believe when you look at a society building things higher and faster, living longer, entertaining glitzier. It's all about the decline of something called the Total Productivity Index, and that basically means that our standard of living is stagnate, no matter how much we see the emergence of amazing wonders. What the innovation crowd is looking for are looking for is a breakthrough like "Electricity".

Math among American students continues to decline versus the rest of the advanced world. The world average score is 490 while the mighty USA is 470, and going down. In case you are interested, Singapore has the highest score at 559, and Dominican Republic the lowest at 368, Yeah but Singapore doesn’t have David Ortiz.

If President Trump can find a way to repatriate corporate cash stashed abroad it would put close to trillions into the economy for investment and jobs. He says he will, and it is just a matter of keeping the congress from grabbing too much of it in taxes. Companies like Cisco already have positive beneficial plans for their Billions.

Why do I have this sense that the big old Cigarette companies are reorganizing their businesses to take over the Marijuana industry some point in the near future. It seems a like a natural for them. Actually, it may be the best way to rid the world of Pot. Activists will sue them and pot smokers will be reviled like their cig smoking brethren.

Which is worse for kids – Joe Camel or yummy weed cookies?

The Answer:

Well, number one on most lists not surprisingly is sugar cookies cut into Christmas shapes with red and green sprinkles. #2 is Chocolate Thumbprint cookies, a cocoa based cookie with walnuts and a vanilla cream filling with a Hershey’s Kiss on top. #3 is the mini-cinnamon roll cookie. #4 is the Snickerdoodle. #5 is White Chocolate Carnberry cookies. #6 is a soft sugar cookie with a white icing. #7 is the ever familiar chocolate Snowball. At #8 we have the Peppermint stick cookie. #9 is the super-yummy cracker snack cookie which I can attest is melt in your mouth delicious – two Ritz crackers with a peanut butter, marshmallow inside and then coated with chocolate. And of course, number ten is your traditional cut out gingerbread cookie. “You can’t catch me!” Find the recipes for these at http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/holiday---celebration-recipes/christmas-recipes/top-10-christmas-cookies#10

Actually, I have been thinking way to much this morning. My head hurts.

But my heart is heavy as I will never for the slaughter that interrupted that peaceful Sunday morning 75 years ago today.