World War II, a war never to be forgotten. Necessary to be fought. Japan attacked the U.S. Violently and without warning. Retaliation/retribution correct. Warranted. 

Today is the day the attack occurred. December 7, 1941. In the words of President Franklin Roosevelt, “A date which will live in infamy.” As it has.

The Japanese attack took only 2 hours 20 minutes. Consisted of 2 separate waves, a half hour apart. Nineteen U.S. ships were destroyed or damaged, 188 aircraft blown up, 2,403 killed, and 1,178 wounded. Japan escaped basically unscathed. Lost only 29 aircraft and 5 midget submarines. Only 130 Japanese killed.

We took a beating.

The U.S. comeback began less than 6 months later. We took back Guadalcanal and bombed Tokyo.

Japan’s Admiral Yamamoto planned and led the attack. A comment is attributed to him which some historians question. It makes sense regardless. His words, “I feel all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with terrible resolve.”

Pearl Harbor occurred 82 years ago. We are not the same people. I wonder if our citizenry would react in the same fashion today as it did back then. Would half our people side with the attackers? Our internal rumblings make me fearful.

Another podcast going back 5-6 years. An appropriate title would be Hitler and Goebbels.

The weather outside was frightful during the night. Cold! Wore a sweatshirt to bed and buried myself under a heavy quilt. First time in my adult life I have been without heat.

Key West cold for me is 74 degrees. That number and anything under is hard to take. Fortunately, it is infrequent. The temperature dropped to 65 degrees during the night. The high today will be 74.

Sex was a big attraction for marriage. These days marriage also helps to keep warm on a cold night. I need a woman!

New House Speaker Mike Johnson. I continue to warn about him. 

Johnson is reported to have had a “Red Sea moment.” Speaking to a far out Christian nationalist group tuesday, he likened himself to Moses and declared God had charted his path to become their Republican Speaker. He told them God in his prayers told him to prepare.

This type thinking/belief scares me. Religion has its place, but not to the extent Johnson is claiming. God talked to me! Especially not in the mind of a person holding a significant governmental position.

A comment yesterday questioned my praise for an Irish restaurant having good Italian food. It happens. I am of Italian extraction. Grew up eating Italian meals. I know a good Italian meal when I taste one. How about this? I have recommended Harpoon Harry’s for their tuesday lasagna special. I believe the cook is Cuban.

I will be back at Brady’s Irish Pub friday night for dinner. Polish perogies. Another reason. Carola is Irish. Born and raised in Ireland. Returns for a month every two years to visit her father. She will be baking Irish sconces and will be bringing some in for me to try. I looked the Irish scones up on the internet. Described as “heaven on Earth.” I look forward to trying them.

Tonight, dinner with Jean and Joe Thornton at Antonia’s. Looking forward to it!

A smart legal move: Nuns purchased Smith & Wesson shares, then sued the Company to stop production of AR-style rifles. The nuns are composed of a coalition of Catholic nuns. The nuns claim the AR-style rifles are “the weapon of choice for numerous mass murderers.”

The lawsuit was filed tuesday in Nevada District Court.

The National Sports Shooting Foundation described the suit as “frivolous.” Described further the use of nuns in bringing the suit as a “trick.”

Bess Levin in a Vanity Fair 12/6 article: “George Santos Is Making a Ridiculous Amount of Money on Cameo.” Cameo is a platform of choice for realty TV stars, mid-tier actors, disgraced politicians, and Rudy Giuliani. Santos is on his way to making more money his first few days on Cameo than his annual Congressional salary of $174,000.

Norman Lear died at 101. A true television pioneer. Creator of such shows as All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, and Sanford and Son.

A pilot in World War II, he flew 52 combat missions. Then, a comedy writer. Reported his big break came when he tricked a receptionist into giving him Danny Thomas’ phone number, then ringing up the comedy star and selling him a routine over the phone.

Time to brave the cold. Going out for my Monkey smoothie fix.

Enjoy your day!