Flowers and Ballots.

Today's Tids Issue 4,587

Sweet and Loverly:

When you walk into a super market these days, you just can’t help smiling, feeling overwhelmed by the colors and beauty of the aisles full of flowers. Like Valentine’s Day or not, Love still makes the world a prettier place.

There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who speed up walking when entering a pedestrian crosswalk, and those who slow down.

A discourse is where they play Frisbee Golf.

To put all of the current Sander’s sensationalizing in perspective, remember that in 2016 The Bern Trounced The Hill in New Hampshire (60.14% to 37.68%). She came back to obliterate Bern in South Carolina (73.44% t0 26.02%). Yes, it has only just begun. But also, I’m not sayin’ that it will be Joe B Biden who will be making the next big number, the new comeback kid. Who will show up in SC? Pete, Amy or Mike?

The Question:

Who are considered the greatest American actresses of all time?

The Headlines:

--China eCommerce Giant Alibaba Hits Earnings Mark Igniting Stock Price At Open; Alas, China’s Covid-19 Fears Drown Alibaba Surge, Send Stocks Lower.

--Dems Taking Aim On Trumps Successful Judge Approvals.

--Venezuela Moves US Oil Execs Into Harsher Jails.

--Dem Big City Mayors Seem To Be Stepping Up In Support of Bloomberg.

--Hope Hicks To Return To White House As Senior Advisor.

--Puerto Rican Government Loses $2.6 Million In Phishing Scam.

--John Kelley Sides With Vinman Actions.

--Springsteen And E Street Band 2020 Tour Maybe Put On Hold.

Alas. McClatchy Newspapers filed for Bankruptcy today. Their holdings included big papers like the Miami Herald and Kansas City Starr. It saddens me to see papers go. Newspapers, where for the most part, the journalists over the years were hard driving, hardworking, honest reporters. Excellent writers with keen senses of fairness and big hearts. Brilliant wordsmiths at more often than not. And they have been a part of my life since I first saw news about WWII. I read a paper every morning, now digitally. It truly is part of my daily life, despite the barrages of internet notifications and endless TV news programs. I would miss it, miss it a lot, and the McClatchy thing hurts.

The only readers who wouldn’t feel the effects of the demise of print media and their digital outlets, are NY Times readers. The Times never had comics.

One of the largest Cannabis companies, Aurora, saw its loss for the most recent 3-month period grow to $984 Million. About a year and half, 2 years ago everybody had high hopes for this next surely can’t miss industry. Well, it didn’t go up in smoke. That was the problem -- Not enough of it.

Just as an example of how much of an evolutionary process this year’s presidential race has become, here are the choices of those in political leadership in this mostly all Democrat state. The two most powerful leaders in the state, the Dem House and Senate leaders are in Amy’s corner. The Gov now has moved over to support Bloomberg. The Repub House leader picks Trump and the Repub Senate Leader picks Tulsi Gabbard. My progressive state which I have lovingly nicknamed USSRI, maybe regressing from rampant progressiveness. Our union dominated state maybe looking elsewhere. Several medium city mayors are now touting Trump as their guy, saying the Repubs look more like the old Dems who used to represent working men. The pundits and media consultants have over-labeled everything to the point where a lot of voters don’t really know who they are. The party they want is more than likely now the one that represents what they feel.

I’m tellin’ ya, there are a lot of Repubs solidly on their knees praying that DT becomes presidential.

Grass roots politicians are backing the cannabis industry.

One of the things that I have learned as I get older, or maybe I should say wiser, is not to fall prey to special holiday restaurant events. They are most always more crowned, more expensive and generally underwhelming.

In case you haven’t noticed, Butt is just a buttoned-up Bernie. Both want wealth taxes, but Pete has a softer way of communicating.

Personally, I like William Barr.

RBG says they should start over on ERA campaign -- things have changed. I’d say so.

The Answer:

#1 All Time Actress is Katherine Hepburn. Next is Meryl Streep, followed by Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland, Kathy Bates, Anne Bancroft, Sally Field, Jessica Lange and at #10 Jodie Foster. The next ten are Grace Kelly, Glenn Close, Myrna Loy, Frances McDormand, Claudette Colbert, Jane Fonda, Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall, Natalie Wood, and Susan Sarandon. Ok, going to the top 25 we have Sandra Bullock, Helen Hayes, Agnes Moorhead, Sissy Spacek and Diane Keaton. Shirly Temple is 28 and this year Oscar winner Laura Dern’s mom Diane Lane, is 37.

Did kids years ago go to bed on ST V’s eve dreaming of “Will You be My Valentine” cards made of red craft paper and doilies, being handed to them by shyly grinning classmates, that special cute girl or boy of their dreams. No more, I hear. But it is great to remember that feeling… and sometimes the heartbreak.