They say that pitcher Nolan Ryan had a devastating curve ball, but it is his least remembered pitch as his fastball went whizzing by your chin. Distraction is a very powerful thing. Magicians make a living with distraction.

 The last thoughts I will have on the last day of my life whenever that is will have no more value than the thoughts I will have today.

 I may not be the brightest candle in the room, I but at least I can distinguish between they, their, and they're. They ain't no reason not to brag about it.

 But if they slow-walk this case so that Smith doesn't get to try it before this year, the court has proved themselves just as corrupt as Trump believed them to be when he asked them to steal an election for him. The case presented to them is a lay-up. There's no legitimate cause to argue that Trump gets forever immunity for his crimes. All they need to do is put out a one-sentence response upholding the D.C. opinion. That can be done this week. Frankly, that could have been done within minutes of Trump filing his appeal. It's rare that matters of law are as black-and-white as this, but here we are. If the Supreme Court slow-walks this, the only reason would be to help a man who tried to overthrow the government get away with his crimes.

-Amanda Marcotte in Salon.com

 I’ve covered both presidents. Biden is Biden. Trump is Trump. One is an aging politician who is known as a gaffe machine, and the other is a narcissistic mentally incompetent fascist. If there is a problem figuring out who the better choice is, perhaps mental acuity problems are more widespread than we thought.

-Brian Karem in Salon.com

 In between eating parched peanuts, considering the body electric while reading Walt Whitman, I look out at my backyard, the trees still in the cold rain, past, present, & future all at one today, I just be, no plans, no regrets, no false visions.

 Would it have been worthwhile If one, settling a pillow or throwing off a shawl, And turning toward the window, should say: “That’s not it at all, That is not what I meant, at all.” T. S. Eliot