The Next Baltimore

No one can predict when another city or town will erupt. Ferguson, Missouri exploded based on the "hands up" lie. We do not know at this point whether the Baltimore police caused or are culpable in the death of Freddie Gray. We do know Barack Obama has not bridged the racial divide in America. If anything, race relations have worsened under Obama. Are riots going to ensue every time a black dies in a police incident? Obama pledged as a candidate that he would be a "post-racial" President. In the event of governing for more than six years, Obama has been the most race-conscious and anti-police President America has ever had.

Calming Down Baltimore

Baltimore sustained rioting on a scale that is thankfully rare in the United States. For some reason, the mayor did not impose a curfew on the first night of looting and burning. The mayor came to her senses and has now put a curfew in place. Baltimore has now deployed not only local but state police, and law enforcement brought in on mutual assistance agreements from other cities. The National Guard has been called up as well to help restore calm. The city is not out of the woods yet, with agitation for violence continuing from some quarters. The massive police presence and the deployment of the Guard make continuing street violence less likely, but these are short-term measures. Broader fixes will have to be implemented to insure no repeat of the senseless destruction recurs when the reinforcements leave.

Hiding from Press

Hillary Clinton is not forthcoming with the media. Every reporter would consider a Hillary interview a "get". Hillary is not taking advantage of her opportunities for free exposure. The only plausible reason for this is that she can not or will not answer questions. Hillary fears having to answer for Benghazi. She does not want to talk about not using State Department email when she was Secretary of State. She does not want to answer questions about directing her emails through her own server that she has now evidently erased. Hillary is reluctant to make herself available because she has plenty to hide.

Baltimore Breaks Down

A black man named Freddie Gray died after an encounter with Baltimore police. What exactly happened to Gray is in dispute. What is not in dispute is that Gray is dead. If Baltimore police used excessive force or violated Gray's civil rights, with a black mayor, a black attorney general of the United States, and the first black US President, do you not think the death of Gray will be thoroughly investigated? The mayor of Baltimore abdicated her duty by giving those rioting over Gray's death "space to destroy". If you want society to disintegrate in a hurry, have a few more political leaders allow protesters to run riot. When the honest citizen sees lawful authority will no longer protect him and his property, he must protect himself. Law is then replaced with vigilantism.

Our Militarized Police

The local Louisville FOX-affiliate aired a report boosting police snipers. The story talked up local SWAT teams and compared their training and actions to the movie "American Sniper". I am skeptical about the militarization of local police. The people in hometown USA are not suicide bombers in Iraq. Years ago, when I was living in Nashville, I watched the TV coverage of a local policeman who was vying for the affections of a female officer and had a fight with another male officer who was his romantic rival,firing random shots in a neighborhood near homes, a church, a school, and a daycare. In spite of the fact that the cop was endangering hundreds of lives, his colleagues who were surrounding him never fired but talked him down until he dropped his weapon. I have also watched reports of Nashville Metro police killing suspects without hesitation who were not armed with anything but the vehicle they were driving. I am deeply troubled by hyper-aggressive policing that treats the public as the enemy of police.

Help Nepal Now

Even in the best of circumstances, parts of Nepal are difficult to traverse. Now, Nepal has been hit with an especially devastating earthquake. Certainly, hundreds are dead, but because of communication disruption, the death toll may be much higher. Nepal needs our prayers. Nepal needs relief funnelled through legitimate aid organizations. The world must rally for stricken Nepal.

Time Not Money

Has a person that paid a fortune to be preserved by cryogenics ever been brought back to life? Some people could only afford to have their heads frozen. If science ever advances enough to reanimate those who have opted for cryogenic preservation, what will become of those who only preserved their heads? I do not imagine many people walking around a couple of centuries from now will offer their bodies to bring back their eighth generation grandpa. How about those millionaires who had just enough wealth to freeze themselves but not enough to freeze their spouse? When I go, I guess the worms will have a feast. I am perfectly OK with that.