Baltimore has been declared a State of Emergency. This is a different group of people with loyalities necessary to protect life.

The Governor did the right thing. This is huge. The National Guard will be coming to return calm to Baltimore. I encourage all residents of this troubled community to return to their lives and find peaceful protests to begin the changes needed to improve living standards to the citizens.

April 27, 2015
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today, (click here) at the request of Baltimore City, has signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency and activating the National Guard to address the growing violence and unrest in Baltimore City.

The governor, along with Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford and National Guard Adjutant General Linda Singh, will hold a press conference at the Maryland Emergency Management Agency this evening at 8:30 PM.

The problems that beset this community in Baltimore will not be solved tonight. What will happen is a return to peace on the streets. There won't be young black men given any rough rides. The Governor is providing help to those that live in fear. Kindly realize President Obama has been in contact with the Governor and there is no one that cares more than he.

I am in tears for the pain in the community. Please stop any violence and allow fire departments to stop the fires. 

There is a lot that has to be done, including hostile businesses such as liquor stores and paycheck loan shops. Those businesses need to be shuttered and replaced with HEALTH clinics where residents of every age can be assessed for health problems including any heavy metals they were exposed to. It is vital to children these tests are done and their parents have to be evaluated. Where would children be without their parents? 

The healing has to begin somewhere and it has to begin with peace in the streets. There are many community leaders capable of bringing peace and compassion to the people of this very troubled community. The government at all levels will be looking toward this community to find their needs and move those needs forward to resolve all the injustices of the past.

Mr. Gray's family has requested peacefulness to honor their loss. The streets of the community need to return to peace and honor his memory. What occurred to him was completely wrong. It was criminal. It is an illegal tactic that occurred when Mr. Gray's neck was broken by very rough handling. There was absolutely no compassion for Mr. Gray when he exhibited the symptoms of his handling by police. "Rough Rides" are police handling. Make no doubt about it, "Rough Rides" is illegal and it is a criminal matter.  

I look forward to better lives and better living circumstances of this community. It begins with a willingness 'to believe' in community leadership and the wishes of Mr. Gray's parents. No one that cares is going anywhere. The country has learned what has been happening there. No one is going to abandon this community. 

I know many have called Mr. Gray by his first name. Freddie Gray should be alive today. There was time and ways to save his life after his neck was injured. Freddie Gray's death is heinous. He suffered dearly and it should never have happened.

In Baltimore, "bad people" are al Qaeda? This is ridiculous. Militarized responses by police. Same dynamics as every other death.

Stay out of Baltimore, there is a war being conducted. 

This is just more of the same noted across the country with police forces that have profound culture problems. They take the law into their own hands and intimidate the government to change or take charge because they will convince any mayor and council the city will become a 'no go zone' if they can't be given immunity from prosecution.

If a man believes he will die at the hands of police, life loses it's meaning in a productive way that provide a 'real future.'

This isn't going well.

The police need to request civilians to move on in Baltimore. Young people are letting out of school and there should never be problems of confrontation with these young people. They have done nothing wrong and are walking into areas the police are targeting as problems. 

If riots are to stop the police providing 'Rough Rides' to people. Not only stop them, but, place them on disciplinary suspension. The Baltimore Police Chief needs to do that now.

April 27, 2015
By Associated Press

4:15 p.m.
Hundreds of youths outside a mall (click here) in northwest Baltimore are clashing violently with police in riot gear, throwing rocks, bricks and bottles at the officers.
Baltimore police say on Twitter that several officers have been injured. Officers are using pepper-spray to keep the protesters back....

Looting is not a death sentence. 

No reforms, suspensions. This is real easy. The many bad apples are rotten to the core if they can't value life and live within their limits as police officers. There is no reform for police abuse and taking the law into their own hands. A vigilante can wear a uniform, too. 

Officers do not have to be heroes today. There is too much turbulence in the people to warrant strong arm tactics. These is not unjustified turbulence.

Communities are not kept safe at the cost of other members of a community. The mayor is going to have her hands full to actually invoke reform that will end the violence against citizens by uniform police officers. 

Bring in the National Guard if there is violence within the community. It would be best to remove the police from the scene. The National Guard was welcome in Ferguson. The Governor needs to recognize the need of a community turned upside down by deadly police tactics and the tolerance of same by at the very least the Chief of Police. Fatal and maiming tactics of those in custody are not part of an effective police department.

Baltimore needs the National Guard. The police are the wrong people to place on the street. 

The fatal injury of Mr. Gray occurred in custody. What will the reaction be to any police force attempting to bring about their own idea of calm? Restraint is not going to work. The people fear the police. It will only escalate. 

The community has identified the problems of what caused the death of Mr. Gray. They won't allow it to happen again. The streets of Baltimore are out of control and the National Guard is necessary. The community knows the problems with police work in the city. Nothing the police does will end their fears or their actions. Everyone can point to the idea these trouble makers that have come from out of the area. That might be the case, but, that doesn't mean it will end because the police are turning out in large numbers. Why risk police officers lives? It doesn't make sense. 

Denying the problem and those that ALLOW it won't make the fear of the citizens go away. Effectively addressing their fears based IN FACT will begin to end the fears of the community. Mr. Gray is dead. What else needs to be known?

The religious leaders are correct in calling for calm, but, the current governing authority, including the police, have done nothing concrete to provide the community with peace of mind. Attending the funeral was the right thing to do, but, it can't stop there.  

The family is right to speak out for calm in the name of Mr. Gray, however, that is only respected when the community receives respect for their knowledge demanding action.  

"No justice, no peace." The demonstrations of fear on the streets of Baltimore didn't happen until someone died. That is a fact. The mayhem is a direct result of community knowledge and fear because of the death that validated their knowledge. 

The rise in violence is directly related to police retribution over community organizing on social media to carry out demonstrations against the current administration. I find it rather incredible that a mayor and council could not act to end such illegal practices as 'rough rides.' It doesn't make sense. A community is not that militant in the USA. This violence started after the fact. Such practices as 'rough rides' are illegal. Just that simple. There is no question as to what happens next and that means people will lose their jobs. 

A young black man died at the hand of police carrying out TOLERATED illegal practices. Where is everybody to end the practices that killed a young man that is a citizen of Baltimore. The problem is not going away. That isn't obvious? 

I wish them all a lot of luck.

Learn to pay attention.

You'll excuse me now. I have vacuum cleaner bags I have to purchase. I'll be back.

YES! I still have a vacuum clearner that needs bags. When it breaks down I'll buy a new one and not before. It is a HOOVER. Does Hoover still exist? They never engaged planned obsolescence. 

Republicans LOVE to point to PRIVATE answers for the USA health care system. 

Right.

You know what is surprising to me?

No? 

I am surprised Ukraine actually still wants to link to The West for commerce. I would think once the USA removed the nuclear material from Ukraine in signing the agreement and Russia became a huge risk with "Georgie's" resignation from the nuclear treaty, they would RUN and not walk to the arms of Russian Speaking People. 

Go figure.

I wish the William Jefferson Clinton family would be far less apologetic than they are. It is a familiar posture to protect The Foundation and it's services. I realize how important that is, but, it is a problem at times.

Presidential hopeful Former Secretary Clinton has some REAL issues to cover. Time is running.

...Since 2010, the Clinton Foundation has raised a total of $36 million for Haiti, including relief funds as well as projects focused on supporting Haiti’s small and medium businesses, improving livelihoods, enhancing education and exploring the nexus of agriculture, energy and environment. Today, the Clinton Foundation focuses on creating sustainable economic growth in the four priority sectors of energy, tourism, agriculture, and apparel/manufacturing. The Foundation also works to develop full-cycle investing, bringing together producers, investors, and markets in a way that is socially, environmentally and economically impactful. 

Get updates about our work in Haiti (click here)

Much of "The Clinton Foundation's" work is based in a "moral trust." If The Foundation were to violate that trust it's effectiveness would be diminished across the globe. There are alternatives to The Foundation, but, it doesn't act to the moral content of peace on a global scale.

Clinton Health Matters Initiative 

Guess who this initiative is about. Go, ahead, put your toe in the water. Be brave. 

30% of Houston residents are currently uninsured.(click here) 

Greater Houston is a nine-county metropolitan area located in Southeast Texas. Harris County, the area’s largest county, is the third most populous county in the United States with an estimated 4.1 million residents in 2010.. Approximately half of the county’s residents live in the city of Houston, the nation’s fourth most populous city, trailing New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The population of Harris County continues to grow rapidly—the county population doubled from 1970 to 2000 and increased by 20.3% from 2000 to 2010.

 I remain unapologetic.

Yes, that is correct one of the FIFTY states is Texas.  

This is from FOX News Latino. When it services FOX's political agenda, nothing matters but solicitation of the electorate.

In another major move toward diplomatic relations, (click here) President Barack Obama is removing Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Obama made the move just days after he had a meeting with Cuban President Raúl Castro at the Summit of the Americas in Panama.

The White House says on Twitter that Obama has submitted to Congress required reports and certifications indicating his intent to take Cuba off the list.

Obama made the final decision following a State Department review of Cuba's presence on the list. The U.S. has long since stopped actively accusing Cuba of supporting terrorism....

Hello !!!!!!

I take it "the book" didn't include the process required to remove groups and countries off the terror list. How good of President Obama to do his homework.

There is no relationship between The Clinton Global Initiative and the USA Terror List. I makes sense the Foundation would receive monies from countries and groups coming off the terror list. The Foundation, the Former President and Former Secretary are trusted fiends of many, many countries and people. What a shame they don't advocate for oil company subsidies. 

But, to return to the relationship between The Clinton Foundation and the International Community; it happens to appear there are pay to play. That isn't the case. Any country coming off the US Terror List has gone through a process. The country's leadership would recognize the need for benevolent experts to entire their policies and programs. That is the only relationship. 

What I find interesting is the lack of countries coming off the US Terror List under "W." It wouldn't benefit the US Military Industrial Complex to do so.

"W's" big achievement in foreign policy is: On December 13, 2001, (click here) President Bush announced the withdrawal of the United States from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

By Terrance Neilan

In a move that reflected what he said was "a vastly different world," President Bush formally announced today that the United States was withdrawing from the Antiballistic Missile Treaty that it signed with the Soviet Union in 1972.

Russia termed the move a mistake, but said it did not feel threatened by the decision. China, which was not a signatory to the pact, repeated its opposition to the missile defense system proposed by the Bush administration.

In making his announcement, Mr. Bush declared at the White House Rose Garden, "I have concluded the ABM treaty hinders our government's ways to protect our people from future terrorist or rogue state missile attacks."...

I guess I would be worried about the world the grandkids are inheriting, too.

Kindly put a price tag on these events. Then add the long term financial benefits to them. Potential has no price.

ST. LOUIS – President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton (click here) concluded Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) 2013, dedicated to empowering the next generation of leaders to solve the world’s most pressing global challenges.  More than 1,000 students, from more than 300 colleges and universities, all 50 states, and over 75 countries joined  innovators, thought leaders, and civically engaged celebrities at Washington University in St. Louis to address issues in areas such as education, environment and climate change, peace and human rights, poverty alleviation, and public health.
At this year’s meeting, students made more than 630 Commitments to Action: specific, measurable plans to address pressing challenges facing campuses and communities around the world, bringing the total number to more than 4,500 Commitments since the CGI U was first held in 2008....

An organization this size with this scope is going to have loose ends.

Think Chelsey.

The Clinton Foundation has many, many moving parts. It is a global organization. The Former President and Former Secretary Clinton receive significant income from speaking tours. They don't need the money from the foundation. I am sure as members of the Foundation and preforming services to the organization receive an income, but, there isn't any there, there. I haven't read the book and won't. I don't have to.

The Clinton Foundation is sensitive to international reputations of countries and the leaders they assist, but, it would be a good idea for the Foundation to add a page to their website which reflects their greatest successes. Former President Clinton was famous for his 'Spot Light' of Americans, Small Family Business Owners and 'the people connection' to government and it's importance in promoting American Values.

The Foundation's website has to also contain a page regarding charges, both public and any legal, to rebuff the political pressures that could tarnish it's reputation. 

This entire 'thing' was obvious and ridiculous. All I have to do is ask myself, "Would Bill or Hill put Chelsey in jail or worse for their own benefit?"

The United Nations has to come to terms with the corruption in USA elections of billionaires. The political system is far more dangerous to the global community than ever in the USA history. Heck, the USA political system today is dangerous to citizens than ever before.

But, if Wall Street is buying the most powerful military power in the world, there has to be a move against those causing sincere global problems including wars for profit.

Any move against Neocons globally is obvious. Ask oneself who was UN Ambassador under George W. Bush. The global Neocons aren't interested in peace and will seek to change the election and politics dynamics of any organization and people for their wars for profit. ie: Dick Cheney's Halliburton. What else is there to know? 

The USA Constitution is not the problem, it is the Wall Street and Power Hungry perversion is the problem. Who ever expected the USA's working class to be poor and impoverished with no hopes of upward movement? 

The populous of the USA is far better off being involved in local government and local economies. Wall Street is not cool in the USA.

Only a Republican, especially a Bush, can make an analogy between grandchildren and war.

Questions? 

Whom exactly is the biggest Neocon in the Middle East that the government is on the list for investigation of human rights abuses to take to the World Court?

The reason Hamas was taken off the US terror list for a reason. Hamas was being attacked because it benefited Israeli politics. 

Does the US Military Industrial Complex EVER taken to the World Court? Hello? CEO's are more accessible to remove to court than government officials.

CEO's are hired by a Board of Directors and voted on by stockholders. Fines to be paid to the World Court and the United Nations would work well for the Board and Stockholders.

The World Court should find it a little more difficult to find Aledeson, he has many residences and offices. 

Death is death. Follow the food chain.

Sheldon Adelson attended the address to Congress last month made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. Credit Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images 

April 26, 2015
By Jason Horowitz

LAS VEGAS — In a country wary (click here) of dynasties, former President George W. Bush said he could be a liability for his younger brother Jeb, a likely presidential candidate.

But he will never be a liability for the 700 Republican Jewish donors he spoke to in a ballroom here Saturday night. And especially not for Sheldon Adelson, the owner of the Venetian hotel and casino, where the Republican Jewish Coalition held its spring meeting, and the most sought-after donor in the contest for the Republican presidential nomination....

 

No one really pays attention to ending Wall Street profits.

One of the demands of this blog is for the US to remove all it's munitions and vehicles from any war theater.

There is a reason this blog makes those demands. Iraq is one of them. A country needs to be able to sustain it's sovereignty on it's own; that includes the price of their military equipment and munitions. Saudi Arabia has sustained it's own sovereignty for decades. There was no doubt the Saudis would be in charge of the domestic environment in their country. 

Clue: Civil war is not a sovereign measure.

The US Industrial Complex is a problem. It is a problem to the people of the USA in war mongering and illegal wars. It is a problem to the global community because it escalates war and death throughout the world.  

US Media profit from the US Industrial Complex.

It is difficult to over throw a government with sticks and stones. How are things in Venezuela?

Do I really have to get into this and the US CIA? Really?

April 9, 2015 
The Tories (click here) have put the issue of Britain’s Trident nuclear programme at the heart of the election debate with less than a month to go to the general election.

Michael Fallon, the Conservative Defence Secretary, has said that a Labour government would do a deal with the SNP that involves getting rid of Trident and putting Britain’s security at risk – saying Ed Miliband will “stab the United Kingdom in the back”.
Amid accusations of “mud-slinging” and Labour’s insistence that it is “crystal clear” on keeping and renewing the UK’s four operational nuclear-armed submarines, we ask the question – does Britain really need them?...

Currently, Scotland demands all nuclear missiles be removed from their land. I suppose the Scots gave the UK a limited choice of placing them in London. When that occurred and put a big red bullseye on the city central to business in Europe; the Tories decided to put the nukes in a disputed area of Spain.

The USA military has no place in the Middle East!

Nor does it's military industrial complex.

UN Small Arms Treaty (click here)

Vote Clinton, not Bush.

Next.

No one in Yemen need the USA military help. End of discussion. UN Small Arms Treaty demands responsible deployment.

U.S. firearms supplied to the Interior Ministry in Yemen, which has received $500 million in aid from the United States since 2007 under an array of Defense Department and State Department programs. (Government Accountability Office)

March 17, 2015
By Craig Whitlock


The Pentagon (click here) is unable to account for more than $500 million in U.S. military aid given to Yemen, amid fears that the weaponry, aircraft and equipment is at risk of being seized by Iranian-backed rebels or al-Qaeda, according to U.S. officials.

With Yemen in turmoil and its government splintering, the Defense Department has lost its ability to monitor the whereabouts of small arms, ammunition, night-vision goggles, patrol boats, vehicles and other supplies donated by the United States. The situation has grown worse since the United States closed its embassy in Sanaa, the capital, last month and withdrew many of its military advisers....

Oh, yeah. Iran has been protecting the Shi'ites in Yemen. Go figure.

April 20, 2015
By Oren Dorell

Iran has long supported Houthi rebels (click here) in Yemen with arms, training and financing.

Now, as a convoy of Iranian ships heads toward Yemen's Gulf of Aden, a U.S. carrier group is headed there as well to intercept any potential weapons transfers to the rebels, who have seized much of Yemen territory and are fighting the U.S.-backed government there, according to the Pentagon....

"Morning Papers"

The Rooster

"Okeydoke"

The Governors of every state in the union should already have police statistics on their desk to decide how to decompress the aggressive tactics of LOCAL police. 

The US Attorney General will be coming to your state soon! 

This is not a surprise to any Governor. It is the easiest thing in the world to address this. The governors need to review the crime statistics for their state. Number of police arrests with breakdown statistics. The way 'Felony Running' exists today, everyone could end up with an arrest record. 

Governors have it within their power to learn about the increase in prisoner deaths and I am not talking about old age.  

Governors have the power to change the focus of those crime statistics. State legislatures have the ability to change the aggressive police tactics that are causing increase in prison populations as well as police violence against the public. 

Let's make this real simple, from Trayvon Martin forward there should have been no threats of death by vigilantes or police. 

I am curious how any state benefits from the fines levied against citizens arrested or summoned.

"Good Night, Moon"

The Waxing Gibbous

8.4 days old

60.6 percent lit

A story about the "Blood Moon" and a picture taking philosophy. There were no aspirations to taking moon trips or some flamboyant ideology. It is a story of being unique as inspired by the satellite we call "The Moon." Imagine that, the moon inspiring a photograph. No big ideas, simply nice ones. Simply being a unique American.

April 23, 2015
By Joe Hendricks

...I went a few hundred feet (click here) to the left of everyone else and instead of pulling out a 200mm lens, I go for the 14–24mm f/2.8 Nikkor. I thought, “everyone shoots it close up, so I’m going to shoot it wide!” I would come to find out later that there was actually plenty of time for me to shoot wide, change my lens and then shoot a close up with my 200mm. But it doesn’t matter, because what DOES matter is that I wanted something different from everyone else! We should all be striving for that, no matter what business we work in! Because, if you’re producing the same thing someone else is, how are you ever going to differentiate yourself from others? This is especially true in photography....