SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:52 P.M. ET: 

O'MALLEY DEFIANT – From the New York Post:  "WASHINGTON – Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley called the death of Freddie Gray and subsequent civil unrest a 'heartbreaking setback' for the city — but still plans to launch any presidential bid from Baltimore.  'I wouldn’t think of announcing anyplace else,' O’Malley said on NBC’s 'Meet the Press.'  'Baltimore — this has been a setback for us — but our story is not over. We are not defeated as a city and we are not about to throw in the towel on our country,' he said.  O’Malley, the former mayor of the city, blamed problems in his hometown on a lack of a federal agenda for cities and federal cash — something he intends to make 'central' to his likely Democratic presidential campaign against frontrunner Hillary Rodham Clinton."  Right back to the sixties.  Typical of what's happened to the Democratic Party.  Party of the past.

YOUTH ENDORSES AMERICAN STRENGTH – From the College Fix:  "More than half of millennials recently surveyed by the Harvard Institute of Politics backed sending ground troops to fight against ISIS, according to the poll’s results.  Specifically, nearly six in 10 18- to 29-year-olds – or 57 percent of those surveyed – said they support sending ground troops to fight against the latest war on terror in the Middle East, according to the poll, released Wednesday.  The support in fighting ISIS is part of growing millennial support toward U.S. military intervention abroad, results found.  In asking whether it is 'sometimes necessary to attack potentially hostile countries, rather than waiting until we are attacked to respond,' the poll saw a 7 percent increase from 2014 in support of the statement.  '(Millennials) desire to show a more forceful hand overseas,' said John Della Volpe, director of polling, in a teleconference with reporters Wednesday."  Maybe our side's message is getting through.

AND HE WAS FROM BALTIMORE – From the New York Post:  "...it was 100 years ago this May 6, at the Polo Grounds in Manhattan, that Babe Ruth hit his first major-league home run — against the Yankees.
Ruth, a burly young left-handed pitcher then playing for the Red Sox, was the first batter in the top of the third inning. He turned on the first pitch he saw from Jack Warhop and belted it into Seat 26, Section 3 of the right-field grandstand.  It was his 18th official at-bat and fifth hit since his major league debut on July 11, 1914. His previous four hits consisted of three doubles and one single, according to the Society for American Baseball Research.  Subsequent to his home run, Ruth singled twice in the game, which he ultimately lost 4-3 in the 13th inning.  Despite the outcome, Ruth — who pitched the complete game — had proven himself both on the mound and in the batter’s box, and reporters of the day already were sensing his immense two-way potential."  George Herman (Babe) Ruth is buried not far from us.  Kids still come and leave baseball caps and baseballs at his grave.

May 3, 2015