Free Fall

I accidentally found this video the other day and have watched it over and over again about a hundred times so I thought it was worth sharing with all of you. It's beautiful.

West Memphis 3 are FREE!

West Memphis 3 may be released from jail

This is HUGE news!!!

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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/20/us/20arkansas.html

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/08/18/arkansas.child.killings/index.html
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I remember this case back from 1993. I was just a child then so I don't remember specifics from that time, but this was a major case. I have been following it for awhile now. Even keeping tabs with friends and family members of the boys. I have read book after book and watched several documentaries about this case and really have come to believe that they were wrongly convicted. It was nothing more than a modern day Salem Witch Trial that took place during the "Satanic Panic" that took place in the US during the 80's and 90's.

These boys were convicted of a "satanic ritualistic murder" of 3 little boys based on a false confession of one of the boys who was practically mentally handicapped and the fact that Damien had some affiliation with Wicca. They looked guilty because they were three immature teenagers who happened to wear all black clothing and listened to heavy metal. They stood out.

Little do people know of the massive mistakes the Arkansas Police made in this murder case. They LOST blood evidence, failed to follow up on leads, and failed to survey the neighbors to see if they had seen anything unusual on the day the 3 little boys disappeared.

The three boys' defense team has actually been working on the case for free since they were imprisoned trying to find more evidence to prove their innocence. Forensics has improved since 1993. They were able to test the evidence again in a forensics lab and had nationally known forensics experts take a look. All of them were astonished that these boys were imprisoned when even pictures of the deceased boys would tell any expert that the alleged "stab wounds" and "knife markings" were postmortem animal bites and scratches from snapping turtles common in the area, not from a satanic ritual. They retested the ropes which bound the little boys and found no DNA linking the 3 men to the murder. In fact, they found hair from one of the little boys fathers on the ropes.

The justice system failed them and it has taken almost 20 years of imprisonment to have this turn around in the case. I don't agree with the deal being made, but they will be out of prison. It's about effing time. They have been through enough.


If any of you are interested in the case:

Documentaries: (you can find them on youtube, that is where I watched them)
- Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
- Paradise Lost 2: Revelations

Books:
- Blood of Innocents by Guy Reel
- Devil's Knot by Mara Levitt
- Almost Home, Vol 1 by Damien Echols (one of the convicted boys)

TV Show documentaries on the case: (you might be able to find them on YouTube, but I don't know for sure)
- 48 Hours Mystery
- Aphrodite Jones

Flickr

I have set up a Flickr account. I'm in the process of loading my Yellowstone pics, but apparently you can only put up 300 MB a month, so it will probably be another year before all my pictures are up there since I took a few thousand, but I've started.

Check it out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nefariousjo

I have started another blog...yeah, I know, I'm an idiot. I have a tendency to like separating different aspects of my life in their own categories or in this case...blogs. I'm trying to decide if I want to make it public or private, because I'm going to be posting my photos and artwork and other stuff there. I don't really like the blogspot format, I prefer wordpress a hell of a lot more. How much will I write on it? Not sure. Whenever I feel inspired. I will consider it my creativity blog. I will post photos, artwork, crappy writings, anything that inspires me, etc.

Anyway, here's my new blank blog: http://nefariousjo.wordpress.com

So, I turn 24 on saturday. That's pretty weird. I feel (and look) MUCH younger.

Mmm...Rabbit Food

So, I'm about to do something that most people are going to say is pretty insane...

I'm going to go vegan for at least 2 weeks, maybe even a month.

Okay, wait...
Before I get bombarded with messages of concern from everyone, first, let me explain a few things...
1.) NO, I have NOT joined a cult
2.) NO, I do NOT worship PETA (They really are only useful for veg recipes and cooking tips)
3.) NO, I will NOT criticize those of you who eat meat and dairy
4.) NO, this is NOT an act of "rebellion" and I am not trying to get back at you or anyone else
5.) NO, I am NOT anorexic NOR do I have an eating disorder of any kind

ANYWAY...
I'm still in the process of educating myself on veganism and have been reading a butt load of books on it so I can do it the healthy way. I went vegetarian for 2 years or so. I gained 7 pounds as a vegetarian and it was the best I had ever felt health-wise (as soon as I started eating meat again, my health went downhill and I lost weight immediately). I stopped due to the lack of money as I was working a minimum wage part-time job. Now that I have a full-time job that pays better than my last job and I'm actually more aware of what I'm doing and how to go about trying a vegetarian or vegan diet, this could become more of a long term thing that will work out much better.

I'm doing this mainly for health reasons because I'm lactose intolerant and my body revolts anytime the slightest amount of dairy is in me. As far as meat consumption goes, I usually only eat chicken. Beef is okay at times. I don't like fish (Trout is sometimes okay). I would rather die than eat pork (it has always been my least favorite of the meats). You get the idea. There really is no point in me eating meat when I don't even like it much. Meat also makes me feel really sluggish afterwards. When I was vegetarian, I was incredibly energetic. I prefer having energy after I eat.

My sister found out that she is gluten intolerant and she had to try the vegan thing too for awhile to see how her body reacted to certain foods when she added them back into her diet. I'm trying a similar thing with dairy to see how my body reacts without any in my system. If I see a drastic difference, I'll probably keep it up or at least stick with being vegetarian because I don't know how long I will last as a vegan.

If anyone has any suggestions or recipes, hook me up. :)

My Bucket List

I have another blog.

Okay, wait. Before you slap me for having yet another blog, let me explain... It's not anything like the nonsense you read here. It's a blog of everything on my Bucket List and incase you don't know what that is, it's a list you make of all the things you want to do before you die (aka "kick the bucket", hence the name).

I started my bucket list a year ago, but I've added A LOT more to it. I've learned a lot about myself in the process.

I think everyone should make their own bucket lists so they are able to make all their dreams come true even the silly ones that may seem insignificant.

Here's the link, so go check it out:
http://pushingupdaisiesfromsixfeetunder.blogspot.com/

:D

Across the Universe

"Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves." -- Henry David Thoreau

Today is my day off so I'm spending it by appreciating music and films that I may have missed by being overly melodramatic and pessimistic about life. I have a lot to be grateful for and with every loss there are many things to gain. Things will turn around, so today I'm choosing to be happy.

I absolutely love Fiona Apple and have been in love with her voice and sound since the 90's. Somehow I missed this Beatles cover and I actually think it's good. (And I hate song covers.) The Beatles and Fiona Apple. Beautiful.