******UPDATE******

It looks like Ariel Castro’s brothers are not being charged with any crimes related to the kidnapping and confinement of Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight, and Gina DeJesus.

Also, some interesting things we have learned about Ariel Castro:

• He had been previously accused of brutally beating his common-law wife, Grimilda Figueroa.
• When he would see Gina DeJesus’ mother, he would ask her how she was doing (in regards to the disappearance of her daughter) *** very much sounds like sadistic behaviour.
• He has, in fact, been in trouble with the law before
• He previously knew Gina DeJesus, she was friends with her daughter

Stay tuned as more information becomes available.

**********************************************************************************************************************************

In an unbelievable story of hope and heroism, three young woman, kidnapped and confined for over 10 years, have been saved.  Over the last 24 hours, the world has been captivated by the escape of Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus.

Based on what we know already, I feel confident in the following assumptions:

• These young women were likely raped repeatedly over their 10 year confinement
• In all likelihood, physical restraints were used, but also, psychologically, these girls were conditioned to not try to escape.  If I were to guess, threats were made to harm the child, reported to be Amanda’s daughter.  Times when they were left alone in the house, they were probably told that one of the brother’s was watching them.
• Ariel Castro’s wife and his children were probably the first victim’s of what is likely a controlling and sadistic personality.  Most people do not just wake up on day and become a kidnapper and rapist.  He was likely playing out violent sexual fantasies with or without consent against his wife.  I predict that his controlling and violent ways are ultimately what led to the demise of his marriage
• Based on the fact that Ariel and his two brothers have been charged, it is probably a good assumption that they, themselves, came from an abusive background.  No doubt, their mother was abused, possibly in front of them, and they learned at a young age that women are lesser humans, to be controlled, assaulted and even raped
• Guys like this do not usually just wake up one day and commit a major felony crime.  I would  think that Castro has had previous contact with the police, though it may be for minor offenses.  I also wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the Castro brothers have committed many other crimes, like burglary for example, before and even during the time they had these girls confined
• Another missing girl, Ashley Summer, has previously been linked, by the FBI, to the disappearances of Berry and DeJesus.  She was not found in the home.  However, this does not mean that she was not kidnapped and confined by the Castro brothers.  I have a bad feeling that Ashley may have also fallen victim to this band of sadistic brothers, but may not have survived her ordeal.

Some questions I have:

• Ariel Castro was a school bus driver in the general area where the girls lived.  Did they have previous contact with him as a bus driver?
• How many other girls were kidnapped by the Castro brothers and did not survive?

This case reminds me of Gary Heidnik, who was a sexual sadist that kidnapped women and held them in the basement of his house.  Though he killed only two women, he is still considered a serial killer, merely because it was a miracle more women didn’t die.

This case also reminds me of famous California killers Leonard Lake and Charles Ng.  They were a killing team that had kidnapped and murdered women in the name of having sex slaves.

Suffice it to say, life was probably terrible for Amanda, Michelle and Gina; horrible to proportions that the average person cannot even comprehend.  That they are still alive is a testament to the strength of their spirits!

It is a good thing that the Castro brothers have been incarcerated.  I am sure they were always on the prowl for their next girl and it’s entirely possible that, had one of the girls died, they would have been quickly replaced with the next victim pulled off the Cleveland streets.

There are still a lot of details that haven’t been made to the public as of yet, but for now, we know that three men have been charged in connection to the crimes committed against these women: Ariel Castro and his two brothers, Pedro and Onil Castro.

Three missing women were discovered in Cleveland, Ohio this week and by all news accounts, mere miles from where they were raised. Three brothers will no doubt face a myriad of charges as a result. God knows what these women went through or who else may have been there. Not to mention the therapy these women will need to unravel the tangles from the last 10 to 12 years of their lives.

But the focus has been on the very colorful hero, Charles Ramsey. Charles - reminiscent of a character or two from the movie “Coming to America” – was the man who rescued Amanda Berry (missing for 10-years), Gina Dejesus, (missing since 2004) and Michele Knight, (missing since 2002). This set off a chain of events sure to become a Lifetime or Hallmark movie one day.  Every interview with him has been entertaining and riveting. His words… “Dead Giveaway” has become an internet song while millions of us  (including me) get a bit of comic relief from this horrific story.

via: The Gregory Brothers/Youtube.com

Now, I’m not saying anything is wrong with it. Honestly, I would love a “Charles Ramsey” in my life. At least I’d know he had my back! What I am saying is that We Need More Charles Ramsey’s to stand up for the missing everywhere! I mean, they could very well be right next door to us!

See: Charles Ramsey: ‘I Don’t Want’ Media Attention, I’m Just An ‘American’ And A ‘Human Being’

So, for the thousands of men, women and children missing in America, lets keep our eyes open. Be aware of what is going on in your own neighborhood. You may not get an internet song and tons of media attention, but being a Charles Ramsey apparently isn’t a bad thing. Especially when it means a missing person (Or, Three) can be reunited with family and friends.

Click here for a list of missing persons right here in Michigan: Michigan State Police

The long poem about Will (“History of William Marshal,” ed. by A.J. Holden, Anglo-Norman Text Society, 2004) is, too. Thus the field is open for many different interpretations of the preserved information.

It’s fun to read all the novels written so far about Marshal. (I think I’ve read them all. Altogether they paint a rich picture of life in the twelfth century. I also like to read the novels that deal with Elizabeth I of England.)

However, there are some things about my novel that are different from the rest. First, “The Devil’s Grandson” is the first to concentrate on the life of a young William Marshal, from 1147 to 1170.

The story emphasizes the forces that shaped a magnificent hero, who would be called England’s greatest knight. These forces include the dynamics of William’s family of birth, and opportunities to learn from kings and queens.

The novel shows how Marshal, lacking land and money, propels himself to the forefront of English history by the age of twenty-three. (When he dies, Marshal will have defended five kings, served as regent of England, and issued the final Magna Carta.)

The book plays up events in which Marshal’s life intersected with those of the other history-makers of the twelfth century rather than glosses over them.

I have used a few events that lack evidence of William’s presence – such as the death of Thomas Becket. Doing so has allowed me to present more of the sweep of history that affected William’s life. (You could say I’ve used my artistic license freely.)

The book corrects some myths about the reign of Henry II and his sons. For instance, it gives attention to the real causes of strife between Henry II and Thomas Becket. The book characterizes Becket as his peers regarded him – not as a saint. In the novel, as in the historical record, the Archbishop schemes to give the church more power than the king, while Henry Second insists upon separation of church and lay authority.

At that time, the church had been usurping the right to try criminal cases, which heretofore had been heard by the King’s judges. (Infractions of church rules, such as the commitment of heresy, had always been tried by the church.)

The book does not avoid the elements of life that my mother does not like to read about: war, death, and sex. She is a product of the times when she grew up, and I am a product of mine. However, I’m happy to say that Mother read “The Devil’s Grandson.” In fact, she couldn’t put it down.

Finally, the book is a bit like a travelogue. I hope I’ve given enough description of key locations so that the reader can see, touch, smell, taste, and hear what William Marshal himself would have. I hope it makes the reader want to visit England and France. I think that if you don’t like description you should be reading scripts for dramas – and not novels.

Fantastical worlds have always been something that I have found really interesting not only as a writer but also as a fellow artist (see “ITA Jon Sideriadis), so it is not surprising that I would yet again be drawn to another lover of the fantastical realms. “I’m inspired by a lot of fantasy based images, the fantasy genre and myths” this is very clear upon first look at her work. Worlds that feed on the might of a knight battling against the powers of magic, blood stained crowns and the kings that have taken them, and a the calm relaxation found at the end of a smoking a pipe after felling a mighty dragon.  This is only some of the worlds that RAW Artist Erica Lee’s imagination has traveled to. And I had the pleasure of finding out where we were going next.

“I’m also inspired by the work of Alphonse Mucha and more contemporary illustrators like Kid CHAN, what I like most about them is their use of pastel color, themes, and soft illustrations that I try to emulate in my own work.”  After looking at Erica’s work with that in mind the styling’s of Mucha are what popped out to me first.  A fellow love of my own, his use of Art Nouveau is very apparent in Erica’s work especially in the piece “Allergy Season”.  From the use of intricate patterns filled with different flowery filaments, to the flowing filigree of the figures hair and handkerchief.  The subject matter is humorous, playing with the bane of most everyone when that dreaded season comes around.

Working primarily digitally, though not opposed to the use of oils and acrylics, each one starts out as either a feeling, or a phrase.  An image of a woman in a bridal shawl one day becomes the basis for a shrouded figure the next.  Searching through scores of images on Tumblr she looks for something that breathes life into the fires of her creative mind, tweaking each one here and there so that they better suit her needs, until finally digital brushes loaded with digital paint transfer the images in her head onto digital canvas to create these elaborate works of art.

Would you like to see more of Erica’s work? But of course! Well humble travelers images of her work can be found on her website http://www.ericajlee.net/.  There you can see in full detail all of her recent work as to date as well as ways to contact her.  And to all you fellow artists out there she imparts a simply elegant phrase, “Always draw what you like. Even if people tell you this is not what the world wants, cause that is what will always keep you drawing.”

With the rise of RAW: Connecticut, be sure to check out our next upcoming showcase at the Russian Lady New Haven.  Mark your calendars and be prepared to RAWk as we have our first showcase at our new venue, EXPRESSIONS on Wednesday May 29^th.  Doors open at 8 and will remain so till midnight, for tickets, our artists and more information about RAW can be found at http://www.rawartists.org/hartford

This image of a “Norman knight with his lady” is from page 199 of Joel August Rogers‘ book “Sex and Race, Volume I: Negro-Caucasian Mixing in All Ages and All Lands: The Old World.” It is found in the  eighteenth chapter entitled “The Mixing of Whites and Blacks in the British Isles.” The portrait originates from the The Wriothesley Garter book, a part of the British Royal Collection.  The book was gathered by Thomas Wriothesley, the son and successor of   Garter King of Arms John Writhe.

This is Dowell Harlin Knight, Lillie (Knight) Strong’s brother. He was born 3/17/1899 & died 3/10/1985.

Oil on panel; 14 x 17,8 cm
(Private collection)

The King’s League: Odyssey

• Description:
  • Like its predecessor, The League: Odyssey offers a tiny army for your battling needs.
    An attempted murder on the King has led to the death of Whitney, the Royal Knight. In search of a worthy person to take up the role as a Kurestal Knight, a new league is announced. Fight your way from the humble Hamlet Tourney till the League for a seat at the Kurestal Round Table.
    With more classes, quests and unique features, The League: Odyssey promises an upgraded league experience. Sieges can be launched to conquer more territories, but beware you might be attacked too. Units have been given a shiny new look, and new unique characters are up for grabs. For those who enjoy the extra bonuses from questing, a few interesting factions are offering quests this time around.
    So wait no more, put on that armor and sign up for the league right this instant!
• Instructions:
  • Mouse only.
• Category:
  • Addicting Games
• Tags:
  • Archer, assassin, bishop, cleric, en, fantasy, kings, knight, league, mage, magician, Management, manager, odyssey, paladin, phantom, priest, ranger, Rogue, sentinel, Simulation, tactical,templar, thief, upgrades, Wizard

Scenario: I was in the middle of the forest. Medieval times. It was like I was caught in the middle of a war. I was wearing leather armor, and for some reason, I was a guy – muscles, mustache, beard, and all. Of course I knew that it was a nightmare, but I was stuck. I didn’t know how to get out of it.

The first thing I remember was running. I was cutting through the bushes and leaves with my huge-ass sword. I’m pretty sure it was as heavy as me, but I had no problem with carrying it. I was riding a beautiful black stallion, with his mane so finely brushed and he just looked majestic. As my steed galloped (whose name was Internet, for the strangest of God-knows-why), arrows whizzed by me. Arrows  were trying to hit me. People were shooting at me. And the arrows… were on fire. It was horrific. Everything behind me was on fire.

A little bit further, I saw a village… or at least it looked like a group of people living in hideous cobblestone houses. (I don’t think you can call them villages.) The arrows stopped for a moment, and I was able to command Internet to go faster, in my deep and manly voice. When I reached the stone-age houses, I searched for shelter. I got off Internet and ran for one of the houses. That’s where I met the Doctor.

The Doctor (I watch Doctor Who) was apparently the psychic-witch doctor in the town. I asked him of help, and all he said was, “Your horse is not who she seems to be.” I was confused, and I answered, “But Internet is my trusty steed. He will never betray me.” All he replied was, “Loyalty is not of the question here.” Seconds later, screams were heard outside, and I saw my enemies approaching.

As soon as I stepped out of the house, I was shot in my shoulder. I winced in pain, and fell to the ground. I looked around me: I was surrounded. Men in black balaclavas, black sweaters, and black pants. They looked like ninja-thieves. The last thing I remember was thinking, “Balaclavas look stupid,” before I slipped out of the world.

When I came to, I felt softness beneath me. Cotton softness. My body is being moved, and I can feel the ground move beneath me. I open my eyes, and I come face-to-face with a cow. I was in a farm. On a sheep. When I stood up, a man approached me, saying, “Your horse does not like being called a ‘he.’”

I woke up in a confusion. I reached for my bedside table, only to realize that it was on the other side of my bed. I had just moved in to my Pasig condo. Probably it was just that – a new bed, new house, new condo, new everything. It took me time to adjust in my new condo, but I have such friendly neighbors here in the Rochester. It really makes me feel good. Anyway, I’m digressing. Back to the story: it took me awhile to realize what the witch doctor meant. My horse was gay. And I was a Knight Mare. My subconscious is twisted like taht sometimes.

My hoomins finally let me in on the secret, and awarded me the title of Pugilist! Not sure what has changed, or how I earned it, though.

There I was taking a nap, and a sound outside startled me. I jumped up in a flash, and took off running. I guess I was still a little sleepy, though, and pugran (past tense of pugrun?) straight into the wall, face-first. I stepped back, a little dazed but ok, shook my head, and looked up at my hoomins. “Ow, my nose!” I snorted up at them.

And that’s when it happened! They awarded me the title, saying, “Ahh, Bugs Puggy, are you ok? How’s my little pugilist?”, pet me on the head, and gave me a snack!

Best. Coronation. Ever.

Tank U Bugs

CONFLICT WITH METHODISM AND

CAMPBELLISM GROWING

Dr. Graves is not to be charged with bringing on the conflict with Methodism. It cannot be said that he sought to shun it, but he could not have avoided it if he had so desired. There was the choice, either to accept the challenge or quit the field. Dr. Graves would have left the plumed knight of Methodism to go his own way when the Baptists were left with the same freedom, but when the proud champion “shook his javelin in challenge to personal combat,” this ruddy youth who had come to make his home in the West “laid his lance in rest and accepted the challenge.”

However, much their successors may deplore this combat, some things would inevitably happen. Here is how it came on. Dr. McFerrin, in The Christian Advocate, said that “Baptists believed that infants were lost because not baptized by them.” Dr. Howell, in The Baptist, indignantly denied this, averring that baptism had nothing to do with the salvation of anyone and that, in the case of adults, the saved were fit subjects for baptism. This has ever been the position of the Baptists. Dr. McFerrin said, in reply, that the Disciples taught baptismal regeneration and showed his proof by saying: “Are these men, when a Baptist urges upon believers the duty of baptism as the approved form by which the unholy assumes religion and as an expression of love and obedience to Christ, to exclaim, ‘Cambellism, Campbellism?’”

Dr. Howell responded that no Baptist believes that baptism is a saving ordinance or that the unbaptized are necessarily unsaved.

Things were in this shape when Dr. Graves, on becoming editor of The Baptist, took up this charge as well as the McFerrin denial that the Methodist taught Baptismal Salvation. Here are Dr. Graves’ ringing words: “Mr. Wesley says, ‘by water as a means – the water of baptism – we are regenerated and born again,’ that this teaching utterly denies that faith is the only condition or medium of justification is self-evident. It needs no argument. If baptism is ever in any case an instrument of justification, it is always so, for there is but one medium. If it is always by faith it is never by baptism – and if by baptism then it is always by baptism and never by faith.

“According to the above teaching (in the Methodist Advocate), no adult ordinarily can escape original sin or attain to justification or regeneration except in or by the water of baptism as a means. Is not this the old Roman dogma to all intents and purposes? Is it not a rejection of the vital doctrine, by all its far-reaching and powerful machinery, by its itinerary, its mammoth book concern and its capital, to subvert the gospel of Christ, to abolish from the land the great and only soul-saving doctrine of justification by faith?”

It was thus that Dr. Howell practically turned over the challenge of the Methodist to his young associate, who was, at the same time, really his pupil. Dr. Graves took up this defiant call. He wrote, lectured, preached to thousands all over Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, portions of Georgia and Kentucky in attack and defense before thronging multitudes. He, like a knight clad in full armor and grasping his glittering sword, stood in the arena ready to do battle with any who denied the truth. He debated over the whole territory with the champions of Methodism and turned the tide, we may say, in a way to an extent that no one in those states had previously done. And Methodism still remembers that Dr. Graves lived.

I’ve always been fascinated with celtic knots and spirals, specially the ones that have animals in it. A really good one can make my brain start looping out of it’s functional existence as I’m staring at it. Only it’s alot harder when you try it yourself. Judging by the fetus inside the upper ones, they must have some deeper meaning. somewhere.

Sometimes you are so deep into what you are doing that you are not seeing the obvious. Only much later I realized the odd eyes. I shall use this as an excuse from now on. Tunnel vision made me do it.

As I told you earlier, I love celtic animal nots. So at some point I decided to give it a shot myself. More specifically, it’s actually a full sleeve tatoo design for myself. Where the snake/dragons would respresent good and evil, something wich both humans, birds and othe animals wrestle with. And sometimes the bad wins (upper left), and sometimes the good wins (upper right), here visually represented by the infamous Decombel- war cry: “eat him up”.
Underneath you’ll find a somewhat cleaner version, and a non-permanent photoshop tatoo on myself. The small curls have not been done yet, since they are the hardest to do.

Mosquito’s, like many other bugs, can be extremely annoying but are stunningly cool built actually. If only we’d stop to look at them more often.

Some variations on the ladybug: Lady bug with skull pattern, and lady bug with a mercedes V-2 kompressor engine under the hood.

I had a period where  I was very fascinated with astronaut suits. They have a kind of functional beauty to it.

Travelling through India, I picked up a Robin Hood book, written in old english. Needless to say, my mind wondered off.

Also in India, I ordered a local tailor to make me a fabric bag which I could put over my backpack for two reasons: to protect its many straps that are hanging off it from the conveyer belts of the airports, and to make it easier to describe than “ehm, a black backpack?”, in case it got lost. Enthousiastic I set about a pattern I would paint on it, to make it very recognisable, in the usual Simon style: a bird, me, celtic knots, not alot of sense. It’s another aquarel experiment.
What happened to this magnificent plan? Well, the bag actually got made, only it ripped the first time I used it. Thank you, Idian Tailer in Mamalapuram

I designed some sort of diving engine that one attaches to the legs. Gas pedal, fins and everything,

Trying out how elegant a human body can be, and how far can you stretch some joints.

A good old classic: a night an his armor. After hearing my dad talk about how a knight chooses his own shield, I thought about what I wanted for a shield. It would be a silhouet of a gannet (big badass seabird) and two stars. I think that would be cool.

Killer in overall. what more do you need.

Had an exceptionally good sketching session on a napkin in some restaurant. Hence the rubbish texture  this picture. Another Robin Hood, and an eagle of some sorts.

Inspired by the fictional night vision goggles of Ewan Mcgreggor in Big fish, the upper guy. Under that is a design of how to hook your sword to your back while still being able to unhook it easily. Some medieval problem solving right there.

This is a design I did for a piece in an exhibition about the oil-bird problems. Simple and straightforward. A wrecked boat, black carpet that would serve as oil, and wooden carved birds landing in it. Nothing happened with it, it retired in my books.

Some more Robin Hood I’m afraid. Trying to add a bit more realistic touches to it. Check out the stitches on his coat… yeah.

A different style this time: clean and solid. I was designing a little logo in order to visualize what happened in the washing room in the Wildlife Rehabilitation center in Ostend. It’s a gannet in a tub!

As the text describes. One day I saw a guy -after alot of screaming back and forth- hit a woman in the face, in the middle of the street. I was driving by, and just drove on, but that image got stuck on my retina. Feeling sick and disappointing in myself that I did not do anything, I decided to give the woman some sort of revenge in my book at least.

Biology Simon, backed up by wildlife!

Ok, This one will need some explanation. I’ts a background for a story I thought up, situated in India: a country where men are clearly dominant over their women. At some point in the future, there will be strong women that will rebel against this dominance, demanding attention and respect. This revolution might be supported by some, but other men will start to feel threatened in their position, and will counteract, under the motivation: “women are becoming too smart”. This polarity will eventually spark extremes to appear, as for example an all-female terrorist group called “Kali”, lead by Zhafran (see next drawing)

Zhafran (named after an inspiring indian woman from Jodhpur). A character and description of her background.

After Zhafran, and partially inspired by Marko Djurdjevic I felt like doing more character designs. so here’s a relaxed punkchick.

One of my more detailed selfportraits, with attributes.

I’m sorry, I also have no idea about this one. But I’ll leave you with an anticlimactical action-trio:

• Photos by Babe
• Place: Cloud Nine