The Jail Job: The intended guy is in Rikers Island doing a year. George uses Juanita’s computer skills to access the inmate Database and have him released early. Vinnie tells him he is a snitch and a suspected child molester, but the truth is he is an undercover ATF officer investigating Vinnie’s interests in Rikers Island, where he controls the drug and sex trade in the huge jail. When he is taken to the prison ferry and released, he has no idea what has happened. He finds himself on the street with no funds, phone, walking after he is dropped off by the prison transport bus. He resolves himself to the thirty block walk to the ATF offices. George catches him on the way and kills him. #Crime #HitMan #OrganizedCrime #Mystery #Thriller #Drama #KU #Audio
Joe the hit Man 2
The crooked Judge: This is a job George takes on for the bookie. The bookie has a friend who is a pimp for high dollar call girls. The judge has killed one of his girls and hushed it up through his buddies in the NYPD. This angers George and he takes the job. It turns out this story is the truth, but killing a judge has its consequences. Every law agency in the area is investigating. One of the cops who helped hide the truth remembers threats from the pimp and tells a cop buddy while drinking. That cop is an ear for Ben Larkin and relays the information to him. #Crime #HitMan #OrganizedCrime #Mystery #Thriller #Drama
Joe the hit Man 3
The stench of stale urine and rotting garbage clung to the air, a familiar perfume in George Topsfield’s nocturnal endeavors. Rain, a relentless drizzle that had plastered itself to the city for days, slicked the cobblestones of the alley, turning the already dismal space into a treacherous, reflective mirror of the neon-drenched city above. #Crime #HitMan #OrganizedCrime #Mystery #Thriller #drama
Joe the hit Man 4
The air in the back room of the dimly lit Italian restaurant was thick with the scent of stale garlic and unspoken threats. Vinnie “The Hammer” Moretti, a man whose reputation preceded him like a bad omen, leaned back in his chair, a half-empty glass of wine swirling in his hand. His eyes, dark and shrewd, scanned the faces of the men seated before him. George Topsfield, his usual veneer of polite composure strained, fidgeted with the cuff of his expensive shirt. Across from him sat Marco, Vinnie’s enforcer, a hulking brute with a face carved from granite and eyes that held the unsettling calm of a predator.#Crime #HitMan #OrganizedCrime #Mystery #Thriller #Drama
This time based on the Opteron processor, AMDs answer to the XEON processor. This was a little more difficult. All I could find was a board that had been stripped from a rack server. I had to do a lot of custom work to get it working and running reliably as a desktop computer. It is faster that the first XEON I built and I can add faster processors with more cores as well. 40 gb of memory, dual graphic cards. Very good turn out that I built into a custom open air case I fabricated to fit the oversized EATX type board. I am still working on my latest build, back to XEON, only the newer versions and another server board from yet another scrapped server. #servers #desktop #computer #computerbuild #amd #Opteron
So, first, the mother did come back for them, so don’t worry.
I don’t know what raccoons do, hunt for food? Gather? In any case the babies slipped out through a hole in the old shed they live in while mom was out doing whatever mother raccoons do. They found their way to an old side porch we only use for the cats and Amber (My Wife) and I put out some cat food to feed them thinking they would eat it.
They did, and, eventually mother raccoon came back. She was very pissed-off that we had kidnapped her raccoon babies. She wouldn’t come down from the shed, but prowled the roof edge, so I took each baby and lifted them up to her. Thank God she wasn’t rabid and bit me. I really wanted to keep one that came over, crawled into my lap and went to sleep. Amber said no and the mother raccoon would have probably killed me too.
The Mamas & the Papas were an iconic folk rock band from the 1960s, known for their harmonious vocals and hits like “California Dreamin'” and “Monday, Monday”. The original members were John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty, and Cass Elliot
Band Members and Their Children:
John Phillips (1935-2001) had a daughter, Chynna Phillips, with Michelle Phillips, who is a member of Wilson Phillips. He also had a daughter, Mackenzie Phillips, who wrote about her tumultuous relationship with her father in her memoir.
Michelle Phillips (born 1944) has three children: Chynna Phillips, Austin Hines, and adopted son Aron Wilson.
Denny Doherty (1940-2007) didn’t have any children with his bandmates, but he was known for his close relationships with his bandmates.
Cass Elliot (1941-1974) had a daughter, Owen Vanessa Elliot, born in 1967.
The Mamas & the Papas were a legendary band with some amazing hits. Here are some of their biggest ones:
“California Dreamin'” (1965)
“Monday, Monday” (1966)
“Dedicated to the One I Love” (1966)
“I Saw Her Again” (1966)
“Creeque Alley” (1967)
Sadly, Cass Elliot, also known as Mama Cass, passed away on July 29, 1974, at the age of 32, due to heart failure. She was found dead in her apartment in London. The coroner’s report concluded that she died from a heart attack, likely caused by an undiagnosed heart condition.
Cass was known for her powerful voice, charming stage presence, and larger-than-life personality. Her death was a shock to fans and the music world. She’s buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.
The Mamas & the Papas’ band dynamic was a wild ride of creativity, romance, and drama. Formed in 1965, the group consisted of John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty, and Cass Elliot. John, the primary songwriter and leader, had a vision for a unique folk-pop sound, but his controlling nature often fueled tension within the group.
Romantic Entanglements:
Michelle Phillips, John’s wife, had an affair with Denny Doherty, causing strain in the band.
John Phillips had a tumultuous relationship with his daughter, Mackenzie, who later wrote about it in her memoir.
Cass Elliot’s powerful vocals and charismatic stage presence made her a fan favorite, but she faced initial resistance from John due to her weight and appearance
Creative Partnership:
The band’s harmony was built on John’s songwriting and arrangement skills.
Their music reflected the free-spirited nature of the 1960s, with hits like “California Dreamin'” and “Monday, Monday”.
Despite their personal struggles, they produced six Top 10 hits between 1965 and 1967
Downfall:
The band’s personal conflicts, substance abuse, and creative differences led to their breakup in 1968.
Cass Elliot pursued a solo career, releasing “Dream a Little Dream of Me” in 1968.
The group’s legacy lives on, with inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Surviving Members:
Michelle Phillips is the last surviving original member of the band, still active in music and acting.
Jill Gibson, who briefly replaced Michelle Phillips in 1966, is also alive.
The Criminal Intentions series are collected short crime fiction in each book that I have gathered together to present to the reader, Dell.
Short Stories in this collection:
HAPPY HOLIDAYS – THE TALE OF LIV – THE TRIP – HOOD RATS – THE PHONE CALL – CHEATING AND DEATH – SANTOS – HARROWS
An excerpt from the short story: The Story of Liv
For fifteen long minutes, Liv stood outside in the chilly, pre-dawn rain. Fifteen minutes felt like an eternity when the craving hit. Time stretched endlessly, with every clock and watch in the world ticking away the moments. Finally, she began testing the doors. The front and back doors were locked. She hadn’t considered the garage door, but eventually decided to try it. To her surprise, it was unlocked, although the lock was badly damaged, causing her to hesitate.
The Criminal Intentions books are collections of short stories, some short some nearly novel length that I have combined together in this collection for you to enjoy, Dell.
In this collection are the following short stories: PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS – A GOOD PLAN – BLACKNESS OF THE SOUL – THE LAST TAXI RIDE – DELLO GREEN – THE ACCIDENT – THE MAN WHO NEARLY TOOK MY LIFE – THE STORY OF THE MEXICAN – WHEN THEY TRIED TO KILL ME
An excerpt from the short story The Accident:
I lay breathing heavy, trying to calm my racing heart. The dream had been so vivid, so real. I had held her and it had felt so good so real so right. She had turned to me and I had opened my eyes and really seen her. Seen what I was holding. A rotting corpse. She was coming closer, holding me, her hands suddenly clutching harder, trying to drag me down into the grave she stank of.
I was covered with sweat, but my heart slowed and I got myself up and made it to the shower.
The newfound resources provided a small measure of comfort, but the shadow of suspicion and mistrust lingered, a constant threat to their already precarious existence. They had survived the attack, but the war within Rapid City had only just begun, a war fought not with guns and blades, but with suspicion, betrayal, and the relentless erosion of trust. #Dystopian #Apocalyptic #Zombie #KU #Audio #Readers #Listeners #DellSweet
As they began to gather the supplies, a sound reached their ears – a muffled groan, coming from somewhere deep within the hospital. A sense of unease settled over them, their hard-won optimism replaced by a chilling apprehension. They cautiously made their way towards the source of the sound, weapons drawn, their steps measured and deliberate.
What they found was chilling. In a secluded corner of the hospital basement, they discovered a hidden chamber, concealed behind a false wall. Inside, they found Silas, surrounded by a cache of supplies far exceeding what they had just discovered in the storeroom. He was not alone. With him was a group of survivors, armed and hostile, their faces etched with a cruel determination.
Silas, his eyes devoid of any remorse, revealed his betrayal. He had never intended to cooperate. His participation in the community had been a carefully orchestrated charade, a means to an end. He had used Rapid City as a stepping stone, accumulating resources for his own survival. His actions shattered the remaining trust and exposed the treacherous underbelly of their fight for existence. He saw them, not as allies, but as obstacles, expendable pawns in his ruthless pursuit of self-preservation.
The revelation was a devastating blow. The weight of Silas’s deceit was crushing, threatening to extinguish the last embers of hope. Gary, stunned by the betrayal, felt the ground shift beneath his feet. He had trusted Silas, had seen him as an ally in their shared struggle. The realization that his trust had been so cruelly betrayed was a gut-wrenching blow. He looked at Robert and Anya, their faces a mask of shock and disbelief, mirroring his own profound disappointment.
Robert, however, showed no emotion. His expression remained impassive, his eyes cold and calculating. Years of survival in a brutal world had hardened him to betrayal, to the chilling realities of human nature. He assessed the situation, calculating their odds. The odds were stacked against them – outnumbered and caught off guard.
The fight was brutal and swift. Robert, with his years of experience, moved with lethal precision, his movements honed by years of facing down the worst humanity had to offer. Anya, despite her frail appearance, fought with a fierce determination, her movements fueled by a surge of adrenaline and a burning desire for revenge. Gary, though shocked by the betrayal, found within himself a reservoir of resilience, battling not just for his life, but for the memory of the life they had lost to Silas’s treachery.
The fight was messy and bloody, a brutal dance of survival in a world stripped bare of morality. The hospital’s dilapidated chambers echoed with the sounds of gunfire and the guttural cries of the combatants. The air grew thick with the smell of gunpowder and sweat.
In the end, against all odds, they managed to overpower Silas and his group. Robert, through a calculated combination of strategy and superior combat skill, managed to neutralize the threat, his movements swift and decisive. Silas lay defeated, his dreams of self-preservation shattered by the very people he had sought to exploit. The remaining survivors, broken and demoralized, surrendered without further resistance.
But the victory was pyrrhic. They had won the battle, but the war was far from over. The encounter had left them physically and emotionally drained. The revelation had shaken their faith in humanity, exposing the depths of human depravity in a world already ravaged by despair.
The discovery of the hidden cache of supplies was both a blessing and a curse. It provided a lifeline, a temporary reprieve from their immediate needs. But it also served as a stark reminder of the betrayals they had faced, the depth of corruption that festered within the hearts of those they had once considered allies. The weight of Silas’s betrayal hung heavy in the air, a constant reminder of the fragility of trust and the ever-present threat of those lurking in the shadows. The future remained uncertain, fraught with danger and fraught with the burden of moral dilemmas. Their journey continued, their steps haunted by the ghosts of the past and the uncertain shadows of the future. The road ahead remained treacherous, a constant struggle for survival against not only the undead, but against the insidious threat of humanity itself. The scars of betrayal ran deeper than the wounds inflicted in the battle, etching themselves onto their souls as indelible reminders of the horrors of their desperate existence. The struggle for survival continued, a relentless dance between hope and despair, a testament to the human spirit’s enduring resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity.
The weight of Silas’s betrayal hung heavy in the air, thick and suffocating like the dust that coated everything in the abandoned hospital. The victory, if it could even be called that, felt hollow. Anya, her face streaked with grime and blood, leaned against a crumbling wall, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The adrenaline had faded, leaving behind a bone-deep exhaustion and a chilling emptiness. Gary stared at Silas, his former friend, now a broken husk lying amidst the scattered debris of their brutal confrontation. The man’s eyes, once filled with a deceptive warmth, were now vacant, reflecting the harsh reality of his defeat. His ambition, his carefully constructed facade, had been shattered, leaving only the grim residue of his treachery.
Robert, however, showed no such signs of emotional turmoil. He moved with a grim efficiency, systematically searching the bodies of Silas’s group, collecting their weapons and any remaining supplies. His gaze was sharp, his movements precise, betraying no hint of the carnage he had just witnessed. He was a man sculpted by years of brutal survival, hardened to the point where even the most shocking acts of violence barely registered. His face, etched with the lines of hardship and countless close calls, remained impassive, his eyes reflecting only a cold calculation. He had seen too much to allow emotion to cloud his judgment…
Serial Killers: Elizabeth Bathory Elizabeth Báthory (1560–1614) — often called the “Blood Countess” — was a Hungarian noblewoman from the powerful Báthory family. She’s infamous as one of history’s most prolific alleged female serial killers. Some may argue that she is not a true serial killer, but I would say read the evidence in this book TrueCrime #SerialKillers #SamWolfe #ElizabethBathory #Murder #Biography #Non Fiction, Elizabeth Bathory, Sam Wolfe, Serial Killers, True Crime
Serial Killers: Ed Gein Ed Gein (1906-1984), also called the “Butcher of Plainfield” or “Plainfield Ghoul”, was an American murderer and body snatcher from Plainfield, Wisconsin. His crimes in the 1950s became notorious for their gruesomeness and heavily influenced horror fiction. TrueCrime #SerialKillers #SamWolfe #EdGein #Murder #Biography #Non Fiction, Ed Gein, Sam Wolfe, Serial Killers, True Crime
Serial Killers: Aileen Wuornos Aileen Wuornos (1956–2002) was an American serial killer who murdered seven men in Florida between 1989 and 1990. She was one of the few female serial killers in the U.S. to receive widespread media attention, and her case sparked debates about trauma, self-defense claims, and how the justice system treats women who kill. #TrueCrime #SerialKillers #SamWolfe #AileenWuornos #Murder #Biography #Non Fiction, Aileen Wuornos, Sam Wolfe, Serial Killers, True Crime
Serial Killers: Jeffrey Dahmer Dahmer’s pursuit of Steven Tuohy was not a spontaneous act born of opportunity, but rather a deliberate endeavor, driven by a specific desire. Tuohy, a young man whom Dahmer had met and engaged with in a manner that blurred the lines between casual acquaintance and something more, became the focal point of Dahmer’s compulsion. #TrueCrime #SerialKillers #SamWolfe #JeffreyDahmer #Murder #Biography #Non Fiction, Jeffrey Dahmer, Sam Wolfe, Serial Killers, True Crime
She forced herself to take a deep, ragged breath. Think, Nia. Analyze. She looked back at the panel, running a gloved hand over its cool surface. #SciFi #TXavierGrant #SpaceSettlement #ColonyRoad
Colony Road: Part Two: The Cage and the Contraband
The lockdown was not just a security measure; it was a strategic maneuver, a tool he was actively using to achieve his own ends. #SciFi #TXavierGrant #SpaceSettlement #ColonyRoad
Colony Road: Part Three: The Quiet Hum of the Eagle One
Nia met Lee’s gaze, a small, grateful smile gracing her lips The next few hours were a testament to the trust that had been forged in the fires of the nebula. The bridge of the Eagle One became a hub of intense, focused activity. #SciFi #TXavierGrant #SpaceSettlement
By Geo DellA young couple making their way through life decides to leave it all behind and rent an old camper van and live on a small, wooded lot just to get away from it all. After all, the world was so crazy, loose, tight, nuts, who could figure any of it out? The try vlogging their experience to help support their antiestablishment lifestyle. It goes better than expected, and brings in more than thought it would in revenue. The money brings its own problems, but also solutions too and they decide to expand their horizons even more. And then things spiral slowly out of control until one of them comes up missing… #Crime #Thriller #Drama #Readers #Mystery #Amazon #KU #Kindle
“Think about the audience, Mark,” Alicia said, her voice low. “Thousands, millions of people who look up to them, who trust them implicitly. They’ve built an entire lifestyle brand around authenticity and adventure. If this comes out… it’s not just their reputations that are at stake. It’s the perception of an entire industry.”
Mark grunted in agreement. “And that’s exactly why they’d go to such lengths to keep it hidden. The financial implications, the legal ramifications… it would be catastrophic. It explains why they’re so desperate, why they’re willing to deal with guys like this. They’re protecting their empire.”
They observed Robyn emerge from the cabin once more, a shadowy figure against the dim light spilling from the doorway. She was carrying a small bag, which she handed to one of the figures who had remained near the motorcycles. The exchange was quick, furtive, and conducted in hushed tones. It was a scene of silent complicity, a chilling tableau of a life lived under duress. Alicia felt a surge of pity for Robyn, caught between her family ties and the dangerous reality of her brother’s world. But that pity was tempered by a growing suspicion that Robyn was not entirely an innocent bystander. Her actions, however fearful, were still actions, contributing to the ongoing operation.
“She’s still involved,” Alicia stated, her voice flat. “Even if she’s scared, she’s still doing what they want her to do. She’s part of the chain, however unwillingly.” The complexities of Robyn’s situation were a tangled mess, and Alicia felt a knot of frustration tightening in her chest. How much of her fear was genuine, and how much was a calculated performance to deflect suspicion? It was a question that haunted her, a question that might never have a clear answer.
The hours stretched on, marked by the shifting patterns of stars through the canopy and the growing cold. The initial shock of Zeke’s appearance had given way to a cold, analytical dread. They were no longer just investigating a missing person; they had stumbled into the heart of a criminal organization, led by a man with a familial connection to one of the victims. The ‘Wanderlust Life’ was a facade, and the truth, when it finally began to surface, was as grim and unforgiving as the wilderness that surrounded them.
Mark finally stirred, breaking the long silence. “We can’t stay here indefinitely. The longer we wait, the more risk we expose ourselves to. We need a new approach. We need to get closer, get definitive proof.”
Alicia nodded, her mind already racing through tactical options. The element of surprise was crucial. They had seen enough to know that caution was paramount. This wasn’t just a group of low-level criminals; this was an organized operation, and Zeke was its clearly defined leader. The discovery of his presence, and his role, had irrevocably shifted the focus of their investigation. The hunt for Paul had transformed into a deep dive into a dangerous family affair, with Robyn caught in the crossfire, and Zeke wielding the power that dictated the deadly game. The coming hours would require more than just observation; they would require calculated risks, and a willingness to confront the darkness head-on. The idyllic veneer of the ‘Wanderlust Life’ had been stripped away, revealing the rot beneath, and Alicia knew, with a chilling certainty, that they were now staring into the abyss. The deeper they dug, the more perilous the journey became, each revelation only serving to underscore the immense danger they were in. The trust they had placed in the seemingly innocent world of travel vlogging had been a fatal miscalculation, and the price of that naivete was becoming terrifyingly clear. They had to find Paul, but more than that, they had to expose the truth, no matter how grim it might be, and no matter the cost to themselves. The stakeout had yielded a horrifying realization, and the next move had to be decisive, aimed at unearthing the secrets that lay hidden within the secluded cabin and the twisted heart of the ‘Wanderlust Life.’
