The ‘Sea Wanderer,’ their forty-foot sloop, was more than just a vessel; it was their sanctuary, their laboratory, and their chariot to a world unknown. Years of meticulous planning had gone into her outfitting, every piece of equipment chosen for its reliability and suitability for long-distance cruising. Solar panels were integrated into the deck’s design, promising a sustainable source of power, while a robust water filtration system was a testament to their commitment to self-sufficien…
Charles Block has escaped his holding cell, and no one seems able or willing to find him…The pattern of Block’s previous criminal activities revealed a clear progression. He started with smaller, albeit complex, financial crimes, gradually escalating to more ambitious heists that required intricate planning and the manipulation of multiple systems. The move towards physical logistics, as evidenced by his presumed involvement with the Crimson Syndicate, was a logical, alb…
The world exploded in a cacophony of pain. A throbbing in my skull, a dull roar in my ears, a nauseating stench that clung to the back of my throat – these were the first sensations that pierced the darkness. My eyes fluttered open, met not by the comforting glow of dawn but by a chaotic panorama of shattered concrete, twisted metal, and the horrifying tableau of broken bodies. I was trapped, bound tightly, my wrists and ankles secured by thick, rough rope that bit into my flesh.Pa… Surviving the Wasteland eBook by Dell George – EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States
A hardcore crew of thieves running a tri-state crime origination comes to the attention of a detective who has been putting the pieces of the crimes together to achieve a solution for how and why the crimes are done. All pros in their fields of expertise, each member has a job to do. Like them, the detective sees the job that he must do and sets out to narrow down the scope and catch them in the act…As Leo spoke, he saw the pieces of Jax’s grand design c… The Tri-State Syndicate eBook by Dell George – EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States
Rode the Limited This is a song I wrote about a train trip I took some years ago. It was and will always be in/on my mind. I had never spent six days on a train before. It is an entirely different world… #train #music #selfpenned #bmi #DellSweet
One evening, I found myself back at the scene of the car accident—the snow-covered road where my life nearly ended. The scars on my body served as tangible reminders of that brutal night; the emotional scars were far deeper. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional rustle of the wind. The cold night air, the harsh sounds of snow crunching under my boots; it all was reminiscent of the night that would nearly cost my life. Standing there, I felt a wave of sadness, a flicker of the old fear, but it quickly subsided. The trauma was still there, woven into the fabric of my being, but it no longer controlled me. I had faced it, processed it, and emerged stronger.#True #NonFiction #Crime #Memoir #Kindle #KU Kindle:
Great question! While the brand name Chevrolet itself has French roots—it’s the surname of Louis Chevrolet, a Swiss-born race car driver with French linguistic heritage—the actual vehicle names from Chevrolet aren’t typically derived from French words.
Here’s a breakdown:
🏁 The Name “Chevrolet”
Origin: Named after Louis Chevrolet, co-founder of the company in 1911.
Linguistic roots: The surname “Chevrolet” sounds French and includes the diminutive suffix “-et,” common in French names like ballet or omelet2.
Meaning: Despite the French sound, it’s a surname—not a word with a specific meaning in French.
🚗 Vehicle Names with French Influence?
Most Chevrolet vehicle names are not French. They tend to be:
English descriptors (e.g., Cruze, Trailblazer, Silverado)
Spanish or Latin-inspired (e.g., Camaro—possibly from a French slang term meaning “friend,” though this is debated)
Invented or stylized names (e.g., Equinox, Tahoe, Blazer)
🤔 What About “Camaro”?
This one’s interesting:
Chevrolet claimed Camaro meant “friend” in French slang when it launched in the 1960s.
However, no such word exists in standard French. It’s likely a marketing invention with a French flavor to evoke camaraderie and style.
So while the brand carries a French-sounding name, the vehicles themselves are mostly named with American flair or global appeal, not directly from French vocabulary.
🏁 Formation of Chevrolet Motor Company
Founded: November 1911
Founders: Louis Chevrolet, a Swiss-born race car driver, and William C. Durant, a visionary businessman who had previously founded GM in 1908.
Purpose: After Durant was ousted from GM in 1910 due to overexpansion and financial troubles, he launched Chevrolet to compete with Ford’s Model T and regain influence in the auto industry.
Early Success: Chevrolet quickly gained traction, turning a profit and building a reputation for stylish, reliable cars.
🔄 Acquisition by General Motors
Date of Acquisition: May 2, 1918
How It Happened: Durant used Chevrolet’s success to buy up GM stock. In a strategic move, he offered GM shareholders five shares of Chevrolet for every one share of GM. The offer was irresistible, and it allowed Durant to reclaim control of GM.
Irony: Durant had been forced out of GM in 1910, only to return by merging it with the company he built after his exile.
Aftermath: Durant became GM’s president again—but only briefly. In 1920, financial troubles returned, and Pierre S. DuPont took control, permanently removing Durant from GM.
🚘 Legacy
Chevrolet became a cornerstone of GM’s brand portfolio, known for iconic models like the Corvette, Camaro, and Silverado.
The merger helped GM dominate the American auto industry for decades, with Chevrolet playing a key role in its rise.
It’s a classic tale of comeback and corporate chess. Want to explore how Chevrolet’s early models stacked up against Ford’s at the time?
Ford Model T (1908–1927)
Price: Dropped to under $300 by the mid-1920s thanks to Ford’s revolutionary assembly line.
Engine: 2.9L inline-4, ~20 horsepower.
Strengths:
Mass production = affordability.
Durable and simple to maintain.
Became the symbol of American mobility.
Weaknesses:
Spartan features.
Manual crank start (early models).
Limited styling and comfort.
🚘 Chevrolet Series 490 (1915–1922)
Price: Introduced at $490, hence the name.
Engine: 171 cu in inline-4, ~24 horsepower.
Strengths:
More advanced tech: overhead valve engine, electric starter, better instrumentation.
Smoother ride and more refined interior.
Positioned as “more car for the same money.”
Weaknesses:
Slightly higher price.
Less brand recognition early on.
⚔️ Head-to-Head Highlights
Feature Ford Model T Chevy Series 490
Price ~$300 (1920s) $490 (intro price)
Horsepower ~20 HP ~24 HP
Starter Manual (early) Electric (later models)
Transmission 2-speed planetary 3-speed manual
Market Position Mass-market leader Challenger with upgrades
🏁 Outcome
Ford dominated early on, selling millions of Model Ts.
Chevrolet slowly gained ground with better features and comfort.
By 1927, Ford shut down Model T production to retool for the Model A, and Chevrolet surpassed Ford in sales for the first time.
🚗 Ford Model A (1928–1931)
Engine: 3.3L inline-4, producing 40 horsepower
Transmission: 3-speed manual
Price: Around $495 for a Tudor Sedan
Strengths:
Stylish design by Edsel Ford
Reliable and easy to maintain
Came in multiple colors (unlike the Model T’s “any color as long as it’s black”)
Weaknesses:
Still a 4-cylinder, while competitors were moving to six
Basic interior and limited features
🛠️ Chevrolet Stovebolt Six (1929)
Engine: 3.2L inline-6, producing 46 horsepower initially, later boosted to 50+ HP
Marketing tagline: “A Six for the Price of a Four”
Strengths:
Smoother performance and more power than Ford’s 4-cylinder
Advanced engineering with OHV design
Only about $100 more than the Model A
Impact:
Helped Chevrolet regain the sales lead from Ford in 1931
Became the foundation of Chevy’s engineering reputation for decades
⚔️ Head-to-Head Snapshot
Feature
Ford Model A
Chevy Stovebolt Six
Engine
4-cylinder, 40 HP
6-cylinder, 46–50 HP
Price
~$495
~$595
Design
Flathead
Overhead Valve (OHV)
Ride Quality
Basic
Smoother, more refined
Market Impact
Stylish upgrade from Model T
Game-changer in power and value
This was a turning point: Ford had style, but Chevrolet brought power and innovation. The Stovebolt Six wasn’t just a better engine—it was a strategic move that helped Chevrolet dominate the market for years.
🔧 Ford’s Flathead V8 (1932)
Introduced: 1932, in the Ford Model 18
Innovation: First mass-produced, affordable V8 engine
Specs: 3.6L V8, ~65 horsepower
Impact:
Made high performance accessible to everyday drivers
Revolutionized the auto industry by offering power at a low price
Became a favorite among hot rodders—and criminals
Ford’s move was a direct response to Chevrolet’s six-cylinder success in 1929. Henry Ford, who disliked inline-sixes, pushed for a bold leap: a single-piece cast V8 block, which was unheard of at the time.
🕵️ Clyde Barrow’s Letter to Henry Ford (1934)
Date: April 10, 1934
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Content: Clyde praised the Ford V8 as the ultimate getaway car. He wrote:
Context:
Clyde and Bonnie Parker were infamous for their string of robberies and murders across the Midwest.
They routinely stole Ford V8s for their speed and reliability.
The letter was unsolicited and handwritten—an odd kind of product endorsement from a fugitive.
Legacy:
The letter is preserved at The Henry Ford Museum.
Though some handwriting experts question its authenticity, it’s widely accepted as genuine or at least consistent with Barrow’s style.
It added to the mythos of the Ford V8 as both a symbol of American ingenuity and outlaw infamy.
So yes—Ford’s engineering brilliance inadvertently became a tool for one of the most notorious crime sprees in U.S. history.
the Bonnie and Clyde “Death Car”, why it mattered, and how it became a macabre legend.
🚘 The Car: 1934 Ford Model 730 Deluxe Sedan
Color: Tan
Engine: Ford’s powerful Flathead V8
Why They Chose It:
It was faster than most police cars at the time.
The V8 engine gave them the edge in high-speed getaways.
It was stolen from a Kansas couple just weeks before their deaths.
🔫 The Ambush: May 23, 1934
Location: Bienville Parish, Louisiana
Event: A posse of six lawmen ambushed the car on a rural road.
Firepower: They unleashed 167 bullets, riddling the car with over 120 bullet holes3.
Outcome:
Clyde was killed instantly by a headshot.
Bonnie was hit multiple times—reportedly 26 wounds.
The car veered into a ditch and nearly overturned.
🧠 Why It’s Significant
Symbol of Rebellion: The car became a symbol of speed, defiance, and the outlaw mystique.
Cultural Impact:
Crowds swarmed the scene to see the bullet-riddled car.
Some people even tried to take shards of glass as souvenirs.
Touring Sideshow:
The car was returned to its original owner, Ruth Warren, who leased it out to tour the country.
It appeared at state fairs, amusement parks, and even racetracks where people paid to sit inside.
Current Location: Today, it’s on display at Whiskey Pete’s Casino in Primm, Nevada.
🕵️ The Legacy
This Ford V8 wasn’t just a getaway car—it became a gruesome celebrity. It represents the collision of innovation, crime, and media spectacle. And it’s a reminder of how even a stolen car can become a permanent part of American folklore.
Kdenlive: This is my first video (Scroll down) using Kdenlive video editor which is a free open-source video editor. This is three video tracks and 4 audio tracks, and it came together nice. Yes, most likely I could have finessed it a little more, but I am happy for my first endeavor to turn out this well. I normally use another triplet of video editors to get the job done that I did with this one. Not exaggerated either. I use Windows Video editor, yes, the old one to put the initial video together because it still works very well after all of these years and it is a free download and free to use. From there I go to Ice Cream video editor. It is simple, it can edit easily and I believe it was about 40 bucks. Then I go to Photos Legacy video editor as you can download and use that still in place of Clip Champ. The problem in that process is editing and saving from each editor and just the fact I have to use three to get the job done. The second, bigger problem, is that Photos Legacy is what I have been using to add FX, and it rarely works any longer. Yes, it is free to download. Yes it will start up, but it will rarely start all the way. It hangs, it never finishes loading, and yet sometimes no problem it loads right up. And of course, you can’t actually download it and run it on your own machine. In short, I am sick of getting to the end of my three editors to put my video together and finding I can’t add music, sound, other clips, overlays etc. So here is my first crack at what I settled on for a solution. It is free, open source and being worked on, so it promises to get even better. Multi tracks, audio, video, overlays etc.
https://kdenlive.org/ There is where to get it. Hope this helped. I am not part of that team; I’m just shouting out a good solution that can do all of your video needs…
Symphony of Shadows
Symphony of Shadows Charles Block has escaped his holding cell, and no one seems able or willing to find him… The pattern of Block’s previous criminal activities revealed a clear progression. He started with smaller, albeit complex, financial crimes, gradually escalating to more ambitious heists that required intricate planning and the manipulation of multiple systems. The move towards physical logistics, as evidenced by his presumed involvement with the Crimson Syndicate, was a logical, albeit terrifying, evolution. It was the ultimate expression of his ability to control and manipulate the flow of resources, to operate with impunity in the arteries of global commerce. Corbin felt a chill crawl up his spine. Block wasn’t just a thief; he was a logistical architect of illicit trade, a man who could render entire borders invisible. #Crime #KOBO #DellGeorge #Thriller #Drama Symphony of Shadows eBook by Dell George – EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United States
Happy Sunday! This has been a pretty good week, writing productivity has been great and there has been a lot of back and forth between a few of us on the writing. That sort of bouncing ideas off each other always results in a better book.
The second Dreamer’s Worlds book is nearly finished. Once it is it will go for editing. That will probably wrap up this coming week sometime, and then I will work on The Fold the new settlement Earth book that the others have been working on. After that I am really thinking about finally finishing the first Rapid City book as an offering for the next ES/Zombie Plagues story. The story has to be told because that place becomes prominent later on in the series, and I have let it wait too long already.
That will bring me to Hurricane the second offering in the Rebecca Monet series. Hurricane is set in the state of Alabama and follows several characters there as a hurricane heads for the city. It will also feature Rebecca Monet as she continues to fight her way up the TV News Anchor ladder to get where she wants to be. It is a graphically violent novel like Billy Jingo and will probably have a warning attached to it.
I write these stories pretty easily. Having spent part of my life on the streets it’s not a far reach for me to see the seedier side of life and the people that populate that world.
This is an excerpt from Hurricane which will probably have to be re-titled because of the Movie Hurricane and writings about Rubin Hurricane Carter, so consider Hurricane a working title. I hope you enjoy the preview…
Hurricane is copyright 2010 – 2014 Wendell Sweet and independAntwriters Publishing.
All rights are reserved by the publishers.
This book excerpt is not for distribution by any means electronic or standard. It may be read and viewed here by anyone, but it may not be copied or transferred to any other platform/delivery system or website without the express permission of the publisher and Copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. And resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. All events and circumstances are products of the authors imagination.
You may share this material with others by pointing them to this blog.
ADVISORY:
This material is not suitable for those under the age of 18. It depicts Graphic Violence, drug use, bad language and more.
~
“I’m sorry,” Amy said, “Mike is such a asshole.”
Deidre said nothing. She had called and said she was having dinner at Amy’s house and that she would ride home from school with Amy’s mother, and then catch a ride back from Eight Mile later on. It was all a lie of course. Amy had called to tell her mother she would be at Deidre’s house. Someday it was all going to catch up to them, Deidre thought. But for now it hadn’t.
“Aim, earlier, before all the crap with Mike and Jimmy, we were talking,” Deidre said.
“Yeah,” Amy said. ” that is probably why he did it. Mike doesn’t like you and I to be together… To talk.” She said. They were both sitting on the running boards of Jimmy’s truck sipping beers. Dinner had been a bag of nachos. Split. And the beer, which Amy claimed had both calories and sugar, and so accounted for most of their dinner requirements.
“Between the two, we’re good,” Amy said half seriously.
“You said you were thinking of me,” Deidre said.
It seemed as though Amy was not going to answer her. “Uh huh… I know,” she said at last looking at her as she spoke.
“Hey!” Mike said, stepping around the corner of the truck. “I gotta piss, so, what are you gonna do just sit there and watch?” He tugged at his zipper, leering as he did, and Amy and Deidre both got up and walked away.
“Hey! What are you, a couple a fuckin’ lesbos? You only hang out with each other… People are gonna think things.”
Deidre’s face turned red. She turned back around and looked at him. “Why don’t you go fuck yourself with that little dick of yours,” She said quietly.
“What did you say,:” Mike asked. He took a step towards her, still holding his dick in his hand.
“I think you heard me or are your ears that small too,” she asked?
“You think you’re so fuckin’ smart, Bitch, but some day…”Mike said. Barely catching and hanging onto his temper.
“Dee, please,” Amy said. “Let it go.”
Deidre turned and walked away with Amy. Mike said nothing more.
Mike went back to pissing. His face red. His temples pulsing. Jimmy stepped up behind him. Mike finished, zipped himself up and turned around.
“Some day what?” Jimmy asked. His words were a little thick. They had been drinking most of the afternoon.
“What,” Mike asked?
Jimmy just stared at him. Jimmy was slow to anger, but Mike and he had known each other all of their lives and Jimmy was no one to fuck with once he did actually get angry. Especially when he was drinking.
“Okay,” Mike said. “She pissed me off… Did you hear what she said? I just got pissed is all.”
“I heard what both of you said. You started it with her. What’s the deal with the lesbian remark and coming over here to piss like that? Just expecting them to go? Did you whip it right out in front of them,” Jimmy asked?
“No… Of course not, Jimmy,” Mike said. “Look, I didn’t mean nothin’ by it. I just don’t like being talked to like that by any body let alone a girl. I’m not used to it. No man is,” Mike finished.
Jimmy stood for a moment and then the tension just ran out of him. “Fuck… She’d got a smart mouth… I know that. I’ll talk to her.. But you watch your mouth too… We’re friends.. I wouldn’t ever talk to Amy that way.. See?”
“Yeah.. Yeah, I see,” Mike agreed. Jimmy clapped one hand on his back and they walked away together back to the front of the Nissan.
Get the book…
Hurricane
Amy and Diedra are best friends, maybe more, something always seems to be in the way every time an opportunity to explore the possibilities arise. Dave Plasko is serving a long sentence at Huntsville state prison, and after that he will be transferred to New York to serve more time. Rebbeca Monet is working her way up the ladder of success in the television reporter game. A hurricane of epic proportions is heading towards Mobile Alabama. The lives of the people involved will never be the same again… #Crime #Drama #Action #Readers #DellSweet #KDP #KU
I wrote this song in 2006. It was the first song that I ever wrote. I wrote it as an acoustic song, this version is same tune/chord structure but more energetic, alternative versus rock ballad. And, how can I know which is better? I can't. I like both versions even though both are very different, even some of the lyrics are different between the versions. This was turning a corner for me. I had written music to lyrics that my brother had written, decades ago, but I had never written my own lyrics and then put them to music. I had done many, many covers in different bands as well, and everything from Black Sabbath to Tom T Hall and everything in between. But I had not found my own voice until I wrote this song...
Verse One: I spend most of my time filling the holes in my head. Sitting in this cell thinking about the life I’ve led. It’s all free food and therapy, but I may as well pay for something I can see… This room has a view but all I really wanna do is talk to you… It’s been so long… How could that be wrong? Everything we had was based on sex money and lies. When you left you took it all… Nothing to keep but alibis…
Hook One: What you took don’t amount to much, but I was never fixed in this world anyway… I was just sitting there waiting on a bus for the next… May as well take my time, I got… Plenty of it… Sometimes it runs late… But I ain’t entertaining offers while I wait.
Verse Two: Listen… I Just want to make this right before I go. Pay my bill or at least knock it down, I don’t know. I wish I could set us free from what we’ve done, but I figured it out, I ain’t the only one… Anyway, I ‘m just learning to walk before I fall again. I’ve been working on change, cleaning up some of this sin, but what’s the good in change… If the world’s still strange. Where’s the sense in being me, if what I was is all you see? Couldn’t stand up kept falling down and that little ball keeps spinning around… All keeps falling apart around me… you say, It will be what it will be…
Hook Two: I could never tell you nothin’ real. It was all about me all of the time. It was easier to hide the way I feel, like you were talking on my dime. I used to believe it was easier to hold it all inside… I never gave you anything… And I know how hard you tried…
Verse Three: Spoken: The snow is falling softly, probably turn to rain later… Sky looks that way… The air has that taste. The wind gusts hard as I step in from the cold… Feels like something familiar, but I haven’t got it placed. I find my way to the small corner table I knew would be there… Cast in shadows, but what are shadows for… And there you are, where you never were, and I find myself wishing I could touch your hand, like I could before… But I know it’s just a dream, I can’t touch you anymore. It’s raining in my mind, I can’t reach you anymore. And if I could I’d write this whole damn thing away… But all I can do is dream… It’s another rainy day…
Verse Four: I spend too much time watching the clock on the wall… You know, sometimes it doesn’t seem to move at all… All keeps stacking up… Cut’s into the emptiness that fills up this cup… And that bus is still running behind and sometimes I get so tired of standing here looking stupid… What the hell was I hoping to find… anyway. Thought about hoping a train… Getting there quicker… But thinking like that only makes me sicker… It’s like my life is stuck in A Minor or something… I don’t know what to do about it, but I know I gotta do something…
Hook Four: But I could never tell you nothin’ real… And I ain’t sayin’ nothin new… It was easier to hide the way I feel… Can you see it the same way too? If we never really had it, what was it you pretended… Was it over long before us or only started once it ended?
In this world… time moves by… doesn’t stop for you or me… The ones who stop and wait are the ones who never see… So my feet… move me on… though they’re weary of this flight… They will lead me to tomorrow, wipe the fallen from my sight…
Instrumental—————Short lead transition—————————————————–
Hook:
Pick me up… Fill my cup… Fix the damage in my head… Fill my soul… Make me whole… Raise me from the dead… Show my eyes what can be… shine your light so I can see…
Verse Two:
In my life… I have seen… distant dreams of futures past… And the one who filled my cup left it empty at the last… And my eyes… tired from sight… rimmed in red and slow to see… Can’t conceive eternity from the edge of what can be…
Instrumental—————Short lead transition—————————————————–
Hook:
Pick me up… Fill my cup… Fix the damage in my head… Fill my soul… Make me whole… Raise me from the dead… Show my eyes what can be… shine your light so I can see…
Verse Three:
Walk alone… Through this world… Through this cold I’ve always known… Taking only what I need from the seed that has been sown… And this world… sells itself… pretty dreams that can not be… And though we stop to look we can never truly see…
Instrumental————— Long Lead —————————————————————-
Verse Four:
Take my time… tap the glass… raise the bubbles from my cure… Pull the curtains on my pasts… and all I thought they ever were… As my soul… Finds its way… push the darkness from my mind… Lay your words upon my heart as my rest I go to find…
Instrumental—————Short lead transition—————————————————–
Hook
Pick me up… Fill my cup… Fix the damage in my head… Fill my soul… Make me whole… Raise me from the dead… Show my eyes what can be… shine your light so I can see… Verse Five: Let my heart… lead me on… from your memories in my mind… lay your coins upon my eyes… speak your magic line by line… As my sun… slowly sets… I will try not to forget… all the lessons from this world and the souls that I have met…
Instrumental—————Short lead transition—————————————————–
Hook / Xtro:
Pick me up… Fill my cup… Fix the damage in my head… Fill my soul… Make me whole… Raise me from the dead… Show my eyes what can be… shine your light so I can see… which way to walk…
Why I Wrote It: I wrote this song in one shot, most of it came as fast as I could write it. I understood what it was as I wrote it, although the lyrics are slightly obscure, or seemed to me to be (I’ve since been told by readers that it’s not so obscure but pretty straight forward.). It’s about my life ending of course. Flirtation with suicide. Drug use. Disillusionment with the world, religion, society on every level. I spent a lot of my life that way. When I was on the streets for two years this is the way, I looked at the world. Cynical, glass half full. I tried suicide, nearly succeeded. I thought how nice it would be to lay down and pull the plug. That is what this song is about. I’m not there anymore. I don’t want to encourage anyone to be there either, but some of us spent years there and never talked about it…
