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
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
Description:
This is a 2006 Pontiac GTO, Holden chassis. This is an awesome car
that is gone now but I loved the lines so I had to build one of them.
This is built in Direct X and includes FBX and OBJ along with the
graphics and the image maps used. This is lo-poly and…
#3DModels #2006PontiacGTO #3DS #FBX #OBJ #DirectX #DellSweet
Tags: 3ds, Dell Sweet, DellSweet, DirectX, fbx
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
Born from the industrial gloom of Birmingham, England, Black Sabbath didn’t just play rock and roll; they forged a new, heavier, and darker sound that would become the very blueprint for heavy metal. While other bands of their time were exploring the psychedelic and blues-rock frontiers, Black Sabbath created a sonic world of their own—one defined by crushing riffs, ominous tones, and lyrics that delved into war, evil, and the supernatural. Their legacy is not just one of a successful band, but of pioneers who single-handedly birthed a genre.
The foundational and most celebrated lineup of Black Sabbath, often referred to as the “classic four,” came from the same working-class neighborhood of Aston, Birmingham. Each member brought a unique and indispensable talent to the group, creating an alchemy that has rarely been replicated.
Tony Iommi (Guitar): As the band’s primary musical architect, Tony Iommi is revered as the “Riff Master.” His unique, heavy sound was born out of necessity after a factory accident severed the tips of two of his fingers. To compensate for the injury and the pain it caused, he down-tuned his guitar and played with custom-made prosthetic fingertips. This physical limitation became the band’s greatest creative asset, as it forced him to play with a simpler, more powerful style. The result was a series of iconic, slow, and menacing riffs that became the backbone of heavy metal. His ability to craft instantly recognizable and unforgettable guitar lines, often rooted in blues but amplified to an unprecedented level of aggression, established the fundamental vocabulary of the genre.
Geezer Butler (Bass): Geezer Butler’s contributions were twofold: he was a groundbreaking bassist and the band’s principal lyricist. As a bassist, he was one of the first to down-tune his instrument to match Iommi’s guitar, creating a massive, low-end sound that was both melodic and deeply resonant. His playing style was dynamic and inventive, often mirroring or complementing Iommi’s riffs, but also capable of complex, standalone melodic lines. Lyrically, Butler’s Catholic upbringing and interest in the occult, fantasy, and social issues provided the band with its signature dark themes. His words explored topics like war (“War Pigs”), drug abuse (“Snowblind”), and existential dread, giving the music a profound and often terrifying conceptual weight.
Bill Ward (Drums): Bill Ward’s drumming was the powerful and jazz-influenced engine behind Black Sabbath’s sound. His style was anything but a standard rock beat. Influenced by jazz drummers like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, Ward incorporated complex rhythms and fills that gave the band’s slow, lumbering grooves a sense of forward momentum and unpredictable swing. He could shift from a thunderous, primal pound to a delicate and nuanced rhythm, adding a layer of musical sophistication that is often overlooked. Ward’s drumming was not just about timekeeping; it was an integral part of the band’s sound, providing a chaotic and dynamic foundation that was perfectly suited to their dark aesthetic.
Ozzy Osbourne (Vocals): Ozzy Osbourne’s voice was the human centerpiece of Black Sabbath’s music. With a unique, nasal tone that was both honest and emotional, he didn’t possess the typical power-singer range of his contemporaries. Instead, his delivery was urgent, raw, and often laden with a sense of dread and vulnerability. His vocals were a perfect match for Butler’s dark lyrics, conveying a feeling of paranoia, despair, and menace that was utterly convincing. His stage presence, which evolved from a shy frontman to the charismatic “Prince of Darkness,” became an icon of the genre. Ozzy’s personality made the band relatable, even as they explored the most unsettling themes, and his subsequent solo career and status as a reality TV star only cemented his place as one of rock’s most enduring figures.
Black Sabbath’s first five albums, a remarkably productive and influential run, are a goldmine of heavy metal’s foundational anthems.
Black Sabbath’s influence on rock and roll is immeasurable. They didn’t just contribute to a genre; they invented a new one. Their innovations laid the groundwork for virtually every form of heavy music that followed.
Black Sabbath’s legacy is one of rebellion, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to a dark and heavy sound. They were the architects of a genre, creating a powerful, enduring sound that continues to inspire and define heavy music to this day.
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
Led Zeppelin stands as a colossal figure in the history of rock music, a band whose innovative fusion of blues, hard rock, and folk created a sound that would define a generation and influence countless artists to follow. Their story is one of rapid ascent, unparalleled success, and a tragic end that left an indelible mark on the music world.
The Genesis of a Legend
The roots of Led Zeppelin can be traced back to London in 1968, and more specifically, to the dissolution of the influential British blues-rock band, The Yardbirds. Guitarist Jimmy Page, who had joined The Yardbirds in the mid-1960s, was left with a contractual obligation to perform a series of concerts in Scandinavia. To fulfill these dates, he set out to assemble a new group, initially known as “The New Yardbirds.”
Page’s vision was to form a “supergroup,” and he began his search for the perfect combination of musicians. His first choice for a vocalist, Terry Reid, declined the offer but suggested a young singer named Robert Plant. Plant, in turn, recommended his former bandmate and drumming powerhouse, John Bonham. The final piece of the puzzle came in the form of multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones, a respected session musician who had worked with Page and had a reputation for his masterful skills on bass and keyboards.
The four musicians—Jimmy Page (guitar), Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass and keyboards), and John Bonham (drums)—clicked instantly. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their first rehearsal in a London basement sealed their fate. They fulfilled their Scandinavian tour dates as “The New Yardbirds,” but a new name was soon to be born. The name “Led Zeppelin” is said to have originated from a joke made by The Who’s drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle, who quipped that a supergroup with Page and Jeff Beck would “go down like a lead balloon.” Page, with a wry sense of humor, adopted a slightly altered spelling to avoid mispronunciation and the rest is history.
The Major Members: The “Four Symbols”
Each member of Led Zeppelin was a virtuoso in their own right, and their collective genius is what made the band so revolutionary.
A Monumental Discography and Their Biggest Songs
Led Zeppelin’s career, while relatively short, was incredibly prolific, yielding eight studio albums between 1969 and 1979, each a landmark in rock history. Their music was a commercial and critical phenomenon, and they became one of the best-selling artists of all time.
While it’s difficult to narrow down their “biggest” songs, a few stand out as cornerstones of their legacy:
Other notable hits that cemented their legacy include the acoustic beauty of “Going to California,” the raw blues of “Dazed and Confused,” the classic boogie of “Rock and Roll,” and the thunderous beat of “When the Levee Breaks.”
The End of an Era
Led Zeppelin’s reign as the world’s biggest rock band came to an abrupt and tragic halt in 1980. After a long history of touring and a series of personal tragedies, the band was on the verge of a new chapter. However, on September 25, 1980, drummer John Bonham died suddenly from alcohol-related asphyxiation. The remaining members—Page, Plant, and Jones—came to the collective decision that they could not continue without their beloved drummer and brother. They issued a simple statement, announcing the band’s dissolution, and the era of Led Zeppelin came to a close.
Though their time together was relatively short, Led Zeppelin’s impact on music is immeasurable. They pushed the boundaries of rock, incorporating diverse styles and a theatricality that changed the live music experience forever. Their legacy endures not only in the millions of albums sold, but in the countless bands who have followed in their footsteps, inspired by the thunderous riffs and mystical sound of four musicians who came together to create something truly magical.
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Posted by Geo. 09-23
Tuesday once more. It is cold enough here to build a snowman, if there were snow, and it was 25 degrees cooler. Okay, so it isn’t overly cold, but it is barely 50 degrees this morning, and I think officially I can stop complaining about the heat of summer and switch over to the coolness of winter. Okay, I’ll wait a few weeks, and honestly it has been so hot and humid this summer that I don’t really mind this cold yet. I think that is my problem with the weather this year, it has been too extreme one way or the other. Not much, or enough of the nice in between weather.
Spent my day yesterday with family and the small children that result from family. If you have not spent time around small children in awhile I suggest you do. Nothing like the way a child laughs to loosen your heart up and make you appreciate life, youth, beauty, the world.
I think the goals for this month are to get all of the books that should be available available. With new writers and deadlines that is a job. That is what I will be sticking too today, getting listings done.
As for Dell he is stepping back a little further. I will take over all of the day to day stuff and that is probably where that will remain. So he isn’t gone, he just isn’t here. I think things are finally running the way he wanted them too and so he stepped back as he said he would to allow them to run.
There isn’t much else going on. We are working to get books out and listed, working on the websites. I see there are still old links that offer free chat. Does anyone even use that? So things like that will be cleaned up as I go through the links, other than that you shouldn’t see any major changes. I will write this blog from now on and so my name will be on the blog, a small change. I will continue to make the websites phone and tablet friendly.
I think one thing you will see is a more centralized website. In other words all areas easily reached from a main menu. Right now things are spread out and the information, reading, art or whatever else you are searching for is on multiple sites and not easily found. I’m making the consolidation of that sound easy, I’m sure though that it won’t be.
I am going to leave you with that as far as news goes.
New writers:
I hope your Monday is good, I will leave you with a short story from Paul Block…
Blackness Of the Soul is copyright 2014 Dell Sweet. All rights reserved.
This excerpt is used with permission. If you would like to share this short story, please point those you wish to share it with to this page. This material may not be copied electronically or digitally and or distributed without the publisher’s express permission (Writerz.net). Permission is granted to use short excerpts in critics. The publisher of record for this work is writerz.net & Dell Sweet. The copyright holder retains all rights foreign and domestic to this work.
BLACKNESS OF THE SOUL © 2014 Dell Sweet all rights reserved
~1~
Paul Brown settled the barrel of the nine Millimeter pistol against his left palm, curled his hand around it as if to hold it forever, and then released it finger by finger. A sob escaped his throat and a fat tear drop rolled down his left cheek and splashed against the butt of the pistols grip where the clip protruded slightly. He took his free hand, wiped the tear away and then reached for the beer that sat beside him.
He raised the can to his mouth, drank deeply, and then continued to stare at the black pistol that rested in his right hand. Once again his left hand closed around the barrel, but lightly. Stroking it. Caressing it. He fished a cigarette from the pack beside him on the floor, thumbed the wheel of his old Zippo and pulled the harsh tobacco smoke into his lungs.
The smoke, or the beer, or both seemed to calm him, at least momentarily. His chest hitched but he stifled the sob this time. The sobs frightened him more than the gun. The sobs came on their own and there seemed to be no way to fight or stop them. They were a life unto themselves. The gun on the other hand only had to speak once. And technically he would never hear it.
“Probably never hear it,” he whispered into the semi darkness of the living room. He had pulled the curtains on the outside world. Blocked it away from him.
Probably never hear it. He wondered about the truth of the statement for what seemed to be an excessive amount of time to him, caught himself, and took another deep drink of the cold beer followed by a near frenzied pull from the cigarette. He waited on the sob but it came when he didn’t expect it. A flood of tears came with it, falling from his eyes, staining his reddened cheeks before he could think to try and stop it.
“Oh, God,” he moaned. He sucked in a deep breath, lifted the pistol to his mouth and bumped the barrel across his teeth and into his mouth.
Everything seemed to freeze. The taste of oiled metal flooded his mouth He gagged, and then nearly squeezed the trigger too hard because of it. Panicked, he ripped the gun from his mouth tearing open his upper lip on the gun site as he did.
He was breathing hard. He needed to calm down. The tears just continued to fall. His cheeks felt raw. His eyes full of sand. His head began to pound harder. It had begun to pound earlier. He thought about that too. No more headaches. None. No more worries. No more anything at all. He sighed and returned the gun to his lips. He could taste the oil and metal once more, mixed with the blood from the torn lip.
His lips did not seem to want to part. He eased the gun away, took a deep drag off the cigarette, his breath shuddered in and out. He tipped the can and took a deep drink to rinse his mouth of the tastes that had made him gag, then upended the can and drained it. He reached over and pulled another beer from the bag on the carpeted floor, took another deep drink to rinse the tastes from his mouth and then lit a new cigarette from the butt of the old one. He dropped the old butt into the freshly emptied can beside him. He pulled the smoke deeply into his lungs and then let it drift from his nose as he slowly exhaled, trying to calm himself. If he could only think this out, his mind jabbered. He took another deep drink from the can.
In a way it would be nice to sit down and think this through, but in another way he didn’t care if he ever had another thought in his life. He didn’t want to take the time to think it out at all. He had made up his mind earlier. In a few minutes, when he finished the cigarette and the beer he’d do it, he decided.
He didn’t want to die with a lit cigarette in his mouth and burn down the house. Anne had to live here… Well, maybe not, but even so she’d have to sell it or something… If she didn’t lose it…
He pulled hard on the cigarette as if rushing it to its end so he could rush his own end. He took a deep drink from the beer and felt the headache ease back a little.
He could feel the buzz from the beer. Maybe it would knock down the headache after all. Either way the headache was not long for this world, he decided.
Calm seemed to come over him all at once. The sob that he had been waiting for didn’t come. His chest didn’t hitch. His cheeks still felt irritated, his eyes full of sand, his mind weary and removed from him to a degree, but the hysteria he had been sure was going to grab him didn’t make another appearance.
Through the curtains he could see the late afternoon sunlight. Still gold in the sky. Heating up his part of the south. There was no noise except the steady rumble of the air conditioner. Whatever heat the sun held was lost on him today.
He pulled on the cigarette, noticed that it was all but dead and dropped it into the can with the last one. He upended the beer can and drained it. He waited, expecting the sobs to come back but the calm remained. He sighed once, was surprised to find that the gun was only inches from his lips, opened his mouth and slid the barrel in. The hysteria stayed at bay. He adjusted the barrel so it would be more comfortable, sighed at the absurdity of that thought, and then squinted his eyes down as his finger tightened on the trigger.
~2~
“How do you feel, Paul?”
Paul blinked and tried to look around him. He found that it was not entirely possible. He couldn’t really turn around to where the voice had come from no matter how he tried.
“It doesn’t matter though,” the same voice said.
And it didn’t. It became completely unimportant right then. Just like that.
“How do you feel?”
“I’m pretty upset. I…” He stopped. He had been pretty upset, but he wasn’t now. Now he felt… Well, at peace.
“That’s good, Paul. You should feel at peace.”
“It feels good,” he said. It seemed entirely normal that whoever was behind him could read his mind… Am I dead?
“I wanted to talk to you about how you got here, Paul.”
“How?”
“How.”
The time spun out.
“I stole about… I guess I don’t even know how much… I kept stealing and it kept adding up. And I knew they’d catch it… And they did… My boss must have called the cops,“ Paul said.
“Actually the company accountant… But I meant how you got here… To this point.”
“I… … I don’t know what you mean.”
“To kill yourself, Paul. I mean how did you get to this point where you decided to kill yourself… Take your own life… How did you reach that point, Paul?”
“Oh… I thought about it… I…” He stopped and thought about it. “I see… It’s just tough to understand… I don’t really know exactly… Are you God?”
“Do you think of me as God?”
Paul thought about it. “I think I do… I think so… I believe you are God.”
“Then I am.”
“You are? … Really? You really are God?”
“I really am, Paul…”
His voice was soft. Reassuring.
“I… I thought you would sound different… I… Am I dead?”
“No… Not yet… You have some little time left… I thought, since you asked, that before you do something that will change everything we should talk.”
Paul nodded. “I prayed… Earlier I prayed.”
“I know… You know, Paul, people sometimes think I don’t listen to prayer anymore… If I ever did. They tell themselves that and then they begin to believe it. I do listen though. I do. Every prayer. Every time. Do you believe that, Paul?”
“I do… I mean I do now. I do know that now. I’m ashamed to say that.”
“Don’t be. There is no shame here. You are used to saying words that really don’t mean anything true. They are there, you say them… In this case you say that you are ashamed when you are not ashamed.”
Paul examined himself. “You’re right… I don’t feel ashamed. I feel good still. At peace still.”
“So how did you get here. How did you come to be here? Who told you that suicide was a solution?”
“I… It was painful… My wife will leave me. We’ll lose everything… The kids… I can’t imagine what the kids will do… Feel… It seemed… It seemed right.”
“Did it?”
Paul thought about it. “Maybe not… It felt like the only choice I had.”
“Yet you called out to me. Why?”
“Because… Because I used to believe in you… I…”
He laughed. “And I am still here. Did you think I had died? Did you think I had stopped believing in you?”
“Some people think so… That you died.”
“You?”
“No… I guess the truth is I just stopped believing… I believed in other things… Taxes… Bills… Mortgage payments… Summer… Fall…”
“The things you see every day.”
“That’s a good way to put it.”
“I have a way with words.”
Paul laughed and then stopped. “I thought maybe that was a joke.”
”It was… Do you wish you had not stopped believing? Do you see how things could have been different?”
“I can see that now, but what good is it after the fact? I pulled the trigger… I remember that.”
“Did you? I think you asked me to help… Sometimes I help in unexpected ways… Thomas needed to see… To place his hand in my side… Peter needed to see me risen… Sometimes my people ask me for help and then don’t recognize the help when it comes.”
“Like now?”
“Like now, yes. It’s time to think. To breath… To make a decision… A different decision.”
“Then what?” Paul asked.
“Then? … What comes, comes… I know what it is to live. I have felt what you feel. Struggled with the same temptations. We take it as it comes to us, Paul.”
“So the problems would still be there?”
“Yes.”
“That’s help?” Paul asked.
“I will help you all that you will allow.”
Paul thought about it and realized it was true.
“So… How did you end up here?”
“I guess I just walked away… I guess I chose to do that.”
You still choose words that are untrue. Do you guess or do you know?”
“I know. I walked away.”
“You know, it’s a split second decision… Many times if you take the time to think you can get through whatever comes at you.”
Paul nodded, took a deep breath. “I see.”
~3~
The finger stopped. He remembered something… Something… Summer. A thousand years ago it seemed… Anne… When they had first met… The picture in his mind was so perfect, so intense. So real, and a flood of images followed it… But… There had been something else there for a moment, hadn’t there? He had been focusing on the trigger… The pressure… And there had been something else there… Just for a moment… It seemed so. It seemed as though he had been ready to pull the trigger and… And someone…
He pulled the barrel from his mouth and sucked in a deep breath. Whatever it might have been it was gone now. The sobbing came back with the fresh air. The pistol slid from his hand and fell to the carpet with a soft clunk. He lowered his head into his hands and let the tears take over…
I hope you enjoyed the story. Have a great Tuesday! Check out our sponsors, Geo
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
The Plymouth Fury. This is a replica of the famous car Christine. A car that didn’t actually exist in the configuration Stephen King bought it to life in. Pretty cool that they had to build a custom version of this car for the movie, several in fact. This is not an exact replica, so if you are looking for an absolute measurement model this is not it. This is a model that captures the spirit of thew car without violating the copyright that Chrysler owns on the original car, and of course the car itself did not exist so it should be a moot point anyway. I built this car a few years ago when I began to build the wastelands version of a 1958 Plymouth for my Wastelands collection. Both the burned version and the clean version are included in this double set. FBX, 3DS, Direct X and OBJ versions as well as all of the graphics and maps to reproduce it as shown. I do not use special filters when I shoot my models, I capture them right in the modeler so all you need to do is load the file and you will see exactly what you expected to see. #plymouthfury #wastelands #dellsweet #radsandbox #fbx #obj #3ds #directx
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
The Plymouth Fury. This is a replica of the famous car Christine. A car that didn’t actually exist in the configuration Stephen King bought it to life in. Pretty cool that they had to build a custom version of this car for the movie, several in fact. This is not an exact replica, so if you are looking for an absolute measurement model this is not it. This is a model that captures the spirit of thew car without violating the copyright that Chrysler owns on the original car, and of course the car itself did not exist so it should be a moot point anyway. I built this car a few years ago when I began to build the wastelands version of a 1958 Plymouth for my Wastelands collection. Both the burned version and the clean version are included in this double set. FBX, 3DS, Direct X and OBJ versions as well as all of the graphics and maps to reproduce it as shown. I do not use special filters when I shoot my models, I capture them right in the modeler so all you need to do is load the file and you will see exactly what you expected to see. #plymouthfury #wastelands #dellsweet #radsandbox #fbx #obj #3ds #directx
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
This version was updated and added to in 2019, recompiled with all new files and examples. It includes many model examples and the ability to import several new types of model formats.
Anything you need to do with a 3D modeler can be done with OFX.Game design requires and is driven by 3D design and models. Create them with this software for a one-time price rather than pay over and over each month for updates to a piece of software you may or may not be able to use to build game content.
A powerful feature-set includes a full renderer and raytrace engine, NURBS support, kinematics-based animation, morphing, and an extensive plugin API. Plugin capabilities include image post processor effects such as lens flare, fog and depth of field. Animation effects such as explosions, waves and dissolves add enormously to the flexibility of the program.
Check out the full list of the various effect types and let your imagination run wild! OpenFX runs on the Windows platform, which includes Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/Win7/Win8/Win 10 and Win 11 in 32 bit mode.
Building a model in OFX
Purchase the OFX modeler:
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
by W. G. Sweet (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
The Old West is a collection of five western themed stories set in the old west. Come along for an authentic trip through the west, the way it really was.
Jimson Jones, Sarah Johnson, The Cowboy, The Farmers Wife, To Hang a Thief
An excerpt from: Sarah Jones
One starless night, the tranquility of Harmony Creek was irrevocably broken. The rhythmic chirping of crickets was replaced by the terrifying sounds of shattering glass and panicked screams. A nightmare descended upon the peaceful farm. The familiar comfort of home was replaced by a brutal violence, a darkness that would sear itself into Sarah’s memory forever.
#Western #Fiction #Amazon #KU #Kindle #Readers
Kindle:
Audible:
https://www.audible.com/pd/Audiobook/B0FQTC3SBT
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
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
Home: https://www.wendellsweet.com
