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…
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.’
In the heart of the vast and shimmering Pacific Ocean, three young ship boys, each no more than a few years past their childhood, found themselves cast away on a breathtakingly beautiful tropical island. This was no ordinary place; it was a lush paradise adorned with vibrant flora and fauna, where the warm sun kissed the golden sands and the gentle waves whispered secrets of the sea. Yet, beneath this idyllic exterior lay the harsh reality of survival in the 17th century, a time when the world was still largely unexplored and filled with both wonder and danger. #HistoricalFiction #SeaAdventure #DellSweet #KU #Kindle #Readers #BookLovers #Paperback
The dust swirled around my worn boots, a miniature desert storm kicked up by the frantic thump of my own heart. The air hung thick and heavy, the scent of dry earth and something else… something metallic and sickeningly sweet, clinging to the back of my throat. It was the smell of blood. Old blood. New blood. The kind that stains the soul as deeply as it stains the earth. I’d been clean for six months, six agonizing months of sweat-soaked nights and gnawing cravings, a testament to a willpower I never knew I possessed. Six months of staring at the cracked pavement, avoiding the shadowed corners where my past lurked like a hungry ghost. But tonight, the ghost had found me.
John Rourke is a private detective with contacts and a license to practice from New York to Arizona. He has the resources he needs across the country to find the information he needs to crack the toughest cases. Ex-cops, ex-Cons, snitches, stoolies, drug addicts, criminals, drug dealers and any kind of scum of the earth you can imagine or care to name. He knows the seedy side of life and to some people that makes him indispensable…
Book three:
The silence was broken by the distant screech of a hawk, its cry sharp and piercing against the vast silence of the desert. It was a lonely sound, a perfect metaphor for the state of my own soul. I was tired, bone-deep tired. Sleep was a luxury I couldn’t afford, nightmares a constant companion. The faces of the victims, the ones I’d found along Rieser’s trail, haunted my dreams. Each one a testament to the brutal efficiency of a man who knew how to erase his tracks… #BookWorm #Readers #KindleUnlimited #WWWatson #Crime #Noir #Mystery #PrivateEye
