Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from May, 2021

Memorial Day: Remembering Erskin Leon Hulsey First Lieutenant US Army Air Corps

  On this Memorial Day I wanted to take a moment to honor my uncle US Army Air Corps Lieutenant Erskin Leon Hulsey, who while flying a bomber mission over Germany was shot down and his remains were never recovered. According to a letter sent to the Hulsey family by the Adjunct General of the United States Army,  Leon (as he was known to family) was piloting a B26 Marauder medium bomber on a raid on a German factory complex on December 6, 1944. At approximately 3:30 pm the plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed near the German town of Durren. A year-long investigation by the Army failed to find his remains living or otherwise so he was officially pronounced to be deceased in Fall of 1945. Leon Hulsey trained with the CAA at Boren Field in his hometown of Wetumpka, Oklahoma and the Central Flying Training Command in Altus, Oklahoma before being stationed Barksdale Field in Shreveport, Louisiana. He would eventually find himself stationed in France where his final missio...

Discover New Mexico: Madrid - A Small Town That Is More Than It Seems

Hidden up New Mexico State Road 14 (also know as the Turquoise Trail) between Albuquerque and Santa Fe is the small eclectic town of Madrid. The town presently is home to several shops, restaurants and a museum, but almost eighty years ago this small wasn't all that small at all. During Madid' heyday the town was home to the largest coal mining companies west of the Mississippi, a professional baseball team and Christmas celebration that drew thousands of people from around the world. Indeed Madrid, New Mexico is a town with an amazing history. There aren't many towns anywhere that can claim that it was once a boomtown, a literal ghost town, and experienced new found fame all in the matter of a handful of decades. Let me tell you how I wondered into Madrid some thirty plus years ago. I had a day off from work and nothing to do so I packed up my camera and jumped in my car for a solo day trip into the mountains. I set out east from my home in Albuquerque on Interstat...

After The Breakup Of The Preatures Isabella Manfredi Has A Solo Hit With 'Jealousy"

 As many of you know The Preatures are one of my favorite bands. I often have referred to them as 'the greatest band in the world ... that you have probably never heard of.' Four years ago I stumbled upon their album Girlhood and I have been hooked ever since. Sadly I have to report that The Preatures are no more, victims of a really bad record deal, a breakup between front woman Isabella Manfredi and fellow band member Jack Moffit and ultimately Covid 19. Manfredi explains: "Firstly, the band were stuck in a really antiquated record deal that we couldn’t get out of. And it meant that we couldn't support ourselves financially. That was a big issue and obviously with COVID that became forefront in our minds." She continued: "At the same time, my 10 year relationship with Jack [Moffitt, Preatures guitarist and producer] was over. And if anyone’s ever gone through a break-up, it’s really hard to keep working with that person." "There was dynamics there...

Virgin Galactic Completes First Human Spaceflight from Spaceport America, New Mexico

From Virgin Galactic Virgin Galactic completed its third spaceflight and the first ever spaceflight from Spaceport America, New Mexico on May 22nd. The flight sees New Mexico become the third US state to launch humans into space. VSS Unity achieved a speed of Mach 3 after being released from the mothership, VMS Eve, and reached space, at an altitude of 55.45 miles before gliding smoothly to a runway landing at Spaceport America. On VSS Unity’s flight deck were CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay, while Kelly Latimer and Michael Masucci piloted VMS Eve. CJ, who flew as pilot-in-command, becomes the first person ever to have flown to space from three different states. The crew experienced extraordinary views of the bright, blue-rimmed curvature of the earth against the blackness of space. New Mexico’s White Sands National Park sparkled brilliantly below. Their experience today gives Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronaut customers a glimpse of what lies ahead. Michael Colglazier, Chief Executive Off...

Vincent Price Joins Elvira Mistress of the Dark

 From Dynamite Entertainment The Mistress of the Dark herself, Elvira, returns to monthly comic books and this time she's joined by fellow horror comedy legend Vincent Price! The two titans of terror and comedy unite in comics for the very first time as Dynamite Entertainment proudly presents Elvira Meets Vincent Price! The ghost of Price has a mission that only the macabre maven can assist him with. The apocalypse is coming, and it's heading straight to livestreaming for binge-watching! Leave it to a fabled lost film to save the day, if only our horror hostess and spectral companion can find it in time. Writer David Avallone (Bettie Page, Drawing Blood) returns to capture the timeless voice of Elvira, and taps into his own history and love for Old Hollywood and film to bring Vincent Price along for the ride this time. With over three years and countless issues of experience working right alongside Elvira herself and putting words in her mouth, fans will be happy to see his ret...

Wonder Woman: An Angel In A World Of Darkness

Written By: Ken Hulsey I honestly feel bad that it has taken me over a week to post my review of Wonder Woman . I guess that it has taken me this long to be able to get my thoughts together. It also doesn't help that I work a full-time job, run a successful internet business along with three popular web sites ... well actually four now including this one. I know, I'm just lazy. Anyway, after a request from my dear friend Tim Knight over at HeroPress (and some gentle prodding from my dear wife Terri) I have cleared my calendar in honor of writing this long overdue review. Let's just cut to the chase, I loved this movie! I mean I really loved it. To really punctuate the point, I'm going to refer to the initial Facebook post I made immediately after leaving the theater, and I quote (myself): " Wonder Woman was an amazing film. In my opinion, the best superhero film I've ever seen. Such an intense spiritual message ... it really touched my soul. I still hav...

Happy Birthday To GS-4 Locomotive #4449 "The Queen Of Steam"

 Like many Americans I first fell in love with ex Southern Pacific GS-4 steam locomotive #4449 way back in 1976 when it was chosen as one of several restored such locomotives to pull the American Freedom Train on its tour of the country. Known to many as the Queen of Steam #4449 rolled off the assembly line at Lima Locomotive Works in Lima, Ohio eighty years ago this week. Within ten days of being delivered to the Southern Pacific Railroad in California the locomotive was put into service pulling the lines prestigious 'Daylight'  passenger trains traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The famed locomotive would continue to pull these twice-a-day passenger trains until the early 1950s when diesel locomotives began to outnumber steamers. 4449 would spend the twilight of its service on the Southern Pacific pulling less famous passenger trains and an occasional freight train in California's central valley area until it was retired in 1956. In 1958 the locomotive was d...

Images Without Context: Hollywood Starlet Edition

 Check Out: Actress Profile: Elizabeth Olsen Images Without Context: Super Sexy Celebrity Edition Images Without Context: Super Sexy Edition Images Without Context: Va-Va-Voom Edition Images Without Context: Ooh La La Edition Betty Brosmer: The First True Supermodel Classic Interview: Chase Masterson (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) Actress Profile & Interview: Rachel Grubb Actress Profile: Gal Gadot Throwback Thursday: Suzi Lorraine - Interview Ellen Dubin - Profile & Interview Actress Profile: Emer Kenny Remembering Bettie Page 1923-200 8 Actress Profile: Marie Devereux

Captain Picard’s Dark Reflection Thirsts for Power in Scott and David Tipton’s Mirror Universe Magnum Opus

From IDW Publications For decades, Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek: The Next Generation has represented an ideal of greatness to science fiction fandom, a character of intelligence, authority, and empathy. Beginning on “Star Trek Day” (September 8th), comic book and graphic novel publisher IDW invites readers to witness what the galaxy could be like at the mercy of a Captain Picard whose greatness is measured in cunning and cruelty, courtesy of an all-new event, Star Trek: The Mirror War. Celebrated Star Trek comic writers Scott and David Tipton delve deep into the lore of the Mirror Universe, a perennial favorite concept amongst fans, in September’s Star Trek: The Mirror War #0, illustrated by Carlos Nieto. This zero issue features a new story of “Mirror Picard” as he’s summoned to Earth to face the wrath of his emperor, deftly weaving threads from past Mirror Universe tales in a way entertaining to newcomers and the initiated alike. Following September’s #0 launch, the series will cont...