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 Story and Photos by Ken Hulsey In 2023, I captured a delightful image of the Kansas City Southern Executive Train powered by vintage FP9 and F9B locomotives as it passed through Pineville, Louisiana at night. This photo has always been a favorite of mine, as it was one of my first successful attempts at photographing a train in action after dark.

Written By: Ken Hulsey  In 1984, the animated television series MACROSS had soared to new heights in popularity in Japan. Never before had an animated series captivated the Japanese public like MACROSS. While shows like Astro Boy, Kimba, Gigantor, Mazinger, and Gundam had amassed devoted young followings, MACROSS transcended age, class, and gender barriers in a way no anime had before it. Songs from the series, sung by voice actress Mari Iijima as the character Lynn Minmay, were climbing the charts one after another. In fact, Lynn Minmay had become as much of a pop culture phenomenon in Japan as Madonna was in America, despite being a fictional character. Recognizing MACROSS' widespread popularity, directors Noboru Ishiguro and Shoji Kawamori began work on a big-screen adaptation of the series. A theatrical release would allow for higher production values, crisper animation, and a more mature storyline. The challenge would be condensing the TV series' numerous episodes and comp...

 Photo and Story by Ken Hulsey Back in 2013, Terri and I embarked on our first trip to Las Vegas together. As we're not big gamblers, we decided to take our time and soak in all the sights Vegas had to offer. The city is truly a one-of-a-kind destination, with an array of attractions you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

In this powerful sermon, Pastor Steven unpacks the true meaning of living as an authentic Christian. Drawing on James 1:26-27 as the foundation, he challenges us to move beyond merely hearing God's Word and instead live it out. Pastor Steven explains how real faith is reflected in our words, our compassion for others, and our pursuit of purity in a distracting world. He emphasizes the power of our speech to build up or tear down, and encourages us to speak with wisdom and love. True faith, he says, is evidenced through action - helping the vulnerable and serving others as Christ did. Being in the world but not of it, keeping our hearts and minds focused on Jesus. Authentic Christianity isn't just about what we profess, but how we live. This message will show you how to align your life with Christ and reflect His love in all you do.

 Photo and Story by Ken Hulsey This morning, I decided to dive into my photo archives and find an image to share. As luck would have it, the very first image that popped up was a shot I took during our cross-country trip from Winston-Salem, North Carolina to our new home in Victorville, California. Terri and I had stopped in the historic town of Williams, Arizona along the way, and I snapped a photo of a classic car in front of an old gas station on the famous Route 66.

Written By Ken Hulsey Way back in 1979, NBC took a huge gamble on a TV series called Supertrain - a giant, atomic-powered "cruise ship on wheels" that traveled from New York to Los Angeles. This train-based monstrosity had all the trappings of a trendy 70s hotspot - a swimming pool, casino, shopping center, and disco. Each week, a star-studded cast including the likes of Joyce DeWitt, Jamie Farr, and Isabel Sanford would board the train for adventures filled with thrills, laughs, and romance.

 Photos and Story by Ken Hulsey As a dedicated railfan, I'm truly fortunate to inspect the DeQueen & Eastern Railroad facilities in DeQueen, Arkansas once a month. In my role as an inspector, I have full access to the property, allowing me to observe the railroad's operations in detail. This insider access grants me, as a railroad photographer, unique opportunities to capture images that other fans simply cannot obtain. Perhaps some of my exclusive photos will even make it into the company calendar!

 Photos and Story by Ken Hulsey This past week, I was blessed to spend time in what is quickly becoming my favorite place in the South: Natchez, Mississippi. I was in the area on business, making sales visits with local companies. Our company is trying to expand our presence in Mississippi, so I spent much of my day being charming and witty, discussing the importance of safety meetings and inspections.

 Written By Ken Hulsey  From the Monster Island News Archives - Originally Posted in 2000. Revised in 2008 & 2021. Many years ago, I wrote an article for the original Monster Island News about the infamous deleted scenes from "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope." At the time, the footage that had ended up on the cutting room floor was rarely seen, and mysteriously absent from both DVD and VHS releases of the original Star Wars trilogy. Similarly, content from "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" had also been left out, including scenes like Biggs talking with Luke in Anchorhead, Wampas running amok in the Rebel Base on Hoth, and a Tatooine sandstorm in Jedi.

From the files of Monster Island News - December 2008 Written By Ken Hulsey It seems there's a shortage of male Bigfoot (known locally as Almasty) in Russia, and the females of the species have been seeking human companions. In the northern Caucasus town of Elbrus, residents have reported an unusual number of Almasty sightings, mostly encounters with flirtatious females, typically by local men. In fact, it's a very common occurrence to spot the legendary creature around the town itself, with every resident claiming to have seen the Almasty at least once.

Ezekiel saw the wheel. This is the wheel he said he saw. These are Unidentified Flying Objects that people say they are seeing now. Are they proof that we are being visited by civilizations from other stars? Or just what are they? The United States Air Force began an investigation of this high strangeness in a search for the truth. What you are about to see is part of that 20 year search. - Radio and television veteran Jack Webb spoke these words to open the premiere episode of the series 'Project: U.F.O.' Project U.F.O. was a late 1970s NBC television series that ran for two seasons, from 1978 to 1979. The show was loosely based on the real-life Project Blue Book and created by Dragnet veteran Jack Webb, who pored through Air Force files to find episode ideas. In the first season, the show faithfully reflected the Project Blue Book files, with most UFO sightings explained, and only a few remaining unexplained. However, in the second season, the storylines took a turn, as the ...

  Move over Marvel Universe - It's Clobberin' Time! The cast of Marvel Studios' upcoming film "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" joined a live audience at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama - home of the iconic Space Camp program - to officially launch the movie's inaugural trailer on Tuesday. Fans from around the world tuned in via a Marvel livestream to catch the big debut in real time, with the towering Saturn V rocket serving as a dramatic backdrop. Stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach led the countdown, hyping up the crowd for the highly anticipated first look at the new Fantastic Four film.

 Story by Ken Hulsey When I lived in Albuquerque, one of my favorite places was the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. I have to admit that back in the 80s, the museum wasn't much to write home about - it had a couple of dinosaur skeletons and little else. However, it was still really interesting, and I always enjoyed exploring the exhibits, with my favorite being the giant leg bones of a Seismosaurus, the largest dinosaur ever discovered, which used to call New Mexico home.