PLUCKEY'S web

Author: Philip Luckey

  • Maybe Mountain Time, approaching mountains

    I’m mostly awake. I suspect we’re in Mountain Time now, depending on where we are (and where we are depends on what time it is, of course). Dark outside my window, save for the occasional light in the distance or streetlight or even perhaps a house. When I got up about an hour ago to…

  • The train slows down

    Ah ha… our first real slow-down. The Conductor just informed us that a freight train just ahead of us is “having trouble with a switch” and therefore we’re going maybe 20-30 MPH (it’s hard to estimate, but at these low speeds it’s like we’re gliding… really cool) as we’re stuck behind the freight train. We’re…

  • Need some art with that story

    I’ve posted some pictures in my Pictures section (featuring, yes, pictures). I’ll be creating a new section each time I post sets of pictures, for it seems that ftp via the wireless modem is kinda slow for uploads (but I’m perfectly happy with that).

  • The Mount Pleasant Chronicles

    We just stopped in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Actually we’ve been very close to the printed timetable so far (other than starting about 15 minutes late). Some stops are just for 2-3 minutes. Mt Pleasant was a little longer, and now I know why. The station was on my side of the train, and I was…

  • Checking out the environs

    I took a nice little nap and did some exploring on the train. I found how to get from car to car (the sleeper cars connect upstairs only), passed through the Dining Car (being set up for dinner), looked at the Lounge Car, and peeked into a Coach car. Also found the shower in my…

  • Riding AmTrak to California!

    I’m officially riding the rails. I’m settled in my own private roomette, which turns out to be a good size for one tall person. Two people would be very cozy. We’ve left the Chicago station and are currently speeding our way through the neighborhoods of Chi-town. I’m in Car #532, Room #12, on the lower…

  • Nashville to Chicago

    Makin’ progress! The flight from Nashville to Chicago was uneventful, other than the piercing pain I experienced when the plane started to descend. Must be some air pressure problem with my head. Oh well. More notes later on the Confusing Array of Signs within O’Hare Airport in Chicago. Still, I managed to find my way…

  • Chattanooga to Nashville

    I rode the Express Shuttle van from Chattanooga to Nashville, and now I’m sitting at Gate C-12, hoping my 9:05 am CST flight isn’t delayed by too much (it’s evidently snowing in Chicago, and half the Chicago flights are delayed, but not mine [yet]). You can watch the realtime progress of American flight 4360 (BNA…

  • My train route

    Leaving my house in Chattanooga in a few minutes… here’s my projected train route (map courtesy of Amtrak):

  • To SF with a Twist!

    Haaappy New Year! I’m about to embark on my annual pilgrimmage to San Francisco — traveling on Amtrak’s California Zephyr train from Chicago to SanFran. Check back for incremental updates… perhaps even From The Train!

  • Christmas 2004 pictures

    christmas pix!

  • I now have a niece!

    Hello, Abigail! News flash from Kansas City: Ann Ribbing and Scott Luckey are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Abigail Sue Ribbing. Abbie was born at 10 am on November 16, 2004. She weighed in at 8 pounds, 11 ounces and was 19 inches long. Here are some pictures!

  • One model for distribution

    I joined a discussion on a mailing list today about the usefulness/likelihood/profitability of making documentaries (on the International Media Users Group IMUG list). Here’s what I had to say: Would you hit the jackpot on sending your first program out and then getting $2000 per station x 300 stations? About as likely as winning the…

  • adding content…

    Yes, I am planning on adding new posts & pictures – they’re certainly piling up! Check back here within the next few days to find some new stuff…

  • Stunning. Suitably stunned.

    Last night I happened to catch a live streaming feed from NASA of the pictures coming from the Cassini probe as it swung by Saturn’s moon Titan [Check it out!]. What an amazing thing to see, in real-time. Well, the raw unprocessed images were mostly a whitish blur, but impressive nonetheless!

  • On the road to Tybee Island!

    I’m on the road to Tybee Island for my annual beach trip…in fact this is posted as I ride in the back seat of my CRV… Shannon is driving very well and we’re about an hour from Savannah right now. (this treo 300 comes in handy)

  • Movies & Pix: Australia, Dan, Weekend

    I’ve loaded some movies – you’ll need to have QuickTime installed on your computer to view them. First off, some movies from Australia, recently re-discovered (I had feared they had been lost): What the “Crosswalk” Sounds Like on a Downtown Sydney Street Circular Quay (Sydney) Street Performer Plays Guitar The Brisbane Town Hall, With Actual…

  • Trying to communify

    I’ve started enhancing another section of my web presence: Communify.org, an update of my Community Communication Project.

  • Head in the clouds

    Head in the Clouds Good news…no, GREAT news! A privately-developed spacecraft with a human pilot successfully launched this morning from the Mojave Desert, got at least 62 miles up (the edge of space), and then glided in for a landing. SpaceShipOne (developed in part by Dick Rutan and Paul Allen) is in the history books…

  • Riverbend 2004

    I survived the first night of Riverbend 2004. It was quite hot. I pored over the wide range of material available at the UTC booth, watched some music (including Todd Snider and a bluegrass group), and had a tasty corn dog. And yes, it was hot. (Pictures)

  • SRL Film Committee

    I attended the Shaking Ray Levi Society’s initial Film Committee “Get-Together” at Pisa Pizza in North Chattanooga. Got to meet several interesting people who are interested in organizing “independent movies and videos” to be made here in town.

  • WiFi in the park

    Cool – I’m posting this while sitting in Coolidge Park, thanks to the free wireless Internet service. So there! Hint – the closer you are to the Pavilion building (next to the Carousel), the better reception you get.

  • Dan’s death match

    I found my buddy Dan engaged in training for the Riverbend Challenge (what I refer to as “Dan’s Death Match”) at the Climbing Wall at Coolidge Park. I’m accustomed to being taller than Dan, so I gave the Wall a shot, myself (Pictures). Thanks to whats-her-name for belaying me, thus preventing a deadly plummet.