Below is a partial list of the rebel groups that are fighting Assad and by default Hezbollah, Iran and Russia inside Syria… In almost any conflict, the name of the game is “size, money and momentum,” with ideology a distant fourth. For the anti-Assad fighters in Syria, this reality is no different and right now, … Continue reading
Author Archives: Justin
The Traffic Girls Of North Korea
One of the famous traffic girls of North Korea: Although they are primarily associated with Pyongyang, they actually have traffic police in other cities across North Korea. However, it is in Pyongyang that the traffic girls are truly an institution (and a fine one at that). The “traffic girl” is a popular image in North … Continue reading
The Kashgar Night Market
A beggar at the Kashgar Night Market: Yes, don’t fret, I gave the beggar some money… When approaching the area, one can usually hear Kashgar’s Night Market before they can see it. Granted, we were visiting during Ramadan and so activity was particularly boisterous at sunset when the fast was broken, but I have it … Continue reading
Landscapes Of North Korea
The overwhelming majority of these pictures below were taken through the dirty window of a moving vehicle, so cut me some slack on the image quality. I’m trying to show you what the countryside of North Korea looks like, not win any photography prizes. Contrary to the rumors, the only restrictions the North Koreans placed … Continue reading
North Korea’s Arirang Mass Games
The Mass Games in North Korea are not exactly an obscure or unknown event and so I shall not write too much about the experience other than to advise you that, as per standard The Velvet Rocket policy, I will try to show what it is like to be there. That said, I know this … Continue reading
I Only Eat Predators
“I only eat predators.” That was how the girl seated next to me started the conversation when the airline began serving us our food. She used that attention-getting line to launch into a condemnation of our entire food system. It was her position that when it comes to meat, she will never eat herbivores – … Continue reading
Photos Of The Day: The People Of South Africa
A sampling of some of the people we met on our trip to South Africa… I pulled some of these pictures from the archives, but many of these I am publishing for the first time: Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 