I very recently did a series of vox pop interviews in my neighborhood for Reuters and figured the resulting article was sufficiently interesting to merit posting on The Velvet Rocket: ****** “And then there was the giraffe incident…” I’m with 56-year-old sanitation worker Travis Greene as he describes his job. Certainly, it’s easy to find … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Justin Ames
The Moods of Lake Ontario
Believe it or not, these photos (and the video) were all shot in the span of one afternoon. Conditions change quickly on Lake Ontario… The morning was stormy. Howling winds whipped the water up and drove flurries of snow in all directions: * * But, just two hours after the above were taken, Lake Ontario … Continue reading
‘The Golden Road’ of Maine
Timber companies have always faced a problem with moving logs from the stump to sawmills often many miles away… This is particularly of relevance in a state such as Maine where there are still many vast tracts of wilderness. Historically, oxen and horses dragged the logs to streams and rivers that would then carry them … Continue reading
Visiting Herat, Afghanistan: Part 2 of 2
The following is straight from the notebook I had with me at the time and, I believe, helps give a feel for what it is like walking around Herat: …Wandering around Herat shafts of sunlight penetrate serpentine alleys lined by canvas-covered wooden stalls; the harsh light illuminates the faces of the merchants and their bountiful … Continue reading
India, China And Arunachal Pradesh
Perhaps not surprisingly to those that know me, I found the military dimension to Arunachal Pradesh interesting. Tensions between India and China run high in this area… Currently, India administers all of Arunachal Pradesh. However, the Chinese lay claim to the majority of Arunachal Pradesh as they believe it to be an extension of the … Continue reading
Visiting Damascus, Syria
An evening exploration of the streets of Damascus… “…no recorded event has occurred in the world but Damascus was in existence to receive news of it. Go back as far as you will into the vague past, there was always a Damascus… She has looked upon the dry bones of a thousand empires and will … Continue reading
The Sand Springs Pony Express Station
From April 3, 1860 to November 21, 1861, mail was delivered by the Pony Express between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California utilizing a relay system between 190 stations along the route. A fresh horse was used every 12-15 miles and a new rider was used every 75-100 miles. It took 75 horses to go … Continue reading