News in Focus | Snapped Shot

Tim Kaine—formerly Governor of Virginia, and currently head of the Democratic National Committee—pictured in a meeting with Barack Obama at the White House.

Far be it from me to point out that this is perhaps one of the most desperate "Gimme a Job" faces I've ever seen.

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President Barack Obama has lunch with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine in the Oval Office Private Dining Room, March 16, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

I know.  I was shocked too.  The crAP media outlet actually goes out and prints the truth of the slaughter of christian women and children.  The AFP doesn't feel it news worthy to note the religious-based massacre of christians.

Here is the AFP version of the story from Yahoo News:

JOS, Nigeria (AFP) – Nigeria's acting president put security forces on alert after machete wielding gangs massacred at least 100 people, mainly women and children, near the central city of Jos, officials said.

Witnesses described how victims were caught in animal traps and fishing nets as they tried to flee their attackers, who hacked them to death in what appeared to have been a well-organised attack.

"Over a hundred people have been killed -- most of them women and children," said a government official Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Some of the children are less than one year old," he added.

But the raiders also set fire to dozens of houses in the nearby villages of Ratsat and Zot, all less than 10 kilometres (seven miles) from Jos and home to members of the Berom ethnic group.

"These villages were attacked by Fulani herdsmen killing scores of people and burning houses," Ratsat resident David Daniel Daniel told AFP.

Other residents and local rights activists also blamed the attacks on the Fulani ethnic group.

Please click on to second page:  Continue Reading »

This photo, sent across by Reuters stringer Suhaib Salem, represents everything that I believe is wrong with press coverage in the Middle East. It could easily adorn the cover of some macabre screenplay—which, in essence, is all that it is.

See if you can spot every single actor in this shot that's playing specifically to a camera. I'll get you started by pointing out the gentleman in the front with the simulated-bloody hand, playing to Camera A. Or the one behind him playing to Camera B. Or even the two guys in the center who are clearly playing up their determination for Suhaib himself.

How many times will Reuters fall for the same staged shot, presenting it to Western readers as if this were some genuine outpouring of emotion—rather than the staged play that it is?

(Feel free to share your observations down in the comments—Let's see if you can find all of the actors from the comfort of your own home!)

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Palestinians carry the body of militant Mohammed Gabin during his funeral in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip March 1, 2010. Israeli army shelling killed Gabin, a Palestinian gunman, in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday, his group said. The Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella militant group allied to Gaza's Hamas rulers, said the dead man had been on a "jihadist mission" when he was killed. The term usually denotes armed operations or training. The Israeli army had no immediate comment. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)

When I saw this photograph, published by official White House lightstalker Pete Souza, I was immediately struck by how ham-handed Obama looked, particularly in contrast to the apparently taken-aback Dalai Lama. What does it say about the competence of this White House if this is the kind of photo that they think is representative enough of this meeting to release it to the press?

Anyway, with that background in mind, it is truly stunning to learn—via the ever-excellent PDNPulse—that my mortal enemies at the Associated Press actually refused to carry the picture.

Says the AP on their official Facebook page:

"AP Photo Advisory: The AP will not be distributing an official White House photograph of today’s meeting between President Obama and the Dalai Lama. The AP declines to accept or use handout photos when we feel access would have been possible by the media, either as a group or through a pool photo arrangement."

In our constant striving for media access, we often encounter cases where access is denied and handout photos are offered. That’s the visual equivalent of being fed a completed news story by PR firm or official as opposed to reporting it ourselves. 

We won't accept or use handout photos if we feel access would have been possible by the media, either as a group or through a pool photo arrangement. This position is particularly important to us when covering government activities in democratic nations where we believe an independent view is important. 

One is reminded that the AP routinely carries abject propaganda handouts on a daily basis from freedom-loving regimes such as Iran, but wouldn't you guess it, they have an answer for that, too:

True, we often accept handout photos from governments or states where media freedoms are not as developed as they are in most democracies. Ignoring those handout photos would deprive our readers and viewers of a unique source of information.

A "unique source of information" that just happens to be available for free to the rest of the Internet? I'm not buying that explanation... but I do have a trick up my sleeve that just might be related to it, so I'm going to let it slide for now.

Anyway, the only other thing I'd say about this whole fiasco is that dark times must truly be coming to the Administration, if even their strongest supporters have stopped carrying their water.

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President Barack Obama meets with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House, Feb. 18, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

I am still amazed by this photo, filed a few days ago by Reuters photographer Ako Rasheed. Whether by chance or on purpose, the way he composed this picture, it could easily be mistaken for a painting from far away. And yet, up close, it illustrates very succinctly both the bravery and the cooperation our military exhibits on a daily basis.

But hey, why should I have the last word? What do you think when you see this stunning still-life?

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Military personnel and policemen stand for a parade during their graduation ceremony in Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad February 15, 2010. The "Golden Lions", a mixed squad consisting of U.S. military personnel, Iraqi and Peshmerga soldiers as well as policemen graduated from the academy in Kirkuk after finishing a month of training on Monday, police official said. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed (IRAQ - Tags: MILITARY POLITICS)

I don't know about you, dear readers, but this shot by White House photographer Pete Souza seems to draw a very strong comparison between our Congress and a chess board.

Both of which are completely controlled by strong external forces.

But hey, if you have any alternate explanations for it, I'd love to hear it.

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President Barack Obama talks with Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Vice President Joe Biden, following the Tax Deliquency Memorandum signing in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House, Jan. 20, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

There are 8 cameras visible in this shot; 9 if you include the one belonging to Fayaz Kabli, who filed it.

Compare that to the 7 police officers present, or even the 4 protesters, and the photo itself becomes almost comical.

But it does, to me, raise a very interesting question:—At what point do we cross the line from "covering" the conflict in Kashmir to inflating it well beyond its importance in the grand scheme of things?

Your input, as always, is greatly appreciated.

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Indian police detain members of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) during a protest march to mark the anniversary of the hanging of Maqbool Bhat, in Srinagar February 11, 2010. Indian police on Thursday in Srinagar sealed off many residential areas to prevent protest marches called by JKLF to demand the remains of JKLF founder Bhat, who was hanged and buried in an Indian jail 26 years ago, police said. REUTERS/Fayaz Kabli (INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR - Tags: ANNIVERSARY CIVIL UNREST POLITICS)

(PS: Thanks again to all of my esteemed cobloggers for keeping things lively around here in my extended absence!)

This photo is making the rounds all over the rest of the conservative blogosphere, so there's no reason why good old Snapped Shot ought to be left out.

Does this photo speak to you about our president's total inability to handle himself with unprepared remarks?

Or is he just trying to provide a good example to our nation's schoolkids by encouraging them to read?

(oof.)

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FALLS CHURCH, VA - JANUARY 19: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the "Race To The Top" program at the Graham Road Elementary School January 19, 2010 in Falls Church, Virginia.The President is announcing his request for an additional $1.35 billion in 2011 for the program that was created as part of the economic stimulus bill signed into law last year. He is joined by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. (Photo by Kristoffer Tripplaar-Pool/Getty Images)

Kudos to Reuters stringer David Moir for capturing this intriguing composition.

It sure seems to me like the King-in-Waiting of England is trying to blend in with his subjects, despite the many doubts that have been raised about his views.

But aside from all of that, it's really neat how this real-life shot mimics the Photoshop Clone Stamp Tool so well.

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Britain's Prince Charles (C) speaks during a medal presentation ceremony to soldiers from The Black Watch regiment at Fort George near Inverness in Scotland January 20, 2010. Prince Charles, in his role as Royal Colonel 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, (The Black Watch), presented Operational Service Medal's on Wednesday, to soldiers recently returned from duties in Afghanistan. REUTERS/David Moir (BRITAIN - Tags: MILITARY SOCIETY ROYALS)

Ehud Barak, Israel's Defense Minister, has been the target of a large number of death threats as of late. Always the inspirational leader, he has come out and openly declared that he's "not scared of anyone."

Which makes Oded Balilty's composition above rather funny in context.

An avowedly unafraid politician of the leftist persuasion, surrounded by a serious crew of pistol-packing security guards. (Who does he think he is, Rosie O'Donnell?)

Anyway, I'd be curious to hear what y'all think: Any bets on whether or not our AP stringer had Ehud's little quote in mind when he put together this series of photographs?

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Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, center, walks surrounded by security guards as he arrives for a business conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010. Israel has beefed up security around its defense minister in response to death threats from Jewish extremists angry over new restrictions on construction in West Bank settlements, security officials said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)