Reuters soundman shot dead in Baghdad by US forces

Bullet holes are seen on the media identity cards of Waleed Khaled after he was shot in Baghdad's Al Ghazalea district of Baghdad.

© CAREN FIROUZ/Reuters/Corbis

A Reuters Television soundman was shot dead in Baghdad on Sunday and a cameraman who was wounded was still being questioned by U.S. troops 12 hours later. Iraqi police said the two, both Iraqis, were shot by U.S. forces.

A U.S. military spokesman said the incident was being investigated.

Click here for the full story.

Ramin Talaie
NYC not Baghdad

New Fulton

Today I shot a news conference for the The NY Sun with Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg announcing a federally funded Fulton Station revitalization project in Lower Manhattan.

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg

Ramin Talaie
Lower Manhattan in New York City

In a Sean Penn movie!

There is no greater honor than being in a Sean Penn movie. Okay it is not an honor, but it’s pretty darn awesome! (Click here for a link to see the movie)

It has been months since my visit to Iran, but a friend just emailed me this link which is from Sean Penn’s own personal movie.

In this movie you can see me smack in the middle of the pack, mixing and pushing with the Iranian photographers for a Sean Penn’s picture.

Here are some images where you see how Penn carried a small digital camera filming his time in Iran.

I wrote a correspondence piece on his visit for The New York Sun.

Ramin Talaie
@ Home in Brooklyn, USA

Nothing Really

Slow day today. Nothing really to write about. I shot a PR assignment, so no excitement there.

However, here is the Times article on Judge Crater.

Ramin Talaie
New York City

Judge Joseph F. Crater

So what did happen to Judge Joseph Crater? I don’t know… I have to read up on him too!

Judge Joseph Force Crater was reported missing on August 6, 1930 and nothing was ever found about his disappearance.

Today, The New York Times asked me to go to a New York Police Department facility on cold cases in Brooklyn and photograph Crater’s files.

Evidently after all these years, there have been some developments. So pick up a copy of the paper in the morning to find out about this 75-years-old case…..I know I will!

There is also a book published on this case called “Vanishing Point”, by Kenneth D. Ackerman (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher - 2004).

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, New York

Of Rats and Labor

About a few dozen members of various labor unions demonstrated in front of Anthony Wiener’s office in Lower Manhattan.

Evidently Wiener, the Congressman and New York City mayoral hopeful candidate had made anti labor/union remark prompting the presence of the giant inflatable rat and men with union-embroidered logo shirts.

On a slow news day this is news.

Ramin Talaie
Lower Manhattan in New York City

Flash

Today I got called to cover a news conference at Scores night club in the West Side of Manhattan. The club is announcing the start of a new location in Las Vegas. Evidently folks like Disney and Cirque du Soleil are making the town too family friendly.

A heavy set man in a cheap suite who was either an owner or a manager announced that "bunch" of Scores dancer will come down and pose for pictures soon.

As far as I could tell, the announcement for the new club was already out there and there was no need for the girls. But I guess we needed to get some silicone to go along with the text.

Of course the paparazzi were out in force. A hand-full of sleezy looking guys with point and shoot cameras also waited to snaps shots of the dancers.

New York Post and Daily News photographers posed the dancers as other guys made similar requests. They would say “honey” could you turn this way or “sweetheart” look over your shoulder.

During the group shot one of the dancers said how come no one is flashing? The paparazzi had already snapped enough pictures. One guy shouted back “because we are waiting for you to flash.”

As I tried to make some feature images out of this over-set-up event, I ran into Lauren my reporter from the The New York Sun. We both looked at each other and gestured what the hell we are doing here. She then turned and said “weren’t you in Iran just a few months ago and now shooting this!?”

Ramin Talaie
West Side – New York City

File this under nothing

Summer continues to be slow in New York City.

I shot this image as I covered the mayoral debate of all Democratic candidates at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Ramin Talaie
New York City

Farewell to Steven Vincent

Today the body of murdered journalist Steven Vincent was laid to rest after a moving ceremony at the Middle Collegiate Church in New York City. Vincent had attended the church and lived in Lower East Side.

Vincent's wife, Lisa Ramaci, kisses her husband one last time

Steven Vincent was killed in Basra Iraq, by unknown assailants. His body was found on Tuesday August 2, 2005 along with his translator, Nour Weidi, who was seriously wounded.

Vincent authored "In The Red Zone" and recently had written an Op-Ed piece for The New York Times.

Blogger and Time magazine reporter Christopher Allbritton wrote this piece after his death for the New York Magazine.

Vincent's wife, Lisa Ramaci (left), holding to a folded American flag stands outside the church after his funeral

Ramin Talaie
Lower East Side in New York City

Fill her up

Price of crude oil reached $67 in today’s trading at the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). Primary reason for the spike continues to be supply and demand.

A number of production stoppage and geo-political worries in Middle East are the main culprits for this surge in prices.

Fires at BP’s giant refinery in Texas, and the loss of capacity at ConocoPhillips refinery in Illinois are some of the main contributors to analysts worrisome.

Latest economic data shows an increase in U.S. retail economy ironically with biggest gain coming from auto sales due to sales incentives such as the ‘employee discount’ programs.

Not helping the situation is Iran’s resumption of its nuclear program and continuing threats in Saudi Arabia against United State and other foreigners by Al-Queda cells.

At the pumps gas prices will probably reach higher than their current average of $3 by early next week before falling back to a reasonable level.

In the meantime Americans will continue to drive bigger cars, ignore the Kyoto treaty on environmental issues, and spend more energy to continue our dependence on fossil fuel.

Ramin Talaie
New York City

Times Square Iconic Kiss

August 15 is 60th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day).

As the U.S. servicemen returned home a young jubilant sailor clutched a white-uniformed nurse in a back bending passionate kiss to vent his homecoming.

The iconic image was captured by Life magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt.

Today, Edith Shain, the 86 year old woman who claims to be that young nurse posed with a statue of the photograph which will be placed in Times Square for the next few days.

Ramin Talaie
New York City

Anti War Protest

Today I shot this on-spec for the Associated Press.

Syrian born artist, Hala Faisal, protested the war in Iraq and the occupation of Palestine by appearing in the nude in Lower Manhattan.

With anti-war slogans written in both English and Arabic in red paint on her bare skin, she stepped into the Washington Square Park fountain as scores of photographers took pictures.

Tourists and local New Yorkers inaudibly looked on while a few people applauded for her.

After circling inside the fountain three or four times Faisal was arrested by the New York City Police.

Two men shouted “stop police state” as she was lead to a patrol car and taken away.

According to a reporter on the sense Faisal had became a U.S. citizen a few months ago.

Ramin Talaie
New York City

A new photojournalist?

Outgoing Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami is considering a new career. (not really)


Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, New York

Smoking Kills

Peter Jennings Dies at 67

Form ABC News

From NY Times

He will be missed...

Get informed

160,00 people will die of lung cancer this year.

Lung Cancer Foundation
http://www.lungcanceronline.org/

American Lung Association
http://www.lungusa.org

More on Google about lung cancer

Learn about the truth on smoking:
www.thetruth.com

This blog posting is not brought to you by any tobacco companies, but Jennings death is.

God Speed Discovery

In the next few hours the space shuttle Discovery will start its return to earth. As I go to sleep, my thoughts and prayers are with the crew.

Ramin Talaie
Brooklyn, New York

Correction on ....

Journalists in War Zone

Iraq: At least 66 journalists and media support workers killed, 29 journalists kidnapped.

Vietnam: 63 journalists killed between 1955 and 1975, a period of 20 years.

Algeria: 57 journalists killed between 1993 and 1996 during the civil war.

The Balkans: 49 journalists killed between 1991 and 1995 during the war in the former Yugoslavia.

From Christian Science Monitor

Source: Reporters without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists, International Press Institute

Over 40 Journalists Have Been Killed in Iraq

Steven Vincent found shot dead in Iraq

From todays New York Times on the killing of Steve Vincent:
American Journalist Is Shot to Death in Iraq
Also from AP on his killing:
U.S. Journalist Shot to Death in Iraq

Here is Vincent's Op-Ed piece he wrote for NY Times.

Steven Vincent's Blog

To learn about Iraq casulaties check here:
icasualties.org