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Castro with newspaper, real or photoshopped?
apnews ^ | 8/12/2006 | APnews

Posted on 08/13/2006 12:39:36 PM PDT by omega4179

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/ADDITION_CUBA_CASTRO.sff_NY110_20060813062244.jpg This is one of four photographs published Sunday Aug. 13, 2006 by Cuba's Communist Youth newspaper's online edition Juventud Rebelde proporting to show The first photographs of Fidel Castro since his illness two weeks ago. Castro holds a copy of the Saturday Aug. 12, 2006 edition of Granma, the Communist Party newspaper. The headline reads "Absolved by history." The Associated Press cannot verify the authenticity or the date when these photographs were shot. (AP Photo/HO)

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


TOPICS: Cuba; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: axis; castro; cuba; deathwatch; fauxtography; photos; raul
The newspaper looks to bright and perfect to me.
1 posted on 08/13/2006 12:39:36 PM PDT by omega4179
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To: omega4179
Good analysis from a graphic designer and photoshop wrangler
2 posted on 08/13/2006 12:40:33 PM PDT by Minus_The_Bear
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To: omega4179
can't someone zoom in on the newspaper and then zoom in on Fidel's face and see if the two images had the same resolution? Because if they have different #s of dpi, we have a photoshopped photo...

I don't know how to do this, I'm not a graphics guy

3 posted on 08/13/2006 12:41:20 PM PDT by Koblenz (Holland: a very tolerant country. Until someone shoots you on a public street in broad daylight...)
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To: omega4179
See also.
4 posted on 08/13/2006 12:42:47 PM PDT by Dr. Ed Bravo (Contact "StarCMC" to join the Patriot Guard Riders ping list.)
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To: omega4179

5 posted on 08/13/2006 12:42:48 PM PDT by jimboster (Vitajex, whatcha doin' to me)
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To: Minus_The_Bear
Ok, that is the definitive analysis. Thanks for posting it. Right on the money.

If it makes any difference, I'm pretty familiar with this stuff because I did it for a living for almost 29 years...and now I teach it for a living.
6 posted on 08/13/2006 12:46:35 PM PDT by pollyannaish
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To: pollyannaish
Oops. That was supposed to be almost 20 years. And I STILL need a proofreader.
7 posted on 08/13/2006 12:47:28 PM PDT by pollyannaish
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To: Minus_The_Bear

Aha!!!! So it was cosmeric surgery to get rid of those unsightly liver spots!!


8 posted on 08/13/2006 12:50:00 PM PDT by Chi-townChief
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To: omega4179

Little Green Footballs couldn't find any evidence of photoshopping.

http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/weblog.php


9 posted on 08/13/2006 12:50:13 PM PDT by joonbug
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To: Minus_The_Bear

The paper is a proof. Castro is real. He is wearing makeup to make him look less pale. That is the simplest explanation.


10 posted on 08/13/2006 12:51:35 PM PDT by Poser (Willing to fight for oil)
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To: Minus_The_Bear

"I suggest you all be optimistic, but at the same time always ready to face any adverse news." This is Castro's setting up people for the bad news.


11 posted on 08/13/2006 12:52:11 PM PDT by kabar
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To: omega4179

It is interesting that they feel the need to even show this, but commies are funny that way.


12 posted on 08/13/2006 12:52:51 PM PDT by Kirkwood
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To: Poser

Sometimes we miss the forest for the trees. Why would Castro pose for these shots, including pictures of him on the phone, when he could have just as easily have had someone film or tape him giving his birthday message? Why pose with a dated newspaper? To me, this is all phony.


13 posted on 08/13/2006 12:55:20 PM PDT by kabar
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To: omega4179
I think it's an old photo of Castro - I've done photo comparisons with old and new

More Here at Sticky Notes with some explanation.

14 posted on 08/13/2006 1:01:34 PM PDT by turbocat
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To: Minus_The_Bear

Hey, that fourth picture looks like Mike Wallace with a beard!


15 posted on 08/13/2006 1:07:10 PM PDT by true_blue_texican
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To: true_blue_texican

He'seither already dead or will be soon...

either way...good news for cuba


16 posted on 08/13/2006 1:18:53 PM PDT by Mr. K (Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help...)
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To: joonbug
Could have been taken before the surgery.

It is a proof copy, so that it could have been a test run of their special edition

17 posted on 08/13/2006 1:20:18 PM PDT by GeronL (http://www.mises.org/story/1975 <--no such thing as a fairtax)
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To: omega4179

18 posted on 08/13/2006 1:21:56 PM PDT by Sloth ('It Takes A Village' is problematic when you're raising your child in Sodom.)
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To: omega4179
Its being held together with staples and the real edition was with bright red ink....

I think the Castro photo was taken before he died.

19 posted on 08/13/2006 1:22:04 PM PDT by GeronL (http://www.mises.org/story/1975 <--no such thing as a fairtax)
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To: GeronL

Update: CNN is now showing a picture of Castro holding the "paper" with the black letter headline; HOWEVER, the cropping is now like a regular newspaper and the staple is missing. Can anyone post the picture?


20 posted on 08/13/2006 1:29:40 PM PDT by cincinnati65 (Lucky participant in 189 different Nigerian business deals......still waiting on payment.)
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To: cincinnati65

The actual newspaper was printed with red ink


21 posted on 08/13/2006 1:34:35 PM PDT by GeronL (http://www.mises.org/story/1975 <--no such thing as a fairtax)
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To: cincinnati65

sounds like CNN is playing with photoshop


22 posted on 08/13/2006 1:35:04 PM PDT by GeronL (http://www.mises.org/story/1975 <--no such thing as a fairtax)
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To: cincinnati65

cannot find that one


23 posted on 08/13/2006 1:43:19 PM PDT by GeronL (http://www.mises.org/story/1975 <--no such thing as a fairtax)
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To: turbocat

Yes it does look photoshopped

Look closely at the two photos at Sticky Notes and compare the photo of the newspaper held by the ordinary guy with the same edition held by Castro -

not only is the color of the headline changed, but the RIGHT MARGIN of the newspaper in the hands of the ordinary guy is much wider than in the newspaper purported to be held by Castro


24 posted on 08/13/2006 1:49:29 PM PDT by SirJohnBarleycorn
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To: Minus_The_Bear
...there is evidence that the section Fidel is holding is a proof copy, not the printed issue. It is larger than the real newspaper (notice the big blank margins), it is creased backwards (the cover should be showing when folded...

Thanks for the link - he's got something there...

25 posted on 08/13/2006 1:49:50 PM PDT by GOPJ (Al Gore - the original "Millions Could Die" kind of guy....)
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To: GeronL

Saw it on TV as I was channel surfing. I had just read the article here, and the first thing I thought was.....that's not the same picture that was posted here. It was clearly in a "normal" paper format, but it had the black headline rather than the red one, and I didn't see any sign of the staple. They showed the picture two or three times.


26 posted on 08/13/2006 1:50:03 PM PDT by cincinnati65 (Lucky participant in 189 different Nigerian business deals......still waiting on payment.)
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To: GeronL

27 posted on 08/13/2006 1:52:41 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (Vote a Straight Republican Ballot. Rid the country of dems. NRA)
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To: cincinnati65

CNN is apparently doing a bang-up propaganda job then


28 posted on 08/13/2006 1:57:21 PM PDT by GeronL (http://www.mises.org/story/1975 <--no such thing as a fairtax)
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To: GeronL

IT'S STAPLED TO HIS FINGER !!!

ROFLOL

They had to staple the paper to his finger to get it to stay in place.


29 posted on 08/13/2006 2:06:00 PM PDT by Pikachu_Dad
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To: Pikachu_Dad

could be


30 posted on 08/13/2006 2:17:49 PM PDT by GeronL (http://www.mises.org/story/1975 <--no such thing as a fairtax)
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To: kabar

"Sometimes we miss the forest for the trees. Why would Castro pose for these shots, including pictures of him on the phone, when he could have just as easily have had someone film or tape him giving his birthday message? Why pose with a dated newspaper?"

Why not? Why would you pretend an 80 year old guy who is deathly ill in the hospital is alive when he isn't? There is no upside to pretending he's alive when he isn't. The conspiracy theory is far less credible than the non-conspiracy theory.

One would have to believe that Raul is quietly killing all of his possible political opponents before making the announcement. It's possible but much less likely than the obvious probability that Fidel is still alive. A video could have just as easily been pre-recorded as some photos.


31 posted on 08/13/2006 2:23:39 PM PDT by Poser (Willing to fight for oil)
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To: Poser

Caption on CNN reads "Happy Birthday Fidel"...instead of the more journalistic "Castro turns 80". And they wonder why the MSM is called the liberal media.


32 posted on 08/13/2006 2:28:16 PM PDT by cincinnati65 (Lucky participant in 189 different Nigerian business deals......still waiting on payment.)
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To: cincinnati65

"Happy Birthday Fidel"...

No way!


33 posted on 08/13/2006 2:46:37 PM PDT by BenLurkin ("The entire remedy is with the people." - W. H. Harrison)
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To: Poser
Why not? Why would you pretend an 80 year old guy who is deathly ill in the hospital is alive when he isn't? There is no upside to pretending he's alive when he isn't. The conspiracy theory is far less credible than the non-conspiracy theory.

Conspiracy theory? There is certainly an upside for brother Raul to delay the announcement of his brother's death so he can consolidate his control over the country. It is far better to drag it out so that the public is conditioned to the fact that Fidel is seriously ill and possibly dying. I am sure that Raul is concerned about the public reaction and the reaction of Cuban-Americans if they learned that Castro died suddenly. Also, there are also the pedestrian matters of arranging for the funeral and burial, which will involve many heads of state coming to the country. This will be a major PR event requiring lots of preparation and logistics.

I have never heard of an instance in a Communist state where the leader [read absolute dictator] formally and publicly passed the reins of power to someone else while he underwent an operation. Have you?

One would have to believe that Raul is quietly killing all of his possible political opponents before making the announcement. It's possible but much less likely than the obvious probability that Fidel is still alive. A video could have just as easily been pre-recorded as some photos.

I answered why Raul may be delaying the announcement. A video is not as easy to doctor and pose as still photos. I wonder if they would have included a newspaper in the video. To me, this whole show is just a case of the dog not barking. Castro and his ilk manage the media to stay in power. They are masters at it.

34 posted on 08/13/2006 2:47:58 PM PDT by kabar
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To: kabar
"I have never heard of an instance in a Communist state where the leader [read absolute dictator] formally and publicly passed the reins of power to someone else while he underwent an operation. Have you?"

Dictator, expecting to die, passes off to his brother... Perfectly plausible. When I start hearing about possible opponents to Raul disappearing, I'll give the conspiracy theories more credence. Are there any others on the horizon?
35 posted on 08/13/2006 3:01:42 PM PDT by Poser (Willing to fight for oil)
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To: Koblenz

The photos are real and have not been doctored. He looks gravely ill however. My guess is that he has a malignancy, probably colon Cancer. I'd give him three months at the most.


36 posted on 08/13/2006 3:06:12 PM PDT by nikos1121 (Thank you again Jimmy Carter.)
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To: Poser
Dictator, expecting to die, passes off to his brother... Perfectly plausible. When I start hearing about possible opponents to Raul disappearing, I'll give the conspiracy theories more credence. Are there any others on the horizon?

Or brother of dead dictator concocts story to assume power and avoid being a victim of a coup.

37 posted on 08/13/2006 3:49:14 PM PDT by kabar
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To: Minus_The_Bear
NOte the face comparison from a few months ago:

Make your own:

Oh, and the paper headline was printed in red in the real newspaper. The photo is a phake.

38 posted on 08/13/2006 3:58:52 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (The Democrat Party stands for open treason in a time of war.)
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To: omega4179
Here is a real recent picture of Fidel and Raul


39 posted on 08/13/2006 4:05:23 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: freedumb2003
"NOte the face comparison from a few months ago:"

The thing I notice most is the difference in the apparent age of the individuals. In the "hospital" shot, he looks 20 years younger, his beard is darker and fuller, his face is fleshier and he does not exhibit the liverspots that are prominent on his face in the most recent picture of him shown on the right. A little makeup would cover the spots, all right, but how did they plump up his skin and augment his facial hair? (I know it can be done. Are they desperate enough?) I think there are a couple of conclusions: 1. Not the same person; 2. Same person, separated by ten years or so; 3. Same person, loaded with makeup, collagen, hair weavings, and dye.

40 posted on 08/13/2006 4:14:56 PM PDT by redhead (Alaska: Step out of the bus and into the food chain)
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To: redhead
1. Not the same person; 2. Same person, separated by ten years or so; 3. Same person, loaded with makeup, collagen, hair weavings, and dye.

You left out the highest likely one: 4. DEAD person

;)

41 posted on 08/13/2006 4:17:35 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (The Democrat Party stands for open treason in a time of war.)
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To: redhead; freedumb2003
From Sticky Notes linked by freedumb2003 in # 14 above:


Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Cuba's President Fidel Castro (R) listen to the Cuban national anthem at the baseball stadium 'Latinoamericano' in Havana in this May 14, 2002 file photo. Reuters by way of Yahoo.

Apologies to where I first saw this earlier today. Anyway what are the odds you grab out that ol' track suit 4 years later?  The web is a wonderful thing.

42 posted on 08/13/2006 4:34:44 PM PDT by arasina (So there.)
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To: Minus_The_Bear

Castro: "Today, August 13, I feel very happy."

"I FEEEEEEL HAPPY!!! I FEEEEEEL HAPPY!!!"

*thonk*


43 posted on 08/13/2006 8:36:39 PM PDT by stands2reason (ANAGRAM for the day: Socialist twaddle == Tact is disallowed)
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To: Poser

The newspaper is an undated proof of a special edition insert that was ready to be issued whenever they needed it to go with these photos.

It could have been issued next week, or month, or year. Whenever the Commies needed to "prove" Castro's existence. It wouldn't matter as the content is not "newsy."

So I say real photo, taken sometime in the past months, before the recent surgery when his health began to deteriorate. He's probably either dead or in a coma.


44 posted on 08/13/2006 9:24:37 PM PDT by stands2reason (ANAGRAM for the day: Socialist twaddle == Tact is disallowed)
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