Newly Wed Jordan Graham on Trial for Murder

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The murder trial for Cody Johnson started this week in Montana.  Just eight days after being married, Cody dies allegedly falling face-first to his death at the hands of his wife, Jordan Graham.

At first, Jordan claimed she wasn’t with Cody when he disappeared.  Then later after being seen on video surveillance, she confesses up, but quickly changes her story to self-defense. Oh, and she also ironically found his body and when she did, her face was deadpan and emotionless.

Hmm…

Jordan is embroiled in so many lies, its over-the-top, and yet legal experts say proving that she did it legally will be a challenge.

Based on common sense and logic, there is little doubt they have the right person on trial (can you believe she is not in custody?), but logic doesn’t always prevail in court as we have seen over the last few years.

If there is any questionable testimony that comes out from this trial, please let me know and I’ll be happy to shed some light on it!

Interpreter Fakes Sign Language at Mandela Memorial

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A reader has sent me this video of a fake interpreter at Nelson Mandela’s memorial asking if I see any signs of deception.  I do not know sign language.

When watching the video, I do see several notable points:

1. The hand movements of the two signers are dramatically different.

2. One looks precise and the other sloppy.

3. The sloppy one doesn’t seem to be listening for the words to interpret them. He almost acts caught off guard as the speaker talks, like “oh yeah, I gotta do this”.

4. The woman’s gestures vary dramatically. The man’s gestures all seem all too similar and he doesn’t spell out words like the woman does.

5. The man has an arrogance about him. I can feel his love of attention. Can you?

I would definitely be put off by the sloppy, inattentive nature of the man and his arrogance.  He wouldn’t be someone I would trust if he came to speak to me.  I suspect if I were there and watched this, I would be suspect of the man, for sure, but that’s about all I can say.

Readers are asking why did this man do this?  Did he really think he’d get away with this?  While I haven’t spoken to him and I don’t know him, knowing human behavior I can speculate that yes, he thought he’d get away with it.  People who are arrogant often aren’t grounded and realistic.  He likely convinced himself there wouldn’t be enough deaf people listening to call him out.   Yes, that is humorous to us, but he didn’t have that foresight. His arrogance blinded him.

As I always say, arrogance is the biggest stumbling block for liars there is!  It brought this jerk down to earth real fast.

Emotional Intelligence Quiz

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Test your emotional intelligence.  See how you do!

Emotional Intelligence Quiz Thanks, SM, for sharing this with me!

The Life of a Human Lie Detector

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rapeseed and the tree

I was out at a social gathering recently, and someone asked what I do for a living.

Not wanting to throw it out there, I said, “I’m a trainer.”

My talking companion continues, “Oh really?  Who do you train?”

Trying to slow or stop the inquiry of information, I continue to reply with short answers, “Law Enforcement”.

Inevitably, though, the next question comes, “What do you train?”

Not one bit interested to lie, though wishing the inquiry had stopped earlier for their sake, I say, “Human behavior and deception.”

And the funniest things happen when people have secrets.  They bolt the first instant they can.

And the manner in which they bolt is usually so bold, it causes me to watch in disbelief every time.

Every time.

My internal dialogue is always the same, “I can’t believe this” — though, of course, I can.  It just never gets old or boring.

People who do this couldn’t wear a bigger beacon on their back that says “I’m HOT” and not the hot sexy type, folks.  Hot on fire with a story or two!

I then chuckle and wait to find the golden goose and it always comes out from someone.

And this day was no different.  That person didn’t tell me a lie, but they told others a whopper and when I heard others repeat it, I knew it instantly.  Just sadly others fell for it.

I just listen, smile and keep my mouth closed.  It’s not my place to expose one’s secrets, which causes another funny side effect.  Because I don’t call people out on their lies, they think I don’t have any talent.  Sorry to tell them who that joke is on…

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa

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A reader has asked me what I see when I look at this painting by Leonardo da Vinci. 

Ironically, I have never connected with this painting, and there could be many reasons for it.

Perhaps da Vinci didn’t accurately replicate the emotion Mona Lisa was displaying on her face  in this portraiture, or he painted her from memory and missed elements or detail to make it realistic?

Mona Lisa’s face just feels empty to me.  Her eyes reflect a smile, but no other elements of her face support it.  Her mouth has a slight tension about it and a hint of contempt, but again, its not natural or realistic.  And her body language conveys a very relaxed person–all conflicting messages to me.

Perhaps da Vinci had conflicting feelings of Mona Lisa as he painted her?

Or he intentionally misaligned her expression to cause mystery?

Many speculate that da Vinci was mentally ill, so maybe he saw the world askew?

I don’t think we’ll ever know. 

Many say the painting is enigmatic.  To that, I would agree.