Body Language Analysis of Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh Testimonies

I forced myself to watch a good long portion of the Blasey Ford testimony.  What struck me most was the child-like cutesy/mousy demeanour of doctor Ford- the 52-year-old psychology professor accusing Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh of attempted rape more than 3 decades ago- and I guess I'm not the only one who found it extremely odd. Apparently body language experts have weighed in on both her performance, and Kavanaugh's testimony, though not surprisingly there are more of Kavanaugh.

I only found one regarding Ford. Mandy O'Brien of Bombards Body Language put together a fascinating analysis of Ford's body language during her testimony.



Pomonews has a more in depth commentary about the body language issues of Ford.

I didn't see as much of Kavanaugh's testimony as Ford's, but body language expert Patti Wood shared on Refinery29 her analysis of his behaviour focusing on his anger and raw emotions, as most people have.

"His extreme emotions and inability to control his anger, rage, contempt, and tears is revealing," Wood tells Refinery29. "I have analyzed dozens of congressional hearings and I have never seen someone questioned display this broad range of emotions or this intensity." Wood says Kavanaugh used emotions that are known as "cover emotions" in deception detection; anger, "victim tears," and laughter. These emotions can be sincere and he could be showing them because he is innocent, but they can also "cover guilt," she says.

"His tears seem real and they can certainly call forth empathy," she continues. "They can show that he is absolutely innocent, but I have also seen in my work throughout the years that people who are 'caught' sometimes cry because they feel like victims of circumstances. I have additional problem with somebody crying during their congressional testimony. I have seen people eviscerated during congressional testimony. He was not questioned with the same intensity as many have been. He's the first person I've ever seen cry."

Wood, presuming he was there, does begrudgingly admit that he might not have any recollection of the incident if he happened to be drunk, or that if he did do the deed he could have just thought it was horseplay, hence the laughter that Ford claims was indelibly etched into her memory.

But bottom line, and everyone seems to agree, we don't know what the actual truth is. And maybe we never will.

Kavanaugh's "Meany-Face" Means He's Guilty- The Babylon Bee

A friend just turned me on to The Babylon Bee, a conservative version of the on-line satire site The Onion.  He had actually forwarded the article "Trump Supporter Executed Live On Stage At Grammy Awards"- which wouldn't seem that far fetched considering the way things are going these days. There is such palpable hatred toward Donald Trump and his supporters, no doubt the haters would be delighted if they were all executed.

I didn't think it was possible after 8 years under the uber-divisive reign of Barack Obama, but

we have become an even more polarized society since Donald Trump became the POTUS. I blame it on the relentless efforts of the media and everyone on the Left (in concert with some on the Right) to remove Trump from office since his first day as president. Actually it started when he became the Republican presidential nominee and hasn't stopped since. There are things about Trump that bother me, and some things he has done that I take issue with, but for the most part he has done some very good things for this country.

So, I was wondering  how The Babylon Bee would weigh in on the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation, which is just another thing that has severely divided this country. I will share my thoughts on that later, but for the time being The BB is spot on.

"Confirmed: Unpleasant Facial Expressions Now Admissible As Evidence of Guilt".  

WASHINGTON D.C.—The FBI has introduced an advanced new CSI technique for determining whether or not a person is guilty of a crime: pausing a video of the person while making an unpleasant face. “If a person makes a meany-guy-face even for one part of a second, we’ve nailed them,” said FBI director Marlon Quinn. “They are obviously guilty; otherwise, why would they make a meany-face?”

Had to laugh because as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed that's exactly what people were thinking. Hyper critical of his justifiable emotional response and anger. 

Read the rest here.

Confessions of a Closet Republican is back

It's been a long time since I last blogged. Almost 5 years ago I started the journey of taking care of mum after my dad unexpectedly passed away. Although mum was a tad more independent at the beginning, she has become increasingly more dependent. Caregiving takes almost all one's energy, so I just stopped blogging. However, with the upcoming midterms, the world and the world of politics as it is today, I feel compelled to step back in.

I won't be blogging as often as I did when I was in the thick of it, or maybe I will, just depends on how busy I get with mum, but I will be blogging.

Too many important things going on these days. 

Incognito is back!

Obama's Russian Connection - Obama/Medvedev Off Mic Conversation in 2012

For all you people who are horrified by President Donald Trump's alleged Russian connection... remember this?

At a bilateral meeting in 2012 between President Barack Obama and outgoing Russian Prez Dmitry Medvedev, while Obama thought he was off mic, he had this conversation with Medvedev:

Obama: "This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility."
Medvedev: "I understand. I transmit this (inaudible) to Vladimir." (muffled thereafter)

Info taken off the AP YouTube channel:

STORYLINE:
US President Barack Obama told his Russian counterpart on Monday that he would have more flexibility after the November election to deal with the contentious issue of missile defence, a candid assessment of political reality that was picked up by a microphone without either leader apparently knowing.

Outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he would pass on Obama's message to his successor, Vladimir Putin, according to an audio recording of comments the two leaders made during a meeting at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea.
Obama and Medvedev did not intend for their comments to be made public.

Once they were, the White House said Obama's words reflected the reality that domestic political concerns in the both the US and Russia this year would make it difficult to fully address their long-standing differences over missile defence.
Obama, should he win re-election, would not have to face voters again.
Tensions over missile defence have threatened to upend the overall thawing of relations between the US and Russia in recent years.

Both leaders acknowledged as much in their public statements to reporters following their meeting. Obama said there was "more work to do" to bridge their differences; Medvedev said each country had their own positions on missile defence, but there was still time to find a solution.

And here's the actual video.



No-one seemed to care about this, and they probably still don't, just further amplifies the breathtaking hypocrisy of the left.

Europe's Refugee Nightmare

Yes, there are times when taking in refugees is the right and humane thing to do, but the current Muslim refugee crisis is different. First of all, there are cultural and religious differences that make it almost impossible for them to assimilate and integrate into Western culture. Look at all the no-go zones all over Europe where even police are afraid to go. It's a reality that the die-hard liberal bleeding hearts don't seem to care about. They keep comparing the Jewish refugees back during the Holocaust to what's happening now with the Muslims.  It's not the same thing. The Jews weren't killing people, and/or forcing them to convert.

The bulk of the Muslim refugees are young males, just look at the video below. Factor in that ISIS terrorists have already infiltrated the Syrian refugee population, and you have an extremely dangerous situation. I have no problems with those coming here willing to truly embrace freedom, but they need to leave their hijabs and desire for shariah law back in those countries they have left.

And why have all the rich Muslim gulf nations refused to take in any refugees? This is where they should be placed.

But the following video demonstrates just how scary the whole thing is.

Google has made me remove the video. But you can google for the video on Vimeo.

Why Chris Kyle's Iraqi Translator Supports Muslim Ban

While the liberals are out there comparing the 90 day Muslim ban to the Jews seeking refuge during the rise of  the Nazis, there are anti-extremist Muslims who believe it is necessary for the security of our country.

Johnny Walker was sniper Chris Kyle's interpreter while he was stationed in Iraq during the war.

This is what he told Independent Journal Review:

"I agree 100% with President Trump's decision. The national security of the United States is a paramount issue.

All President Trump is doing is ensuring that people can go about their day without living in so much fear. Women won't have to worry about walking around the mall; kids won't have to worry about going to the school.

Look, these countries don't have a database that keeps track of its citizens. And we can't depend on a government database in countries that do, because if they have one it has a political agenda behind it.

It wouldn't be hard for someone to get into the U.S. whose loyalty lies with ISIS or a militia aligned with Iran. While the militia isn't necessarily our enemy right now, they don't have loyalty to the U.S., they are loyal to the interests of the government that funds them. And that government says “Death to America.”

ISIS's strongholds are in Iraq and Syria. We all know what they want to do to Americans."

He also discussed how there are elements within the Iraqi government who have ties with terrorism.

Like Johnny Walker, whose brother was murdered for helping this country, I do have some reservations. Our government should not be banning those who aided us during the war, including all the translators, since they are being targeted by ISIS for their work with the U.S. government.

Read the whole story here.

My Prayer For President Donald Trump On His Inauguration 2017

While half the country is in hysterics, wailing about how the end of the world is coming, the rest of us are ecstatic-  celebrating the day when a complete outsider will lead a sorely divided nation into a renaissance of sorts. Not that I don't have my worries.  As an artist, and this is where I diverge from my party, I fear that Trump and the Republican majority will do away with the National Endowment for the Arts. It is a well known fact that the arts are transformative- bring the arts into the inner city, to jails, and see how it effects people in a positive way. I also worry about doing away with Medicare and Social Security. The elderly are in no position to lose those benefits, which they paid into their working lives. This is not a handout, they worked for it. And it's not like they can just go out and get a job. This worries me as I approach that age. As for Obamacare, bring it on. Our healthcare system is in desperate need of change, Obamacare was not the solution. I pray that they come up with a plan that will benefit all, including those of us with pre-existing conditions.


I pray that President Donald Trump can unite this country, after 8 years of Barack Obama sowing the seeds of division. I think it's going to take a very long time to heal those wounds.

I pray that President Donald Trump can make this country strong again, and that he leads with a level head.

I pray that President Donald Trump can help grow the economy and bring back jobs for those in desperate need.

I pray that he allows himself to be guided by those who know better, and more importantly by the Almighty.

I pray that he is kept safe from all the haters out there and that he is able to "Make America Great Again."

God Bless you and your family Donald Trump.

And for your enjoyment, author unknown:

Twas the Night Before Inauguration!

Twas the night before Inauguration, and up in the tower,

The Donald reflected on his new found power.

The conservative masses had come out in force,

And delivered a victory that would chart a new course.

The snowflakes were shell-shocked with tears in their eyes,

The media lied to them . . . What a surprise.

They had been promised a Hillary win,

But the criminal Clinton took one on the chin.

And though from all corners celebrities flew,

They made no impression, for they hadn’t a clue.

They talked about climate, racism, and such,

And they made up good stories . . . But didn’t know much.

The fake news and ignorance came at a cost,

And they can’t understand all the reasons they lost.

They blame it on Comey and Bernie and Vlad,

But fail to acknowledge the one that was bad.

Yes, Hillary Clinton, in many ways flawed,

Was her own biggest hurdle toward getting the nod.

The campaign exposed her corruptness and greed,

And her speeches were punch-less as ten dollar weed.

So out in the streets there arose such a clatter,

It was Soros-paid protesters and Black Lives Matter.

With cities to pillage and windows to smash,

They knew not the issues, but needed the cash.

Eight years of Obama had given them cause,

To expect a replacement of their Santa Claus.

But soon the protesters will feel the pain,

When the wheels fall off of the old gravy train.

And now all the snowflakes are riddled with fear,

Upset and offended by things that they’ll hear.

The cocoa and crayons will help for a while,

But fact-based opinions will soon cramp their style.

I originally supported, and voted, for Cruz,

In the end, I would vote for whoever they choose.

He wasn’t my first choice, but soon I would cede,

The one they call Trump is the one that we need.

I saw him on TV in front of a crowd,

He spoke about veterans, it made me feel proud.

He spoke about energy, safety, and jobs,

Taking this country back from the Washington snobs.

He was dressed in Armani, all tailored and neat,

And the Brunos he wore made the outfit complete.

For a man of his vintage, he seemed rather fit,

And he looked presidential, I have to admit.

His eyes glowed like embers, his smile was the best,

And his hair was the color of my old hunting vest.

His love for this country was on full display,

And his actions spoke louder than his words could say.

He thanked all his voters, and before he was gone,

Saved thousands of jobs while Obama looked on.

The fate of this country left nothing to chance,

So, he filled out his cabinet weeks in advance.

The men he had chosen were of the same mind,

Let’s set the bar high, and not lead from behind.

He picked up his phone as he rose from his seat,

With a flick of his finger, he sent out this tweet;

“Now Mattis!, now Kelly!’ now Sessions! And Pruitt!

On Perry! On Flynn, You’re the ones who can do it.

Start lifting restrictions and building the wall,

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”;

The roar of his audience rose from the stands,

He kissed all their babies and shook all their hands.

He answered their questions and calmed all their fears,

They knew it would be a fantastic four years.

Then he jumped in his limo, and off to his jet,

A fellow that Liberals won’t soon forget.

He sent one more tweet as the evening expired;

“Happy Inauguration to all,

AND OBAMA – YOU’RE FIRED!”

Author Unknown!

Trump Inauguration and The Nasty Liberal Bullies

I have never seen such a divided country. Ever. I'm horrified at where we are today. Appalled at how the so-called 'tolerant' left have become so dangerously intolerant. They have become purveyors of hate, in spite of their "Love trumps Hate" mantra during the contentious, divisive presidential election. They have become uber nasty bullies in spite of the fact that they vilify Donald Trump for being one. I witnessed hateful rhetoric on Facebook towards those who had the courage to admit they were voting Trump, yet those brave souls continued to voice their support. But this is why most of us chose not to share where we stood politically; and why so many were shocked when Trump actually won. I wasn't about to subject myself to ridicule and hostile remarks, and I'm sure the majority of Trump voters felt the same way.

Yes, some people are scared, but denying Trump is their legitimate "president", actively attempting to undermine him is very disturbing.  I was very unhappy that Barack Obama won in 2004, and then again in 2008, but I prayed he would do well for this country. The reaction from the right was nothing compared to what the Democrats are doing to Trump and his supporters.

I had thought things might change after the election, but the bullying continues, and it's getting worse. Liberals are hanging on to their rabid hate with even more determination. They refuse to relinquish it. And anyone who tries to reason with them, or reach out for reconciliation, is immediately chastised and even threatened.  And the biggest offenders of all are the Hollywood elite.  Ben Stein discusses Hollywood's attempt to shut down free speech here. He claims people have lost friends, and even agents over politics. It's also happened to ordinary folk who have also lost friends and family.

The few Hollywood types who dare to say anything are met with disdain. Actress Zoe Saldana, of Avatar and Star Trek fame, and not a Trump supporter, said she believes that Hollywood's "cocky and arrogant"  bullying of Trump led to empathy for the candidate, and his eventual win. Not surprising, she has been criticized for admitting that. Nicole Kidman is also being savaged because of her comment about the need to support the President-elect. She had to then clarify that it was not an implicit endorsement of Trump, but rather support of democracy.

She had told the BBC: "He [Donald Trump] is now elected and we, as a country, need to support whoever is the president, because that's what the country is based on".

And because of bullying, Trump has had a hard time finding people to participate in his inauguration. A few who had planned on performing have said they no longer will.  Opera star Andrea Bocelli backed out because of death threats.  Broadway singer Jennifer Holliday (not a Trump supporter but willing to perform to heal the country) backed out mainly because of  backlash from the LGBQT community and her fans. I'm sure there are those who would have been willing, but were too afraid to commit because of the repercussions.

Shame on the liberals for being such hate-filled bullies.