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Software spots the spin in political speeches [Obama spins the most]
NewScientistTech ^ | 17 September 2008 | Stu Hutson

Posted on 09/18/2008 8:22:32 AM PDT by TChris

BLINK and you would have missed it. The expression of disgust on former US president Bill Clinton's face during his speech to the Democratic National Convention as he says "Obama" lasts for just a fraction of a second. But to Paul Ekman it was glaringly obvious.

"Given that he probably feels jilted that his wife Hillary didn't get the nomination, I would have to say that the entire speech was actually given very gracefully," says Ekman, who has studied people's facial expressions and how they relate to what they are thinking for over 40 years.

It seems that Clinton's micro-expression gave away more about his true feelings than he intended. Politicians do not usually give themselves away so tellingly, and many of us would like to know whether they mean what they are saying. So how are we to know when they are lying?

Technology is here to help. Software programs that analyse a person's speech, voice or facial expressions are building upon the work of researchers like Ekman to help us discover when the truth is being stretched, and even by how much.

(Excerpt) Read more at technology.newscientist.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Technical
KEYWORDS: bodylanguage; bubba; clinton; hillary; liars; lying; mccain; neurolinguistics; nlp; nonverbalcues; obama; palin; politicalcorrectness; software; speeches; spin; tech; wordanalysis
Like we didn't already know...
1 posted on 09/18/2008 8:22:33 AM PDT by TChris
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To: TChris

bmflr


2 posted on 09/18/2008 8:26:01 AM PDT by Kevmo (Obama Birth Certificate is a Forgery. http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/certifigate/index?tab=articles)
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To: TChris

Like Obambi’s “tell” when he’s going to say something naughty but thinks he can get away with it:

Rubbing his fingers on his forehead (as he did when he flipped Hillary the bird and called Gov. Palin a “pig”)


3 posted on 09/18/2008 8:27:20 AM PDT by PhilosopherStones
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To: TChris
Like we didn't already know...

Hey, he had to stress test it against SOMETHING...

4 posted on 09/18/2008 8:27:34 AM PDT by dirtboy
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To: TChris

I don’t know about you guys but Obama’s “nuance” is really piling up here!! Need the shovel and boots to get through the news!


5 posted on 09/18/2008 8:31:51 AM PDT by jakerobins
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To: TChris
Software?

My success rate is around 99%, based entirely on whether certain people's lips are moving.

Who needs software?

6 posted on 09/18/2008 8:49:52 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Change is not a plan; Hope is not a strategy.)
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To: TChris

The networks should put a voice stress meter in a corner of the screen when covering politicians.


7 posted on 09/18/2008 8:51:28 AM PDT by Yollopoliuhqui
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To: Publius6961

Don’t need software to know if Obama’s lying either. My dog just growls at him, plus my BS internal radar works just fine.


8 posted on 09/18/2008 8:59:22 AM PDT by reaganixonbush
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To: Yollopoliuhqui
I see it as an art you have to develop for yourself.

I do like all this research in the area though.

9 posted on 09/18/2008 9:00:07 AM PDT by norraad ("What light!">Blues Brothers)
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To: Swordmaker; ShadowAce

Useful software ping.


10 posted on 09/18/2008 9:29:08 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: rdb3; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; GodGunsandGuts; CyberCowboy777; Salo; Bobsat; JosephW; ...

11 posted on 09/18/2008 9:44:20 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: antiRepublicrat

can I use it during jury selection?


12 posted on 09/18/2008 10:04:50 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: reaganixonbush

Your dog growls at Obama?? I love it! You have a smart dog. Does he show his teeth?


13 posted on 09/18/2008 10:16:23 AM PDT by Still Thinking (Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?)
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To: TChris

The chart has Lieberman being a speaker at the Dem convention LOL.


14 posted on 09/18/2008 10:17:53 AM PDT by Tribune7 (How is inflicting pain and death on an innocent, helpless human being for profit, moral?)
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To: Still Thinking

Does he show his teeth?
****

Hell yes! I don’t let him in the room because he might start eating the TV once Obama’s ads come up.


15 posted on 09/18/2008 10:20:17 AM PDT by reaganixonbush
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