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US Gov't Circulates Watch List of Buyers of Polygraph Training Materials

George Maschke writes "Investigative reporter Marisa Taylor of the McClatchy newspaper group reports that a list of 4,904 individuals who purchased a book, DVD, or personal training on how to pass a polygraph test has been circulated to nearly 30 federal agencies including the CIA, NSA, DIA, DOE, TSA, IRS, and FDA. Most of the individuals on the list purchased former police polygraphist Doug Williams' book, How to Sting the Polygraph, which explains how to pass or beat a polygraph test. Williams also sells a DVD on the subject and offers in-person training. In February 2013, federal law enforcement officials seized Williams' business records, from which the watch list was primarily compiled. Williams has not been charged with a crime."

9 of 303 comments (clear)

  1. NSA will use the list to recruit new hires by JoeyRox · · Score: 5, Funny

    Since the job obviously involves repeatedly lying to the American public.

  2. Re:When will they realize by lxs · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now you've put all the readers of my tea leaves self-defense newsletter on a watchlist. Thanks!

  3. TPB... by stokessd · · Score: 3, Funny

    "How to Sting The Polygraph" is not on The Pirate Bay yet, but there are several other titles along the same lines. And of course some porn with polygraph in the title, which I'm going to check out "for professional reasons only".

    Sheldon

  4. Re:Makes me wonder by JeffOwl · · Score: 4, Funny

    Your are now.

  5. Re:When will they realize by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Flawed in principle" is putting it rather mildly. I'd put it as "complete and utter bullshit." Polygraphs are on a level with dousing and voodoo dolls.

    We should really just go back to good old Phrenology. Imagine how sophisticated our discernment of the criminal type could be, now that we have rapid 3d scanning technology!

    We could even have employees shave their heads, and do a daily scan as they walk in the door. If the bump indicative of 'leaking tendencies' or 'disloyalty' increases in size, we'll know something is up. This plan is practically infallible.

  6. Re:overreach by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Funny

    That is pretty shady that they seize his materials, use it to their advantage, but then don't charge him with any crime. That's basically tyranny.

    Commies like you have no faith in America. It's not like he had any reasonable expectation of security in his person, papers, and effects or anything, now is it?

  7. Re:Rather funny. . . . by c0lo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Good thing I never bought a copy of the Constitution . . .

    Yeah... In retrospect, this would have been a total waste of money.

    --
    Questions raise, answers kill. Raise questions to stay alive.
  8. Re:Not even then by Thud457 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I dunno, something smells fishy about that guy.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  9. Re:When will they realize by Runaway1956 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Thank God for torrents, huh? I grabbed my copy from 195.208.24.91!

    Oh, wait. Oh shit!

    --
    "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br