No Polygraphs for South African Presidential Press Corps

The South African Press Agency (SAPA) reports in an article titled, “Sex Questions Necessary.” Excerpt: Cape Town – Presidential Press Corps (PPC) candidates will be expected to complete a questionnaire and, if necessary, follow-up interviews, but will not be required to undergo a polygraph test, Intelligence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Saturday. She was responding …

“Useless Polygraph”

Noted skeptic James Randi comments on polygraphy in the 26 April issue of his weekly on-line newsletter, Swift. Excerpt: Bob Park, of the American Physical Society, at whatsnew@aps.org, has struck out again at ineptness in government circles. We’ve long preached that the polygraph [lie detector] is a useless device, subject not only to poor implementation …

Opposition to Sex Questions and Lie Detector Testing of South African Presidential Press Corps

Adrian Lackay of the South African Beeld newspaper reports in this article titled, “Press corps: Sex lives ‘not relevant’”: Cape Town – President Thabo Mbeki’s office and media organisations plan an urgent meeting to discuss the “crude treatment” of journalists and possible unconstitutional action by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) against those wanting to qualify …

Sexual Inquisition, Polygraph Interrogations for South African Journalists

John Matisonn of the Sunday Independent reports in an article titled, “Spooks probe sex lives of presidential press.” Excerpt: The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has been questioning journalists on details of their sex lives, as part of a security clearance process for membership of a proposed new presidential press corps. Colleagues of the journalists who …

TV Game Show to Feature Lie Detector “Tests”

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reports in a story titled “Behind the scenes with Madonna.” Excerpt: Madonna’s production company is to co-produce a game show for US television. The star’s Maverick TV company will co-produce Truth or Dare, an “edgy adult” show giving a new spin on the popular party game. US network NBC has …

“Invalid Test Stalls Exoneration”

Fort Worth, Texas Star-Telegram staff writer Mike Cochran reports. Excerpt: FORT WORTH – It was going to be James Byrd’s day of vindication. After spending almost five years in prison for a crime that he and his older brother Donnie Johnson say Johnson committed, Byrd took a polygraph test Tuesday in the special crimes unit …