VA - Couple & two teens found murdered, Farmville, 15 Sept 2009 #7

[tapu]

Yeah, well... I'm pretty sure Dangrs is pretty dangerous....

:biglaugh: bwa-ha-ha

 

[claudicici]

:crazy:....not compared to you...or Ziggy for that matter !

 

[dangrsmind]

I found this elsewhere on the internet which made me think not only about your comment, but also the relationship between Sam and Emma that spawned this conversation.

"Writing that has a voice is writing that has something like a personality. But whose personality is it? As with all art, there is no straight road from the product back to the producer. There are writers loved for their humor who are not funny people, and writers admired for their eloquence who swallow their words, never look you in the eye, and can’t seem to finish a sentence. Wisdom on the page correlates with wisdom in the writer about as frequently as a high batting average correlates with a high I.Q.: they just seem to have very little to do with one another. Witty and charming people can produce prose of sneering sententiousness, and fretful neurotics can, to their readers, seem as though they must be delightful to live with. Personal drabness, through some obscure neural kink, can deliver verbal blooms. Readers who meet a writer whose voice they have fallen in love with usually need to make a small adjustment afterward in order to hang on to the infatuation."

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/06/28/040628crbo_books1?currentPage=2#ixzz0dhHUtdVF

On the Internet, no one knows that you are a dog.

I agree that sometimes when you meet an online persona in person it can be surprising. On the other hand, I've met a lot of people that I first knew online f2f and almost all of them have turned out to be more interesting and just more of themselves in person. I can only think of one person that sort of scared me when I met them face to face.

However, since one aspect of what I do professionally is known as "quantitative text analysis", I have to argue that in some cases one can actually determine aspects of personality and many other things directly from a text. It really depends on the specific situation and text but I agree that you need to be careful where and how you apply this sort of thing. FWIW I've previously used these techniques to detect persons using multiple accounts aka "sock puppets" as an example. Perhaps our lovely resident linguist will opine as well.

Here's another angle on the same subject which I've hinted at before. Non-professional observers can make accurate assessments about mental illness from very short interactions with unfamiliar individuals. On top of the possible disconnect between his text self and the real person face to face, if Sam was already having emotional trouble when he went to Farmville the girls may very well have noticed this almost immediately.

See http://people.virginia.edu/~ent3c/papers2/Articles for Online CV/(34) Oltmanns et al (2004).pdf

etc.


PS Tapu, I am perfectly harmless. I don't know what you are talking about.

 

[blouAngel]

On the Internet, no one knows that you are a dog.

I agree that sometimes when you meet an online persona in person it can be surprising. On the other hand, I've met a lot of people that I first knew online f2f and almost all of them have turned out to be more interesting and just more of themselves in person. I can only think of one person that sort of scared me when I met them face to face.

However, since one aspect of what I do professionally is known as "quantitative text analysis", I have to argue that in some cases one can actually determine aspects of personality and many other things directly from a text. It really depends on the specific situation and text but I agree that you need to be careful where and how you apply this sort of thing. FWIW I've previously used these techniques to detect persons using multiple accounts aka "sock puppets" as an example. Perhaps our lovely resident linguist will opine as well.

Here's another angle on the same subject which I've hinted at before. Non-professional observers can make accurate assessments about mental illness from very short interactions with unfamiliar individuals. On top of the possible disconnect between his text self and the real person face to face, if Sam was already having emotional trouble when he went to Farmville the girls may very well have noticed this almost immediately.

See http://people.virginia.edu/~ent3c/papers2/Articles for Online CV/(34) Oltmanns et al (2004).pdf

etc.


PS Tapu, I am perfectly harmless. I don't know what you are talking about.

I once had a case where we were hot on the trail of a notorious enemy agent who our forensics team was able to identify as an Australian shepherd/border collie mix due to some spelling peculiarities in his writing. Apparently among other things he would drop the combination "ou" when he wrote, which is common among Australian shepherds from what I understand.

I don't recall how they figured the border collie part, but it was something to do with his mathematical skills. Those dogs are amazing mathematicians.

We had a bloodhound who was an expert hacker on the case, but after we lost him to a poisoned batch of dog treats, the trail went cold. We'll catch him though eventually and soon I hope. He is a demolitions expert and needless to say he travels well armed and is extremely dangerous.

 

[tapu]

On the Internet, no one knows that you are a dog.

I agree that sometimes when you meet an online persona in person it can be surprising. On the other hand, I've met a lot of people that I first knew online f2f and almost all of them have turned out to be more interesting and just more of themselves in person. I can only think of one person that sort of scared me when I met them face to face.

However, since one aspect of what I do professionally is known as "quantitative text analysis", I have to argue that in some cases one can actually determine aspects of personality and many other things directly from a text. It really depends on the specific situation and text but I agree that you need to be careful where and how you apply this sort of thing. FWIW I've previously used these techniques to detect persons using multiple accounts aka "sock puppets" as an example. Perhaps our lovely resident linguist will opine as well.

Here's another angle on the same subject which I've hinted at before. Non-professional observers can make accurate assessments about mental illness from very short interactions with unfamiliar individuals. On top of the possible disconnect between his text self and the real person face to face, if Sam was already having emotional trouble when he went to Farmville the girls may very well have noticed this almost immediately.

See http://people.virginia.edu/~ent3c/papers2/Articles for Online CV/(34) Oltmanns et al (2004).pdf

etc.


PS Tapu, I am perfectly harmless. I don't know what you are talking about.

I could totally be making this up, but I feel like I recall that some kind of text analysis such as that of which you speak was done on the Unabomber's writing (Manifesto). I'm not sure, though, if it differed from any analysis of a written clue/evidence, such as a kidnapping note, et al....

 

[tapu]

I once had a case where we were hot on the trail of a notorious enemy agent who our forensics team was able to identify as an Australian shepherd/border collie mix due to some spelling peculiarities in his writing. Apparently among other things he would drop the combination "ou" when he wrote, which is common among Australian shepherds from what I understand.

I don't recall how they figured the border collie part, but it was something to do with his mathematical skills. Those dogs are amazing mathematicians.

We had a bloodhound who was an expert hacker on the case, but after we lost him to a poisoned batch of dog treats, the trail went cold. We'll catch him though eventually and soon I hope. He is a demolitions expert and needless to say he travels well armed and is extremely dangerous.

I have an Australian Cattledog named Silas and he's very sneaky. Yes, Silas, I said.

 

[wadahoot]

Another of the Virginia cases in the news today ... the possible finding of Morgan Harrington's body, the young woman missing from the October Metallica concert http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4734170#post4734170

 

[Wes]

http://www.nbc29.com/Global/story.asp?S=11881412

Looks like the body of missing VT student, Morgan Harrington, was found this morning near Charlottesville, where she went missing in October.

I only mention that here because that case is what led me to this site.

 

[tapu]

Here's a piece of on-topic news: I have reason to believe that Sam would have received the Dexter books at the correctional facility today.

 

[wadahoot]

Here's a piece of on-topic news: I have reason to believe that Sam would have received the Dexter books at the correctional facility today.

Oh great ... there goes our linguist using those odd words, "On-topic" ... wonder what THAT means?! :waitasec:

 

[dangrsmind]

I could totally be making this up, but I feel like I recall that some kind of text analysis such as that of which you speak was done on the Unabomber's writing (Manifesto). I'm not sure, though, if it differed from any analysis of a written clue/evidence, such as a kidnapping note, et al....

I don't know about the Unabomber case specifically, but they probably used stylometry to verify authorship. The Unabomber attacked David Gelertner who was doing virtual reality research at the same time I was in the early and mid-nineties. There was some concern at the time that the bomber might target virtual reality researchers as he had genetic scientists and the rumors were flying.

 

[ziggy]

I once had a case where we were hot on the trail of a notorious enemy agent who our forensics team was able to identify as an Australian shepherd/border collie mix due to some spelling peculiarities in his writing. Apparently among other things he would drop the combination "ou" when he wrote, which is common among Australian shepherds from what I understand.

I don't recall how they figured the border collie part, but it was something to do with his mathematical skills. Those dogs are amazing mathematicians.

We had a bloodhound who was an expert hacker on the case, but after we lost him to a poisoned batch of dog treats, the trail went cold. We'll catch him though eventually and soon I hope. He is a demolitions expert and needless to say he travels well armed and is extremely dangerous.

Well, just for fun - this video is light and fun with appearances by Maureen McCormick (Marcia Brady), William Shatner, George from Seinfeld and his mom from the show, Kelly Pickler and Taylor Swift, and others... it's called:
"I'm So Much Cooler Online"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6iAjEv9dQ

 

[dangrsmind]

I once had a case where we were hot on the trail of a notorious enemy agent who our forensics team was able to identify as an Australian shepherd/border collie mix due to some spelling peculiarities in his writing. Apparently among other things he would drop the combination "ou" when he wrote, which is common among Australian shepherds from what I understand.

I don't recall how they figured the border collie part, but it was something to do with his mathematical skills. Those dogs are amazing mathematicians.

We had a bloodhound who was an expert hacker on the case, but after we lost him to a poisoned batch of dog treats, the trail went cold. We'll catch him though eventually and soon I hope. He is a demolitions expert and needless to say he travels well armed and is extremely dangerous.

That's a bridge too far Blou...

Woof.

 

[dangrsmind]

Here's a piece of on-topic news: I have reason to believe that Sam would have received the Dexter books at the correctional facility today.

I have to wonder if the people at the jail are going to give books about a serial killer to a guy accused of murdering several people with a maul. But hey maybe it's just me that thinks that maybe this isn't such a great idea.

 

[wadahoot]

Well, just for fun - this video is light and fun

THAT is hysterical! And I'm sure some of the guys I went to high school with resemble that remark! :dance:

 

[ziggy]

Here's a piece of on-topic news: I have reason to believe that Sam would have received the Dexter books at the correctional facility today.

Ruh roh...did you send him books? FYI I just finished watching Season 2 of that show and it's surprisingly addicting. It's pretty creepy how they make you actually like the serial killer and feel a bit sorry for him. I can see why these youngsters like it so much - the whole idea about wearing the mask at all times; the mask that hides the dark side of yourself, the monster.

I think there is a reason the show is on Showtime. I think a healthy adult can handle that stuff, but damaged and impressionable young peeps can't separate the fiction of it from their lives. Kind of like when I was a teenager and EVERY song on the radio was about me, my life; they were all singing to ME! Yeah, pathetic admission I know

 

[AndresEscobar]

Ruh roh...did you send him books? FYI I just finished watching Season 2 of that show and it's surprisingly addicting. It's pretty creepy how they make you actually like the serial killer and feel a bit sorry for him. I can see why these youngsters like it so much - the whole idea about wearing the mask at all times; the mask that hides the dark side of yourself, the monster.

I think there is a reason the show is on Showtime. I think a healthy adult can handle that stuff, but damaged and impressionable young peeps can't separate the fiction of it from their lives. Kind of like when I was a teenager and EVERY song on the radio was about me, my life; they were all singing to ME! Yeah, pathetic admission I know

Zigz -- you should see how violent the video games I played from 3rd grade through college were.

 

[claudicici]

On the Internet, no one knows that you are a dog.

I agree that sometimes when you meet an online persona in person it can be surprising. On the other hand, I've met a lot of people that I first knew online f2f and almost all of them have turned out to be more interesting and just more of themselves in person. I can only think of one person that sort of scared me when I met them face to face.

However, since one aspect of what I do professionally is known as "quantitative text analysis", I have to argue that in some cases one can actually determine aspects of personality and many other things directly from a text. It really depends on the specific situation and text but I agree that you need to be careful where and how you apply this sort of thing. FWIW I've previously used these techniques to detect persons using multiple accounts aka "sock puppets" as an example. Perhaps our lovely resident linguist will opine as well.

Here's another angle on the same subject which I've hinted at before. Non-professional observers can make accurate assessments about mental illness from very short interactions with unfamiliar individuals. On top of the possible disconnect between his text self and the real person face to face, if Sam was already having emotional trouble when he went to Farmville the girls may very well have noticed this almost immediately.

See http://people.virginia.edu/~ent3c/papers2/Articles for Online CV/(34) Oltmanns et al (2004).pdf

etc.


PS Tapu, I am perfectly harmless. I don't know what you are talking about.

...I've never met anyone from online in real life,but in general people in my real life suck and don't have anything smart or interesting to say like you fictional websleuths character creations....

 

[ziggy]

Zigz -- you should see how violent the video games I played from 3rd grade through college were.

I know, see??? You're a criminal defense attorney!!! JK my friend - PS: I got TWO model answers on midterms dude - one in contracts, one in torts My classmates had to learn not to underestimate the blonde with the pink pencils I guess.

So - it's one thing to play a violent game; but it's another to identify with a character that is more real life; a character with flaws yet likeable; I just see a different effect after having watched the show. Maybe it's my dark side huh?

I love many violent things: I like violent movies (not horror though) but lots of guns and car chases and martial arts fights...LOVE it. My favorite games are first person shooter; I know it's geek but Splinter Cell is my favorite - it gets the heart pounding.

I guess Dexter is a big hit with many; is it a coincidence that so many of the young violent killers like this show?

 

[ziggy]

...I've never met anyone from online in real life,but in general people in my real life suck and don't have anything smart or interesting to say like you fictional websleuths character creations....

I was on this and another forum in the early 90's and actually met most of the people I had been chatting with IRL down in San Diego. It was pretty cool actually. I met a couple that I stayed with and they were super normal nice suburban young adults. There was only one guy that was so OFF - like I never pictured him to be like he was IRL, he was way cooler in chat. Everyone else was not a surprise at all and they were nice and we had a great time. My entire family thought I was fruit loops for doing that, but I was just so curious. One of my "friends" might still be lurking here...hi Kathyn2 from Southern Cal.

Of course, I am wwwwaaayyyy cooler in person.