Stephen Collins Admits Wrongdoing Amid Sexual Abuse Reports

12/19/14 Michael Rothman via Good Morning America

“Forty years ago, I did something terribly wrong that I deeply regret,” Collins wrote. “I have been working to atone for it ever since. I’ve decided to address these issues publicly because two months ago, various news organizations published a recording made by my then-wife, Faye Grant, during a confidential marriage therapy session in January 2012. This session was recorded without the therapist’s or my knowledge or consent.”

In the recording released in October, Collins confessed to molesting three girls. After the news broke, Collins was dropped from various projects, including the film “Ted 2,” and he also resigned from SAG AFTRA.

“On the recording, I described events that took place 20, 32, and 40 years ago,” the actor said. “The publication of the recording has resulted in assumptions and innuendos about what I did that go far beyond what actually occurred. As difficult as this is, I want people to know the truth.

“I have not had an impulse to act out in any such way” in the last twenty years, Collins told People.

He added that he has vacillated over whether to contact the three women directly to apologize.

“I did have an opportunity to do so with one of the women, 15 years later. I apologized and she was extraordinarily gracious,” Collins said. “But after I learned in the course of my treatment that my being direct about such matters could actually make things worse for them by opening old wounds, I have not approached the other two women, one of whom is now in her 50s and the other in her 30s.”

                                                       ** My Analysis **

Let’s look at the single statement, “I have not had an impulse to act out in any such way” in the last twenty years. (There are variations given in the renditions of his statement, ie: “in the last two decades,” and “in the last twenty years” – both are equally imprecise).

We look for simplicity and precision in good denials. While this statement appears simplistic, it is not, nor is it precise. The “I have not had an impulse…” is different than “I have not acted….” He could have said, “I have not acted out in ….” but he chose not to.

One might say that “impulse” is even more complete than “acted,” since the impulse causes the act. You can have an impulse without an act. “Impulse” has a compulsive component to it, spontaneous, something unreflective and irresistible. “Act” occurs with more thought. You are not held responsible for “impulses.” You are for “Acts.” Thus, that word usage is very important. Further, and conveniently,” impulses” leave no evidence tracks. “Acts” do.

Let’s look further at the imprecision, “…in the last twenty years.” That is imprecise (as is “last two decades”). He talked about three women victims, so why not be precise and say, “I have not acted out in any such way since (the date of the last of the three victim acts)?

The reason this denial isn’t simplistic or precise is because there are probably other victims out there. They will surely surface in the coming weeks.

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Apple’s (AAPL) State:

Friday, June 7, 2013

I conducted a linguistic analysis of Tim Cook’s statements (transcripts) at the last two Apple (APPL) quarterly earnings conferences. Let’s see what Mr. Cook says in the first paragraph in each of his opening statements:

Just a quick glance will tell us, even before he says anything more, that Q2 results/enthusiasm are far less impressive than Q1’s. And, my analysis of the transcripts reinforces that conclusion. Here are my findings:

So, what do I see based on Tim Cook’s responses to the analysts’ questions from 2013 F1Q and 2013F2Q?

There is a big difference in his responses from 2013 1Q to 2Q - with much more sensitivity and insecurity in his answers in 2Q. If he is insecure, how should investors feel? He appears to be unable to clearly define his thoughts and visions for the company. His weakening belief in China could be a serious issue. He, himself, has concern about Apple’s growth. On the other hand, Apple has a huge cash reserve, which can overcome a lot of issues.

Conclusion: I think Mr. Cook is overwhelmed and not the man for the job. Because of the large cash reserve, Apple will be OK short term. However, Apple suffers long term under his leadership.

Pastor Creflo Dollar’s Denial

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

In today’s CNN, we find the following headline and partial story:

Megachurch pastor Creflo Dollar on his daughter: 'She was not punched'

By Steve Almasy, CNN

Atlanta (CNN) – Telling thousands of parishioners that he should never have been arrested, Pastor Creflo Dollar said at his Sunday morning service he neither choked nor punched his 15-year-old daughter, as she claimed in a report to police.

Dollar, senior pastor of World Changers Church International in suburban Atlanta, told congregants in the sprawling megachurch and listening at one of more than a dozen satellite churches that when the facts of the case come out, they will be "appalled."
"The truth is, she was not choked. She was not punched," Dollar said.

So, let’s take a look at Mr. Dollar’s denial.

“The truth is, she was not choked. She was not punched.”

We can ask, .... “she was not choked” by whom? - “she was not punched,” by whom? He didn’t say he did not. When he could have. When he should have.

We always look for the simplest and most direct statement when we assess denials. We also look for commitment in the form of the pronoun “I.” He could have said, “I did not choke my daughter. I did not punch my daughter,” but he chose not to. When he could have. When he should have. “Alvin” wouldn’t allow him to.

Pastor Dollar’s denial is not a good one.  Get Mr. Koenig's Book Getting the Truth

Penn State

Saturday, November 12, 2011

I was assigned to the Oakland County Child Killer task force early in my career with the Michigan State Police (1976-1977). Quoting Wikipedia,

“The Oakland County Child Killer was an unidentified serial killer responsible for the murders of four or more children in Oakland County, Michigan, United States in 1976 and 1977. The killer was also nicknamed "The Babysitter", as all four victims had been recently bathed.”

This was the most heartbreaking, consuming, frustrating, and emotional case I ever worked. There was a predator out there on the streets, and he needed to be stopped.

Predator is a good word to describe the pedophile. Our work required us to educate ourselves on the pedophile. We needed to learn what made them tick, how they think, how they plan, how they conceal their urges, how they live, and maybe why they do what they do. Here is what I learned.

Pedophiles devote their lives to satisfy their sexual needs. They will spend years without satisfying their need to create an environment that will provide them with ready prey. They are cunning and patient. They will carefully position themselves to be in frequent, authoritative contact with young children (usually boys) and persistently work toward obtaining private time with the child. It is that moment they devote their lives to. They repeat that process as often as they can. The process is inexorable.

They have strategies to avoid detection and prosecution. They rationalize their actions and convince themselves they are doing, on balance, the right thing for the child. Their compulsion consumes them and eventually destroys them – but not before they destroy their victims. There is no cure.

The Penn State nightmare appears to be yet another situation where even the very well informed need to be educated about pedophilia. Like the serial killer, pedophiles can be discovered early, before they blossom into the cunning, elusive, and destructive force they will inevitably become. They make mistakes early and take chances they later won’t take. We need to know this and take quick, decisive action when those mistakes are brought to our attention.

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