Kiss Kiss Bang Bang:

A "dark triad" of unpleasant personality traits lie behind James Bond's success as a womaniser, say researchers.

Two studies suggest that men who are narcissistic, psychopathic and Machiavellian tend to have large numbers of sexual conquests.

The traits are said to be epitomised in Ian Fleming's fictional secret agent with a licence to kill, 007.

Scientists believe the reproductive success of "dark triad" men explains why the traits persist in the human population, despite the harm they can cause.

Narcissists are self obsessed and manipulative, psychopaths are impulsive, thrill-seeking and callous, and people with a Machiavellian nature are deceitful and exploitative. There is evidence that the traits have an up-side - they lead to men having a prolific sex life and fathering more offspring. As a result, they have not been "weeded out" by natural selection.

...

Those who scored higher on the "dark triad" personality traits [as found in a survey] tended to have more partners and more desire for short flings....

Dr Jonason.... said James Bond encapsulated the "dark triad" traits. He told New Scientist magazine: "He's clearly disagreeable, very extroverted, and likes trying new things - killing people, new women."

Shock: Dicks Get More Tail.

Psychopathy? Really?

It actually sounds like this is just extroverted sociopathy or even just plain old being a bastard. They really seem to be overselling the "dark triad' thing with that "psychopathy." Isn't it enough to be sociopathic without wanting to butcher people and wear their genitals as hats?

Thanks to Arthur.

Posted by: Ace at 07:54 PM | Comments (94)
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I wonder what the pretext for the unprovoked attack will turn out to be.

It appears to be a bit of saber-rattling... directed at America. They wanted us to notice them preparing for an attack, I guess to spur us into new seriousness.

Israel carried out a major military exercise earlier this month that American officials say appeared to be a rehearsal for a potential bombing attack on IranÂ’s nuclear facilities.

Several American officials said the Israeli exercise appeared to be an effort to develop the militaryÂ’s capacity to carry out long-range strikes and to demonstrate the seriousness with which Israel views IranÂ’s nuclear program.

More than 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighters participated in the maneuvers, which were carried out over the eastern Mediterranean and over Greece during the first week of June, American officials said.

...

But the scope of the Israeli exercise virtually guaranteed that it would be noticed by American and other foreign intelligence agencies... to send a clear message to the United States and other countries that Israel was prepared to act militarily if diplomatic efforts to stop Iran from producing bomb-grade uranium continued to falter.

A bit of Kabuki, then.

Still, somewhere Ron Paul is crying, and that's always good.

We'll know when there's going to be an attack because all the Jews who work in the targeted area will be told to stay home from work.

Ron Paul!111!!1

That's from a Trufer Retard.

Posted by: Ace at 07:23 PM | Comments (43)
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Oh heÂ’s a crafty one that Mookie.

They came at dawn, thousands of Iraqi troops and U.S. special forces on a mission to reclaim a lawless city from the militias who ran it.

By the end of the day, al-Amarah was under Iraqi government control — without a shot being fired.

The city had been taken over by Moqtada al-Sadr's al-Mahdi Army two years ago after British troops handed it to an ill-prepared Iraqi Army. On Thursday, the city's streets were crawling with Iraqi security forces. Soldiers searched houses as police manned checkpoints and Soviet-era tanks guarded bridges over the Tigris River.

The flood of troops, who had moved into position outside the city a week ago, had encountered no resistance as they moved in. The leaders of the Shia militias that once ruled as crime bosses and warlords were either gone or in hiding. Even the police chief fled a week ago, fearing arrest for his affiliation to the al-Mahdi Army, while the mayor, a member of the Sadrist movement, was arrested.

A couple more of these patented al-Sadr style victories and heÂ’ll be out of business completely.

Update [Ace]: Oh, I wouldn't say al-Sadr is out of weapons. Sadrists are complaining that their top leaders are being arrested, which they claim is in violation of agreements with Maliki, but as I understand it, that sort of was the agreement.

So there you go: The Invincible Al-Sadr is fighting back... with complaints.

Boo!

Posted by: DrewM at 06:37 PM | Comments (31)
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From some unnamed new organization.

Also with flood relief for ravaged midwest and additional college funds for vets.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., a key negotiator, said "I love this shit man. We still don't have the votes!!"

I think. Hard to tell with those news organizations.

[UPDATE - PA]

VOA has the story so patronizing that which shall not be named isn't necessary.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 06:37 PM | Comments (11)
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A news organization suggests Sam Nunn and John Edwards are on Obama's short list of veeps. No link, I've only got $5.50 on me right now.

I'm quite sure Silky Pony would put on the clear plastic pumps.

Sadly. Sam might too.

Trial balloons, watching polls after talking heads put it out to see if there's any strategy that would bring the South closer.

Edwards would not. Sam most assuredly would. In April he threw his public support behind Barack.

Nunn brings the "integrity" word to the Obama campaign. Which oddly enough, is what he'd have to sacrifice to be a part of it.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 06:10 PM | Comments (35)
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Just an animal paw in a sock stuffed into a sneaker along with dried seaweed.

Thanks to Nice Deb.

Posted by: Ace at 03:49 PM | Comments (16)
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Previously, I'd been no fan of Casey's. His handling of Iraq was less than stellar -- on a par with Sanchez's. But I have to give him some props here for realizing that our non-mainstream forces need to have a career path to keep the talent and institutional knowledge we pay so dearly for intact. Lessons learned need to stay learned.

Casey recently sent this out: more...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 03:12 PM | Comments (39)
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The dad wouldn't allow her on a school trip after she repeatedly went to chat sites he had blocked her from using. And posted "inappropriate" pictures of herself.

Seems reasonable.

But a Canadian court reversed his decision:

The girl had taken her father to Quebec Superior Court after he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on websites he tried to block, and then posting "inappropriate" pictures of herself online using a friend's computer.

The father's lawyer Kim Beaudoin said the disciplinary measures were for the girl's "own protection" and is appealing the ruling.

"She's a child," Beaudoin told AFP. "At her age, children test their limits and it's up to their parents to set boundaries."

...

According to court documents, the girl's Internet transgression was just the latest in a string of broken house rules. Even so, Justice Suzanne Tessier found her punishment too severe.

"Now, if she had been posting excerpts from Mark Steyn's America Alone, I might have authorized involuntary psychiatric hospitalization," the judge allowed.

I made that last part up, but it's pretty much true.

Jesus. Candad's gone. It's gone, MacReady.

Now, this little whore was obviously chatting sexually with men (or at least boys) and posting sexualized pictures of herself. The dad tried to stop her; she wouldn't.

A judge stepped in to basically protect her fundamental right to be sexually violated by an adult.

I think child molesters get the message that Canada is "cool" with their lifestyle choices.

Ah: Maetenloch provides some crucial background:

The parents have been embroiled in a custody suit for years, and it appears the mother prompted the daughter to file the suit against her father.

After the ruling the father declined to take custody of the daughter back, saying he no longer had any control over her.

Longer Piece: with more on the Kramer-vs.-Kramer wrangling.

Fact is, the school's policy required permission from both parents. The father refused his, citing her consistently sneaking on to the internet against his wishes. The court claims the "context" is "complex," but the court stepped in and signed the permission slip on the father's behalf, basically.

Because a school trip was a "once in a lifetime" "rite of passage" and so was "exceptional."

She just graduated from elementary school.

Posted by: Ace at 02:15 PM | Comments (51)
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I don't like the verb "protest" in this context, because, what the hell are they protesting? The man's death? They seek to undo that?

No, they're heckling. Not "protesting" anything.

Reminds me of this guy.

Posted by: Ace at 02:02 PM | Comments (34)
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I'm not sure I'm buying it.

Intelligence agencies in the United States and Canada are warning of mounting signs that Hezbollah, backed by Iran, is poised to mount a terror attack against "Jewish targets" somewhere outside the Middle East.

Intelligence officials tell ABC News the group has activated suspected "sleeper cells" in Canada and key operatives have been tracked moving outside the group's Lebanon base to Canada, Europe and Africa.

Officials say Hezbollah is seeking revenge for the February assassination of Hezbollah's military commander, Imad Mugniyah, killed by a car bomb in Damascus, Syria.

The group's leaders blamed Israel, an allegation denied by Israeli officials.

There is no credible information on a specific target, according to the officials.

Latin American is also considered a possible target by officials following Hezbollah's planning.

...

"They want to kill as many people as they can, they want it to be a big splash," said former CIA intelligence officer Bob Baer, who says he met with Hezbollah leaders in Beirut last month.

"They cannot have an operation fail," said Baer, "and I don't think they will. They're the A-team of terrorism."

Hezballah has managed to win all that media sympathy in the West because it's perceived as fighting a righteous war against the Israeli occupiers. They're going to blow that to hit an embassy in Canada?

The world has given them the green light -- "Just kill Jews in Israel and we're cool." I don't understand why they would risk upsetting that "agreement among friends." It's a pretty damned good agreement, from their perspective.

The intelligence says the "A-Teams" won't be operating in America, due to Iran's fear that Bush would use that as an... um, pretext for bombing Iran. (Pretext now takes over the meaning of the disfavored term causus belli.)

Shockingly, Iran is not afraid that soon-to-be President Obama will similarly bomb in retalliation.

More at Hot Air.

Posted by: Ace at 01:48 PM | Comments (22)
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