How to recognize and recover from everyday sociopaths - narcissists

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Genevieve Kelley fled to save her daughter, now goes to jail

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In 2004, Genevieve Kelley of New Hampshire fled the United States with her daughter, Mary Nunes, then eight years old. Kelley said that her ex-husband, Mark Nunes, was sexually abusing the girl. New Hampshire authorities said the charges were unfounded. Genevieve felt that the only way she could save her daughter was to leave. For more than 10 years, they lived in Costa Rica, along with Genevieve's new husband, Scott Kelley. Arrest warrants were issued for Genevieve and Scott Kelley. Genevieve returned to the United States last November, and Scott returned in April. Both were arrested and convicted of custodial interference. Scott Kelley served five months. On Monday, Genevieve reported to …

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Josh Duggar, scandal, and a religious cult

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The media love a scandal, and the reports about Josh Duggar, of the hit reality TV show 19 kids and counting, just keep coming. First was the report that Josh Duggar, the oldest son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, had sexually molested his sisters as a teenager. (Four of the 5 girls Josh Duggar molested were his sisters: Parents, on ktla.com.) Then there were reports that Josh Duggar cheated on his wife and had two accounts on the Ashley Madison cheating website. (Family values activist Josh Duggar had a paid Ashley Madison account, on Gawker.com) Then porn star Danica Dillon alleged that Josh Duggar paid her for sex, and he has "no remorse" for his behavior. (Josh Duggar has 'no remorse' …

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Do narcissists make better presidents?

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In a recent article in the New York Times, Scott O. Lilienfeld (president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy) and Ashley L. Watts discussed their research into presidential narcissism and success in office. They estimated the narcissism levels of all United States presidents, up to George W. Bush. The two highest scorers on "grandiose narcissism" were Theodore Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson.They correlated presidential narcissism with surveys of presidential performance developed by historians. The result of the study: "Grandiose narcissism" was associated with overall presidential success, but also with unethical behaviors. The Narcissist in Chief, on NYTimes.com. Link …

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Two Legged Snakes – explaining manipulative people with outrageous cartoons

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They say picture is worth 1,000 words. The 91 cartoons in Dr. Ed Slack's slender book, Two-legged snakes understanding and handling manipulative people, communicate the essence of sociopaths, narcissists, and other exploiters. The pictures will plant an understanding of disordered people firmly in your brain: They are snakes. In fact, deceptive and manipulative people have been known as snakes for millennia. Dr. Slack points out that the original deceiver, according to Christian, Jewish and Islamic traditions, was the serpent in the Garden of Eden, who tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. He says this Bible story "highlights one of our most important tasks as human beings: to choose well …

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History buff believes Philadelphia serial killer may have been Jack the Ripper

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H. H. Holmes killed at least 27 people and possibly many more before he was hanged in a Philadelphia prison in 1896, according to a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Before coming to Philadelphia, Holmes built a hotel in Chicago now known as "The Murder Castle." It was equipped with secret tunnels and staircases, gas chambers and more devices for torture and death. Mark Potts, a history buff from Berks County, Pennsylvania, speculates that Holmes may have also been "Jack the Ripper," who murdered five prostitutes in London in 1888. Was Phila. killer Jack the Ripper? on Philly.com.   …

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Pets and recovery from sociopaths

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For the first time in 12 years, we've had a dog in the house. Terry and I have been watching our nephew's dog while he and his parents are on vacation. The dog, Cade, is a frisky 15-month-old mix. I don't know what breeds are in the mix, but Cade looks a lot like Beau, the dog I had while married to the sociopath and the dog who kept me company as I recovered from my ex-husband's destruction. I've been having flashbacks. Cade follows me around the house the way Beau did. He curls up in the same spots on the carpet that Beau liked. And he gets in the same kind of trouble that Beau did when he was young. I'm loving every minute of it (okay, I could do with a little less chewing). Cade …

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How to protect yourself online

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The Internet is now an integral part of our lives, so it's important to know how to protect ourselves online. The U.S.government has created a great website, OnGuardOnline.gov, with all kinds of information on exactly how to do that. Lovefraud strongly recommends that you take a look at it watch the videos and read some articles with great tips for staying safe. Here are a few good ones: Common online scams Computer security Using IP cameras safely Resource provided by a Lovefraud reader       …

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Machiavellian brains light up with the opportunity to exploit others

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It's called the Dark Triad narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism. You definitely want to avoid people who have these traits and personality disorders. Machiavellianism is a term used to describe those who manipulate and deceive to get their way. A recent study shows that these traits are hardwired into the brains of people who act this way. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Pecs in Hungary. They tested the research subjects for Machiavellianism, and divided them into "high Mach" and "low Mach" groups. Then they used fMRI machines to observe the subjects' brains while they played a "trust game." The "high Machs" showed higher neural activity when their partner …

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Signs of a sociopath in Houston murder of 2 adults, 6 kids

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On Saturday, David Conley of Houston broke into the home of his former partner, Valerie Jackson, with whom he shared a child. He handcuffed and shot Jackson, Dewayne Jackson, identified as her husband, and six children, including his own son. Conley told investigators that he broke in and killed eight people because Valerie Jackson had changed the locks on the doors. In my opinion, this tragic story is an example of a romantic involvement with a violent sociopath. Earl Yanske, Valerie Jackson's brother, said that Conley struggled with bipolar disorder. "He'd be in a very happy mood one moment, then the next moment go off," Yanske said, according to Chron.com. "He was always very …

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Japanese judge calls adultery a ‘business arrangement’ that doesn’t harm a marriage

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So the Japanese CEO of a company has a sexual relationship with the owner of a Tokyo hostess club. His wife sues for damages, claiming that he committed adultery. The judge rules that it was not an extramarital affair, because, according to The Guardian, "his relationship was a purely commercial arrangement that had not harmed their marriage." Japan's legal sector was shocked by the ruling. Japanese court endorses adultery for business purposes, experts say, on TheGuardian.com.   …

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