3Cs - Charm, Cunning, Confidence

He says:

Reuters newswire reported that a lawyer has written a book on dating that tries to capture the long lost art of "Alfie" or being a cad!

"In England we have always liked the idea of the charming rogue with a twinkle in his eye," said Jaan Larner, author of the tongue-in-cheek "Modern Cad Guide" for would-be rakes.

Larner believes the cad needs three vital weapons before launching into the battle of the sexes.

"They all start with C. Charm, Cunning and Confidence are the hallmarks of the cad," he told Reuters in an interview to mark the book's publication.

When pressed to pick who personifies the perfect cad, Larner is tempted to choose James Bond, the world's most famous spy with a taste for the high life and a distinct aversion to settling down.

But no list would be complete without the larger-than-life actor Oliver Reed who once famously said "I have only two ambitions in life: one is to drink every pub dry and the other is to sleep with every woman on earth."

One of his favourite modern-day cads is Daniel Cleaver, the roguish character played in the "Bridget Jones" movies by that ultimate English charmer, the ever foppish Hugh Grant.

Larner, a 35-year-old lawyer who has now settled down with his girlfriend after a decade sowing his wild oats, believes the roue is making a comeback in a politically correct world that has created a generation of loutish yobs or subservient men.

"Being a man is a very tricky business these days. For the last decade it has been difficult to find a role model," complained the author, who was born in Sweden of an Estonian mother before moving to England.

"There was the time of New Man who was too nice and then New Lad who was too charmless. What people are looking for is something that goes beyond these two and is fun to be with."

The British are renowned for their "stiff upper lip" reserve and that is why the cad is so irresistible.

"We are so bound by our sense of propriety. That is why someone who breaks the rules is so attractive," he said.

His guide offers everything from tips on how to make the perfect seduction cocktail to juggling two girlfriends at once.

His advice is to go for "a sensible geographic and socio-economic mix -- an 18-year-old student here, a 27-year-old lawyer there."

The cad must be equipped with an encyclopaedic knowledge of cool bars and be on first name terms with the concierge in discreet and stylish hotels.

But, above all, he is a rakish figure in pursuit of fun.

For the cad's credo is: "We won't call, we don't do 'nice' and we might sleep with your sister .. but admit it -- you have missed us haven't you?"

If a girl wants the charm, cunning (read: thoughtful, wit, spontaneity) and confidence, then she's got to expect a guy to want to practice the 3Cs with other women...he's going to have plenty of opportunities and offers from ladies. I say women should tune into other qualities in a man if they want less heartaches.