Monday, September 25, 2006
Start from the end.
One of the few things I've learned in life: When you want to perform a large task, start from the end, not the beginning. Figure out what the final product should do, what it should look like, and build a trial version that sort of works. Then gradually build and refine the middle parts, planting each in the final version.
If you start from the beginning, planning and building all the subparts before you assemble the total product, most likely you'll never finish. And if you do finish, you'll have a lot of useless features and functions that seemed to serve a purpose at some intermediate stage of your planning.
In our so-called 'debate' about this war, neither side is paying any attention to the final product: Victory.
The big story this morning is a leaked intel report showing that enemy activity has increased since we started fighting.
Well, yes, that's how it goes in a fight.
When the victim just lays back and enjoys it, the attacker doesn't have to fight much. When the victim fights back, the attacker has to fight more intensely. (Paraphrasing an old Confucius joke.)
As usual, our 'debate' is restricted to two sides, neither of which will lead to victory.
The D side says we should stop fighting, enjoy the rape, bear the child, and raise him as a good Mohammedan.
The R side says we should continue struggling in our cautious and sensitive way, being very careful not to actually injure the attacker, because other attackers will be more likely to hurt us if that happens.
What's missing? The V side. A Victorious Vision of what the world should look like when the attacker is dead. In fact, the entire concept of 'finished' is missing in the Rumsfeld / Wilson / Bush model. We just keep on struggling, while the enemy gradually impregnates us.
We could in fact create a 'demo version' of a World Without Allah in our own country if we tried.........
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Sidenote: Yes, I know the picture doesn't match the message. I was going to focus on the disgusting Rule Of Law Circus surrounding Saddam, who should have been killed as soon as we captured him. I ended up writing in a different direction, but Polistra still represents my overall mood today. ¶ 7:33 AM
One of the few things I've learned in life: When you want to perform a large task, start from the end, not the beginning. Figure out what the final product should do, what it should look like, and build a trial version that sort of works. Then gradually build and refine the middle parts, planting each in the final version.
If you start from the beginning, planning and building all the subparts before you assemble the total product, most likely you'll never finish. And if you do finish, you'll have a lot of useless features and functions that seemed to serve a purpose at some intermediate stage of your planning.
In our so-called 'debate' about this war, neither side is paying any attention to the final product: Victory.
The big story this morning is a leaked intel report showing that enemy activity has increased since we started fighting.
Well, yes, that's how it goes in a fight.
When the victim just lays back and enjoys it, the attacker doesn't have to fight much. When the victim fights back, the attacker has to fight more intensely. (Paraphrasing an old Confucius joke.)
As usual, our 'debate' is restricted to two sides, neither of which will lead to victory.
The D side says we should stop fighting, enjoy the rape, bear the child, and raise him as a good Mohammedan.
The R side says we should continue struggling in our cautious and sensitive way, being very careful not to actually injure the attacker, because other attackers will be more likely to hurt us if that happens.
What's missing? The V side. A Victorious Vision of what the world should look like when the attacker is dead. In fact, the entire concept of 'finished' is missing in the Rumsfeld / Wilson / Bush model. We just keep on struggling, while the enemy gradually impregnates us.
We could in fact create a 'demo version' of a World Without Allah in our own country if we tried.........
-----
Sidenote: Yes, I know the picture doesn't match the message. I was going to focus on the disgusting Rule Of Law Circus surrounding Saddam, who should have been killed as soon as we captured him. I ended up writing in a different direction, but Polistra still represents my overall mood today. ¶ 7:33 AM
