Just got the tweet from the bass fishermen at Betty Lou's---wild celebrations this morning with free coffee for all as they celebrated the legal victory of Jesse "the body" Ventura in his lawsuit for defamation....and in a postscript, the publisher of the book, HarperCollins is removing the chapter of the book in question...and all over New York this morning, and yes in Wisconsin too, publishers, who are people, cause corporations are people under the Constitution now---publishers are rushing to review their books to see whether they can paste over the lies, or maybe just remove the books from publication...and in related news, the Normal Minnesota Library announced today that they have removed 500 books from circulation...and they were non-fiction...they kept all the light romance novels...which are the most popular requests in the frozen tundra...and all over America online book publishers are wondering where to begin....their first thought is to just publish fiction....stay tuned as I follow this story.
Friday, January 16, 2026
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Book Review: The Art of War: Key points to remember and Quiz
Ten Key Points from The Art of War
- Win Without Fighting: The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy's resistance without a battle, using superior strategy, diplomacy, and positioning.
- Know Yourself and Your Enemy: To ensure victory, you must have a deep understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of your opponent. If you know neither, you will succumb in every battle.
- All Warfare is Based on Deception: Achieve strategic advantage by misleading the enemy. Appear weak when you are strong, strong when you are weak, far when near, and near when far.
- Preparation and Planning are Paramount: Victory is determined before the battle is fought through meticulous calculation and planning. A victorious general makes many calculations in their temple before a battle, while a defeated general makes few.
- Avoid Strength, Strike Weakness: Military tactics are like water: water avoids high places and rushes to low ground. In war, avoid the enemy's strengths and strong points and attack where they are unprepared and weak.
- Adaptability and Flexibility are Key: There are no constant conditions in warfare. A skilled commander adapts tactics to changing circumstances, just as water shapes its course according to the ground over which it flows.
- Speed is the Essence of War: Protracted warfare drains an army's strength, morale, and a state's resources. Campaigns should be swift and decisive to achieve victory at minimum cost.
- Leadership Matters: A good commander embodies virtues like wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage, and strictness. A disciplined and unified army, where all ranks share the same spirit, is essential for success.
- Utilize Intelligence and Espionage: Information is a vital asset. The use of spies (local, inward, converted, doomed, and surviving) is crucial for gathering intelligence and keeping the enemy in the dark about your own intentions.
- Choose Your Battles Wisely: Focus your energy and resources on battles that offer an advantage and a high probability of success. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are.
Multiple Choice Quiz
- According to Sun Tzu, what represents "supreme excellence" in the art of war?
A) Winning every battle
B) Achieving victory without fighting
C) Successfully besieging a city
D) Direct combat - What is essential for ensuring victory in every engagement?
A) A larger army
B) Understanding yourself and your enemy
C) Government support
D) Surprise attacks - Sun Tzu states that all warfare is based on _________.
A) Power
B) Bravery
C) Deception
D) Swiftness - If the enemy is stronger, what tactic does Sun Tzu suggest?
A) Immediate assault
B) Provocation
C) Evasion or retreat
D) Siege tactics - What natural element does Sun Tzu use to illustrate the adaptability of military strategy?
A) Fire
B) Wind
C) Rock
D) Water - According to Sun Tzu, what undertaking is detrimental to a state?
A) Diplomacy
B) Prolonged conflict
C) Using spies
D) Training troops - Which quality is NOT listed as a potential flaw in a general?
A) Recklessness
B) Cowardice
C) Wisdom
D) Impatience - What is the function of "doomed spies"?
A) To collect enemy intelligence
B) To persuade enemy personnel
C) To be sacrificed to mislead the enemy
D) To gather local information - When does a victorious general make numerous calculations?
A) During combat
B) Before engaging in battle
C) After the enemy's initial move
D) Based on troop morale - The concentrated "energy" of troops can be compared to what?
A) A bent crossbow
B) A swift river
C) A sudden storm
D) An unassailable position
Answer Sheet
- B) Achieving victory without fighting
- B) Understanding yourself and your enemy
- C) Deception
- C) Evasion or retreat
- D) Water
- B) Prolonged conflict
- C) Wisdom (Wisdom is considered a virtue)
- C) To be sacrificed to mislead the enemy
- B) Before engaging in battle
- A) A bent crossbow
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