The Art of Strategies

Russian scientists have studied the stray dogs of Moscow and their evolution since the fall of communism. These animals have demonstrated a capacity for adaptation to the environment and to new circumstances that surpasses in many cases by far that of humans. One of the skills developed by these canines is their habit of taking the subway in the mornings to get to the center of Moscow and taking it again at night to return to their homes. In the center of the city, food can be easily obtained, but not sleeping comfortably. They know exactly where and when to get on, observing, even, that they usually choose the cars with the least people (the first and the last usually), something that, according to Eugene Linden, requires reasoning and conscious thought. They are, moreover, capable of not losing their stop, thanks to their excellent sense of time that allows them to calculate their journey, to the recognition of the name of the station or its smell or to a combination of all these...

It was extremely difficult to divorce in medieval Europe, so couples who were fed up with each other sometimes opted to end the marriage with a divorce duel. The combat instructor and advisor to the German court, Hans Talhofer, wrote Fechtbuch ("Book of Fencing") in 1467, an illustrated tome that included techniques for couples involved in such duels. Since men have obvious physical advantages, things had to be leveled. Husbands, armed with three clubs, had to fight from within a waist-high hole and about one meter wide, with one hand tied to the body. Wives were armed with three stones that weighed up to eight pounds, tied in a cloth like a battery in a sock, and could move freely around the hole. The weapons of both sides had to be the same length. A husband who touched the edge of the hole lost a club. If he did it three times, he had to continue unarmed. If that happened, he would probably have to try to get his wife into the hole before she hit him on the head. Tal...

In the jungle lived three lions. One day the monkey, the representative elected by the animals, called a meeting to ask them for a decision. We all know that the lion is the king of the animals, but for a big doubt in the jungle: there are 3 lions and the 3 are very strong. To which of them should we obey? Which of them should be our King? The lions learned of the meeting and commented among themselves: It's true, the concern of the animals makes a lot of sense. A jungle cannot have 3 kings. We do not want to fight among ourselves because we are very good friends... We need to know who will be the chosen one, but, how to find out? Once again the animals gathered and after much deliberation, they reached a decision and communicated it to the 3 lions: - We have found a very simple solution to the problem, and we have decided that you 3 are going to climb Mount Difficult. The one who reaches the top first will be consecrated our King. Mount Difficult was the highest of all t...

A popular tale from Venezuela where the strategy of the rabbit that was caught by a tiger and how he managed to escape is told. On a lovely summer afternoon, a rabbit was resting peacefully, lying on the grass. Silently, a tiger approached him and with a roar, threatened him. -You're mine, elusive rabbit! I've been trying to catch you for days and I finally have you! There was no escape! He had the tiger's jaws so close that he could even feel his fetid breath on his pink nose. The only possibility he had left was to take advantage of his own cunning. – Wait a moment, wait a moment, Mr. Tiger! I have something very important to tell you. – What do you want? I don't feel like talking, I feel like eating you in one bite! The rabbit swallowed his saliva and faced him, disguising his fear. -Have you seen me well? Don't you see how skinny and small I am? – Yes, but I don't care! I'm going to eat you anyway, so don't resist! – Well, you're wr...

A poor man leaves home to work and save money for his wife. After 20 years, he returns with three pieces of advice. A newlywed couple were very poor and lived off the favors of the people of a small town. One day the husband made the following proposal to his wife: "Dear, I am going to leave our house for a while, I will look for a job and I will work until I have earned enough money to return and be able to give you a more comfortable and dignified life. I don't know how long I will be away from you, I only ask one thing, that you wait for me and be faithful to me. On my part, I promise to be faithful to you." So, the young man walked for several days, until he finally found a landowner who was needing an assistant for his estate. The young man offered to work and was accepted. But he decided to make a pact with his boss: "Let me work for a while and when you think it's time for me to leave, you will release me from my obligations. I don't want to re...

On the night of October 30, 1501, on the eve of All Saints' Day, Pope Alexander VI and his son Cesare Borgia organized a grand party in the Apostolic Palace Vatican. To this party were invited several cardinals and bishops, as well as the most important authorities of Rome. As was usual in these celebrations, the banquet was luxurious and no expense was spared, serving a great variety of food and drink for the enjoyment of those present. However, and despite the fact that the dishes were fabulous, the best was yet to come. And it was that once the desserts were finished, and to the surprise of the guests, Cesare Borgia ordered that the tables be cleared and several candelabras be placed on the floor. Immediately, about fifty courtesans (euphemism at that time for high-class prostitutes) entered the room and began to dance sensually around them. They undressed to the rhythm of the music, tied the women's hands behind their backs, threw chestnuts on the floor and they had to ...

An old man had a lake on his property. After a long time, he decided to go and see if everything was in order. He took a basket to take advantage of the walk and bring some fruits along the way... As he approached the lake, he heard lively voices. He saw a group of women bathing, completely naked. Upon seeing him, they all went to the deepest part of the lake, keeping only their heads out of the water. One of the women shouted: We will not come out while you are here! The old man replied: I did not come here to see you swim or come out naked from the lake! Raising the basket, he said to them: I am here to feed the crocodile.... MORAL: Age, experience, and cunning will always triumph over youth and enthusiasm.

A young woman sat down next to an elderly man on a plane. She alerted the flight attendant as she took her seat. The flight attendant responded warmly, but the woman said abruptly: "Please find me another seat immediately. The flight attendant replied: "I'm sorry, ma'am, but the economy cabin is completely booked.” The woman responded: "But I can't travel next to an old useless man. Do something.” As the old man looked on in disbelief, the flight attendant said: "I'll speak to the captain about this.” The flight attendant went to see the captain and asked: "Captain, a woman is uncomfortable sitting next to an old poor man. What should we do?” Surprisingly, the captain's face changed. He seemed amused and said: "This woman is interesting. I've never encountered a problem like this before. I have a plan. Listen...” And the captain told the flight attendant what he wanted to do. The flight attendant was stunned by his plan....

I n this article, we are going to see some examples of how to apply military strategy to business and personal life, following some of the most important principles of this discipline. Military strategy is the art and science of planning and conducting military operations to achieve political or military objectives.  Military strategy is based on principles, concepts and doctrines that guide the use of armed forces depending on circumstances, resources and purposes. See  What is strategy? How to Apply Military Strategy to Business and Personal Life Military strategy is not only applicable to the field of war, but can also be useful for the development of business and personal life.  Military strategy helps us analyze the environment, identify threats and opportunities, define objectives, design plans, execute actions and evaluate results. Mission beginning The principle of the mission consists of assigning each unit or individual a clear, concise and feasible task, which ...

The Houthis are a rebel group that controls much of Yemen, a Middle Eastern country suffering from one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.  In this article, we are going to explain who the Houthis are, their history and their objectives. Who are the Houthis, their history and their objectives The Houthis belong to the Zaydi branch of Shiite Islam, a religious minority in Yemen that represents around 40% of the population.  The Zaidis ruled Yemen for more than a thousand years until the republican revolution of 1962, which ended the monarchy and established an Arab republic. History  The Houthis emerged as a political and religious movement in the 1990s, led by Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, a Zaidi cleric who opposed Saudi Arabia and the United States' influence in Yemen.  Al-Houthi accused the Yemeni government of corruption, marginalization and oppression of the Zaydis. In 2004, the government launched a military campaign against al-Houthi followers, who had ta...

We are going to summarize some of the teachings that Machiavelli offers us in his "Discourses" and that can be useful for our daily lives. Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian political thinker who lived in the 16th century and who wrote a work entitled "Discourses on the First Decade of Livy", in which he analyzes the history of the Roman Republic and draws lessons for the government and society of his time.  See   Machiavelli's Strategies for your life Teachings from Machiavelli's speeches Although Machiavelli is best known for his book "The Prince," in which he offers advice to rulers on how to maintain power, the "Discourses" are a broader and deeper work that reveals his republican vision and his admiration for civic virtues. of the ancient Romans. See   Machiavelli's Tips to Win The importance of laws and institutions Machiavelli considers laws and institutions to be fundamental to preserving the freedom and stability of a republi...