Goodbye 04-06-05

And The Internet!

I was born in Parkersburg, West (by God) Virginia which is located on the east side of the Ohio River. Parkersburg is about 30-miles south from Marietta, Ohio. Marietta is on the west side of the Ohio River. Got all that?

Good. Let's pretend there are two guys who want to get to Marietta, Ohio. They are in a canoe paddling very efficiently... except... they are in the Mississippi River (not the Ohio River). Let's say they have their canoeing down pat. They've learned to use a perfect J-stroke. They get the maximum forward movement from each ounce of expended physical effort.

Now let's take two other guys who are paddling their canoe north on the Ohio River leaving Parkersburg. They likewise want to get to Marietta. These guys are really lousy canoers. In fact, they don't even have paddles. One guy is paddling with his shoes while the other guy is paddling with his bare hands.

Can you guess who is going to reach their goal, the city of Marietta?

It is NOT those super-efficient guys. They are in the wrong river. And no matter how efficient they travel on the Mississippi River, they cannot get to Marietta, Ohio. Simply because Marietta is not located on the Mississippi River. That is an illustration of...

Efficiency Without Effectiveness!

On the other hand, those two poor souls paddling up the Ohio River with their shoes and hands will eventually (in spite of their total absence of efficiency) reach their goal of Marietta. Why? Because...