These rules aren't meant to be broken

Magnet #77 - The Moscow Rules

So, of late, I've been smitten by all things BBC. It's weird, I know. I'd like to blame the writers strike, but it had nada to do with this obsession.

Given that I watch at least 20 hours of programming in any given week (either live or via DVR, and not counting cable shows, or my soaps), I feel pretty confident saying that it's not even like BBC shows are all that much better than US shows. And, since my tastes pretty much run the gamut of good, really good TV to bad, really bad TV (except unscripted/reality shows, which I hate with the power of a thousand suns) - it's not hard to see why at least half of the BBC-A roster ended up on my DVR series recording list.

So, we're talking (in no particular order, past and present) Torchwood, Doctor Who, Robin Hood, MI-5, Hex, Top Gear, Hotel Babylon, Footballers Wives and anything else sandwiched in between. My sister's sucked into a good many of them, and we've had many (many) discussions as to the quirks of BBC programming. Chief among them being - how in the hell can they just kill major characters from shows? Next being - what the heck timeslot is 6:20? or 7:40? or 8:06? And, really - Corry Street and Eastenders? They're that good that they're consistently the top 10 shows in the UK? Every day of every week? What's up with that?

But, I totally digress. Sorry.

Today's magnet is from the International Spy Museum in DC, which I've blogged about before, and probably will again, it was that good. (Plus, I think I might have one or two more magnets from there.)

The Moscow Rules are totally mentioned a couple of times in MI-5, which makes my sister squee with delight - I swear, if she could become a CI for Rupert Penry-Jones or Matthew Macfadyen (and soon Richard Armitage), she'd do it in a sec, Moscow Rules bedammed.

But, when you read them below, you realize, they aren't so much rules just for Moscow...but for everyday life:

1. Assume nothing.
2. Never go against your gut.
3. Everyone is potentially under opposition control.
4. Don't look back; you are never completely alone.
5. Go with the flow, blend in.
6. Vary your pattern and stay within your cover.
7. Lull them into a sense of complacency.
8. Don't harass the opposition.
9. Pick the time and place for action.
10. Keep your options open.