Soapbox

It is a paradox of Franco-German relations that German Chancellors of the center-left get on better with French Presidents of the center-right and vice versa. Helmut Schmidt worked hand in hand with Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, but had little rapport with François Mitterrand (then again, Schmidt never suffered fools gladly). Mitterrand in turn had an excellent relationship with Helmut Kohl, who did not get well with Jacques Chirac. Chirac had some differences with Gerhard Schröder, but saw mostly eye to eye with him. Neither Chirac nor Nicolas Sarkozy seem to have much chemistry with Angela Merkel.

Simply because it does not involve running through the gauntlet of the typical corporate purchasing bureaucracy…

If someone richer than you implores you to do something out of patriotism, keep a close eye on your wallet.

In the US cable systems are required by law to reserve a certain number of channels for so-called public-access and community programs. Think crazy old cat lady ranting and raving, or cronies of local politicians, usually the left-wing fringe, pushing whatever bizarre agenda they have, whether it is nimbyism, conspiracy theories or advocacy of positions so extreme they don’t find other outlets. I passed by the offices of one of San Francisco’s public access channels on Market Street, and they certainly seem quite posh.

Reusing those channels for Internet access would serve the ostensible purpose of those programs, public participation, far better than giving a bunch of lunatics a non-interactive, one-to-many broadcast soapbox.

Even cardinal virtues can become vices when pushed to extremes. Justice untempered with mercy becomes draconian and oppressive. Courage without justice leads to the likes of Otto Skorzeny. Temperance without humility leads to self-righteousness.