The seven principles of public life?

Today is as good a day to bring up the "seven principles of public life", isn't it?

The last paragraph of the Guardian article lists them as "selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership".

It is easy to see a problem with this, isn't it? If there is a course for members of parliament, will it look and feel like the ethics courses in large companies?

If you have not had the pleasure of taking one of these, the main point is not so much the contents but the acknowledgement of the employee at the end stating: I have taken the course.

This represents the get out of court free card companies pull out when something goes wrong.

The cynical view apart, does it mean we should stop trying? Certainly not.  But it helps to keep expectations low, so we won't be surprised by and upset at news like in today's FAZ about a weapons manufacturer sponsoring a party by German social democrats and greens.

Party spokespeople become little Houdinis in their elaborate effort to wriggle out of such situations. Oh, but weapons are only 20% of their business, they are moving away from arms making.
Isn't this cute? Do you see the implication? We are taking their sponsor money to encourage them on their way into a less lethal field of business.

Since today is 20 July, it is also the anniversary of the most well known attempt by Germans to kill Hitler. At the risk of sounding like a FAZ fanboi, we suggest their article (in German) which is much more well rounded than many from earlier decades.

With a BBC news show about "neuro-diversity" running in the background, we'll end the post and go to the two important tasks of the day: check how the accidental avocado tree is doing and update our list of "idiots with guns".