tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post8053315038096608760..comments2023-10-02T10:31:13.350+01:00Comments on Gombeen Nation: Thoughts of homeThe Gombeen Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05024662128072120489noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-28717370789746133772010-05-17T00:03:48.232+01:002010-05-17T00:03:48.232+01:00Hushed tones, bells, distant chants; Has Gombeen M...Hushed tones, bells, distant chants; Has Gombeen Man ever had any miracles ascribed to him yet, maybe not?? I’m willing to vouchsafe for one; My ENT problems last had me in hospital 5 yrs ago with a drip ( an IV one, not an annoying person). I gave my tonsils One more chance. They blew it - I have been off work in pain for 5 days (So while I hope to be there for my birthday in October- they wont be, soon as I can arrange a tonsillectomy in the North they are gone).<br />But I thought I was managing the current illness well with conventional/ natural medicine. Today I thought I was better, was settling down to sleep- but the pain returned. Gave up trying. Clicked on light and Gombeen Nation. And then noticed pain was gone. Hallelujah. Wow. Gombeen Nation Is good for you. Thanksannanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-22046471186402483702010-05-16T23:49:02.270+01:002010-05-16T23:49:02.270+01:00I’d be glad, if I got 100- 200 Euro out of it- I...I’d be glad, if I got 100- 200 Euro out of it- I’m just making a point. I have 3 tenants in NI. I’m nice to them- they’re buying me a house, after all. What’s my point?? Well- WWYGI?? I Never had problems with landlords in NI, Guernsey or England. There is a greedy rich class here- and the exploitation shows in every area- the Housing Bubble is just a magnified form of simple tales above. ( tho Greed is in every area, Not just housing).<br />No, No room for complacency - As Ireland reaches Its century- I say - ‘Could do better,’ Carry on indignant bloggers, your country needs you.annanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-85919242654031082892010-05-16T23:47:00.543+01:002010-05-16T23:47:00.543+01:00I left home 30 yrs ago & rented in Guernsey/ N...I left home 30 yrs ago & rented in Guernsey/ N I/ England for 17 yrs. Rented in Dun L for 10.5 yrs . (Missing yrs 2006-2008, I bought a house in NI which I still have). I had 3 residences in Dun L in 9 yrs before I <br />began commuting - and took landlords to the Small Claims court Twice to get my deposit back : First (millionaire) landlord was a developer- after 4.5 yrs he made me homeless as he thought he’d make a killing on my flat in 2001. The 2nd Millionaire only gave me ½ my deposit when I left for NI- it later turned out he owed lots to tax people. <br />I moved back here in May 2009- and for a variety of reasons: unsuitable premises, Unstable landladies etc I am now in my 5th house since then- and I am about to send a Third claim form off to the Private Tenancy Board : Two landladies Have Ignored all requests to get my deposit back. <br />And the Other…..After I had sub let in Summer 2009 from vicious drunken Janie in North Dublin ( don’t ask) I decided to lease a small bungalow in my favoured district - I could control who I lived with.<br /> On viewing, I said to the So Called - Self Styled Top Notch Irish Estate Agent Susie ,I prefer a house with garden- and that always leaves extra rooms to fill- and (as 2 bedroom house don’t really come up), I was fine with 3 bedrooms: in fact I had rented a bungalow on the Same street before I went away, liked the street and always picked the right co tenants . Susie said she’d explain this to the owner H, a woman in her 6o’s. House belonged to H’s deceased father. Susie said H had only wanted One more room to be rented out. Later S phoned saying all was OK, it was fine to move in. ( My 2 aunts died a few yrs ago. They lived near my mum, and we have happy memories of being with them - but don’t mind who my cousin has in now - provided they are clean, decent, non Satanists, Shinners, DUP worshippers etc - it’s different times for my aunts home).<br />It was Nov 2009- and Impossible to rent rooms in this 55 yr old home-Then I saw the Reality of Oversupply of Shiny New homes in Ireland. <br />I advertised and advertised- I was paying 1200 pm. But after 3 weeks Hyacinth O’Bucket, the owner phoned and put me out of my worry:<br />“We couldn’t BELIEVE it when we saw it on Daft,” she said in her faux English accent,“ Susie said you’d get a Colleague in.” ( DID she now!!!) Practically made out I was a Knacker who had lied about my profession and income ;“ We thought you could COVER the rent!!!”<br /> (I could have had a new flat for 900, but didn’t do that: I dislike living alone: Yes- I Was going to pay 1200 - on my own- just for an average 55 yr old house! The main attraction was it was on a street I had loved living on before )….Cue more contemptuous, Withering abuse.<br />I said I didn’t know what to do. H O’B said in contemptuous faux English tones .“YOU will not be making any decisions on what to do.” Hung Up. Heard no more for 12 hrs- thankfully I took that as a way out and texted saying I moving out a week early. I think H O’B just didn’t want the neighbours to know she was renting the house : my dear the horror of it!!! As if any of them were even about after 55 yrs- and Susie had just lied about my intentions to close the deal.<br />Ok I got deposit, but when I asked for 400 euros for the week I wasn’t there, nothing. I had to stay in a hostel , pay for a removal man, pay for a storage facility , + wages cost of 5 days off work to house hunt. So I’m asking 400 Euros from Hyacinth O’Bucket and moving costs from Renowned Irish Estate Agent. I’m not vindictive- but You Don’t Treat People Like That.annanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-3036588538905528662010-05-16T21:56:43.972+01:002010-05-16T21:56:43.972+01:00I don’t like arguing- I like this blog for highli...I don’t like arguing- I like this blog for highlighting things that are wrong- so they will show in searches- and STAY live . And people can propose solutions. But to people like Kate I say, Ireland can look well on some transparency/ lack of corruption indices- simply because certain data is presented late/ not reported at all/ HEAVILY distorted!(!!!) / swept under the carpet. ( 1 glaring example was a school for disabled children which never Did have any reports of adverse conditions -simply because NO reports were done in 50 yrs). And here’s a question I’ll answer in a minute- What’s a CPO?<br />I got the gist of Derek Brawns highly scholarly book ‘Irelands’ house party’. DB said he was Much frustrated by a lack of stats on housing completions, who owned what land, what the True no of sales in particular estates were etc…he said a country like the USA would have this info in a Monthly bulletin for each county/ state/ region etc. That kind of info is easily accessed in most Western countries - not here.<br />13 yrs ago when I came to Dun L some kind of planning enquiry was going on ( sort of!), as to who really owned land at the Cherry Wood development, on Stillorgan dual carriage way. This was complicated, never really understood it , did it ever conclude, but the ? the judge Wanted answered Was : WHO owned Jackson Way Properties, owner of Cherry wood? Went on forever, seemed like it was 2 yrs. Judge kept asking- was told it was an English co. I wondered- if a judge asks those ?s in court of so called ethical Irish business ( not drug dealers) why keep fudging the issues? Why is this info not freely available in Land registry? So Patriots & comrades, it is perfectly OK for an allegedly English registered co to own Ireland’s green lands and plan developments on it- with us knowing who One of the directors/ developers were. This did not seem normal ( to me) for a developed western country- and FO’T says since the creation of the state various rich interests have turned back transparency in land ownership. FO’T also says developers bought huge swathes of land around Dublin since the 60’s ( and probably were able to conceal their identity ). This meant in the 90’s when more people Were in the country and new housing Initially Was needed they could charge what they liked. Jackson’s Way shows that only too clearly- in recent yrs turns out it was owned by Liam Carroll. At that same time the Stillorgan dual carriageway was widened. I was told the Portuguese embassy held it up for years. Embassy is well back from ( widened rd) and still has a spacious gdn.( I don’t know if its Portuguese owned by the way , or native Irish ) I idly wondered : Why was it not CPO’d. <br />( Compulsory Purchase Ordered). Councils & Government uses them all over NI and UK. And if your farm is Meath is CPO’d for a new prison , forget about getting 25 million- you’ll get a reasonable price - no more.Annanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-70740809965578548752010-05-15T10:52:56.923+01:002010-05-15T10:52:56.923+01:00Hi GM, I echo your sentiments, in fact PB and Dako...Hi GM, I echo your sentiments, in fact PB and Dakota, I have not laughed so much in years, great commentary. In fact best comments on the blog to date.Ellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-86543566817997556302010-05-14T14:11:27.509+01:002010-05-14T14:11:27.509+01:00The McDonalds punters are looking at us laughing a...The McDonalds punters are looking at us laughing away here Ponyboy, Dakota.The Gombeen Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05024662128072120489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-22674704975222346772010-05-14T13:00:24.306+01:002010-05-14T13:00:24.306+01:00Dr P You dont by any chance get Irish water over t...Dr P You dont by any chance get Irish water over there do you? Your missing all the fun. <br /><br />Ohhh the arm wondered where it went...<br /><br />Praise Be!!<br /><br />Dakota (Phd)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-84301790074007043602010-05-14T12:34:33.487+01:002010-05-14T12:34:33.487+01:00Sorry Dakota - i forgot to mention that i found a ...Sorry Dakota - i forgot to mention that i found a severed arm in there with erin go brath tattoed on it - Not yours by any chance HA HA xx Dr PDr Ponyboy (Faith Healer)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-47222550126269173102010-05-14T08:29:38.252+01:002010-05-14T08:29:38.252+01:00Thanks Dr PB all this optimism is making me feel a...Thanks Dr PB all this optimism is making me feel all warm and fuzzy. Oh hold on that could be the water.....<br /><br />DakotaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-7604741391537339032010-05-13T23:00:48.357+01:002010-05-13T23:00:48.357+01:00JESUS!!!!! I go away for a week to a nice quiet si...JESUS!!!!! I go away for a week to a nice quiet signal free part of Tasmania and what do I find upon my return to Gombeen Nation? There's blood seeping out under the blog door and inside, bodies everywhere. There's Dakota's over there in the corner in a white knuckled strangle death clinch with Paul. There's Anna'a and Ella's footprints in the blood - looks like they made it out alive. Here's Mark, well it's a bit hard to tell from this angle especially with that axe damage. I thought he wasn't coming back anymore. Oh shit - there's a pool of Lawrence's blood next to the emergency exit. Wow - what the feck went on in here. (Flips back through the posts for the answer - finds it) Ah boys oh boys it's the same auld shenanigans that always gets us het up. Ireland's woes and their pathological antecedency. Jim Larkin, an Phiarsach, Dev, The Catlick Church agus all the rest of our big heavy rucksacks full of historical baggage. Next time try discussing Ireland's future without opening that stinky repository of old socks. A sailing analogy if you will - look over the bow for what's coming your way and not over the stern for what you've missed. Hugs and kisses and a speedy recovery to allDoctor Ponyboynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-67410552963713689962010-05-13T15:06:59.016+01:002010-05-13T15:06:59.016+01:00@ Mark/Kate.
With regard to the question of corr...@ Mark/Kate. <br /><br />With regard to the question of corruption and clientism, it is only necessary to live in Ireland to witness it first hand. In terms of slipping fivers to policemen/women Ireland ranks well though. <br /><br />I am aware of the report you mention, but I am also aware of others (or even the same one) that back up day-to-day evidence of high-levels of clientism. I can't be bothered to search them out now (as I am sitting in McDonalds and only have so much time), but I'm sure other readers can do so I they feel inclined. Or they can just refer to the numerous examples on the blog and the Irish record of re-voting in corrupt politicians. <br /><br />Finally. The only thing I ask from people commenting on the blog is that they use one name/identity. <br /><br />I would ask that you respect this. <br /><br /><br />@ Dakota. Exactly! Thanks for the updates from home, by the way.The Gombeen Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05024662128072120489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-56067828242951631342010-05-13T15:04:28.435+01:002010-05-13T15:04:28.435+01:00Nice Map Kate. Although the map only provides a co...Nice Map Kate. Although the map only provides a colour code, a unit of measure and a number key. It is interesting and obviously gives a sense of percieved proportion. Just a coulpe of things though, whos perception is it? Is it host country or other countries respondents who were surveyed? <br /><br />Em, Ireland is at 8 units the UK is 7.7, the US is 7.5 and Germany at 8 I assume that means Ireland is more transparent than both the U.K and US and on a par with Germany. I find that hard to believe. <br /><br />Also Kate when you say apocryphal? I would'nt say that at all. You see Kate the way I see it, its the incessent culture which passes under the radar in Ireland and hence is not published in any survey which is the underlying problem! How do you measure an atomsphere or a subtle nuance, a nod or a wink? As far as I'm aware its not possible to do so. Or is the survey just a measure of official statistics? <br /><br />Its nice to have such optimism, I had it once then I bought a car.. <br /><br />Have a good day. <br /><br />DakotaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-4944931462707214712010-05-13T12:51:04.118+01:002010-05-13T12:51:04.118+01:00@Dakota
Don't want to question your particul...@Dakota <br /><br />Don't want to question your particular experience but I have to say IMO the general view that Irelend is worst than other countries is apocryphal. <br /><br />For what it is worth Ireland fares well in Transparency International's 2009 survey of corruption.<br /><br />http://media.transparency.org/imaps/cpi2009/<br /><br />(This is worth a look if just to experience a nice web tool)<br /><br />KateAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-19760005185160959742010-05-13T10:11:51.034+01:002010-05-13T10:11:51.034+01:00Thats interesting Kate. I did'nt read Treisman...Thats interesting Kate. I did'nt read Treisman myself might be a good read all the same. <br /><br />On the individualistic society thing, individualism and the lack of the prodestant work ethic must be fundamental as to why Ireland is so unique among northern european countries. IMO the type of individualism which is present in prodestantism is far more palatable than tribalism, which is very much part of modern day Ireland. Into this Irish mix you have to add a sense of post modern individualism. The combination creates IMO a society which favours cronyism. <br /><br />Also in my opinion Ireland is at a tipping point now but as always the way here, nothing will intrinsically change, it will just get worse and the threshold for corruption, croynism and that uniquely Irish atmosphere which encourages same, will be pushed to a higher level. The corruption here is profoundly deep.<br /><br />On a different aspect of all that, GM...they are saying now theres a possibility that the EU will have to approve budget decisions here now. Wonderful isnt it? That could get interesting/nasty? Then again maybe not....<br /><br />Oh yeah that little thing at the Versaille Palace on Kildare St, that was all a storm in a tea cup, GM. Seemingly someone pushed someone else in through the side gate. Could have been a dare, who knows? They were all chasing each other around the carpark. Lovely....Yeah and I have a bottle of the water from that day, must get it analysed. <br /><br />DakotaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-17526117229276088082010-05-13T08:52:38.695+01:002010-05-13T08:52:38.695+01:00On the % Protestant thing.
Before we introduce t...On the % Protestant thing. <br /><br />Before we introduce tax breaks to encourage more Protestants to move down here is it worth reading Treisman’s 2000 paper. Elaine Byrne does what some naughty academics do and ignores the bits of the paper that don't fit with the article.<br /><br />Treisman says "...the proportion of Protestants appears to have a small but significant effect: an additional 5–10% of the population that was Protestant, would reduce a country’s corruption rating by one-tenth of a point." <br /><br />Note that Treisman says 'small'. To put it in context Ireland's score improved by three tenths from 2008-9 - from 7.7 to 8.<br /><br />Treisman also discusses a number of possible reasons for the effect (including the one Elaine Byrne mentions) but favours Lipset and Lenz explanation and gives them the last word in the section devoted to protestantism with this quote <br /><br />‘‘Protestantism reduces corruption, in part, because of its association with individualistic, non-familistic relations.’’<br /><br />The theory goes that individualistic societies with smaller families have less corruption because a lot of corruption is about doing inappropriate favours for family members and people you know. It follows that if you have small families and know fewer people then corruption will be less for purly mathematical reasons.<br /><br />Lipset and Lenz see protestantism as a marker for these sorts of societies, which dominate northern Europe.<br /><br />KateAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-89759274131877909372010-05-12T11:12:14.729+01:002010-05-12T11:12:14.729+01:00Ah GM. Lets not mention Jim Larkin at the moment i...Ah GM. Lets not mention Jim Larkin at the moment it might start it off again.<br /><br />It was the side gate they got in.. Mr Gard and Gardette joined arms and went to town. Lucky Mr Robocop wasnt there... Oh be gob...theres a rematch next week. <br /><br />Butch the gold fish is getting all excited.<br /><br />DakotaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-77011170997647388792010-05-12T11:10:21.410+01:002010-05-12T11:10:21.410+01:00oh dear, social unrest in the country, about f..ki...oh dear, social unrest in the country, about f..king time too. <br /><br />Dakota, agree about that water and also Dakota, Paul, Lawrence, seems to me if you are having a pop at somebody it should be Mark, not eachother.Ellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-40131169901724680092010-05-12T10:55:33.914+01:002010-05-12T10:55:33.914+01:00Hi all. Here I am back in McDonalds again. Glad to...Hi all. Here I am back in McDonalds again. Glad to see you're all feeling better. And what's this about the Dail being stormed!!! At least 40 fellow malcontents out there so!<br /><br />Anna, Dakota, Laurence: This corruption thing came up a while ago, unfortunately the original link is not there tho... I think it's part of the IT subscription thingie now, so even if the link was there, it wouldn't be any use. <br /><br />That's true Paul. Think the Larkin Connolly connection shows the commonality of us ordinary folk both in Britain and Ireland.<br /><br />http://gombeennation.blogspot.com/2009/03/be-corrupt-as-you-like-but-be-contrite.htmlThe Gombeen Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05024662128072120489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-50847891833592697122010-05-12T09:20:55.818+01:002010-05-12T09:20:55.818+01:00'Dail stormed by angry protestors'...a hea...'Dail stormed by angry protestors'...a headline to savour....(Metro 12.5.10)<br />a serial I hope will run and run...<br />I would have been there, but i had a serious meeeting to attend...I'll be at the next dail storming..<br />Ireland is chnging..<br />however slowlyannanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-16253051258551860232010-05-12T08:35:03.575+01:002010-05-12T08:35:03.575+01:00Hope we're all better today??
Wow what about ...Hope we're all better today??<br /><br />Wow what about the great multitude storming the barricades at the la bastille de dail last night?? I knew the water was spiked!! Hey 40 nearly got over the gates. It could have been the flowers on the lawn that got it. <br /><br />I bet they put the heart cross ways in Mr cowman. He could have choked on his M and S caviar. Dont you people remember poor mr Bush nearly croked it when his pretzel went down the wrong way?<br /><br />Hey did anyone see prime time last night ironic that they did a piece on Iceland at the same time de Dail was been stormed! The Prime Time team said Iceland already had their bank enquiry and they can now put it behind them. This is very interesting no? Didnt they have mega protests at the same time as the crisis? Does all this sound familar? It all comes down to Irish timing I have to say. If the people protested when this crisis started then the individuals responsible would be sharing soap in the shower by now.<br /><br />Grand little country. Alls well that ends well in the emerald isle.<br /><br />DakotaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-10085523616638802892010-05-12T08:16:30.526+01:002010-05-12T08:16:30.526+01:00@Anna12:09. I would'nt hold your breath. The w...@Anna12:09. I would'nt hold your breath. The way parties are alined here its not conducive to good government. All vested interest groups dont care one way or the other either. Not to mention the voting public, 40% of whom voted FF back in some time ago. The cycle will start all over again. Give it a few years.<br /><br />DakotaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-9120893063048419052010-05-12T00:09:06.108+01:002010-05-12T00:09:06.108+01:00Dear Lawrence , no I totally agreed with your poin...Dear Lawrence , no I totally agreed with your point about a higher % of protestants leading to less corruption...it was someone else who seemed to think this was incredibly comical, and i was was just wondering why? ie Why was the person so amused? I met someone from NI who was deeply involved in the recent election. THis person was involved with a small neutral party- and he said the DUP seemed V keen on brown envelopes. I was shocked but the DUP- like SF is a party based on Fear- nothing more- so you never Will have the best people in such flimsy parties.<br />John Mc Gahern said when he was growing up in the 30's this country seemed to be in Shock at being independent- very true. And i think Now there is a great deal of Anger- hopefully constructive as many people are asking now Why things are not better for the country after so many years of independence....and hopefully now people will demand decent government.annanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-75249995010161193502010-05-11T20:25:46.777+01:002010-05-11T20:25:46.777+01:00GM have to say this was the strangest day on the b...GM have to say this was the strangest day on the blog so far! By a mile. The Corpo must have put something in the water. Strange day but good fun....<br /><br />Laurence, never said you did'nt. Dont know where you got that from.<br /><br />Greattt to know there is sooooo many nice guys on this blog... strange but harmless, I think. No no sorry I dream.<br /><br />Paul WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE???!!!! Hope your well sooooooooonnnnnn.<br /><br />DakotaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-80342911276511809242010-05-11T20:05:46.697+01:002010-05-11T20:05:46.697+01:00Dakota.....
I was agreeing with you.
Anna.....
I ...Dakota.....<br />I was agreeing with you.<br /><br />Anna.....<br />I think you got the wrong end of the stick with regard to my comments about the exodus of protestants in the 1920's and the high levels of corruption in Ireland. <br /><br />I was basically echoing the thoughts in an article by Elaine Byrne in the Irish Times of March 31st, 2009. <b>Will 10% more Protestants lead to less corruption?<br /><br /></b>Not available on the IT site anymore, but can be read on Elaine Byrne's own website, http://elaine.ie/?p=122<br /><br /><i>A positive correlation exists between Catholicism and corruption. Political science literature and academic research suggests that the more Protestant the population, the less corrupt the country. Divergent views on sin and loyalty account for this corpulent assertion....<br /><br />.......Catholicism is a hierarchical religion. The Catholic Church places emphasis on the inherent weakness and shortcomings of human beings, their inability to escape sin and the consequent need for the church to be forgiving and protecting.<br /> <br />The clergy, as mediators between mankind and God, facilitate, via confession, the possibility to be absolved of guilt. As laid down by the Council of Trent, priests have this authority “because that our Lord Jesus Christ, when about to ascend from earth to heaven, left priests his own vicars, as presidents and judges . . . in order that, in accordance with the power of the keys, they may pronounce the sentence of forgiveness or retention of sins”.<br /> <br />On the other hand, the egalitarian organisation typical of Protestantism believes that individuals are personally responsible for avoiding sin rather than relying upon the institutional forgiveness of the church. Protestant culture is less understanding when lapses from grace occur.<br /> <br />The institutionalisation of virtue and the compulsion to cast out the wicked is underlined more explicitly.<br /> <br />The implication therefore is that Protestants are less inclined to commit a sin because they do not have the same faculty of achieving pardon as Catholics do...........<br /><br />...........In Treisman’s 2000 cross national study, for example, the University of California professor contends that countries with a Protestant tradition, a history of British rule and a developed economy are less corrupt.<br /><br />In his comparison between Ireland and Denmark, he suggests that if Ireland had an additional 5-10 per cent Protestant population, our corruption rating would be that of Denmark’s, which has consistently been in the top five least corrupt countries in the world since polling began.<br /><br />Although methodological issues arise regarding the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, it serves to illustrate this broad point. Take Europe as an example. Over the past 13 years, the least corrupt countries have been our northern European Protestant neighbours, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The Catholic countries of southern Europe have wavered in the ranks of the most corrupt in Europe.<br /><br />Although geographically in the North, Ireland shares many characteristics with the South. Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain have traditionally been distinguished by clannish catch-all parties and entrenched centre- periphery politics.</i><br /><br />Just a theory however. Wasn't Paisley Junior caught out in some dodgy dealing a few years back. Not to mention the Robinsons.Laurencenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5829381583204750928.post-4707272345442030342010-05-11T19:22:30.381+01:002010-05-11T19:22:30.381+01:00Now now folks - be nice to each other! Most of us ...Now now folks - be nice to each other! Most of us have more in common than not! Let's keep our fire for our enemies ;-)The Gombeen Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05024662128072120489noreply@blogger.com