MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

There is one very very important distinction being missed and that is whether the state is secular or not.
The Finns, Swedes, Danes and from the last figures I saw NZ are not a highly religious culture. They are more likely to vote on the issues rather than faith based lines.

In my first attempt to discover which of Norway, New Zealand and Finland (the top 3 on the democracy index) were more/less secular I found Norway ahead of Finland and found New Zealand doesn't collect meaningful data on it.

So I looked further and found NZ has always separated church from state (no surprises there) and lKiwis themselves are becoming less likely to identify as religious as time passes. The 2018 NZ census was the first time roughly the same number of Kiwis identified as not having a religion as having a religion, where religion is "Christianity + Others". So if you took Christianity on its own, more Kiwis don't have a religion. Same with Other. Of the people with a religion, Christianity is far more prevalent than Other.

So, from that I'm confident to say NZ is secular but I'm still not sure how it measures up against Norway or Finland.

 

[MaryJanet]

What is interesting to me is Switzerland has more guns per capita than the US but hardly any gun crime.

That's impressive! There must be very different social values in the mix. Gun security too?

 

[MaryJanet]

We got Boris.

I've paid him almost no attention, but the few times I geard him speak he came across as sort of bumbling. I'm sure that's not really the case or he'd never have been successful. I vaguely imagine him getting ahead of his colleagues through underhanded tactics.

 

[MaryJanet]

No, that was pre-gate. I do have a photo of them tucked in behind a fence panel as they can’t reach their favourite spot under the Tiger Grass.

View attachment 3122826

Awww dear little hens

 

[MaryJanet]

No, that was pre-gate. I do have a photo of them tucked in behind a fence panel as they can’t reach their favourite spot under the Tiger Grass.

View attachment 3122826

They're very well hidden in that spot

 

[RoyalChick]

What about things like cake stalls and sausage sizzles that raise money for communal projects like schools and libraries? Food would be sold but not free

Not sure.

 

[LozzyR]

They're very well hidden in that spot

I have noticed they like to be under things, which seems very sensible.

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[Shadrach]

I've paid him almost no attention, but the few times I geard him speak he came across as sort of bumbling. I'm sure that's not really the case or he'd never have been successful. I vaguely imagine him getting ahead of his colleagues through underhanded tactics.

Nope, that is the case. He's every bit the buffoon he comes across as. The Tories have an interesting habit of electing their leaders as potential fall guys. If it all goes wrong then their loss is unlikely to damage the party.
Bear in mind the electorate don't pick the party leaders. The parties do that.

 

[MaryJanet]

Nope, that is the case. He's every bit the buffoon he comes across as. The Tories have an interesting habit of electing their leaders as potential fall guys. If it all goes wrong then their loss is unlikely to damage the party.
Bear in mind the electorate don't pick the party leaders. The parties do that.

Same here, except parties tend to select a leader they think the voters will approve of.