Life / Why build a supermarket with 20 checkouts with only 3 till staff? [46]

My fiancee and I have taken to going just before 10pm. It used to be that we'd have a few items and went to the 10-item till which just so happened to be shut. Then the dreaded wait. I'm usually patient in most things but there's nothing worse than waiting at a checkout with stinky folk.

Going to the checkouts at around 10 15 really helps. You maybe have one person in front of you, max. Still, they should increase the til staff and stop scrimping and saving in that way.

Life / Looking for heartburn remedies in Krakow. [36]

It's not laughing at all, it's just that you cannot elevate doctors to God-like status. Trust me, I know about medication for heartburn and other ailments like that.

Then I run the risk of having a cancerous ulcer, as maybe he does but life is full of risk!

News / Does Poland count in Europe or is it ignored? [427]

So Poland wasn't ignored and humiliated then, but included. Still, a bad cause to be involved in.

USA, Canada / Work ethics in Poland vs US [66]

Sometimes you are only as hard working as your company contracts you to be. Hard working, under a more modernistic interpretation, often involves working 2 or 3 jobs. It depends on the nature and the needs of the company. In Japan, it tends to be that you will climb the ladder in a more progressive fashion and not jump around as Westerners tend to. We switch careers much more than they do. So, the cultural dimension counts in a huge way.

If I could make a salient point, it's that Poles (in the main) have to work harder as they have Western prices but generally lower salaries. Americans can afford nest eggs but many here can't.

News / Does Poland count in Europe or is it ignored? [427]

There are different operational levels and is just depends what level you occupy. Give me an EU privelege that Germany has that Poland doesn't and then you will see.

Life / Looking for heartburn remedies in Krakow. [36]

Arlene seems like one of these brainwashed people. Can I remind you that a doctor is only human and may not have had heartburn in their life. I have and so has my family, I'm sure I'm just as able to advise as they are.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

It's the tendency of people to let things slide if they can say 'I'm alright Jack'. There is discrimination by setting up your own agencies within another country but it is going largely unchallenged due to certain things.

Life / Differing Brand Names In Poland/Europe and the UK [20]

Elvive and Elseve, that's another one.

Life / Differing Brand Names In Poland/Europe and the UK [20]

Nivea is Nivea :) It's Flora in Poland, yes. Sunsilk is Sunsilk.

Geez, I'm gonna have to think about this.

Life / Looking for heartburn remedies in Krakow. [36]

I must have, yeah ;) ;)

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

Shelley, I can tell you that paying for tax and ZUS, plus flat usually leaves you with very little.

Harry, I meant per hour but thanks for the monthly figure anyway. 1,276 is a pittance.

Jihad, you are right on the mark. I've defended their right to extract money and return it home but you and I both know how it looks. The proverbial cash cow has limits.

Proof of the pudding lies in the close monitoring of the exchange rate. Golden times were in summer 2004 where it was 7 to 1. Even now, a 1000 pounds job is around 5500PLN. Things cannot be made so easy with specialist agencies as it isolates a specific group at the expense of another and Britain is multi-ethnic after all. Also, they still have budget airlines to use, not everybody uses LOT you know? ;) ;)

Life / I'm an American who lived in Poland for 6 years. I'm not welcome anymore. [169]

Again, it's more out of bureaucratic concerns than by virtue of being an American. It is a more cost effective situation and, when it comes to teachers, many are not handpicked with such precision. If that were the case, more Americans would get a look in.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

It's understandable that many Poles would want to leave as I've heard some jobs for 5PLN per hour here. Correct me if I'm wrong but it's 5.35p/h as the minimum wage in the UK (5.15?). In real terms, that's about 19/20PLN. More and more I see people handing out fliers/leaflets and they get peanuts for it. They are getting protectionist but doing so in the UK. What is the national minimum wage in Poland?

Life / why do People in Poland speak so quietly? [23]

Maybe compared to Americans, yes, but it is my impression that most Americans like to be heard. Many Poles do speak quite loudly, it just depends who.

USA, Canada / Why Americans of Polish orgin do not exist in the USA politics? [34]

Spreading the word is so important. He has occupied high positions and has had access to a lot of key info.

USA, Canada / Why Americans of Polish orgin do not exist in the USA politics? [34]

Well, he had a past in Afghanistan but he was just anti-Soviet.

Latterly, he has spoken out against the Bush administration and also exposed the nonsense put out by the American media that Arafat walked away from a good deal. He did no such thing.

Zbig new is how Frost pronounces his name.

USA, Canada / Why Americans of Polish orgin do not exist in the USA politics? [34]

Just give Brzezinski a call and he'll put the Polish case forward ;) ;)

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

As I said, Poles set up these little enclaves to try and carve out a little Poland within the UK. I have nothing against voluntarily helping them get set up but the wording above is pretty clear. What is the sense in having legislation if you are not going to enforce it??

There has to be an even playing field and also finding the most suitable candidate for the job, local or otherwise. They also received vast amounts of help which was paid for by the standard taxpayer. Again, I'd have no real objection were I in the UK but there needs to be a sense of balance.

News / 14 year old rape victim from Warsaw denied abortion! [348]

That seems to be more accurate here :)

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

In Ireland. Listen to the end of Bill Hicks's delivery in Revelations and you will find a solution. Seanny posted it the other day.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

It's a mess. People who worked hard for most of their lives found that they didn't get a pension due to fiddling.

There are those who want unrest though, that's the problem.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

On both. The level of 204 Euro a week is pretty high. I did the Math and that works out at over 3700PLN a month. There has to be reasonableness in life.

tombrownscotland.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=35
this is a level-headed account. Realistic and practical.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

It is a dual standard, yes ragtime, but caps still needed to be imposed. Still, work was there for a long time and we can't have it both ways.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

Anyway, as far as the Poles go, many of them fought as much for themselves as for Britain, and there is no proper comparison between a time of European war and the time of peace today. From

sovereignty.org.uk/features/articles/immig9.html

I tend not to buy into nationalistic stuff but there is a half-truth in the above. I don't think that the Poles should necessarily have a fast track to jobs through specialist agencies for them. If their skills and English are good enough, they can go through the process just like we do and use our agencies. Just think, how many Brits would get jobs in Poland in the same vein? I guess I changed a little when I heard some of my students say that they are ready to go to the UK if they get frustrated with Poland. It's just the way they said it. Like it was a bailout option or a dumping ground.

Still, I know that the EU has brought this about. Open the floodgates and that's what happens.

Life / Poor people / street children in Poland? [34]

I don't know how it is now as I prefer not to drink there but, back in the day, they used to come up with a cup and beg. They usually took a telling. Złoty Kurczak is another favourite, they know that people wait for their food so they prey on them. I don't mind giving but it's just their attitude and annoying/whining perseverance.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

Brits are having a torrid time finding employment. I read a report saying that as many as 150 applications go for basic jobs. I wonder what Alex Salmond is doing to entice Scots back home. It is the year of homecoming but Scotland's job market is dire.

Life / Poor people / street children in Poland? [34]

It's quite bad here in Gliwice, they target the ryneks and fastfood joints. The worst are the gypos, they are rich enough but are just greedy.

They usually bugger off after some time. The worst I had was in Skopje, Macedonia. I was very close to belting them. They were too persistent and I couldn't shake them off.

In Poland, it's not too bad.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

It's not OK and you should know by now that I'm against GBC. The bankers are stealing the whole time and people don't really see it.

UK, Ireland / Recruitment agencies advertise for Polish only workers [162]

Big business does gain through undercutting. The local population loses out but nobody said the world was fair. As best you can, you just have to be yourself and clock in for the ride.

I just don't feel that the Poles would do the same in reverse and that's a little disappointing.

News / 14 year old rape victim from Warsaw denied abortion! [348]

Well, The Czech Republic isn't predominantely Catholic so the chances are better.