History / Polish Jews - they changed their Jewish surnames to Polish [532]


This one is my fav:

Feedback / Honest moderation? [14]


I made no such suggestions.


My post contained no racist or derogatory comments.


I post a question a few weeks ago asking why not save a buck or two by buying vBulletin or similar. They are stable and have a truckload of features. At about $80/year they beat the need for inhouse programmers.

At the time I received an answer... something about not following the crowd and I accepted that. Although... did you also write your own operating system and web server along with all the CGI engines, or did you decide to follow the crowd after all? ;)

Again, not to propose that you follow the crow but you may want to take a look at this site (forum.axishistory.com). I like the moderation style there. Posts are not deleted, warnings are issued to unruly members, threads are locked if things get out of hand, bans do happen. Again, just a suggestion based on a forum that is interesting anyway.

Feedback / Honest moderation? [14]


No, I shouldn't have. I posted exactly what I wanted to post. By modifying your post you suggested my approach to it, or to the topic in question, even though that approach isn't necessarilly mine.


Usability is just fine. Clicking a link is all it takes. The users who are interested would have clicked it. IMO the correct approach would have been to make your own post drawing users' attention to whatever it was you wanted to draw their attention to. At the very least a clear note should have been made as to which part of the post was modified or introduced by the censor.

Of course, this appears to be your forum and you set the rules, but thoese rules sometimes introduce unnecessary confusion. One of those is the moving of posts without warning and without reference to the new location of the post that was moved. That would be a cool feature:

post moved to: url.

Feedback / Honest moderation? [14]


szarlotka (above) explained it well in the second paragraph. So yes, I think it is a wrong approach to suggest I selected a quote thta I didn't. You could have achieved your stated purpose of the modification (Quoting some text from the article helps readers determine what the link/article is about ) by creating your own post right below mine.

Not that it's the end of the world, or even a moderate blemish on it, but that modification was something that I would call a dishonest move.

Feedback / Honest moderation? [14]

A quote from an article was attributed to my post.


This is what I mean:

USA, Canada / NO VISAS to Canada for Poles in the near future [62]


Yup, both, but people from some countries will find the process easier than from others. It looks good for Polish nurses and doctors.

USA, Canada / Standards of Education in US vs Poland [22]


I can't really speak about Poland's education at the present time, but from what I remember, it would have been hardly possible for a secondary school (liceum, technikum) student to graduate without solid skills in reading an writing. At the time, relatively small number of spelling errors on a final test would sent you back to school for another year, and that, regardless of what kind of genius you showed in your essay otherwise (expected 10 pages).

What shocked me in the US were questions some Americans asked me when they saw Polish laborers reading newspapers during lunch breaks: are they really capable of reading? :) (the newspapers had very few pictures, and yes, those Polish laborers, were actually reading the text)


I went to Wroclaw University to study English Philology. The University was on the lower scale among Polish universities offering that degree. I later had a chance to study approximately the same at Vanderbilt (USA) and Brock(Canada). In both cases it was a walk in the park compared to Poland. Strangely, on both sides of the pond my profs. were either Brits or Americans.

Again, the studens in North America were eager to discusss and "solve problems" but many had fairly low degree of knowledge on the topics they were supposed to discuss.

When I was in a secondary school in Poland I always had problems with math. About the highest I ever achieved in math there was at a level of a mild imbecile. In Canada I did much much better at a university level while enrolled in computer science.


I still can't see how you can analyze anything unless your brain has all, or most of the material to be analyzed available without having to google while you're discussing a given topic.

Could you offer some examples?

USA, Canada / NO VISAS to Canada for Poles in the near future [62]

Not really. That has changed last year. Qualified medical personnel arriving from other countries (including Poland) will have to take a course or two to make sure the local standrads are clear to the newcomers, but it's nowhere near 4 years of school.

USA, Canada / NO VISAS to Canada for Poles in the near future [62]


Sure, it's all about economy, about the only real indicator politicians can use to make their egotistic claims, or to attack the claims of other politicians :)

Still, the fact remains that, especially in medical fields, Canada is capable of accepting a lot of immigrants. These days, a nurse going to a job interview is in fact the person in charge, while the prospective employer is waiting anxiously for the candidate's decision to accept the offer.

USA, Canada / NO VISAS to Canada for Poles in the near future [62]

I don't remember :)
It was about 2 years ago during some political discussion on CBC.

History / Poland-Russia: never-ending story? [1341]

Monglols invaded Poland in 1240 and went as far as Legnica. In 1241 they withdrew on their own. No other Asian armies invaded Poland since that time.

But I wonder what kind of "total" destruction" do you mean. If something was standing in Poland before 1240 and wasn't destroyed by subsequent wars then it is still stanidng there. One prominent example is The Mariacki Cathedral in Cracow, and then hundreds, perhaps thousands more throughout Souther Poland.

There was brief defeat, there was no total destruction. You must be confusing Mongols with the Germans :)

USA, Canada / NO VISAS to Canada for Poles in the near future [62]


With low natural population increase Canada is in neeed of immigrants in general. The unemployment is at its 30 year lowest. There is plenty of work for skilled and unskilled persons, but recent immigration laws make it hard for the unskilled to obtain permenent residency status. For skilled we need engineers, technical and medical personnel. Yup, there is a great shortage of doctors and nurses.

The unskilled may find work in construction, farming and some service areas. Minimum wage in Ontario is CDN$8 (US$8.80 at the present time) and they plan to increase to CDN$10.00, in the next year or so. Cost of living here is lower than in the UK, and comparably lower than in Poland, so this may be actually a half decent proposition for the unskilled, as farms and some construction outfits have tradionally paid in cash (under the table). Also, many unskilled jobs (including farms and construction) are available year round.

A side note; I heard a couple years ago about some modest and very plemininary interest of some politicians in Canada joining EU. I don't think any talks are happening on any serious level of government, but wouldn't that be neat.

Life / How much do you HATE POLISH PEOPLE and POLAND [1260]


Yeah, it's kinda like me being negative about my home when I leave for work every morning.

Now, how many Brits left their country of birth? Germans? Italians? Spanish? French?
All because their countries are so very pessimistic?

Language / Język ruski / po rusku OR Język rosyjski / po rosyjsku? [7]


If they are Polish, then don't blame them. They may have a reason or two to even bother ;)

Life / WHY POLISH PEOPLE DON'T USE THEIR NATIVE FIRST NAME WHEN ABROAD? [136]


I was just kidding there.
Still, sometimes I am surprised at the difficulty people have in pronouncing names. Mine is Dariusz. It confuses the heck out of so many locals here. If I drop the "z" then it makes it kinda easy for them. In the end, I give them just one try and then I suggest they use a name they are most comfortable with, and from then on I react to anything weird that starts with the letter "d" ;)

My wife's name is Agnieszka. As a nurse, she has to wear a name tag so by now she's used to people spending more time trying to read it than it takes them to read an entire sport section in the local paper. Pronouncing it to others doesn't help a whole lot, so she reacts to Agnes (she doesn't like that one), Aggie, Ageeshkah, Agzheeka and a host of other I can't even remember, but they start mostly with "ag"

Funny incident with an East Indian guy who asked me about my wife's name. When I pronounced it he froze for a second and then smiled. In a hindu dialect he spoke (related to Sanskrit) agni-shishka means "trial by fire"

Language / Język ruski / po rusku OR Język rosyjski / po rosyjsku? [7]


slangish, sometimes may indicate negative attitude.
One note: it is rare to hear "jezyk ruski",simply "ruski" is used.


correct, literary form

News / Is the E.U. good for Poland?? [180]


Let's see:

1. Between 1939 and 1945 Poland lost over 65% of economic and intellectual infrastructure, destroyed methodically by the Germans. Building, roads, factories, bridges, universities, schools were destroyed. In the aftermath of WW2 many industrial installations in usable condition were dismantled by the Soviets and transported to the USSR.

2. Soviets made sure that Poland (Unlike Germany) was not allowed to benefit from Marshal plan.

3. Between 1939 and 1946 Poland lost many of the best of Poland's assets - professors, scientists, teachers, doctors, dentists, officers, journalists, and others were either murdered in mass executions or sent to prisons, gulags and concentration camps. That's tens of thousands of the nation's intellectual asset.

4. In the years after WW2 Poland lost lost many of the best of Poland's human assets to emigration, prison, murder and persecution due to Soviet repression.

5. In the years after WW2 Poland was systematically plundered by the Soviet occupant through the so called EEC (RWG in Polish).

6. In the years after WW2, because of its continued resistance to the communist ideology and the Soviet occupation, Poland's technological and industrial development was deliberatelly kept at bay and slowed down. EEC (actually, its Soviet bosses) decided Poland would be an agricultural country, with only absolutely bare and essential focus on high-tech, industry, services and science.

(I won't even go into over 100 years of Poland's partitions and the losses suffered during that period)

Considering the above, I think Poland is doing just fine. Certainly better than countries such as you mentioned, even though those countries did not suffer even half of what Poland did during WW2.

You can feel all the shame you want, but I can't help but assume that it is because you are likely a young fella, with a strong need of instant gratification. That kind of gratification is not easilly attainable by any nation that barely started to breathe freely only less than 20 years ago. If you expect miracles then some form of religion may possibly help with your anxieties.

Life / How much do you HATE POLISH PEOPLE and POLAND [1260]


Are you talking about the advanced skills you lack? Why would you repeat some urban legends you heard in a pub? Why not do your own research before you reveal that you know about Poland aproximately... squat?

Here are facts:

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 31.7%
services: 63.8%

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 16.1%
industry: 29%
services: 54.9%

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment 37.8%
intermediate manufactured goods 23.7%
miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%
food and live animals 7.6%

Does that look like peasant economy based mostly on agriculture?

Life / What do Polish people usually do on Sunday? [40]

They enjoy welding and riveting things together (URL)

Genealogy / Wojtczak SURNAME - question for native Polish speakers [11]


Yes, that's exactly how these are used.
You would not have Wojtczakowna in your passport or any official documents.

News / Polish myths. Poland is one of the countries that count in the world. [49]


Polish part of the invention was the rubbery thingie on the wipers.

News / Things you might not know about Poland [76]

Kazimierz Funk first introduced the concept of vitamins in medical science.

Genealogy / Wojtczak SURNAME - question for native Polish speakers [11]


By easterly I mean Ukrainina/Byeloruss influence. Doesn't necessarilly meant ethinc, but certainly linguistic. I'm unawae of geographic distribution of "-ski". There were way to many migrations within Poland to pin this down.


Wojtczakowna - daughter of Wojtczak
Wojtczakowa - wife of Wojtczak

Study / IT Company in Warsaw, best schools for IT and computer science? [11]

Based on some international IT competitions the names of Polish universities with highest IT rankings that are often repeated are in Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw and Poznan.

Genealogy / Wojtczak SURNAME - question for native Polish speakers [11]


It doesn't really have a meaning but it sounds like composed of a root word "wojtek", or "wójt". The former is a common Polish given name, the latter means town's mayor, leader, but it also may carry a slight hint of Old Polish "wój" (warrior)


In Polish it sounds well and neutral. The "czak" ending hints a little of more Easterly part of Poland.

News / Predictions for Polish Presidential Candidates 2010 [23]


Wow. It is getting dangerous indeed.

Work / For all English teachers in Poland (who work for only $1000 a month) [102]


Sometimes (especially at an entry level) the teacher whose native language is the same as that of the students may be a better choice.

Language / Any useful words to tell kids to behave? [19]


The words are correct, the feel is terrible and cartainly gives away a foreign speaker.
It is unlikely that "dam ci klapsy" would be used. "Dami ci klapsa" is defintely correct.
Also, I doubt that a native Pole would start this with "Ja". That is bad style.

In general, it is best to avoid starting a sentence with the personal pronoun "Ja", unless the stress of the sentence is on that pronoun (for instance to differentiate form others, or to avoid confusion). For instance, once you wrote "Ja poprosze kawe". That was correct, but the context was different.

Language / Any useful words to tell kids to behave? [19]


that may be ambiguous ;)