USA, Canada / POLISH AMERICANS AND THE 2008 US ELECTION [79]


Interesting how linguistic discoveries find application in many other seemingly unrelated fields. You mentioned computer science, Chomsky's theory is used in medicine as well. Ibelieve he is about 80 now and I hope he will last for a long time.

News / RADICAL PRO-COMMUNSIT PORTAL CLOSED DOWN IN POLAND [7]


Thats by itself in antidemocratic. Both ideologies, so thoroughly discredited in Poland, will not find many adherents and can be discussed openly.
Unless authorities realized the danger of discussing openly ideology (communism) which in its essence is identical to the Catholicism when stripped of its superficial trappings.


I will suggest to open these files to the general public. Let people to defend themselves, if accused, using these very documents. Will this files ruin peoples lives, undoubtedly, but how many lives were ruined by ones who cooperated. Such an act will free many from unjust suspicion. Would it bring down some heroes, let society be a judge.

News / Peres: Poland one of Israel's greatest EU allies [30]


Regard the comment about "friendship" as a gesture of politeness toward the host. Instead we should wait for a substance. Polish military is doing Israels bidding by being one of the occupiers of Iraq and Afganistan (itself revolting for a country which suffered so much in hands of foreign occupiers). While the civilized world is against Israels apartheid in the Palestine, Jewish state scraping a barrel for supporters. Whenever I had any talk with Jewish people, while they personally were nonoffensive, they did not hide hostility toward Poles in general. It has tremendous effect on Poles personal lifes in countries where Jews hold positions of power or/and significnt influence. Presently Poland finds itself in the position when Jewish state needs our support (now and in the foreseable future) before rushing into friendship I would like to see what the other party can offer. I would not take an answer that Israel has no influence on Jews living in countries outside Israel.

USA, Canada / POLISH AMERICANS AND THE 2008 US ELECTION [79]


Surprises me, when I talk with people living in the US that not one heard Chomsky on a radio. Boston could be unique in this regard, or it is because he lives there It seems that man who was from 1990 to 1997 the sixth most quoted person in the world (first was Carl Marx, second was Jesus) is the best kept secret in his own land. In any other place in the world he would be considered a national treasure. He writes quite a bit about media "feedom" and elections as well, highly recommended. Try John Dewey as well.

Its most likely becouse of my poor English, but I missed a gist of your line about toilet paper. If it was to mean that in 1978 we did not have a toilet paper, yes we did not have it and it was not because we did not wanted it. We were lacking many sometimes essential things then, but what we had it was many friends at a lots of time. Looking back I would not change my youth with my son's "opulent" one. My friends are ones from my elementary school times and we still talk and meet more often than weekly and spend vacations together, and its been like that for over 50 years. My son is envious and notices that he does not have friends who are that close.

History / WAS WAŁĘSA A SECRET POLICE COLLABORATOR? [26]

There are no sacred cows. If there was a secret it is already out, on the other hand populus always want new sensations. I think tha it is in our interest to investigate this matter openly. I am not sure if that will be of help, you Americans know this wery well as a John Kennedy assasination conspiracy comes up again and again.

USA, Canada / POLISH AMERICANS AND THE 2008 US ELECTION [79]

I am sorry Crow, but we in Poland were overwhelmed with our own problems for generations and as you can observe very few Poles on this forum tend to be concerned with Polish let alone with panslavic matters. Majority of participants here are Americans (as such with less than rudimentary political knowledge, talk shows is where they get their news from). The other problem is that Poles have historical animosity toward Russians (and lesser toward Czechs). Thus you will not find here receptive audience.

All the best bratko

USA, Canada / POLISH AMERICANS AND THE 2008 US ELECTION [79]

I am sorry for you fellows, but until you will have a real choice I will not participate in this farce. Participation itself legitimizes the process. Distinction without the difference is what describes your parties and consquently candidates. US population is by design kept politically ignorant. Someone here was writing about college education: American colleges produce skilled workers and not intelectuals, thats what trade schools in other countries are for. It does not matter how many years of schooling they have they still end up to be intellectually undeveloped. I was once involved (1978) in selling a quite complicated processing machine to the US, machine operated in Europe by high school graduate required college degreed American operator. You fellows are working too hard and too many hours, being too tired to think it dulls your wits. Surprisingly there are some in the US who still use their noodles, Chomsky for one, his existance seems to be a secret.

USA, Canada / POLISH AMERICANS AND THE 2008 US ELECTION [79]


You are very right, I am not American, but for what I know no red blooded Joe will vote for a black nor for a woman. Clinton, however gifted, if elected president will do her best to prove that she is tougher than any man, thats why she is still running while having no chance, and this in itself could be very dangerous would she be a president. The reason she still hangs in is to prepare for the next one proving how risilient and tough she is.

Unless McCain stops taking Prozac and blows up, he is your next.

Life / The Change in the Role of Women in the Polish Society [32]


I seriously doubt that you had ever been to Poland (except for 3day guided tour). I usually restrain myself from insulting people at this forum, but you are pushing it. Like in many countries deeply effected by wars, revolutions, and other conflicts women had to assume essential roles in the society, men were unreliable (being soldiers) and likely to be killed. It was specially true after WWII when the ratio of sexes was skewed enormously (of ages 25 to 55 statistics for 1945 ratio was 100/120). Medical and law professions were dominated by women. In post WWII most trolley car drivers as well as heavy equipment operators were women (there were not many bus drivers only because of lack of power steering). I never noticed anyone being surprised having a woman boss. In 1960s there were universities addmission preferences given to men. It makes my laugh to see American women asserting their position in the US society, Polish women are tired of being important. They usually yearn to be housewifes they had no chance of being. Read US newspapers from the pre women lib times(1960) and see jokes about Russian women being engineers, doctors, and kombain operators.

USA, Canada / POLISH AMERICANS AND THE 2008 US ELECTION [79]

With age I realized that there is a beauty in acceptance of stats quo and cowardice. I learned to carve myself a space and ignore the rest. I try to be helpful toward my friends and family. I try to be honest in my personal dealings. Expecting little from others assures that I am not often disapointed. I am not considered to be selfish but in essence I am.

Work / Polish Labor Is Scarce as Workers Go West [60]

It should be expected for people to go to places where they consider to be able to have better life. Unfortunately first to go are young, with the most drive, and valuable skills. It is a great loss for any nation and it is in the interest of the ppulation to prevent that. The problem is how. Up to 1990 there was a fearsom border, quite efficient but unpopular.

Myself I do not think that cleaning toilets or gutting fish is a degrading job. For what I know it pays better than doing it in Poland. I hope that Poles who do it do not plan to make a carriere out of it, unless they lack abilities. After all we are all paid for what we are able to do, if the job requires perfect command of the foreign language, then non native speaker will be handicapped. I know some who were Polish lawyers and worked as laborers, knowing full well that their education was not applicable in the other country.

I myself live in Poland. To entice people to come back to Poland would not be easy as now they will have to make brake with their new country, friends and way of life. In Poland pay, weather, infrastructure are lousy on the top of it damn expensive as well. For what I hear working conditions and treatment are not very pleasant. As much as I hate to see young leaving it is nearly impossible to find arguments to keep them in.

Keeping that in mind I will curtail spending on education unless EU will subsidize it since they will leave as soon as opportunity arises. What we will be left with is dumb and poor, just as Germans wanted in 1939.

Life / To all of you who are Polish - where did you learn English? [64]


It is most likely the best way for children.
Another is to limit your language requirements, hands, grunts, and cussing help a lot. There is always ubiquitous f**k which is always very helpful.

Failing that check yourself to prison (pick the country you want to learn the language of). Admission is not easy, but not impossible. Make sure to commit crime giving you sentence suffiniently long to master your skills. Do not let people to fool you, you will need at least 3 years (I will recommend 5). Also choose the place where prisons are bearable. See the world and make new friends. Good luck on the new way of life and keep in touch.

USA, Canada / POLISH AMERICANS AND THE 2008 US ELECTION [79]

Did you ever had any. Two entrenched "parties", one needs a magnifying glass to distinguish between them. The whole American electoral system, is a dumbed down personality contest played on the TV. Would it be a simple test (literacy) required there would be no voters. Two franchises highjacked the system from the begining, political system as designed by Madison is set up to protect ownership. Education system (from the grade schools to top universties) serves to train workers not thinkers. Despite that there are exceptionally gifted people (Chomsky, and to the lesser exend Nader) nobody knows they exist. The only rational solution is to ignore it, participation only legitimizes this sham.

All of the sudden the medical coverage became the discussed issue, the reason is that it became too expensive for emloyers to provide coverage they promised to their workers (and retarees) when tines were good. Now the big guys decided that it would be to their advantage to share the cost with the rest of the population. The present top moron and his cronies purposely drain treasury so even the most basic social programs are being eliminated.

On the top of it Iraq quagmire no matter who wins no way out of it. Welcome to the new word, when there were Soviets everything was simple. Big business would not dare to invest anywhere else for threat of rebellion and possible nationalization of assets. Now it is safe to go anywhere, now US workers are competing with the whole world, expect wages to match skills worldwide.

You guys in the US should not be talking about elections but running away, some of you are fortunate to be able to claim Polish citizenship, although Poland is more and more like the US. New Zealand looks better.

History / Poles executed in Warsaw '1939-44' [112]


I thought that I know a lot about the German occupation of Warsaw during WWII, but recently I was told about the thing I never read or heard of. Since both my parents are dead now I have nobody to ask.

Germans to terrorize population were driving people to be executed (I am assuming in the open trucks) around the town. They were dressed up in what I was told were paper sacks (not to waste normal clothing as they were to be shot anyway).

Does anyone knows about any of this, I was told that that was a "normal" procedure.
To you "Ozi Dan": I was named for one of the officers in my fathers AK unit who was captured, tortured and killed in 1943, his name (or pseudonim) was Jan Chamreto (or Szamreto).

History / WW2: Britain Declares War on Germany to Save Poland [290]

Would you read "Mein Kampf" Hitler did not plan to attack GB. He was sure that example of power and ability of his Fascist organization will convince British to elect their own Fascist government. Consequently US will became Fascist as well, and after conquering Soviets the whole world will be united. One can say the Europe had a chance to be truly integrated 60 years sooner (common language will be German, I probably will be working in some coal mine if lucky). The problem was Churchill and his ego.

Britain won the war, but it was devastated country with huge debts, disintegrating empire, social unrest, and demobilized millions who expected big social changes. At that time Britain had no abilities to help anyone. It was a great sacrifice on their part to treat decently demobilized Poles.

We should not forget that Poland annexed part of Czechoslovakia when Germans attacked it in 1938.

History / 1 Maja - Pochód, Labour Day in Old Poland [28]


It was years ago, but I can not see commuting getting any easier, with some exceptions (I stayed in Bethesda, MD and it was a long drive to downtown DC, now there is a metro there). Not long ago was traveling through LA and 80 miles on Hwy5 took 3.5 hours. Many years ago I had to be in Santa Monica for a meeting at 10AM, I had to leave San Diego at 4AM to make sure to get there on time.


Not long ago I was in San Diego, there are some who commute to work there from Murrieta, even with commuter lanes it takes not less than 1.5 hours each way (2hrs on Fridays). People schedule their days to avoid traffic. Hwy. 5 north of San Diego is packed solid from 7AM till 7PM. The same is in the San Francisco Bay area. If this the paradise awaiting us in and near Warsaw I am not ready for it.

Some say that it is mostly in California, but because of climate I would not be able to survive anywhere east of Denver.

History / 1 Maja - Pochód, Labour Day in Old Poland [28]


I was there in mid 1970s for the first time I was in Manhattan, I stayed at the hotel somewhere near the Time Sq., not knowing the danger because of the time change I did go for a walk at night. There was absolutely nobody on any of the streets before reaching 42nd and very few people there. Burglar alarms ringing everywhere. Next day I was told not to venture outside at night and I never did. Later I was going to the Lincoln Center several times and every time when I was living about 10PM there were only homeless sleeping on the heat vents and nobody else. This places were bustling and crowded at day time and war zone like at night. This is an impression I have, I haven't been there since, it's possibly changed. It was dangerous in Newark NJ, in Philadelphia even Penn campus was not safe, Washington DC north east, LA Watts, and even San Francisco Tenderloin.

About commuting, it seems that you live in NY, to some extend you have public transportation. But this luxury does not exist in most US cities. And more and more are spending more and more time in their cars. To be able to afford luxury of living in the single family house (sheer idiocy in my opinion) many spend over two hours commuting to work and back.

Unfortunately progress reached Warsaw now and friends are terrified that I am still walking at night.


It only said about common interest of proletariat (with the exclusion of lumpen-proletariat). Marx mentions briefly about common interest of aristocracy, but this class had no real power and he did not considered it to be a real enemy (it is quite interesting that even Soviet rulers were never very aggressive toward aristocracy. They killed some but ignored and let live or leave many). Marx specifically pointed out that there are no permanent associations or interests of bourgeoisie (Lenin - "capitalists will sell us a rope on which we will hang them") .

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

Dear Oscypek:
"Your post shows a great deal of ignorance. Have you ever been to the US?"
Yes, I been to the US several times. Beautiful country, a lots of empty spaces, friendly (a bit simplistic), very hard working population. If you live there, you should notice that I gave the US population more credit that it deserves. Most Americans do not know where Russia is and know that Poland is a part of Russia. Ask any of your American friends and you would be surprised.

Good question for well educated Americans is where the following quote comes from: "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need(s)", most will answer American Constitution.

History / 1 Maja - Pochód, Labour Day in Old Poland [28]


Indeed, the fault was in application and not in an idea. Here capitalism has great advantage being utterly pragmatic. Communism has a bit in common with religion and religions are not doing well when governing.


I did see that film, it is for a made for uneducated audience. "Sicko" is to shake up people, one can say a propaganda piece not a documentary. It served it purpose. For little I know people in the US spend way more on health than in any other country in the world and have more than one fifth of population uninsured. Half f all bankruptcies are caused by illness related medical bills. When I visited US years ago (in 1970s)I found very poor dental condition in many of the young working in the factories. My mother was teaching at the medical school in Boston (that's why she was here) after some years she passed required licensing exams and started to work as a pediatrician in private clinic, she quit her job in disgust after less than a year and returned to Poland, saying that what they do was criminal. She was a member of AMA at that time.


In the US cars are necessity, after 6PM cities are empty and dangerous, people live in the suburbs. In Europe for many, cars are less needed and more expensive.

Not having anything to do with the topic, but it is sheer idiocy for Poles to have that many cars, requiring great sacrifices to buy, keep, and run. Presently this huge number of cars is causing a great harm to US economy and world environment, and there seem to be no solution to this problem.


I am very glad that some thinking people still do. Hope that you will stay, after all one has some obligations toward his home. Would you be a capitalist in your hart you will move to the place where you will be better paid and it most likely would not be Poland.


It is reality. Manufacturing is not moving to China or not unionized Alabama because of the nice vistas and weather, they find a cheap labor there. Biotechnology research is also moving to China for the last five years, engineering mainly to India. While I am now talking about US (I am not much concerned about their well being), what worries me is the future of Poland. First of all how to stem flight of talent and than to find a niche to assure decent life for the future (similar to the investment in software development Ireland did). Here I think that, while historically justified, hate toward Russia makes little sense today and Poland should serve as a conduit between Russia and EU. Unfortunately politicians thrive on hate. I may be biased here my mother was Russian (grandparents run away in 1921 from revolution), on the other hand my father spent from 1947 to 1954 in the labour camp in Siberia (for belonging to the illegal armed organization sentenced in Kielce to death 1946, than commuted to life, sent to Siberia where Soviet court lowered sentence to 15 years of hard labour without right of correspondence)

History / 1 Maja - Pochód, Labour Day in Old Poland [28]


Unity of capitalists is against basic definition of capitalism. Capitalists form ad hoc associations and assumption is that these will be not permanent.
Unity of the working man is indeed idea of any Labour movement as the only levarage of working man. There is no other, the only thing working man brings to the market is his labour, would workers be forced to compete against each other, the price of their labour will drop to the level of subsistence. I assume you live in America, you may observe one of the strongest and best organized union AMA and how well members of this union are doing. You may also choose to fool yourself thinking that possessing some unique and in demand skill will guarantee you high wages. If you are one of the few lucky ones be aware that someone is looking very hard to either eliminate need for your skill, bring replacement, take your job somewhere else, or take need for this skill somewhere else. If you think that being self employed provides you security you are mistaken as well, the above reasons apply as well.

"yup. communisms too."
UN "index of happiness" (or similar name) lists Scandinavian as the countries providing the best standard of life.

History / 1 Maja - Pochód, Labour Day in Old Poland [28]


I think will have to repeat myself: USSR and satellites were not socialist regimes, possibly at the very beginning of the 1917 revolution this was an idea but it quickly degenerated. I should be expected, after all Communism is as close to other religions (Catholicism for one) as one can get, they are corrupted when gain power. That's why well organized religions stay away from governing. Wielding influence from the shadow is equally effective and it does not force pragmatism.

What most remember and base their opinions on is the last years of these regimes when in Poland evolved to cleptocracy.
For examples of socialism one should look at the Scandinavia.

History / An Example of Falsifying Historical Facts and Degrading Poland [46]

I would not give a f..k what some a..hole writes. When they visit I, for one, will make sure they know how much I like them. Come to think about it, isn't something strange with these lot that they are so much despised everywhere they are. Somehow everyone persecutes them - they should look into themselves, it must be something wrong with them.

History / 1 Maja - Pochód, Labour Day in Old Poland [28]

May Day was established by the 2nd Internationale as a commemoration of the massacre of striking workers in Chicago by the police. It was appropriated by Soviet regime who hijacked communist ideas and was nothing more than a brutal dictatorship. Wouldn't it be for the Labor Unions most of us will live in poverty being degraded to the extension of the machine. For the capitalist the average price of labour is the minimum wage, i.e., that quantum of the means of subsistence which is absolutely requisite to keep the labourer in bare existence as a labourer.

It is a mistake to associate this holiday with, so called, Communist Regimes of the past. It should be a day of unity of working man, a day of unity.

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

Since participants here are mostly Americans, you were fed antirussian propaganda for generations. You are basking in conquering USSR and not realizing that it does not exist anymore.

Neither Poland nor Russia are not moving, we are neighbors and destined to live as such. It would be beneficial for both countries to be friends. Poles are tired of being heroes or Chrystusem Narodow (Christ of all nations).

Stop playing warlike video games and watching John Wayne movies. You guys are not famous for heroism or self sacrifice yourself.

News / What do Polish friends think of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton? [226]

Hello Hello,


Very good. Wasn't it Aristotle who said that one who would be a good ruler (politician) wouldn't want to be one?
Poles will vote Republican - very likely, I do not want to bash my compatriots, but Polish emigrants, in general, were not a smart lot. Driven by poverty emigrated from the poorest regions of Poland landless peasants, uneducated, with no skills. No surprise the Catholic Church wields so much power over them and it is clergy who are indicating to vote Republican. New immigrants totally different.

The topic good for a threat - Is Polish Catholicism Superficial? In my opinion, by being so ritualistic, it resembles more pagan religions. I am an atheist raised with just a smidgen of religion (in 1991 Catholic authorities refused to allow my father to be buried in his family grave at the Powązki).

For an outsider it looks rather humorous candidates outdoing each other how religious each of them is. The other is having an US flag pinned to a very visible place. For that alone I will vote for Obama - so far he did not succumb to this. When I was in the US noticed that not only politicians, but business people as well having a US flag right there where it would be noticed, usually they removed it (or change for a Canadian one) on a flight to Europe.

News / What do Polish friends think of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton? [226]

Both Cinton and Obama, in my opinion, are personally very, very smart. Unfortunately both are, out of necessity, corrupted by big business. The whole system of elections is rigged the way that only the established two franchises are allowed to be heard. At the beginning there were some who, if elected will bring real change (Kucinich, Ron Paul). No one supported them and neither one lasted, I do not even mention Ralph Nader.

You Americans still have it too good, it is a reach country and will take a lots of abuse, but there are limits. What you need is not an improvement and patching up but a dramatic change (revolution anyone?).

About coming election sure Democrats are the lesser evil, but you had chosen McCain and deserve what's coming. You will survive him too, a bit poorer with less freedoms, but as long as beer is flowing everything is OK.

News / What do Polish friends think of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton? [226]

Thankfully, there is no money for other world improvements, so no war with Iran. It also seems that the military is running out of the cannon fodder, even after lowering requirements (no high school, criminal record are OK). The other reason being - Iran is way bigger and not devastated by sanctions. I realized that most of you are living in the paradise (USA), you should remember that your grand kids will be paying for the present idiot's adventures. Sanity will raise its ugly head soon - McCain will have to ask Chinese for permission before embarking on another one.

World of consolation about your elections: looking from the outside one needs a magnifying glass to see difference between republicans and democrats. In the world politics both parties are doing Israel's bidding. Internally the joint is bankrupted, thus no funds for any social programs. There is no need for any since population is well pacified by ignorance, personal uncertainties (debt, work), cheap booze, skillful propaganda, limitless third world labor pool waiting to be allowed in, and scare of next employer moving overseas.

About your freedoms, try to mention labor union at your workplace or express sympathy toward socialism and see if you will still be working after a lunch break.

News / Poles in Iraq. What's the point? [160]

Poles traditionally are in unreciprocated love with the US.
That the US citizenry was duped using a scare tactic by the chief idiot and his evil handlers comes as no surprise, considering level of political education of the population.

I was hoping that Poles learned from the hard lessons of history, mistaken once more.
My hope is that the present Polish government will come to some senses and not try to outdo all others to be the most reliable partner (lap dog).

One should also remember (pointed out in somebody's comment here) that in case of an attack by the foreign power even the most divided nations unite to fight common enemy. Wounds of war will be remembered for generations. One can hope that retributions, for this so unjust and devastating attack by the US, will not bring terrorist to Poland.

If Polish rulers want to accommodate US masters allow them to recruit volunteers, but do not let these wear Polish insignia.
Economical help from the US - idiot and company ruined the US for generations.

News / What do Polish friends think of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton? [226]

Obama or Clinton?
Answer is McCain
No Joe 6-pack will vote for a black or a woman.
Dems should win by the landslide, would they not be that stupid.
In my humble opinion Democrats should go to some other line of business and stay away from politics.
Consolation - there is no difference, its a waste of money and time.
Present idiot (and his evil cronies) got US in a bind, non ending war and bankrupt country. For you guys living in the US my advice - MOVE while your $ is worth anything.

Food / Hot tea in Poland; where can I find it? [46]


Poland has a centuries old tradition of drinking tea. Even during the communist times there were always quite a variety of teas available, usually sold under generic names (assam, ulung, madras, ceylon). Green tea and other flavored teas was unknown. It was a custom of flavoring ea with fruit preserves. People who like and know about tea will never touch tea bags, making tea is not a big ritual there, but it takes some preparation. Bergamot flavored teas (Earl Grey) were unknown, occasionally they showed up from Soviet Union, but for purists these as any other flavored teas are not real teas. I lived in the UK some time ago and think that the best of any I ever had is Marks and Sparks "Extra Strong" it is a blend of mainly Assam, and never any milk (I even strong armed my English companion not to have it with milk). Whenever I have a chance I am logging a suitcase full of this stuff.