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Posts by Peter_H  

Joined: 27 Oct 2008 / Male ♂
Last Post: 19 Nov 2012
Threads: Total: 3 / In This Archive: 2
Posts: Total: 47 / In This Archive: 34
From: Warsaw
Speaks Polish?: tak

Displayed posts: 36 / page 2 of 2
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Peter_H   
11 Feb 2009
History / Col.Jozef Swiatlo-Secret agent, torturer, CIA-collaborator to be tried? [145]

I don't want to get involved in this discussion about Col. Jozef Swiatlo, however, I spotted this excellent comment from Harry in reply to 1jola. I just thought it was worth highlighting. I don't think it can be boiled down any simpler than " What Happened to the people at Jedwabne happened to them because they were Jews". This is a simple fact.

1jola:
When it's Jedwabne they are called Jews; when it's a criminal like Światło, he is a Pole,

Harry: What happened to the people at Jedwabne happened to them because they were Jews. If they hadn’t been Jews, it wouldn’t have happened to them.
Światło got where he was because he was a Pole. If he hadn’t been a Pole, he wouldn’t have got where he was.
See the difference?

Peter_H   
19 Dec 2008
Life / Where to Buy a Beanbag in Warsaw? [4]

Any ideas on where I might pick up a bean bag chair in Warsaw? The nearest I've found is the This and That shop in Arkadia, but they were only kids size.

Any help much appreciated.
Peter_H   
28 Oct 2008
UK, Ireland / Poles in the UK Turn Out to be Star Waiters and Waitresses. [13]

I was in Berlin at the weekend and found the people friendlier (as long as you break the ice with them as they will never do it with you) and service much better than in Poland. I didnt want it to be so, but it was. Maybe the high level of English spoken by Germans is a factor.

I can't say I've had problems with English speaking here, in fact, in my own subjective experience I've found Poles in cities to be as good, if not better than there German counterparts.

The better service I would certainly agree with.

Waitressing here often borders on the Laurel and Hardy show I know I've had to threaten a walk out a few times just to get the bill sent over, after thirty minutes of repeated requests. Restaurants seem remarkably reluctant to get paid.

In fact, the only two countries that spring to mind where I've had worse service is Belarus and Russia.
Peter_H   
27 Oct 2008
UK, Ireland / Poles in the UK Turn Out to be Star Waiters and Waitresses. [13]

And I thought Poles poaching swans and eating grass was the most ridiculous articles I would hear from British newspapers. Now, as the Poles are heading home, they seem to be blubbing like someone who's been sacked off at the altar.

See this extract from a Daily Telegraph piece below.

The Polish influx was like importing our parents' generation into today's UK," says Paul Statham, professor of sociology at Bristol University. "It has been about values – a mass arrival of people with traditional values that have been eroded here."

Allied with "a Catholic way of viewing the world, with family and community values at its centre", Prof Statham argues that Poles have effected a "basic cultural trend".

"Simple things like being treated politely in bars and restaurants had all but disappeared before Poles arrived in large numbers to work here. Now that has changed and will remain changed. Britain is changing itself."


Poles can be admired for many things, and there is plenty of good stuff in this article about hard work, but treated politely in bars and restaurants?? Polite, in the sense of not really bothering with the waitressing aspect of the position or the customer service end of things.

This fella has obviously never been served by Polish waiters and waitresses, maybe Czechs and Hungarians, they can at least muster up a smile.

But then I suppose doctors and scientists weren't made to ferry cake and coffee around.