Life / Poland Vodka Production and alcohol drinking culture [16]

I was going to post here complaining about how alcohol makes for the most prominent topic, absolutely ignoring blatant repetition, in the Culture boards, but then I noticed the empty beer bottles next to my keyboard. Dammit.

History / US snubs Poland over WW II ceremony? [75]

Technically, I already had that, sort of.
Relax, man, I'm not here to get onto your case after you do something like apologize for unwarranted rudeness. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't screwing with us.

History / US snubs Poland over WW II ceremony? [75]


Wait... really?

News / Rydzyk gets away with racism yet again [198]


Yes, it was great fun.

News / Rydzyk gets away with racism yet again [198]

Well, aside from the fact that I do now and in the forseeable future will reside in Poland, the exception I make is limited to certain very good friends of mine. We saw it fit not to "get past the racial barrier", but rather to 'crash through the front doors and out the back doors of the barrier's nearest guardhouse, in an armored car with sunglasses-wearing flaming skull decals on every flat surface and a Hieronymus Bosch reproduction on the door, hood-mounted machine guns blazing, Motörhead blasting on the jury-rigged PA system, and one arm hanging out of the window making a rude hand gesture, and the tires leaving tracks painting sex and violence on the floor and walls'.

^Yes, there are black people who can make fun of the speech-related hype around them, too.

News / Rydzyk gets away with racism yet again [198]

^Not "just out of respect for them", it's "just to humor them". And I generally do.

History / 4 Norwegian soldiers helped SS murdering Civilians in Warsaw 1944 [13]


And only in rural areas. :)

News / Rydzyk gets away with racism yet again [198]


See, that's actually because that's the official term used for their gene pool - "Aboriginal/Negroid". Which explains how it was originally considered quite correct by Caucasians and Negroes alike to use the term to describe the people. Then they started making a fuss about that and it became "colored", with "Negro" being unacceptable. Then they started making a fuss about that and it became "African-American". Fortunately at this point we're apparently getting over all that and people find it perfectly acceptable to just say "black" and "white", instead of "African-American" and "Caucasian".

Though scientists always have and still continue to use the word "Negro(id)".

Language / words overused in Polish language [40]

Two words:

"Kurwa!"
"Ja pierdole!"

The former, can easily repeat itself thrice in a single sentence, apparently.

History / Cud nad Wisla / Battle of Warsaw 1920 - Public Holiday [21]

Can't say, but how many taken prisoner? That might account for it.

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]

^And the Spartans?
There goes a population of 100% gay!

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]

BUT:
I'll have to do some research, which I can't right now, but isn't the percentage of homosexuals far greater in some cultures than others? Japan, Africa, for example, as compared to eh, not to cater to stereotypes since I'm speaking without definitive proof here but, France? If that's true (which I'm not sure that it is, and I would normally check it to be sure before posting/not posting), then why would that be the case?

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]


This was as I was advising the original poster on how to get by in Poland. Telling him that other people should be more tolerant of his displays wouldn't exactly help him much now, would it?


Well, doesn't exactly fit. Maybe if they could just as easily go out without a wheelchair, but they can't. And if they could, then yes, they should be ashamed of themselves for using a wheelchair! It's bad enough that America's already gotten motorized shopping carts for people too fat (for, as no disability is required to use them, the majority of users are simply fat) to walk from shelf to shelf to do their shopping!


Also different somewhat; gay-bashers chose targets that they can see as gays. Most rapists can see who or not is a girl, and who is good-looking, so the biggest problem is avoiding the sort of area where rapes could likely occur without anyone noticing. Especially if they're not carrying pepper spray, and even more so if they're wearing revealing clothing.


I was under the impression that they were actually going out of their way to broadcast it. Nonetheless, you may be right in a broader context, but still not good advice to tell to a travelling gay.


Well, what can I say. It's true that there are people who get angry over opposite-sex PDA, as well.
I personally stepped outside on my balcony for some fresh air late the other night and saw a couple of easy-on-the-eyes young women walking on the street next to my house and laughing, until one of them stopped in the light cast by my yard's street-lamp (I do find it kind of annoying how it's right there, on my lawn) and smothered the other with a full-face kiss so roughly they fell to the ground, still laughing. Whether they were just raging drunk (another commodity in this area) or actually swung that way I don't know, but I didn't mind too much either way. =)

Don't know that I'd feel the same about two men, though. Probably just be quiet and go back inside.

Life / Doda - Blasphemy? [47]


Why does your sarcasm not surprise me, despite your support of the decision to fine a woman for calling someone the derogatory word for a homosexual, or indignation at lack of legal action against Rydzyk? Probably because most people are only fans of free speech so long as it aligns with their own views, I suppose.

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]


Well, they do: when someone acts to take away or disregard those rights in regards to them, that is a crime. It would be nice if this didn't happen, but it does, so one acknowledge this and work to avoid it's happening.


It does sadden me that this is the case, but I am a practical person who realizes that it is not within his or anyone else's power to change this, while it is in many people's power to circumnavigate it instead. Pirates sail the seven seas? Well, people should be free to sail without fear of being robbed and killed, but since that's not the case, those people would be wise to invest in some manpower and weaponry before taking off from port.


And this has improved the situation considerably thus far. It has not solved it, and as such a pragmatic observer may still freely that most of the victims were those dumb enough to make themselves targets for what such element still remains.


You know, at this point I'm really not sure, either. I guess I'm just trying to argue that cross-dressing in Poland is still a stupid thing to do, regardless of what rights you have as a human being to do such stupid things?


Oh, that's what I'd thought you'd meant. Well, in that case, I do indeed condemn it. But I condemn also the fool who brings this upon himself (yes, his choice of dress in a place he knows to be dangerously homophobic does make him a fool). I'd call an idiot no less the person in the flashy suit with the iPhone and all that other good stuff in the poor neighborhood, even though I don't in any way condone and do indeed condemn muggers.


I don't. I know I said I'd be disgusted at hearing this or some such*, but a first impulse (for, to be honest, my first thought upon learning of this trivial fact was, indeed, something like: "gross."), but I don't consider it to be anything like atrocious or such. But I do have a nagging problem with how the immediate mob reaction was inexplicable joy. Maybe I'm just not used to this sort of thing, but, do you see this as something to be especially overjoyed about?


Well, I wouldn't have used the term "idiots" to describe animals, now, would I?

Life / Doda - Blasphemy? [47]


Irrelevant; freedom of speech is not.


The fact that it broke the law? I'm not entirely sure what kind of link you want, but here's one in English relating a similar incident:

wwrn.org/article.php?idd=6193&sec=39&con=46



I'm not sure why I should, but: neither I nor anyone else can prove that the Bible was written by any one person, since that would require that it was written by God, which would by extension make it not at all hard to believe. Thus factual error must exist in the statement somewhere; take your pick of just where.

History / PIŁSUDSKI'S DREAM OF CONFEDERATION? [14]


I was talking about Confederacies there, bud, which the USA is not one of. Tell me, how long did the original Articles of Confederation last, and why they were falling apart so hard so fast?


Which was not a Confederacy, thus furthering my point.


Why would we be able to pull off the first stable, lasting Confederacy in history, where nobody else could?

History / PIŁSUDSKI'S DREAM OF CONFEDERATION? [14]

^I thought you wanted a union, Crow? A Confederacy is basically a treaty of friendship among states promising not to attack each other and with a collective military of some sort and a central government that theoretically has some power, but not enough to threaten the sovereignty of the individual states. And we've yet to see one last a significant length of time.

The original Poland-Lithuania was a full Union.

Life / Doda - Blasphemy? [47]


Yes, it is. Maximum of penalty five year's jail time.


Because it was illegal, as she has no excuse not to know.

Life / Doda - Blasphemy? [47]


Looks like she did offend plently of people.
There was someone else on these forums who earlier said something among the lines of "see, Poland has these things called laws, and those who do not follow these laws are in no position to later complain", which I find quite agreeable and applicable to this current situation.

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]


Is that what we were talking about? What rights, specifically, would you like to see gays have that they don't already? Just curious; I honestly really wasn't prepared for this question.


That is indeed what I am saying.


No sh*t. That's why I never said that your acting like an idiot with regards to expressing your homosexuality makes it okay for people to beat the everloving crap out of you, just that it makes it far more likely to happen.


I don't know, through repetitively whupping the asses of transvestites, maybe? What the hell is the correlation? What exactly is it that makes you think that having more gays refusing to look and act like a normal person will make them any more likely to be treated as one?


A) It seems that you have a nasty habit of putting words in my mouth (or whatever the online equivalent of this would be), please stop.

B) I'm not sure that the word 'condone' means quite what you think it does. I can't address this until I'm sure that it's actually what you meant to say.


I agree that the red-hair gene is a recessive one, and people with ginger hair are consequently a minority. So you could say that it is not normal, yes.

News / Shock therapy for Polish prisoners. [13]

Right - I wouldn't care, and I'm not even a convicted criminal!

History / PIŁSUDSKI & BANDERA? [11]


Where do you live? Can't say the same here. Not to most people, at least. Though obviously it's one of the more common words, after "the", "and", "but", "or", "also", "Jews", and "WWII" on these forums, but I don't think that they're at all a representation of the population as a whole. From what politics I've talked with Polish people not online, they're far more concerned with more practical topics, such as the EU, currency transition, Iraq war, and all that good stuff.

Though it's true that what little I have heard of Bandera hasn't been at all good.

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]


That is correct. It is also correct that that is exactly what I am discouraging.


So where you come from, cross-dressing may well be an absolutely safe practice that carries zero risk of ass-kicking. But since we're talking specifically about Poland, I'll have to say that here, it's not.

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]


It's not a question of whether they have the right to; the fact is that they do. And another fact is that they generally don't just decide, 'hey, let's go out gay-hunting tonight', and go around scrutinizing people to determine whether or not they are gay. Your typical gay-basher is a very simple man. He just gets drunk with his buddies, drives around at high speeds like drunk simple types do, and if he suddenly sees a man in a pink mini-skirt by the side of the roads decides in his drunken state that it would be a good idea to beat him up. How many times do you think that their target has been treated in such a fashion already that day? Compare: how many times has your average Franklin W., who is gay but does not feel the compulsive need to stand out and display the fact to the whole world, been the target of anti-gay violence that day? Sure, it probably wouldn't be a problem in A Perfect World where you could change the mindset of an entire group of people or at least keep the alcohol out of their systems, or it doesn't have to be in the real world, where you can just stop trying to get everyone's attention with your ridiculous choice clothing.

Whether or not you may have the right to take a walk where you please, that does not mean that you should target the poorest, most crime-filled neighborhood in your nation's capitol to walk through in a flashy suit, with a gold watch and occasionally stopping to count stacks of money in front of large groups of mean-looking people with tattoos and no hair. You may be exercising your rights, but that doesn't make what you're doing much less of just plain stupid.

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]

^You want to tell him to wear shirts that have targets on the back next? Go ahead. Maybe also start advertising the practice of leaving one's shiny new car parked in the poorest neighborhood around for a few days at a time on a regular basis, as well? With the doors unlocked and open?

There is such a thing as "expressing yourself", and there is such a way to do it as "petty and stupid".

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]


Mine does. That's what I was here for.


Red hair in fiction is often used to depict 'fiery' emotional state and/or shortness of temper. Blond for weakness of character -or- emotional detachment(sp? also, see: Malfoys), black for cool and rational (Harry, his father, Snape). This actually does hold pretty well for all the Weasleys excepting Ron and his father. That since you asked.




Errrno. It was one such thing that some people like to call 'a rhetorical question', to show that I am not interested in explaining how popularizing homosexuality could make people gay because I never said that it could in the first place.

News / French and Poles [146]


Yeah, I absolutely agree. And that is therefore why using the exact same tactics of showing a few incidents as proof of a mentality that lasted centuries is not a good tactic. i.e: "Of COURSE there were people who didn't like Jews; no nation consists entirely of saints and martyrs."

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]

^Always may be the wrong word. I think you're hilarious in the abstract: you activist types always claim to be the 'enlightened', 'progressive', 'intellectual'... when you see a real debate to the effect that homosexuality (*gasp!*) is not actually normal, you are reduced to name-calling, quote-chopping, and non-sequiter.

Life / Openly gay in Poland [245]


Lame.