News / Poland PiS' unpopular welfare policies lead to spike in TV purchases and alcohol problems [31]

And a can of beer does help, doesn't it. Though I suspect vodka and spiritus have a bit more to do with it all. At least they'll be too drunk to vote next polling day. That or glued to the gogglebox.

News / Good-change government raising minimum wage in Poland, cutting SB pensions [213]


Why would you want to hurt elderly people, often in their 90s, some of whom can't remember what they had for breakfast let alone what happened at work 50 years ago.

And remember, these people were serving their country, whether you share their politics or not.

A typical piece of PiS vindictiveness. Jaroslaw Kaczynski has "mściwy written through him like Blackpool Rock.

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]


If you want to hold a private conversation with someone, there is always the option of doing it by PM. If you want to take part in an open conversation, you have no grounds whatsoever to complain that others are there.


It is dependent on the woman, is not sentient, has no brain or neural network and is not a person.

Unless you know something the doctors don't.


And the other 40 million Polish citizens who read the newspapers?

News / Good-change government raising minimum wage in Poland, cutting SB pensions [213]


It's actually an appalling reason. One thing you should never do is change the goalposts for the elderly. End of story.

Life / Advice needed on Dental implant in Poland [119]


This is very true.

If anyone's interested they can PM me. My dentist doesn't do implants (or speak English) however she's (in my opinion) among the best and the guy she refers her patients who need implants to is apparently excellent and an English speaker. I don't think he does the full tourist package, hotels, flights etc (I doubt he needs to look abroad for patients). Anyway, in the days of booking and Ryanair it isn't necessary anyway.

I suspect he's expensive in Polish terms, but then again those who have to look for patients abroad also usually jack their prices up for foreign patients as well as making a profit on accommodation etc.

News / Good-change government raising minimum wage in Poland, cutting SB pensions [213]

Not my quote, Po, kindly amend...

News / How would Poland change for the better (or worse) under a PiS government? [257]

Yet more bad economic news from Poland:


ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/57f9a536-2bf6-11e6-bf8d-26294ad519fc.html#axzz4BdzNo9Nr

So now it's suddenly become more difficult for Polish companies to raise capital...

News / Good-change government raising minimum wage in Poland, cutting SB pensions [213]


Taking pensions from old people for political reasons?

Very small-minded and vindictive.

Life / Advice needed on Dental implant in Poland [119]

Another pretend review 'Tommy'?

I seriously would not trust this dental service - placing fake reviews online does not inspire trust.

News / Good-change government raising minimum wage in Poland, cutting SB pensions [213]


Yes, basically Argentina without the beef, and it isn't exactly the first (or even third) time Poland has been bankrupt.

Stripping elderly people of their occupational pensions will make no difference either way to the economy and is just an act of small-mindedness. I disapproved when the last government mucked about with the pensions of ex-security services people and it is still every bit as tawdry.

UK, Ireland / How might Britain`s withdrawal from EU affect Poles there and here? [474]


Indeed. Corbyn is basically so hardwired to the politics of protest and is in many ways an accidental leader that he will quite simply oppose any policy an elected government have. And I doubt he hs much long-term strategy; even Momentum, his support base, tacitly acknowledge this.

A Polish equivalent would more or less be electing Piotr Ikonowicz as the leader of the opposition!

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]

It is - though it happens. Here, doctors advertise in the newspapers and if an ob/gyn places an ad offering "full range of services" it means a full range of services.

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]


No. It is not 'a life'. It is a cluster of cells and part of the women.

Amazing to see some of these posters getting all worked up about abortion - a very common procedure in Poland albeit under the radar due to pressure from religious people.

In Europe as a whole it is (unlike in the Americas where women are routinely persecuted) quite normal.

On medical matters I trust the medical profession above clergy.

UK, Ireland / How might Britain`s withdrawal from EU affect Poles there and here? [474]


Basically yes; the referendum is non-binding - this has been made clear from the start. There is also a legal case (already outlined) for dismissing a 'leave' vote on the basis of proven misinformation from the 'leave' campaign.

Triggering an Article 50 withdrawal is actually quite difficult.


This happens there too, though the politicians do general have much more integrity than their Polish counterparts.

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]


So 'agreeing to disagree' means that only one opinion is heard? Don't be so silly.


Same here.


Important to be precise about language. A non-sentient cluster of cells without a brain or other neural network is not a child, not a person. If a woman wishes to have it flushed out, it is her decision and nobody else's...

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]


There you go again, talking about a cluster of cells as if it's a person...

UK, Ireland / How might Britain`s withdrawal from EU affect Poles there and here? [474]


Who would be 'done'? All major parties are committed to remaining in the Union, the referendum is non-binding - this was made clear right at the start - and a general election manifesto with EU membership at the fore would be decisive.

Plus there's the possibility of a low turnout or a close vote.

UK, Ireland / How might Britain`s withdrawal from EU affect Poles there and here? [474]


I think that's unlikely to say the least; and should the vote unfortunately go to 'leave', the economic shock would be so brutal that even the most deluded Ukippers would be begging for it not to go ahead.


Basically a good precedent for common sense.

I would think that in Poland, a mistaken 'Brexit' vote would be quite an issue too.

And of course the referendum is not legally binding.

UK, Ireland / How might Britain`s withdrawal from EU affect Poles there and here? [474]


I really doubt this, especially if the vote is close. Should voters make the mistake of choosing a Brexit, Cameron will be history.

And yes, there will be panic in Poland should the EU in its present form cease to exist and EU2 develop.

UK, Ireland / How might Britain`s withdrawal from EU affect Poles there and here? [474]


He nearly lost Scotland and now he's messing up Europe. Yesterday's newspapers suggested that it might mean 400,000 Poles having to leave and of course Poland could start to be difficult, especially if the EU money, of which the UK is a major donor stops.

Life / Advice needed on Dental implant in Poland [119]


For someone called 'Tommy' the mistakes in your English are remarkably consistent with you being Polish and that 'review' reads just like an advert. Funny that.

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]

Basically yes. The result of the proposed law will be twofold. Misery for women who can't afford to travel abroad for it, and profits for clinics elsewhere because of those who can.

News / Poland leads in child well-being -- UNICEF [75]


A lot about low turnout and voter apathy. Nothing else.


This so true and the welfare system has changed thousands if not millions of lives for the better. Unfortunately the benefits system is chiselled away every few years depending on who is in government at the time and as Roz says, currently the amounts paid are so low it's nigh impossible to feed a family - which is after all what the payments are supposed to do.

A lot of moralising where benefits are concerned, including some places paying food stamps - a Calvinistic thing based on the old-fashioned idea that the poor are somehow automatically feckless and partly responsible for their own situation. We see this attitude in Poland too.

Work / Music Teacher Career in Poland [14]


Yes, a big problem as a schoolteacher.


Remember, the people you spoke to would be people in hotels, restaurants etc who need it for their job in such a touristy place as Kraków and anyone you met socially would be speaking with you because they can - most people in Kraków (especially outside the tourist bits) do not speak fluent (or any) English.

And as Roz has said, the salaries are low - you would be shocked how low. Many teachers in Poland have additional sources of income outside their main job.

News / Poland leads in child well-being -- UNICEF [75]


As was PiS last time they were in, and we should of course remember that Jaroslaw Kaczynski also lost a presidential election (one that was stacked in his favour!)

Hard to see how that impacts on the well-being of children in Poland except that it has deteriorated somewhat and the 'keep it in the family' approach that PiS seem to favour has obvious sad consequences.

News / Poland leads in child well-being -- UNICEF [75]


You mean the hostile, anti-Polish PiS presumably. The one that 18% of the electorate voted for. And the one you posted an outdated and superceded Unicef report to try and praise.

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]


It isn't. No more a life than a tag of skin.

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]


It certainly isn't a person.


So in fact you were wrong. That has never been a majority opinion.

News / Poland marching for life and family [132]


It isn't a life. It is a cluster of cells with no brain or other neural network.


There was never such a time.