History / Polish flag over the Reichstag first? [399]


To me it seems like he was one of the few with brains actually. The problem was he was open about it.

After all the US government harbored a lot of Nazis and Nazi collaborators and gave them shelter on the US territory. Some were actually used in anti-soviet work during the cold war.

USA, Canada / CULTURE SHOCK! (of my Polish finance who visited the US) [210]

Recently, my daughter has been through two incidents of "culture shock" upon her return from Poland.

The first instance took place upon her visit to a perfume store here in Canada. He comment was: "well, well, it's getting modernized around here, not too far behind what they have in Poland".

More recent instance was on Dec 27th during our ad hoc trip across the border, to Bufffalo to take care of some business. Her comment on that day was much briefer: "what a dump".

(a note from me: it is indeed a dump, we were happy to leave within an hour)

News / Pole-basher Gross up to old tricks [284]


I'm not sure he is so rigorous. In fact he appears to be a very sloppy writer (I'm not even sure he deserves he deserves to be called a historian):

not long ago the Holocaust industry acclaimed a massive but worthless book by Daniel Goldhagen entitled Hitler's Willing Executioners. Gross's slight volume amounts to a Goldhagen for Beginners. Resembling Hitler's Willing Executioners in ways small and large, Neighbors bears the unmistakable imprint of the Holocaust industry. By Holocaust industry, I mean those individuals and institutions exploiting the Jewish genocide during World War II for political and financial gain.

...Neighbors is replete with glaring internal contradictions. In one place Gross reports that Poland's postwar communist regime prosecuted Poles "who engaged in the murder of Jewish people," even torturing the perpetrators to extract confessions. (1) In another place he maintains that killing Jews "was not an offense that would warrant stern prosecution by a Stalinist judiciary." (2) In one place Gross credits himself with the novel discovery that perpetrators of the Holocaust used, in addition to modern technology, "primitive, ancient methods and murder weapons." (3) Yet, three pages later he quotes from a prominent memoir published years ago that perpetrators of the Holocaust used "pitchforks and kitchen knives."(4) ...

normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=3&ar=7

The above by Norman G. Finkelstein

Life / A frozen then burst pipe in Poland - what to do. [18]


The "tiny bit" is fine as long as the drip is active. When it stops (when the water in pipes eventually freezes anyway) then the 'tiny bit" should become full blast to provide pressure relief.

Bleeder valve is a cheaper and more definite alternative.

Life / Gypies/Indian-looking women with kids beg for money in Poland [143]


similar to English "to gyp"

News / EU won't legislate on Poland's communist crimes [19]

so why did you read that and why did you bother to answer to such boring stuff?

Food / Meatless Wigilia gołąbki? [11]


I never saw a gun at or around Christmas Eve dinner. Except perhaps a few hours before when I happened to catch a glimpse of some Americans spreading "democracy" somewhere far from their homes.

You belgiumites go ahead and keep or break all the traditions you want. Let Poles stick to theirs. In short, none of your business.

USA, Canada / Which countries are Americans usually traveling to? [114]


must have been some covert "tourism".


Can you show that on a map?

USA, Canada / Which countries are Americans usually traveling to? [114]

No mention of Iraq of Afghanistan?
What about Vietnam?

News / EU won't legislate on Poland's communist crimes [19]


That's understandable.
A good number of EU politicians from formerly communist states would have to be tried in courts of law. In some cases, the entire ownership structures of some countries would have to be revised as many of former commies are today's capitalists.

Love / Good looking Polish women with ugly men [416]


Interesting.
How can you tell?

Food / Meatless Wigilia gołąbki? [11]

There are various traditions for the Chirstmas Eve Wigilia dinner. The traditionalists will abstain from meat and alcohol till midnight of Dec. 24. After midnight all bets are off. In fact, the entire day of Dec 24, in some regions, is on a fasting side, until it's time to sit at the table in the evening.

Cooking golabki doesn't mean they have to be consumed on the same day.

USA, Canada / Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why. [868]


Racuchy for a Christmas Eve dinner?!
Never heard about it. Sounds almost like a blasphemy :)

What area of Poland are your folks from?

History / Effects of Living under Communism in Poland [58]


We're talking now and then.
High time.


And who is this "leftist" media owned by?

History / Effects of Living under Communism in Poland [58]


This is my heritage of the communist time, as one chart 77 member put it:

In dictatorships we [were] more fortunate than you in the West, in one respect - we believed nothing of what we read in the newspapers, and nothing of what we watched on television, because we knew it's propaganda and lies.

USA, Canada / Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why. [868]

Great Lakes Region?
Where is that?

I live between two of them 5 minutes from one of them and 30 minutes from the other. We have had 1cm of snow this year so far. Temps are higher than in Szczecin. And no, there will be no -30C for 3 months in the area. Never has. There won't be even 3 days that cold, "winshield" or not.

• 
  Niagara.jpg
  
• 
  Szczecin.jpg
  

News / Polish Foreign Ministry 'prepared' for new Wikileaks material [100]


I have to admit I am seriously disappointed with your naive view of the US policies around the world. They are the biggest arms dealer, the most powerful thug and not even a democracy. They kill and assassinate on a regular basis. They may not be doing it using their own ground forces but they are surely are doing it using various pawns around the world. Just a small example of East Timor where about 1/3 of the population was exterminated as recently as the end of the last century. The USA did not officially participate in the genocide.. until you start taking a closer look. We could go on and on.

Open your eyes. Americans have been colonizing the planet for the last 100 years. They allow various nations to fly their own flags, but so did the USSR.

Your abysmal misunderstanding and lack of knowledge of American policies matches only the abysmal arrogance of Americans.

Language / The Future of Polish Language [179]


My take is that Lyzko is more on the side of prescriptive rather than descriptive grammar, even though he seems to accept some of the erroneous words such as "you" instead of a more correct "thou" ;)

Language / The Future of Polish Language [179]


Two problems with this statement:

- the only " grammatically correct" alternative doesn't sound too good. The word "alternative" suggests there are choices. According to you, there aren't. So which is it?

- However, in American English choices do exist, and "can" is a grammatically correct alternative to "may", although in some formal contexts "may" will be preferred. The verb "can" in a context of permission is more frequent than "may". This is especially true in short forms, whereby the use of "mayn't", unlike "can't", is very rare.

USA, Canada / Not everyone that lives or comes from America is RICH! [300]

The question of America being such a paradise as to making money is a tricky one.
On the one hand it is definitely true as lots immigrants relatively soon buy their own house and send their kids to colleges. On the other hand it is an utter nonsense. In the end I think it depends on the individual, and it is generally accepted (though I doubt it's a rule of thumb) that (e/i)migrants appear to have a bit more zeal and guts to succeed than those already native to the country.

Look at Wroclaw Boy. The odds might seem impossible. A lone wolf with a drive and he seems to have made it. And then look at millions upon millions of Americans (born in the USA) and yet scraping by from food stamp to food stamp? What's up with that?

Life / Polish gimnazjums - memoirs of a teacher [32]


A little bit of a blanket statement either way.

"Polish schools" covers a pretty wide range of educational facilities. Similarly, Schools in "western countries" can be great, and they can be so bad that what is described in the article would seem like a paradise to teachers from areas such as The Bronx, NY, or South Brooklyn, NY.

Metal detectors at schools' entrances anybody? Police force full time on school grounds?

Life / Are Poles bigots and xenophobes? [205]


Just like in some other countries: msnbc.msn.com/id/37599992/ns/health-aids/


Antisemitic? Like those from Finkelstein of Chomsky?


Seems to be a trend in EU, US and Canada.
Sadly, the subjects of Her Majesty are brainwashed into multi-kulti that is obviously not working


Like by the French and Canadian governments?

News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]


You didn't get it. I am not saying a ban would result in all smokers quitting the habit. I'm saying that IF they all quit today, that would mean financial troubles.

Sure, cig taxes are only a part of national revenues, but then, would you really like your property taxes go up? I say, let them smoke.


Totally selfless.

News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]


Ashely, it has been proven many times over that smoking related diseases cost governments nothing. Not a penny.

The treatment costs are covered by the smokers via enormous taxes on tobacco products. The government makes money on smokers. As an example, In Canada the revenues from tobacco tax are on average twice as much as the cost of diseases deemed to be related to smoking (not all of the are). Give or take a % or 2, ratios are similar in other countries.

In short, if every smoker quit tonight it would mean a serious problem for public coffers, and that would translate into cuts in education, publicly funded medical care, cuts in many social services.

Nonsmokers need smokers more than smokers need nonsmokers.

News / Giant Jesus Rising in Świebodzin ( Tallest in world ) [323]

i'd say that this Jesus figure doesn't look any worse than this:

Study / Considerations for US Family Moving to Poland (esp. Int'l Schools) [36]


"Advisory" is an euphemism in regards to some countries.

Is the "advisory" quoted below for an EU or ME country?
Take a wild guess.

The threat of terrorism remains high...

(...)

Terrorists often do not distinguish between U.S. government personnel and private U.S. citizens. Terrorists may target areas frequented by Westerners, such as tourist sites, hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, liquor stores, shopping malls, transportation hubs, places of worship, expatriate residential areas, and schools. In light of these security concerns, U.S. citizens are urged to maintain a high level of vigilance, to be aware of their surroundings, and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness.

Study / Considerations for US Family Moving to Poland (esp. Int'l Schools) [36]


Fair enough.


You haven't checked US gov. travel advisories lately, have you?



Read these two, elysiann.
One person's problem can become another person's business opportunity. Isn't that the adage in the West?

Get hubby to take one of those child care courses in the local community college, so that he's got some paper to show to people. I'm sure he'll get some customers for the right price and your problem will become your income.

Study / Considerations for US Family Moving to Poland (esp. Int'l Schools) [36]

Not that I disagree with the comments on how tough it may be. Moving to a new country carries that risk, no matter where you go.

One thing that puzzles me is that the opinions come from people who seem to be doing just fine in Poland, and some of them indicate no intention to move elsewhere any time soon. Is the ESL market so competitive that the are afraid f a little more competition?

elysiann, your husband's inexperience in teaching English is largely irrelevant, if English is his native language. Get him to study the English grammar a little, in case he's not familiar with the terminology on the theoretical level, and I'm sure he'd be no worse than any of those giving you advice here. Eventually, he might take a shot at one of those certifications. He may not get a million dollars per hour to start with, but he'll have a foot in the door.

As for the Middle East... great advice, depending on whether you'll be comfortable with wearing beekeeper's suit in the destination country, if you choose one where this is a "safer" thing to do.

USA, Canada / Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why. [868]


Not really everything.
The 3 month long spells of -30C in Toronto have nothing to do with a point of view. They just don't happen.


Actually, I also find it funny. Especially considering the fact that she tried to poke fun at some of the views Poles take for facts, and she did that by offering yet another myth that is not reflected in reality. Herself being Polish... there must be something to that myth making indeed.

USA, Canada / Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why. [868]


It is. As per the quote I supplied.

In general the climate here, on both sides of the border, can be pretty crazy and the high humidity will at times add to the discomfort - on both hot and cold days. The lake effect I mentioned above is the culprit. The Lake Ontario and the (mean and nasty) Lake Erie have their ways with the region.

There were times when I came with a foot of snow on top of my car, from work in Buffalo, NY, about 50km drive, but it was +15C in the hometown.

Sometimes cold fronts will come from the US (mostly from Colorado) and they can dump a couple of feet of snow in one part of the city, while the other half will remain dry. Just a 40 minute drive to Hamilton and sometimes they will have tornadoes, but Niagara is shielded from that by the so called Escarpment - an old geological formation form the times of the Ice Age.


Same with me. It's not even about the temps themselves though, but rather about the accompanying conditions. Minus 10C on a sunny and calm day feels much nicer than a snow and rain on a windy day.


Because of some contract work I did for some wineries I had a steady supply of ice wine, a few dozen bottles that took a whole to disperse as presents to those who pretty much have everything they need anyway. That Noble rot sounds like what they call here Late Harvest [place a name of you fav. wine here].. Picked in Late Fall is will have significantly increased sugar content. That is from the Sun during Indian Summer, and sometimes as late as mid December sunny days.