Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

Greetings from Wrocław again, folks!

Grzegorz_, I think Monia has answered your question adequately.

The point I was making I think many times over this thread was: There are poor people in Poland as they are in any other country, because the world is not a paradise. However, Poland does surprisingly well, it is an OK country to live, and the poverty where it exists is hardly screaming.

However, whatever I say, my words are turned upside down by people such as Havok or Ironside. Why?
Havok needs compensation to justify his leaving of Poland in bad times and he needs to picture himself as a man of success ONLY because US had given him such a chance. His need for compensation is so desperate he will say anything, lie about anything, turn upside down anything to prove Poland is a hopeless country, so He Was Right in his decision. What however can we expect from a man who even cannot convert kilometers to miles or who understands a political poster as showing off with the contents of a refrigerator? There are three Polish words, one a three-letter beginning with "m", second five letter starting with "t", and third seven-letter starting with "p" that would describe Havok's education, horizons, and attitude. Let me not use these words.

Ironside seems not to see his chances in Poland of today. His frustration is compensated by looking for a magical formula for his own wellbeing, covered by the care of "peeps". He seems to believe the former commies -- and I would be a commie for him! -- so we are actually talking of Enemies of The Nation (the same the Red Commies were doing) -- should be deprived their property, thrown out of any posts they occupy, and probably the best shot out. For Ironside, Adam Michnik who did his prison sentence for his fight from freedom , Leszek Balcerowicz who made Poland a capitalist country, and I -- only because I do not agree with him -- should be eliminated. The only thing Ironside cannot answer is where the money would come to fill his pockets and make him a successful man -- without hard working.

I think I have written enough in this thread and I have no intention to repeat myself.

Have fun - without me here.

History / What was it like in 1989+ in Poland when the Soviet house of cards fell? [237]

Which reminds me of another story!

When I and my pals were young punks in 1979, we used to be walking streets up & down to match the jokes we could read in the New Musical Express and Melody Maker brought by my best friend from his uncle in Sweden. The jokes read about punks aimlessly walking up & down the street because "when you sit, your hair starts growing, and we will never like to be like hippie" ;-) On some of such walks, a policeman stopped our little group, demanded papers. Then, seeing young educated people he asked my best friend a strange question:

-- Are you a... wooer... or what? (the actual word was "absztyfikant", rarely used, bookish word)
My friend answered:
-- Depending on who I'm wooing!
-- Aaaah, policeman answered

The poor village policeman missed his unique chance to get the real meaning of that hard word "absztyfikant". Now when I think of Havok and his horizons, he reminds me that policeman ;-)

(Rybnik, I said "figuratively" just anticipating Havok would tell me his father never was in Warsaw in December 1981! ;-))))

History / What was it like in 1989+ in Poland when the Soviet house of cards fell? [237]


I only thing I regret is English is not my first language, so I cannot really convey what I think. I'll try:
-- Like father, like son (niedaleko pada jabłko od jabloni)
-- Don't measure another's corn with your own bushel (Nie mierz innych własną miarką)

My feeling is Havok's father was one of those standing in the butcher-shop queue on some cold December 1981 daybreak and scaring off young student freedom activists... Figuratively, of course.

History / What was it like in 1989+ in Poland when the Soviet house of cards fell? [237]

So you Havok think that to be sorry for some nation and wish them better fortune means laughing at them? What a pathetic little man...

(Not because I had Camels. Because she had a single cigarette packed in tissue...)

News / Tusk drops Chinese COVEC building the A2 motorway in Poland [83]

The statue turned out to be made of concrete and empty inside, just like the communism was.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]


Please do not use derogatory language towards other PF users. I think I have seen it somewhere.
I think you are under 25 and you have poorly paid work if any. Otherwise you would not be so negative regarding the Polish reality.

News / Tusk drops Chinese COVEC building the A2 motorway in Poland [83]

Did you know Harry the monument of Dzierżyński was hauled off by a crane as he were hanged, his neck broke and the head and body got separated? ;-) That was a great day I wont' forget!

The scene is here:

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

Yes, Havok, some people cannot help for what they were born, although some education never harms.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]


I think you completely misunderstood that political poster. I cannot help your narrow-mindedness and poor sense of humour.


Right. There was hardly any crisis in Poland recently.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

Havok, if someone here is not poor, he does not have problems to tell you this either. Then you calling it "showing off".

Do you now understand how hypocrite you are?


I want you to get some work and stop whining ;-)
Or you'll end up like that old sailor ;-)
nk.art.pl/mp3/nk_17.mp3

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

Perhaps some of you do not understand the above.
If anybody came to a Polish bass forum and tried to show off with 10 Squiers, he would get these comments:
-- Well, man, I understand you are not doing well...
-- Are you collecting firewood? Why 10 of that crap?

Regarding money paid to musicians playing in clubs and restaurants, Poles charge far more in Poland than Americans in US.

News / Tusk drops Chinese COVEC building the A2 motorway in Poland [83]


Harry, I have to correct you. The Wilson's square was named after Paris Commune. You must have confused that with Plac Bankowy, formerly named after Feliks Dzierżyński, indeed a commie and a traitor.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]


I have seen American bassists showing a couch or a sofa with 4 or even 10 Chinese Squier basses, each $150 worth, on Talkbass.com. To show off. My single bass is worth $1700 and is considered a 'boutique" instrument that most of American bassists cannot afford because -- HEAR, HEAR -- they earn too little by playing in clubs and restaurants ;)))))))))))))))))))

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]


When, Mark? AFAIK, Poland joined European Union seven years ago and I could not see any mass migration of Poles to Germany?

Law / Interesting Phenomenon with used cars in Poland [17]

Regarding the silent "h": As you know, there is no "h" in Italian. The say "'otel" for example. Once (as a teen) I wanted to impress my friend and told him my Italian granny of Southeast Polish origin grasped the Italian manner to the extent she dropped her "h's". he demanded an example. So I said:

-- She would say "Zjadłabym arbuza" (I'd eat some watermelon)
My friend looked at me strangely and replied:
-- Did you mean she should say "Zjadłabym harbuza?!"

Well, "harbuz" was the fact but in Mickiewicz's times :))))

News / "Shale Gas Revolution" will make Poland a Leading Country in Europe! [202]

I'm with you, Monia. My winter heating with natural gas is way too expensive.

Law / Interesting Phenomenon with used cars in Poland [17]

On more serious note:
Many Poles need to earn their "green dollar" in any way and it is true many Poles are way too smart in it. Just imagine a small businessman, a tradesman distributing machinery & tools, also owning a small forwarding company. The guy lives in his car, making perhaps 350.000 km over 3 years. The car is not that old but it is used up. So the guy turns the setting of the odometer down and tries to sell the car as a regular 3-year old one. Yes, the car is formally 3 years old, and the guy commits an offence.

His thinking is like that: "I need money for the next new car and I don't care". Now, anybody understanding cars will see the steering wheel and the gear lever completely worn out. Someone unaware will buy this car.

I do not excuse such people like the businessman> I describe what you might expect.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

Or this:
youtube.com/watch?v=MAKGMdVq5q4

Ironside, wake up. Get to some work instead of whining.

---


Well, my Dad was building Australia 1951-1957. Gone back home not after Stalin had died but only after my grandparents wrote him he could return home safely. My Dad was a worker and a tram conductor in Australia. In Poland he became a clerk and manager, FWIWW. And well, there were women in Poland ;-)))))))))

Law / Interesting Phenomenon with used cars in Poland [17]

Friends... It is for example illegal to have an anti-radar device (so you could detect speed-check) operating in your car but it is legal to sell and own such devices ;)

"Nie na nas Polaków zakazy!" ;-)
And I've heard the Kolumna Zygmunta III in Warsaw changed hands several times ;)
On topic: Horse-painting has been a technique known for ages.

Law / Interesting Phenomenon with used cars in Poland [17]

Have you tried to find the monument of King Sisigmund the Third for sale on the Web? I'm sure there are several offers, too.

News / "Shale Gas Revolution" will make Poland a Leading Country in Europe! [202]

Monia, I agree with you in practically all aspects. However, the price of natural gas will also depend on some more factors. First, investment cost needs to be depreciated and it takes at least several years. Secondly, the price of fuel is mainly depending on the taxes Government will apply. For example, petrol is not that expensive you know. The most of the price is made of taxes.

Just drifting away a little: Commercial drinkable alcohol is very cheap. Taxes in Poland make it 21 zloties (US$7) per half litre vodka bottle. What is it however compared to tens of dollars paid for same in US? ;-)

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]


Discuss poverty judged on individual cases. Do you know someone who is really poor in your neighbourhood? Describe.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

Now you are saying:


But you had said:


To which I answered:


Now you declare your hand and tell me who you are, where you live, where you work or are just some retard living in a one room rented building who spends all his time on a computer annoying people. Your own words, coward.

News / "Shale Gas Revolution" will make Poland a Leading Country in Europe! [202]

Let me disagree with you this time, Delphi. Speak for yourself.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]


You mentioned something in your two points to extend it onto the whole Polish reality. Don't you feel funny?
Tell me what country you are from, and I will tell you the major problems of your country.
Besides, I have shown my cards. Now it is your time to show yours, unless you are too cowardly to do it.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

There was no Czech Rep. at that time, to be precise. Nazi Germany annexed the Czech/Moravian part of Czechoslovakia in 1938, and the Slovak part became a country dependent on Nazi Germany.

Just to make things clear.

Life / Who is poor in Poland? [720]

On real poverty and on why I wear rose-coloured glasses: What was it like in 1989+ Poland when the Soviet house of cards fell.

History / What was it like in 1989+ in Poland when the Soviet house of cards fell? [237]

Next story about 1989+

As some older of you may remember, the transition from communism to market-economy in Poland was very fast.
On 19 July 1989, the National Assembly of Poland elects Gen. Jaruzelski the President of Poland. 270 votes for, 233 against, 33 abstaining from voting.
On 22 December 1990 (after only 17 months of Jaruzelski's presidency), Lech Wałęsa becomes the President of Poland as the effect of free elections and remains the President for five years.

In August 1991, there was an "attempt of coup d'etat" (the Russians call it that way) in Moscow, led by former commies. Legally elected President of Soviet Union, Boris Yeltsin pacified the coup d'etat and the Soviet Union ceased to exist on 26 December 1991, replaced by Russian Federation.

The winter 1991/1992 was hard for Russia. This was a hungry winter. First time for some 70 years it was hard to buy bread there.

In Spring 1992, I was on two business trips to Moscow. It was only 3 years since the fall of communism in Poland, yet I wore quality clothes, had money on me, felt rich and very much Western. So much has changed since April 1989....

Me and my manager went to a butcher-shop. There were no limitations on what and how much you could buy but I noticed something very weird. I asked the shop assistant for 100 grammes of ham. She had a laboratory scales. So she cut a larger piece of ham and placed it on the scales. Then she was slicing next portions of ham thinner and thinner. The last bits put on the scales were just tiny. We got 100.00 grammes of ham. Do you get my point? As legacy of communism, the assistant had to weigh the meat sharp. In commie times she could be sent to labour camp if she made a slightest mistake...

Then, I went for a smoke with a female PhD of an R&D institute. She produced a tiny packet, then unwrapped the tissue and pulled out a single cigarette. It was the cheapest Polish cigarette of "Klubowe" brand. Single goddam cheapest Polish cigarette, bought apiece! I produced my packet of Camels and offered to her. She, a proud Russian, gently refused the offer.

Next, I was standing by a doughnut booth. It seems all hungry wasps flew in there, since them could not probably find anything to eat anywhere else.

I leaned against the booth and said this prayer:
O Lord!
I come from a free and wealthy country
Never let such poverty return to Poland.
Amen

Language / Too many English words in the Polish language! [709]

A little OT, hopefully it would be forgiven.
Have you seen "The Pick of Destiny" movie of Tenacious D.? There is a story told of a boy who had "the pick of destiny" in his fingers and he threw it into the audience, the pick picked up by some Eddie. Eddie Van Halen. "The boy didn't know what he had".

I bought the Pearl from a "boy who didn't know what he had", my former guitarist. He sold me this for PLN1500 and I invested PLN900 more in refurbishing the guitar. I sold my Mexican Fender Telecaster for that. Worth every eurocent ;-)

Back on topic: As you Alex correctly pointed out, the Polish guitar jargon is a mix of Polish and English. Polish is predominant, though. Yet.

Language / Too many English words in the Polish language! [709]

Excellent Alex! I would have problems to write it so professionally in English myself even if I know the terminology. Small glitch is your 1990 (it was 1979). "The fretboard binding scooped to accommodate fingers"