News / Next 100 years - Poland as great power? [35]


It does, but not as far as maritime trade is concerned. Malign Danes can block off Polish maritime trade from the rest of the world any time they want to. That would be very easy to do. Just close off the Kattegatt and Poland cannot reach any other country than Germany, Russia, Finland and Sweden.

>^..^<

M-G (wants to see more football)

Life / Anyone else suffering from mosquito bites in Poland? [52]

I heard that mosquitos don't like drafts and that it helps having a fan blowing as they are too weak to fly up against the stream of air.

In the US, where the mosquitos are more evil than anywhere else and they just bite you right through your clothes, they have this repellant that works wonderfully once you sprayed it all over you. Only downside is, it smells like hell.

What also helps is getting a lemon-plant and put it on your bedside table or rubbing yourself in with lemon juice (a lot more healthier than any spray out of a can). Mosquitos don't like lemon and they will stay away. Also, you could try and get one of them "male-mosquito" thingies, that make the sound of a male mosquito. Since it's the female mosquitos that bite you and also, since female mosquitos cannot stand to have male mosquitos around, they will think there is a male mosquito present and they won't come near you. Funny, but it actually seems to work.

It's actually a myth that some ppl don't get bitten by mosquitos. Everyone gets bitten by them, it's only that a very small percentage of the ppl are NOT allergic for the saliva a mosquito leaves behind and which causes the itch and swelling. Those ppl won't notice a thing, but 99,99 per cent of the ppl will start scratching like hell.

In NL and the US I always get feasted upon by mosquitos, but here in Ireland I have only been bitten once by a mosquito. It seems that there are hardly any over here. I think that has to do with the wind that is permanently present over here.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

News / Next 100 years - Poland as great power? [35]

Hm, unless Poland's geographical position changes once again to a more strategic and commercially attractive location, I don't see it happening.

>^..^<

M-G (goodnight)

Love / Polish men what is the worst thing a girl can do upon first impression? [360]


Ehm, that would be me :)


Oh yeah, forgot that one, a major turn off. It's like when you're holding an interview and the applicant is giving out to his previous work...Disgusting.

>^..^<

M-G (off to hit the sack. Goodnight)

Love / Polish men what is the worst thing a girl can do upon first impression? [360]


Try drunk British girls abroad. Then you will know what I mean.

I kid you not.

>^..^<

M-G (and besides that, she was ugly anyway)

Love / Polish men what is the worst thing a girl can do upon first impression? [360]


For me personally 3 things are a major turn-off: 1) talk about sex when we first meet (and trust me, I have met girls who talked actually what they liked in bed on the very first date); 2) being gross in her language and 3) stupidity.

I like smart, stylish, feminine and classy girls with which I can have a decent conversation and to whom I don't have to explain three times what I mean.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]

Perhaps written too hasty indeed, was at work. Focus was more on the documented part anyway.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]


That's funny you say that. Actually very funny. Because the thing you accuse me of is exactly what those who "have another point of view" do to ppl who don't agree to them or criticize certain segments of Polish history. And there are, as far as I can see, a few points there. But somebody says that Poles yet have to come to terms with their own history, so that may be forgiven.


It is entertaining, yes, but the way you infuriate yourself is saying sth as well. I never just "fekk" with somebody. Just because I don't share your views and point you at many shortcomings of your arguments, doesn't mean that I try to "fekk" with you or anybody else. Au contraire. That's the point of a healthy debate anyway. But you want everybody to just sit there and nod in agreement to what you say about the holy Polish state and its history. Welcome to the modern world, my boy, this is what's happening. We don't live 100 years ago anymore. But I would suggest you learn sth about sarcasm before you start jumping on and off the roof again.


I assume with "reputation" you mean the Polish reputation? Where do I exactly say that Poles should lose their culture? Introducing non-European immigrants by far does not imply the giving up of your own culture. According to you I do a lot of attacking. But what you consider an attack is just a different opinion. Guess you contradict yourself once more (and that in one single post! Amazing.)


But that is still no explanation for your earlier remark that the Jews committed the crime of Katyn.


You don't know me at all, my boy. Not at all. Guess I am too smart for you. It's a sad thing that it seems that Right Wing is on the rise again. We've seen in the 30's and the 40's what the Right can lead to. Amazingly the Right Wing accuses now the Left Wing of their own practices. Yes, the Soviet Union was Left Wing, but only in NAME. And everybody knows that extreme left is not that very different van extreme right. Fortunately there is a lot in between them and I don't want any extremism, but centre-left would definitively be the best option for everybody. Now pls, do yourself a favour and don't get yourself in more trouble by contradicting yourself further and further.


Isn't that the same with some Poles? I remember the reactions to the Kielce Pogrom, Jan T Gross and plenty of other instances. But funny how your truth always ends up being favourable for the Poles and not so favourable for other groups, usually the Jews. It's really time that some Poles like yourself come to terms with their own history. Most of the Polish history is good, but they have to learn to accept that there were less good periods and incidents as well, just like in any other country's history. Mind you, I do the same with bad periods and incidents of Dutch history.

>^..^<

M-G (Dariusz is ok, he is just young and needs a little guidance every now and then, if he gets such guidance, he will do fine)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]

I don't say in that quote that I think the NKVD were the liberators. The area was liberated from the Nazis and the Russians were considered the liberators at that time. What later on happened, happened later on, but at that moment, the Russians were considered to be the liberators of Nazi occupied Poland. Poland did not liberate herself from the Nazis, like Yugoslavia did. Again, you're basing things upon your own assumptions.

The fact that the NKVD arrived on the scene implies that the Soviets were already in the area.

>^..^<

M-G (again: where do I state that I think the NKVD were the liberators?)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]

Yeah we are learning sth, and that sth is: 1jola loves to skip entire txts and loves to take things out of context. That is what we are learning. Oh, I know which direction you are going, the same as it always goes with you. Where exactly do I say that I think the NKVD are the liberators? And, you simply skipped the definition I gave of a pogrom, or left it conveniently out of it as it doesn't suit you. Anybody, just read post #20 and you will see that I don't just call it a pogrom. But of course, admitting this would not suit Jolanda's target.

Jolanda's statements as usual are based on quicksand again as usual. Don't know what you are reading, but I'm sure you're the only one reading it like that.


Yet again, I base myself on the material that is handed over. You don't know as well as I don't know if these documents are forgeries or not.

>^..^<

M-G (isn't it a pity, Jolanda? Your little scheme does not work)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]


You just bypass my post in order to get your point pushed through, isn't it? What facts to this account have you shown us? One email by Dan Leeson and a part from US News and World Report from the 8th of July 1996. What facts as to this discussion have you brought forth?


This is nonsense. There were at least 5 to 600 Jews amongst the ppl executed in Katyn.

I think you are a very ill and disturbed young man. First of all it wasn't meant seriously, but the likes of you cannot notice sarcasm even when he stumbles over it, secondly if you remember posts of me, remember them correctly and don't twist words. I said that I will adhere the Myer-Lansky approach to anti-semites, racists and neo-Nazis. Intolerant ppl in short. Furhtermore, I asked "when will tolerant ppl stop tolerating the intolerant ppl". Which is a very valid question as tolerant ppl always have tolerated the intolerant and in return got several insults over their heads. Well, my boy, I bite back. And I will keep doing that until you stop that nonsense. Next time when you quote some old post from my hand, pls quote it correctly. Thanks.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]

I don't think there are any set rules to the number of dead Jews before one can call it a pogrom. Pogrom encapsules willfull murder of Jews in the broadest sense of the word. It doesn't matter whether there is one Jew killed or hundreds. The motives, that's what's important in this matter.

I haven't seen any motivation so far in Leeson's email, only that her brother and mother were killed. The article leaves us unaware of any further killings on the night of the 19th and the 20th of October, so we will leave it at the two we know about, according to the email. So on one hand there could be a pogrom as, if the info is true, two Jewish persons were killed, but on the other hand not as there is no clear motive given.

I think you're aiming at the remark of the 2000 Jews being killed after the liberation, which is not pssbl as there weren't even 2000 Jews left in the village after the war. Unless she is talking about the whole conglomerate of anti-Jewish violence in post-war Poland we can assume that this is not true.

But this does not rule out that the events which killed her brother and mother did not happen. The Polish fringe groups which are protesting the claims have only put forward her as a sufferer of the so-called "Holocaust-Survivor Syndrom" and furthermore, the email states that although the Polish government has been very forthcoming in other atrocities perpetrated by Poles on Jews in the post-war era, they haven't been so with regards to the events of the 19th and 20th of October, 1944.

So, it's a yes/no. We don't have all information, so we defintively cannot say what happened as we have no source outside miss Eliach's account, at least it's not given in the email. But the NKVD arrived on the scene, arrested the perpetrators and sent them to Siberia, and this has been documented.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]


That was to be expected. On what do they base this?

Edit: remember that when Jan Gross presented his book "Neighbours" in Poland, half of the audience walked away crying that it was all lies and a shame and so on, but the other half stayed.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]

There is only mention of some of her direct relatives, her mom and her brother. It's not clear whether there are more ppl killed that night by the nationalistic wing of the AK, referring to Leeson's email. Later on the pogroms of 1941, 1942 and further pogroms after the liberation are mentioned. It's not clear by whom these later pogroms have been committed, but she asks the officials to search for the Polish murderers of some 2000 other Jews, which cannot have taken place as there weren't enough Jews by then.

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]

I also think that Dan Leeson is not fully informed as well, as he states that Yaffa Eliach is a man, while in fact she is a woman. But that as a side remark.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]

Yes, I've seen that, but the pogrom in question was in October 1944, when the area was already liberated.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

History / The Pogrom on Jews at Eishyshok (Ejszyszki) in Poland [68]

The matter is documented, hence proven. What are these Polis American groups arguing about? It's written down in contemporary documents, the perpetrators have been arrested and sent to Siberia. Case closed.


The NKVD arrested the perpetrators. So I don't think it were the Einsatzgruppen.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

News / Father Popiełuszko beatified in Warsaw [28]


Funny how you dismiss anybody that disagrees with you or says sth you don't understand as not being intelligent. Just might be a sign that you, after all, are not so intelligent as you think you are.


Would that be sth like this?


What wisdom shines through these words...Everybody is stupid and Jolanda is smart.

>^..^<

M-G (and yet again you try to humiliate your opponent. Not that it works, it doesn't, but you try)

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

Ah those discussions with my professors...I miss that, really! Fact is that I'd rather had become a scientist than in business, but what can you do, life takes the turns it does...But after my retirement, I will continue :)

Haven't spoken enough with Poles lately to notice new trends...But soon I will have a Polish party, so who knows :)

>^..^<

M-G (tiens)

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


I haven't got a clue what you just said there. But then again, I am not trained in law.

>^..^<

M-G (puzzled)

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

Good, good :) Pls be advised that Dutch is about the hardest Germanic language to learn. It's by far not as easy as English.

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


I'm not sure about the Wallonians, I think they follow the general Belgian policy of synchronising TV and films. And it struck me that the Wallonians I know all speak English with a Flemish accent. In fact they speak better English than the French, so I assume they have synchronisation there too.


Flemish is Dutch. Albeit with a funny accent. They use the same grammar, only a few words are different. It's Dutch. Can't stand the stupidity sometimes from those recruiters who are looking for a Dutch speaker OR a Flemish speaker. Such ignorance...!

>^..^<

M-G (tsk, wiseguys!)

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

True, synchronized TV is the secret to the Scandinavian, Portugese and the Belgian/Dutch multilingual success. As far as I know those are the only countries that synchronize everything, except for the very young children.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said: hup holland!!)

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


But there you name the worst. Those are also the ones who dub all the foreign tv shows and films and so on, making it very hard for their citizen to communicate when going abroad. Although the Germans, and to a lesser extend the French are doing ok.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Dutch_origin

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Polish_origin

A few more lists.

Edit: who would've thought that Mannequin is actually Dutch in origin? :)

>^..^<

M-G (see how long the list of words of Dutch origin is?)

Life / WHY DO POLES USE ENGLISH WORDS IN CONVERSATION? [396]


Oh, but they do use words from other languages. Russian words, like Quark, Turkish words like Yoghurt and loads of Indian words like Bungalow, Shampoo and a few others. This is a process that has been going on for decades if now centuries. English uses also a lot of Dutch words, like the Russians do as well. Nearly all maritime terms in Russian are derived from Dutch. Kajoet, Sjtoerman and so on. It depends on the level of trade countries have with eachother and how influential a certain country is.

It's also a hegemonial thing. France tried to retrieve political hegemony twice, but failed. However, it did achieve cultural hegemony: French was up to 1914 the standard diplomatic language, loads of French things were taken over, also words. I am sure you can think of some French words which seem very normal nowadays, but are French in origin. The current usage of English words is not thanks to the UK, but thanks to the hegemony of the US. It's because of the power of the US that we use more and more English words, not because of Britain. Britain hasn't been a true worldpower for the last 70 years and even longer, so the influence on that part is neglectable.

As far as Serbia and Poland (and most other former communist states, except Russia), they are basically forced to swim quicker in the stream in order to get on par with the Western European countries, so lately everything has been going over there at a much higher pace than anywhere else. And this includes language too. It's not an external attempt of taking over a country's culture, just the normal flow of things. I would say get used to it, it makes no sense to resist it; you'll fight a losing battle.

>^..^<

M-G (just received a huge bottle of wodka from his Russian neighbour)

History / Actually, there never was any Polish-German hatred [149]

Well, Bologna is strictly speaking also to the east of Paris :) The South-East, but yet the East as well ;)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_universities_in_continuous_operation

>^..^<

M-G (doh)

History / Actually, there never was any Polish-German hatred [149]


Nope, Bratwurst, the oldest European University is the one of Bologna, opened in 1066. Then came the university of Paris, Oxford, Cambridge, Salamanca, Padua, Naples, Toulouse, Siena, Montpellier, Coimbra, Lleida, Rome, Orleans, Perugia, Florence, Grenoble, Pisa, Valladolid and THEN came the university of Prague.

Most of them way before the uni of Prague. At the moment Prague opened, there were already about 20 universities in Europe, the oldest ones already about 300 years old at the time.

:)

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)

Genealogy / Why did Jews convert? [3]

Just like any other religion. Things are not that different as to why a Jew converts from Judaism to any other religion or a Catholic converts to any other religion. They become disenchanted by their religion, fall in love with sb from another religion or give in to the constant pressure to do so. For the Jewish religion does not force anybody to become converted to their religion, yet plenty other religions do so repeatedly, Catholicism was notorious for that. Of course, during Nazi occupation, physical survival became a big factor, but in Eastern Europe this was before WW2 also one of the reasons, given the many pogroms committed on Jews. In short, I think the reasons to do so differ per person and it's impssbl imo to give one clear reason as to why they did.

>^..^<

M-G (sees yet another Jew vs Pole with all the nasty side effects coming up)

News / Germany - We won't let Poland drown! [28]


Yet they don't pay the most for the EU.

>^..^<

M-G (nuff said)