Posts by delphiandomine

delphiandomine

30 Sep 2012

History / People the Soviets planted in Poland [75]

I've never seen any evidence to the contrary. His father's rise during Stalinism was - at best - questionable.

delphiandomine

30 Sep 2012

News / A new AWS (Poland Solidarity Movement)? [54]

I look forward to all the nice tax revenue that a privatised KGHM can raise, free from the restraints of public ownership and with it, expectations of spoiled miners who will soon learn that in the real world, they get what they're worth, not what they can blackmail out of the Government.

Don't forget that the real reason you want public ownership of KGHM is because your type can continue extracting ridiculously lucrative pay deals from the Government.

delphiandomine

30 Sep 2012

News / A new AWS (Poland Solidarity Movement)? [54]

It may be off-putting to voters, but only the post-communist and libertine ones who don't count anyway.

What a wonderful example of the kind of politics you indulge in - the fact that you think they don't count is exactly why the 70% votes against PiS on a regular basis. They don't want and fear a takeover by a group who will do everything to marginalise them.

Anyway, we live in a democracy, and those 70% who "don't count" very much count.

Ah, the hysteria. Thankfully the voters don't fall for such tactics.

Anyway, it's nice to see that you're already conceding defeat in 2015. Poland shall be free until 2019 at least!

delphiandomine

30 Sep 2012

History / People the Soviets planted in Poland [75]

Kaczynski's belonged to Stalin's Comintern too, but you never mention that. Coincidence? Bias? Or just plain old shame at the fact that such an "anti-Communist" had a father that was rotten to the core?

delphiandomine

30 Sep 2012

News / A new AWS (Poland Solidarity Movement)? [54]

Kaczynski, Duda, Ziobro, Rydzyk, mabe a few others (Gwiazda, Pospieszalski, Fronda, etc.) could form a winning team.

But again, they need a coalition partner. An alliance of Kaczynski/Duda/Ziobro/Rydzyk would be incredibly off-putting for the other 70%.

As time wears on, more and more people will become disaffected and get fed up with the ruling Tus camp and by then will have forgotten any real or alleged shortcvmigns of the previous government... Happens every time.

But that doesn't matter, because the voters will not switch to PiS, but rather to the SLD. PO voters won't start voting for PiS - no matter how much you think that it's possible despite all the evidence to the contrary.

Hard line Catholic trade unionism is exceptionally off-putting for the voters - the fact that PiS are down to as low as 26% tells you that it simply isn't a winning combination.

delphiandomine

30 Sep 2012

News / A new AWS (Poland Solidarity Movement)? [54]

Except that AWS contained the Unia Wolnosci and PO emerged from AWS too. There simply isn't the support in Polish politics to win an election based on Solidarność, PiS and the Rydzyk empire. These groups enjoy - at the most - 30% of the vote in Poland. They're offering nothing new - and anyway, Duda and Kaczynski could never agree to give up power under such an umbrella.

The AWS up till then was the only governtment that lasted an entire term

It was also routed at the next election and finished the term as a minority government. Or have you forgotten that PiS also broke away from AWS during this time?

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

Life / Polish vs British vs American - Clash of cultures [390]

Poles are stricter than the British?

I think it's probably more not feeling the difference between "should" and "must" ;)

I was actually explaining this to someone the other day, that "must" should only be used when it is absolutely required without dissent - for instance, you must not enter a military training ground.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

History / People the Soviets planted in Poland [75]

No big deal. It's history, it's a fact and that is that.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

History / People the Soviets planted in Poland [75]

What do you base it on ?

History. It couldn't have worked if the population was entirely against it and refused to do the Soviets dirty work for them. How could it work, if society rejected it and refused to take part in it? Even the military law measures introduced in December 1981 didn't last long - they needed the population to cooperate willingly rather than by force.

Who "pacified" the miners?

Fascinating. So you say Poles wanted post-WW2 Poland to become a communist country?

Not the majority, but an element within Polish society certainly did. How big that element was is a matter of some debate, but just like in East Germany, it wasn't imposed unilaterally.

Don't forget that many people who were previously nothing (and had no hope of becoming anything) found themselves suddenly in power under Communism.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

Life / Did you already bless your Święconka? [31]

Goes to show that a colourful tradition can spread if it is not kept within closed communities.

Why are you so against others introducing their traditions into Poland, then?

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

History / People the Soviets planted in Poland [75]

I think the role of the Soviets in imposing communism in Poland is overestimated. It would have failed, had there not been a social demand within Poland.

Indeed. It never would have worked without the acceptance of the locals. We don't need to hold PhD's in history to realise that the whole thing depended upon the collaboration of the locals to hold it together at the basic level. Let's not forget who did the dirty work - it wasn't the Soviets in most cases, but the Poles themselves.

We don't even talk about people like Raymund Kaczynski who betrayed his own comrades to join the Communist cause. People like him were the real reason that Communism succeeded.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

News / The consequences of a PiS electoral victory [22]

Poland will not have the option of being neutral, the big players will just walk freely into God's Playground.

I'd believe that - but Germany will have nothing to do with it as well, and the Polish-German alliance has been going from strength to strength in recent years. If Poland says no, Germany will back Poland up all the way.

More likely the ERussians would just ignore those jokers as they did when they were briefly in office.

Would they really ignore a provocation like that, however? Russian politicians aren't really known for being mature and sensible as well...

Which the electorate showed they do not want - nor would it be constitutionally permissible.

We all know that Jaroslaw Kaczynski regards the Constitution as something to be ignored freely.

We could expect more mass emigration and political refugees, as in th edays of the PRL.

Indeed. If it was anything similar to today's Hungary, I'd be headed straight out.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

News / The consequences of a PiS electoral victory [22]

Could be a strange scenario, gas would be off, for sure.

Certainly so.

PO are likely to stay well out of it - there would be absolutely no reason for Poland to get involved one way or another.

PiS on the other hand would be desperately committing forces - that Poland can't afford to be using in wars anyway.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

It would make many people's lives considerably easier. Anyone living within driving distance of Germany can see how the Zloty acts as a barrier in some respects - companies such as MediaMarkt are forced to charge higher prices in Poland than in Germany because they simply can't risk the currency swinging against them.

I know of one company that lost nearly 250k PLN in a year because of the Zloty moving against the EUR - the losses were entirely due to having to buy in EUR and sell in PLN.

As for inflation - experience shows (and as has been done in the countries that joined the Euro recently) that the best way to deal with that is to simply insist on dual pricing for a prolonged period - you still see prices in Slovakia in SKK and EUR.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

euro/zloty 3.80 is seen as the floor level for Polish exporter/importers

That's more or less where I could see Poland joining the Euro - perhaps 3.70 rather than 3.80, though.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

News / The consequences of a PiS electoral victory [22]

If PiS were to win, then the 4th Republic project could be resumed

That's another consequence. Anyone not with PiS could expect to be hounded out of a job, they could be expected to see their careers ruined by smears and gossip and more. We already saw how much PiS "took over" in 2005 - that's just a small taste of what could be expected if they were ever to win power in a stable way.

The talk of the "4th Republic" is treasonous at best.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Is there really any reason to cut interest rates right now? People aren't suffering with PLN mortgage repayments, weakening the Zloty would hurt those with EUR/CHF mortgages - seems like there's no real reason to do it.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

Off-Topic / Rotten West vs. Innocent Poland [25]

Providing they turn up on time, do the job well and don't have the mood swings etc I wouldn't really mind.

With kids, though?

I bet it's happened in Poland too.

Course it has - criminal records checks for teachers were only brought in not so long ago, and the whole concept of "safeguarding" doesn't exist here.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

The survey also claims that Poland and Cyprus are teetering on the edge of collapse.

Poland? Doesn't seem like it - banks aren't lending 100% LTV, but they're not in any trouble themselves.

Cyprus is believable - they have exposure to the Greeks.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

Love / Why don't Polish women treat education seriously for themselves? [130]

Let's face it, why do we have separate men's and women's events at the Olympic Games?

Women routinely beat men in some sports. For instance, once you get up to races of 100km duration, women are just as good as men.

Then again, I'm sure no woman can beat your woman hating racism.

delphiandomine

29 Sep 2012

News / The consequences of a PiS electoral victory [22]

Isn't it obvious that the sky would fall over our heads ?

It might very well do if Jarek uses State institutions to take revenge on Russia.

Yes, because we all know very well that PiS was increasing taxes when they were forming the government and PO gov is known for reducing them :)))

Yes, because we all know that the boom times of 2005-2007 can easily be compared to economic crisis of 2008-present.

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

News / Poznan's Citizens Budget - expenses for the year 2012 [8]

Interesting link, boletus :) Thank you for posting it!

My feeling is that we'll see something along these lines -

‑‑ ‑72 000 zł - "Streets for Everyone", making streets for pedestrians only on weekends.

‑1 730 000 zł - Pedestrian and bicycle paths along Warta river

‑1 870 000 zł - Family playground at Malta lake

‑3 000 000 zł - Bicycle road from Juraszów St., Strzeszyńska, Biskupińska, Krajanecka, Strzeszyn[/quote]
These would be my choices, anyway - Poznan is lacking in bicycle paths and Malta could do with some free entertainment.

Wouldn't be a surprise if the social housing wins though - the local anarchists have been whining and moaning about this for years while doing very little themselves about it.

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

News / The consequences of a PiS electoral victory [22]

Let's assume that we've walked into our worst nightmare - a PiS victory in an election - and they've formed a viable coalition with Jaroslaw Kaczynski as Prime Minister.

My question is - what would happen next?

I'll stick with Smolensk - it is almost certain that a report blaming Russia and Polish traitors would be released as an official Polish Government position. Russia would undoubtably retailiate with extreme measures - oil/gas supplies would cease, the border crossings would almost certainly grind to a halt combined with other forms of economic warfare. Could Poland hold up in the face of such an attack, and would his government survive if his electorate started dying from the cold?

Revenge would certainly be on their list too - we could expect to see purges in public life, as well as private opponents being hounded.

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

News / Poland marching for faith and freedom [43]

Given that they admit they get funding from a Nazi collaborator, you really do have to wonder how dark the things which they refuse to publicly reveal must be!

Maybach cars do tend to leave a dent in the finances of one's foundation ;)

gung-ho wild-eyed homo activists

More blanket attacks on groups?

hugging and slobbering over each other in public, etc., etc.

You must've loved it, eh? All that manlove...

So why do you presume Poland is not free?

Poland is free as long as those clowns stay well away from power.

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

News / Poland marching for faith and freedom [43]

I have a terrible feeling that we're going to see a political assassination if this sort of rhetoric continues.

It can only end badly.

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

At selected Biedronkas (2000 shops in Poland) there is 10-month and 14-month matured cheddar, 7zl for 200g. The 14-m is farmhouse-like. Not bad at all, pretty good quite frankly and I don't usually go for farmhouse. The 10-m I am yet to try. I don't know if they use animal rennet, ie suitable for vegetarians or not.

I spotted this yesterday as well and meant to buy some - there was also some interestingly imported Irish cheddar among it.

Wroclawskie

You can normally come across the "kie" ending when there are multiple place names in Poland with the same name - for instance, Oborniki Sląskie is called such because there's also a more well known Oborniki in Wielkopolska. Or - another example - Kalisz Pomorskie.

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

News / Poland marching for faith and freedom [43]

He didn't rob a bank.

No, he only robbed from his listeners.

Or have you chosen to conveniently forget about how they took the money "for the shipyards" only to somehow lose it mysteriously?

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

News / Poland marching for faith and freedom [43]

Another trick they used was getting consultants in from the mother country and pay them a very sizeable whack for doing very little.

Indeed. Very hard to put a price on (especially) software consultancy.

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

News / Poland marching for faith and freedom [43]

Only if one believes high-living, luxophilic Rostowski who is not very credible in my books.

Please illustrate to us how you think Jaroslaw Kaczynski, as leader, could fund the proposals for all these new apartments, jobs being created in educationally-backwards areas and so on. No matter what you think of Rostowski, these plans would cost a serious amount of money that the country doesn't have. I for one don't want to pay higher taxes and social insurance for a bunch of illiterate peasants from Eastern Poland - KRUS is enough of a subsidy, thank you!

Anything can be proved or disproved by juggling figures which the avergae person has no way of veryfying. And it is human history that elites in general, except those that have not lost the common touch, try to bamboozle their constituencies by every means possible.

Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that Kaczynski is merely trying to be populist. The country doesn't have the money to pay for his plans - unless you can tell us where he intends to get the cash from?

The nurses haven't forgotten how he betrayed them.

delphiandomine

28 Sep 2012

News / Poland versus Greece in economy [175]

Re teachers of German going to Germany to take care of old folks, I do know 4 cases. All of them are women in their fifties so get back on earth!

What does their age have to do with getting a job where German is required? Of course, being such an expert, you should realise that these women probably took early retirement from teaching and didn't lose their jobs at all - despite what they might have told the stupid foreigner.

Have you ever heard that it is very hard to be hired (not only in Poland but everywhere else) when you reach a "certain" age. Sorry but when you are in your fifties or older and you have no connections, forget about getting a job and many older Polish women have to go abroad to take cleaning/elderly caring jobs. I do know several women who have left for Germany, England, France (most cleaning ladies there are Polish) or even Italy.

If you reach the age of 50 and don't have connections, what have you been doing with your life? Teachers in particular are very well placed to have connections.

Sorry, but I think your whole "I have so much money and everyone else doesn't" is just the typical arrogant foreigner syndrome. I assure you that you're probably not anywhere near as wealthy in Poland as you think you are.