Language / Polish filler words? [24]

English has all kinds of these: er, um, ah, the classic 'well', and all kinds of: Let me see,
I'd say, It seems to me and the polticians' favourite at pressers: 'I'm glad you asked' (whilst thinking to himself: 'You dirty bastard!').

What are some of the better-known non-rude Polish ones?

Food / Nalewki, anyone? [11]

Was a time not long ago when nearly every man of the house in Poland prided himself in his home-made nalewka (alcoholic cordial). They can be made with most any fruit or even green walnuts. Anyone on PF make their own? Basically a jug of any washed, dried, pitted fruit (sometiems a few stones are included for added flavour!) is simpyl drenched with 50% grain neutral alcohol and 50% vodka, sealed and allowed to standa few weeks or several months (shaking occasionally), then filtered through cheese-cloth or cotton wool in a funnel into bottles. Then too it should be aged additioanlly in a coll, dark cellar.

Anyone (who can afford it) can serve guests Johnny Walker Black or Four Star Courvoisier, but isn't there's a special sense of staisfaction in being able to say it's home-made or it's the house speciality?

USA, Canada / Feminine surname endings in America? [48]

From my observation, most female Polish immigrants wtih names ending in -ska Kowalska, Lewandowska, etc.) have -ski in their US citizenship papers and other American documents. My question is the following: is that merely by custom and personal preference or is there a US law mandating that -ska names msut be changed to -ski? Anyone know?

Food / Bekon or boczek? [21]

Both are often translated into English as bacon.Does English have some differentiation like back bacon or something? I know bekon is meatier and boczek more fatty.

News / Poland's elite more pro-US than society? [29]

All post-PRL Polish political options (even the post-commies - Olejniczak, Napieralski, Miller, Kwaśniewski, Belka, Nałęcz, Borowski, etc.) have been more pro-American than most other EU countries and seem more so than today's average grass-roots Poles. In his first presidentialb address, Komorowski first of all mentioned Poland's startegic alliance with the US.

Since Poland joined the EU, the US is no longer the magnet for bread-seekers it once was. In the British Isles Poles can work legally without the humiliating visa requriements, the hot breath of the ' imigrejsin' on their necks or the threat of round-ups ('łapanki') of illegal workers and deportation. Plus the shorter distance decreases travel costs and enables them to keep in touch with family and friends in Poland.

Is this a favourable development? Who is the winner and loser in the situation? Will the decline of former American myths (land of opportunity where everything is possible, freedom and prosperity, streets paved with gold, etc.) tarnish America's image in the long run? Co o tym sądzisz?