Life / Do expats living in Poland speak Polish? [233]

Again, a very valid point. It was Goethe (I think) who said that a man is as human as many times as the number of languages he speaks. Some say it was a Slovakian proverb. Whatever! Knowing the language can make you feel like more of an insider, allowing you to further cement ties in different ways. It makes bar talks much easier too :)

Life / Do expats living in Poland speak Polish? [233]

That's a fair point, jonni. Plus, learn another language, 2 maybe, and people will still have a hack at you for not trying a host of others. I still remember French reasonably from 4 years of schooling, albeit finished 14 years ago. Japanese and Polish too to a higher level. Naturally, my Polish is the strongest but that's, firstly, because of priority and, secondly, because of placement. You could also say that there is nothing like the emphasis placed on languages like there is in the Benelux countries and Scandinavia. If you are not part of that culture then it is that bit harder.

I hate the question, 'how many languages do you speak?'.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

That seems to be an accurate assessment of the position. Obama knows the stakes but I don't see diplomatic engagement happening any time soon as he has angered Ahmedinejad with some of his wayward comments. Carrot and stick is just patronising.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

So why is Iran such a different kettle of fish, yehudi? Yossi Melman said that there is clear actionable intel on which to base a legitimate strike. Iran is passing up a golden opportunity to send uranium to Russia. Russia has been a partner of theirs in the past and it would seem to be a win-win for them to do it but they seem to value defiance more.

What is the rough percentage of Israelis in favour of a strike against Narantz and Qom, for example?

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

And for Israel's :) You'd find Hezbollah (remember them?), Hamas and other Muslim groups laying siege on Israel. Don't forget the Shanghai Group consisting of China and Russia. America, with huge amounts of help (42-country alliance), cannot even defeat a group of weirdie-beardies (frail old men) after 8 years of fighting them. Heck, even the great Nazi war machine was dismantled after 6.

All this talk of Iran may have meant they have taken their eye off the ball. Syria has vast potential there too.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

Well, where's the pre-emptive strike? Did you watch the Melman presentation? There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Iran could be on for a 2011 completion. It's just a game IMHO.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

I hope sb issues a strike on Clinton. She is a pitiful excuse for a human being and a two-faced bi*ch! I wonder how much Israeli c*ck she has sucked. She makes me so angry, sorry. When you see what happened to Palestinians last year, you get a sense of what they are put through. I know it cuts both ways but that was VERY graphic.

Apparently, we are looking at Feb 2010. This seems to be the consensus amongst sources I have read but Obama can stall that. He just needs to make the right noises at the right time. Attacking Iran would be a major mistake.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

Yossi Melman gives a lengthy presentation on Youtube on this issue of Iran and their search for the bomb.

PP, there seems to be evidence that Iran has the capability to form a nuke. Why then doesn't Israel carry out a pre-emptive strike? Oh, it's not the time, right? Well, when is the time?

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

And how will they know exactly, PP? OCL was peace, was it? You know nothing of the Mossad, do you? Germany and Russia still have some sympathies with the Iranian position, PP. Don't write them off.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

Placing your troops on sovereign Iranian territory? Haven't you learned anything from Iraq? How will you know, PP? Even Israeli high-tech equipment can't penetrate deep into the bunkers and into secret facilities. No penetration, no evidence, simple!

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

Another pretext. They are not gonna announce that they have them, are they? They want a peaceful source of energy. Who says that we want Iran to have them? We are talking about an even playing field here. How can you invade with no real evidence?

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

But Iran will never get them, right? But tell me why Israel should have them and not Iran?

You trust in Nomaderol and then you said "that could be so". You are on rare form today, ;) ;)

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

"Iran will never get them" and then "they could already have some"? What's it to be? What gives Israel the right to possess them?

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

PP, "if they try"? I thought they were supposed to be trying already ;) ;)

Love / I'm getting married to a Polish guy and need advice before visit his family; gifts, topics, customs [82]

You come across really well, ekcampos. I hope it works out!

One more thing, please remember to check with Polish authorities regarding swine flu. I'm not implying anything, I hope, it's just that Polish authorities would like to be sure that you are not a carrier. I say this with knowledge of the complicated position between China and Japan 6.5 years ago.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

It's best not to finger point without solid evidence and I have come to learn that. Some say Ireland and Italy had a role, they are just words and likely baseless allegations. The point is that we just don't know.

I don't think countries is the best way to look at it. Prominent business individuals is. Sibel has been gagged so many times (so who knows what meaning is in her words?) and I think she's a sensationalist, relying on her fabricated jabber just to keep her in a job.

There are articles on Russia's possible involvement. I read a couple of them and, well, it just depends how you read between the lines. It's pretty deep!

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

He can use the Dr title as he has a doctorate. Prof was used tongue-in-cheek as he referred to himself as such in his interview with Larry King.

Sibel did say that, yes. She's fluent in Farsi and Turkish. The Israeli was at the centre of the scandal and was caught.

Some suspect that the US is funding Jundullah to attack the Iranian national guard. I can imagine that.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

It's the old brocard, 'fair's fair'. We have been so deeply conditioned to believe that Iran would be a threat and this is without any of us having read a proper, unbiased assessment of their intentions. We can't second guess them and I might add that it is not Prof/Dr Ahmedinejad that is in the driving seat in Iran, it's the Ayatollah. He has spoken on many occasions of his peaceful intentions so why not believe him? Where are all the Youtube videos about those proclamations?

Look at people who have some knowledge here. I recommend Scott Ritter, former UN Chief Weapons inspector and author of 2 books on Iran.

Nomad, it is one big bluff on their part. The Cold War is evidence enough for that.

Language / Learning Polish, good for beginners? [29]

This is an old thread but may help you or get people talking about what it's like to be a beginner student in Polish.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

Don't tempt fate, nomaderol. Israel has other options and that's what they are exploring. They are very smart in making decisions regarding threat assessment and nukes are just used by the layperson as an idiotic means of conflict resolution. They can be bargaining chips but you can't play the bluffing game when so many lives are at stake.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

Ah well, Iran get can get them as they don't fall under that bracket ;) ;)

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

I fully agree, M-G. Listen to On the Turning Away by Pink Floyd and you will hear some good messages.

'Just a world that we all must share, it's not enough just to stand and stare, is it only a dream that there'll be no more turning away?'

Work / Does it make sense to move from the UK to Wroclaw for this salary? [50]

Fine in theory delph but they often maneuver little on the wage rate. I had to push hard to get mine hiked up to a more respectable level.

The scant consolation for having to pay 839PLN in your third year is that more is taken off through the koszty uzyskany rozchodów or sth like that. Instead of paying 1/7 of my income in tax, I pay 1/9. So, let's say I earn 4200PLN, that's 600PLN down to 466PLN. It's always sth to claw back.

ZUS is fixed for a certain period and you can access that figure in a publication (small newspaper) called Informator. It's usually the same for at least 3 months before rising in accordance with inflation. You have to pay that sum, regardless of your earnings. It doesn't make sense to talk of ZUS in terms of percentages unless you have a fixed monthly salary. For me, the number of classes I teach determines the percentage of my income that goes to ZUS. ZUS is the constant and my classes are the variable.

You can't do flat rate conversions/calculations as it just doesn't work that way. It's not exactly 18% either, I can tell you that for a fact. Throw in some invoices and it will lower your tax. In the first two years, I found it to be just over 14% but now is more like 11%. Tax I mean.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

I know that, M-G, and I would never call an Iranian as such. I'm aware of the close ties between Arabs and Jews.

I can only imagine the problems presented by the Jewish question here. The Jews wanted their own sizeable enclaves and to have their customs and traditions fully honoured. Outside of the indifferent contingent, there are those that are nationalistic and would have resented the Jewish presence. When you have those intolerant sections of both respective communities coming together, and they are quite sizeable too, then that's a recipe for disaster.

The Jews were said to be the masters of the swindle whereas the Poles the masters of haggling. The mind boggles at the type of bargaining that went on at markets.

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

It's true, especially in relation to Iranians. Iranians are from one of the most ancient civilisations on Earth. They have close links with southern Slavs. Crow would kill me for saying this but they may even have closer links to Persians than to Celts.

We need closer ties but, if I am to believe the stories of the Jews and conjecture the Polish response, I'm not holding my breath. Too many people see differences and not commonalities. George Harrison alluded to this in the song 'Isn't it a pity?'

History / Polish hatred towards Jews... [1290]

My friend is in Saudi Arabia and he describes it as boring but not unsafe for him. He is a discreet kinda guy so he isn't gonna get into too much trouble.

I've only heard one hateful set of comments about the Jews here. That was by a schoolkid who seemingly had an axe to grind.

News / What's the stupidest question asked about Poland? [414]

Too much information? Sorry if my revelatory fact hit you so hard, amigo ;) ;)

News / What's the stupidest question asked about Poland? [414]

Aha, I'm listening.....;)

News / What's the stupidest question asked about Poland? [414]

Hehehe, you are a funny man, McCoy. They have the largest population of black origin outside of Africa.

News / What's the stupidest question asked about Poland? [414]

Neither could Bush distinguish those 2 countries, Raijin.

Bush is sure to have asked a stupid question about Poland. I have to rummage around in the archives for one.

He asked the Brazilian President, "do you have blacks too?". I'm glad I didn't hear that as I'd've needed my sides repaired.