News / New Polish Light Tank - Anders [74]


Air superiority is the single most important element for Poland for the reasons that you mentioned earlier. It's flat, tanks don't do well in flat country. Especially light tanks.


I think Poland should take that money and invest heavily in training a militia and light ground force and dump the rest into the AF. Like you mentioned, Poland has zero advantage on the ground...In the air, it's an even battlefield.

News / New Polish Light Tank - Anders [74]

Without air superiority, tanks for defense will be worthless (See Iraq circa Jan 1991, or more recently, Georgia, Aug 2008).

News / New Polish Light Tank - Anders [74]

Does Poland need tanks? I'd figure that money would be better spent to help Poland be able to maintain air superiority in the case of offensive or defensive conflict.

Also, 120mm is a big gun for a light tank. Why not use a much cheaper and lighter armored vehicle? What would be the mission for these things?

Work / Moving to Europe from US (hopefully to Poland). IT, Programming, technology market? [13]


SAP work pays that, as does high end network engineering, Project/Program management, and of course managing actual meat packets.

Best bet though, if you have an EU passport, is contracting. 3 months in London and you can live well for a year in Poland.

Life / How popular is Radio Maryja in Poland? [163]


As well as stoning your wife if she's not a virgin on your wedding night, and murdering your child if it won't listen to you. The bible even contains instructions on how to carry out the murder in detail, be it by stoning or hanging....granted that's all a bit difficult to reconcile with other parts, but hey, whatever works for the time being.

UK, Ireland / EXCHANGE RATES BETWEEN POLISH ZLOTY AND BRITISH POUND [73]


What are the main ingredients? Dictatorship seems to be working well, when managed by competent people, which China is. They're waging an economic war and look to be winning. Does that mean that a mud farmer in China will be living the same lifestyle as someone growing hops in Bayern in 20 years? probably not. Does that mean that China as a nation will have ever expanding influence, yes, of course. Can that influence be used to make our lives miserable, yup.

The days of "a leader" left a while back.

With regards to the OP, BoE is considering another round of QE, NBP isn't.

Food / Krupnik as a Polish ethnic dish or drink? [13]


There's a soup?

Anyway, two ways that I know how to make it, one requires a stove and about a weeks time, the other doesn't need a stove, but you need a lot more time for infusion.

How much time do you have? All you have to do is to be able to boil water for the first one....

Food / Krupnik as a Polish ethnic dish or drink? [13]


Sounds like grzane wino maybe? Mulled wine?

UK, Ireland / EXCHANGE RATES BETWEEN POLISH ZLOTY AND BRITISH POUND [73]

Well, overall, foreign dollar holdings has dropped nearly 10% in the last 10 years. Bond sales have been sluggish. Some states are already pricing oil and other commodities in Euros, more and more countries are issuing euro and local currency debt...

UK, Ireland / EXCHANGE RATES BETWEEN POLISH ZLOTY AND BRITISH POUND [73]


Last year they were quite weak against commodities and other currencies. Keep in mind the US has already threatened the Chinese with devaluation... if that happens, do you think the ECB and BoE will play follow the leader?

UK, Ireland / EXCHANGE RATES BETWEEN POLISH ZLOTY AND BRITISH POUND [73]


20% year on against two weak currencies.

Work / Doing my course in Krakow, working in EFL in Poland (newbie questions) [43]


Just out of curiosity, how much did you save up and for how long were you planning on surviving off it? In hindsight, did you over-budget, or under-budget?

I don't know about teaching in Poland, but I'm curious just how a nest egg in general helped you out. Ability to take more risk, less stress, etc.

News / Giant Jesus Rising in Świebodzin ( Tallest in world ) [323]


It's interesting to see how different cultures have adapted the image to appeal to local people.

Love / Sexual diseases! Please tell me how I go about getting tested in Poland? [103]

There aren't that many intravenous drug users in Poland. That probably helps quite a bit.

News / Giant Jesus Rising in Świebodzin ( Tallest in world ) [323]

Well, if he tried to get on a plane on the US, he'd probably get arrested.

News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]


That is fair enough, I understand the concept of licensing. I know you can ban anything you like, tyranny of the majority and all.


No I don't force them do anything, you're right about that. Everyone voluntarily walks through those doors. Proponents of this kind of legislation argue that they are forced to go to places full of smoke. Who forces them there? Last time I checked, staff are free to leave at anytime.

The "health" argument is a dangerous one in this case. The next logical step would be to ban the same of alcohol if "health of the people" was a concern. As pointed out earlier, more innocent bystanders die and are harmed by alcohol (accidents, perpetrators of assault) than cigarettes. I can't think of any reason not to ban alcohol based on the reasons for implementing this law. This is the root of my concerns, not whether to ban smoking or not...but simply the need to regulate something that people willingly expose themselves to. Dunno, I guess I'm more in the "let the individual decide what they want"...especially in a case like this where there are choices available.

News / Giant Jesus Rising in Świebodzin ( Tallest in world ) [323]


In vino veritas...


Not even close. Give me "tallest in the world"

USA, Canada / Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why. [868]


...SAD can only be overcome through alcohol consumption and good company... Same recipe has worked for the last thousand years...

Classifieds / Motorcycle trip from Poland to South Africa in the fall [25]

Doesn't matter, I want to go to Moscow. You take care of us, and we'll take of you :)

Classifieds / Motorcycle trip from Poland to South Africa in the fall [25]


I have a friend with a big ole vw crafter who does punk tours...he owes me... Winter is the off season...

News / Local elections in Poland, EU citizens should register to vote [57]


34/27/16/13/....

The gap seems to be growing. PiS is becoming a "3rd party"...which is scary considering there is no 2nd party..Oh how they screwed this one up...

Classifieds / Motorcycle trip from Poland to South Africa in the fall [25]

If you're renting a tailor, I'll do the hitch with you if it's before April :) I'll drive the tailor back, that's a deal eh?

Classifieds / Motorcycle trip from Poland to South Africa in the fall [25]

Sell it...no man can ride two bikes....

Classifieds / Motorcycle trip from Poland to South Africa in the fall [25]

Spring 2011 folks, who's in? I've got the logistics taken care of....

News / Polish GDP per capita has dropped ! [30]


The population has remained the same, and GDP has doubled, ergo, GDP per capita has doubled.

News / Polish GDP per capita has dropped ! [30]

Those are very strange numbers. I'd be curious to see where you go them from. The numbers from GUS are:
Polish GDP in 2000 was 744b zl
...in 2008 1,342b zl

The population has remained pretty much stagnant at 38,5m. It looks like a 100% increase in GDP and a nearly 200% per capita increase in purchasing power for dollar denominated commodities (like oil).

News / Polish GDP per capita has dropped ! [30]

I need to check the numbers, but from what I remember, about 20% of that has been allocated.

USA, Canada / Not everyone that lives or comes from America is RICH! [300]

Less drive, you can live better than they ever dreamed without even working...at all.

News / Polish GDP per capita has dropped ! [30]

That'd be €65b allocated until 2013, but it's not a transfer from one countries balance sheet to another. It is counted as investment only when a particular program is funded, of which Poland has been fairly conservative in getting going. EU funding has had an impact on GDP, but not a substantial one. But your right, GDP is probably the worst economic indicator out there. It doesn't take debt into account..

USA, Canada / Not everyone that lives or comes from America is RICH! [300]


So you'd suggest trading out living like a machine in the US for living like a machine in Poland?


If you're having fiscal problems in the US, Poland will eat you alive.