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Posts by convex  

Joined: 25 Nov 2009 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 28 Nov 2011
Threads: Total: 20 / In This Archive: 13
Posts: Total: 3928 / In This Archive: 3150 		From: Wroclaw
Speaks Polish?: un poco...wait
Interests: aviation

Displayed posts: 3163 / page 29 of 106
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convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / Are Poles bigots and xenophobes? [205]

ok, now let's work on changing this image.

It's a backwards country because Poles don't support gay adoption? That's kind of the status quo for the majority of the world...
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / Are Poles bigots and xenophobes? [205]

That was in Jasper. The guy's name was Byrd and it happened about 10 years ago.

We're wandering a bit...
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / Are Poles bigots and xenophobes? [205]

and/or worked in Western Europe since 1980.

Is the implication that simply living in Europe turns you gay?

That is a pretty hardcore list though.

Anyway, Poland has Muslims, Gays, Jews, Blacks, Russians, Germans, just about everything one might imagine. The number is increasing year after year, so it can't be that bigoted and xenophobic..
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / What do you like about Poland? [100]

People like controversial topics, can't help that. They feel strongly about it, they post. I think if you read the topics, you do find reason (might have search long and hard), but there is plenty of pros and cons thrown out there.

Anyway, painting all those things as solely "Polish traits" doesn't hold water...but, it's an interesting view of how other people see the country, for whatever reason. Surely some of it is just to get a response, some of it is genuine criticism, and some of it may just be worded in a manner that you find offensive, but it wasn't the posters intent. All of the posts are relative to the poster.

The good, the bad, and the ugly.
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / What do you like about Poland? [100]

Heh, so people dislike Polish bigots, Polish nationalists, Poles who don't like cats and dogs, Poles that are homophobic, Narrow minded Poles, materialistic Polish girls, bad Polish customer service, bad Polish business practices....

You like those things?
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / Are Poles bigots and xenophobes? [205]

Ireland is finished if we don't do something fast. Most Irish agree

Then do something about it. The UK and Ireland have the ability to opt-out of EU policies on immigration, visas, and asylum. Apparently most Irish don't agree with you, or else they would have done something by now.

Now, to the topic at hand... I suppose lack of exposure can make some people act bigoted and xenophobic, but for the most part, it simply isn't true here. There is a vocal minority, but the vast majority consists of normal people that don't have a problem with foreigners.
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / Are Poles bigots and xenophobes? [205]

some poles are ok.

Why do you allow unchecked immigration into your country?

If Poland was being overrun by immigrans you'd be the same.

They would probably curb immigration. EU law doesn't allow for people the freedom the live in a country without being able to support themselves. Ireland was one of the loudest noisemakers when France deported their gypsies for the exact same reason you mentioned.

Anyway, what your describing sounds a lot like the complaints about immigrants in my country. Violent, leeching off the system, alcoholics, stealing jobs, escaping poverty, no culture to speak off, economically deprived, third worlders, without a remarkable history... Granted "my" country is the US and the immigrants were the Irish, but I'm sure that's a moot point. It happens anytime you have immigration in large numbers.

You probably won't need to wait long for Poles to go home, as the Irish economy continues its free-fall, Poles will move back home. There are more and more jobs being created in Poland every month. Did you hear that Dell built a huge new manufacturing plant in Lodz? It's funny how EU money was first used to bring Dell to Ireland, and now it's used to bring them to Lodz.

Like I said, it's just a matter of time, most will go home. Some will become Irish. Way of the world.
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / What makes a "real" Pole? [33]

People want to belong to a tribe, be part of something bigger. I agree with the second part.
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / What makes a "real" Pole? [33]

What if a Pole has spent a considerable time living in another country... when do they not qualify as being Poles...?

Nations are nothing more than a loose group of people held together by shared values and traditions. Once you lose the culture, can you consider yourself Polish? That brings the interesting point about second and third generation Polish-xxxx. In the US, from what I've read on Polish-American websites, it seems that the cultures are diverging and become distinct from one another. Lots of commonality of course, same roots, but there seems to be a noticeable break.
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / Is the word "Polack"rascist? [185]

The word Polack is a slur. It is not offensive to people lacking selfrespect. Its use is welcome and encouraged on this "non-Polish Forum."

Is it still used as a slur? Have people become desensitized to it? It seems to be a marketing ploy in the US now for Polish-Americans to sell products. I guess it depends on where you grew up, but I've never heard in the US. Do you see it in the same context as "Jap", "Paki", and "Jerry"?
convex   
12 Nov 2010
Life / What do you like about Poland? [100]

About Poland specifically? Dunno. Poland, like any other country, is a blend of its neighbors. It has a nice balance structured Germany, and let it slide Ukraine. Some Poles are incredibly hospitable, but the same can be said for any nationality. Some Poles are intolerant assclowns, which can also be said for any nationality.

I like it here, nice balance. Close to everything, there is still a feel of forward movement, that something is changing (albeit a bit slower now), the mix of brand new high end luxury of the cities mixed with the basic amenities of the countryside.

Dunno, lots of different things.
convex   
11 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

Customers have the right (freedom) to choose where they wish to eat/drink.

Bless you Zimmy, as far as an atheist can bless someone, bless you :)

You're absolutely right. People already have the freedom to choose. There are non smoking pubs in Poland which non smokers don't bother to go to. They would rather go to a place that allows smoking....and then complain about it.
convex   
11 Nov 2010
Law / Polish business haven't got a clue: Discuss. [72]

Companies in the US seem to just be afraid of litigation. Things like "discrimination" can be widely interpreted in the US, and the payouts are enough to bankrupt a company. That's not the case over here. Laws are pretty clear on what they protect, and you're not going to get a $17.8m settlement because you were fired.
convex   
11 Nov 2010
News / Giant Jesus Rising in Świebodzin ( Tallest in world ) [323]

This guy's career is booming. He makes his living making jokes at Judaism and laughs at Jews.

Lewis Black is Jewish. Stephen Colbert is Catholic...A Sunday school teacher at that.

colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/76152/october-02-2006/sign-off---actual-apologies

Colbert gets millions of viewers. It's just free press.

Anyway, try not to take things so seriously, Poland has a giant Jesus now, should be a happy time for you :)
convex   
11 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

1.I'm sorry, are you tying together the the issue of smoking with the national CONSTITUTION...? oh dear, you are grappling at straws...

The issue is private property rights. Silly me for trying to tie legislation to the Constitution.

2.there is no "someone else". They are your clients as well... do you not care for their rights...?

Sure do. I am particularly supportive of their right to spend money wherever they would like.

3.Surely the idea is to reduce risk... that is progress honey.

No, it's called not being able to take care of yourself and requiring everything to be legislated that is perceived to be bad. That's well far from progress. Health and Safety regulations in the UK for instance is what I'd call the opposite of progress.

4.It's not what someone doesn't like... sheesh. It's what causes them potential harm. And it is easier to avoid others' agressive behaviour and violence than it is to avoid breathing in air. And i think you're missing the point that whether your excess drinking effects YOUR health or not, does not effect ME. Also, cars cause car accidents, not alcohol. ;)

You know that your argument is weak here. Alcohol kills more innocent bystanders than cigarette smoke. Or are you not buying the fact that alcohol is a factor in the majority of assaults here in Poland, as well as the majority of road accidents? The difference between the two from a health and safety view, is negligible. The only difference in your arguments between the two, is that you are bothered by the smoke of a place which you voluntarily enter.

we are arguing about cigarette smoke and that only. Apples and pears my friend.

Again, I would have to disagree with you completely. We are arguing about property rights. You call it a smoking ban, I call it an unnecessary intrusion on property rights.

Anyway, I'm going flying. Enjoy.

PS: Attention smokers, Monday night, free shots of Becherovka for every cigarette smoked at the bar after 21:00 at Brodolom in Split! Come for "Ashley's Night" :)

I'll post some pictures with "Ashley's Night" Special on the board :)
convex   
10 Nov 2010
Law / Any good business ideas - what Poland needs? [114]

Hi guys, how about opening up a man's saloon or a women's beauty parlour, do you think it will ran???

If you can run it better than the ones that already exist. I wouldn't say there is a shortage.

cup cakes?

Lots of cukiernias and bakeries. Might work as a niche home business.
convex   
10 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

Hey, that's democracy!

Which is why we live in Republics with certain rights.

Also, if you don't take part in sth, you sometimes decide on this (e.g. you don't practise pedophilia, but you object to other people that do so, right? - sorry for that raw example, but it shows the same rule)

Right, within the bounds of certain rules. The rules are laid out in the Constitution. The Polish Constitution which lays out the framework, including property and economic rights (smoking issue), and personal rights (pedophilia issue).

The issue that I have is that there is a law coming into effect which bans something because someone else finds it bothersome. That someone else is voluntarily entering themselves into a situation which they find problematic, and would like the state to force a change on private property because of their personal wishes.

Smoking bans are a terrible precedent for further "greater good" causes. There is no reason that we couldn't implement an alcohol ban on the back of this, for the same reasons that are used to back this ban.

Personal reasons - Alcohol causes people to get loud and aggressive, and I don't like that.
Health reasons - Alcohol causes irreparable damage to their bodies which costs the state more.
Safety reasons - Alcohol causes more deaths (drunk driving, violence) to innocent bystanders than does secondhand smoke.

Why not campaign against alcohol? That's what I don't understand. I think it's a bit hypocritical to mention those things and not campaign against alcohol consumption. The truth is, you just don't like coming home smelling like smoke, and you feel that should be legislated.
convex   
10 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

It's a matter of weighing up health/ the environnment against other national priorities.

It's needlessly imposing your will on others when options clearly exist. I've never had a customer come to me and tell me that there is too much smoke. If that were happening enough, I would go non-smoking. If the non smoking pubs were doing great business, again, I would go non-smoking. That's not the case.

When you start weighing the health/environment positives, you have to define where you will stop. Fatty foods? Driving cars in urban areas? Burning coal and wood at home? Alcohol consumption (which directly kills more innocent bystanders than smoking)?

The exact same argument can be made for alcohol, especially here in Poland. Everyday people under the influence cause accidents and kill innocent people. What's the difference between the two arguments, and why should one be supported over the other, if it is in fact a pressing health issue?
convex   
10 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

You're in Croatia?

When it gets cold in Poland :) PS, we're the only game in town if you like Czech beer on tap. Kozel every day and a mystery keg that changes up every delivery :)

I'll repeat the opinion that a private place like a bar becomes somewhat public when it opens to customers.

Open to the public doesn't make it public. Granted, certain guidelines must be followed, that's fair enough, they are licensed establishments...But, this is just moving towards further regulation of anything that the masses think is bad, even if they're not taking part in it. In Germany for instance, there was a vote in Bavaria on the ban. The demographics for the "pro-ban" side were fascinating. Needless to say, small places are having trouble staying open, while large places with outside space (as Smurf mentioned) aren't having a problem. Those "no" voters never showed up like they were supposed to!

Your argument is correct, but lacks a broader perspective. I must incline to Ashleys mind's argumenting;)

No doubt, it's win-win for you. It bans something that annoys you (not something which is forced upon you), and you don't have a connection to the fiscal downsides. Why wouldn't you support it?
convex   
10 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

The argument has nothing to do with smoking. It's about property rights. Scroll up in the thread to read my opinions on it.

Smoking kills people, so does saturated fat, stress, and pollution.

People have a choice, and they are free to choose. You are attempting to impose your will upon others because you either want to help those people, or you ant to conform them to what you think is best for them. Either way, do you think either of those options are fair to the guy that is paying rent?
convex   
10 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

Cigarettes need to be phased out, and this needs to start in places where smokers and potential smokers mingle. To break the cycle. Can't you see that? I'm sorry if you will struggle to pay your rent, perhaps providing slot machines or dancing girls will ease the burden...;)

What if I like smoking cigarettes, just like I enjoy eating Big Macs? Pubs are private property, there's no debate on that. If I allow people to smoke on my private property, why would you feel the need to intervene? As an American, if you say it's because of tax payer funded health care which causes quite a bit of the world to live shorter lives than Americans, then I would have to say that you're a bit off. As a Brit, I would point out the same argument that has been presented earlier in this thread, it's cheaper for smokers to die young than to take their pensions. So what's you're argument exactly? You don't like your clothes smelling like smoke?
convex   
10 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

You are comparing the effects of alcohol and cigarettes on society, and I am maintaining my argumant that pubs are public places and as such should offer an environment that is as free of direct health risks as possible. Including the unavoidable health risk of passive smoke inhalation with known carcinogens.

If they were public places, you couldn't drink alcohol in them. If they were public, the owner wouldn't be able to deny you entry.

Let's put the PUBLIC back in PUB.

Lets learn what the Public in Pub meant to begin with.
convex   
10 Nov 2010
News / Giant Jesus Rising in Świebodzin ( Tallest in world ) [323]

I would more say WELCOME TO SOUTH AMERICA!
They have a huge statue of Jesus in Brazil or somewhere if I recall... stupid as hell!

It's in Rio, and it looks over the city, on the edge of a ridge. This one in Swiebodzin isn't majestically looking over the city :( Just another ball of twine...
convex   
10 Nov 2010
News / Smoking ban in Polish bars and restaurants (AT LAST!) [400]

lol, you don't care about smokers... you just care about having customers.

You're right. I run a business. I care about paying rent.

If imposing a ban on smoking proved to be good for business, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

No we wouldn't, my place would already be non smoking.

If you are so entrepreneurial perhaps you will see new opportunitites where this is concerned...?

Again, there are non smoking bars in Poland...business isn't exactly booming.

You are just worried because there is a strong association between drinking and smoking - and frankly it needs to change

Then you go do that, why is it so difficult for you to change people's opinions?

Unfortunately "smoking bars" as you call them are in the majority strictly because it is not cometitive to have it any other way.

Freedom of choice. No one is forcing anyone to go to a certain pub. Easy as that.

In these cases government intervention is required so that traders who are trying to do something responsible voluntarily, are not penalised.

No it's not. That makes no sense whatsoever. If people wanted it, non smoking bars would be a booming business.

The fact of the matter is that this is a law that is being introduced by non smokers who do not make up the majority of the customer base. This law is being pushed by large superpubs looking to consolidate the market. It's also picking up support by people too lazy to support non smoking pubs with their wallet. It's sad. Hope you folks don't have anything against garlic, because I really like the garlic sauce on my kebap.
convex   
10 Nov 2010
Law / Polish business haven't got a clue: Discuss. [72]

It ranks particularly low on taxes, red tape, property rights, market performance, technology and corruption.

Just spilled my drink.

Taxes are incredibly high, bureaucracy as well, property rights are in a sad shape, market performance is only doing well due to a zloty with a destroyed purchasing power, tech....really? I can't find a decent network engineer to save my life. Corruption, no comment.