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


It's another common trait of RM listeners - the supreme belief that they are entitled to judge people. I've always thought (admittedly, as a non-Catholic) that only God was entitled to judge people.

Life / Foreigners commenting on Poland - a minefield? [30]


Ah, what I mean is in relation to teaching English to corporate clients. I'm working with 6 different schools at the minute - I really don't need to be told how to teach corporate clients ;) I'm all for gaining information about what they expect, who they are, etc - but I draw the line at being asked to spend a weekend attending a training course about how to teach them.

(for what it's worth, I get the distinct impression that individuality isn't valued in Poland)

Life / Foreigners commenting on Poland - a minefield? [30]


The problem is, in Poland, that culturally, it wasn't expected of them for so many years - if ever. From what I've read, the II RP wasn't big on personal initiative (respect your elders and so on) and obviously the PRL wasn't about initiative (unless it involved stealing from work) - indeed, mediocre people rose to the top. And even now, many elder Polish bosses have the attitude that people shouldn't be showing any sort of personality or initiative - and even the 40-something generation can be guilty of this.

I know exactly what you mean, and it's frustrating to watch people act like this - but it's all down to cultural expectations. Many of them may simply be afraid to do what they think is best, out of fear of being shouted at or given into trouble. Many managers have absolutely no interpersonal skills too.


I think quite a few people also have the attitude of "why should I work hard for 8zl an hour?" - especially younger people.


And they get fired.


Same problem in the UK, really.

My problem with Poland is that there is a certain school of management which says "always assume that the staff don't know how to do the job". I refuse point blank to work for anyone like this.

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


Typical for those who preach about "Catholic Morals", really.

Funnily enough, the strongest Catholics I know are all rather secretive about their faith and don't feel the need to shout about it from the rooftops. They also don't preach to others - all of them having the view that it's for an individual to decide.

Then again, when Polonius supports the right of a government to keep secrets from its citizens...is anyone surprised? ;)

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


Last time I checked, there wasn't different levels of sins. They're all sins regardless.

But then again, most ordinary Catholics who perhaps use birth control aren't the ones shouting about being Catholic, unlike the RM rent-a-mob.

Life / Expats in Poland - would you fight for your new country? [105]


And something that is often unappreciated is just how safe Poland is. Alas, as the country gets richer, the social problems will increase :(

USA, Canada / CULTURE SHOCK! (of my Polish finance who visited the US) [210]


The difference between the European and American work ethic is like night and day full stop, I think. Look at Europe - almost at the point when every worker has 4 weeks holiday. America on the other hand...

No doubt about it - Americans work harder than the vast majority of Europeans.

Life / Expats in Poland - would you fight for your new country? [105]


And herein lies one of the biggest problems in Poland - there is no will on the part of the people to force people like him to give up the booze and start working instead. Let's not forget that even if he's retired, he's probably on a far bigger pension than he ever paid for. Some of the pensions handed out are astounding - look at how much we subsidise miners, for instance!


I'm of the opinion that paying the high rate of ZUS only makes sense for those who have wives who are similarly self employed. 425zl each a month isn't bad, but 850zl for a single person is just ridiculous and a barrier to self employment!

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


The roads are getting cleaned here, you should blame the lazy attitude of the Lwowians in Wroclaw ;)

I thought pavements in Poland (like in most of Europe) are the responsibility of the person who has the property that fronts it, though?

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

You mean, they're so rubbish that they can't even get a decent percentage of antisemites tuning in? ;)

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


Indeed, that's true. Many of the hate-filled, conspiracy theorist, Jew-hating rabid types are about as far as Catholicism as it gets. The fact that they continue to call themselves Catholic while refusing to submit to the Catholic Church's authority in Poland says it all.

Tell me, do you think that someone can call themselves Catholic if they disobey direct orders from the Church?

News / Polish Foreign Ministry 'prepared' for new Wikileaks material [100]


How do you explain the fact that there were/are illegal cluster bombs on an US Air base then?

How do you explain some of the disclosures by Wikileaks into just what the US Military has been doing in regards to the killing of civilians?


I don't call the possession of illegal weapons and the murdering of civilians "mistakes".

Life / Expats in Poland - would you fight for your new country? [105]


Blimey.

Honourable :)

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


Hmm, I know a few women who are happy here. All of them are experienced in their career though and are here to further that career. Two of them are ESL, the others are working for the Polish branch of American/British companies.

But yes, female students do seem to ***** and whine constantly about Poland. I'm also not surprised that the wives of businessmen hate it - Poland is definitely provincial in nature (Warsaw excluded) and not the place for someone who likes to be pampered and treated with style.

Life / Expats in Poland - would you fight for your new country? [105]


It's hypothetical. You cannot compare this to the situation where someone actually has joined a foreign military and signed up to attack their own homeland if needs be.

For what it's worth, Polish citizenship to me would be a piece of paper that makes life easier. Nothing more, nothing less. It can be renounced easily. And I think anyone with a child in such circumstances would do the sensible thing and go somewhere else. I seem to recall that many mixed Serb/Croat/Bosniak couples did exactly that.

Anyway, my opinion is that you cannot be a traitor to a country, but rather to one's people. I'm not Polish and never will be.


Somehow, I doubt you'll do a thing. He's already invited you on countless occasions. I'm still curious what's taking you so long - you live in the same city, surely it's not that difficult to turn up and fight?

Then again, what can you expect from someone who signed up to kill his own people?

By the way, Ozi Dan - what do you know about IT security? You would be surprised about how remarkably easy it is to find out someone's identity online. Certainly in Poland, it's a formality with the right contacts to get someone's details - data protection laws are somewhat pathetic here. All unofficial, of course - but the old principle of "money talks" easily applies.

Of course, knowing someone's details is one thing, but doing something with it is a whole different story.

News / Victory in 'anti-Polish camps' campaign in US [170]

For me, it's utter nonsense to use religious tags. One thing that is rarely mentioned is that while Jews might have been exterminated in Poland, they were still citizens of Poland.

Sadly, religion is often used to exclude people from "full" identity of a country. See also - French Muslims.

Life / Expats in Poland - would you fight for your new country? [105]


My personal feeling is that if such a war broke out, you have to drop one of the citizenships. It's just not possible to align oneself to both sides in war.

But to answer your question fully - I would fight for the side that gave Scotland the most chance of independence - and indeed, would fight for the Scottish side.

News / Victory in 'anti-Polish camps' campaign in US [170]


Doesn't work like that in many places, though. Religion is massively important for a lot of people, even in Europe - you can even hear "German Catholic" and "German Protestant" being used a lot.


For many people, it is. Northern Ireland can be seen as an extreme example of this.

Law / Shipping Vehicles/Motorcycles to Poland (from Taiwan). Drivers license. [10]


Then you don't want to ride something with such a small engine on Polish roads.

Life / Expats in Poland - would you fight for your new country? [105]


I wouldn't be eligible to do so - not a Polish citizen. Pretty simple, really.

As I say - asking Brits with Polish citizenship makes more sense, because they would be eligible to fight for Poland. I don't think there's any on this forum, though.

News / Victory in 'anti-Polish camps' campaign in US [170]

That's just a matter of language, though. You could say "Polish Jew" instead of "Jewish Pole" - same thing, at the end of the day, to most people.

Life / Expats in Poland - would you fight for your new country? [105]


But surely this isn't the same thing at all? We don't describe ourselves as Polish, we don't have Polish citizenship, we're only residents of Poland, nothing more. Compared to -


Those people are claiming to actually be Polish - or worse still, are Polish and have sworn allegiance to a foreign nation. It's not the same thing as being resident in a foreign country at all.


No, because you can't compare British residents in Poland (who describe themselves as British) with American citizens who declare themselves to be Polish. It really isn't the same thing.

Perhaps it would be better to ask Brits who have Polish citizenship, but they're probably few and far between. I've met with one Polish citizenship, a few with permanent residence, a bit more with temporary EU residence rights and quite a lot with no residency at all.

News / Victory in 'anti-Polish camps' campaign in US [170]


No? So they didn't have Polish passports/citizenship, then?

Holocaust denial is one thing, but citizenship denial is a whole new breed of stupidity!

"Jewish Pole" simply refers to a Jewish citizen of Poland. Exactly the same as "British Muslim" and so on.

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


Three million? Source?


Perhaps, ask yourself why many Catholics in Poland oppose Radio Maryja.

History / Poland, Lacking External Enemies, Turns on Itself [106]


In theory, all Poland has to do is not meet the convergence criteria, thus they won't be eligible for ERM2 membership, which is a pre-requsite for Euro membership.

But in practice, the EU has made it clear that staying outside the Euro isn't an option in the long term - the accession agreements clearly stated that the new countries had to join the Euro. But - I don't think there's any appetite for enforcing this. Estonia is due to join on the 1st of January, but Poland will be much harder to swallow economically.


Shame that most of it is factually incorrect. Even the article admits that it's using supposition to assume that one of the debtors of Kaupthing was Jewish.

Law / How long is the waiting period after applying for Polish citizenship via marriage? [29]


3 and a half years minimum. More in reality.

News / Polish Foreign Ministry 'prepared' for new Wikileaks material [100]


That sounds exactly like a line from the Revolutionary's Guide to Communism.

I cannot see any reason for any of the material released so far to be kept from the public. It's embarrassing, but none of it is particularly interesting. How much have you actually read? My suspicion is nothing.


Incidentally, if you knew anything - you'd know that he is a journalist, not a hacker.

Still, I find it hilarious that a Pole is supporting the suppression of information by the Government. Then again, what can be expected from someone who ran away from Poland?

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


Please, don't claim that RM and TV Trwam are "Catholic". They couldn't be further from it, unless you think that Rydzyk's pursuit of personal wealth is "Catholic".

News / Polish Foreign Ministry 'prepared' for new Wikileaks material [100]


Evil is subjective.

I'll say it again - it is remarkably hilarious to watch a Pole defend the right of a government to keep information from the masses.

News / Victory in 'anti-Polish camps' campaign in US [170]

And this is dreadful :(

But thankfully, the educated youth has no problems with either ethnicity. Really, I wouldn't say "a lot", but more a "vocal minority". And thankfully, they are a minority!