Language / What do you like in Polish language? [70]

I know this only as an English word "bazooka" (military usage). I don't think I have ever heard it used in Poland. But maybe locally it does have a meaning?

Travel / How much to you tip in Poland for Restuarants? [7]

Poles may be cheap but American rate is insane!!! Check with other countries in Europe and find out who else is cheap :-)

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

Best tourist attraction in town... Can't remember last time I had visited Krakowskie Przedm. so often before this happened. Let's have another facebook gathering to mock and cheer the fanatics!!! :-)

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

Nothing is wrong with IMF. And PL only has a stand-by line which has not been drawn, but gives us stability. Thank God we have qualified Belka in Central Bank now as opposed to ignorant unqualified predecessor.

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

Skrzypek??? An incapable banker, the laugh of business community? No need to talk about him anymore.... If you equate Tusk and Kommie then certainly Kaczynskis and their bunch are pure bred Nazis....

Law / Used Vehicle Bought in Poland - Registration Question [15]

Just remember, that "darowizna" is separately taxed in most cases.

Travel / How much is a cab: Warsaw airport to the bus station? [27]

Some rules for you:

1. Do not ever discuss with guys inside the airport terminal who offer their taxi services. Ignore them and walk outside the building.
2. Wait in line outside, on the curb, for a licensed metered taxi (only 3 companies currently, I think, but they come quickly and frequently)
3. Give directions, ask for a receipt - in advance, by law they have to give it to you.
4. Rates vary, as others here had indicated, I have seen no higher than 2,80PLN/km. Typically 2,20 - 2,40.
5. Weekends, national holidays and night (after 10pm) rates are roughly 50% higher
6. Starting rate is usually 6PLN.

Good luck

News / Heavy storm / tornados cause chaos and flooding in Poland [23]

Much ado about nothing. Yes it was a very heavy downpour. By 10pm it was nice and pleasant again. Barely any trace of water in the morning. Sun shining all day today. Greetings from WAW

Travel / Any PRACTICAL advice for a new visitor to Warsaw? [29]

Try Przekąski/Zakąski first for stand up polish style snacks and booze - across from Bristol Hotel.... or if you do not like that, go to Hoover Sq for a meal/drinks - nearby... then watch the crowd in front of the presidential palace and "defend" the cross :-). After that go to Nowy Wspaniały Świat for yet another drink and good music. Last but not least carry on to Foksal St. to visit Meta Seta Galareta.... imbibe there and try a good beef tartare, or śledź or beef strogonoff.... and some more. Enjoy!!! :-)

Genealogy / Is Wajman or Wayman a Polish name? [15]

The surname sounds german but it could be jewish just as well. Just a thought...

Language / na co dzien v. na codzien [3]

True, it should be written separately. However in the past (before the 70-ies or so) it was not a norm and you can find many instances of such usage in older texts. My guess is that once it had been written as compound word because the (in pronunciation) stress falls on "co", making this syllable quasi-penultimate. Cnf. "co rok" where the accent falls on "rok".

News / New cross war in Warsaw [530]

It's appalling that the State allows such anarchy in front of presidential palace. If they did not know how to remove those cross fanatics, then why did they even plan for the cross removal today!

Life / POLISH FLAG DAYS...when are they...? [30]

It could be because of anniversary of Warsaw Uprising, which falls today!. BTW, I never thought hoisting/displaying a national flag was ever illegal. A lot of people think, however, that doing so should only take place on special occasions, like this one.

History / Give back Lwow to Poland and Kaliningrad to Germany - is it possible? [198]

This discussion is so stupid. Lwow is now Ukrainian and it will stay that way. I guess all I would like from current owners of the city is for them to spruce up the city and to try to expose polish traces and history of the city. That way they will have thousands of polish visitors flocking to spend their money there :-). Just like it is in Vilnius now (albeit, Lithuanians are quite good at playing down polish influence there)

History / Endecja - State Sponsored Anti Semitism 1935 - 1939. [138]

BB: Just that for now

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosef_Yitzchok_Schneersohn

An interesting life... indeed. I remember reading more about his impressions, but that was so long ago... would have to google on end.

History / Endecja - State Sponsored Anti Semitism 1935 - 1939. [138]

No denying of facts here. Just stating them. AS was alive and well in pre-war Poland but it wasn't state sponsored, had its roots elsewhere. Now, if you ever manage to find Rabbi Schneerson report of visiting New York in the 30ties and compare it to Jewish life in Poland, you will be surprised at what he concluded.

History / Endecja - State Sponsored Anti Semitism 1935 - 1939. [138]

BB, you are right to say that ND was popular in Poznańskie and Pomorskie voievodships, if only because ND claimed that Germany was Poland's bigger foe. The majority of population of Poland's other areas thought that Russia was it's biggest enemy at that time. Also, Poznańskie and Pomorskie had minuscule proportion of Jews at the time. The Jews mostly lived in the center, east and south/east of the country. It's hardly likely that the population of Poznanskie or Pomorskie could have been antisemitic as they hardly knew any Jews and did not compete with them. And let me add once again: ND, to my knowledge never ruled the country in the 30'ies, I think they may have been for a short time part of some coalition government in the 20'ies.

Genealogy / Krupski name [36]

If you see Junkiewicz (or perhaps another version) then I'd say it is a name of the village. Junkiewicze would be a typical name ending for that region of Poland. Now, Wilejka would be something like a county and Wilno the capital of the then Gubernia (under Russian rule, this corresponded to something like our voievodship). That's my guess as to why you have names of three localities. The resolution of the document is just not too good to read online. Alas!!!

And a few minutes later.......

By the way: Is this your website? krupinsky.com/index.php

The name of the village most likely would be Juncewicze, and as google earth shows it is in the vicinity of Wilejka :-)

History / Endecja - State Sponsored Anti Semitism 1935 - 1939. [138]

to MG: Admit the fact... Endecja never exactly ruled! Blame others then! I am hardly their supporter of ND (historically speaking) but let's get the facts straight. End of the 30'ies may not have been perfect in PL but it wasn't all totally bad for any nation in the country. Jews, Ukrainians, Belorussians and Poles faced much worse fate in years to come.

History / Endecja - State Sponsored Anti Semitism 1935 - 1939. [138]

guzzler: a government in exile? please...

Yiddish is 90 german, however archaic, the rest is slavic or hebrew.

History / Endecja - State Sponsored Anti Semitism 1935 - 1939. [138]

Borrka is right. Endecja never ruled in pre-war Poland.

Language / Grammar questions... małe/mało [3]

2 and 3 you got right indeed

But no.1: mało (here) is and adverb, methinks

You are right that "Są" would be more logical but, alas, it's one of those expressions which defy logic, you just have to learn and memorize. So, for example

Jest dużo śniegu = There is a a lot of snow
Jest jeszcze dużo biletów = There are still a lot of tickets (to be sold)

On a flip side.... I remember being confused (a long time ago) by "there is/are" Tam jest/są? :-)

Having said that, you seem to make fine progress anyway. Good luck!

Genealogy / Krupski name [36]

Indeed not too clear. But have managed to decipher: Wilejka, Wilno, Poland/Russia

There is a town/villiage name in front of that starting with J. Can't read it though. Wilejka is now in Belarus, while before WWII it was part of Poland. Check this out too:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vileyka

Language / How similar are Polish and Romanian languages? [75]

I love Romania.... so unspoiled and wild in many ways.... :-). I remember 2 years ago me and my friend were shocked to see how interesting Romania was compared to boring and totally orderly Hungary :-). Romania will be a hit... give it a few years and a few bln $$$ :-)

News / Poles and rest of us needs strong Poland [49]

Since Crow called me an "idiot" a while back then I think I am entitled to write here that he might be insane.. :-) Dear Crow should be thinking and writing about Croatia (same language....) Bosnia and Macedonia, maybe even about Slovenia.... Poland is just too far away from him and is doing just fine... thanks to German, Norwegian, Dutch etc, etc, money. Locally, we love EU in general... that's why we voted right on 4th of July :-)

Language / How similar are Polish and Romanian languages? [75]

It is possible you could notice some similarities, because the romanian language had been influenced by surrounding slavic languages over many centuries. For example the romanian word "razboi" means "war", whereas in polish the word "rozbój" means "robbery". There are quite a few words of slavic origin in romanian, however by and large it remains quite unintelligible for Poles (probably other Slavs too) as it is a romance language.

Life / What are the things which cause culture shock in Poland? [164]

to plk123: It happened definitely under Gierek.... it was in summer of 1980. He was overthrown a bit later that same year.

Life / What are the things which cause culture shock in Poland? [164]

I think "wał" would be the alternative name to call this gesture. One would make the gesture while saying at the same time: wała!!! (i.e., roughly: stay away from me!) I think all he meant was: "fcuk you!" The "gest Kozakiewicza" came into use during 1980 Olympics in Moscow, when the overwhelmingly Russian spectators booed Kozakiewicz and that's how he reacted to them. It was televised live: all Poland was so proud of him :-)

History / Polish-Turkish alliance. Is it mistake, joke or real love? [35]

why not? maybe us and Turks would like to have a common border once again? :-)

Life / As EuroPride visits Warsaw - is it the start of overdue social change in Poland? (homosexuality promotion) [144]

Live and let live!!!