Life / What do decent Poles think about true rightists ? [148]

Who is more leftist than PiS ?

Handouts for kids and pensioners, anti business with taxes on banks and retailers to pay for that, in hock to the trade unions and keen on nationalization.

Travel / Buying cigarettes in Modlin Airport in Poland [14]

That was at chopin - cant renember anout the price as i didnt buy anything - was just ttying to take 200 Marlboro to a buddy

Travel / Buying cigarettes in Modlin Airport in Poland [14]

You need to ask people who are doing this on industrial scale but what i do know is that there is a shortage of popular brands in airport shops at the moment - last week no Marlboro, camel or B&h when I travelled (not a single carton !)

Maybe a bit of panic buying before Brexit

Life / Worst aspects of living in Poland? [82]

If we are talking about specific Polish ways of acting then one of the most frustrating is when they give notice at work - whatever is in their contract they will do the following

Come to your office and tell you face to face, followed by a normally pleasant reply from me wishing them luck and understanding their need to move on, emigrate or whatever.

The next day you get a doctors note covering their whole notice period and you never see or hear from them again.

This happens whatever your relationship with the employee - can be someone you have trusted and encouraged, not just random chancers.

I am thinking about it because some guy who did this a few years back just asked me for a reference and was surprised when I said no, even claimed I am legally bound to give him one !

Life / Want help! Need to buy English novels but can't seem to find any good ones [8]

Autorska in the basement of Zlote Tarasy - a small selection but ok
British council shop on Jerozolimskie, between Polonia Palace and Marriott

Prus bookshop on Krakowskie Przedmiescie - number 7. They have lots of non fiction and a good but rather high brow selection of novels. Also have online but I haven't had anything delivered so don't know if it's good.

Life / Would Poles prefer US or UK medical care? [112]

Because most people who have used that system know that it has huge benefits coupled with some things they disagree with. As someone who claims to have a Cornell standard brain surely you can see that nuance.

Or maybe you use that high IQ and tell us in a few sentences why the US system is better given that it

A) has falling life expectancy - unique among developed nations
B) people are more ill during their lifetimes than in Europe
c) Americans spend more on healthcare than Europeans do

We live in democracies and if any European governments said they were going to scrap socialized medicine and go down the US route then nobody would vote for that

Life / Worst aspects of living in Poland? [82]

Does my head in - most of my neighbors have dogs which bark incessantly. None of them get proper exercise which is one reason they are so noisy

Life / Would Poles prefer US or UK medical care? [112]

I was answering Dirks question which was at least half sensible.

How many am I prepared to support it's my own cash ? This is a democracy, and things work a bit different here than in Russia. So we pay tax and it goes into a big pot, and then we elect a govt and they spend that pot, including some as they see fit on immigrants, I don't build sidewalks or equip missile warheads or teach medical students with my own money either.

Most healthcare systems in Europe are contributory and not everyone gets the same as they put in - some get more, some get less but the idea is a safety net when you need it. Maybe some of those legless veterans from the Afghan war that you sometimes trip over at the tram stop would appreciate such a system.

Life / Would Poles prefer US or UK medical care? [112]

Yes I would accept that. When my parents arrived as immigrants they were treated very well and my mother was cared for by the British NHS when seriously ill and through my own difficult childbirth. Karma always comes around.

What is your next question ? I expect when you talk about immigrants you are really talking about brown people ?

Life / Would Poles prefer US or UK medical care? [112]

This thread has gone several pages being about healthcare - for you as always it's a question about kebabs.

Life / Would Poles prefer US or UK medical care? [112]

Many European countries have healthcare for all, pay their doctors well and have higher life expectancy yet lower levels of public debt than the US.

Russia sadly is not one of those countries.

Life / Would Poles prefer US or UK medical care? [112]

Who told you I was paranoid ?

Life / Would Poles prefer US or UK medical care? [112]

If you genuinely had grandchildren then you could answer the question yourself by thinking "what would be the limit if it were my grandson ?" Every family has someone with some kind of addiction - booze, drugs, gambling

But sitting in a basement being paid to abuse people gives you a very low level of empathy and little contact with your fellow man. Unless of course you count the tram conductor who has to shake you awake every morning.

History / Why is Poland weaker than Russia? [390]

He wont be blinded by their lies Milo - RT are just a short walk down the corridor from his desk and it his dream to get promoted there ( admittedly RT have much nicer offices with a new coffee machine and a genuine Korean microwave)

History / Why is Poland weaker than Russia? [390]

We are not talking about America - a place you never set foot in. We are talking about dictatorship Russia

History / Why is Poland weaker than Russia? [390]

The second military power in te world yet unable to defeat medieval tribesmen in Afghanistan or drunk guerillas in Chechnya.

As for rape the Soviets did plenty in 1945

News / Let us save Poland. Suggestions [40]

Russia in the early 90s would be a perfect example

News / Poland's young voters turning to the right - DW news [105]

But Poland and the V4 just had the most successful 30 year growth period in their history. What do you want to build in this Intermarium ? Giant skoda cannons and miniature tanks ?

Love / Catfished by Polish guy, now flying from London to Poland tomorrow and need to know where I can get support [5]

Sounds like you are having a tough time. The best thing to do is to have a short holiday in Rzeszow and then fly home - its a nice town but not much to do and you will find it difficult there on your own.

If you want to stay there and you speak Polish there will probably be some work like in an outsource center or an office

Love / Catfished by Polish guy, now flying from London to Poland tomorrow and need to know where I can get support [5]

What country are yiou from ?

Travel / Impressions from Szczecin [8]

He he yes well it is a port city so they are probably open minded

Travel / Impressions from Szczecin [8]

Ah - lovely freedom, paint what you want and wear your hair how you want, get a tattoo if you want, march in a tight t shirt if you want - that is Poland in the 21st century

Travel / Impressions from Szczecin [8]

Maybe you can go there and load all the modern art into a dumpster then have an exhibition of degenerate art ?

Life / Question relating to currency equivalent in Poland (selling candies, sweets) [3]

I would say 2 zloty in Rzeszow - after tax your average guy in Rzeszow would need to work 10 minutes for that.

For 5 zloty there are quite a few other things you could buy. Yesterday i got 6 pots of candy floss and a bag of ugly looking sweets for 8 zloty for my kids.

Travel / Visiting the Polish Balitic Sea coast in the Winter [30]

Intermarium i found your post distasteful rather than a racist outrage - but maybe you can clarify why you should be made more welcone in Poland than a non white person ? To me its the same odds if a white guy from Germany or a black guy from Martinique turns up - both are EU citizens

News / Poland blocks any action on climate change [569]

? Over your head maybe :) strange because anyone who lived in the US for a long time would know that song

Forget about your worries and your strife

News / Poland blocks any action on climate change [569]

So why don't you, get yourself a beer and watch it with them - concentrate on the bear necessities instead of trolling. If I left my kids with their Dziadzia for an afternoon I would want him to spend one of his last weekends on earth socializing with them rather than crouched over a keyboard ranting about liberals.

News / Polish Independence Day March in Warsaw. Is it going to be the biggest march yet? [1530]

But in the West it was well known even straight after the war that the Soviets were responsible for Katyn - it was discussed at the time of Nuremberg and there was a congressional report on it in the early 50s. It was lied about in Poland because Poland was a dictatorship

Life / Poles against gay marriages. Really? [120]

That would be a good thing Maf - I am sure that it is much better for those guys to be comfortable that they will not get abuse and stigma, they can get on with their lives just like every other Pole. I would say the same is evident in professional life - I know in a corporate or professional setting there is no issue with being out any more.

Life / Poles against gay marriages. Really? [120]

Indeed - as a pension aged Polish citizen Rich should have received a handy booklet telling him that married benefits for people who outlive their spouse are basically nic, and work benefits for people who outlive their spouse are also basically nic.

Anyhow he is probably on the tram home by now with only another 12 stops berfore he gets to Heroes of the Baltic Fleet housing estate.