UK, Ireland / I worry about the Poles working in the UK [77]

The UK is 'officially' composed of 4 countries, milky. Whether you or I agree or disagree with that is neither here nor there.

True to a point as there are winners and losers in all battles.

UK, Ireland / I worry about the Poles working in the UK [77]

What do you mean, milky? Are you saying nomore, being from NI, is not a part of the UK? Whether he should or should not be is a different question but he is affected by Polish immigration and that's the point. Life is competitive and no more so than these times. We have to accept realities where too many are overpaid by a huge amount and others, well, they just need work.

UK, Ireland / I worry about the Poles working in the UK [77]

I agree with that. My wife told me of countless cases where Poles were able to wheedle extra benefits to Poland. That's hardly fair play but it again shows the weakness of the system in not clamping down on such things.

UK, Ireland / I worry about the Poles working in the UK [77]

Nomore, the one thing you have to learn is how to put yourself places. There is no use in fighting the system tooth and nail forever more. As my mum wisely told me when I ran into a brick wall when job hunting in Scotland, 'do what you've always done and you'll get what you've always got'. The Poles will get the nod ahead of the locals due to the control that employers have over them and you have to work round that. It's not easy, I know, but use your resourcefulness and linguistic skills to your advantage. If you know who you are then you should know where you should be. The Poles are rugged and will dig their heels in so don't expect a mass exodus anytime soon. My friend in the UK whom I worked with in Japan is also struggling yet he landed a plum job in OZ after leaving Nihon. Much depends on your location and willingness to uproot yourself. I've had to up sticks before and thereafter roll with the punches. Work with what you have and leave the Poles to their own devices.

UK, Ireland / I worry about the Poles working in the UK [77]

I was thinking the same, Darren. Trust me, foreigners won't be the first to go given the generally positive effect they had on the economy. Provided the exchange rate remains favourable, they can live on a shoestring and send money home. Brits usually take the brunt of the cuts and not only in proportional terms.

News / POLISH CHILD ABUSING A CAT.. [74]

Yeah, it puts it into perspective. There is no adjective strong enough in English for me to express how I feel about that. Appalling/disgusting come up short!

News / POLISH CHILD ABUSING A CAT.. [74]

It was horrible but the Chinese do much worse. There is a thread on it here but it's depressing. Wildie, when your leg got tired, I'd join in and keep kicking him up in the air. I saw it on the news about an hour ago and it drove me mad. Forgive the pun but it's a pet hate of mine. I'd probably break his nose for good measure.

Oh, I must congratulate the response of the authorities. The Poles, to their strong credit, are generally good with animals and treat them with respect. They are God's creatures just like us.

Life / Gypies/Indian-looking women with kids beg for money in Poland [143]

They do that too in Zabrze more. They enter your place under false premises and swindle you. It happened to my wife's gran. In one district, you will likely be approached in the street.

Travel / Train from Katowice to Prague (timetable?) [9]

Good advice given here. Susie, I don't want to paint a bad picture but, as sobieski said, the platform choice is never easy. I used to work in Katowice and it should have been the simplest thing in the world to get to Gliwice but it wasn't. It's always worth asking sb to check if you are catching the right train but target a young person. The old people might just reply with a grunt. Katowice, one of the worst stations in Europe for a big city. Nice zapiekanki outside :)

Travel / Whats the cheapest way to get around Poland... train or bus? [25]

Or you can sit on top of the bus for free. The train too, African style :)

Travel / Whats the cheapest way to get around Poland... train or bus? [25]

Bus...

Travel / Can I travel from Poland to France by coach? [7]

Only 3-wheeled vehicles cover that route

Life / Gypies/Indian-looking women with kids beg for money in Poland [143]

I haven't counted them, Crow ;) Many in some places, not so many in others.

A little more MC would be fine in terms of bringing more options but I also like that Poland is one country which is relatively homogeneous. More variety in teaching would be nice as less Polish would be used in class.

News / Ruski a slur like Pollack? [53]

Żyd itself is not so offensive but is with the right intonation.

Ruski is just an easy slang word for me :)

News / Y Shaped high speed rail line Poland [78]

PennBoy, that really comes as a surprise to me but I think that the books will have been done. Money comes up from funny sources sometimes. The very fact that the EU has helped out in a number of other areas will have freed up some capital with which to finance it. It is really a marked improvement and it really encourages people to take advantage of their upward mobility options. I loved eating a bento (boxed lunch) in the hikari or nozomi shinkansen. Namagusai dakedo....(strong fish smell but....)

News / Y Shaped high speed rail line Poland [78]

The TGV is even faster than the nozomi shinkansen, I believe. You'd soon find Poles complaining about the speed ;) ;)

News / Y Shaped high speed rail line Poland [78]

Nah, PKP still have further irritating of passengers to do ;)

Poland will simply not be able to afford such an ambitious project. I've rode the nozomi bullet train (shinkansen) in Japan and I just can't imagine them here in Poland. Not in industrial Silesia anyway.

Still, good to see that Poland is looking to take a leap forward (though too large, I fear).

History / Former American President Adams in Poland. [54]

President Adams? Never heard of him. Gerry Adams of Sinn Fein maybe. Nothing about his visit here either.

News / Can Russia be a good partner for Poland? [42]

Needless to say, the pendulum can swing through American intervention alone. Kowtowing in the name of cordial relations is only going to anger Russia. America has once again got involved in the spying case in Russia and Poland has done well to stay out of it. Tusk cannot fire too many arrows at Putin and that increases the chances of future partnership.

Language / How to use time in Polish language? [20]

Well, quite ;)

News / Can Russia be a good partner for Poland? [42]

I don't think that Tusk would react to egg yolk like John Prescott did ;) ;)

We have to take the recent response of Tusk as significant. He said that the Russians produced insufficient evidence from the Smoleńsk inquiry. That strikes me as strange given that Rzepa and Szeremet were happy with the level of cooperation. The will for cooperation could be there in the future but suspicion is rife and there needs to be some dropping of the guard.

Language / How to use time in Polish language? [20]

Ah, podziękowałem matce? ;)

News / Can Russia be a good partner for Poland? [42]

I think that about sums it up. It's so hard to build and consolidate when business is concerned. Just look at how business wormed its way into climate change concerns. Around the time of the Single European Act (1987), the buzzwords were 'sustainable development'. There was an awareness that they should pursue that but hawks in business soon sought to profit and what appeared to be a noble approach soon changed. The Russian govt is devious and wouldn't place themselves on an even footing. A level playing field doesn't hold much weight for them and many Russians will tell you the same.

News / Can Russia be a good partner for Poland? [42]

I think Putin sees a weak PM and President in Tusk and Kommie. They would acquiesce to his demands and you wouldn't see a partnership anything like the same as partnerships in the eyes of the law (business partnerships). International partnerships are fraught with pitfalls.

Language / To wear: nosić, nieść, ponieść? [10]

Oh, don't forget about ubierać (się), róża

History / Lwów, Wilno ... kresy - Poland have lost enormoust part of our heritage... [389]

The toilet doesn't speak to me, you do ;)

I see the anthem didn't do it for you ;)

I'll read up on some stuff you recommended.

Isthatu2 joining in with some truth :) :)

History / Lwów, Wilno ... kresy - Poland have lost enormoust part of our heritage... [389]

They don't seem to excel in that they don't figure amongst the most prominent figures but we all know that there are hidden gems. It's subjective anyway. Many Poles don't like Mickiewicz for being dry but he has a statue here in this city.

It's just my impression so forgive my ignorance. Sok declares things, posits and debates. Me? I just have mental pictures of Ukraine but as I said, I have virtually no contact with anything Ukrainian.

I meant no offence at all. I really do believe in Bob Dylan's comment 'Don't criticise what you can't understand'. Here, peace,

youtube.com/watch?v=gwAoJ88Kg5I

History / Lwów, Wilno ... kresy - Poland have lost enormoust part of our heritage... [389]

Good to see that you know my intentions better than I do, Nate ;) ;)

I'd never heard of them at all. Please don't hold it against me :)

Life / Gypies/Indian-looking women with kids beg for money in Poland [143]

Oh, me too, wildie! I try not to get too riled as they are kids but patience has limits.

History / Lwów, Wilno ... kresy - Poland have lost enormoust part of our heritage... [389]

I was working towards my LLM, Nate. I got it comfortably too :)

Lem was Polish so he didn't use cyrillic alphabet. I meant those Ukrainian writers.

You clearly misread my words ;)