News / THE ARMY OF POLAND - THE REALITY [493]


I think we shouldn't talk about the vast amounts of American experts employed in Poland working on these things.

I've met a few - great guys, very open and interested in Poland - but they're still on hideously huge salaries to be here. I met one guy a long time ago who rented a flat valued at 10,000zl a month and felt it was "cheap". All of them are ex-military guys too - really is an example of "jobs for the boys".

News / THE ARMY OF POLAND - THE REALITY [493]


Is this good or bad for such an aircraft?

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2986]


I'm not sure how you can call anyone "nasty" when you're openly advocating the drowning of someone.


In Poland, anyone who has money can get an abortion in a proper environment. It's hardly a big secret that many abortions are going on - as long as you've got the money, you can find someone professional who will do it without needing to resort to basements, attics and back alleys.

Anyway, again - I'm with the attitude that it's a decision for women to make.

UK, Ireland / Advantages of living in Poland as opposed to the UK. [126]


That's just not true at all. In fact - not being able to send your kid to a summer camp is seen as a sign of poverty in Poland, whereas sending your kid to a summer camp in the UK is a sign of wealth.

What's odd to me is why people pay ridiculous amounts to go to the seaside in Poland when you go somewhere much warmer for the same price...

Life / Polands new immigrants from the West. [36]


Interesting question. I know that there's some resentment towards Ukrainian/Belarusian workers who do the job cheaper and better (sound familiar...?), but nothing in terms of nationwide resentment.

Could change very quickly if the Spanish start taking jobs away from young graduates.

Life / Polands new immigrants from the West. [36]


All around us. Don't forget that the unemployment figure also includes the numerous amount of people who are "unemployed" in order to get healthcare paid - they then happily work on the black market full time and don't pay taxes. Then again, you'd actually have to live here to understand this.


A good thing? You might like it over in North America, but we don't want a return to the bad old days of having to carry many different currencies in our pockets, the days of waiting for hours/days at the border and so on. As a North American, you haven't got a clue how the EU changed people's lives for the better.


What? Again - more nonsense PiS talk from a poorly-educated North American. If you knew anything about how Poland negotiated to join the EU - let's just say that Poland isn't afraid to make demands and get what she wants. All this claim about "obedient vassal" is just ignorance.

Life / Polands new immigrants from the West. [36]


Now - let's be fair - it's also seen as a good place to get laid. As WB says - even if you earn buttons (comparatively) - if you get girls and have enough money to live, it's a hell of a better place to live than being unemployed in Spain.

History / Battle of Vienna - history movie about Poland / Commemoration [36]


No surprise. The wave of garbage "patriotic" films at the minute is really depressing, especially considering the amount of talent that Poland has produced throughout the years. Surely they can do better than this?


Ugh. Needless.

Life / Polands new immigrants from the West. [36]


I think it could cause significant tension, actually. Most of the jobs talked about (technical support, etc) require two foreign languages - so a Spanish guy who speaks English will start taking jobs away from young Polish graduates - and thus tempers will rise. Graduate unemployment is enough of a problem as it is in Poland - we really don't need the Spanish starting to turn up too. I'm already noticing that in Poznan, you can easily get a native speaker of Spanish for cheaper than a Polish teacher - that's not a good sign at all.

And yes, they're definitely coming. I've already met several who had no work here and who were hoping to find "something".


Depends. A wave of emigration from the Spanish who want to work, especially in jobs where Polish isn't needed (technical support, call centres) could really hurt. I know already that Poland is...shall we say fertile grounds for Spanish men who want a "chica".


Don't need to - they're already here. Saw one handing out leaflets the other day, which was...odd.

Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [200]

Why? It's actually more accurate - Poles are ethnically Poles, whereas Polish people are not necessarily ethnic Poles.

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


Except that some of us have been educated here (I could introduce you to several graduates, if you wish?), some of us do speak Polish (if I couldn't, why did I just vote in a local referendum today?) and some of us take the time to actually learn about Poland.

Either way, we know a hell of a lot more than some guys who are of 3rd/4th generation and who think they know the truth because they read some crap newspaper written by politically biased people.

Life / Polish cartoons for kids [43]

Such petty nationalism is common in Europe, isn't it?

It's why I think there should be a European court dedicated to cross border disputes rather than relying on national legal systems to make fair judgements. The French are notoriously bad for it.

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


I'm not convinced that it was so low - I've never seen any reliable figures on the matter, but there was a degree of support from the lower classes of society who were promised much more than they had. If I was guessing - I'd estimate somewhere less than a million, but more than half a million.

Life / Polish cartoons for kids [43]


Perfectly, thank you :)

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


Let's face it, you probably won't. You'll have got your education in the UK, you'll have grown up there - Poland will be a foreign place to you, especially as you'll have no idea how things actually work here from an adult perspective.


Depends what you do. IT guys are in huge demand at the moment, as are people who can use (properly) at least two foreign languages.

Life / Polish cartoons for kids [43]


Can you explain more for us who have no idea about the case?

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


Sorry, but Poland is a free country. If someone loved Poland, they'd stay here - hence why several non-Poles on this forum stay here.


If you want to care for them, you'd pay taxation in Poland and help us deal with the rampant social problems. Poland's rate of volunteering is the worst in the EU - why not come here and help change that for us?

Wielki Polak on here already offered - and he has my utmost respect for doing so. But he's the only one that ever took me up on my offer of sorting out a volunteer placement here.


Of course we would - anyone claiming to love Poland and yet hiding in the UK from a war would be nothing but a lying bastard.

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


Some Poles might have chosen it, but the majority certainly didn't. If they chose it willingly, then why was the 3xTAK referendum rigged so badly?


Indeed. I've seen an excellent series of photos from Poznan during Communism, and the city is quite unrecognisable now.

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


In fact - it would seem that they are dramatically out of touch with even their own people, as from what I've read - the US Polonia tends to vote Democrat.

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


Worth pointing out that even in the USA, the Polonia weren't united -some areas of New York, Washington, California and some other places all voted for PO. It was only the massive vote in one or two areas of Chicago that tipped it firmly in the favour of PiS. So - trying to claim that the US Polonia 'know best' because they voted PiS is nonsense.

Don't forget that many working class people vote PO too.

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


The problem is that people are still fighting this war in their heads when the war is over.

Same problem in Poland, of course.

History / Poland's undying debt to Polonia [76]


This arrogance makes me sick. Trying to say that people actually living real life in Poland are "misguided" while living thousands of miles away is - well - arrogant to say the least.

Why say this stuff, Polonius? The voting figures clearly show that PiS only won in the US and Canada - in every other single place in the world, they lost. What makes them better than the Polonia in the UK, for instance?


Again - why should Poland feel thankful for this? America (of which the US Polonia are a part) betrayed Poland in WW2 - all the cash in the world can't make up for the fact that this betrayal happened.

Love / Sexually liberal ----- Is this a fact or myth for Polish women living in Poland? [61]

Indeed, when was the last time anyone ran into British strippers abroad?

Amusing that he spent so much time in the strip clubs to be able to ascertain their nationality ;)

Work / How much to pay a housekeeper in Warsaw? [23]

If you went up to 200PLN, that would be fair and decent, I think?

20PLN an hour is what I know some people are paying in Poznan for someone decent and reliable.

News / The Political Circus of Poland [306]

He didn't have much choice really - Lepper was corrupt to the bone, but he also knew that he could bring down Jaroslaw Kaczynski if he switched his allegiances to the opposition. If Kaczynski had upset Lepper one more time, then Lepper may very well have proposed a constructive vote of no confidence against him. They were certainly no friends!

The failure of the minority (non-Lepper/Giertych) government was everything to do with PiS not being able to build parliamentary consensus. Minority governments can work, after all.

Law / Poland economy is slowing down - how does it affect you? [117]


Doesn't surprise me in the slightest - graduate unemployment from the numerous private universities is awful. People keep telling me that they're getting presented with papers and no skills - a consequence of the "education for all" policy.

Law / Poland economy is slowing down - how does it affect you? [117]


No, nothing at all, apart from the fact that without much of them, the country wouldn't be ticking at all. Then again, who was it that didn't have a bank account and ridiculed others for shopping in certain shops? Ah, that would be Jaroslaw Kaczynski - a man who is the definition of out of touch.


I think we proved a long time ago that you're the one who hasn't got a clue about what's going on in Poland. 12% unemployment means nothing - how many of them are actually working on the rather large Polish black market?


There's plenty of work there for people if they want it. Someone from Gorzow can easily commute to Szczecin these days.

Your view of Poland as being some sort of oppressed state where only Jaroslaw Kaczynski can lead Poland to salvation (well, Communism) is cartoonish here.

News / The Political Circus of Poland [306]


Care to provide evidence for that claim?

Law / Poland economy is slowing down - how does it affect you? [117]

Not really - the worst that it ever got in the III RP was 20% - from around 2002 to the start of 2004 when the SLD really stopped funding the loss making state owned businesses. At least in Western Poland, there's still plenty of jobs available if you just want to work. But again - even if it was 20%, it wouldn't matter - Poland doesn't have a 'welfare state' and is based upon household rather than personal income.

Curiously, I met a Spanish guy handing out leaflets in Poznan - that was very very very strange.

News / The Political Circus of Poland [306]

No, it wouldn't be like saying that at all.

It's hardly a "minor point" - either you're clinging to a modern invention, or you're clinging to a Communist invention. Which is it?

(by the way - again - what was that about not interfering in Polish politics?)