mafketis
9 Mar 2021
Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]
Rat catcher?
Bird massager!
A knocker up?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knocker-up
Rat catcher?
Bird massager!
A knocker up?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knocker-up
mafketis
9 Mar 2021
Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]
Chimney sweep (kominiarz)?
I remember thinking it was cool the first time I saw them back in the early 90s on bicycles with the hats and wires....
His profession is very rare these days.
Chimney sweep (kominiarz)?
I remember thinking it was cool the first time I saw them back in the early 90s on bicycles with the hats and wires....
mafketis
8 Mar 2021
Love / She's muslim and I am christian, will it ever work? Has anyone had similar experiences [63]
Assuming this is real... what is her cultural background.
Islam has a rule that muslim women can't marry non-muslim men.
Some from more secular societies turn a blind eye and I've known of successful female muslim male non-muslim couples accepted by the womens' families.
But around the Arabian peninsula and Pakistan seem to be the most xenophobic in that regard (though any Arab country is liable to harbor that type of bigoted thinking to some degree).
And this is no trivial issue (like a Christian-Jewish couple) as some percentage of muslims will seek to use violence to enforce the rule...
Tread very carefully for both your sakes...
Assuming this is real... what is her cultural background.
Islam has a rule that muslim women can't marry non-muslim men.
Some from more secular societies turn a blind eye and I've known of successful female muslim male non-muslim couples accepted by the womens' families.
But around the Arabian peninsula and Pakistan seem to be the most xenophobic in that regard (though any Arab country is liable to harbor that type of bigoted thinking to some degree).
And this is no trivial issue (like a Christian-Jewish couple) as some percentage of muslims will seek to use violence to enforce the rule...
Tread very carefully for both your sakes...
mafketis
8 Mar 2021
Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]
And they want to apply those in Poland after they graduate?
having made it from a grindingly poor society to a higher income country are young people with a lot of ambition, intelligence and ability.
And they want to apply those in Poland after they graduate?
mafketis
8 Mar 2021
Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]
This is what I mean when I say economic migration (not the same as immigration) is not necessarily good for the receiving country. A sub-population with no connection to (and not desiring any connection) to the country and unable (unwilling?) to function in the local language is not going to pay for itself socially.
A rich country like the UK can afford to bring in modern coolie labor and let them ghettoize and outsource the economic problems to social institutions.... Poland? Not so much.
Ukrainians are a better bet since they can hit the ground running in terms of language (and to a lesser extent culture).
Latin Americans (who tend to be massive europhiles) would also be a good investment though Poland would be less of a draw then Germany (which many Latin Americans love in a way bordering on worship).
however they only need a few words of Polish at best
This is what I mean when I say economic migration (not the same as immigration) is not necessarily good for the receiving country. A sub-population with no connection to (and not desiring any connection) to the country and unable (unwilling?) to function in the local language is not going to pay for itself socially.
A rich country like the UK can afford to bring in modern coolie labor and let them ghettoize and outsource the economic problems to social institutions.... Poland? Not so much.
Ukrainians are a better bet since they can hit the ground running in terms of language (and to a lesser extent culture).
Latin Americans (who tend to be massive europhiles) would also be a good investment though Poland would be less of a draw then Germany (which many Latin Americans love in a way bordering on worship).
mafketis
6 Mar 2021
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1050]
To steady his nerves? That's the context I understood from the short passage (could be wrong of course). I don't think 20 year olds go for żołądkowa (another thought of mine...)
I like żubrówka but not sure if people drink it straight (again how I understood).
A man in his 20' would go for vodka,
To steady his nerves? That's the context I understood from the short passage (could be wrong of course). I don't think 20 year olds go for żołądkowa (another thought of mine...)
I like żubrówka but not sure if people drink it straight (again how I understood).
mafketis
6 Mar 2021
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1050]
szalona?
but in my experience not that common in Poland (I think of it as a Czech or Yugoslav, it might be more common in southern Poland...) but koniak... (nalewka would be good and very Polish but it's usually a lot weaker)
a dress would be doskonała
r 'crazy' girl,
szalona?
śliwowica is characteristically Eastern European
but in my experience not that common in Poland (I think of it as a Czech or Yugoslav, it might be more common in southern Poland...) but koniak... (nalewka would be good and very Polish but it's usually a lot weaker)
a dress would be doskonała
mafketis
6 Mar 2021
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1050]
Whatever you want.... agree, disagree, ignore.
Whatever you want.... agree, disagree, ignore.
mafketis
6 Mar 2021
Language / Short Polish<->English translations [1050]
some random notes (from a non-native speaker but with decades of living in Poland)
<zaciety> girl.
- zacięta (but not the best word... not sure which would be better0
He eyed her as he poured a hefty shot of the śliwowica,
-not the most common or characteristic drink, maybe brandy or koniak or
"Come to the table, Nastka." He tossed the words over his shoulder. "There are eggs and fruit. Also pączki. The little orange ones."
-what is Nastka an abbreviation of?
-pączki are basically jelly donuts... how are they orange?
"But she is policja?" Aneta insisted. "She would not hurt you?"
-policja is 'police force' so maybe 'from (the) policja'
-when is this set? what time period? after WWII until 1989-90 or so Poland had milicja instead of policja
6)
Klaudia clearly had a good eye. She clapped once as Stacia studied herself in the mirrors. "Doskonały!" she breathed.
"It is perfect," Stacia agreed. "We'll take it."
-what is doskonały? what's the item?
-what is Stacia an abbreviation of?
7)
He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. "It's not the killing that's hard, moja królowo, it's the living with it."
-to me it would sound better without 'moja', that kind of possessive pronoun is often omitted in Polish
9)
Lucjan gave him another once-over. "Fajnie." He turned to Squires. "Don't blame me if your man doesn't come back in one piece." Or at all.
-fajnie sounds a bit dated (which might be fine)
some random notes (from a non-native speaker but with decades of living in Poland)
<zaciety> girl.
- zacięta (but not the best word... not sure which would be better0
He eyed her as he poured a hefty shot of the śliwowica,
-not the most common or characteristic drink, maybe brandy or koniak or
"Come to the table, Nastka." He tossed the words over his shoulder. "There are eggs and fruit. Also pączki. The little orange ones."
-what is Nastka an abbreviation of?
-pączki are basically jelly donuts... how are they orange?
"But she is policja?" Aneta insisted. "She would not hurt you?"
-policja is 'police force' so maybe 'from (the) policja'
-when is this set? what time period? after WWII until 1989-90 or so Poland had milicja instead of policja
6)
Klaudia clearly had a good eye. She clapped once as Stacia studied herself in the mirrors. "Doskonały!" she breathed.
"It is perfect," Stacia agreed. "We'll take it."
-what is doskonały? what's the item?
-what is Stacia an abbreviation of?
7)
He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. "It's not the killing that's hard, moja królowo, it's the living with it."
-to me it would sound better without 'moja', that kind of possessive pronoun is often omitted in Polish
9)
Lucjan gave him another once-over. "Fajnie." He turned to Squires. "Don't blame me if your man doesn't come back in one piece." Or at all.
-fajnie sounds a bit dated (which might be fine)
mafketis
6 Mar 2021
Genealogy / Do you consider Gorals, Lemkos, and Silesians Poles? [77]
I think this person puts it best....
youtube.com/watch?v=RAA1xgTTw9w
Serbian ethnicity coming as even older meta-ethnicity to all of them
I think this person puts it best....
youtube.com/watch?v=RAA1xgTTw9w
mafketis
6 Mar 2021
Genealogy / Do you consider Gorals, Lemkos, and Silesians Poles? [77]
It's actually the other way around....
they say they're Turkish and Erdogan says their not.
It's actually the other way around....
mafketis
5 Mar 2021
Food / What do non-Poles think about eating the following Polish foods? [1450]
kotlety jajeczne? I seem to remember having those a time or two in stołówka (but back in the 1990s).
boiled eggs with bread crumbs
kotlety jajeczne? I seem to remember having those a time or two in stołówka (but back in the 1990s).
mafketis
28 Feb 2021
Work / Can I find a job in Poland that requires speaking in English? [82]
that is not a reversible state.... getting a job is tricky as you have to be hired first by a Polish company (unless you can qualify for permanent residence on the basis of your ancestry)
Lots of jobs in Polish require the ability to speak English but they also generally require the ability to speak Polish as well (even if not officially a monolingual English speaker in an otherwise bilingual Polish-English setting is kind of a fifth wheel and won't be popular).
Liking a country because you've traveled in it is very different form being able to thrive there long term and Poland isn't a user friendly kind of place - it can be a great place to live but only if you figure out how things work and are willing to leave behind lots of your preconceptions about how government and bureaucracy and co-workers and neighbors function...
we do not speak Polish
that is not a reversible state.... getting a job is tricky as you have to be hired first by a Polish company (unless you can qualify for permanent residence on the basis of your ancestry)
Lots of jobs in Polish require the ability to speak English but they also generally require the ability to speak Polish as well (even if not officially a monolingual English speaker in an otherwise bilingual Polish-English setting is kind of a fifth wheel and won't be popular).
Liking a country because you've traveled in it is very different form being able to thrive there long term and Poland isn't a user friendly kind of place - it can be a great place to live but only if you figure out how things work and are willing to leave behind lots of your preconceptions about how government and bureaucracy and co-workers and neighbors function...
mafketis
28 Feb 2021
mafketis
27 Feb 2021
Genealogy / Want to find a person [777]
My first guess is that he's a lowlife scammer and you're not going to be able to find him through the internet... It's easy to disappear in Poland (vis a vis foreigners) he's probably registered as living in one place but actually living somewhere else (probably with relatives) that's just the beginning.
He wouldn't be hard to find for someone on the ground who knows what they're doing so I'd suggest making inquiries with private detectives in the Chrzanów area... but then finding him is only the first step and getting your money back might end up being more than it's worth.
he used to work here in England he asked so many people for money and then ran away
My first guess is that he's a lowlife scammer and you're not going to be able to find him through the internet... It's easy to disappear in Poland (vis a vis foreigners) he's probably registered as living in one place but actually living somewhere else (probably with relatives) that's just the beginning.
He wouldn't be hard to find for someone on the ground who knows what they're doing so I'd suggest making inquiries with private detectives in the Chrzanów area... but then finding him is only the first step and getting your money back might end up being more than it's worth.
mafketis
24 Feb 2021
Life / Communion money in Poland [27]
500 tops and not one grosz more.... (maybe less) What does your partner say?
Another issue is that there will be lots more occasions when she's expected to be giving a gift... (Polish kids get lots of them through the year) so she doesn't want to set an example that she's always expected to match.
We live 40 mins from Krakow (Libiaz) small ish town
500 tops and not one grosz more.... (maybe less) What does your partner say?
Another issue is that there will be lots more occasions when she's expected to be giving a gift... (Polish kids get lots of them through the year) so she doesn't want to set an example that she's always expected to match.
mafketis
24 Feb 2021
Life / I saw Polish nationalism today [263]
welcome to central and eastern europe where the past is never forgotten or forgiven...
they are so focused on what happened 70 yrs ago?
welcome to central and eastern europe where the past is never forgotten or forgiven...
mafketis
24 Feb 2021
Life / I saw Polish nationalism today [263]
Lots of different motivations, dependent on the particular individuals...
For some, nothing on offer from the mainstream is really attainable...
For some, nothing on offer from the mainstream is very appealing...
Some have sublimated aggression (abusive parents usually) and just want to hurt someone and nationalism gives them the tools for that...
Why do you guys think is the reason for all these nationalists to exist in Poland
Lots of different motivations, dependent on the particular individuals...
For some, nothing on offer from the mainstream is really attainable...
For some, nothing on offer from the mainstream is very appealing...
Some have sublimated aggression (abusive parents usually) and just want to hurt someone and nationalism gives them the tools for that...
mafketis
23 Feb 2021
Life / Communion money in Poland [27]
I think that's the foreign tax version... I would normally think about half that would be appropriate. Where (in general terms are they... Warsaw? Another major city? Small town? Village hole? What part of Poland?)
asked in laws how much should we contribute and they are advising at least 1000 zloty!
I think that's the foreign tax version... I would normally think about half that would be appropriate. Where (in general terms are they... Warsaw? Another major city? Small town? Village hole? What part of Poland?)
mafketis
22 Feb 2021
Love / Incels in Poland [299]
How would that hair fit in the cabin? Wouldn't the hairspray necessary to keep it order overcome the passengers? I know you're just a girl but you need to think about these things.....
I should stick to being an air hostess
How would that hair fit in the cabin? Wouldn't the hairspray necessary to keep it order overcome the passengers? I know you're just a girl but you need to think about these things.....
mafketis
22 Feb 2021
Love / Incels in Poland [299]
Probably for the best, that sounds like an awfully big job for a girl....
I was recently invited to become president of the World Trade Organization, but unfortunately I was obliged to decline
Probably for the best, that sounds like an awfully big job for a girl....
mafketis
21 Feb 2021
Life / Drugs in Warsaw [111]
That's the part of you that wants to destroy yourself... don't listen to it.
Only extremely self-destructive people are attracted to hard drugs (as they say: addiction doesn't destroy people, it comes to people who are already destroyed).
i wonder about krokodyl tho
That's the part of you that wants to destroy yourself... don't listen to it.
Only extremely self-destructive people are attracted to hard drugs (as they say: addiction doesn't destroy people, it comes to people who are already destroyed).
mafketis
21 Feb 2021
Love / Incels in Poland [299]
Of course there is!
Although in the modern western world it's either soft (a high status man marries and his wife ignores his.... outside recreation) or you have high status men serially involved with young women who they use for their fertility and then pay to leave (alimony and child support)
Just because it doesn't have the legal protections of traditional polygamy doesn't mean it doesn't exist...
since there is no polygamy in Western world
Of course there is!
Although in the modern western world it's either soft (a high status man marries and his wife ignores his.... outside recreation) or you have high status men serially involved with young women who they use for their fertility and then pay to leave (alimony and child support)
Just because it doesn't have the legal protections of traditional polygamy doesn't mean it doesn't exist...
mafketis
21 Feb 2021
Love / Incels in Poland [299]
Same idea.... men are disposable.... when they don't work out then society is happy to throw them away like an empty beer can and no one cares about what happens to low status men.
Notice how much concern the women commenting here collectively have about the suffering of men without prospects of ever forming a family.... (approximately zero if I've been counting correctly).
It's all framed in terms of them being creepy losers...
When a large percentage of young men are shut out of family formation then.... that's not a sign of a healthy society or culture.
are hikimoris different from incels?
Same idea.... men are disposable.... when they don't work out then society is happy to throw them away like an empty beer can and no one cares about what happens to low status men.
Notice how much concern the women commenting here collectively have about the suffering of men without prospects of ever forming a family.... (approximately zero if I've been counting correctly).
It's all framed in terms of them being creepy losers...
When a large percentage of young men are shut out of family formation then.... that's not a sign of a healthy society or culture.
mafketis
21 Feb 2021
UK, Ireland / The best way for a Polish person to learn English? [46]
Certain types of residence and/or prospective citizens are required to show proficiency (B2 IIRC).
IIRC you weren't around when I posted about this channel: She teaches Polish as a foreign language (including state exam prep). Crystal clear diction with lots of explanations. Judging from the types of errors she discusses (and the comments) a (large?) majority of her students are Russian speakers but lots of good content at any rate.
youtube.com/c/PozdrowieniazPolski/featured
No foreigner is legally required to study Polish.
Certain types of residence and/or prospective citizens are required to show proficiency (B2 IIRC).
IIRC you weren't around when I posted about this channel: She teaches Polish as a foreign language (including state exam prep). Crystal clear diction with lots of explanations. Judging from the types of errors she discusses (and the comments) a (large?) majority of her students are Russian speakers but lots of good content at any rate.
youtube.com/c/PozdrowieniazPolski/featured
mafketis
21 Feb 2021
Love / Incels in Poland [299]
The old saying: If you want to settle down, you'll have to do some settling for...
One problem is that in a neoliberal status striving system.... no one wants to settle for
It's not universal by any mean, but it is the general trend and it starts young... how many fairytales find the heroine settling down with a mid-level manager?
Or look at romance novels, how many are about social equals? Twilight? 50 shades?
For the reverse, see the first two seasons of the Crown which are largely about how Phillip tries to cope with a wife who publicly outranks him...
but in the end most people settle for what they can get... That's life.
The old saying: If you want to settle down, you'll have to do some settling for...
One problem is that in a neoliberal status striving system.... no one wants to settle for
men "always" marry down and women marry up?
It's not universal by any mean, but it is the general trend and it starts young... how many fairytales find the heroine settling down with a mid-level manager?
Or look at romance novels, how many are about social equals? Twilight? 50 shades?
For the reverse, see the first two seasons of the Crown which are largely about how Phillip tries to cope with a wife who publicly outranks him...
mafketis
20 Feb 2021
Love / Incels in Poland [299]
Yes and unrelated to the wider problem of young men being economically sabotaged by entrenched financial interests... (which leads to a bunch of other stuff)
you're just looking for scapegoats to blame so you can ignore the real problem (again just exactly what dirk does).....
A very large part of human culture is about channeling the energy and drive of young men into family formation (most restrictions on women are actually aimed at manipulating young men...). If you don't push young men into families they're likely to channel their energy and drive in destructive directions.
End stage neoliberalism (about atomized consumers with no real family or community connections) is upending that .... it will not end well.
Young male despondency has always been around
Yes and unrelated to the wider problem of young men being economically sabotaged by entrenched financial interests... (which leads to a bunch of other stuff)
you're just looking for scapegoats to blame so you can ignore the real problem (again just exactly what dirk does).....
A very large part of human culture is about channeling the energy and drive of young men into family formation (most restrictions on women are actually aimed at manipulating young men...). If you don't push young men into families they're likely to channel their energy and drive in destructive directions.
End stage neoliberalism (about atomized consumers with no real family or community connections) is upending that .... it will not end well.
mafketis
20 Feb 2021
Love / Incels in Poland [299]
you're just as bad as dirk with his pre-canned slogans...
This is a systemic problem and not amenable to simple solutions.... and just talking about incels (a small minority within wider socio-economic dysfunction) simply serves to shield the elite financial class that's behind this...
What's the connection between these two stories?
usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/03/26/studies-suggest-teens-getting-shut-out-of-workforce
yahoo.com/lifestyle/fewer-people-are-getting-married-because-theres-a-shortage-of-economicallystable-single-men-says-study-221607423.html
you're just as bad as dirk with his pre-canned slogans...
This is a systemic problem and not amenable to simple solutions.... and just talking about incels (a small minority within wider socio-economic dysfunction) simply serves to shield the elite financial class that's behind this...
What's the connection between these two stories?
usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/03/26/studies-suggest-teens-getting-shut-out-of-workforce
yahoo.com/lifestyle/fewer-people-are-getting-married-because-theres-a-shortage-of-economicallystable-single-men-says-study-221607423.html
mafketis
20 Feb 2021
Love / Incels in Poland [299]
That there is a serious issue involved (again creepy loner misogynists have always been around - what's happening now is something different) but pre-packaged cant on both sides makes serious discussion of it impossible....
youtube.com/watch?v=asBYnqY2fRw
The comedy and tragedy is
That there is a serious issue involved (again creepy loner misogynists have always been around - what's happening now is something different) but pre-packaged cant on both sides makes serious discussion of it impossible....
youtube.com/watch?v=asBYnqY2fRw
mafketis
20 Feb 2021
News / New "Polish memorial" in Berlin [316]
Good, it's a aggressive militarily expansionist empire - hem them in and don't let them feel like a normal country - cause they're not.
nato is doing enroaching on their borders today.
Good, it's a aggressive militarily expansionist empire - hem them in and don't let them feel like a normal country - cause they're not.