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Posts by Torq  

Joined: 2 Dec 2023 / Male ♂
Last Post: 21 Aug 2024
Threads: 8
Posts: 955
From: Gdansk
Speaks Polish?: yes
Interests: about

Displayed posts: 963 / page 17 of 33
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Torq   
2 Feb 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

it's been called Saxon Gardens in English for at least a century

Sh*t me it goes around. Gówno mnie to obchodzi.

It's "ogród" not "ogrody". So there.
Torq   
2 Feb 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Saxon Gardens

In Polish it's Ogród (sing.) Saski. Should I give a flying f*ck whether it's Saxon Garden or GardenS in English?

No. I didn't think so.

Now you can write to all those websites to change the English name, e.g.:

mwfc.pl/en/location/saxon-garden-warsaw/
its-poland.com/attraction/saxon-garden-and-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier
kidsinthecity.pl/listing/the-saxon-garden-ogrod-saski/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxon_Garden
inyourpocket.com/warsaw/saxon-garden_21137v

... that should keep you occupied for a little while.
Torq   
2 Feb 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Saxon Garden: late 19th century

In this rare photochrom 19th century photo we can see the famous Saxon Garden in Warsaw with a fragment of Saxon Palace in the background. It's been almost 80 years since German troops blew up the building (after the fall of Warsaw Uprising) which they themselves used for propaganda events...

In 2021 the decision to rebuild Pałac Saski was made. The reconstruction, of which the estimated cost is about 3 billion PLN, will be completed in 2030, and the palace will be reconstructed according to its state on 31st August 1939.
Torq   
1 Feb 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

People like Brandt aren't born anymore...

Yes, the caliber of European politicians seems to be getting ever smaller; and at the time when we need them the most. :-/
Torq   
1 Feb 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Warschauer Kniefall: 1970

Chancellor of West Germany fell to his knees in Warsaw in 1970. Those who witnessed the scene were awe-struck: a politician actually displayed his emotions by confessing to guilt and begging for forgiveness. With his head bowed low, he froze in this position for twenty or thirty seconds. This is how Willy Brandt described the situation many years later in his memoirs: "As I stood on the edge of Germany's historical abyss, feeling the burden of millions of murders, I did what people do when words fail".

The gesture was disputed within Brandt's own party, whose voters had included a significant proportion of expellees from the former German territories in Poland, most of whom then went to the conservative parties. According to a Der Spiegel survey of the time, 48% of all West Germans thought the "Kniefall" was excessive, 41% said it was appropriate and 11% had no opinion.

A monument to Willy Brandt was unveiled on 6 December 2000, in Willy Brandt Square in Warsaw (near the Warsaw Ghetto Heroes Monument) on the eve of the 30th anniversary of his famous gesture.
Torq   
1 Feb 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Supplement to the above:

Colonel Kukliński during a visit to Poland in 1997...

... and at a Warsaw Pact meeting in Moscow in 1980 (standing behind Jaruzelski).
Torq   
31 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Traitor, hero, soldier, spy: 1972-1981

Ryszard Kukliński was a Cold War spy for NATO. Posthumously promoted to brigadier general by President Andrzej Duda. Kukliński passed top secret documents to the CIA, including the Soviet plans for the invasion of Western Europe.

In every scenario we were f*cked. Completely and utterly f*cked.

In the Warsaw Pact war plans, in every possibility, in every permutation, in every possible combination of events, in every game plan, Poland was to become a nuclear ground zero.

There was no way for us to play on this chessboard. A grandmaster would fail. There was no bluff out of this game of poker. The coolest gambler would stand no chance.

We had to overturn the chessboard. We had to break the card table. And we did.

The rest is history.

But this was only the first chapter. Or wasn't it?
Torq   
31 Jan 2024
Work / Are Poles workaholics? [128]

It's a lot like Poland.

Georgia is indeed a lot like Poland. A country of brave people, also suffering from difficult neighbourhood.
Torq   
31 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Supplement to the above:

Our most beloved brother, may Allah always bless Him and His Family, receiving a modest gift during one of the official meetings with ministers...
Torq   
31 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Welcome, our Persian brother: 2016

Polak, Pers - dwa bratanki

2016 was the year when the Most Honourable dr Ali Akbar Salehi visited Poland on the invitation of Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki. Our dear Persian brother was warmly received also by the President Andrzej Duda and Marshals of the Sejm and Senat. Long-years cooperation (past and future) was discussed and important decisions were made.

Prime Minister? President? Marshals of both Sejm and Senat? WTF? Who was this Salehi guy that he was received with greater honour than Pope himself could ever hope to? Why was the series of other meetings conducted in later years to which the press wasn't invited? Very good questions, my dear Pol-Shorpy readers - I always admire your sharp-as-a-razor inquisitive minds. However, the questions will have to remain unanswered... for the time being.

Ssshh...
Torq   
31 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

When a child smiles, the whole world smiles: 1968

"In the name of children, the International Chapter of Order of the Smile decided to grant you this most sunny of all decorations!" - with this formula the Herald of the Chapter grants the decoration. This, first a Polish and then an international, award is given to adults distinguished in their love, care and aid for children. It was established in 1968 by a group of "Kurier Polski" journalists and in 1979 the Secretary General of the United Nations officially recognized the Order. Among its recipients are Nelson Mandela, Empress Farah Pahlavi, Astrid Lindgren, and Zbigniew Religa.

In the photo above we see the most honourable Chevalier of the Order of Smile, Henryk Skarżyński. Professor Skarżyński is an otosurgeon and a world-renowned specialist in pediatric otolaryngology whose work restored hearing to countless children.
Torq   
30 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

I'd say that there are huge benefits to them.

Yip. Like depleting the Earth of rare minerals, whilst creating huge carbon footprint in the process, and used batteries problem for another couple of thousand years.

An even better future would be with few or no private cars at all.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis preferably. They already got the exemption from the year 2035 law. Planes and cars for the rich, meat for the rich, and for the poor: public transport and insects. You green commies have to go a bit slower - you're cooking the frog too fast! :) "You will have nothing and you will be happy", as Mr Schwab said. :)

Luckily, more people see that green communism is as bad as the red one.
Torq   
30 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

hydrogen (engines)

They're the future, love them or hate them.

And there are pluses and minuses

... with electric cars, mostly minuses.
Torq   
30 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Now, that's real ecology!: 2024

While the entire world is plunged into the electric cars idiocy, Polish scientists from Cracow Polytechnic found a way to adapt old petrol/diesel engines to hydrogen, in a similar way to adapting engines to natural gas. The team of scientists under prof. Marek Brzeżański presented their invention in the Mechanics Faculty last Monday. Five-cylinder, industrial Scania engine was used for the conversion...

... professor Brzeżański's team, apart from inventing the method of engine conversion, also cooperates with Toyota in the field of hydrogen cells. Now, that's what I call real ecology - instead of producing millions upon millions of new electric cars, it makes much more sense to convert the already existing vehicles to use hydrogen cells.

Poles - do we always have to save the world? :)

P.S. Cracow Polytechnic is the main center of hydrogen engines research in Poland. They have been working on various hydrogen-related projects since 1980s.
Torq   
29 Jan 2024
Life / Polish people and TV Series - so good and hilariously spot on :) [99]

«пизда» (pizda)

That's the most panslavic word ever.

It can mean to steal.

Yip. Podpiździć. e.g Jakieś janusze próbowały podpiździć młotek bezpieczeństwa ale jest na lince. (also podpierdolić - which can have another meaning of snitching on somebody)

But it can also mean to f*ck somebody up physically.

Yip. Przypiździć (an elegant variant of przypierdolić). e.g. Wkurwił Stefana, bo podwalał się do jego laski, więc mu przypiździł w ryj.

If you hit something yourself, it becomes pizdnąć (e.g. Ale pizdnął w to drzewo! To musiało boleć!)

It can mean unnecessary running of the mouth.

Hmm... not sure about this one.

It can describe an important component of a large machine assembly.

Here we can only say pierdolnik (e.g. Jakiś pierdolnik odpadł of tej maszyny i nie wiem jak go z powrotem zamontować.). I'm afraid we don't have "pizdnik".

It can describe the eventual end of all humanity.

Naturally. That's when all things go w pizdu.

"W pizdu" can also be used for a general failure...



Of course, Crow will now appear and say that both Russians and Poles can go v pizdu materinu, and he will give us 297 uses of пизда in Serbian. :D
Torq   
29 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

because of his bravery and fighting style based on making traps

By the way, how cool is that? Polish Shawnee Indian setting traps on Nazis and ambushing them! Hollywood, what the f*ck are you waiting for?
Torq   
29 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

His funeral was attended by many Home Army veterans and groups of Polish indianists wearing traditional ceremonial outfits. Herbs, tobacco and eagle feathers were put on his grave.

Rest in peace, Long Feather, you feckin' legend!

Long Featherski
Torq   
29 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Clifford Dowdey's writings are more to my taste

*imagines Iron sitting in his cotton plantation, sipping whiskey and singing "The South's gonna rattle again"*

Anyways, that gives me an idea for another Pol-Shorpy post...

Howgh, kurwa!: 2002

Sat-Okh - the Long Feather, in Shawnee - was the most famous Polish Indian (well, half-Indian really), and an author autobiographical novels for children in Polish. They were translated into several European languages including Russian and were very popular in the former USSR. The books describe a boy's childhood and coming of age among the Shawnee in the Northwest Territories in the 1930s.

Born in Canada about 1922 as the son of a Polish mother, Stanislawa Okulska, and a Shawnee father Leoo-Karko-Ono-Ma (Tall Eagle), he came to Poland with his mother before the start of WW2. In 1939 he joined the Polish resistance movement. He was arrested by the Gestapo in 1940 and deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. He escaped from the train transport on the way to the camp. He fought in Home Army (72. AK Infantry Regiment) in Częstochowa region, where he gained a nickname Kozak because of his bravery and fighting style based on making traps. Wounded several times, decorated with the Cross of Valour.

After the war he settled in Gdańsk where he died in 2003. After his death one of Gdańsk trams was named after him.
Torq   
28 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Which do you find to be his best book?

I love the short stories, they're simply magical (A Crown of Feathers and The Death of Methuselah are my favourite collections) but I also enjoyed Satan in Goray and The Magician of Lublin. I started reading Love and Exile last summer holidays but I lost the book somewhere :-/. I gave the English titles but I read all the books in Polish.

The Family Moskat to be superb

Thanks for the recommendation! :)
Torq   
28 Jan 2024
History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

The Magician of Lublin: 2018

If you happen to be an Isaac Bashevis Singer fan (like I am), then make sure you keep your head up when you are walking through Grodzka Street in Lublin. If you do, you will see the magician. ;)
Torq   
28 Jan 2024
News / Pawel Adamowicz, Gdansk mayor, dies after stabbing [353]

Hitler or Dmowski

It's not really fair to mention them in the same sentence, is it?

What's your problem with Dmowski? He simply thought that Germany were a greater danger to Poland than Russia (which back then was true). Why do you think there are Dmowski's streets, bridges, monuments, railway stations or at least roundabouts etc. in every major (and some not so major) Polish city? He was a patriot and one of the fathers of Poland's independence.

Tfu, zaraza!

Why do you always have to be so radical, Pawian? Life is not black and white.
Torq   
28 Jan 2024
News / Pawel Adamowicz, Gdansk mayor, dies after stabbing [353]

@Ironside

I've just read your post, Iron, and I see what you're saying. Seriously. I really get that point of view.

Also, I know that you are a Polish patriot and that you want only the best for Poland, and I respect you for that (you know it).

But (there's always a "but", isn't there?) I also think that you should have a little bit more trust in Germany (yes, I know it may be difficult taking the history into account and all that). I mean, for the last over 30 years our relations have been mutually beneficial. Sure, there were controversies (e.g. shipyards or mass immigration), as there are always bound to be, but all in all isn't it the time we finally stopped viewing them as our enemies? They are our allies in both economic and military terms. I have family in the countryside, and their level of life has seriously increased after our EU accession. For farmers it was a civilisational jump. Even before joining the EU, especially in the West, there were hundreds of thousands of people earning their living from trade with Germany or getting cheap farming machines there, throngs of German tourists in Świnoujście, Jelenia Góra, Gdańsk, Wrocław etc. So, both on state-level and ordinary-people level there has been co-operation to mutual benefit.

I really don't get all that Germany-EU enmity on the right side of Polish politics. WTF? Without Germany's support we wouldn't have joined the EU. Do you think it would have been better for us? Ask Serbia, Georgia or Ukraine what they think and why are they are waiting in line to join. Look, I read Gazeta Warszawska too (I have this annoying habit of reading a lot from far left to far right) but a lot of what they say is pure paranoia.

Maybe it's not a matter of positivism vs romanticism (though I think it is), maybe it's a matter of a different outlook on reality or some sort of psychological issue with trust (which, again, is to some extent understandable). I mean, what's the worst that could happen if we stay in the EU under Tusk and integrate more strongly with the Union? If we observe that it's not beneficial, then we can always opt out (remember Brexit?). However, at the moment the benefits largely outweigh the negative cost.

why are you so obtuse?

I am not obtuse. I simply want to believe that Poland finally has true allies. That we are not again surrounded by hostile powers but that there are countries with which we can cooperate to common benefit, and that one of those countries is, yes, Germany.

I promise you one thing, Iron. If it turns out that I was wrong, and if they f*ck us over, Tusk sells us down the river, there's another Yalta or something etc., then I will never again trust any foreigner and I will listen to you always. You will be my master Yoda for the rest of my life. Until then however...
Torq   
27 Jan 2024
News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]

...they will faint trying to work that out! :)

I wrote it and 5 minutes later even I can't work that out! :)

Blade has already been behind enemy lines and speaks their language too!

So there! Be afraid, Russia, be very afraid. :)
Torq   
27 Jan 2024
News / Pawel Adamowicz, Gdansk mayor, dies after stabbing [353]

Germany and Hungary are linked through centuries of empire

You are confusing Germany with Austria. :) As for the descendants of Prussia, their admiration for Austro-Hungary and its heritage has always been... well... somewhat limited (a bit like your intelligence). :)
Torq   
27 Jan 2024
News / How will Poland be affected by WW3 which has now started [559]

if Poland can not be motivated to defend its' neighbour

But of course Poland will defend the Baltics with both air strikes (that's what we need the F-35s for) and ground forces, which is a part of official operational plans in case of war; well, at least that part of the plans that is disclosed to the general public or deduced from various factors by experts in the field. The Baltics cannot be expected to field land forces large enough to resist the invasion, hence the necessity of Wojsko Polskie taking active part in their defense.
Torq   
27 Jan 2024
News / Pawel Adamowicz, Gdansk mayor, dies after stabbing [353]

Did you not notice EU giving him all those hundreds of billions

Hundreds of billions??? :) No, I didn't notice. Did you? :) All the Euro funds for Hungary were blocked, including the most basic cohesion funds, you idiot. ha ha ha Only a part of it was unblocked last month (about €10 billion) under condition that certain changes will be introduced to Hungarian judiciary, to which Orban, like a good boy that he is, quietly agreed. :) To access the remaining about €30 billion (what were you saying again about hundreds of billions, sh*thead?) in cohesion and recovery funds, Orban will have to meet many more conditions (including 27 milestones), and you can bet your retarded Australian arse that he will meet them. :)