News / Israel opposing potential new Polish law to criminalise term 'Polish death camps' [1539]


Oh, I'm not a supporter of the law by any means. It's poorly written and poorly conceived and it's first effect is to drastically increase the use of the phrase Polish Death Camps... very dumb, but it plays into the PiS playbook of trying to convince Polish people that the whole world hates them and only PiS is willing to stand up against all the mean ole' polonophobes...

PiS = PRL2: Electric Boogaloo!

News / Israel opposing potential new Polish law to criminalise term 'Polish death camps' [1539]


in Polish, English translations are interesting but beside the point.

My understanding of the wording used in the media is that it's about accusations that the Polish state (which did not exist in any meaningful way from 1939-44) conspired with nazis or that Polish people collectively supported and/or worked with nazis.

I don't see how it would prevent anyone from saying "Jan Kowalski worked for the nazis" or "the village of Polskawieś carried out a pogrom after the war"

Some random Israeli "my grandmother was killed in a Polish death camp" is very inaccurate but honestly laws apply to citizens (whereever they are) or those in Poland (wherever they're from) and not non-citizens outside the country.

In general Polish laws are notorious for being poorly written (those affected are still trying to decipher the update to the law on 'prawo autorskie' and taxes).

Those who write Polish laws really need a few courses in plain language (though that's a non-starter culturally).

Polonia / How do Poles feel about Romanians and Bulgarians? [27]


I don't know if I would say 'since'. It was the about the only reliably warm summer seaside vacation place available in communist times but immediately afterward all but disappeared from Polish tourists' minds four about 15 years as they were eager to try other places, esp Italy and Spain and Greece etc.

Then it began attracting Polish tourists again around 2006-07 or so and has remained popular since then.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

You don't understand recent polish history very well. The UK has never been an enthusiastic member of the EU and so it's not surprising they should prefer to concentrate on other international relations.

Poland has aspired to be in the European mainstream and has no similar international relations (apart form Russia).
Not similar at all.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


They're all ideological chicken hawks, wanting tough talk on their pet causes when they won't be touched by the outcome... it's impossible to take them seriously.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


Yeah, when has Poland ever needed allies.... And who needs laws in Poland (esp if your 4ss is parked permanently in the US or Norway....)

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2986]


Any political party has different constituents and they can't pander to them all at the same time. Bringing up and dropping abortion is a way of pandering to the hardcore religious conservative catholic minority in Poland. I'm sure they'd love to drop it but there is a large group of people who will sign petitions that mean the government has to look at it from now until doomsday.

They even tried to throw the opposition a bone and discuss liberalizing the laws but the opposition is so hopeless now they couldn't be bothered to vote for it... useless losers.

USA, Canada / Sending candy from America to Poland - what kind? [7]


I was assuming that some of them weren't American in origin (which may be why they're available in Poland) I was thinking 'easily available in America'.

What about the rest?

Also..

Jawbreakers!

The candies with baking soda inside? (I've had something like that in Poland though it was different)

Those big swirly multicolor lollipops?

Salt water taffy?

Chick-o-sticks?

USA, Canada / Sending candy from America to Poland - what kind? [7]


Twix, mars, snickers, bounty, kit kat are all present but beyond that not much (I haven't lived in the US for a long time so I might be out of date)

Thinking of things that aren't much like things available in Poland...

3 musketeers
red hots - the idea of hot and sweet is very not within the Polish conception of the universe
lemonheads -
milk duds
candy corn
twinkies (not candy but it's mentioned a lot and she might not realize how weird/nasty they are)
moon pies
butterfinger
tootsie roll
fudge (make sure it's well sealed)
pixie sticks
caramel creams
watermelon stix

As I said I'm out of touch with the current candies so my list might be dated...

Genealogy / Polish looks? - part 2 [81]


If I saw the picture and were asked to guess the nationality I would have thought Spanish or French (but that might partially be hair, facial expression and the way you're holding your head).

As atch said, you look like you could be from anywhere in Europe...

Law / Working in EU countries and in UK with Poland's Residence Card (Karta Pobytu)? [51]

you need to check with spain, but my guess is no, spanish labor laws are very.... intricate

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [173]


It used to be when someone brought a gift of alcohol the host was supposed to open it on the spot so they could have a drink with the giver, but that's not so common anymore as far as I know.

You could get similar gifts for the brother and his wife (or maybe a single shared gift for them both)

Life / What gifts to take? Presents customs in Poland. [173]

You can't go wrong wtih sex toys!!!!!! Seriously, bring small symbolic gifts, flowers or chocolates for her, a bottle of nice brandy for him, that sort of thing. They won't expect more (Poland's never been an extravagent gift country) and should appreciate that you're trying to please them.

News / WOSP in Poland [161]


I find it a little annoyin (and I find Owsiak to be very annoying) but.... I'll always respect it because it was practically the first citizen initiative in post-communist Poland. That is after 1989 it was the frist (and for a long time the only) large scale coordinated effort by citizens that wasn't organized by either the government or church.

That gives it a cultural, civilization value that goes beyond the actual monetary raised and equipment bought. I suspect that many British charities are the same, the civic society element is just as important as the results.

It would be nice if it weren't needed (though I'd still encourage it) but Poland spends (proportionately) about half as much on healthcare as most European countries and that's not going to change soon.

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2986]


What about among immigrant groups where sex-selective abortion is common?

I'm pro choice, but I recognize that that means that some people will make choices that I find to be personally repugnant. It also means some will make choices that they later regret....

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2986]


"You know how happy I was to be pregnant again? Well, imagine my disappointment! We found out it's a girl! We really wanted another boy.... but I'm gonna go in on Monday and have her scraped out so we can try again."

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2986]



And those who want abortions have every right to be very frank in their answers, of course.

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2986]

As I always say, there's no societal consensus on the moral status of fetuses so laws don't 'solve' anything and serve primarily purposes of moral signalling or preening.

I'm perfectly okay with opponents of abortion not getting them and trying to convince women to not have them. But trying to force them to accept their moral standard is like vegetarians trying to make meat illegal (bad analogy but close enough for government work).

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2986]


the leadership doesn't care, it's just a useful distraction that can reappear and disappear as needed, rather like reparations from Germany

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

Soros and Russia are about equivalent in my book, I wouldn't trust either as far as I can throw an elephant.

Has Soros made any public appearance lately? There are rumors....

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]


That's a joke, isnt it? How much time and how many resources did he sink into his sick Smolensk fixation? What does he have to show for all the time and effort and money?

And... he has one coup attempt on his conscience, I'm not anxious to give him another chance. Appointing that mentally unfit goon to office was a slap in the face to the electorate that had been promised he was history.

Good riddance.

News / Poland in the European Union. Polexit? [559]

Anyone wanna talk about the changes in the government?

Macierewicz, Waszczykowski and Szyszko (three of the biggest stinkbombs) are out!

Health minister is out too (healthcare is the achilles heel of the current government).

I'd say this is clearly a sign that they want to make nice with the EU getting rid of a couple of the biggest impediments thereto.

Genealogy / What does my Polish name mean? [402]


It's written (with Polish orthography) choroszo (with the stress on the final o) but pronounced charaszo (since unstressed o turns into a in standard spoken Russian)

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]


A number of people I've known rather like a lot of Czech movies both classic and more modern, not to mention the classic tv series hospital on the edge of town and woman behind the counter (and a couple more).

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]


As someone said, most ethnic guilt is about feeling that your descendents will think you were too xenophobic, most jewish guilt is about feeling your ancestors will think you weren't xenophobic enough...

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

Trusting Russia..... always a miscalculation.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]

that raises the question.....what kind of weirdo freaks are czech people?

They can say "Strč prst skrz krk" and they can't say Polska (even when Polska is the genitive case of Polsko?)

Boring weirdos you are.

Life / Polish and Czechs [191]


Do you know crow? You'll probably really get along....

News / Americans incite hatred towards Russia in Polish media [75]


I've never met any Poles in real life that support Russia, it's just people who won't live in Poland (and may be being paid for their support)

Life / To Poles: some food for thought [31]


How does this apply to Poland at all? I don't get it....