History / What made Poland into the country it is today? [62]


Please... Appreciated, but not necessary :)

I think maybe I am unfair towards characters like Lyzko and Milo.

Russians know what 966 means, because the separation of Czechs, Poles, and Russians is an important part of the mythology of Slavs. Lech, Czech, Rus - and all that stuff. Also, any Russian that gets curious about how Christianity came to Russia, will probably next try to understand how it happened for the Poles and Czechs.

History / What made Poland into the country it is today? [62]


What the f*ck...

Aren't you a son of some big Polish patriot? I'm not Polish and I knew immediately what 966 meant. I'm pretty sure Velund knows too.

You seem to be about as Polish as Johnny Reb.


Let's look at your points, critically.

1) Solidarnost' - an expression of Poland's innate democratic instincts. Did this appear suddenly in the 1980s, or was it something that had defined Poland over a much longer period of time?

2) Pope John Paul II - Poland is defined by its almost "extreme" Catholicism. While tremendously popular in Poland, and a point of national pride, John Paul II likely had little to do with making Poland such a religious society. This probably took root much earlier, and for other reasons.

3) Joining the EU - Poland joined the EU in 2004. Half the Poles on this forum are Eurosceptics, like Ironside or Korvinus. Joining the EU led to a huge improvement in incomes and infrastructure, but it hasn't changed who Poles are. In the same way that Spaniards are still Spaniards, and Italians are still Italians.

4) Joining NATO - this one just leaves me scratching my head. In what way has joining NATO shaped what Poland is today? Are you under NATO occupation?

5) Polish energy to transform - what?


Thanks Rich, like I have nothing better to do... Wait - I don't, haha!

I think Rich's answer was good, and actually a bit surprising to hear coming from him. He usually talks about Poland in disparaging terms, and how happy he was to leave it. So it was unexpected to see him provide a no-nonsense response, grounded in Polish historical fact, without any insults peppered in.

So, why does everything since 966 matter?

At least because in 966 the Pole Mieszko accepted Christianity from the priests in Rome. In 988 the Russian Vladimir accepted Christianity from the Greeks, coming from Constantinople. To this day Poland is Catholic, and Russia is Orthodox.

History / What made Poland into the country it is today? [62]

@Lyzko

How could it be a typo, if within the same sentence Richard mentions this includes events that happened a thousand years later? He mistyped the entire sentence?

Why is it comical that a Pole might consider events in 966 still relevant to the process of formation of national identity?

You are a Jew, correct? Do you find it so preposterous, if someone argues that the destruction of the Second Temple had a shaping effect on Jewish consciousness?

Do you think it's hilarious, that someone may think it still affects modern Jewish life - that they were expelled from all European countries in the Middle Ages?

History / What made Poland into the country it is today? [62]

@Lyzko

So according to you, what makes Poland the country it is today, are only the events that occurred since the coming to power of Gomulka?

Off-Topic / Stock Market Talk and Trading - part 2 [732]


Perhaps it is too simple an example.

Lets imagine this:

1) I am Boeing

2) I buy jet engines from Rolls Royce for $20 million dollars.

3) A trade deficit is formed with Rolls Royce - for exactly $20 million dollars

4) Rolls Royce stubbornly refuses to buy airplanes for me, but instead insists I simply continue buying engines

Am I a loser?

Does it matter that I later sold a plane for $80 million dollars to China Airlines - netting a 25% margin in the process?

How about this:

1) You go to the barber, and he cuts your hair. Charges $30.

2) You now have a trade deficit of $30 with the barber.

3) You go home, and with the hour saved from not cutting your own hair - earn 100X what you paid to the barber.

Should you then go back to the barber, and demand that he purchase a $30 foot massage from you - to balance accounts?

Off-Topic / Stock Market Talk and Trading - part 2 [732]

Another great stock pick if you are bullish Russia - GAZPROM.

Total market cap is $35 billion dollars. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil which is tiny in comparison is worth almost half a trillion dollars.

You can own the largest gas producer in the world, for a 90% discount.

Did I forget to say it pays a 50% dividend? Who cares about the stock price performance, when Gazprom prints money for you? It will continue to print money in dividends, for as long as the Russian government relies on it to fill up its coffers.

Off-Topic / Stock Market Talk and Trading - part 2 [732]


Look at Surgutneftegas.

The company's market cap is 1.6 trillion rubles. It has almost 7 trillion Rubles of cash-like assets on its balance, and practically zero debt.

That is, the company is worth about $16 billion dollars, while it has almost $70B of cash sitting in deposits.

Theoretically - if you could buy the company, you would immediately get a 4X+ return.

It's one of the most mysterious companies on the Moscow Exchange. It has been hoarding cash for almost twenty years. Nobody knows anything about who it's shareholders are, beyond its mysterious director Vladimir Bogdanov who only controls a small share.

Rumor is that it is Putin's personal piggy bank. It's as good an explanation as any, for why an oil and gas company would hoard dollars like Smaug the Dragon.

At one point last year - SURGUTNEFTEGAS accounted for 40% of all FX deposits in Russia. There were about $150B of USD-denominated deposits in Russia, and $70B of it was held by SNG.

They never invest this cash into anything. Not even US Treasuries (they can't do it now because they are sanctioned). They could have turned that $70B into $500 billion by now, through simple investment activity, but instead they just collect more and more cash.

So there's a stock tip for you - a company which controls 5 times more cash than its worth.

Off-Topic / USA and The Middle East. [27]


It's very funny how to you:

1) Trump is a galactic-scale moron for destroying the US economy with tariffs

2) Trump is a complete idiot for not respecting his alliance with your sh*thole of a country

3) Trump is a traitor for selling Ukraine down the river

4) and so on, and so forth...

But then at the same time "Trump is exactly right to be attacking the Houthis".

In Russian we say - "Either pull your pants up, or take the crucifix off your neck".

I realize that hating brown people is your primary forte, but what do you know specifically about the Houthis to be able to say that "Trump is doing exactly the right thing?"

Off-Topic / What's your hobby? [191]

@Torq

Slavs are Gods of literature.

They seem like idiots, but at the same time they see through your soul :)

Life / Trendsetter from Poland. [86]


F*cking idiots.

I hope you starve to death.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


I love this motherf*cker.

But still my number one is Zbigniew Stonoga, after I was introduced to him by Kania.

Only Stonoga can honestly tell his "imbecilic" electorate, that the way PiS will f*ck them... "tak sie powinno was jiebat jak tylko was Moze".

Respect to this man.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


Once again - I ask you what about this appears to you as antisemitic?

You are beginning to sound a little bit hysterical. Please calm down.

Off-Topic / What's your hobby? [191]


Did you forget the Imperial secret agent that was tasked with "entering Schweik's trust"?

Agent Brettschneider?

Who was so ashamed of the costs he imposed on the Inperial treasury, that he locked himself in an apartment with the seven poor wretches he bought from Schweik - and was eventually eaten by them?

When Schweik heard about this, he only said: "It will be hard for him to gather his bones at the Final Judgement".

Off-Topic / What's your hobby? [191]

@Torq
Have you forgot Schweik?!?!

• 
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News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


I was thinking of you when I decided to share my hobby of stealing dogs, in the hobby thread.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]

@Torq

Perfection of argumentation.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


What do you find anti-Semitic about this?

First - an open flame inside a historic building is a dangerous fire hazard.

Second - if I say that Ramadan is Satanic - does that mean I am a Arabophobe? Of course not.

Third - should people that take part in Satanic worship not be ashamed?

Off-Topic / What's your hobby? [191]


What would you like to know?

If you are in the market for a Schnauzer, for example, I would recommend equipping yourself with some cod liver.

If we are talking a Dachshund - then of course I would suggest carrying some smoked meats in your pocket. Perhaps a toy or two.

Off-Topic / What's your hobby? [191]


Yes, but this is only because of colonialism.

Off-Topic / What's your hobby? [191]


You do not eat dogs in Britain?

Off-Topic / What's your hobby? [191]

My hobby is stealing dogs.

History / Why American military aid to Europe and Poland is important to America itself? [227]


Russia has likely 600-700,000 men in Ukraine right now, or along the Russian side of the border.

Russia is much, much, much poorer than America.

Somehow we are not bankrupt.

I think America will figure this out somehow.

They sent 500,000 men to Iraq during Desert Storm on only a month's notice.

History / Why American military aid to Europe and Poland is important to America itself? [227]


Dear Grunnie,

Tomorrow, America unloads 100,000 troops in Greenland.

Likely completely unopposed - since the United States has the legal right to do so.

This would immediately TRIPLE Greenland's population. From 50,000 - it goes to 150,000.

At this point - it is too late for Europe to do anything. Want to fight it out against the US in Greenland, and risk Russia and China helping the US?

I highly doubt it.

Europe cannot - in any universe - fight the United States. It certainly cannot fight Russia and the United States at the same time.

Solution? Be quiet and bear it. Grow your strength quietly, until you are finally ready to flex it.

But before then - don't embarrass yourself.

History / Why American military aid to Europe and Poland is important to America itself? [227]


I'm gonna say something dangerous...

Russia doesn't care about denazification, NATO, wokeness, etc.

Russia cares about power and sovereignty. Sovereignty meaning the ability to live life as you want to, without looking behind your back.

The United States does not care about "Arctic security", the maintenance of free passage for commerce, or anything else. It wants Greenland also for raw power.

It's not convenient for us, to reveal these ambitions to you openly. It makes us look bad, and feel awkward.

Now what are you gonna do about it?

History / Why American military aid to Europe and Poland is important to America itself? [227]


The first Truth is that we were not fighting Ukraine but the combined NATO.

The NYTimes article that came out this week about the "Secret War" confirms this.

Let me cite you the top two comments from the Times article (both got a positive response from the author):

"Am I supposed to find this revelation heartwarming?

Using Ukraine as a pawn in a proxy war, which led to the destruction of Ukraine and several hundred thousand deaths and injuries, just so America could weaken a rival and enrich its defense industry, is nothing to be proud of."

This was from a reader named "Brody".

Here's another, from a guy named Jacques:

"So Putin was right all along when he told the Russian people that they were in a war against NATO. If so, NATO hasn't come out if it too well"

Source: nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/29/world/europe/us-ukraine-military-war-wiesbaden.html#commentsContainer

History / Why American military aid to Europe and Poland is important to America itself? [227]


That's correct actually. I did say that. Embarrassing - but I do stand by it.

A very rare: you were right Paulina and I was wrong.

I guess I mean the expats that live there.

Jon, Maf, CMS - seem to take these things very close to heart.

Anyway - the moment when Paulina is correcting me, probably means I should go and tell my commanding officer I need a well deserved break.

History / Why American military aid to Europe and Poland is important to America itself? [227]

I don't mean to be disrespectful by what I wrote.

I think the fear is fully logical.

But I hope people see what it is doing to their souls.

History / Why American military aid to Europe and Poland is important to America itself? [227]


Sort of my working theory when I deal with Jon and others.

Except, I thought, and I wrote about this here, that it was fear that was the operative factor. Hate only comes later.

Countries like Poland and the Baltic countries do not see Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a mere political act. Instead they see a terrible monster from their past raising its head again. This reactivates deep collective fear, and this fear often seeks moral relief by converting into anger or even cruel satisfaction when the perceived aggressor suffers.

People don't want to become the next Ukraine.

The problem - for me - is that they are selling their souls in the process.

DEHUMANIZING PEOPLE - EVEN ENEMIES - LEADS TO MORAL DECAY.

When you lost this battle - you lost the war.

Russia will prevail because we have the TRUTH, and future generations will be witness to the great Christianity of our actions.

Off-Topic / Stock Market Talk and Trading - part 2 [732]


I have experience in this.

To my misfortune, during 2022, I was bombed on this forum constantly with messages about the collapsing Russian stock market.

In vain, I tried to explain to people that if they think a decline in the stock market will force any kind of change in Russia's behavior - then they were idiots.

Now I see this with America.

Half of America doesn't own stocks, and has never owned one.

A big portion of the other half, has only the vaguest conception of what's happening in the stock market - because they own those stocks through their pension plans.

History / Why American military aid to Europe and Poland is important to America itself? [227]


Just pointing out to people their hypocrisy.

Being overjoyed at the death of people is, to me, some kind of symptom of mental illness.

During this war, I have seen people celebrating:

1) A Russian getting eaten by a shark in Egypt

2) A Russian girl falling to her death in Georgia, over an unsecured subway entrance

3) A recreational submarine sinking with Russians on board

4) People in Russia committing suicide

Early on, because I am an idiot, I would wade into these debates and call people to conscience. I would tell them this is unchristian behavior, and that later they would be ashamed of themselves.

They told me - "shut up and die orc".