The BEST Guide to POLAND
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Posts by Atch  

Joined: 1 Apr 2015 / Female ♀
Warnings: 1 - O
Last Post: 1 day ago
Threads: Total: 22 / Live: 10 / Archived: 12
Posts: Total: 4293 / Live: 2405 / Archived: 1888

Displayed posts: 2415 / page 23 of 81
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Atch   
29 Sep 2023
News / Poland says no to flood of Immigrants [670]

No way that the immigration the EU wants will take place in Poland.

No, the type of immigration that PIS wants will take place - like the 6,000 immigrant workers arriving in Biała, a village with only 200 inhabitants. Pakistanis, Bangladeshis etc. being paid about half the minimum wage. Slave labour in Poland. Disgraceful.
Atch   
28 Sep 2023
USA, Canada / Moving To Michigan - Help Required [27]

There is such thing

Such 'a' thing - and don't pretend it was a typo.

The hyphen is optional, unnecessary and becoming archaic.

Yes, there has always been debate in the literary/linguistic community as to the use of hyphens. The consensus these days is towards using them sparingly. The general rule is when in doubt, leave them out!
Atch   
28 Sep 2023
USA, Canada / Moving To Michigan - Help Required [27]

You forgot a hyphen.

I do tend to play fast and loose with hyphens, largely because they are mostly optional. Well established is generally hyphenated when it precedes a noun, otherwise not. So yes, I acknowledge that I ought to have hyphenated it.

ink-dipped feather pens.

You mean quills.
Atch   
28 Sep 2023
USA, Canada / Moving To Michigan - Help Required [27]

twee

I haven't heard that word for a long time! Nice :) Yes, referring to places, and especially countries as 'she' is a well established practice, boats/ships too - and cars. It is becoming a somewhat vintage nowadays, with the exception of ships. I don't think that will ever change. Hope not.
Atch   
26 Sep 2023
UK, Ireland / London is Poland's 24th largest city [85]

as a lifelong Londoner

Yes, but you're a suburbanite. You're not from central London. I've known many Londoners who consider anyone from places like Harrow to be pretty much country cousins :)
Atch   
24 Sep 2023
Off-Topic / Are Polish Christians here? [142]

Small children often run around and sometimes make noise playing during the Polish masses I've attended..

Well they shouldn't. Most Polish families can arrange for somebody to babysit while they go to Mass. There is no need to bring children with you if they're not able to sit for the duration. I was expected to sit quietly beside my mother when I was only four. I remember being almost asleep with the boredom. I used to amuse myself by looking at the women's fashions and the stained glass windows. The winter was worst when the church was freezing. I remember tucking my face into the folds of my mother's fur coat and having a little nap :)
Atch   
24 Sep 2023
Off-Topic / Are Polish Christians here? [142]

What I liked most in their churches were the play corners for children during masses.

I'm presuming these are located somewhere on the premises and not in the actual nave (main seating area). I've been in many an Anglican church and there was no play area.

Unfortunately, children must sit quietly at Catholic Mass.

You shouldn't take a child to Mass until they are old enough to do that. You can take them to the church for visits but don't expect them to sit through a whole Mass. They should start going regularly about a year before they make their First Communion.
Atch   
23 Sep 2023
Travel / Poles as tourists in foreign countries [93]

There was also the Irish mob,

Yes, I know about them. One of the problems talking about 'the Irish' with Americans is that they think Irish American is the same thing which it really isn't.

I still have have relatives in Waterford and Dublin. I know all about the Irish temper..lol

Sorry to be rude about your family but they must be a rough lot - skangers, as we'd call them in Dublin. How many times have you been to Ireland and how many times have you met these relatives? What part of Dublin are they from? Whereabouts in Waterford?

Anyway, all I can say is that I've been in and out of pubs all over Ireland since I was a teenager, and I've never witnessed a bar fight. Not saying it never happens but it's definitely not a thing in Ireland.
Atch   
22 Sep 2023
Travel / Poles as tourists in foreign countries [93]

Didn't find anything. Found lots of stuff about friendliest people in Europe, why are the Irish so popular etc. loads of stuff about how great we are :)
Atch   
22 Sep 2023
Travel / Poles as tourists in foreign countries [93]

You know nothing about the Irish - we have no reputation whatsoever for causing trouble abroad, unlike certain types of Englishmen. We're always welcome in any country because of our reputation. Witness how welcome we were in Poland during Euro 2012. We even got awards for being so delightful :) One of them was from the Polish Olympic Committee:

"the Irish fans demonstrated excellent support, joyful spontaneity and real devotion to their team. This fantastic behaviour presented not only at the stadiums, captivated our Polish hearts and still remains as a model to follow."

Note that last bit - the behaviour of the Irish is a model for others to follow.
Atch   
21 Sep 2023
Life / Why is women-hatred and stereotyping so popular in Poland? [181]

I think people should be thoughtful and considerate towards others. I hold open doors for both men and women. You lived in Ireland. You should know Irish women hold open doors for men. I also indicate to older people, male or female that they should precede me in or out of the door if it's a work situation for example. If it's another woman she'll often quip 'age before beauty' as she accepts the gesture :)

I wouldn't offer to carry something heavy for a man obviously :) He can do that better than I can. Equally I have no problem asking a man to carry something heavy for me. It's normal. And that's the crux of it really. Certain things are just normal and everybody makes a big song and dance over it.
Atch   
21 Sep 2023
Life / Why is women-hatred and stereotyping so popular in Poland? [181]

I'm not American, I'm Polish

I know that. I don't forget details about people. You lived in Ireland, you had a favourite book shop in Dublin, you liked driving on Irish roads, you used to be a regular mass goer etc. etc. You don't realise how much you've been influenced by a certain kind of transatlantic outlook which is irrelevant and positively toxic to European society.

I quite enjoy the basics:

The things you mention are indeed basic. Basic good manners and common courtesy which should apply to both sexes.

Did I miss anything?

Yes. You forgot to mention 'American'. I notice how you did mention the Oscars so that should have given us a clue.
Atch   
20 Sep 2023
Life / Why is women-hatred and stereotyping so popular in Poland? [181]

@GefreiterKania
Oh God! Nauseating American nonsense ' you are a high value male' ........... yes, I've actually seen that phrase. If I were the type to rofl I'd be doing it.

Anyway the very simple truth is that there are a lot of men who are as thick as a plank. Women definitely don't have a monopoly on stupidity.
Atch   
20 Sep 2023
History / What should Russia and Poland do to become if not friends, then at least not enemies? [945]

I love kids. I feel a big gaping hole in my life through their absence. I feel I am something less than my peers, because I don't have kids.

Loving kids is not a reason to get married. If you have a hole in your life, do something to help children who have already been born and who have nothing and nobody to care about them like the unwanted children in your own country. You can change their lives. This is a longish video, about half an hour but it should be very interesting to you, Debbie Deegan who founded To Russia With Love.

youtube.com/watch?v=lXIdIHAommQ

There are children who desperately need you in this world:

youtube.com/watch?v=pQPc5lssONE

In this clip, note how the intellectually disabled young man from Chernobyl speaks fluent English, learned from the Irish volunteers. Hear his Irish accent, God love him.

youtube.com/watch?v=PlF7cvS3Ch0

As for getting married, don't worry about love, choose somebody you like, whose company you enjoy, somebody you have things in common with, most of all somebody with a kind heart. Never mind her Russian language skills, that's not important. Her soul is what counts. Hope you find her :)
Atch   
20 Sep 2023
History / What do Poles owe to Germans? [451]

Brits are largely Anglo Saxons

Actually they're not. Most Brits are not Anglo-Saxon at all because of course British also includes Scots and Welsh. However, if you mean English, then they're also a mixed bag. Well under half are of Anglo-Saxon origin.

Just consider that the Domesday Book, an example of German style administrative fabulousness at its best, is of Norman origin. Wasn't produced under a Saxon king, but under a French one (mind you, he was of Viking descent). But all in all, he was definitely a Frenchie.

And now having educated you regarding your genetic origins, I can concur that Brits are nearer to Gerry than Slavs are. However, I'm not at all sure that the average Brit understands Gerry any better than Slavs do. Whitehall definitely does though and that's all that counts really.
Atch   
19 Sep 2023
History / What should Russia and Poland do to become if not friends, then at least not enemies? [945]

the women's liberation movement succeeded was that it coincided with the interests of the capital class).

Bit of an over simplification there. The women's lib movement (if you mean that of the 1970s) was only the culmination of a long, long journey towards equal opportunities and fairer treatment for women - unless you're just talking about the situation in America.
Atch   
18 Sep 2023
Law / The right to own guns: would you support such legislation in Poland? [2237]

20% of idiots unable to do anything or to learn much ....there is about 20% of people who are creative and there is the rest in the middle,

As a matter of fact that's about correct. I know that from years of teaching. Take any group of twenty kids, about five will be well below average, about five will be above average with maybe two being exceptional, and the rest will be - average :) Interesting that you used the word creative, rather than intelligent. Most people tend to associate creativity with the arts but creativity is about using your intellect to solve problems. Engineers and scientists are just as creative as artists and writers.

they can hurt themselves with a hammer or some other tool, it doesn't matter, why guns are taboo?

Because guns can hurt not only themselves but others.

Incidentally, sad to say, but in times of war and chaos, it's not only invaders who rape and loot. But in any case, you might repel the first few looters/would be rapists but you can't carry on indefinitely.
Atch   
18 Sep 2023
Law / The right to own guns: would you support such legislation in Poland? [2237]

I think countryside and small towns..

Well actually so was I. Countryside will always be vulnerable but there's no reason why a small town can't have a few trained people.

The idea that you can stop an invading army by having a gun per household is nonsense. What happens when their ammo runs out? A farmer can shoot the first few Ruskies on his property and that's all.

And you must face the realities that there are too many people who can't even be trusted to operate a chainsaw for cutting wood, let alone a firearm. Do you ever read about the various accidents with machinery and tools that happen in rural Poland every year?
Atch   
18 Sep 2023
Law / The right to own guns: would you support such legislation in Poland? [2237]

There had been a long peace in Europe and all of us are used to it as a norm. Its ended.

I absolutely agree with that. It's unfortunate but the fact is that war or states of conflict have been the norm for centuries. The nineteenth century saw many wars in Europe. In the twentieth century we had two major wars that started here and overflowed into the rest of the world. We have managed to sustain the peace for nearly a hundred years. But now we're back to the usual state of affairs.

You're right when you say the people who have been born into an outwardly peaceful world and have never known anything else find it hard to conceive of the fact that we're no longer at peace. However, if history repeats itself, these times too will pass eventually - though it will be many years and Europe won't be the same afterwards, anymore than it has been following previous wars.

I don't see any reason for people to arm themselves though. Poland has a well developed military and wouldn't be alone. A gun per household is out of the question. There are too many households with hot tempers, unsupervised children, careless adults etc. that are not fit to have lethal weapons in the house. Better to have a larger, properly trained army reserve, especially in the border area.
Atch   
18 Sep 2023
Law / The right to own guns: would you support such legislation in Poland? [2237]

Because of the geopolitical situation.

I notice you mentioned Poland reintroducing conscription so I take it that you believe that a war involving Poland is on the cards. When do you think that is likely to happen? And what do you think the threat is exactly? Is it as simple as being invaded by Russia? Or do you think that the war in Ukraine will escalate and that NATO will become involved, thus perforce involving Poland?
Atch   
17 Sep 2023
Work / How can I found job for Hebrew speakers in Poland? [46]

I had noooo idea what was going on.....

Were you not listening to the priest? 'I leave you peace, my peace I give you, look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church and grant us peace in our day.' blah, blah, 'The peace of the Lord be with you always' Congregation responds 'And also with you' Priest says: 'Let us offer each other the sign of peace'.

Now if I could only remember when I'm supposed to stand, sit or kneel, without watching the row in front, I'd be away in a hack, as the old saying goes :)

I've noticed when attending funerals in Poland, that there aren't many regular Mass goers, even in the older age group because they all look terribly confused about what to do with themselves at the different points in the Mass. In Ireland the priest very kindly spares them such embarrassment by saying 'Now let us kneel and etc. etc. or 'Let us now stand and recite the Apostles' Creed.' Irish priests copped on years ago that a lot of people had forgotten what to do during mass but Polish priests prefer to shame those infidels :))
Atch   
17 Sep 2023
Life / Polish fences - complete anthology [74]

more delicate and fragile than males when low temps are involved.

They may feel the cold more but it won't do them any harm. Like I said, move and get the blood flowing, then go back and sit down.

fat arsed irish ones.

Plenty of fat arsed Indian women. India is renowned for its fat women apart from the poor unfortunate, skeletal ones who starve in the streets. In fact nearly half of Indian women in urban areas are obese.
Atch   
16 Sep 2023
Work / How can I found job for Hebrew speakers in Poland? [46]

Yes it is. But in ordinary speech people use the term 'say Mass' interchangeably with 'offer'. Something I find weird about Mass in Poland is that the bit 'Let us offer each other the sign of peace', they just nod to each other and don't shake hands, well in Warsaw anyway. Maybe it's different in other parts of Poland. In Ireland we always shake hands and we might exchange a few words. Some people will say 'Peace be with you' or if they know each other in a small community they'll say something more personal. Like 'bog off you gobshite' :-))
Atch   
16 Sep 2023
Work / How can I found job for Hebrew speakers in Poland? [46]

Why not recited, performed, or delivered?

I know you're trying to be a smart arse (don't try, you're not clever enough) but it's an interesting question (rhetorical though it's intended to be). It's the kind of discussion we might have had during those long years of daily religion classes in the convent school. 'Sister, why do we use 'to say Mass?' Then, the nun, instead of giving us some pat answer, would ask us to put forward our hypotheses and we'd have a great old chinwag about it.

The really correct term is not 'say' but 'offer'. Mass is a sacrament (basically it's window dressing around the Eucharist, that's the sacrament part) and it's therefore offered. The part of the Mass where the Eucharist is done is actually called the Offertory. If you can go to Mass in Ireland, the priest will always use the term 'offer' when he's reading out the list of forthcoming special Masses. For example: 'Mass will be offered for the fifth anniversary of Mary Murphy on Wednesday 10th March.' or 'Today's Mass is offered for peace in Ukraine'.

But as to the use of said, here's my take. Mass is a form of communal prayer. The congregation participates in it so it's not delivered. It's prayers lead by the priest. But because it's more than just saying prayers and involves readings, a sermon, singing and the offering of the Eucharist, it's not recited either. Performed could be nearer to the mark , because it is more akin to a rite or series of rites than an actual prayer. The Mass is a ritual performed by a priest and congregation together. But of course Mass does not require a congregation. A priest can offer Mass including Communion entirely on his own.