Language / Why is the Polish language so difficult? [309]

"Dumb Yank" jokes were also the rage in Germany when I was there
as a young student during the mid-'80's as well!

Teasing cuts both ways, you know.

Life / Is there a self-help movement in Poland? [13]

Yes, probably.

Life / Polish sentimental ballads [38]

Quite, jon. 1947 is the exact year,I checked. Sorry!

Life / Polish sentimental ballads [38]

Not entirely related, but the sentimental wartime Polish film "Zakazane piosenki" (1944)
naturally contains a number of such ballads, albeit resistance songs, among them
"Warszawianka" along with several others.

Life / Is there a self-help movement in Poland? [13]

Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science Movement of self-healing inspired that quip by
humorist Tom Lehrer in the '60's when he commented re: politicians
having their hands tied and therefore not able to pass legislation that
it was not unlike a Christian Scientist with appendicitis!

'Esalen'? No. EST was the abbr. for "Erhard Seminar Training" and was
the nightmare brainchild of an American businessman with the pseudonym
Werner Erhard adapted from the family name of the German economist and post-war
Chancellor who succeeded Adenauer, namely, Dr. Ludwig Erhard.
Apparently this American (who happened to be Jewish, by the way) so admired
former Chancelllor Erhard, that he decided to adopt his last name. Go figure.

Life / Is there a self-help movement in Poland? [13]

Norman Vincent Peale was the long time minister of the Marble Collegiate Church in
mid-town Manhattan! A lovely looking edifice as I remember.

Ayn Rand's character Howard Roark the architect in "The Fountainhead has been used to
heighten a Republican philosophy of total self reliance, even mocking the need for both G-d
and religion itself.

Hers was the forerunner of the EST movement during the late '70's "We are where we are by choice alone",
as you might recall.

Actually, the first self-help books in North America were both written by actor Douglas
Fairbanks around 1917, "Laugh & Live" as well "Making life Worthwhile", personifying
the American "Can do" spirit in more naive days. They pre-dated Dale Carnegie and Napoleon
Hill by at least ten to twenty years.

History / Honoring - Otto Schimek [47]

Still don't get what your game is, but it's getting really annoying!

Life / Why Poles are so much different than other slavic nations? Poland must return to mother Poland. [38]

You don't give up do you.
Remember that Emerson quote
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds".

Life / Is there a self-help movement in Poland? [13]

Self-improvement books seem largely unpopular on the Continent.
Not sure about Poland, but I know personally that for years, this US-style
self-help as well as exercise culture a la Jack La Laine or Vic Tanney, not
to mention Dale Carnegie, John Molloy ("Dress For Success") etc. didn't seem
to resonate much in France or Germany.

Perhaps things have changed some.

Life / Why Poles are so much different than other slavic nations? Poland must return to mother Poland. [38]

Do you know the definition of an idiot?

History / Honoring - Otto Schimek [47]

Plenty, considering they're either Danish historians or simply interested in Danish history.
His works have been translated, you know.

UK, Ireland / "Strange " English language.. [264]

Correct!

Life / Why Poles are so much different than other slavic nations? Poland must return to mother Poland. [38]

Neither, Mr. sea slug.

Life / Why Poles are so much different than other slavic nations? Poland must return to mother Poland. [38]

You troll incessantly like a child and expect that by repeating the same moronic question like a robot (or an idiot, take your pick!),
that you will arrive at truth, just like these ******* lawyers who like to badger the witness.

Geez Louise, give it a rest, Rich.

History / The Two Saddest Nations on Earth... Poles and Jews [243]

Not necessarily sad, Alien, however defensive most definitely!

History / Honoring - Otto Schimek [47]

????? Huh??!

Life / Why Poles are so much different than other slavic nations? Poland must return to mother Poland. [38]

That's no indicator, Rich, and you know it.
Cleverness and intelligence aren't mutually exclusive.
While intelligence is surely a part of cleverness, cleverness
in and of itself is not necessarily the same thing as intelligence!

Example. Someone is intelligent enough to realize that if one
enters a burning building, they too will probably get burned...or worse.
Someone who is clever will estimate which is the strongest section
of the structure and the proceed to either enter from there or simply
stay away.

A clever person might be able to outsmart another person, yet smart and
clever aren't the same thing either in and of themselves.

Second example. A smart person knows how to figure out the answers on
the test. A clever person might be able to figure out exactly what the teacher
wants the student to say/write.

See the difference?

Language / Should Polish bands and singers sing in Polish or English? [17]

Must be it. Thanks, jon!

Language / Should Polish bands and singers sing in Polish or English? [17]

@Milo & jon, apologies for the mix up. Yes, you both are right:-)

Language / Should Polish bands and singers sing in Polish or English? [17]

Hmm, she's been marketed for years as French. Oh gosh,
perhaps a true native bilingual then:-)

Whoops, just checked. Yes, you're right. Adele is English.

Language / Should Polish bands and singers sing in Polish or English? [17]

Bottom line is that it is the rare singer in any language, be it rock, folk, folk rock or even opera,
who is able to sing as comfortably, indeed indistinguishably, in a language other than their own.
The great Paul Robeson for example prided himself on singing in English, German, French, Italian with equal facility, even
Chinese, and yet when I hear his gorgeous rendition of "Freiheit", his American diction comes through
loud and clear. However, his deep, rumbling, and resonant bass puts any such considerations to shame.

Language / Terms of endearment in Polish [222]

Dated or simply examples of a period piece, kind of like a somewhat earlier E.M. Foster.

Language / Should Polish bands and singers sing in Polish or English? [17]

But she has sung in English, as I recall.

History / Honoring - Otto Schimek [47]

Kai Vinding was a well-known Danish historian from the last century, famous
for a number of texts on Danish history.

Life / Why Poles are so much different than other slavic nations? Poland must return to mother Poland. [38]

Indeed there is and I'd already responded to Rich who maintained the stereotype that Poles
are less intelligent than Czechs along with other assorted bilge!

History / Honoring - Otto Schimek [47]

Precisely. In addition, just bloody look up Kai Vinding's history of modern Denmark, for heaven's sake!!!

Life / Why Poles are so much different than other slavic nations? Poland must return to mother Poland. [38]

I'm here? Are YOU all there?

Language / Should Polish bands and singers sing in Polish or English? [17]

I would say to sing in one's native language, unless
of course, one happens to be either Abba, Adele or Nina Hagen!

Life / Why Poles are so much different than other slavic nations? Poland must return to mother Poland. [38]

And greed is healthy, stereotypes are neat pegs upon which to hang inadequate experience etc. ad nauseum......
Come on, Rich, get a life already!!

History / Honoring - Otto Schimek [47]

Right on, jon! Thanks for coming to the rescue LOL