Life / Poles turn their backs on organised religion. [148]


Secular societies don't necessarily have higher crime rates. Some very religious societies have high ones.


In Poland, religion is declining fast.

History / What makes you feel Polish? [167]


A good man, however he's obviously retained his own identity too. He's been here longer than some posters on here have been alive (as have I and a few others here).

Life / Poles turn their backs on organised religion. [148]


Are societies with it any better?

Food / Bologna & onions in Poland? [44]


In that same period there was some sort of shortage in the UK and they started adding ground chicory to coffee. Nasty stuff.


I have a friend here who uses the word 'mortadela' as an insult.

Food / What Polish foods do foreigners generally not take to? [140]


There's a place in the starówka in Toruń that sells pizza (only two kinds, with mushroons or without), has everybody sitting at long tables (rare for Poland) and to drink only sells clear borscht in cups.

The queues are round the block sometimes.

Travel / Are Polish people as unfriendly as Slovaks? [84]


The only Australian I've ever known who's relatively sane and not a sociopath is in fact Armenian-born.

One thing I've noticed. The abruptness and passive-aggressive formality that you get in shops etc in Warsaw, Poznań etc vanished once you get about 50 miles away. I go to Kielce, Radom, Siedlce and Płock from time to time for various reasons and although Radom has its moments, the level of engagement in the public sphere is different. Perhaps not on the level of friendliness in northern England, but definitely on a par with round London.

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]


There are obviously none of those here fortunately, however it's easier (and cheaper) to pay UK-style child benefit, which this more or less is.


Not perhaps ideal if someone's short of cash, however they'd have done their nails on the even less money that they had without it. And at least going to a nail bar is putting something back into the economy, as well as making the single mother in question feel a bit better about herself.

Travel / Are Polish people as unfriendly as Slovaks? [84]

Armenians are very friendly, ask Azeris.

Slovaks and Poles however, especially in cities, are formal and sometimes abrupt in their work settings with strangers. This can be mistaken (with justification) for unfriendliness.

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]


Often there is only one.


So let's mitigate those outcomes and give every child the best chance.

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]


All the more reason for them to get as good a deal and ideally a better one from the state.

Genealogy / Do I have any Polish physical traits? [48]


Russians too,

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]

They don't get as good a deal under 500+.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

Near Katowice?

If I'm right. I'll not say any more...

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]


From the Soviet Red Army?

News / How could PiS better spend billions instead of 500+ ? [280]

UBI for breeders.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

Looks like the area near the Ukraine border.

History / What makes you feel Polish? [167]


Presumably ones who've never met a Yorkshireman.


A taboo, for good reason. With Poles though, you do need have everything absolutely clear first and ideally in front of witnesses and/or in writing.

News / Poland's LBGT Seen as Dangerous Foreign Idea. [39]


No it isn't. Who's the leader?


Rubbish. Nobody anywhere is "promoting the destruction of families", nor do the majority of people in developed countries "dislike" people on the grounds of their sexuality.

Remember @MrGrunwald, the battles have already been won. All of them.


What "unspoken truce"? Have you ever visited Poland?

All going very off topic, sadly.

News / Poland's LBGT Seen as Dangerous Foreign Idea. [39]


He doesn't need to 'state' anything.


I didn't think we had to join an organisation? Which one? Do we get a membership card?

News / Poland's LBGT Seen as Dangerous Foreign Idea. [39]


Darren Grimes is perhaps a good example, plus that Yannopoulos guy that used to be in the media. They're nothing to do with any particular activism (or even engagement in) LGBT issues though. Jaroslaw Kaczynski and J Edgar Hoover also come to mind. Do I need to condemn them too, simply because we don't date ladies?

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]


Yes, the photo's very close to the przęgierz (pillory) that's preserved in the square.

Language / What is your biggest problem with Polish language? [158]


Still hasn't perished. Or hasn't been lost (lost in the sense of died). Nicht verloren is close to the original. The closest word to prevail is probably panować or maybe przetrwać. The Ukrainian anthem is, by the way, similar.

Language / What is your biggest problem with Polish language? [158]

Yes. Zginąć is more serious though.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

Two in a row is too much. It sort of kills it.

It's a lovely place. Last time I was there, there was a streaker running nude exactly where the picture shows. He looked a bit crazy.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

Somewhere VERY well known. There are a couple of posters here who live there ;-)

Language / What is your biggest problem with Polish language? [158]


Yet if it's zgubiony kot, it autosuggests zagubiony.

Zaginąć is better in that context, though I hope never to have to use it.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

The only name I can think of from there is Naruszewicz, however I think there were others.

Wasn't he working from the 50s onwards? Some really beautiful stuff.

All I've got from Ćmielów is some mugs. The really nice stuff there is expensive.

Travel / Poland in photo riddles - part 2 [1680]

Is it from Ćmielów?

Language / Terms of endearment in Polish [227]

Very sweet.