Real Estate / False advertising? Poland rental property advice. [34]

I guess if you wanted to get some of your cash back then you could help yourself to some of the stuff that the owner left in the garage and give it back to her when she gives you a few thousand zloty

Depends on how angry you feel - that sort of thing obviously has the potential to to escalate

But the real fault here is with the agent and you might have most leverage in these times by leaving reviews about how unprofessional and negligent they have been. They can't just take commissions with no responsibility for the end service.

Real Estate / False advertising? Poland rental property advice. [34]

For sure don't pay any more rent - if the house is unsafe then they are not performing the service of renting you the property. Whatever is in the contract can be trumped by the civil law.

I would stop paying rent, find somewhere else. Then when you are in your new place ask for your 4000 zloty back - both to the agent and the LL. Chances are small but make their lives a misery for a few weeks and you might get something.

Study / Various education and school issues in Poland. Opinions, stories, controversies. [1006]

If they don't open schools then people can't work

If people can't work, then no tax

If no tax then no schools

Enough of this nonsense. Prepare your lessons, the kids can go in masks.

Life / Paying Hospital Bills in Poland [23]

Also plenty of work for delivery drivers and in supermarkets and warehouses

All temp stuff and it will dry up in a few months but certainly at the moment it's available

Life / Paying Hospital Bills in Poland [23]

Karma always works - sometimes takes many years.

Life / Paying Hospital Bills in Poland [23]

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. He has some explaining to do for sure :)

News / Thousands of Polish women attend Czarny Piątek rally in Warsaw [780]

That Ivy League education being put to good use

Genealogy / Popular non-Poles of Polish descent [17]

Yes Ditka was half Polish half Ukrainian I think. I don't know if some of his players would have sat out the anthem - Richard Dent or Wilbur Marshall - would be good to imagine that conversation

Of musicians then Ray Manzarek of the Doors - real name Manczarek

Genealogy / Polish & Prussian/German town name cross-reference. [100]

You could check all the hospitals in Prussia called St Joseph's - google something like Sankt Joseph Krankenhaus Preussen - that would probably narrow your search to 4 or 5 towns. There seems to have been one in Poznan and one in Mikolow but a bit more digging might turn up more

Genealogy / Polish & Prussian/German town name cross-reference. [100]

There are a few possibilities - a misspelling g by the German clerk or maybe that this is forged or simply made up names by a lazy clerk or that you are misreading the gothic (though Helmchen is a name and there are a few in Poland).

But none of the names you give for villages sound plausible in Polish or in German

Real Estate / House owning in Poland - Questions - Which offices are involved? Rules. [26]

If you are buying in wspolnota housing association then while it is legal to do Air bnb at the moment, there is a lot of discussion about it and some moves to make Air b n b landlords pay higher czynsz, or to allow the wspolnota to forbid Air b n b.

There is a very high chance of extra taxes on Air bnb in the future - second home owners are an easy political target and with the tourist sector under huge pressure that is an easy place to look both for extra taxes and to level the playing field - you can certainly expect more VAT and building inspections,

If you are renting full time to the same tenant that is far simpler but I also expect tax increases in the next few years,

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]

I don't see too many EU citizens thinking they would be better off living in Russia.

Life / Is Polish church involved in politics too much? [137]

Well JK is a creepy guy - you can see a photo of him dressed in gloomy black tie for a wedding holding a massive bunch of red and white roses.

Life / Is Polish church involved in politics too much? [137]

A lot - the church has made an exception to an important rule (to them). At the same time many ordinary Poles were not given similar preferential treatment,

After the ceremony the happy couple made a romantic trip with JK to Lech"s grave to put some flowers.

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]

That chart is only the top 30. Not everything

Do they really export more blood than beer ?

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]

9 percent cars, a few percent trucks and OEM.

85 percent other things.

And anyway this chart is only export - it ignores important industry focused on domestic consumption

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]

That is complete nonsense.

News / Poland's post-election political scene [4080]

I think the main thing the election shows is that the people in villages are happy to live on the dime of the young and the urban population for another 5 years.

The LGBT thing did win some votes, but the geographical and age splits are so clear that to me it comes down to economics.

Poland just posted some huge govt deficit figures - nothing unusual about that during Covid but the way out of that requires economic growth and investment, rather than the current diet of cronyism and nationalization

News / Poland's post-election political scene [4080]

The anus is not a sex organ but straight anal sex has been common in many cultures for centuries - not just for fun but also as a way of birth control and keeping virginity. I have no idea why it upsets you so much Kondzior. It's not everyone's cup of tea but I think the majority of adults have tried it and if you type it into redtube you will get millions of hits.

It's not normal to be gay - understand that viewpoint, but it doesn't hurt me, so they can get on with it. It was a stupid diversion in the election and very bad for Poland's image - PiS can live with the consequences but over the next few months they will have some real, issues to deal with - starting with inflation - the highest in Europe last month and if you have ventured out of the house you will see it is really galloping with many services up 15-25 percent.

News / Poland's post-election political scene [4080]

Well people like you seem to spend an awesome amount of time thinking about that 2 percent.

News / Poland's post-election political scene [4080]

What are the destructive tendencies that come with homosexuality ? I have seen plenty of bar fights and playground scraps over women but not many over gay love.

And what is disgusting about it ? It's no skin off my nose what they do to each other. Live and let live.

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]

This is different Spike - the decisions will be made by majority, not unanimity - so Hungary and Poland will need to sign up 3-4 more selfish whack jobs to block it,

Very doubtful that Poland will be a net payer even within 15 years. And it is not a permanent status - several countries have been net payers but occasionally slipped back to be net recipients - like Spain and Italy

Increasing wealth is not a one way process - it needs sound management of the economy and long term planning, Italy became wealthier than Britain at one pint but then a decade of weak growth pulled it back and many of the same problems can affect Poland - party cronyism, a clear geographical divide in the country, not modernising the education system etc.

News / Years of Poland in the EU - assessment of pros and cons [1199]

I don't think it's vague - it clearly states that the funding is conditional on the rule of law and sets up a mechanism to monitor that.

Financially it's a good deal but comes with responsibility

News / Poland's post-election political scene [4080]

Agree that this was a squeaker - these remarkably close elections all going Putin's way in the US, UK, Poland etc is probably not a coincidence, on the other hand it's clear that the PiS message resonates strongly in the countryside.

It will change soon and when it comes the defeats will keep the idiots out of power for a generation.

Maybe one man one vote needs looking at, but the alternatives are probably worse. However the disconnect between the tax base and the electoral base is a real problem - it will generate resentment, tax dodging, reduced investment and the rich will continue to retreat behind gated communities, private hospitals etc.

Gay rights were a distraction but very poor for Poland's image and Duda will now have to break bread with a few gay leaders over the next 5 years. I hoe they give him some very uncomfortable private discussions on his views. But I'm not comfortable with how moderate views are now outside the pale - I am fine with gay marriage, far less certain about gay adoption but questioning that has become almost an extremist position In the US or Western Europe.

Law / Termination of permament or contract work contract in Poland [35]

If he has already told you that it was for economic reasons then that is what he would say to the PIP or court. And how are they going to argue ? He can convincingly point to a huge economic crisis and say he couldn't afford to keep you, this is a large company so it's unlikely there were any personal or discriminatory reasons.

If you decide to fight that then one problem is you might end up with no reference from the only Polish business on your resume. think that through carefully as this is not going to be an easy job market and you will need all the friends and goodwill you can get.

USA, Canada / Polish people in LA / California [28]

Yet many soviet refugees have made good lives for themselves in California - including of course System of a Down and the founders of Google.

Must be something about the place that is better than Moscow ?

Polonia / India - review this country (as a Pole) [21]

Better food than Russia. Better transport too

Work / Medical jobs in Poland? [12]

Why would handing swabs and mouthwash to patients be more interesting than an office job ?

Law / Asylum laws in Poland [41]

Absolutely insane - Poland is a country where the parents of disabled kids are left with very little support. This is obviously a complicated story

Life / What does it mean when a Pole winks at you? [7]

A way of recognizing that only you and the recipient know a piece of information

Yes it can be flirtatious - if I saw a cute girl the other side of the room my first move would be a big smile - a wink is more flirtatious than a smile :)