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

Yes, maslaki. A friend makes them. The same people I took those too also got some pieczarki in a jar, which they thought was bland.


Ogorki kiszone always go down well.

Life / Poland's Prison System Compared to America's [36]

How a justice system treats people is a measure of a civilised society. Whether it's rehabilitation or just locking someone away. In America, there seems to be a disproportionally high percentage of people in prison compared with Europe.

In Poland they do try - and the EU have made sure conditions have slightly improved, however are stymied by lack of funds. Custodial sentences are still given for minor offences here, with little thought to any long-term benefit to society. Prison certainly isn't a deterrent, since crime still occurs.


Decades of prison visiting as a volunteer here, plus having worked in one elsewhere.

UK, Ireland / What can I say/do about my Polish neighbours in the UK? [65]


Blow up a paper bag and burst it on the floor (not a bit with carpets). They will hear that.

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


No. It's just nice. Restaurants abroad have been doing soup in a hollowed loaf for decades and most żurek isn't served that way anyway.

When I first came here I had some friends to visit. East European food wasn't totally new to them (they had Ukrainian grandparents) and they liked everything except fruit-filled pierogi and gulasz wieprzowy (which they described as "rank"). I took some pickled mushrooms back to the UK for someone (a real gourmet with good taste in food) as a gift and they politely suggested that they didn't want to see any more of that slimy stuff in a jar.

I can't abide zsiadle mleko or kefir; that's just personal taste. I like kaszanka but think it's a poor substitute for British black pudding.

Genealogy / Motyl - Tracing My Polish Roots for the 1st time [28]

Most people with the surname Motyliński live in north and central Poland. Do you know where your grandfather emigrated from?
moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/motyli%25C5%2584ski.html

News / President Duda rules out homo marriage in Poland as banned by the constitution [172]


More than you think and more than you do. Things turned the corner a while ago, and a referendum about Kaczynski's failed 'fourth republic' is a few steps beyond the beginning of the end.

News / President Duda rules out homo marriage in Poland as banned by the constitution [172]

The cold hard truth, I-S. The regime is collapsing and this referendum is part of that. They're trying to keep the failed idea of a 'fourth republic' alive in case they get back in office after a future election.

News / President Duda rules out homo marriage in Poland as banned by the constitution [172]


Because he (Kaczynski not the puppet Duda) knows the national debate would hugely weaken them. They know the end is coming and a referendum is basically their last attempt to distract from their decline.

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


They've tried to keep it under the radar, however the sheer amount of the current tranche of money makes that harder for them.

News / President Duda rules out homo marriage in Poland as banned by the constitution [172]


That won't happen. Most people here are happy with the Constitution of the Third Republic and don't want Kaczynski's 'fourth republic'. Nor is there any real appetite for a theocracy.

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

The lastest idiocy by the bad change government looks likely to lose the lion's share of development aid from Norway - a €1 billion payment to be divided between Poland and Hungary.

The PiS junta came close to jeopardising the funding before and lost. Now they're trying again, and will lose.

euobserver.com/nordic/137726

News / President Duda rules out homo marriage in Poland as banned by the constitution [172]

Then they wouldn't have a 2/3 majority if the margin was so small.

News / President Duda rules out homo marriage in Poland as banned by the constitution [172]


That's exactly right. Trying to shift the Overton Window in an unsavoury direction. And of course stiffing the dupes who voted for them as soon as they can. The timings interesting - choosing to do this now, when everything's going wrong for them. Hopefully the failed referendum will be their swansong.

They'll certainly need a 2/3 majority in any referendum to make such a change.


Oddly enough, I haven't spoken any other language for a while now...

News / President Duda rules out homo marriage in Poland as banned by the constitution [172]

As far as I know the referendum doesn't involve marriage equality.

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


Those two, plus Kaczynski and Orban are four peas in the same pod. So yes.

Travel / Information on the town Plonna in Poland [17]


In that area, Podkarpackie, there were many and are still quite a few. Before the forced deportations of 1946/7 Plonna was majority Lemko.

Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [200]

That's actually the opposite of the truth. What language get do you think people speak at home here in Poland?

Language / "Poles" or "Polish people" - which is better to use? [200]


Or for anyone speaking Polish.

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


She's the Polish Honorary Consul, appointed by the Polish government, so yes, she is very much a representative of Poland. There is not one molecule of doubt that she is an officially appointed representative of Poland.

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

@delphiandomine
I doubt they care how dodgy their supporters are.

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


She does have something of a history.

If I did it or you did it, it would just be a (very) bad taste joke. In fact I wouldn't do it. She is an Honorary Consul which shows that PiS are happy for Poland to be represented internationally by people who post very sick 'memes' about their country online.

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


Two highly regarded statesmen. A rare thing in Poland and about the only credible politicians here.


Not according to polls. I know you love to cite them, and it must hurt you that the latest two show a result you dislike.

News / Poland has accepted over a million Ukrainian refugees. Why does the EU keep telling propaganda about Poland? [304]


In a word, yes. Just as it's in Putin's favour to turn Poland against the EU by provoking sanctions.

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


This could actually happen. He and Sikorski have a lot of respect and support.

News / Poland has accepted over a million Ukrainian refugees. Why does the EU keep telling propaganda about Poland? [304]


I doubt any refugee ever has "wandered into any country they feel like".

News / Poland has accepted over a million Ukrainian refugees. Why does the EU keep telling propaganda about Poland? [304]

You think war is the only reason people have to leave their home?

News / Poland has accepted over a million Ukrainian refugees. Why does the EU keep telling propaganda about Poland? [304]


You probably don't keep abreast of current affairs, not least Poland being censured over the issue.

News / Poland has accepted over a million Ukrainian refugees. Why does the EU keep telling propaganda about Poland? [304]


Indeed. Spot on even.


Very much so. Unfortunately there's an issue now in Poland about refugees from the former Soviet Union. Some are 'acceptable, and some not - can you guess which ones get turned away?

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


Indeed. Same ideology, same salute, same context.

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

Photos don't lie, Po. Their website does.