Law / Poland's going forward while Britain is still trying to wake up [86]

Varsovian needs to see Rubislaw in Aberdeen. Delph is from my city, he will back me up on this. There are super new houses in Zabrze now, head turners for many Poles and me to a certain extent too. Still, they just don't compare with big houses in Scotland which, in turn, don't compare to big houses in America. Look at English country houses too. Poland is still very much catching up. It still has a commie block culture in places.

That depends on taxes, I'd guess. Varsovian, you really need to see how wealthy some Brits are. They live like kings.

There are good and bad windows in both Britain and Poland.

The floorboards do tend to be better here in Poland but, then again, Varsovian cannot be sure as he hasn't been round most of the houses in both countries.

Poland needs to go through a broader attitude change amongst its youth. They are still defeatist and take bailout options all too often. They see Britain as a bailout.

News / Topless sunbathers acquitted in Szczecin, Poland [128]

True enough, PD! It's also about set and setting. When my wife walks around after coming out of the shower, it's natural for her to, um, 'aerate' herself first :) Men are naturally drawn to boobs in certain places but on beaches and after showering, it just becomes normalised and many men don't even bother to look. There are plenty of women who show a lot in class when I teach but I take notice but don't look any further. It's not the right place to. However, out on the rynek, I can have a look at girls going by. It's innocent to look and that's all it is. I got told off by my Japanese GF for doing that 'irome wo tsukau' (glancing) once and didn't risk it after that as you have to know when you have sth good in life.

Boobs are boobs but trouble is trouble and then there are no boobs :( :(

Life / SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT POLAND AND POLISH SOCIETY [297]

Keep the US troops out! The German Chancellor resigned over that issue and the Japanese PM too, I believe. It is highly divisive and the US is already doing shady things in remote Polish forests according to Russia Today.

Poland needs to keep its nose clean. They have been lucky enough to avoid incurring the wrath of terrorists so we don't need any stirring of the hornet's nest. Poland is quite a pure society and I can live with that. We don't need foreign intervention here.

Life / Languages understandable by Poles? [38]

Some words are, Bzibby. Ne ma is nie ma. Czekaj is, I think, czekaj. Ask Crow, he may able to point out other similarities. Na razumim and nie rozumiem are close. The numbers of Serbian are closer to Russian but I think a Pole could work some of them out.

Law / Poland's going forward while Britain is still trying to wake up [86]

Spot on, zetigrek. Some of the property prices here are staggering relative to earnings. In the words of the Beastie Boys, 'something's gotta give' :) :)

Law / Poland's going forward while Britain is still trying to wake up [86]

Well, if Poland revealed its voodoo economics (thanks plk123) then we'd see a different picture. I live here and I have come to the conclusion that either Poles are lying about what they earn or they are really scrimping and saving. There is no way that the arithmetic adds up in many cases. Life is costly here and salaries are often meagre in comparison. It's getting better, yes, but the disparity is still there.

Law / Poland's going forward while Britain is still trying to wake up [86]

People don't elect shadow governments, Vars, they elect governments. Much of what went on behind-the-scenes was not controlled by Blair or Brown.

Censorship is again desirable amongst the paranoid. It was a Rockefeller who said that the internet is one of the most damning things out there but, then again, he would say that.

Britain is a prime target for the plans of the few. Poland will be too and the process is already underway with PO at the helm. After Smolensk, you saw Belka replace Skrzypek. That will manifest itself soon enough. Poland will be caught out in due course!

Law / Poland's going forward while Britain is still trying to wake up [86]

OK, let's throw a fair percentage of the unemployed from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia into Poland (all EU). The Baltic brethren! :) Now for some stats.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_unemployment_rate

they almost average 20%. Poland is a bigger country by 3 times than GB. So, let's pave the way for 3 million to come :) Where would Poland be then?

Oh, Tusk and Kommie are looking to cast Poland's net out wider so why not throw some Zimbabweans (90% unemployed) and some Turkmenistan (70% unemployed) folk into the mix? Poland could use some refugees :)

Poland attracted FOREIGN investment, Varsovian. Without that money and EU funds, Poles would be haggling like mad-hatters at markets to keep their economy ticking over ;) ;)

News / Poles drinking more than ever, as incomes rise. [32]

We don't even have the defence of a table-drinking culture like France or Italy :( :( They drink wine from a young age around the table.

News / Poles drinking more than ever, as incomes rise. [32]

I also think it depends on the set-up of the town/city. If you have a market square then more people tend to drink. When I look out onto the rynek here, I see 100 extra people, easily.

Language / NAMES POLES GIVE THEIR DOGS [76]

My Polish friend named his dog Dingo too :)

News / Topless sunbathers acquitted in Szczecin, Poland [128]

I think you'd find anonymous boobs scattered everywhere, tm ;)

News / Topless sunbathers acquitted in Szczecin, Poland [128]

True but we have to question the logic. Some men would probably get too excited by it all and do sth they shouldn't when drunk.

Life / SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT POLAND AND POLISH SOCIETY [297]

There are Higher authorities :)

Maybe, maybe :)

You Protestants? Ta, od razu ;) ;)

Yeah, zabij tej kleszczy :)

News / Topless sunbathers acquitted in Szczecin, Poland [128]

I don't see how people can be offended by boobs. If a woman was walking topless down the street here, I would be surprised but not offended. What's the problem?

Life / SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT POLAND AND POLISH SOCIETY [297]

Higher entities know that there's great hope for me so I'm happy :)

No? You described a Protestant beautifully.

Mother of God? Prove it!

A pest? Are you a Catholic who says that a wasp is a pest? White Anglo Saxon Protestant ;)

Life / SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT POLAND AND POLISH SOCIETY [297]

True!

So basically like Protestantism then? :) :)

A Jehova's Witness? What's that ;) ;) ;)

Life / SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT POLAND AND POLISH SOCIETY [297]

I agree, you find God in different ways and not through a text. Still, theology holds meaning for many people.

You identify with it too but you generally understand why you are a certain thing. Religion need not be discussed, true. Still, please explain what a Catholic is to sb who might not know or is knew to it. Imagine a martian came down from outer space and asked you what a Catholic was. What would you tell him?

I believe we should reach different conclusions and not just follow like sheep. Like my wife :) I don't apply reason to it, I just feel that the water has been muddied and why not just say you are a Christian?

UK, Ireland / Religion and identity among Polish immigrants in the UK [20]

They always have Anne Widdicombe to represent them, LOL.
youtube.com/watch?v=AloG_pu1zmc&NR=1
what a voice, LOL.

She is pathetic! Is this the kind of worm that spreads the word effectively?

USA, Canada / To move back to Poland from the USA or not to move back....that is the question [124]

If it is in your heart and you could put some practical steps into place, why not? Poland has been on the up for some time now and all it needs is a bit of luck in finding a job befitting of your experience.

However, a small caveat. Beware of discussing religion. Although I really agree with the following speaker (very well known to Brits), I would never raise these issues with students as to do so would be to inflame and potentially jeopardise a good relationship. Besides, schools don't encourage it.

youtube.com/watch?v=NL5WVecNdhk
Stephen Fry on Catholicism.

I'm off to watch the rest. Good luck and follow your dreams!

Food / Buying alcohol, wine in Poland. It's very difficult. [86]

Magda, that's one label I actually do look at. Not for long, mind you :)

Gliwice probably has many wine lovers as there are quite a few places around which offer wine. With an ever-growing nouveau-riche culture emerging, that will only strengthen that.

Food / Buying alcohol, wine in Poland. It's very difficult. [86]

They are hardly up there with Chile, NZ, OZ or SA (RPA)

Food / Buying alcohol, wine in Poland. It's very difficult. [86]

Portugal aren't renowned for their wines but their climate is good. Sorry, I was thinking Lidl for NZ wines. Still, I'm open to suggestion.

Food / Buying alcohol, wine in Poland. It's very difficult. [86]

Good stuff! 37PLN is not too steep for a good drop. 10 pounds in the UK got me sth good 10 years ago but I reckon 13 quid for the same bottle now. Biedronka and wine, that made me laugh. Still, they've came out with some good NZ whites before, approved even by a Kiwi wine enthusiast who worked here so that can't be bad.

Food / Buying alcohol, wine in Poland. It's very difficult. [86]

And what is the price elsewhere, 45-50PLN? Biedronka tends to be a bit cheaper.

Food / Buying alcohol, wine in Poland. It's very difficult. [86]

Tempranillo is a fine grape and, actually, is used in a lot of Chilean wine. Read up on it! It was sth of a prototype grape that never fully realised its potential.

Rose? Hmm...have never been keen on that :(

Food / Buying alcohol, wine in Poland. It's very difficult. [86]

Semi-dry is what I prefer. I used to drink the dry ones but you have to get up for water in the middle of the night with those.

If they are Chilean, I'll have a look for them. 3 days til Friday though :(

Food / Buying alcohol, wine in Poland. It's very difficult. [86]

They sound Spanish, Olaf. Spain produces pretty good wines but not cutting edge ones for the most part.

I'd go with Chilean ones like Errazuriz or Carmen. Mapo Valley wines are good too.

I was just impressed with the softness of Carlo Rossi. There was no hint of harshness that you can find with cheaper drops.

Life / Price of cigarettes in Poland? [192]

Smoking was ubiquitous in Japan? Really? Hmm...too many people were too busy cycling to smoke ;) ;)

My wife sees the price of ciggies as she smokes a lot. 10PLN here, tragic! Still, a semi-effective deterrent.

Language / Polish sayings [237]

Have to try everything at least once - besides incest and playing the bagpipes :)

Na dudach, I think.