History / Poles should emulate Jews? [153]

There are other threads for that and not all of us live in Warsaw ;) ;)

I don't see the motivation of posters here. Almost everyone I meet in Gliwice doesn't discuss the Jewish question. They let sleeping dogs lie and have their own standards to meet.

History / Poles should emulate Jews? [153]

Why talk of superior? Why not just different? Poles are Poles, not Jews (some are). Pole and makeover are uncomfortable bedfellows.

History / Poles should emulate Jews? [153]

The people will do as the people will do. They enjoy free will now so whatever direction they take is largely in their own hands. Besides, I don't like the word 'should'. Why should they mould to the conception of others?

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

The 'Polish' kitchen is filled with foreign imports but taken as Polish 100%. Examples? Naleśniki are crepes and are French. Leczo and gulasz are Hungarian. Pierogi are Slavic generally and even Chinese (check the history). Cabbage was given to Slavs by Celts who, in turn, got it from Asia way back.

Polish experimentation rarely goes beyond Italian offerings which are fairly universal. I'm talking in scale terms here as there are some who experiment.

Shush is absolutely right! 2 oriental places have gone under here due to the mundane zeroing in on flour-based options (peasant food) and cabbage (horsefeed in Scotland generally). Rich cuisine? Within a narrow sphere maybe.

Poles overestimate 'their' food, good as it is!

Love / English Men vs Polish Men [207]

I don't send massages, I only do them ;) ;) ;)

Love / English Men vs Polish Men [207]

Not fussy then, SVT? I see you have the wild highlander instincts.

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

He clearly hasn't been to France where many are black. Not brown like many in Britain, but black. He is well wide of the mark. When I sit and discuss things in amongst Poles, I don't feel the East/West thing at all. I see fellow whites who show an awareness of life in the West and an appreciation of British humour.

I think most Poles would balk at Marmite. Tell them that yeast is used in beer making and they might change their minds.

Poles will take a long time to venture beyond pierogi and cabbage-based dishes. They are very traditional when it comes to food.

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

Poland has some of the most intellectual people out there. This is where I am for PO, they reward them more and see life as more of a meritocracy. Serving those whining village people is NOT where Poland wants to be. In order to be more Western, you need experience of Western systems.

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

Amathyst, yawn! There is intolerance and I wasn't entering into comparative studies at all. Don't tag on stuff like the Malaysian thing and use it against me as I know full well that the press victimises Islam and Muslims. I really dislike that, tagging on an extra part to make out that I said sth bad. What I said was true!

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

Poles are just not accustomed to having non-whites as bosses, S+M. Be thankful that you are accepted as many would just blank you, I feel.

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

Well, you clearly didn't check them, you just hurled them on up there. There is nothing on it other than a blanket statement without corroboration. Besides, part of it contradicts your version of things. Read it and see.

Why the constant deflection? If you want to talk about Poland, then talk about Poland and not other European nations. I'm not aware of any anti-Semitism rankings anyway ;) ;)

Poland has changed since then :) Also, statutes and actions rarely follow the will of the overall population.

Britain takes a more realistic position in its views of Israel and doesn't merely offer blind support to a state which repeatedly carries out disproportionate actions which are flagrant violations of international law. Poland's relative neutrality is good.

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

Exactly, and that's what I'm talking about here. Religious intolerance through perceived dangers and a reaction to sth foreign. The reality is that Islam constitutes 0.07% of life here so why the need for religious tolerance documents when people will show by deeds how they feel? After all, what is a nation without its people and their manifest will?

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

I know that. Anti-Semitism hit its peak in 1968 when student demonstrations were also very visible. I was discussing modern tolerance, not ancient.

Well, it clearly isn't yours either as you can't even quote me a figure ;) ;) ;)

Yup, I can confirm that if you wish :) :) We are in June btw :)

Of course, that's freedom of religion which is a different thing from religious tolerance. You saw the protests yourself when a 2nd major mosque was proposed for Warsaw.

"Ow"? Did that reality hurt, David? ;)

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

I'll state it again, I was discussing broader tolerance. Because a few MP's or select individuals sign a motion, doesn't mean that the people follow it or even know about it.

Members of Polish-Lithuanian society, how many??

1264, LOL. This is 2010.

Poland has been Catholic for a very long time so religious tolerance laws just rest on paper if you don't have a fitting context in which to apply them.

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

I hate to point out sth very obvious but they are both Christians, not Islamists or Hindis etc etc ;) ;) ;) or isn't Christianity a religion? ;) ;)

Please don't tell me that they understood the theological differences as I know that the great majority don't have a clue on this one.

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

It's easy to enact a law of religious toleration when you have only really had one in your country ;) ;) ;)

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

Sun and Moon has a point here. The impact of the document is not felt so much. Even a highly educated legal advisor here wasn't so keyed up on the content of it.

Actions speak louder than words, so true! Also, I have posted the same post 3 times asking for what actions JK and BK will take and NOBODY even attempted it. The Poles seem to be voting for mere slogans without really understanding the processes and content. For those that seem to argue so vigorously, that confuses me. They are buying into window dressing.

Ach tam, Poles sit as far apart from one another as they can. The distance is just slightly increased with coloured folk ;) ;)

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

Sun and Moon, ask me some questions and I promise to answer as honestly and as fully as I can. You will see that I'm no racist.

Ask me about Poles and Poland and I'll be honest. Education? I lack it??

I just don't feel, knowing many Poles (esp older), that rampant MCism has a place here. The resistance would be made felt. A few Muslims, Hindis and other groups walking around? No problem!

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

Thanks, Torq :) :) My good friend here is racist and he knows that we differ on this point. Him calling a 'murzyn' czarnuch and all manner of other words doesn't impress me at all.

I think Poland is going down a positive route with regards to international goods. I can buy all manner of products from around the world here in little Gliwice. Could anyone say the same 25 years ago? No

Matowy, spot on! My first interpretation involves food&drink, esp Indian :) :) Let the other stuff like festivals come later :)

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

First off, I'm not a Pole though I have Polish family now :) :)

Calling me a racist is an absolutely absurd insinuation. I'm very stern with racist people around me. My best time in teaching was teaching mixed races in my CELTA. I taught people from all over and was happy. Furthermore, my home city (in Scotland) has many different folk from all over and they really enhance the food&drink options. Multiculturalism, in its most desirable form, is quite normal for me. I moved away from that in 2001 into 2 homogeneous cultures. However, the greatest part of my life was experiencing it.

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

Poland will represent the last bastion of resistance and a strength of JK is his rejection of rampant multiculturalism. Poland doesn't need this.

I think it is you that are high ;) ;)

Although it's not my call, I'd like Poland to be more multicultural though FAR from on a rampant scale. Life is a little bland when dominated by one culture to this extent. However, it is theirs and we are merely guests.

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

I also was a frequent traveller and keep my eyes wide open. I agree that the psyche and will of the people are important but I don't think toilets was the ideal lead on, do you? Not the natural corollary of your good first point.

How can't you compare the Poles and Japanese? I can do it quite freely as I have gained intimate insights into both cultures.

Nothing to bring them to a par?? Eh, crisis avoidance and improving GDP mean nothing to you? Poland may go downhill due to the recent tragedy in Smolensk. Key personnel were taken from Poland, not least Sławomir Skrzypek.

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

Faith, a perfect answer :) :)

I've never had any problems with a Polish bus braking. In Scotland? Yes

1) Some are and some aren't

2) It's growing, yes

3) ???????????????

4) Hmm....isn't this 2010? Posing as Westerners????? LOL

5) Some have it and some don't

6) See above

7) They are relatively insular, yes. However, the Japanese are more so and look at them :) :) :)

Polish soups are what????

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

Many roads are undergoing repair work now. That's the case here in Silesia anyway. The will was always there, Torq is right.

Traffic is traffic, no getting round it.

Public toilets? There could be more of them, fitted with locks and with an ample supply of toilet paper. This is on average and is a mild criticism of Poland. However, it just depends where you are. At the local footie pitch, you can play for free and they always have toilet paper on standby, just in case you push too hard in the match, LOL. Ah, no lock there either :( :(

You go to Mass, Torq? What is your principal motivation, may I ask?

Ooh, I dunno about that one. In percentage terms maybe, but Tusk looks like a man who will auction off Poland somewhere down the line. He has his superiors too ;0 ;)

Sun and Moon, go and Google Nasser Oric and see his part in Izetbegovic's caliphate.

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

Sun and Moon, you have to understand sth of Poland's past to see the struggles for identity. It's the same as Japan, they underwent a major reformation of character to distance themselves from their image of brutality during WWII. I kid you not, Poles and Japanese will ask you non-stop about how you perceive them and their country. I don't know what I'm talking about? This was a subject of interest for me and I lived in Japan for 2 years, in Poland for almost 6. I see it acutely.

I don't like making too many observations as I tend to fall into the trap I dislike, the generalisation one. This is why I just prefer to be and not be overly perceptive. I can dispel some of the observations but, then again, it would only be in part.

One key observation I feel, backed up by many Poles, is the black magic of financial acquisition here. I swear they have hidden plots of trees somewhere, discreet plantations where you can pull money off of. Maybe Komorowski was hiding such data ;) ;)

Real Estate / Poland: the building boom goes on [28]

We do learn from them in ways.

Real Estate / Poland: the building boom goes on [28]

It wasn't maintained across the board and Poland's GDP also dipped during the crisis. It stands to reason. Also, much assistance came from EU funds and willing Chinese participation.

Love / English Men vs Polish Men [207]

Eurabians? Are you sure? How about Scottish men? Many are fairly pale and have lighter skin than many Poles.

Food / Russia vs Poland Vodka war [76]

A Russian for the Russians? That's consistent! That sounds like Smolensk alright :)

Break stereotypes and you will see that Poland's bread is generally preferred over German bread and Polish vodka generally preferred over Russian vodka. Smirnoff was my vodka of choice when I was younger as I didn't know anything else. Now I do :) :)

Food / Russia vs Poland Vodka war [76]

Oh, come on, that's a lame comparison ;) ;)

Ask the French about anything non-French and, well, zobaczysz!

Sorry but I knew a Polish soldier that had to work with Russians and, on cold nights, they warmed their cockles with each other's vodka. They were mightily impressed! Let the common people decide and leave the snobs out of it.