Genealogy / Which Polish first names are considered unpopular / obsolete in Poland? [124]

Ultra uncommon - yes. There is a famous Polish actor with such a surname - Andrzej Seweryn.

As for his parents` punishing him with such a name, it is rubbish, of course. Parents gave him a special name because they expected him to be like that. When he didn`t fulfill their expectations and proved an average guy, they felt disappointed and let him know about it. In result, he got disappointed with them, too.

If they had really wanted to punish him as an unloved child, they would have named him Adolf or Alfons.

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


Yes.

Dougpol
No need to hurry. When the man hurries, the devil rejoices- remember that old saying. Or - when suddenly done, it is satanic plan! :):)

Gradually, the renovation process will also comprise those dilapidated zones. When communism fell, they started to renovate cities from their centres like Market Squares. Dirk `s photo of Wrocław`s Market Square shows the difference between now and then. Soon, all the cities and towns will look like that. It doesn`t matter if it takes 10 or 20 years`s time, but it is going to happen with the rising prosperity of the nation and country. Poles certainly want to live in decent conditions, but such serious changes must take time and be gradual. Why are you so impatient??? :):)

Wrocław then and now - southern side of the Market Square. I could show such photos from each Polish city but Dirk started with Wrocław, so let it be.

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Genealogy / Which Polish first names are considered unpopular / obsolete in Poland? [124]


Each generation designates their own ridicule names. In 1990s I was driven to work by a rural guy who said Leon/Karol when he meant a male sucker/ loser/idiot.

News / Scandals, conflicts, tensions, arguments - real life examples from Poland [543]


No, it is not the same, we don`t eat cucumbers like we do with bananas. :):)


Hard to say. The article which mentions it reads: the works are coming back which isn`t the same as the works have come back. :)

salon24.pl/newsroom/952167,muzeum-narodowe-przywraca-wystawy-natalii-ll-z-bananem-i-katarzyny-kozyry-znamy-powod


Because Harry uses controvercial magic and has suspicious contacts with demonic guys like Voldemort and his assistants? :):)

Genealogy / Wladyslaw and the English equivalent [22]


I have never witnessed such a situation in my long life in Poland. Władysław is almost always shortened to Władek so there is no need to call him Walter. :):)

Aaaah, you are talking about the UK/US, right? What about Ladislau?

Genealogy / Wladyslaw and the English equivalent [22]


That`s strange, I thought they are two different names..


Exactly. Walter sounds German.

Real Estate / Renting flat/apartment with dog Gdansk? [24]


I must say I haven`t seen too many offers for unfurnished apartments. If you sign a contract for a few years. then the landlord may bother to empty the property for you. But such contracts are quite rare, I suppose.


Charges can be different depending on the contract.

News / Scandals, conflicts, tensions, arguments - real life examples from Poland [543]

This thread is not only about politics.

How about conflict in art? A few weeks ago the decision to remove indecent (it depends) banana illustrations from an art museum/gallery by its director caused a mass demonstration with a few hundred people eating bananas in the street.

See the controvercial banana photos. and read more
tvn24.pl/tvn24-news-in-english,157,m/banana-protest-in-warsaw-after-museum-removes-indecent-exhibition,931592.html

Banana demo below plus celebrities instagramed their banana photos too.

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Food / What do non-Poles think about eating the following Polish foods? [1450]

Before we purchased the farm, we had had to purchase our veg and fruit, too. Sometimes in the open air market.

Big supplies for green and other coloured stuff lovers. Diversity rulez!

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Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

Come on, I never joke in my serious threads. This one is dead serious.

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]


OK, let`s not mix them.:):)


Hey, it doesn`t mean that I don`t think well done just because I don`t write it - I think it but in silence. :)


Hard to say how common it is, but certainly it hasn`t been forgotten and people use it.

Many years ago my sister gave me a dictionary of Polish vulgarisms for birthday and I read it all but today remember only one saying: pr...k (penis) struck into baubles and there will be no Christmas gifts.

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


OK, now I know what you meant. Some people will always prefer to live in apartment blocksm though. My GP loves talking to his patients about matters unrelated to their disorders, so I recently learnt he sticks to his flat because he doesn`t have time to take care of the house - e.g, repairs, heating duties, taxes.

PS. I wonder if we haven`t gone off topic too much.

How about getting back on the track?

One thing about the EU might be looked upon both as an advantage or drawback. I mean the rising price of CO 2 emission allowances. When they cost 5 euros per ton, it was OK. Now, due to European Commission`s pressure, the price is over 20 and this leads to rising price of energy in Poland which largely depends on coal burning.

So, what is the double nature of the CO2 allowance trading system? On the one hand, it presses power plants and energy suppliers to reduce their dependence on coal which heavily contributes to air pollution in Poland. On the other hand, nobody likes paying more than before. The rise has been four-fold within a year and it is not the end.

ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ets_en

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]


Yes!

It seems you have done nice research on it because not many people know that the royal connotations of the idiom are secondary. The original saying od sasa do lasa refered to horses in the carriage: sas meant left or slowly while las meant the gate. One horse went left/slowly while the other to the gate.

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


Sorry, you need to be more precise next time because nobody knew it. We were talking about communist "slums" with Milo and suddenly you wrote that the ones built before 1960s were the worst. How should anyone know what you meant? :)

I wanted to write a few more things but looking through the posts I can see that they have been already mentioned by mafketis, Lenka, Kaprys and I generally agree with them.


Yes, but Britain wasn`t destroyed during WW2 as Poland. Fulfilling the housing needs in urban areas has always been a challenge here, since WW2.


Easy, easy. Poland`s detached house population is 55% while British 85%. But in Germany, Spain, Italy, Switerland over 50% people live in flats so Poland isn`t so backward as you suggest.

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


It depends. Those in big ciies are OK although these blocks look all the same, as if designed by one person. But if I had a choice, I would seriously prefer the old communist estate than a new one. The old one is full of greenery and many residents know each other which contributes to a better atmosphere. Their public transport links are well developed. There are local shops, schools and other facilities within the estate. Besides, many of those old blocks were built in quite a decent technology, a few years ago when I visited a friend in a newly erected house I was shocked it was so noisy inside - I could hear neighbours doing their things in close apartments and they didn`t shout at all.

The choice is simple in case of these two below - I prefer the first one and reject that second monster.

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Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

Yes, I was so close. I didn`t learn German as a child for nought. :)

Genealogy / Claiming WW2 medals for Polish father [38]

Check this complete list of Polish Navy members, it starts on page 127. Is he there?

smp.am.szczecin.pl/Content/1581/kadry5.pdf?handler=pdf

Work / Is it difficult to make a living playing Soccer (football) in Poland? [54]

I know nothing about any member of the PF being a chairman of a football club, neither a football player, let alone an owner. I think you need to contact prospective clubs by mail or phone. Send them your portfolio first of all.

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]


Model with grades but loser with behaviour - I did silly things for pure fun.. :)

As for buried dog, yes, Łyzko is right because I don`t need to consult a dictionary to remember that phrase: Hier ist der Hund begraben. Or das? It is used when you have found the solution to a problem.

From Saxon (king) to forest.

Life / Owning a house in true countryside of Poland - stories [692]

@Coop
In Lesser Poland. Why?

@johnny reb
I am afraid there is a misunderstanding. We still live in a big city while the cottage is for weekends and summer stays.

As for being blessed, yes, I already said there must have been God`s finger in it.

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

Getting back on topic, it should be mentioned that many of those old housing estates have been modernised with EU funds.

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


Nope, 50 - 70.


Yes, they are and no, it isn`t because those blocks have proven surprisingly durable. You probably haven`t read a few studies that have been made in recent years. The blocks will survive not 70 but 150 years without major modernisation.

24kurier.pl/aktualnosci/gospodarka/ministerstwo-bloki-z-wielkiej-plyty-w-dobrym-stanie/
kb.pl/porady/bloki-z-wielkiej-plyty-ile-jeszcze-wytrzymaja/


Hey, has the heatwave affected you too much? What TF are you talking about? There is an estate of 1950s blocks near the place where I live and they are in a very good condition, I haven`t noticed any signs of escape of tenants, on the contrary. :):)


Do you know why? :)

Check it out, do you see the need for demolition? This communist house was built in 1949 as the first in the series..

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


Do you understand the difference between a slum and communist slum? It is obvious you don`t so stop using them interchangeably. As for caretaker who controls the heating, I don`t know what you mean.

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

Yes, it expresses disapproval, angered disappointment,. My mum always said it about flowers when I did sth stupid at home. Or when she came back from the meeting with my teachers. :):)

Life / Would getting a Polish eagle tattoo be frowned upon?? [39]

Not arrested or kicked up but it might make your contacts with many locals unnecessarily difficult as they will suspect you of following satanic cult.

Besides, where you are planning to show your chest? In city streets? Then you might have problems with law, indeed - cops may tell you to put sth on.

If you are going to stay in Poland for long, covering with a plaster might be tiring. I`d advise you to remove it with a Rambo knife. :):)

Life / The climate for gardening in Poland [340]

Another beautiful plant which is too delicate for Polish climate is Lagerstroemia. I once had two little ones and they didn`t survive winter like palm trees. I saw a lot of pics of that plant growing in US cities.

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

Dirk was right - Poland was poor but never was the third world. E.g., that guy who visited you with two pounds in 1960 didn`t live in the slums like the ones we can see in backward countries and he had full access to good education, free on all levels.

Language / Game - guess Polish idioms/sayings in direct English translation [1756]

Only a little. Some online dictionaries mention astonishment, but it isn`t the main motive behind it.. Pretty flowers can be exchanged with pretty story or pretty plaster/gypsum.

News / Scandals, conflicts, tensions, arguments - real life examples from Poland [543]


you are very impatient. :):)

Ok, Episode 2 - illegal wiretapping of rival politicians

Yes, the case is very funny because when in 2014 Falenta organised illegal wiretapping of PO government politicians, and the recordings surfaced in media one by one, PiS demanded a thorough investigation and blew the matter out of its proportions like crazy.

Today, Falenta claims he made the recordings for PiS and threatens to give away his contacts with the party if he isn`t released from prison. However, PiS insist there is no need to investigate the case any further. :):)

A businessman whose wiretapping scandal helped bring down Poland's then pro-European government threatened to reveal details about the ruling party's involvement if he's not pardoned, a newspaper reported.

bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2019-06-10/polish-businessman-who-helped-ruling-camp-win-power-seeks-pardon

Falenta also claims he has recordings with Kaczyński who knew about the whole case.

Travel / What is the weather like in Poland where you are now? [211]


Well, if you were born in southern States, then you are used to heat. I am a typical northerner who doesn`t mind cold and hates hot.


Not yet. Tomorrow still above 30. Poland is hotter than southern Europe.

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