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Posts by pawian  

Joined: 30 May 2008 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 19 Mar 2025
Threads: Total: 226 / Live: 154 / Archived: 72
Posts: Total: 27461 / Live: 21378 / Archived: 6083 		From: Poe land
Speaks Polish?: Yes, but I prefer English
Interests: Everything funny

Displayed posts: 21532 / page 688 of 718
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pawian   
4 Aug 2012
News / Does Polish hotel have right to turn down Americans and Israelis? [79]

There was a similar case of an Austrian hotel a few years ago. The reaction was more or less the same as in Poland.

jta.org/news/article/2009/05/11/1005058/austrian-hotel-refuses-jewish-family

According to the daily Tiroler Tageszeitung, the owner of the Haus Sonnenhof apartment hotel in the village of Serfaus in the Austrian Tyrol told a Viennese Jewish family it did not take Jewish guests, citing "bad experiences" in the past.

The Serfaus region has become so popular with Orthodox Jewish vacationers in recent years that some local hotels have koshered their kitchens and provide timed lights and other accessories for Shabbat observance.

Local officials branded the refusal as "unacceptable." The incident shocked the local tourist industry and made headlines around the world.

This reeks of gimmickry. "Look at us", we're so anti-America/Israeli that we don't want their filthy bodies polluting our rooms. They hoping to cash in on Anti-western/Israeli vitriol while there's a fad for it, replacing those guests with zealots who have more money than sense. When it becomes less fashionable (read: economical) to exclude one group's money over another, they will no doubt change the policy, put out a "NOW UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT!" banner, and pretend to have expelled those bad eggs.

Who knows? Suggestions of attempts to boost publicity for the place might be correct.....

Look at the quote in the excerpt above: The incident shocked the local tourist industry and made headlines around the world.
pawian   
4 Aug 2012
News / The Political Circus of Poland [309]

which makes a mockery of anyone elses ill feeling towards country of origin.

It is such bad taste to heal one`s national complexes in this way.

It hasn`t happened for years! Unheard of.

PO (government) and PIS (opposition) joined forces over the issue of controvercial Justice Minister, Gowin, who is massively criticised by leftist parties for certain words he uttered yesterday. He said he didn`t care about the law when the public interest is at stake. It was meant as an explanation to the scandal caused by his order to send copies of Amber Gold files from a local Gdańsk court to his office in Warsaw. Leftist parties consider it an infringement of judicial system independence etc etc.

PiS say Gowin is a good minister who intends to break the system of official and informal connections in the legal system in Poland.

Poland justice minister

Justice Minister apologized yesterday for his controversial word that is in the nose letter of the law . - I am ready to stand before the Tribunal of State - said. But does not provide for the dismissal.

- Sorry for the wording. I stand by the content of these words. Where the letter of the law is unclear or even contradictory , it must decide the spirit of the law and the public interest . A public interest is such that the truth about Amber Gold saw the light of day - Jaroslaw Gowin said on TVN . He also added : - sometimes succumb to emotions , never succumb to pressure.

PS. Gowin apologised for his words but stood by his order to send him the files.

PS2. I voted the guy in last elections. Out of pure sympathy. I quite like him.

Sympathy
2. an affinity or harmony, usually of feelings or interests, between persons or things to be in sympathy with someone
pawian   
4 Aug 2012
News / Does Polish hotel have right to turn down Americans and Israelis? [79]

The famous case of Zakopower folk group in 2009. Part of the group were allowed in, the other part, with the same visas, on another day, were denied entry.

freerepublic.com/tag/zakopower/index

usa.se.pl/rozrywka/plotki/zakopowera-deportowany-usa_112038.html
pawian   
3 Aug 2012
News / Does Polish hotel have right to turn down Americans and Israelis? [79]

The hotel should not of publically stated he wouldn't accept Yanks and Israelis, he should have just excluded them privately.

Very clever.
But a bit unfair, too - you arrive at the premises without a booking because of technical problems and out of the blue learn you have to look for another accommodation.
pawian   
3 Aug 2012
News / Does Polish hotel have right to turn down Americans and Israelis? [79]

This reminds me USSR times, when foreigh tourists were charged much more at Soviet museums, galleries, hotels, restaurants etc. I read funny reports how Polish tourists tried to look like locals to avoid higher payments.

How about Russia today? Is the old communist custom kept?

Accordingly to my lawyer, in both cases the business owners did not break any law.

I think so. Private property is a holy place and you can do what you want there.
If you do things according to moral rules is another matter.
pawian   
3 Aug 2012
News / Does Polish hotel have right to turn down Americans and Israelis? [79]

They are taking revange on Poland for murdering Jews (that's the way they think in their sick minds).

I am not sure if that is the correct explanation.
Aren`t Jewish youth generally spoilt by their parents so they also cause immense trouble at home/school in Israel, not only in Poland?

When abroad, they feel even more unconstrained than at home..... That is why they break everything in hotels.

haaretz.com/culture/arts-leisure/rescuing-parents-from-the-tyranny-of-spoilt-youth-1.30000

The parents apparently were not upset that Prof. Omer, a psychology expert, had just referred to their children - students at Ironi Daled high school in Tel Aviv - pejoratively as "aggressive adolescents" who are "occupiers, drunk with power" and "tyrants."

"You can't give in to them," he lectured for over an hour, telling parents how to regain control over their modern children - assuming that all the parents present had indeed lost control and were helpless. Not a single word of empathy for today's youth was uttered. Even the word "rebellion" was not mentioned - it is too positive.
pawian   
3 Aug 2012
News / Does Polish hotel have right to turn down Americans and Israelis? [79]

The ombuds office is lodging a complaint against a hotel in southern Poland which refuses to accept tourists from the USA and Israel and informs about it on their website.

The Ombudsman took the matter ex officio resort in Malopolska , which on its website announces : "Do not serve guests from the United States and Israel" and inflate prices for foreign tourists . On Friday morning, they were sent a letter to the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection in Krakow , to the Municipal Police Headquarters in Nowy Sacz and to the Speaker's Office . The controversial offer guesthouse informed editors Kontaktu24 Stefan .

Rightly or not?

After all, it is a private hotel and the policy they apply is their business.

Ombud`s office claims it is ethnic and racial discrimination.

What could be the hotel owner`s motives?

First thing that comes to my mind is the threat of a terrorist attack.
Second, Israeli tourists, especially youth, are believed to like demolishing sites where they stay.

PS. The whole matter is strange because I tried to locate that hotel in google and couldn`t. All results go back to the news article.

Could it be a provocation?
pawian   
2 Aug 2012
Travel / What is the weather like in Poland where you are now? [211]

The only drawback is that it shows forecast for only 2 following days

Longer forecasts are a joke anyway. :):):)

right now we are in the middle of an epic thunder storm... lovely...

It is going to hit Krakow tomorrow.... I don`t care. We went to the lake for extensive swimming today and are going to have a rest tomorrow.
pawian   
2 Aug 2012
History / Warsaw Rising 1944 - National Disaster or Triumph of Spirit ? [515]

If Warsaw Uprising had not broken out, we may assume that Warsaw would NOT have been that drastically destroyed, and lots of civilians would have been spared.

Quite correct.

The speed of Soviet offensive that started in January was so high (at least 5:1 advantage in any kind of weapons, soldiers) that the Germans would not have had a chance to destroy the city to that extent.

Yes. Of course, you mean Nazi German plans to change Warsaw into a fortress city and defend it at all cost.

The Germans fiercely defended only their pre-war cities.

Yes.

Most Nazis perpetrators of war crimes in Warsaw Rising weren`t tried after the war.

Let`s see the most notorious ones:

Erich Julius Eberhard von Zelewski or Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski (1 March 1899 - 8 March 1972) was a Nazi official of the Third Reich and a member of the SS, in which he reached the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer (General).

After more than two months of heavy fighting and the total destruction of Warsaw, Bach-Zalewski managed to take control of the city while committing the cruelest atrocities in the process.[9] For his exploits in Warsaw, Bach-Zalewski was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross by the Nazi regime on 30 September 1944.

Bach-Zelewski went into hiding and tried to leave the country. However, US military police arrested him on 1 August 1945. In exchange for his testimony against his former superiors at the Nuremberg Trials, Bach-Zelewski never faced trial for any war crimes. Similarly, he never faced extradition to Poland or to the USSR. He left prison in 1949.

s
pawian   
1 Aug 2012
Law / Old Polish money banknotes - what's their value today? [415]

Now it is worth zero, as Polish banks stopped exchanging them in year 2010.

What was the inflation rate in 1982? About 100%?

The communist central bank produced those banknotes like a rabbit.

But, if he had a collector`s item, in a special case with an official certificate, we could talk about dollars, not cents.

Exactly, about 20$.:):):)
pawian   
1 Aug 2012
History / Warsaw Rising 1944 - National Disaster or Triumph of Spirit ? [515]

American civilians weren't as directly affected by the war as in Europe

Yes, comparing the losses, Warsaw alone lost twice as much people (800.000) as US (400.000) during WW2. Not to mention the rest of Poland....

Make sense?

Yes.

The sirens in Krakow are wailing. It is 17.00 hours sharp.
pawian   
1 Aug 2012
Life / Poles speaking English - examples [263]

Click on Let`s Twist Again on this site by a Polish party music group from Silesia

klikadamika.eu/muzyka.html

JK speaks Neglish:
pawian   
1 Aug 2012
History / Warsaw Rising 1944 - National Disaster or Triumph of Spirit ? [515]

Today, anniversary again.

Opinions on Warsaw rising are mixed, as today`s Madonna`s concert in Warsaw shows. Some people object to it, claiming it is disrespectful, while others hail with enthusiasm, saying that the Rising belongs to history and we are living in 21 century.

wbj.pl/article-59796-madonnas-warsaw-concert-causing-controversy.html

Members of Catholic groups, right-wing politicians and World War II veterans have suggested that the concert should not take place on such a historic date.

A group of young Catholics from the Piotr Skarga Institute have decided to organize a protest, under the banner, "I am not going to attend Madonna's concert."

"August 1 is a Polish national holiday. Let us pay tribute to the living and dead insurgents, who selflessly fought for our homeland," the added.

bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19073070

Some are urging ticket-holders to boycott Wednesday's show, which comes 68 years after the city's failed revolt against Nazi occupation began.
Organisers of the concert have agreed to show a short clip about the events of 1944 before the performance.
Every year, Poles commemorate the 200,000 lives lost during the uprising.
Conservative opposition MP Stanislaw Pieta has appealed to the government not to allow the concert to go ahead in Warsaw's National Stadium, Polish Radio reports.

Personally, I don`t care about Madonna.
Who wants, will celebrate the Rising.
Who doesn`t, can go to a concert.
pawian   
29 Jul 2012
Life / Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile? [512]

When on holidays in the wilderness, I never smile to strangers. When I see them nearby, I get pissed off. I don`t say hello or other stupidities like that. I try to ignore them.

After all, I pay too much to get perfect isolation.
pawian   
20 Jul 2012
History / Communism fell 20 years ago, Poland led the fight since WW2 [341]

Sht on young Poles / Let all Europe know / That sh!tting is the only / Freedom you have got.

Yes, thanks.

In 1980s painting anti-government slogans on street walls in bigger cities was very popular

Government`s plans mean famine!

Poland famine by government

TV lies!

Poland TV lies

A Pole did it to another Pole

Pole against Pole

fakty.interia.pl/galerie/historia/stan-wojenny-w-polsce/zdjecie,1566143

Solidarity fights on

Poland Boycott

Federation of Fighting Youth

Even sidewalks were not immune

Curfew art

but they got painted over very quickly by communist henchmen, producing such result:

Poland transcription

and then slogans or symbols reappeared like that:

We shall revenge Rulewski

Poland solidarity

Some pieces of those murals are being preserved today as precious keepsakes from the past.

Poland original

I have been on PF for a little while now and I have seen some very good discussions about Poland.

Pawian reporting to work!!!!!

Dedication is my middle name!!!!

Visits of American presidents in Poland were an excellent opportunity for Poles (Warsawians and Cracovians) to exhibit their reluctance to communism.

How?

Communist authorities tried to discourage Warsaw/Krakow residents from going into streets and cheering for American presidents. It just wasn`t fair that American presidents received a warm welcome while top Soviet leaders visiting Poland usually got a cold shoulder from Poles.

To no avail.

Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Jimmie Carter got a standing ovation from Warsawians/Krakovians despite communist rulers` attempts and orders.

Richard Nixon, 1972

s

s

d

Gerald Ford, 1975
Warsaw

Krakow

s

s

PS. None of those American Presidents questioned the Jalta agreements which condemned Poland to remain under the Soviet domination.

May 31, 1972, back from Moscow, the president of the US Richard Nixon stopped for two days for talks in Warsaw.

It was the first ever visit of US President-in-Office in Poland. Nixon came to the Polish way back from Russia. It was the second of his stay in our country - in 1959 he met with Wladyslaw Gomulka.

During his visit to Warsaw Nixon visited the Old Town and Wilanów, also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Theme of the hour and a half conversation with Edward Gierek were economic issues - including purchase of licenses and granting Poland the US loans.

s

]

PS. ******



anti-government street demonstrations organized by underground Solidarity









I think I haven`t written about it.

In 1981 Polish Solidarity issued a message to all working people in communist countries.

Message of the First Congress of NSZZ "Solidarity" Delegates to working people in Eastern Europe
Gdansk, 8 September 1981

Delegates gathered in Gdańsk at the 1st Congress of Delegates of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union "Solidarity" extend greetings and words of support to workers of

parevo.eu/index.php/en/tortenelem/dokumentumok/szolidaritas

The message enraged authorities in Poland and other communist countries. The British film "Squaring the Circle" from 1984 shows it nicely ( pity, I cannot find it) There is a scene when top Polish communists read the message and get furious. However, after studying it more carefully and seeing Albania on the list, they start laughing and cannot stop.

Why???? :)

Poland solidarnosc
pawian   
20 Jul 2012
Life / Polish sentimental ballads [38]

You can't get much better than this as far as ballads.
Pierwszy siwy włos- Marta Mirska:

Wow, so old songs??? From 1956?

Hah, here is an even older one! From 1936! :):):) You can`t beat me!!! :):):):)

youtu.be/N-hg58QQmdc

The "Last Sunday" -- erroneously called "THAT Last Sunday" -- was composed by Jerzy Petersburski in 1936. It is a nostalgic tango with lyrics by Zenon Friedwald describing the final meeting of former lovers who are parting. The Polish title was "To Ostatnia Niedziela" ("The Last Sunday"). The song was extremely popular and was performed by numerous artists (best kown performance by Mieczysław Folg). Along the way, it first gained the nick-name of "Suicide Tango" due to its sad lyric (although, the real "suicie song" in the night restaurants of Eastern Europe (...)

So, as I planned, we are going to Bieszczady Mountains next week as the stormy spell will leave Poland at last.

I can`t wait. Today I am looking for info on Bieszczady sites, mounts and tracks and listening to these wonderful songs with fascinating pics of the Mountains.

Bieszczady Angels



Go bieszczading with us today by SDM



August sky SDM



My Bieszczady by rock group KSU

Bieszczady by Jacek Kaczmarski



A hit of the 1960s by Piotr Szczepanik- Burn Yellow Calendars

Come back to the Land of Dream
Where spring lasts forever
Burn yellow calendars

When I play this melody on my accordion today, my wife melts and does everything what I want.... :):):):)

The same singer in another ballad
To love - how easy to say
To love - means asking for nothing
Because love is unknown

Also, a nostalgic ride through Warsaw of 1960s: