Life / New born baby traditions in Poland [26]

Normally you would only buy anything for the baby/mother if you're invited to the baby's christening ceremony and/or party. At least that's the custom here in Poland. But even if you're not invited, buying a gadget or two would certainly be nice of you, although normally not expected.

Travel / Country-style hotel outside Warsaw [5]

I can't remember names, but look in the vicinity of Zalew Zegrzynski... Many good places there.

Travel / How much is a cab: Warsaw airport to the bus station? [27]

The Bayer incident took place at least 4 years ago, methinks.

Life / How do the Polish feel about air pollution in their cities? [35]

Sue them! It will, eventually, help them and you too :-)

Love / How to ask the Polish parents for her hand in Marriage? [32]

Mickey Blue Eyes :-) (almost!)

Life / Russian Language - is it offensive if I speak it to Polish people? [69]

Russians are a rare breed in Poland nowadays (unlike in London's posh areas or Courchevel), so they currently get decent attention from us. :-)

History / Old Polish Flag [17]

I think it's facing left actually. But a better picture would help to clarify.

History / Tuchola in Poland - roots of Katyn? [220]

Sokrates is insane, :-(. Gombrowicz is an icon and will be one for a while :-).

Law / How long to renew a Polish Passport in Poland? [8]

At this time of the year it should be quicker. Usually backlogs appear just before summers.

Travel / In Poland, Can I cash an American Check? [14]

Luckily we never seriously got into the primitive system of checks/checking accounts. Just wire your money to here. It will be quicker and costs (most likely) comparable.

History / Is this the moment for Poles and all Slavs that they apologise to their old Gods? [8]

For Crow... this is one of the more sane of his moments :-)

USA, Canada / Expat Poles swearing allegiance to the US - how did you feel? [157]

I agree with Pol3. There is nothing wrong with that, when it comes to the great U of A :-). Especially as they let you keep your polish passport in your pocket.

Life / The most dissapointed with Poland are those who have Polish origins. [35]

OK. the so called goodwill has just diminished. Thanx Ironside.

Life / The most dissapointed with Poland are those who have Polish origins. [35]

I sense a bit of goodwill in this thread, here and there, after having read preceding posts .... That's good as we're approaching Xmas :-). Let it last beyond Christmas as well! And yes, I am a native polish guy and I do embrace all plastic, foreign, half-bred, quarter-bred and black Poles, even if they barely speak our vernacular.

Travel / Krakow - any 24h food place where i can order a pizza or something like that online? [15]

Krakowians are fast asleep, I'm afraid.

News / 'Bored' Poles build 31ft tall Frosty [16]

Lovely.

Genealogy / Does anyone know where the name Ciupa is derived from? [28]

I think, regardless of actual origins of that name, it carries no such direct negative connotation in polish. Ciupa may sound funny but is not really offensive.

Genealogy / Does anyone know where the name Ciupa is derived from? [28]

Ciupa = means "jail, prison" in a street language. However the origin of that or your name is not known to me. The name Ciupinski is more common. We normally do not spend time analyzing our names in Poland :-). Wait for Polonius3 to tell you, he's an expert in this forum.

News / Krystian Legierski - First openly gay Polish elected official [20]

He's a good guy indeed.

News / WikiLeaks Reveals Tense Foreign Relations Amongst Poland. [22]

Old news, new suppositions.

News / Sikorski doctrine - Eastern Europe under threat. Poland's foreign policy. [157]

Georgian language is definitely indoeuropean! If one so easily awards independence to south Ossetians why wouldn't Russia let them unite with North Ossetians who continue to live within Russia's borders? And then what about Chechens? Did not they wish to be independent?

Life / Polish-American Polka Music in Poland [60]

Yes, Lato z Radiem polka is well known. But otherwise this is hardly a mainstream music in Poland. Normally you do not hear it on the radio or TV unless you take effort and look for it. And moreover... nobody in PL knows american polka bands unless they have lived there and been exposed to the phenomenon.

Language / Village and towns in Poland with hard to pronounce names [22]

Pszczółczyn - the letter "ł" is definitely heard in this case!

News / Polish Miracle-Die Welt [12]

Last time I saw him speak on tv he certainly talked slavic, i.e. polish.

Real Estate / Poland's Banks Association: 61,100 housing loans in Q3 [2]

Well, it's not like everyone is unemployed, you know. GDP increase for 3rd Q was up by 4,2%. Then again 61K is not a huge number either.

Law / DELL shifting ops from Ire to PL [30]

We churn out over 1million car engines for Toyota and others per year so Dell will not be a big problem either :-)

History / Vikings in Pomerania (near Gdansk area)? [19]

Galindia is in present day Poland. Old time Prussia territory. Nothing to do with Germany at that time.

USA, Canada / Getting a VISA to USA by a Polish person nowadays [339]

illigant immigrant .... gotta love those compatriots :-) and then they complain

Food / Krupnik as a Polish ethnic dish or drink? [13]

Krupnik is THE major soup in PL!!! .... but come to think of it: only my Mom knows how to cook it properly. :-)

As to the krupnik booze.... indispensable on a ski slope (in tiny bottles) :-)

Life / What on earth is the fascination of Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalese with Poland? [112]

An unchartered territory for them, aren't we? :-)