News / Poland Sports News [981]

@BB

So, it's more about the national teams that have more players who play in the best leagues?

@Crno & BB

I also wouldn't discount the Dutch.

News / Poland Sports News [981]


You could even say within a single game we see three Germanys.


Hence, the pessimism. Quality, but still fall flat. It begins to feel like you're cursed. Few months back I read an interview with Sousa, and he made the point that his first order of business is to get the team to believe they can win. I liked some of things I've seen from this team, so I'm optimistic about 2022.


But, they didn't fall apart yesterday when things went bad, they kept their composure and fought hard until the end.


Is that translated as: The war we lost twice?


But does financial investments give national teams that much better an edge? It certainly does with the clubs--you can buy talent from all over the world. But, not so with national teams.

News / Poland Sports News [981]

Poor Hungary...sad to see them go--Germany was lucky to stay alive. Germany is flat, but they're like a mild rash that won't go away.

Even sadder that Poland exited...maybe more time under Sousa will yield better results in the future. I'm beginning to understand Polish pessimism more and more with each passing tournament.

News / Poland Sports News [981]


Oh, I don't doubt it. I've always thought you must have the messiest balcony in all of Berlin. :D


Me too! I just love how they play.

News / Poland Sports News [981]


Not a bad weapon to have. :)

They were much more aggressive and played with urgency against Spain. Should be a good match against Sweden.

You still riding the Deutschland/Hungarian fence, BB? I mean, can your thick German blood withstand wishing Die Mannschaft to succumb to defeat? Not only would your prussian spirit be wrenching in anguish, but can you imagine the malevolent spell the runes would cast upon you?

News / Poland Sports News [981]


Yeah, the Hungarians are playing with a lot of grit.

Polish team looking much better than last match.

News / Poland Sports News [981]

I'm learning the game as I go, so I miss some of the subtilities of the sport; but, Germany seemed to be pressing the ball more this match than last.


That, indeed, was a glorious team, which made Germans even more unbearable to deal with than their normal level of unbearableness. :D :D

News / Poland Sports News [981]

And, just like that, Germany looks like a legit contender.

It certainly does look like a wide open affair.

News / Poland Sports News [981]

Understood. I like the point system soccer uses for wins, losses, and draws. So, I get the value of a tie.

It's been a good tournament so far. Italy looks very strong.

News / Poland Sports News [981]

Dry your eyes, Beebs. Mannschaft apparently has a couple Portugese players playing for your side today. :)


That's one of those peculiarities of soccer...a tie is considered a win. My USian mind can't quite wrap itself around that concept.

News / Poland Sports News [981]


That's the Polish spirit! :)

BB, today, if your beloved Mannschaft look like they did against the Frenchies, please, for the love of all that is good and sacred, stay away from sharp objects and open windows. :) :)

News / Abortion still under control in Poland [2971]


Yet, Zieodimwit, he never made a religious argument one time. Maybe its not being able to stand PF's inability to make cogent rational arguments that chases the more intelligent posters away. After awhile you realize swine don't know what to do with pearls, so you take your bag of pearls and leave...because that's the wise thing to do.

Language / Cultural disparities shown through Polish and English languages [86]

:):):). Because, it is the glass' fate, afterall.

Language / Cultural disparities shown through Polish and English languages [86]


I'd go even further and say the traditional Polish mindset is the glass is 10% empty and it's only a matter of time before someone comes along and knocks the glass over and breaks the damn thing. :)

News / Poland rejects international criticism over LGBT rights [28]

@cms neuf

You know your cliches-I'll give you that.

Even though your assumption is wrong, if I was getting all my info from a priest, who may he getting action, if that info is good and correct, does the priest's hypocrisy make what is correct any less correct? He may not be practicing what he preaches, but that doesn't necessarily effect the veracity of what he preaches.

But, anyhow, it'd be more interesting if you had something more substantive.

News / Poland rejects international criticism over LGBT rights [28]


That's also a part of it. Sex also has a very strong bonding characteristic, that's why guilt is often felt after the fun ends when there's no commitment involved. Here's the thing about marital heterosexual sex, every now and again that endorphin rush of sex has associated endorphin rushes when the child you made is born and develops throughout his or her life. It's the gift that keeps on giving.


A unitive purpose is the other.


And you think heterosexuals don't sin? They do, so following your logic, heterosexuals aren't made in God's image either, because they're sinners.

News / Poland rejects international criticism over LGBT rights [28]

With the LBGT agenda, it's not about what people do in bed as much as it is accepting what is being done in bed as natural. It's about socially normalizing an abnormality.

Regardless of how you slice it, sex has a couple co-equal purposes, one being procreation. We can use all the semantics we want, but you cannot erase from nature the reality that the sex organs have one biological use: making babies. And nature has so designed it that a man and woman are complementary to each other sexually, whereas homosexual sex is not and cannot be complementary.

The very basic building block of any civilized and ordered society has been the family-this is designed within nature. The family being where humans are created and nurtured. So, when you start redefining the foundation of society, society itself will not only become redefined but disordered.

BTW, same can be said about certain heterosexual behaviors, like adultery, incest, etc. All disordered.

None of this is to say that homosexuals should be denied respect and dignity as persons, they are human beings made in God's image and therefore are equally deserving of dignity as anyone else.

News / Poland rejects international criticism over LGBT rights [28]

Trump doesn't appear to want to fight against the LGBT agenda-I think he's a libertarian when it comes to sexual relations. The US needs to stop promoting it, though. It's one of my few complaints about the Trump admin.

News / Poland rejects international criticism over LGBT rights [28]

Mosbacher is pushing the LGBT agenda in Poland?

Off-Topic / Additional capacity for Nordstream II - Germany plans to buy hydrogen from Russia and use NS II for transport [420]


Nah, it's not dishonest, it's one estranged friend saying to another "why in the hell are you playing footsies with the mutual foe up the street when I got what they got and am willing to give you some?" It's a rap on the knuckles and a reminder not to stray from the friendship and get chummy with the foe up the street.

Travel / Poland one of the best places to see golden Autumn colours [9]

You can get those Autumn colors throughout much of the US. But Polish Summers are truly sublime.

News / What should Poland do with the problem of Belarus? [1694]


Interesting. I'll check it out.

News / What should Poland do with the problem of Belarus? [1694]


Because i haven't, but without the unity under Solidarity it was highly unlikely the government would have made the concessions it made.

In 80 or 81 the gov was trying to put a wedge between the different industry workers and negotiate relatively meaningless wage increases, e.g. separately negotiating with the strikers in the shipyard and truck factory, etc., correct? It wasn't until all (or, at least, most) of the strikers at different industries demanded the 21 demands as a unified voice did you see the gov willingly, although not in total good faith, start to consider more meaningful demands, correct?

If there wasn't the solidarity under Solidarity, the opposition to the gov would've been markedly weaker and impotent.

Again, I don't refute there was violence on the part of protesters, but it wasn't widespread and sustained and not significant enough to bring the commies to the table. If there's proof that the Solidarity leadership called for or condoned it, I'm unaware of it.

News / What should Poland do with the problem of Belarus? [1694]


But annoyance doesn't mean violence. It overwhelmingly meant strikes and protests, yes? I'm not trying to refute there wasn't any violence, but it was typically, if not always, started by the authorities (what were the security police called back then?), which matters because it shows that demonstrations were peaceful --demonstrators only reacted violently when provoked. And, that's been my point all along, the Solidarity movement was a peaceful movement and its demands were met because of non-violent pressures, not violent ones.


Apparently they did, as they kept propagandizing that evil foreign forces were trying to expand their activities against the state and stuff like that.


That certainly helps, but there still needs to be some legitimacy (granted this legitimacy is typically gained by brainwashing through the education systems and cultural institutions).

That book you recommended is it in English, also. My feeble mind struggles mightily with learning the Polish language.

Off-Topic / Additional capacity for Nordstream II - Germany plans to buy hydrogen from Russia and use NS II for transport [420]

@ BB

So, is it a real possibility the CDU could lose the next election?

News / What should Poland do with the problem of Belarus? [1694]

The importance of it all would be to highlight that violence was or was not an effective and important tactic or response to drive the communists to negotiate. If violence against communist authorities was not widespread and sustained (as I understand, it wasn't widespread and sustained, but rare and unsustained), it would not have much if any effect. If it was more common and sustained, it would give the government a reason to negotiate, if for no other reason than keep the Soviets from intervening--something they were prepared to do in 80/81.

You're right, I don't have the experience of living under the regime. My wife and in-laws did, though. So, I know of their experiences. Although, those experiences don't tell me anything about whether or not violent action against the communist regime played a part in the government negotiating with Solidarity.

Didn't you say the Belarussians were being too soft with peaceful demonstrations? Or was that Crow? I get you two confused sometimes; my apologies if you didn't say it.

We agree that communists didn't have patriotic feelings for Poland or cared for the plight of common Polish people, but only cared about power. But, their power depended on what the future of Poland would be--economics plays a central role in that future and a failing economy has a way of putting a regimes power in a precarious position (the uprisings in the 70's and 80 began over food price increases, right?). And, of course they cared what the opinions of the people were, why do you think they had a propaganda division within the government and a tight grip on media?


Well, yeah, but you seem like a guy who has a punch two guys in the face per day quota. :):) What do you think the chances of a Polish victory would've been? And, wouldn't it have been the Polish commies fighting the Soviet commies? However you slice it, you're left with commies.


How? Besides, Pawian says they weren't that damned peaceful anyhow.

Off-Topic / Additional capacity for Nordstream II - Germany plans to buy hydrogen from Russia and use NS II for transport [420]


It's not a good look. Where do Merkel's successors stand on this?

Even though I don't like organizations like the EU, I'd hate to see it hemorrhage abruptly--that could be traumatic.

News / What should Poland do with the problem of Belarus? [1694]


You just obliterated the study of history. Hahahahaha!!!!!


But how much of the violence was begun by protesters? How often did the protesters react violently to government crackdowns? And, how long was the violent reaction of the protesters sustained?


Urban's "admission" is something to consider and may lead to revising my understanding, but, as a general rule, it's best to heavily scrutinize a professional propagandist. Even if it played a part in the Communists decision the violence was a product of economic and political pressures.

Even though there were some elements within Solidarity (including Church clergy) who wanted to employ violent tactics to confront the government, they didn't gain much influence. Solidarity was a non-violent movement.

My position still remains that the Communists were driven to The Round Table because they knew the fragile Polish economy could not sustain more strikes and lack of production and that the unified voice of the Polish people was an undeniable sign that the political legitimacy of the regime was severely compromised. I wouldn't be surprised that the fear of a violent reprisal was present within the regime, but it wasn't violent protests that drove them to negotiations.


Hold the phone! But, isn't that what you're calling for in Belarus?

Off-Topic / Additional capacity for Nordstream II - Germany plans to buy hydrogen from Russia and use NS II for transport [420]


But, considering Germany's central position in the EU and Merkel's unwavering support of Nordstream among the other member's protest, doesn't this put a serious strain on the Union? It appears that Germany is siding with Russia instead of its members to protect the sole interest of Germany. Or, am I wrong about that perception?

News / What should Poland do with the problem of Belarus? [1694]


Yes, it is. But, again, it's not what brought the regime to the negotiation table. If there is evidence that the communist regime wanted to make some concessions with Solidarity because of the violent protests, I'm unaware of it and would be happy to see it.


economic pressures, and political pressures from the multiplying voices of Polish citizens demanding change). You left the remainder of sentence out.

I appreciate and respect the civil suggestion of an compromise, but it wouldn't be accurate. :)