News / Do Poles take Kaczynski seriously!? [199]

Mr Slurp ;-)

Food / Polish food at home or out? [57]



Some weird Polish people living in the neighborhood of San Diego could even lace their coffee with sulfuric acid ;-)

Honestly, on my first trip to Romania I had a bad luck to meet two different people stuffing themselves with the extremely hot chili (chushka). This led me to believe all of them Romanian were lovers of spicy food. Nothing more wrong as it turned out later :-)

Language / Improving Polish reading comprehension and vocabulary. A downloadable collection of passages? [14]

myjustyna, although I'm against piracy myself, I'll tell you what people do here. They register to chomikuj.pl then google out a title of a novel by "title chomik" phrase and and then download a DOC or PDF from the Chomik ;-)

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]

You either love them or live without them. ;-)

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]

Does Bratwurst Boy mean whole Poland? ;-)


Some parts of Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania used to be Polish in the past and so what? Some parts of Poland were Czech in the past, then overtaken by German. So what? Some parts of Germany were Slavonic in the past and so what? I could say Ruegen IS natively Slavonic ;-)

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]

I have seen Slavonic excavations down there in Ruegen, done by German ;)

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]

Bratwurst Boy, isn't it right that the German had conquered the original ancient Prussians (a Baltic tribe) and even stole their name? ;-)

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]

Ease up, Bratwurst Boy. Sometimes all of us get carried away, quite unnecessarily. You don't need to answer my question related to East Prussia; you know the history. You should however bear in mind that the history of places such as Danzig or Breslau was rather complex. So rarely Czech presence is ever mentioned in the Silesia talks, and the history of Danzig involves many nations, not only Poles and Germans.

If the Moderator saves my posts, let me tell you a story on a lighter note.
Some Silesian friends of mine -- acting as the real Silesian do, with specific sense of humour (they are Poles to German and German to Poles etc...) -- were participating in some 'Ritterorden" (I do not know the right English word for that), and as living in Poland they chose the Teutonic Order of course. You know, white coats with black crosses, helmets, shields etc. They had been wandering through Bieszczady Mts., visiting Marienburg/Malbork and had a lot of fun seeing panicked locals ;-)

Once, in some bar there in Katowice, there was a big dispute between some Polish history professor and the acting Grand Master of the Ritterorden. The professor was doing very well and the Grand Master was losing ground. The final question from the professor was:

-- So, how many Teutonic Knights were there in the battle of Tannenbaum/Grunwald, exactly?

The Grand Master had to say something to save his face. So he boldly answered:

-- TOO FEW!

;-))))

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]

BTW, BB, you should claim German rights to Bergen, Norway. It was a Hansa city, too. :-)

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]


Teutonic Knights are perceived as The Evil Incarnated in Poland. Fancy that: You are a peaceful tourist collecting some blueberry there in the mountains and you see a gang of impressive knights with those large black crosses, armoured, swords etc. Your first thought is whether you are sane yourself, then get panicked ;-)

OTOH, when the Knights arrived at the gate of the Marienburg Castle, they asked for the admission tickets, getting this answer:
-- The hosts do not need to pay! ;-)

Finally, a guy from Silesia was showing the castle to his GF at that time and telling her stories on his friends playing Teutonic Knights. Suddenly... the group suddenly appears in the corridor... The guy mumbles: "THEM?!"

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]

Polish, German and Czech are all indeed UPPER SILESIAN!

HAILE SILESIA! ;-)))

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]

I simply laughed at ItsAllAboutME fuming at the Polish men, wishing Poland were invaded again and that all men were sent to Siberia.
I shouldn't even laugh. My two uncles had been sent to Siberia and died there in uranium mine, and an aunt returned to Poland mad to die shortly afterwards.

Not only that.

If you read this thread carefully, you'll see yourself the OP (a Norwegian female construction boss) had asked for the reasons a Polish working team did not want to obey her orders. I have given the Norwegian full although concise analysis why I believe that was happening AND I said it had nothing to do with the sex of the boss.

Most of this thread should go to the bin as an off-topic. The Mod chose to remove one of my posts however.

Not only that.

I believe many of the posters simply do not get what traditional chivalry of Polish men towards women means. Instead, off-topic poster offending Polish men is protected by Mods.

So, may I know the reasons?

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]

Guesswho: I refuse answering off-topic/flaming questions. Are you getting most of the talk here is off-topic and is a flame?

Eurola: Let me give you a very generic answer. Over 123 years of Polish partition and all those national uprisings (and also during WWII and whenever Poles had to conspire or act as partisans), the Polish women were giving total support to their men and Polish education to their children, preserving the nation. There is a notion of "Matka Polka" (Mother Pole) telling Polish men give all due respect to Polish women. Not without reason, Polish Catholic are devoted to Virgin Mary, a woman. Before the partitions, Poland was a republic. The Polish gentry style was to respect women very much, and chivalry was highly valued. This approach can be found in all novels of Henryk Sienkiewicz's Trilogy, and it even rings in the Quo Vadis. All those notions are still deeply embedded in the Polish mentality. The dying out habit of kissing female hands dates from the times I mention.

And yes, you'll find many low-life creatures in every country, not only in Poland.

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]


I do not know what canoes were used by the German in 16th century but if we move to 17th century, the Polish Navy gave a nice thrashing to the Swedish fleet on 28 November 1627 at the roadstead of Gdańsk (the Oliwa Battle). The Polish Navy commander was Admiral Arend Dickmann, a Dutch.

Germans claiming their sole right to Gdańsk forget there were more nations to form Danzig population than German and Polish.

Life / Positive things which make a Pole stand out positively in the World! [30]

I can only say: Poles are adaptive, flexible, and ingenious.

Sometimes I think MacGyver must be a Polish guy :) All the rubbish of "white, Slavs" etc. does not matter in this context.

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]

Well Palivec, saying Danzig was a Hanseatic city would be OK and fair.

Regarding Kraków, am I wrong to think it used to be the royal capital city of Poland? There was time in Kraków... sorry, I have no time to go through history books... some 14th century maybe when German citizens of Kraków tried to make a small rebellion there. The Duke's soldiers went to the streets, and any person met was asked to repeat a Polish phrase (hard to pronounce for a German). Since that time, nobody had any doubts who was the ruler there :-)

P.S. I've found it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellion_of_mayor_Albert
'Soczewica, koło, miele, młyn".

I could also refer to the Polish royal city of Lwow. Lwow used to be a totally Polish city. It is not anymore. I hear nobody in Poland denying that.

History / Are Polish territories natively German? [73]

Palivec, if you read the wiki on the rebellion of vogt Albert, you certainly noticed the German burghers started polonizing after the collapse of the mutiny. In many cities of the world immigrants contributed to the development and prosperity of given city. Even in Warsaw, the quarter of Saska Kępa (Saxon Hurst) was built by the Dutch, Flemish and Frisians, and then it was owned by the German Saxons for a while.

Gdańsk fortune was simply built on the Polish grain exported via Vistula river. This simply gave the city the strength and autonomy. I'd say Gdańsk/Danzig was always multinational; check the roles of the Polish and German in the Freistadt before the WWII.

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]


Spit those words out, please. My first 29 years of life could be described as "missed opportunities".

You want equity? Go to China. China has enforced true equal rights for both sexes. Meaning:
1. If you are younger than I am, you are carrying my baggage after me
2. If your position is lower than mine, you open the door for me
3. If you were a Chinese woman and I were a Westerner, and our positions and age were equal, you should pay respect to me.
4. We are travelling in coed sleeping train car, so you need sleep in your T-shirt and shorts, and do not complain I'm watching you

In other words: Women and men in China have been made EQUAL. In every way. I doubt European women would like it very much.
---
The commies wanted both sex made equal for one reason: While men were expected going to war, somebody had to be able to operate a tractor in farming...

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]


Natasa, I do not know how old you are. It's enough to say you should go back to the year 2000 (I've been to Pancevo and Belgrade at that time) and think about "merry life, full of perspectives" of that time in Serbia. For me, it looked like pre-1989 Poland. I wouldn't like to live in a country like that. I do not know what has changed in your country since. The only fact that matters for me we cannot sell software licenses in your country because you people steal whatever you can. Sorry for my harsh words, but we have licenses in Croatia, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria and of course in Hungary. Not in Serbia, except two licenses granted to Universities.

Since 1989 I has been able to keep my whole family as the only person working, been to great part of the world, own everything I need, am FREE and HAPPY.


It has given to your country numerous wars in the first place and made your country really backwards. Again, I can't help being frank.

I do not criticize the Chinese system. I just describe it. Men and woman made equal. No woman I spoke about it in Poland appreciated the Chinese equality. Perhaps Polish ladies are "spoilt" to some extent by our chivalry. However, a Polish man who couldn't pay a date would lose his face.

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]


Not?! You mean, 10 years of wars not the result of communism? Does the name of Slobodan Milosevic reminds you of something?

Yugoslavia was more than just Serbia. Croat people have good trading skills. Do you bear in mind the large Yugoslav diaspora, bringing a lot of money home? Yugoslavia was not in the Warsaw pact; this is why the living there was somewhat easier.

If you however deny the role of communism, ask yourself the question what is wrong with Southern Slavs then.

please, don't let the topic got off the right track and your posts went straight to the bin. thanks

Life / Uptight Poles [262]

Is there any way to answer this without Moderator's intervention? CP gives "facts". The posts presenting another view are deleted. Why? Is Chicago Pollock's post on-topic?

Instructions, please, Mods.

if you keep it ON-TOPIC - there will be no problem.

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]

To be back on the right track:

Natasa has put a proposition that the liberal socialism of former Yugoslavia gave Yugoslav women equal position with Yugoslav men, (saving them from the fatal miasma of feminism). I have countered that proposition explaining the real motives of communists behind the equal treatment of both sexes. First Natasa praised the communism, then went on the safer track of "liberal socialism".

My further comment I'm making now is the liberal socialism really exists but not in Yugoslavia but in Sweden. Strange but it works. Paternity leave, very high percentage of qualified women employed. It's hard to assign any communist thinking to Sweden, while it is very easy to do it talking about former Yugoslavia.


I have to make a comment here, regardless of the cost. In the first place, Serbia attacked Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Kosovo. The Serbs collected the crop in 1999.


Can you think of a family with heavily disabled child, where the man is qualified to earn money, and the wife has no profession? That's my case. You better be careful of drawing conclusions so easily.

No more comments. It is pointless to participate in a discussion with Mods taking active part in the discussion with their Move/Delete buttons. This is simply unfair.

Love / How do Polish men feel about gender equality? [780]

You lost me here. What don't you understand? A disabled daughter that wants and will like staying at home. Our choice was to take care about our kid. She used to attend kindergarten and schools. But we are leaving outside big cities and our daugther could not stand living in a dormitory. So our choice was: I earn money, my wife takes care of our daughter and of home. Do you find a loving family strange? I'm shocked.

Food / What do non-Poles think about eating the following Polish foods? [1303]


Them Japanese call it "Western wasabi" since wasabi is in fact Japanese horseradish.

Food / Polish food at home or out? [57]

I was in Houston three times. We've been going out with local people. I've been trying food ranging from fast food places to posh restaurants. The food was never acceptable for my taste, regardless of the class of the restaurant. On my returns from the U.S., I was just taking full English in London airport and cried from happiness: "HOME, SWEET HOME!"

Now, some of you write it is possible to get healthy food down there in the States. True. Only the portions are enormous. Whatever healthy the food is, eating it in such quantities leads to obesity the straight way. We Poles may love bigos, kiełbasa, pierogi, smalec etc. Yet we eat very little compared to the Americans. Have you ever given a thought to it?

News / EU tribunal overrules Polish name contest in Lithuania [150]

Some of you write the Polish were native to Lithuania, especially to Wilno, only the border has been shifted. True. Some of you whine Lithuanian Polish are forced to assume Lithuanian surnames and are told to speak Lithuanian. True.

Let us go back to the Upper Silesia in Poland. The Silesians always were there, only the borders were moving. What the same people as above say? "Silesian can be Silesian as long as they are Polish citizens and speak fluent Polish". "Silesian is not a language, it is a dialect of Polish". "Why don't you Silesians leave for Vaterland?" "Silesians are veiled German option".

Can't you see double standards and hypocrisy in such thinking?

Life / Uptight Poles [262]

*checking the topic... It reads "Uptight Poles". All right. Chances are we are staying on-topic*

Try to ease up, don't be so uptight, make an attempt to understand:
1. Linux people are mostly concerned how terrible Microsoft Windows is. They are very uptight. Windows users even do not see the presence of Linux.
2. Kraków people often say bad things on Warszawa, starting with: "Warszawa? Eh, are you talking about this village up north Słomniki?" Warsaw is one of major problems for a Cracower. While Warsawers think Cracow is just an extremely nice city, former capital of Poland and make no fuss about that.

3. People such as you perceive Catholicism as vice, danger, evil incarnated, are fighting against. While most of Catholic Poles even do not see other religions exist. Why should they care?


Can you see what you have just done? You've just offended Catholics without any obvious reason. You are so deluded. You're so uptight! Now tell me: Are the Poles uptight or you are, man?


You are doing it again. You offend Polish people, especially Catholics, and without any reason. How can you claim you are tolerant? Where is tolerance in what you've just written?

Regarding homesexuals, their parades and Catholic processions, you are mixing many different concepts, trying to equalize everything but without any analytical skills.

1. Corpus Christi processions in Poland are as much traditional (cultural) as much the turkey is traditional on the U.S Independence Day. Nobody forces you to participate in a Corpus Christi procession. Nobody can force me to eat turkey. Draw.

2. The gay parades? Well, I could mention controversy around Orange Walks in N. Ireland.

3. Approach of the Catholic Poles to the gay matters. In fact, no practicing Catholic can accept homosexuality. However, Poles are really tolerant. If you do not do things in the public, you are forgiven or at least not noticed. If you do not know it, it only shows your ignorance in Polish affairs.

Let us put lunatics such as Radio Maryja followers aside. They are moron about almost anything.


Typically, Polish men are not macho. If GrzegorzK has some problems, let those be his own problems.

"If you have doubts, look for where the money is hidden".
All this bullsh*t about global warming was just a nice opportunity for smart people to steal the money bank. You know, I've earned quite good money on that "global warming" hype. Money do not smell :-)

Do you believe in everything just because something is w-r-i-t-t-e-n? Don't you have your own mind? Occasional climate warming and cooling are natural phenomena. Down there in 14th century, Poland was making quite good wine. Later, the climate cooled down. Also, the first settlers to Greenland died out due to rapid climate change.

Now, Itsallsomethingsomething: Do you believe Poles are uptight? If you do, first ease up yourself. Wyluzuj poślady, kolego.

Life / Uptight Poles [262]

You must be joking.


Exactly! Why do the gay people try to do the same to me?!

If you do not get it, you are a hypocrite like hell.

THINK.
----
In the country of dominating Catholic population, minority rights need to be protected. However, nobody has ever said the minority has the right to dominate the majority. It is not how democracy works... Have you ever considered the real meaning of the word "democracy"?

Food / Polish food at home or out? [57]


It's seems many Americans are not aware of that. They stuff themselves like pigs, then drink a lot of DIET Cola. ;-)
In Poland, it is bad style if you leave too much on your plate. The first question asked will be: "Didn't you like it?"


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity_in_the_United_States

The article on obesity in Poland must yet be written.

Life / Uptight Poles [262]


Can you elaborate on how Polish Catholics dominate you when you are staying in Poland? Do they attempt to christen you? Do they spray holy water onto you against your will? Are you dragged into churches?

I come to the conclusion you've never been to Poland; or, you know Poland very superficially.

Why I do not like gays manifesting their homosexuality?



English subtitles are there.

On-topic: Do you believe Poles are uptight? Or you are?