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Posts by InWroclaw  

Joined: 10 Mar 2012 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 28 May 2015
Threads: 89
Posts: 1,911 		From: Wroclaw
Speaks Polish?: No

Displayed posts: 2000 / page 3 of 67
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InWroclaw   
4 Jan 2015
News / Poland allowed birds and animals to be sent through the postal service? [5]

It seems that living birds can or could be mail-ordered and sent via Poczta Polska, together with a piece of apple as a water substitute!

Rabbits too, apparently.

I find this incredible. Customers are certainly not allowed to send any living thing (except some insect categories) through the UK mail service, for fear of killing or injuring it. How does or how did PP manage to deliver these living creatures in good health with all the likely hazards en route - through cold depots, boxes at risk of falling on them, etc?

(UK Royal Mail - prohibited to send living creatures

Why do I ask? Because I was browsing a discussion site discussing pet birds and it talked about successfully sending birds by post to buyers. It seems that the law possibly changed in Poland, but up until 2013 it was legal although may not be any longer. I am very surprised that it was ever allowed in Poland.
InWroclaw   
4 Jan 2015
Law / Agricultural business. Registering as self employed in Poland. [18]

from other experience if you can qualify as "farmer" or into that category you get loads of benefits from EU subsidies and tax reliefs.

Sounds good! I am getting a good sense of the benefits! Where can I sign up? ;)
InWroclaw   
4 Jan 2015
Law / How to register a new business in Poland [129]

Merged: Starting a new business in Poland - beware of registration scammers

This article highlights how scammers are taking money from new traders to register their business.

Jesteś początkującym przedsiębiorcą? Uważaj na oszustów, którzy chcą wpisać twój biznes do rejestru firm. I przy okazji wyłudzić kwotę od kilkudziesięciu do kilkuset złotych. Translation of extract: "Are you a novice trader? Beware of scammers who offer to register/list your business in the official Poland register of companies and rip people off in amounts varying from a few dozen to several hundred zlotys..."

The Poland's Ministry of Economy in 2011 introduced a uniform model for the registration of economic activity. Despite these improvements new entrepreneurs still lurking various threats.

gazetawroclawska
InWroclaw   
4 Jan 2015
Life / Cheap Laundry places in Warsaw [7]

Surely the cheapest solution is to flirt outrageously with your elderly neighbour and in so doing get her (or him) to open their big drum for your regular gratification. An occasional bag of washing aids may be all they expect from this 'neighbours with benefits' arrangement.
InWroclaw   
4 Jan 2015
Law / Agricultural business. Registering as self employed in Poland. [18]

The business a cabbie is "Off Farm Activities".

I see :D

They dont get zero taxation - they merely avoid the upfront zus cost which for an average cabbie they probably need about 100 punters to cover it. If that loophole is now closed i am sure they will either find a new one or keep some of those falling gas price for themselves

Can't all new businesses get reduced ZUS every month for Year 1? Something like 400 zl. That's quite a bit less than any large initial ZUS needing 100 fares, surely?
InWroclaw   
4 Jan 2015
Law / Agricultural business. Registering as self employed in Poland. [18]

Peter Veg may know more about this than I, but I thought there was a lot of paperwork for anyone before starting a farm, whether a Pole or foreigner (although I assume foreigners are excluded until 2016)

Additionally, I have no idea how a cabbie with 2 ha of agricultural land somehow gets the benefit of reduced or zero taxation for his taxi driving earnings - if he does. Sounds too good to be true.
InWroclaw   
2 Jan 2015
History / ORP Orzeł Polish submarine in Estonian Press [10]

They've looked for it before, I don't know what new tech they have now that makes them think they can find it, but anyway. (Last fruitless search was I think 2008 or 2009.)

Apologies to Polish readers, it should be Orzeł not Orzel. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ORP_Orze%C5%82_(1938)
InWroclaw   
2 Jan 2015
History / ORP Orzeł Polish submarine in Estonian Press [10]

Merged: Poland to search again for its lost WW2 submarine, ORP Orzel

WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Two Polish teams will search this year for the Polish submarine ORP Orzel, which disappeared in the North Sea in May 1940 during a mission with the Allies in World War II.

cnsnews.com/news/article/poland-search-its-famous-wwii-submarine
InWroclaw   
2 Jan 2015
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

Probably nobody have come into this simple idea in the continental Europe and nobody was so smart to copy this solution from the UK :)

This is the UK one ebay.co.uk/bhp/timed-light-switch

Am I actually going to have to buy one in the UK?? Poland doesn't sell a simple switch like this? I'd also have to buy the relay box you mentioned? Ale jaja FFS.

On the other hand, I heard that in the UK you have always two separate taps for the cold and hot water above sinks.

Some people prefer that and some people have a mixer tap. Most fitted kitchens have had mixer taps for 40 years. We certainly had a mixer tap in my kitchen when I was a child and we had one for the bath and shower. But for the bathroom sink we had 2 individual taps. It all depends on what someone wants.
InWroclaw   
1 Jan 2015
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

Thanks kpc, but it doesn't seem to be the same thing on Allegro (ie a light switch with a delay timer) allegro.pl/automat-schodowy-as-222t-firmy-ff-pabianice-i4924179934.html
InWroclaw   
1 Jan 2015
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

You get those in the UK too sometimes especially in the hallways of flat conversions, though they're much rarer

I know the one you mean, probably - a push in round button that slowly pops out and then the light goes off. Often seen in bedsit land hallways.

What are they called in Polish?

several sockets which were blanks - they were fixed to the wall for decoration, but nothing, not even a hole, behind them!

I've also seen that - in the UK!

I used to get a tingle from the sink when the electric kettle was on

Ooh err, inclusive in the rent I bet, when as some people have to pay for that sort of thing...
InWroclaw   
1 Jan 2015
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

And not so much in Poland?? Gulp.
What do you think about aluminum wiring? There is some where I am, along with copper too. I am thinking of getting rid of it because I'm told it's dangerous.

Also, what is that internal switch called which keeps a light on for 30 seconds? I don't mean the movement sensor. Are they easy to fit if I isolate the circuit and remove the old standard switch? In the UK, I used to do lots of DIY including replacing Grundfos heating water pumps, wiring in shaver sockets and light fittings, adding new sockets on a wall (from a spur, not the box) and burying cables in conduits. Here, I'm frankly rather scared. And I'm not sure why, perhaps because of the loose sockets and bad stuff I see all around.

(And of course, Happy 2015 to you, Peter.)
InWroclaw   
1 Jan 2015
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

RCD always disconnects both L and N wires.

All RCDs? Because elsewhere online an electrician claims otherwise. Much to my dismay, I might add.

Switch rated 16A make socket more expensive and less reliable than a direct wire.

I don't know what you mean unless you're saying a socket with a switch is less reliable.

In the UK we have these

UK 3 pin socket

I have never known one to fail if made by the proper manufacturers there such as MK

I am astounded at what to me looks like notably behind the times electrical installations in Poland, even in office blocks.
InWroclaw   
31 Dec 2014
Off-Topic / Does anyone know what the rate of firework related injuries is after Sylwester? [12]

Merged: Fireworks and toxic pollution

rsc.org/chemistryworld/2014/01/fireworks-chinese-new-year-pollution

'We have found that air quality is seriously affected by this human activity and the effects are much greater than we previously thought,' says Gong. 'The highest PM2.5 concentrations measured were up to seven times greater than on ordinary days. It is time to alert the public to the negative effects of our cultural customs.'

Toxic

environment.about.com/od/healthenvironment/a/toxicfireworks.htm

Copper compounds are used to produce blue colors, even though they contain dioxin, which has been linked to cancer.

Exercise risks

theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/06/air-pollution-levels-very-high-following-fireworks-night
InWroclaw   
31 Dec 2014
Love / Observations and experiences so far about Polish women [93]

The very, very few Britons here either run firms or are or were management for some huge multinationals. I am surprised to hear they're looking at women of any age, because all the management ones I know of are spoken for and married to Poles or other nationalities and have been posted here for whatever reason on big salaries. But if they are single and overlooking you, it could just be they assume you're not available. So, if they're single and you're interested, just ask one out straight, "Hard day here, fancy coming for a coffee/beer with me, I could really use some company to chill out with." OK, you'll sound a bit American and cheesy, but better to try and see than wonder. Otherwise, get on over to the UK, because many cities have so many surplus men that you'll be in a relationship before you leave Stansted.
InWroclaw   
30 Dec 2014
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

Thanks again, kpc.

I wouldn't fiddle with the lighting switch or sockets myself, not here in Poland. But thanks for the tips. Btw in the UK I think they made it illegal for householders to do certain types of work on their own electricity sockets and switches and installations, just as it is illegal there for a layman home owner to install gas appliances like a cooker or boiler.
InWroclaw   
30 Dec 2014
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

@kpc21
I thank you for your kind and lengthy explanation, but doesn't it still mean that the electrical appliance (radio or TV or whatever it is) is still live when using an adaptor that doesn't swap the N and L to the correct pin even after the circuit trips (ie the RCD triggers and shuts off the power) or if the circuit is switched off by someone? That could mean that someone thinks their appliance is off and dead because they turned the circuit off, but because N and L are not coming through the correct pins the unit is live even if it doesn't seem to switch on and work. Surely that could be dangerous, if I am correct. Also, that could mean the RCD doesn't prevent danger if it works the same way and only disconnects the one ('wrong') wire.

In layman's terms, if I am right, then a person can still get an electric shock even if an appliance appears to be dead, when the RCD or manual switch has disconnected the usually correct wire but which would not be correct when L and N are transposed by the use of a UK-PL adaptor. This could also, I guess, mean that any fault triggering the RCD could still occur and cause either a shock or fire risk.

As I am unclear on the risks when using an adaptor, I would be inclined to unplug the appliance from the socket/receptacle if in doubt about it rather than use the circuit or other switch

I also think it's a great shame that Poland sockets don't have an on-off switch. In the UK, most sockets do. Here, they don't seem to exist and the only option is to buy a plug with a switch or an additional adaptor with switch. I have never seen a socket/receptacle with a switch here. Additionally, plugs are hard to remove and sockets are poorly fitted into walls generally, even in some new buildings. (It seems to me that without a switch on a socket, there is a spark or risk of a spark when plugging or unplugging appliances.)
InWroclaw   
30 Dec 2014
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

Thanks for replying, but doesn't a transposing of L and N perhaps mean that the fusebox/RCD electronic safety circuit gets confused or impaired and unable to detect a problem?
InWroclaw   
29 Dec 2014
Life / Electricity in Poland: plug and voltage? [72]

Merged: Electricity plugs - UK and Poland L & N

This is a UK plug (note Neutral-blue is left, Live-brown is right)

UK plug

...and this is a Poland plug

PL plug

So how do UK to PL adaptors work? Do these adaptors swap around the N and L polarity? Because it seems L is left in Poland (with Earth pin uppermost) and right in the UK.

What have I missed?
InWroclaw   
28 Dec 2014
Work / Salary for a senior software engineer in Poland [195]

So, here's an extract from the official info:

Rates and methods of income tax calculation
In the year 2014, there are the following methods of the tax calculation concerning income received from employment relationship, pensions:

Moreover Personal Income Tax Act states other tax rates i.e.:

· 20% of revenue from legal and consulting services provided by foreign person
· 19% of income from deposit and loan percentages
· 19% of income from money capital for example chargeable selling securities
· 10% of prizes won in competitions, games and mutual bets or awards connected with premium

InWroclaw   
27 Dec 2014
Real Estate / Property dispute (hired apartment contract in Poland) [12]

Anybody can guide me what could be the solution?

Go to the free legal advice service in your town. Search for porad biuro obywatelskich (advice bureau for citizens/people) in your location. Take some ID, ie residency registration or passport. An appointment is free, although you may have to queue for some hours but you can sometimes simply return for a particular appointment time.
InWroclaw   
26 Dec 2014
Life / Do Polish Barbers secretly hate their clients? [7]

Anyone know of an English-speaking barber or unisex salon stylist that's not expensive in Wro? My existing one has started to race along and not bother much any more despite nice tips

:(
Consequently, I look like a dish scrubbing brush within a few days of each cut.
InWroclaw   
26 Dec 2014
Work / Salary for a senior software engineer in Poland [195]

If you're going to be working at the place that's hiring a lot (let's just say there's a colour in the name of the office building name) then they start their day at 8 or 8.30 and AFAIK some leave at 4, some at 5 or later of course. As for deductions, a lot goes in tax and national insurance (called ZUS). Something like 40 per cent parts company with some workers. I don't know if VAT comes into it, but probably not as an employee (someone else might know).
InWroclaw   
26 Dec 2014
Love / Observations and experiences so far about Polish women [93]

In the UK? Unless your workplace is full of very young men, chavs or fusspots over 30, are you kidding? There is huge demand for women 30-40 in the UK in most cities. You need to socialise more widely or join a dating website.