Polish beautiful women

I often hear from people in the "know" that the most beautiful women in the world are Polish. It seems like some YouTubers decided to supply proof. So, here are some Polish beauties for your enlightenment. .



And, here's a tribute to the most beautiful female military personnel in the world.



Another person posts this: Sexy and beautiful Women in polish army



Just as beautiful is Poland's new PL-01. Sorry, no video posts of female tank commanders... yet!

We have Marcy – Poland has Marzi

If you take time to talk to old people who experienced inter-war Poland (1919-1939) or Soviet dominated Poland (1946-1989) you usually come away with a story framed in the context of their life’s sculpted worldview.
However, wisdom is not the sole providence of the old. The colloquial idiom “Out of the mouths of babes (oft times come gems)” reminds us children occasionally say remarkable or insightful things.

A brand new book just translated into English titled Marzi is based on recollections of a little girl growing up in communist controlled Poland. Memoirs pertaining to quality of life, economic turmoil and government oppression seem less tainted when it is expressed through the eyes of a child rather than the opinions held by mature adults.

Chronicling her experiences by processing the meaning of everyday life and the events that unfold are presented as a series of vignettes using cartoon panels. It’s not a kid’s comic book, but rather intended for grown up readers.

From an interview with Cafébabel (a European magazine) the author Marzena Sowa explains, “Sometimes readers find it surprising that besides strikes, usually associated with ‘Solidarity’, people also had a regular life. I mean, going to school and to work, children playing in the courtyards, holidays. My comics won’t age. Even twenty years on you will find something new, something for yourself. We were all children, and we all had some wishes that never came true; I was always dreaming about getting a Barbie doll from Pewex (communist-era stores which sold Western goods in exchange for Western currencies).”

She also dreamed about living in France, free from communist rule.

The purity of a child’s unadulterated innocence is perfectly captured in drawings and words as Marzi struggles to understand what is going on in her country and what her parents are talking about. The little girl is illustrated with huge eyes, which reflects her innocent perspective and is much more engaging than could ever be expected from a plain text book.

From birth through fifth grade Marzi is a witness to Solidarność and the revolutionary reawakening of freedom that made it successfully through a terrible period of martial law.

Aside from what was happening politically, there is a private peek into Marzi's demanding relationship with her mom, and what was expected of children in Poland during the 80s.

Kids at a young age are not equipped to understand the consequences of or make conclusions on the human condition. Prior to defeating socialism fruit, candy and sugar were so rare that when a store took delivery of such items, she and her family would wait hours in line hoping by the time they got served there was still some left for them to buy.

Marzi doesn't really understand why things are the way they are. She can tell the adults are unhappy, but no one will bother to explain what's really going on.

As a sensitive only child, she tried to make a pet of the carp her father bought and kept in the bathtub of her crowded apartment until it was time to kill it so the family could feast on it for days.

It was poles apart from the world that we as Americans experienced as children. Wishing for a color TV, working in farm fields with her grandparents and chewing on window putty because she couldn’t get gum makes you stop and think how incredibly different it really was.

The shortages, brute force of government and frightened parents crowding the hospital with their children as radioactive contamination spread to Poland from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster are just part of Marzi’s memories.

Though her childhood is filled with adversity, other recollections are happier. There was joy in tagging along with her father at demonstrations and the hope raised by a state visit from native son Pope John Paul II.

Marzi observes that adults really don’t talk about the fall of Communism even though it was Poland that first broke the grip of Soviet tyranny. It was accomplished without a single windowpane being broke. Maybe that’s because in Poland it was done with finesse, quietly and nonviolently unlike the dramatic breaking down of the Berlin Wall in neighboring Germany.

Marzi was born at a time when Poland was undergoing some big changes. She watched it rebel. She watched it dream. And she saw its dreams come true.

Given the current climate of turmoil in our country, I can’t help but wonder if 20 years from now there will be another Marzi painting a picture of how thing were in 2012 - Trying to make sense out of how adults could have screwed everything up.

A quick way to buy this book is to click on Marzi at PolishToledo.com.

Is Poland’s luck about to run out?

Lately, I’ve been writing about Poland’s shining economy. Poles skating through the global financial meltdown with healthy growth is amazing. However, I hinted at the close of last month’s column that Poland’s lucky streak might be near the end.

Well, what could go wrong you might ask.

Poland assumed the EU presidency on July 1, 2011. The timing is unfortunate because the tires are about to fall off the economic wagon of several countries. There is plenty boiling right near the surface regarding the finances of PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain). Stress in Europe is mounting, especially now that England is distancing itself from the Euro Zone and German citizens don’t want more of their tax dollars propping up failing member States.

Publicity wise, it would look pretty bad if countries started defaulting and the economic contagion started spreading like an epidemic while Poland held the six-month term presidency. Many economists say it is not a matter of if, but when countries go bust. If the Polish term as head of the EU can get through the end of December, then it will be Denmark’s headache when they succeed Poland at the helm.

But, what would really be devastating is forced radical changes in Poland’s own economy caused by misguided and mistimed EU rules and policies.

I think we would agree that during the midst of economic turmoil and massive sovereign debt across the western world now is not the time to implement programs and regulations that will hinder recovery and growth, or in Poland’s case cripple it’s strong economic footing.

Poland is a young democracy and making great strides fostering free markets and industries that were short on productivity during the Communist era. While the EU environmental activists call for the abatement of coal in Poland - the continuation of plentiful coal powering the heavy industries making up the largest part of Poland’s industrial output is not a situation any country can turn around on a dime. There is no other energy source close to the cheapness of coal. The major cause of Spain’s 21% unemployment and debt crisis for instance stems from their reckless speed at adopting exorbitantly expensive green energy.

Last month the Polish Ministry of Economy received some bad news. Major companies said if energy costs go up, heavy industry would cut production or pick up and leave for Asia and Africa. A large exodus in sectors like chemical, metallurgy, mining and cement are considered certain and will affect thousands of good paying jobs. That would plunge Poland into an economic calamity of its own.

Coal may not be the villain it is made out to be. It wasn’t too long ago when Time and Newsweek rang the alarm about the coming ice age, devoting nearly a dozen covers to the topic in the mid-1970s. This past decade has been the opposite – hysteria about global warming presumably caused by CO2 emissions. But, lately there has been increasing interest in our sun’s affect on global temperatures being way more potent than so-called greenhouse gases. Read this article - NASA Data Blow Gaping Hole In Global Warming Alarmism

Sunspots emit solar winds that heat the earth and last month the American Astronomical Society said the solar cycle is going into a hiatus meaning a lack of warmth producing sunspots. It might take as little as two years to determine if we’re headed toward another mini ice age like the Maulder Minimum experienced from 1645-1715 coming after the Medieval warm period which produced an abundance of food. Anecdotally, it snowed in Colorado on the first day of summer this year.

So, for Poland’s sake you’d think there is pretty good reason to hold off on expensive carbon dioxide permits that would debilitate one of the healthiest economies in the western world.

On the topic of fracking shale to capture billions of cubic meters of natural gas, Poland has another horde of enemies to fend off. While the prospect of becoming an exporting energy giant and removing itself and EU partners from the evil grip of Russia’s Gazprom, the environmental organizations are turning up the heat to impose a moratorium on this type of gas extraction like they were successful in doing across France.

Although there are worries about potential contamination of ground water, gas shale deposits are located several thousand feet below most water tables. If care is taken boring through the water table to get at the gas there is less danger of tainting well water.

Overall, one would think Poland was dealt a pretty good hand with coal and now the abundance of natural gas. But, changing the rules in the middle of the game might make Poland have to ‘Go fish’. Those increasingly colder winters in Poland have taking their toll on poorer folks freezing to death over the last couple years. Hot soup ain’t gonna be a substitute for much needed cheap energy.

Gold in them thar hill

Poland was the only EU country to escape the present recession and economic crisis. Industrial output jumped by double digits, while employment and wages are up and out pacing inflation. The discovery of natural gas shale fields that equal more than 300 years of the country’s consumption have major oil companies beating a path to Poland’s door. Then there’s a luxury goods market that is growing faster than any other European country and a debt to GDP ratio that is one of the lowest in the world. The Warsaw Stock Exchange had more IPOs (initial stock offers) than any other European exchange in the past 12 months including foreign companies clamoring to be listed. These are all admirable attributes envied by other countries.



What else could Poles ask for in economic terms?


How about hitting a motherload of gold and silver that was just confirmed in dolny Śląsk!


A few million years ago, way before brothers Lech, Cech and Rus came from the east to establish the Slavic nations, the Kaczawskie Mountains located in southwestern Poland were erupting with volcanic ash and lava flows that glowed in the darkness of night. The apocalyptic looking event heaved tons of wealth to and near the surface of the earth’s crust. Today, in the land of extinct volcanoes modern testing methods indicate substantial mineral riches not previously exploited since mining started there in the 12th century are ripe for the picking.


Mining has always been an essential part of the Polish economy and is one of the most time-honored professions in Poland. Through the centuries going deep under the earth was dangerous and often deadly. Although there is no caste system, Poland’s miners traditionally have been elevated to a special social station of their own. Not only for the Feast of St. Barbara (patron Saint of miners), but also for weddings, funerals and other important political or social ceremonies, miners wear an especially smart looking black uniform adorned with red feathers and act much the same as honor guards.


Perhaps the most wondrous and largest mine in the world is in Wieliczka. Salt is a very important mineral, which seemed absent in Poland until the 13th century when Saint Kinga a Hungarian princess on her way to marry King Bolesław threw her engagement ring into a Hungarian salt mine near her home only to have it found where she indicated Polish miners dig upon her arrival. For over 700 years salt had been scooped out of the depths where Kinga’s ring miraculously appeared.


At the Wieliczka works the vast subterranean chambers are adorned with statues, chapels, grand staircases, dining halls and even chandeliers carved entirely of salt. There is even a clinic for people with lung ailments since the salt laden air is antiseptic.


Although another underground city like the Wieliczka mine is not in the making 150 miles to the west, the little village of Radzimowice in the Kaczawskie Mountains just might add a ton of wealth to the Polish economy.


Stara Gora (the Old Mountain) is the name used mainly by geologists for the location, since it was formerly the place where gold, silver, iron and copper once were mined and remolded. Many mine shafts beneath the peak of Zelezniak bear testimony to the heyday of a once blooming town. Lately, the few inhabitants left take their chances and run farm tourism businesses in a region famous for its panoramic views, wine production and rare plants including orchids and gentian.


Last month four high tech borings nearly a half-mile in depth confirmed the presence of high-grade gold, silver and copper veins, which appear to be untouched in the extensions of the historic site. New veins were also discovered and include significant amounts of gold with about one ounce of gold per ton of earth.


The area has a long history of mining covering 1,000 years and anecdotal evidence suggests and that up to 18,000 ounces of gold were recovered from nearby rivers and shallow digs over the years.


Extensive underground shafts were developed in Radzimowice until the mine closed around 1930 due to low metal prices and the onset of the Great Depression. The underground workings were well documented during earlier mining operations and indicate that most of the ore was mined from six veins. During the 1950s some refurbishment of the mine was undertaken by the Communist government but ceased when the Kupfershiefer copper deposit was discovered at a different location.


With private companies free to explore with the profit motive incentives of capitalism, what was overlooked by the previous socialist regime’s central planning seems to be panning out rather nicely in a market where gold and silver have had a huge run up in value.


The energy and precious metal resources just recently discovered under Polish soil is bound to bring increased economic wealth to the nation just as the discovery of salt did 700 years ago. However, there is a sinister plot being hatched by EU environmentalists that might cripple the heavy industry and coal mining sectors of the Polish economy. The what else Poles could ask for question might just be requesting some sanity regarding EU carbon emissions policies. Stay tuned to this column for a look into the absurdia the environmental whackos may thrust upon the only shining economy of the western world.

Glitz in Poland

Więcej diamenty, proszę

Aren’t you just doggone tired of reading how great the Polish economy is doing in this column month after month? The rest of the world seems to be mired in economic crisis and here in America the all mighty dollar continues to take a devaluation beating with quantitative easing by the Fed, stimulus programs, bailouts and no true spending reform.

Polish-Americans unjustifiably have been the brunt of Polish jokes for years. At least now in one small corner of the world where our ancestors come from - throwing off the yoke of socialism and a totalitarian regime of market control and central planning has provided a cornucopia of plenty, while other nations go wanting.

Purchasing of luxury goods in Poland is off the charts. It’s been that way for quite a while and right through the economic meltdown most western nations are experiencing. In the past five years almost all luxury item categories registered impressive double-digit sales growth. Brisk economic growth and the increasing number of high-earning households fuel the growing accumulation of high-end items.

Poles have the cash to spend and are continually seeking more sophisticated international brands. International luxury item producers rushing in to set up shop in Polish shopping malls confirm Poland’s strong taste for luxury goods. 2011 will see even more new glitzy and glamorous brands battle for the favor of Polish customers.

The Polish economy has undergone an extreme transformation since the end of Communism. Booming exports and increased investment made Poland the only economy in the EU to escape an economic recession in 2009 thanks in large part to its strong domestic consumption of consumer goods and the lack of credit crisis in banking as well as very low individual household debt.

Topping of the list of lavish item purchasing is jewelry including timepieces. This category has seen over a hundred percent increase in the past five years alone. The aggressive marketing campaigns have also dumped a tremendous amount of money into media and advertising agencies. So, radio, television stations, newspapers and billboard companies are experiencing nice fat numbers on their income statement bottom lines.

The second largest category includes fine wines, champagne and spirits. The 45% increase is helped along by the proliferation of new fashionable nightclubs, bars, and luxury boutique hotels all across the country. The secondary affect in the drinks category has been the synergy with commercial real estate and construction transactions as well as massive new hiring in the hospitality field.

The next largest market segment is designer fashions. Interestingly Polish designers still dominate the couture niche while brands such as Armani, Hugo Boss, Burberry and others are making a bigger and bigger dent in the top end clothing category. If you find it hard to believe Polish designers are fabulous, remember Oleg Cassini’s birth name was Oleg Loiewski.

While the global forecast for luxury goods is rather modest, the Polish market for luxury goods has become increasingly desirable and in greater demand. Success builds on success and encourages new players to enter the game. Italian luxury car giant Ferrari is a newcomer to Poland and Louis Vuitton is set to open its first Polish store this month. These established brands along with all the other merchants coming into the Polish market bring with them the development of new distribution channels and infrastructure further boosting a hot economy in terms of revenue and new hiring.

The growing disposable incomes of Poles will continue to boost demand for luxury goods and services. Bound to help this along is a newly introduced strategy in the Polish finance ministry. While other countries are trying to debase their currencies to address repayment of structured national debt, the Poles are contemplating actions to actually increase the value of the złoty. Although this topic is a subject for another column at a future date, suffice it to say that the Ferrari with the 300,000 złoty price tag just might come down to a number more easily reached by the upper middle class in Poland. Then there will be a huge market for new bumper stickers saying, “Inne moje samochodu jest Rolls Royce Silver Cloud.” (My other car is a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud)

Trip to Poland

The Toledo Polish Geneaological Society is making a trip to Poland this year. If you are interested in finding your family records, this is the year you must go to Poland. We will be going to towns, villages and cities in Poland to find your family records.

Trip to Poland 2010 info:
http://www.polishtoledo.com/trip

The trip to Poland is being organized this year in September so that people of Polish heritage can find their family roots.

If you ever wanted to know where your Babcia or Dziadzia came from, this is the year you must travel to the land of your ancestors. Please call Kathy Grabel at 419-385-8516 for more information regarding this trip to Poland.

All you have to do is let Kathy know where your relatives came from, the name of the village, town or city, and the family name.

We will travel to those places and your family records will be waiting for you to pick up. And, you will actually see where your relatives once lived.

The departure from Detroit's Metro Airport will be on August 31, 2010, and the return date is September 10th.

The cost for this trip to Poland includes round trip airfare, sightseeing, accommodations at three and four star hotels, meals, transportation in a comfortable tour bus, English speaking tour guides and more. The total cost for the trip is $2,800 that includes everything mentioned above.

Don't miss this opportunity of a lifetime to travel to the land of your ancestors.

Trip to Poland 2010

For more information: [Click Here]

More Polish Troops to Afghanistan

Polish President Lech Kaczynski and Afghan President Hamid Karzai attend a joint news conference in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, April 8, 2009.

After the talks with Karzai, Kaczynski said Poland boost military presence up to 20% in Afghanistan before the upcoming Afghan elections. Poland currently has 1590 troops mostly stationed in the Afghan province of Ghazni.

Kaczynski also visited Ghazni and talk to his soldiers based there.




.

Bye, Bye Piwo

Poland’s Parliament has supported a Senate amendment banning the sale of low-alcohol drinks at mass events.

Only the Social Democratic Left was against the amendment, arguing that it was a European standard to sell drinks such as beer at mass events, including sports meets or soccer games.
Deputy Interior Minister Adam Rapacki said that the government initially had not been against the sale of beer, also allowing organizers this option in sponsoring.

In February Parliament decided to allow the sale of low-alcoholic drinks, including beer, at mass events, with the exception of high-risk gatherings. In March, the Senate introduced an amendment banning this. Feelings in both houses ran high and the issue also raised protests from Polish clergy.


The law is among others to provide safety for the football world cup in 2012. Now the amended law needs to be signed into force by the President.

Frequent Sex in Poland

The Poles have the most frequent sex in Europe, show latest international survey results. Not long ago sexologists complained that Poland lagged behind in Europe as far as sex is concerned.

It was said Poles were neither inactive nor inventive in bed. In a word – underdeveloped.

Opening up to the world and two decades of economic growth sufficed to make Poles one of the most amorous nations in Europe. Poles are better than romantic Italians and sexually liberated French. Recently published research commissioned by Bayer Schering Pharma shows that 12.6 percent of Poles over 18 have sex every day. Only 8 percent of Europeans from other countries have equally frequent sex. As many as 49.5 percent of Poles make love more often that once a week.

Ms. Double-0 Sevenska

Ian Fleming, the creator of 007 James Bond, had a war time lover. She was Winston Churchill's favorite spy. She was Polish.

Now, a big budget Hollywood movie is being made to tell the story of Krystyna Skarbek who used the name Christine Granville during World War II.

Dubbed `Churchill's favorite spy', she was awarded the George Medal for her work against the Gestapo. Her courageous actions, including a treacherous crossing into her native Poland from Hungary helped saved countless lives. After the war, she drifted into a series of affairs – including one with Fleming – before enrolling as a stewardess on a cruise ship where she met the man who was to murder her in 1952.

The film is now in pre-production and will be directed by AgnieszkaHolland, whose credits include Total Eclipse, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Skarbek's cloak-and-dagger exploits saw daring raids into occupied Poland, with forays into Egypt and Syria. Parachuted into occupied France in 1944, she took on the persona `Pauline Armand' to rally the Resistance.

Christine Granville, was IanFleming's inspiration for the James Bond character Vesper Lynd.



Vespar Lynd played by Eva Green

Poles not Impressed with Obama Inaugural Speech

The inauguration speech was a disappointment, different Polish experts said on Polish Radio. What about the policy of the new administration, will it really bring any change internationally?

Joanna Najfeld reports:

Americans gathered at the inauguration ceremony no to listen to what the new president says, but how he says it, explains political studies expert Wojciech Jabłoński. In his opinion, the widely publicized inaugural speech sounded more like an election campaign speech:

'You can still sense that old Obama - the candidate, like he was right after he won the elections, when he got carried away with the wave of enthusiasm and hope. And this time he used some realistic ideas, to which nobody paid attention, because most of Obama's followers are convinced he will make it. And for those few in the crowd, who still need to be encouraged, Obama makes those idealistic undertones - all the talk about change and being able to make it together,' Jabłoński said.

American Studies expert Krzysztof Michałek says the 44th inaugural speech in based on the speeches of previous presidents: 'Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy in particular. There was no single idea by Barack Obama himself. In this respect, the speech was disappointing,' said Michałek.

Professor Zbigniew Lewicki, American Studies expert at Warsaw University is also disappointed at the inaugural speech of Barrack Obama. The leader lost everything that Americans thought was charming about him, says the professor:

'He turned into Champaign without bubbles. At the beginning, he was greeted by huge applause. He couldn't say a word. Everybody was chanting "Obama! Obama! Obama!". But when he started speaking, there was weak applause only twice. The enthusiasm just wasn't there, he did not mesmerize the crowd. That speech lacked what everyone was waiting for - for Obama to show them that he will lead them in a good direction,' Lewicki explained.

The poor speech caused the stock indices to plummet: 'The indices fell by over 3% in reaction to his speech. And they should soar, at least for ten minutes. The Wall Street clearly said "no, that's not it!" So what kind of prognosis for the future is this? You can make the first impression only once. And the first impression he made was not what we expected,' Lewicki added.

But what will the new US policy be like? In the opinion of American Studies PhD Tomasz Płudowski, Barrack Hussein Obama's rule will be quite similar to the policy of George W. Bush. 'It won't be that leftist as has been expected during the campaign, nor will it be so radically different from the policy of George W. Bush,' Płudowski said.

Especially the international policy is not about to change, says professor Zbigniew Lewicki: 'He said the US would withdraw from Iraq slowly, and would win in Afghanistan. This is not a policy of drastic change, and that's good. But it also means we should be concerned about Obama's abilities to solve issues effectively.'

Tomasz Płudowski does not expect the US to get any closer to Poland. Americans are too busy with their domestic issues, he explains. Michał Kaminski of the chancellery of Poland's president Lech Kaczynski is more hopeful: 'Myself, as well as very many of my fellow countrymen, would like to see Poland's visa problem solved during this term.'

Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, who is looking forward to meet Mr. Obama in person, emphasized that what is really importnat to Poland is the issue of American missile defense shield.

'The United States remain our strategic partner. And we are hoping very much that what was agreed on during the presidency of Mr. George W. Bush will continue to be realized. And I would also like to use this opportunity to send my regards to President George W. Bush,' said President Kaczynski.

[Polish News in English Language from Radio Polskie]

Blog 27 - #@%#*

This is a bit strange.

A Polish Rock group called Blog 27 released an album with Parental Avisory warning plastered on the front cover. The next thing you know a kid's TV show awards the group's lead singer named Tola an award.

Then again, looking at this side of the pond - kids are listening to Avril Lavigne's hit song and music video "Girlfriend" in which she exclains "Hell yeah, I'm a Motherf**kin' princess.

So, I had to dig out my dusty copy of "I Dig Rock 'n' Roll Music" by Peter, Paul and Mary to remember the old days. At least there you had to read between the lines.

Polish jokes are passé

Why Polish jokes are passé and American jokes are in vogue.

There is controversy over this ballot in Minnesota. Franken and the Democrats want it cancelled.


This is real frickin’ easy. Obviously it is an optical scanner read ballot. Directions are offered to the voter. Either the scanner counted the vote for Coleman if enough of the circle was blackened or it did not “see” enough contrast in the circle to have the vote count. Period. Either it’s pregnant or not pregnant. Just my guess, but it looks like the rabbit died. Why employee machines if loons are going to second-guess technology and second guess voter intent. Florida all over again, but with snow this time.

Just let the machine do its job.

BTW, Did you hear the one about the American that went to the voting polls? He was dumber than a voting Pole.

It's Cyrillic to me

The Russian language is coming back to Polish schools. This year 30,000 students have decided to pass an examination for the secondary school certificate in Russian. Under communism, this subject was compulsory and yet still most graduates couldn't really speak fluent or even fair Russian after leaving school. This was because Russian was mentally rejected by generations of young Poles as the main language of the Soviet Union, an oppressive state occupying Poland.

However, contemporary Polish students don't have this sort of negative connotation with Russia or any kind of Russian complex. Therefore, they are likely to treat Russian as any other language. At the same time, it now pays to speak Russian, which, combined with English or German, is an advantage for a young person looking for a good job. Many private companies are keen to do business in Russia and they need Russian-speakers.

New Polish Eatery

A brand new Polish eatery, Pyza, opened Feb. 13 at 46727 Van Dyke south of 21 Mile Road in Shelby Township, Michigan offering authentic homemade Polish cuisine with an old-world European atmosphere.

Pyza is one of the few Polish restaurants in the tri-county area outside of Hamtramck, and it is a must try for anyone searching for the tastes and aromas of a traditional Polish kitchen.

The food is prepared from healthy ingredients, including Amish meats, poultry, eggs and dairy products, and the dishes are based on recipes that have been passed down through the generations.

All dishes are made from scratch and cooked individually, made to order. Owner Tadeusz Baj also created everything in the restaurant, from its design and woodworking to the furnishings of the dining room. For more information, visit the restaurant or call (586) 726-6320.

Ports Expand in Poland

The number of containers handled by Poland's four sea ports - Gdynia, Gdansk, Szczecin, Swinoujscie - increased by 31% last year, giving Poland fourth place behind Russia, Sweden and Finland.

Cargo traffic in the Baltic sea is expected to grow rapidly over the coming years, and all Polish seaports plan major capacity expansion to capture a share of this growth. They stand a good chance as St.Petersburg, the largest transshipment port in the Baltic, which is operating at full capacity, has no possibility to develop further.

The four Polish ports plan to spend 600 million dollars on new capacity over the next five years, taking the total to more than eight million containers per year, up from 1.7 million at present.

Gdansk, in particular, is seeking to position itself as the Baltic's main transshipment hub.

Source: Rzeczpospolita

Ain't Exactly Lionel

High speed rail is coming to Poland with the help of experts from Spain. The head of the Spanish rail infrastructure is headed to Warsaw this week. Spanish companies have great experience in the construction and maintenance of fast track lines. At present, the Spanish rail network has 1000 kilometres, but is planning to build ten times more by 2020.

Still, there is a railroad line in north central Poland that runs entirely with steam.

[Click Here] for earlier post about Quixoticosity of the Old Rails in Poland and several links.

Wolsztyn is the center of steam in Poland. It is home to a wonderful open-air museum consisting of a steam locomotive shed / depot; turntable; and a wide collection of working, rare, mainline Polish steam locomotives. Every day several passenger and freight trains leave Wolsztyn on route to locations in Lubuskie, Wielkopolskie and other parts of western Poland.

These trains will help put off the next ice age, which is rapidly coming
[Click Here] Al Gore.

Veni, vidi, vici

According to the Ministry of Education next year Polish secondary school students will be learning Latin. The new curriculum stipulates that there will be as many as four hours per week of Latin in all Polish high schools.

There will be no problem in large cities, but in smaller towns there may be some difficulties with finding teachers. Currently Latin is a very rare subject in Polish schools.

Latin is commonly on the curricula in Germany, France and Italy.

A universal language ain't a bad idea either. But, what's wrong with

Esperanto? It's easier to learn and was invented in Poland. If you don't know about Esperanto click the link.

The solution to the problem, IMHO, is to enlist the aid of local parish clergy. Seems to me every neighborhood and village has a Catholic Church - and, I'd hope they all are familiar with Latin - the dead language.

I wonder when English will become a dead language.

Drink up.... More

Last year Poles consumed more alcohol than ever before. It's the economy, stupid. Spending on hard liquor is up 15 percent while wages in Poland are up 10 percent.

How much does the average Pole consume? Around 2.56 gallons of pure alcohol annually, compared to 1.74 gallons in 2001.

I wish the stock market and my mutual funds had such an increase.

Polish Lullaby

Lullabies busia sang to us with English translations. Of course thay sound better in Polish.

A-a, kotki dwa (Ah-Ah, Two Little Kittens) Lullaby

A-a,
byly sobie kotki dwa.
A-a, kotki dwa,
szarobure, szarobure obydwa.

Ach, śpij, kochanie,
jesli gwiazdke z nieba chcesz - dostaniesz.
Wszystkie dzieci, nawet źle,
pogrążone są we śnie,
a ty jedna tylko nie.

A-a,
byly sobie kotki dwa.
A-a-a, kotki dwa,
szarobure, szarobure obydwa

Ach, śpij, bo wlaśnieksiężyc
ziewa i za chwilę zaśnie.
A gdy rano przyjdzie świtksięzycowi
będzie wstyd,
ze on zasnąl, a nie ty.


(English)
Ah-ah-ah,
There were once two little kittens.
Ah-ah-ah, two little kittens,
They were both grayish-brown.

Oh, sleep, my darling,
If you'd like a star from the sky
I'll give you one.
All children, even the bad ones,
Are already asleep,
Only you are not.

Ah-ah-ah,
There were once two little kittens.
Ah-ah-ah, two little kittens,
They were both grayish-brown.

Oh, sleep, becauseThe moon is yawning
and he will soon fall asleep.
And when the morning comes
He will be really ashamed,
That he fell asleep and you did not.

Kotek (Little Kitten)

Miauczy kotek "miau",
"Coś ty kotku miał?"
"Miałem ja miseczkę mleczka,
Teraz pusta jest miseczka,
A jeszcze bym chciał,
A jeszcze bym chciał".

Wzdycha kotek: "O",
"Co ci kotku, co?"
"Śniła mi się wielka rzeka,
Wielka rzeka pełna mleka,
Aż po samo dno".

Pisnął kotek "pii",
"Spij koteczku, spij",
Stulił ogon żmrozył żlipie,
Spi i we snie mleczko chlipie,
Bo znów mu się śni,
Bo znów mu się śni ".

Little Kitten
(English)

Little kitten says "miau."
"What did you want, little kitten?"
"I had a bowl of milk,
Now the bowl is empty,
And I would like some more,
And I would like some more.

"Sighs little kitten: "O".
"What's the matter little kitten?"
"I dreamt of a huge river,
Huge river full of milk,
All the way to the bottom.

"Little kitten says: "Pii".
"Sleep little kitten sleep.
"He tucked in his tail
Closed his eyes and sleeps.
And in his sleep he drinks the milk.
In his sleep he drinks the milk.


Uczekaj myszka do dzury

Uczekaj myszka do dzury,
bo ci tam zlapie kot bury.
A, jak ci zlapie kot bury
on ci zadrapie ze skury!

Wlas kotek na plotek i mruga
Ladna ta piosenka, nie dluga.
Nie dluga, nie krutka
a w sam raz.
I (Julia, or Dania) zaszpiewam jescie raz;

Uczekaj myszka do dzury,
bo ci tam zlapie kot bury.
A, jak ci zlapie kot bury
on ci zadrapie ze skury!

Run away, little mouse, to a hole.
Because a brown cat will catch you.
And when the brown cat catches you
He'll scratch you out of your skin.

The cat climbed onto the fence and meows;
a pretty song, not a long one.
Not a long one, not a short one,
but just right.
And I'll sing it for (Julia, or Dania) one more time....

Run away, little mouse, to a hole.
Because a brown cat will catch you.
And when the brown cat catches you
He'll scratch you out of your skin.

And again and again, because babies love that. And they hear their name sung in a song by their grandmother. So sweet! (Kind of morbid, but nice.)

From Janet Gawle Hostess of Melodies of Poland