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FLIRTING THE TITANS (June 2006)
Barbara and Roger just had their 50th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, they traveled to Long Island to visit the church where they got married and were hoping to spent a night at the same motel as they did back then. Although Roger had some objections remembering the rail road crossing nearby and the sound of the horn waking them up at night, for which Barbara's sober response was, "We both wear hearing aids now, so what do YOU care?"
After the stop at the church, the couple found the motel, now called "Hollywood," and Barbara entered it while Roger waited in the car. As soon as Barbara walked in, she noticed some changes - one being the reception desk that used to have a glass window, now the receptionist was reachable to customers, separated only by a counter. The woman measured up the guest from head to toe and asked, "How may I help you?" "I need a room." "How many hours?" Barbara paused but surely answered, "I need it for the night." The receptionist slowly walked around from behind the counter, approached Barbara, and whispered in her ear, "Mam, I don't think you want to stay here…" "I don't?" The receptionist shook her head "We have… mirrors."
So Barbara went to Roger and explained the situation to him. " I don't think this is the place," she summed up. But while they were driving off, the train went by and blew the horn. These are the sure signs of times changing. Long Island's fields where Polish farmers used to grow potatoes, were sold and turned into golf courses. Summer "cottages" have boathouses and helipads. But that's the Hamptons (East Coast Malibu!), and this is still Farmingdale…
The "Cheetah room" offers mood lights, wall and ceiling mirrors and in room – DVD movies. The Dark Dancer room features …a stripper pole with stage. The rates are calculated from 3hours days (before 4pm) and 3hour nights (after 4pm).
That may be too much excitement for both Barbara and Roger, who are in their 70s. The "When the mood is Romance" theme and the "rental discount card (rent 7 times, the 8 th is on us!)" did not convince them either.
The mood in Jurata, the small Baltic sea resort on the Hel peninsula, last week wasn't romance, although there was some flirtation in the air. Presidents Bush and Kaczynski embraced, surely had lots of eye contact, spoke softly through translators, walked through the woods, although never alone.
Kaczynski used his best assets… his cute granddaughter and a dog. And it wasn't just any dog; it was a copy of The First Dog, Barney.
The dog actually played a crucial role; some even went so far and suggested that Tytus should replace the existing minister of foreign affairs, Anna Fotyga. Four legged, he seemed much friendlier, does not answer solely with a "no comment" and actually barks when expected to bark. Polish TV reported that in the
American media, Bush's visit in Poland was overshadowed by Paris Hilton's going in / out of jail. Any world affairs were secondary to the fact that the heiress to the Hilton hotel empire did not like prison food, cried out for "mommy," and was escorted out, and soon afterwards, back to the jail cell. C'mon, can't you design clothes from there? Can't you have a fashion column "Stripes are so "in" this coming season !" But seriously, I feel sorry for kids like Paris, Britney, and Lindsey. They act stupid, because they are allowed to. We want to read about them. We put them on a pedestal, and we love to see them come crashing down. The question remains: WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS?
Something tells me that even if it wasn't for Paris, there wouldn't be a glimpse of that visit because it would give importance to Poland's affairs. The American media coverage of the anti-missile shields controversy, yes. Reports of Bush and Putin exchanging opinions, statements by Angela Merkel, yes, yes. Tell the world about the Polish government's official accusing Tinky Winky (one of Teletubbies) of being gay, most definitely yes. To give Poland any meaning, no.
The importance of Poland playing a major role is downplayed. Polish public opinion non-existing.
Prof. Lewicki, the great promoter of the shields and anybody from Gazeta Wyborcza hope that although radar may be installed in Azerbaijan, as Putin suggested, the shields still have to be placed in Poland. According to Putin, they may be placed in Turkey or even Iraq. And since the Americans are building a $650 million US embassy there, the largest in the world, why not. The problem is, it's not what Bush and his neocons had in mind. It won't cover the new "Eastern European" frontier.
Putin, black–belt, German fluent speaking ex-KGB agent isn't stupid, he knows Bush' plan and he has a field day destroying it.
And I don't mind him doing it, as long as Russia and US are both in it, hand in hand, nothing bad can happened to Poland, right?
In the interview given by George Bush to Gazeta Wyborcza, the American president assured Poles that Poland is safe because it is in NATO.
That's right, so if NATO does not see such need for building bases, let's just drop it.
The media won't name it, but our president sounds more and more like a spokesperson for the US military industry.
People who are on the Polish negotiating team are openly disappointed "This is a bad deal, it is not what we expected." (I guess they began reading the
small print now.)
Daily news, RZECZPOSPOLITA announced that the American proposal contains conditions, which are inconvenient to Poland. Poles are expected to cover some of the expenses as well as build and run the base with 10 rocket launchers. US will be excluded from paying local taxes. And I like this one: "Any road accidents caused by American military officers outside the base would be also covered by the Polish budget." Peter Brooks, the high ranking American expert answered by saying that Japan and Korea also have to cover the costs. Sure, but see, Poland isn't Japan…
I heard President Bush say about the people of Iraq "We are there per their request."
Which dummy in front of the TV did he direct those words to? Who knows, with such nerve, later on he may even claim that it was Poles who demanded the installation of the bases.
So far, the Czech government accepted the radar, the Czechs did not. The Polish government still pretends to be contemplating the offer, although we all know that the decision was made.
The majority still opposes, but who wants to hear that, and thus, no media reports on what people actually say.
In Jurata, the demonstration took place even dough train services were suspended, and many protesters were removed. Filip Ilkowski from Stop War organization: "We came to protest against George Bush's visit in Poland, against the policy he represents. Moreover against the construction of American installations perversely called "shield", and also against Polish government's participation in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's disgraceful, cruel and bloody.
Bush himself is a politician, who is the head of the biggest military organization in the world, and has more blood on his hands than any other politician. So when he comes too a country, there always are protests against him. Poland is no different."
The US has 702 military bases all over the world, and that's not including Iraq, Israel, Aphganistan or Kuwait. In those bases, even cleaning the latrines is subcontracted to private military companies like Kellogg, Brown & Root. Within days of our attack on Iraq, I saw US soldiers in Baghdad standing in line to Burger King. One of the most distracting pictures that I saw was an image of an Aphgani woman covered in a burka from head to toe begging in front of a huge billboard advertising Coca –Cola. Sun Fun products of Daytona Beach, Florida is doing well after 273,000 bottles of sun block was ordered by the Defense Department. $30 billion goes to subcontractors. Last week, I learned that the National Grid provides electricity to residents of Baghdad, this fact would probably go by unnoticed if it wasn't the same company that I sent my monthly electricity bill to. The only difference is that I have power 24/7, and the people in Baghdad an hour a day. War seems to be a profitable business. Anything related can't lose. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates knows it and he wasn't sightseeing Poland when visited last month.
Just like Newt Gingrich lobbied in the pre-war period.
Now, will the Polish president prove that he has a mind of his own and pass on the deal because it is not in Poland's interest (or for Poland's security) or will he follow the footsteps of the previous Kwasniewski's government, the one accused of hidden CIA prisons, the one who sent Polish soldiers to Iraq, the one who bought a fleet of aged F-16s all in exchange for nothing?
A Polish man wakes up from a coma, 19 years has passed and with it, communism. Free Poland, a free market, free minutes on your cell phone, free first few months of your Internet connection. But I bet many Poles would prefer to go into a coma and wake up when this present government is replaced with another more normal one.
FLIRTING THE TITANS (June 2006)
Barbara and Roger just had their 50th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, they traveled to Long Island to visit the church where they got married and were hoping to spent a night at the same motel as they did back then. Although Roger had some objections remembering the rail road crossing nearby and the sound of the horn waking them up at night, for which Barbara's sober response was, "We both wear hearing aids now, so what do YOU care?"
After the stop at the church, the couple found the motel, now called "Hollywood," and Barbara entered it while Roger waited in the car. As soon as Barbara walked in, she noticed some changes - one being the reception desk that used to have a glass window, now the receptionist was reachable to customers, separated only by a counter. The woman measured up the guest from head to toe and asked, "How may I help you?" "I need a room." "How many hours?" Barbara paused but surely answered, "I need it for the night." The receptionist slowly walked around from behind the counter, approached Barbara, and whispered in her ear, "Mam, I don't think you want to stay here…" "I don't?" The receptionist shook her head "We have… mirrors."
So Barbara went to Roger and explained the situation to him. " I don't think this is the place," she summed up. But while they were driving off, the train went by and blew the horn. These are the sure signs of times changing. Long Island's fields where Polish farmers used to grow potatoes, were sold and turned into golf courses. Summer "cottages" have boathouses and helipads. But that's the Hamptons (East Coast Malibu!), and this is still Farmingdale…
The "Cheetah room" offers mood lights, wall and ceiling mirrors and in room – DVD movies. The Dark Dancer room features …a stripper pole with stage. The rates are calculated from 3hours days (before 4pm) and 3hour nights (after 4pm).
That may be too much excitement for both Barbara and Roger, who are in their 70s. The "When the mood is Romance" theme and the "rental discount card (rent 7 times, the 8 th is on us!)" did not convince them either.
The mood in Jurata, the small Baltic sea resort on the Hel peninsula, last week wasn't romance, although there was some flirtation in the air. Presidents Bush and Kaczynski embraced, surely had lots of eye contact, spoke softly through translators, walked through the woods, although never alone.
Kaczynski used his best assets… his cute granddaughter and a dog. And it wasn't just any dog; it was a copy of The First Dog, Barney.
The dog actually played a crucial role; some even went so far and suggested that Tytus should replace the existing minister of foreign affairs, Anna Fotyga. Four legged, he seemed much friendlier, does not answer solely with a "no comment" and actually barks when expected to bark. Polish TV reported that in the
American media, Bush's visit in Poland was overshadowed by Paris Hilton's going in / out of jail. Any world affairs were secondary to the fact that the heiress to the Hilton hotel empire did not like prison food, cried out for "mommy," and was escorted out, and soon afterwards, back to the jail cell. C'mon, can't you design clothes from there? Can't you have a fashion column "Stripes are so "in" this coming season !" But seriously, I feel sorry for kids like Paris, Britney, and Lindsey. They act stupid, because they are allowed to. We want to read about them. We put them on a pedestal, and we love to see them come crashing down. The question remains: WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS?
Something tells me that even if it wasn't for Paris, there wouldn't be a glimpse of that visit because it would give importance to Poland's affairs. The American media coverage of the anti-missile shields controversy, yes. Reports of Bush and Putin exchanging opinions, statements by Angela Merkel, yes, yes. Tell the world about the Polish government's official accusing Tinky Winky (one of Teletubbies) of being gay, most definitely yes. To give Poland any meaning, no.
The importance of Poland playing a major role is downplayed. Polish public opinion non-existing.
Prof. Lewicki, the great promoter of the shields and anybody from Gazeta Wyborcza hope that although radar may be installed in Azerbaijan, as Putin suggested, the shields still have to be placed in Poland. According to Putin, they may be placed in Turkey or even Iraq. And since the Americans are building a $650 million US embassy there, the largest in the world, why not. The problem is, it's not what Bush and his neocons had in mind. It won't cover the new "Eastern European" frontier.
Putin, black–belt, German fluent speaking ex-KGB agent isn't stupid, he knows Bush' plan and he has a field day destroying it.
And I don't mind him doing it, as long as Russia and US are both in it, hand in hand, nothing bad can happened to Poland, right?
In the interview given by George Bush to Gazeta Wyborcza, the American president assured Poles that Poland is safe because it is in NATO.
That's right, so if NATO does not see such need for building bases, let's just drop it.
The media won't name it, but our president sounds more and more like a spokesperson for the US military industry.
People who are on the Polish negotiating team are openly disappointed "This is a bad deal, it is not what we expected." (I guess they began reading the
small print now.)
Daily news, RZECZPOSPOLITA announced that the American proposal contains conditions, which are inconvenient to Poland. Poles are expected to cover some of the expenses as well as build and run the base with 10 rocket launchers. US will be excluded from paying local taxes. And I like this one: "Any road accidents caused by American military officers outside the base would be also covered by the Polish budget." Peter Brooks, the high ranking American expert answered by saying that Japan and Korea also have to cover the costs. Sure, but see, Poland isn't Japan…
I heard President Bush say about the people of Iraq "We are there per their request."
Which dummy in front of the TV did he direct those words to? Who knows, with such nerve, later on he may even claim that it was Poles who demanded the installation of the bases.
So far, the Czech government accepted the radar, the Czechs did not. The Polish government still pretends to be contemplating the offer, although we all know that the decision was made.
The majority still opposes, but who wants to hear that, and thus, no media reports on what people actually say.
In Jurata, the demonstration took place even dough train services were suspended, and many protesters were removed. Filip Ilkowski from Stop War organization: "We came to protest against George Bush's visit in Poland, against the policy he represents. Moreover against the construction of American installations perversely called "shield", and also against Polish government's participation in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's disgraceful, cruel and bloody.
Bush himself is a politician, who is the head of the biggest military organization in the world, and has more blood on his hands than any other politician. So when he comes too a country, there always are protests against him. Poland is no different."
The US has 702 military bases all over the world, and that's not including Iraq, Israel, Aphganistan or Kuwait. In those bases, even cleaning the latrines is subcontracted to private military companies like Kellogg, Brown & Root. Within days of our attack on Iraq, I saw US soldiers in Baghdad standing in line to Burger King. One of the most distracting pictures that I saw was an image of an Aphgani woman covered in a burka from head to toe begging in front of a huge billboard advertising Coca –Cola. Sun Fun products of Daytona Beach, Florida is doing well after 273,000 bottles of sun block was ordered by the Defense Department. $30 billion goes to subcontractors. Last week, I learned that the National Grid provides electricity to residents of Baghdad, this fact would probably go by unnoticed if it wasn't the same company that I sent my monthly electricity bill to. The only difference is that I have power 24/7, and the people in Baghdad an hour a day. War seems to be a profitable business. Anything related can't lose. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates knows it and he wasn't sightseeing Poland when visited last month.
Just like Newt Gingrich lobbied in the pre-war period.
Now, will the Polish president prove that he has a mind of his own and pass on the deal because it is not in Poland's interest (or for Poland's security) or will he follow the footsteps of the previous Kwasniewski's government, the one accused of hidden CIA prisons, the one who sent Polish soldiers to Iraq, the one who bought a fleet of aged F-16s all in exchange for nothing?
A Polish man wakes up from a coma, 19 years has passed and with it, communism. Free Poland, a free market, free minutes on your cell phone, free first few months of your Internet connection. But I bet many Poles would prefer to go into a coma and wake up when this present government is replaced with another more normal one.
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