Polish Blogosphere Update · Global Voices
Jordan & Maria Seidel

On the literary front, As the Warsaw Crow Flies notes the death of Polish author Stanislaw Lem. On Lem, Warsaw Crow writes:
Having only read his novel Solaris, I can't say I'm at all familiar with his work. But from that one book it was clear just what an exceptionally imaginative chap he was.
Not to be confused with Lem's science fiction, The Real Warsaw reports on a recent strike of doctors protesting their paltry incomes.
Currently an average Polish doctor at a state hospital makes less than 10 złoty per hour. That's equal to about 2.5 Euro or 3 USD per hour.
According to Real Warsaw, Poland's health care professionals are demanding a 100% increase in salary by 2007. In the comments section, Hikin Mike argues that Poland needs to spend a higher pecentage of its GDP on the health care sector if things are to improve:
…within your country you need to pay specialized prices for it or you will lose all of the talent to countries willing to pay more (the United States pays 15% of GDP compared to Polands 4%). When it comes to maintaining a healthy society, health care is not where you want to cut corners – pay them what they deserve.
According to P3, Poles won't have to worry about doctors if they keep eating all the fresh fruits and veggies from their local green grocers. But be warned, the vendors are in no mood to haggle over prices:
Me: I'd like some tangerines.
Her: How many?
Me: Well, I'm not sure. How about 2 zl worth? (Not even knowing how much that'll be)
Her: Prosze (she then grabs about 15 tangerines and weighs them out.
Her: That'll be 2.50.
Me: ??
Her: 2.50
Me: Well, it could be worse. (Hands over the money)
Yes, it could be worse, she could be basing her voting choices on the latest transmission from Radio Maryja.  Perpetually in somebody's doctrinal doghouse, this time Pope Benedict XVI's, the beatroot  reports that Vatican “top collars” (perhaps in move to indirectly indict the Polish Church) sent a letter to Polish Church authorities requesting a concrete response to the station's cosy relations with the ruling political party (PiS).  Already infamous for its anti-Semitic, conspiracy-theorist audio screeds, Radio Maryja is now under increased Papal scrutiny for its close ties to politics.   I suppose there's room for only one theocracy in this neck of the woods.
And if that wasn't “putting one's foot in it all,” spring hungry Poles might wish it was according to As the Warsaw Crow Flies. As a new season thaws the “glad to see your back” winter, additional shortfalls are afoot: Warsaw Crow marvels from “Dog Poo Avenue” at the “testament to artistic capabilities of the canine digestive system, for about eighty metres ‘solid’ it represents a pantheon of perfectly preserved doggie deposits.”
Perhaps not the most appealing note to end on, but we promise that next time we will bring you some  additional updates regarding Polish language blogs (we will translate some).
That’s the Poland blogopshere update! Until next time – Do widzenia!