Polish Blogosphere Update · Global Voices
Jordan & Maria Seidel

Better late than never… That's what PolBlog hopes bloggers will think in response to its latest foray into blogging technology.  Its new “Talk Back Attack” features an audio comment option to put “a voice to the text.”  This is how PolBlog explains the new feature:
Audio-commenting, as we call it, adds another dimension to blogging — think of it as audio SMS.
The topic for the inaugural Talk Back Attack (TBA) is the very hot issue of the Polish brain drain. PolBlog pontificates:
While Poles working abroad are now what one could call economic refugees, in the nearest future they may very well be followed by their diseffected brethren, the political refugees. How to put a brake on it? Oddly enough, there won't be any religious refugees as Poland stands to become a country of unemployed, educationally undistinguished (and indistinguishable), Catholic zealots.
And speaking of the devil(s), religious zealotry may be just what Poland needs if Edward Lucas is correct in his latest report pinning much of the blame for Poland's fall from EU grace on the twins currently serving as President and PM:
It is easy to argue that the Law and Justice party has done disappointingly little in the nine months since it won Poland's parliamentary and presidential elections. But in one respect it has done a lot: once a regional heavyweight, respected in America and around Europe, the country now attracts ridicule and condemnation. The main culprit is the president, Lech Kaczynski.
The twins of Polish politics are providing tons of newfound grist for the satirists. The Real Warsaw waxes instrumental, anticipating a potential windfall of success should the ‘wonder twins’ fail (or succeed, depending on the POV):
…it would be impossible to set Poland any lower on the world respect ladder. good news for me…I want this country to fail so I can prosper.
But would-be emigrants don't think about flipping the bird to Poland just yet. Giving the finger is now more than an aggressive, pseudo-phallic, primal gesture — it is a passport requirement, according to Poland IP  law news and resources: “A fingerprint will identify the document holder. New law will come into force in the end of August 2006.”
And while my fingers are still unpoliticized, it just wouldn't be a Polish Blogosphere Update without typing something from the diligent, far from vegetative beatroot. Perhaps in a story to give pause to the open-armed Londoners when it comes to Polish workers, the infamous Jack the Ripper may have been Polish!
The Ripper was a Polish Jew. That was the opinion of the head of the investigation into the Whitechapel murders in 1888, according to ‘evidence’ released today.
Clearly, there's been alot of ripping into Polish politics throughout the blogopshere recently, and so a change of direction is welcomed. As the Warsaw Crow Flies informs us that the blog has re-prioritized to focus mainly on “…stories about everyday life in Warsaw.” We look forward to future posts from the Crow.
And now, from the Polish language blogging scene…
The holiday season has taken hold of Polish bloggers. “As far from daily newspapers as possible” – exclaims Kurczeblade. And rightly so, for the recent news doesn't really help us to relax. As the situation in the Middle East heats up, you can tune into Polish Orientophile hub – Arabia.pl for recent news from the region as well as hot comments from Poles living there.
Most of the native bloggers seem to be in the state of detachment though, as the infamous “cucumber season” settles in. The daily absurdities of life in the “Land of the Ducks” (now in double role of President/Prime Minister) instigates the usual rants – from the authors of “Krótkowzroczność“, “To oko” – among others who'd been seeing double lately.
One subject managed to get more feedback from seething internauts – our dear nationalistic-radical-turned-minister-of-education Mr. Roman Giertych's recent plan to pardon these poor unfortunate youth/lazy bastards who managed to fail the so called “maturity exam” at the end of this high school year. Effectively granting them a passing score – and the right to get to college. M. Karnowski writes:
[Giertych's decision] damages the law, the state, youth’s upbringing. It strengthens kids’ already prevailing belief, common for the Poles, that everything is relative, everything's negotiable. Even “matura” can be called off afterwards – the minister just did it. Let the exams go their way, the score's going to be what we want it to be!
At least Polandia managed, in accordance with their motto, write “something positive about Poland” for the summer. An article about Kraków's “Crazy Guides” – a merry band of entrepreneurs offering western tourist an alternative to the well-known landmarks – tracking the remnants of communistic Poland among the blocks of Nowa Huta. Herring and vodka, tacky music by the local band, a tour aboard 1960′ original red city bus, and for the de luxeclients – a visit in an authentic private flat “from the era” for a serving of traditional Polish hospitality – and equally traditional Polish sour soup.
If you're ever in Kraków, try it out!
That’s the Poland blogopshere update! Until next time – Do widzenia i powodzenia!