PolBlogcast: Polish Presidential Election Round #1 - Ringside with the Beatroot

Another PolBlogcast

From our sister site Polblog.pl:

In our continuing election series of PolBlogcasts, we turn again to the Beatroot for some Polish Presidential punditry. Coming off the heels of a closely watched and contested election, the two leading parties and their candidates stand alone as the sole choices for the Polish electorate. Round One turnout was underwhelming, but with such a slim margin and so much at stake, diseffected voters may just participate.

PolBlogcast: Polish Presidential Election Round #1 - Ringside with the Beatroot (12 Minutes)



Links mentioned in this PolBlogcast:
1) the Beatroot



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technorati tags: poland, warsaw, podcast, blog

PolBlogcast: Poland's Car-nage

Another PolBlogcast

Just in from our sister site Polblog.pl:

In this PolBlogcast we discuss the sorry state of Polish driving. This was prompted by a number of high profile accidents, lately, a tragic bus crash, that left 11 children dead, and just yesterday a fatal accident involving Olympic swimming champion Otylia Jedrzejczak. And only last month a prominent Polish politican died in a car accident. And it's not only PolBlog that notices a problem, a fellow Warsaw blogger at the Warsaw Station asks the same general question we do, "What is going on?"

PolBlogcast: Poland's Car-nage
(Under 10 minutes)

Links mentioned in this PolBlogcast:

1) Car Accident Vocabulary Guide for English Speakers in Poland - Car accidents

2) Polish Ministry of Infrastructure (English)
3) Car accident Photos (no blood, don't worry)
4) European Mobility Week - Warsaw not participating for past 3 years. The Polish Site
5) Informative page about 'No Drive Day in Poland 2004'
6) Critical Mass Project - Warsaw -- Get your ass to Critical Mass!

A Polish driving joke:
A guy was returning home from a cross country business trip. He'd spent many hours behind the wheel and wasn't paying much attention to driving drowsy. He turned on the radio, to keep himself awake -- there was a live report: 'A madman is driving against the traffic on a main road towards Warsaw' -- "ONE madman? I see HUNDREDS of them!" the guy commented irritatingly.

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technorati tags: poland, warsaw, podcast, blog

PolBlogcast: Post Election Warsaw - Morning in Poland?

Another PolBlogcast

In from sister site PolBlog:

In our latest PolBlogcast we seek out multiple views regarding the elections in Poland this past weekend. We listened as an impassioned young Pole from Łódż spoke of the quasi-religious duty she feels about her vote. Agata was very disappointed by the low voter turnout (about 40%) and characterized the activity of voting as a secular 'religious' duty for all. Ironically, Agata claimed that she wasn't religious, even though the account she gives of her election weekend travel had all the overtones of a pilgrimage.

Our next interviewee, Peter, works as a diplomat at the Brazilian Embassy in Warsaw. His view was, well, rather diplomatic -- balanced, cool, calm, and collected. He proclaimed that with post-communist parties losing ground, it is a good day for democracy in Poland. As for the unemployed, Peter wasn't as triumphalistic, they still have tough times ahead, he is sympathetic to the more pro-business program of Civic Platform. As for relations with Russia, Peter predicts an emboldened voice reaching the Kremlim from Warsaw.

Last but not least, the beatroot's Peter Gentle provides a concise and well informed picture of things to come. For example, he forsees some interesting times ahead for relations with Russia and Belarus. Additionally, the Kaczyński twins supply endless conjecture for pundits. For example, should Lech win the presidency next month (a long shot according to Peter), his brother would step down as Prime Minister (assuming he would be supported) -- paving the way for Jan Rokita. Gentle gave the MSM good marks with respect to its coverage of the elections and gave kudos to a fellow Poland blogger operating the Warsaw Station blog.

As usual, we invite your comments about the content and opinions expressed in this PolBlogcast. Don't be a stranger and we won't either.

PolBlogcast: Post Election Warsaw - Morning in Poland?
(17 minutes - 3 interviews)




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PolBlogcast: Polish Election - A Local Account

Another PolBlogcast

From our sister site PolBlog:

In this special Election Day PolBlogcast, we hear how a day at the Polls went for a local Pole, our very own Maria.

PolBlogcast: Poland Votes - A Local View
(5 Minutes)





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PolBlogcast: Is Virtual Solidarity Enough?

Another PolBlogcast

From our sister site PolBlog...

In our current PolBlogcast we look at the latest public initiative of former Polish President, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Solidarity Icon, Lech Wałęsa. Interestingly, this is a cyber-initiative called "E-Solidarity."

E-Solidarity is available in 5 European languages -- nice gesture, but what about the other 90+% of humanity (perhaps Asian and Middle Eastern languages, and no Russian, ooops!?). AS always we invite your comments, and ideas for future PolBlogcasts. What would you like to hear?

Listen to the PolBlogcast: Is Virtual Solidarity Enough?
(About 11 minutes)

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PolBlogcast: Polish Election Interview

In from our sister site PolBlog.pl

With Polish election season in full swing, we decided to get the inside scoop from a Warsaw-based journalist from London. Peter Gentle is also a blog-journalist and creator of 'the beatroot' - a blog with a decidely political focus. IN this current PolBlogcast, we ask Peter about the stakes for the average Pole in this election. Why should most Poles care who wins? Why should the EU care?

Special Election Edition: Polish Political Beat (Interview)
(11 minutes)

Links mentioned in this PolBlogcast:

1) the beatroot

2) Official German election results (German Embassy in London)

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Poland's First English Podcast Service
PolPodsters Unite!
polpod@o2.pl

From PolBlog: Time out for Art

As part of its America Presents program, the USA Embassy in Warsaw (Cultural Affairs Division) hosted a poetry reading by Yusef Komunyakaa, on September 12 at the Traffic Club in Warsaw (Bracka 25). Komunyakaa gave a poetry reading from his new book “Praise of Dark Places”. The book was released on September 7 in Polish by Znak Publishing House.

In Praise of Dark Places_Komunyakaa -
Traffic Club, Warsaw, Poland (9/13/05)
[2 Minutes]

Unnatural State of the Unicorn_English_and_Polish
Komunyakaa (Traffic Club, Warsaw)
[3 minutes - satisfactory quality]






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Poland's First English Podcast Service
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PolBlogcast: The Junk Juggernaut in Warsaw

From our sister site PolBlog.pl, a "News and Views" piece

In our current PolBlogcast we look at the so-called 'junkification' of Warsaw sidewalks by a growing tide of peddlers. Selling household items from a-z, these sidewalk merchants seem to take a diversity of forms-- retirees, parents overloaded with junk, individuals involved in a larger merchandizing ring. But they all appear to share a common denominator -- they are all poor.

Listen to the PolBlogcast (9 minutes)




PolPod - The Podcast Service of PolBlog
Poland's First English Podcast Service
PolPodsters Unite!
polpod@o2.pl