Saving Money

Rich vs. Poor

It is probably hard to believe, but there are as many as 467 councillors in Warsaw. Their average salaries amount to PLN 2,000 a month whereas there is a vast number of families with many children living in Warsaw who must survive for only PLN 860 a month. Therefore, Law and Justice (PiS) activists wish to decrease the number of councillors by 50%. The resolution on this issue will be approved at the party convention.

According to the author of the resolution Mariusz Błaszczak, the councils of Warsaw could function more effectively if smaller. “The main aim is to increase the budget,” he says. The council of Warsaw includes 60 members. Councillors earn as much as PLN 2,600 a month and each of the 18 districts has its own council, which means that 407 people in total work in the city councils. More than PLN 10,000,000 from the city’s budget is spent on councillors. If Błaszczak’s idea comes into effect, the city would save PLN 5,000,000  for which several buses could be bought. “It is not fair that so much money is spent on maintaining an army of officials,” according to the Saładziak family from Wola, a district of Warsaw.

Małgorzata Ziarko-Saładziak (41) and Krzysztof Saładziak (39) bring up four children. With an income of PLN 860 they hardly make ends meet. “I have had huge problems finding a job because I am disabled. We survive thanks to my benefit payments, my wife and our daughter’s salaries,” says Krzysztof. The Saładziak family is behind with their rent and they fear eviction. They would like to pay off their debts in instalments, but they can only afford to save an additional PLN 20 a month. Małgorzata concludes that the money saved by the council could help families like theirs.
Super Express

Car in Shop

Bunch of Bangers

“If the manager had not reacted in time and dragged me away, I would have been crushed just like these sausages,” says Wioletta Kowalska (39), a shop assistant at the meat counter in Biedronka. “The car drove into our shop with such force, it smashed through the front window and rammed into the counter. “Thank Heavens nobody died,” adds Wioletta.  Funeral parlour owner Felicja Wydra (72) and her husband Rudolf (71) wanted to visit their grandson in hospital.

She planned to buy him some ham and smoked pork sausage so she stopped off at the Biedronka in Rybnik and parked her Peugeot in front of the shop. “We got out of the car and suddenly I remembered I had left the car keys in the ignition,” says Felicja. Rudolf went to get the keys, but unfortunately he has no driving license and cars are not his cup of tea. “Instead of taking the keys out, he turned them starting up the vehicle,” sobs Felicja. The car powered forward like a rocket. The owners, in a state of shock, tried to stand in the way of the car but were unable to do anything. The car smashed through the front door of Biedronka and rammed into the meat counter. “Luckily, there were no customers inside,” says Wioletta. The firefighters who came to the rescue could not believe what they saw. Losses of PLN 30,000 will be covered by the insurance company. Mrs Wydra’s small finger, which needed eight stitches, is already much better, her husband says his knee is not hurting as badly as before.
Fakt

Poor President

Presidential Troubles

According to a recent poll by CBOS, 67% of Polish people believe that Lech Kaczyński is not doing a very good job as President of Poland. A mere 23% are positive about his Presidency. This piles more pressure on President Kaczyński whose popularity has been consistently falling since the beginning of his term in office. With rumours this week of Donald Tusk wanting to stand for President at the next election, this could be another bitter pill to swallow for Lech Kaczyński. The CBOS poll showed a drop in public confidence with regards Polish politics in general; satisfaction with the work of both the Senate and the Sejm (Poland’s Lower house) has dropped in the polls.
Wirtualna Polska

Dangerous Drugs on Internet

Drugs on Tap

Do you want to terminate a pregnancy or lose weight in just a few weeks? Just get onto the Internet and google the name of a drug. A journalist from Polska easily found sellers who, on the spot, are willing to offer drugs which are available only on prescription and which can be extremely dangerous. Together with a journalist from Interia.pl, Piotr Twardyska, the two checked how easily available psychotropic drugs are on the Internet. Salesmen do not find it difficult to reach customers, although administrators of the online market claim they delete drug adverts. Psychotropic drugs, such as perazine, tramadol and even morphine, are mostly offered in chat rooms. Buyers and salesmen exchange their messenger numbers and then the transaction goes smoothly. However, both parties need to be careful.  Salesmen claim to have unused drugs as they have not made the most of their prescriptions, but still they ask if customers want more as they can get additional drugs if needed.
Polska

Majdan the Model

Model Footballer

Polonia Warszawa’s goalkeeper, Radosław Majdan seems to have finished his sports career and intends to be a model. The 37-year-old footballer has even signed a contract with an agency, which is ready to pay him up to PLN 250,000 for an advertising campaign. The Polish goalkeeper and Doda’s ex-husband has began working for MAG MODELS, model & hostess agency. Paula Marciniak, one of MAG MODELS producers, says proudly: “He is one of the most handsome men in Poland, extremely interesting and very nice. It would be a shame not to use such a talent. We offered him a job and we are very pleased to be working with him”. Experts estimate that Majdan could earn as much as a quarter of a million zlotys for an advertising contract which would include a whole campaign. However this is not the goalkeeper’s first experience of modelling – a few years ago he modelled a collection of men’s underwear.
Dziennik

No More Smoking

Smoking Ban

This spells an end to short cigarette breaks at work. Smoking rooms will disappear from offices and factories because employers will not have to provide them any longer. All employees will have to smoke outside. To smoke freely, one will be forced to walk at least 10 metres away from the building because smoking outside workplace doors will also be banned.

Such restrictions are included in the Anti-smoking Bill. Voting on the Bill will take place in March, which  means that these regulations will probably come into force in the summer. Smokers can only wish for sunny weather. There is no question that smoking rooms will not be created if there is no obligation for it. This is in connection with the necessity to fulfil draconian demands, such as the installation of ventilators which replace air as often as 25 times an hour costing more than PLN 25,000. “We hope that smoking rooms will not be created. Such a radical ban will surely bring measurable effects in smoking restrictions,” says a member of the governmental health commission, Aleksander Sopliński, on behalf of the Polish Peasant Party (PSL) in an interview with Polska.
Polska

Depression Alarm

Growing Problem

The World Health Organization warns that by 2020 depression will be the second most common disease in the world after cardiac health problems. Diagnosing depression is not difficult despite its many different forms. According to the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology 14-16% of Poles have consulted a specialist in the past two years regarding depression, which is more than a few years ago. The two most common types of depression and their symptoms are:

Endogenous depression (clinical depression, severe depression) Caused by unspecified brain disruption, particularly hormonal and nervous system disorder followed by such symptoms as being in a depressed mood for most of the day, lack of positive thinking, drastic increases or decreases of weight, insomnia or excessive sleepiness, feeling tired, and dissociation.
Chronic depression (dysthymia) Depression lasts longer, and depressive symptoms go away for a short time only. One cause of dysthymia may be not adapting oneself to society in early childhood caused by a lack of security and self-confidence, traumatic events, or the inability to satisfy one’s needs and desires. The most common symptoms are a decrease or increase in appetite, feelings of tiredness or lack of energy, low self-esteem, and a sense of hopelessness.

Dziennik

Dangerous Tatras

Winter Tatras

The Tatra Mountains Rescue Team (TOPR) has warned tourists of extreme conditions currently prevailing in the Tatras where snow trails are covered with ice, together with thick fog, making it difficult for tourists to move. Only routes leading to mountain lodges are clear of snow. According to workers from the Tatra Mountains National Park (TPN), ski sticks will be very useful. While on trails, one can come across trees blown down by the wind and broken branches, which are currently being removed. Those who plan to go to the mountains should remember to take proper foot-ware and warm clothing. Setting off for the highest Tatras, one should be equipped with crampons, an alpenstock, avalanche detector and a shovel, which may prove to be necessary. In the Tatras, where single small avalanches often happen, the second (moderate) degree of avalanche warning is in force. On the way to Morskie Oko (The Eye of the Sea), on the section from Włosienica, one is recommended to use the designated winter by-way due to the risk of avalanche.
Rzeczpospolita

No More Abuse

Stop Abuse

Magda was in a critical condition when she was brought to a hospital in Wroclaw on Thursday. The four-year old girl was beaten by her mother’s live-in partner, Mariusz M. During an interrogation, he confessed that he had beaten her up because she was disturbing him during the redecoration of their flat. The doctors from the hospital in Wroclaw did not give the girl any chance of surviving the attack. A procedure was set in motion whereby a special board recognized the little girl as deceased.  “We did everything to save the girl, but unfortunately her brain was severely damaged and does not show any signs of activity,” announced the head of the intensive care unit, Prof. Jan Godzinski. Mariusz M. has been accused of attempted murder, and a a particularly ruthless one at that. If the girl dies, he will be accused of murder. Magda’s tragic condition has annoyed politicians and pushed the government to work more intensively on legislation that will forbid the beating of children. The new Head of the Justice Ministry Andzej Czuma in an interview with Polska said: “As minister I will do anything to reduce the number of such incidents and to effectively prevent them. Personally, I would beat a criminal who beats children,” he added.
Polska

Marcinkiewicz Leaves His Wife

Former PM in Love

Two major tabloids decided to have a closer look at Marcinkiewicz’s life in London. It appears work is not the only thing he is interested in. Marcinkiewicz fell  head over heels in love with a woman in the UK and wants to divorce his wife. He describes his love as “fascinating” while his wife is devastated. Little is known about the woman; the tabloid Fakt discovered that “the young blond beauty is from the City, which is the financial centre of London”. She has worked in London for four years. The tabloid managed to catch Marcinkiewicz on a romantic date with the lady to whom the former Prime Minister showed a lot of affection. The problem is that Marcinkiewicz is still married. He spent last Christmas with his family in Gorzów but it was already known then that he is about to change his life. He is planning to divorce his wife and wants to live with his new love. “It is our own personal tragedy. A wife knows certain things and I know that I have to deal with this alone,” says Maria Marcinkiewicz. In the meantime, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz denied gossip about his new partner being pregnant and announced they want to settle down.
Dziennik