Polack Documentary

I have found some information about the "Polack" documentary a few days ago that I would like to share with You and ask for your opinion. The topic of the movie is a little controversial - it’s about jokes about Polish people. It is obvious that there are many jokes around the world about many different groups of people of many nationalities, professions or hair color, but where it comes to jokes about us there seems to be no mercy. Moreover, the documentary is not only about making fun of us but also shows the cultural and political background of such jokes.

Have You seen this movie? What did you think about it? Do you think we deserve to be treated like this, or is there no need to be so serious about mere jokes?

POLACK : Film Trailer from James Kenney on Vimeo.

Part 3

Two previous parts were, let's say, focused on human behaviors. But it only involved some of the social groups. In this part I would like to concentrate on general public. It doesn't matter if it's about fans of techno music, pop or rock, people who drink coffee at home or in Starbucks. What do people do? My subjective review of 9 least interesting behaviours. ;)

1. Not going to toilet, when you have to. Maybe it's weird, but who of you had more than once something more important to do than usual physiologic need?
   
   
   (howstuffworks.com)


2. Taking photos from vacation of surroundings with a mascot in the foreground. Mainly by adults..
   
   
   (culturalfuel.net)


3. Talking out loud with yourself when you're alone. Strange? But everyone does it.
   
   (www.topyaps.com)


4. Constant coming back to the kitchen and checking the fridge, when you're hungry. Maybe somehow something appears in there?
   
   (apinchofmalta.com)


5. Playing farmville on Facebook. There's no easier way to show everyone, that you don't have a life. And it's a waste of time...
   
   (www.allfacebook.com)


6. Avoiding unlucky numbers. Missing floors in hotels, not existing seats in aeroplanes..Is there anything more insane?
   
   (nickshell1983.wordpress.com)


7. Taking photos of yourself from hand. The worst pictures ever, which are later uploaded on Facebook.
   
   (sodahead.com)


8. Informing people on Facebook about EVERY single activity 24/7..and pretending, that you're not at home.
   
   (millyonair.wordpress.com)

And to finish: http://i.imgur.com/l6IGn.jpg (2leep.com) :)

Questions:
- Do you know any other weird or stupid things that people do?
- Have you ever done anything from things listed above?
- Why do people do all these things?

The Best Presentation

I would like to announce a competition for the best presentation on the blogs this term. Take into account all presentations on 3 blogs and vote for the most interesting one, the one that taught you something new, made you laugh, ect. You cannot vote for your own one of course;) Justify your choice in one sentence.
There will be a reward.

Part 2: People, Apple, Starbucks and cheap clothes from China with the label

(http://www.pinger.pl)


What is it about? I don't really know. Maybe it's because people treat trademarks like sanctity?




(scaryideas.com)


Probably lots of you guys know people, who upload on Facebook their photos from Starbucks, wearing Burberry scarf from China every hour via Facebook mobile for iPhone...and FOR SURE they don't look like people from above picture from 80's..Closer to the truth will be :




(http://changingroom.pinger.pl/)

(because of the weather, the scarf stayed in a wardrobe)

Since we are reminded what a typical (I also recommend you and article about 7 typical iphone users ) representative of contemporary young generation looks like, let's try to get to know their music and the way of spending free time.
Internet shows, that the highest popularity has of course Justin Bieber. (it's not so surprising though)




(youtube.com)


Next one is Rebecca with her smash Friday:




(youtube.com)


There are also Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift and other Disney stars..but not so influential anymore.
About the free time, similarly to the videos I gave you, young people spend it between tables in Apple store, drinking coffee in Starbucks or on eBay, looking for very branded clothes with a good(achievable) price.

Can all of this be called a phenomenon? I think yes. Nay, for some of them it's almost the same, or even more than religion or a lifestyle. Nowadays a usual walk along the Nowy Świat isn't a usual walk for young people. Everything's about showing off. To be noticed by the others. Sometimes, while seeing such a situation, there's one question that comes to my mind. Are they dressed or maybe disguised for someone/something else that they aren't and probably never would if not for the media and surrounding influence?

Questions:
- What do you think about Justin Bieber? Is he really talented..?
- Why people are so weird? Why do they like to show off?

Part 1

In two previous presentations I focused on different genres of music (yes, it was long time ago and I, myself don't remember what I wrote about) and many human oddities believing in religion not connected with concrete recession of faith, culture adhesion, but with some kind of product - apple, starbucks etc. (lately I even found out that Apple icons influence the fans in a similar way that symbols of cult influence religious people!? You'll find out more about it in
here.). So let's treat my current presentation as a supplement to the previous ones. What comes out after linking both subjects? The answer is simple.

How does TYPICAL representative of the group look like and behave.

So as the very first go people of techno music and disco polo. In regard of their variety and diversity I'll focus on them separately.

Techno.. genre like other ones. Not really ambitious or expressive. It doesn't have a melody line, particular rhythm or anything. "Song" can last even an hour or two, but it doesn't matter in which moment you turn it on, because you still think you're in the same minute you were..What does typical sosh look like?




(demotywatory.pl) - description available under the picture

Techno fans are also known for their dedication to white gloves and for sometimes wearing a vacuum cleaner on their backs and pretending to be NASA astronauts.

How to dance? Nothing easier than that!



(youtube.com)


But there's one thing about techno fans you can't deny- even if the night was tough and there's no sight of the end of a party :



(youtube.com)

, they are still fighting just like...well exactly, like who or what?!

Purportedly techno music helps to find a connection between generations:




(youtube.com)

This is actually an advantage. In such a situation maybe it's worth clicking "Like" button?

Disco polo. You can say that this genre has a lot in common with techno. What exactly? Basic music, naive lyrics, terrible performers, lack of originality. Wikipedia also claims that "Currently professionalising of disco polo is in progress"- whatever it means. ;)

Still the most important are people..I don't know if you're tough enough to watch the whole thing, but try:




(youtube.com)


As you can see to create such "music" you don't have to be very pretty, well dressed, you don't need a big amount of money for a video clip, cars and other gadgets. It seems that you don't need to have absolutely anything. For sure you don't need a talent. In conclusion there's one thought. What is it? Everyone can be such an "artist". But does everyone have enough bravery and strength to do something like this in front of the whole nation? I don't think so. On the other hand, how is it that..





(demotywatory.pl)


Questions:

1. What do you think about these two genres? Is it really that bad as I think?
2. Which style of techno dance do you like most? (from the movie above)
3. Do you really know disco polo songs but you don’t listen to it?

Europe trips made by the President of the United States - part III

The last part of my presentation will be entirely devoted to Barack Obama. Mainly because of his recent visit to Poland, which took place a few days ago.

Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States since 2009. Since taking office, he had no occasion to visit Poland, but has repeatedly traveled to Europe. For the first time as president of the United States he visited in 2009 Great Britain during the G20 Economic Summit. Then he went to France and Germany on the NATO Summit. The last stop of his trip were the Czech Republic because of the special meeting of the representation of the European Union and the United States.

In June 2009 he traveled again to Germany and France meeting with chancellor Angela Merkel (Germany) and president Nicolas Sarkozy (France). Then he attended the G8 summit in Italy and met with Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City.

Additionally in 2009 he was twice in Denmark. In October at the Olympic Congress and in December at the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

The end of 2009 was a great event for Barack Obama, because he received the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples".

Turning to 2010, Barack Obama was back in the Czech Republic signing the New START treaty with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. Then in November he attended the 22nd NATO summit and the United Stastes - European Union summit in Portugal where he met with president Aníbal Cavaco Silva and prime Minister José Sócrates.

On his most recent trip to Europe he visited Ireland and Great Britain accompanied by the First Lady (Michelle Obama). Then he went to the G8 summit in France and at the end he finally visited Poland coming to our capital, Warsaw. This was his first visit in Poland as president of the United States however after the Smolensk plane crash there were plans for his arrival.

Questions:

1. How would you rate the preparation to the visit of Barack Obama?
2. What Poland has gained by this visit?
3. What do you think about safety regulations applied during the visit

Sources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_trips_made_by_the_President_of_the_United_States
• http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/

Europe trips made by the President of the United States - part II

I told you in the previous part some historic visits of U.S. Presidents. Let us now move to visits which took place in our times that we know from television or newspapers or perhaps even those on which you were personally.

International travel by a sitting President or a President elect has increased dramatically since George H. W. Bush (41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1993) became president. He visited nearly all countries in Europe, including Poland in 1989 and 1992.

At this point worth mentioning is the military version of the Boeing 747 – the VC-25 (also know as the “Air Force One”) introduced in 1990. As a curiosity I might add that the name of the aircraft varies depending on whether the president is on board. The plane has over 370 square meters of floor space including a bedroom, a shower and enough secure communications to allow the plane to be a reasonable place to run the country. The plane is also accompanied by a heavy lift aircraft that carries the helicopters and the limousines.

At the Presidential inauguration in which there is a change in office, the outgoing President is provided a flight aboard one of the VC-25A aircraft to their home destination. For both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, the flight was known as “Special Air Mission 28000”, with 28000 representing the aircraft's tail number. On some occasions, the VC-25s are used to transport the Vice President of the United States, for which service they adopt the callsign “Air Force Two”.

Another president making a lot of trips to Europe was Bill Clinton (42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001) visiting 74 different countries all over the world.

In 1997 he came to Poland speaking at the Royal Castle Square in Warsaw.

President Bush was the most travelled president in history, beating the record set by President Clinton, who in turn beat the record set by President George H. W. Bush.

He also visited 74 different countries like Bill Clinton and together they went to 94 different countries with a combined population of 85% of the world total. He visited Poland three times – in 2001, 2003 and 2007.

Questions:

1. Which President of the United States did you like the most?
2. What do you think about the “Air Force One”? Should Poland have a plane like this?
3. Why are international trips so important for U.S. Presidents?

Sources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_VC-25

P.S.: Last but not least – Barack Obama in part III.